Everybody trips sometimes, when cities fall like shacks... walls eventually crack. Everybody breaks a glass Everybody Breaks A Glass by LIGHTS ft Shad & Holy F*ck, 2011
The ABC's of Orderly Chaos
Chapter Seven: G is for Glass
While Lena worked on her car, Parker read and reread the letter from the man. She found the seal of the seal of the Mizo Family, the head crime family of Kras City. She ran her hand through her hair as she walked behind Lena, a burning sensation swam in her stomach.
"Does this contract stand now?" Parker asked.
Lena leaned back from The Enchantress, she rested a wrench on the seat. She held her stomach, rubbing her belly. Parker saw the worry on her face, she held out the letter and contract to Lena. She held up her hand and shook her head.
"I know what it says. I got one too."
Parker threw it, but feeling her anger bubble up she kicked a toolbox and crouched down. "Fuck Lena, what have we done?"
"Something we're stuck with." Lena mumbled.
"What am I going to tell Jak and the rest?" Parker shouted. "Sorry guys I can't race signed I'm signed with Mizo."
"I can't race." Lena mumbled. "I'm too pregnant to even get behind the wheel."
"I'll fix it." Parker whispered. "I promise."
"We can buy back my contract." Lena whispered.
"I win orbs when I place," Parker bent down beside Lena. "I'll figure out a way. I'll pay for you... I won't let you get behind the wheel."
"Just be careful, please. I don't want to lose you again." Lena rested her head on her shoulder. "Those months you were gone killed me... and I know you don't want to talk about him, but he missed you too."
"I know..." She whispered. She traced a vein in her hand. "Sometimes I miss him, you know? You can't forget someone you fell in love with so easily. I wished he went down a different path. I don't know if we'd ever be together but..." She covered her face and took a deep breath. "Never mind. Let's focus on the facts. I have a hot blonde... guy friend that I like-"
"Smooth Parker."
"And I have to win enough money to get us out of debt. Also, I need to win to get the antidote too. How much is your contract?"
"90,000 orbs."
"How? Mine is only 40,000 ."
"I have an expensive taste."
When they arrived back in Kras City, Parker and Lena went to their meeting room. Both their letters tucked away, a secret between the two. Slim smiled at them when they entered the room, he stepped up beside Lena and gave her a small side hug. He whispered something into her curls causing her to smile.
"Did you have fun with Lena?" Jak asked as she came towards him on the couch, she sat down next to him. He rested his arm on her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. She looked up to him. He looked tired but ready to race at any moment. Before she found it easy to lie to him. No, we weren't giving you more needles. Yes, you'll be free soon. She swallowed and looked down, resting her head against his shoulder, giving a small nod.
"Did you analyze the wine, Lena?" Ashelin asked.
Lena nodded.
"You know," Daxter started. "Besides a rash in the nether region, I feel fine." He looked back to Lena. "Maybe Krew was bluffing about the whole poison thing?"
Lena cleared her throat. "I analyzed the wine, there was traces of Black Shade at the bottom. A rare plant found in the Wasteland. You were poisoned. 100 percent."
"Father never cut corners." Rayn commented. "Trust me, it's the real deal."
"Never fear!" Daxter cheered. "When the going gets tough, Jak will get us out of it."
"We're just gonna have to win the whole thing."
"Against those lunatic racers?!" Daxter shouted. "What are the odds?"
"You don't wanna know." Torn mumbled.
"No offense guys but I'm not trusting my life to anyone but me," Ashelin stated. "Just stay out of my way, I'll win."
"Well somebody here better win." Daxter huffed. "Or I'm going to very pissed and very dead."
Parker stood up, stretching. "Well let's swap some paint then." She turned to Jak. "Come on hero, let me see those moves."
"Parker," He said grabbing her arm. "I know this might be hard to hear but... I don't want you racing."
She yanked her arm away. "What?"
"It's too dangerous."
"Did you mention this to Ashelin too?"
"No but-"
"No but what?" She snapped. "If it's too dangerous for me it must be too dangerous for Ashelin too and what about Torn, should we ask him to quit too?"
"It's not like-"
"You don't have to be a hero all the time." She walked away, stopping at the top of the stairs. "Let us win gold sometimes." She quickly walked down the hallway towards her car, they were doing a Deathmatch in the Dirt Stadium. She could hear Jak behind her as she climbed into her car, she drove forward following the prompts to her place in the stadium.
She almost stopped when her tires hit the dirt, her eyes went upwards. Large beams connected in the middle, a large television lit up the section above them. The stands were filled with people, cheering and snapping photos. She swallowed as the static in her headset cleared up.
"This is the Deathdome," Lena started. "The winner has the most kills, there's no prize for second place. So, play nicely."
"Can't make any promises." Parker responded. She watched the countdown, relaxing her grip on the wheel and taking slow breaths. Once it was green she hit her gas, going backwards so suddenly that she cried out.
"Go forward, Drake."
"Yah yah," Parker snapped. She sped out towards the main thick of the fighting. She spun into the fire, firing at Cutter as he drove away from the group. He blew a tire and spun out, she heard a string of curses as she drove by. She was given a kill point as she drove into the pipe, driving underground, Parker found herself on the other side of the arena. She fired at Edje and Shiv, both served to get away from her as she chased them down.
She cried out, holding the wheel as her car rolled over. Her headset fell off as The Enchantress righted herself, landing on her four wheels with a shake. Her hands shook as she reached down and grabbed her headset. Cutter got a point for killing her. She snarled and drove towards the main gang, she hit the gas harder as she approached. Jak flew past her, chasing down Edje. She went after Cutter who was harassing Ashelin. She approached from behind, firing her turret on him. He pulled away from Ashelin, turning his weapons on Parker but before he could make a dent, his engine went up in flames.
"Jeez Parker, I never pictured you for revenge." Lena said.
"I'm not playing nice." Parker responded, circling around and following Ashelin back to the main group.
"Doesn't matter." Lena answered back. "The game is over."
"How?"
"Jak made it to ten. I think he's our best chances for winning this whole thing."
"Don't tell Daxter that, you'll never hear the end of it." She heard Lena chuckle before the line was cut. She pulled into her parking bay as Cutter pulled up too, she stepped out as Cutter yelled at his teammates. They shouted back at him before he stomped over to her. She dropped her goggles onto her neck and leaned against her car.
"Do you have something to say to me bitch?" He shouted in her face. He smelt like old cigarettes and cheap booze. He grabbed her shoulders and shoved her against the car. He leaned in. "Remember which team you're really playing for girl," She gasped. "Mizo's waiting for you."
"Hey!" She looked to her right. Jak stood with his arms crossed against his chest with Daxter holding the Vulcan Fury. "Do we have a problem here?" Daxter asked while cocking the gun.
"No of course not." Cutter chuckled stepping away, he patted Parker on the shoulder. Parker saw Dark Eco spark around Jak. "I was just wanted to give her props for good kills." He walked towards his friends. "See ya around, rookies."
Parker looked to the boys. "If you want to feared maybe break out the Peacemaker next time?"
"I'd rather bomb him on the track." Jak answered. "Come on, we're going back to the hotel. We're racing inDethdrome tomorrow, it's a Grand Prix race."
Parker twisted her hair around her pinky finger, she sat on the bed watching the playback from today's game. Every one of her kills was Cutter, she came in dead last during the race, falling behind Shiv and Torn. She switched to another channel, they were comparing this race to the one before it. Asking if this new team was worth the salt they were throwing? They showed their picture. It looked like a candid shot after the first race, they stood together as a group, but her face was blurry as she looked towards the camera -the others didn't even both looking at it.
The next channel talked about the weather, declaring a cold front was moving in overnight and everyone better seek shelter. Her finger got stuck on the pearl as she shook the hair off her finger, she found another lock and started to twist as she switched stations. This city was really all about racing, a woman talked about their cars and pointed out the good and the bad of their styles.
"That'll rot your brain." Jak said from behind her.
"Boredom is the real killer." She answered switching again, there was a woman playing the violin. "And with the excitement racing has to offer I don't think I'll be dying anytime soon." She felt the bed dip, she glanced over her shoulder as Jak reached around her and took the remote. He turned the TV off, zapping the room of it's only light source. She swallowed as she felt his hand on her arm, he turned her to face him.
"Don't talk about dying," He whispered. "You weren't in the room when you died." He pulled her closer and pressed his hand collarbone. "Your heart stopped. You didn't have a pulse, you weren't breathing." He traced her chin. "You were gone. You weren't here anymore." He pushed her down on the bed and grabbed her nightshirt. He pressed a hand against her stomach. "You don't understand what it was like, sitting there, with our friends and you, dead." He removed his hand. "That's why I don't want you to race. I'll win everything for our friends, for us."
Parker gave a shuddering breath. She wanted to give everything to him. Let him carry the burden of their fate, to let him choose if they lived or died -and he was a good bet to play. What about the contracts? The words whirled in her mind, scaring her as she removed her shirt. She tossed it onto the floor as Jak gathered her in his arms, she stared at the ceiling, cursing her younger self for being naive and stupid as Jak's fingers drifted lower.
TBC...
