Chapter forty-three Round 3 Race
Chapter forty-three
Early Thursday morning, Angel called a team meeting at the newly painted RV.
Contracts with Apex had been signed and Angel had taken time to order gear, parts, pay for gas, and get the RV repainted with a huge Apex logo that had been re-designed with Davey's race number and new colors.
He still had red and blue for the primary colors, but streaks of neon yellow had been added.
The color had been taken from Apex's logo and changed everything just enough to be able to keep the colors.
The lawyers at Apex had been involved to make sure they didn't tread over Princeton's previous claims, but colors couldn't have a copyright except within particular logos.
They'd changed it enough to be different, but still be recognizably Davey.
He kept his number since that came from Supercross and was attached to Davey, personally.
Angel said a silent prayer on that one, because Davey refused to race under any other number. Twenty-seven or nothing.
She tapped on the RV door, waiting for the "Come in" and then opened it and climbed up the aluminum step.
"Hey, guys!" she called, sliding into the table across from Davey and Tyler. They sat close together, probably holding hands under the table. Angel bit back a giggle. They were too cute.
Stewart was already there along with Tony, the RV driver, and Luke, their new driver for the bike trailer. "So, let's get started," Steward said a bit impatiently.
Angel scowled at him. She would much rather have him take over all the management responsibilities, but he still had not been released from his non-compete with Princeton.
"Shut up," she smirked at him, trying to lighten the mood.
It wasn't his fault all this happened, either.
When he smiled at her, knowingly, she continued, "Okay, so…
Luke and Tony are going to act like bodyguards as well as drivers, protecting their respective vehicles.
I know you aren't happy about it, but I'm hiring two professional bodyguards as well. They'll be here by the end of the day."
"This is overkill, right? I mean, we haven't be threatened, have we?" Davey asked.
Angel pursed her lips, debating on how much to say, and ending up where she started.
"I'm gonna lay it out for you. There hasn't been direct threats, but there have been emails, twitter and Facebook posts, and other things that while not threatening have used hateful language.
Plus, the way Shannon bumped into Tyler after the last race.
" She shrugged. She didn't think she needed to remind them of the graffiti.
Davey exhaled loudly. "I want Tyler protected. Okay? No matter what else."
Tyler bumped Davey's shoulder with his own. "Ditto."
"See?" Angel asked. "We're on the same page then. At least for now." Everyone agreed; relieved, Angel continued, "So, next thing is Brad. We still can't have him, but we do get Tim." She smiled hoping that little piece of news would make them at least a little happier about the situation.
"That's what I figured," Davey said with a small grin. "Princeton sucks. Are they ever going to let my people go?" He threw his hands in the air, mockingly.
"Shut up," Tyler giggled.
"It's just going to take time, Davey," Stewart jumped in. "Both of our contracts have been sent to Apex lawyers who are working on everything."
Angel smiled at him. Stewart knew a lot more about the legal stuff than she did and she happily deferred to him. "Just remember, Stewart doesn't work here. He's not getting paid. He's just hanging out with his friends. Okay?"
When the room settled down again, Tyler asked, "Can I get a junior mechanic to help me? This is a lot of work."
"Is that a necessity?" Angel asked, not questioning Tyler's opinion as much as wanting to make sure he thought it through.
Davey answered for him. "It is. It's almost unheard of to only have one mechanic.
Especially since I have so little help in the box.
I was going to ask Ty to help with that, at least until Stewart can come back on board.
No offense, Angel, but you don't know what you're doing there.
I also need someone in the mechanic area on the track.
He can't be in two places at once, plus keep up with the maintenance on the bike. "
She knew he was right. Davey needed someone in the manager's box to help run the show.
They could hire someone new, but there was also a trust factor involved.
Stewart was the best man for the job, but he couldn't do it yet.
Otherwise, it should go to Tyler. He at least knew the sport.
He rode himself, lived and breathed Supercross.
Hiring another mechanic was the lesser of the two evils.
"Yeah. You're right. Got anyone in mind? "
Tyler's smile stretched across his face bigger than the Grand Canyon and brighter than a star. She should have known he already had someone in mind before he ever asked. "Hell, yeah. Mickey Hun. I trust him and we work great together."
Davey squirmed in his seat a little. "Is he ready for this, Ty?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't have said him, if I didn't think so."
Davey bit at his bottom lip, nervously, making Angel wonder if something else was going on. Was Davey jealous? "Why? What is it?" she asked.
Davey looked down, rapping his knuckles on the table. "He's from Cole's camp. I know you knew him before that, Ty. I just want to be sure before we bring someone in from there that we don’t make more trouble with them if they think we stole him away."
"Okay. I'll give you that, just don't say no because you're jealous," Tyler snapped. "He's cute and all but he's totally straight, Davey."
"It's not that," Davey answered, but he didn't meet Tyler's gaze and he cleared his throat.
Angel had a feeling he was lying. "We just can not have any trouble. Understand? If we can't get him without causing a fuss with KTM, we pass. If this is personal, Davey, you need to decide whether you can get over it."
Davey's face turned red. "I'm a professional. No matter what else. Mickey's a decent choice and he hasn't been with them long. Fuck. Just talk to him and feel out the situation, Ty."
Angel sighed. She had never wanted all of this. Looking over at Stewart, she asked, "Is that all?"
"Sure," he said. "Just one last thing." He pointed at Davey and Tyler.
"Do not go anywhere alone. The bodyguards might not be here until late tonight or tomorrow.
We work on the buddy system until then. Once they get here, they're your buddies.
Do not leave them. Got it?" His words were strict, tight, but caring.
Angel could see him as a father and she swore she felt her hormones kick into overdrive right there and then.
She tamped it down, getting on with business.
"I got your practice time set this afternoon, Davey, then, as you know, track-walk is first thing tomorrow.
You know what to do." She leaned over, ruffling Davey's dark hair before making her way out the door.
He was such a good kid. Despite the growing pains of this new responsibility, she was happy she could help him and would do it all again in a heartbeat.
Tyler waited until the bike was offloaded from the trailer with Luke's help to grab his cell and call Mickey.
He wanted his friend on his team and away from Cole and his crap.
He wanted Andy, too, but he could only take one and Mickey was the right choice.
He'd known Mickey longer, plus Mickey was in the right place in his career to make this kind of move.
Andy led the 450 team for Cole and Shannon, he'd never want to take a step back, but this would be more responsibility for Mickey.
"Yo! Ty! Your man racing this weekend?"
"Fuck yeah! What do you think? He's loafing? Hell no. He has a new sponsor putting out some bucks."
"That's great." Mickey sounded genuinely happy.
"So, what? Are you at the track yet? Can you get away?"
"I'm here. Waiting for Cole to get some practice in and tell me how the bike is. I have maybe ten to fifteen minutes."
"Can you come down here?" Tyler asked, knowing Mickey would know he meant to Davey's garage area. "You can't miss the place. Huge red and blue Apex banner."
"I saw that hideous thing. What's with the yellow? Gawd!"
"Shut up. That's winner's gold man."
Mickey laughed hard, just the response Tyler had been hoping for. "Okay, see you in a minute."
Tyler had barely opened his tool set that had arrived that morning, compliments of Kawasaki, when Mickey walked up. Kawasaki wouldn't give Davey a formal sponsorship, but hinted that they'd help him out with gifts like his new tools and parts as long as he kept winning on one of their bikes.
"Hey, Ty! What's up, bro?"
Tyler nodded his head, indicating Mickey should come in.
"Boss tools, dude," he said, standing close enough to smell his sweat and grease from working on the bikes. Tyler liked the familiar odor. He was comfortable here, comfortable with Mickey.
"Yeah, a gift. Nice, huh?"
"That why you dragged me down here? To rub my nose in your new toys?"
Tyler cleared his throat and stuffed his grease rag in his back pocket.
Mickey stared at him with a smirk on his face like he knew what was coming.
He wore the KTM team shirt looking pristine and professional, while Tyler stood in front of him in an old, wrinkled twenty-seven jersey.
Yet, Tyler was the one with the higher position, more power, but maybe not more confidence.
At least not where all the politics of the situation were concerned.
"No, Mickey. I, uh, I wanted to offer you a job. "
Mickey tilted his head to the side. "I'm listening. What do ya have in mind?"
"Well, the title would still be junior mechanic, and I'd match your pay with KTM, but you'll have a lot more responsibility."
"A lot more work."