Chapter 4: Eastern surprise

Fast is expensive. you want speed? You gotta pay.
None of these guys here are angels, after all, you don't go out for illegal street racing at midnight if you're an upstanding citizen, but most are harmless. Making their money from small time hustles, some wheeling and dealing, a rare few from actual hard work. But there is always the element that makes cash from unsavory occupations, Drugs, robbery, gangs, or worse. You can always tell those types, they flaunt it. Not in the car, but in their whole presence. Bodyguards and a limo, screams scumbag.

I see toast as he is walking past and ask.
"Whats with the freak show?" nodding to the panda.
"Bad news, thats Mr. Chung. some big shot boss from far east. drugs, murder, slaves. if its bad… he does it."
"What the hell is he doing here, at our little party."
"Don't know, don't care, a long as he leaves soon. Gives me the creeps just talking to him.. seems he wants to race everyone tonight."
"I'll be sure to keep my distance. Speaking of which, got another fish for the hook? Think I want to do one more round before I should go. Will be turning into a pumpkin soon." I hold up my sleeve were a bit of the dye has rubbed off from my fur.
"Yeah, Pete wants a crack at the new guy people are talking about, asking a grand."
"Silly Pete, he should know better then that. Ok I'll be ready"

Pulling to a stop on the return loop, I reflect on the last race. Pete, a Grey Wolf veteran of the scene, put up a good race, but at the stripe I was ahead by a half. As I roll down the window he comes walking up. He leans on the window frame and starts to speak
"Man you got to tell me what you ha…." he trails off as he looks straight into my eyes. His own eyes narrowing with recognition. Then he sniffs.
Busted.
"You son-of-a… should have know."
"SHHHH, don't blow my cover man" I said holding up my paws and looking around.
"And why not you shady, no good, untrustworthy…"
"Hey hey… I'm not that bad, tell you what. You come by later I will knock off fifteen hundred from that intake job you have been wanting. Just… keep your ugly trap shut."
"Seems like your going to take my money one way or another. Deal." He says with a chuckle.
"Damn fox" He adds as he turns.
"Best damn fox around" I say in response.
I can see his shoulders bounce with a laugh as he walks away.

I pull back into the parking lot and I can see all eyes are on me. As I pass people stop their conversations and turn to look, resuming as I drive by.
"Thats interesting" I say cocking an eye brow. When I get back to my spot I suddenly know why. There is Chung and his entourage standing where I was parked. They step aside as I pull in, and as I get out of the car the panda comes over. Be cool… remember… your name is Max… he does not know you… just decline any offers and head home.

"I like your car." man this guys accent is thick.
"Uhh thanks?"
"I will buy you car, how much?" My ears perk up as I scan the mammals standing with him. The polar bear, I notice, is staring right at me and holding a brief case. I know whats in it, and can only imagine how much. Eyes go the wolf looking at everyone, but us, for threats to his boss. Then I notice the wolfs paw on the shoulder of a small ocelot girl, dressed in a ratty t-shirt and jeans. She looks young enough for it to be past her bed time and more importantly she looks scared. The wind shifts and I catch her scent.
She is terrified.
I recall the words Toast said to me about his profession. Drugs, murder, slaves.
That last word rings in my mind

"Not for sale" I snap Taking money from a two bit crook is one thing.. taking it from a drug dealer is bad… but this is blood money. Would not touch it with a ten foot pole.
"I give you forty thousand."
"I got more then that in this thing." I lie
"Fifty."
"No."
"I offer 80 thousand dollars, you take it." that last part sounded like an order… or a threat.
"Look, I came here to race, not to sell, no deal, chubs"
What the fuck are you doing Ray? You do not insult a crime boss. He looks at me amused.
"Fine we race for the car, I win it's mine."
"And what, i walk home? And are you offering up that imported trash?" Motioning to the yellow Furrari parked down the row. "It's an overpriced pile of junk and the color looks like crap." He looks mad now, I guess he likes that thing. I continue "Besides I only got one spot in my garage and would hate to leave a expensive lawn ornament like that out in the snow."
Ray, your mouth is going to get you killed.
"I put up one hundred thousand dollar, against your car. and I give you a ride home when you lose."
I am sure he will. Right to my new home at the bottom of the bay. It is a lot of money though. I look at the ocelot girl again, rage bubbling up inside, and my mind is made up.
"Don't want your money, bamboo." Barring a bit of teeth.
RAY YOU DO NOT USE RACIAL SLURS AGAINST SOMEONE THAT CAN MAKE YOU DISAPPEAR! WHY THE FUCK AREN'T YOU LISTENING?
"Uncalled for Max." Toast says from behind me.
Oh yeah, I'm Max tonight, not Ray, and looks like Max is an Idiot. Chung looks thoroughly pissed now.
"Then what, do, you, want?" I notice both of the bodyguards eyes are on me now.
What do I want? I want to be out of here, I want to be in a bar chasing after some tail, I want to be home with a nice bottle of rum.
"How about the girl" motioning to the ocelot.
Max, I am going to kill you.
The panda's face relaxes into a grin.
"You are into the companion market then? Well this one is not ready, she need more… training" I notice the girls face is looking at me horrified, I turn and Toasts face matches hers. Ray is making that same face in my mind, but Max, he has a plan to get this girl away from this monster, and he is cool as a Tundra Town night.
"I like them a little wild, she's ready."
Somewhere in my mind, there is a wall, and Ray is repeatedly banging his head against it.
"Ok. Fine. But none of this short race nonsense, a real race"
Not the mountain, please not the mountain.
"We race up the mountain road to the circle and back."
Just say no. Say the car is not set up for it. Anything.
"Sure, see you at the start."
Max, you are an asshole.
As the panda and his crew stroll away Toast is at my side with eyes bulging.
"What the hell, you can't do this, you are going to get yourself killed, you are going to get me killed, what are you th…" I put my paw on his shoulder.
"I have to get her away from him. She's just a kit and who knows what that fat bastard does to her."
"He will have you executed Ray, he doesn't care is one fox gets in his way, your nothing to him."
"Ray is not here, I'm Max remember, a quick shower and Max will be nothing at all, and kung fu boy none the wiser."
"But the mountain run, you haven't been up there since…" he trails off, fear in his eyes.

I know the mountain well. Been up that road so many times. I know every curve, every bump. I especially know the one pine tree at the bottom of the ravine. the one my car slammed into two years ago, when a blown tire spun me off the road. The one I stayed pinned to for 2 days before they found me.

"Relax." I say spreading my paws out to the side, "I know that plastic yellow lemon he is driving, more noise then power. I can beat him with enough time to have lunch at the overlook before he gets half way up. I'll be careful."
"You better, you owe me a weeks pay." he says, not entirely convinced.
Not sure I am either. I turn away but quickly turn back
"Toast, no spectators, I don't want anyone else near this mess." He nods nervously and heads off to arrange things.