Dirty Work: Volume 2

Story Three - Speed Demon - 2

I approached a familiar sight surrounded by new floodlights spilling blinding, clinical white light. I hadn't seen it in many months, but it stirred something inside me, something deeply Dirty Work. A ribbon of road, helix banked heavily, snaking this way and that, surrounded by re-vitalised grandstands that gave the small bowl the atmosphere of a coliseum. And that's what the race track was; a great big 52nd century coliseum to those brave or stupid enough to put their machinery, skills and nerves to the test against those trying to best them. Though the place was mostly deserted save for the clang and clamour of the final pieces of construction work I could feel the tension in the air already, the lingering sweat of athletes past who had to stop their hearts from beating out of their chests as they ducked down and pitched into the next corner, awaiting the fresh blood to the circuit. I'd never raced myself, but you know I've been in my fair share of high speed pursuits, and this place held a special place in my heart.

I stepped away from the shimmering barrier of light that enclosed the circuit and looked across to the warehouse where, not long ago, Markro and myself had boarded a Zoomus out of this section of the world with as much speed as we could put the machine through. I still remember the feel of my blood pumping through my arteries, pressing against my flesh. As I stood there gazing at it I could feel my hair beginning to move away from my neck, flying behind me, tasting the air with each strand. I had to put a hand up to assure myself it wasn't real right there and then.

I headed down towards the lowest section of the track, running a hand over the new seats of the grandstand. They were cold and a dull grey that was incredibly boring and monotonous. It was all part of a regeneration project by a branch of Halo, who wanted to get their own racing team up and going in the Hyper-GP. Along with all of that, they'd decided to create an entire school all through Celestria, right from the beginning, training the newbies up right from the start in a Halo-GP Academy.

And so, as part of that scheme, they'd redone this entire racetrack, from the supports of the grandstands to buying the toilets for the paddock, in an effort to get themselves a 1-stop training ground for the next generation of Hyper-GP racers, where they would eventually have their own team. As if they needed any more advertisement.

The work they had done was impressive, however, and I don't think it would be right of me to bash it too much, regardless of its lifelessness. Megalomaniacal as the company was, when they wanted something done, by god they went and got it done quickly and properly and efficiently. In two weeks time there would be tryouts here of fifty or sixty kids barely in high school zooming around this thing breaking every speed limit in Celestria, all looking desperately for that extra hundredth of a second. Eventually thousands of people would be packed to the rafters of these robotic stands, all to see if they could catch a glimpse of who the next champion would be before they rose up through the ranks.

Lots of eyes in one place. Perfect advertisement.

Prosterothal already sponsored a team in HyperGP, GuunDrive LTD, but that didn't stop us from getting some extra investment in from somewhere else. As I inspected the workmen touching up a section of the barrier, ripples shuddering all down the line as they hammered away, I liked the boss' thinking. It may not be the biggest place ever, but some quick, local advertisement would do us some good. Easy investment.

And besides, Halo hated to use their own money on their projects if they could help it.

'Excuse me,' I called to the workmen, who were bickering about some politician who had opened their mouth again and said something. It seemed now that all someone had to do was speak and there was someone that wanted to send you a death threat. 'Do you know where I could find Mr. Draddas?'

The men looked up from their argument (sorry, work), and shook their heads. 'Try down in the paddock,' they said. 'We don't see him except when he comes to see us.'

'Thanks,' I said, waving as I departed. Across from me a section of the barrier shimmered, the name of Region 26's biggest shopping complex springing up across it in bright green, eye-catching letters. If we could get near there, I thought, even supplant them for that exact spot, then we would be doing very well. It was right opposite one of the main grandstands, and from the top you would be able to see it really clearly. Perfect.

Even more adventurous would be getting our name across the side of the Zoomus' themselves, but that would take some arm-twisting. Thankfully, I had been trained in the art of arm-twisting by the boss, one of the best in the business.

Someone brought a Zoomus out from one of the garages. The machine was white save for the first couple of sponsors, and it sparkled like marble under the bright new lights. Anyone in the surrounding apartment complexes would have the best seats in the house when the races started up. The figure, one of the mechanics to all appearances, climbed on board and flipped his visor down. He powered up the machine and it pulled away nicely and cleanly. The blue light of the anti-grav underneath glowed ever brighter as he accelerated up the main slope, braking a little as it crested the hill to fall down to the first corner. He went through the corner carefully without giving it too much aggression. The machine glided around the circuit as if it were a hologram on a pre-programmed course.

I stood there, entranced by the whole balletic nature of the ride. He only completed two laps before heading in again, but I was completely captivated by the performance. I had watched the HyperGP in passing, but never really, fully, been taken by the idea of taking a Zoomus and going round and round in circles. Now, however, in a few simple minutes, I understood it.

I found myself beaming like a smitten schoolboy as I walked the rest of the way to the paddock.