The Ride Of My Life: Chicago

Chapter 20

After almost two hours and half of sitting in a chair Rylee had finish with my tattoo and we only take two break for only about five to ten minutes before getting to it.
"Alright, I m done. Why don't you have have a look in the mirror while I put these away." Rylee said, starting cleaning up her tattoo equipment.
I walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room. Turing my back to the mirror and looking over my shoulder, I am in awestruck at how it looks great. Never have I ever thought I would be doing this even if someone ask or dare me to do this would I ever liked to get a tattoo. I'm glad that I did, because once again it looks great. How she took her time to make every detail look perfect and not out of line.
Rylee went over thing that I need to do to take care of it for about a week and she even cover it with clear plastic wrap and give and ointment to put on between two to three time a day.
"Thanks again for doing this." I said to Rylee when putt the chair back at the table with the others Jordan and Nyla liked the tattoo too.
"No probs. It looks great on you." Rylee said, smirking and giving me a wink. "And if you ever want to get another one, just let me know."
"I will." since she did a great job doing it.
I put my shirt back on and second I pull the hen of it down Tyler and Mateo walk in the room looking around a bit confuse.
"What's going here?" Tyler asked, looking at each and one of us.
"Well, you must know. We all got inked, even Estelle did, too." Nyla said to Tyler.
"Really?" Mateo said in shock. "I don't picture you the kind of girl that would even thought of getting one. Well, I kind of should since you're hanging out around us and look what happen. You're becoming one us now."
"Yeah, she has change a bit since you been coming around hanging with us." Jordan said, looking at me. "But I mean in a good way, I'm not trying to offend you or anything..."
"Jordan, its okay. I know what you're trying to say." I said, interrupted her or else she might not stop apologizing.
"What you get?" Tyler asked.
"Yeah, show us what you got." Mateo said, with a little smile in he corner of his lips.
"Okay." i said, turning to the side and pulling down my shirt to show them the tattoo of dreamcatcher wolf on my the back of the shoulder blade.
"Nice. You're really pulling that off." Tyler says looking at it. Before I pulled shirt back in place.
"Thanks. Do either of you got any tattoos?" I asked, Tyler and Mateo. And if they do I wonder what they got and how many they have.
"Nope." Tyler said.
"Yeah, I got two. One on my arm and the other on the leg." Mateo said.
"You wanna make that three." Rylee said, giving him a look that asking if he wants another since she got her equipment in the bag.
Mateo took a moment debating if he want to or not.
"Sure, why the hell not." he said, going over to her. Rylee pull a chair out while Mateo took is shirt off. And might I says he have great abs and little bit of muscle on his arms too. I got a little distracted but then I see the tattoo on his arm and its a road with mountain in the background.
I hear Jordan whistle and says, 'wow' and he give her a wink. I look over to Tyler and see that he looking at me. I give him a small smile and not breaking eyes contact for a few second before Rylee says something.
"Tyler, you want to get ink after Mateo?" she asked him.
"No, I'm good." he said to her.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure." he nodded.
"Okay. If you ever change your mind you know where to find me."
"I'll keep that in mind."
After that Mateo take the set on the chair sitting it backward, having his back to Rylee. He having in on the back of his shoulder and he wants a bear but inside the bear is a forest.
Standing here for about ten minutes watching Rylee the outline of the tattoo, I feel someone standing behind me. I look over my shoulder and see that Tyler is right behind me. And then I feel his hand around mine wrist pulling me gentle to the door of the garage.
I let him lead the way, once where in the garage and stop right in front my car. He let go of me and went to the driver door to only being in her for a second to open the hood of the car.
"What are you doing?' I ask him curiously, wondering whats he up to. I cross my arms over my chest.
"I'm want to go over what I taught you. It best to check every few week for you know what you need to do."
"Okay."
"Alright, come on over." he said, nodding to the car. "Let's see if you remember some of these thing and what to do." I walk over to him and I started to pointed out some of thing in around the engine. And I says what kind things needed to put in and make its the right one or else something will go wrong and have to call an expert, which will cost a lot of money to fix it, unless you know some people to do for half the price than any other mechanizes do.
"Okay. Looks like you got it all cover. Now for the next task." he said, closing the hood and going to the side of the car.
"And that is/" I said, stepping back little.
"How to change a tire." I sigh and giving him a look that says are you being seriously. "What happen if you have a flat tire on the side of the highway and nobody can't help you. And I'm sure any stranger going to help a poor girl out. And if they ask you'll probably lied and says you got it handle when you don't."
"You make a great point." I smiled at him, even though he probably right about it. "So, show me what to do then." Tyler went to his car to get something out of the trunk and then came back with something in his hands.
"This right here is a carjack and the handle that goes with it and lug wrench to get the lug nut out that holding the tires." I nodded. And then he put the tool down next to the car. "Alright, let get to it then."
It only took about half an hour to change a tire and I'm surprise that I didn't sprain my wrist when I try to get the lug nut off the rim of the tire and putting it back on. I hope that I don't have to change a tire again, well except for the winter, because apparently there two type of tires.
When we got with that I went back to the back to see how everything going with Mateo tattoo so far. Tyler went upstairs to do something or get something, I didn't catch what he says, when he walk away. All I hear that he be back in a second.
"Okay, we're done." Rylee said, steeping back for Mateo can stand up.
He walk over to the mirror and take a look at his tattoo.
"Thanks, looks awesome." Mateo said, looking at it through the mirror.
"No, probs."
And then the twin walk into the room and they wanted to inked too. So it looks like Rylee going to be busy for a few more hours, but she doesn't mind since they have nothing to do today.
The twin just got back from the store to get some foods and drinks to stock up in the fridge.
About an hour later Jordan left the room because she to work on a car and Mateo went back to the front desk, so it just Rylee, Tristan, Kaden, and me in the back room. Kaden is the first one to get ink since he beaten Tristan to the chair. Kaden is getting upside down triangle with an ocean wave on his inner arm below the elbow. And after he done Tristan is getting the same thing but the triangle is face the right way and inside it is a mountain and putting it the same place as his brother. They getting matching one that they been wanting to get one for a while to remember one another.
Two hours later Rylee finish both of the twins tattoo and they turn out great and its sweet that they wanted to get a matching sibling tattoo.
I walk out to the garage and see that Jordan is working on Saul car and Mateo in on the other side at the desk doing something on the computer.
"Okay, give it a try." Jordan said to Saul who's in the driver seat. Saul put his left leg on the petal and revers the engine.
"Nice." she said, nodding to the car, proud for what she did.
"What the hell's going on?" Mateo said, coming over here.
"I modded Saul's car so he can drive. That leg won't be healed for months-" Mateo glare at Jordan. "What? He asked me! I'm not going to disobey his order. And plus how else he going to drive if no one is around to take him somewhere or places that we can't go with him."
"Alright, Tyler, open the bay's door for me." Saul said to Tyler and ignoring Mateo and Jordan.
"Going somewhere, Boss?" Tyler asked.
"I told you to do something. Are you gonna do it? I already have one petulant child." Saul said, getting little upset. When someone ask question that he doesn't want to get into when he got to go somewhere.
Saul didn't see the look on Mateo face when he says that. Mateo give him the same glare that he give Jordan, but little more anger to it. Tyler went over to the bay door and rolled the door open behind Saul.
"The supercars we stole are well-hidden. I'm off to meet with the Night Skull. give them the keys and the location." Saul explaining the plan with us. "After this, we're free." he look at his crews.
"I don't think you should go alone." I said, worried about last time. Who knows what could happen if no one go with him for backup, it could be worst than last time and we won't know about it until it too late.
"It's just a drop, Estelle. If I can't handle something as simple as this, Mateo should put me in a nursing home." Saul says, trying to make little light of this conversation.
"I've been thinking of it, too." Mateo said, looking at his dad with a calm face.
"Our contact wants it to just be me. We're not going to give them a reason to change their minds on our arrangement." Saul back the car out of the garage and drive off heading to meet the Night Skull boss.
After he left, we stood looking out the door into nothing but trees around here.
"He's determined to get himself killed." Mateo said, after a few second from standing here. We all looked at Mateo and he's is mad by the look on his face.
"For once, I agree with Mateo. We all know what happened last time Saul was alone with those guys." Tyler said, agreeing with Mateo. And I know everyone feel the same way because the look on their faces, but they know they can't do anything about it when Saul told them that they only want him their and also don't want to be on his bad side either.
"You two getting along is too weird to deal with." Nyla said, looking back and forth at Mateo and Tyler.
"You boys need to leave it alone. You think I'm not worried too? You heard Saul. We're not to interfering period." Rylee says, little irritated by them for thinking about Saul like that. I mean Mateo isn't really wrong because he really shouldn't go alone when he stilled injured from last time with them. And what if they change their mind about the arrangement and Saul don't do what they want, they could go after him when he can't defend himself. Things could go for a wrong turn if Saul don't agreed with them to do something for them.
Taking a deep breathe to calm herself down. Rylee turn to all of us. "Now Jordan and I have to go pick up some parts. Estelle, can you watch over these fools and make sure they don't do anything stupid?"
"Me? Um, sure." I said, surprised that she ask me to watch them. Like they'll ever listen to me, well sometime. But who know they probably sneak out when I have mine back turn on them and it be too late to catch them or talk them for doing something stupid that could get them in trouble, like they ever care be in trouble by Saul or Rylee. "What about Kaden and Tristan?"
"They got to go do a job some where. They won't be back for a few hours." I nodded. "Alright, lets go, Jordan. We'll be back and I better you two behave and don't do something stupid or something."
Rylee and Jordan got into Rylee's car and leave the garage. Leaving me with Tyler, Mateo, and Nyla.
"So, what do we do?" I ask them to see if they have anything in mind to do something instead of standing around in the garage.
"Nothing. If Boss is dumb enough to sever himself up on a silver patter, let them have him." Nyla said, sitting on the hood of my car.
But someone don't like the Nyla says about Saul because he getting mad about it.
"What'd you just say?" Mateo said, giving Nyla a death glare.
"You heard me, kid." Nyla acting confidant now, but also pushing Mateo button.
"I don't trust the Night Skull at all. We've gotta come up with a way to back him up." Tyler said, going back to what we're talking about and for Mateo and Nyla don't go at it.
But that didn't change Mateo mood at all.
"'WE'? This isn't your problem." now Mateo is giving the look to Tyler.
"Yeah? You're starting to be my problem." now Tyler getting worked up.
"He's my family."
"Doesn't seem he thinks much of that." Nyla said, getting into the middle og it. But she staying calm for now that is.
Before it gets more heated between them I stepped up.
"Will you all shut up." I said, getting their attention and they seem a little surprised by that, that I telling to shut up for the first time. I think that's the first time but I don't know for sure, but we gonna go with it. And now I'm getting frustrated.
"Stop being so cavalier about this, Nyla. And you, Mateo? You don't have to monopoly on caring about Saul." I took a deep breath before talking again and to calm myself down after getting upset by them. "Tyler's right. We've gotta work together on this." I look at Nyla and Mateo, but they just stared at me blank.
"Now let's make a plan already." Tyler said, getting everyone attention.
"Fine. But we're running out of time. He's slow, but soon we won't be able to find him." Nyla said.
"You should be the one driving, Estelle. We'll show you how to tail someone without being spotted." Tyler said with smirk on his face.
"Wait? Why me? Wouldn't one of you be better?" I said, surprised he would even suggested that. I'm still getting the hang of things around and what they do, even after stealing four cars not to long ago.
"He's got a point. Saul knows our cars well. He'd probably be looking for them... but I doubt he be looking for yours." Nyla said, agreeing with Tyler on this.
"Alright, let's go then." Tyler said nodding toward my car.
"Wait? Who says that your going with Estelle. What if I want to go with her." Mateo said, getting mad about it. Before Tyler can even say a word, I talk to him.
"It's best that you won't be there, Mateo. You're running too hot right now. We need to keep cool if we're gonna do this." I said to him as sincerely as I can be to him. I know he want to be there but it be too dangerous for him to go and the way he gets upset about something if they don't promise on their word or say they wrong by mistake and he gets mad and want to start a fight with them. So it's best that he don't go, if something to go wrong and he won't be in the middle of it.
Mateo steams, but nodded saying he understand.
Tyler and I get in my car, before Tyler closed the door Mateo say something to him. And the look on his face say he really don't want say it in front anyone, but did anyway.
"Tyler... watch my Dad's back, all right?" he asked him.
"We will." Tyler said and then closed the passenger door.
We pulled out of the garage and started heading toward town hoping to catch up with Saul before he reach his location to meet Night Skull. However where Saul is meeting just out side of town almost to the town from us.
"We got some ground to make up. Step on it, but try not to attract any attention." Tyler say. I put a little pressure on the gas pedal going over five miles of the speed limit.
"He said he was going to an abandoned building on the other side of Chicago for the drop, right?" I ask, making sure that's where Saul is going to meet them.
"Yeah."
Tyler... what are we gonna do if this goes bad?"
"I don't know. I've gotta be able to warn Saul, I owe him that much. But if we can't save him..." Tyler tail off like he don't want to finish the sentence.
"What? The crew's only rule? You'd all just scatter to the wind?"
"It's not like there's a choice."
"You're not fooling me. I think you couldn't just leave town forever. I think you care about this crew. Even Mateo." Tyler raises an eyebrow, like I'm kidding or something. "Okay, not Mateo. But the others, you will, I'm sure of that."
"You keep seeing this different person in me who's not there. You want me to be somebody else, that I'm not, Estelle." Tyler said. I know he trying to keep his cool by keeping calm as he talk. "Look this isn't something you'll have to worry about. The Night Skull has no idea who you are. You won't have to run. Okay,slow down. There he is."
I slow down to the speed limit but making sure we'll still can see him from a few cars in ahead of us.
Up ahead Saul's car makes a left, right as the left arrow turns yellow. I pick up the speed little more and made it right when it turn red.
"Nice. Now stay on Saul."
Saul is two cars ahead of us as we're heading to our destination in a few miles.
"Estelle, I don't want things to turn out this way. For you and your dad, I mean. I know he's just looking out for you." Tyler says, sounding guilty. He sigh. "Man, I can't imagine what you're feeling right now. I never had a parent."
When he say those word my heart, knowing that he had no one to care for him, but for himself.
"What about Saul? Back there, you said you 'owe him that much.' What for?'
"He gave me a chance when I came down here. I was a (age) punk. No one took me seriously." I took a quick glance at him and saw the gleam in his eyes remembering the memory years ago before it turn to anger. "I was frustrated. Poor, hungry. Lashing out. Pissing off the wrong people." he took a deep calming breathe before continue talking. "Nobody gave me a shot in Chicago until him. I'd probably be dead by now without him."
"See?"
"It's not like he did it out of kindness of his heart. He saw my skill, what I could do for him. Some kid who can't drive? He passes over. It's just survival." I wonder how it feel like be in someone else life to survive in this world where no one don't give you a chance to do something or even care about you. And all you feel is alone and empty and anger at the world on how your life turn out because you have to learn on how to survive on your own with no there with you to help out.
I didn't say anything after that because I don't to push him into talking more about it, so I just left it at and focus on the road and Saul.
Soon, Saul pulls off the road, rolling slowly up toward an abandoned factory near an overpass. He parks in the middle of the barren lot, light on and the engine idling.
"This must be the spot. Pull over beside the factory so we can see." I do as Tyler says and park on the side of the factory where we can see Saul in a safe distance.
"Nobody's here. He must be waiting for them." I said, looking around I don't see anyone here beside Saul and Tyler and I.
We sit in a strained silence, watching Saul's motionless car.
"Look, I don't know what's about to happen. But whatever it is, promise me one thing" Tyler said, shifting his body in the passenger seat where he facing me. "You won't let Saul's contact see your face. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what? He'd have to kill me?" I said to him.
"People like this? How they operate? Probably." he said, being honest with me. "So make sure we don't have to worry about that, okay?" I nodded.
"Look. He's here." Tyler point to a luxury SUV that pulled into the lot and parks, headlights illuminating Saul's car.
Saul gets out and stands in the light. The driver's door opens on the SUV, and a lane figure gets out and then they started talking. We can barely hear some of the words they are saying to each other. But Tyler is on the edge of his seat watching intensely and trying to listen carefully at them from this distance. We can hear some of what they talking about.
Saul angrily throws the envelope at him and the man catches it. Then he told him where to find the cars and along with a piece of paper of the code for the padlock inside the envelope that he is done and not making any deals with them anymore and turn back to his car.
The man look at the envelope in his hands before looking at Saul before suddenly, he reaches behind him and pulls a gun from his waistband.
"Dammit." Tyler whisper under his breathe. And I gasped under breathe looking shock to see what is happening right before me.
Saul doesn't even blink or move a muscle when he turn around and saw the gun pointed at him. The man walks up close to him and grinds the gun under Saul's chin.
The man told Saul that he doesn't make the demands.
"We've gotta do something." Tyler said. Keeping his eyes on them.
"We could sneak around. We can't get him from the front. But we can try to sneak around from behind the building." I said, looking at the old factory.
"Okay. But stay down."
We got out of the car as quietly as we can and keep low as we get to the building. And we can hear them clearly.
"Are you gonna kill me or not? Because right now you're just wasting my goddamn time." Saul said to the man. And he sound angry, just standing there.
"Kill you? Why would we kill you when you've been such a good partner?"mystery man said. "Here's the thing. We need something else."
"We had a deal-"
"You're done when we say you're done. And we need just this one last, teensy-weensy thing." mystery man said, getting mad, but then calm down. "We'll be in touch."
Mystery man pushes Saul to the ground easily on his one good leg. And then gets back in the SUV and drives off.
The moment that he left, Tyler and I run out from our hiding to Saul to see if he okay.
"Saul! Are you all right?" Tyler ask, Saul the second we got to him.
When Saul see us, he doesn't look red in the face or yelled. He just looked surprised to see us here, but that doesn't mean he'll look surprise to yelled.
"Tyler? Estelle? What the hell are you doing here?" Saul said, keeping his expression calm beside the surprise look on his face and maybe in his voice too.
"We thought they'd have something up their sleeve." Ty;er said, with a concern look on his face and his voice.
"I see... and I supposed you heard." he look back and forth at Tyler and me to confirm it that we have.
"Yeah. All of it." I said.
"This one last thing they want. It's a lie.
"They're never going to leave us alone, Boss. We'll be doing their bidding for the rest of our lives." Tyler said, getting upset about that. Imagine of doing someone dirty job because they couldn't do it so they ask for help, but made a deal with them and not getting involved and just stays in the shadow while the people that hired them to all the heavy lifting for them. I don't know if I could handle that with the pressure to getting the job done right and without getting caught by the law enforcement.
"Not if we outsmart them. Maybe they have the network and resources, but they don't have one thing..." I said, pausing for little dramatic pause.
"What that's" Saul ask, confused and surprise at the same time.
"Me."
"Estelle, you starting be fearless since coming around." Tyler said.
"One thing's certain. We can't risk open war with them. If we're going to find a way out of this, it will take all of us to do it." Saul said, looking at us.
"If they won't let us go.. it's time to force their hand."