Chapter 1.
Memphis hummed along to his radio as he worked under the hood of an old Ford Pickup. The familiar roar of a motorbike made him look up from his work and smile. He walked out onto the garage driveway, wiping his hands on a rag as he went.
The black bike pulled up in front of him.
"Hi." He said as Sway climbed off her beloved Yamaha. She was sporting her usual black leather Capri pants and long charcoal-grey duster.
"Hey." She smiled and walked towards him as she shook her long, blonde dreadlocks free from her helmet. "Busy day?"
"Nah, not bad." He greeted her with a kiss and they walked together back into the garage. Sway placed her helmet on the roof of the pickup and leaned back against the side of it, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Hey Otto. How's it goin'?"
"Fine thanks love." Otto was about the only person Memphis had ever known to survive calling Sway 'love'. He'd tried it himself once, and had earned himself a look that had ensured he never had again.
Otto rested his pen on the stack of papers in front of him and took off his glasses "You got much done on the old Tourer?"
Sway had ditched her job at a garage to help an old friend from high school build up a touring car. They had acquired the engine and shell for a Subaru Impretza, after a very successful night at the card table, and its restoration was an ongoing process.
"Not bad, Rachel's gonna see if she can find us a new front axel tomorrow."
"By find, I hope you mean buy, not 'borrow'." Memphis cut in.
Sway shot him a mischievous little grin that Otto had to laugh at. Although Sway was basically clean now, she had never been able to completely rid herself of her wild criminal streak.
She pushed herself away from the truck and circled it her eyebrows raised.
"I have to say Mr. Raines, this is a mighty fine heap of junk you got yourself here!" Memphis laughed, "I know. Don't know why they don't just drop the old girl off at the junkyard. Third time she's been in this month." He patted the hood affectionately.
Sway bent down behind the truck and stared thoughtfully at it.
"Well I know a certain touring car that could use a nice fat tailpipe like this if anyone does decide to put her to rest."
"Don't even go there Sway." Warned Otto "We are not dismantling any more of our clients cars for you, there was enough trouble last time you 'borrowed' parts."
Sway giggled and straightened up.
"Hey Junie." She waved as Otto's wife entered the garage from the backroom.
"Hello Sway honey. You two kids staying for dinner?"
"Thanks Junie but I think we'll be getting home. A frozen pizza calls!" Said Memphis grinning.
"Honestly Sway." Junie folded her arms "You should learn to cook, you can't keep feeding your poor man frozen meals."
"I aint feeding him shit." Said Sway one eyebrow quirked "He can feed himself. The day he asks me where his dinner is, is the day he looses his manhood. Aint that right Mr. Raines?"
Memphis laughed and held his hands up in front of his body. "I wouldn't even dare."
Junie shook her head and smiled at the wayward young woman. Since the big boost, Memphis and Sway had become a regular fixture in her's and Otto's lives, what with Memphis buying into the business. She felt a strange compulsion to protect the two of them, even though they were more than old enough to (an capable of) looking after themselves, she still enjoyed to play something of a mom too them.
"Well if you're sure. Its pot roast." She tried to tempt the young couple one last time.
"No thanks Junie. We'll be fine." Sway picked her bike helmet up off the Fords roof and began to walk toward the garage door. "See ya tomorrow."
At that moment an earth shattering bang echoed through the small space. Tools fell from the walls and metal-shelving units crashed to the floor.
"Sway!" Shouted Memphis as he rugby tackled her to the floor, a large wheel jack smashing down in the spot she had just been standing.
Junie screamed out and Otto instinctively ducked down under his desk. They all lay stunned for a second and as the dust settled, the state of the garage came into view. The concrete floor was barely visible beneath car parts and tools, the small wooden door at the garage entrance was hanging on one hinge and the shock wave had caused the old ford pickup to collapse onto its wheel arches.
"You Ok?" breathed Memphis into Sways ear. She was face down on the floor with Memphis lying on top of her. She ignored his question and rolled him off her.
"What the fuck was that!!?" She scrambled up and stalked towards the now battered door. Memphis climbed to his feet and looked across at Otto who just stared blankly back at him. Junie was crouched in a corner shock predominant on her face.
From outside the garage they heard Sway scream.
"Noooooooo! Josephine. Oh god! NO!"
Memphis ran to the door and cursed under his breath at what he saw on the driveway.
Sway was knelt on the floor, her head in her hands, the wreckage of her beloved bike strewn around her in a hundred pieces. She straightened up and threw her head back, her eyes closed.
"Memphis," She said through gritted teeth "Who. The fuck. DID THIS!!!" with the last two words, she jumped to her feet and kicked a large piece of smoking bike chassis across the drive.
"Hey, hey." Memphis ran forwards and grabbed her shoulders "Calm down. Sway," She twisted around and he tried to gain eye contact with her "Sway," She stopped struggling and looked directly at him "Calm down."
She took a shaky breath and blinked hard. Memphis noticed a glassy sheen in her eyes and gathered her up in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.
"Shhh." He rocked her slightly and kissed the top of her head "calm down."
Just then his mobile rang and he stepped away pulling it from his jacket pocket. Sway turned around, her back to him, and scanned the debris in front of her, hands on her hips, her jaw clenched tight.
"Hello." Memphis answered the call.
"Raines!" Said a voice on the end of the line "How ya doin' boy?"
"Johnny B?" He asked. Sway spun around and stared at Memphis her eyes narrowed, her breathing steadily increasing.
"Yea! Well done Raines." Memphis looked Sway in the eyes. She shook her head in disbelief, the anger on her face rising and then she lunged at Memphis.
"Give me the goddamn phone." He held her off "MEMPHIS! GIVE ME THE GODDAMN PHONE!"
"Sway." He grabbed her arm and shook his head. He heard Johnny chuckle in his ear.
"YOU BASTARD!" screamed Sway "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" she wrenched herself from Memphis's grip and kicked the wall behind her in rage.
"You still not managed to tame that pretty little thing yet boy?"
"What do you want Johnny?"
"What's this! Like I can't jus' ring up for a chat with an old buddy. An old bud who got me sent to jail for the past two years."
Memphis chuckled slightly.
"Don't you dare laugh boy!" Shouted Johnny "Two years. Two damn years I got for the little stunt you pulled in the café parkin' lot. They didn't jus' get me for illegal arms you know!"
"Oh really?" Said Memphis noncommittally
"Yeah really. You boy, you got me nailed for a whole bunch of boosts and other shit! Cops, they hold grudges. They catch you doin' one thing wrong, they get you for everything else you ever done."
"Goddamn cops eh?"
"Yeah. But as far as I figure, I got some scores to settle with you too boy."
Memphis suddenly felt his stomach sink "What kind of scores?" He said quietly.
"Can you imagine what you might be scraping up of that there driveway if your pretty little woman had been two minutes later getting here?"
His legs suddenly felt weak and he whipped round to look at Sway who stood opposite him, her brow furrowed. He didn't take his eyes off hers as he replied to Johnny through gritted teeth.
"You even so much as touch her I swear to god I will kill you, and feed you to my dog, you here me?." Sways sucked in a sharp breath and began to breathe heavily.
Johnny laughed "Rough talk for such a little boy. You know?" He paused "You should tell her she shouldn't wear black so often, makes her look rough, you know what I'm sayin'?"
Memphis whipped around and scanned the area around the garage.
"That's right. I can see you boy. And your pretty woman. Damn she sexy when she's all heated up."
"Sway get inside!" Barked Memphis.
"What?" She looked around uneasily.
"Please." She stayed for a few more seconds, searching Memphis's dark green eyes. After noticing the pleading and fear within them, she turned begrudgingly on her heel and walked back into the relative safety of the garage.
Memphis drew a long breath as he watched her retreating back, and then focussed his attention back to the phone call.
"What do you want?" He asked calmly.
"Now you're talking boy!"
*** End chapter 1 ***
Memphis hummed along to his radio as he worked under the hood of an old Ford Pickup. The familiar roar of a motorbike made him look up from his work and smile. He walked out onto the garage driveway, wiping his hands on a rag as he went.
The black bike pulled up in front of him.
"Hi." He said as Sway climbed off her beloved Yamaha. She was sporting her usual black leather Capri pants and long charcoal-grey duster.
"Hey." She smiled and walked towards him as she shook her long, blonde dreadlocks free from her helmet. "Busy day?"
"Nah, not bad." He greeted her with a kiss and they walked together back into the garage. Sway placed her helmet on the roof of the pickup and leaned back against the side of it, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Hey Otto. How's it goin'?"
"Fine thanks love." Otto was about the only person Memphis had ever known to survive calling Sway 'love'. He'd tried it himself once, and had earned himself a look that had ensured he never had again.
Otto rested his pen on the stack of papers in front of him and took off his glasses "You got much done on the old Tourer?"
Sway had ditched her job at a garage to help an old friend from high school build up a touring car. They had acquired the engine and shell for a Subaru Impretza, after a very successful night at the card table, and its restoration was an ongoing process.
"Not bad, Rachel's gonna see if she can find us a new front axel tomorrow."
"By find, I hope you mean buy, not 'borrow'." Memphis cut in.
Sway shot him a mischievous little grin that Otto had to laugh at. Although Sway was basically clean now, she had never been able to completely rid herself of her wild criminal streak.
She pushed herself away from the truck and circled it her eyebrows raised.
"I have to say Mr. Raines, this is a mighty fine heap of junk you got yourself here!" Memphis laughed, "I know. Don't know why they don't just drop the old girl off at the junkyard. Third time she's been in this month." He patted the hood affectionately.
Sway bent down behind the truck and stared thoughtfully at it.
"Well I know a certain touring car that could use a nice fat tailpipe like this if anyone does decide to put her to rest."
"Don't even go there Sway." Warned Otto "We are not dismantling any more of our clients cars for you, there was enough trouble last time you 'borrowed' parts."
Sway giggled and straightened up.
"Hey Junie." She waved as Otto's wife entered the garage from the backroom.
"Hello Sway honey. You two kids staying for dinner?"
"Thanks Junie but I think we'll be getting home. A frozen pizza calls!" Said Memphis grinning.
"Honestly Sway." Junie folded her arms "You should learn to cook, you can't keep feeding your poor man frozen meals."
"I aint feeding him shit." Said Sway one eyebrow quirked "He can feed himself. The day he asks me where his dinner is, is the day he looses his manhood. Aint that right Mr. Raines?"
Memphis laughed and held his hands up in front of his body. "I wouldn't even dare."
Junie shook her head and smiled at the wayward young woman. Since the big boost, Memphis and Sway had become a regular fixture in her's and Otto's lives, what with Memphis buying into the business. She felt a strange compulsion to protect the two of them, even though they were more than old enough to (an capable of) looking after themselves, she still enjoyed to play something of a mom too them.
"Well if you're sure. Its pot roast." She tried to tempt the young couple one last time.
"No thanks Junie. We'll be fine." Sway picked her bike helmet up off the Fords roof and began to walk toward the garage door. "See ya tomorrow."
At that moment an earth shattering bang echoed through the small space. Tools fell from the walls and metal-shelving units crashed to the floor.
"Sway!" Shouted Memphis as he rugby tackled her to the floor, a large wheel jack smashing down in the spot she had just been standing.
Junie screamed out and Otto instinctively ducked down under his desk. They all lay stunned for a second and as the dust settled, the state of the garage came into view. The concrete floor was barely visible beneath car parts and tools, the small wooden door at the garage entrance was hanging on one hinge and the shock wave had caused the old ford pickup to collapse onto its wheel arches.
"You Ok?" breathed Memphis into Sways ear. She was face down on the floor with Memphis lying on top of her. She ignored his question and rolled him off her.
"What the fuck was that!!?" She scrambled up and stalked towards the now battered door. Memphis climbed to his feet and looked across at Otto who just stared blankly back at him. Junie was crouched in a corner shock predominant on her face.
From outside the garage they heard Sway scream.
"Noooooooo! Josephine. Oh god! NO!"
Memphis ran to the door and cursed under his breath at what he saw on the driveway.
Sway was knelt on the floor, her head in her hands, the wreckage of her beloved bike strewn around her in a hundred pieces. She straightened up and threw her head back, her eyes closed.
"Memphis," She said through gritted teeth "Who. The fuck. DID THIS!!!" with the last two words, she jumped to her feet and kicked a large piece of smoking bike chassis across the drive.
"Hey, hey." Memphis ran forwards and grabbed her shoulders "Calm down. Sway," She twisted around and he tried to gain eye contact with her "Sway," She stopped struggling and looked directly at him "Calm down."
She took a shaky breath and blinked hard. Memphis noticed a glassy sheen in her eyes and gathered her up in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.
"Shhh." He rocked her slightly and kissed the top of her head "calm down."
Just then his mobile rang and he stepped away pulling it from his jacket pocket. Sway turned around, her back to him, and scanned the debris in front of her, hands on her hips, her jaw clenched tight.
"Hello." Memphis answered the call.
"Raines!" Said a voice on the end of the line "How ya doin' boy?"
"Johnny B?" He asked. Sway spun around and stared at Memphis her eyes narrowed, her breathing steadily increasing.
"Yea! Well done Raines." Memphis looked Sway in the eyes. She shook her head in disbelief, the anger on her face rising and then she lunged at Memphis.
"Give me the goddamn phone." He held her off "MEMPHIS! GIVE ME THE GODDAMN PHONE!"
"Sway." He grabbed her arm and shook his head. He heard Johnny chuckle in his ear.
"YOU BASTARD!" screamed Sway "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" she wrenched herself from Memphis's grip and kicked the wall behind her in rage.
"You still not managed to tame that pretty little thing yet boy?"
"What do you want Johnny?"
"What's this! Like I can't jus' ring up for a chat with an old buddy. An old bud who got me sent to jail for the past two years."
Memphis chuckled slightly.
"Don't you dare laugh boy!" Shouted Johnny "Two years. Two damn years I got for the little stunt you pulled in the café parkin' lot. They didn't jus' get me for illegal arms you know!"
"Oh really?" Said Memphis noncommittally
"Yeah really. You boy, you got me nailed for a whole bunch of boosts and other shit! Cops, they hold grudges. They catch you doin' one thing wrong, they get you for everything else you ever done."
"Goddamn cops eh?"
"Yeah. But as far as I figure, I got some scores to settle with you too boy."
Memphis suddenly felt his stomach sink "What kind of scores?" He said quietly.
"Can you imagine what you might be scraping up of that there driveway if your pretty little woman had been two minutes later getting here?"
His legs suddenly felt weak and he whipped round to look at Sway who stood opposite him, her brow furrowed. He didn't take his eyes off hers as he replied to Johnny through gritted teeth.
"You even so much as touch her I swear to god I will kill you, and feed you to my dog, you here me?." Sways sucked in a sharp breath and began to breathe heavily.
Johnny laughed "Rough talk for such a little boy. You know?" He paused "You should tell her she shouldn't wear black so often, makes her look rough, you know what I'm sayin'?"
Memphis whipped around and scanned the area around the garage.
"That's right. I can see you boy. And your pretty woman. Damn she sexy when she's all heated up."
"Sway get inside!" Barked Memphis.
"What?" She looked around uneasily.
"Please." She stayed for a few more seconds, searching Memphis's dark green eyes. After noticing the pleading and fear within them, she turned begrudgingly on her heel and walked back into the relative safety of the garage.
Memphis drew a long breath as he watched her retreating back, and then focussed his attention back to the phone call.
"What do you want?" He asked calmly.
"Now you're talking boy!"
*** End chapter 1 ***