Soaring on the Breeze

Greg's Cavalry spun slightly as the wheels locked in an attempt to stop. The driver's door flew open and Greg leaped out to lend a hand to the driver and passengers of the truck, only to find a brand new truck in the place of the wreck.

"What the...? How'd they get a new truck out here so fast?"

"'New truck?' Dude, you really are from outta town, aren't you? First, this isn't a 'truck,' it's a Hunter Takedown 4x4. Second, these cars 'reset,' so to speak."

"'Reset?' How?"

"There's a small radio transmitter that signals that you've been in an accident, and if it's bad enough, it'll-"

The man was cut off by both car's C.B. radios sparking to life.

"Attention all Paradise drivers, Road Rage event starting westbound at the tollbooths between I-88 sections one and four. All available Spurs, Inferno Vans, 4x4s, and '07 Oval Champs, report to westbound I-88 section four."

"Well, I've got to go, big event on the Highway to Hell! Let's go, Joe!"

The powerful engine of the 4x4 fired up loudly. The driver did a quick three point turn and raced back down South Mountain Drive. Greg just got back into his Cavalry, and continued northward.

"Man, the people around here are crazy." He thought to himself as he approached the wind farm. The turbines spun slowly in the light westward breeze, their blades casting sweeping shadows across the landscape. The cars in the lot looked anything but normal. A beat-up, rusty pick-up truck sat next to sleek German super car, with a custom hot-rod gleaming in the late sun. But, the most striking vehicle in the lot was the formula one car parked at the very end of the lot. Greg pulled into a spot between the nitro-fueled speed machine and the hot-rod. Phil, his boss, came outside to meet him.

"Greg! Glad you could make it over here so quickly. Do you have an apartment or condo yet?"

"No, I just got here earlier today."

"Well, here you go." Phil said, handing him a card and a set of house keys, "The building's on East Crawford Drive. You can stay there for the first two weeks while you adjust to Paradise, but after that, you'll have to find your own place to stay."

Greg didn't know what to say. Here he was, standing face to face with his boss, who just handed him the keys to an apartment he could stay in rent-free for two weeks.

"But, uh, Phil, don't I need to pay for it?"

"Not at all. Just make sure you get here on time every day, and earn a good day's worth of pay. I'd love to give you the grand tour of the plant, but it's too late in the day for that now."

"So what time tomorrow should I get here?"

"Around 6:00 a.m."

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Phil."

"Looking forward to it!"

Phil walked over to the formula one car and put on a helmet. The engine whined as he backed away, then screamed while speeding away down North Mountain Drive. The other workers of the plant began to exit towards their cars, and Greg thought it would be a good time to visit his new apartment. Being the new guy, Greg received a few jests and jokes from the old hands as he got in his car.

"Look out, someone's called in the Cavalry!"

"Oh, the right lane's gonna be filled up tomorrow, eh guys?"

"No, the scrap heap's more like it!"

"Looks like he's never gone over 80!"

"Where, here?"

"Anywhere!"

A round of laughter went through the group as doors slammed shut. Every engine coughed loudly to get oxygenated fuel into their cylinders, but not everyone left. The driver of the hot rod stayed behind with Greg. They tuned into his channel.

"So, how long have you been in Paradise?"

"About one, maybe two hours."

The other driver looked over at Greg through the passenger window, the late sun catching him like a spotlight. Greg tried the same through the driver's window, but the glare prevented a good view of his soon-to-be co-worker.

"That long, huh? I'm guessing you've never jumped that piece of junk yet, am I right?"

"Yea. Why would I do that?"

The driver just sighed.

"This city's different than most, kid, you should know that. Anyways, I have to go."

They pulled out, with Greg following. At the light, he pulled up into the left lane and prepared for a left turn onto Uphill Drive. When the light was green, Greg found himself charging at a set of yellow gates, due to the other driver ramming him from behind. The Cavalry smashed through the chain-linked barrier, sending the steel flying. Doing his best to stop the car, Greg stood on the brake pedal, but nothing seemed to happen as the Cavalry sailed off the edge of a cliff. Greg screamed as the car made a rough landing onto a dirt path with cement barriers on each side, before lunching itself again from another cliff. This pattern continued five more times, crossing over Uphill Drive twice, before the Cavalry skidded to a stop near Nelson Drive. The hot rod slammed to the ground, spun 180 degrees, and came to a complete stop next to him. The driver connected back into Greg's frequency.

"How'd you like your first taste of Paradise air?"

"Like it? You just sent me flying off six cliffs, each time running the risk of me getting killed, and you ask me if I liked it?"

"You're on an adrenaline high, aren't you?"

Greg caught himself, realizing the only reason he was yelling was indeed from his adrenaline.

"Thought so. See you tomorrow!"

She called as she sped away down the country road.

"Yea... tomorrow..." He weakly replied, still edging off the adrenaline high. Once he regained his composure, he found himself seeking another ramp as he drove west on Nelson Drive. Ashton called in.

"Man, not even six hours here and you tried the Uphill steps? Whew, you may have a chance against these other drivers pretty soon. How'd you like it?"

"It was incredible! Ashton, where's the biggest jump close to me?"

"That would be the bluff by the quarry on South Mountain, but-"

"How would I get there?" Greg asked, eager to get air born again.

"Just keep going straight through every intersection, then line up with the blue barrels at the bend in South Mountain."

"Thanks, Ashton!"

"Wait! About the ramp-" Greg turned off the radio as he raced just above the posted limits towards the jump. His eyes grew wide as he zeroed in, his adrenaline making him ignore the rules of the road as he flew across the two lanes of oncoming traffic. The barrels flew as the 3,000 pound car lifted off. Screaming and yelling in sheer joy, Greg enjoyed the whole experience. As the Cavalry touched down, he got some cheers from the other drivers parked on the side of the road, with the same hod rod sitting in the crowd.

"I'm guessing you liked the steps?" She called.

"I just flung myself off a 1,000 foot cliff. That tell you anything?"