Dee

Jenna is taken by a trio of possessive, love obsessed loyalists after she offers to take them in off the street. An old enemy trained to act like Jen is posing as her in morph so nobody suspects her absence.
Jen is the first person unless otherwise noted.

I stride down the wooded nature trail, trying to burn off my resentment.

“I should have left him to die. I could have killed myself saving a useless bum wheel. Huh.” I mock, steaming as I stomp through a decorative bush. How could they talk about Bryon like that? Didn’t they honor him? I’d always save him when I have the chance. Every single time, in fact. I couldn’t deny that I never fell out of love with the dingus. I pause for a moment and slowly look up at the tree tops. “…I still love him. That’s why everybody was giving me a hard time. I still love him and they know it!” I heave a heavy sigh and flop down on a granite bench and cover my face with my hands.
Why was I always in the middle of every struggle?
Crunch. I freeze and slowly look over my shoulder after I hear a stick pop.
“Who’s there?” I tensely demand. As expected, there was no answer. I blink, listening intently. There was no pause in the natural sounds around me; the birds tweeted on, the crickets chirped.
And then a black blur rips out of a bush and rolls me off my seat. I hit the ground on my back, the impact knocking my breath out. I didn’t even have the wind to scream as the black SUV rounds back and firmly presses a tire into my chest. I gape, unable to take a steady breath between my fear and pain of impact. It was the black Land Cruiser I shot down!

“You look a bit breathless.” He snorts, half jokingly. I find my voice.

“What do you want?” I demand as the Toyota watches me in amusement. “Money? My partner is the D-3 leader! He’ll give you the entire district just for my return!”

“It isn’t about the money.” He snorts. “Keep your riches. I’ve survived off every dime right after I got them since I was born. I’m still doing just fine.”

“Then Greenleaf Redemption? I’ll make sure he awards you for bringing me back!”

“I tried that once. But I failed qualification.”

“You’re a Land Cruiser! What could you want to let me go? You don’t really want to kill me, do you? I’m sorry I shot you down, but what else could I do?!”

“And I forgive you. I agree, I was being a diff and showing it by trying to be the one that downed the infamous Silverbrawn for good.” He sighs and draws his tire back. “So fine. You’re right. Just go.” I scramble up and brush off, but look him in the eyes instead of running.

“What’s your name?” I demand.

“I don’t have a name.” He growls.

“Sure you do! Everyone has a name.”

“I don’t. Shocker? So why don’t I have a name? Nobody cared enough about me to give me one.”

“Aero, there’s something you want. Why else did you kidnap me and drag me out here for?”

“It’s stupid, alright?” Air hisses, though giving me a tender blink of gratitude. “I know your self-righteous tailgate wouldn’t help me if I paid you to. Now go away.”

“You might as well say.” I shrug, stomping after the stubborn hatch. “Or else I’ll have to travel home in the dark for a mile! So make it worth my effort!”

“…Fine. Then let’s go.” Air grumbles and opens a door. I jump in, and we drive back out onto the main road. “This is the only reason I even tried the whole anti-clan fiasco. I was an overnight commander because of my intellect, guts, and will to survive. Yes, before you ask, we’re heading to the gutter. This is where my paycheck goes. Or went, since even the anti-clan holes think I’m dead. I figured since we’re all screwed anyways, I might as well ask.” We drive through Firston and to the rundown part of the city. We head down a grimy back alley. “Sweet home.”

“Here?” I gape as he pushes through a tarp covered entrance to a long abandoned store. He lets me out and we look around.

“Dee! You’re back!” A gasp sounds before a young Corolla happily races out of the shadows. He cheerfully snuggles up to Aero, oblivious to my presence.

“I wouldn’t abandon you all here, dingus.” Air proves. “Where are they?”

“Serro is trying to help Vince. And Brook is out getting supplies.” He finally notices me and goes wide eyed. “Dee, who is that?”

“This?” He casually nods at me. “Eh, well, it’s a long story. Let’s get the others down first.” A gunmetal Lexus QX carefully nudges a damaged BMW I3 down a flight of ratty ramps.

“You need to get your sorry trunk repaired.” The familiar voice snorts. “You’re hurting now? You’ll be dead in winter.”

“Serro! Vince! Dee is back!” The Corolla yips. Both look up at him before spotting me. I gape, shocked that I recognized the same Lexus that about kidnapped me on earth years ago.

“Oh, you.” I growl.

“See? And this is why I told you it was a stupid attempt!” Dee, Aero’s apparent real name, moans.

“Yeah, Rugar abandoned us, okay?” Serro snarls. “Now why are you here, rich birch? Huh? You have your D-3 leader partner. Get out of here.”

“I came because this guy needed my help.” I argue.

“You came to help?” The Corolla gasps.

“No! This woman can do no help, Randy.” Serro hisses.

“She has to, Serro.” Dee presses. “I got fired from the line of duty. I got shot down. J.R found me—er, I found her—so I brought her back. Why the Kia not?”

“Fired?” Randy breathes.
“Of course you did. Of course.” Serr moans. I sit on a stuffy old bean bag chair with a regretful cringe. “So, J.R, you see what became of Rugar’s finest commander and one of his cronies. Laugh it up, why don’t you?”

“There is nothing to laugh at.” I point. “Look at you. Why would I be laughing at this? This is worse than death! Death I can laugh at but this? Only a sicko could laugh at this.”

“…Oh. Well, fine.” He snorts. “Now get off my bag. That’s where I park.”

“Oh. Sorry.” I nod, gratefully jumping back up as the grouchy Lexus barges passed to rest his bumper on it. “So I gather he probably got into a scuffle with a D-3 resident?”

“No. He was mugged.” Serr admits. “And he knows maybe 3 words of English, so go figure.” Vince weakly coughs before muttering an obvious German curse.

“And that’s just about hurt, ow, and stop.” Dee winces and crouches. “Gahh. I think I pulled out a sensor in my back axle.”

“When?” Randy gapes.

“When I was shot down.” The LC gingerly leans to the side and holds up his rear passenger tire. “That hurts like Nissan. Oh well; I’ll have it checked out later.”

“It’s going to be a cold night.” I wince. “You should come back with me to D-3 and get that worked on. Platinumhitch won’t deny you guys in seeing your living arrangements.”

“I do agree myself.” Somebody else gags. I blink in shock as Jorgen pushes through the tarps, a human of course or else he wouldn’t have fit! The 3 older cars bristle, but Randy goes wide eyed and races behind Dee.

“Jorgen!” I gasp. “How’d you find us?”

“I just followed you, Engel.” Jorg bows. “Do not worry. I wish to help.”

“We don’t need help!” Serro snaps, backing off, warily.

“Then at least accept our gifts.” Jorgen pleads. Like a cue, Kieran drives in.

“Holy Ford, I had a feeling.” He breathes. “Woah. I thought my old place was bad enough.”

“Kieran?” Vince blinks. Kier grudgingly shrugs and nods.

“I brought Bryon and Briar, too. The crippled B’s!” He adds. “At least I can say GMs suck without getting my seat kicked.” I hear two simultaneous thumps. “Ow! But they can punch! I forgot!” Jorg pulls some supplies out of his hatch.

“…What are you doing?” Dee demands. “Get your rich hatches out of here!”

“Point treads all you want, buddy. But I was an abandoned infant 3 allies down from here. I was a garbage pail kid, alright? Believe it or not, this L knows your situation. So suck it and accept our help.” He then unceremoniously dumps the B’s.

“Ow! Benz you, bro!!” Bryon snaps.

“Oh, wow! It’s Platinumthorn!” Randy blinks.

“It’s just Silverthorn now, kid.” Briar chuckles, using Kieran to right himself. “Really, it’s Briar. And Bryon. And Jorgen and Kieran and Jenna, too. Formal names aside, we want to help you guys out.”

---

Right as Serrovan was about to snap a comeback,

“Serrovan. Knock it off.” A smooth voice snorts. We all turn around as a gorgeous, filthy orange metallic Titanium ESV pushes through the tarp barrier. We all blink, surprised.

“If a Lexus, BMW, and an LC weren’t enough.” I gape. Serro gives the ESV a stank glare as he cautiously looks Kieran over.

“They say luxury cars can’t hold their own forts. That they can’t pay a bill so they make up most of the homeless population.” He nods. “In reality, none of us were the victims of laziness or lack of knowledge. We were Rugar by products. Give me a check and I can spend it on a house payment pronto. If I had a house, that is.”

“Who are you, bro?” Bryon points.

“I’m Brook. Vince laughs and says it’s like saying broke with an accent.” He gives me a joking wink. He calls something German to the damaged car, and Vince chuckles and rolls his eyes. “And it seems I’m the only one capable of communicating with him, too. What brings you here, Silveramour? And your pack of guardians?”

“Dee wanted us to help.” I explain. “Can you, uh, persuade your gang to come back to D-3 with us?”

“Why would we do that?” Brook looks me right in the eye with a questioningly curious glint. “So you can lock us away? I don’t think so.”

“No. We just want to help out some homeless cars. We’ve been in your boat before. Let us help you out!” Vince glances me up and down and asks Brook something. The ESV snorts, annoyed with us, and likely explains that we were just annoying hatch sticklers wanting to drag them to jail. The BMW gapes at me a moment and briskly hisses a reply, likely demanding why he didn’t accept our offer. Meanwhile, we all quietly watch the two bicker, Serro and Dee included.

“What is he saying?” I wonder.

“Hm. He wants him to agree.” Jorgen points. “But Brook is now giving him every reason in book why he should not.”

“I could guess that by their tones.” Kieran dryly sighs.

“I don’t know, bro. All German sounds angry.” Bryon admits. “Especially when Jorg talks.” Jorgen modestly shrugs before heaving a sigh and leeching into the convo. Vin gives Serr a pleading look to Jorg and heaves a booming snort like he was overly dramatically saying “told you so”.

---

“Just go home already!” Serro growls as I flap out my sleeping bag.

“Nope.” I yawn. “I got my happy Lincoln-blanket. I’m good. Jorgen is guarding camp. There isn’t a single car alive he can’t handle. Bryon and Briar are accompanying Dee and Randy. So we’re just trying to help you 3 ex-Luxuries.”

“Help your own hatch. We don’t want you here.”

“Serro, lighten up, you idiot.” Brook snaps. “Be glad they haven’t abandoned us, yet. Even after all we did to them.” I peer over the balcony. Jorgen protectively backs up to the ramps and parks to where he was totally blocking it.

“If anyone needs to come down, just let me know.” He calls.

“You’re going to get cold, moron.” Kieran snorts. “Just come up here!”

“No need. I got.” He assures.
The temps drop into the low teens rapidly. The old building was an excellent wind block, but drafts still leak in. The two cripples and their sheltered friends peacefully doze in the corner, Randy huddled up and practically under Briar while the two similar sized SUVs were casually parked next to each other. I was only about half asleep with my head resting on Kieran’s grille, who was out cold himself, when Serro creeps over, shivering like an idiot. Without even opening my eyes, I lift an arm so he could drive on over and snuggle in.

“Don’t even say a word about this.” He snorts.

“No comment.” I assure.
Morning comes, and I wake up fully. I yawn and open my eyes only to pause, mouth still open. Vince and Brook had snuck over at some point, too. Vince was huddled up beside Serro, and Brook was softly purring all nuzzled up with Kieran.

“Told you it’d be a cold, hard night.” I chuckle. “Did you listen? Nope.” Serro wakes up, glares at my hand resting on his fender, and backs off with an irritated sigh.

“Last night was a fluke.” He hisses.

“Tonight is going to be colder.” I prove. Serr’s expression turns grave.

“Us of all cars.” He growls to himself. “We gave him our everything; our pride, our bravery, our loyalty, ourselves. But he dumped us to save himself in the end and he still died. Before you chuckle and say that we got what we deserved, which is true but you have no rights to rub it in, just know that I always regretted the monster I sided with.”

“Serro, I’m not going to laugh, or joke, or rub it in.” I plead. “I’m just here to get you to want to come back with us. So you can get a real home, a real job, and a real family. Rugar was no substitute for a family.”

“No doubt.” Kier mutters. “That suck face never let me run around the head quarters and insult the Escalades like a normal kid-Navigator. He was no fun at all. I mean, he wasn’t even a good uncle!”

“This isn’t a place to raise kids, Serro.” I continue, nodding at Randy and Dee, the former who was now actually up under Briar’s front end, snoring. “I can tell Dee is a young LC with a lot of food on his plate. He’s trying to prove he can help. Now that he failed his clan, or so he thinks, he’s lost. I know several Land Cruisers and the one I know teaches me that knowing him is knowing the rest of them. And I can tell Dee is under a lot of stress and pressure.”

“That kid ran away from his home right about when I first showed up in this area in the late spring.” Serr recalls. “I found him up our alley with Randy, who I don’t know where he came from. Vince came with me, of course, and I recognized Brook from the Rugar days. Well, Zephyr days, I mean. Back before all the self righteous Cadillacs hooked up with the Infinites and Benzes and left the scene.” The grimy bittersweet metallic Titanium ESV snorts a couple times before waking up.

“I can hear you talking about me.” He grumbles.

“Just about you, Brook. We’re not trashing you or anything.” Serr assures.

---

We drive into the living room before Brook opens a door and dumps me.

“Ow! Harsh!” I hiss, sitting back up as they circle me. I defensively glare around, trying to look strong even though I didn’t feel strong against the 3 mega SUVs. Serrovan squints.

“Do you know why we brought you here, J.R?” He harshly demands.

“Go ahead. Kill me.” I nervously growl. “Get it over with, you tailpipes.”

“Do you know where we are?” Dee chuckles.

“…No.”

“She’s totally lost.” Brook smugly smiles. “I say it’s time.”

“T-time?” I gulp. The 3 nod and slowly drive at me.

“J.R, in our little gang, we don’t just thank any tailpipe that comes in and tries to help us.” Serro growls, circling me hostilely. “No. Those freaks don’t deserve thanks. They deserve to be killed.” I cringe, expectantly, as he wheels in at me suddenly, but stops right as he pulls over my lap. “…With our love and desire.”

“…Is this a joke?” I slowly open my eyes and blink, totally confused. To confirm, Serro purrs and nuzzles into my arms. The other two lovingly rub their bumpers on my back.

“No. Not remotely joking.” Dee assures.

“Bu-bu-but—!”

“This is the house I just closed on this morning from all the money I made at Green Acres because you cared.” He continues, continuing to fondly nuzzle all over my back. “I have a spare home now because you cared enough to come with me and lead us back to D-3.”

“And gave me a wash, despite my stern disagreement.” Serro chuckles. “We love you, my special blossom. We’d never hurt you. Unless we love you to death. And that’s possible because I have a deadly amount of love to give to you. Even before I left Rugar; I was just going to repossess the repossessed. I would have just taken you away from Rugar to cuddle with myself. I never hated you. You’re the prettiest girl in the world; far prettier than the most intricate rose and the most sophisticated Lexus. Rugar once said we crap a cactus if we ask another model out; but I’d ask you out no matter what you pose as.”

“That is… sweet. Sure.” I admit as he lovingly snuggles in a bit closer. “But don’t forget; I have a partner.”

“Oh, no. Not anymore, you don’t.” Brook assures, bumping Dee out of his way to nuzzle me himself. “And no need to laugh; I’m not joking.”

“…Did you hurt him?”

“No. Not remotely. But you still will never have to worry about him finding out you’re in love with us now instead.” Dee assures. “He’ll never even know that you’re gone. In fact, right now, you’re right as you’ve always been, at home in D-3.”

“I don’t understand.”

“See, Randy—or Diamond, as you know her—is an excellent actor. She had you fooled posing as a little boy Corolla, didn’t she? Now she’s posing as you so nobody notices your absence. Meanwhile, you’re really here with us, when not even your partner knows where you’re really at.”