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shadowracers · 6 years

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Shadow Racers - Hero - C1.0 - Chris Mason

November 4

A retail store, somewhere in Eastern MA

The murmur of the customers drowned out any semblance of individual conversations. Any coherent thought was punctuated by the rapid-fire beeping of the various registers. No one is allowed time to stop and think, as the crowd keeps alternating between growing larger and shrinking over the several hours of Chris’ shift. He’s sent off on his break in during a lull in the flow of customers.

In the breakroom, he looks out the window and sighs sadly. This is not the path he had wanted.

He started out as a prominent racer in the amateur circuit leagues, and was quite successful at that. His career was cut short when his car suffered a serious mechanical failure and plowed into a wall. Chris suffered serious injuries as a result, and he came to the realization that he would never be able to race again. He retired from the league, a light simply fading in the night.

Broke and alone, he resorted to taking odd jobs here and there to make ends meet. The last job he had required him to drive down a long, winding road to get to and from the location in the dead of the night. One fateful night, he decided to have some fun with his AE86 (or at least he called it that, it was an AE88) and went drifting down his commute. He took the run and used it to tweak and fine-tune the car, and then took to practicing extensively in order to master it. All of this led to a chance encounter with some street racers. The young adults mentioned to him that there were rumors of a “Gumball Rally 2.0” taking place across the nation. Chris was hesitant about the idea, but he was eventually bitten by the racing bug and decided to join.

It wasn’t the rally he was interested in. It was the Shadow Racers. The local racers told him that they tried to join the rally but were turned away. Considering that Chris had humiliated them with a meager AE88, it really is no surprise that they were turned away.

He started seeking out the team the next day and his quest led him to a major supermarket chain. While he was browsing the brightly colored items, all neatly stacked on the hundreds of shelves in the store, he overheard a few employees chatting about the Shadow Racers. He stuck around until one of the employees was by himself, then approached him. It turned out to be none other than Dillon Tsuchiya, then an underling for Dag. At the time, he was the only one to ever win against Dag in an all-out battle.

That night, after Dillon got off work, they met at a winding pass in a quiet part of the state. In order for Chris to join the team, he simply had to beat a reasonable time set down the pass. Or so Chris thought...The sudden appearance of Dagurasu threw a spanner in the works - and the time attack turned into a three way race. Despite his AE88 being horribly underpowered compared to Dag’s Civic and Dillon’s own AE88, Chris held on. Being that this was a downhill race, it evened the odds just enough for Chris to stay within reach of Dillon’s bumper. That intense effort got him a warm welcome into the team.

Dillon personally took Chris around to introduce him to everyone on the team, and the rest of them pitched in to help him get a 1999 NSX Type S Zero and restore it just in time for the rally.

During the brutal runs of the Gumball Rally, Chris proved his worth and his skill as a driver grew far beyond what he could have ever imagined. While he wasn’t as fast as Dagurasu and Dillon, he was still definitely a driver to be feared. He even inspired the two street racing veterans to try new tricks in the rally to push themselves further. The three of them were the dominating force. Despite all of this, he kept getting a nagging feeling that something was horribly wrong. He just didn’t know what...Until the Mafia showed up.

He got dragged into the conflict and was barely able to survive because he utilized his unorthodox drifting techniques to confuse the Mafia pursuers long enough to get away. Just when he thought they were all going to make it out alive and win the event, the bullet-riddled Ferrari that contained Dag pulled a U-turn and wrecked with the lead pursuit vehicle. His car was shaken violently by the subsequent explosion, and what once was a beautiful artifact of a Ferrari was a burning slag heap. Dagurasu had perished.

Chris’ NSX was shot to hell and barely running, so he was forced to give it up for the Subaru WRX he currently drives. His phone chirps as he reminisces about the days long gone. He glances at it...And an alarm is going off. Break time's over. Time to go back to the insanity.

#kinda short post #story #shadow racers #no cars #backstory #chapter 1 #hero #chris mason #the numbers what do they mean #somewhere in ma #massachusetts

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shadowracers · 6 years

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Shadow Racers - Reality - Prologue

Sunday, October 28, 2017

23:00

The Zoo Nightclub, Ginza District, Tokyo, Japan

Black and Mio sat in their new patrol car, a special R35 GT-R. The department had gotten a couple of GT-Rs last month to combat street racers on the Bayshore route. The impact it had on the scene is insane - the racers disappeared almost overnight. The new cars are pushing over 600 horses. It’s ironic, though, since the Nissans are so heavy and most of the drivers in the department aren’t the most talented. The racing scene moved to inner Tokyo again, where the fat lizards get dusted on the curves of the C1 and East loop. Paul grunted. He wanted to be chasing down those guys, but 3 years later he’s still posted at The Zoo. His frustration was made worse by him returning the Fairlady to his father. After owning it for 8 years, he figured he’d put it away so he could pass it down to his children. It’s better than wrecking it on the Wangan trying to chase nonexistent ghosts, he reasoned.

“Has it really been 3 years?” He thought out loud. “What’s that, boy?” Asked Mio. “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking back. You remember when I first started here? That night we chased down that M5?” “How could I forget?” Mio wasn’t too excited to talk about this and it showed in his dripping sarcasm. “You’ve been doing good here, kid. Don’t go screwing it up with fantasies of ghost cars. Jeez, your old man chewed me out when he found out about that stunt you pulled.” “Yeah, he didn’t let me hear the end of it either. It’s why I retired the Z.” Black was adamant, still. “The real reason I bike to work is to save up for something… nicer. Too bad that M5 disappeared after that night. Although I saw one like it at Jin’s shop, but I doubt it was the same one.” Mio raised an eyebrow, “Yeah, that old fool called me after you showed up that week. I never could get over that cackling laugh of his. Devils in these streets, bla bla. Said you might be getting into trouble and look out for you. Ironically it was a month after that when you put the Z away. I never did ask why, saw something that scared you?” Paul laughed it off, “Yeah, you could say that. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen the club owner, that guy they call Boss, since then. Whatever. I’ve got some money saved up, think I’ll go put a down payment on a new ride tomorrow. Wanna come with?” “Nah, I’m working the auction with your old man. Why don’t you get something from there, you’ll save money.” Mio’s advice often went nowhere with Paul, who replied: “I got my eyes set on something new.“

===========

Saturday, 23:00

Konan Isle, Minatu

The elevator dings as it reaches the 20th floor. Its doors open and Snake steps out into the hallway, phone in one hand and a bag of food in the other. The Okonomiyaki restaurant across the bridge has become his favorite, especially since the menus are in English so there are no surprises when ordering. He responds to a text message. It’s work-related. "Not tonight, I’m tired.” He puts the phone away, reaches for his keys and enters the apartment. He’s lived longer in Konan than the house in Yugawara, yet the place still feels very new to him. Things are very different now. You could say things are quiet, but it’s always calmest before the storm. After his run-in with the Devil his desire for speed was awakened. What he didn’t expect was that creatures far worse than the Devil walk the earth. “Has it really been that long?” Once inside, he finds Matt asleep on the sofa. “Yo!” He smacks Matt’s shoulder and shook him awake. “I brought food.” Startled, Matt jumps up off the seat. “Whoa, Boss, what are you doing home so early? No going to the club tonight? Oh, hey, this came in the mail today. It’s from Sotheby’s … I think they found the car.” “It’s about damn time!” Snake snatched the mail from Matt’s hand. After selling his vehicle collection 3 years ago, he had put his motoring hobby on pause and just focused on business. He had to repair the damaged house and bribe the entire neighborhood to keep a lid on the incident with Aria. His prized M5 ended up having a cracked engine block and there was no salvaging it. And, the R33 he bought at the auction was so poorly maintained he blew that engine too before getting a chance to further modify it. Besides, Dagurasu’s sister instilled a fear in him he didn’t quite have words for. So he kept off the streets and moved into the city. Snake opened the envelope and proceeded to read the letter. “Crap!” “What, what it is?” Asked Matt. “So they didn’t find the car?” “No, they did. It’s going up for auction in a few weeks … in New York. Damn it, of all the places for one of the 77 made to be sold.” Snake didn’t want to think about going back. “I’ll have to send you in my stead to pick up the car and handle shipping arrangements.” “Yeah, yeah, no problem. I can do that.” Matt knew how to keep a low profile. Snake measured him with his look. “You’re gonna need a suit.”

===========

Sunday, October 29

15:00

BMW Premium Selection

Chuo, Minatu

“Ah! Mr. Tanaka, welcome! We spoke on the phone.” The salesman held the door open for Paul and led him towards the showroom. “Everything checks out and you’re approved. While we get your paperwork ready, have you decided on your options package?” “Yes, the competition package.” Paul was confident. He was financing this car and had no intention of voiding the warranty with aftermarket upgrades. “Excellent, sir! Right this way. We have 3 of those in stock, right this-” “Wait, what’s that over there? Tha-that black one?” "Where, oh.. well, that was a special order but the client defaulted on payments and the car was reclaimed successfully. It has under 5k kilometers.” The salesman walked over to the car with Paul. “It’s the executive package, so it’s heavier than competition, but has been fitted with Alpina upgrades. Breathing, and handling. As well as a special coat of paint that reflects radio waves.” He starts lowering his voice. “I’m only telling you that because you’re in the force. This may come in handy to a bad actor.”

The salesman smirked.

Paul sighed, “Sounds like it’s out of my budget.” The salesman made a new offer on the car: “It’s a CPO, I can include comprehensive maintenance including loaner car for the duration of your warranty, for free.”

===========

Monday, October 30

6:00

Konan Isle, Minatu

Snake had gotten out of the shower and dressed himself in a grey 3-piece suit, white shirt and no tie. He walked over to Matt’s bedroom door and struck 3 loud knocks on it. “I’m up, I’m up! Jeez Snake, what’s the deal?” “Shower and get dressed, we’re going shopping. I called Jin to let him know we’re not coming in today.” Snake threw a set of car keys and Matt caught them. “But first, breakfast. You drive.” “What!? The Lexus?! Sweeeet!” They went for breakfast at a local soup joint shortly after.

===========

Monday, 8:00

Kaigan Isle, Minato

After eating, they hopped back in the car. The high compression 5.0L V8 engine erupts into life and startled the other foodies at the restaurant. Snake entered an address into the car’s GPS and Matt followed the guidance. “So where we goin, Boss, Ginza?” Snake scoffed, “Do I look like a tourist to you? Nippori, I know a guy that can hook you up. Also, the auction letter was dated a few weeks ago. The car is being sold this weekend, I went ahead and booked your flight and hotel. The suit should be ready the day of your flight. You leave Friday.” Matt nods as he pulls out and the engine’s throaty note burbles and pops. The factory spec was underwhelming for this 2-ton behemoth. Even though he helped design the modifications it currently sports, Snake never let Matt drive the 700hp land yacht. He was grinning just to be in the driver’s seat, even if it was just cruising at the speed limit in 10th gear. The interior was incredibly comfortable and luxurious. Snake noticed Matt’s grin. "Go ahead, let loose.”

They came up to the tunnel as they head North and Matt dropped 4 gears via the magnesium paddle shifter and the car barked like a mad dog and as it warped to 150 kph, the hidden spoiler popped out to give the car extra stability.

Traffic wasn’t too bad but Matt lifted anyway and dropped back to legal speeds as the engine backfired and gargled.

===========

Monday, 9:00

Nippori Textile District, Arakawa

The Lexus pulled up to a parking spot on the busy street. Matt looked out at the small garment store. “This is the place? Looks a little… cheap.”

“Appearances can be deceiving. The old man that runs this shop is the best suit maker in town. He does all of mine. You’re gonna want a unique outfit if you’re to represent me at the Sotheby’s auction. After all, the car you’re to buy is very unique indeed. Only one of 77 made.”

===========

Tuesday October 31, 22:00

C1 Central Inner Loop

“This is amazing.” Paul whispered to himself.

The chassis is engineered to perfection. You barely feel the weight and it’s incredibly nimble. The twin-turbos have virtually zero lag, and power comes on instantly. Paul came out of the tunnel a little sideways, showing off the German machine’s legendary handling whilst tackling the slalom with flair and ease.

“Pedigree is an important quality to a Sports car,” he thought. “Only an ultimate driver can truly appreciate and feel the genius that goes into the ultimate driving machine. The unparalleled success as a touring car, it shows.”

A few more corners. Double-apex right, then a sweeping left hander dives into another tunnel. Paul floors it for a brief second, then taps the brakes for the long uphill left before his exit.

“That’s enough for tonight,” he thought.

As he approaches the off-ramp, he puts on his turn signal. He looks in his rearview mirror for traffic and that’s when he notices it… He was so engrossed in driving that he didn’t realize he was being tailed. His senses are usually keen but he didn’t hear this guy come up.

He felt himself wrapped in an evil presence. It was Halloween, after all, and everyone was roaming the streets in character. But this malevolence felt real and tangible as he choked up on his saliva.

The mysterious car moved swiftly out of the lane from behind Paul and pulled up beside him. Paul turned his gaze out the window for a better view… and then he saw it. It was unmistakable. Berlinetta Boxer. He harkens back to his first time seeing it on Wangan. It moved with the same grace, yet there was something awfully wrong with it. It looked as if having just experienced a bad accident: Windows shattered, a tire in flames, the paint had been burned off - looked more like it had just survived an explosion. Then he saw the driver…

“This can’t be real…” It wasn’t the same man as three years ago, at least not in the same shape. For this driver truly looked right out of hell.

The road dropped to street level and Paul slammed the brakes! “What WAS that?!” The timing couldn’t be worse. Or…was he the right man in the wrong place?

===========

To Be Continued.

#super long post #story #shadow racers #super cars #bmw m4 #lexus lf500 #nissan gt-r #infiniti vision gt #police car #snake #paul #matt #ghost #ferrari #wangan devil #reality

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shadowracers · 6 years

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Shadow Racers - The Hero - Prologue

In a junkyard, somewhere in Massachusetts, rests the burnt and destroyed chassis of a Ferrari 512 BB. It once belonged to a legend of the streets, a man who was feared by all but loved by those who knew him. On one faithful day in 2015, the man made a brave and heroic sacrifice in order to protect his family and friends from an unstoppable foe. His sacrifice led to his loved ones’ victory and survival.

That Berlinetta remains there as a memento to the legend this man once was. He was the scum of society - a street racer - and yet, when he died, he died as a hero.

He told a young man close to him, before his heroic sacrifice, that he wanted the young man to continue his legacy - to take up the throne he worked so hard to claim and defend it from their enemies on the road.

So much for that.

===========

Present Day

November 3, 2017

7:00 AM

Boston, MA

A Condo in Downtown

A light turns on in a dark room.

A young man, still drowsy, walks over to the bathroom. There, he brushes his teeth, washes his face, and wanders to the kitchen to get some breakfast. After pouring himself a bowl of cereal, he moves towards his table to eat.

It’s like this every morning. Get up, eat, get ready for work. For Dillon Tsuchiya, age 23, it’s always been the same for the last two years. Ever since his life got turned upside down due to an...incident, he’s been struggling to find a purpose in life. At one point, he was a rising star in the world of street racing in Japan. Then, after moving to America, became the most feared driver in a high-stakes rally competition. But this is now ancient history, according to Dillon. Now, he works at a retail store, helping to stock shelves of food, appliances, and so on.

While he eats his cereal, he notices a bird outside his window. Strangely, this reminds him of his past life.

Dillon: The memories of old… The Complex, the cars, the smells… the life.

A phone buzzes near his table. An alarm is going off. It’s time to go to work.

After showering, and putting on his uniform, Dillon heads to the condo’s garage, where his car awaits him. Pulling out the ‘Acura’ key, he starts it up (rather quietly), and drives to the store, where he’s spent the last two years trying to find a life for him.

On the way, he reflects on what he thought at the table, the memories of former glory.

Dillon: There’s nothing left for me in that world. You told me to continue the trend… but I can’t without you.

With that, he continues on his way.

===========

8:00 AM

Cambridge, MA

“Another day, another car.” Steel thought to himself. He was up early, and had been occupying himself by reviewing his to-do for service work this day. A bunch of everyday commuter cars...And a Ferrari. A 458 Italia, in bright red. The Ferrari was a regular at his workplace, and the man often bragged about being a street racer. Every time Steel hears the stories, he dies a little inside. He lost something valuable to him -- his mentor and father figure. Dag died two years ago. Since then, he hasn’t been able to look at a car without flashing back to that charred chassis.

“Well, ain’t much to do without the boss.” he muttered to himself. He grabs a Chevrolet key off the coat rack in his apartment and heads down to his car to drive to work. He had to give up all of his monster cars when the Mafia came for him. They took all of the cars as collateral.

His phone buzzes. “Unknown Caller” comes up.

Steel: “Yello, Jacob speaking.”

???: “Have you seen him?!”

Steel: “Oh...Hey Aria. No, haven’t seen him because he’s dead.”

Aria: “HE IS NOT DEAD! I WILL FIND HIM!”

The call abruptly drops. Steel shakes his head and goes to another boring day of work.

“I wonder how the kid’s doing…?”

===========

11:30 AM

Service Center on Interstate 93

A little Toyota SF-R pulls into a service center and parks near a gas station.

For October, it was surprisingly humid.The owner hops out, heads to the restroom, purchases some food, and heads back to the car. While eating his burger on the hood of the Toyota, his phone rings.

???: “Hello, Eddie Wood speaking”

???: “Hey Ed, we got the parts you asked for. Shall we send them to your house?”

Eddie: “No no, actually I’m out of town at the moment, so just hold on to them for now.”

With that, he hangs up his phone and returns to his burger.

Eddie Wood, age 18, graduated from high school back in June. His parents don’t really care what their son does with his life, as long as he stays safe and always comes back home to visit. He probably didn’t get the “safe” part, since Eddie wants to be a racer. He wants to be at the top of the racing world, and be admired by millions of people, around the world. However, with only a little Toyota sports car, nobody’s taken any notice of him. But it doesn’t phase him. Eddie’s main inspiration to becoming a racer stems from a team he used to follow intensely, known as the “Shadow Racers”. They won almost every event they entered, and had a vast amount of cars to choose from. Two years ago, they mysteriously pulled out of every single racing event in the country, and disappeared. From that point, Eddie always planned to find out what really happened to the famed team, and join them. So much did he want to join them, he decided to drive 500 miles from his hometown down to Boston, where the team was based.

Eddie: Oh, better get a move on. I need to start my search for my dream team.

With that, he threw out the wrappers of food, hopped into the SF-R, and headed back out onto the interstate in search for the legends of his childhood.

2:25 PM

Downtown Boston

Eddie: “EH?! You’ve never heard of them before?!”

???: “Nope, sonny-me-boy.”

Eddie let the old geezer continue his walk to the park. That had to the 52nd person he asked if they knew what happened to the “Shadow Racers”.

Eddie: I for sure thought they would be big here! The amount of attention they got… HOW CAN NO ONE KNOW ABOUT THEM?!

Frustrated with his lack of progress, Eddie leaps into the Toyota, revs it to the redline, and peels rubber out of the car park. For a mere 150 HP, it laid down a decent set of elevens.

Eddie, determined to not give up, decided to drive around and look for street racing hot spots in the hopes of finding any clues related to the Shadow Racers. By chance, he keeps finding himself at the same junkyard over and over again. Something seems to be pulling him in from outside…

After coming to junkyard for the 4th time, he decides to look around. It was an average place; minivans, Corollas, pick-up trucks, the usual sort of crap. And yet, something called to him. Some kind of intangible presence that he could not identify.

On his fifth drive-by, he spotted something vaguely familiar deep in the back of the junkyard.

A burnt chassis of a 70s supercar, but he couldn't tell what. Intrigued, Eddie got out of the Toyota, and walked over to the block of steel. Once he got close enough, he spotted a name on the chassis rails.

“Ferrari”

Then it hit him. The low slung body, the four round taillights, he was staring at the shell of a Ferrari 512 BB, one of the more underrated cars the company made.

This made him gasp.

Eddie: The leader of Shadow Racers had a Ferrari 512…

And once he realized that, he went berserk.

Eddie: “I’VE FOUND IT!!! THE LONG LOST RELIC THAT IS THE DEVIL!!!”

Steel: “And you’ll be quiet about it.”

A powerful hand comes down on Eddie’s shoulder. When Eddie turns to look, he’s met with a muscular, large man.

Steel: “Couple of fellas told me you were looking ‘round for the Shadow Racers. That charred chassis is all that’s left of the team leader.”

Steel sighs. He glances at Eddie.

Steel: “You look like a high schooler. They had a kid a little above your age on the team. He watched this -” He gestures at the Ferrari. “ - unfold before his eyes.”

Eddie: “Wow… That must have been painful. What happened to this kid?”

Steel: “Ain’t seen him since. Story goes that he was supposed to inherit the leadership. Never heard from him again.”

Eddie ponders this. If the old leader...died, then this kid must be the guy to talk to.

Eddie: “But wait, how do you know this? Were you a member?”

Steel: “Nah. Ain’t that dumb. You’d be surprised who comes through auto shops these days. If I were you, I’d keep this Ferrari a secret, yeah?”

Eddie: “Y-yeah, of course.”

Steel: “After all...Hiding in the shadows is what we do best these days.”

Steel pats Eddie on the back with a bit of force before turning and walking away. Eddie only catches a glimpse of Steel’s Camaro before it peels off for destinations unknown. Now he’s alone with the destroyed Ferrari…

Eddie: No… It couldn't have ended like this. I'm sure the old leader would have wanted his legacy to continue. This kid, I must find him.

With that, he hops into the little sports car, and drives to the hotel where he is staying at for a few days. After obtaining his room card from the receptionist, he opens his room door, puts his bags near the TV, and flops onto the bed. His head is spinning with how he could find this kid. A kid? Owning one of the most popular teams in the country, and abandoned it? It didn't make sense.

6:00 PM

Then, he remembered what the muscle man said.

“After all...Hiding in the shadows is what we do best these days.”

Eddie: We… He was one of them, and there's more out there.

This got his attention. If there were more, there was still a chance of finding someone who wants to bring back the team to it's former glory.

But, the search would have to wait till tomorrow. It had been a pretty long day for Eddie, since he was driving for most of it. It was late afternoon, on a Friday, all he wanted to do was relax.

Except he remembered he had no food.

Unwillingly, he got up from the bed, exited the hotel, and walked two blocks over to a big superstore. It looked pretty new, since it had a modern design on the outside. The theme continued once he entered. Eddie thought he was in a hospital, given how clean the floors were. Snapping out of his daze, he heads over to the ready-made area. He figured he eat something light and reasonably priced, given that he had Mexican food for the last week. Eddie couldn't decide what he wanted. There are so many options, you would have thought that this was a restaurant. Seeing a worker over at the produce section, he hollered the guy over. The poor guy nearly dropped all the boxes he was holding when he heard Eddie's cry of dismay. Setting them down, the man walked over. He was a young chap, average weight, with thick, black glasses.

???: “Yeah, what do you need lad?”

Eddie: “I was just wondering what you would recommend from this selection?”

The worker looked at the menu for a long time, before finally saying “Get the roast chicken”. Eddie thanked him, and the worker turned around to finish his task. The guy had a moody expression, liked he was suffering from some sort of illness. As Eddie looked at him, his chicken arrived.

Eddie: “Ah, the perfect meal for a Shadow Racers recruit.”

A large crash follows immediately after Eddie said that sentence. The worker knocked into the boxes he set on the floor. Luckily, they were empty, so no mess was made, but the sound of the crash pierced that section of the store.

Bewildered, the worker got up, and walked over to Eddie. He looked a little pissed off about something.

???: “Hey kid, forget about that team. It's dead.”

Eddie didn't understand...

…for about 10 seconds.

Eddie: “You… You’re the kid that inherited Shadow Racers!”

===========

6:00 PM

Canton, MA

Steelworks Auto Shop

“I wonder where that Ferrari went…” Steel thought to himself as he waited for another client to come in. He looked over at the work floor and a decent-sized crater that sit in the middle. He shakes his head. He was trying to work on Dillon’s AE86 a second time before the engine block dropped out and damaged the floor.

“Glad that thing is gone. What a piece of shit it was.”

He sighs and starts scrolling through local and foreign BBS services. Some talk here about a Corvette, some talk about a LaFerrari, bla bla bla. “As active as ever, huh...” he muttered before moving on.

He looks over at his Camaro. He can tell it wants to be free of the traffic and road laws.

“Not right now, old girl. I gotta live my life.”

===========

A Superstore in Boston

The two men locked eyes. The air was cold. It looked like a heavyweight title fight was about to take place on the produce aisle of the store.

Despite the fact that both men looked skinnier than strands of noodles.

The worker, who was indeed Dillon, the inheritor of the Shadow Racers team, spoke first.

Dillon: “Who told you about...it?”

Eddie: “I’ve been a fan of the team ever since it started, back in 2015-”

Dillon flinches a little, upon hearing “2015”. The year where everything changed.

Eddie: “- and I’ve been a fan ever since. Watching you guys tear up the Gumball Rally tournaments, you guys are my heroes. Or should I say, were.”

Dillon: “Why waste your time finding them? They died two years, along with their leader!”

Eddie: “Whose Ferrari still sits at a junkyard? That’s how you honor him? Whatever happened, he died for the team, for you! To continue the life he wanted! You can’t let the legacy die, when there are other teams out winning races, your races!”

Dillon looks down, his hair covering his eyes. He knows it. Dag wouldn’t have wanted this. He said it himself. But how, how could he bring back the team out of the shadows?

Eddie feels saddened. He never thought he would meet his heroes this way.

Then, he asks Dillon the nagging question.

Eddie: “Why did the Shadow Racers end?”

Dillon turns away, thinking, remembering the past. He promised himself he would never think about those times again, that it will only bring him sadness and pain.

But he couldn’t help it.

He sighs deeply, and motions Eddie to follow him. Dillon mutters “It was the end of my shift anyway”, and takes his keys out.

Eddie follows Dillon to the back of the store, and out to the employee parking lot. There, he sees a silver NSX light up.

Eddie: At least he still drives a sick car.

Dillon again motions to Eddie, this time to get in the passenger seat. Eddie does this, and Dillon hops in the driver’s seat. After closing the door, Dillon sighs again, and begins to tell his story.

Dillon: “We weren’t a normal team. Usually, racing teams sign their drivers through contracts, and they have a working relationship. We weren’t like that. We lived under the same roof, bonded with each other, and deeply cared for one another. All this was possible through the leadership of one man, Dagurasu Trenton. To the outside world, he was a dark, cold man. The “Devil”, as they called him. But to us, he was a gentle, kind, respectful man, with great wisdom, and good sense of humor. He helped train me and a couple of others to be better. Not just as drivers, but in general, too. That rally championship….. the Gumball, as you called it. That broke us. At first, all seemed well. We were competitive, and managed to win some events. We raced with all our strength, but respected every other competitor to the fullest, and they did so to us as well. Except the organizers… They had other plans. Little did we know the Russian Mafia was behind the whole event, which makes sense now, given the prize for winning outright was $50 million. They went to great lengths to stop our progress, and when we discovered them… We fought back. One day, in California. Me and Dag were being chased by a group of them. His Wangan Devil 512, and my White Rocket Mazda RX-7. Gun shots flying everywhere. Suddenly, Dag slammed the brakes, and trainwrecked the Mafia SUVs. Next thing I know, I hear a giant explosion, and turn around to see fire everywhere. I had to keep going, knowing that's what he would have wanted. When I got back to the team in Easton, news broke of his death from our trusty mechanic. After the hearing of his will, I received ownership, 3/4s of his wealth, and the property that was our base. But I’ve done nothing since then. He was the man, the one who lead. I, meanwhile, was just a bratty university student trying to drive faster.”

Eddie was shocked, to say the least. He could NEVER imagine what they could have gone through. The pain, the sorrow, a life-changing experience.

Time passed as both men sat in the hybrid supercar, motionless. It was now 7:00.

Eddie: “I met a man at the junkyard where the Ferrari is, he told me about you, and what happened to your leader. Drove a red Camaro, says you two haven’t seen each other since the incident.”

Dillon chuckles to himself.

Dillon: “Ah Steel, that mechanical genius. We really haven’t seen each other in so long…”

Eddie: “Then, let’s go see him!”

Dillon turns to Eddie slowly. He knew the memories would keep coming back if he went there. But, seeing Eddie’s expression, it reminded Dillon of how he was when he first joined the team. Maybe, just maybe, the racing bug was coming back to him…

Dillon: “Well…. Alright. Put your seatbelt on.”

The NSX roars into life. Despite the electric motors, it still sounded like an event. It pulls out of the lot, and onto the busy streets of Boston, heading for what used to be the old base.

===========

Canton, MA

7:00 PM

Steel stretches out as he checks the lobby to his business one last time. Nobody came after the cancelled Ferrari appointment. He locks the doors to the building and arms the on-site security before turning to his car.

“Well, seems like traffic sure died out. Maybe I’ll take you to extra-legal speeds.”

Steel gets in the car and cranks the key. The Camaro lazily rumbles to life and then grumbles as Steel drives off towards his house in Cambridge. After a few minutes, he pauses and contemplates something...He makes a U turn and starts driving towards Easton.

Once he reaches a quiet part of Route 138, he takes a deep breath and checks his mirrors. No one in sight.

Perfect.

He pins the throttle, causing the car to sink hard as it digs in. It takes off accelerating with a vicious roar, and he tears through traffic light after traffic light.

It doesn’t take long until he tears past Town Spa Pizza, a popular joint in Easton.

“Oh, shit.” he says out loud. He quickly gets on the brakes, causing the car to throw itself forward against its tyres. The strips of rubber can only let out agonized screeching in response to this, as they cling to what’s left of their traction.

Steel made sure everything was sorted out and drove like a good boy the rest of the way.

He pulls into the complex he used to call home. Outside is a rotted Lotus Esprit, a project he never got to finish.

“Heh. Wonder where Erich went…”

He hears a car in the distance…

===========

At the Same Time…

Eddie: “Hey… Is that big building it?”

Dillon: “Yes. It hasn’t changed a bit.”

As they get closer, Dillon notices a red Camaro parked in the driveway.

“Never remembered a Camaro being part of the fleet”, he thought. He switches off the NSX, and steps out into the dusk-environment. The air is cold, like a spirit hangs over the place. Nevertheless, Dillon tells Eddie to get out, and the two start walking up towards the front door.

That is, until they notice someone standing by the old Esprit.

Dillon: “S-steel?”

Steel: “Well, shoot! Dillon, what brings you around here? And who’s the kid?”

Dillon: “Me? What brings the ol’ mechanical genius back? And as for this lad, I thought you would know…”

Eddie steps forward, looking a little shy.

Steel: “Ain’t you that kid from the junkyard? ...Right, you are.”

Steel shakes his head and glances at Dillon.

Steel: “Ya make sure you weren’t tailed? Aria’s back in town...Got a call from her this morning.”

Dillon: “Oh for God’s sake… Probably the only thing I didn’t miss was her craziness.”

Dillon turned to Eddie, and then back to Steel. His expression dampens.

Dillon: “This boy showed up at my store, talking about the Shadow Racers. Apparently, he’s one of our biggest fans, and wants us to return with him as our new recruit…”

Steel looked at the Esprit, and pondered.

Steel: “Ah, well...We ain’t a team right now. None of us had any reason to keep running. ...Shit.”

Steel looks like he just remembered something.

Steel: “Fellas, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go inside. I hope it’s still there…”

Steel heads straight for the old main entrance to the building and kicks aside a brick on one wall to reveal a key. He heads inside without hesitation.

Eddie: “Where is he going?”

Dillon: “Beats me. But, he’ll probably come back. Eventually…”

They can hear a few things shifting around, Steel cursing, and then rapid footsteps as he hurries right out of the building holding a folder and something in his right hand.

Steel: “Good God! There’s a rat nest in there!”

Dillon facepalms while Eddie frantically searches the ground for any rats that may have escaped.

Steel: “Dillon, read this when you can. I gotta take care of this little jumpin’ spider I found hiding in it.”

Steel shoves the folder in Dillon’s hands and heads off for the closest patch of grass.

Dillon closes the folder, and looks over at Eddie, who is still looking for rats. Steel is by a grass patch, trying to release the spider.

“All that’s left of the Shadow Racers…”

Dillon: “Hey Steel! Got a minute?”

Steel: “Yeah, what’s bothering ya? I take it you read the file…”

Dillon: “No, but maybe later. After hearing what the boy over there said to me... I should be better than this. We all should be. He wouldn’t have wanted this. Screw the Mafia, I want to bring back the Shadow Racers.”

Eddie nearly pisses himself. The Shadow Racers are coming back???

Steel: “Well...Shoot. Ya got me in a bit of a pickle there. If we’re gonna get this started, we oughta work loosely. No fixed bases until we got what we need, aight?”

Steel took the folder from Dillon, and held it between his arm and chest.

Steel: “Well, I oughta go find my good tool set. I don’t see why we ain’t starting any sooner!”

Eddie: “Count me IN!!!”

Dillon and Steel look at him strangely.

Steel: “Hold your horses, kid. You gotta prove yourself.”

Dillon: “You sure do. I will test you personally, to see if you have what it takes. But before that, I better contact Chris. Wherever the guy is…”

Steel: “Probably annoyin’ some amateur about the circle of traction and why his car is oversteering.”

With that, the three men look into the sky, just managing to catch the sunset over the horizon. Their shadows grow in the fading light, as do they rise. The Shadow Racers have begun to emerge from the darkness...

Sort of.

Steel: “Which one of y’all farted?!”

End.

#super long post #story #shadow racers #super cars #toyota sf-r #acura nsx #chevrolet camaro #steel #dillon #eddie #the hero

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