Alex had gone back to George's as Monica rushed off to the hospital. By the time she arrived, Frank was walking in too. They looked around at who was left. Flynn, George, Alex and Frank. Monica was with Cody and Donny at the hospital. Speed and Sweet were out with the last car. That left Jake and Eric. Neither of which were there.
"Where's Jake and Eric?" Donovan's voice reflected the coming sense of dread. Cody had gotten shot, and from what Alex had told him about the scouting of Christine, this wasn't going to be a smooth ride... what else was going to happen before this was over?
George looked over at the others, then at Frank. "They never came back." Dread hit both Frank and Alex. Alex got onto the radio. "Speed, Sweet... Jake and Eric never made it back to the garage."
Sweet and Speed exchanged glances. If Eric and Jake weren't back at the garage... Speed's eyes widened.
"Sonofabitch..." She turned and looked out the window. Switch had him, he had to... She raised the radio to her mouth, "Eric."
Nothing...
"ERIC."
Still nothing.
"Eric goddammit answer me you little punk!"
This time there was a static click and Switch's voice came over the radio. "Now now Speed. That's no way to talk to your friend Eric."
Frank and Alex were listening even as Speed and Sweet's thoughts came to a crashing halt.
"I got your man here, Speed. You got my cars?"
"All but one."
"You surprised me Speed, made a liar out of me too. I told Johnny B no way, that you weren't a Fed Pidgeon. But here you are, and here I am with your man... who's an Agent. You really shouldn't have done that, you know Speed. Make me look bad."
"Oh fuck off you arrogant little weasel. Puked in any floors lately?"
Back at George's everyone's eyebrows went up when they heard Federal and Agent. Flynn and George backed up just as Donny came into the garage. The two of them started at once about how they'd been duped and that they were Feds. Donny calmed them down as best he could.
"Speed told me while we were out picking up the Pantera and the LandRover." He at once went into the details...
"YES... Speed knew. She made herself a bargaining chip..." he went on even as he heard Speed and Switch's radio conversation fell strangely silent.
But the 'oh god' they heard over the radio from Speed made them all, even Switch, fall silent.
----
Speed had been yelling at Switch over the hand held radio as she got out of the car. Only as she walked into the garage did she stop talking altogether. She paused at the entrance and looked back at Sweet. The look on his face was calm and composed. But they both knew that the other was skitzing on this car. Christine had managed to mangle and wound Speed at least twice before, almost killed her one of those two times. And if Speed's nerves were jangled by Switch's holding Jake hostage, then she'd bypass the plan she'd let Sweet in on as they made their way over to pick up the car and go straight to Switch's. Speed smiled a half-hearted smile again and tried to make like she wasn't worried. But her footsteps echoing in the cavernous parking garage reminded her that this was far from over.
The gleaming lemon twist yellow exterior of the 426 HemiCuda seemed alive as she walked towards it. Popping the lock was easy enough and she slid down into the leather seat behind the wheel. Pulling out her tools, she picked up two of them and worked the ignition...
"Come on Chris.... no trouble this time, please. I got someplace to get to and someone important to help... I know you and I have had a long and troubled history, but if you take care of me, then I'll take good care of you..." She smiled and purred as she twisted the ignition with the tools and the 426 Hemi engine rumbled to life.
She had the radio in hand and was rolling towards the entrance when she spotted a car behind her. She looked at Sweet who was in the minivan still as she stopped at the entrance. The car behind her was a G.R.A.B. unit and had radioed Detective Booth that she was at the car. Booth and his partner pulled around the corner as she turned onto the street. Speed was about to tell Switch she had the last car and was on her way, but when she saw Booth... all she could say was "oh god."
****
"Where's Jake and Eric?" Donovan's voice reflected the coming sense of dread. Cody had gotten shot, and from what Alex had told him about the scouting of Christine, this wasn't going to be a smooth ride... what else was going to happen before this was over?
George looked over at the others, then at Frank. "They never came back." Dread hit both Frank and Alex. Alex got onto the radio. "Speed, Sweet... Jake and Eric never made it back to the garage."
Sweet and Speed exchanged glances. If Eric and Jake weren't back at the garage... Speed's eyes widened.
"Sonofabitch..." She turned and looked out the window. Switch had him, he had to... She raised the radio to her mouth, "Eric."
Nothing...
"ERIC."
Still nothing.
"Eric goddammit answer me you little punk!"
This time there was a static click and Switch's voice came over the radio. "Now now Speed. That's no way to talk to your friend Eric."
Frank and Alex were listening even as Speed and Sweet's thoughts came to a crashing halt.
"I got your man here, Speed. You got my cars?"
"All but one."
"You surprised me Speed, made a liar out of me too. I told Johnny B no way, that you weren't a Fed Pidgeon. But here you are, and here I am with your man... who's an Agent. You really shouldn't have done that, you know Speed. Make me look bad."
"Oh fuck off you arrogant little weasel. Puked in any floors lately?"
Back at George's everyone's eyebrows went up when they heard Federal and Agent. Flynn and George backed up just as Donny came into the garage. The two of them started at once about how they'd been duped and that they were Feds. Donny calmed them down as best he could.
"Speed told me while we were out picking up the Pantera and the LandRover." He at once went into the details...
"YES... Speed knew. She made herself a bargaining chip..." he went on even as he heard Speed and Switch's radio conversation fell strangely silent.
But the 'oh god' they heard over the radio from Speed made them all, even Switch, fall silent.
----
Speed had been yelling at Switch over the hand held radio as she got out of the car. Only as she walked into the garage did she stop talking altogether. She paused at the entrance and looked back at Sweet. The look on his face was calm and composed. But they both knew that the other was skitzing on this car. Christine had managed to mangle and wound Speed at least twice before, almost killed her one of those two times. And if Speed's nerves were jangled by Switch's holding Jake hostage, then she'd bypass the plan she'd let Sweet in on as they made their way over to pick up the car and go straight to Switch's. Speed smiled a half-hearted smile again and tried to make like she wasn't worried. But her footsteps echoing in the cavernous parking garage reminded her that this was far from over.
The gleaming lemon twist yellow exterior of the 426 HemiCuda seemed alive as she walked towards it. Popping the lock was easy enough and she slid down into the leather seat behind the wheel. Pulling out her tools, she picked up two of them and worked the ignition...
"Come on Chris.... no trouble this time, please. I got someplace to get to and someone important to help... I know you and I have had a long and troubled history, but if you take care of me, then I'll take good care of you..." She smiled and purred as she twisted the ignition with the tools and the 426 Hemi engine rumbled to life.
She had the radio in hand and was rolling towards the entrance when she spotted a car behind her. She looked at Sweet who was in the minivan still as she stopped at the entrance. The car behind her was a G.R.A.B. unit and had radioed Detective Booth that she was at the car. Booth and his partner pulled around the corner as she turned onto the street. Speed was about to tell Switch she had the last car and was on her way, but when she saw Booth... all she could say was "oh god."
****