PADORA : Behind the masks (Book #1)

CHAPTER 5/ THE RAVEN'S SONG

And they were off... The sound of engines mixed with the cheers from the crowd as the racers made their way forward, towards the double door.  She had a slight start over the Sapphire and was leading the race by millimeters, the Viper just next to them. She did a quick math. Only 3 of them can pass through. This was an advantage she wanted to use. 

Then, the iron doors started to close. Shit. The Sapphire and her were neck to neck. They almost reached the gate, that was now wide enough just for one to pass. She had just one millisecond to make the decision. Speed up? Slow down?

Raven let go. Slowing down just slightly, but enough to let the Sapphire pass in front of her. She will play this one smart. The visibility was very bad tonight. Let him figure out the track first. And she will tail him. She won't let him breathe, allow him no room for error, add pressure to make every maneuver perfect. It's the smart ones who win in the end her father once told her.

She heard a loud bang behind her, but didn't turn to look. At least one of the racers was already out. But, that shouldn't concern her. The only direction she had to look was forward. 

The first obstacle was already in front of them. Burning cans were placed one after the other, quite close to each other and the neon paint zigzagged  between them. She could hear Viper's engine cry behind her. He was on her tail. But her eyes were on Sapphire's headlights. 

She slowed down a little as she attacked the first obstacle turning left and right, following the paint, waving between the barrels. She could feel the heat of the fire, and the adrenaline level just soared. Raven never lost balance slipping the clutch and stayed exactly one barrel behind the Sapphire. As she circled the last obstacle, she sped up, tailing him. She noticed she gained some advantage over the Viper as well. 

The neon paint led them straight forward, but the Sapphire turned a sharp left, before adjusting the direction again. Raven followed, her turn a little smoother. An oil spill. She glanced at the rear mirror. The White caught up with the Viper, both riders neck to neck. 

The next obstacle was a kind of a ramp. A smaller one. Followed by another one and another one, each of them getting bigger and bigger.  She smiled. She loved jumping ramps. She passed them flawlessly and was now riding just behind the Sapphire, to his right, her front wheel almost in line with his rear one. She knew better than to come too close and allow him any room for foul play. 

She heard the crashing behind her. That's at least one more down. 

The road took a left turn and led them straight to the big hangar. But first, they had to pass under an improvised ramp -  it was a big, rusty tube, covered with wire. She attacked the obstacle with ease, sliding under it, but lost her balance just a little bit as she was straightening her bike. She recovered quickly, but the Sapphire gained slight advantage over her. She sped up.

The hangar was empty. At least it seemed that way to Raven at first. Then, she heard noises coming from left and right. Pipes, huge pipes, covered with barbed wire came swinging down from left and right. Ok. Now we're talking.  The first one missed the Sapphire by the hair. Awesome! 

The Sapphire slowed down a bit. Raven decided by a different tactic. She sped up. This one is pure instincts. Left, right, left another left, then right, then left.... the pipes came and Raven dodged them, one by one. She was now riding just next to the Sapphire. They sped out of the hangar neck in neck.

And almost crashed. A huge brick wall was towering before them, the neon pain now indicating two possible routs - to the left and to the right, around the wall. Sapphire's reaction was quicker as he went left while Raven barely avoided crashing into the bricks, making a very sharp and not such smooth turn to the right. 

After the wall was a death field. Machines, pipes, tubes, burning cars, each obstacle challenging than the other. But, she kept her focus and tailed the blue rider.

Finally, they were close to the finish line. At this point more than half of the racers were out. The neon line disappeared, but it was obvious what they had to do. Cars and trucks and vehicles Raven didn't even recognize where pilled over each other at both sides forming a passage. Some of those vehicles were strategically placed in front of them, so they would have to maneuver. She could see the finish line behind them. So close. 

It's now or never.

Her hand was on the gas, but the Sapphire knew what she was doing and blocked her. She tried passing him from the right, than from the left, unsuccessfully. Then the road got smaller, tight enough for just one to pass. And when she thought it was all lost, she caught something with the corner of her right eye.

A very narrow board with a kind of a steep incline. Oh. That is a goddamn perfect incline angle. Over the cars and the trucks. Her mind processed that image in a millisecond. 

Ready to fly little Raven? Sapphire's teasing rang in her head. Oh, damn right I am!

She turned right adding more speed. She was right, the incline angle was perfect. And the board wasn't as narrow as it seemed at the first sight. She glanced to her left for a millisecond - the blue bike was waving between the obstacles fast and smooth. But, not fast enough. Raven could see the board ending and she prepped for the jump, pinning the gas, compressing the suspension and keeping the throttle steady off the lip of the jump . And then the board ended and she was in the air. Raven pulled up on the handlebars heavily as she left the ground, getting her chest and torso further away from the handlebars. She was flying. Over the obstacles, the cars, the trucks... She smiled. She pulled the perfect jump. Raven leaned back on the bike preparing for the landing. She hit the road with her rear tire and rocked forward, positioning her feet with the arch on the foot peg. Perfect landing. Just in front of the Sapphire. She pinned it and laughed as she crossed the finish line. I did it! 

The mob went wild, running towards them. But before they could reach them she turned her bike sharply to face the Sapphire. He was just a few feet away from her. 

-How's that for a song? 

It wasn't a smart thing to do, she knew. But at this point, with adrenaline rushing through her bloodstream she didn't really care. 

He said nothing. No witty reply this time, huh? Then his arm went up, his finger pointing in the direction of her shoulder. 

Just before the crowd reached them, she heard him say:

-Cute hair color.

She looked down in panic. One lock of silvery white hair was dangling out of her helmet, almost shining in the dark. 

Shit!