The Art of Stealing Cars by Kara Tezla
Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Acceleracers Characters. although I wish I did And I do not own Trinity Wheeler and Co., those belong to Wings of Speed.
Summary: The Teku and the Metal Maniacs go to LA to race, but what happens when their cars start disappearing?
Author's Note: Wah, last chapter. There will be a sequel. Can guarantee that! Yuppers! Well, goodbye to you all for now... I encourage updating so I can review for you!
Chapter Twenty-Three: Tricks are for Drones
"Where have you been?" Kara winced as her Uncle Peter Tezla shouted.
"I... can I go now?"
He had been there waiting for her when she and the other's had arrived. Apparently, Alex had become "concerned" when his sister, four guys and two other girls hadn't come back for a couple days. She cursed her brother. Uncle Peter would have never found out if he hadn't had said anything.
"No, you can't," Tezla said sternly. "First, you disappear with a guy I don't even know, then six of your friends disappear looking for you."
Great, now he was playing the role of his brother and Kara's dad.
"What would your father say?"
"Um,"
"That's right,"
There was an awkward silence.
"Can I--"
"Go! Go already! I obviously can't stop you."
Kara backed out of his office slowly, then took off down the hallway. She was surprised she wasn't in more trouble, but then again, she wasn't going to object to his punishment.
"Kara!" the brunette's name was called from a room off to her right.
She skidded to a stop and found her way to the open door. Alex sat inside on the bed, smirking at her.
"Yes, my idiotic brother?"
"I hear you got your license taken away for a month."
"No thanks to you! I can't even go in the car garage!"
"Hah! Thanks to me, more likely,"
"You were trying to get me in trouble!"
"Think of it as a favor,"
"What kind of favor? What kind of brother are you?"
"A younger one, as you always point out, and I think this'll be good for you."
"Why? I have nothing to do all day!"
"I could always ask Uncle Peter to extend the length of the grounding... or even get him to give you something to do in your spare time."
Kara saw no point in continuing the argument, so she walked away.
"No comment?" Alex called back, leaning out the door.
"No comment, this!" Kara spun and ran toward her brother, who stupidly ran off ahead of her down the hallway, screaming like a girl. They ran down several hallways before they hit the living room, where they circled around the couch several times.
"Ha-ha-haha-ha! You can't catch me!" Alex teased, childishly sticking out his tongue.
"Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth, snake." Kara snarled, perfectly quoting Gandalf from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
"Ooo, somebody's feisty,"
"You have no idea," Kara leaped over the couch, her outstretched hand brushing against the fabric of his shirt. Stumbling, she screamed, "I'll get you!"
"Eh, I don't think so." Alex ran through the doorway and disappeared. Kara regained her balance and rocketed through the door. Save the poor, unfortunate soul that stood on the other side.
"Oof!" Kara landed, although not quite as hard as the person beneath her.
"Kara!" Vert gasped, "You're really heavy!"
Smiling, Kara rolled to the side. "Sorry,"
"Not to mention you running into me..."
Kara stood and looked down at the blonde. "I... am... sorry,"
"You... said... that... already,"
"I know," Kara helped him up.
"What ever happened to 'no running in the house'?"
"You don't have a younger sibling who rats on you... you don't even have a younger sibling!"
"Right, and he's the blame for all your problems."
"Exactly! Finally, somebody who gets it."
The two strolled down the hallway, chatting comfortably. Kara's predicament completely forgotten by everybody except for the small, pin-tip camera that watched them from the ceiling.
"Little Kara Tezla, happy and content to her heart's desire, until the big bad wolf comes and eats the grandma..." mechanical fingers walked across a black desk, squeaking like tiny mice. The human-like voice echoed in the dark room, only to be heard by ears that ignored everything except orders. The half-human face twisted into a maniacal grin. "Silly humans, tricks are for drones... and drones only." A choppy cackle ending this one-way conversation. The computer blinked into a black screen, and the room was blanketed in a cloak of darkness.