BLINK 2: Circle of Ten

Chapter 6

JOHN, Yorkshire May 2017

'So who's your friend?' John asked as he ran after Semila, his steps echoing. Sem just smiled and kept marching. 'Come on Sem, who is he? Is he an Angel like you?'

Sem stopped dead and turned. 'No John,' she said, 'she's nothing like me, nothing like me at all. Come on, I'll drive you there.'

This time John stopped dead. 'She?' He frowned, then he realised she'd said "drive." 'No way Sem, I'm not getting in a car with you ever again, you're fucking loopy.'

The Angel sighed and rolled her eyes, thumb hooked into her jeans. 'I took lessons John, turns out I'm a fucking natural.' She smiled and the gold tooth gleamed. 'Passed my test first time.'

John's head cocked to one side. 'Did you pass, or did you charm your way to a pass?'

'I passed John, I've got my licence, it's all fucking good.' She smiled again, but he wasn't convinced, eyeing her as he approached her.

Together they walked out of the shady alley into the street, and Sem clicked her car key. The double beep rang, and hazard lights blinked on twice.

John's eyes almost popped out of his head. 'What the fuck is that?' He pointed at the metallic grey car that'd just winked at him.

'This,'--Semila stroked the front wheel arch-- 'is a Morgan Aero 8 with a four point eight litre engine. Complete with eighteen inch alloys and a sexy as fuck top speed of one hundred and seventy miles per hour. I also had a custom paint job done on it.' She pointed at the car's side where angel wings spread. 'You like?'

John stood in the street slack jawed. His mind was equally stumped. 'H-how did you afford this? I thought we were keeping a low profile!' The pitch of his voice hiked with the panic suddenly overwhelming him.

Sem opened the driver's door and slid into the seat, then pressed a button and the passenger window slid open. 'I am.' She sounded petulant. 'I also had the suspension lowered, grips the road better apparently.' Her disarming smile made John grin in spite of his racing heart. Fuck, he was mad getting into this car.

'You're mad Sem, fucking barking mad. But I'll forgive you this time.' He stepped closer and opened the car door. The new car smell filled his nostrils as he sat in the passenger seat.

Sem started the car and blipped the accelerator. 'Buckle up dip shit, and try not to vomit in my car.' Not a promising start.

The Angel smashed the car into first and took off like a missile while John fumbled with the belt buckle clasp. The violence of Sem's cornering and the break neck speed of her driving ensured it took a few streets before John clicked himself into some sort of safety.

'Red light Sem! Red light!'

Sem pushed her foot down hard on the accelerator and sped through. John gripped the door handle and screwed his eyes shut. The screeching of tyres behind him made him shake his head. And his stomach felt like he'd swallowed a melon. 'Sem you can't do that, people could get hurt.' John glanced behind them and saw at least three cars piling up in the intersection behind them. And flashing blue lights. Fucking fabulous.

'Lighten up John, no one was hurt. I help people. I don't hurt them.' Sem paused for a second. 'Unless they touch my car, then I'll fucking pound them.'

John shook his head as sirens sounded behind them, drawing nearer.

'Consequences Sem, always consequences for your actions. You can't jump red lights!' John craned his neck and swore under his breath—the police car was tailing them. 'Pull over Sem, take your punishment like an Angel.'