The Chop Shop Part 3

Bradley Lewis was in over his head. He didn't know it yet but he had inadvertently set off a chain of events that would get him and his boss Peter in some hot water. It was not a smart plan and Bradley knew that from the beginning but what he didn't know is the other half of the story.

Bradley went about his job for the next few days. He could tell Peter looked on edge. He knew things weren't right and he knew it was all due to what he had done. On the third day he finally made his way to Peter's office to set the record straight.

"Peter, I know something is wrong and I just can't keep this inside anymore. I took some money from the drawer. You can fire me if you want to".

"I should Bradley but I probably wouldn't have anyway. I know you did it to save your house. I can't fault a father for doing that and I don't blame you. It's just the business is not mine anymore."

"What the hell do you mean it's not yours anymore."

"Bradley I got into some trouble last year when business got slow. I wasn't making money but I sure was gambling and drinking."

"So what happened? You owed some people some money and they took your business."

"I wish it were that simple. You don't need to know the specifics but your taking money the other day may have tipped the police in their direction. They say we owe them."

Bradley begins to pace. His mind goes to the worst possible scenario.

"What do we owe them?"

"A favor when they ask."

"What do we do for now?"

"Business as usual. Be ready though".

Bradley picked up Sasha from school that day and tried to keep his emotions in check. He was internally freaking out but he couldn't let his daughter get caught up in this. He just needed to pay the favor and move forward from there. He took a risk and it hurt him. Now he knows to be more careful. He tried to justify it in his head by convincing himself that one favor could not be too much of an ask. He went for dinner at his sisters house that evening with Sasha. She had a much nicer house and it made Bradley jealous at times that she got all the luxuries and he got nothing.

"Brad. You seem lost. You okay?"

"Yeah I am fine. Don't worry about me. How are you?"

"Same as usual"

She handed Bradley a beer from the fridge and he graciously accepted it. He took the first sip and then another and another and before he knew it he was cracking open a second and a third bottle. He slowed down on the third but it was obvious he was drinking to forget something. He just didn't know exactly what that something would be.

He didn't even feel the cold on his walk home that night. The alcohol had done its job as he chuckled to himself as he fumbled his keys. Sasha drifted to sleep on the couch and Bradley covered her with a small blanket.

The next few days went by with relative ease but the overwhelming feeling always loomed large. Every time Peter stepped out of his office he felt the anxiety of knowing the favor would be asked one of these days.

Finally after about a week, Bradley was finishing up work as the sun was setting when Peter came out of his office and he knew this was the moment.

“Brad, you need a babysitter. We are being asked to go to a junkyard late.”

Bradley did not respond as if he was frozen in place. He simply nodded and called his sister. He explained that they had been asked to do a last minute job on the road and that they were being paid double. He felt bad for lying to yet another person because he didn't know what the situation was going to be when he met up with Peter.

Bradley dropped Sasha off at around 8:30 and met Peter at the garage for 9. He smoked a joint on the way to try and calm his nerves. The ride over was tense. When they arrived the same two men that had been in the garage were waiting for them. Bradley tried to keep his head down and not bring attention to himself. The taller and more physically fit of the two men walked up to Bradley and stood within inches.

“Next time you need money don't take ours”

He punched Bradley in the gut winding him. Gasping for air Bradley was ready for the next punch but it never came. He looked up.

“I think you get the hint right”

Bradley nodded in agreement. There were two trucks parked not far away.

“You see those trucks. You and your boss here are going to drive them to the address pre programmed in your GPS with the exact route programmed. Then once you get to our destination you will chop up the car and dispose of the parts. If you hustle you should be done by morning. These cars have heat on them so no dicking around. You get there, chop them up and get out. That's it. Nothing fancy.”

Bradley and Peter both nodded. Words were something Bradley could not find at this moment. He just wanted to get the job done and get home to Sasha. He got into his truck. He turned it on and adjusted the seat to his liking. He looked at the GPS. The destination was 3Hrs15 minutes away. The clock read 10. Bradley was tired. He shifted the truck into drive and pressed down on the gas.

He was about an hour in when the sleepiness really set in. Bradley pulled over to the side of the road to grab some fresh air and have a smoke. He needed to wake himself up. He needed to finish the haul to the destination. He had no idea what was waiting for him there. He just knew that he needed to finish the job. He got back in the truck. He slapped himself in the face to get himself more alert.

Another 45 minutes down the road and Bradley began to drift off to sleep once again. He was doing everything in his power to keep his eyes open but his mind drifted to thoughts of Sasha and he couldn't keep them open. He opened them suddenly and jerked the wheel to correct itself in one motion before sleep came over him and his eyes closed.

As first responders rolled onto the scene there were car parts, drugs and debris scattered everywhere. Bradley Lewis had been thrown out of the vehicle. As the first firefighter came over the hill Bradley tried to pull himself but was in a lot of pain. All he could do was sit in pain and think about what came next. For now all he wanted to do was survive so Sasha could see her father again.