New England Run

Tales of the Interstate

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Redline Fox
Crazy Vulpine
Posts: 466
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2003 5:56 pm
Location: Silent Hill

Post by Redline Fox »

Chapter IX When Revenge Comes Knocking.

My shoulder had become numb. Driving was getting difficult as I slowly lost
more blood from the gun shot wound. The press that I had applied could only stop so
much of the blood flow. I was trying to make my way back to the safe house, where I
hoped to find some medical assistance from Cole or even Marlow. I doubted that Marlow
was interested in loosing his ?investment?. The night was oppressive and cold, as the
Palomino limped along through the darkness. The rain had managed to douse the flames
that had clung to its body work; now just a intermittent drizzle fell as I struggled to stay
awake.

The amount of time that it took for me to finally find the road that led up to the
safe house I can not recall. The Palomino was basically driving itself as it rolled past the
picket fencing, pulled into the two furrows that comprised the driveway, then grinded to a
halt. The V-8 sputtered knocked and pinged, then fell silent. The headlight dimmed, as
did the interior lights, then winked out. With that Iron Heart died again. With caution not
to aggravate my injury I took my Mary necklace off the rear-view mirror then pulled
myself out of the driver?s seat. Barely able to make out the old run down building, I made
my way to the door which was unlocked. Silence permeated the place as I stepped inside,
nothing could be heard but the occasional sound of larger rain drops hitting the roof.

?Hello!?? I called.

Nothing answered back. Marlow and Cole where gone. Skipped town and left me
as far as I knew. Grunting with pain I switched on a reading light then found my way into
the bathroom where I cleaned the wound with some hydrogen peroxide that was in the
medicine cabinet. I had to bite my lip as I dabbed a washcloth on it. Some good gauze
was also in the cabinet, which made a effective bandaged that stopped the flow of blood
from continuing at a rapid pace. Taking a small paper cup from on top of the sink, I drank
some water then threw the cup away carelessly. My shoulder was still feeling numb,
fatigue was making me dizzy.

I went into the living room, laid down on the old ragged sofa, then passed out. I
started dreaming. Dreaming about all that I had seen, heard, smelled, tasted, felt in my life
as a Vigilante. The battle cry of roaring engines, a sound invoking beauty and terror, iron
chariots rushing to do battle. Tires tearing into the soft earth. The smell of high octane
fossil fuels being burned with wanton abandonment. Metallic beasts screaming in pain as
bullets rip there flowing bodies to shreds. Screams of creepers dying in fiery wrecks.
Horns blaring, dead bodies slumped over the steering wheel. Great triumphs achieved
through sheer will and passion of life. Friends dying, their voices echoing into the pages
of eternity?s history book.

?Redline.....Redline.......Redline.....? The voices echoed again and again. ?Join us
Redline.....Redline......Peace.....join us....Redline....Redline.....Peace.....?

?No.....no..? I responded weakly.

?Redline.....Peace.....Redline.......Redline......Peace!?

?NO!!? I screamed.
Redline Fox
Crazy Vulpine
Posts: 466
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2003 5:56 pm
Location: Silent Hill

Post by Redline Fox »

I awoke in a panic, not sure if I had screamed out loud or just in my mind. The pain in my
shoulder brought me back to my senses. Breathing heavily I laid back down. Dawn was
well underway, sunlight penetrated through the windows, miniature beams shining
brightly on the floor. Placing my hand on my shoulder I sat up straight, then got up
before I had time to think about going back to sleep. Blood stained the couch where I had
been laying. Swallowing hard, I got myself some water. My stomach did not feel right.

The only thing on my mind now was getting out of New England. Stumbling out
the front door, I grabbed one of the porch?s support pillars to keep myself up right.
Taking a moment to get it together and focus I remembered my Piranha was in the barn. It
took some effort to get the huge doors open, but there she was just how I left her. Placing
both my hands on her hood, I moved them back and forth in a caressing motion. A drop
of blood dripped from me, splattering on the paint.

?It really is blood red.....? I thought with a weary laugh.

I felt under the driver?s side door and disarmed the security measure. Marlow had
headed my warning to leave the ?Ranha alone. I walked around her doing a once over,
pulling on the weapon pods, making sure everything was secure. Completing the circle I
opened the door and slid into her comforting embrace. I placed the Mary necklace back
on the mirror, then dug the keys out of my pocket. Gently I turned the ignition. When she
purred to life, fresh energy flowed through me.

?Alright baby.....lets get out of here.? I whispered.

The ?Ranha eagerly pulled out of the barn. We rounded the house, ready to go
home, but like always the universe decided to play its games with me. Sitting in the road
blocking my way was the Daisan of Miss Sixx, the Clydesdale of Nick Knack, and the
Aaron-Marvin BD-5 of Iron Duke.

Miss Sixx?s voice came over the CB, ?Redline Fox...suga. Best get out of your car.
We?ve got you locked up in our sights here....so don?t argue.?

I didn?t argue, I had no choice. I stepped out slowly with my hands up. As I did,
Iron Duke stepped out of his car and walked up to me. He went for something in his coat.
I expected a gun, but instead he produced two photographs which he shoved in my face.

?This is you! And THAT car! You killed Alex! You killed my son you bloody bastard.
YOU MOTHERFUCKING BASTARD!!? He slapped me across the face. His eyes where
full of malice and bitter hatred.

Marlow had set me up, it was obvious. Why, I didn?t know, but he had done a
good job of it. My thoughts where cut short. He slapped me again, already too weak to
barely stand, I fell on one knee.

Bending over to look me in the face he said, ?I challenge you to a duel. And you WILL
fight me, and I WILL kill you.? He stood straight, then spat on me before going back to
his car.

With effort, I got myself to my feet and back into my car. While I did so, Miss
Sixx and Nick Knack backed off out of the way. If I managed to kill Iron Duke I would
have to try and make a break for it, cause I doubted that his son would let me go alive. Of
course Sixx was on the payroll so I expected the same from her. Even in my injured state
I had to remain cool. I looked over my enemy?s car carefully. The Aaron-Marvin was a
British racing green. It carried two of the newer .57 caliber machine guns, one on its roof
and one firing through the grillwork. Also on the roof was a light mortar. I had to assume
the car had some type of dropper.

The Aaron-Marvin lurched forward letting loose with everything it had. Mortar
shells exploded around me, bullets rittiled into my Piranha. I put my car in gear and
headed straight at him. Returning fire with my 7.62mm and rockets. We barreled at one
another neither giving way, both cars taking damage from the other. Right before we
collided, he turned hard left. Silver discs flew out from behind his car; mines. Pressing
hard on the brakes and spinning the wheel to the right, I slammed through the picket
fence onto the house?s over grown lawn. I fired off rockets from my rear pod, scoring a
hit that sent Duke?s car spinning. Pulling a 180 on the slippery grass, I tired to line him up
with a shot. But mortars started falling around me in all directions as Duke fired
chaotically.

?I WILL KILL HIM!!? Iron Duke yelled at the top of his lungs over the CB.

A mortar landed in my trunk, hitting with such force the front of the ?Ranha was
lifted violently of the ground, then slammed back down as the rear bounced. Duke
slapped the rear end of his car into a tree but regained marginal control, enough to line my
driver?s door up in his sights. With the rear end of my car caved in, threatening to lock up
the drive axle, all I could do was slowly lose momentum. I couldn?t maneuver, so I
couldn?t bring my guns to bare. Duke snarled at me then pressed the button to fire his
mortar.

Instead of a deadly projectile arching into the sky to smash down on me, the
clicking sound of the firing mechanism was heard. He tried to fire his .57s, but my
rockets had damaged them. He was out of ammo. His face showed horror as I pulled out
my .45 and lined up the space between his eyes in the sights. I puled the trigger back
again and again. The windshield yielded to the onslaught shattering. Then, I heard the
Aaron-Marvin?s horn blaring. Just as I suspected, Nick Knack was not about to let me go
alive. His Clydesdale?s turret was prepared to fire, with the ?Ranha blasted to hell, I
couldn?t even run away. Then something that I still can not believe, Miss Sixx opened fire
on Nick Knack. The suddenness of the attack did not give Knack time to scream before
his truck burst into flames.

Over the CB, Sixx?s voice was cold and grim. ?A duel is a sacred thing...you have won
Redline Fox.? She said nothing else, just turned and sped away. Her Daisan splashing
through the mud holes in the access road.

The ?Ranha suddenly jarred to a stop. I pushed down on the accelerator but the
engine just revved; the drive shaft had broken off locking the axle up. I put my head on
the steering wheel not knowing what to do. I didn?t even notice Marlow?s black Royale
that had been hiding in the underbrush. Hearing a engine rev, I looked up to see it?s front
end right before it rammed into the passenger side of my car. The impact threw open my
driver?s door. I fell out to the muddy ground in a heap. Pulling myself into a sitting
position, I felt the barrel of a gun press against my head. Looking up with glazed eyes, I
made out the figure of Marlow. His .44 revolver?s hammer was cocked back.

?You really are a lot more trouble then you are worth.? He said, as he pressed the gun
against my head harder.

?Why,? I croaked out.

He laughed, ?Why? Why!? You must be joking Mr. Fox. Power, money, but most
importantly control. You where supposed to be our key witness in bringing down Iron
Duke.? His face held a shade of disgust, ?The Albany police force was ordered not to fire
on your car, we thought you would give up. They where supposed to take you into
custody so we could have your testimony at trial. We didn?t think that you would fire on
police officers let alone in such overwhelming odds.?

Confused, ?Then you knew about the Albany...? I stammered, ?...the Albany police forces
dealings??

He laughed again, ?Of course I did. That was all part of the plan. I was to blackmail them
into doing my bidding, then when Duke was behind bars I would take over his operations.
I?d be a hero for bringing him down, have the Albany Police force in my pocket, take
control of Iron Duke?s organization.....I will control New England.? He pressed the gun
against my head so hard that I thought he was going to stab me to death instead of shoot
me.

I took a deep breath realizing that everything I had done in the past few days was
meaningless, utterly worthless. All the killing, the violence was for nothing. It meant
nothing.

Marlow sneered, ?Now all that is left is to tie up those proverbial lose ends.?

Closing my eyes, I waited for the bullet to end my pain. Briefly I thought about all
I had done to survive in the past few years, how it all was rather ridiculous, since now I
would die welcoming death. The twisted thought made me smile.

::BANG::

The sound echoed through the surrounding mountains.

Breath.....breath? I could feel myself breathing......I heard my heart
pounding......was death just like life?

?r e d l i n e.....?, the voice was far away.

?Redline! Redline, stay with me....? the voice called again.

?Redline say something damn you!? the voice of Agent Cole rang clear in my ears.

I forced my eyes open He kneeled beside me inspecting my injuries. Marlow lay
dead in a bloody puddle, a bullet hole in his neck.

?Christ,? Cole cursed softly as he realized the wound was becoming infected. ?I thought
foxes where supposed to know how to keep themselves OUT of trouble.?

I chuckled, remembering the thoughts I was having just a few moments ago. ?I can?t
die....?

Cole stopped what he was doing and stared at me, ?What??

?I?m immortal....I?m immortal...? I started laughing.

Cole with concern said, ?Redline, calm down. Don?t work yourself up.?

I stopped laughing to stare into Cole?s grey eyes. The look I gave him made him
nervous and he took my pulse.

?Ok Red, lets get you some medical attention. You.....get.....car.......Redline!??

That was the last of his voice I heard.
Redline Fox
Crazy Vulpine
Posts: 466
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2003 5:56 pm
Location: Silent Hill

Post by Redline Fox »

Chapter X Return

?Damn it AOD, just give it a rest will ya.? Albertus moaned.

?Not until you admit my car is faster then yours.? Angel of Death teased.

It was late afternoon. Albertus and AOD had meant up on a lonely stretch of
Texas highway. Their cars sat off on the shoulder. AOD was leaning against his driver?s
door with a smart ass look to his face, while Albertus stood with his arms folded in a
somewhat irritated manner.

AOD teased again, ?Your just jealous that my Pheadra Queen Elizabeth is still faster then
your Cavera, even with all the work you have just had done to it.?

?No,? Albertus said with annoyance. ?I?ve just had a new motor and rear installed. I don?t
want to push the car until its new parts are broken in.?

?Riiigght...? AOD laughed, ?Your just afraid to get spanked by Pheadra power.?

Shaking his head Albertus put his hands on his waist. Then he ran up to AOD and
put him in a headlock. While they where wrestling around, kicking up the dry dirt, a dark
colored car appeared in the distance. They stopped playing around, both recognizing the
familiar shape of a Courcheval Royale. The car glided to a stop in the middle of the road
about 50ft from them. The driver?s door opened. A man in a dusty black suit wearing
dark sunglasses stepped out slowly then approached them.

AOD put his hand to his .45, ?That is far enough stranger. What do you want??

The man in the black suit stopped advancing. He spoke in a authoritative even voice.
?Gang affiliation?? He asked.

?TMR,? Albertus said with indignation.

?Do you know Redline Fox?? He asked.

?Yes, we know him,? AOD responded.

?Then, please fallow.? He said, then walked to the passenger side door of his car.

Albertus and Angel of Death glanced at each other not sure what this stranger was
up to.

?Watch my back Al.? Angel of Death said.

?You know it,? Albertus responded.

Angel of Death walked over to stand at the strangers side. The man had opened
the passenger door. Angel of Death was more then slightly surprised to see Redline Fox
sitting unconscious in the seat.

?What in the hell? Where did you find him......? Angel of Death inquired, ?What?s the
deal here??

The man responded, ?The deal here is this. Take your fellow vigilante. Get him some
proper medical attention before he dies. Get him back on his feet. Watch his back. Forget
you ever saw me. Do not ell anyone else about me. If you have to make up a story about
how you found Redline, make it up.?

?Wait a second,? Angel of Death interjected. ?I want to know who you are and why
Redline Fox is with you.?

The stranger ignored him. He hauled Redline Fox out of the passenger seat
Brushing past Angel of Death, he laid Redline on the hood of AOD?s car. Albertus,
having kept a careful eye on the man, was confused to what was going on. The man got
back in his still running car, turned around, and went back the way he came. Angel of
Death watched from the middle of the road as the black Royale disappeared into the
distance.

?Hey...get over here.? Albertus motioned.

They both looked over Redline Fox?s motionless body, still a little bewildered.

?Redline Fox? You know him AOD?? Albertus asked.

?Yeah I know him. Had some brief contact with him at a few AVA functions. He?s been
around the block Al, usually keeps to himself though.? Angel of Death explained.

?Well, what the hell do we do with him?? Albertus asked.

?Get him some medical attention....fast.? Angel of Death responded.

Angel of Death and Albertus placed Redline Fox in the back seat of the Queen
Elz.

?Alright Al, lets go.? Angel of Death called over the CB.
Redline Fox
Crazy Vulpine
Posts: 466
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2003 5:56 pm
Location: Silent Hill

Post by Redline Fox »

Well, that is New England Run. Thats it, the end people!

For those of you paying attention and have read NER before, you might notice a few minor editing changes.

Hope you enjoyed it, later!

^..^
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