反射
Book 1.5: Reflections
Chapter 18: Class Three Race
The racetrack echoed with the cheering of the crowd and the thrumming roars of engines as the opening race of the Republic City Circuit began. The tang of burning rubber filled the air as the line of cars shot past the line, their skinny wheels skidding across the tarmac.
Mako stayed in first gear as long as he could to maximise his acceleration before switching to second. The car in front of him swerved and cut off his attempt to overtake, and he was forced to do the same to driver behind him. His car jolted as he was struck from behind, but he paid it no mind.
The leading three cars skewed his vision, their defensive blocking making it impossible for him to overtake. He gritted his teeth and spun the wheel, guiding his race-car around several turns. He took one of them too wide, which allowed a car to overtake him.
"And the opening race begins with a fierce competition for first position," the commentator's voice echoed across the stands over the cheers of the spectators.
Korra and Asami miraculously managed to find some empty seats near the back of the main stands and settled in to watch the race.
"Mako's not doing so well," the Water Tribe girl commented, recognising his car being overtaken on one of the turns.
"It's okay," Asami replied. "It's still early, and there are five laps."
The atmosphere was charged, the crowd transfixed on the race-cars tearing around turns, taking them out of sight of the main stands. The sounds of revving engines echoed off the mountains.
Sweat beaded Mako's brow as he guided the car around the course. His sloppy driving allowed two more cars past, one of which bumped him from the side, nearly sending him veering off the track. His quick reflexes were the only thing that allowed him to retain control.
"Koh damn it!" the young man cursed, knowing full well that he needed to place at least fourth in order to qualify for the Class Two races.
He thought back to the impromptu driving lessons he had received from Shady Shin when he used to work for the Triple Threat triad, and found himself employing aggressive cut-offs to keep his position.
One of the more difficult turns came up quite suddenly, forcing Mako to slow down a bit too much for his liking. However, the race-car's engine roared as he accelerated, ploughing relentlessly past two other cars.
"And Mako of Future Industries makes a fast turn, putting him back in fifth place," the commentator announced.
The young firebender knew that the Circuit would test his mettle, but he had made a promise to Asami, and he intended to make good on it. The track and laps whipped by in a blur as he threw his car around bends as fast as he could manage. His aggressive driving style allowed him to take fourth position by the start of the final lap.
"Go Makoooooo!" Bolin whooped from the garage entrance as he saw his brother's car roar past.
His tyres skidded across the road as he shot past the starting line. He gritted his teeth and kept his composure. He may have had a bad start, but the final lap was all that mattered. It went by without incident for the most part. However, a glance in his rear-view mirror made him aware of the car right behind that threatened his and Future Industries' chance at qualifying for the next race.
Mako was not about to let that happen.
His car engine revved as he took the final turn at near-full speed. His tyres squealed in protest, but he maintained tight control over the steering wheel, before spinning in the opposite direction. The car was sent into a skid, but righted itself on the final stretch.
Fortunately, the tailing car was forced to slow down, allowing Mako to shoot across the finish line in fourth place.
"He did it!" Asami whooped from the stands. "He got us into the Class Two races!"
"Let's go down and congratulate him!" Korra exclaimed. "A celebration is in order!"
Bolin's cheeks were puffed out as he slurped up a bowl of green seaweed noodles. "Can I just say – best celebration ever!"
Korra laughed as she dug into her own noodles with equal gusto. "Yeah! Nice choice of places to go, Mako."
Asami looked mortified at their table manners, while the firebender in question shrugged.
"You and Bolin kept talking this place up, so I decided to see what all the fuss was about."
The four teenagers were crowded around a wooden table in Narook's Seaweed Noodlery. The warm wooden interior of the restaurant was decorated with animal skins and Water Tribe tapestries, arts and relics.
Already missing her mother's cooking, Korra was happy to be eating authentic Water Tribe food again. "So what do you think?" she asked, eager to see how the food of her homeland stacked up to her friends' tastes.
Another shrug. "Not bad." Mako blanched when he saw the Avatar's blue eyes narrow at him over the table. "What? I said not bad!"
Korra jabbed her chopsticks at him pointedly. "You'd better refine your tastes, pal, because if you're going to come to the Glacier Spirits Festival, seaweed noodles, broiled seal blubber and fried arctic hen is all you're going to get."
"The Glacier Spirits Festival?" asked Asami in confusion.
The Water Tribe girl smiled shyly around the table at her friends. "Yeah... Things have been so crazy in Republic City lately. But I'm hoping that things will stabilise here. If they do, I plan to go back home in five months. Every year, the Northern and Southern Water Tribes come together and hold a festival to celebrate the spirits."
"Oh, that sounds like fun! Can we come too?" Bolin piped up.
"That's why I brought it up! I'd like you guys to come with me."
"That sounds... really nice," Mako answered, honoured that the Avatar wanted to share an experience from her homeland with them.
She smiled, her turquoise eyes glinting in the light from the lamps overhead. She may be the Avatar, but she was nothing without her friends.
Beneath Republic City, in a small storage room near the entrance to a storm drain, a meeting between the highest ranking members of the Equalists was in session, including Xin, their mysterious new leader. The rebels were steadily losing ground, most likely due to a morale boost of their enemies from the Avatar's return to Republic City.
"Xin," one of his commanders said. "We've taken many losses in the past few days. The anti-Equalist task-force raided one of our main warehouses in the East District, where we were storing motorbikes and Mecha-Tanks."
"That's not all," another spoke up. "Yesterday, the police exposed five of our hideouts in the underground. Our mobility in the sewers is becoming hampered."
The leader of the revolutionaries tried not to show it, but he was worried. They had managed to hold the airfield on the far side of the mountains, but it was only a matter of time before the United Forces launched a coordinated attack on the base.
In the wake of Amon's betrayal, and the capture of high-ranking Equalists, including Hiroshi Sato, Xin had been forced to take charge before the movement was thrown into chaos. He had a sharp mind, and was well-liked by his comrades, who saw it only natural that he would bring about a new age of equality.
Of course, with a string of recent defeats, many Equalists were beginning to question Xin's ability to lead them.
He clasped his hands on the table before him and looked around the room. "Gentleman, we still have a common goal, do we not? The end of oppression at the hands of those with impure powers. A common ground in which non-benders can live without fear. We still control much of the city, as well as Sato's airfield. We must not give up hope, or else we give up the hope of those who depend on us to bring about change for the better."
"But the airfield is still out of commission. Its runways were torn up by an earthbender, and the government troops are gearing up to attack in force. If we lose the airfield, we lose any chance we have of winning the war," one of the commanders stated, to several murmurs of agreement.
However, Xin still had an ace up his sleeve. "The Fire Nation prince and the Avatar are the embodiment of our opposition," he said, drawing questioning looks from his subordinates. "The reason I bring this up is this: radio chatter from the United Forces was intercepted recently. General Iroh and the Avatar will be attending a service on one of their battleships in two days' time." He looked about the room with a determined glint in his eye. "It is there that we will be presented with an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone."