home.”
“Thanks.”
"I'm Linc," he said.
"Rachel," she replied. "Any other day I'd say nice to meet you."
"For sure," he said.
He stopped the Harley and the girl climbed on behind him. Wrapped her arms around. His cuts seared, reminded him he was still breathing.
He fed the throttle once more and eased back in to the center, felt the tires chewing into the sun-softened asphalt. He braked gently and leaned smoothly into and then out of long lazy bends and opened the throttle wide for a straight. A new bend grew from the haze ahead and Linc let a curvaceous row of pines draw him through and out the other side.
Another bend and another row of trees, this time firs, casting deep shadows over the road and almost shaking hands with one another from across the road.
Sunlight broke the shadow and they came to Harry’s yellow sports car, stopped just out of the center of the lane. The kind of sports car with a standard motor, standard suspension, standard wheels and body. The kind of sports car with a yellow paint job and a label on the back that says ‘Sport’.
The car was empty. It shrunk to a yellow spec, an irksome reminder in his mirror of a spineless yellow colleague. Then another spec in the distance. It grew as they approached. Harry. Standing in the middle of the road. Waving his arms. Like the road was his alone. Like a person who should be helped.
“See that power supply unit on the luggage bar behind you?” Linc called above the thumping engine.
The girl turned. “Yes.”
“Take it off the rack."
"Pull back the bungee and it should come off okay. But put your arm tight around my waist. Don't fall off.”
“Okay, I have it. What now?”
"We have one more task for you my friend," fare-welled Linc.
"Say again?"
“Aim for his knees.”
The crack of bone rang loud and clear between the thudding pistons of the big Harley engine. Linc watched Harry drop in his mirror, wished he could see his face now. He hit the ground, writhing and squirming. Something scuttled along the road, away from Harry, as his screams faded into the rumbling exhaust. It flashed lime and almost pink. Linc circled back and picked up his phone.
"There's a little something to think about next time you plan to leave somebody for dead," Linc called above the moaning.
"Walk it off you pussy," chimed in Rachel.
Linc powered away. Harry would survive.
His phone rang again. He took it from his pocket. Angie's photo came up on the screen.
"Sorry darling, you're not going to believe the day I just had. I'll be home in a few minutes."
"Linc?" her voice was quiet, hard to hear over the engine. He slipped the bike out of gear and coasted at an idle.
"Can you hear me?" A harsh whisper.
He was late again. She sounded stressed.
"There's a man in our house, Linc."
"Said he's looking for his brother. Shane. Something about he was supposed to call him back but never did."
"What's going on Linc? I'm scared!"
"He's with Ryan."
"He has a knife!"
THE END
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Thanks for reading, here's a preview of part 2...
Lee