Harley stomped on the accelerator leaving the two pursuit vehicles in his dust. The Corvette purred like a tiger as the needle on the speedometer sailed north of a hundred and twenty miles an hour. The police sirens faded into the distance. He couldn't help but laugh at his lucky break.

If he'd been stuck trying to get away in his own rusted Ford, he'd be in handcuffs right now. Instead, he was flying north to Canada on a desolate country road in the finest automobile that America had to offer with a sack of money riding shotgun and the wind in his hair..

When he'd seen the candy apple red beauty parked sideways in the back of the bank's parking lot, he'd knew he'd find the keys in the managers front pocket. The fat bald bastard hadn't wanted to part with them until Harley had brought the butt of his pistol down on his chrome dome. Then he couldn't get rid of them quick enough along with all the cash in the vault.

Looking in the rear view mirror, Harley saw nothing but empty road, so he eased off the gas pedal bringing the vehicle back under a hundred. With nothing to worry about, he leaned forward and flipped on the radio. It was set to a classic rock station. He liked the tune, so he left it on and sang along with the chorus.

Out of nowhere, a van that was more bondo than sheet metal pulled out in front of him from a dirt driveway. He stood on the brake pedal. The Corvette decelerated quickly but not quick enough. The speed and the distance were too much for over-sized disc brakes. He slammed into the back end of the van, causing the back end to jump in the air. Metal and tires screamed like they were being torn apart because they were. The air bag hit Harley in the face with such force he was knocked unconscious.

Approaching sirens woke Harley up to find the back end of the van was sitting on the hood of his car. Frantically, he turned the key. A high pitched whine came from underneath the hood but nothing else. He gave up, undid his seatbelt, and grabbed the sack of loot from the passenger foot well. He raced to the front of the van, tossing his back through the open window.

A woman with long blond hair lay slumped against the steering wheel. He lifted her head up. Blood oozed from a cut at her forehead.

"Damn.... Not again."

A lump grew in his throat. She looked like his deceased wife, same button nose, same luscious lips. Why did he keep on running into gorgeous woman? Literally. He gently cradled her neck as he reached across and undid her seat belt.

Her eyes fluttered open. "What happened?"

"There's been an accident. I need to get you to a hospital. What's your name?"

"Jackie."

The sirens became audible again, and he thought he could hear the distinctive thrumming of helicopter rotors.

"Are you in pain?"

She dabbed at her cut with her hand. Blood covered her palm. "I banged my head off of the steering wheel. Hell yes, I'm in pain."

"Can you move your neck?"

Wincing, she twisted it from side to side. "Kind of."

"Good. It's probably not broken. Scoot over. I'm driving."

The high -low sound of the police signal grew louder.

"Hurry."

She did as she was told. "I don't want to go to the hospital... Those places are full of bacteria and viruses and all kinds of bad stuff."

"Even better."

He cranked the engine, and it roared to life. Saying a prayer to the heavens, he dropped the van into gear and punched it. It drove off the top of the Corvette and sped down the road.

In the rear view mirror, three police cruisers were gaining on the van. He stuck his head out the window and looked up. As he suspected, a helicopter kept pace above them. As usual his luck had only been temporary. There was no way he'd be able to outrun them in this piece of junk.

Slowly, she turned around in her seat to look out the back window. "Wait! That's not an ambulance. Those are police cars chasing us. And, do I hear a helicopter?"

"Err... yeah."

She fidgeted in her seat. "There's something you should know. This van is full of stolen goods. I'm kind of a thief."

Casting a quick glance behind him, he saw countless laptops, flat screen TV's, and gaming systems filling the rear. A low whistle escaped his lips.

Her mouth turned into a sneer. "Hey. You ran into me, and now I'm going to get busted with all this stuff."

He pointed to the money bag near her feet. "There's something you should know about me. I just robbed a bank. The police after me not you."

The frown turned into a smile. She picked up the sack. "Really?"

He couldn't help but puff out his chest. "Yep. I cleaned out First National Bank and Trust."

"Wow. That sounds like a lot of money." She started to open up the bag.

"No. Wait!"

It was too late. A blue dye packet sprayed both of them and part of the windshield.

"Danm... Not again."

He wiped at the glass with his shirt sleeve. Visibility wasn't great, but it wouldn't matter. The police cruisers would be on them in minutes.

Jackie rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hands. "This has happened to you before."

"Yeah. Unfortunately. I didn't know much about bank robbery in the beginning."

"Sorry."

Now only some of the money could be used, and forget going to Canada, no way could he cross an international border looking like a smurf if he could make it that far.

Checking in the rear view mirror, he saw the cruisers were only a quarter mile back and gaining. His shoulders slumped. "It doesn't matter. We're about to be caught anyway."

She dumped the money on the floor of the van and tossed the bag in his lap. "The hell we are. You a good swimmer?"

"I still hold the record for the five hundred freestyle at my old high school."

"Hot damn. I know this area real well. There's a river up ahead. You pull off on the bridge and jump in the water. Let the current carry you downstream a mile or so."

"And, what are you going to be doing with my money while I'm all wet?"

"It will be part my money if I help you escape."

He saw no point in arguing now. The bridge loomed on the horizon. "And, how will he escape?"

"I'm betting the police will all run down to the riverbank and try to catch you, but they won't be able to outrun the current. When they're not looking, I'll slip away and find a tree-lined road to ditch the copter. When the police realize that I'm gone, they'll think I'm picking you up the next spot the river crosses a road which I think is five miles to the west. I'll pick you up at that same spot at nightfall."

He turned the plan over in his head. It wasn't bad. He wouldn't be able to come up with anything better in the time they had left. "How do I know you won't take off with all my money?"

"You can't know for sure."

"I'd feel better if I took it with me."

She laughed. "Go ahead and lose it in the river."

"Fine. Let's do it."

The van screeched to a stop on the bridge. The cruisers were only a hundred yards back. He ran to the edge and took a look down. The water looked deep enough for him to dive and not kill himself so he did just that. The rest of the plan went like clockwork. They chased after him on foot for a good half mile, even took a couple of shots at him with their revolvers but never came close. With any luck they'll have thought he'd drowned.

When he thought the coast was clear, he double-backed and sat dripping and shivering under one of the bridge abutments waiting on Jackie. The sun went down and a pale moon dominated the night sky, but still no sign of the thief or his money. He cursed his luck and threw rocks in the water to dispel his anger. When he was about to give up and try walking into town, he heard the low rumble of an engine. Taking his chances, he came out from his hiding spot to find Jackie parked in the middle of road.

"Were you scared?"

He jumped into the passenger seat. "Hell yes. So, where are we going now?"

Smiling, she said, "I got a place we can hole up for a while until this paint wears off."

"Great."

"Then we can have some fun spending our money."

"My money," he corrected her.

She put the van in gear and punched the accelerator. "You'll have to kill me if you thing I'm not getting a cut of that money after all I've done for you."

He thought to himself, Damn... Not again.