Chapter 4

Erin was settled in her one-bedroom apartment in the city, with a freshly ordered pizza on the coffee table and a bottle of soda next to it. She kicked back on the two-seater sofa and while nibbling on the pizza she flicked on the TV though it was just the late shows nothing of much interest to her. Her mind though was far away and not at all on the TV or even her food, and instead she kept going over in her head what she'd done by giving her number to Denan. She definitely liked him from the second he spoke to her earlier in the evening and there was just something so striking about him. Still though she considered the idea it was all a bit too soon. Besides she had work to do that was why she came here in the first place. Still there was a small part of her that held a little hope that he might take up the offer.

Knock, knock!

She leapt off the sofa quickly ran her hands through her hair.

'Ok just be cool don't get all excited,' she said to herself, repeated the words in her head and strolled over to the front door. She pulled the door open and the sight in front of her made her heart jump and a smile threatened to spill across her face. * Remember to stay calm * She thought.

'Hi,' she said.

'Hey,' he answered a sly smile spread across his lips, the two of them lingered there by the doorway unsure of what to do or say or even to make the next move.

'I—um-do yo—you want to co—come in?' she asked her cheeks blushed red from embarrassment but he just kept the smile on his face, he found it cute the way she went all red and quiet, quite a huge contrast to the way she handled things out on the race track tonight.

'Thank you, don't mind if I do.' He answered; and walked passed her, and she had to take in a deep breath.

'Make yourself comfortable,' she added and pointed to the sofa which he did he sat on one end of the sofa and she returned to her spot at the other end. There was an awkward silence between them and Erin especially was very fidgety.

'So, is that all the racing you'll be doing? Or do you have plans for more and really take the next step to knock Eddie off his top spot?' Denan asked.

'Yup that is the plan, but we all have to start somewhere right? So I'm going to take things slow now, especially since everyone is well aware that I'm not some easy target for them,' she replied.

'No you certainly aren't.' He added she burrowed her eyebrows and looked at him with a curious glance but he wasn't even looking at her, instead his attention was on the TV screen.

'So,' she remarked he turned around to look at her.

'I guess you definitely aren't in his good books at the moment,' she added he chuckled.

'Nope but it doesn't matter. I've had enough of Eddie and his rules anyway.' He said just then his mobile beeped in his pocket he grabbed it and looked at the screen he had received a text message from Chad.

'Excuse me a second.' He remarked and stood up from the sofa and walked to the small kitchen. There he opened up the text message from Chad it read:

We'll be watching your
Every move. So don't
Try anything, slick we
Will be on your tail

Denan laughed he wouldn't have expected anything less from them, after all Eddie had given them instructions to stick to him every cent of the way. He slid his phone back into his pocket and walked back out to the lounge area Erin wasn't anywhere to be seen he listened but heard no sound except for the TV. Then, just out the corner of his eye he noticed the curtain blow across into view revealing a sliding glass door onto a small balcony. Curiosity got the better of him in the end and he walked out towards the balcony pushed aside the curtain as it blew with the breeze and stepped outside.

'Hi.'

Denan spun around caught by surprise to find Erin stood to one side of the balcony her arms rested onto of the railing and overlooked the nightlife of the suburbs.

'Hey, what are you doing out here?' he asked walking towards her end.

'Well,' she began.

'Sometimes when I need a little bit of piece and quiet I come out here. Bit of fresh air and all you hear is the quiet of the street. Quite a contrast the other side of my life I spend out on the streets and racing,' she said.

'And I also noticed something down in the car park.' She added pointing with her finger to the ground below; Denan peeked over the railing the car par was lit up all around from the street laps posted at various spots around it. He instantly recognized Chad and Kurt's cars parked there and the two guys sat on the hood.

'Eddie's told them to keep an eye on me,' he said.

'Why?' she asked.

'Taking a wild guess I'd say it has a lot to do with you turning up tonight,' he answered with a grin she blushed and quickly looked away she stared down at the two guys, they hadn't moved from their spot on top of their cars.

'I have an idea,' she said breaking into a smile.

'I'm all ears,' Denan said.

'Good follow me,' she remarked and turned to go back inside he followed without question. She turned the TV off left the main lights on around the apartment and grabbed her car keys as well as another set she'd left hanging by the coat hanger just behind the main door.

'So what are we doing?' he asked when the two of them left the apartment and stepped into the lift she pressed the button for the basement car park.

'We are going to take your friends on a little trip,' she replied.

'What is that supposed to mean?' he asked.

'You'll see.' She remarked. The lift dropped them off at the basement car park it wasn't full with only a small handful of cars parked in each designated spot.

"Come on this way,' Erin said Denan didn't ask question he just followed they crossed through the car park towards the car he recognized from earlier tonight but it was the one next to it that caught his attention. It was a Subaru WRX Sti in metallic forest green with 18' inch chrome silver wheels, a low gravity to the ground rear-end spoiler and full modified body kit.

'Is that yours too?' he asked.

'Yup.' She said.

'Nice.' He said.

'Thanks'

Erin went over to her car to unlock it she opened the front driver's side door she then turned around and she saw the glint in his eyes as he looked over the other car.

'Here,' she said he glanced up back at her.

'Sorry?' he said with a quizzical look upon his face. She reached into her pocket pulled out another set of car keys and threw it across to him.

'Ok what is this for? I don't get it.' He remarked.

'You're driving.' She answered simply. He stared at the keys then at the car and then back at her she had a sly smile on her ace.

'Oh no, no way I can't just go ahead and drive your car,' he answered shaking his head.

'Oh yes you can I'm giving you permission to, besides it'll add even more fun to this game.' She said.

'Now all I need is for you to keep up with me don't mess up, and if you have any trouble at all there's a radio in there to contact me,' She said and without giving him a chance to say anything back she got into her car slammed the door and started the engine. He watched while she backed it out from the parking spot and when she passed him she stopped and wound down the window.

'Well what are you waiting for? Let's go.' She added. Denan walked around unlocked the WRX got in.

'Nice.' He mumbled he'd have to admire the interior of the car at another time he put the key into the ignition and started up the engine and the sound of it was music to his ears.

'Damn this is one hell of a car,' he said. Just then a crackle over the radio caught his attention.

'Hey are you coming or not? I'm not waiting around all night.' Erin said.

'Sorry, sorry I'm on my way now just give me a second,' he answered. He put the car into reverse and slowly began to back out then straightened it up right behind Erin's car and flicked on the headlights.

'Let's go,' she answered. They moved off through the car park towards the garage exit she pressed the remote and the door automatically opened.

'Now stay close to me and do exactly what I do.' She said over the radio.

'Got it.' He said. She drove out of the garage turned to the left where the outside car park that lead around the front side of the building and exactly where Denan's two friends were parked. She saw the two guys still sitting on the hoods of their cars and they quickly turned around at the sight of the cars.

'Time to have a little fun,' Erin remarked she picked up the radio.

'Are you ready?' she asked.

'Yup.' He replied. Erin flickered her car's headlights a couple of times she saw the two guys jump off the car hoods and run around to the front driver's side to their cars.

'Exactly what I want.' She said. She hit the accelerator the car sped off, with the WRX right behind, Chad and Kurt jumped into their cars and followed only seconds later. The four cars swung out of the car park hitting the two-way street and sped down the left-hand lane. When Erin glanced in her side mirror she saw one of the two cars move into the right-hand lane and gathered up a little more speed.

'Not so fast,' she answered with a sly smile. As the other car slowly caught up to the WRX driven by Denan and then drew level with him then did Erin make her move. She pulled her car out into the right-hand lane directly in front of the on-coming car forcing it to slow down.

'You there?' she asked into the radio.

'Yes.'

'Ok this is going to be a little game of tag we're going to play. First of I want you to speed up and pass me.' She said.

'Then what?'

'Then I'm going to cut in behind you and at the exact same time you come across to this lane.' Erin explained.

'All right I got it,' Denan replied.

'Good.'

Shortly Denan sped up and passed by her, she shifted into the left-lane and he switched to the right. They stayed in their positions for the duration of the road until the next turn started to come into view.

'We're swapping spots once we hit the turn,' Erin said.

'Ok.' Denan remarked. He went into the right-hand turn first changed lanes immediately and Erin did the same, and then in a blink of an eye the next turn to the left came upon them sharply they both flew into it at rapid speed and back into the straight. Erin checked the rear view mirror their chasers had lagged behind obviously having trouble dealing with the two quick turns she laughed.

'Ok we're in the clear for the moment so we can slow down,' she said her and Denan reduced the speed on their cars before letting them both come to a stop and Denan wound down his window Erin did the same though it was on the front passenger's side.

'So, what's your next plan?' he asked.

'What's a matter? Don't you trust me?' she said with a grin he chuckled.

'No I never said that, it's just you can't play games forever. Those two aren't that stupid they'll have their own plan too.' He answered.

'Oh, yeah I'm sure they will but I'm not worried,' she said, just then they heard the sound of engines Chad and Kurt came around the corner at break-neck speed.

'Let's go!' Denan yelled he hit the gas spun around accidently locking the front wheels in the process and spun the car 90 degrees, Chad slammed on the brakes causing his tires squealed severely marking the ground but he still managed to stop before hitting Denan's car and Kurt did the same. Erin was too shocked to say anything as were the other three guys and the four of them remained there unsure of what to do next.

'Are you all right?' She called Denan looked over to her after staring at Chad and Kurt he just nodded his head to stunned to speak.

'We are out of here,' she said.

'Don't you move!' Kurt yelled out she ignored his warning and started her car's engine he did the same and pulled away from the other two. Denan quickly shook his head clear saw what was happening between Kurt and Erin.

'You don't try any tricks,' Chad said.

'Like I would you know me,' Denan remarked a sly grin on his face he flicked the key ignited the car's engine and hit reverse.

'Get back here!' Chad yelled he kicked-started his car to life as the three cars ahead of them disappeared around the bend.

'Damn it,' he mumbled he jumped back into his car and started the engine and sped off after the others while at the same time with his free hand he grabbed his mobile from his pocket and dialed Eddie's number.

'Ed we have serious problems,' he remarked.

'Look it is not like we aren't trying but these two are playing too many games with us we need some help. No now otherwise we will lose them. Ok I'll see you soon then,' he answered and hung up the phone.

'Erin we need an escape plan,' Denan said over the radio.

'Yeah I know I'm working on it just stay with me we'll shake them off soon I promise,' she said.