Part 13 – Good ol' days DBC

"Damn Fingers", Steve grinned as they walked down the main road in Tulsa the next day. "I haven't had this fun in ages." The two of them had tricked socs and gotten into one and another fight and won drag races.

"I understand why Dodger", Fingers lit a cigarette. "This dump have nothing."

"Hey what about the races, fights and mocking socs?"

"Okay that was kinda funny."

Fingers put his hand on Steve's chest to make him stop walking. Fingers was grinning.

"What is it", Steve asked and stopped walking.

"Do you see what I see mate?"

Steve followed his gaze and saw a man in his late thirties. He stood beside a red mustang cabriolet and was talking to a cop. Steve sighed and turned to his friend. Fingers were grinning eagerly and rubbed his hand together while the cigarette dangled from his mouth.

"No Fingers", Steve said. "We can't."

"What are you jabbering about bud", Fingers took his arm and pulled him with him. "Let's go."

"I don't know what's wrong with it officer", the man was saying. "It just want start."

"Well it can't be standing here. You have to call someone to take it away."

"Excuse me", Fingers said as he and Steve got to them.

"What do you want kid", the police asked.

"I think we can help, you see my buddy here work at a gasoline station as a mechanic."

"Oh really… hey", the man said when he saw Steve. "I know you, you fixed my car."

"Yes", Steve said. 'What is Fingers up to?"

"Can you have a look under the hood then", the man asked hopefully. "I'll even pay you!"

"Fine", Steve said. "Open her up."

The man opened the hood with the key that was needed and put them in his pockets. Steve noticed Fingers walk past the man and stand beside him.

"Can ya fix it buddy", he asked.

"Yeah it's a kid's game."

Steve worked on it. He slammed down the hood and cleaned his hands on his jeans.

"There", he said. "Done."

"Aw wonderful", the owner said and took out his wallets."How much?"

"Nah… free."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Fire her up."

The man put his hand in his pockets and his eyes widened.

"My keys", he shouted. "Where are my keys?"

They all heard a click and Steve's eyes widened when he felt a gun against the back of his head.

"No one moves", Fingers hissed. "Or I'll blow this guy's head off!"

"Tony what the hell are you doing?" Steve asked.

"Shut up or I'll pull the trigger!"

"Okay kid", the police said. "Take it easy, put the gun away."

"No!"

"Then let your buddy go, what has he done?"

"Nothing!"

Fingers took out the car keys and motioned for Steve to get in the car. Steve shook his head. Fingers made ready to fire.

"This is no joke", he spat.

"Tony come on put that away you-"

BANG the gun fired and hit a street lamp and Fingers aimed at Steve again.

"This ain't a game Dodger."

Steve was very pale when he slowly walked to the car, the police had reached his radio and called for backup as they took off down the road.

"Fingers what the hell are you doing?"

"Don't say it Dodger, hell don't you dare!"

Fingers drove like a maniac towards the outskirts of the town, he was steering with one hand and in the other he still held the gun.

"Fingers… why are you doing this?"

Fingers suddenly had tears streaming down his face.

"It ain't fair!" he shouted and Steve stared at him. "I'm unhappy! Vixen was unhappy! Fox was unhappy! Ranger was unhappy when I murdered him!"

"What", Steve asked aghast. "Fingers what the hell are you talking about?"

"I knew he was the rat before you told me. I escaped prison, sought him out and murdered him… Scissors' way."

Steve went paler and fought the urge to throw up. He knew what that meant. Scissors had been one of Ohlson's female assassins.

"Fingers…"

"That's why I came here Dodger!"

"What… to kill me too?"

"Yes to make you happy again! But I found that you already where happy!"

"I'm not happy Fingers… but I'm on my way."

Steve heard and saw the police cars closing in on them.

'Bloody hell how will I get out of this shit?'

The rest of the gang, except Soda who was working, was watching TV when the program was interrupted.

"We interrupt this program to report of a car chase through Tulsa", the reporter said and Mrs. Curtis hurried into the room. "The police has gone out with that when an officer was talking to a car owner with a broken down car two young men appeared and helped them fix it. One or both are working at a gasoline station on the east side."

Darry tensed up.

'Soda', he thought.

"One of them seems to be emotional unstable", the reporter went on. "One of the young men fixed the car and then the other pulled a gun."

"It must be Randle", Dallas growled. "Has to be, he carries around a fake gun."

"The young man threatened to shoot the other young one. He had somehow managed to steal the car keys while the other was working. We don't know if they both were in on it or not. Wait we got more information, it seems that the young man fixing the car wasn't in on it or if he were he must be the best actor in the world."

"Steve is a good actor", Dallas grunted.

"Yeah", Darry said. "But the guy they are talking about is the one the gun was pointed at."

"Ya sure?"

"No…"

"The stolen vehicle is now heading towards the city border", the reporter went on. "And the police are trying to stop it."

Suddenly the phone called.

"Curtis residence", Mrs. Curtis said.

"Mary!"

"Darrel", she sighed as she heard her husband's voice.

"Mary were you watching the news?"

"Yes."

"Do we know who it is?"

"The boys think it's Steve and Soda… Darrel I'm afraid it is."

"Soda?"

"Yes."

"That's impossible honey."

"Why?"

"Because Sodapop is standing beside me at the DX right now."

"Thank God", Mary sighed. "Is Steve there too?" The other end was quiet. "Darrel is Steve there too?"

"No Mary… he's not here."

"Oh my God…"

Steve stared at the road and then back at his friend.

"Fingers stop the car", he growled but got no answer. "Fingers stop the car God damn it!"

"Why?" Fingers voice was cold.

"You will get us both killed if you go in this speed!"

"I know."

"You know?"

"Yes."

"You're planning to have us both killed?"

"Yes… the gang must be together again. We are unhappy here."

"Damn it Fingers you may be unhappy but not me! Unhappiness is no reason to go DBC!"

"It was we were taught."

"They were wrong God damn it! Fingers I got friends I can't leave! Let me go."

"No."

Steve felt hot tears in his eyes. He was angry, felt betrayed and heartbroken. He wiped his eyes on his arms furiously.

"Pall", he said softly and looked at Fingers.

"Yeah buddy?"

"I don't want to die."

Fingers stole a glance at him. He saw Steve's hurt face and dropped the gun to the floor and put both hands on the veil.

"Unlock your door", he growled.

"Fingers…"

"Just do it!"

Steve unlocked it. "Now what?"

"Open it… just a creek."

"What are you-"

"Do it or I'll kill us both!"

Steve did as he was told and turned to his friend. Fingers looked at him and smiled softly.

"I'll miss you Dodger… DBC."

"What are you-"

Steve never got to finish that sentence. Fingers gave the car a stern turn and Steve fell back onto the door and fell out of the car into the river beside.

"I love you man", Fingers mumbled and closed his eyes.

When Steve broke the surface he saw the car drive straight forward into the mountainside and explode.

"FINGERS!" he screamed and groaned in pain. He saw the police cars zoom by, except one who stopped and two officers ran down towards him.

"Son", one of them said as he waded out in the water and helped Steve ashore. "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine… but I think my arm is broken…"

"Let's get him to the hospital", the other officer said.

At the Curtis house Mr. Curtis and Soda entered the house.

"The car crashed", Johnny told them. "The car crashed!"

"Any survivors?"

"Those who were in the car died", Mary said her hands were clutched together as if she was praying. "It exploded."

"Do they know who…" Soda began but trailed off.

"No", Darry said softly. "They don't."

"Steve…"

"Aw come on Soda", Two-Bit tried. "You and he aren't the only young workers on gasoline stations."

"We are on the east side."

"Maybe he wasn't from the east side."

"They said he was."

"Maybe they're wrong", Pony said.

Half an hour later the phone rang.

"Hello", Mr. Curtis said.

"Mr. Curtis?"

"Yes who is this?"

"I'm doctor Stevens I'm calling from Tulsa hospital. We got a young man here with a broken arm. He said you were the one to call."

"What's his name?"

"Steven Randle."

"Thank God… we thought…"

"He was in that car wreck?"

"How did you know?"

"He was."

"I'll be right there." He put down the phone. "Mary I got to go something came up at work."

"But dad", Pony said.

"I'm sorry boys I'll be back soon I promise."

He left the house and headed to the hospital.

TBC