Read Online Tracers by J. J. Howard - Free Book Online

it because I
always
worry.”
    â€œYou seem pretty great to me.” Her eyes widened. “At parkour,” he added quickly.
    â€œI’ve hit one of Miller’s plateaus, probably.”
    â€œCome on, Niks!” Dylan’s voice called out. Nikki looked relieved as she jogged to catch up with the others.
    Cam followed, stopping her with a hand on her arm. “So . . . you guys all work together, right? With Miller?”
    Cam could see that she knew what he was asking, but she didn’t answer his question. She pulled away from him. “See you around, Cam.”
    Her evasiveness confirmed his suspicions. Miller was their boss, that much was clear. And it was also pretty clear that they weren’t supposed to talk about whatever they were into with him.
    Cam watched her join the others. Miller was standing beside his motorcycle, and the recognition clicked into place like a switch being flipped.
    Miller
was the guy who’d been watching him work out at the park. He gave Cam a nod, like he knew Cam had recognized him. “Nice to meet you, Cam,” Miller called. “Listen, don’t let these guys get you into trouble.” He put on his helmet, started his bike, and rode away.
    Before Cam could catch up to the other four, they’d grabbed on to the back of a flat trailer carrying a monster truck. Nikki was holding on to one of the huge wheels. She looked back at Cam as the trailer drove out of sight.
    She was always gone so fast. He never had time to figure her out.
    At the thought of the word
time,
his stomach dropped.
    He’d missed his appointment to settle up with Jerry.
    Cam raced to the subway, cursing steadily under his breath as he waited for the train. When he reached Chinatown, he ran flat out all the way to the fish store. He flew in the door, but the little old woman who always stood in the back didn’t flinch; she just continued breaking a brick of fish food into tiny pieces, then carefully sprinkling the food into the aquarium beside her. She glanced up lazily at Cam’s entrance, but didn’t stop what she was doing.
    A man holding a small net came out of the back of the shop. “Where’s Jerry?” Cam asked him, breathless.
    â€œYou just missed him.”
    â€œWell, do you know when he’ll be back?”
    â€œWhen he returns.”
    Cam let out a grunt of frustration at the unhelpful answer, then ran back out the door. The trip home seemed to take even longer than usual, and again Cam arrived too late. He watched his car being “repossessed” by a tow truck driven by Mr. Personality, Hu.
    He felt sick, seeing his GTO being carted away.
    â€œHey, stop!” he yelled, running alongside the moving tow truck.
    â€œCam, you didn’t tell me you had such a sweet ride,” Jerry said through the passenger window.
    Cam reached into his pocket and pulled out his cash—holding up the wad of bills and thrusting them through the truck window. Jerry reached out and grabbed the cash, but Hu didn’t stop the truck.
    â€œWe’re knocking five grand off your tab, in exchange for the car. You’ve got a month to get us the rest. Don’t look so sad, Cam. You clear your debt, I’ll give her back to you.”
    He did the math in his head. With interest, he’d still owe over twelve thousand. “How am I supposed to find that much in one month?”
    â€œNot my problem.” Jerry shook his head, then frowned, reaching a hand up to pat his hair back into place.
    The truck started to pull away, and Cam tried to hold on. “Jerry, cut me some slack . . .”
    Hu hit the brakes, and Jerry opened the door Cam had been holding on to; Cam nearly tripped. Jerry hopped out of the truck and got in his face—which was usually Hu’s job. “You still don’t understand how this works, do you?” Jerry took another half step forward, and added in a lower voice, “If you