div class="chapter-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center; padding-bottom: 20px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"span style="box-sizing: border-box;" data-bind="text: "2/span - span style="box-sizing: border-box;" data-bind="text: "Iron Maiden/span/div
div class="story-rich-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" data-bind="html: "
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;""We've got so much to prove. Cause it's time to move on. And I'm stuck to let go, But then Wonderwall comes on the radio, I flashback to the night in your parent's yard, When we drank too much and we talked about god.."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"-Growing Up, The Maine/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"Chapter Two - Iron Maiden/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"EPOV/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I walked into Total Eclipse not sure what to expect. It wasn't in the best of neighborhoods, but the word around Chicago was that this was the place to go when looking for a new bike. I had a few old Indian models from my grandfather that were passed down to me when he died, but I wanted something just for me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"Walking up to the front counter I asked the girl who seemed way to concentrated on painting her fingernails an obnoxious Pepto-Bismol pink. "Hey miss I am looking for Aro I have an appointment to meet with him."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"She looks up from her work and blows on her fingertips, "Yeah okay I'll be right back sir." She gets up and heads to the back I take this time to wonder around the sales floor./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I spot a big black book propped up on a stand and go over and take a look at it. It has these incredible sketches and pictures of motorcycles in it. Some of these look more like works of art rather than a simple bike someone rides around on, on the weekends. These are crazy good and I soon get lost flipping through the pages./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I hardly notice someone has walked up beside me until I hear the most angelic sound speaking to me. "Good Afternoon sir, what can I help you with?"./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I shake the outstretched hand and respond. When I finally look away from the beautiful images I have to blink a few times to regain my focus. "Ahh, sorry I got lost in these. My name is Edward, I was wondering if I could speak to Aro."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"She smiles politely at me and I hope she doesn't notice the sweat that's beginning to form on my face. This girl was like no other. She was wearing a blue V neck short sleeve and dark washed skinny jeans with rips in the thighs, though not like the fake ones you buy at Forever 21, but they looked like actual wear and tear. I could see a few tatts sticking out from under the top of the shirt. She had an elegance about her but her look screamed "I'll kick your ass if need be". I had never laid my eyes on such a beautiful women before. Her eyes were a deep rich chocolate brown. Her hair was almost black and hung over her shoulder down to her hip. Pull yourself together Mason./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"Izzy as she introduced herself said that Aro was out of town and that she would be the one showing me around today and I sent a silent thankyou to whoever was up above that Aro wasn't here today./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I spent half the day talking with her about the different types of motors and was yet again astounded at the things she was saying. She clearly knew her way around a motorcycle. After we got the technical aspects of what I was looking for down we headed to the back office./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Alright so we have the groundwork for the bike, do you know design wise what you want?" Izzy had the most amazing smile that lit up her face when she started talking about designs./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I cleared my throat a little and began telling her what I had in mind. "I really like the look of the classics, you know the old Indian styles, but I want something that pays homage to those but is also a new sleek version. Not all shiny chrome and what not but modern and clean. "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"This just seemed to make her that much more enthused and something finally clicked in my head. The book out front, could it be that this little minx was the one behind those pieces of art./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""You are the one who painted those bikes, the portfolio, those are yours?" She gave a questioning look like a was insane or something before responding that she was the one behind them. I was entirely intrigued. I wasn't one to hit on a girl. That was my brother Emmett's domain, but I handed her my cell number and told her to call me day or night about the bike./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /p
p class="text-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; text-align: center; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"******************************************************************************/span/p
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p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I got home from work the next day and plopped down on the couch entirely exhausted. I didn't get much sleep, I was up all night thinking about the girl from Total Eclipse, Izzy./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"She had seemed so familiar to me like I had met her somewhere before, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I spent most of the night flipping through old yearbooks to see if I could jog my memory. I even tried to look her up on FB, not finding a single hit. What kind of person these days doesn't have a social media account? Of course I hardly ever get on mine unless someone tags me in something or I am completely bored out of my mind at the office./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I eventually passed out from exhaustion and woke up when my phone started to buzz. "Hello?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Hey big brother how are you?" My sweet little sisters voice greeted me through the phone./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Ah Alice, I've been better. What about you little sis?" I stifled a yawn and got up to stretch my legs and look for something to eat./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""I'm doing pretty good, Jasper wanted me to ask you if you wanted to come over for bit tonight."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Ahh I'm sorry I am going heat up some dinner and then go crash in bed. I am pretty wiped out from today."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Okay Eddy get some rest and we'll see you next week for family dinner over at mom and dad's. Good night" I could hear the disappointment in her voice. I loved my sister, but I was too damn tiered to try and drive across town./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I hung up the phone and stuck some leftover pasta and sauce in the microwave. I walked down the hall to my room and put on some shorts and comfortable t-shirt for bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"My dad always told me that I could be whatever I wanted to be. He never once made me feel as though I had to go into the family business. He chose to go to med school and become a doctor, and he was pretty damn good one at that. I on the other hand loved the idea of helping Grandpa with the family business. Our family owned a lot of upper east side of Chicago. We mainly made our money with our security business though we did own a number of night clubs and other local stores./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"The Black's were our rivals. Way back in the day they used to work alongside us, but during a drop off Grandpa Mason was double crossed by his best and most trusted advisee. Ever since then The Black family gained land on the west side. On the outside everyone knew them for their expensive exotic imported car lots. But if one looks a little closer the Black's had their hands dirtied in some counterfeiting/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"They have been trying to get at us for years, but we always see them coming and stop them before they even have the chance to come up with a significant plan./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"Grandpa Mason used to be the head of the family and when he passed away my older brother Emmett earned the title. I ran our head office and worked on security features. I had a knack for computers and when I was 15 I came up with a computer program that could monitor our systems, block out hacking attempts, and even self-destruct if the need ever arises. It was then that Grandpa Mason brought me in completely./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I have made significant improvements to my original design but we still use it today. Emmett wanted to patent it and sell the software, but I convinced him that keeping this technology to ourselves would be beneficial. Grandpa agreed so we sell everything from hacking software, to hired body guards. We do thorough screening of everyone who works for us and have trackers implanted in every vehicle and persons./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"It's a good gig, and we even cater to some of the government offices. I like what I do but it can be daunting at times. Long hours in the office working on new software and updating our own. It can get pretty lonely coming home to an empty house. But with my line of work I tend to have trust issues and though I've gone on my fair share of dates, I just never found that one person I felt I could be myself around./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"Flashes of Izzy's smile go through my mind. What is it about her that I can't get out of my head. I seriously need to get a girlfriend. It's been almost a week since I was in Total Eclipse, I was beginning to worry that she wasn't going to call me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /p
p class="text-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; text-align: center; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"******************************************************************************/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"IPOV/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I was startled awake when someone opened the garage door to the shop. I fell asleep at my station again, I was working overtime trying to finish the designs for Edward's bike. I had this idea running around in my head all week and needed to get it down on paper before it went away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I sat up stretching and reaching in one of the drawers for some deodorant and put on a clean shirt. I looked over the work I had poured myself into last night./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Damn Izzy, I think this is one of your best ones yet.." Aro stands next to me mesmerized by the sheer beauty of it. He hands me a coffee as well and I am eternally grateful./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Yeah I think you're right, hopefully your client likes it." The body was that of the old classics but the paint had killer detail into it. It was gonna have a black and grey undertone to it but through the black were going to be silver leaves and vine fleurspan style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"-/spandespan style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"-/spanlis kind of vibe to it punching through, so it would look like the silver was an overlay of metal on the dark background. It was elegant and masculine at the same time it was classic but modern./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Iz, if this guy doesn't like the design you came up with I am going to have you make this bike for me." he grabbed the sheets of paper and spread them out on the table so you could see every part. He then began taking pictures for another page in the portfolio no doubt./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""If you pull this off the way I know you can, this bike is gonna be one hell of a ride." Aro walked away leaving me to my things./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I grabbed the sheet and headed for the meeting room so I could call in our client. I spread out the designs side by side along the table and threw my hair in a side braid so I didn't look like I slept here, yet again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Hey Izzy have you called our client yet?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Not yet I was just about to though, why what's up?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""I just wanted to have Ciaus and Marcus take a look at it before he gets here." /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Holy Fuck" Both of them managed to say at the same time. Marcus had his hand covering his mouth while Ciaus just stood there mouth wide open. I was waiting for a fly to land on his pierced tongue./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""I think you have out done yourself here Iz." Marcus says walking over giving me a side hug./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Yeah Iz, this is some next level shit here." Ciaus finally speaks, looking like a kid in candy store./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I can't help but give myself a mental high five. "Thanks you guys, I'm calling it Iron Maiden. Now shoo so I can call Edward and get this bike into motion."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I pull out my Android as they all leave. I scroll down to Edwards name and hold the phone up to my ear./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Hello?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Hi, Edward this is Izzy from over at Total Eclipse. I just got done with your design for your bike if you want to come by the shop and take a look."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Yeah I got time I'll be over there in about 20 mins" He sounded pretty excited on the phone and I couldn't wait to show him what I had come up with. Hopefully he was gonna love it as much as I did./p
/div
div class="story-rich-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" data-bind="html: "
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;""We've got so much to prove. Cause it's time to move on. And I'm stuck to let go, But then Wonderwall comes on the radio, I flashback to the night in your parent's yard, When we drank too much and we talked about god.."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"-Growing Up, The Maine/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"Chapter Two - Iron Maiden/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"EPOV/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I walked into Total Eclipse not sure what to expect. It wasn't in the best of neighborhoods, but the word around Chicago was that this was the place to go when looking for a new bike. I had a few old Indian models from my grandfather that were passed down to me when he died, but I wanted something just for me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"Walking up to the front counter I asked the girl who seemed way to concentrated on painting her fingernails an obnoxious Pepto-Bismol pink. "Hey miss I am looking for Aro I have an appointment to meet with him."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"She looks up from her work and blows on her fingertips, "Yeah okay I'll be right back sir." She gets up and heads to the back I take this time to wonder around the sales floor./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I spot a big black book propped up on a stand and go over and take a look at it. It has these incredible sketches and pictures of motorcycles in it. Some of these look more like works of art rather than a simple bike someone rides around on, on the weekends. These are crazy good and I soon get lost flipping through the pages./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I hardly notice someone has walked up beside me until I hear the most angelic sound speaking to me. "Good Afternoon sir, what can I help you with?"./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I shake the outstretched hand and respond. When I finally look away from the beautiful images I have to blink a few times to regain my focus. "Ahh, sorry I got lost in these. My name is Edward, I was wondering if I could speak to Aro."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"She smiles politely at me and I hope she doesn't notice the sweat that's beginning to form on my face. This girl was like no other. She was wearing a blue V neck short sleeve and dark washed skinny jeans with rips in the thighs, though not like the fake ones you buy at Forever 21, but they looked like actual wear and tear. I could see a few tatts sticking out from under the top of the shirt. She had an elegance about her but her look screamed "I'll kick your ass if need be". I had never laid my eyes on such a beautiful women before. Her eyes were a deep rich chocolate brown. Her hair was almost black and hung over her shoulder down to her hip. Pull yourself together Mason./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"Izzy as she introduced herself said that Aro was out of town and that she would be the one showing me around today and I sent a silent thankyou to whoever was up above that Aro wasn't here today./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I spent half the day talking with her about the different types of motors and was yet again astounded at the things she was saying. She clearly knew her way around a motorcycle. After we got the technical aspects of what I was looking for down we headed to the back office./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Alright so we have the groundwork for the bike, do you know design wise what you want?" Izzy had the most amazing smile that lit up her face when she started talking about designs./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I cleared my throat a little and began telling her what I had in mind. "I really like the look of the classics, you know the old Indian styles, but I want something that pays homage to those but is also a new sleek version. Not all shiny chrome and what not but modern and clean. "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"This just seemed to make her that much more enthused and something finally clicked in my head. The book out front, could it be that this little minx was the one behind those pieces of art./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""You are the one who painted those bikes, the portfolio, those are yours?" She gave a questioning look like a was insane or something before responding that she was the one behind them. I was entirely intrigued. I wasn't one to hit on a girl. That was my brother Emmett's domain, but I handed her my cell number and told her to call me day or night about the bike./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /p
p class="text-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; text-align: center; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"******************************************************************************/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I got home from work the next day and plopped down on the couch entirely exhausted. I didn't get much sleep, I was up all night thinking about the girl from Total Eclipse, Izzy./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"She had seemed so familiar to me like I had met her somewhere before, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I spent most of the night flipping through old yearbooks to see if I could jog my memory. I even tried to look her up on FB, not finding a single hit. What kind of person these days doesn't have a social media account? Of course I hardly ever get on mine unless someone tags me in something or I am completely bored out of my mind at the office./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I eventually passed out from exhaustion and woke up when my phone started to buzz. "Hello?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Hey big brother how are you?" My sweet little sisters voice greeted me through the phone./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Ah Alice, I've been better. What about you little sis?" I stifled a yawn and got up to stretch my legs and look for something to eat./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""I'm doing pretty good, Jasper wanted me to ask you if you wanted to come over for bit tonight."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Ahh I'm sorry I am going heat up some dinner and then go crash in bed. I am pretty wiped out from today."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Okay Eddy get some rest and we'll see you next week for family dinner over at mom and dad's. Good night" I could hear the disappointment in her voice. I loved my sister, but I was too damn tiered to try and drive across town./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I hung up the phone and stuck some leftover pasta and sauce in the microwave. I walked down the hall to my room and put on some shorts and comfortable t-shirt for bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"My dad always told me that I could be whatever I wanted to be. He never once made me feel as though I had to go into the family business. He chose to go to med school and become a doctor, and he was pretty damn good one at that. I on the other hand loved the idea of helping Grandpa with the family business. Our family owned a lot of upper east side of Chicago. We mainly made our money with our security business though we did own a number of night clubs and other local stores./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"The Black's were our rivals. Way back in the day they used to work alongside us, but during a drop off Grandpa Mason was double crossed by his best and most trusted advisee. Ever since then The Black family gained land on the west side. On the outside everyone knew them for their expensive exotic imported car lots. But if one looks a little closer the Black's had their hands dirtied in some counterfeiting/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"They have been trying to get at us for years, but we always see them coming and stop them before they even have the chance to come up with a significant plan./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"Grandpa Mason used to be the head of the family and when he passed away my older brother Emmett earned the title. I ran our head office and worked on security features. I had a knack for computers and when I was 15 I came up with a computer program that could monitor our systems, block out hacking attempts, and even self-destruct if the need ever arises. It was then that Grandpa Mason brought me in completely./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I have made significant improvements to my original design but we still use it today. Emmett wanted to patent it and sell the software, but I convinced him that keeping this technology to ourselves would be beneficial. Grandpa agreed so we sell everything from hacking software, to hired body guards. We do thorough screening of everyone who works for us and have trackers implanted in every vehicle and persons./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"It's a good gig, and we even cater to some of the government offices. I like what I do but it can be daunting at times. Long hours in the office working on new software and updating our own. It can get pretty lonely coming home to an empty house. But with my line of work I tend to have trust issues and though I've gone on my fair share of dates, I just never found that one person I felt I could be myself around./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"Flashes of Izzy's smile go through my mind. What is it about her that I can't get out of my head. I seriously need to get a girlfriend. It's been almost a week since I was in Total Eclipse, I was beginning to worry that she wasn't going to call me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /p
p class="text-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; text-align: center; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"******************************************************************************/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;"IPOV/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I was startled awake when someone opened the garage door to the shop. I fell asleep at my station again, I was working overtime trying to finish the designs for Edward's bike. I had this idea running around in my head all week and needed to get it down on paper before it went away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I sat up stretching and reaching in one of the drawers for some deodorant and put on a clean shirt. I looked over the work I had poured myself into last night./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Damn Izzy, I think this is one of your best ones yet.." Aro stands next to me mesmerized by the sheer beauty of it. He hands me a coffee as well and I am eternally grateful./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Yeah I think you're right, hopefully your client likes it." The body was that of the old classics but the paint had killer detail into it. It was gonna have a black and grey undertone to it but through the black were going to be silver leaves and vine fleurspan style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"-/spandespan style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"-/spanlis kind of vibe to it punching through, so it would look like the silver was an overlay of metal on the dark background. It was elegant and masculine at the same time it was classic but modern./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Iz, if this guy doesn't like the design you came up with I am going to have you make this bike for me." he grabbed the sheets of paper and spread them out on the table so you could see every part. He then began taking pictures for another page in the portfolio no doubt./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""If you pull this off the way I know you can, this bike is gonna be one hell of a ride." Aro walked away leaving me to my things./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I grabbed the sheet and headed for the meeting room so I could call in our client. I spread out the designs side by side along the table and threw my hair in a side braid so I didn't look like I slept here, yet again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Hey Izzy have you called our client yet?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Not yet I was just about to though, why what's up?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""I just wanted to have Ciaus and Marcus take a look at it before he gets here." /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Holy Fuck" Both of them managed to say at the same time. Marcus had his hand covering his mouth while Ciaus just stood there mouth wide open. I was waiting for a fly to land on his pierced tongue./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""I think you have out done yourself here Iz." Marcus says walking over giving me a side hug./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Yeah Iz, this is some next level shit here." Ciaus finally speaks, looking like a kid in candy store./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I can't help but give myself a mental high five. "Thanks you guys, I'm calling it Iron Maiden. Now shoo so I can call Edward and get this bike into motion."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;"I pull out my Android as they all leave. I scroll down to Edwards name and hold the phone up to my ear./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Hello?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Hi, Edward this is Izzy from over at Total Eclipse. I just got done with your design for your bike if you want to come by the shop and take a look."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: top;""Yeah I got time I'll be over there in about 20 mins" He sounded pretty excited on the phone and I couldn't wait to show him what I had come up with. Hopefully he was gonna love it as much as I did./p
/div