Life Of Crime

Tanya

I should've known she'd pull the drift card. That was her strongsuit, but it was my weakest area.

A smirk tugged the corner of my mouth up. "Challenging. You still know how to push me into a corner, Curry." She nearly giggled at the use of that old nickname. The name stuck due to Kurokawa's name and Asian background. "Fine, I'll trade Marko drag for drift. You do know when the race starts, right?"

She glared at Tanya. Curry my a*s. She thought to herself. After baring her teeth in a wicked grin, she replied to Tanya.


"No, I don't know the exact time, but I think even if I was late I could catch up." She knew it would annoy Tawny, the bragging, so she just taunted with it a little bit. No matter when the time, she would be there.


"Let me inform my men and we'll be there, Tawny."
(sorry so short)

Tanya

My eye twitched as Curry walked away. The fake smile I held inplace fell to a glare and I turned on my toe and stalked toward the car. I knew i had struck a nerve with the Curry thing, but she had to gloat. Gawd, I hated that! And the worst part was, she probably could catch up!

I got into the car roughly and threw it into drive before stomping the gas.

"What's wrong. Did she say no?" Maria asked, unscathed by the fact that we were flying down the street at 90 mph.

"She said yes." I grumbled.

"What's the problem, then?" Tony asked.

"She bragged, didn't she?" Maria was on the verge of laughing. I gripped the steering wheel harder and pushed the viper to 95 mph.

"I have work to do before we get to the race." I said, glaring out the windshield.

((I'll post a little more in a bit...))

Tiny

Tiny walked through the back door and into the small were house office. There were three big Cobra's. Their tattoos ran all the way down their arms and a puddle of blood sat under the Cobra's fangs, a drop of blood for every person they killed.

"Whose he?" One asked pointing at Caleb.

"A friend," She replied sitting in the chair. She was half the size if not smaller then these men, but they respected her. "DId you hear about Antonio?"

"Yes, sorry we couldn't make it to the funeral, we were...busy." One replied,

"Wheres Kevin?" Another asked looking around, "And Bently?"

"Bently uprooted and left, with permission." Killer said, Tiny nodded he was telling her she had to tell them about Kevin. These were his 'adopted' brothers. The men that kept the Cobras in line and picked the leaders. She was having to tell them she was now in charge.

"Kevin was stabbed at the funeral, in the back, he didn't live." She said looking at the head of the three. All three of them nearly jumped out of their chairs. She could see their muscles tensing as they squeezed the arm rest nearly off their chairs.

"Who?" One of them asked, his name was Pike.

"We think Kadikoy, but it looked like a bloned girl. They don't do blonde." Tiny said,

"Why?" Crookes, the head asked.

"Your guess is as good as ours." Tiny replied, now was the time to only answer questions, Kevin had taught her how to deal with these men.

"Did you chase the girl?" Zack, the youngest, asked.

"Some of the men did, I took her to the car and locked her in it." Killer said, Crookes nodded his aprovail.

"Did you catch her?" Zach asked,

"No, she dumped the car at a junk yard and took off in something else, we didn't see it." Tiny replied,

"You'll find her, sounds like an old Kadikoy trick, but not the bloned hair or killing at a grave yard. Could've been a rushed attack and a disquise, but you can't know for a fact." Pike said, "So, your encharge, what do you do now?"

"Look for the killers of Antonio and Kevin," She paused, they wanted something else she knew it, she couldn't run the gang for her own interests. "And to make sure the gang is safe."

"Good, Kevin taught you well." Crookes stood up. "Now for why we called you here." He glanced at Caleb.

"How well can you trust him, I know Killer, he'll die with anything." Pike said looking also at Caleb.

"Antonio did, I know I can." She replied,

"How much did Antonio trust him with?" Crookes asked,

"My name." She replied flatly, Crookes nodded not even they knew it.

"Alright, we have some business for you." He started, "We have the Darks, but you know for a fact that they aren't always the toughest on the streets, they are great allies I must add. But, we want information from inside the Kadikoys, we need someone in there. Someone who wont get caught, a girl is always good, NOT YOU." He inficized. "But someone no one knows but can latch on to someone in that gang that lets say, will trust a girl a little to much."

Kurokawa stood and headed back inside the club, Chad and Jason following close behind. She nodded to the bouncer, and he nodded back; she was always welcome. After she got inside, she headed to the stairs. Throwing her hand in the air, she waved her men up to the party room.


She stood just inside the door and watched every single person that stepped inside and took a seat, making sure only Kadikoys entered the room. Chad stood on the other side of the door, counting heads, she guessed, looking stern and cold. He always got that way when they had their meetings, which was a good thing. After everyone was inside, she closed the door and headed over to her big red recliner, this time only sitting down.


"Alright. I know this was sudden, but I need to update you." She waved Chad over to her side and turned her cell phone off.


"Just a minute ago the leader of the Darks approached me...Tanya. I want to let you guys know I will be racing tonight, drifting, actually, against the Darks and a few others." The crowd sat in awe for a moment, a little confused. One man spoke up.


"Aren't the Darks the best racers in town?" He said, a little worried, as if concerned about Kurokawa.


Kurokawa grinned, "They may be the best racers...but I'm the best drifter." Both Chad and Jason turned towards her and smiled, they had been with her throughout her racing days, too. The crowd of Kadikoys grunted in approval, some laughing; this seemed to be a habit for them.


"If any of you want to go and watch, you will not under any circumstance attack any other gang members, or threaten them," they booed her, "UNLESS they start something with you, first, of course. Chad and Jason will be with me, so none of you will have to worry about me. I need to go get my car out and warm it up, then I'll be leaving.Oh, and do not speak of the killing at the graveyard. Have fun." Kurokawa got up and left, her two faithful friends following behind her.

Caleb

I shook my head roughly and the Cobras turned to me, surprised that I was involving myself in their discussion. To be honest, I was equally surprised but I'm a confident man and I didn't want them trying a plan that wouldn't work.

"You trust all the people with your cobra tattoo, don't you?" I asked smoothly.

"Only them," One of the three unknown cobras stated in a voice thick with disaproval.

"I thought so. You think the kadikoys wont check them for a tattoo?" I demanded. Tiny turned to me as if she had not seen me before but then she gave a short nod of approval as did Killer.

"I didn't think of that," The owner of the plan admitted.

"But who can we use?" Another of the three wondered.

"Him," The third replied. "That's what you're hinting at is it not stranger?"

"But doesn't he have a gang?" Someone else retorted. I slowly rolled the sleeve of my shirt back.

"I removed it a long time back. For all they know I'm an ex cobra. Hell, for all you know I'm an ex Kadikoy," I began to chuckle and allowed the sleeve to fall back down. "The thing is, I don't belong to a gang but I'd like to help. For reasons of my own."

Tiny

Tiny looked at Caleb then back at Crookes. It wasn't a bad idea, but it would still be dangerous.

"Antonio wouldn't have trusted an ex-kadikoy." Pike said frowning, Tiny quickly thought of a way to change the subject.

"What do you think, Tiny?" Zach asked her,

"If he wants to do it why not." She replied, part of her didn't want him to though. He could get killed, and he was one of the only people that had known her brother well. Zach looked at her suspiscously.

"Lets us think on this." Crookes started, he then smiled and walked over to Tiny. "We'll let you know when we've made the discision." He shook her hand and then the other two's. "Killer, take care of this girl, she's a big asset right now." Crookes smiled at the big man.

Killer nodded and led Tiny out of the room Caleb following. They got in the car and drove away.

"You know what you just said you would do, right?" Tiny asked Caleb.

"Yup," He replied,

"If they let you, you wouldn't mind telling me who killed Antonio and Kevin if you find out would you?" She asked quietly looking out the window.

Althea walked out of the DJ booth, fixing her skirt so it was back to its normal knee length. Ruffling her hair, she smiled wickedly. It was time to kill and take names later.

She walked down the steel steps, the clinking sound echoing under the beat of the music She took the switchbland from her knee sock and flipped it open. The blood in her veins was pulsing and sweat began to drip from her forehead. She took one more step down the stairs-

"Hey, watch it!" She growled. She whipped around, getting ready to plunge her knife into the stomach of her bumpee.

"Sorry," came a low grumble.

Althea fixed her eyes on the person next to her. It was Ronny. Her voice went cold.

"So good to see you, Ronny." Althea said, moving her switch blade from her left back to her right hand. "Planning on helping us out anytime soon? Or were you just going to play nice with Kurokawa all night?"

Caleb

"I'll see what I can do," I replied as I stared out of the window. This wasn't quite what I'd had in mind that day, all those weeks ago, when I last spoke with Antonio. It had to be done though. There was no escaping that.

"I have to go somewhere," I did not look at Tiny as I spoke but she motioned to Killer and the car slowed.

"Here okay? And how do I contact you?"

"Here's fine. And I have someone watching your grave sight. A red haired woman with a sunburst tattoo..."

"The Sunburst gang? I thought they were wiped out," Tiny remarked.

"All except her. I'll see you later Tiny." I got out of the car and hurried through the streets. I didn't really have anywhere in particular to go but it wouldn't hurt to check on some of my connections. Living on the streets without a gang isn't easy unless you know the right people.
_____________________________________________

Tylar

"Watch the Kadikoys? Are you sure that's what Lance said?" Pyro repeated as we leaned against the side of the building.

"I'm sure," I replied. "And Kurokawa in particular."

"Wouldn't it be easier to..." I squeezed his arm firmly as a beautiful woman stepped out of the club, followed closely by two other kadikoys. Her hips swayed as she moved and her dark hair was particularly stunning.

"That's her," I whispered. In silence, we followed after her and when she climbed into her car, we hotwired the one beside it and followed at a discreet distance.

"What the f*** do you think you're doing?"

"I don't know. What am I doing?"

Ronny looked at Althea for a few seconds before saying, "I...I think you are doing everything wrong, Althea. Where do you think you are going with that knife?"

"Are you that stupid?"

She continued up the steps, Ronny fowllowing her. "Stop it! You have nobody to kill, nobody. You wouldn't kill someone who did nothing to you!"

"Oh yeah?" Then she leaped towards him and placed the edge of the blade on the fabric of his shirt, near his stomach. "Watch me."

She turned around and darted upstairs. Ronny sat down on the stairway and looked down at the mark on his skin, a soft scarlet feeling moving inside his body.

What was she going to do?

And what about Kurokawa? He needed to save both of them. He could feel it boiling in his blood: someone he knew is going to die. Suspect: Kurokawa and Althea.

He stood up and walked to the club.

Kurokawa got into her car, Jason climbing into the back; the older brother always got the front seat. She backed out from behind the club and took off down the street, not caring whose way she got in. She was heading to the race, and she knew a few other Kadikoys would be joining her.


"We're being followed." Jason said bluntly, eyes to the rear view mirror. It wouldn't be wise to turn around and look behind them, for their followers would know they knew.


"Who is it? Can you tell?" Kurokawa asked, the question directed at either one of them.


"I don't know, but we're only going to a race." Jason answered the question.


"Yeah, I'm not worried about it right now." The worst thing that could happen would be they would wire a bomb to her car when she wasn't paying attention, but they would have done that already. Besides, who does that anymore?


They turned into a less populated region of town, which seemed more suitable for gangs, but was where the street racing took place. Suddenly the street was overloaded with low riders and souped up street racers. She pulled her car over next to an old friend, Jamey, and his 83 Thunderbird. The three of them stepped out, and Jamey looked at Kurokawa wide-eyed, stunned.


"Kurokawa?!" He gasped. He mouth hung open, and the girls leaning on the side of him rolled their eyes, flaunting away as he came over to her.
"What are you doing here? You still have your Z?! You plan on racing??"


Chad and Jason stepped in front of her as Jamey came forward, but Kurokawa held out her hand to stop them.


"No, I'll be drifting....Against Tanya." Her grin was wicked and devilish, as Jamey's mouth dropped to the floor again. It had been around two years or so since she last drifted.


"Girl, you're crazy, but you got guts." He sat on the front of his car, and Kurokawa sat next to him.


"Yup. Chad, Jason, keep an eye out on my car, k?" They nodded, Chad sitting on the trunk, Jason on the hood of Kurokawa's Datsun. Chad could handle himself better.

Tiny

Tiny climbed up to the front seat and Killer screached away.

"What do you really think about him going undercover?" Killer asked her,

"I don't want him to get killed." She replied flatly. Killer chuckled,

"Antonio trusted him, so you do too, he is lucky. It usually takes a guy close to a year to get that kind of trust out of you. And sometimes it isn't always real." He said, she sighed,

"Antonio trusted him with my name. No one else knows it." She looked out the window. "Why shouldn't I trust him?"

"That is a good point, Crookes seemed happy with how you held yourself tonight." He said pulling up to the apartment.

"It wasn't easy." She said quietly. They made thier way to teh apartment and Tiny clutched the bag. She quickly walked to her room and spread the contents of it out on the bed. Their was a notebook, she opened it up and saw that all the entrys were written like letters to her. The first one read:

"Riley,
Hey, so if you are reading this Killer followed through with what he promised to do. I've started writing these down as a set of thoughts that I would want you to read incase I died. More then likely you are now the leader of the Cobras, you'll do good. Don't doubt yourself. Don't trust Yuro, I dont' know if someone has already warned you but he is power hungry. Killer you can trust with your life but don't trust many others. Antonio is always the person to turn to, of course you know that he is your kin.
The Darks will always be our allies if you play the right cards and keep from angrying the wrong people. They are a good gang, not as street savy most of the time like us because of their rich families but that just makes them the more valuble. Sense I am probably dead I want you to take care of any unfinished buisness I have left behind, which hopefully isn't anything.
I don't want you to get stuck on me, I want you to move on. Find someone you can trust, and maybe move on to more of a relationship with."


"Tiny, we got to go." Killer called interupting her reading.

"Why?" She called,

"LETS GO NOW!" He said barging into her room. He picked her up and she frantically grabbed the bag and the note book as he grabbed the puppy and carried her outside. He put her in the car locking it. She saw him run back into the apartment and emerge with two suit cases. That was when she noticed the fire burning on the back side of the apartment. She could hear sirens coming there way but she knew they wouldn't be able to save the back side of the house. She gasped, Kevin's things. She tried to unlock the doors but they wouldn't budge. His room was in the front of the apartment, maybe just maybe the fire wouldnt' reach it. Killer jumped in and tossed the bags in the back.

"How'd it catch fire?" She asked,

"Sabatoge, I flipped on the lights to the porch and there was a spark, then I saw a stream of gasoline running up the wall. I grabbed a few things I thought you would want, nothing else will be able to be saved." He said gently driving away from the building. "It doesn't look like anything a real gang would do. Probably some random thing."

Tylar

"A race? How much harm can that bring?" Pyro wondered as we parked the car and watched Kurokawa from a safe distance.

"I don't know. It could start or break an alliance I suppose," I replied.

"How so?" Pyro asked. He was relatively new to the streets but I often forgot how much there was he didn't know; he was a very fast learner.

"Well if she races a gang with neutral relationships and wins, her prize could be an alliance. Or, if it were the darks, they might promise not to defend the cobras."

"Oh. That wouldn't be good," Pyro admitted. "Do we sabotage her car?"

"Perhaps," I replied. "But let's find out what the prize is first."

Tanya

I approached Jamey's car. He was sitting with Kurokawa, but that didn't bother me. Maria and Tony flanked me like body guards. The rest of the Dark race team and pit crew were watching the cars.

"You made it." I said with a smile. "Where's your car?" She pointed at a Datsun parked across the street.

"What about you? I don't see your Skyline." She said, looking around casually.

"The Slithers totalled it last year so I had to get a new ride. It's over with the rest of the team getting a check-up."

To be race rivals, we were talking like we were still friends. We had even relaxed a little, but Jamey, Tony, and Maria were still a little rigid.

Althea hurried up the steps. Ronny wasn't strong right now, but at least she knew where he stood and what he was thinking. I'm going to show Ronny what being an Eagle means now that I'm in charge.

Althea pushed open the DJ booth door and quickly walked up behind Justin. Justin turned around with a confused smile on his face. "You back for more?"

Althea rolled her eyes. "I should be the one asking you that. Anyways, I need you to forget about watching Ronny."

"What? But why?"

Althea put her free hand on her hip. "Because I'm going to be watching Ronny tonight."

Justin laughed. "Really? How so?"

"He's going to help me kill."

Justin froze. He wasn't used to seeing this side of Althea. In fact, he was pretty sure he had never seen this side of Althea.

"Woah, wait a minute Althea. Are you seriously thinking about killing someone."

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Althea flashed her switchblade to Justin.

Justin stared from Althea to the switchblade and back. "Thi-think about this Althea. Don't rush into anything."

"I'm not rushing into anything Justin. I'm trying to make a point."

Justin shook his head. "I don't think you need to make that kind of point Althea."

"Listen. Since I gave you something in exchange for a favor you aren't even going to be doing, I have something else I need from you."

Justin took a step back from Althea. "I'm not killing anyone for you Althea if that's what you mean."

Althea's eyes went cold. "I wouldn't ask someone so weak to do something like that for me. What I was going to ask you was if you knew where the other gangs were heading tonight."

Justin looked around the room, his eyes moving rapidly from one thing to another. He stumbled on his words. "I-I, I think that- I think they are going to race-I think maybe-I'm not sure-"

"Will it be tonight?"

"From what I heard, at least, I think they are."

Althea walked over to Justin and kissed him hard. "Thanks a bunch love."

She turned and walked out of the booth and cluncked her way down the stairs to Ronny.

"Get up."

Ronny turned and looked up at her. "What?"

Althea grabbed Ronny by the arm and pull him up from the stairs. "Get up, I said. We've got some work to do."

Ronny looked nervous and upset. "What kind of work?"

Althea looked Ronny hard in the eyes. "I think you're getting confused as to which gang you belong in, Ronny. I have been thinking about taking that eagle right from your back. But then I thought about it. I like you Ronny, and so does the rest of our gang. I want to keep you here, but I can't do that if you are being distracted by... well, other things. Right now, you are going to have to prove to me that you really are an Eagle."

Ronny wriggled out of Althea's grip. "And how am I supposed to do that?"

"There is supposed to be a race tonight and several other gangs will be there. We need to prove ourselves on the streets, and we've been given the perfect oppertunity to do it. Now Brian and the rest of the gang are sitting outside waiting for me to scream bloody murder so they can come in and save the freaking day. But they aren't going to do that. No, you are going to come with me to that race and we are going to shed some blood. For our gang. People don't fear us, but they need to. They will after tonight."

With that, Althea grabbed Ronny's wrist and lead him out to her car.