Red Line
Dream machine, racing queen.
You make my heart beat. You make my heart beat,
Red line on the highway. Blue lights flashing behind me.
Dream machine, racing queen.
You make my heart beat.
You make my heart beat.
Red Line - Anna Yvette
A red 911 zooms past the late night traffic on a three lane expressway. Behind the wheel, Mila listens to the exhaust scream as she revs up to overtake the next car.
"There we go," she says as she taps the shifter behind the wheel to take the car into a higher gear. "No one can touch me." Moments later, a pair of headlights fill up her rear view mirror. There is a loud roar that leads her to believe that it is an American muscle car. The headlights give a couple flashes signaling a challenge.
"Who is this?" Mila says as she eyes the lights. "Alright then. Bring it on." She presses harder on the accelerator and watches the needle climb on the speedometer.
100, 120, 140 the need passes the set of numbers on the dial as she tries to outrun her pursuer. The highway has cleared up, leaving the two cars on a long straight section of flat expressway where they can stretch their legs.
"I haven't been this fast in a while," Mila says as she reaches 155. She grips the steering wheel tightly as the adrenaline carries her onward. "This is exhilarating!"
Even with all the effort of her modified Porsche engine, she can't build a gap. She knows from previous runs that there is a set of long corners coming up and eases up on the throttle. She brings the speed down enough to comfortably make it through the first turn with the tires maintaining strong traction. Due to less downforce, the chasing car begins to skid slightly and must slow down to avoid making contact with the guardrail.
When they make it back to a straight section, Mila glances at her mirror at the distance that has formed between them. She upshifts and her speed climbs once again up past 140. She begins to feel confident in her lead and settles into a high speed cruise at 155.
"Guess they couldn't keep up through the curves," Mila says as she watches the car behind her losing ground. Suddenly the lights begin to get closer. "What the hell?" She checks her side mirror as she is overtaken by what looks like a black muscle car. She eases up on the pedal and the taillights tell her that it is a newer style Dodge Challenger. She makes a mental note to find them later and have a word with the driver. "Challenger," she says as she watches it speed off into the night. "Black. Maybe a dark blue. We will meet again."
-XX-
A few days later, Mila is having a cup of coffee with her fellow racer Lisa. They are going over Mila's encounter with the dark Challenger and trying to figure out where it is from.
"I am telling you. That thing roared." Mila is describing what she heard. "Way louder than your Mustang. You really should look at upgrading your exhaust."
"What is wrong with my exhaust?" Lisa gives her a huff. 'It is still louder than your little Porsche's pipes."
"Not to mention faster. Well as fast as my Porsche. They stuck to me close."
"Should we head out later and try to find it?" Lisa asks. "I want to see this thing in action."
A grin forms on Mila's face at the question. "Oh yes." She suddenly stands, surprising Lisa.
"What is the hurry?" She asks. "We have all day."
"I want to try tweaking my ride a little," Mila answers as she makes her way out. "I will text you later."
Lisa watches as Mila heads out the door and leaves in her car. "Isn't she anxious," she says as she goes back to her coffee. "She could probably have just stayed here," she thinks aloud. "This is the main hangout for anyone with a fast car."
When she has finished her cup, she grabs her keys to make her way out of the shop. As she reaches for the door, she takes out her phone to send Mila a message. She is looking down at the screen and bumps into someone making their way inside.
"Oh sorry," Lisa apologies as she takes a step to the side. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"No problem," comes a response from a southern blonde. She notices the checkered flag pattern on Lisa's jacket. "You look like a racer," she says. "That your Mustang out front? I always have an eye for a nice muscle car."
"Why yes it is," Lisa answers her. "I'm Lisa."
"Tina." She turns her head toward the parking lot. "Say you wouldn't happen to know that cute redhead that just left? Would You?"
Lisa notices in the parking spot that Mila recently left from is parked a midnight blue Challenger. It clicks in her head from what Mila was telling her earlier. "You were the one she was telling me about. A dark Challenger. You didn't happen to race a Porsche a few nights ago?"
"She held her own until after that curve. Then I left her in the dust."
"So it was you. We were going out tonight to find your car."
"Then I will make sure I am easy to find." She walks in and takes a seat at one of the tables. "See you tonight."
Lisa walks out and gets into her black Mustang. She contemplates for a moment just having Mila come back. She decides against it and grins to herself as she fires up the engine. "This is going to be fun."
-XX-
Darkness begins to fall as she makes her way over to meet with Mila. She pulls up to the curb outside Mila's garage as Mila backs her car out to the driveway. Lisa gets out and walks over to have a chat before they head out.
"How is it doing?" Lisa asks as she leans in Mila's now open passenger side window.
"Great," Mila answers. "That Challenger doesn't stand a chance."
"Someone is confident."
Mila can't help but rev the engine a couple times. "Of course I am. Now let's go."
Lisa gets her car and the two head out to the same stretch of expressway where Mila first encountered her new rival. Lisa follows behind as they cruise at a quick but reasonable pace. In no time at all, they come up on the tail lights of a dark Challenger.
"There you are," Mila says with a grin as her lights illuminate the rear of the leading car. Lisa watches from behind as Mila gives a flash and the two leading cars take off down the road. Lisa floors the accelerator to try to keep up, but slightly loses ground. She grits her teeth as the speed and RPMs climb higher.
The three cars speed through the night. They overtake a couple late night motorists sticking to the right lane as they zoom by on the left. The nose of Mila's Porsche sticks like glue to the rear bumper of the Challenger. Mila stares at the glowing horizontal tail lights as she looks for an opening for an overtake. The rest of the road becomes a blur while they push their cars faster.
They reach a downhill left curve and Mila spots an opportunity as the Challenger begins to slow. She eases up on the pedal and sticks to the inside lane as she Challenger drifts wide. The red nose slides underneath and comes alongside. By the end of the curve, she has edged ahead.
Mila checks her right mirror for her opponent's location. "They have more power, but I have more grip."
Lisa has fallen a couple lengths back, but is sticking close. "Mila was right, this thing is fast." She upshifts again. "And loud." She watches as Mila's Porsche races side by side with the Challenger.
Mila spots a semi truck coming up in the slower lane and uses it as a pic to gain the lead. The truck lays on its horn as three cars speed by. Mila grins from watching the Challenger fall in behind her.
"Still won't give up," Mila says, checking the mirror. "You got spunk." She looks down to her gauges. "Hopefully I don't break something."
They continue down the highway with Mila setting a quick pace. Suddenly there is a warning on Lisa's dash about her temperature. "Crap," she says. "I need to watch my revs." She pulls out to try and get air into the radiator. The sound of the wind mixes with the engine as Lisa watches the temp gage start to fall. "There we go." She uses the momentum from the slingshot to move up beside the Challenger. They begin to climb a blind curve that ascends a large hill.
Mila listens to the roar of the two big muscle cars behind her as they head toward the summit. When she reaches the peak, she feels her stomach lunge as the suspension extends to keep the tires on the tarmac. She cranks the wheel to avoid a slow slow car and is able to miss by a narrow margin.
Behind her, the slightly bigger cars hit the peak and quickly come up on the slower car. Lisa has to drag the brake to avoid it, but she closes the distance quicker than she anticipates. To avoid a collision, she cranks the wheel and presses harder on the pedal. The Mustang sideswipes the Challenger next to her, causing them to skid across the tarmac.
"Oh fuck!" Mila cries as she watches the event unfold in her mirror. She slams on the breaks to bring her car to a stop. "Lisa!"
A short distance back, the Mustang and Challenger have skidded to a stop on the shoulder. Luckily, both drivers have been able to come to a halt without ramming into anything. Mila quickly sets the brake and practically jumps from her seat. She rushes to the Mustang as Lisa opens her driver side door.
"Lisa?" Mila askes, her voice full of concern. "Are you okay?"
Lisa rubs her head as she tries to get her bearings while the adrenaline in her system subsides. "I'm fine," she says after a long moment of trying to catch her breath.
Mila hears a car door slam and lifts her head to look over the top of the Mustang. Tina squats next to the Challenger examining it for damage.
"So you are the one who has been giving me such a hard time. Are you okay?"
Tina looks up and meets the gaze of Mila. The blonde swallows and rises to her feet. "I am fine," she says. "But my car scratched up." She points toward the front rim. "And it looks like I have a flat."
"At least you are okay," Lisa says as she walks over. "I could give you a lift." She nudges Mila lightly in the ribs. "Unless you don't mind riding with the import."
Mila quickly speaks up. "I am okay with giving you a lift. If you don't mind."
Tina gives her a smile. "Then let's go."
They head to their cars and Tina sits in Mila's passenger seat. The blonde buckles herself and lets out a sigh. "Pretty eventful night," she says. "Is it too late to ask you on a date?"
Mila turns to her stunned. "Me?"
Tina lets out a giggle. "Yeah you. Who else? I have had an eye on you for quite a few nights now."
"Is that why you challenged me back then?"
Tina leans across the center console. "Got you attention, didn't I?"
Mila stars into the blue orbs. "That you did," she says. "And you have won something besides the race."
"And what is that?"
Mila gives her a light kiss on the cheek. "A date with a stunning lady."
"Anytime," Tina responds. "And we are going on a double date when my car is fixed."
Lisa pulls up alongside them and rolls down her window. "You two want to quit being lovey-dovey. We need to hurry up and come back with a tow."
Mila takes another look at the blonde beauty beside her. "Then let's get going."
-XX-
Mila is once again cruising the expressway. This time instead of looking for a race, she is cruising with Tina following closely behind her with her newly repaired Challenger. The two have spent quite a large amount of time with each other and their cars after they became a couple.
Mila watches the headlights follow her as they speed past traffic. Suddenly they are lit up by a set of blue police lights behind them.
"Pull over your vehicles," comes a stern warning from the intercom of the police car.
Mila watches as Tina's challenger flashes its headlights in her mirror. Signaling a challenge for the officer.
Mila grips the wheel tighter and gives a grin. She begins to press harder on the throttle and shifts up a gear. "I love date night."