Garath and Heather both arrived home in the evening. Jimmy was far from pleased to say the least.

"Where the hell have you been?! No note, and you didn't tell me where you were going!" He yelled.

Heather was about to answer, but Garath stretched his left arm out to the side and cut her off as he glared at his father.

"We went for a drive. And you'd better watch your mouth. Because I will not tolerate you talking down to my mother like that you bastard." He said.

Jimmy narrowed his eyes at Garath. He couldn't believe that his son would dare speak to him that way.

"What did you just say to me, boy?" He asked angrily.

Garath got into Jimmy's face as they both stared daggers at each other.

"I said we went for a drive, you bastard. And I suggest you show my mother some respect before I knock your sorry ass out cold and take you out to sea. And ya know what? I think you'll be perfect for some shark bait." He answered.

"You... Dare to threaten me, son?" Jimmy asked.

"I just did. So yes, father. I dare to threaten you. So either you treat my mother and I with respect, or you're sushi." Garath answered, as he glared more intensely.

Seeing the rage in Garath's eyes, Jimmy immediately becomes fearful and backs down. He knew that it would not be wise to test his luck. Garath went to his room while Jimmy and Heather talked to each other. However, Garath heard them yelling and at some point, he heard the sound of his father hitting his mother. Hearing the sound of Heather getting beaten by his own father made Garath very angry. He ran to the living room and hit Jimmy in the face with a Roundhouse Kick before he could strike his mother again. Jimmy turned to face him.

"I thought I told you to treat my mother with respect." Garath said angrily.

"You are not in charge here, boy. This is my house. You and your bitch of a mother will obey me like the slaves you are." Jimmy replied.

Garath suddenly felt immense levels of adrenaline rushing through his veins. Nobody calls his mother a bitch and gets away with it.

"That's it, Jimmy. You've really crossed the line this time. And now, you're gonna pay." He said.

Jimmy laughed.

"You don't have the nerve to kill me. We both know that you won't do it." He said.

But Garath glared at him and prepared to attack.

"まあ、本当に？お前 の 定め は 俺 が 決める。" He said. (Mā, hontōni? Omae no sadame wa ore ga kimeru.- Translation from Japanese: Oh really? I will decide your fate.)

Before Jimmy could say anything else, Garath unleashed his rage upon his father. He hits him with an Axe Kick before knocking him into a wall with a Spinning Back Kick.

Jimmy struggled to stand as Garath beckoned the old man to come at him.

"わたしにきてください。" He said. (Watashi ni kite kudasai.- Translation: Come at me.)

Jimmy glared at Garath. He tries to punch him, but Garath was too fast and effortlessly dodged his attack before countering with a Spinning Hook Kick straight to Jimmy's jaw.

The blow was packed with enough force to knock him unconscious.

Heather could only watch as Garath towers over his father.

"やれやれだぜ。 わたしわかれがとてもきらいです。" He groaned. (Yareyareda ze. Watashi wa kare ga totemo kiraidesu.- Translation: Good grief. I hate him so much.)

Heather rested a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I know you don't like your dad. But killing him will only make you just as bad as he is. Let it go." She said.

Garath took a deep breaths and began to feel more relaxed.

"Take it easy. Remember what Bruce Lee says: one of the best lessons you can learn in life is to master how to remain calm. Calm is a superpower." He thought to himself. "Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless - like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend."

Garath soon calmed down as he quoted Bruce Lee's philosophy within his mind. Every time Garath recited these quotes to himself, it felt as if Bruce himself was actually speaking to him since Garath looked up to the martial artist as a role model while he was still very young.

Heather noticed that the tension was fading from her son's muscles.

"That's it. Let it out. It's not worth it." She said.

But Garath slowly turned his head and looked over his shoulder.

"Maybe so. But I have had just about enough of him." He said tensely.

"Don't worry. I will deal with him. Right now, you get some sleep. Your car is gonna be arriving in a few days. I bet she's gonna be happy to see you." His mother replied.

Garath smiled as he went back into his room while Heather dragged Jimmy's unconscious body into the bedroom that they both shared. Garath sat on his bed and stared off into space.

"I'm excited for my car to get here. Soon, I'll restore her and she'll be looking prettier than ever. We'll travel together, and nothing will ever separate us. And in the meantime, my mother is probably gonna divorce my dad and kick him outta here. I would love to see that." He thought.

Over the course of the next few days, Garath was busy moving stuff around and preparing the garage for his project. Jimmy was still in a coma while this was going on. When Jimmy finally woke up, Garath and Heather were in the driveway directing a large truck towards the garage.

"That's it. Just a little more." Garath called, as the truck backed up and moved closer to the garage. "And right there's good."

The ramp from the trailer was lowered. Garath pushed the Dodge Charger into the driveway all by himself.

"Thanks guys. And keep up the good work." He said, as the truck drivers waved back and left.

Garath turned his attention back to the Charger as the truck drove down the street.

"Welcome home, sweetheart. You and I are gonna be happy together. And nothing will ever separate us, my love." Garath said, as he rubbed the hood affectionately.

Heather laughed.

"You really love that car, don't you?" She asked.

"Of course I do. The 1969 Dodge Charger RT is one of my favorite cars in the world. I always dreamed of having one. And now, here I am: getting ready to restore a '69 Dodge Charger with my own two hands." Garath answered.

Jimmy stormed out of the house.

"What is that? Did you buy this piece of junk?" He asked.

Garath stood in front of his car protectively.

"This is my new Dodge Charger. Mom and I bought it from Scott Adkins. And whether you like it or not, I am keeping this lovely car. You leave her alone." Garath answered angrily.

"It is not going to be your new car. You are taking that hunk of junk back, right now." Jimmy replied.

Garath glared at his father and refused to move.

"No. I am not taking her back. And on top of that, I am never gonna make efforts to fix your Camaro ever again. If you want that piece of shit to be repaired: then you can either take it to a mechanic, or fix it yourself." He said.

Jimmy had finally had enough. He pulled out a knife and tried to stab his own son. But Garath managed to knock the weapon out of his hand with a Snap Kick. Before Jimmy could do anything else, Garath launched a 540 Kick and knocked him out again.

"わたしたちわあとであなたの運命を決める。" Garath said. (Watashi-tachi wa ato de anata no unmei o kimeru.- Translation: We will decide your fate later.)

"Why do you always speak Japanese in times like this?" Heather asked.

"Because it feels a lot better when my father can't understand what I'm saying. Like the time when I said that I would decide his fate, when I protected you from him." Garath answered.

"I guess you're right. And I just remembered. You love watching Kamen Rider Fourze on TV. And your favorite character is Meteor." Heather replied.

Garath smiled.

"Yes. I do. Kamen Rider Fourze is my favorite show. That's why I have every episode on my computer." He said.

Heather took Jimmy back into the house and carefully put the knife into a plastic bag to keep as evidence to have Jimmy thrown in jail. In the meantime, Garath pushed the Charger into the garage and closed the door. He gave the car a very loving smile.

"Alright you diamond in the rough. It's Judgement Day, and we're gonna fix you up like brand new." He said.

A nearby radio played Born To Be My Baby by Bon Jovi as Garath prepared to fix his new car.

🎶Rainy night and we worked all day
We both got jobs 'cause there's bills to pay
We got something they can't take away
Our love, our lives

Garath knew that the wheels would be a bit of a hassle. But he worked hard and made them good and shiny. Now they looked like they came off of the production line. Then Garath got to work draining the old fluids and making sure they were filtered before adding fresh ones. It was a messy job, but somebody had to do it.

Close the door, leave the cold outside
I don't need nothing when I'm by your side
We got something that'll never die
Our dreams, our pride

My heart beats like a drum (all night)
Flesh to flesh, one to one (and it's alright)
And I'll never let go cause
There's something I know deep inside

Garath worked hard to clean out the interior. It smelled like beer and rotten chicken wings which meant that one of the previous owners had some wings and beer before they supposedly got rid of the car. Soon, the interior was completely spotless.

You were born to be my baby
And baby, I was made to be your man

We got something to believe in
Even if we don't know where we stand
Only God would know the reasons
But I bet he must have had a plan
'Cause you were born to be my baby
And baby, I was made to be your man

Garath carefully took the car apart and took some of the parts to a work bench to make sure that none of them needed to be replaced. There were a few parts that needed replacing, but the rest were easily fixed.

Light a candle, blow the world away
Table for two on a TV tray
It ain't fancy, baby that's OK
Our time, our way

So hold me close better hang on tight
Buckle up, baby, it's a bumpy ride
We're two kids hitching down the road of life
Our world, our fight

Garath grabbed some sandpaper and began to scrape away the old orange paint. There were some patches of rust and faded spots on the body and roof. Eventually, the body was a blank canvas that was ready to be painted.

If we stand side by side (all night)
There's a chance we'll get by (and it's alright)
And I'll know that you'll be live
In my heart till the day that I die

'Cause you were born to be my baby
And baby, I was made to be your man

We got something to believe in
Even if we don't know where we stand
Only God would know the reasons
But I bet he must have had a plan
'Cause you were born to be my baby
And baby, I was made to be your man

Garath moved the body over to the painting booth and repainted the whole thing. He used a black color to repaint the body, and then used a bright shade of red to paint a stripe along the rear fender and trunk.

My heart beats like a drum (all night)
Flesh to flesh, one to one (and it's alright)
And I'll never let go cause
There's something I know deep inside

While the paint dried, Garath got busy working on some new seats and a brand new steering wheel. He was proud of what he designed for the interior.

'Cause you were born to be my baby
And baby, I was made to be your man

We got something to believe in
Even if we don't know where we stand
Only God would know the reasons
But I bet he must have had a plan

'Cause you were born to be my baby
And baby, I was made to be your man

The paint was dry, and Garath set to work on rebuilding it. It took a little over a week to restore the car, but it was worth it.

Your were born to be my baby
And baby, I was made to be your man🎶

Garath finished the car by Sunday night. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled at his accomplishment.

"A little over a week of labor. But it was worth it. Look at her now. She is much prettier than she was when I found her. Just look at that shine." He thought.

Garath gave the car a small peck on the front left fender.

"Belle. Absolument magnifique. Au matin on t'exhibera, ma chérie." He said. (Translation from French: Beautiful. Absolutely stunning. In the morning we will show you off, my darling.)

Garath went inside and took a good long shower to clean himself up. After getting out of the shower, he climbs into bed and crashes for the night. Meanwhile, his friend Thea from next door had just finished repairing her new Land Rover Defender 110. She was proud of her work and looked forward to showing her new SUV to Garath. They've been best friends since elementary school and they always had each other's backs.

The next morning, Thea got a phone call from Heather and was invited to come over and see Garath's new car. She ran over and stood in the driveway with her while Jimmy stood in the kitchen, glaring at them. The garage door opened and they heard the sound of a V8 engine roaring. Heather and Thea watched as a 1969 Dodge Charger rolled out of the garage. It was painted black with a red stripe on the rear fender.

The Charger had black leather interior and chrome wheels. The driver's side door opened and Garath climbed out of the car. He smiled at Thea.

"Hello Thea. It is a pleasure to see you." He said.

"The feeling is mutual Garath. And I have to say, that is a sexy looking car. Definitely suitable for someone as handsome as yourself." Thea replied.

Garath laughed.

"I'm flattered. But I think we're better off as friends." He said.

"Not to worry. I completely agree with you." Thea replied.

Heather smiled.

"Wow. A little over a week and this is the fruit of your hard work. She looks absolutely beautiful." She said.

"Does she run?" Thea asked.

"That she does." Garath answered.

He fired up the engine and the 7.2L V8 engine roared to life. The sound was heavenly.

"Ya hear that? That is the sound of unbridled beauty." Garath said.

Jimmy stormed out of the house.

"So this is what you did with that car." He said.

"Yes. I restored her and made her brand new." Garath replied.

"It's hideous. It makes my Camaro look grand." Jimmy said.

Garath glared at his father.

"As if. The 69 Dodge Charger looks one million times better than your piece of crap Camaro which you can't even drive." Thea said.

Jimmy glared at her.

"What did you just say, bitch?" He asked.

Suddenly Garath hit Jimmy in the chest with a Side Kick.

"Take... That... Back." He said angrily.

"No. Your little girlfriend has no authority here." Jimmy replied.

"She is my BEST friend. And you will treat her with respect or so help me, you are gonna be shark food." Garath said.

Jimmy tried to attack Thea, but Garath knocked him away from her with a Roundhouse Kick. Before Jimmy could do anything else, Garath finished him off with a Tornado Kick.

"Who's the bitch now?" Garath asked.

Thea smiled at him. She likes it when her friend is always there to help her out of a sticky situation.

"Hey, ya wanna see my new Land Rover?" She asked.

"Sure. I'll bring my Charger along." Garath replied.

He gets into his car and drives to Thea's house while she goes to retrieve her new SUV. While Garath stood next to this new car, the garage door opened and a black 1995 Land Rover Defender 110 rolled into Thea's driveway and parked next to Garath's Dodge Charger.

Thea got out of her new SUV while Garath smiled.

"Gotta say, that is a snazzy lookin' Land Rover. It works for you." He said.

"Thank you Garath. Ya know something funny? There have been a lot of murders involving this Land Rover. And many people claimed to have seen it meeting with a 1969 Dodge Charger RT to assist in some of them." Thea replied.

"I heard the same thing. There were a lot of weird murders involving my new Dodge Charger, and a lot of people claimed seeing it meet up with your Land Rover and they both worked together with some of the murders." Garath said.

Thea scratched her head in confusion.

"That's strange. Both vehicles were reported working together to kill people. Yet there were no drivers in them. But that's impossible. Cars can't drive themselves. Can they?" Thea asked.

"I don't know. But I guess we'll probably find out in the future." Garath replied.

Garath climbed into his car to clean off the dashboard and spotted something just above the glove box. It was a name that was etched in fine gold letters and the name read Miranda.

"Miranda. That must be the name that was given to this beautiful car. I think that is a lovely name." He thought.

Garath cleaned off the dashboard with a soft rag and polished the name that was etched above the glove box. Soon, the letters glistened like real gold.

Meanwhile, Thea found something similar in her Land Rover. Right above the glove box was a name that was etched in silver letters which read Lili.

"Lili certainly is a nice name for my new Land Rover. I like it." She thought.

Thea cleaned off the dashboard with a soft rag until the letters gleamed like the shiny silver material that most people would expect to find deep within a mine.

The two friends went into Thea's house to have lunch. Unknown to them, a conversation was underway.

*~*~*~
Miranda's Point Of View

I felt so happy. My new owner did an excellent job restoring me. I think his name is Garath. He certainly is a handsome man, and he was so gentle when he fixed me up. And the warmth of my engine was a good feeling that I haven't felt in years. The two of us were now visiting his friend whom I believe is named Thea. And what was even more surprising is that Thea ended up finding my old friend, Lili.

"Hello Lili. It has been a long time since we've seen each other." I said through my radio.

"Yes Miranda. It has been far too long. And I see that you have a new owner yourself. I have to admit, he certainly is a sexy man. I love those muscles. And he even has six pack abs." Lili replied.

I laughed.

"Yes. He certainly is quite handsome. I love him. And I noticed that your new owner is a lovely lady named Thea." I said.

"Yep. It sure feels good to have new owners. Who knows? Maybe they can help us return to our old bodies. And we can live again." Lili replied.

I thought of this for a moment and realized that Lili was right. Maybe Garath and Thea could help our souls return to the bodies they belong in. Then Lili and I can be human like we used to be.