Second Gear: 'Operation: Zheng Fu'

ACT 1 – 1000RPM 'Lazy Kanae'

On a hill overlooking a rather steep mountain road were platforms, another tourist facility, which enabled easy access from the city, to the little provinces. The city was surrounded by four mountain passes, each with their own unique downhill and hillclimb routes. Route D1 was an example. There were other routes which span from the mountains, to the city, to the provinces. There were routes such as C4, which ran across the lower altitude, provincial area, some distance away from the city area.

Route F5 was a vast mountain route that spans from nearly top to bottom. The roads are narrower than D1's, but not as cramped as C4. F5 was notorious for its high-altitude high speed technical track, the fear of the downhill will not only throw the average driver off guard, but the steepness of the route itself. However, F5's course special was the tunnel sections which burrow from the insides, to the outsides of the mountains. Many have reported the mountain to be cursed. Countless of drivers either often get lost, or sometimes…never come out. Locals have claimed that the characteristics seem to 'change' at times within the inside. Its labyrinth-like setting was originally inhabited for mining, however the days have arrived that those mines have become abandoned. F5 was clearly more distant, and less lively than most of the other mountain routes. Its definitely a highly demanding challenge for the bravest of visitors.

The peak of F5 was a snowy, quiet area, complete with little shops, inns and a hotel. It was basically more of a small resort town for tourists. Quite a few have spent their lives living in this rather unique and cold setting. F5 was also no stranger to street racers.

"Thanks doctor," replied Kanae. "The other pills seemed to lose their effect. I've probably counted more sheep in bed than you've had patients."
"Your sleeping disorder isn't as serious as it seems. Try those pills. You can't get them anywhere else," said the doctor. "Hope you get better until you're next check up."

Kanae took her handbag and slowly walked out of the clinic. She put a packet of sleeping pills inside, and check out of the reception.
"Just sign here," claimed the receptionist.

Kanae was a quiet 20 year old young Japanese woman, whom had more questions about her than she herself don't even know about. She wore a thin white cotton jacket, a black office shirt, white blouse and some expensive shoes. The expression on her face gave away the hint that she hardly gets any sleep, and looks very tired. She had thick straight black hair that hung down her shoulders. Her face was rather pretty, though her true beauty could have been more exposed if she smiled often. She had the cute little innocent look, but at the same time, looked very tired.

Slowly walking out of the clinic, Kanae pulled her car keys out of her bag. Making her way to the car park, she unlocked the doors to her car and dumped her stuff. The weather was quite cold, though the snow had already cleared up. The town was quiet like it usually was and the wind was rather calm. It was a rather peaceful, yet dead area. It was about 12AM midday, Kanae sat inside her car, an aqua sprayed strawberry-faced Sileighty. It had a medium sized exhaust, no spoiler, and had the new 180SX lights at the back. Kanae had little ornaments and little stuffed animals near the back window. A few bags containing groceries were in the boot, Kanae had a little kitten toy hanging as a mirror ball ornament. The interior was basically vastly done as a chick's car. The outside however, was almost stock-looking, five spoke Enkei rims, S15 front spoiler, but that was just about it, although her Brembo brake kit could be a little seen through the rims.

Vrrmm…

The engine started as the silent howl of the concealed SR20DET echoed along the parking lot. Kanae backed out quite slowly, as if she was still on her learners.
The Sileighty drove off at a low speed, hardly coming across any traffic.

Kanae's apartment was a quiet abode. She lived by herself, on a block not too far from the end of town. The Sileighty drove in slowly into the enclose parking lot. Kanae stepped out of her vehicle and took out the groceries along with her handbag, and carried them across the stairs and into the elevator.
She reached her room at last, the place was quiet, but was remarkably clean. The room was rather big for a single occupant, there were couches near a huge glass sliding door, and there was a little lounge area, and a dining area close by it. Kanae's bedroom looked like a typical teenager's bedroom. There were ornaments and stuffed animals everywhere, properly set up and displayed, along with a few model cars.

Kanae took her coat off and sat in front of her computer, which she had switched on. Logging onto her user area, connecting herself online to the Internet, she unzipped her handbag and took a piece of paper out. It was a few email addresses, but one of them, had a big handwritten circle around it. She opened her little chat program, her desktop icons filled with cutesy little cartoon animals.
A short moment later, Kanae's attention was focused on a single chat window and started chatting;

KaNny: Hello, we meet again
Resurrection: Hi babe, how r u?
KaNny: I'm fine. Just a little tired.
Resurrection: So am I. Actually, I'm in a lil bit of pain, but I'll manage. How was ur day?
KaNny: It was boring…
KaNny: Went to the doctor 2dai. Got some more pills.
Resurrection: U should stop OD-ing on them.
KaNny: Maybe I was meant to stay up. So I can keep talking to u anyway.
KaNny: Y haven't u been online these past few days?
KaNny: I was a lil worried, heehee
Resurrection: I was busy.
KaNny: With what?
Resurrection: Brb
KaNny: Ok… I'll b waiting kiss

Kanae step out of the chair and made her way to her refrigerator and fixed herself some coffee. Moments later, somebody knocked on her door.

"Kanae, are you home?" it was one of Kanae's friends, who lived next door to her. She ignored it, and pretended as if she wasn't home for her to let her in. Kanae made her way back to her computer. She took a sip of coffee, then started chatting again.

KaNny: So when do u wanna meet?
Resurrection: Soon
KaNny: I'm looking 4ward to it
Resurrection: Me 2. By the way, how's your car?
KaNny: Its fine. Its pretty fast.
KaNny: I can control my drifts now too.
Resurrection: How about we race one time? I hear you're the fastest in F5.
KaNny: lol, shhh…
KaNny: Newaiz, there's a pretty big downhill tournament coming in a few days. I think its hosted by some big-name foreign team. I'll be entering. Maybe I'll see U there.
Resurrection: U mean the tournament by Bu Xia De? I might go.
KaNny: Yep, that one.

Kanae took another sip of her coffee. She rested her elbow on the armrest, and leaned her cheeks on to her palm. She yawned in fatigue, yet she typed on. She wanted to keep chatting. Her mobile started to ring. But Kanae didn't answer.

Resurrection: I got the pics u've sent me
Resurrection: U look beautiful
KaNny: blush hehe, thanks
KaNny: I look half asleep tho
KaNny: Have u got any pics of urself?
Resurrection: I don't keep pictures of myself. There's no point.
Resurrection: I g2g, take care Kanae
KaNny: already? Will u b on later?
Resurrection: Maybe. I got things 2 do now
KaNny: Okii… bye hun mwah
Resurrection appears to be offline and may not be able to reply

Kanae sighed. Maybe I'll see him at the tournament?
She shook her head. Then again, maybe not…
She crossed her legs over, and dropped her shoes on the floor. She softly scratched her shoulder as her bra strap was rather tight and lifted it up slightly to release pressure. But this was not the time to worry about purchasing bigger bras.
Moments later, Kanae opened a video player in her folder.
There were two windows. One played a video of F5, inside a car running around 120kph along the downhill. There was another window, displaying a digital map of F5, showing a little dot moving around the route, also displaying the speed of the little icon as well as the lines taken.
The video was a recording of Kanae's time attack of F5, while the other is an estimated calculation of the highest possible speed to take on the ideal line.
The record was a bit unbalanced. There were some sections in the video in that Kanae's record was faster, but also at some sections in which it was slower.
Kanae's time was 4'27'69, and the simulation time was 4'27'34.

She closed the window, and opened up her browser. Flicking through the folders, Kanae opened one of her personal area, and typed in her passwords. One of the folders was named 'Hacked'.
She opened the folder, and scrolled through the vast selection of items, until she finally stopped at a certain file.
It was some sort of report or article, which she had recently 'stolen' from a remote access database she stumbled upon.
She looked in more closely. The report was about a next generation drivers assist system, had images of a helmet-like object, and various data and variables. What organization could produce something like this, wondered Kanae.

The product, allows road conditions, car specs and conditions, data analysis to be fed straight to the driver, along with a secondary function to eliminate driver's anxiety, fear, and any other physical, as well as mental distraction, through the combination of visual alterations synchronized with mental signals and drugging. The system's codename was 'KYOKO'. The drugs were designed to minimize physical strain in one's consciousness, boosting the user's pain resistance by nearly 75. The 'KYOKO' pills are a variation of steroids, but only have temporary effects, although a full overdose would result in permanent damage. The 'KYOKO' helmet was designed to give the user a space between physical reality, and virtual reality. Of course, the characteristics within the helmet presents that of actual conditions and physical appearances of various obstacles, though KYOKO uses synchronized visual alterations with the user's thought pattern along with the KYOKO pill effects.

Moments later, Kanae noticed that her phone was still beeping. She look at who was calling and in an instant, she panicked. "Oh shit…" she slowly reached for her mobile. It was her elder brother, Fao. Kanae picked up, and shortly realized that Fao was quite unhappy.

"Where the hell are you?" Fao asked Kanae in a very straight and broad voice. "What are you doing? You're supposed to pick up Roni half an hour ago."
"Oh I'm so sorry, I forgot! I totally forgot!" Kanae admitted in panic.
"I'm busy right now and I can't go get him. Roni's teacher called me and said he hasn't gone home yet,"
"I'm sorry, Fao, I'll be on my way."

Kanae quickly put her shoes back on, took her keys and rushed out of the door. She jammed on the elevator button and headed straight to the parking lot. She quickly jumped into her car and quickly drove off.

Damn, I'm so late.

She turned some music on, 'Koda Kumi – Without Ur Love' , and throttled on, quickening her pace.
The Sileighty shot out of the parking garage and turned hard into the next intersection. The school was ten minutes away. Kanae planned to be there in five.

'…my love is on the way, the way, the waaaay.'

Kanae slowed down, traffic was dead ahead. She didn't have time for this. The Sileighty turned out of the lane, and revved up, avoiding the traffic.

Vrrrtt… psshh..

The Sileighty sped off from the lights, overtaking the other cars that got in the way.

'I'd be going crazy without your loooove…'

She swerved left, nearly colliding with a truck, yet Kanae quickly turned her wheels and motioned her car skillfully away. She was on 3rd Gear, the speed limit was 50kph, yet Kanae was doing about 60-65.

In a very short moment, Kanae flew right past the clinic she had just visited, and drove off into the next intersection.

'…so baby boy, come and knock on my door…my door.'

Kanae clutched in, shifted down to 2nd, engine revved higher as the SR20 echoed along the sideline. The next intersection, Kanae had to make a right. Without making a hook turn, she power-slided sideways half way as she quickly managed to regain control while her car positioned its head to speed of in the next lane, again, almost colliding with another vehicle.

"Crazy woman!" yelled another driver.

The Sileighty disappeared from the intersection.

'I'll be goin' crazy-crazaay without your love, my baby-babaay.'

A young boy and his bag sat down near a bench, next to the parking lot of a school. He looked quite impatient yet also worried, as he sat there by himself on the empty premises. This was Roni – Kanae's 7-year-old nephew. Moments later, the aqua-sprayed Sileighty rolled in, beeping its horn. The little boy came running towards the car, as Kanae stepped out of her car.

"Kanae!" squirmed Roni, running towards Kanae, giving her a hug.
"I'm sorry I'm late," apologized Kanae, "I didn't mean to get you worried."
"I'm telling my dad!" Roni playfully threatened.
"He already knows," Kanae smiled at him, at the same time, pulling something out of her bag, "But I got you a present."

Kanae gave him a toy 180SX. "Open the boot," she urged him.
Roni opened the boot. Inside, were small packets of chocolate marshmallows, which Roni longed for.
A big smile immediately came to his face.

"Oh… by the way, I'm sorry Ron, but that 180 doesn't seem to have an SR20 inside…" claimed Kanae.
Ron popped the hood of the little 180SX toy. Inside, he found little packets of other sweets as his eyes light up and jaws dropped at the same time.

"I love you, Auntie Kanae!" said Roni, putting on his seatbelt.
"Don't tell your dad," told Kanae.

Kanae drove off with her nephew, as they both headed back to her brother's house about a few blocks away.

"Auntie…" muttered Roni.
"Yes…?"
"Um… my friend's says his big brother got a new car. He said it's pretty fast."
"Really?" asked Kanae, "And just how fast is it?"
"He says it could vewy well be da fastest in F5," explained Roni. "He says his brother wants to race yooh, Auntie."
"Really?" Kanae giggled, "And what car is it?"
"I don't know, Auntie," said Roni, "Are you going to race him?"
"Roni, street racing is very dangerous. It's not a game out there. Don't do it when you grow up, okay?"
"But you're going to race him, aren't yooh?" asked Roni. "I know yooh can beat him, Auntie!"