Chapter 7: Rally

(MAT)

Mat didn't really get racing. To him, watching a bunch of people make left turns really, really fast was about as interesting as a fishing show.

But he spent all day looking forward to it regardless.

There were two reasons. One, the most practical, was that he honestly didn't have anything better to do. At all. Any excuse to get him out of the house was good enough for him.

Two, he hadn't seen Roy Jefferson in almost a year. The two had been good buddies back at the Academy, but since they'd been assigned to opposite sides of town, the two hadn't ever had the opportunity to hang out.

He found himself unconsciously looking at the clock several times throughout the door. The third time he caught himself, he made a face. Jeez, you'd think you had a date tonight…

That led to a whole other train of thought. Namely, he hadn't had a date since before moving into Raccoon City. He hadn't gone to college, preferring instead the quicker route through the Police Academy. He was young for that, and younger still within the RPD. Most officers were older than he was, and he'd never been into older women…Well, maybe I'll meet someone tonight. He snorted. That was a pretty funny thought.

When seven PM rolled around, he was ready to go. When seven ten arrived, he was a little impatient. Roy didn't show up until seven fifteen, and then Mat remembered how his friend had been late most of the time he'd known the other cop.

The Yugo was just as cramped as Mat remembered; that made sense, since he hadn't gotten taller since he'd last ridden in it. Mat hadn't gotten taller since sophomore year of high school, but he didn't like to dwell on that.

"You're growing your hair out" Roy commented as Mat climbed inside.

He nodded. "Yeah. Just, wanted to see what it looks like." For the first time in his life, he didn't have someone telling him to get it cut. He figured what the hell? If he wasn't on the RPD's payroll, then its standards didn't apply to him, did they?

Roy snorted. "Fair enough. So, what have you been up to?"

He and Roy talked most of the fifteen minute drive out of town, accomplishing most of their catching up. They talked about the same things they had back at the Academy; it was as if nothing had changed.

Mat remembered trying to talk to Rebecca when she first moved to Raccoon City. It had been…different was the best word he could come up with. Their lives had diverted so drastically, they didn't have as much in common as they used to. Were it no for the mansion, they probably wouldn't have remained friends. There was no animosity, there were just…different was, again, the word that best fit.

I need more friends Mat realized. He had a few people he'd met at Game-X-Change who he played Quake with, but they didn't really know each other very well. He had his coworkers, the members of his SWAT team…all of whom were at least five years older than him. He had Rebecca…now, but again, they hadn't really reconnected as well as they might have. And now he had Roy.

That's two. Wonderful.

The track was on the edge of town; a large, extremely well lit stretch of dirt, with some very temporary looking stands erected on either side. Mat realized whatever his preconceptions about auto-racing may have been, dirt biking was a totally different beast.

For one thing, the track wasn't a large donut. Instead, it looped and doubled in on itself, like intestines. There were actual hills, too, and even a decently sized jump.

"Ever been to one of these before?" Roy asked.

Mat shook his head.

"Well, I promise you won't be disappointed."

He led Mat over to the stands, which were still every bit as rickety looking now that he saw them up close. Climbing them was the last thing he wanted to do, but he did, wincing every time the rotten floorboards creaked.

He'd eaten at home, but he didn't say no when a vendor passed by and offered he and Roy popcorn.

Roy declined, then looked at Mat like he was about to eat French-fried baby. "You do know what's in that, right?"

"Yeah" said Mat, around a mouthful of popcorn. "There's corn, and…corn, and, uh-"

"Enough cheese to back you up for a month, and enough grease to stop your heart long before then."

"You worry too much" Mat said, popping more of the exploded kernels into his mouth.

"Well, I plan to live to the ripe old age of a hundred and twenty" Roy answered. "And I won't, eating crap like that."

Mat was about to reply, but the announcer cut him off. "Ladies and gentlemen" he began, causing Mat to snort. A lot of the men here might have just as easily been back in a Lay-Z-Boy, watching football, and half the women dressed as if their company was paid for by the hour. "We are about to start our engines, but first, please let us have a moment of silence."

"Moment of silence?"

Roy sighed disgustedly. "We used to pray at these things. Political Correctness strikes again."

Most of the racers weren't paying much attention to the announcer, gesturing to each other in ways that were obviously obscene. Non-verbal trash talking Mat realized, a part of him taking notes.

Then he noticed one racer who was taking advantage of the quiet. He was a little guy, even smaller than Mat, in a red and white racing uniform. The word WALKER was written across his back. He had his head bowed, and Mat suspected the guy really was praying; with his helmet on, nobody would know.

Then the moment was over, and Walker mounted his bike along with the other racers.

"On your mark, get set, -" Go was drowned out by the sudden release of almost two dozen dirt bikes, all suddenly accelerating at once.

Walker made it to the start of the pack in a hurry. Mat remembered his grandpa telling him that was a bad idea in horse racing, but judging by the announcer's excited shouts, that clearly didn't matter here. Mat figured out why a second later; dirt bikes, after all, didn't get tired.

They also didn't care if they rammed you into a wall, as one biker found out the hard way, slamming up against the dirt embankment. He let go of his bike, which kept going for a few feet, unseating someone else before running out of momentum. The second biker hurried to the first, but clearly not to see if he was okay. They started shouting at each other even as other bikes roared past, some dangerously close.

Mat looked back to the race, where several bikes, Walker two back from the lead, were coming over one hill. The bikes were airborne for about half a second, but it was half a second during which Mat felt like his heart had stopped, watching as they came back down, none loosing their balance or flipping. One, the one in second place, did fonder a little in the dirt, wobbling briefly from side to side. Walker zipped ahead of him, gaining on the leader.

The two bikers dueled for most of the race, not changing positions for the next two laps. Then, just before the jump, Walker increased his throttle, flying higher into the air than the bike in front of him. He landed, a few seconds later…in first. Making a turn nearly horizontal, he managed to keep his lead, crossing the finish line in first.

The track didn't sport a jumbotron, the way a more advanced, more expensive one might have. Instead, it had its rather pitiful announcer, who was shouting at the top of his lungs. But even with his microphone, he was like a boy trying to do a man's job; inaudible over the crowd.

Walker dismounted his bike, waving to the stands, and took of his helmet. Mat stopped cheering a second later, staring in disbelief as several strands of dirt blonde hair spilled out down Walker's back.

Roy looked over and saw his friend's confusion. "Yeah, I didn't realize Walker was a girl, either, the first time I came. She won that time, too. She's pretty good, don't you think?"

Mat nodded lamely.

Roy laughed. "She's pretty pretty, too, huh?"

"Yeah" Mat said quietly.

"Wanna go down and say hi?"

Mat looked at him in confusion. "What? You mean, you know her?"

Roy grinned. "Yeah. I didn't realize it at first, but she goes to my church. So Whaddya say?

Mat shook his head. "Maybe some…other time."

Roy shrugged, smiling in a way that made Mat just a little uncomfortable. "Fair enough. Some other time."

He didn't say anything else about it until they were already on their way back to Mat's apartment. "Say, we're doing a thing tomorrow night with my church. Would you be interested?" He grinned like that cat from the Disney cartoon. "I'll bet Elza will be there."

"Uh…sure. What are you doing?"

"Well, we get together and play games and stuff. Hang out and talk. You know, normal stuff."

Mat didn't know; he wasn't used to being around people his own age. "Sounds like fun. Would it be okay if I asked someone else, too?"

"Who?"

"My friend Rebecca. It sounds like something she might be interested in."

Roy looked at him like he was some sort of bottom dweller. "You're bringing one girl to an event, where you hope to meet another girl…"

"Oh, no, it's not like that" Mat said hurriedly. "She's been my best friend since forever. She's a cop too."

Roy shrugged. "Well, I guess that couldn't hurt, then. So, tomorrow night at eight?"

Mat nodded. "Yeah. Let me talk to Rebecca, and then I'll get back to you. Where is it?"

"At the Rec. Center in Greenway."

Mat nodded. "I know where that is. I can probably get there on my own, too."

Roy shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I can come get you and your friend. It's not big deal."

"Surely I can at least pay for gas, or-"

"No, don't worry about it. It'll be good to see you again. I missed hanging out with you."

Mat nodded. "Yeah…me too."

He got home at about ten. Immediately he changed clothes, planning to wash his smelly, cigarette scented clothes as soon as he got the chance. Then he took a shower, something he didn't usually do at night, and went to bed. Tomorrow, he was going to meet with Rebecca, and then there was this thing with Roy.

At least I'm not bored anymore was his last thought before he fell asleep.