The backdoor slammed behind him as he ran across the back porch, hearing his sneakers squeaking along the damp boards. A voice yelled at him from inside not to do that, but he ignored it of course, augmenting his annoyance with a deep roll of his eyes. He trudged along the deck and jumped from the top step to the soft ground, making two shoe-shaped grooves in the grass. A small breeze came in from above him and he shrugged on his favorite jacket, fiddling with the collar as he stepped out into the street.

He always felt older with the jacket on, loving every ding and scuff on it; it was dark blue in color, complete with d-rings and straps hanging from the sleeves and waist. A Krimzon Guard patch was sewn on to his shoulder, along with a few others that adorned the pockets, the logos of racing teams glaring out against the dark. A red armband wrapped around the boy's left bicep, mimicking the officers' uniforms in the KG, and on the back of his jacket, the word 'Racer' was blazed across the shoulder blades in scarlet precursor lettering.

"I'm ready," he grumbled as he walked, kicking at a few stray stones in his path. "I could do it. Who's to say I'm not talented? He's just being a jerk…"

The memory of the afternoon's argument was still fresh in his mind, in spite of the fact it had been hours now since it had happened. Twelve-year-old Mik heaved a sigh, and looked up at the sky through the screen of his bangs. The daylight was fading, and the Palace lights were beginning to show brightly. He could just hear the calm waves of Haven Coast lapping against the shore, and realized that it was the perfect night for skating. With his trusty JET-Board tucked lovingly under his arm, he continued on his path to the piers in order to catch up with his friends.

They were waiting for him by the bait shop as always, one looking impatient and the other seemingly tired. Mik held up his hand and waved to them from the other side of the street.

"Alix," he called, "Austen! Over here!"

The brothers-both fair-haired and lanky- looked up at the sound of their names and smiled at their friend, running across the street to join him. They caught several annoyed looks from nearby adults after neglecting to use the crosswalk.

"Tess finally let you go, huh?" Austen laughed as they continued walking toward their usual skating spot.

"Yeah," Mik sighed, "But not before she yelled at me for going in the water the last two nights. I fell in twice-you pushed me!"

Austen grinned crookedly, his grey eyes already laughing at him. "You just need to watch where you're walkin'."

Mik and Alix rolled their eyes. Whatever argument that was sure to follow was stopped by the latter, who ran forward and jumped on to his board. Mik and Austen tagged along behind them as they headed for the beach to use the dunes as half pipes, seeing as how they were prohibited to use the stadium skate park until they were sixteen. Mik threw his JET-board into the air and it popped open automatically. He jumped on top of it and floated ahead of Alix, performing a small kickflip as he did so, tongue sticking out all the while. His jacket lifted up, and one could see the large wooden boomerang tucked into back of his belt. He heard the other boys laugh and he frowned as he came to a halt, one foot still up on the board.

"What?"

"Haven't you learned anything new, Mik?" Alix asked, "You taught us how to do the 360 kickflip two weeks ago."

Mik bit his lip, running a hand through his hair. The Krimzon Guard Identity bracelet scratched against his forehead as he did so, and he frowned, rubbing the spot. Alix looked at him expectantly.

"…I haven't really been practicing much," Mik finally admitted, "I've been going to the stadium a lot with my brother's KG buddies."

Alix raised his eyebrows. "Really? Did anyone let you ride on the zoomers?!"

Austen crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "Probably not. I think Mik just has a crush on that Libby girl."

Mik's cheeks turned slightly red, but he shook his head defiantly, strawberry-blond hair waving out around him. Austen snorted as if he didn't believe him, but Alix, more in tune with Mik's interests, pressed for more information.

"So what have you been doing?"

"Well…I haven't been able to ride on a racer since Errol took me on one like, last year," Mik said, a sad note to his voice, "But, since Miss Libby takes me to the stadium or Uncle Hector, they convince Errol to let me go on the track. He's taken me through the pit tons of times, and he even let me help repair some stuff on his car."

Alix's eyes went round. "Aw, so cool! I wish I knew Errol like you did."

"Well," Mik sighed, "He's not a bad guy…but since Torn found out, he's told me not to keep going back there. Only Libby lets me do what I want."

The boys didn't seem to notice the bitterness in Mik's voice as he spoke of his brother. Austen shook his head, making a face.

"It's not gonna happen. Torn's not gonna let you be a racer," he said.

"-Or a pilot in the KG," Mik added, "And what do you care, Austen? You're just jealous because you have an older sister instead!"

The boy glared at him, but Mik just sneered, kicking his JET-Board up into his palms. The three friends continued their trek through the Coast, Mik spinning Torn's old I.D. band around absently. Alix heaved a sigh.

"I'm bored," he whined, "And since Icky Miky hasn't learned anything new to teach us, it's even worse."

Mik scowled. "You should try it yourself." He rounded on Austen next. "And I'm serious about being a racer, y'know! I can do it!"

"Yeah right. Your brother's a KG, Mik- a nice, 'obey the rules' kinda guy. He can't have a kid brother who's a racer; it'd look stupid."

Mik's hand grasped one of the handles on the boomerang threateningly. It had been a gift from Torn after he'd gone on a mission in the Wasteland, and the boy had perfected his skills with it. He'd been eight when he first started using it; now Austen was making fun of his brother- No one was allowed to do that besides Mik. Before he could speak, Alix laughed, hitting him on the arm.

"Yeah, and it's not like you'll ever beat Errol! We're just telling it like it is."

Mik scowled again, throwing his JET-Board over his shoulder. It snapped back to its compact size and he strapped it around him as they walked through the busy shopping sector of Haven Coast. He loosened his grip on the boomerang.

"Well, I don't care. Even if Errol's still racing when I'm eighteen, maybe I'll be the one to beat him." Mik raised his voice after his friends started laughing. "It can happen- The guy's not unstoppable!! And I could give him a run for his money, I promise you that."

Alix made a face and Mik shoved him. In spite of the fact that his friends were both taller than him, he still packed quite a punch; Alix was sent sprawling, though he managed to keep his footing and stumbled into a few other citizens. Austen fell into guffaws and Mik smirked.

"Alright, Jeez!" Alix huffed, straightening himself up, "Take it easy."

"Then don't tell me I can't race," Mik snapped, rolling up his sleeves distractedly.

"All I said was you're not as good as Errol- nobody is! You're good, okay? But he's the best."
Mik clenched his jaw, looking up the sky to watch a few stars beginning to glimmer above. If anyone could beat him, why not me? Austen spoke once again, always looking to get Mik riled up. It was his favorite thing to do besides skate.

"Y'know…we've never actually seen you race," he said, thoughtfully, "And there's no way anyone would let you get on a real NYFE to begin with."

Mik glared at him. "I've been on one. I've watched Errol race a million times; I know every switch, every gear, every hunk of metal on the NYFEs, and I've actually read a mechanic's handbook, so don't stand there and tell me I can't do it!"

Austen gave him a skeptical look; Alix heaved a sigh. Mik gritted his teeth, suddenly feeling as though it was very hot outside.

"You still don't believe me? Well alright then. Watch this," he hissed.

Mik threw his JET-Board to the ground and it popped open one again. His friends jogged along behind him as he went deeper into the busiest district of the Coast; shops lined the streets and walkways cast dark shadows over them. Above the sky was now crammed with vehicles. Alix didn't like where this was headed; he knew how Mik could get.

"C'mon!" he called, "What're you doing?"

The kid was just like his brother in moments like these; he didn't let a topic go until he was either proved right or wrong. If he annoyed the hell out of friends, family or colleagues in the process, so be it.

Mik hopped off the board and kicked it back into his hands, slinging it roughly over his shoulders. He ran around a corner, the shadow of the overpass masking him in darkness. The lights of the city flashed dully around them. Alix and Austen followed close behind. Mik looked back at them and smirked, nodding his head. The boys lifted their gaze to the parked vehicle ahead. Alix's eyes widened slightly.

"Aw, no Mik. Don't do it."

"A Krimzon Guard combat zoomer," he began in a somewhat sly voice, "1st class, with a remote turret, handle bar steering and a high-power blue Eco acceleration rate."

"What?" Austen said flatly.

Mik heaved a sigh, shoulders slouching. "She's a sweet ride Austen. They just built these ones. And they make them faster now, just like the NYFEs."

He looked back at Alix and gave him a knowing smirk. His friend shook his head, eyes still wide.

"Alright, you win. I believe you, okay?"

"No you don't. You never have- and this is when I prove you wrong," Mik countered.

He ran up to the parked Krimzon Guard vehicle, causing his friends to take in sharp breaths. They grabbed for him, but he twisted out of their reach. It was as if he was treading on sacred ground and being shamefully disrespectful. Briefly, he took a moment to judge the zoomer for himself.

It was painted a brilliant cherry-red, along with strips of jet-black that traveled along the sides of it; large black Precursor lettering highlighted the back bumper and the skull symbol of the Krimzon Guard glared out at him. Mik could just see his distorted reflection in the side panels as he walked closer. He looked back at his friends and beamed at them excitedly. Alix shook his head; Austen returned his smile.

Without further hesitation, Mik hopped on to the zoomer, scooting up in the seat farther than was necessary in order to reach the both pegs. Underneath his left sneaker was the pedal for shifting gears; his fingers gripped the handle bars in front of him, his right hand gripping the accelerator tight, his left curling around the clutch. He could just see over the dash, the city lights reflecting brilliantly off the hood.

"Mik, quit foolin' around!" Alix pleaded, "Someone's gonna see you!"

He rolled his eyes and leaned forward, scanning the different gauges and meters which were blank at the moment. Shaking the bangs from his eyes, Mik inspected them with deep interest, muttering excitedly to himself.

"You can't go anywhere without keys," Austen called with a grin, dodging Alix's warning punch.

"Got that covered!" Mik answered.

He knew for a fact that every Krimzon Guard vehicle came equipped with an emergency start- he'd seen both Torn and Hector use it before. Hanging slightly off the seat, he searched for the switch-like device, tongue sticking out. The boomerang stuck strangely out from his belt as he searched. His hand passed easily over the smooth surface, and the zoomer suddenly shuddered to life. Mik's eyes went round, the strange green glow from the dash illuminating his face. His friends jumped in surprise, mouths hanging open.

Bright yellow letters had appeared on a screen beside the speedometer, blinking for a confirmation number. Mik bit his lip in thought, running a hand through his hair. The I.D. bracelet brushed against his head once again and he smirked, a revelation striking him. He typed the recruit number in on the touch screen and it blinked, flashing, 'Thank-you, Commander' across the banner.

"You're welcome," Mik grinned.

He grasped the handle bars again and sighed, twisting the accelerator. The engine growled; adrenaline shot through his veins and his heart throbbed against his chest. Mik let out an uncontrollable laugh, whipping around to face his friends. Alix had turned pale; Austen was nodding rapidly in approval.

"Don't! Someone's going to kill you for this!" Alix cried.

Mik narrowed his eyes and gave them an 'innocent' look, taking the zoomer out of park. It glided forward a few feet and he waved to them.

"Amazed or what?!" he laughed.

"Just wait a second!!"

"Awesome!" Austen shouted.

Mik set both his feet once again, one sneaker on the pedal, the other on the peg. He felt as if sitting on one of the racers, picturing what Errol would do. 'He'd go fast,' came a sudden, excited thought, 'Faster than everyone else.' Mik carefully scanned the road ahead of him, blotting out the darkness of the overpass and the citizens around him, treating it like an endless stretch of race track. He leaned even further over the dash and narrowed his eyes determinately.

"Here goes nuthin…"

Mik twisted the accelerator hard, and the zoomer lurched forward, a small burst of orange flame appearing from the afterburners. He could hear his friends shouting after him, but their voices sounded far off and strange to him. Mik screamed as the zoomer rocketed up the city street. One shout did come to him the, clear as the night.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing, punk?!"

He whirled around, watching as a Krimzon Guard came sprinting out of a nearby shop. Mik yelped again, fumbling with the controls. Austen and Alix were screaming at him to go faster. He pulled the zoomer clumsily around a corner, and was soon gone from sight. The KG growled and stormed after him, shouting all the while.

The chase had begun.