Chapter Zero: Prelude

ONE DAY AGO...

Leaving Fortune Valley, Nevada…

A metallic light purple Nissan 180SX sped on the highway as the surrounding desert winds gently blew sand onto the pavement, and a flock of birds flew overhead. The scenery was nothing but empty, arid desert for miles, so the Nissan's driver floored her gas pedal, and the car rapidly picked up speed. She glanced down at her dashboard as the gasoline light flashed on, and fortunately there was a gas station not far. She pulled the car into the gas station, and got out to pull the nozzle from the fuel pump and insert it into her car's gas tank. As she filled her Nissan's gas tank, the sounds of a ferocious, burbling American V8 grew louder in the distance, followed by the wails of police sirens. Sure enough, the cars belonging to said noises sped into view, with the police car's lights flashing red and blue, visible from a mile away. The escapee was behind the wheel of a 2014 model Shelby GT500, and with a Dodge Charger with blaring sirens at its rear.

The pump clicked to signify the tank being filled, snapping the Nissan driver out of her thoughts as she watched the chase pass by her. She blinked herself back to reality, and pulled out her phone before scrolling through her contacts and tapping on her aunt's number. The phone rang for a few seconds, before her aunt's smooth voice spoke into the phone.

"Rachel? Long time no talk-how ya' been?" She said through grunts as though she was exerting herself, and the noises of tools could be heard in the background.

"I'm good, Aunt Charlotte. I'm sorry I've been so horrible at picking up your calls, I've been through a lot lately and calling- well, anyone, hasn't really been at the top of my mind."

"It's fine, RJ. You know you don't gotta explain yourself to me." Aunt Charlotte smiled, "Just glad you're okay. Where are you now?"

"On the highway, out of the Valley. Car ran outta gas, so I stopped at Next-Gas. Just finished refuelling, so-" Rachel said, moving her hair from her face as she paused to get back into her Nissan after paying for the fuel at the pump. Once she was in, she started the car up, "now I'm headed to Palm City. It's a long drive, but I can make it."

"Be careful out there, spark plug," Aunt Charlotte chuckled, "Love you."

"You too," Rachel said as she pressed the accelerator and continued her journey with a playful chuckle, "And you know you can stop calling me 'spark plug' now, right? You called me that when I was six, for heaven's sake."

"And you know I'm never stopping that nickname, right?" Aunt Charlotte quipped with just as much playfulness as the Nissan's engine accelerating loudly came through the phone, "Car sounds healthy, you've been maintaining it well."

"Learned from the best, Aunt C. Alright, I gotta go, but I'll call you once I'm in Palm City."

With that, she hung up and continued the long drive, music playing through her stereo.