Need For Speed Tri City Stories

Chapter 17 - Endurance Battle

Eternity Pass. Tunnel section. The Cayman S is trying to catch up to the TT but it's starting to pull away. "How can she stay on those screwed up lines and still be so fast?" Ellie wondered in her mind as she looks confused and tries to catch-up to Azlynn but she pulls away due to those confusing lines. They approached the 8th hairpin and the chicane section. Ellie braked into the corner and drifted left to right on the section. Travels to flashback "I have one piece of advice for you before you roll off. Remember, you're not racing a woman. You're racing a ghost. Don't forget that." Letty commanded as she moved her elbow out of the Cayman S. Travels to present. "Fine tough it out, I get it. But for how long?" Ellie wondered in her mind as she squinted while concentrating and sees Azlynn braking into the 9th hairpin. She braked and shifted down to 2nd and starts drifting. On the curve, Ellie sees Azlynn doing the same thing again. "Here it goes again, the line she's using. It changes every single run." Ellie said in her mind as she looks at the lines of how her opponent's using it. "It doesn't make sense. Is that the type of thing she does when she goes out for a time attack run. Cause if a dude can pull off a record like this then why does she even bother switching lines at all?" Ellie wondered in her mind. They approached the final section and she drifted. Downhill start. "This is bad, it's getting way too close." Letty said in her mind as she typed on the computer. "Hey Gillian, when they're finished with the 6th run. Let's ask The Drifting Lords if we can take a break to refill their gas tanks." Letty commanded. "Sure." Gillian answered as she nodded. Minutes later. Back at the downhill start. "This is just painful. I'm getting dragged all over the course it totally sucks." Ellie said as she took a chug from her water bottle to recover her strength. "Ms.Disantos was gonna warn you about the asphalt of this guy." Gillian replied. "Sounds like so. Um, do you think I can take a look at the time data of the race so far?" Ellie asked and Gillian nodded and escorted her to the computer. "Cause if you ask me, there's gotta be a difference between the TT's time. It changes it's style on each single run." Ellie said. "That's not what I'm seeing. On top of that, you're the one who's losing and out of sync tonight." Gillian replied as she looked at the computer. "Huh?" Ellie asked. "Here see for yourself. Take a look at the 2nd, 4th and 6th run chart on when the other guy was leading you." Gillian commanded as she showed Ellie the computer's time data on the race. "It's almost creepy from how much the other guy was racing." Gillian said. "No way, how is she pulling off such perfect times?" Ellie wondered. "You sure you're having a lot of fun?" Dominic asked as he puts his elbow on top of the TT. "Yeah you could say that, but don't worry I'll end it on this run. After that it's over." Azlynn answered. "Good, if you win this race. We're gonna celebrate your victory." Dominic commanded as he walked away. "Now don't let Jackson into your head, she'll only try to confuse you through off your line so be careful. The fact that your times have been so inconsistent when you're leading. All that says is you have been falling under her control right where she wants you to be so she can clinch the win. Don't allow yourself to be fooled by what you see her do on the road, trust your instincts." Letty commanded and Ellie nodded. They started off and approached the 1st corner. Ellie looked behind on her rear view mirror. Flashback. "There's gonna be a huge flip in this race on the 7th run. There's no need to match her pace, just relax and do your own thing. Your best shot is to take the counteroffensive. You should've already noticed that you can take the gutters and hedges on this course. You need to take advantage of that when you can. Pay attention to those things, I don't have to remind you of what The Drifting Hazards has riding on this." Letty commanded. Present. Ellie brakes into the corner and turns the wheel. "You scared the hell out of Ellie. I don't think you consider taking the course and different time using completely different lines. Same time I have a hard time wrapping it around my head myself. All of my years doing this stuff I never heard anyone or any god making that happen." Gillian said. "The lines may change but they're not what's important. Consistency helps but running the course the same each time is unnecessary. Remember our opponent has years of experience on us." Letty explained. "But what is still however unlikely." Gillian replied. "Absolutely, but I'm assuming that Jackson has a favorite line that we haven't seen it yet." Letty said. "Huh? Then that would mean?" Gillian asked. "She's holding back, almost toying with her. I'm just hoping that Yajima knows it by now. She didn't get the name "Single One Hand" for nothing. I'm assuming she has the ability to drive equally fast on different lines. Which is why she's been able to keep her times are consistent. Well that said, she should have specific lines that she uses for her best time. But even after those runs. She hasn't took this run quite yet, she's waiting for the right opportunity." Letty answered. "So that's why Letty told Ellie to ignore her opponent and concentrate only on the course. That's what she must've meant when she called Jackson a ghost." Gillian wondered in her mind. "You were saying that Ellie's ability is to absorb the strengths that the people she chases is hurting her the longer she's behind this guy. The closer she watches the less she knows what to do. She sees all the dummy lines Jackson throws at her to get inside her head and confusing her." Gillian said. "You got that right, but the 7th run is gonna change things up. I am assuming that the doctor is planning to overtake the leader at a weak point." Letty explained. "You may be right, I hope not." Gillian replied. They approached the 3rd hairpin. "You can't be serious, I had to push myself and the Cayman S to it's limits. And she hasn't even given up on this whole race?!" Ellie wondered in her mind as she braked into the corner but notices her tires are about to wear out. "Damn it, my tires are practically worn bald! I'd hate to say it, but this time around I don't think I could win. It's seems like I'm the puppet and this guy's got control of my strings. Man what the hell is it between with old elders and fast cars. Seems like no matter how hard I try, this guy is still on me. I've got no idea to do, I'm friggin lost tonight!" Ellie exclaimed in her mind as she tried to grip the 4th corner but then her tires were worn and they were skidding which caused her to slide. "There's gonna be a mid speed hairpin that leads to a tunnel section which doesn't make the car an easy ride. There's gonna be a switch up in this battle, it'll be there. Unless I'm way off, Jackson will make the move there." Letty explained. "There's a mid speed hairpin bend that Santos told me not to long ago. My tires are about to go too. But watching this Cayman S in the lead is like watching the moon on a cloudless night. On the hairpin right before that... there!" Azlynn said in her mind as she saw the mid speed hairpin, gripped her tires on the inside and passed Ellie. "You're not bad kid, but the Cayman S you drive is like a godly devil, our cars have different abilities. I hope you realize that now, learn from those experiences and grow." Azlynn explained. Downhill start. "I just got word that Yajima got passed. I guess it's the end of it, she's done up to good but it's over." Gillian said. "The guy made a smooth move and pulled it, there's no doubt about that, she was in total control of the race after that point and held off on passing until she managed to pull it off to a hitch, you have to hand it to her. It was all done to her sing." Letty replied. The Drifting Lords team cheered while Ms.Chan was pissed and Martinez was upset but didn't show it. "This is screwed up man, what the hell do you think Yajima is doing out there?! Branden won the 1st race and now she's screwing up the last race! There's no way we're gonna win this race, we're totally hosed." Kaylyn exclaimed. "Is that so?" I asked and Ms.Chan looked shocked to me. "If there's anyone else behind the wheel of that Cayman S I'd agree. But there's not, that's Yajima driving. No idea on what she's gonna pull off next." I answered. "I guess you're right but..." Kaylyn replied. I looked at the start line. "Maybe it's the fact I don't want to watch you lose. If anyone deserves to show up in a battle like this babe. Damn it, it's gotta be me." I said in my mind. "Jackson's technique is perfective that it becomes harmful to a driver Yajima who mostly operates on instinct. Before she knows what's going on, she's synced up for the ride. I knew this from the get go that it would happen, was never a doubt on my mind. But that the stalemate is broken practically anything can happen." Letty said. "I don't get it, what do you mean it's broken?" Gillian asked. "Yajima is free from being controlled she can regain her own pace and finish out the battle in her own way. It may look grim at the moment, but they haven't beaten us yet." Letty answered. The Cayman S was still recovering ground to catch up. "Time to leave this kid in the dust, I'll have to use all of the tires grip and leave you wondering where you went." Azlynn said in her mind as she took the 7th corner fast and gripped it and after the tunnel section, she used the inside. Ellie saw it and did the same method to catch up. "How is this happening? What are you doing back there kid?" Azlynn wondered in her mind as she saw Ellie catching up to her. She gripped the inside of the curve of the right. "There it is, that's what she's gunning for." Azlynn said in her mind as she looked at her rear view mirror and looked back on the road. Ellie turned off her headlights as she pretended to disappear. "She's gone, but how?" Azlynn wondered in her mind. The black shadows were showing in Ellie and she performed a blind attack and gripped the inside of the turn on the 9th hairpin. "What the hell?" Azlynn wondered in her mind as she saw Ellie passing her on the inside while she's on the outside. She passed her and took 1st place. "How did this happen?" Azlynn wondered again. "Way to go to beat me with a godly technique like that. But the way how she did it. If she made one single mistake, she would have crashed to her death. My car has been setup for this course." Azlynn said in her mind. "I don't know what to say for this, but Jackson got passed." Hollee said. "You mean Dr.Jackson was beaten by some kid?" A guy asked. "It's like what I was telling you. We got no idea on what this battle was gonna turn out like, that's just the way how our Yajima is." I said. Ellie braked into the last corner, shifted down to 2nd gear and drifted. She shifted up to 3rd, the engine was pushing hard and the backfire which means that Ellie won an endurance race without losing and the battle was over.