Trespassing on Lethe property will result in capital punishment. Do you understand?”
I didn’t plan to get banished. My plans pretty much ended with the noose presumably still hanging in my apartment. Now I’m fucked. I harness my fear. They are why I’m not with Kalli. They are responsible for all of this. Vengeance strikes through me like lightning as I face the uniformed evil, fists clenched tightly. Ice rushes into my veins, fire in my heart. My eyes lock with the first
officer charging through the open door. Peripherals spot three more pouring in behind him. There’s nothing left to lose.
I fire first, devoted to pushing my fist through his skull or die trying. My plans and my fire are abruptly halted with the bottom of his boot.
Flying backward, I knock over the IV stand behind me. I reel back to my feet, struggling to regain my strength.
“That all you got?” I ask feeling the full effects of the chemicals flowing within me.
He turns to his entourage and laughs.
Rushing towards him again, I throw all my weight into his side, tackling both of us to the ground. I rise over him and bury my fist in his face twice before one of his friends grabs me from behind. Another one kicks me in the chest, leaving me gasping at empty breaths. Trying to stand back up, the officer’s lock is too firm.
With force, he faces me towards the first piece of shit unhurriedly getting up off the floor. Officer Boar reads his velcro tag. He wipes the blood from his face and smiles predictably, drama queen. Balling his fist, he stands over me for a second, then strikes me with everything he has. My vision is mashed to red as I feel the bones in my eye socket crumble. Still tasting the warm blood on my lips, he punches me again, and a third time until I crash, to the tile, limp.
Rolling to my knees, my hands reach sightlessly hoping for something, anything, to help. The touch of the metal IV stand reignites me. I clutch it from the ground, forcing my eyes open. Rearing back as far and as quickly as possible, I slam the base of the stand into the face of the closest officer. The sound of a broken nose is quickly followed by a grown man’s cries.
Another kick crushes my abdomen. My face meets the horizon. Body flinching in agony. I’m too weak to stand.
Officer Boar paces beside me. Bleeding from his nose and lip, he wipes his face with the back of his hand. Not smiling this time.
His lips purse, then, out of nowhere, he dives to the ground connecting his knuckles against what’s left of my jaw. He climbs on top of me and digs his knees into my throat. The taste of metal washes over my tongue as he strikes me again and again – each punch landing with more power than the last.
Somewhere in the background, I hear Jacee screaming, but I know it’s too late. It’s already happening again. That tingling feeling when the life is parting from me. Its sinister prick is becoming all too familiar. The edges of my certainty shake chaotically. I can’t feel anything anymore. My vision dwindles to grey as I float into the darkness like it’s my home. Everything gradually fades to quiet, until there is nothing left at all.
Chapter 4
“Welcome back, to the event of the year, Olympia! The wait is finally over. Today is THE day!! Are. You. Reeeeaaady!???” The crowd goes wild from the stands behind the lively announcer, his scarlet red suit is a beacon amongst the immediate backdrop of lights and cameras. With hair the color of cotton candy, he blows everyone in the stadium a kiss and jogs to the center of the giant stage. Where does Lethe find these people?
Backstage I’m triple-checking myself in one of the studio’s mirrors as I watch the broadcast live from a holofeed bottom-left of my reflection. I’m flawless. My dark mocha hair perfectly contrasts my caramel-colored eyes. Clean-cut, tan, and ripped more now than ever. This is my prime. No one in Olympia was faster than me the last two years. No one will be faster than me this year either.
“And now. Introducing the returning DeltaCraft racing champion, let’s give a big round of applause to the one, the only, Eros!!!”
Here we go.
I glide out waving in my best tux, a sparkling metallic piece with a golden vest. My hair to match, styled high and dusted with gold flakes – gotta look the part.
The commentator joins me centerstage in the shadow of a trophy taller than either of us. Up close I can see both of his upgraded eyes are glowing from his livestream, exclusive members only. “This is becoming a little tradition having you here, Eros.”
His joke tickles the already exuberant audience tucked into the warm metal bleachers of the stadium surrounding us. He’s got them all in the palm of his hand.
“What can I say?” I reply confidently, staring directly into the camera buzzing inches from my face. “I come to win. That’s really all I know. Ever since Lethe graced us with DeltaCraft racing, I knew this was my sport.”
“And win, you do. If you’re victorious today, you will break Olympian history being the first man, or Machina for that matter, to win the Anniversary Cup three consecutive times. How nervous are you right now, Eros?”
“Not at all. There’s not an anxious bone in my body, not when it comes to racing. From the second I plug in, until the moment my drone crosses the finish line, I’m in complete control.”
“Whoooaaa. That’s some VERY big talk from the champ. It sounds like he’s not playing around this year, folks.”
A beautiful blonde Machina wearing less than a
