The faceless number 18 - the wild wolf and his pack

the faceless driver thing

*Riana*

"I don't get the faceless driver thing.", Kayla slumped back a bit on the sofa "Why don't they show their faces? I mean..."

"If you're going to start questioning the basics now, you might as well ask why they drive fast cars through weirdly shaped circles in Formula 1. It just is," Mark shrugged.

"I bet they're just ugly as hell," Estelle now interjected.

"Maybe Ria can pull down faceless 18's balaclava and look underneath," Mark smirked, I immediately shook my head.

"Nah, my employment contract says I can't get near him. Not even into his half of the box when he's present. I'm in charge of Fernando and I'm really happy about that. The 18 scares me. Have you seen the look on his face?", I shook myself a little and then took another sip from my glass.

"He has really pretty eyes.", Kayla leaned forward a bit and propped her face in her hands "I bet he's actually really pretty under that mask.".

"Or just ugly as hell.", Estelle made her point again.

"Bullshit. Faceless drivers have been around ever since Formula 1 came into existence. There's no way they were all ugly," Kayla shook her head vigorously.

Everyone had their own theories about the faceless drivers. They'd been around since the first Formula 1 race, and they brought something with them that was both admiration and a little fear. My theory was that it was actually just the mystery that kept their "species" alive. If it weren't for this curiosity and desire to see behind the mask of so many fans, there would certainly be no facless driver left on the grid. But the mystery persisted and so there was always at least one of them.

At the moment one of them with the number 18 was driving for Aston Martin.

My new team.

I would be starting in Fernando Alonso's crew in a few days. The fact that I had been given this chance had been my absolute dream. I had done everything to end up there, but had never really expected to make it.

It was difficult for women in Formula 1, but I had been given a chance and I would do anything to make the most of it. I would do everything to solidify my place there, to prove myself.

"Ria will have to take one for the team and look under the mask," Mark laughed, poking me in the side.

"Then I'll lose my job. I sure as hell won't," I sat back. I had given up too much to risk my chance just to satisfy my curiosity.

"Then you invite us over and we'll do it," Mark smirked.

"Surely not. After all, if you're there as my guests, it'll fall on me."

"Maybe he'll volunteer to take off his mask if Estelle seduces him," Mark grinned widely.

"I heard he slept with a groupie once and kept his mask on the whole time. I guess he's a total freak in bed. The woman said she didn't know whether to find it good or disturbing.", Estelle swayed her head back and forth "I would definitely try it.".

"You guys are really not normal.", I laughed "I'm certainly not inviting you. You idiots.", I waved my glass in my hand "I'm going to stay as far away from 18 as I can and do my job. Because I don't want to get kicked out right away.".

"But I'm sure you want to know what's under the mask too," Kayla looked at me.

"If I said I didn't care at all, I'd already be lying. But I'm not so interested that I'd put all my work on the line for it. I think it's his decision that he doesn't want to show himself. He'll have his reasons," I shrugged, "But I'm sure I can ask Fernando for autographs for you," I smiled and winked at them.