Chapter 1
Sometimes, you might find yourself in a situation that calls for quick action. Nowadays those situations come up more and more often, and they often mean your life. But during this time of "do it or lose it", you forget how fragile life really is. You forget how many lives have been lost already. The only thing that matters in that split second moment is survival. I had a split second to decide whether or not I was going to make a living off of this, and I decided.
"Breathe..." The energized crowd continues to surge my adrenaline, making it difficult to do so. My heart pounding in my ears, I have to focus on the road that stretches ahead. "No one can stop me now," I rev my bike, feeling invincible. The flickering city lights glow around the road, reflecting off my black helmet. The road itself silenced from any vehicles in the middle of the night. I now crouch down on my bike; four other competitors revved their bikes. Glitch had rigged the stoplights to go on our mark.
I looked up at the broken down Space Needle, and remembered the time long ago when it lit up bright. Now it was just an empty shell, hollowed just like the people left behind.
"This is for them."
Red, yellow, green, go.
The sound of screeching tires powered the crowd as we fly forward, my opponents getting ahead of me just as planned. They had already underestimated my bike, being only a Ducati 1098, made originally in 2011. I'll continue to let them think that I was going to lose. My speedometer lights at 80 mph.
"80, 90, 110 mph" the sounds of my gears changing behind my first opponent make him turn around. He only has a yellow Aprilia RSV, 2012 model. Nothing is upgraded, pretty lame.
"130 mph" my speedometer now tells me.
My next three opponents come into sight. Two have Kawasaki Ninja's 2014 models, much faster, but nothing mine can't handle. The other one a silver MV Agusta F4. They're all fighting each other for second place,
"This makes it easier, don't even have to do anything." I think.
The person on the blue Kawasaki attempts to smash the other one into the median, but the turn was too sharp and both crash into it. I wince at their piercing screams, the thought of burning flesh making my skin crawl.
Parts flew into the air, but I avoid them with ease when I hear "police" sirens behind me. The red Agusta kept on his path, not even noticing that I was right behind him along with the police bike.
He turns now hearing my bike on his tail.
"What the-" he started, when I gave the hand signal for cop.
But it's too late; the cop has caught the signal of his bike and slowed it down, providing my escape.
"200...230 mph"
The last guy comes into view. This one was going to be difficult. Somehow he had a Dodge Tomahawk and this thing is monster huge. There was only one way I could win this race now, but it would be risky. And I don't want to hurt another innocent person...I pull up on his left,
"250...260 mph."
He lifts his visor and smiles calmly.
"You." this changes things. And I won't have to use other means for a victory.
He pulled out a gun and pointed it at my face,
"Wrong choice." I smile back and duck, pushing a button that revealed the tube of liquid Opulentium, and pulled it from his bike.
His bike powers down, losing the blue lights that had powered his bike, falling behind mine immediately and rolling over, ending with an explosion.
Looking at the glowing tube in my hand, I put it safely in my pocket. This might prove useful later.
The faint sound of a crowd started to roar echoes as I come closer, and I slow and drift into the finish line.
A bald man with a goatee and pointy sunglasses approached me. He then took my hand and put it into the air while the crowd cheers wildly.
"Why don't you take off your helmet kid." he asks, as he always does, and I don't reply, as I usually do.
"Have it your way, here's your pay." the man hands me one grand.
I took the roll of money and put it into my leather jacket. Just as I'm about to drive off a gang of men approach.
"Hey, where you off to so quick!" they call out, one of the guys getting in my face. "So what'd you do with Warren? He's always finished a race in first, so why don't you tell us what happened," one grabs my wrist "Yeah tell us what happened." Another flashes a gun at my face. "Or, you could just hand us the money that's rightfully ours and we'll let you off the hook."
"Hey!" they all turn, as a, well compared to them, kid stands behind them. "Why don't you just leave her alone, she won the race so suck it up and take it like men!" Glitch is 17 years old, brave and smart. But against four grown men, "Not a chance" I think.
They all laugh "What you gonna do about it short stuff? Why don't you leave the grown ups to the talking and-" Glitch had now pulled out one of his inventions, a taser gun rigged with Opelentium, made to stun as many as he wanted at a time. He clicked the button before another word could be said and all four men fall to the ground, convulsing.
"You..little..." the leader tried getting the words out.
"Drive!" Glitch hopped on my bike and I sped off.
An awkward silence passed when I spoke up, "You picked up everything before we left right?"
"Yeah, got it all in my backpack." He yells and patted his backpack on his back, quickly grabbing my waist again.
I chuckled, "Not used to these kinds of speeds are you."
"Not really!" he yelled again trying to talk over the motor.
I slowed down a bit, "Thanks" he can talk in his normal voice now.
Another silence.
"Thanks.." I say slightly sheepish.
"For what?"
"For saving my butt back there, I could have handled it but I probably would have started a riot. So I appreciate it."
"Oh, no prob. Figured I'd repay you for all the time you were saving mine."
We continued on until we made it home. Well, what's home to us. It's an old abandoned apartment building. I pulled into the driveway and turned off the motor, I taking off my helmet and putting it on the driveway for the moment. Glitch hopped off, "Thanks for the ride home." Glitch lives on the floor below us, apartment 5C. He used to live with his friend Dex, but he's missing. Just like a lot of kids out here.
"Give me a hand with the garage door will ya?" He nodded and comes to my assistance. Glitch isn't huge like some of the seventeen year olds out here but he's got a good build. He pulled up the rusty garage door and I parked my bike next to Jay's. We then closed it and started for the front door, after I grabbed my helmet. Wood and brick had blocked it at one point, but we had made a way in through the debris a long time ago. Ducking in through the corner we made our way up the creaky wooden stairs.
"Oh, I left my screwdriver with your brother yesterday, can I come up and grab it real quick?"
"Sure."
The lights kept flickering making it look like one of those freaky horror movies.
"You really ought to fix those." I said when we reached my apartment, 5D.
"Yeah, I'll try tomorrow." he brushed it off as he has been doing for the past year.
We came up to my apartment, 5D and I jiggled it twice, and forced it open as usual.
"You should fix the locks too."
"What am I the apartment's slave?" He said sarcastically.
"Sh! Jay and Kirra are probably-..." the light in the kitchen turned on before I could say another word.
"Out racing again." Jay stood at his bedroom doorway in his grey wife beater and navy sweatpants, his blonde hair a bed head mess. "You can't keep this up all the time Norah, it's illegal."
"You should be grateful you got her around bringing home as much as she does, do you know what they just gave her as her street name? Aura, because she's as elusive as the air until she sneaks up on them and beats the-"
"Carter don't get into this, this isn't your problem. You shouldn't even be out there either." Jay put on his adult voice.
"My names not Carter it's Glitch!" he stopped and looked down when he realized how childish he sounded.
"Yeah? Well that's out there, not here you're not. Here you're Carter and she's Norah. Not air-fauna-stuff whatever the heck you said alright?"
"She's Aura..." he mumbled under his breath.
"Glitch, maybe you should go home now..." I interrupted him before he could keep ranting and wake Kirra.
"Fine." he kept mumbling as he picked up his screwdriver from the kitchen counter and left.
I pulled out the roll of money and threw it on the table.
"That should answer your question as to why I keep doing this." I turned to go to my room when he grabbed my shoulder.
"You can't do this to me Norah, we're family here okay? Yeah we're struggling but breaking the law won't solve our problems."
"What law Jay? Where's the president huh? Those people out there aren't even cops, they're just from that stupid organization whose 'attempting' to keep things orderly. But look around you! Does any of this look orderly to you?"
He sighed, "Things look bad now, but they'll get better. And it's still ethics Norah, you're better than this."
"Should I remind you this is coming from the person who used to steal for a living?" I blurted out before I could close my mouth.
Jay got really angry this time. His grey eyes darkened, and he avoided my eyes to control himself. "You still have a choice, you've always had a choice." Cursing under his breath he turned off the light and went back into his room, furious with me.
"Why do I always do that..." I sigh, guilty. I hate making my brother angry. After my parents were gone, and I was put in the foster home where I met him and Kirra, they were the only thing that mattered most to me. Keeping them safe and secure, which is why I don't have a choice with this.
I took the money with me and went into my room. Kirra's asleep on our queen sized mattress. Her dark brown hair spread over her old feather pillow, she looks so peaceful, so I attempt to stay quiet. I put the money in a high tech safe Glitch had made for us, that was found in a wall next to the bed and took off my jacket and shoes, quietly putting my helmet in the corner.
"Did you win?" Kirra asked.
"...Yeah I did." I plopped beside her.
She rolled over to the other side, "Good."
I sighed, I ought to change into my pajamas but it was nearly three in the morning, I'm just too exhausted. And before I could even start thinking of my day tomorrow I passed out.