-1This one got a bit longer -or so it seemed to me-but its mostly leading up to future events. I got a comment who pointed out the lacking view point of what X was going through and came up with this. Thanks for all the reviews! I keep trying to do my best to keep updating!
Spinning on the asphalt, the wheels of the Shooting Star sent its driver toward the city, the form of Taejo Togekahn fading as the distance between the two racers increased. Behind the car's wheel, Racer X's eyes glared at the road, his mind puncturing the darkness as he thought on the events that were to come.
Few days and he would see them. X hadn't felt both anxious and frightened to meet someone in a long time, but the thought of seeing his family after all this time apart brought warmth to what remained of his heart.
A sad frown came across his face as he reflected on that night when he walked out on them.
It was raining. 'Must be some sort of sign,' Rex thought, as he forcefully shoved pieces of clothing into the old Racer Motor's bag. The flashes of lightning illuminated the small bedroom and the solemn face of Rex Racer.
Thunderous bolts rang in the night and brought shivers of pain rocketing through his body. 'I have to do this.' he cursed to himself. 'It's the only way to keep them away from the people I love, the people I care about.'
"When are you coming back?" Rex stiffly glanced at the black haired, eight year old. Speed looked back at him, worry in his eyes as he saw the bag in which pieces of clothing stuck out. He sighed and turned is head away, watching his brother from the corner of his eye as he continued to place articles of clothing into the small duffle.
"I don't know." Liar! Rex flinched as his mind responded so suddenly. He knew, in his heart, that he'd likely not be coming back. It really was the only thing he could do to keep the bastards away Pops, Mom, and Speedy. Nothing had stopped them from placing the bomb in his kid brother's hands, what would keep them from doing it again? How many times would it take before he reacted too late and someone got seriously hurt?
Rex idly reached his hand inside his jacket, a stray thought drawing his mind back to the present. Rex's hand clenched aroung an object as he drew the familiar piece of metal from the confines.
"Hey, there's something I want you to have." Speed caught the red keys in his small fists as they flew across the room, his blue eyes tracing the elongated 'M' that colored the red chain.
"But…" Speed looked back at him, his stare piercing and questioning. "The Mach 5's your car!" Rex drew the bag's zipper, sealing not only himself from this life, but his own fate.
"Not any more." 'Because where I'm going, I don't deserve it.' Rex finished silently so only his mind could hear. Drawing the bag in his hand, the eighteen year old moved to leave, but the look on Speed's face halted him in his steps.
"Look…Speed." The older brother knelt beside the kid, his eyes drifting between the door and Speed. "One day, people might say things about me." The words were forced through his throat, the pain of what he was doing clenching his chest. "But.." He faltered. "But no matter what they say, I hope that you'll never believe them." The look in the young boy's eyes were strong as his mind took in each word.
"I won't." A sad smile crept onto Rex's face as he drew Speed into a tight hug. 'I may never see him again, but as long as he's safe, it won't matter.' With a once last glance at the young boy, Rex forced himself to leave, his eyes seeming to tear up as he moved farther away from the sad kid.
The bag was heavy in his fist as Rex moved toward the dark house's door. A shadow drew his attention suddenly, just before his hand reached the door knob.
"So you're quitting?" Pops voice was gruff, his back turned toward the kitchen. Each syllable was a stab of pain in Rex's chest as he felt his head bow.
"I have to." Rex forced. 'It's the only way to stop you all from getting hurt.'
"No you don't." Pops speech grew louder and the way his voice was sounding didn't surprise the eldest Racer son. He'd been expecting his father not to be happy with his choice of action. "This is a choice. You're selling out. Turning your back on everything we built here." Rex turned to him.
"I'm done arguing with you, Pops." Stiffly grabbing the wrought metal in his hands, Rex pulled open the door and welcome the refreshing gust of rain that blew into his face.
"Don't you turn your back on me!" The older man's voice was rising, building with each word that came out of his mouth, spittle flying.
"You can't tell me what to do. Its my life to live." Rex placed one foot onto the concrete step outside, his shoe immediately dampened by the pouring clouds.
"You walk out that door now, you better not come back!" Pops was furious, his face growing redder with anger. Rex felt his shoulders drop. 'You have no idea how true that may be.' Without a second glance, Rex moved his entire self out into the rain, the door closing behind him.
It was lighter outside with the rain reflecting the street lights. A car was parked on the curb, its windows tinted. 'I'm doing this for them. As long as their safe, it doesn't matter what happens to me.' He repeated angrily.
Pulling open the black door to the dark vehicle, Rex settled into the uncomfortable leather. As it slowly pulled from the street, Rex took a final look at the home where he'd grown up. A final goodbye written in his eyes.
Racer X's chest clenched. He'd put everything behind him that dreary night, at least he'd thought so. His family, his friends, his old life, sealed from him from then on. A single stray thought could end catastrophically. Nothing was suppose to remain after that evening. Signing with Uniron, Rex took to doing everything they asked of him. He did the tasks without question, the fate of his family on the line, and as it drew him closer to the people he hated, his heart began to ache.
Taking orders from his new employer, Black Jack Benelli, people took him as corrupt and he soon gained a name for himself. He was tried for fixing, cursed at for the stunts he pulled on other drivers, and shunned from the rest of the League, a loose cannon. But he took it all. It was the only way he knew how to when it came to his family's security.
All eyes, criminal alike, turned to him and no one took a second glance at them. He'd walked away from that life and made everyone know that he didn't care about them anymore. They weren't something that drew his attention and were shadows. Meaningless. It'd worked. There were no more bombs, threats, or acts of vengeance centred on them. They were safe dead to him.
A figure danced across the road and X slammed his foot onto the brake just as a deer leapt across his path. A smaller version of the figure stood beside it, its eyes wide in the Shooting Star's bright headlights. His heart beat and he drew deep breaths trying to calm himself, one hand turning the lights off and unbinding the pair.
The larger doe quickly nudged the younger forward and they clattered into the forest. X watched them fade through the trees, their tan bodies passing smoothly between the trunks and branches. He wondered what it felt like to be so free, but he shook his head.
No animal, human or not, lives without fear. There's always a bigger fish, a more dangerous man, or stronger predator lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce. Cruel world.
Racer X was a figure, a shadow that people were frightened to look up at, afraid to face. He had Inspector to thank for that. He'd been doing his best to follow orders and keep the dangerous men away from his family, but it wasn't really doing anything. Rex was becoming what he hated, a fixer, criminal, loose cannon, the world could take their pick. But it was true. He was becoming one of those dirty drivers, a person people feared. It was when, at the moment when he most need help, that he was approached by the Inspector himself did it change. He wasn't going to die accomplishing little, but getting himself killed.
Rex leaned against the tattered Uniron car, it metal twisted in so many misshapen ways that it resembled more of a pretzel than a car. One more race was behind him, but the weight of its out come didn't calm his hurting nerves.
People talked about him. He didn't care what they said about him, but the name he held meant that Racer Motors took some blunt. From what he could read from the splintered papers he found, the company wasn't doing well. It seemed each article that spoke of the, family owned, company jumped out and said 'Why sign or work with a company that is related to the infamous Rex Racer?' It made him want to hurl. Even across the country or over seas, his family took some blunt. He hated it! All of it!
His fist tingled with pain as he threw the calloused hand onto the vehicle in front of him. The noise of flesh on metal hung in the air, ringing in his ears. Rex nodded his head. All of this anger wasn't doing him any good, either. When he drove, he boiled. The hate inside opened him to using it to hurt the other drivers, drivers who didn't deserve it, but he had to. So every time his heart tried to stop him from sending one T-180 in a ball of fire or throw another off the track, he had to push it back, drawing himself back to the anger within him. 'Another sickening emotion to drive this body forward and become more like the bastards upstairs.'
The Uniron's garage door opened suddenly and Rex raised his lowered head in its direction. What light was outside only revealed the man's outlined figure, a man in a suit and fedora.
"Rex Racer?" The voice was distinctly accented and way he spoke also showed some authority, a man who wasn't kind to being pushed back.
"Who wants to know?" Rex responded dryly. 'Probably another official wanting to warn me about the way I drove, or just some other jerk who wants me to take out a driver.'
"Inspector Detector." The name rung a bell in his mind, but Rex struggled to place a face with it. Inspector Detector took a step forward and was illuminated in the dim lights, his hand out in a gesturing motion of greeting. Rex stayed put, turning just to face the well trimmed man before him. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance Mr. Racer. I must say, your reputation doesn't proceed you well."
Rex snorted. What kind of guy was this?
"I don't know what you want, doubt I even care, but I'm in a bit of hurry." Rex lied. His curiosity was incited at meeting the man, he was different from many of the fixers and criminal under lords he was usually put around. As for being in a hurry, that was laugh. His life was mostly around driving and being dragged on a leash by Benelli. If nothing else, he usually hung out in a bar doing his best to drown what remained of his life away.
The Inspector's eyes lit and showed that he wasn't fooled.
"I know what kind of man you are Mr. Racer and a fool isn't one of them, so I won't lie. I'm part of a corporation that does what it can to put corporate criminals and WRL fixers away. You've been overshadowed by Black Jack Benelli for some time and I know how that could change a man, but I still see hope. That is why I would like to seek your services in a manner of speaking." The Inspector paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in. Rex stayed put, not a muscle moved as his drew distant. He was a bit overwhelmed by, if he had interpreted it right, what this Inspector Detector was asking. But what he'd said, about seeing hope? He thought that he'd drunk that away some time ago.
"You're asking me to turn on my employer" Rex shuttered at the word. Benelli was cold hearted, balding roll of dirt and the way he treated the people around him suited the personality. " And spill on what I know about the man, right?"
"Sort of." The Inspector responded, his voice still sharing a strange calm. "Iid like to ask for your services in finding information., but not on just Benelli, but on his accomplices. My corporation has been doing its best for several month to try and connect Uniron and Benelli to several WRL fixings. The problem is, we don't have the evidence to back our accusations. That's where I'd like you to come in.
"I would like to keep contact with you, Mr. Racer, and ask that you help us take down Benelli once and for all. He's done some horrific things," the way the Inspector said it made it seem as though he knew more than what he was sharing. "and its about time he's brought to justice."
A hand disappeared into the pocket of the Inspector's pocket, Rex held his breath but withdrew it and the older gentleman revealed a white card.
"My people would greatly appreciate it if you cooperated with us." Rex took the card, words finally forming in his throat. This was his chance. The moment when he could push back at the people who'd tried to harm the people he cherished most, was now lying before him.
"I'll do what I can, Inspector." Rex's voice was strong. He was ready to go along with it. "I don't really know anything about WRL fixing or corporate criminals, Inspector. Its just that, these people, they've tried to hurt my… family" even saying it was hard. " and I'll do anything to make them hurt back." Rex's answer did not waver as he spoke, everything he said was true. He was here to keep his family safe, but if he could cause just one painful thing back at the men who had tried to mess with them in the first place. Well, he was ready to gladly jump at the chance to do it.
"Thank you. I know about the threats they've made to your family and I'll put some of my people on watching them. They mean a lot to you, of course, and we are obliged to help." The Inspector offered his hand and Rex took it. This, some how, was what he wanted. He wanted to finally be able to push back at the people who pushed at him, kicking him around across the ground like scum. He'd make sure he didn't waste this opportunity, for it was a chance to change the standards.
Racer X's thoughts were barely on the road, which began to thin and open up towards the city. The forests and hilly terrain were fading quickly., but no trace of recogniition was on X's face.
While being a good slave dog to Benelli, Rex secretly fed information to the CIB, as he later found they were called. Pulling slowly at the leash on his neck, Rex started to fight back.
His intel alerted CIB agents whoBenelli and his mysterious accomplices were targeting. Files became loose and soon members of Black Jack Benelli started to fall in the courts, losing cases and ending up in jail. Things were working out. The people would had so confidently tried to lash out at him were getting the rough end of justice.
Justice. He started to like the word. Bad, corrupt men were in cell because of it and it became his inspiration to keep moving toward his goal. Drinking was out of question now as his life became, in a few ways, better. As all things were prone to, the situation became far more dangerous. Benelli was becoming suspicious to everyone near him and Rex had felt as though those dark eyes were looking at him, saying they knew what he was doing.
Racer X drew a long, slow breath into his tightened throat, traffic growing around him. 'Those memories were his past, and they should stay that way. Rex Racer doesn't exist anymore. He died at Casa Cristo.'
Pulling at the wheel, X turned the car into the growing traffic that still buzzed even at the late hour. The past was coming back, just like the traffic. 'Like the old saying: time has funny how it likes to keep repeating itself.' X grinned grimly. 'Only this time, there's going to be a change of plans. Him. There wasn't a fixer that would get between him and Speed. He'd refuse Royalton's offer, there was little doubt about that. Royalton would be spinning and he'd regret placing one goon of his on that track to stop his-." X nearly punched himself, scolding his mind. '-to stop Speed from driving a fair race. I'll personally see to that.'
Next for sure is Fuji! Sorry, but I thought we needed some build up on X's personality. Please keep up the reviews!!