Act 7

Aki slowly made her way back to the motel, trying to spare her car any more damage. She parked it in the front and went to her room to get ready for bed. She glanced around the room. Alex hadn't come back yet.

Aki lay down on her bed and thought about what to do about Saturday's race. The Takahashis would be there, there was no doubt about that, yet she didn't want to have a race in front of them and she couldn't back out of her challenge. Aki thought over her brief interaction with the Tsunamis.

//If I'm right, that team is a mix of cars and motorcycles. Well now that my car is out of commission, I could race using my bike instead of sending one of the guys. That would be ideal. The Takahashis could come and they wouldn't know it was me. I'll go and see the Tsunamis tomorrow to clarify the details of the race, after I take care of my car.//

She drifted to sleep thinking that the day had not gone that badly after all.

*******

The next morning, Aki got up and made some tea. Opening her door she found everyone gathered around her car. Alex notices her and tosses her the morning paper. On the front page was a headline about a black FC jumping a bridge. She looked back at her team to see them staring at her.

"What? You act like this is a bad thing."

"Of course it's bad. You could have been KILLED!"

"Calm down Alex. As you can see I'm perfectly fine. I just have to take my baby to Tokyo and have Masashi (The mechanic who installed Takumi's new engine) fix her up. Besides this helps us. That race group was also made up of motorcycles."

"What does that have to do with anything?" asked Vic.

"Nothing really. You guys don't have to come to the race. Take the night off if you want," replied Aki walking to the end of the driveway.

Alex and Chris followed her.

"You have a plan?" asked the tall African.

"Yep. I race on my bike and the Takahashi's won't know it's me. Especially if I keep my helmet on."

A tow truck drove into the motel parking lot.

"Sorry guys, I have to go, my ride's here."

Aki jumped into the passenger seat as the operator hooked her car up. She gave him directions to a shop in Tokyo. When she got there she was greeted by Masashi.

"So what did you do this time?" he asked looking over her car.

"Oh nothing big. Just drove it over a bridge."

"So that was you. You realize it might take a while. I need to order special suspension springs and who knows how long that will take."

"Just do your best, that's all I'm asking. So where did you store my bike?"

"It's in the back under a blue cover, near some of the spare parts to your engines."

"Thanks, I'll stop by in a few days," she said grabbing her helmet and gloves from one of the shelves. She went to the back, got on her bike and began to head back to Komotiri Pass.

She reached the mountain soon after dark to see pairs of bikers racing up and down the pass. She quickly rode to the top, keeping an eye out for Ryo or anyone that looked like a possible team leader. About half way up the pass she saw a man surrounded by other bikers. Guessing that he might be one of the top riders she began to steer her bike in that direction. He saw her coming.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes," replied Aki taking off her helmet. "I was here last night about a challenge."

"I remember you, you were the one talking to my brother Ryo. I thought you were planning on a car race though. That's his department."

"But I don't want a car race, and since your team is mixed….."

"You noticed huh? Most people don't. Your name was Aki wasn't it?"

"Yeah and yours?"

"Raymond." He looks at her bike. "Sure I'll race you. Same time on Saturday?"

"I'll see you there," she said putting on her helmet. She glanced at Raymond's bike before she headed back to the base.

//We'll see what my Ninja can do against a Samurai.//

Reaching the base she pulled out her cell. It was time that Rick learned a lesson on who was the boss.

*******

When Ryosuke got home, he headed straight for his computer to look up the maps of Komotiri Pass. He looked at all of them and he couldn't find any reference to any side road branching off from it.

//So how did she know, unless she had been there before.//

He searched the Internet for any reference to a team called Dark Horizons. He was scrolling through the results when Keisuke walked in.

"Bro, I still can't believe she did that."

"But in doing that Keisuke, she ruined her car. I'm actually surprised she managed to drive away afterwards, but she is still left with no car to race with on Saturday."

"Maybe one of the others will race," said Keisuke leaving the room.

Ryosuke turned back to his computer; the only Dark Horizon results were related to a site on American movies.

//If she needs parts that means a garage or mechanic shop.//

He began checking garages that had made orders recently.

*******

Aki was waiting in the diner drinking her tea when Rick showed up. He sat down across from her.

"Do you know why you're here Rick?"

"Yes."

"Then explain it to me."

"I was supposed to scout the pass not make challenges to other groups."

Aki pulled out a few sheets of paper from her bag and tossed them in front of Rick.

"Recognize this?"

"It's my contract," replied Rick nervously.

"Read paragraph 4 beginning at line 3." He read the passage.

"You have violated that rule of the contract that you signed. You were fully aware of these rules before you signed on," Aki said pointing to his signature. "Now read the bottom, the fine print please."

While he read, Aki finished her tea. When he finished she took the contract back.

"Now you have three choices. One: you stay on the team and follow the rules as outlined in the contract. Two: you can quit the team upon which you will be given your car reinstalled with a standard engine as a type of severance fee. Or three: you stay on the team, disobey again, upon which I have the right to do whatever I want with your car."

"But you can't, my dad won't allow you to-"

Aki slammed her hand on the table, stopping him in mid sentence.

"That contract was made with your father's approval. Over here I'm in charge, understand?" She got up. "By the way, you don't need to come tomorrow."

With that she left, leaving Rick alone to sulk over what happened.

Rick was pissed. Not even his parents had ever talked to him like that. He couldn't believe his father had given her permission to treat him this way.

//Fine. I'll follow her rules. For now anyway,// he thought as he left the store.

*******

Saturday night arrived. The team decided to carpool to the mountain in Vic's blue Diablo to watch the race. Rick went off on his own as usual. They parked at a corner about halfway down the pass. Aki had left earlier and was already at the top preparing for the race. She was talking to Raymond waiting for the galleries to fill up. It was slightly before ten when the Takahashis showed up. The made their way to a spot they had picked out earlier to watch the race while Kenta went to the top to scout around. Both teams did not notice each other standing across the road.

"It's going to start soon," Vic said looking at his watch.

"Isn't it going to be difficult for her to race if she doesn't have a car?" asked Vicky.

"No worries," smiled Alex. "Aki's got it covered."

The twins just looked at her questioningly.

The crowd became silent.

"I think the race just started," stated Chris.