5 The Kid That Can Drive

It was crazy. Absolutely insane. Every cell in my body screamed at me not to get involved with drug dealers again. Doing it in the first place was what got us into the mess, but Johnny assured me that these guys where more legit then Ricky's group. These where apparently the people Johnny had been buy weed and other things from for the last four years.

He had history with these people, and that was the only reason I considered this. Despite me giving in the whole drive over Johnny had to deal with me repeating over and over how I don't do stunt driving anymore and how I hung up that hat a long time ago.

"I don't care how long ago you stopped doing it Jack. Bottom line is these guys know you can drive and they need a driver. The offer on the table right now is that you do one run for them and we get protection. We can't turn this down."

Of course Johnny was right. He was a bit of a goof but he wasn't stupid. That was another reason I trusted him with these new people. I knew after the first run with Ricky I shouldn't have gone on his word again, but I figured if these people had been dealing with Johnny for four years he must have some friends here.

This time we found ourselves on the west side of town. Our town wasn't to big but it was big enough. Big enough to have the shitty south side, the empty north side, and the rich west side. All the rich kids lived in the gated communities in the West. I clearly remembered giving a few kids from the west side rides for a birthday party. They paid well enough and that money went into savings. Until I needed engine work done on the three-oh-two.

We pulled up to a sizable home. A two-story house with a huge garage off to the left side, and a drive way that made a little loop. On the steps stood a kid. No older then Johnny and myself.

With his baby blue, long sleeve, button up polo and khaki pants he sure looked the part of a rich kid. He reminded me vaguely of the kids I drove that time back in high school. Then again, all the rich kids looked alike to me.

"Leave the gun in the car. I promise you this guy is safe"

I reached into my waistband and produced the weapon. I didn't feel safe without it honestly, but Johnny trusted the guy enough. I tossed it in the back seat beside Ricky's backpack. The two of us parked in front of the steps and Johnny got out first.

"Johnny! Friend it's been a while!"

Johnny nodded shut the door behind him.

"It has Adalwolf."

"It looks like the longer you stay away from me the more trouble you get into"

Johnny didn't answer that one. Instead he stepped aside so Adalwolf could see past him and right to me. The guy had these oddly bright green eyes that hinted at something more than a little ominous behind them. They widened and he clapped his hands together like the eager snap of a predator's jaws.

"So this is him? The kid that can drive"

"You can call me Jack"

I offered but Adalwolf shook his head quickly. He shook a few blonde strands loose as he did from the slick back style he wore.

"If you work for me it isn't.No one uses real names here. You think Adalwolf is my real name?"

I paused and frowned.

"Uh I don't think I agreed to anything yet"

Adalwolf smiled wide with glimmer in his eyes. Like two fiery, green, embers. The look of a man with all the cards he needed and he was about to play a royal flush on my ass.

"Oh I'm afraid you have no choice handsome!"

He swept his hands out in a grand motion with the warmest smile he could muster. He took a few steps down to my car and ran a hand over the top of the car. He eyed it over with an odd eye of appreciation.

"It's a cobra... ninety-three?"

I nodded as Johnny moved out of the way to let Adalwolf run his hand down the side to the hood.

"I'm not a big fan of the fox bodies, but I can't deny their influence"

Adalwolf's eyes widened and he snapped his fingers.

"Fox! That can be your nick. You can be Fox and Johnny can be the Hound. I assume he will be your co-rider"

I tapped on the roof impatiently bringing Adalwolf back to reality.

"This fantasy world is all well and good, but we haven't accepted your deal or even heard the specifics"

Once again Adalwolf smiled wide again with those fiery green eyes.

"Once again I assure you that you have no choice, but come inside and we can discuss business. Also, to make it easier on you most friends call me Adal"

Adal's house was what I expected. White walls and gold trim on the ceilings. Furniture that looked more expensive then my house. More rooms then anyone every would need. Adal walked us to what he described as the tea room.

Johnny and I sat across from Adal with a small table in-between. As if he had been expecting us he had tea ready to go and poured us two cups with an almost giddy excitement.

"Sugar? Honey?"

I sighed deeply and sat back in the cushy little couch.

"Load me up with sugar"

Johnny nodded.

"Same please"

Adal dropped a few cubes of sugar into both our cups and stured for us. It tasted damn good despite me having a bias for cold tea rather than hot. Adal reached over personally and handed me my cup with a sly little wink. A little shiver ran through my body at the implication, but I refused to spit on hospitality.

"So, you two want to talk specifics?"

Adal looked between us and sipped his own tea.

"The specifics are this. Right now, we have two gangs I guess you could say for lack of a better term. You have myself and my more sophisticated operation, and you have Ricky with his bloodthirsty thugs. The truth simply is that I run this town. Ricky has some contacts on the southside, but I have far more connections and far more money."

Adal paused to sip his tea once more. Johnny stayed quiet the whole time sipping on his drink leaving this conversation on me.

"Ok so what does this have to do with me driving?"

"I'm glad you asked my little Fox. We have some very powerful clients who wish to use our humble little town as a go between so to speak. The idea is to run the product for them through this town as fast as possible. We have already secured the rout but we need a driver."

"What makes you think I'm the guy for the job?"

Adal gave a sly little smile and covered his mouth to muffle a giggle.

"Oh don't play coy Fox. You have a reputation, and you know the rout we are taking better than anyone"

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's the old bootlegger's trails that run the outskirts of the town. You and I both know those are the roads you use to take people up and down for fun. You made a pretty penny at the start of senior year doing it"

I frowned looking down at my tea for a moment.

"You sure do know a lot about me..."

"It's part of my job to know about everything in this town. You, having such a big reputation as a great driver, are not hard to keep track of."

Adal stood up quickly sipping down the last of his tea and sweeping his arms out grandly which seemed to be a habit of his.

"Don't worry about the details my Fox. Just hear me out. You do one run for me. You will easily out run any of Ricky's people. If you put down a better time then I will secure the contracts for these very important dealers and Ricky will be stuck slinging weed on the side walk. That's all I ask. After that you have all the protection you need."

"You promise?"

"I do. Your Hound, Your parents, Your Hound's parents, Your girl, and you of course my little Fox. All of you will be safe."

I took a deep breath and against all my better judgement I stood up extending my hand for a handshake. Adal gave me a wide fanged smile and clasped our hands.

"Fair warning Adal. I haven't been down those trails in a long while. I'm rusty"

"No worries my Fox. Ricky has already done his trial run. You have a day to brush up on your skills."

Adal broke from the hand shake crossing his arms.

"The Fox and the Hound working under the Royal Wolf. How beautiful!"

Johnny and I left on the way to my house. We took my road back but kept going straight past my house.

"Where exactly are we going Jack?"

"Well we generally are going to where the trails start in the North, but I'm also going to show you a place that's pretty important to me."

"What exactly is it?"

"My local mechanic. He has a shop up here where the trails start"