THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

Zachary was surprised by Camilla's efficiency. She managed to complete all the vehicle ownership transfer and registration procedures within an hour. A few minutes to 1:00 PM, she was already handing him the registration papers of his new Audi R8 GT in the M?ller Bil customer service area.

On receiving the papers, Zachary started grinning from ear to ear. He took a defiant joy in the fact that he'd finally managed to acquire his first vehicle in both his lives. For a moment, happiness swelled inside him as if the noonday sun had warmed up his soul.

But on scanning through the papers a moment later, his smile faded, his brows drawing together into a frown. He was shocked to discover that he was still liable for over 386,000 Norwegian Kroner as the tax on the car purchase, insurance, and registration fees. That meant that if Audi hadn't given him the vehicle for free, he would have had to cough out more than 1.5 million NOK to acquire a car with the specs similar to an R8 GT. The Norwegian taxes on luxurious vehicles were egregious.

Nonetheless, he would never dream of giving up such a sleek machine just because of the tax. So, he braced himself, paid the 386K NOK, and completed all the transfer procedures without much deliberation. He could afford to splash the cash since he was already receiving 400,000 NOK as his monthly salary from Rosenborg, not counting bonuses.

"Do you have a driving license?" Camilla asked Zachary as she handed him the Audi R8 GT keys. "Or would you prefer we make arrangements for a driver to take the car back to your place?"

"No need for a driver," Zachary replied, shaking his head. "I already have a driving license and can drive the car back myself."

Although it was his first time owning a car, he was sure that he wouldn't have any trouble driving it. He'd already taken the mandatory driving lessons just after graduating from the academy so as to receive his Norwegian driving license. Moreover, he had on a few occasions driven a heavy-goods truck when the going had gotten tough during his previous life. So, he was confident in his driving skills—at least while maintaining a speed of less than 60 km/hr.

"Okay, then," Camilla said, smiling. "Our mechanics have already finished fine-tuning your R8 GT. They have moved it to the parking lot. Your new car awaits you. Thank you for considering Audi as a potential partner. If there's nothing else, I'll have to say goodbye to you since I have to report to my boss now. So, is there anything else?" She queried, her bright green eyes looking at Zachary eagerly.

"Not at the moment," Zachary replied, shifting gears into poker face mode. "I think you've already completed all the procedures perfectly. Isn't that right, Ryan?" He added, turning towards the short guy beside him.

"Oh, yes," Ryan said, nodding. "That should be everything. Unless you would like to install additional accessories in the car, we can consider this purchase complete."

"That should be it," Zachary said, turning back towards Camilla. "I don't need anything else. You've already completed everything that needs completing to perfection. Thank you."

"Then, I'm glad," Camilla said, her whole face lighting up. "I'll have to go report to my boss now. In case you get any problems with the vehicle, please call me. I'll try to help you as best as I can. Otherwise, it was nice meeting you, Zachary." She said, extending her slender hand to him.

"It was nice meeting you too," Zachary replied, taking her hand. "Thank you for all your help today." He added, inwardly sighing with relief since he was finally about to leave the dealership.

"You're welcome," Camilla said, still smiling. "Should I inform your agent that you're waiting for her here?"

"Yes, please do," Zachary replied.

"Okay, I'll inform her," she said. "I think you won't have to wait long. I believe they've already completed negotiations. Otherwise, have a good day. And don't forget to call in case there's a problem with the R8 GT."

"Yes, of course," Zachary concurred, nodding solemnly. But on the inside, he was already planning on casting away the business card and never meeting Camilla again.

"Then, all the best, and may you enjoy your new ride," she said before turning away and strutting out of the conference room.

Zachary let out a pent-up breath on seeing her figure disappear through a sliding glass door at the far side of the customer service area. He could finally let loose and relax.

"You like her?" Ryan queried from beside him.

"No, I don't," Zachary was quick to reply, sounding defensive.

"Yes, you do," Ryan said, smiling like a rogue. "You don't have to worry. She also seems to find you pleasing to the eyes."

"And how would you know that?"

"She gave you her number," Ryan replied. "Didn't she?"

"Her business card, not her number," Zachary responded, shaking his head. "It's only for business issues like when I get any trouble with the car. There's nothing much to it."

"Then how do you explain her constantly smiling whenever she was talking to you?" Ryan probed, grinning and rubbing his hands together. "Not even once did she cast a smile towards me. Don't you find that odd?"

"She is a car saleswoman," Zachary countered. "She'll always smile at anyone buying a vehicle. So, will you leave this alone?"

"If you say so," Ryan said, patting Zachary's back. "But believe me, I've got an eye for these things."

"And who are you? Cupid, Yue Lao, or Freyja? Leave it alone. Will you?"

Ryan chuckled at that. "Then, should we check out that R8 GT of yours first? We can take it for a short spin nearby."

"Let's wait a bit," Zachary said, casting his gaze towards the sliding doors at the far side of the customer service area. "Emily will be here soon. I'm sure she will emerge as soon as she hears that we have concluded all the procedures related to the vehicle."

"Okay, then," Ryan said. "It's your call since I'm only a middleman on commission."

"That reminds me," Zachary said, turning towards Ryan once more. "Remember to text me your bank details so that I can transfer the 1,000 NOK to you. Thank you for your help today."

"No problem, man," Ryan replied, grinning. "You can always call me when you need to buy any property in the future. If it's something in Europe, I'll be able to get it for you. Even if it's the goodies from outside Europe, I've got a few colleagues that can help me acquire them. Emily can vouch for me on this."

Zachary nodded. "That's okay," he said, smiling. "I'll remember that if there's anything I need in the future. You can also contact me before your next race. I would love to attend and see you drifting over the race tracks."

"Are you for real?" Ryan probed, inclining his head as if to search Zachary's face for confirmation.

Zachary nodded in response.

Ryan grinned. "Then I'll send you an invitation when it's two weeks to my next race," he said. "Please don't forget."

"Don't forget what?" Another voice said from behind them.

Both Zachary and Ryan almost jumped up in shock as they'd not expected Emily's voice to sound from behind them.

"How did you manage to sneak up on us?" Ryan asked, turning around to look at Emily.

"Have you forgotten I'm a lawyer by profession," Emily replied, beaming.

Ryan sighed, giving Emily an arch look. "So, law schools these days teach their students how to sneak up on people. Where's the world headed?"

Emily chuckled. "Susanne's assistant just informed me that you guys have already finished all the paperwork," she said, turning towards Zachary. "Is that right?"

"Yes, the car is already in my name," Zachary replied, grinning. "All the procedures are done, and I'm already one of the proud owners of an Audi R8 GT. We were only waiting for you so that we can set off."

"Congratulations," Emily said, patting Zachary's back. "We should celebrate this occasion. Shouldn't we?"

"I'll take you out for Pizza at Tyholt Tower after here," Zachary said, grinning. "That should be enough of a celebration for today."

"Tyholt Tower," Emily mumbled, seemingly mulling over the name. "Isn't that the place where people go to enjoy meals in a rotating restaurant 74 meters above the ground?"

"Yes, that's it," Ryan chipped in, rubbing his hands together. "They've got really good pizza, probably one of the best in Trondheim."

"Then I would love to go there," Emily said, smiling at Zachary.

"Have you finished up with Susanne?" Zachary queried.

"Yes, we have completed the outline of the contract document," Emily replied, her voice taking on a formal tone. "But we'll be meeting again tomorrow to discuss the individual clauses in the contract. I'll keep you posted about the progress of the negotiations. So, don't worry and focus on your training."

"Okay," Zachary agreed. "But what is your take on this deal?"

"I think it's perfect," Emily said, beaming. "Audi sponsors a lot of athletes in Norway and Europe at large. So, they are a good option as one of your long-term partners. But let's first finish the negotiations. I'll have gotten the exact picture of their sincerity towards you by then."

"Then, I'm glad," Zachary said. "Thank you for your hard work."

"You're welcome," Emily replied. "And that's exactly my job. I'm famished. Should we leave this place and go enjoy that Pizza, then?"

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

Both Zachary and Ryan concurred. And they set off from the dealership, heading to Tyholt tower for Pizza. They drove in a convoy—never exceeding 40 Km/hr, even on sections of the road with less boisterous traffic, to give Zachary a chance to acclimatize to his new machine.

**** ****