Act 9

Several days later, Ryosuke, Keisuke and Kenta met up in the diner at the base of Koto Mountain. Ryosuke, still obsessed with finding this group, had called a meeting in order to compile information. Ryosuke and Keisuke at one side of the booth while Kenta sat on the other.

"There are rumors that a group of strange cars tend to show up at a gas station near here about once a week," said Keisuke. "I only heard that from one person though, I can't find anyone else to back it up. The guy at the gas station said he hadn't seen any exotic cars, but that he only started working there a few days ago."

"I also heard a rumor that they were seen leaving this prefecture, moving south towards Tokyo, but I don't know if it's true or not yet. I'm still trying to get a hold of some people I know in Saitama to see if they know anything," added Kenta.

"While we're waiting Keisuke and I will check out this gas station. Call us if you hear anything," Ryosuke replied.

Keisuke and Ryosuke made their way to a gas station on the edge of town. Ryosuke was puzzled. This was probably one of the gas stations furthest from the pass. Why would they come here? His questions were answered soon after meeting the single attendant was working this late in the evening.

The attendant was a teenage boy of about sixteen. His father owned the station and usually left early on Friday nights in order to go out with his friends. He left his son to close up. The boy came out as Keisuke and Ryosuke drove in. Taking one look at Ryosuke's FC he immediately asked:

"Cool, I don't see many of your kind of cars. Do all of them come with a different engine or something?"

Keisuke looked at the kid strangely.

"No, why do you ask?" replied Ryosuke.

"Just that there's a black car that comes around usually that looks the same as yours, but it doesn't sound anything like this one."

That caught Ryosuke's attention.

"Has it been around recently?"

"No, not for a week now, but she used to come often with her friends."

"Can you describe them?" asked Keisuke.

"Sure, one had really red hair, her name's Alex. She told me she came from America. Her car looked really strange though. It was red and really big at the front, looked like it belonged in a spy movie or something," the kid laughed and checked the pump.

Ryosuke looked at the kid. It was apparent now why the team went so far out of their way to get fuel. The kid was an idiot when it came to cars and it was unlikely that the other teams would ask him for information. The leader of this group was smart, very smart. Ryosuke smiled impressed. He listened as the kid continued.

"Then there was this African guy. I think he said he was from Cairo in Egypt. I thought that was pretty cool. He brought me pictures of where he lived once. He said that he used to wake up early each morning to watch the sun rise over the desert. He said that in the early morning the Nile looked silvery against the sand. His car was silver too by the way and then there were these two twins. A boy and a girl from somewhere in Europe I think. Italy maybe or was it Greece, anyway they had these cars that were super powerful, Vic, that's the guy, had a blue one and his sister Vicky had a green one. Actually their cars looked similar and what was really weird was that their doors opened up instead of out to the side. The guy's looked a lot like a formula one car with extra padding." The boy began to wash the windshields. "Then there was this other guy. He was really rude. He never talked to me but the other guys called him Rick. He had a yellow car."

"What about the FC, the one that looks like this one?" asked Keisuke pointing to his brother's car.

"Oh that's Aki's car. They told me that she was training them. I guess they are a racing team or something." He looked at the pump. "That will be 45 dollars."

Ryosuke paid the boy but before he left he asked the kid to give a message to Aki.

"Tell her that Ryosuke Takahashi would like to race her on Akagi."

********

Aki was sitting cross legged on a hotel bed in Tokyo typing away at her computer. She picked up her headset and tried to call Masashi for the tenth time that day. She let it ring for a few minutes and just as she was about to hang up, he answered.

" Finally, where were you? How do you expect to keep customers if you don't answer your phone?" asked Aki.

"Oh Aki, hi. I was busy."

"Sure, sure. About my car…."

"Almost done, only one more part needs to be delivered."

"Good, it should be done by the time I leave then."

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah just for a month, then I'll be back." Her phone was beeping. "Anyway, I'll talk to you later, I have a call on the other line."

Masashi laughed, "always busy I see. Ok I'll see you later, bye."

Aki hung up and answered the other line. It was Alex. She was looking to set up another party.

"Night club? Ok that sounds like fun. What time? Sure, I'll meet you at the Gold Dragon at ten."

******

At the Takahashi residence, Keisuke answered his front door to find Kenta standing there.

"Hey Kenta, what's up?"

"Some of us are going to a nightclub tonight, I wanted to know if you wanted to come."

"Sure, who's coming?"

"Shingo, Nakazato, one of the Sil-Eighty girls, I asked Takumi, but he wasn't interested."

"Big surprise," snorted Keisuke. "Yeah I'll go, you want to wait in here, I'm just going to change."

Keisuke came back from changing to find Kenta peeking into Ryosuke's room.

"What are you doing Kenta?"

Kenta looked up. "How long has he been like that?" Kenta asked quietly.

Keisuke came over and saw Ryosuke staring intently at his computer screen. He shrugged. "Ever since the Dark Horizon's pulled that little disappearing act a few days ago. I haven't seen him leave his computer. It's not healthy but I haven't even managed to get him to take a break."

"Why don't we take him with us?" asked Kenta.

"Bro doesn't like those sort of places."

"Then we'll trick him. Come on Keisuke, it's for his own good."

Keisuke gave in walked into Ryosuke's room. "Hey bro, Kenta heard a rumor that the team would be at this place tonight. I'm going to check it out. Want to come?"

Ryosuke thought it over for a few seconds then got up and grabbed his jacket. Keisuke and Ryosuke followed Kenta to the Gold Dragon.

As they parked their cars, Keisuke was prepared for a verbal lecture from his brother.

//He's going to know that we lied,// he thought glancing over at his brother.

"Well what are we waiting for Keisuke? Are we going in or not?"

Keisuke was shocked. He was sure his brother would see the entrance to the club and just drive back home. But unlike Keisuke and Kenta, Ryosuke had seen a redheaded women make her way into the club just a few moments before.

********

Aki pulled up in front of the nightclub and saw her team waiting for her.

"Shall we?" Aki asked walking up to them.

They all nodded and went inside. After dropping their coats off at the coat check, the members of the Dark Horizons began to scatter. Rick went to talk with some girls he saw standing alone, while the twins headed up to the balcony. Alex, being the partier, headed straight into the crowd on the dance floor. Chris stood in the shadows watching people as the came in.

"Chris, want another one?" asked Aki pointing to the empty beer glass in his hand.

"Sure, Aki, thanks."

Aki made her way over to the bar. While Chris had been talking to Aki, Kenta, Ryosuke and Keisuke had slipped in. The others were already inside. Keisuke could see Nakazato in the corner with Sayuki and Shingo was on the dance floor, joined by Kenta a few minutes later. Ryosuke looked around and found a seat at the bar.

In the crowd Ryosuke missed Aki making her way to the bar, for he was trying to fend off the advances of a half a dozen girls that found him 'ohh so cute!'.

"Yo, Sakuya. A beer and a screwdriver please," yelled Aki over the noise. Sakuya was one of the regular bartenders at this club and he was dating Alex for a few months before they broke it off.

As she was waiting, she looked over to see the back of some guys head.

//What is he doing here dressed like that,// she thought looking at the guy's blazer and pants. She smiled at the problems he was having with the girls.

Sakuya saw her. "Don't tell me you're attracted to him too, Aki." He smiled at her mock look of horror.

"Oh please, you know I have more original ways of attracting some guy's attention."

"So what's the occasion?" he asked as he began to spot the rest of the Dark Horizon team.

"They have to take a racing test next week, so I guess they are trying to loosen up."

Ryosuke had finally managed to lose the interest of the girls, though they were still keeping an eye on him from a distance. He had picked up on the word's racing test and began to look around for who had said them. He noticed Alex make her way over to the dark haired girl he had seen in the diner.

"Come on Aki, dance with me," she said dragging Aki onto the floor.

//Aki. So that's her.// Before he could follow he lost sight of them in the crowd.

In the mean time Aki had managed to pass off her drinks to Chris before being dragged into the center of the floor. Once there she obliged to Alex request and began to dance. The two of them together were getting a lot of attention.

When Ryosuke lost sight of them he looked up to the balcony.

//Maybe, I'll be able to see them from there.//

********

Rick was off to one side talking to two girls.

"Did you ladies know that I'm a street racer?"

"Really, wow." One of them giggled. "Have you won any races?"

"Of course, I even have my own team called the Dark Horizons."

The two giggled some more. Keisuke was behind Rick and overheard the exchange.

"Have you raced against the Redsuns? I heard that they were the best around here."

Rick laughed. "That's not true, I beat them just last week and I didn't even have to use half my skill. Their skill is really over rated."

Keisuke heard this blatant lie and got pissed. No one spoke that way about the Redsuns. He turned around and tapped the guy on the shoulder.

"What the hell are you talking about? You never raced us."

"Now don't be a sore loser," replied Rick turning back to the girls.

"I'm not going to stand around and be insulted by you. You could at least have the decency to apologize."

Rick turned back. This was his chance to prove himself to everyone.

"I'll apologize, when you beat me in a race."

"Fine, at Akagi. Now," replied Keisuke angrily.

"Fine."

They both tossed their drinks and headed out the door. Kenta, standing across the room saw them leave. To far away to ask Keisuke what was happening he went to look for Ryosuke. Looking around he finally spotted him on the balcony.

Aki who was keeping an eye on Rick saw him leave. She signaled to Alex that she would meet her back at the hotel and then went after Rick.

******

Ryosuke made his way up the balcony that overlooked the dance floor. He found a spot next to the twins and began to scan for Alex and Aki. It was difficult to make them out a first for the lights and fog machines caused the area to look sort of hazy, yet soon they were surrounded by other people cheering them on. Ryosuke watched silently.

//I can't believe that those two are the best in the Dark Horizons,// He zeroed in on Aki, //or that she is their leader.//

Suddenly two people beside him began cheering.

"Alex go for it! Aki you rock!"

He turned to look at two twins. These must be the ones the boy was talking about. Over in the corner Ryosuke noticed someone else. He looked closer. The guy practically blended in with the shadows.

//And so there is another.//

Ryosuke began to look for Aki again. //I know she was just here. How does she manage to slip through my fingers every time I get close to her?//

"Ryosuke," said Kenta coming up beside him, out of breath.

"What happened?"

"Keisuke just left with some strange guy. I think they're going to battle."

"If they are, Keisuke would choose Akagi." Kenta nodded in agreement. "Kenta stay here and have some fun, I'll go check on Keisuke."

Ryosuke left Kenta standing on the balcony.

A few minutes later a girl came up to him.

"Hey man, want a drink?" asked Vicky.

Kenta took the offered glass and emptied it.