6 A shock

"What? Who is the juggler? Hey man, fasten your seat belt and move before gaining alert! Didn't you hear the horn?" It was Ben's voice whistling inside his head.

Bo hissed and rubbed his eyes off the juggler. Fastening the belt, he released the clutch and headed to the start line. There, behind his last teammate, he stopped, closing his eyes for a moment to focus. Everything went back to a normal state and there was no juggler where he saw one already.

Kicking the absurd thoughts out of his mind, he reminded of his father's smile before the last mission.

Bip!

The map appeared on the screen on the steering wheel. He opened his eyes and hit the accelerator.

A warm air escaped out of the exhausts and they all moved as the start horn made a huge noise and hurly-burly roared from the sides of the seats. The solid screens in the air could cover the street views and the drivers.

As they crossed the gateways, the flying yellow orb reporters Called Bee reporters, followed each driver. A TCS helicopter was above them covering the racing! A popular sports channel that people used to watch its news.

Bo glanced at the map. Each color was showing that either team must follow their own path. The measurements were all equal and they had to record the lowest time and break their previous ranking.

The map that Bo was supposed to pass was crossing through Block 23, an infamous district in the Feral sect that was always dark like cemeteries. A house of smugglers and criminal vampires. A tinge of disgust curved on his lips because he already believed that they had murdered his father.

"It is time to discover more about you." He murmured to himself turning to a street that could take him directly to the long bridge on Vita River. Subsequently, crossing each zone, the red line on the map turned green and the timer was rushing swiftly.

In all driver's maps, there was a common knot that all teams had to depart that area and unfortunately, this time it was right in the heart of Feral's sect.

Back to the TECO tracks. People were following their teams on the hovering screens. Some of the folks were following them through their 3D lives in the TECO application that the controlling tower of the track was offering them, stumping their feet, and cheering as the drivers passed the red flags.

They were singing slogans, supporting their men and women. Saying that the full moon came out to witness their triumph and see who would shine in that night and takes its place.

Maria turned the camera to the audience and captured a few pictures but she froze when she zoomed on a dark corner of the track!

The king's hunters were there! But why? They seldom would appear in crowds; only in necessary situations, they would come among the folk to hunt the strong wraiths and watch over the cases that the Cadickus detectors couldn't solve. What was the point of that occasion that dragged this ugsome folk there?

She was stunned, the much that forgot she had held her breath unintentionally. She coughed and lift her numb fingers. It was a bright chance to watch them with closed eyes.

They were sheltered in their dark gray uniforms from toes to heads and seemed yet wasn't enough because they wore dark crimson cloaks on their strange outfits. They looked rough and the rumors that used to say they were showing no mercy could be true.

Once they were skillful Aligners and Cadickus forces then they turned to the kings' secret army! They were like shadow knights and the king's eyes and hands.

Only six of them existed and could appear like wind and vanish as if the last ray of sunset. The king's badge was on their white gloves and cloaks, wings of doves in the middle of a red circle. They also were known as the six wings of the Vita.

"Maria, Bo is ahead of the others." Jess cried out and distracted her. She felt that as if already the chippering birds plagued her. Sometimes she was cursing herself for choosing such a carrier! She wasn't the type who could handle hobble bubble places.

This sort of hugger-mugger would make her exhausted. She rolled her eyes on Jess, waving a hand for her jumping friends, she responded to her call.

She glances at the board; it was showing the levels by calculating the time that the drivers crossed the flags. Bo was in the first place.

"Seems the boy inherited some skills from his father." The report stated.

"In team B, Russel is in the first of their line. Robert chose a path that ceased at a dead end so he missed time! BHT might not be happy for it." Jason added.

The voices decreased as she again glanced at the camera screen, zoomed for the corner that she saw the king's hunters. She walked one step back; a tinge of cold air yanked her back. They were not there anymore! Why would they be so wary to emerge and disappear quickly? And what was the reason for them being there?

*

Back to the streets and alleys, the bridge was ahead of the teams. Bo was trying to concentrate on the path. He felt the strong moisture while crossing the bridge. Passing three flags in three minutes was good but still had a long way before him so it was too soon to judge.

In the Feral sect, everything was different and it wasn't about the pace but managing time. The paves were bumpy and had awkward rumble strips, troubling the tires.

He was fifteen when he began to walk in the shadow along with those areas and strolled in each allay to find every possible trace of his father's murderer. He knew there very well, a place that he got bullied by their settlers for not having the Feral's tattoo. The bridge was stretching and becoming like lightning snakes that were accustomed to sneak ahead on the lines.

"I am at the fourth flag! Ben, what's going on with the others?"

"They are all behind you; some had chosen wrong paths on their map! It trapped them. The track filled with your name." Ben reported.

"Did you catch on Delun? I must talk to him." Bo asked for his mate. Delun didn't show up from the morning and Bo was amazed where he could be without let him know. He wouldn't want to miss this tournament.

"No, man! I called him more than ten times and he was out of reach. Maybe he went to The holy shaman Karmalin. The Old man always put him on spot to clean his library!" Ben growled as if he was fixing the shelves instead of Delun.

Bo smirked; he wished that would be perfect if Delun were being with Karmalin not in any dangerous place. Being with their academy principal was certainly a safe place!