The Fast & The Furious (II): The Angel's Underground

Los Angeles was no Vegas, but I couldn't deny the simple fact that this city also never sleeps. And when you needed it, anything you wished for could be provided to you, if you know where to look for it. Even with all of my emotional baggage, I was smart enough to know that it would be stupid to speed through the city, not when police patrols had pretty much evolved from the simple car chases of a century ago.

Now before you realize it, a flying police cruiser would already be on top of you with an EMP device to completely shut down your cars engine. But just as security had grown tighter, crime and teenagers also evolved with it. And the city had grown quite well and in a very different way to, Los Angeles was powered by a massive power grid of green recyclable energy.

But the grid was so large an entire new subway system was built for the city, a subway system big enough for even planes to fly through. Races of any sort found a new home within this massive tunnels, the Angel's underground as it's called has been home to crime and the wild life from the very moment it was created. And now it's going to be home to my rage.

There was an entrance into the subway system on the hills outside the city, it used to be that you could stand on those hills and see the Hollywood sign, but not anymore. An act of terrorism a few years ago had seen the sign blown to smithereens, and now replacing was an elaborate hologram that cost this city a pretty penny to set up and maintain. I should know, my grandfather closed the deal that made it possible for Imperium industries engineers to make it.

Before I even go to the entrance, I could hear the sound of loud music, wild cheers and screams. But I could hear more, the sounds of sex, the smell of engine grease and cigars, sweat and blood. Seems like this place has gotten a lot more wilder than the last time I was here.

There was a massive ring placed close to the entrance, there was currently a crowd around the ring, watching as a well built middle aged man laid a beat down on a teenager. I stopped the car and got out, the jet black Mustang was classic amongst classics. It drew attention the moment it appeared, but I ignored the looks and made my way towards the ring. And that's when I heard it.

"Stop! Please stop! Get your hands of my brother! Please!"

What were the odds, it couldn't be. I knew exactly who owned that voice, and if she's close by then her big brother should not be too far away. I made my way through the crowds and placed my hand on the shoulder of the girl who was screaming and was being restrained by a couple of thugs. She turned around and looked up at me, and she called out my name.

"Aaron!"

And guess I was right, this girl, well she's not really a girl, more like a young woman could be called a friend of mine back from when my sister was still alive and not a psychopathic killer virus within the most popular and profitable virtual reality game ever created. But she was more than just my friend, she was my big sisters best friend, and at one point my mom's little apprentice.

Malia Ann Edward was a child prodigy unlike any other, she graduated high school when she was barely nine, and could build complex computer codes and programs by the she was 11. My mom college would have been a waste of her talent, so she took her in as an apprentice, a move that surprised the then 8 year old me. My mom died barely a year after that, and Maria was left on her own again, until she and Dahlia met by chance and became friends. And soon Dahlia became the love of her elder brother's life, and they were happy, we all were. Until Dahlia passed and everything became a shit show.

"Let the lady go." I said to the two thugs holding her. They looked at me like I had grown a second head, before smiling in what I assumed was supposed to be a rather sinister grin, I had to say I'm not impressed. I could do way better than that.

"My, my, my what do we have here Jojo, black and white here fancies himself a hero. Take my advice kid and scram."

Black and White? I had no idea if that was a jab at my clothes or my skin color, but whether it was one or the other, I've already decided to leave a lasting impression on Jojo and his loud mouth friend.

I slammed my palm under Jojo's throat, moving so fast that nobody, myself included saw me move until he was hunched over, clutching at his throat and breathing heavily. Loud mouth pushed Malia away, throwing her directly into the ring where her younger brother was being schooled. Her abruptly entrance brought the brutal fight to a close, but now all attention were on me and my soon to be acquainted friends.

"I warned you Kid, now I'm going to make you pay." Loud mouth said as he threw a quick jab at my face.

Since it was a jab, there's bound not to be that much of a force behind it, however there's no way I'm going to let myself be hit by him. Loud mouth was huge, like the terminator/scorpion king kind of huge. But for some reason he was really slow, not that he was moving in slow motion or anything, but that he was not moving fast enough for me to consider his jab a threat.

I ducked under his punch and started wailing on him, I punched with every possible force I could muster, slamming into his stomach, sides, chest and then jaw. And every time my fist fell, bones broke and my hands came back bloody. In just under five seconds Loud mouth was already bloodied and passed out at my feet, and I was not even winded. I pulled my leg back and kicked at his body one last time for good measure, and it flew off like a soccer ball all the way to the middle of the fighting ring, right besides Malia who was helping her injured little brother up app the whiles staring at me with shock on her face.

I heard the sound of a click behind me, and my body reacted even before I knew it did. I threw my hand backwards, meeting the wrist of the person who just pulled out a gun and breaking it so that his hand was facing upwards at an awkward angle. He screamed, but I was not done as I turned and sent a heavy punch to the person's chest, sending him flying into the crowd six feet behind him.

I felt like a stranger in my own body, was I always this fast and strong? Either way this was barely a warm up, but I couldn't complain, my head was now a bit clearer. I guess sex is not the only thing that's therapeutic, beating the shit out of people works too. I got on top of the ring, an area covered with sand within a radius of 30 to 40 meters. It was quite large.

"Whoever the fuck you are, you have some balls laying your hands on my capos. I have half a mind to bust a cap on your ass, but seeing that sweet Mustang of yours got me thinking differently. How about this, you race me, putting your sweet car and a quarter of a bitcoin on the line, if you win you get to keep your car, and I'll consider the debt this family of paupers owe me square. But if I win, I get to keep your car, your money, break two of your legs and make sure all of my guys go a round or two on sweet sweet Mali's ass, just before I sell her to the triad as a whore."

Oh sweet God, you really do care about me. You could actually place an idiot in front of me to beat the shit out of, right when I needed it the most. Thank you so much.

"I know what you're thinking, but you have fifteen guns trained on you, five of them high caliber handguns capable busting a hole the size of a basketball on your greasy forehead you ugly ass nigga. So what's it gonna be....Halfling?"

Now jokes About my height, I'm a hundred and eighty three centimeters tall, who's the fucker who's saying all this shit. I turned around in anger and couldn't help but gulp, but at the same time I was bewildered. How could this eight foot beast of a man have such a small voice. Either way he was right about me not being able to fight my way out of this one, so I guess all I can do is give him what he wants.

"Fine! I'll race you. But I need a navigator so..."

"Well you're in luck homeboy, Sweet Sweet Malia is a navigator, heck nobody knows the Angel's Underground quite like she does, except for Raquel of course, but Raquel ain't here. So before I break all your bones and put a bullet in the head of this fine young man here, I suggest you both get your asses into that car, and pray for luck, cause you're going to need."