sidewayz glory (14 page)

Tito nervously glanced at Kennin, who quickly shook his head and backed out of sight. They couldn't let Tiny suspect that anyone else was involved.

“I hate SUVs!” Tito yelled and picked up another chunk of asphalt and threw it.

The asphalt missed.

“Are you crazy?” Tiny shouted.

“They use too much gas and cause global pollution warming!” Tito yelled and threw another chunk of asphalt.

Clank!

Tiny quickly started to climb back into the Escalade. That was Tito's cue to get on the bike and bounce.

roared and started to back up. Kennin pictured the rear wheels rolling over the upturned screws. He heard a sound like a loud gasp but was certain that Tiny inside didn't hear it. The goon was already wheeling the Escalade around and following Tito on his BMX bike toward the exit.

Kennin didn't think the Escalade would get very far before it was riding on its rims. And it didn't matter anyway, because Raoul was waiting half a block away to throw the bike in the back of the van and get Tito out of there.

Still, Kennin knew he didn't have much time. He hurried into the trailer, grabbed some clothes and his sister's car keys, came back out, and jumped into the Corolla. A few moments later, as he drove his sister's car out of the trailer park, he spied the Escalade on the side of the road. Both rear tires were flat. Tiny was standing beside the car,
gesturing excitedly and speaking into a cell phone. Kennin was pretty sure he never even saw Shinchou's Corolla pass.

Kennin drove the Corolla to Rivera's Service Center. Raoul's van was parked on the street outside. Angelita, Tito, and Raoul were waiting by the garage door. Angelita was wearing coveralls, her black hair pulled back in a ponytail and her head covered with a red bandanna.

“It went okay, right?” Tito said excitedly as Kennin drove the car into the garage.

“Yup,” Kennin replied. “Thanks, guys.”

“Are you kidding?” Tito exclaimed. “I was just telling Angie how cool it was!” He turned to his sister. “You wouldn't believe the size of that guy! He must've weighed four hundred pounds! The second he starts climbing into the Escalade, I'm on the BMX and out of there riding as fast as I can! The Escalade comes flying out behind me, but as soon as it makes a left onto the road I start to hear all this racket. Like floppy flat tires getting torn up by the rims. I look behind me and the Escalade's stopped on the shoulder. Meanwhile, Raoul's waiting with the back doors of the van open and that wooden ramp thing for the lawnmower down, so I ride right up into the van like frickin'
Triple X!
Raoul slams the back doors, jumps in the driver's seat, and we're out of there.”

It was obvious that Tito was totally pumped by the experience. “So now what?” he asked excitedly.

“Now we take a look at what we've got,” Kennin said, gesturing toward the dirty yellow Corolla.

The excitement slowly drained from Tito's face. “Oh, man, I'm too stoked for that. I'm gonna go play GT4. I'll see you guys later.”

“Thanks again,” Kennin said as Tito left.

“Guess I'll split too,” Raoul said.

“Hey, man, I can't thank you enough.” Kennin offered him his hand.

“You kidding me?” Raoul replied. “It's me who should be thanking you, man. You've saved my butt twice.”

“Stay out of trouble,” Kennin said with a wave.

“I hear ya,” Raoul said, then got into the van and left.

Kennin and Angelita were alone in the garage.

“So this is it,” she said with a smile, running a finger along the Corolla's dirty fender and leaving a streak.

“Not much to look at,” Kennin said.

“Not yet,” Angelita replied, sticking her head into the passenger window. “Gotta start with a four-point harness.” She opened the door and looked under the seat. “Seat bolts look okay.” She stepped back and studied the car. “We'll have to find some extra wheels and a lot of tires.”

Kennin couldn't help admiring the way she thought about the car. No BS. No stupid exterior mods. Just plain nuts and bolts. When she lifted the hood he came around and joined her. The engine was caked with black soot.

“It needs a better battery tie-down,” Angelita said.

“What about the engine?” Kennin asked.

She shrugged. “I'll tune it the best I can.”

“Be nice if you could drop that supercharged 4agze in,” Kennin said.

“Be nice if I could do a lot of things.” Angelita leaned her weight onto the fender and rocked the car. “Coilovers, new brakes, an ACT clutch.”

“Don't forget,” Kennin said, “we're talking tandem drifting.”

Angelita's eyes widened slightly, then she shook her head and frowned. “I forgot. That's a whole different story. You need a six-point cage, buckets, and a harness. Plus a Nomex suit, shoes, head sock, helmet.”

“What do you think it would cost?” Kennin asked.

Angelita's shoulders slumped. “What does it matter? You don't have that kind of money.”

Kennin took out the white envelope Derek had given him and handed it to her.

“What's this?” Angelita asked uncertainly.

“Open it.”

She opened the envelope just enough to peek inside, then quickly shut it. “Where did you get this?”

“Can't tell you,” Kennin said.

Angelita held out the envelope. “Take it back. I don't want it.”

“There's nothing wrong with it,” Kennin said.

“Then where did it come from?” Angelita demanded.

“I'm sworn to secrecy,” Kennin said. “But you can believe me, it's legitimate.”

Angelita looked into the envelope again. “Since when are dirty, nonsequential twenty-dollar bills legitimate?”

“It's pocket change to the guy who gave it to me.” As soon as the words left his lips, Kennin knew he'd said too much.

“What guy, Kennin?” Angelita asked.

Kennin stared at the floor. He knew what was coming.

“Kennin?” Angelita said again.

He shook his head. Angelita tossed the envelope onto the seat of the Corolla, then crossed her arms and leaned against the tool chest. “You can go now. I don't want that money, and I'm not touching that car.”

Kennin realized he had no choice but to tell her. “You know who Mike Mercado is?”

“The owner of the Babylon?” Angelita said.

“He thinks that he needs me to drive against Chris to make it exciting and bring in a crowd.”

“You didn't have to take it,” Angelita said.

“I did,” Kennin said. “There are other people who want me to drive. If I don't, they're liable to tell Jack where my sister is.”

Angelita's forehead wrinkled. She gazed at the Corolla and then back at Kennin. “How much is in that envelope?”

“Four thousand,” Kennin said. “Think it's enough?”

“Maybe,” Angelita said. “But since we're laying our
cards on the table, there's something else. Tito tells me Mariel has become your private chauffeur.”

“The buses are on strike,” Kennin said.

“How generous of her,” said Angelita. “What does Chris think?”

“She says she doesn't care,” Kennin said. “But I've noticed she goes out of her way to try to make sure he doesn't know.”

Angelita bit her lip and furrowed her brow. Kennin wondered if she was struggling with something. “Can I ask you something personal?” she said.

“Okay.”

“Does … does Mariel do anything else besides drive you?” Angelita asked, then quickly added, “You can tell me if it's none of my business.”

Kennin knew it had taken a lot for her to ask that question. Not only was she extra sensitive about not butting into other people's business, but it showed that she obviously still cared about him.

Kennin took a deep breath. He didn't want to lie to her, but there was no way she'd understand that sometimes when things were going badly and the temptations were too great, a guy might do something he'd later regret. “No, she doesn't do anything but drive.”

work on the Corolla every day after school. Kennin came by as often as he could to help and give her moral support. Angelita suspected that Mariel was dropping him off a block away, but she tried not to think too much about it. If that foolish girl wanted to drive Kennin around, that, was her problem, not Angelita's.

She used the four thousand dollars wisely. Not a penny went toward unnecessary exterior mods. Except for a wash, the car's body looked no different from before.

At work both Derek and Mercado made a special point of telling Kennin they were pleased that he'd decided to drive. At the same time, billboards around town began advertising DriftVegas and word went out on drifting Web sites all over the West, inviting drivers to try out.

At school Chris wore a bright red and black racing jacket with his name embroidered on the front and “Babylon Drift
Team” scripted on the back. The arms of the jacket were adorned with patches from Cooper Tire, ACT clutches, Western Automotive, CIT Racing, and others. Heads turned wherever he went.

“It's like he's a frickin' movie star,” Tito said at lunch the day of the DriftVegas event. When Chris and his posse entered the lunchroom, kids at other tables stopped what they were doing and stared at him. Kennin dabbed a French fry in ketchup and savored it, thankful that it wasn't a Tater Tot day.

“The guy's got sponsors up the wazoo!” Tito looked to see how Kennin was reacting, but his friend's expression didn't change.

“Dude, I think we missed the boat on that,” Tito said. “By the way, you know, Angie didn't come to school today.”

Kennin looked up at him, puzzled.

“She said there was still too much to do on the car,” Tito explained. “Congratulations, dude, I can't remember a single time my sister ever ditched school. This is some kind of record.”

Kennin nodded. Suddenly Tito let out a laugh. “Ha! There's Ian! And he's got a sponsor too!”

Kennin looked up. Ian entered the cafeteria wearing a red and white jacket that he'd clearly purchased on his own. Instead of Babylon Drift Team, scripted on the back of his jacket was “Monte's Fried Chicken.”

Kennin ate another fry. He had to admit that fried chicken sounded pretty good.

Chris was sitting at the regular gearhead table, but Ian spotted Kennin and Tito and headed in their direction with some other guys.

“Uh-oh,” Tito mumbled under his breath.

“Well, well, well.” Ian stopped near their table. “If it isn't Fujiwara Takumi and his little AE86 Trueno.”

Kennin gazed up at him. Ian had a contemptuous smirk on his face. “I hear you found a Corolla somewhere. You're not really serious, are you? I mean, taking that underpowered toy up against some world-class beaters?”

“What's with the Santa Claus suit?” Kennin asked. Some of the guys with Ian grinned.

“I'll be qualifying at DriftVegas tonight,” Ian shot back. “Surprised? Or do you still think I can't drift?”