Framed Mechanic: You Can Crash and Burn
At a highway service area, the man parked in the next space points under his van and shouts that it's leaking fuel and is about to explode.
I am a veteran auto mechanic with ten years of experience. Without hesitation, I slide under the vehicle and, within ten seconds, clamp off the fuel line.
The moment I crawl back out, I catch the smell of mineral water.
The owner, Billy Dickson, immediately pulls out his phone and starts a livestream while several of his accomplices pin me against the hood.
"Watch this, everyone! We set the perfect trap and caught a gang of catalytic converter thieves! See how smoothly he got under the chassis? He's obviously a repeat offender. Every missing part at this service area has to be his doing!"
Covered in dirt and grease, I try to explain to the crowd that I only cut the line because I thought the vehicle was about to catch fire and endanger everyone nearby.
Billy spits a thick wad of phlegm right onto my shoe.
"Who asked you to stick your nose into my business? You crawled under my van because you wanted to steal parts! Either you pay for a brand-new vehicle today, or I'll hand you over to the police and make sure you rot in prison!"
Not wanting to delay getting my wife, who's about to go into labor, to the hospital, I grit my teeth and transfer them 20,000 dollars to settle the matter privately.
Three days later, on a long downhill stretch of a winding mountain road, Billy's van completely loses its brakes.
Black smoke pours from the tires.
He recognizes my car and frantically blares the horn. Rolling down his window, he begs me to tell him how to survive.
I simply press down on the accelerator and widen the distance between us, my face completely expressionless.
"Back for another livestream to chase views? Give me a break. To prove I'm not a car thief, I already threw my wrenches into the river. You'll have to figure out for yourself how to jump out of the van."