Two times through each of the two CD's, two of Rachel's cat naps (she
drooled once on the seat and I stressed for thirty miles until it dried
without a stain), and a whole lot of laughter and chatter later we drove
into the parking lot of a dumpy looking gas station and car repair garage.
The pumps were still up and looked as if they were in working order. They
were actually the only things that looked like they were in working order;
the garage was in worse shape than ours was. But I figured that working
gas pumps would actually come in handy being that the Escalade needed a
fill up.
Rachel and I hopped out of the car and headed toward the entrance. "Who's this guy, again?" I asked.
"Just a friend of a friend." Rachel shrugged and slung an arm around my shoulders. "Owes me a favor and I figured this is as good as any."
I smiled and put an arm around her waist, "An excellent favor." My smile faded as we reached the door only to find it locked.
"Shit." Rachel gritted her teeth and tried to see through the grimy glass. "Looks like favor-boy took off early." She tried the door once more before leaning against it. "I'm sorry, Kat. I'll make it up to you. I don't know how, but, sex.lots of sex? Drinks? Lap dance? You name it."
"Rachel," I admonished, "We came here to get a transmission jack and I'm not leaving until I have one in the back of that car."
"And you have a plan for finding one on such short notice?"
Grinning I reached into one of my pockets and pushed her away from the door, "My dear, sweet Rachel. You have yet to see all the many talents of Kat." I lifted a couple of small tools and began to pick the lock. It was a standard lock, easy as taking candy from a baby. In a matter of seconds I heard that wonderful click and pushed the door open, "Now let's go get what we came for."
The plan was to take what we'd come for and leave the money in an envelope on the counter. Now, looking back you'd think I might've been smarter about the situation. I mean, let's think about where we were. Middle of downtown San Francisco, not exactly the suburbs, at a run down gas station with working gas pumps. So maybe I was too focused on getting Scott's present and not enough about a possible silent alarm. At least Rachel and I had managed to maneuver the damn thing into the back of the Escalade - which Scott was not going to be happy about the scratches that the pulley system or the actual gift left - before a bunch of police showed up.
If you want to count small blessings, they assumed we were just after some gas and not thinking of the jack, which would suddenly be felony grand theft. Misdemeanors, they let you post bail for. Felonies, you sit in jail for six months before a judge decides to hear your case, find you guilty and throw you back in jail for a few more years. And I suppose it was sort of humorous. When the first cops showed up Rachel and I probably both looked like deer caught in headlights. And before we knew it we were both in the back of a sector police vehicle and the Escalade and the jack were on their way to the impound lot.
Rachel tried to bribe the cop driving in her own special way, but his partner was a pretty, young blonde who wasn't so easily persuaded. I pointed out that we had left money on the counter. The cop driving sneered, "Money? I didn't see any money." He poked his partner. "You?"
She smirked at us. "Not a dime." Bastards. The lot of them. And forget cute blonde getting any from this chick now.
So, long story short, Rachel and I ended up in a jail cell with a single phone call between the two of us.
"Who do we call?" I squeaked, frantically pacing back and forth. "I don't know anyone here! I don't think I've ever even been in this city! I guess I could call Scott, but then again, we don't have a phone. Dammit!" I shrieked, leaning my back against the wall before sliding down and hugging my knees to my chest. "We never should have come. I should have just gotten him the damn toolbox like I initially thought. I mean, what if they run a background check on me? Lord only knows."
"Kat!" Rachel screamed at my face. I looked up from my hands and into her eyes. She had kneeled down and I can only wonder how many times she'd already said my name before screaming it. I offered a weak smile and opened my mouth before she placed her hand over it. "Let me handle it. And stop muttering like a crazy person. You fit in too well when you do that," she whispered softly.
I gave a nervous laugh and gazed around the different cells. Somehow, thank goodness, Rachel and I had managed to get our own cell. Granted it was in between two cells with all sorts of strange-looking people peering out of them. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my beating heart. I was stuck. Literally stuck. I couldn't call anyone. Rachel was with me, and there was no way of reaching Scott. I rested my head in my hands while Rachel screamed through the bars about rights for having a phone call. She had been doing that off and on for hours now.
After getting no response she gave up and came to sit beside me, "You doing okay?" she asked.
"I'll be okay." I sighed, leaning my head on her shoulder, "at least I'm with a friend. I suppose I could be here all by myself, shit out of luck and company."
Rachel gave me a quick kiss, "If I have to spend some more jail time, I could only hope it'd be with you."
"More jail time?" my eyebrows rose.
Rachel smiled, "You think that I've lived this long with out spending some hard time behind bars?" I gave her a lopsided grin, "Well okay, you're right. But I did get hauled into a little jail of a bungalow for not doing the naughty naughty with one of the sector cops that dropped a bomb on a party I was at. But I got out of there the next day when my friends showed up. My big friends. With big guns."
I chuckled, "You have a story for everything, don't you?"
I was about to say more when the blonde from the police car walked towards our cell and slid the door open, "You've got one phone call, who's going to make it?"
Rachel smiled and gracefully sauntered to the open door, "That would be me, sweet thang."
The blonde rolled her eyes and ushered Rachel away. I sighed and looked from side to side. I suppose it really wasn't so bad. I mean, no one was sitting in a corner whispering things to themselves, and no one was really staring. But, in jail, most people are more concerned with themselves than some young punk. It was then that I remembered that they took the car too. Shit. I didn't know where the impound lot was or how on earth we were going to get it out, that is, if we got out of jail.
But, sooner than later Rachel showed up with a smile on her face. I knew that look. She had done something good. Rach gave the cop a wink before sashaying into the cell, "Tell me you love me and you would be lost with out me."
I smiled, "Tell me you got us a way out of here and I'll even write a song and sing it to you."
Jutting a hip out she shot me a seductive glance. "You owe me big, you know."
"I intend to do what I have to." I winked at her. "But, save that for later. What's the status quo?"
Rachel's brow furrowed, "The status what?"
I shook my head, "What's the deal?"
"Oh!" Rachel sat next to me again and shrugged, "Let's just say I know a lot of people and the person I chose just happened to be home."
"Big guy with a big gun?" I guessed.
"Well, yes and no." He's a pretty big guy, and he does have several big guns, but I don't think he's going to be bringing one, since most of what he owns is illegal. Might be a little over the top."
I nodded thoughtfully, "He's trustworthy though, right?"
"I'd trust him with my life." Rachel answered with sincerely, "So don't worry, let's enjoy what we've got while it lasts." Off my confused look she whispered in my ear, "I've always wanted to get laid in a jail cell."
I grinned and winked, "Well, maybe just this once." And so a pretty heavy make out session began. It's not as if we had anything better to do with our time. And no, we didn't actually go through with anything, I mean we didn't have the chance. Rachel had just pressed me back against the wall when I saw possibly the largest man I had ever seen before. To make things better, he was headed straight for us. I pushed Rach away and turned her head, "Tell me that's not who you called." Did I mention the leather chaps over the jeans or the skull bandana? How about the leather jacket with fringe? And we can't forget that his massive arms were completely covered in tattoos. Or also that he limped, and there was a very distinct thud when his left foot hit he ground, a sound making me believe that there was no foot at all, but a wooden peg? Not to mention that he was waving his huge fist in the air, raging about keeping his 'cuddle bunny' locked up by 'no good, dirty, rotten police.'
Please don't come here, I prayed. I prayed that even harder when one of the guys from the other cell yelled out "Meat Cleaver! You back already?" Meat Cleaver replied back something to do with lousy, stinking pigs. I shrank into the corner of the cell.
Rachel was full of grins at the behemoth coming our way. She waved and then grabbed my hand, "That's our ticket out of here."
"Of course." I muttered, adjusting my clothes and offering a wary smile. "Why wouldn't it be?"
I was sure the guy was going to just rip the bars off, but to my surprise he didn't. The blonde stepped out from behind him and unlocked them and to my even greater surprise Rachel launched herself into the guy's arms, "Grandpa!" she greeted, "Thanks for getting here so quick!"
My eyes were wide as his tree-trunk arms enfolded Rachel. She looked like a tiny, little girl next to him. Not much could intimidate me, but men the size of grizzly bears tended to do it.
"Anything for you, Cuddle Bunny." He said with a big burley voice. "And who's your friend?" he asked, his tone softening as his eyes landed on me. I could see where Rach got her extraordinary eye coloring from.
Rachel grinned and pulled me to her side, "This is Kat. I've told you about her before!"
He looked me up and down. "Why, hello there."
I glanced at Rachel. "Wait a second. This is your grandpa?"
Rachel and he gave a laugh, "Yeah. But most people call him Meat Cleaver."
I offered a shaky hand, "Nice to meet you.Meat Cleaver."
He gave me a huge grin and very lightly shook my hand, "Oh, I like her, Bunny. Very polite. But," he said looking around, "If this is all done here, let's get you to wherever you need to go."
Rachel and I followed him out of the building and Rachel filled him in on the trip and getting arrested. I was still a bit too stunned to do anything buy gawk. It made a lot of sense, actually. Only Rachel would have a big burly grandfather named Meat Cleaver. We walked down the steps of the building and he led us to an equally huge hog of a motorcycle, "Well, climb on and I'll drop you at the impound."
By this time I was sure that he had a wooden peg leg, and at his size I couldn't even imagine three of us on the bike. I mean, when the man threw his leg over the bike and actually sat, the bike sank a good six inches. Now he expected the two of us to climb on. Of course Rachel climbed on just as quick as she could but I admit to being a bit hesitant. And, come on, who in their right mind rides a motorcycle with a wooden leg? Let alone willfully places their life in the hands of a man named Meat Cleaver. But of course, if I didn't go I would be left behind and the trip would have been for nothing so I slid on behind Rachel and just closed my eyes. I figured if I couldn't see what was going on and hung on for dear life it wouldn't hurt as bad.
He took us to the impound lot. It was, big surprise, closed. Great. We got off the motorcycle and Meat Cleaver asked if we wanted to go somewhere else. Rach shook her head.
"No, we got to get Kat's ride out before we can go."
He looked at her sternly. "And what are you planning?"
Rach gave him her sweetest, most innocent look. "Grandpa, I won't lie to you. So, I'm just not going to tell you. Because if I tell you, then you'll have to tell Mom. And she'll decide she needs to spend more time with me and she can't take that kind of time off of work. The holidays are when she makes the most money giving lap dances."
He laughed. "You be a good little Cuddle Bunny. And try to visit your grandmother soon. She needs visitors."
"I will," she promised.
I have to admit, Grandpa Meat Cleaver was full of surprises. From his soft hands and his big hugs - which I got before he drove away - to his smooth driving of a motorcycle with three people on it. Oh, I was still tense as a board the whole ride, and more than happy to climb off of the bike when we got to the impound, but I could really see that his rough exterior was just that. An exterior. Rachel confirmed that he was a huge teddy bear and that his bark was worse than his bite.
"Your grandmother in a hospital or something?" I asked. I wasn't really curious. I wanted to pretend Rachel wasn't about to do what I knew she was. Okay, well, a little curious. I always thought Rach's family was like mine. Yeah, the dysfunction was there, but hey, Grandpa had come running and plunked down a big wad of cash to get us out of jail. Not a single lecture either. Of course her mother being a stripper answered a lot of other questions.
"No!" Rachel said firmly. "Grandma's as healthy as can be. She's in prison."
I groaned. "Your grandfather is a guy named Meat Cleaver with a wooden peg leg and grandmother is in prison?"
Rachel grinned proudly. "The peg leg is the reason why she's in prison."
I shook my head. "I don't want to hear any more." And I didn't. All I wanted to do was get the car back and get back to Los Angeles. We had spent an entire day in that stupid jail, and if we didn't get going tonight, then we would never be back to LA by Christmas Eve and I knew Scott had to be worried.
The impound lot was surrounded by a high fence with wire at the top. We weren't climbing that thing. The gate had a thick chain closing it and a heavy lock. I could have picked it, but the tools I needed were in the car, which was on the other side of the fence. Rachel didn't seem bothered at all and that worried me even more.
She started walking around the lot, following the fence line. The area she was heading was worse than the one we were leaving. "Do you know where you're going?" I whispered.
She stopped and faced me, her hands on her hips. "You don't spend the first fifteen years of your life in this city and not break at least one car out of this place," she said firmly. "Trust me."
That was usually the last words someone heard before an ambulance needed to be called. But I still went with her because I would much rather get killed trying to get the car, then have to call Scott and tell him I lost it. If things went badly here, the worst is that I would get shot and killed. If I had to call Scott, the pain was going to be much, much worse and last much, much longer. But Rachel really did know where she was going. There was a loose place in the fence at the bottom where someone could push it up and squeeze through. I got a couple of small scratches, but better me than the car. And then we were in. There was still the small matter of there being what seemed like a thousand rows to look up and down though.
Rachel got us close to the guard shack and we hid behind a car. "I'm going to have to distract him," she whispered. "You go in and get the keys. The location should be attached to them."
Wow. A plan from Rachel that didn't involve someone getting some booty. Of course she probably figured on getting some from me later for getting us out of this mess, but the rule about it not being in the car still stood. We hadn't come this far and end up ruining the car now. She started creeping away from me, hiding behind the cars. A few minutes later, I heard her giggle and dart out so that she was visible for a second and then gone the next. The guard was suddenly out of the shack and into the cars looking for her.
I ran into the shack and started looking. There were keys everywhere. There was a box of them on the counter and rings of them on a wall. I wanted to kill the guy for not having the place organized. Keeping things neat was the key to getting them done prop.oh God, I was sounding like Scott. Just as I was about to scream, there was a box marked "new arrivals". I dug in it and found my keys. I suppressed a shriek of glee and got out. The lot number was wrapped around the ring on a piece of paper.
Okay, time to get Rachel and get out of here. One wouldn't think one would miss a little shack in the middle of a junkyard, but trust me, I would have given anything to be there right now. As long as I had the Escalade and the jack in the back and Rachel in the front seat. I started prowling around the cars, trying to see if I could spot Rachel. I was so busy looking for her, I didn't notice anyone until a hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder.
I was torn between just having a heart attack or having a heart attack while peeing all over myself. I don't spook easily, but you play hide and seek with an armed guard in the dark and have someone grab you and see what you do. I whipped around and there was Rachel. I equally wanted to kiss and kill her. Have to decide later though. She was a little dirty, but she was here now and we could get to the car and be on the road.
I wasn't worried about the cops once we got out of the city. Before the Pulse, the computer systems would track the license plates and if you were in the same state, any police department would know someone else wanted you. Now, it's more confined to a city since it's harder to get in and out of a city anyway. I was lucky. Mr. T.A. Barron had lots of friends and they liked their cars delivered to them. Most of them were in the cities surrounding LA, but somehow he managed to get us passes for any city in the state of California. He might have been a drug dealer or a Mafia boss, but God bless that man.
Rachel read the number on the keys and started off deeper into the lot. Neither of us was talking and I think I had stopped breathing a while back. The numbers on the pavement in front of the cars were getting closer to the number on the paper when we heard a noise and saw the flashlight. It beamed under the car and the guard shouted as he saw our feet.
"Don't you move!"
Rachel didn't hesitate. The guard had to run about six cars down to be able to cross the row and she used the time, grabbing me and yanking off my shirt. Okay, I've never been one to complain about a quickie, but this was ridiculous. I couldn't even protest. Rach had me pressed us against a truck, moving my hands to her rear as she started to kiss and grope me. The guy came around the corner and froze. I got it then. I could tell from his expression that he wasn't gay, and this was a scene he had prayed for a long time now. Rachel just smiled at him.
"You.uh.not.um.you're trespassing," he managed to get out.
Rachel gave him her best playful pout. "But that makes it all the more fun." She rubbed herself against me. I smiled, my lips feeling more like they were being stretched with wires than a real smile. Didn't matter. He wasn't looking above my neck anyway. Fine then. I wasn't going to be the only one here getting ogled. My hands slipped under her shirt, pulling it over her head.
The guy nearly dropped his flashlight. Rachel doesn't wear a bra much. And they are magnificent. "Private property," he muttered, his eyes the size of saucers.
Rachel started undoing the buttons on my pants. "We're not going to hurt anything," she protested prettily. The girl was an expert and had them sliding down my hips as she kissed my neck. I returned the favor by sliding down the zipper on her skirt and pulling it down with her panties. I swear the guy's leg was about to start thumping.
"As a matter of fact," I added since Rach had her mouth full, "why don't you make sure we don't hurt anything. You can keep a very close eye on us if you want."
The guard was over there in a second. He dropped his flashlight and grabbed Rachel, giving her a sloppy wet kiss while reaching out and groping me. I kicked off my pants before I tripped on them; they were loose enough to slide over my shoes and let Rach take over. She let him push her against the car, grabbing and groping. If I hadn't decided before what I was going to do, I did then. Nobody takes my girl from me without my permission. Rach knew I was bigger than she was and stronger. I picked up the dropped flashlight. It was one of those heavy mag lights. Rach saw me over his shoulder and moved her hands. I swung hard, cracking it against the base of his skull and he dropped like a stone.
We reached down to grab our clothes when the first sounds of sirens carried on the wind. Crap. The guard must have called before he ran out into the yard. We picked up our clothes and just made a run for it, naked and bouncing in the breeze. Like a good dream, we turned the corner and there was the Escalade. There wasn't time to put on anything. We just jumped into the car, I glanced back to make sure the jack was still there, and started the car up. The engine roared to life and I slammed the gas.
The cops were already approaching as the gate came into view. I had planned on picking the lock, but no guts, no glory. I gave silent thanks that the future owner of the car wanted a high-powered, tough car as I pushed the pedal to the floor. Rach screamed as we flew through the gate, breaking it open and ripping the side of it off the hinges. I cringed as it flew over the car, hearing the metal screeching against the paint. I would have panicked at the thought of what Scott was going to do to me, but the cops were there and it was a good time to flee in terror instead.
Rachel had been continuously screaming and swearing as I barreled down side ways and alleys searching for something that mentioned heading south. I have to admit, I did my fair amount of shouting too, though. But, come one, I didn't know where I was or what I was doing, not to mention where I was going and there were police chasing me. And I don't know how, but finally we, well okay *I* managed to lose the cops and got on the main road leading back to LA. I had taken some pretty sharp twists and turns and I was positive we had a good ten to twenty minute jump on the cops, more since they didn't know which way I was headed.
Granted, I was still driving as fast as I could. But I didn't want to chance anything and it's not as if our car stuck out since everyone drives fast. Although, on a side note, Rachel and I got quite a few second glances. But if I had been passed by a nice car with two very hot and very naked girls in the front I would have looked twice too. But Rachel was too scared for her life and I was to focused on getting as far away from San Francisco as possible to worry about putting anything back on.
It was starting to get dark when we passed a sign advertising some gasoline. I looked at the tank. It was getting to empty really fast and I didn't exactly have time to stop at the one working gas station in San Francisco as I was being chased by the cops. I watched as the sign started to get smaller in the rearview mirror then made one of my famous executive decisions. I pulled into the far left lane and turned the wheel as hard as I could then back, performing a perfect 180 onto the shoulder. Scott and I had a lot of free time and we lived in a junk yard and we worked on cars and we did have some free time on our hands. He and I had spent hours upon hours of driving around the junkyard pulling 180's and 360's donuts, everything and anything. I was pretty confidant in the escalade to have good handling. I was right. This, of course, set Rachel on another screaming rampage and caused a few of the cars on the roads to honk and swerve.
"What in the hell are you doing!?!?!" Rachel screeched, covering her eyes as I drove on the shoulder back tracking, "Do you want to get us killed?"
"Don't worry." I supplied, "We've got to get gas and I saw a sign."
Rachel nodded, her eyes wide, "You're insane!"
I made a hard turn onto the exit, "No, we just need gas. Besides, I didn't' kill us did I? Didn't even get a scratch on the car."
Rachel muttered something under her breath and shook her head. I glanced at her and pulled into a small gas station with quite a line.
I pulled behind a small car in the line and looked at Rachel, "Put your clothes on while we wait. It's bad enough we've stayed on the interior like this for this long."
Rachel nodded and grabbed her shirt and skirt, "Good thinking grabbing the clothes."
"Yeah." I agreed as I slipped my shirt on then maneuvered into my pants, "Good idea on how to distract the guard. All I could think was 'run'. Your idea worked much better."
Rachel glanced ahead, "You know, they might let us cut in line if we kept our clothes off."
"No." I shook my head, "No more naked in the car."
Rachel laughed, "Well, since we're not moving for now, I'm getting out of the car, you wan to join me?"
I looked at the line and nodded and shut the car off, "We're not going anywhere for a bit, why not."
My heart stopped when I saw the outside of the car. The whole front of the car looked ruined and there were scratches and dings all over. "Oh shit." I growled.
Rachel grabbed my hand and nodded, "Yes. Very oh shit. Looked who just pulled in."
I glanced up from the front of the car, not even daring to look at the hood and for the second time in that trip my heart stopped. Police. And not just one car, but two cars pulled into the station and right behind the Escalade.
"Okay, don't panic. We're out of the city and they can't do anything. They don't know who we are or what we're doing. For all they care we're on our way to grandmothers."
My comforts were stopped short when one of the policemen cleared his throat. "Y-yes?" I squeaked?
The man adjusted his belt and then glanced at the car, "Nice car you've got here."
Rachel squeezed my hand hard, causing me to whimper in pain, "Uh, yeah. Rich parents. It's one of five." She offered.
"Hmmm." The man nodded, running a hand over his chin. Well, move up in the line with it, rich girl. You're holding up official police business."
I looked to where the car in front of us had been. "Whoops." I smiled innocently, "Didn't even notice. Thank you Mr. Policeman." My heart slowly started beating again as I walked to the car and got in. They weren't after us, they just needed gas.
"Holy shit." I said as I watched the man walk back to his squad car and pulled up in line, "I thought we were toast for sure."
"Remind me to never go on a road trip with you ever." Rachel said breathlessly. "I can't take this stress."
I laughed, "And you were the one who wanted to remain naked."
"I never claimed to have the best ideas, though." She jokingly defended. "Now let's just fill up and get out of here. Rachel needs to get back into her comfort zone and that is definitely not with you in a car. Especially one I can't fool around in."
I gave a laugh. If it weren't for her humor I don't know what I would have done. And I'm happy to report a perfectly fine rest of the trip home. I had even dropped Rach off and was back home in bed before the sun came up the next day, Christmas Eve. As I was getting into bed I chuckled as I thought over the trip. Definitely not a trip I was soon to forget. Besides, now all I had to do was keep Scott from seeing the car until that night. And hopefully he'd be too distracted by the present to notice the damage. Hopefully.
Rachel and I hopped out of the car and headed toward the entrance. "Who's this guy, again?" I asked.
"Just a friend of a friend." Rachel shrugged and slung an arm around my shoulders. "Owes me a favor and I figured this is as good as any."
I smiled and put an arm around her waist, "An excellent favor." My smile faded as we reached the door only to find it locked.
"Shit." Rachel gritted her teeth and tried to see through the grimy glass. "Looks like favor-boy took off early." She tried the door once more before leaning against it. "I'm sorry, Kat. I'll make it up to you. I don't know how, but, sex.lots of sex? Drinks? Lap dance? You name it."
"Rachel," I admonished, "We came here to get a transmission jack and I'm not leaving until I have one in the back of that car."
"And you have a plan for finding one on such short notice?"
Grinning I reached into one of my pockets and pushed her away from the door, "My dear, sweet Rachel. You have yet to see all the many talents of Kat." I lifted a couple of small tools and began to pick the lock. It was a standard lock, easy as taking candy from a baby. In a matter of seconds I heard that wonderful click and pushed the door open, "Now let's go get what we came for."
The plan was to take what we'd come for and leave the money in an envelope on the counter. Now, looking back you'd think I might've been smarter about the situation. I mean, let's think about where we were. Middle of downtown San Francisco, not exactly the suburbs, at a run down gas station with working gas pumps. So maybe I was too focused on getting Scott's present and not enough about a possible silent alarm. At least Rachel and I had managed to maneuver the damn thing into the back of the Escalade - which Scott was not going to be happy about the scratches that the pulley system or the actual gift left - before a bunch of police showed up.
If you want to count small blessings, they assumed we were just after some gas and not thinking of the jack, which would suddenly be felony grand theft. Misdemeanors, they let you post bail for. Felonies, you sit in jail for six months before a judge decides to hear your case, find you guilty and throw you back in jail for a few more years. And I suppose it was sort of humorous. When the first cops showed up Rachel and I probably both looked like deer caught in headlights. And before we knew it we were both in the back of a sector police vehicle and the Escalade and the jack were on their way to the impound lot.
Rachel tried to bribe the cop driving in her own special way, but his partner was a pretty, young blonde who wasn't so easily persuaded. I pointed out that we had left money on the counter. The cop driving sneered, "Money? I didn't see any money." He poked his partner. "You?"
She smirked at us. "Not a dime." Bastards. The lot of them. And forget cute blonde getting any from this chick now.
So, long story short, Rachel and I ended up in a jail cell with a single phone call between the two of us.
"Who do we call?" I squeaked, frantically pacing back and forth. "I don't know anyone here! I don't think I've ever even been in this city! I guess I could call Scott, but then again, we don't have a phone. Dammit!" I shrieked, leaning my back against the wall before sliding down and hugging my knees to my chest. "We never should have come. I should have just gotten him the damn toolbox like I initially thought. I mean, what if they run a background check on me? Lord only knows."
"Kat!" Rachel screamed at my face. I looked up from my hands and into her eyes. She had kneeled down and I can only wonder how many times she'd already said my name before screaming it. I offered a weak smile and opened my mouth before she placed her hand over it. "Let me handle it. And stop muttering like a crazy person. You fit in too well when you do that," she whispered softly.
I gave a nervous laugh and gazed around the different cells. Somehow, thank goodness, Rachel and I had managed to get our own cell. Granted it was in between two cells with all sorts of strange-looking people peering out of them. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my beating heart. I was stuck. Literally stuck. I couldn't call anyone. Rachel was with me, and there was no way of reaching Scott. I rested my head in my hands while Rachel screamed through the bars about rights for having a phone call. She had been doing that off and on for hours now.
After getting no response she gave up and came to sit beside me, "You doing okay?" she asked.
"I'll be okay." I sighed, leaning my head on her shoulder, "at least I'm with a friend. I suppose I could be here all by myself, shit out of luck and company."
Rachel gave me a quick kiss, "If I have to spend some more jail time, I could only hope it'd be with you."
"More jail time?" my eyebrows rose.
Rachel smiled, "You think that I've lived this long with out spending some hard time behind bars?" I gave her a lopsided grin, "Well okay, you're right. But I did get hauled into a little jail of a bungalow for not doing the naughty naughty with one of the sector cops that dropped a bomb on a party I was at. But I got out of there the next day when my friends showed up. My big friends. With big guns."
I chuckled, "You have a story for everything, don't you?"
I was about to say more when the blonde from the police car walked towards our cell and slid the door open, "You've got one phone call, who's going to make it?"
Rachel smiled and gracefully sauntered to the open door, "That would be me, sweet thang."
The blonde rolled her eyes and ushered Rachel away. I sighed and looked from side to side. I suppose it really wasn't so bad. I mean, no one was sitting in a corner whispering things to themselves, and no one was really staring. But, in jail, most people are more concerned with themselves than some young punk. It was then that I remembered that they took the car too. Shit. I didn't know where the impound lot was or how on earth we were going to get it out, that is, if we got out of jail.
But, sooner than later Rachel showed up with a smile on her face. I knew that look. She had done something good. Rach gave the cop a wink before sashaying into the cell, "Tell me you love me and you would be lost with out me."
I smiled, "Tell me you got us a way out of here and I'll even write a song and sing it to you."
Jutting a hip out she shot me a seductive glance. "You owe me big, you know."
"I intend to do what I have to." I winked at her. "But, save that for later. What's the status quo?"
Rachel's brow furrowed, "The status what?"
I shook my head, "What's the deal?"
"Oh!" Rachel sat next to me again and shrugged, "Let's just say I know a lot of people and the person I chose just happened to be home."
"Big guy with a big gun?" I guessed.
"Well, yes and no." He's a pretty big guy, and he does have several big guns, but I don't think he's going to be bringing one, since most of what he owns is illegal. Might be a little over the top."
I nodded thoughtfully, "He's trustworthy though, right?"
"I'd trust him with my life." Rachel answered with sincerely, "So don't worry, let's enjoy what we've got while it lasts." Off my confused look she whispered in my ear, "I've always wanted to get laid in a jail cell."
I grinned and winked, "Well, maybe just this once." And so a pretty heavy make out session began. It's not as if we had anything better to do with our time. And no, we didn't actually go through with anything, I mean we didn't have the chance. Rachel had just pressed me back against the wall when I saw possibly the largest man I had ever seen before. To make things better, he was headed straight for us. I pushed Rach away and turned her head, "Tell me that's not who you called." Did I mention the leather chaps over the jeans or the skull bandana? How about the leather jacket with fringe? And we can't forget that his massive arms were completely covered in tattoos. Or also that he limped, and there was a very distinct thud when his left foot hit he ground, a sound making me believe that there was no foot at all, but a wooden peg? Not to mention that he was waving his huge fist in the air, raging about keeping his 'cuddle bunny' locked up by 'no good, dirty, rotten police.'
Please don't come here, I prayed. I prayed that even harder when one of the guys from the other cell yelled out "Meat Cleaver! You back already?" Meat Cleaver replied back something to do with lousy, stinking pigs. I shrank into the corner of the cell.
Rachel was full of grins at the behemoth coming our way. She waved and then grabbed my hand, "That's our ticket out of here."
"Of course." I muttered, adjusting my clothes and offering a wary smile. "Why wouldn't it be?"
I was sure the guy was going to just rip the bars off, but to my surprise he didn't. The blonde stepped out from behind him and unlocked them and to my even greater surprise Rachel launched herself into the guy's arms, "Grandpa!" she greeted, "Thanks for getting here so quick!"
My eyes were wide as his tree-trunk arms enfolded Rachel. She looked like a tiny, little girl next to him. Not much could intimidate me, but men the size of grizzly bears tended to do it.
"Anything for you, Cuddle Bunny." He said with a big burley voice. "And who's your friend?" he asked, his tone softening as his eyes landed on me. I could see where Rach got her extraordinary eye coloring from.
Rachel grinned and pulled me to her side, "This is Kat. I've told you about her before!"
He looked me up and down. "Why, hello there."
I glanced at Rachel. "Wait a second. This is your grandpa?"
Rachel and he gave a laugh, "Yeah. But most people call him Meat Cleaver."
I offered a shaky hand, "Nice to meet you.Meat Cleaver."
He gave me a huge grin and very lightly shook my hand, "Oh, I like her, Bunny. Very polite. But," he said looking around, "If this is all done here, let's get you to wherever you need to go."
Rachel and I followed him out of the building and Rachel filled him in on the trip and getting arrested. I was still a bit too stunned to do anything buy gawk. It made a lot of sense, actually. Only Rachel would have a big burly grandfather named Meat Cleaver. We walked down the steps of the building and he led us to an equally huge hog of a motorcycle, "Well, climb on and I'll drop you at the impound."
By this time I was sure that he had a wooden peg leg, and at his size I couldn't even imagine three of us on the bike. I mean, when the man threw his leg over the bike and actually sat, the bike sank a good six inches. Now he expected the two of us to climb on. Of course Rachel climbed on just as quick as she could but I admit to being a bit hesitant. And, come on, who in their right mind rides a motorcycle with a wooden leg? Let alone willfully places their life in the hands of a man named Meat Cleaver. But of course, if I didn't go I would be left behind and the trip would have been for nothing so I slid on behind Rachel and just closed my eyes. I figured if I couldn't see what was going on and hung on for dear life it wouldn't hurt as bad.
He took us to the impound lot. It was, big surprise, closed. Great. We got off the motorcycle and Meat Cleaver asked if we wanted to go somewhere else. Rach shook her head.
"No, we got to get Kat's ride out before we can go."
He looked at her sternly. "And what are you planning?"
Rach gave him her sweetest, most innocent look. "Grandpa, I won't lie to you. So, I'm just not going to tell you. Because if I tell you, then you'll have to tell Mom. And she'll decide she needs to spend more time with me and she can't take that kind of time off of work. The holidays are when she makes the most money giving lap dances."
He laughed. "You be a good little Cuddle Bunny. And try to visit your grandmother soon. She needs visitors."
"I will," she promised.
I have to admit, Grandpa Meat Cleaver was full of surprises. From his soft hands and his big hugs - which I got before he drove away - to his smooth driving of a motorcycle with three people on it. Oh, I was still tense as a board the whole ride, and more than happy to climb off of the bike when we got to the impound, but I could really see that his rough exterior was just that. An exterior. Rachel confirmed that he was a huge teddy bear and that his bark was worse than his bite.
"Your grandmother in a hospital or something?" I asked. I wasn't really curious. I wanted to pretend Rachel wasn't about to do what I knew she was. Okay, well, a little curious. I always thought Rach's family was like mine. Yeah, the dysfunction was there, but hey, Grandpa had come running and plunked down a big wad of cash to get us out of jail. Not a single lecture either. Of course her mother being a stripper answered a lot of other questions.
"No!" Rachel said firmly. "Grandma's as healthy as can be. She's in prison."
I groaned. "Your grandfather is a guy named Meat Cleaver with a wooden peg leg and grandmother is in prison?"
Rachel grinned proudly. "The peg leg is the reason why she's in prison."
I shook my head. "I don't want to hear any more." And I didn't. All I wanted to do was get the car back and get back to Los Angeles. We had spent an entire day in that stupid jail, and if we didn't get going tonight, then we would never be back to LA by Christmas Eve and I knew Scott had to be worried.
The impound lot was surrounded by a high fence with wire at the top. We weren't climbing that thing. The gate had a thick chain closing it and a heavy lock. I could have picked it, but the tools I needed were in the car, which was on the other side of the fence. Rachel didn't seem bothered at all and that worried me even more.
She started walking around the lot, following the fence line. The area she was heading was worse than the one we were leaving. "Do you know where you're going?" I whispered.
She stopped and faced me, her hands on her hips. "You don't spend the first fifteen years of your life in this city and not break at least one car out of this place," she said firmly. "Trust me."
That was usually the last words someone heard before an ambulance needed to be called. But I still went with her because I would much rather get killed trying to get the car, then have to call Scott and tell him I lost it. If things went badly here, the worst is that I would get shot and killed. If I had to call Scott, the pain was going to be much, much worse and last much, much longer. But Rachel really did know where she was going. There was a loose place in the fence at the bottom where someone could push it up and squeeze through. I got a couple of small scratches, but better me than the car. And then we were in. There was still the small matter of there being what seemed like a thousand rows to look up and down though.
Rachel got us close to the guard shack and we hid behind a car. "I'm going to have to distract him," she whispered. "You go in and get the keys. The location should be attached to them."
Wow. A plan from Rachel that didn't involve someone getting some booty. Of course she probably figured on getting some from me later for getting us out of this mess, but the rule about it not being in the car still stood. We hadn't come this far and end up ruining the car now. She started creeping away from me, hiding behind the cars. A few minutes later, I heard her giggle and dart out so that she was visible for a second and then gone the next. The guard was suddenly out of the shack and into the cars looking for her.
I ran into the shack and started looking. There were keys everywhere. There was a box of them on the counter and rings of them on a wall. I wanted to kill the guy for not having the place organized. Keeping things neat was the key to getting them done prop.oh God, I was sounding like Scott. Just as I was about to scream, there was a box marked "new arrivals". I dug in it and found my keys. I suppressed a shriek of glee and got out. The lot number was wrapped around the ring on a piece of paper.
Okay, time to get Rachel and get out of here. One wouldn't think one would miss a little shack in the middle of a junkyard, but trust me, I would have given anything to be there right now. As long as I had the Escalade and the jack in the back and Rachel in the front seat. I started prowling around the cars, trying to see if I could spot Rachel. I was so busy looking for her, I didn't notice anyone until a hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder.
I was torn between just having a heart attack or having a heart attack while peeing all over myself. I don't spook easily, but you play hide and seek with an armed guard in the dark and have someone grab you and see what you do. I whipped around and there was Rachel. I equally wanted to kiss and kill her. Have to decide later though. She was a little dirty, but she was here now and we could get to the car and be on the road.
I wasn't worried about the cops once we got out of the city. Before the Pulse, the computer systems would track the license plates and if you were in the same state, any police department would know someone else wanted you. Now, it's more confined to a city since it's harder to get in and out of a city anyway. I was lucky. Mr. T.A. Barron had lots of friends and they liked their cars delivered to them. Most of them were in the cities surrounding LA, but somehow he managed to get us passes for any city in the state of California. He might have been a drug dealer or a Mafia boss, but God bless that man.
Rachel read the number on the keys and started off deeper into the lot. Neither of us was talking and I think I had stopped breathing a while back. The numbers on the pavement in front of the cars were getting closer to the number on the paper when we heard a noise and saw the flashlight. It beamed under the car and the guard shouted as he saw our feet.
"Don't you move!"
Rachel didn't hesitate. The guard had to run about six cars down to be able to cross the row and she used the time, grabbing me and yanking off my shirt. Okay, I've never been one to complain about a quickie, but this was ridiculous. I couldn't even protest. Rach had me pressed us against a truck, moving my hands to her rear as she started to kiss and grope me. The guy came around the corner and froze. I got it then. I could tell from his expression that he wasn't gay, and this was a scene he had prayed for a long time now. Rachel just smiled at him.
"You.uh.not.um.you're trespassing," he managed to get out.
Rachel gave him her best playful pout. "But that makes it all the more fun." She rubbed herself against me. I smiled, my lips feeling more like they were being stretched with wires than a real smile. Didn't matter. He wasn't looking above my neck anyway. Fine then. I wasn't going to be the only one here getting ogled. My hands slipped under her shirt, pulling it over her head.
The guy nearly dropped his flashlight. Rachel doesn't wear a bra much. And they are magnificent. "Private property," he muttered, his eyes the size of saucers.
Rachel started undoing the buttons on my pants. "We're not going to hurt anything," she protested prettily. The girl was an expert and had them sliding down my hips as she kissed my neck. I returned the favor by sliding down the zipper on her skirt and pulling it down with her panties. I swear the guy's leg was about to start thumping.
"As a matter of fact," I added since Rach had her mouth full, "why don't you make sure we don't hurt anything. You can keep a very close eye on us if you want."
The guard was over there in a second. He dropped his flashlight and grabbed Rachel, giving her a sloppy wet kiss while reaching out and groping me. I kicked off my pants before I tripped on them; they were loose enough to slide over my shoes and let Rach take over. She let him push her against the car, grabbing and groping. If I hadn't decided before what I was going to do, I did then. Nobody takes my girl from me without my permission. Rach knew I was bigger than she was and stronger. I picked up the dropped flashlight. It was one of those heavy mag lights. Rach saw me over his shoulder and moved her hands. I swung hard, cracking it against the base of his skull and he dropped like a stone.
We reached down to grab our clothes when the first sounds of sirens carried on the wind. Crap. The guard must have called before he ran out into the yard. We picked up our clothes and just made a run for it, naked and bouncing in the breeze. Like a good dream, we turned the corner and there was the Escalade. There wasn't time to put on anything. We just jumped into the car, I glanced back to make sure the jack was still there, and started the car up. The engine roared to life and I slammed the gas.
The cops were already approaching as the gate came into view. I had planned on picking the lock, but no guts, no glory. I gave silent thanks that the future owner of the car wanted a high-powered, tough car as I pushed the pedal to the floor. Rach screamed as we flew through the gate, breaking it open and ripping the side of it off the hinges. I cringed as it flew over the car, hearing the metal screeching against the paint. I would have panicked at the thought of what Scott was going to do to me, but the cops were there and it was a good time to flee in terror instead.
Rachel had been continuously screaming and swearing as I barreled down side ways and alleys searching for something that mentioned heading south. I have to admit, I did my fair amount of shouting too, though. But, come one, I didn't know where I was or what I was doing, not to mention where I was going and there were police chasing me. And I don't know how, but finally we, well okay *I* managed to lose the cops and got on the main road leading back to LA. I had taken some pretty sharp twists and turns and I was positive we had a good ten to twenty minute jump on the cops, more since they didn't know which way I was headed.
Granted, I was still driving as fast as I could. But I didn't want to chance anything and it's not as if our car stuck out since everyone drives fast. Although, on a side note, Rachel and I got quite a few second glances. But if I had been passed by a nice car with two very hot and very naked girls in the front I would have looked twice too. But Rachel was too scared for her life and I was to focused on getting as far away from San Francisco as possible to worry about putting anything back on.
It was starting to get dark when we passed a sign advertising some gasoline. I looked at the tank. It was getting to empty really fast and I didn't exactly have time to stop at the one working gas station in San Francisco as I was being chased by the cops. I watched as the sign started to get smaller in the rearview mirror then made one of my famous executive decisions. I pulled into the far left lane and turned the wheel as hard as I could then back, performing a perfect 180 onto the shoulder. Scott and I had a lot of free time and we lived in a junk yard and we worked on cars and we did have some free time on our hands. He and I had spent hours upon hours of driving around the junkyard pulling 180's and 360's donuts, everything and anything. I was pretty confidant in the escalade to have good handling. I was right. This, of course, set Rachel on another screaming rampage and caused a few of the cars on the roads to honk and swerve.
"What in the hell are you doing!?!?!" Rachel screeched, covering her eyes as I drove on the shoulder back tracking, "Do you want to get us killed?"
"Don't worry." I supplied, "We've got to get gas and I saw a sign."
Rachel nodded, her eyes wide, "You're insane!"
I made a hard turn onto the exit, "No, we just need gas. Besides, I didn't' kill us did I? Didn't even get a scratch on the car."
Rachel muttered something under her breath and shook her head. I glanced at her and pulled into a small gas station with quite a line.
I pulled behind a small car in the line and looked at Rachel, "Put your clothes on while we wait. It's bad enough we've stayed on the interior like this for this long."
Rachel nodded and grabbed her shirt and skirt, "Good thinking grabbing the clothes."
"Yeah." I agreed as I slipped my shirt on then maneuvered into my pants, "Good idea on how to distract the guard. All I could think was 'run'. Your idea worked much better."
Rachel glanced ahead, "You know, they might let us cut in line if we kept our clothes off."
"No." I shook my head, "No more naked in the car."
Rachel laughed, "Well, since we're not moving for now, I'm getting out of the car, you wan to join me?"
I looked at the line and nodded and shut the car off, "We're not going anywhere for a bit, why not."
My heart stopped when I saw the outside of the car. The whole front of the car looked ruined and there were scratches and dings all over. "Oh shit." I growled.
Rachel grabbed my hand and nodded, "Yes. Very oh shit. Looked who just pulled in."
I glanced up from the front of the car, not even daring to look at the hood and for the second time in that trip my heart stopped. Police. And not just one car, but two cars pulled into the station and right behind the Escalade.
"Okay, don't panic. We're out of the city and they can't do anything. They don't know who we are or what we're doing. For all they care we're on our way to grandmothers."
My comforts were stopped short when one of the policemen cleared his throat. "Y-yes?" I squeaked?
The man adjusted his belt and then glanced at the car, "Nice car you've got here."
Rachel squeezed my hand hard, causing me to whimper in pain, "Uh, yeah. Rich parents. It's one of five." She offered.
"Hmmm." The man nodded, running a hand over his chin. Well, move up in the line with it, rich girl. You're holding up official police business."
I looked to where the car in front of us had been. "Whoops." I smiled innocently, "Didn't even notice. Thank you Mr. Policeman." My heart slowly started beating again as I walked to the car and got in. They weren't after us, they just needed gas.
"Holy shit." I said as I watched the man walk back to his squad car and pulled up in line, "I thought we were toast for sure."
"Remind me to never go on a road trip with you ever." Rachel said breathlessly. "I can't take this stress."
I laughed, "And you were the one who wanted to remain naked."
"I never claimed to have the best ideas, though." She jokingly defended. "Now let's just fill up and get out of here. Rachel needs to get back into her comfort zone and that is definitely not with you in a car. Especially one I can't fool around in."
I gave a laugh. If it weren't for her humor I don't know what I would have done. And I'm happy to report a perfectly fine rest of the trip home. I had even dropped Rach off and was back home in bed before the sun came up the next day, Christmas Eve. As I was getting into bed I chuckled as I thought over the trip. Definitely not a trip I was soon to forget. Besides, now all I had to do was keep Scott from seeing the car until that night. And hopefully he'd be too distracted by the present to notice the damage. Hopefully.