This choice: Go searching for some mask victims. • Go Back...Chapter #24Dirty Tricks by: smitch   Its Thursday and all morning at school you've been thinking about all the possible people you could copy, perhaps even some of Sean's friends in the football and wrestling teams. You even mull over the idea of taking a copy of a cheerleader just to play with their boobs but dismiss the idea for the moment as a better choice might be to take the place of one of their boyfriends.
While you're picking up some books from your locker Steve Patterson passes as other student scatter. It occurs to you that he seems to have no boundaries when it comes to the girls which kinda makes him a good candidate.
Biting your lip you think of Chelsea the head cheerleader, if you take a copy of Gordon Black you could have Chelsea in your pocket -- although deep down you know its Chelsea that wears the pants in that relationship -- and give Cameron Huber the QB some grief and hopefully he'll drop Black as a bad idea for any coaching tips.
As Lester 'The Molester' bruises past you catch his eye, and he gives a weak smile. It would appear that your confrontation with him last week has made an impression on him.
As you walk to your next class, you glance at Sean's reflection in a window. He's a heavy built guy, blond shaggy hair. You've got his rucksack over your shoulder and his thick bicep stretches the sleeve on his polo. You know that he can look after himself. You doubt that you'd have any problems subduing almost all of the other jocks you been considering.
~~~~~
It's getting late and you want to meet Will before starting work at Salopek to talk to him about the golem.
In the school parking lot Sean's pickup is waiting, big black and shining in the light. You know Taylor had worked on it as his pet project. He worked magic on engines and cars, you stand there for a moment and remember how proud he was of the work telling Sean about each part. He'd put in a new induction kit including air filter and intake hoses along with a larger throttle body to allow the air to flow better, he said it'll give a nice throaty growl — it certainly did! The crowning glory was a much larger twin scroll supercharger and a front mounted intercooler with water methanol injection system with a second set of fuel injectors. Sean's good with mechanics, but Taylor really knew how to make engines sing.
Jumping into the cab you turn the ignition and it roars into life, it's Sean's pride and joy. You nail the gas, fishtailing out of the parking lot.
Salopek is a couple of miles away from town, so you're hitting the gas hard when BANG! You hit a pot hole, the pickup judders and gasps before dying. You gently coast to the roadside and try and start the engine; it coughs and gasps refusing to start. You think back to Sean's threat about breaking his beloved pickup and wonder what he could possibly do whilst he's in your body and realise … Gulp!
You pop the hood and jump out. You're checking all the usual stuff; plugs, ignition but it's fruitless. As you check the fuel lines you hear another vehicle pull up with a slide of gravel. You look around the side of the pickup but see no one, you return to the engine bay only to see Scott Bickelmeir standing at the open hood looking in.
“Trouble?”
Sean's deep loathing for Bickelmeir blackens your mood, but you don't really want to be stuck here any longer. So you push the feeling down as you know that both Taylor and Bickelmeir shared the same interests in engines. “Yeah, I hit a pot hole and the engine cut out. I've checked all the usual stuff but Taylor's made a lot of mods.”
He laughs, “Yeah I guess he did. Mind if I take a look?”
Climbing on the bumper he leans in and checks the same things as you. He scratches his head and starts humming to himself, not a tune as such but words as he focuses on the engine before him. He's digging around deep within the engine now, you're watching over his shoulder as he methodically checks connections. It's a couple of minutes before he lets out a reassuring “a-huh, got you — you little fucker” and pushes a vacuum hose back on the fuel pressure regulator.
“Give her a go now.”
You jump in the cab and turn the ignition, and it growls into life again.
You sit there for a while, slowly revving the engine enjoying the sound when a blue glint catches your eye from the rucksack. Reaching inside you pull out one of the masks, flipping it over in your hands. You know Sean wanted you to stay clear of Bickelmeir, but with his memory at your disposal all the questions that have been tormenting Sean for so long could finally be answered. Grinning you slip the mask under your polo tucking it in your shorts.
Jumping out of the cab you make your way around to the front of the pickup. You see Bickelmeir leaning under the hood again replacing all the parts he'd checked, you take the mask from under your shirt and edge towards him.
Suddenly there's another slide of gravel and Huber pulls up in his pickup alongside the pair of you, "Hey! You guys need any help?" You practically drop the mask quickly putting it behind you and slipping it into your belt cursing under your breath.
"No, we're all good here." Grins Bickelmeir.
Huber looks at you and gives you a thumbs up, mouthing OK? You nod as Bickelmeir drops the hood with a bang.
“Jobs a good ’un” he says cleaning his hands with a rag he’s taken from his pocket. He throws it to you and you clean your hands as well. With a smile Huber gives a wave and leaves.
“Looks like you know my pickup.”
“Yeah, of course! I've worked on it before...” He pauses for a moment looking you in the eyes, “... with Taylor, before... You know.”
A lump forms in your throat, and you swallow.
You feel uneasy with the way he's watching you, seeing what reaction if any he can read in your face.
Turning you check an imaginary blemish on the bodywork, and thank him for his help.
He grunts a reply, but you feeling something familiar with this meeting. You ask if you can buy him a drink at the Milagro coffee shop in town, he nods perhaps grateful that the cold reception might be thawing.
He follows you into town and you both park up outside the coffee shop and go in. Scott finds a table while you get a couple of mugs of coffee.
He takes the coffee from you with thanks and with two hands draws it up to his lips, he gently blows on it chasing the milky froth around the surface before taking a sip. You raise an eyebrow at his antics, again something tugs at you from Sean's memory - something familiar.
There's an uneasy silence between you, still holding the mug he looks over at yours still untouched.
“Do you miss your bro?”
“Of course the FUCK I do.”
He looks away, you can see he’s unhappy with the answer.
“Still grieving then. I miss my bro’ too you know.” You see sadness in his eyes.
“It’s true we’ve never really got on but I’d like to get to know you again.” He looks up at you expectantly, you say nothing, taking a gulp of coffee.
“Where's your baseball cap Sean? I've never seen you without it, just like Taylor - it was his wasn't it?”
You pause for a moment, desperately trying to think of a plausible story.
“Fuck!" You growl and slam the table with your fist for effect which makes Scott jump, and the staff behind the counter shift uneasily. “Some little shit stole it when I was at football practice, I've got a good idea where it is though.”
“It means a lot to you doesn't it?”
You draw on Sean's emotions, “Yeah, it was Taylor's and before that our Dad's. It may not be anything more than a cap to you, but to us it's a connection to the family that's no longer with us.”
“Believe me I understand, I'll keep my eyes open for it.” You thank him and finish your drinks.
Outside you shake his hand; and to your surprise find yourself pulling him in for a manly hug. “Thanks buddy.”
He smiles, and you leave heading for Salopek.   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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