Thicker Than Oil - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 –Homeward Bound

Another mission completed. Another villain's plan thwarted from inflicting disaster on society. Every car in the world celebrated, since if evil had not been stopped, all would have surely been doomed. Every car in the world celebrated the demise of evil, all except for one.

In a private jet, which was now sailing across the Atlantic Ocean from overhead, a muscle car gloomily looked out the window at the sea below. He was completely drained of all energy, his eyelids heavy and his eyes were bloodshot. He sighed as he reached into a compartment in front of him and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, where he took one out, popped it in his mouth and gave it a light. He breathed in and then out, sending cigarette smoke curling lazily around his front bumper. Out of all the cars in the world, he should have felt far much better and had more of a reason to celebrate, since this successful mission was his own. The muscle car's name was Rodney Redline, or Rod Redline for short. This was his own party and he was far from celebrating.

"About thirty minutes till we reach our destination, Mr. Redline," his flight attendant announced as she drove past him towards the back of the jet. "Would you like a pot of coffee, you look…"

"I'm fine, thank you," he mumbled, and with that she quickly drove away. After she left he puffed on his cigarette again, taking the pleasure of the nicotine rushing to his head.

Rod Redline was a Challomerostang, a cross between a Challenger, Camaro, and Mustang. He was a big, bulky dark metallic blue car with a black stripe going down each side of him, and his eyes were the color of sapphire. Within his left metallic silver hubcap, he contained something very unusual for many, and that happened to be a gun.  

His occupation was very different from most cars, in that he was a famous American spy, who was like no other. Every mission he was sent on he completed successfully, obtaining every bit of vital information necessary in order to thwart an evildoer's plans. He had been successful in that he was a master of disguises and a great actor, in that he could gain the trust of anyone by becoming someone else. How he became this way, and how he rose to his position of espionage, could be attributed to his dark past.

He was previously a resident of downtown Detroit, where things had gone from heaven to hell. At one time his city was bustling with big business and success, but for the past few years cars began to abandon it and had left it to rot.  The American dream that was once there, a dream to build an auto metropolis, was gone. What was left was a lack of jobs, depression, and crime, which soon came to label his city as one of the worst to live in, in America. And unfortunately, Rod and his family had been drawn into all the crime and depression that lingered there.

While Rod was not attending high school, he dealt drugs in the early hours of the morning by force. His parents, who worked minimum wage jobs, were also well known drug dealers. With their children's servitude, which consisted of Rod and his two brothers and sister, they distributed drugs to cars all throughout the city. But what made the Redline family well known amongst most buyers was not the amount of drugs they sold, but how they were able to receive their drugs without getting caught. Any car knew they were safe when they were getting their drugs from a Redline, especially Rod, the stealthiest of them all.  He could get cars in and out of a deal like a car going from 0 to 60 in .5 seconds, one minute he was there and the next minute he was gone, the buyer with drugs in tire. However, what amazed buyers most was that oddly every time he showed up to make a deal, he never looked the same. He was always a different type of car. He did this by dressing up as different types of cars by making various costumes, and this skill soon became helpful later on in his top-secret missions.

Although he was highly intelligent, Rod never made it to college since his parents had no money, and instead enlisted into the Army. Through the Army he rose in the ranks quickly, becoming a very trusted solider and skillful gunman. With his skills gained from drug dealing and his smarts, he was able to thwart a scandal occurring within the higher ranks of the Army he accidentally got involved in, which lead him to be offered an opportunity in the world in espionage. He took it and from there, his success as a spy skyrocketed. He himself could not believe where he was today, since he never thought he would get beyond the city of Detroit, and the fate of the rest of his family.

As much as he loved espionage, the one disadvantage of his job was he was never around at home. He had a beautiful wife, a black and sleek Beemer, and two children, both of them boys whom he rarely saw. When he came home from missions, he spent as much time with his family as time allowed, before the CIA called him back for another mission. It was always heartbreaking to leave, and every time he left his wife she would be in tears. But before he left, he always told her he loved her and she was like no other; and he lived up to that by being honest and faithful. No matter how many women he met on his missions, his love for his wife kept him far from risky business. To him all that mattered in his life were the mission and his family, and nothing could ever come between that. To him he felt like in life he was given a second chance, and he had to live up to it by being a great agent and a loving husband.

"We have about ten minutes till landing Rod," the flight attendant came back again, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Alright, thanks for the heads up," he nodded, puffing on his cigarette again.

"So, after that crazy mission, think you will be taking on any more?" the flight attendant asked him. She flew many agents around the world, and she had noticed that they sent out Rod the most, for many years.

"No," Rod said in a flat voice, looking over at her. "It's been too long since I've seen my family last, I can't. But that doesn't mean they won't try to make me do another one." Rod sighed. "I've been doing this for too many years, there are so many other agents who could work as well. I mean, I know I do my job, but I need some rest. I've hardly seen my boys, and my wife needs some love after all this time. They don't understand, I mean work means a lot, but not everything. My family means everything…." He paused and looked out the window. "But espionage is all I have, the only opportunity for work I was given. I know my family understands but it's not easy when I'm gone for so long…" The pilot, who was the jet, then interrupted him.

"Mr. Redline, five minutes till landing. I have also gotten word your wife is waiting for you at the CIA. And hate to break it to you sir, but the director needs you for another mission, apparently some strange stuff is happening out at sea that needs investigating." Rod then cursed under his breath. Although he was happy his wife was coming to greet him, the word of him being needed on another mission did not please him. There was going to be some difficulty getting out of this one, but it had to be done.