Chapter 3: Patience is the key, boy

Boomer was rapidly driving around Erica in circles while making sucking motions with his hand as he laughed his head off like a hyena. Zeke gripped the wheel hard, knuckles trembling and turning white as a sheet. Ridiculing someone precious to him was the least that he could do in his life. He unclutched his seat belt, ready to beat the shit out of him when Erica, noticing his wrath, honked twice at him to warn him.

He halted. All rage dissipated from his body.

She was right. He knew better than this. He would rather kick his ass on the road.

"Stupid. I almost fell for that. What the hell is a boomer anyway? " Zeke ranted as he pulled his seatbelt on again and started the ignition.

At first, his car hummed, getting ready then steadily, it bellowed, now completely awake from its torpor. Boomer stopped his craze when he realized he was going nowhere. He went closer to Zeke, flipping him off. Zeke stepped on the pedal more. The crowd winced and covered their ears from the shattering noise piercing the place.

They called it noise; Zeke called it music to his ears.

If Erica called her car phoenix, Zeke called his Lamborghini Aventador, a bull. She was a big, low, and wide monster wrapped in clearcoat pure black paint. The confection of angles, lines, and scoops were adorned on almost every part of her body. Her black grille, power spoilers, and LED brake lights accented her beauty. Bumper guards looking like horns in the front completed its figure.

She was brash, unreserved, and vigorous.

She had three distinct modes, Strada, Sport, and Corsa. Strada gave relaxed and smooth gear changes, suited for daily driving. Sport was more aggressive, allowing a boost from the rear. Corsa was a full-on track mode that smashed gear changes and turned the bull into a lunging, scary, and smoky monster. But the thing that made Zeke head over heels in love with her was the sounds she made. The V-12 harmonics that soothe and split eardrums at the same time. Talk about eargasm.

Zeke and Boomer both went to the starting line while Henri stood between their cars.

"I suppose you know the rules already. But I'm telling you again in case you stupid fucks forgot it. Do not snitch to the police. Just get the hell away as fast as you can. If you can't, give me a call. No drugs and alcohol in your system. Physical contacts with your playthings are allowed unless you got the cash for repairs. Lastly, you don't do the killings here," Henri smiled menacingly and said, "Only I do."

All of them knew he meant truth.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥. Exhilaration stirred inside Zeke as his heart thumped against his chest, harder and quicker. His fingers were throbbing from fury, having the urge to crush the opponent's sanity.

"On your mark..."

He closed his eyes, savoring her sounds as he continuously pushed the gas until all he could hear was her voice, breathing into him.

"Ready..."

He snapped his eyes open.

"Go!"

He released the brake and launched an attack.

They both jumpstarted at the same time. Neck and neck with each other in a long, straight two-lane road exiting the Red Ward. Bit by bit, Boomer started to play a game of testing the waters as they grew farther from the starting point. Boomer accelerated more getting a few inches ahead of him but Zeke shifted gears and picked up speed, staying even with Boomer. Boomer went faster again and Zeke did the same. Boomer did it again but this time, Zeke stayed constant.

"Show me what you got, Boomer."

Boomer passed through a narrow street and Zeke followed behind. Their distance getting smaller and smaller. They exited the street and sharply turned right to an avenue. An intersection greeted them ahead. Buildings run along on the sides and the lamp posts shone brightly in the middle as spotlights for the two cars struggling for the first place.

Changing gears, Zeke picked the Sports mode and accelerated from the left, catching up with Boomer but the bastard swerved towards him, throwing him off. Zeke veered to the right but Boomer blocked him again. He was breaking all possible chances of Zeke slipping past him. Was he starting another game again?

"This time it's my game. Let's call it bullfight." Zeke smiled ominously as he trailed after Boomer. They turned left in the intersection, tires skidding on the pavement. Their course went from flat to elevated.

It was Zeke's turn now.

"Looks like you need some help. Shall I give you a push?" Zeke gave Boomer a hard bump on his trunk, alarming Boomer. Boomer swung to the right, almost hitting the barricade.

"What? Why are you so panicky?" Zeke laughed maniacally as he hit him again.

All Zeke could see was red. A red flag impelling him to attack, clouding his senses with desire to torment and to obliterate. He charged relentlessly until he could see it starting to break and crack. The car ahead of Zeke was producing smoke but Boomer paid no attention to its car's condition whilst he sped up more.

Zeke grinned. Boomer was not giving up anytime soon. Well then, they should play another game.

"Cat and mouse. You'll be Jerry and I'll be Tom. Let's see how long can you last."

Left. Right. Right. Left. Zeke taunted Boomer like a shadow following its body on the highway. They were the only cars there. A while ago, Boomer put Zeke on a tight spot, giving him no options to pass through. Now, he was trying to steer clear of him, afraid of having another bumpy ride. The smell of fear was raw and emanating, stimulating Zeke's senses.

"Run for your life, Boomer!" Zeke hollered.

When they were almost close to the sharp curves surrounded by thick trees leading to the border of City L, Boomer's car was beginning to give up. It kept on jerking and sputtering, slowly decreasing in speed. Seeing the car's state in front of him, Zeke started singing while bobbing his head and doing wave-motions with his hand.

Now, the last route was a straight four-lane road. Zeke glanced at his side mirror and Boomer couldn't be seen. It was completely game over for him.

"That's what you get for ridiculing Erica. Hope you can pay for the repairs!"

Releasing Corsa mode, the black Aventador charged and snatched its victory.

***

At the same time, both Erica and her opponent, Chris, were chill. They casually cruised along the road, side by side. Not a care in the world. After passing through a crossroad, Chris declined in speed, tailing her.

Erica furrowed her eyebrows.

A few minutes after, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale behind her decided to have fun by honking at her, creating childlike beats. They were currently on a boulevard now, a wide multi-lane road. It was as if Chris suddenly awoke and stopped sizing her up, finally showing his true colors. She stomped hard on the accelerator and changed gears, leaving him behind.

Looking at the rearview mirror, Erica saw the other car catching up to her, maintaining a minuscule distance between them. He honked at her again.

"What the hell? Was he retarded?"

Erica was getting bored by his antics. She quickly swerved to the left and zoomed out. Chris followed her again.

***

"Girl, you're so slow that's why I'm honking at you. I'm giving you leeway here." Chris muttered, mocking her.

He realized that the girl in front of him was lame when he observed her past the starting line. They had been racing for a while now, but she had yet to show him her tricks. Maybe she was a beginner? Chris scoffed. Why was she paired up with him?

He swerved to the right and swapped gears, picking up pace but to Chris's shock, Erica swiftly swung her car, blocking him from going past her. He blasted his horn. He tightened his grip on his wheel and veered to the left. Erica also did the same.

"Bitch, you aren't a scaredy-cat after all."

Both continued their dance and he started to lose his patience first. The woman was too lithe. Her reflexes were decisive and fast. She would increase her speed, swerve to different directions, accurately obstructing him with no space for him to move even for a road that was wide. That bitch.

"Shit! Get out of the way!" Chris growled, his eyes getting darker.

The road ahead was a sharp right curve and Erica moved subtly to the left, letting him take advantage of her slipup and skid past her. Howling, he hungrily accelerated, closing into the arch. He was not going to let her win. He swung his wheel and the car twisted, tires squealing.

***

"Too wide and too early, stupid." Erica chuckled.

With the heel of her right foot, she put enough pressure on the brakes. The car decelerated slowly. When the correct area to turn got closer, her left foot pressed the clutch then she downshifted to neutral. She locked her wheel in place and her car accurately skidded sideways to the spot where she wanted it to be, slipping past between Chris and the barricade. Increasing the gear again, she stomped on the gas and went full throttle.

The gap between her and Chris widened.

"Patience is the key, boy." Erica spat out and eyed the road before her, seeing the finish line fast approaching.

Not minding the idiot behind her, she closed her eyes, sucked in a breath then shifted again, releasing the phoenix. Her body jerked backward and her eyes opened, razor-sharp and gleaming with roguishness. Goosebumps jutted her skin and anticipation tingled to her scalp and down to her toes. She was in the zone, fully pumped up. None of the hollow shell of herself from the past existed at this moment. Only pure energy bustled in her body, wanting to be let out.

And this feeling was what she always yearned for.

The lights blurred her vision and the wind whistled past her ears as she stamped one final push to the end. Erica beamed and her phoenix shrieked its triumph.