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Part Two: Chapter 2 - Riding In Voxels With Lin

"Fifty," I gasped, laying back down on my back and breathing hard. I was hating crunches, but that was being my last set. I'd been doing my 'morning' exercising (at two in the afternoon), wearing some purple track pants and a black sports bra I'd picked up, when Lin walked into the little room I was having at the church. She was wearing her blue track pants, and I could be seeing a chinese dragon tattoo coiling it's way from her lower tummy to be disappearing into the waistband.

"I like a girl that keeps in shape," she said, leaning against the wall and lighting a cigarette.

I was feeling my cheeks coloring, sitting up and hooking a stray bit of hair behind my ear.

"You're being Lin, right?" I asked, though I was knowing the answer was yes.

Lin nodded, blowing out the smoke. "Julius tells me you can't drive. Are you actually serious?"

I nodded slowly. "Nyet, I am not knowing how to be driving."

"Well today's your lucky day," Lin told me. "'Cuz I'm your driving teacher. Get dressed, Ivana. But no purple, I don't want the Rollerz seeing me with a Saint."

#

"That is being your car?" I asked, grinning. We were approaching a white Voxel having a wide blue stripe down the middle, and having blue hockey stick-style stripes along the edge of the hood and down the sides. It had lots of body work and a large wing on the back. "Is pretty sexy, yes? I am going to be driving it?"

"You're not touching my baby," Lin shot back protectively, unlocking the driver's side door and getting in. She unlocked the passenger door for me, and I was getting into the car quickly.

Lin backed out fast, the Voxel's engine screaming, and then she was spinning the wheel and we were hurtling up the road. Her car was being fast and I was being pushed into the back of my seat.

"Ètot avtomobil' očen' bystro!" I cheered.

Lin glanced at me, cutting the wheel and whipping around a corner, hardly even slowing down. "What the hell did you say about my car?"

I chuckled. "Sorry, I was saying this car is being very fast."

"You're damn right she is," Lin told me, shifting gears. "Where're you from anyway?"

"Russia," I replied carefully.

"Your English is shit," she told me bluntly. "But I think it sounds cute. You got name, sweetie?"

I was blushing again. "Um, thank you," I told her, feeling giddy. "And my name is not being important, it… it is reminding me of painful things. Things I am not wanting to be remembering."

"That's fair," she conceded, turning the wheel and sliding sideways around a corner. She rev matched and down shifted, the Voxel surging ahead. "Guess I'll just have to call you Crazy Ivana like Johnny's been doing."

I grinned. I was already having a nickname in the Saints, and was finding I was rather liking it.

"So Ivana," she asked, slamming on the brakes as traffic was slowing for a stop light. She swerved into oncoming traffic, deftly guiding her car through the opposing vehicles while they were honking at us. I gripped the door panel, and was fearing for my life as we shot through the intersection, and then she was finally moving back to the correct side of the road.

"So, anyway, Ivana," Lin began again. "They just don't have cars where you're from or what?"

"We were being far too poor to be having cars," I told her. "But I can be flying helicopter if that is ever being needed."

Lin laughed. "You can fly a fuckin' helicopter but can't drive a car. That's priceless."

"I am good pilot!" I shot back defensively.

"I just bet you are, hon," Lin said with a grin. "So if you were so poor, how'd you end up here?"

"There are being ways an Eastern European girl can be making enough money to be getting out of country," I told her flatly.

"Sounds sordid," Lin chuckled, shifting gears, but she thankfully was leaving it alone.

"So," I said, hoping to change the subject. "You're being pretty bad ass, yes?"

Lin smirked. "I don't take anyone's shit, and neither should you. Especially in the any boy's club. We have to be more of a hard ass than any of the guys just to get their respect. It's not fair, but that's how it is."

I nodded, knowing the feeling well. "I am knowing what it is being like to be only girl."

"You do, huh?" Lin asked, slowing and turning into a parking lot. "Were you in the chess club or something? Russians dig chess, right?"

I shook my head. "I am not wanting to be talking about it."

"I won't pry," she said gently. "Now, switch places with me."

"But you were saying…"

Lin chuckled, getting out of the car. "I know what I said, now do as I say. We're bonding, don't ruin this."

I got out on my side and went over to be sitting in the driver's seat. My heart was racing, adrenalin making me shaky. I was having no idea what I was doing.

"All right, listen," Lin said. "The skinny pedal on the right is the accelerator. We're in neutral, so give it a try."

I pressed the pedal gently, and her Voxel's engine was revving a bit. I pressed it harder nd the engine revved eagerly.

"Good," she told me. "The pedal on the far left is the clutch. Press it in and put the gear shift into first, top left."

I swallowed, and did as she was saying.

"Now, slowly ease the clutch out," Lin said gently. "Get a feel for where the car starts to move."

The Voxel's engine was making a bad clunking sound as it died.

Lin sighed. "It's okay, baby, I won't let her hurt you too bad. Try it again, Ivana."

I turned the key, but nothing was happening. I looked to Lin.

"Push the clutch pedal in to start the car," she said with a chuckle.

The Voxel was purring back to life, now, and so I eased out the pedal again, worrying I would be killing the engine again. But this time the car started to be inching forward.

"Great, now stop, I'm gonna tell you how to do it better."

Again the Voxel was lurching as I was killing the engine.

Lin winced. "Julius is gonna owe me a new clutch."

I bit my lip, starting the engine once more.

"Remember where the clutch grabbed, now give it a little tiny fuckin' bit of gas when it does," Lin growled.

I am thinking she was being annoyed I was hurting her car. Nervous, I let the clutch pedal out and tried to gently push the gas.

But I was revving too much, and Lin's Voxel screamed and shot ahead. Panicked, I was not knowing what to be doing, and Lin was screaming something as we raced towards a light pole. I slammed both of my feet on the middle pedal, desperately hoping it would be stopping the car. Tires squealed, but we were not going to be stopping in time.

Lin reached over and was grabbing the wheel, wrenching it around. The back end of the Voxel slid just past the pole and we were finally stopping, the Voxel shuddering as the engine was dying. Again.

"Lin, Mne tak žal'!" I cried, eyes pleading with her.

"English, Ivana," Lin growled, turning a withering gaze on me.

Swallowing, I was nodding at her. "I am being so sorry!" I repeated.

"I shouldn't have tried teaching you to drive in a race car," Lin lamented. "Forget about it, lesson over."

"I can be doing it!" I promised. "Be giving me one more chance!"

"One more chance," Lin agreed. "One. And if you so much as put a scratch on her I'm delivering you back to Julius in a fucking box."

Nodding, I started the car again. I experimented with the gas pedal, focusing on what made it rev how, and when was having it steady a bit above the idle, I carefully let the clutch out, and the Voxel moved forward gently.

"Now you're gettin' it," Lin told me. "Good girl."

I was blushing at her praise, happy to finally be doing well. I turned at the end of the lot.

"Shift into second," Lin told me, but not how to be doing it.

Biting my lip, I pushed the clutch in and pulled the shift lever down, easing the clutch out. The Voxel was shuddering slightly, but the engine picked up and I accelerated some.

"You'll need to practice," Lin chuckled. "In someone else's car, but you're getting it."

I slowed to a stop and put the Voxel into neutral, leaving the engine to be purring at idle. "I am being sorry I was almost wrecking your car," I said quietly, not looking at her.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and it was giving me a gentle squeeze. "But you didn't, so don't apologize. It's fine. All right?"

I nodded, turning to be looking at her. "If you are saying so."

"I am saying so, comrade" Lin parroted.

I was finding myself grinning,

"There, that's better," Lin said. "You should smile more, makes those pretty blues of your sparkle."

I bit my lower lip, feeling my cheeks coloring. This woman I was finding so beautiful was flirting with me, a lot. Should I be saying anything back? Maybe it was just being her way. I am not knowing, maybe it would be offending her if I was assuming anything.

"So," I said after a moment.

"So I need to drop you off at the church," Lin replied, looking at her watch. "I got shit to do tonight."

Sighing, I was getting out of the car and we were trading places. Back in the passenger seat, I turned to be looking at her, taking a moment to admire the soft curve of her neck, the way her hair-…

"What?" Lin interrupted, smirking. "See something you like, honey?"

I was blushing, having been caught staring. "Er, uh, so what is it you are doing tonight?" I asked lamely.

"Street races," she replied with a bright grin. "You wanna come? You can't weigh enough to slow me down too much. It'll be fun."

"I would be liking that a lot, I am thinking," I told her, grinning back.

"It's a date," Lin chuckled, putting her car into gear and pulling out into the street. "I'll pick you up at eight."

#

There were being many cars in Chinatown that night, gathering around the Chop Shop. Lin found a parking space near a bright green Hammerhead, hood propped open to show off the chromed engine. We got out, and I was admiring all the sweet rides being in one place. I'd been knowing about Stilwater's street racing scene, but seeing as how I was not knowing how to be driving, was never really looking into it. I'd bought a blue hoody so that I was not wearing purple.

"Come on," Lin told me, shutting her door. "Let's go sign up."

"Hey Lin!" a man called, and she nodded at them, weaving her way through the crowd and leaving me behind. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing me lagging, and took my hand, pulling me through the milling people with her. "Come on Ivana, try to keep up."

I bit my lower lip as she was taking my hand, smiling at her care.

"Lin, glad you could make it," a young asian man was saying as we walked up. He was maybe being chinese, but I was not being sure. He was tall, though, and kept his hair nearly bald. "Though not everyone will be glad you're here tonight to take their money."

Lin let go of my hand. "Yeah, well, they'll get over it."

"Whose your friend?" he asked, and was eyeing my oddly. "She running anything?"

Lin laughed, loudly, and I was feeling my face coloring in embarrassment. "There's no way in hell she's runnin' anything tonight, Fi. She's just here to watch."

Fi chuckled. "I got it. The super mod class isn't running for another half hour, so you got time to relax, bs, whatever."

Lin nodded, taking my hand again and leading me away. "Let's go grab some spring rolls, after what you did to my car earlier, you're buyin'."

A race started as we were reaching a little food cart, it was being a bunch if muscle cars roaring away from the starting line while some girl being in skimpy clothing was waving a flag.

"Two spring rolls and some waters," Lin said to the man operating the cart, a fat little balding man with squinty eyes and greasy hair tied in a pony tail.

"Yes, yes, coming right up," he replied, heavy asian accent mushing the Ls into Rs. "Ten dollars, please."

I handed him the money, and was taking my roll and drink. Lin and I began to wander the area, taking in the people and cars.

"They race in classes," Lin explained, taking a bite from her roll. She was chewing and swallowing before continuing. "My Voxel would trash those old beasts, but fuck don't let the assholes driving them hear that. They'll whine and bitch for hours about displacement."

I chuckled, eating from my own roll. It was being pretty good, not amazing, but being pretty good.

"So, you got a boyfriend Ivana?" Lin asked, making it almost sound casual. Maybe it was being so.

Still, I was nearly choking on the last of my spring roll, swallowing it hard and shaking my head quickly.

Lin chuckled. "I'll take that as a no. Troy's been talking real fondly of you."

"Er, uh, I am not liking men," I admitted nervously, though that was not really being the truth. It was just being easier than talking about the whole story, especially to strangers.

"Really, now?" Lin asked, and was sounding bemused as she was turning towards me. "Their loss, honey."

I was beginning to be thinking that Lin thought it was game to be making me be blushing.

"Girlfriend then?" Lin asked, taking a sip from her water bottle, eyeing me over the top of it.

I shook my head, deciding to be having a little fun of my own. "Nyet. Why, you are auditioning for part?"

Lin grinned, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. "Not yet. But that's good, you should be more assertive."

Damn her, she had turned it all back around on me just like that. I finally noticed there was being a lot of Rollerz around.

"Is being lot of Rollerz," I commented, changing the subject. "I am wishing I was not wearing blue, now."

Lin smirked, surely noticing my clever ploy. "Yeah, they pretty much run this district, and the street racing here, for now."

And be speaking of the devil, one of them was approaching us, waving in greeting. He was a larger man, tall and heavyset, white, wearing a blue sports jacket.

"Hey Lin," he greeted. "Thought you might not be here tonight."

"Lance," Lin said. "You know I don't miss the races."

Lance chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. Say, who's your friend here? We get more new blood, I don't recognize her?"

"I am not Roller," I told him, hooking a stray strand of hair over my hear.

"Ivana, Lance. Lance, Ivana," Lin said, sounding as if she was being ever-so-slightly annoyed.

"The pleasure's all mine," he replied, holding out his hand and leering.

I took his hand for a moment, and he held on longer than I did when I was trying to be letting go, even when I was trying to be pulling back. Lin smacked his hand away.

"She's not into men, asshole," she growled.

"Reowr!" Lance laughed. "You need to check in to den mother's anonymous, Lin! Unless you're claimin' her, then can I watch?"

Lin stood up and hit him, right cross to the face. "Don't be an asshole."

Lance held his cheek tenderly. "Damn it woman! All right, I'll back off, jeez. See you at the starting line in five."

Lin sat down as he walked away, taking a drag on her cigarette. "You really need to stand up for yourself more," she chided.

"Well I was going to but you were hitting him before I was having chance!" I insisted.

Lin chuckled, stubbing out her smoke on the sidewalk. "Come on, let's go get to the car and get ready, our race is starting soon."

#

Lin was being at the back of the starting grid, being at her own insistence, and was not being the only Voxel. There was being another up ahead, a solid black one with red wheels. The rest of the cars were mixes of compacts, I was not knowing all the makes and models, but Lin was seeming impatient for the girl to drop the flag and start the race.

"Finally," she said as the girl was raising the flag up into the air, and I was hearing Lin spin the revs up. It was not being as high as it could be going, which was puzzling, but I was assuming the seasoned racer was knowing what she was doing.

The flag dropped, and all the cars launched ahead. I was feeling myself being pushed into the seat as Lin accelerated, already passing the two cars in front of her. We raced around a corner, and Lin shifted gears, cutting off some bright orange four door.

"Good job, Lin!" I called, grinning.

"Don't talk to me right now," Lin said flatly, focus being intent on the road ahead. I glanced at her, but stayed silent. She cut the wheel, rev-matching as she downshifted around a street corner, the Voxel's tires chirping as she sped off down the road.

I waived at Lance as we were passing him in his bright blue modified Zimos, and he glared, flipping me off. I flipped him off with both hands, and turned away.

Lin shifted again, then was flipping cover off of switch labelled 'NOS.'

"What is that being for?" I asked.

Lin did not say anything, and just hit the switch.

It was being as if the hand of God was pushing from behind, and Lin's Voxel screamed ahead, tires breaking loose for a moment as it was struggling to be regaining traction. We were being right on the ass of the black Voxel, and Lin was sticking to him like glue around a corner.

"Pro tip," Lin said quietly. "Ride this close and let them punch a hole in the air for you, saving power for you to slingshot around. Just be sure you have good reflexes in case they brake check yo-… shit!"

Lin swerved two lanes to the left, avoiding the other Voxel as the brake lights were lighting up, and a pickup in the next lane. Still, she was edging ahead of the other car, and the finish line was being not far.

The other driver hit his nitrous, surging ahead.

"Fuck all that," Lin growled, and was hitting her nitrous again. She slowly was reeling him in like big fish catch of the day, vicious grin on her face as she was passing and gaining a car length on him.

We screamed across the finish line in first place, barrels being on either side exploding as we were passing, and probably killing some people standing too close.

"Fuck and shit," I breathed, being shaken from the explosions.

"Sorry, shoulda warned you about that part," Lin said with a chuckle, slowing down and pulling into the winner's area. She got out, and I followed.

"She cheated!" someone was shouting, a caucasian man with black hair and a thin mustache. "Did you see that shit?"

"Sounds like you need the driver mod," Lin said with a smirk, lighting a cigarette and blowing it in his face as he walked up. He was getting into her space, but Lin was seeming oddly nonchalant about it as she was taking her prize money.

"She was not cheating," I told him. "I was being there the whole time, I was seeing no cheating. Though you were slamming on your brakes right in front of us."

"Who the fuck's this bitch!?" the other driver screeched. "Fuck you, you foreign whore!"

Lin raised her eyebrows at that.

I kicked his legs out from under him, riding him down and pressing my arm to his throat.

"You're not being nice," I cooed. "Now you should be apologizing before I am crushing your wind pipe."

"F-fuck, shit, I'm sorry!" he gasped, struggling, and I stood up immediately.

"That's my girl," Lin said, and was squeezing my shoulder. "Maybe a touch overdramatic, but it got the job done."

I was still grinning when sirens were being heard in the distance.

"Fuck," Lin groaned. "We better split before the cops show up. I'll drop you off at the church, go see what Johnny or Dex need you to do for them and I'll be in touch."