by Storm, Sloan
“Good morning, Ava,” Dieter began with his thick accent. “I do hope that I didn’t wake you.”
I shook my head, lying, “No, it’s fine. What do you need, Dieter?”
“Ava, I should mention that I have Darren here in the room with me.”
This can’t be good.
I blinked my eyes several times in a row, wiping them in an effort to focus my attention. “Okay, is there something that the both of you need from me?”
“Yes, Ava,” Dieter began, pausing for a moment. “I’m going to put you on speakerphone. Is that all right with you?”
“Yes, of course, it’s fine.”
“Darren,” Dieter began, changing the tone of the conversation. “I think it’s best if you start this discussion, since you were trackside with Ava yesterday.”
Over the next few minutes, Darren, encouraged by Dieter while he spoke, expressed serious doubts about whether or not Dyson was ready to race again. I didn’t disagree with any of their conclusions. They wanted Dyson to get treatment before allowing him to continue to race for the team. Once again, I had no problem with their idea.
“Terrific, then we can count on seeing you later.” Dieter said.
“Later?”
“Yes now that we’ve had a chance to talk about this amongst ourselves, we will need to have a meeting with Dyson, as well. Of course, as the head medical professional for the team, we’re expecting you to attend and offer your expertise.”
I swallowed hard, remaining silent for a few moments.
“I see,” I said, at last.
Things were already tense between Dyson and me. I felt as if I’d made my opinion more than clear with him. The last thing I wanted was another confrontation. Dieter took notice of my silence and spoke up once more.
“Ava, you and I have a good working relationship. I think you know me well enough to know my only concern is the safety of my drivers.”
I nodded, running my hand through my hair while I listened. “Yes, I know that.”
“Very good. The most important thing you can do in this situation, Ava, is just to be honest. There are many livelihoods at stake in this scenario, not just Dyson’s. Do you understand what I am saying to you?”
“Yes, I do.”
He told me he would contact Dyson immediately after and would like to meet with both of us later that same morning, eleven o’clock at the team garage. I told him that wouldn’t be a problem and hung up moments later. Still sitting upright in the bed, I leaned back, pressing my head into the headboard. Even though I knew it had to be done, I had little doubt an angry Dyson Vix would make an appearance.
And so it was a few minutes before eleven I stood outside the entrance to the team garage. I’d only been there for a few minutes when the door cracked open, and Darren poked his head out.
“Ava, Dieter asked if you’d like to come inside and wait.”
I shook my head. “No, thank you, I actually have a few personal phone calls I can make while I’m waiting for Dyson to show up.”
Darren smiled at me. “Suit yourself.”
He closed the door immediately after.
Just when I was about to reach in my purse and grab my phone, I glanced up and noticed Dyson walking in my direction.
And by walking, I mean weaving.
“Oh shit,” I muttered.
Letting go of my phone, I dropped it inside of my purse and pulled the strap up over my shoulder. Seconds later, Dyson drew close to me.
He smelled like a distillery.
“Really?”
Dyson swayed a bit. “What?”
I shook my head. “How much have you had to drink this morning?”
“All of it.”
I reached up and ran my fingers through my hair. “You are in real trouble with them, Dyson. Don’t you understand that?”
Dyson licked his lips and motioned for me to step aside. “Let’s get this over with.”
A few minutes later, the meeting got off to a predictably rocky start.
Dyson, drunk, was about as rude and obnoxious as I’d ever seen him. For their part, Dieter and Darren did their best to discuss things in a calm way, but Dyson’s behavior wore thin.
“Here’s the thing, Dyson,” Dieter said, leaning forward in his chair and glaring at his star driver. “It’s pretty obvious you’re not in any condition to race. Everyone, from the doctors at the hospital to Ava, have been adamant about that.”
Dyson shook his head. “Doctors don’t know anything. What the hell do they know about driving, about winning? Nothing, that’s what.”
Dieter leaned away, shrugging off Dyson’s comment. “I understand you are frustrated, Dyson. I know you’re a competitor and a winner. That’s why this is all the more difficult for me to have to do.”
“What the hell you talking about, Dieter?” Dyson growled. “Are you kicking me off the team?”
Dieter shook his head. “No, Dyson, I’m not kicking you off the team. Not yet, anyway. But I’m not going to let you drive——not until you’re better.”
Dyson reached up and swiped his hand down the length of his face before pointing at Darren. “Fuck you!”
With that, Dyson stood from his chair and yanked it with his hand. It rattled across the room, banging against the wall. The three of us sat there in silence, and before I realized it, Dyson stormed out.
In the aftermath of Dyson’s exit, we looked at each other for a moment until at last, Dieter spoke.
“Ava, I’m going to make this very simple for you,” he said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “You… You seem to have a connection with Dyson, a way with him. If there’s anyone that can get him straight, it’s you.”
I shook my head. “Dieter, I don’t think anyone has a way with Dyson Vix.”
“That may very well be the case, but it’s obvious that neither Darren nor I can get through to him. I want to give him one last chance. But if you are not able to talk some sense into him, he’s gone.”
AVA
After the disastrous meeting with Dieter and Darren, I told them I would do what I could to help, but that I couldn’t make any promises. He’d been stubborn about getting treatment for his concussive symptoms. I didn’t expect that to change much.
Unfortunately, frustrations were already high, and with all of the pressure of the season bearing down on the team, I wasn’t sure how much worse things could get. After I left, I paused outside of the team garage and pulled my cell phone out of my purse.
Swiping it on, I called Jillian.
I’d been so tired in the aftermath of Dyson’s crash the day before, I’d fallen asleep and forgotten to call home. After the second ring, Jillian answered.
“Hey,” she began. “I was wondering what happened to you. It’s not like you to miss a call. Is everything okay?”
Leaning against the wall of the garage, I shook my head.
“No, not even close.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.
I exhaled and closed my eyes.
“How much time do you have?” I said, chuckling at everything that happened since the last time we’d talked.
“I’ve got all the time you need, Ava.”
Feeling a bit guilty while I did it, I dumped on Jillian over the next few minutes, telling her everything. I mentioned the fight I had with Dyson in his motor coach immediately after the race, Jillian got angry.
“I can’t believe he’s treating you like that,” she groaned. “He seemed like such a good guy when I met him.”
“He is a good guy, Jillian. There’s just a lot of pressure on everyone right now.”
She exhaled into the receiver. “Yeah, I get it, but I would think after two serious crashes in a row he would at least listen to the people around him. People like you, who want to help.”
“I understand,” I began. “I can’t say I disagree with you, but that’s who he is. I really don’t think he’s trying to be cruel to me. Dyson only know
s one way of doing things. He’s got his foot on the accelerator in more ways than one.”
“Um, okay, I guess,” Jillian muttered. “If you say so.”
I eased myself off the wall and began to walk away from the team garage.
“I don’t know how to explain it to you, Jillian,” I said, repositioning the strap of my purse over my shoulder. “These guys out here, they’re just different.”
Jillian remained silent for a few seconds. “Well, long as you’re okay, that’s all I care about.”
“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
While I walked, I heard the sound of the television on in the background through the receiver.
“Is Simon watching TV?”
“No, I am. I was watching it when you called. He’s in his room playing games on his tablet. You want me to get him?”
Around that time, Dyson’s motor coach came into view. I’d be there in less than a minute, not enough time to talk to Simon.
“No. I’ll call back later. Right now I’ve got some stuff I’ve got to handle.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, Ava?”
“Positive. I’ll call you guys as soon as I get a chance.”
Not long after, I hung up and reached the door to Dyson’s motor coach. Before I knocked, I took a deep breath. The warm, late afternoon California sun and a steady breeze eased my frazzled state, but just a little. Moments later, I reached up and rapped against the door.
I knocked once.
Then a second time.
And even a third.
At several minutes, the door knob to the bus twisted and I raised my eyes upwards. There, in the doorway were the last people I expected to see. To my disbelief, Anastasia and Svetlana stood there, scowling at me.
“Why you here?” Anastasia said, snapping her hand to her hip.
Svetlana stepped a bit closer to me. “Dyson no want to see you.”
I narrowed my eyes at them and pointed.
“If he’s in there, I need to talk to him right away. I really don’t care why you’re here or what you’re doing. This is team business and doesn’t concern you.”
Although I tried to remain stone faced as I issued my threat, I felt sick. I hadn’t seen them around Dyson in weeks. Naïvely, I thought he’d moved on from them. But whether he had or not, I had no intention of letting either of them see me get emotional.
“Did you hear what I said?” I began, raising the volume of my voice. “Go get him now, or I’m coming in to do it myself.”
The girls glanced at one another for a moment. Svetlana turned and walked away without saying a word. Anastasia remained, looking down at her fingernails and flicking them.
“I’m counting to three, Anastasia. There won’t be a four.”
She scoffed at me. “Dyson no here.”
I frowned at her. “Where is he?”
“Out.”
I exhaled and closed my eyes, pinching my lids together in frustration. “Cut the shit. Tell me where he is right now.”
She still refused to make eye contact with me. After hesitating another second or two, Anastasia waved at me with a dismissive flick of her hand.
“Try bar.”
I could only assume she meant the bar where Dyson took care of Gene not long ago. I asked her about it, but whether she was just being difficult or she didn’t know, Anastasia wouldn’t give me a straight answer.
Frustrated, I turned away from her.
“If Dyson comes back, have him call me. It’s really important because…”
The door to the motor coach slammed shut before I could finish my sentence. Shaking my head at their stupid behavior, I thought back to the insult the Grid Girls hurled at me in Miami.
I turned towards the motor coach again.
“Cunts!”
DYSON
“So what the hell is going on with you, man?” Marco said.
I was in the middle of drinking my beer when he asked me the question. The carbonation caused me to burp.
“Hmm?” I grumbled, turning to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you wanted me to meet you here. I assume it’s because of the meeting you had with Dieter and Darren this morning.”
“How did you hear about that?”
Marco looked away from me. He fixed his gaze on a group of men playing pool about ten feet away from us, which happened to include Gunter and his stupid entourage of butt kissers.
I nudged Marco and spoke.
“Hey bro, I asked you a question. How did you hear about that meeting?”
Marco picked up his beer and took a healthy swig. He turned in my direction, frowning.
“How would I not hear about it, Dyson? We’re teammates.”
I shook my head, looking away from him and towards my beer. Lifting it to my mouth, I gestured in Gunter’s direction before I drank.
“Look at that idiot. I’m ten times the driver he is, and everyone knows it.”
Marco scoffed at me.
I placed my drink down on the bar. “You got something you want to say, Marco?”
He swallowed a gulp and looked in my direction. Running his tongue along his teeth with his mouth closed, he nodded.
“Yeah, actually Dyson, I do.”
I narrowed my eyes at him but didn’t speak.
Marco pointed in Gunter’s direction. “Do you want to know why he wins so much?”
“Sure, man. Tell me. I’m all ears.”
Marco wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“It’s real simple. The reason Gunter wins is because he has everything working like a well-oiled machine. No one questions your talent, Dyson. But winning at this level is not all about talent. You have to work hard, and you have to have a plan.”
I looked away from him, staring at Gunter once again.
“Man, that’s bullshit, I’m a hard worker, and you know it.”
Marco remained silent for a second before he slapped me on the back.
“I’m not saying you don’t work hard. What I’m saying is that as teammates, you and I shouldn’t be looking to blame Gunter for our failures. Instead, we should be trying to dissect what that team does well and apply it to what we’re doing, so we can beat them on a consistent basis.”
Part of what Marco said made sense. But, the truth was I’d been drinking most of the day, so I only half-listened. And right then I was in no mood to talk strategy. No sooner had Marco finished speaking than Gunter turned and looked at me.
“Do you have a problem, Dyson?” Gunter said, slapping his pool stick in the palm of his hand.
I stared at him without saying a word. Picking up my beer, I took a drink.
“Easy, Dyson,” Marco began, gesturing towards Gunter’s friends. “Don’t start anything in here. We’re outnumbered.”
Ignoring Marco, I raised my hand in Gunter’s direction and gave him the universal sign for go fuck yourself.
“Shit, man…” Marco said, slamming down the rest of his beer with two huge gulps.
Gunter headed straight towards us, his flunkies bringing up the rear. Like Marco, I pounded my drink. The bartender, noticing Gunter’s approach, spread his arms wide.
“Take it outside, guys.”
Ignoring him, I stood from my stool. Seconds later, Gunter closed on me, winding up in my face. Whether Marco was ready for it or not, this fight had been brewing between us for months.
Sometimes, you just have to settle things the old-fashioned way.
“You’ll never beat me, Dyson,” Gunter began, rolling up his sleeves. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s on the track or in here, right now. I’m better than you in every way. It’s about time you learned that once and for all.”
While he rambled, I took off my shirt.
“Dyson,” Marco began, making a sweeping gesture with his hand. “It’s ten versus two. There’s no way.”
I nodded at him and then turn towards Gunter.
“Just us, right? You promise you’ll k
eep your boys out of it?”
“Absolutely,” Gunter replied.
Before either Marco or I said another word, Gunter turned around towards all of them and muttered something in whatever language it was he spoke. Afterward, he looked at me again.
A crooked smile came to his mouth.
“Let’s do this,” I said, raising my fists in front of my face.
“Jesus,” I heard Marco mutter from behind me.
“What did I say?” The bartender began, increasing the volume of his voice. “Take. It. Outside.”
I turned to say something to him. But, before I uttered a single word, the unmistakable feel of bone against flesh invaded my awareness. Gunter took a cheap shot and coldcocked me. I staggered back, reaching up towards the site of the strike. My eyes watered and I blinked, trying to regain my focus on him. Before I could completely reorient myself, Gunter lowered his head and dove for my midsection.
I staggered back, banging into a cocktail table a few feet behind me. Momentum wasn’t on my side, and before I realized it, he’d pinned me beneath him and started to throw punches left and right.
I shielded my face from the strikes for a few seconds until I saw an opening. Taking it, I landed a single punch right to his jaw, sending him off of me and into a heap on the floor. I scrambled to my feet. Looking around, I noticed everyone crowded around us.
“Get up, let’s go,” I said, glaring down at him.
Gunter lunged for me again. But this time, I sidestepped him and dropped an elbow into the back of his neck. He yelled and hit the floor, sliding to a stop where he remained motionless. A couple of his boys went to try and help him, while the rest of them surrounded Marco and me.
I pointed at Gunter’s boys. “Back off mother fuckers! This is between us!”
Almost before I finished speaking, all eight of them jumped Marco and me. We did our best to hold them off, but it wasn’t long before I blacked out after a flurry of punches.
AVA
About an hour after I talked to Anastasia and Svetlana, I pulled up in front of the bar. After heading inside a couple of minutes later, I looked around and didn’t see any sign of Dyson.
Frustrated, I walked out through a side entrance to clear my head. Somehow I had to find Dyson and make him understand how close he was to being dismissed from the team. At the same time, I began to wonder if my own future with the team hinged on being able to pull that off.