The Outdated Race

Hee, hee! I’m not nice to Maxx. To the story!
*************
“Pedal bikes?”

Jay smiled, though it did seem forced. Amy sat down on Maxx’s hood, unable to process what her Sponsor had just told them. “Pedal bikes?” she repeated. “Seriously?”

“They can’t be serious!” Maxx shouted. They had just arrived to the hanger to wait for the Race to start. Many of the other Racers and their programs were also being told what the Race was going to be. “Pedal bikes? There hasn’t been a race like that since…”

“It was Roadster’s first Race,” Jay cut in. “It was back before the programs were put into Racers’ heads. And Roadster always moaned the fact that the pedal bike races went away with the new programs. He always thought that it was very nostalgic to have a simple race. The officials decided not even a few hours ago.”

“Wonderful,” Maxx pouted, his engine revving in distress. “Pedal bikes. It’s so outdated!”

“You’ve been a pedal bike before,” Amy mentioned to him.

“Yes,” he hissed. “But it was a joke that first day! You never been on me in that form!”

“He has a point,” Amy agreed. She eyed Jay, who didn’t seem the least bit worried. “Aren’t you worried about this?” she asked. “Nobody’s practiced pedal bikes.”

“That’s great,” he pointed out. “That way no one has the advantage. And you’ve been on a bike before. It should be easy.”

“The last time I was on a bike was when I was fifteen,” Amy told him. “Then some idiot drove over it, broke it, and my Mom couldn’t afford to get me a new one. It’s been a few years!”

“You’ll be fine,” he brushed off. “As they say, you never forget to ride a bike.”

Amy grunted out a sigh. There was no use talking to him.

“I guess we have no choice,” she grumbled, standing up. “Maxx. Pedal bike.”

Crack!

The silver sports car transformed into a small dinky bike. Maxx turned the front wheel, seeming very distressed by his new form. Around them, other Racers changed their programs, now tiny bikes taking place of the huge vehicles that had been there previously. Amy knew that the commentator would have trouble keeping the Racers apart, even if the Racers themselves were wearing their colors. Amy’s second color, red, was barely on her jumpsuit, just a red v-belt around her waist.

“This is ridiculous.”

Amy and Jay turned to find Silver Fox set up beside them. The veteran Racer looked on disapprovingly at her program, a similar bike as Maxx was. Her posture was very ridged and her expression hard.

“I can’t believe that they agreed to a Race like this,” she muttered darkly. “It hasn’t been done with these programs. There’s been no testing, no regulations made… Do they even know if this is safe for us?”

Amy exchanged a worried glance with Jay. No, the officials wouldn’t worry about things like that. They were in the pockets of the Sponsors, who plotted the deaths of their Racers.

Safety would be the last thing on their minds.

“So that’s it,” Jay whispered, finally showing some concern. “They’re trying to bump off more Racers this way…”

Amy said nothing, feeling her stomach drop. How many Racers would die today? A mass accident? It wouldn’t be the first in the Circuit’s history. Far from it. There was always one very few years. And there was always some sort of official story about why it happened. A malfunction in a program, adverse weather, among other excuses. If such an accident happened during the Race, they’d chop it up to the fact that no one was ready for the bike race, that the Racers hadn’t prepared well enough for it.

These people, she thought darkly. They make me sick.

“Don’t worry, Jay,” she said, standing a bit taller. “I’ll make it. I’ll win this Race.”

“Be careful,” he warned, his eyes filled with worry. “I much rather have you live through the Race than win it dead.”

She smirked. “As I said. Don’t worry. I’ll end this Race with a quick win.”
*********
It felt very strange at the starting line. Instead of the steady hum of a dozen engines, the track was uncomfortably silent. The Racers stood over their bikes, the small bikes seeming very pathetic for a Race. And the Racers were over dressed for it too. All of them wore their padded jumpsuits with huge helmets to protect their heads. Amy wondered how many of them would fair in the Race, having to pedal the entire time in such bulky clothing. She wondered how she was going to make it.

“You sure the change in tactic is going to help?” Maxx asked in her ear. With the helmet on, his voice was directed into her ear.

“It has to work,” she muttered, looking at the track. It was a long dirt road. It was usually for motorized dirt bike Races, where jumping tricks were scored and helped people in the ranking. However, she doubted that many tricks were going to be preformed today. Most everyone would want to just get the Race over with.

“Everyone wants to be done with this Race,” she explained. “Everyone. I don’t think that there’s a single Racer who is happy about this. They’ll clamor for the lead and keep it. We have to take that lead first off and keep it. It’s the only way.”

“If you say so,” Maxx said, uncertain. “I’m not familiar with these Races.”

“Neither is anyone else,” she reminded him, just as Jay had to remind them. Everyone was on equal footing now. No training, all surprised. It was pure speed that was going to win this Race. She had to smirk.

She always wondered if she were the fastest Speeder.

Red.

“Stupid idiots,” Maxx muttered in her ear.

Orange.

“Making us do this…”

Yellow.

“Maxx,” she muttered. “Shut up.”

Green.

Unlike the previous races, there was no sudden shriek of engines revving, tires burning, no loud sounds. Just the sound of a bike on dirt.

A lot of bikes on dirt.

Amy had rarely used her Talent in this way. Oh, there had been a time or two that she would use her Speed when she needed to get somewhere fast, either on her bike or on foot, but that was always a short jaunt. Not this. This was a Race, where everyone was trying to get to the end. Everyone trying to win.

Amy knew that her place in the start was in the middle of the Racers was going to be hard to get in front. She ignored Maxx continued mutters and focused only on trying to get ahead. While the track had been designed for dirt bikes, it was large compared with the pedal bikes that they Raced. It was easy to weave between other Racers, quickly gaining the top.

“Come on, legs,” she muttered, pushing herself forward. “We can do this!”

Other Racers started slowing down, blurring with the rest of the background. It was common knowledge that not all Talented were the same level. There were some who tried to classify different levels of Talented, but the differences were slight.

She could only hope that she was slightly better than the rest.

Then came the first hill. If she had been on a dirt bike, she would have just revved Maxx’s engine to get to the top. Now she was relying on her own legs. Her legs burned as she pedaled, her breathing started to come faster. Just because she could be fast at things didn’t mean that she had unlimited energy. If she had been doing this without her Talent, she would be running out of energy at the same rate.

She started to slow down as she pedaled up the hill, other Racers quickly catching up with her.

“No,” she heaved, feeling sweat roll down her cheeks. “I won’t give in!”

The top of the hill came and she knew what to do. She immediately stopped pedaling. Gravity took over, taking her and Maxx down the hill at a faster rate than what she could pedal. She didn’t dare pedal downhill. It was easy to loose control going too fast, even for a Speeder. Physics still applied. Going too fast would cause a wreck.

Crash!

“Ooo,” the commentator said in her ear. “That has got to hurt! There’s a pile up on the hill, several Racers are now out of the Race. That’s what you get when you pedal down hill.”

“Exactly,” she muttered as she started pedaling again on flat ground, taking the chance to look around. There were only a handful of Racers left, Silver Fox being one of them. Amy focused forward, urging her body to its limits. She had to win this Race. It would get her to the next one. Then the Finals.

Loosing was not an option.

The Race soon turned into a close race, with her struggling to keep in with the rest of the Racers. They too tried to get to the finish line first. They probably also wanted to know who was the fastest Speeder.

Hills, turns, dips, they all blended into one another, with no one taking a clear lead. One moment, she would have it, the next someone else would take it only to have it taken by another.

“This is an exciting Race, folks!” the commentator said. “With no clear leader, the win could go to any of these fine Racers. Perhaps we should have more pedal bike Races in the future!”

Maxx snorted. “Not if I have something to say about it!”

The finish line was in sight.

“Come on!” Amy yelled, pushing every last ounce of Speed she had left into her legs. “Let’s win this thing!”

The other Racers were side by side. This was no Race to hurt the others. It was simply to get across the finish line. There was no time to cause a wreck. Even if they wanted to, they were simply too close to get away with it.

Amy and the others crossed the finish line.

“And it’s too close to tell!” the commentator said. “We’re going to have to wait for the officials to tell us who won.”

They all skid to a stop, all of them looking annoyed as they pulled off their helmets.

“You know,” Silver Fox said, glaring in the direction of the audience. “They do that too often.”

“Yeah,” another Racer said, looking grumpy. “We have way too many close calls.”

Amy said nothing. What use were words? She either won or she didn’t. She thought she was the lead, but… How was she supposed to know? They were all going too fast.

“Um,” Maxx said, turning his front wheel to her. “Aims?”

“Yeah?” she asked distractedly. Her gaze was latched on the official tent, where they were reviewing the tape.

“Could you change me back into something else?” he begged. “I feel so outdated!”

“Oh,” she said, snapping back to what was happening around her. The other Racers were also changing their programs, some to dirt bikes, others to cars.

“Maxx,” she commanded, “sports car.”

He turned into her favorite form, completely silver and nothing like the others. It was always the same with the Racers. Because they could pick what form their programs could be in, they tried to have their programs take a different form from everyone else. It was a variety they needed.

“And the officials are coming out of the tent!”

Amy and the other Racers hurried over to the tent, a place made way for them from the reporters who also surrounded the tent. About half the cameras were turned to them, wanting to catch their reactions to the announcement.

“The winners go thus,” an official said, standing at a microphone on a raised stage. “Fifth place, Racer Magnus.” A polite applause. The Racer stomped off in a huff. “Forth place, Racer Humming Jay.” Another polite round. This Racer nodded gratefully and stayed to hear the rest. “Third, Racer Bolt Lighting.” Breaths were held. The next name would reveal who was the winner.

“Second place,” the announcer said, his expression bland. “Racer Silver Fox. Which means…”

Amy didn’t hear anything else as the cheers boomed and people crowded around her, congratulating her. She couldn’t stop grinning. She knew by the third name that she was in the next Race, the top three always go, but this meant that she won.

I’m the fastest Speeder in this Circuit, she thought. There was something smug about that.
*********
“Now, don’t let it go all to your head.”

Amy rolled her eyes. She, Jay, Hacker, and Sally were back in Hacker’s shop as the mechanic checked on Maxx again. While there was a party to celebrate the win of the Race that night, she had declined, saying that the Race was in the memory of Roadster. It wouldn’t be right to celebrate her win when they should be celebrating Roadster’s life. They all accepted the excuse and let her be.

So she sat with Jay on the couch, rolling her eyes at her Sponsor.

“I doubt that it’ll go to my head,” she said. “I have my first round of tests next week. I’m going to be plenty busy studying to worry about letting small things like a win go to my head.”

Jay huffed. “I’m just concerned,” he said. “That’s all.”

“I think there’s a bit more than that,” Hacker said beneath Maxx. Her program was in his usual form and rather enjoyed Hacker’s checkup.

“Hacker,” Jay warned.

“What?” the mechanic asked, tapping his foot on the floor. He and Sally had created a code with foot taps so she could know which tool he needed. She sat on the floor next to Maxx, taking out the tool and handing it over to her boyfriend.

“You’re too uptight, Jay,” Sally said, resting her hand on Hacker’s leg. “You need to learn how to relax.”

Jay snorted. “Relax? This has nothing to do about being relaxed or not. This is about Amy’s safety. I heard some of the other Sponsors. They aren’t happy that you won. You’re a favorite to win the Final.”

“Wonderful,” Amy said sarcastically. “I already know that they want to kill me. Now they’re unhappy with me. I’m sorry I offended them by pursuing my goals.”

“Amy,” Jay sighed. “You really don’t want to anger people who are trying to kill you.”

“There’s nothing I can do,” she pointed out. “We’ve already disabled Maxx’s secret kill code. If they’re going to kill me, they’re going to find a way.”

“Ugh,” he said, throwing his hands up. “There’s no use talking to you!”

“He checks out,” Hacker said, rolling out from beneath her car. “I just suggest keeping him in this form for a couple of days. His program wasn’t used to the pedal bike. Let’s get his program get used to being normal again.”

“Fine,” Amy grumbled, stalking over and getting into Maxx. “I’ll do that. Now, excuse me, I’ve got to study.” She slammed the door and backed off, too annoyed to think of anything else.
***********
Ah, a nice lovely argument between Amy and Jay. I think I’ll be going into April strong. Speaking of April… Guess what time it is!

That’s right! It’s Camp NaNoWriMo! And just in time too. I literally only have a two paragraphs more of the story. And thanks to it being Camp NaNo, I get to choose my word count. Instead of 50K, I’m doing 60K. Time to push my limits a bit.

So check back again after April for the story to continue! Enjoy the journey!

A Threat to the Talented

Sorry about not posting last week. My laptop suddenly broke and I had to wait for it to get fixed. (Good news though. It was going to cost me four hundred to fix it until they realized that they had never activated my warrantee when I bought my laptop, so they activated it and fixed it for free! Yeah!)

To the story!
**********
As usual, Sally was with Hacker when he got there. Amy had yet to arrive at Hacker’s shop, which didn’t surprise him. As he constantly teased her, she was always just right on time.

“Pizza, anyone?” Jay asked as he walked into the shop. Both Hacker and Sally were at the computer, snuggling despite sitting in different computer chairs. They spun around, smiling at him and the pizza he had brought.

“I told you,” Hacker said, wheeling over to grab a couple pizzas from him. “He always provides the best food!”

“So you’ve told me,” Sally said, smiling at Hacker. Jay just couldn’t get over how quickly the two had fallen in love. It was easy to see in their actions and faces. They did everything together, going on walks, going to the grocery store, even clothes shopping. That last one told him that Hacker was really in love. Hacker hated clothes shopping.

“Where’s Aims?” Hacker asked, taking a bite of his pepperoni pizza.

“She’s getting some school books,” he answered, plopping down on the couch. “She should be here soon.” And then we can tell Sally the truth and get her to keep her mouth shut. He could understand why Amy would want her friend to promise to him that she would keep it secret. If the Circuit realized that Amy knew about that code, and that the code had been disabled, they most certainly would kill her. Code or no code.

Just as he took a bite of his own pizza, the garage door rose up and Maxx drove in. He was in one of his more familiar forms, of a silver sports car. Amy got out, quickly eyeing the pizza.

“What?” she asked, closing the door. “Couldn’t you wait for me to start eating?”

“But you’re always late!” Hacker complained. “I’m hungry now!”

“Don’t worry,” Jay said, pointing to the box beside him. “Your pizza is still hot.”

She snorted. “It better be.”

She plopped down beside him, eagerly digging into her pizza. Jay didn’t say much as they all enjoyed their meal. It would be time enough for them to bring up the painful topic.

“So,” Jay said, turning to her, “how many books did you have to get?”

“Too many,” she grumbled. “And expensive too! I can’t believe how much I had to pay to get all the books I needed.”

“Do you need extra money?” he asked. He knew how much it cost to attend college; and while he never had to worry if he were going to make it, he knew plenty of other who couldn’t pay for school.

“Nope,” she brushed off. “I have enough. Thanks for offering though.”

Jay chuckled. “It’s in my contract to provide you with everything you need. That includes school books.”

“It must be nice,” Sally said, snuggled next to Hacker. “To have someone pay for your tuition.”

The three of them exchanged glances. Was now the time?

“What?” Sally asked, frowning at them.

“It’s not that simple,” Amy admitted, seeming hesitant. “The money I get is from the Circuit and the Races I go through.”

“Actually the events you get paid to attend,” Jay corrected her.

“Whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes. “But there is a price I have to pay.” She paused again, the fear creeping into her expression. “The Circuit controls my life.”

“I don’t see a problem with that,” Sally said.

“You don’t understand,” Amy insisted. “They control everything. I signed my life away when I went into the Circuit.”

Sally started to frown. “Signed your life away? But… You’re Talented. They shouldn’t be able to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

“Try telling the Seekers that,” Amy growled. “They took me from home and brought me to the RCC when I told them that I didn’t want to be a Racer. They didn’t care. They said that since I was a Speeder, that was all that I could do. And that’s not the worst of it.”

“What?” Sally asked, now frowning. “What could be worse than having all your bills paid, free room and board, everything provided for you, and an excellent car?”

“Do you know what Maxx is?” Amy asked.

“Your car,” Sally answered.

“He’s a computer program,” Amy told her. “Implanted into my brain.”

“What?” Sally exclaimed, looking at Hacker as she sought the truth. “She can’t be serious! No one can implant computer chips into people’s brains!”

“The Circuit does it all the time,” Hacker told her sadly. “Maxx is a program, not just a car.”

“I enhance Amy’s Talent,” Maxx then spoke. “I literally only exist in her head.”

“Woah!” Sally stood up, pointing at the car. “It talked!”

“All the time,” Amy sighed. “Sometimes, it’s hard to know what to think because he’s always interrupting my thoughts.”

“I do not!” Maxx protested.

“Maxx is a wonderful thing though,” Amy admitted, smiling at her program fondly. “I wouldn’t want to own anything else. Everything pales in comparison with him. I wouldn’t trade him for anything.”

“Thank you,” Maxx said. “I’m glad that you feel that way.”

“However,” Amy sighed, turning to her shocked friend. “Maxx does come with a price. One that we didn’t know.”

“What?” Sally asked, still eyeing the car with new understanding.

“He had a line of code in him,” Amy said softly, “hidden deep, one that he wasn’t even aware of.” She took a deep breath.

“A line of code to kill me.”

Sally paled, looking at her friend in horror. “Kill you?” she whispered.

“The Circuit controls my life,” Amy confessed, looking down at the floor. “I could die right now if they wanted to.”

“Why would they want to kill you?” Sally asked, getting flustered. “You’re a wonderful person! Perhaps a bit rough when you first meet people, but a good person! Why would they want to kill you?”

“Because she’s a Racer,” Jay answered for her, letting his hate seep into his tone. “Because she is Talented. Most of the Sponsors plan the deaths of their Racers. Amy and Bluebird are my first Racers to Sponsor, so I wasn’t aware of this. But I’ve since learned the truth.” He took a deep breath. Just as Amy had to reveal that her life was in danger, he too had something to reveal to their new member.

“But I fear that the same Sponsors who are killing off the Racers are killing off other Talented,” he admitted to her. “We’re going to try to bring them down. It’s important that you keep this secret.”

“Why tell me?” she asked, looking around for something, probably something that was still good and right in her world. “Why tell me and then say that I need to keep it secret?”

“You’re my friend,” Amy said, looking up. “And that you’ve been hanging out a lot recently. You were going to find out sooner or later. I thought it might be best to tell you sooner.”

“And you need me to keep it a secret?” she asked.

“Please,” Hacker said, standing up and taking Sally’s hand. “It’s for the safety of all of us. Amy isn’t the only Talented in this room.”

Sally stared at her boyfriend, her heart in her eyes. “You’re Talented too?” she asked softly. He nodded. She then turned to him, her face paling. “Are you Talented too, Jay?”

Jay forced himself to nod. “I’m an Oath Maker,” he admitted. “Make a promise with me and neither of us can break it.” He then stood up and approached her. “I need you to promise to me that you’ll keep this secret, our plans to topple the Sponsors, that I’m Talented, that Hacker is Talented, and that the Kill Code in Maxx has been destroyed. While that code can no longer kill Amy, there are other means that the Sponsors could take that would. We need you to promise to keep all this secret. All our lives depend on it.”

He didn’t even have to hold his breath for her answer.

“I’ll do it,” she breathlessly agreed, not hesitating a moment. “I’ll keep all these secrets.” She turned to Hacker, gazing lovingly at him. “I want all of you to live too.”

Jay let out a sigh of relief, feeling the pull of a promise in his chest. The Talent had been triggered. The promise made. Sally would keep this secret.

“Christopher,” she said, still looking at her boyfriend. “What is your Talent?”

Hacker started to cough. Jay was surprised that he had managed to keep his Talents secret from her as long as he did. The boy was hopelessly in love with her that he would do anything for her.

Much the same he was with Amy. Only Amy didn’t return his feelings.

“I’m Double Talented, actually,” he confessed. “I have two Talents.”

Sally grew excited and started asking Hacker a ton of questions. Jay shook his head and sat back down on the couch with Amy. Best that Sally ask Hacker questions about his Talents more than her asking him about his.

“It’s done,” Jay sighed, watching as the two talked about Talents. “She’s going to keep her mouth shut.”

“And so our group becomes four,” Amy added. “I still think that we can’t defeat the Sponsors.”

Jay winked at her. “Don’t give up hope yet. We’re still planning. Our time will come when we can fight the Sponsors and free all the Talented from their doom.”
************
School started soon after Sally had been told the truth. In the days after learning it, Sally was more stuck onto Hacker than ever before. Amy couldn’t help but wonder when the two would get married. At the rate that they were going, she wouldn’t be surprised if they got married before the end of the semester.

However, thoughts of romance between her friends quickly slipped out of her head as school work and training filled it. It started getting routine. Get up, go to class, study, go home, train. Repeat. It was always the same. Nothing changed but the weather.

But then came the next Race.

“Why can’t you get us free tickets?” Natalie asked between classes the day before the Race. “I mean, we’re your friends. Shouldn’t you be able to get us VIP tickets or something?”

“You’d have to go through a Sponsor to get that,” Amy said, wishing her school friends would find something else to talk about. It was hard enough with the race looming over her head to worry much more about than tickets for her friends. “I’ve never asked Jay for tickets for friends before.”

“Then you should ask him,” Aaron said. They sat in one of the lecture halls waiting for their teacher to show up. “He seems like a nice enough fellow. I’m sure that he wouldn’t be bothered with giving us tickets.”

“Why are you so interested in going, anyway?” she wanted to know. “I hate Racing.”

Natalie laughed. “Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean that the rest of us don’t. Come on, why don’t you just ask?”

Amy sighed. “Because it’s too close to the Race,” she pointed out. “The tickets are already sold out. There’s nothing I can do at this point and I don’t think Jay would fair much better.”

“Darn it,” Aaron grumbled. “We missed getting tickets by a day!”

Amy felt no sympathy for her friends. They complained about it to her the day when they got back to classes. Apparently the next Race was hyped up because of Roadster’s death. It was dedicated to him for all the time he spent in the Circuit. Amy wasn’t so sure that was what the Sponsors had in mind when the put the Race on. They were looking forward to the money they would be raking in because of what had happened.

They’re sick people, she thought to herself. Making money off of a person’s death. They should be locked up.

But they needed to get there first. Jay’s plan. A plan that would put him into their midst and, as an Oath Maker, make them correct their ways. Amy still wasn’t sure that it was going to happen that way. There was Jay’s father, for one. He knew that his son was a Talented and knew what that Talent could do. There was no way that he was going to allow that threat into the inner circle and destroy their little perfect kingdom. And then there were the Sponsors themselves. They were going to notice that something was going on; they would suspect something once they realized that they couldn’t do as they always had. Someone was going to notice that it was Jay.

And then his life would be in danger.

Amy glanced at Aaron. His life was in danger too. Aaron had confessed to her a week before that he had a near death experience when he was a teenager. He blew it off as something that a stupid teenager would do despite the dangers, but Amy could spot that it was more. The possibilities of his parents’ car suddenly having faulty brakes in their new car that their teenage son decided to take out for a spin was slim.

Other Talented Chemists that she had talked to in the school also mentioned that they had near death experiences.

Why do the Sponsors hate us? She wondered. What reason would they want to kill the Talented? While she didn’t want to be Talented, she didn’t want any harm to happen to the rest of them. She wasn’t heartless.

“Do you know what type of race it’ll be?” Natalie asked her.

“I honestly don’t,” Amy admitted. “They’ve been keeping it secret. There have been rumors that it’s going to be a drag race, since that was Roadster’s favorite.”

“A drag race,” Aaron mused. “Now I’m really sad that I’m going to miss it.”

“You can watch it on the TV,” Amy pointed out.

He sighed. “It’s just not the same.”

Amy rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Hey, I have a quick question about one of the homework questions.”

They spent the rest of the time waiting for class going over their homework. That was to say, she and Natalie asking Aaron questions and seeing if they got it all right. There was a very good perk at having a Talented Chemist as a friend. While he wouldn’t give them the answer outright, he would help them towards the right answers. Their homework marks were some of the best in the class. It defiantly kept Natalie’s grades up.

As class came to an end, Amy left, knowing that it was yet another late afternoon of training in some racing form or another. Jay wasn’t leaving anything to chance and kept her training in different forms to make sure that she was ready. She thought he was overthinking the whole thing. Maxx and others agreed that she was a natural at it and that she had nothing to worry about. However, Jay wasn’t so confident and she had to endure the training sessions in silence.

“Where to, Maxx?” she asked as she got into him. Winter was coming to an end and spring was starting to warm things up. Today, she managed to get away with wearing just a jacket instead of a coat. Though she still wasn’t ready to change Maxx into a speed bike. She wanted warmer weather for that.

“A water track,” Maxx answered her. “I think we’ll be trying out the speed boat again.”

“Wonderful,” she muttered, not feeling it. “Just what I always wanted.” She hated water races. Some of it stemmed from her fear of deep water. Some from watching her father die on the water. A combination of both made her wary of watery tracks.

However, she didn’t have much of a choice and she drove to the track. It wasn’t the same one as the one her Dad died. The Circuit tired not to use the same tracks over and over again, least that the Racers learn the short cuts they could use to win a race. Amy had researched into the track that her Dad died on, learning that it had been torn down years before and a new water park had been built there. She had no intention of going there.

Jay, Hacker, and Sally were already there, sitting down at the edge of the lake. Amy had always been unimpressed by the water races. What was so exciting about flying over water? Oh, there might be waves or other Racers to deal with, but she didn’t feel to be in the same control as she did when she was Racing other things.

“Welcome,” Jay said loudly as she got out of Maxx. “Welcome, Racer Aims, to another wonderful day of training for your next Race!”

“Cut the dramatics,” she grumbled. “I still think this is pointless.”

Jay shrugged. “Pointless or not, I just want to make sure you’re ready. I’ve talked to some other Sponsors and they’re not even sure what this Race is going to be. I got the impression that no one can agree on what to Race on.”

Wonderful, she thought with a glare. Just what she needed. “Maxx,” she commanded. “Speed boat.”

Crack!

The training went on, despite her worries and wondering for the future.
**********
Guess what’s happening next month? That’s right! It’s Camp NaNoWriMo! Just in time too. I’ve got one last small little post before I’ve really got to be writing again. I’m now going through my pre-NaNo ritual of writing in something else than the story I’ll be writing to get back into practice and to get most of the crappy writing out of the way. Not that I won’t be writing crap anyway this NaNo, but it’ll be less obvious once the short story is written out.

Enjoy the journey!

Just a Friend

Whew! What a week I’ve had! Words of Radiance came out on Tuesday and, though I’ve finished it, I’m still savoring that book. Mmmm. I recommend anything written by Brandon Sanderson.

Alright, enough endorsing another author. This blog is what I write. To the story!
*********
Amy’s feet hurt, but she didn’t care. Dancing always made her feel better, both about the world and about life in general. Things always seemed lighter after she danced the stress and worries away. Everyone had their own methods to detox themselves from everything; some would read, others exercise, or play video games. Hers was dancing.

There were several times that she forgot that she was actually there with someone. It kept surprising her when Jay would dance along side her. He seemed to be enjoying himself, allowing the music to carry him off. Amy could only smile at that. She had no idea what he did to relieve himself from the world, but she could tell that he was enjoying himself in the club.

However, neither of them could keep it up all night. Several times they would stop and enjoy a sit at the bar counter. There weren’t many alcoholic drinks, since it was an underage dancing club, but that didn’t matter much; there were other things to drink. As they sat to enjoy being off their feet and quenching their thirst, they would talk. There was a lot that they talked about, though Amy couldn’t remember all of what it was. But there was one thing that they didn’t even bother implying.

The Circuit and the threat on her life.

That night, it was meant just for dancing and enjoying the night. Life was too short to worry about things like that. If there was one thing that she had learned from other Racers was that you had to take small moments of joy when you could. It was the advice she had heard over and over. Enjoy the small things that you like, take pleasure in what was important. You never knew which Race would be your last.

Amy let all of those thoughts escape her, leave her be. The night was to be enjoyed. No use worrying about things that could be left for the next day.

However, the night could never last. Eventually, the club was going to close, there was a final dance, and everyone was told to start clearing out. Amy walked out of the club with Jay, looking forward to getting back to her own bed. It was a good thing that Maxx would be driving home for her. Her feet really hurt.

“That was fun,” Jay said, his voice sounding horse. It wasn’t really a surprise that it did; everyone had to talk loudly over the music. “I can see why you like it.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” she laughed. “I’m surprised that you were so ridged at first. Haven’t you gone dancing before?”

He sighed, rubbing his neck. “Not really,” he admitted. “When you’re in my type of business, you have a tendency to attend cocktail parties and stuffy events. Nothing quite so…” He fumbled for the right word. “Active.”

She laughed. Active? “You lead a boring life,” she joked with him.

“Boring?” he said, mocking hurt. “I’ll have you know that it is nothing boring! In fact, I get great joy out of status reports.”

They both laughed at that.

“It’s late,” she sighed, checking the clock on her phone. “I have a curfew at the Circuit. I should probably get going.”

“Probably,” he agreed. “I’d like to get some rest before tomorrow anyway.”

She frowned. “Why?”

“Oh, it’s one of those boring things you accused me of,” he said vaguely. “I’ll try to talk to you tomorrow. Hacker mentioned that he wanted to check on Maxx again.”

“He always wants to check on Maxx,” she said, rolling her eyes. However, mentioning the mechanic also reminded her of something. “Has he and Sally really been hitting it off?”

“Two peas in a pod, those two,” Jay confessed. “I can’t seem to get them apart. If I want Hacker to do something or go somewhere, Sally is right there with him. I suppose that will change when classes start up again next week, but I suspect that they’ll be spending every free moment together.” He shook his head. “I never thought that I would see the day when Hacker would be interested in a woman. He’s always been too interested in tech to be bothered by females.”

“What a delightful way of putting it,” she huffed. “As long as he keeps Maxx up, I guess I can’t complain. Sally generally has bad taste in guys, but Hacker is a nice one. If she’s happy being with him after so many bad relationships, I’m not going to say anything.”

“Good,” Jay said. “You’ll have to get used to her being in the shop. She’s almost always there.”

Amy froze. Jay took a few steps ahead before he realized she wasn’t with him. He turned, frowning at her. “What?” he asked.

“Sally,” she breathed. “She’s at the shop? You mean…” She turned pale. The dancing that had gotten rid of her troubles disappeared, the worries crashing on her again. “Sally knows about what the Circuit has planned for me?”

“No,” Jay quickly assured her, putting his hand on her shoulder. She immediately brushed it off. “I made Hacker promise not to say anything about that to her until we got your permission. If you don’t want Sally to know the truth, we’ll hide it from her.” He paused, looking her straight in the eye. “However, I think that she has a right to know. I can make her promise not to say anything to anyone, but I think she’ll want to know that her best friend is in danger.”

Amy gulped. She hadn’t even told her Mom about the danger. Oh, they both knew something was wrong with the Circuit, but they didn’t say anything about it. There was no need. Sally, on the other hand, she was a happy go lucky person. She didn’t get involved in dangerous things. She thought the best of people and was horrified when bad things happened. News that the same Circuit she had enjoyed all her life was secretly killing of the Speeders would destroy her image of the Races.

But Jay did have a point. If Sally was going to be spending all that time around them, then she at least had to be informed.

“We’ll tell her before classes start,” Amy said softly, still horrified at the very thought of telling her friend the truth. “And you’ll get that promise out of her so we won’t have to worry about a leak from her.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You think she’ll talk?”

Amy laughed a bit. “Sally is a gossip. It’s best to have you promise so your Talent will keep her from letting out something that we don’t want the Circuit to know.”

“Very well,” Jay agreed. “How about the day after next? We’ll have a nice get together in the shop, let her know, and then make her promise not to say anything.”

Amy nodded, feeling her stomach sink at the thought. But it had to be done. Sally was a loose cannon that they had to plug.

“Huh,” Jay said, looking at her face. “It seems that you’ll need to go dancing tomorrow to shake the stress away.”

“Probably,” she agreed. “I’ll probably also sleep all day tomorrow to get ready for it.”

“Can I come along?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Whatever you’d like to do. I’ll probably ignore you like I did tonight.”

He smiled, shaking his head. “I’ll take it. I’ll see you tomorrow night.” He then bent down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He then quickly stepped back, waved his hand in farewell, and walked off before she could hit him.

She stared at his retreating back, her breath caught in her chest. Did he really have the nerve to kiss her cheek like that?

“That was uncalled for!” she yelled after him.

He only laughed.

Muttering under her breath about how annoying he was, she found Maxx and got in. “Home,” she commanded, putting her feet up on the other seat. “You do the driving. My feet hurt.” She had a moment of grim satisfaction to know that Jay’s car wouldn’t drive him home and that he would have to deal with his sour feet driving the entire way there.

“How was the night?” Maxx as asked he pulled out of the parking spot.

“I loved the dancing,” she said, resting comfortably on her seat. Thanks to his form, there was no middle console that separated the two front seats. “But then Jay had to put a sour end by giving me some bad news and kissing him on the cheek.”

“Really?” Maxx asked, sounding smug. “Then why are you blushing?”

She sat up. “I am not blushing!”

Maxx laughed. “You forget, I’m in your brain. I could tell some things, like the rush of blood to your face. You’re blushing.”

“Just get us home,” she snapped. He laughed again but said nothing more. Amy snuggled back into her seat. There was no way that she could be blushing. Jay was annoying and overstepping his bounds. The only reason she was blushing was because no one kissed her, even on the cheek, before.

That had to be the reason.
**********
Amy was surprised when she got an email telling her that Camellia wanted a word with her the next day. Gingerly getting out of bed, she got dressed and headed for the Talent Seeker’s office in another building. Like many other Racers, she was up late, having enjoyed a night out on the town. Some of them were nursing hang overs, others moving slowly as she was, and the few crazies that were already up and training for the day. She knew that soon she would have to get onto a training schedule again. The next big race, the one that would be redoing the one before winter break, would be held just a couple weeks after school would start again. Amy wondered if the Circuit purposefully placed all the Races in the time it would be most inconvenient for her schooling. She wouldn’t put it past them to do it.

Wondering what Camellia wanted with her, she braved the cold winter outside to get to the Talent Seekers’ building. These were the Seekers who spent most of their time tracking and taking care of the Speeders. Amy thought it was ridiculous to send slow people after Speeders.

Getting into the building, she had to ask for directions on how to get to the Seeker’s office. It turned on to be on the top floor and she decided to take the stairs all the way to the fifth floor rather than take the elevator. It gave her a bit more time to wake up and to prepare to meet with the Seeker.

Arriving to her office, Amy knocked.

“Come in,” purred the woman.

Rolling her eyes, Amy entered. The woman’s office was very refined and ornate. It was also very colorful. Pink colorful. Amy glanced around the room. It seemed that everything had a pink cast to it, even the filing cabinets. However, she could also tell that the pink wasn’t the original color and that it had been a while since the room had been painted over. The paint was starting to peel on the trip around the windows and door, revealing that the room originally had a nice red wood instead of the horrid pink Camellia preferred.

“Ah,” the woman said with a smile, noticing who walked in. “Racer Aims. I’m so glad that you were able to meet with me.”

Amy could barely hold back her glare. Glad that she could meet with her? The email was worded like a command appearance. Camellia sat behind a pink desk, working on a pink laptop. Amy half expected to find a cat lurking somewhere, eating out of pink bowl. Camellia seemed like a cat person.

“Please,” the Seeker said, gesturing towards an overstuffed pink chair. “Sit. We have a few things that we need to discuss.”

Amy sat, noticing that the chair was plush as well. While it might be comfortable, she couldn’t get over the color and tried hard not imagining puking on it.

“What’s there to talk about?” she asked, honestly confused. “I’m going to the Races… I’ve met every requirement in my contract. I haven’t broken a single rule…” She paused. “You didn’t even call me in here when I changed Maxx mid Race. That was a surprise.”

“It was surprise for us all,” Camellia noted, smirking. “We had to change the rules because of it. No. We cannot get after you for doing something that we thought impossible. In fact, I think we should be thanking you. The ratings for our Circuit Racing is higher than ever due to that stunt. It was really a blessing that you survived and managed to change Maxx the way you did. You’re very popular now.”

Amy actually glared at that. She knew she was popular. Due to her contract, she had to attend a lot of events now. Why one little stunt made her suddenly important was beyond her.

“So,” Amy quickly changed, “what did you want to talk about.”

Camellia’s expression changed to a serious one without a smile. Amy raised an eyebrow at that. Camellia was almost always smiling.

“I want to talk about your Sponsor Jay,” she said, “and how much time you’ve been spending with him.”

This surprised Amy. “What about it?” she asked. “He’s my Sponsor. He tells me which events to go to, has Maxx checked by his mechanic… Of course I’m going to be spending time with him.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Camellia said somberly. “Some rumors have reached my ears that you two were at a dance club last night and that you plan to go again tonight.”

Amy frowned. How would that rumor start? As far as she knew, no one knew them at the club. At least, no one came up to her asking for her autograph, which happened a lot more than she wanted. And then the plans for that night… That was a private conversation.

“Now,” Camellia said, mistaking her frown for getting caught, “I understand that you’re young and that you might fall in love. And let’s face it, Jay is one of the most attractive men in the city, but I must warn you that it will not end well for you.”

“I don’t like Jay like that,” Amy started to protest when the Seeker held up a hand to silence her.

“You may say that,” she said, “but your actions speak louder. You’ve been seeing a lot of him outside the Circuit boundaries. This is something that will lead to trouble. There is no problem with a Racer falling in love and enjoying the company of others, but Jay is your Sponsor. A lot of things might be implied if you two start getting romantic.”

“I’d slug him,” Amy protested. “And he knows it! He’s not the kind I’m interested in. I think you’re blowing this way out of proportion.”

Camellia smiled again, though it was sad. “I think you’re the one who doesn’t understand what is going on. Try to see less of Jay, alright? It will be better for you in the end.”

Amy rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she mumbled, sinking into the pink chair. “Nothing is happening between us. I’m not worried. Can I go now?”

Camellia sighed, her smiling slipping. “Very well. I guess I should have known it was pointless to talk to you. Just remember my advice. Try to heed it.”

“Fine,” she grumbled, getting up. “I’ll try to see less of him.”

Camellia’s smile returned in full. “That’s all that I can ask for.”
**********
“See less of me?” Jay asked, frowning at her. They were at the dance club again, taking a break to rest their feet and to enjoy something to drink. “What did she mean by seeing less of me?”

“Probably just that,” Amy said, slouching back in her chair. “She’s worried that people will get it wrong if we start seeming to be more than just Racer and Sponsor.”

“You’re not worried about that, are you?” he asked.

She shrugged. So far, it didn’t seem that anyone recognized her. And why should they? She always got dolled up for dancing. She wore something different and put on makeup. It was one of the few things she could do so no one would recognize her.

“I told her that I wasn’t interested in you like that but she seemed insistent,” Amy told him, noting that he seemed a bit downcast at what she said. Why should he? He knew perfectly well how she felt about him. He was a friend, an annoying one true, but just a friend. She never had time for a boyfriend. Besides. She was in the Circuit and they were plotting to kill her. She didn’t want a boyfriend. Especially him. “I told her that I’ll try to see less of you.”

“But what does that mean?” he asked, quickly covering his disappointment. “That you’ll see less of me? I can’t hang out at Hacker’s shop anymore? I own that building. No one is going to stop me from going there.”

“I think she meant more of outside of the Races,” Amy pointed out. “You know, like seeing me at school.” She waved at their surroundings. Thanks to the loud music she was certain that no one would be able to hear them. “Here, for one thing.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what she is so worried about.”

“Probably she doesn’t want a Racer to get caught up with the politics of Sponsors,” Jay sighed. “It’s happened before.”

“But we’re the ones that’s doing all the work!” Amy argued. “The Sponsors only help. What sort of politicking is behind it?”

“You’d be surprised,” he muttered darkly. “You heard for yourself. The other Sponsors are trying to plan your death.” He glared at his drink. “And I think that they want to kill off the rest of the Talented as well.”

Amy said nothing, though knowing exactly what he was thinking about. His mother was a Talented, an Oath Maker like himself. She had died when he was young in an accident, though Jay thought there was something more to it. She couldn’t blame him for questioning the motives of that council that plotted the death of Racers. Why should they stop at merely killing off Speeders? Why not more Talented?

Amy had asked around, asking other Talented who weren’t Speeders if they knew Talented of their same kind had died mysteriously or in accidents. It disturbed her that there were several. It seemed that there was not one Talented who didn’t know someone else Talented who hadn’t died.

But it was the Racers who had the highest and most published deaths.

“There’s got to be something we can do,” she said softly, feeling helpless even in this environment. “Maybe turn them into the authorities or at least tip them off that something is wrong.”

Jay snorted. “Right. Most of the authorities are in the pockets of those businessmen. It’s an ugly business that I stay out of. But I know several of my peers who either bribe or blackmail the police to keep their noses out of business.”

“What?” Amy asked, shocked. “You mean… The corruption has reached that far?”

“Farther, I suspect,” he admitted. “And it’s been happening for a long time. It will be very hard to stop them.”

Amy groaned, banging her head on the table. “So there’s no hope for it? We just have to live with it?”

“No.”

The force in his tone caused her to glance up. He had a set expression, one she knew that meant that he was going to be stubborn about something.

“I have a plan,” he said, leaning in close to her. “And it’s going to be tricky, but I think it might work. And it’s simple.”

“What simple thing could possibly help bring these men to justice?” she asked, snorting in disbelief.
“Me.”

She frowned at him.

“I’m an Oath Maker,” he reminded her. “People make promises with me and they are compelled to do it. If I can get into those meetings, then I can get them to promise to stop what they’re doing, perhaps change their ways. And if I do it well enough, they’ll never suspect a thing.” He laughed at his plan. “And I’ve had plenty of practice at that.”

“But won’t they suspect something?” she asked, sitting back up. “I mean… You are a Talented…”

“They don’t know that,” he told her. “Only my father knows about my Talent and he taught me how to use it so no one would suspect it.”

“Then I see another problem,” she pointed out. “Your father.”

He flinched. “Yes,” he said softly, glancing away. “I’ve got to do something about him…”

“Could you do it?” she asked, looking intensely at him. “Work against your father? I know you respect him, idolize him at times, but… This is going to require you tricking and outsmarting him. Is it even possible?”

“It has to be possible,” Jay said, shaking his head. “I can’t sit around doing nothing as Talented get slaughtered.” He then looked her in the eyes. Amy hated when he did that. She couldn’t do anything but stare back into his brown eyes. “And besides,” he said, lifting a corner of his mouth in a smile. “I promised that I would help you survive the Circuit.”

Amy said nothing, trying hard not to blush. He did promise. He asked for nothing in return. He was doing this of his own free will to help her. To protect her.

“Come on,” she said abruptly, standing up. “Let’s go back onto the dance floor.” Jay easily smiled and also stood up. Even as they started dancing again, Amy couldn’t get the uneasy feeling out of her chest, that perhaps Camellia was right. That she was getting too close to her Sponsor. She tried to shake that feeling out of her. He was just a friend. That was all she could have.
***********
Mmmm. Words of Radiance…. Alright, I’ll stop. I hope everyone has been enjoying the story so far. I think there’s about two or three posts to reach where I stopped writing this last NaNo. Need to get back into the saddle of writing again. Good thing CampNaNo is right around the corner.

Enjoy the journey!

Safety

Welcome back! If you haven’t heard the news, I mentioned that yesterday, March 2, is the day I’ve envisioned being Martin’s chosen birthday. I insisted that we got cake yesterday to celebrate.

Enough of Martin. It’s Amy’s turn to take the stage. Last time, Roadster joined the long list of the Circuit’s dead Racers. Our Racer needs some comfort. To the story!
***********
Amy drove home. She didn’t even have to ask Jay if it were alright if she just went home. He told her to go after she had calmed down enough to listen again. She didn’t wait for a second command. Getting into Maxx, she drove back to the RCC, grabbed her stuff that was already packed for her trip home, and started driving back.

The next two hours were a blur to her. Maxx didn’t even try to entice her into a conversation. Instead, he played calming music, something she was grateful for. At that moment, she didn’t feel much like talking to anyone. All she wanted was to be home, safe in her own bed, her mother nearby. That was all she wanted.

To be safe again.

Maxx didn’t need directions to Mom’s house. She had given him those directions long before the Race. He even took over driving for her for a few times as she needed to cry.

Someone else had died in the Circuit.

While she wasn’t particularly close to Roadster, she did like the man. He was always kind to the newbies, with a smile on his face and a joke up his sleeve. And while he loved Racing, he could understand her desire to go to school. He had once expressed that he also once desired a different life than the Races, but he had grown to love it.

And now he was gone. Those same Races having taken his life.

As Maxx drove into her hometown, she started tearing up again. This place was all so familiar but so different at the same time. It seemed like a lifetime ago when she was last here. Back to when she was just a normal kid, a new college student. Not a Racer, not someone marked for death.

Maxx turned onto her street. She could barely keep the tears back.

She was home…

He pulled into her driveway. Mom was already home, judging from the lights that were on inside. Then the door opened, spilling the light inside out. Though she was back lit, Amy knew exactly who it was.

“MOM!”

She bolted out of Maxx, running into Mom’s opening arms, crying. Her Mom also cried, holding onto her tight.

“Oh, Mom,” she sobbed, sagging into her. Somehow, Mom was able to bare her weight, providing her with a strength she did not have. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“I’ve missed you too,” Mom cried, kissing the top of her head. “I love you.”

Amy continued to ball and she never wanted to let go.
*********
When Amy woke up next, she was in her own bed at home, the smell of Mom’s cooking drifting through to her. For a long moment, Amy stayed in the bed, seeking its comforting warmth and familiarity. Glancing around her room, she picked up details that she had once dismissed. Her cluttered desk, her over filled bookcase, the dirty clothes on the floor. Mom hadn’t bothered to clean out her room after she had left.

The separation had been hard on her too. It had been evident in her letters to her and now that she was home, the small details that used to drive her Mom nuts were still there, as if she were afraid to move least that she would loose something precious of her daughter.

Eventually, the smell of the breakfast finally lured her out of her bed. Amy immediately grabbed her sweater and pulled it on over her head. It felt good to be home, back to where no one was trying to kill her, where no one was testing her, watching her, judging her. Home was where she really felt as if she belonged.

Wandering out of her room, she came to the table. Mom was already setting out her breakfast down at her place.

“Oh,” Mom said, looking up in surprise. “I didn’t think you’d be awake. Did I wake you up?”

“Only the smell of your delicious cooking,” Amy said, smiling. “I’d wake up a million times to eat that and to visit you.”

Mom smiled. “Then sit down and eat it before it gets too cold.”

Amy didn’t need more prompting. She sat down, excited that Mom had made her favorite breakfast, chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries and whipped topping. Her stomach growled in anticipation and she dug in with gusto. Chuckling, her Mom also sat, eating at her own food.

Glancing around the room, Amy noticed something that hadn’t been there before. A couple food bowls on the floor.

“Did you get a pet?” she asked, surprised. Mom had never shown interest in getting a pet.

“Yes,” Mom said, smiling a bit. “After you left, I felt real lonely and a friend suggested that I get a pet to keep me company. I got a couple siamine cats. They’re somewhere in the house; don’t ask me where. They’ll show up soon though. They seem to know when I’m eating.”

Sure enough, a few minutes later, two thin siamie cats came into the room, slinking for their own food bowls. They purred as they ate.

“I would have never pegged you as a cat person,” Amy remarked.

“Neither would I have,” Mom admitted. “But… It’s been really lonely here without you. I needed some sort of company and I’m allergic to dogs.”

“Why not a fish or bird?” she asked.

“Well,” Mom mused, “probably because it seems that a cat can take more care of itself than a bird or fish. I mean, the cat has the whole house to explore while a bird and fish have to stay in their cage or tank. I couldn’t do that to an animal.”

“An animal lover too,” Amy said, shaking her head. “You must be lonely.”

Mom smiled sadly. “When they took you away…” She sighed deeply, poking at her pancakes. “I’m afraid every race that something is going to happen to you. I started watching those again… I couldn’t bare the thought that you’d die at the Races and I’d learn it through the neighbors. It just…” She sighed again. “I don’t think that I’d be able to stand it.”

“I won’t die, Mom,” Amy tried to assure her, but the falling pit in her stomach made her stop. The Circuit had a line of code in Maxx that could have killed her if Hacker hadn’t broken it. But there were other methods that they could easily kill her. It didn’t just have to be through Maxx.

“I’ll do my best,” Amy then promised. “I have a Sponsor who wants to make sure that I survive and retire in five years. And he has a team helping as well.” Amy knew she couldn’t tell her Mom about the code or the meeting that she had listened in to. That information would kill her. That was something Amy would never do to her.

It was better if she just didn’t know.

“The best people can still fail,” Mom sighed. “It happened to your Dad.”

The Circuit killed Dad, Amy silently said. We know that now. Jay promised that I won’t end up that way.

Suddenly, having an Oath Maker on her side was very comforting.

“Just don’t try too hard,” Mom cautioned. “I couldn’t stand another funeral. I loved your Dad. We had plans to marry even before we knew I was pregnant. But then they took him away. I lost him to the Circuit. I don’t want to loose you too.”

“You won’t have to,” Amy promised her. “I’ll do everything I can to come back home safe.”
*******
Her stay at home wasn’t nearly long enough. After the death of Roadster, it was nice to get away from Arco City and the Circuit that controlled her. Mom and her enjoyed the two weeks they had with each other. Other than that conversation that first morning, neither of them talked about the Circuit, Races, Sponsors, or anything like that. That was a life beyond them and they refused to let those aspects destroy the little time that they had together.

However, the time came that Amy had to go back to the RCC. Jay had emailed her and told her to get back quickly. She needed to start training for the extra Race that was coming up. And no one, not even the Sponsors, knew what the Circuit had planned for that Race. So, reluctantly, Amy left home again. It was the same tearful farewell, with tears on both sides. Even Maxx seemed subdued by their departure.

“I liked your Mom,” Maxx said. It was very interesting to introduce Maxx to Mom. It surprised her a bit when they got along very well together. Maxx was a product of the Circuit. She would have thought that Mom would have hated him.

“She’s a wonderful woman,” Amy agreed, wishing she wasn’t driving back to Arco City. If she could, she would have stayed home and never returned. However, she knew that the Talent Seekers wouldn’t let her stay. They would do anything to drag her back to the Circuit, including poisoning her into a coma to bring her back quietly.

She defiantly wouldn’t put it past them to stoop to something that low.

“I wonder what Jay wants us to train in,” Amy said. She had to get her mind off Mom. That would only make her homesick. If she got too homesick, she would turn Maxx around and go home. Then the Circuit would have to poison her to get her back.

“Who knows,” Maxx sighed, catching the change of subject. “We’ve already trained in all the different kind of vehicles that are legally possible.”

“Perhaps they’ll turn to illegal vehicles instead,” she suggested.

Maxx snorted. “I doubt it. They have those rules up for a reason. Its to protect the Racers.”

Amy outright laughed. “Protect the Racers?” she repeated. “Maxx, they wrote a line of code in your program to kill me. I don’t think that they have the best interest of the Racers in their hearts.”

Maxx didn’t have anything to argue about that.

The city came all too quickly and before Amy knew it, she was driving back into the RCC garage. Leaving Maxx there, she took her things back to her small room. As she looked around the campus, she noticed the subdued looks, heard the soft tones. Two weeks wasn’t nearly long enough for these Racers to overcome their grief at the loss of one of them. While Racers died all the time, Roadster didn’t have an enemy among them. He was friendly with everyone, offering kind words and easy smiles. He was a bright spot that would be greatly missed.

They’re going to pay, Amy found herself thinking bitterly. I’m going to make them pay.

She caught what she was thinking. How could she think that? She was a freshman in college, a Racer with a bitter attitude. How could she possibly think of going against powerful businessmen who had their technology implanted into their brains? Jay might seem to think that he could do something about it, but she had no power to do it. There was nothing that she could do.

Sighing, she got to her room. It was a bit different than when she first arrived. Jay had seen to it that she got more in her room than just a dresser and bed. Even then, those things were also different. She had a new bed, new dresser, a bookcase, a desk, and even shelves for whatever. It was quite messy, what one might expect from a normal college student. Amy had little time to clean her room, what between training and classes. Who would have time to do that sort of task?

Throwing her dirty clothes into a hamper, she plopped down on the bed. The only thing that she didn’t need to clean were her clothes. There were other people who did that for her. After all, a Racer had a tendency to get very dirty and the stains were sometimes very hard to get out.

Since it was still early in the day, she thought that a short nap might be in order. Thinking nothing of it, she started to close her eyes, enjoying the feel of sleep as it took over her.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Amy glared at the cell phone she had left on her desk. Who could possibly be calling her? Grumbling, she got up and checked. The number was instantly recognized.

“What, Jay?” she said answering it.

“Cheerful as always,” Jay laughed. “You back?”

“Obviously,” she grumbled. “You know that I never answer the phone when I’m driving.”

“True,” he agreed. “How was your trip?”

“Much needed,” she said. “I wish it was longer. How was your break from me?”

“Lonesome,” he sighed dramatically. “I wished you would get here sooner. How long have you been home?”

“A few minutes,” she answered.

“Great! How about going out with me tonight?”

She shook. “What?” she nearly yelled into the phone. “Go out with you?”

“Just a friendly thing,” he clarified. “Just something to get your mind off of things.”

She frowned at the phone, wishing so much that he could be right there so she could slap him. “What sort of things?”

“Dancing.”

The word froze her.

“How did you know?” she breathed softly.

“Maxx told me,” Jay said. “He told me that you liked to go to dance clubs. You’ve been to several in the city already. I was just thinking that you might enjoy going with me.”

“Are you stalking me?” Amy wanted to know. “When would Maxx have the time to tell you? He’s with me most of the time.”

Jay chuckled. “He’s a computer, isn’t he? I sent him an email.”

“Maxx gets emails?” she asked, confused. Why would her program get emails?

“It’s not known very well,” he admitted. “The program email accounts were set up so that Sponsors could remind the Racer about things, like events and training. Maxx handles all of it and reminds you of those things. We’ve become emailing buddies in the last couple of months.”

Amy groaned. It figured that Maxx and Jay would do something like that. Maxx had way too much personality for a computer some times.

“But dancing,” Jay said, changing subject. “Do you want to go?”

She really wanted to say no. While she was on friendly terms with Jay, she didn’t want to get closer. She had enough troubles on her mind without adding a complication such as seemingly dating her Sponsor. She could just imagine the tabloids pouncing on that juicy story in moments.

“It’s nice that you asked…” she started to say when he cut in.

“And you won’t have to worry about publicity,” he promised. “We’ll both just sort of end up at the same club and then leave at different times. No one will think anything about it.”

“I don’t partially feel like being recognized right now,” she tried to say.

“Well, I was thinking about going tomorrow night.” He paused. “And do people ever recognize others at dance clubs? I mean, with all the dim flashing lights, loud music, and everyone moving, it seems to me that you can only find a person if you’re actually looking for them.”

Jay did have a point.

“Come on,” he said, sounding a bit pouty. “Please?”

She sighed. “Fine,” she caved in. “Where? And when?”

“Tomorrow at eight, at the Thirty-Eight.”

She was familiar with the dance club, having been there a few times. She wondered if Maxx had told Jay that it was the one she seemed to have liked the most.

“I’ll meet you inside then,” she said, holding in a sigh. She really didn’t want to meet up with Jay but she hadn’t been dancing since before that last race. She needed something to take her minds off things.

“Great!” he said, actually sounding excited. “Until tomorrow then! Bye.”

“Bye,” she sighed, hanging up. Dropping the phone back onto the desk, she flopped down on her bed to return to that nap that Jay had rudely interrupted.
********
In all honesty, Jay had never been to a dance club before and he found the whole first impression a bit overwhelming. Between the dim flashing lights, the packed room filled with moving people, the loud music, and the heat, he could suddenly understand why Amy knew that it would be hard to find someone in this mass of movement. He pulled out his phone, quickly emailing Maxx.

You are coming, right?

Putting his phone away, he kept close to the entrance, though that too was filled with a number of people. The bouncers at the door making sure that no one came in that couldn’t afford it. It surprised him a bit on how expensive it was to get in. Why people thought this was a fun thing to do, he’d never know.

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.

Jay had his phone on vibrate so he could feel it go off, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to hear it above the din. He took it out, brining up the message Maxx sent him.

We’re here. She’s going in.

Jay smiled. While Amy may rebuff his advances, Maxx was more than willing to help him get on the Racer’s good side. While Maxx was a reflection of Amy’s personality, he was programed to show some difference from her. It was something the first Racers with the chips asked for, so that the program would act like it had a personality and acted more life like. Having gotten to know Amy better, Jay knew now why the Racers asked for that specific program change. It gave them something that they had been missing in the Races.

A friend in the midst of the Circuit.

He put his phone away, keeping an eye on the door. He wanted to catch Amy when she first came in, before she could disappear into the dancing crowd. He doubted that he would be able to find her in that mess.

Then she came in.

Jay couldn’t help but stare. She wasn’t dressed like she normally would. Gone were the baggy sweaters, plain t-shirts, bland appearance. The outfit she wore was very flattering on her slim form. The glittery dark red shirt clung to her figure, only to flair out at her hips with black pants underneath. Her blond hair, which was usually in a pony tail or bun wasn’t tied, but rather allowed to fan around her face. And it wasn’t curled either; it was kept straight.

And she wore makeup. Perhaps it wasn’t thickly applied as some girls liked to, but she wore just enough to accent her pretty face.

“Wow,” he whispered, unable to tear his eyes away. He had always been interested about Amy because that she was a brave courageous woman who spoke her mind. And she was attractive in her own unfinished way, but seeing her dolled up as she was, Jay then knew that he was hopelessly in love with her.

His feet starting moving before he could even think about it. He had never been afraid of approaching a pretty woman, even when he was speechless. Amy was looking around, other people bumbling behind her to get into the club. Jay hoped that she was looking for him instead of seeing where to avoid him.

“Amy!” he called out as he got near. “You’re a bit early!”

She quickly spotted him and made her way through the knot of people between them to get to him. “Early?” she asked, flipping her phone out to check the time. “It’s eight on the dot.”

He smiled. “That’s early for you. You look great.” He mentally froze. Why did he say that? Why did he blurt that out? She was going to hit him for that remark!

However, she rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she said, her usual remark about her appearance. “I’m just ready to go dancing.” She started for the dance floor, not showing any interest if he were going to follow her or not. Jay shook his head with a smile and followed after her.

Amy didn’t bother staying at the edge of the dance floor, heading straight for the middle of the dance floor, right into the throng of people. Jay had trouble following her, unable to slip through the moving paths that often weren’t there. The loud music made it impossible for him to call her back. Gritting his teeth, he ploughed forward, determined to be by her side to dance.

Only once she found a somewhat clear space in the group did she stop and started to nod her head to the music.

“Do you really like dancing?” he asked, finally managing to get close to her again.

Amy smiled. Jay stared at her again. It was one of her rare smiles, one that she used whenever she was doing or talking about something she really liked. He had seen it before and was surprised to see it now.

“I love dancing!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up. Suddenly, she was one of the many dancers, moving her body to the music. For a long moment, Jay could only watch her, memorized. Everything about her was fluid and graceful, the way she moved her hips, her arms pulling in and out, her feet moving to dance steps that he didn’t know… It was easy to see that she lost herself in the music. The other people around her were just background, objects that meant little to her. The flashing lights sparkled off her shirt, causing her to light up in his eyes.

“Wow,” he breathed, watching her dance. He was hopelessly in love with this woman. He suddenly wanted to know what it was like to dance like that, without cares for the world. There were no politics here, no business deals to make, no motives to try to figure out, no next Race to train for. Just the music that ripped through you. He then started dancing beside her, loosing himself in the music as well, perhaps enjoying for the first time the free abandonment that dancing gave her.
***********
I always imagined that it would be fun to go to a dance club. The closest I ever got was church dances… (Awkward pause..)

Anyway, a brief break from the dangers that await in the next post. Enjoy the journey!