In the distance, a loud rumble signalled that the race
had begun. The tiny dots on the horizon swiftly grew larger and larger, and
Lien leaned forward expectantly, waiting to see who would emerge from the
darkness in the lead. As the shapes in the distance grew larger, Lien realized
that Tristan and Bouncer were almost neck-and-neck. She was surprised at the
Skyline's pace at first, then realized that it had probably been upgraded from
its original performance levels. Seeing that Tristan was in with a chance of
winning, Lien found herself willing him on.
As the cars rapidly approached the finish line, Lien couldn't quite tell which of them was in the lead, and as they crossed the line, she still couldn't tell. It looked as though Tristan may have had the edge, but they would have to check the cameras at the finish line to be sure. Either way, it was safe to say that the Impreza had been some way behind in third.
The three cars screeched to a halt, and as the drivers got out, both Tristan and Bouncer seemed to think they had won. "I won that, Tristan," said Bouncer, pointing a triumphant finger. "Don't pretend like you won that, 'coz you were miles behind me."
"On a one-mile drag strip?" Tristan coolly replied. "Yeah, sure. Check the tapes."
"Only to prove that I won that," said Bouncer. "Hey! Lemme see that replay!"
The girl with the finish-line camera quickly hurried over, and Tristan and Bouncer gathered behind her to watch. Lien could not see the replay, but it seemed as though Tristan had won, for Bouncer suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, c'mon, man! There's no way-"
"You saw the tapes," said Tristan with a shrug. "The tapes don't lie, Bouncer. You're out."
Bouncer shouted something Lien couldn't quite catch, and stormed off back to his Mustang, shutting himself back inside it as he contemplated his defeat. With the first heat now over, the second heat was now imminent: the remaining three cars were gathering at the start line, while the contestants from the first heat pulled over to the side, giving them space in which to come to a stop. The camera girl rushed back to her spot next to the finish line, placing the camcorder back on its low tripod. Tristan sat on his car's rear spoiler and settled down to watch the race.
As the second heat got underway, it quickly became apparent that there would be no such debate about the winner this time. Jason Diaz' orange 370Z had quickly pulled out ahead and crossed the line around two seconds ahead of his competitors. Unlike Tristan, he did not brake to a stop immediately, instead slowing and performing several victory donuts before pulling over to the side. Several of the gathered fans rushed over to congratulate Jason, while Tristan hopped off the back of his car and calmly got back in, ready for the final shoot-out.
Once the crowd around his car had dispersed, Jason headed back towards the start line along with Tristan. Jason tried to turn the mile-long trip into a miniature drag race, quickly accelerating past Tristan, who seemed to be taking a more leisurely path back, alternating between accelerating and braking in order to warm his car back up again. Eventually, both of them reached the start line and turned round, ready to begin the final race. Though Lien could barely see them, she could hear them revving loudly as they prepared for the off.
As the cars rapidly approached the finish line, Lien couldn't quite tell which of them was in the lead, and as they crossed the line, she still couldn't tell. It looked as though Tristan may have had the edge, but they would have to check the cameras at the finish line to be sure. Either way, it was safe to say that the Impreza had been some way behind in third.
The three cars screeched to a halt, and as the drivers got out, both Tristan and Bouncer seemed to think they had won. "I won that, Tristan," said Bouncer, pointing a triumphant finger. "Don't pretend like you won that, 'coz you were miles behind me."
"On a one-mile drag strip?" Tristan coolly replied. "Yeah, sure. Check the tapes."
"Only to prove that I won that," said Bouncer. "Hey! Lemme see that replay!"
The girl with the finish-line camera quickly hurried over, and Tristan and Bouncer gathered behind her to watch. Lien could not see the replay, but it seemed as though Tristan had won, for Bouncer suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, c'mon, man! There's no way-"
"You saw the tapes," said Tristan with a shrug. "The tapes don't lie, Bouncer. You're out."
Bouncer shouted something Lien couldn't quite catch, and stormed off back to his Mustang, shutting himself back inside it as he contemplated his defeat. With the first heat now over, the second heat was now imminent: the remaining three cars were gathering at the start line, while the contestants from the first heat pulled over to the side, giving them space in which to come to a stop. The camera girl rushed back to her spot next to the finish line, placing the camcorder back on its low tripod. Tristan sat on his car's rear spoiler and settled down to watch the race.
As the second heat got underway, it quickly became apparent that there would be no such debate about the winner this time. Jason Diaz' orange 370Z had quickly pulled out ahead and crossed the line around two seconds ahead of his competitors. Unlike Tristan, he did not brake to a stop immediately, instead slowing and performing several victory donuts before pulling over to the side. Several of the gathered fans rushed over to congratulate Jason, while Tristan hopped off the back of his car and calmly got back in, ready for the final shoot-out.
Once the crowd around his car had dispersed, Jason headed back towards the start line along with Tristan. Jason tried to turn the mile-long trip into a miniature drag race, quickly accelerating past Tristan, who seemed to be taking a more leisurely path back, alternating between accelerating and braking in order to warm his car back up again. Eventually, both of them reached the start line and turned round, ready to begin the final race. Though Lien could barely see them, she could hear them revving loudly as they prepared for the off.
A sudden roar and screech signalled the start of the
race, as the two drivers rocketed off the start line. The final, it seemed, was
just as close as the first race had been, with very little to call between the
370Z and the Skyline. It seemed as though the Skyline was trying to pull out a
lead but the 370Z kept pulling back.
As the two approached the finish line, it seemed to be
almost a dead heat, and as they crossed the line, there was immediate confusion
as to who had won. The girl with the camera quickly removed it from its tripod
and rushed over to the two drivers, who seemed equally confused. "Was that
a dead heat?" asked Tristan.
"Like hell it was a dead heat," said Jason. "You got lucky, man. I shoulda won that by a landslide."
Tristan shrugged nonchalantly. "Doesn't always go how you want it to," he remarked.
As the camera girl approached, Jason turned to her expectantly, ignoring Tristan. "Whatcha got for me?" he asked. "That was mine, right?"
The two drivers gathered around the girl once more. "Actually, no," said the girl, "it seems like you were just a few inches behind."
Jason tilted the camcorder so he could see the view screen face-on. "The fuck?" he said. "I thought I had that!"
"But you didn't," said the girl. "The win is Tristan's."
Jason looked incredulous at the result, while Tristan merely smiled and nodded in acknowledgement before walking away. Before long, those gathered around began to congratulate him, and Lien decided to join them. As she approached, she noticed one of the other racers handing over the prize pot. She didn't know how much it was, but it looked like a fairly large wad of bills. Tristan quickly stuffed the wad into his back pocket.
After the crowd had dispersed a little, Lien took her chance and sidled in front of the street racer. "Nice win," she said. "Looks like it pays well, too."
"That's the idea," said Tristan. Pausing for a moment, he squinted at Lien. "We've met before... before the first heat. You were the girl checking out my car."
"That was me," said Lien. "The name's Lien. Lien Wei."
"Tristan. Tristan Starr." Tristan paused again, and this time it seemed he was searching for something more to say. "Is this your first time at a street race?" he asked eventually.
"Yeah," said Lien, "how did you-"
"You have that amazed look about you," said Tristan. "Like a spectator."
Lien smiled and nodded. "My friend invited me," she said. "I'd seen the street racers around, and I have to admit, I'd been curious about the scene for a little while now, but I'd never actually been to a race before."
"What did you think?" asked Tristan.
"It's really..." Lien found herself struggling to describe what she had just seen, and she realized that she hadn't really seen that much at all. "Uhh... it's really fast," she said finally. "Fast and loud."
Tristan smiled. "That's how we like it," he remarked.
"Uhh... do you know when the next race will be?" asked Lien. "I'd really like to see more."
"Caught the bug, huh?" asked Tristan. "Sorry, but the races aren't run to a schedule. But..." He glanced at his car, then trailed off.
Lien followed his gaze, and caught an inkling of what he had in mind. "But what?" she asked.
"I could take you for a spin in my car," Tristan suggested. "Not many people can get that close to the action."
Lien smiled. "I'd love to," she said.
"Alright then," said Tristan, opening the driver door. "Get in, and buckle up."
Lien crossed over to the passenger door and got in. Both seats were racing-style bucket seats, made of carbon fibre and lightweight foam; instead of a seatbelt, there was a five-point harness. The rear seats had been ripped out completely, replaced with carbon scaffolding for extra rigidity. Lien got in and started untangling the harness, trying to figure out how to put it on.
"Wait." Lien turned to look at Tristan and saw he was looking at her with a serious, but still somehow calm expression. "Before you strap in," he said, "there's something you need to understand about what I do. This car has no airbags. Not just to save weight, but because at the kinda speeds we'll be going, airbags won't do anything for us of we crash. I've been doing this for months, and I consider myself an expert driver, but even experts make mistakes. So if you're not prepared for the possibility that you might die tonight, you should get out of the car right now."
Lien was a little shocked at Tristan's sudden bluntness, but she had to appreciate his honesty. She knew the dangers of street racing as well as anyone in Jade City. She knew the sheer foolishness of what she was about to do. But Lien didn't care, because she wanted to do this. Somehow, even just the thought of it excited her. No matter how dangerous it may be, she didn't want to back down now. "I'm ready," she said.
Tristan nodded, and gripped the steering wheel tightly, the turbocharged engine revving aggressively. "Then buckle up," he said.
Lien swiftly began putting on the racing harness. As she did so, a fresh wave of adrenaline washed over her, but also a fresh wave of nervousness, both brought on by the realisation that there truly was no turning back now. "You'll be gentle, right?" she asked suddenly, looking Tristan in the eye. "After all... it's my first time."
Tristan nodded. "First time for everything," he said. "I'll be as smooth as I can." With that, Tristan put his foot to the floor, and in a squeal of burning tires, the Skyline was gone.
"Like hell it was a dead heat," said Jason. "You got lucky, man. I shoulda won that by a landslide."
Tristan shrugged nonchalantly. "Doesn't always go how you want it to," he remarked.
As the camera girl approached, Jason turned to her expectantly, ignoring Tristan. "Whatcha got for me?" he asked. "That was mine, right?"
The two drivers gathered around the girl once more. "Actually, no," said the girl, "it seems like you were just a few inches behind."
Jason tilted the camcorder so he could see the view screen face-on. "The fuck?" he said. "I thought I had that!"
"But you didn't," said the girl. "The win is Tristan's."
Jason looked incredulous at the result, while Tristan merely smiled and nodded in acknowledgement before walking away. Before long, those gathered around began to congratulate him, and Lien decided to join them. As she approached, she noticed one of the other racers handing over the prize pot. She didn't know how much it was, but it looked like a fairly large wad of bills. Tristan quickly stuffed the wad into his back pocket.
After the crowd had dispersed a little, Lien took her chance and sidled in front of the street racer. "Nice win," she said. "Looks like it pays well, too."
"That's the idea," said Tristan. Pausing for a moment, he squinted at Lien. "We've met before... before the first heat. You were the girl checking out my car."
"That was me," said Lien. "The name's Lien. Lien Wei."
"Tristan. Tristan Starr." Tristan paused again, and this time it seemed he was searching for something more to say. "Is this your first time at a street race?" he asked eventually.
"Yeah," said Lien, "how did you-"
"You have that amazed look about you," said Tristan. "Like a spectator."
Lien smiled and nodded. "My friend invited me," she said. "I'd seen the street racers around, and I have to admit, I'd been curious about the scene for a little while now, but I'd never actually been to a race before."
"What did you think?" asked Tristan.
"It's really..." Lien found herself struggling to describe what she had just seen, and she realized that she hadn't really seen that much at all. "Uhh... it's really fast," she said finally. "Fast and loud."
Tristan smiled. "That's how we like it," he remarked.
"Uhh... do you know when the next race will be?" asked Lien. "I'd really like to see more."
"Caught the bug, huh?" asked Tristan. "Sorry, but the races aren't run to a schedule. But..." He glanced at his car, then trailed off.
Lien followed his gaze, and caught an inkling of what he had in mind. "But what?" she asked.
"I could take you for a spin in my car," Tristan suggested. "Not many people can get that close to the action."
Lien smiled. "I'd love to," she said.
"Alright then," said Tristan, opening the driver door. "Get in, and buckle up."
Lien crossed over to the passenger door and got in. Both seats were racing-style bucket seats, made of carbon fibre and lightweight foam; instead of a seatbelt, there was a five-point harness. The rear seats had been ripped out completely, replaced with carbon scaffolding for extra rigidity. Lien got in and started untangling the harness, trying to figure out how to put it on.
"Wait." Lien turned to look at Tristan and saw he was looking at her with a serious, but still somehow calm expression. "Before you strap in," he said, "there's something you need to understand about what I do. This car has no airbags. Not just to save weight, but because at the kinda speeds we'll be going, airbags won't do anything for us of we crash. I've been doing this for months, and I consider myself an expert driver, but even experts make mistakes. So if you're not prepared for the possibility that you might die tonight, you should get out of the car right now."
Lien was a little shocked at Tristan's sudden bluntness, but she had to appreciate his honesty. She knew the dangers of street racing as well as anyone in Jade City. She knew the sheer foolishness of what she was about to do. But Lien didn't care, because she wanted to do this. Somehow, even just the thought of it excited her. No matter how dangerous it may be, she didn't want to back down now. "I'm ready," she said.
Tristan nodded, and gripped the steering wheel tightly, the turbocharged engine revving aggressively. "Then buckle up," he said.
Lien swiftly began putting on the racing harness. As she did so, a fresh wave of adrenaline washed over her, but also a fresh wave of nervousness, both brought on by the realisation that there truly was no turning back now. "You'll be gentle, right?" she asked suddenly, looking Tristan in the eye. "After all... it's my first time."
Tristan nodded. "First time for everything," he said. "I'll be as smooth as I can." With that, Tristan put his foot to the floor, and in a squeal of burning tires, the Skyline was gone.
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