Need For Speed: Carbon (Novelization)

By: Jacen Leonhart

Opening Scene: A No–So–Warm Welcome

Palmont City…

I never thought I'd find myself back here. I thought as I slowly drove my Beemer across the streets, taking in the familiar surroundings. After everything that happened back in Rockport, it feels like I didn't have any other choice left. I've had more than my share of running from the cops back there. Might as well stick it out back here and let the heat die out.

Still, I'd go so far as to say that coming back here even felt pretty nostalgic. After all, this was the place where my street racing career started out. At least nothing seems to have changed around here: That donut shop that I always hung out was still here, the same old apartment buildings and shops were still around, and of course, the streets around downtown Mason District were empty, as it always was at 3 in the morning.

The only problem was; something didn't feel right about the place. Everything was still the way it was, and the police radio scanners I installed in my car weren't even picking up anything; and yet… Why? Why did I still feel uneasy?

From the Old Quarter, Chinatown and up to the Industrial District, I noticed some odd-looking graffiti on certain areas, the type of places where street racers often gathered. Places where I used to race, I thought to myself, remembering the old days. Things like that were commonplace back then, but since when did similar emblems start popping up in whole areas, let alone in a third of the city?

Well, whatever… At least I wouldn't be expecting trouble from the cops tonight. Either way, I've got a lot of questions that needed answering; starting with what happened after that last race I had in this town.

I made one final turn along the Mason District, and again, spotted the same emblem: A pair of glaring orange eyes decorated with a symmetrical tribal pattern. Who the hell was the big shot behind this gang?! Guess that'll have to wait for the next day though. For now, I'll have to deal with an unexpected problem.

A green FD, approaching in the opposite direction, suddenly popped its headlights, and revved up its engine upon seeing me. I could hear the familiar screech of tires and roar of the engine as it made a beeline straight for my car. Was this guy challenging me to a race? I thought to myself. I was in no mood for this tonight, but if he insisted…

Looks like nothing's changed here alright, I thought.

There was something really familiar about this guy though, as I watched him perform a perfect 360 drift around my BMW and pull up right next to it. There was only one guy that could do that, besides me.

The driver pulled down his window, and then I knew…

Kenji…

"I didn't expect you to show your face again". He said; wearing that usual sneer.

"You're the last guy I expected to show up." I muttered. I had just remembered that he was one of the people that got busted by the cops on the night of that last race.

"You have a problem with that, Bryan?" He retorted, his confident sneer turning into a scowl. He was always like that – never letting anyone talk down on him, and his over-inflated ego.

"What to do you want Kenji?" I said. "If this is about the money, I…"

"Spare me the crap", he shot back. "I know you must've spent it all by now." Obviously, he still didn't know I never did get a damn cent.

I started to say something, but again, he cut me off.

"This'll be your only warning", he said. "Get out of my turf, and out of town – now."

My eyebrows were suddenly raised in suspicion. Turf?! Kenji was many things during the time I still rolled through Palmont City, but since when did he start claiming territories in town?

Before I could even guess how big his ego got while I was gone, Kenji seemed to notice that I didn't have a clue about what he was talking about. He always took pleasure in the fact that he always knew more than anyone else… well, almost always.

"Things have changed around here," He said, sneering once more. "This place is a battleground now."

Battleground?! Just what the hell happened here?!

"That's right" He said. "Tuners, muscles, exotics"

For once, I decided to listen. This was probably the most interesting thing he ever told me all night.

"Crews fight for territory around the city." He began.

From what he told me, he – along with rivals Angie and Wolf – have set up their own racing crews and have claimed parts of the city as their own exclusive racing grounds. But there were others, small-time crews trying to take a piece of the city as well.

"And it all gets settled in the canyon…" he finished.

Canyon? Well that was new. I looked thoughtful for a moment. This was definitely getting more interesting by the minute. For a moment, I forgot one of the reasons I came back here was to find out why I made off with an empty bag of cash after that last race.

"I know what you're thinking" Kenji said. "You want to try and take on me and everyone else."

Damn right… By now, Angie and Wolf must've heard I came back. That means they too must be itching for some action, action I'd be more than willing to give.

"But you'd never survive."

Well, he got me there. I never did run a canyon race before. Just last night on the way back to the city, I saw a LanEvo and a Cougar racing in Carbon Canyon. From where I was standing, I could see that those two could drift pretty well. But all of a sudden, the Evo slid too far off a particularly tight corner… and fell off the cliff.

"Yeah, I heard you were back in town. Now I wanna hear you're gone!"

And with that, he sped off, leaving a cloud of dust in his FD's wake, and me to my thoughts. As he sped off, I noticed the same emblem I saw earlier on his car's rear end. Well, that answers part of my question… But despite this, I couldn't help but feel excited at the thought of going up against those three again. I was never one to quit, not after everything I went through in Rockport. It was going to be just like old times.

Besides, there's still someone I need to see… I just hope she didn't take things too badly after I left town.