Tales of the Underground: Velocity - 4. Chapter 4

All I could see was red and blue lights flashing in every direction. I heard the sound of cars peeling out and what I can only assume were cop cars chasing after them. I tried to weave in and out of the crowd but there seemed to be more and more cops in every direction. I looked up and saw them tackle the new champion to the ground. Even though I knew I was fucked I couldn’t help but laugh.

Before I could react I was knocked to the floor with a boot forcing me down. “New Jersey State Police stay down” I heard the officer scream.

“Let me go I’m just a kid” I pleaded

“Funny you should say that, we’re actually looking for a kid” the officer remarked with a smirk. I really have to stop using the word kid when I’m in the underground. I felt the sensation of cold hard metal around my wrists and with two loud clicks I was cuffed. I don’t think the dangers of the underground were ever real to me until that moment. I’m getting arrested for fucks sake! I could feel my heart racing, my gut said run but I was trapped. I wiggled and squirmed but the officer had me pinned.

“Stop resisting, it’s over” the officer commanded. For the first time in my life I listened, I was beat it’s as simple as that.

The officer forced me up to my feet and pushed me against a squad car. He searched all my pockets but the only thing he could find was my cellphone. He marched me to the state officer in charge.

“Here Captain I think I’ve found one of the targets” the officer proudly announced. If they could prove that I was The Kid there is no doubt he would get a big pay raise. I knew my name was getting around but I didn’t imagine that there was such a big price tag on my head. I kept my head down as the captain scanned me, I could feel his eyes trying to get a good look at my face. The officer who arrested me forced my head up and pulled the hair out of my face.

“Come on kid have some respect” He said treating me like I was nothing. When me and the captains eyes met I immediately knew I recognized him but I just couldn’t figure out where from.

The captain let out a big guttural laugh.

“Officer Brown I think you’ve got the wrong kid” the captain said barely able to hold back his laughter.

“No Captain Warren, this is definitely the kid” the officer was really trying to sell his case at this point “look at him, he matches every report. The long hair, cocky attitude and black clothes.” The second I heard the Captains name I immediately realized who I was standing in front of. Of all the days for him to be in charge of my fate, it had to be today?

“Son, if we arrested every teen with that description our juvenile centers would be overloaded” Cpt. Warren joked.

“Hey Mr. Warren, how’s Elijah doing?” I pipped in

“Shut up kid” the arresting officer demanded applying pressure to my wrists.

“Hi Jamie, funny seeing you here” Cpt. Warren responded “Officer Brown why don’t you leave him to me, and for goodness sake take off the cuffs, he’s just a teenager how fast could he be?” The arresting officer followed orders and shoved me forward giving me a dirty look the whole way through.

“Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in young Mr. Free?” Cpt. Warren asked now staring me in the eyes

“I’m gonna go with a lot” I said awkwardly not knowing how to answer

“Glad to see you still have a good sense of humor, god knows you’re going to need it after your dad gets done with you” the Captain said with a serious face. OH SHIT! My dad’s gonna murder me!

“Do we really have to let him know? This is my first time at a street race. I just wanted to see what they were like. I swear!” I lied

“I respect your dad too much to not let him know about this late night activity of yours. Get in the patrol car and I’ll give you a ride home. You’re lucky you’re not going in cuffs.” He said emphasizing how grateful I should be. I climbed in the car and watched as he spoke to another officer before joining me.

“You know, of all the days for you to visit a race you really thought it would be smart to pick the high profile one?” I could hear the disappointment in his voice “Especially with a young driver around your age terrorizing the streets” he continued. Terrorizing? Yikes I can only imagine what would happen if he had figured out whom I really was.

“I’m not The Kid Mr. Warren” I said not even daring to look him in the eyes out of fear he would detect my bullshit.

“HA I know that Jamie, I watched you play sports for years. No offense, after all you’re a great hockey player but I doubt you could handle the pressure of street racing” he confidently said “besides you’re much too nice. Even now Elijah tells me about what a good kid you are.” Oh great, as if I didn’t feel guilty enough about making his son cry. I fell silent and stared out the car window

“I know you two don’t talk much anymore and I get it kids grow apart, it happens.” Mr. Warrens voice seemed to drone on like he was about to ask me something but just couldn’t find the word. “But do you know what happened to him today in school? I knew he got pushed around because of…well what he is but I’ve never seen him like this before. He wouldn't even eat dinner tonight” he said. I could hear the concern in his voice. I know he didn’t approve of Eli being gay but he wasn’t the type of man to kick out his only child out over something so small.

“I’m not sure I guess some kids were just extra hard on him today.” I really was full of shit today wasn’t I? “I’m sure it’ll blow over, Elijah is a tough kid” I tried my best to relax his fears but that’s hard a hard thing to do when you know you’re the source of them.

“I guess you’re right. Look is there any chance you could look out for him. You don’t have to be his friend if you don’t want to be. Just… make sure he doesn’t get shoved around too much if you can.” I could hear the desperation in his voice, he really couldn’t stand seeing his son like this. I wonder if my dad would be as understanding as him.

“I’m not the toughest kid in school but I’ll keep an eye out for him” I mumbled still not looking up

“Son, you just got tackled, cuffed and almost arrested if you aren’t the toughest kid in school I don’t want to meet the kid who is.” The captain joked “Not that this is all something you should be proud of” he reminded me.

The rest of the ride was silent, not the awkward kind just the kind when you have nothing left to say. As we pulled up to my house I could feel my heart begin to race again. Mr. Warren banged on my front door and waited a few minutes until finally my dad appeared in the doorway. He looked absolutely shot from working all day and I could see the disappointment creep into his face as he pieced together what was happening.

“Please come in” I heard him sigh.

I sat in the kitchen and listened as my dad and Mr. Warren spoke in the living room. I can only imagine what they were saying to one another. When their conversation was finally over Mr. Warren came into the room gave me a pat on the back and warned me that he better never have to take me out of handcuffs again. As I watched him leave the house I grew more and more anxious about what my dad was going to say to me.

I built up the courage and made a b-line for the stair case.

“Jamie, can we talk for a minute” My dad said sounding like he could fall asleep at any moment

“See that sounds nice but I have homework and tests and all that fun stuff that I should probably get to” I said hoping to make him laugh

“You can’t joke your way through life Jamie” my dad said as the disappointment grew

“Not with that attitude” I said not knowing when to stop. My dad gave me one of the sternest looks I’ve ever seen

“Sorry” I muttered.

“I think The Kid has driven his last race” My dad said

“No way! I wasn’t even racing tonight! I didn’t even take the car with me! I was just there to watch!” I argued

“No you were there to size up your competition” my dad said sniffing out my bullshit.

“Alright I was. But this is the only time I’ll ever get caught I promise. If I had my car they wouldn’t have even…”

“Wouldn’t have even what Jamie?!” My dad interrupted “Caught you?! What are you going to run from the police now?!” My dad started to raise his voice but lowered it when he remembered we weren’t the only people in the house. “I thought me and your mother raised you to know right from wrong” he sighed.

“You did but you also raised me to know that sometimes there’s a different between what's right and wrong and what’s necessary” I argued “We need the money and I’m even about to move up a league! I’ll be bringing home thousands of dollars a week.”

“What is the matter with you? Money isn’t everything!” My dad started yelling again.

“It’s not, but we can barely make ends meet as it is now! What happens Christmas huh? You gonna give us that crappy speech that Santa can’t make it to every house?! The girls deserve better than that. They deserve the best and if you can’t supply it for them then I will.” I shouted running up the stairs.

I don’t know why I said that, my dad works all day every day to give us the best he could. I sounded like such an ungrateful shit lately. I couldn’t help but start to cry at the thought of all the anger I had built up inside of me. Where did it all come from and how do I get rid of it?

As I began to change into my pajamas I found the piece of paper Pit gave me hidden in my sock. I clutched it tight in my fist. Suddenly nothing else mattered to me. I live to win no matter the cost.

“Pit, you have yourself another 20+ racer” I whispered to myself