Note: This is a continuation in the Evolution:Nitro City series. It begins
right after the 'Competition mission.
Disclaimer-Selected superstars are property of the WWE, NWA-TNA and XPW. The other superstars listed: Sea Wolf, Arkuss Blackburn, Hank Brenner and the Griever are property of the author Dave Scott. You must get permission by e-mail bender_hkw@lycos.com to use any of them.
(Soccerslam)
Sea Wolf parked the borrowed station wagon in front of Scott Hall's office after receiving an urgent call. He slammed the door and rushed into the office. Scott was pacing back and forth. "Hey. What's to be the problem, Scott?"
"Some big time soccer team just won a major game and they're gonna be in town tonight."
"So?"
"Well, they're on their way to the Hangman to celebrate."
"What's wrong with that?"
"It's a hangout for bikers and rednecks. This'll make us look soft. If you could keep them away,"
"Dude. You're not asking me to blow up their bus."
"Hell no! You could wait for them to arrive then start a fight or something.
"Oh yeah, right! It'll be thirty against one."
"Then get some soccer attire so you can blend in. Not only will you do me a favor, but you'll do both Kevin Nash and his frequent customers a favor."
Sea Wolf jumped into his vehicle and headed for the nearest sports store. "What the hell is Scott's problem? He's got plenty of booze in that office of his," he told himself. He tried on a soccer jersey, some matching shorts and running shoes and looked in the mirror. "I guess this is it, but I wanna blend in, I might wanna do some running around." He purchased the clothing and headed for the Hangman. He parked his car and waited around the bar until the bus arrived. As the whole team stepped out, he snuck into the crowd and headed to the bar.
Kevin Nash stood at the entrance with a few bikers blocking their path. "Get the hell off our property!" Kevin yelled. "We don't serve your kind! Get lost!"
The soccer manager began to protest while a few of the players yelled at Nash. Sea Wolf looked at the bikers and the bar owner. Kevin spotted him and grinned, knowing that a plan was hatched. He took a deep breath and punched the soccer player who stood the closest to him. He cut through the crowd and hit a few more players, even the manager. Kevin and the bikers ran into the crowd and joined in the brawl. Sea Wolf slipped out of this minor riot and watched the soccer players beat the crap out of each other. When the fight was over, Kevin Nash and the bikers were the only ones standing. "I hope Scott's happy now." Nash waved at him and then walked back into the bar.
(Used Cars)
Hank Brenner smiled as Sea Wolf entered his office. "Good to see you again. I told you that you'd hear from me again."
"What is it this time? More competitor trucks to wreck." "No, not this time. A client of mine is looking for three types of cars. I don't carry them in my inventory but I know where they are carried. Here are some photos."
Justin looked at them. "Never seen these before."
"They're gang cars. My client wants compensation for destruction of property. He wants a Wolverine Sabre, a Hell Rider and a Scranton. The Wolverines run a business at some lumber yard in the North of this town. You'll be able to spot some Hell Riders and Scrantons in the Bahamut section or some Gothic club called the Brood, but don't go unarmed. It's Creeper territory. There's also a gang of dealers and muggers known as the Flock. They're just as dangerous. Be careful. My client will be here in three days and wants them in mint condition.
Sea Wolf walked out the door grumbling. "Geez. He's so fucking picky." He took the same station wagon and stopped the gun shop before going car hunting. He dropped six hundred dollars on an uzi, a shotgun and some ammunition and headed North. After an hour on the freeway, he found the lumber yard. He parked his station wagon at a distance where it wouldn't be spotted by the workers and headed for the parking lot. There were about four or five Wolverine Sabres sitting before him. They were black but some had different color stripes of red, blue, orange or yellow. He took a red one that happened to be unlocked and hotwired it. He stepped on the pedal and split. After delivering it, he took a mini-van from the lot this and decided to head for the Bahamut section. "Two cars to go. This shouldn't take long."
He pulled the van into the Bahamut section and cringed at the sight of its background. Graffitti covered the walls, the streets were littered, bums were sleeping on sidewalks and benches. Hank Brenner wasn't kidding. He went to his van and grabbed his uzi and kept his pistol in his jacket. He walked around a few blocks, avoiding eye contact with anyone or anything. He took a quick look at the photograph. "It just looks like a BMW. That could be anywhere." Saw a few signs posted on walls and telephone poles advertising some local band that he didn't know of. "Peroxwhygen? They're performing at the Brood in a couple of weeks, huh. After seeing the entrance and the people who attend, I wouldn't be caught dead in a place like that."
"Hey, you!" He turned around and spotted a young man on crutches approaching him. He appeared to have one leg. "Could you help me?"
"What's wrong?"
"I'm starving to death and I can hardly walk. Could you spare some change?"
"Let's see," Sea Wolf said, digging through his wallet.
"Why are you counting all that? Give me what you've got for crying out loud! I fought in Vietnam and lost my leg to a land mine!"
Sea Wolf put his wallet away. "Bullshit! You did not! By the look of you, you're only nineteen! I don't care if you're disabled. There's no fucking way in hell that I'll support your drug habit."
The one legged man threw down his crutches. "I said give me your money." He kicked Sea Wolf in the stomach.
"A wise guy, eh? I'll rip off your other leg." He charged at the kid but was sweeped and fell on his back. The kid lifted his single leg and brought it down like an axe on his chest. He pulled himself up and laughed as Sea Wolf was getting up slowly.
"Call me a cripple now."
He took a swing but the one legged man started slapping him repetively and pushed him in the middle of the street. He heard a loud squeal in front of him. "Watch it buddy!" someone yelled from the window of the vehicle.
He looked at it and smiled. "That's it! A Scranton." He punched the one legged man in the face and then yanked the driver of the Scranton out.
"You looking for trouble, fucker!" the driver yelled. He was a young black man with scraggly hair and reeked of cigarette smoke. There was also a rat sitting on his shoulder.
Sea Wolf slugged the man and tossed him into the one legged man and then took off with the Scranton. Both men started tossing things at the car and swearing as he fled, but he ignored them and kept driving. He dropped it off at the dealership and checked it for scratches or anything like that. "It looks fine." He clutched his uzi. "One more and then Hank's client will be pleased."
He called a cab and was dropped off in the Bahamut section. He looked around before stepped out, hoping the man with the rat and the one legged man were nowhere in sight. The driver advised him to be careful as he paid.
Sea Wolf took a different path, walking quickly and avoiding interaction with anyone. The sun was starting to set and he knew that the dealers and gangs would be crawling from their holes soon. He remembered the route to that club known as the Brood. That was the closest place where a Hell Rider might be passing by. He looked at the photo. "Damn. I wouldn't be surprised. It looks like a hearse." He stood in an alley in front of the club with his uzi in hand. After waiting for almost an hour, he was ready to give up. It was already dark and he was in the worst part of town.
Suddenly, a limousine pulled up to the entrance with three other vehicles. "Now we're talking." A man wearing a red tuxedo with a pointy beard stepped out of the window along with two men who looks like bikers. "He must be the owner." They waited as the individuals in the Hell Riders stepped out. They consisted of two young women and three young men. His heart jumped for a moment. "They're a gang alright. How the hell am I gonna get a hold of one of those cars?"
He looked at each of them. The two men who accompanied the older man in the red tuxedo appeared to be his bodyguards. One had long hair, a beard, tattoos and wore a black leather vest. The other guy was bald, had a moustache and crazy looking eyes.
The Gothics who exited the Hell Riders were nice looking, but he knew they wouldn't be less dangerous. He couldn't hear what one of them was saying, but he appeared to be giving orders. He was a tall skinny pale man with long black hair and his outfit looked a wizard's robe. He waited some more, hoping that they would enter and then he could steal their car. Once they did, the two bodyguards remained at the entrance.
He took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing." He slowly came from his hiding place and walked toward the club. He approached one of the Hell Riders and slowly picked the lock. Some heavy footsteps approached as he cracked open the door. He fired his uzi into the air when he looked dead at the guards. "Stand back you cretins!"
They both stood there for a moment then slowly walked towards him and smiling. He looked in the car and the keys happened to be inside. "What kind of idiots would do this?" He looked back up and they were still eager to kick his ass. He fired and then jumped into the Hell Rider as if he were fleeing from the devil. Both men jumped into the other Hell Riders and followed him. "Shit!"
Both automobiles rammed into the back and the side of the one he was driving. He rolled down his window and began firing at one of the Hell Riders until it stopped giving chase. The other one continued the smash into him. He stepped on the gas, dodging other cars and cutting through alleys but the guy was still on his tail. He looked around while speeding hoping there was a way he could escape without totaling the vehicle. An auto shop was the only thing that caught his eye that he passed. The car was banged up and Mr. Brenner said it had to be in mint condition. He slammed his foot on the brakes and watched the other Hell Rider zoom by him. He reversed the vehicle and went straight through the lot of a nearby auto shop.
A couple of guys stood there and stared at him as he stopped. "What is everyone staring at?" He paused for a minute. "Do any of you work here?"
"Yes," one of them said.
"My car got smashed up here. Do you think you can repair it? I have cash." They all smiled and wheeled it in. Two hours later, the car was as good as new and Sea Wolf quietly dropped the Hell Rider off at the lot.
(To Catch a Thief)
Sea Wolf returned the van that he borrowed the day before and noticed Hank screaming and pounding on the desk. At first he was afraid to walk in but decided to take that chance.
The secretary looked nervous as he entered and heard Hank swear heavily. Hank looked straight at him and stomped across the room. "Good! Just the man I wanted to see. You did a good job on those vehicles last night and earned yourself a good twelve grand."
"Did those gang members steal them back?"
"No, some goddamn Wolverine heard about our scheme and took one of my models in retaliation! I'll thicken that wallet of yours if you can get it back. I managed to locate the whereabouts. Here's this tracking device." He handed Sea Wolf a photograph of the vehicle. "It's a 2000 Screamer. Go get it back and if you have the chance, run his ass down with it!"
Sea Wolf took an Archie and followed the path to the Screamer's location. It was parked in front of a pool hall. He jumped out and headed for the vehicle and attempted to pick the lock, but a man wearing a buttoned flannel shirt and faded jeans walked out of the pool hall and brandished a gun at him.
"Trying to steal my car, boy!" The lumberjack looking man yelled as Sea Wolf dashed behind the Archie that he borrowed. He crawled into the backseat and equipped his shotgun. He waited until the man fired a few shots and then looked through the window, watching him reload. He jumped from his hiding place and fired a shell into the man's stomach before he could fire again. He rushed to the dead man and grabbed the keys to the Screamer and took off before anyone could spot him.
He could feel the wind brushing through his face as he was going eighty. The top was pulled down and it was a nice day so he decided to keep it down. "No wonder he stole this car." He didn't slow down until he reached Colossus Autos. He parked the Screamer and entered Hank's office with the keys in hand.
(Test Drive)
Hank smiled as Sea Wolf entered the office. "Justin, you're a model employee. I don't know how you do it, but you get things done without hesitation." There was a larger man sitting next to Hank Brenner's desk. "This is the client I told you about yesterday."
The larger man stood up and shook his hand. "The name's Bradshaw," he spoke in a heavy Texas accent, his black hair was long, had a thick moustache and was built like a football player.
"Justin, but others call me Sea Wolf. I used to be a Navy pilot."
"Well, Hank has told me a lot of you. I work in a ranch up north and could use someone with strong arms and willing to earn honest pay. Can you drive a tractor or herd some cattle?"
"No, sir. But I could learn."
"That's what I want to hear. How about I take you there and my boys and I can give you a training session."
"Okay."
"You'll be working your ass off so once you get in the truck, you've made a commitment."
He took the check that Hank handed him and followed Bradshaw to his pickup truck. Before he walked out the doors they spotted Hank's secretary blow him a kiss.
"What was that about?"
"Nothing much, Mr. Bradshaw. I have a date with her tonight."
"Excellent."
On the way to the ranch, Bradshaw stopped the truck in front of a shop called Acme Boot. He jumped out of the driver's seat with the engine still running. "Keep an eye on the vehicle. This'll only be a few minutes." Sea Wolf waited and saw Bradshaw walking out with a shoebox. He tossed it into the bed of the truck and from out of nowhere, four long haired guys dressed in black with pentagram logos on their shirts and jewelry charged at him and began hitting him. Sea Wolf was about to get out and help until Bradshaw pushed them off him and grabbed a tire iron from the bed of the truck and bashed them with his tool. They managed to get back up surprisingly and each flashed out a dagger. Sea Wolf decided to take the wheel as Bradshaw jumped in. "It's a Creeper ambush! Let's get the hell out of here!" He floored it as the Gothic thugs tried to force the doors open. He followed Bradshaw's directions and made it to the ranch in one piece.
The rancher smiled as they looked at his home. It wasn't a mansion but looked big enough for a family of five or six. Sea Wolf took a look behind the gates. "Take a good look, boy! I have more than five hundred cows, horses, dogs. Hell! I even have buffalo."
"No, shit! You have buffalo?"
"That's right. I could use a worker like you. After seeing the way you drive, I might need you for some chores besides farming. Those freaks who jumped me are some Gothic gang down in the Bahamut section known as the Creepers. They've been given me trouble for some time. Some locals at the Hangman played a few pranks around here, but nothing serious."
"You hang out there?"
"Damn right. There's also a group known as the Regulators too. These rednecks distill cheap ass beer and sell it to winos, party animals and bars like the Hangman. It's damn good stuff I'll tell you."
"Good tasting beer that costs less is the best."
"Could you believe that someone a few nights ago had the audacity to hijack one of their trucks? Man, that fucker might as well leave town because their leader will hang him by his nuts." He checked his watch. "It's starting to get late. You have a date tonight, don't you? Stay right where you're at." He entered his home and walked out, handing him a key. "Take my rancher over there. You wanna leave a good impression. Consider it a present for what you've done for me and Hank."
"All right."
"I'll give you a call if there's any work."
(Renewing the Lease)
For once, Justin had a good night's sleep and got out of bed without hesitation. He had his shower, ate breakfast and watched some daytime television for awhile. After a few hours, he got bored. "Something feels different," he said to himself. He was right. This was the first time in awhile that he was relaxed, but he had some money to raise and a killer to catch. Then the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Justin is that you? This is Hank."
"Hey there. What's up?"
"This is an emergency! My lawyer refused to renew the lease to my dealership. He's going to seal the deal with another client this afternoon! If this happens, my business will be liquidated. That leech is meeting his new client at three o'clock. His office is uptown. The address is 4462 Graduate Lane. I want you to waste him, but make it look like accident. I don't need the cops on my ass."
He hung up the phone and slipped on his coat. "Another episode of 'Death of a Corrupt Businessman.' " He ignored the guns that he had stashed away. "If it's an accident he wants, so be it." He started the engine to his gift from Bradshaw and went uptown for the first time.
Most of the area consisted of government buildings and skyscrapers but they meant nothing to him. He arrived at the address and waited for the lawyer. "Chris Nowinski. Sounds like a snooty little prick." He was right.
The minute the young lawyer entered his sports car, Sea Wolf followed. He wasn't sure where Nowinski was meeting his new client, so he had to get this done fast. He pressed his foot on the gas pedal and rammed into Nowinski's bumper. This startled the lawyer at first but didn't think too much of it. Sea Wolf rammed him again.
"He's asking for it," Nowinski snarled as he looked back at the Rancher. The Rancher caught up with him and side swiped him. "You bastard!" He gave the driver the finger and sped up.
Sea Wolf laughed and stayed on his tail. He slammed into the side of the sports car and watched Chris Nowinski getting edgy and he began to drive like a maniac. He chased the lawyer down the highway for awhile and smiled as he gave Nowinski's sports car a good crash into the side, knocking it off the road. He watched it flip over a few times and pulled over as he heard an explosion. He ran to the scene and looked down at the vehicle and the corpse. "The deed is done." He headed back to his Rancher and stopped at the nearest auto shop, repairing the damaged and getting a paint job. When his vehicle was all done, he was ready to call it a day until his pager went off. It was Bradshaw.
"Hey, Sea Wolf. My boys and I are hitting the Hangman. Interested?"
"No thanks. I didn't really fit in the last time I was there."
"You've got to earn yourself a reputation. Meet me there at eight tonight and I'll tell you what to do."
Disclaimer-Selected superstars are property of the WWE, NWA-TNA and XPW. The other superstars listed: Sea Wolf, Arkuss Blackburn, Hank Brenner and the Griever are property of the author Dave Scott. You must get permission by e-mail bender_hkw@lycos.com to use any of them.
(Soccerslam)
Sea Wolf parked the borrowed station wagon in front of Scott Hall's office after receiving an urgent call. He slammed the door and rushed into the office. Scott was pacing back and forth. "Hey. What's to be the problem, Scott?"
"Some big time soccer team just won a major game and they're gonna be in town tonight."
"So?"
"Well, they're on their way to the Hangman to celebrate."
"What's wrong with that?"
"It's a hangout for bikers and rednecks. This'll make us look soft. If you could keep them away,"
"Dude. You're not asking me to blow up their bus."
"Hell no! You could wait for them to arrive then start a fight or something.
"Oh yeah, right! It'll be thirty against one."
"Then get some soccer attire so you can blend in. Not only will you do me a favor, but you'll do both Kevin Nash and his frequent customers a favor."
Sea Wolf jumped into his vehicle and headed for the nearest sports store. "What the hell is Scott's problem? He's got plenty of booze in that office of his," he told himself. He tried on a soccer jersey, some matching shorts and running shoes and looked in the mirror. "I guess this is it, but I wanna blend in, I might wanna do some running around." He purchased the clothing and headed for the Hangman. He parked his car and waited around the bar until the bus arrived. As the whole team stepped out, he snuck into the crowd and headed to the bar.
Kevin Nash stood at the entrance with a few bikers blocking their path. "Get the hell off our property!" Kevin yelled. "We don't serve your kind! Get lost!"
The soccer manager began to protest while a few of the players yelled at Nash. Sea Wolf looked at the bikers and the bar owner. Kevin spotted him and grinned, knowing that a plan was hatched. He took a deep breath and punched the soccer player who stood the closest to him. He cut through the crowd and hit a few more players, even the manager. Kevin and the bikers ran into the crowd and joined in the brawl. Sea Wolf slipped out of this minor riot and watched the soccer players beat the crap out of each other. When the fight was over, Kevin Nash and the bikers were the only ones standing. "I hope Scott's happy now." Nash waved at him and then walked back into the bar.
(Used Cars)
Hank Brenner smiled as Sea Wolf entered his office. "Good to see you again. I told you that you'd hear from me again."
"What is it this time? More competitor trucks to wreck." "No, not this time. A client of mine is looking for three types of cars. I don't carry them in my inventory but I know where they are carried. Here are some photos."
Justin looked at them. "Never seen these before."
"They're gang cars. My client wants compensation for destruction of property. He wants a Wolverine Sabre, a Hell Rider and a Scranton. The Wolverines run a business at some lumber yard in the North of this town. You'll be able to spot some Hell Riders and Scrantons in the Bahamut section or some Gothic club called the Brood, but don't go unarmed. It's Creeper territory. There's also a gang of dealers and muggers known as the Flock. They're just as dangerous. Be careful. My client will be here in three days and wants them in mint condition.
Sea Wolf walked out the door grumbling. "Geez. He's so fucking picky." He took the same station wagon and stopped the gun shop before going car hunting. He dropped six hundred dollars on an uzi, a shotgun and some ammunition and headed North. After an hour on the freeway, he found the lumber yard. He parked his station wagon at a distance where it wouldn't be spotted by the workers and headed for the parking lot. There were about four or five Wolverine Sabres sitting before him. They were black but some had different color stripes of red, blue, orange or yellow. He took a red one that happened to be unlocked and hotwired it. He stepped on the pedal and split. After delivering it, he took a mini-van from the lot this and decided to head for the Bahamut section. "Two cars to go. This shouldn't take long."
He pulled the van into the Bahamut section and cringed at the sight of its background. Graffitti covered the walls, the streets were littered, bums were sleeping on sidewalks and benches. Hank Brenner wasn't kidding. He went to his van and grabbed his uzi and kept his pistol in his jacket. He walked around a few blocks, avoiding eye contact with anyone or anything. He took a quick look at the photograph. "It just looks like a BMW. That could be anywhere." Saw a few signs posted on walls and telephone poles advertising some local band that he didn't know of. "Peroxwhygen? They're performing at the Brood in a couple of weeks, huh. After seeing the entrance and the people who attend, I wouldn't be caught dead in a place like that."
"Hey, you!" He turned around and spotted a young man on crutches approaching him. He appeared to have one leg. "Could you help me?"
"What's wrong?"
"I'm starving to death and I can hardly walk. Could you spare some change?"
"Let's see," Sea Wolf said, digging through his wallet.
"Why are you counting all that? Give me what you've got for crying out loud! I fought in Vietnam and lost my leg to a land mine!"
Sea Wolf put his wallet away. "Bullshit! You did not! By the look of you, you're only nineteen! I don't care if you're disabled. There's no fucking way in hell that I'll support your drug habit."
The one legged man threw down his crutches. "I said give me your money." He kicked Sea Wolf in the stomach.
"A wise guy, eh? I'll rip off your other leg." He charged at the kid but was sweeped and fell on his back. The kid lifted his single leg and brought it down like an axe on his chest. He pulled himself up and laughed as Sea Wolf was getting up slowly.
"Call me a cripple now."
He took a swing but the one legged man started slapping him repetively and pushed him in the middle of the street. He heard a loud squeal in front of him. "Watch it buddy!" someone yelled from the window of the vehicle.
He looked at it and smiled. "That's it! A Scranton." He punched the one legged man in the face and then yanked the driver of the Scranton out.
"You looking for trouble, fucker!" the driver yelled. He was a young black man with scraggly hair and reeked of cigarette smoke. There was also a rat sitting on his shoulder.
Sea Wolf slugged the man and tossed him into the one legged man and then took off with the Scranton. Both men started tossing things at the car and swearing as he fled, but he ignored them and kept driving. He dropped it off at the dealership and checked it for scratches or anything like that. "It looks fine." He clutched his uzi. "One more and then Hank's client will be pleased."
He called a cab and was dropped off in the Bahamut section. He looked around before stepped out, hoping the man with the rat and the one legged man were nowhere in sight. The driver advised him to be careful as he paid.
Sea Wolf took a different path, walking quickly and avoiding interaction with anyone. The sun was starting to set and he knew that the dealers and gangs would be crawling from their holes soon. He remembered the route to that club known as the Brood. That was the closest place where a Hell Rider might be passing by. He looked at the photo. "Damn. I wouldn't be surprised. It looks like a hearse." He stood in an alley in front of the club with his uzi in hand. After waiting for almost an hour, he was ready to give up. It was already dark and he was in the worst part of town.
Suddenly, a limousine pulled up to the entrance with three other vehicles. "Now we're talking." A man wearing a red tuxedo with a pointy beard stepped out of the window along with two men who looks like bikers. "He must be the owner." They waited as the individuals in the Hell Riders stepped out. They consisted of two young women and three young men. His heart jumped for a moment. "They're a gang alright. How the hell am I gonna get a hold of one of those cars?"
He looked at each of them. The two men who accompanied the older man in the red tuxedo appeared to be his bodyguards. One had long hair, a beard, tattoos and wore a black leather vest. The other guy was bald, had a moustache and crazy looking eyes.
The Gothics who exited the Hell Riders were nice looking, but he knew they wouldn't be less dangerous. He couldn't hear what one of them was saying, but he appeared to be giving orders. He was a tall skinny pale man with long black hair and his outfit looked a wizard's robe. He waited some more, hoping that they would enter and then he could steal their car. Once they did, the two bodyguards remained at the entrance.
He took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing." He slowly came from his hiding place and walked toward the club. He approached one of the Hell Riders and slowly picked the lock. Some heavy footsteps approached as he cracked open the door. He fired his uzi into the air when he looked dead at the guards. "Stand back you cretins!"
They both stood there for a moment then slowly walked towards him and smiling. He looked in the car and the keys happened to be inside. "What kind of idiots would do this?" He looked back up and they were still eager to kick his ass. He fired and then jumped into the Hell Rider as if he were fleeing from the devil. Both men jumped into the other Hell Riders and followed him. "Shit!"
Both automobiles rammed into the back and the side of the one he was driving. He rolled down his window and began firing at one of the Hell Riders until it stopped giving chase. The other one continued the smash into him. He stepped on the gas, dodging other cars and cutting through alleys but the guy was still on his tail. He looked around while speeding hoping there was a way he could escape without totaling the vehicle. An auto shop was the only thing that caught his eye that he passed. The car was banged up and Mr. Brenner said it had to be in mint condition. He slammed his foot on the brakes and watched the other Hell Rider zoom by him. He reversed the vehicle and went straight through the lot of a nearby auto shop.
A couple of guys stood there and stared at him as he stopped. "What is everyone staring at?" He paused for a minute. "Do any of you work here?"
"Yes," one of them said.
"My car got smashed up here. Do you think you can repair it? I have cash." They all smiled and wheeled it in. Two hours later, the car was as good as new and Sea Wolf quietly dropped the Hell Rider off at the lot.
(To Catch a Thief)
Sea Wolf returned the van that he borrowed the day before and noticed Hank screaming and pounding on the desk. At first he was afraid to walk in but decided to take that chance.
The secretary looked nervous as he entered and heard Hank swear heavily. Hank looked straight at him and stomped across the room. "Good! Just the man I wanted to see. You did a good job on those vehicles last night and earned yourself a good twelve grand."
"Did those gang members steal them back?"
"No, some goddamn Wolverine heard about our scheme and took one of my models in retaliation! I'll thicken that wallet of yours if you can get it back. I managed to locate the whereabouts. Here's this tracking device." He handed Sea Wolf a photograph of the vehicle. "It's a 2000 Screamer. Go get it back and if you have the chance, run his ass down with it!"
Sea Wolf took an Archie and followed the path to the Screamer's location. It was parked in front of a pool hall. He jumped out and headed for the vehicle and attempted to pick the lock, but a man wearing a buttoned flannel shirt and faded jeans walked out of the pool hall and brandished a gun at him.
"Trying to steal my car, boy!" The lumberjack looking man yelled as Sea Wolf dashed behind the Archie that he borrowed. He crawled into the backseat and equipped his shotgun. He waited until the man fired a few shots and then looked through the window, watching him reload. He jumped from his hiding place and fired a shell into the man's stomach before he could fire again. He rushed to the dead man and grabbed the keys to the Screamer and took off before anyone could spot him.
He could feel the wind brushing through his face as he was going eighty. The top was pulled down and it was a nice day so he decided to keep it down. "No wonder he stole this car." He didn't slow down until he reached Colossus Autos. He parked the Screamer and entered Hank's office with the keys in hand.
(Test Drive)
Hank smiled as Sea Wolf entered the office. "Justin, you're a model employee. I don't know how you do it, but you get things done without hesitation." There was a larger man sitting next to Hank Brenner's desk. "This is the client I told you about yesterday."
The larger man stood up and shook his hand. "The name's Bradshaw," he spoke in a heavy Texas accent, his black hair was long, had a thick moustache and was built like a football player.
"Justin, but others call me Sea Wolf. I used to be a Navy pilot."
"Well, Hank has told me a lot of you. I work in a ranch up north and could use someone with strong arms and willing to earn honest pay. Can you drive a tractor or herd some cattle?"
"No, sir. But I could learn."
"That's what I want to hear. How about I take you there and my boys and I can give you a training session."
"Okay."
"You'll be working your ass off so once you get in the truck, you've made a commitment."
He took the check that Hank handed him and followed Bradshaw to his pickup truck. Before he walked out the doors they spotted Hank's secretary blow him a kiss.
"What was that about?"
"Nothing much, Mr. Bradshaw. I have a date with her tonight."
"Excellent."
On the way to the ranch, Bradshaw stopped the truck in front of a shop called Acme Boot. He jumped out of the driver's seat with the engine still running. "Keep an eye on the vehicle. This'll only be a few minutes." Sea Wolf waited and saw Bradshaw walking out with a shoebox. He tossed it into the bed of the truck and from out of nowhere, four long haired guys dressed in black with pentagram logos on their shirts and jewelry charged at him and began hitting him. Sea Wolf was about to get out and help until Bradshaw pushed them off him and grabbed a tire iron from the bed of the truck and bashed them with his tool. They managed to get back up surprisingly and each flashed out a dagger. Sea Wolf decided to take the wheel as Bradshaw jumped in. "It's a Creeper ambush! Let's get the hell out of here!" He floored it as the Gothic thugs tried to force the doors open. He followed Bradshaw's directions and made it to the ranch in one piece.
The rancher smiled as they looked at his home. It wasn't a mansion but looked big enough for a family of five or six. Sea Wolf took a look behind the gates. "Take a good look, boy! I have more than five hundred cows, horses, dogs. Hell! I even have buffalo."
"No, shit! You have buffalo?"
"That's right. I could use a worker like you. After seeing the way you drive, I might need you for some chores besides farming. Those freaks who jumped me are some Gothic gang down in the Bahamut section known as the Creepers. They've been given me trouble for some time. Some locals at the Hangman played a few pranks around here, but nothing serious."
"You hang out there?"
"Damn right. There's also a group known as the Regulators too. These rednecks distill cheap ass beer and sell it to winos, party animals and bars like the Hangman. It's damn good stuff I'll tell you."
"Good tasting beer that costs less is the best."
"Could you believe that someone a few nights ago had the audacity to hijack one of their trucks? Man, that fucker might as well leave town because their leader will hang him by his nuts." He checked his watch. "It's starting to get late. You have a date tonight, don't you? Stay right where you're at." He entered his home and walked out, handing him a key. "Take my rancher over there. You wanna leave a good impression. Consider it a present for what you've done for me and Hank."
"All right."
"I'll give you a call if there's any work."
(Renewing the Lease)
For once, Justin had a good night's sleep and got out of bed without hesitation. He had his shower, ate breakfast and watched some daytime television for awhile. After a few hours, he got bored. "Something feels different," he said to himself. He was right. This was the first time in awhile that he was relaxed, but he had some money to raise and a killer to catch. Then the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Justin is that you? This is Hank."
"Hey there. What's up?"
"This is an emergency! My lawyer refused to renew the lease to my dealership. He's going to seal the deal with another client this afternoon! If this happens, my business will be liquidated. That leech is meeting his new client at three o'clock. His office is uptown. The address is 4462 Graduate Lane. I want you to waste him, but make it look like accident. I don't need the cops on my ass."
He hung up the phone and slipped on his coat. "Another episode of 'Death of a Corrupt Businessman.' " He ignored the guns that he had stashed away. "If it's an accident he wants, so be it." He started the engine to his gift from Bradshaw and went uptown for the first time.
Most of the area consisted of government buildings and skyscrapers but they meant nothing to him. He arrived at the address and waited for the lawyer. "Chris Nowinski. Sounds like a snooty little prick." He was right.
The minute the young lawyer entered his sports car, Sea Wolf followed. He wasn't sure where Nowinski was meeting his new client, so he had to get this done fast. He pressed his foot on the gas pedal and rammed into Nowinski's bumper. This startled the lawyer at first but didn't think too much of it. Sea Wolf rammed him again.
"He's asking for it," Nowinski snarled as he looked back at the Rancher. The Rancher caught up with him and side swiped him. "You bastard!" He gave the driver the finger and sped up.
Sea Wolf laughed and stayed on his tail. He slammed into the side of the sports car and watched Chris Nowinski getting edgy and he began to drive like a maniac. He chased the lawyer down the highway for awhile and smiled as he gave Nowinski's sports car a good crash into the side, knocking it off the road. He watched it flip over a few times and pulled over as he heard an explosion. He ran to the scene and looked down at the vehicle and the corpse. "The deed is done." He headed back to his Rancher and stopped at the nearest auto shop, repairing the damaged and getting a paint job. When his vehicle was all done, he was ready to call it a day until his pager went off. It was Bradshaw.
"Hey, Sea Wolf. My boys and I are hitting the Hangman. Interested?"
"No thanks. I didn't really fit in the last time I was there."
"You've got to earn yourself a reputation. Meet me there at eight tonight and I'll tell you what to do."