Nolo stared as the Silencerz walked over towards him and not sure about what was going on slowly got out of Synkro but stayed close.
As he neared, the Silencerz removed his helmet and Nolo was stunned to see Vert.
"Man am I glad to see you Nolo." Vert said greeting Nolo with a firm hand shake and a broad grin.
"Vert, what happened to you?" Nolo said in utter surprise.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Vert replied
"There'll be plenty of time when we get out of here."
"Is everyone here?" Vert asked.
"Yeah. Including Tezla and Lani. "Nolo told him.
"Lani, really."
The other Silencerz behind them moved forward slightly catching Nolo's attention. Vert turned, then looking back at Nolo said. "I gotta get going Nolo."
"Man you're not one of them now; you're Teku, one of us."
Vert shrugged his shoulders, "This is more important Nolo but I promise I'll explain as soon as I can." Vert slapped Nolo on the arm then turned and got back into his Silencerz vehicle.
Nolo watched as both cars disappear, then getting back into Synkro he made his way back through the tracks, confused and angry.
Kurt had no luck trying to find the Silencerz and realizing it would be impossible, he decided to make his way back into the city. As he went along, he saw drones everywhere on the tracks surrounding him. Racing with little regard to safety Kurt took the corners hard and always tried keeping one step ahead of the drones. He thought himself doing well, when he turned the next corner and came upon hundreds of drones standing in formation in front of him.
Slamming the brakes Sling Shot slid out of control hitting the drones and knocking them over like skittles. Deep among them, they charged towards Sling Shot, all grabbing for parts of the vehicle and attempting to tear it apart. Kurt desperately tried driving out of the dense pack surrounding him but they swarmed all over and he couldn't see anything. Activating the jump jets, Kurt propelled Sling Shot up into the air, the action taking the drones by surprise. As Sling Shot came back down onto the track, Kurt accelerated and pushed his way out away from the drones.
Looking back Kurt saw the drones running after him, then several vehicles took off towards him. Driving hard, he took the first turn away from the drones. Looking back in his rear view mirror he saw the drone vehicles coming up fast behind. When his eyes came back to the front he was stunned by a blinding light, which suddenly surrounded him.
Karma looked over to Shirako, whose face was almost comical. The big grin he wore talk Karma he was going to be up to no good in a very short time, and honestly Karma though the same of herself. Turning back towards the hundreds of thousands of drones before them she said, "It won't hurt to do a little damage."
Shirako only nodded his head as he raised his hand a using the controls on his wristband, cranked up the music in Bassline. Karma shook her head, laughing to herself, as they both returned to the vehicles. Not waiting for Shirako, Karma drove forward straight into the nearest drones. They toppled around her, forming a chain reaction as the lines of drones fell.
Bassline and Chicane drove erratically through the underground storage facility destroying as many of the inactive drones they could.
Karma smiled, she was actually having fun, and she laughed every time she caught sight of Bassline toppling the drones like dominoes. She thought how much fun the Maniacs would have there with them and she thought of Taro and wondered if he was doing all right.
Shirako drove Bassline erratically down the rows of silent drones. Swerving from side to side, Shirako made no effort to miss any of them. After a while, a wonderful idea came to him and he stopped Bassline and looked around him. Donuts – Shirako started turning Bassline around in circles as drones flew through the air every time he hit one.
Coming to a stop, he saw a line of drones directly in front of him. Now he was deep in the center of the storage facility and still the lines of drones was endless. Grinning and nodding to the beat of the music, Shirako drove Bassline up to the drone in front of him, then slowly began to push the drone over. As the drone began to fall it began a domino effect with the rest of the drones behind it. The sight cheered Shirako cheered on as he reversed and moved towards the next row of drones.
Karma had paused during her rampage, and taking stock of the situation, heard a loud noise coming from above them. Listening carefully she asked Shirako, "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what," Shirako replied.
Karma listened again, unsure if what she had heard, when she began to see small pieces of the ceiling falling front above them.
"Shirako." Karma called, but before she could say anything more the entire ceiling gave way. Immediately, she instigated the new technology she had taken from Nitrium, and pushing the button Chicane vanished and reappeared on a track above the city.
"Shirako." Karma called again, but there was no answer.
"Everything all right Karma?" Nolo asked over the headphones.
Karma sat in disbelief, she had seem the entire ceiling collapse the moment she had disappeared. There was no way Shirako would have had time to get out.
"Karma." Taro asked this time.
"I'm all right, not sure about Shirako."
"He has his EDR, he would have used it if he was in trouble." Nolo reassured her. But she couldn't find the strength to tell them Shirako was suddenly buried under a thousand ton of rubble and may not have had time to push the button. There was no way of knowing if he survived or not until they had returned to base.
Never having had to deal with such emotions, Karma tried hard to focus on what she should do net. With only the three Teku now still in the race, Karma knew she had to somehow help Nolo and Kurt. She hadn't worked the last twelve months modifying her vehicle, to not use it to their advantage.
"Nolo, where are you?" she asked.
"Coming back up from the bottom. I don't know about the rest of you, but I've had enough. I think it's time to get out."
"The race isn't over yet." Came Wylde's voice.
"What race, its nothing but a battle here. I'm with Nolo, we need to regroup. What do you think Dr. Tezla?" Kurt asked.
When there was no reply Nolo said, "Well there's your answer."
Karma never had time to reply as a blinding light appeared before her and engulfing her car, she vanished from the track.