Page 13 of Hyperspeed
Lap forty-five was when everything changed. I’d clung to fifth place, even after a pit stop for fresh tyres a few laps prior. Their reinforced material, built for endurance over short bursts of speed—a feature unique to Zylo’s vehicle and mine—meant I could push on for longer without another stop.
“Reports of debris on the track in sector three,” Kileen, my engineer, announced over the comms. “Not sure of the extent yet, so just be cautious.”
I was just entering the sector when Zylo roared,“ROCKSLIDE!”
He was in third, with a significant gap between himself and Dray, who wasn’t that far ahead of me. In his wing mirrors, he’d clearly noticed the large chunks of rock that were now tumbling down the walls and straight onto the track.
“Be careful, Rev,” Tavoris, Zenith’s team principal, warned over the radio.
I wanted to panic, to brake hard just like Dray was doing in the face of the enormous boulders now slamming onto the track.
But this was an opportunity . . . While Kai was skilled in speed and overtaking, my forte was risky manoeuvres and dodging obstacles. If I did this right, I could overtake Dray and climb up into fourth.
I’d been good this whole race, sticking to strategy and playing it safe.
Perhaps it was time to show the competition what an Iskari could do.
Instead of slowing down, I sped up, flicking a switch on my steering wheel to activate the dynamic hull. It allowed my vehicle to adapt to certain conditions, becoming more compact during narrow turns or wider on open stretches for maximised stability and speed. It wasn’t meant for narrow gaps between tumbling pieces of rock, but I figured it could work all the same.
I sped towards two lumps of stone, each bigger than my vehicle and enough to squish me if this all went wrong.
“Revvak, slow down! Hard stop!” Tavoris ordered.
But I ignored his command.
“I got this,” I urged, taking a deep breath.
I pressed another button at the last possible second. The body of my vehicle contracted, switching to a second set of thrusters for better stability, and my carslipped through the narrow gap between the boulders with seamless precision. They didn’t even graze the bodywork.
I let out a victorious hoot while Kileen and Tavoris responded with an exasperated laugh.
“Fucking hell, Rev,” Kileen wheezed.
“Well done, Revvak,” Tavoris added. “But let’s try to stick to strategy now.”
A flicker of guilt crept in. I’d ignored Tavoris’s instructions and pulled a risky move, living up to Kai’s expectations.
But this time, it paid off.
And when I passed the checkered flag in fourth, I couldn’t resist sending a silent“fuck you”to Kai Mercer.
After the race, there was no time to rest.
As soon as I pulled into the pit lane, Nina dragged me to a quick press conference before the podium. Reen took my helmet, while Nina shoved an ASL-branded ball cap onto my head. Someone directed me to stand next to Zylo, Jax, and Kai, and we each received a microphone.
Ben King, the presenter from Cosmic Sports Network, introduced us to the viewers at home and then began his questions. He directed those questions primarily towards the top three, which I appreciated.
Despite the media training I’d had, I wasn’t used to public speaking, and I tried extra hard to make sure the markings on my skin didn’t flare a pastel green with embarrassment, just in case someone watching at home actually knew what that colour meant.
After covering Kai’s win, Zylo’s time in the league, and my rookie introduction, I’d expected it to be over. But Ben surprised me.
“Kai, Rev’s overtake on lap forty-five was, let’s say . . . bold. Some might even call it reckless.” I bristled at his choice of words, knowing Kai would inevitablyhave something to say. “As one of the more experienced drivers here, what’s your take on it?”
“Well, Ben.” Kai leaned in, mouth tipped up in a smirk. “You can call it bold all you want, but I’d agree that it was reckless. It was a miracle he didn’t end up crashing into the canyon walls.”
I didn’t want to respond. I really didn’t. But something about this prick just made my blood boil, and I cut in before Ben could respond.
“I didn’t realise taking risks was such a crime in racing. Sorry I’m not content to just follow the pack, Mercer.”
