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Chapter 1

The garage is his only true home. Or it was what he used to think. He was one of Tony's many adopted children, the man gave him a mission. But during the past 10 years, Way did not succeed in it or more exactly he didn't even try because he fell in love and couldn't bring himself to hurt his loved one. 

He also didn't find the courage to talk about until everyone found out the truth by themselves. They know about him, about his status as an enigma, about what Tony ask him to do and about his power. A power he hate and was seeing as a curse he would gladly get rid of if he could. They were all angry at him, considering him as a traitor, a snake, a liar. He was allowed to stay in X-Hunter team but only to keep an eye on him so they set up a few rules. He was forbidden to approach or talk to anyone over than Alan, and the garage owner wasn't very keen to talk to him. He could race but was asked to follow every command from Alan. And he was asked to keep making Tony believe that he was trying to succeed with his mission. The few meeting he had with his "father" during that time were resulting with him getting some bruises for failling but nobody cares, so Way stayed silent. 

All of this result in a creeping loneliness that was eating him alive. He had no one to talk with, he was loosing his passion and he was rapidly starting to loose weight. 

Even Pete, who was sometimes visiting the team, barely spare him a glance. 

That morning, Way came early at the garage, hoping to be the first one in order to retrieve the anti anxiety pills he had in his locker. Unfortuntly, it seems like some of his teamates got the same idea. When he get in, he automatically felt the disgusted stares of the others . Too afraid to look at them, he gave up on his first idea and rushed to his showroom. He leaned against it closing his eyes and trying to stop the trembling of his hands. 

After a few minutes, he finally managed to subside his anxiety and start to work. His moves were almost mechanical, as if he was on autopilot. Strangely, working in the calm space of his showroom was the only thing that was keeping him sane.

He spent the entire day avoiding the others, even giving up to eat anything so he wouldn't take the risk to meet any of them in the kitchen. His stomach probaly wouldn't support any food at the moment anyway. 

At the end of the day, Alan came in the showroom and coldly called him out. 

-Way, come to my office. I have something to tell you. 

The younger nodded silently and followed Alan, keeping his head low. When they get in the office, he saw that Pete was also there and his eyes lights up for a few second before he remembered that the sponsor was also mad at him. Way let himself fall on chair before the two other men, but he refused to meet their gazes, too afraid of what he will see in their eyes. Alan sighed and decide to start the conversation. 

-We have decide to make a few changes in the team. Charlie  will take your place as the second driver and Dean will be the third one.

-Oh... Good.

Alan was surprised. He was exptecting a fight, he thought Way would get mad or at least protest. But now that he was facing the younger, he could see how tired he looks, how his clothes seems to be even bigger than what they used to and when Way finally rise his head to look at them with a strange smile, he could see how lifeless his eyes were. 

-I was thinking... I want to stop racing. 

The sudden statement shocked both Pete and Alan. The sponnsor looked at him, surprise evident in his eyes.

-I thought you love racing.

-I used to...But it doesn't feel the same anymore. I'm trying P''Alan, i swear. But you gave me instructions, and i make mistakes and you are mad at me again. Babe is mad and everyone is disappointed. I'm just not good at it. 

It was the longest he has talked in the pas three weeks and his voice was growing weaker and weaker. Way was having a hard time not to cry in front of them.

-Let me quit...Please. 

The racer dropped his head again and closed his eyes, waiting for their decision. Pete and Alan looked at each others, concerned by Way current state. However, they knew they need to be careful, that they have to keep an eye on him and what he was doing. They could never be sure he wasn't going to betray them. Then, Pete talked again.

-We will allow you to take a break. However, you still have to come here everyday. Ihope you understand why.

Way simply nodded and get up from the chair before heading out of the office. Without looking around him, he manged to get into the locker room, quickly opening his own and frantically searching for his anxiety pills. He start feeling it rising more and more as he realized he couldn't find them. 

-Is it what you are searching for ? 

The voice caused Way to jump and turn around. Babe was standing there, the bottle of pills in his hand , Charlie standing next to him. 

-Give it back !

Way tried to reach Babe but Charlie was quick to grab him, twisting and blocking his arms behind his back. And lately, the older was far too weak to fight back. So the racer looked at his ex best friend and start begging.

-Babe....P-Please.

The other smirked and walk to a toilet stall, slowly opening the bottle.

-Wait Babe..You shouldn't..., start Charlie who still firmly holding Way.

The main racer ignored him and threw the entire content in the toilet before tossing the empty bottle to his ex best friend. Charlie finally let him go and the older fall on the floor, on his knees. He was now openly crying, he knew he looks pathetic at this moment but he couldn't restrain it anymore. Babe get out of the room without a word, Charlie following him after a last pitying stare at Way. 

It took him long minutes to calm down without his medication. Once his breathing was almost back to normal, the young man rise up again and get out of the room. While he was heading to the exit to come back to his appartment, he got stopped by Alan.

-Come to the race tomorrow, he said frowning at the red eyes but not commenting it. 

The younger quietly nodded. He didn't understand why his presence was so needed now that he wouldn't race anymore but he knew he didn't have a say in that. 

-Can i go now ?

-Don't be late.

Alan let him go, noticing how he was stumbling toward the garage door.