by King Coopa J
The trucker was laughing to himself. He was giving the Hellcat hell. He flipped the barrel open and reached in the passenger seat to grab more shells. He loaded two more into Johnny and flipped it shut. “You boys ready to give up!” He started laughing like a crazy man. “Cause I’m not.” Just when he was about to stick Johnny out of the window. He noticed the man in the side view trying to make a move on him. He aimed the barrel.
“You got this Twenty.” He muttered to himself. The trucker stopped swerving and now he could maneuver a little better. He needed to unlock the door. The trucker had a double barrel sawed off shotgun. Between each shot, he was going to have to reload it. When he takes the next shot I’ll make my move, he thought. He can’t drive, reload and pay attention to me all at the same time.
Twenty got as close to the window as he could, trying not to get noticed. Did the trucker run out of shells? He was taking an awful amount of time. Twenty couldn’t wait any longer. Holding on to the truck was beginning to make his hands numb. Twenty made his move when the truck slowed down a bit. Bobby was doing a good job now. Maybe the trucker was giving up? Twenty put his hand on the open window. He maneuvered his body into position. He began to peek in the window to get a look at the trucker and the lock. Suddenly, he noticed the trucker and his sawed off shotgun. “Fuck!” Twenty ducked off right before he got his head blown off. He almost fell off the truck. He hanged off the truck with one hand.
Bobby noticed what happened through the rear view. “No!” He thought Twenty was going to fall off the truck. Bobby came up with a plan. He gunned the Hellcat far ahead of the eighteen-wheeler until it was out of view. Another truck was heading the opposite direction. “Perfect.” He passed the truck and then shifted into neutral performing an 180-degree spin. He shifted back into drive and caught up to the truck riding next to it.
The trucker tried to reload. He noticed the car was coming back and was in his lane riding next to another truck shielding both lanes. “You wanna play, boy?” The trucker gunned the big truck toward the car. Everybody was going to die if they collided. They were ten yards away. “Shit!” The trucker became scared of death and swerved off the road at the last minute. He came to an uncontrollable stop. The tailor on the truck fishtailed and was going to flip them if he didn’t stop. He smacked his head on the dashboard and blacked out.
Lifted
Eighteen Wheels
Bobbyheld on tight to the steering wheel zooming past the truck. He was holding his breath the entire time. He was relieved when the trucker decided to tap out at the last minute. Hitting an eighteen-wheeler head on wouldn’t look good at a funeral. He pushed the Hellcat to 180mph the last 100 yards. He would’ve exploded if he hit the truck. The plan worked and he was excited. He watched the big truck swerve off the road uncontrollably through his rear view. He came to a harsh stop. He put the car in reverse and drove for ten yards before performing another 180-degree spin heading back. He hoped Twenty was alright.
Twenty slowly picked himself off the ground. He dusted himself off. His body is in an extreme amount of pain. He felt like he wouldn’t survive. When the truck swerved off the road, he got slung off. The big truck trailer almost killed him. It fishtailed while passing over the top of him. The wheels were about to crush him. He rolled out of the way at the last second.
He pulled his 9 out and walked toward the truck. He jumped up on the door. The trucker was coming back around. Twenty unlocked the door immediately. He slung the door open. The trucker went for the shotgun. “Don’t try it.” Twenty aimed the 9 at the trucker’s head.
The trucker lowered his shotgun.
“C’mon and get out.”
The trucker slowly got out. “This is wrong. This is theft! You sons of bitches can’t get real jobs!” He said sternly.
Twenty got heated with the trucker. “I got one.” Then he slammed the trucker’s arm in the door.
“Ah.” The trucker groaned. He was holding his broken arm. “You sonofva-“
Twenty slapped him across the face with his gun. The trucker bent over holding his arm while spitting his teeth out. Twenty brought his elbow down on his back spine. The force of the shot was brutal. You could hear the trucker’s back pop. The trucker fell forward to the ground flat. “Watch ya mouth.”
Bobby skidded the Hellcat to a stop on the side of the road. He hopped out of the car and walked around to the front. He noticed Twenty standing over the trucker. He held his hands up to him. “You good, bro!”
Twenty turned to his attention. “Yeah, I’m good!” He hollered back.
Bobby jogged over to him. He looked down at the trucker. “What happened with him bro?”
“He got a foul mouth.” Twenty tucked the 9 back in his waistband.
Bobby smiled. “You know what my mother does to people with foul mouths?” Bobby asked the trucker. “She puts dirt in dirty mouths.” Bobby kicked dirt in the trucker’s face. “And you’re a horrible driver.”
Twenty smirked. “You’re a crazy mufucka Bobby, but I like you. You got some balls to do what you did.”
“Us brochunski’s, bro.” Bobby held his hand out for some dap. “Are crazy motherfuckers,”
Twenty smiled and pounded him up. “C’mon, let’s get the hell out of here. If we stay out here any longer.” Twenty said. He got in the eighteen-wheeler. “The sun will have you my color.” He joked shutting the door.
Bobby smiled and turned his attention to the trucker. “Sorry bro, we have to go. Thanks for the truck.” Then he jogged back to his car.
Twenty sounded the horn to the big truck twice before he pulled off.
The trucker watched his truck pull away from the ground. Dust covered him as it got going.
Bobby pulled in front of the truck to lead the way back to the garage. Twenty handled the truck well for an hour and a half drive back.
They didn’t make any stops. Bobby pulled into the garage followed by Twenty. He pulled the truck around back to hide it from public view. It would be much harder to identify and they could work on the doors in private.
Tech saw the enormous truck pull in. He came out and
guided Twenty to the back. “Nice truck,” Tech hollered as Twenty stuck his head out the window.
“Yeah,” Twenty hollered. “Got her with a zero down payment.”
Lifted
Jimmy Neutron
Jeffand Paula came from the back of the garage to meet Twenty, Tech and Bobby. Paula noticed Twenty had some cuts and bruises when he jumped down from the truck. She walked up to him. “What happened out there?” She asked concerned.
“Where should I start?” Twenty said with sarcasm. “I was hanging from an eighteen-wheeler at full speed. I got my head almost blown off. I just about collided with another eighteen-wheeler head on while hanging on the truck. I got slung from the truck when it spun out of control. Oh, the trailer nearly smashed me to death. I somehow manage to roll to safety while it passed over me.” He held the bottom of his chin like it was hard for him to think. “Yeah, that’s about it.”
Everyone was looking at Twenty shocked except Bobby. That’s because he was a part of the entire thing. Bobby patted him on the shoulder. “Twenty is tough as nails, bro.”
Tech thought about all that action that took place and wished he could’ve been there to witness it. Twenty was amazing to him. Women love daring men. He figured that’s why women were so attracted to him. He was a risk taker. “And you’re still alive?” Tech asked excitedly. “That’s unbelievable. Man, I missed it.”
“Looks like you still know what you’re doing?” Jeff asked. He was looking at the big truck.
“Bobby here made it happen,” Twenty said. “I would’ve got killed if it wasn’t for him trying to kill everyone.” He joked. He walked to the back of the truck. “I wonder what’s in this thing. That trucker put up a damn good fight.”
“Maybe some drugs,” Tech caught up to him. “Cartel’s love transporting them in big trucks.”
“He’s got a
point,” Jeff said. He walked behind the truck with them.
Twenty unlocked the back doors. He opened them one at a time. They all stood there looking in the back of the trailer. There were a large number of boxes. Twenty hopped in.
“Drugs,” Tech was looking at all the brown boxes.
Twenty looked the boxes over. “I need a knife?” he asked them.
“Right here bro.” Bobby handed Twenty his pocket knife.
Twenty grabbed the knife. “Right on.” He began to slice the first box open. He unfolded the flap. He looked inside. “Computers.” He slit open another box. “Another computer. This truck was heading from a computer warehouse. Let’s unload the truck and see how many we got. Tech, hop up here with me and help pass the boxes off. Build some of those muscles with your skinny ass.” He joked.
“A man,” Tech responded hopping in the truck. “I don’t need muscles. I got geek swag.”
“Here you go with your geek swag.” Twenty dropped a heavy box in Tech arms. The box was heavy enough to make him collapse under it. Everyone thought it was funny.
“Work them sexy muscles Tech.” Paula joked laughing at him.
“You got it bro.” Bobby cheered him on.
“You’ll have big muscles in no time,” Jeff said helping him with the first box.
Twenty worked Tech to death. By the time they were finished. Tech was ready to fall out. It took them an hour to unload the truck. They went through each box as it passed. Paula took a count. There were eighty-five boxes all containing expensive computers and hardware. They had at least $100,000 worth of stuff. They stacked all the boxes in the garage.
Tech muscles were pounding. He walked weakly up the stairs. “Hot shower, then an hour worth of sleep. I’ll work on the truck after I get up.”
“What do you want to do with all these computers?” Jeff asked.
“I have no idea.” Twenty responded. He didn’t plan on having the hardware. He just wanted the truck.
“We could sell them bro,” Bobby suggested.
“You know someone?” Paula asked.
“Yeah,” Bobby replied. “I’ll have them gone by tomorrow.”
They all chilled out for a moment to recuperate. They talked about the upcoming job. Twenty remembered that Bobby had a partner. If Bobby was this good, his partner would be too. “I thought you had a partner or brother that worked with you?” he asked.
“Jimmy!” Bobby checked the time. “Yeah, I do. Jimmy’s his name. I’m late picking him up. I’ll bring him back. He’s going to be pissed, bro.”
***
Twenty and Jeff were giving Tech a big hand with the truck. They already had the trailer doors off. Tech was building the hydraulic lift on them. He was welding a ramp to the doors that automatically fold out when they opened and then back again when they closed. The unique system is going to be controlled by a button he’s going to insert in the front dash.
Paula had hot dogs, hamburgers and steaks on the grill while they worked. She thought it was a nice day out for a barbecue. She thought, at the least she could do is feed them while they were hard at work. “The hot dogs are ready.” She told them excitedly. Paula was happy everyone was back together again. She wished her daughter was home but was strong and confident that they would get her back. She loved the idea of the Lifters were working again. Even through the harsh time. She rather her life to be exciting then to be a boring housewife. Twenty made her feel strong again.
Tech placed the power drill on the ground. “Let me try one.” Tech stomach was beginning to growl. He thought he could use a bite to eat.
“I’ll take two,” Jeff said. He put down the welder and flipped up the helmet’s shield.
Twenty really didn’t care for hot dogs. He wanted to work until the steaks were done. They were making good progress with the lift and he didn’t want to slow down. The job had to be finished by tonight. The week was counting down on them.
“You want one Twenty?” Paula called from the grill.
“Nah, I’m good.” He said connecting the hydraulic pump to the lift. “I’m waiting on one of your nasty steaks.” he joked.
Tech laughed with a mouth full. He tried to reach for another hotdog. Paula slapped his hand with a spatula. “Uh.” He mumbled.
“No more for you since you think it’s funny,” Paula said while pointing the spatula at him.
Tech started rubbing his hand while walking away.
Twenty was shaking his head from side to side. He noticed Bobby’s car pulling around back. He stood up waiting to greet him and his brother Jimmy Neutron. He tried to look through the windows. Bobby windows were tinted black and it was hard for him to tell what his brother looked like. “He’s back,” he was looking in Bobby’s direction.
Jeff turned around in the car’s direction. He was having a good time with two hot dogs in his hands. “Bobby,” he called coolly.
Paula turned her attention away from the grill and stood next to Jeff. She was feeling good about the situation. A new member would make the odds better for them to get the job done. Most of all, help the odds of getting her daughter back. The Lifters were expanding and she loved it. “Hope he is as good as Bobby say he is.” She muttered to Jeff.
“Don’t worry.” Jeff said “If he’s working with Bobby and if Bobby is the best while Twenty was away. He will be.” He stuffed a hot dog in his mouth waiting for Bobby and his brother to emerge from the Hellcat.
Tech figured this was the best time to make his move. He crept behind Paula nonchalantly and stole himself one of her delicious hot dogs. He grabbed a bun while muttering to himself. “Little bit of barbecue sauce and I’m good. This black man gotta eat.”
Bobby emerged from the wet painted Hellcat after parking it backward with an angle of the wheels. “Bro’s.” he greeted them. He shut the door. The passenger door swung open and a kid emerged. “I want you to meet my little bro, Jimmy Neutron.”
Twenty looked at the kid. He looked about thirteen. He was confused and he noticed that the others were confused too. Twenty was blown. All that talk David told him about Bobby and his brother Jimmy Neutron. They were supposed to be the best around. This had to be some kind of joke or mistake. Is this high school kid lifting cars? He probably doesn’t know what a driver’s license is.
Bobby and Jimmy Neutron walked over to Twenty. Bobby spoke. “Jimmy, I want you to meet the man. This is Twenty, he’s the best, bro.”
Lifted
Wonder Boy
“Ok,” Jeff walked over to greet them. “This is our new partner?”
“Yeah, bro.” Bobby spoke up.
“Twenty don’t tell me you are going to allow a kid to lift cars with us?” Jeff asked.
“I agree with Jeff,” Tech said walking over. “He’s just a boy.”
Paula was shocked and didn’t know what to say about the situation. Bobby’s partner was a boy. What is going on with this kid, she wondered. She remembered Twenty lifting her dad’s car around this age but this kid looked more like a schoolboy, not a Lifter. She shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve seen it all,” she muttered to herself and went back to grilling. Let them figure it out, she thought.
“Um… Bobby,” Twenty was looking for the right words. “You didn’t tell me your partner was a kid. The guys are right. We can’t have a boy lifting cars with us. It’s way too dangerous.”
“Bro, I’m going to be in the car,” Jimmy told Bobby. “I told you they weren’t going to like me,” he ran back to the car upset and got in.
“Oh man, see bro.” Bobby said frustrated. “You guys pissed him off.”
“Well good, because like Twenty said.” Jeff crossed his arms. “It is too dangerous for him to be working with us.”
“He can hang out for the barbecue,” Twenty told Bobby. “But after that. We got business to handle. We still have to finish the lift for the truck and plan the lifts for tomorrow.”
“Not to mention,” Tech added. “I still have to figure out the security codes to
the dealerships and the locations for the privately owned vehicles.”
“Bro,” Bobby laughed. They looked at him confused. “That’s not going to be a problem. My brother doesn’t lift cars. The smartest computer hacker in the world just went to the car pissed.”
“Your brother is a genius?” Tech sounded like he was interested. Computer hackers did start out young, he did.
“Not just a genius.” Bobby praised his brother. “The genius of all geniuses. He’s a real life wonder boy. How do you think I became the best?”
Tech basically took over the conversation with Bobby while Twenty and Jeff listened. “Tell me, what can he do to help us?”
“Anything that involves a computer.” Bobby elaborated. “Those security codes, every vehicles on the list he can get detail on. Even the concepts you’re having trouble with. He can get you a car’s tire size five years before the vehicle is assembled. That’s how brilliant he is bro. He’ll download everything on your computer before it’s time for him to go to bed for school tomorrow. That’s how fast he is, bro. You’re only going to need him one day, that’s it.”
“Genius,” Tech muttered. “I’m going to give this kid a chance.” He said walking over to the Hellcat. Tech wanted to see what this kid was about. With or without Twenty’s approval. If this kid is that good. Janet will be on her way home. Jimmy Neutron could make their jobs easier. Tech tapped on the passenger side window. “Jimmy.”
“Tech made his mind up,” Twenty said watching him.
“A wonder boy, huh?” Jeff asked. “Can’t wait.”
“Twenty,” Bobby said seriously. “He’ll work out bro.”
“I’m going to give him a chance. We’ll see.” Twenty said. He turned his attention to the hydraulic pump. “One day won’t hurt anybody.”
Tech convinced Jimmy to get out. They talked for a minute. Tech took him in the garage to get straight to work. He showed him the list and everything they needed. Jimmy went right to work. Tech came back and helped complete the hydrologic lift. They finished around ten at night.