Past

One foot after another. It was still hard to believe that I was walking again. It had been six months since the crash, five months of working at my mind-numbing office job, but I was still relatively happy. Having my legs working again meant it was all worth it. I had to walk every day, to keep building my strength, not that I minded all that much, even with the constant pain. It reinforced the new appreciation I had for something I had taken for granted.

It wasn't just for being able to walk; it was for everything. For simply living. It can be taken away in a second. I was even grateful for the stale air that filled my lungs. I had made a promise to myself now, to appreciate every minute I had, and to not waste another one.

I took the same walking route every day, so I knew I had about twelve minutes left when I turned onto the street that housed an old bank. One that had a red Mitsubishi Lancer parked haphazardly on the curb. I walked closer, partly because of habit and partly because I wanted to look at it closer. It had to be an Evolution X, but there was no actual way to tell from this far away.

As I got closer to the bank, I heard sirens in the distance, and gunshots from inside of the bank. I was meters away from the car when I realised I shouldn't have focused on what the car was, but why it was parked like it was. It was the getaway car for a bank heist.

Shit.

I backed away as the sirens steadily got closer.

A group of three people ran out of the bank, one was limping behind the others, all three were carrying black bags I could only assume were full of cash.

"I can't drive like this!" The man limping behind the other two shouted. His left leg was bleeding. Security must have shot him. I kept backing away slowly, hoping that my movements would prevent them from seeing me. "The clutch is too heavy!" So, the car was a manual. Good. You should not think about that right now.

"I can't drive manual!" One of the other two shouted back.

"I don't drive full stop! I'm from fucking London!" The third shouted, what kind of group was this? If your getaway driver is the only one who can drive the car, why would they partake in the heist? They should wait in the car to prevent these issues from happening.

Why was I thinking that? This wasn't my problem.

I needed to get away before I did something stupid.

I kept looking at the car, then at their bags of money.

No. Don't.

The sirens were getting closer, but I could easily lose them.

One foot in front of the other.

This is a fucking horrible idea, Max. Jake is going to kill you with his bare hands.

"It seems like you guys have a predicament on your hands." I said, choosing to lean on the car that none of them could drive. I really shouldn't do this. But I also couldn't waste another minute of my life not doing what I wanted to. I had a promise to keep to myself. To not waste another breath.

"What the fuck-"

"To me, you have three options. Either put the guy with no experience driving manual cars in the driver's seat, see what happens. I'm willing to bet they'll catch you. Or you give up now, go to prison before the day's done, think about what you did to fail this little heist of yours. Hint, it's taking the getaway driver in with you."

"What's option three?" The driver, with the bullet in his leg, asked. I tilted my head to the side.

"You give me a cut. I'll get you where you want to go. I was done for street racing six months ago, only got caught because I crashed and broke my back." I said, watching them all turn to each other. They started discussing the options they had, but I was more focused on the sirens. They were two minutes away, at most, and these idiots still had to get the guy with the shot leg into the car.

Actually, how was he able to limp out by himself?

"You guys don't have much time. Either take the risk with yourselves or get me in the driver's seat." I told them. The driver nodded. His dark skin was glistening with sweat as his black eyes stared into mine.

"Ten percent cut work for you?" He asked me.

"Are you insane, Leigh?" The redhead with blue eyes asked.

"Jaxon, if you have a better idea, how about you say it now, because we have like a minute before they get here and we're fucked." Leigh cut him off and stared Jaxon down. He looked at the last person. "Kieran? Any arguments?"

"Let's just fucking go. Get this over with." Kieran, the one with olive skin, brown hair and green eyes, said.

"You heard the man, let's go." Leigh said as he limped over to me and shoved the keys in my hand. I ran to the driver's side and adjusted the seat and mirrors as the three idiots climbed into the car. I put the keys in the ignition, turned it over and sat there for a moment. Listening to the engine, feeling the steering wheel and testing the pedals.

I took a deep breath as I revved the engine.

The pain in my back became a distant memory as I stared ahead.

I was home.

"What are you waiting for?" Jaxon asked from the passenger seat next to me. As I looked in the mirror, I revved the engine again. I didn't have to explain myself, not when they needed me, and I would do as I said. I would get them out.

I saw flashing light in a window ahead, so I knew that's where the cop cars were coming from.

That's all I needed.

I took off the handbrake and turned the steering wheel full lock before I shoved the car into first gear and pushed the accelerator to the floor.