I lined Eve in front of Spitfire’s Audi R8 LMS Ultra. We were starting at the driving course lined with houses, upon taking a closer look they were hollow and damaged from the years of trial and error. The rules were I start anytime I want and if she can spin me out or stop me from moving I lose the trial and the job but if I can evade her and pass the finish line I win the job and bragging rights.
“Ready?” I asked Eve
“We have 1400 horsepower with powerful experimental nitros all installed in me with a carbon fiber body surrounding you, I’m confident” Eve said
“That’s almost the same power as supercar, what kind of engine you have?”
“Don’t worry, your brain was adjusted to handle me”
My… Brain?”
“Don’t worry about it”
“Ready!?” Sergeant Tirek shouted
I placed my car in gear and emptied my mind. I looked at the map displayed on my screen, which Eve created, and visualized it on where I need to go. I controlled my breathing and focused. I revved my engine, once the light hit green I released the brake and sped out. With me out of the way Spitfire was coming.
“That woman has fast reflexes” I stated.
“Tell me about it” Eve remarked
I continued out on the road while being aware of my surroundings. This place really resembled a small neighborhood with trashcans out and street lamps around, even the house blocks were accurate to a real living block. I tried looking in the houses but they were all empty, they were only meant to be there for decoration and practice. I even saw a house with a gaping hole in the middle.
“She’s about to ram you, left side” Eve warned
I stepped on the brake and my car slowed down, making spitfire hit nothing of my car and hit a few trashcans. I stepped on the gas and went to another route allowing a greater distance between both of us. I proceeded through the road when I went back on course with Spitfire closing in on me.
“Why aren’t you pressing the gas all the way?” Eve asked
“Too small roads and the destination is on winding roads”
I saw Spitfire coming from the back, attempting to PIT maneuver me. I turned to another street and she’s still coming for me. I hit my gas and boosted my way out, creating a huge distance. I turned to another street but it was lined with barricades and dirt but the interesting feature was the large tire marks on the ground. They looked like off roading tire treads.
“Look right” Eve said
I looked to see Spitfire on the other the other side of the houses. Looking at the map again she trying to block my way to the destination as the road was about to end and I have to turn at the next intersection. Looking at my chances and my luck I looked at the map again. She has a large diagonal distance between me and her and if I hit the brakes she will notice and block me unless….
“Did they say I couldn’t run through the backyards” I asked
“I don’t think so, why do you ask? What are you planning!?” Eve asked worriedly
“Just trust me” I said as I hit my brakes and turned left on the road and stopped.
As predicted Spitfire came a second later blocking my path and facing me with the side of her facing me, readying her to move back or forth to block me. I revved my engine showing my horsepower and what I’m going to do. She kept her engine silent, not revving it, showing how calm she was on this battlefield, not even intimidation tactics work on her. I started creating wheel spin and let the brakes go.
I went straight at her with full speed, I could that She was expecting me to crash into her, she has a strong courage. With all the speed I turned my wheel to the left causing my car to go sidewards. Spitfire, thinking I was going behind her, shifted her gear to reverse and tried to block my path. I hit my car in reverse causing the car to spin and go backwards to where she was. Once I was aligned with the street I shifted my gear to 1st and punched the gas.
I looked back to see Spitfire’s face in shock, trying to understand the stunt I pulled off. Bad part was she recovered fast and resumed her chase. I continued on the road with Spitfire on my tail. I looked around the road to see again more of those large tire tracks around the place, I was about Eve what they meant but she spoke first.
“We go company, do a doughnut!” Eve warned
“What?” I asked
“Just do it!”
Without objection I turned the wheel in one direction, hit the brakes and went into reverse causing the car to spin 90 degrees on a point. I watched as Spitfire, who was confused, sped by me but the warning of Eve made me miss the giant SUV that came out of nowhere and almost missed Spitfire by a hairline, the SUV didn’t stop and continued through the road while Spitfire hit the brakes.
I made my 360 degrees rotation and went past Spitfire towards the destination. I looked back to see Spitfire furious and kept looking back at me and the road the SUV took. She made up her mind and decided to come after me. I looked around the roads to see where that SUV went but a better question came to me.
“How did you know?” I asked Eve
“I have satellite imaging, sonar tracking and frequency scanners. I was made to expect the unexpected” Eve stated
“That is awesome Eve, what else you got?”
“You should probably focus on…. SWERVE LEFT!!”
I swerved left and saw on my right the giant SUV was coming from another street and almost hit me and Spitfire did not look pleased with predicament. I looked back at the SUV and noticed how big it was up close and how heavy it must be because I see what’s probably titanium on that thing with metal guards and railing on it as if it was a tank on four wheels. It looked bigger and tougher than a Marauder.
Whatever was under its hood must be a lot due to how it’s keeping up with me. I noticed he was rolling down his windows and brought out…. a SHOTGUN. The driver started aiming his weapon at me. I turned to another road and he still followed. I started doing serpentine as he shot multiple times at me but mostly hit the ground. I thought he would run out of ammo and reload giving me time to escape while he was distracted but he kept on shooting
“He’s not gonna run out of bullets” I said
“Because his weapon does not use conventional ammo. His shots are made of hardened ice” Eve explained
“What?”
“His weapon is to bulky for a normal shotgun so I scanned it, his weapons takes in nitrogen, liquefies it, then expels it by creating a vacuum inside the chamber then allowing air to come in, add that with a spring from an airsoft gun you have a shotgun that shoots multiple ice shards that won’t break”
“I saw the mythbusters, they said an Ice bullet was busted”
“Because they used gunpowder, not air pressure”
“How far are we from the finish?”
“A few more blocks, why?”
“Time to use that nitro” I said as I pressed the button.
The front of my car was lifted up from the ground and I felt Gs hitting my body. Once the car was back on four wheels, I looked back at the distance between me, Spitfire and that crazy driver, and boy was it a great distance. I saw the finish line up ahead with many recruits and officers waiting. Without a moment passing by I crossed the line and stopped right at the wall. I stepped out to see officer were looking at me with surprise while the recruits were looking at me with awe. It felt good to be behind the wheel.
Seconds later Spitfire and the tanking SUV crossed the finish line. I actually wanted to confront the driver but I was still shaken up by the experience so I decided to go to Spitfire but she left her car and stormed towards the SUV. The door of the SUV opened to show lieutenant Tirek coming down with a shotgun in his right hand.
“What were you thinking lieutenant?!” roared Spitfire
“I was helping in the test to see if he could handle a real police chase” Tirek rebuttled
“We only fire our weapons if the chase he’s been going on or the suspect is wanted for serious charges, also you used one of Dr. Whooves experimental weapons which he said to be used only for target practice for testing”
“His car was target practice!”
“You could have killed him, this is why not many people want this position in police stations”
“He dodged all the bullets, that shows he’s capable of driving”
“You could have used non-lethal ammunition, not real ammunition!”
“He was using real ammunition?” I asked in my head
“What’s important now was that he passes the test and survived our tactics of pursuit” Tirek said
“Don’t try to calm me down after your actions Sergeant, your tactics is what brought officer Soarin in the hospital” Spitfire said
“But you replaced him, didn’t you? With someone with better driving skills for the event”
“Until she quit after learning I was keeping him there for her to compete, I learned my lesson, he may be better but he doesn’t want to drive in this course again and we need someone who’s just as good as Soarin to test the recruits, I don’t want Mr. Turismo injured on his first day”
“That just shows how weak a body gets when he isn’t being trained by the best”
“You were demoted several times because of your actions to our officers and recruits and it’s because of your breaching and interrogation skills is what’s keeping you stationed here”
“We have to know if he could drive when being pursued and being shot at because our officers will do the same, this is why the position has a large salary to it. Our officers need to treat criminals as they are criminals, not people”
“Don’t forget, you were a criminal. It was your brother who bailed you out, keep this attitude up and you could be a campus police guard”
“Don’t remind me”
“Why don’t you show our getaway driver around the station? After all he did beat you and earned the position”
“Sorry I’m busy”
“Well I’m busy too, but it so happens that it was you who broke protocol and needs to be punished, either be reprimanded by the head or show the recruit around and I’ll keep my mouth shut”
“Alright, officers, you may leave and go to section 4 for you target practice” Tirek said to the recruits.
“Good day Sergeant, you too Driver” Spitfire said to both me and Tirek as she drives off.
“Meet me at section 1 and there we will begin our touring” Tirek said to me.
I looked at Tirek and he just looked at me. Tirek went back to his SUV and drove off. This has been one hell of an interview, at least I got a job and hopefully this doesn’t mean I’m killing myself for it. He did say the pay was a lot so I have my hopes up but I don’t know if I could keep up with how things are as that sergeant we trying to kill me on my first day. What the hell did I get myself into. This place is for crazy people. I went back to Eve to see how she was doing.
“I didn’t expect my skills to save me from hellfire” I said to Eve
“Don’t worry your safe in here”
“How am I safe? You’re made of carbon fiber”
“Carbonite actually, it’s light and flexible like carbon fiber but it’s as strong as titanium”
“You really puzzle me Eve”
“Be glad”
This woman really does confuse me, I really do wonder what she thinks behind that screen, oh well. Maybe I should see the captain, maybe she can enlighten me on this sergeant. She has to right? I drove all the way to the parking lot of the main building and left Eve. I went to the front desk and asked where I could find Spitfire. Once I was pointed to the right direction I followed through and saw her office. I knocked on the door.
“Come in”
“Hey Cap” I asked as I opened the door
“Hello Driver, what can I do for you?” she says while working on papers
“I was wondering if you could tell me about sarge Tirek?”
“Why?” she asks as she looks up.
“So I know how to handle him and probably not get him mad as he can crush with his bear hands like Zeus from Real Steel”
“Don’t be a smart ass”
“You said he was a criminal?”
“I did, bring it up to him and he will smash you like the hulk”
“Can I know more about his life?”
“Why? And saying “you’ll handle him” isn’t a good excuse”
“All I see is that the officers are afraid of him and maybe he needs a friend he could talk too”
“Do you have a similar background? Are you also a criminal?”
“Yes”
“What were you convicted for?”
“The cops never caught me and I was an illegal street racer”
“Explains your moves”
“You’re not surprised not by this”
“No driving school in Equiis teaches those moves”
“Right so can you tell me?”
“Difference between you and him is that he was convicted and you weren’t”
“No, but we are trying to make amends for our crimes. Right?”
“That is true, alright I’ll tell you what I know and feel free to him that”
“Thanks”
“I don’t know much about him but I do know that he and his brother Scorpan were the sons of a wealthy mayor and mob boss who owned a dangerous city. One day he learned that there was experimental weaponry was being developed here in Canterlot, he set out to steal with his brother Scorpan. When they arrived in Canterlot, his brother enjoyed the loyalty and courage the military forces exhibited here and decided to drop the plan and live here in Canterlot, but Tirek didn’t drop it and continued on without his brother. Scorpan came to me, telling about his brother’s plan to steal and went with it. When we came to the facility Tirek killed the guards and Scorpan fought Tirek to stop him from killing. Once the fight was over, I arrested Tirek and gave Scorpan a place in the military, as I once was a pilot for the air force, and he moved up the ranks rather fast and once he was high enough he bailed Tirek out and asked if I could supervise Tirek, I was skeptical at first but I accepted and Tirek moved up the ranks saying he was sorry for his old ways and tried to change but he was demoted many times because of his brutal behavior but it wasn’t enough to kick him out. And we are here today”
“Thank you”
“I’m not sure how you can relate since you only do property damage”
“I killed five kids with my car”
“....”
“I think I can relate to breaking the law and killing and being on top and wanting to correct my sins”
“Well, best of luck to you”
“Thanks Cap”
“Anytime James” she says with a smile
I left the office and checked my watch, it was five to one. I made my way to lobby and I saw Tirek standing there. We locked eyes for awhile, trying to read each other. I could tell he knew something but I didn’t know, I have a hard and emotionless face when it comes to these kinds of games so I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t know how to read me. After looking at each other ,like all the scenes from Twilight, he broke the ice.
“Ready?” He asks.
“Kinda….” I reply.
“Then let’s go”
He brought me around section 1 which was basically the offices of all counselling and interrogations. This where people get to ask for help or report anything they see. This place was technically a 911 call center. I kept looking and more colorful people were here but I couldn’t see the doctor anywhere maybe he was just here for a visit. We stopped at the cafeteria because he missed his lunch break.
“So what did you do to officer Soarin?” I ask Tirek
“Why do you want to know?” He asks as he looks up from his burrito.
“I want to know so I know how to converse with you…. And try not to get you angry”
“Don’t be a smart ass”
“And Soarin?”
“He was a smart ass”
“I don’t follow”
“Listen to the advice and stay out of it”
“If I’m going to be working here, I need to know the health conditions of my fellow co-workers”
“Your job is to test skills, not health”
“Health attributes to health”
“Are you trying to argue with me?” he looked seriously
“Maybe I am”
“So you think think that because the captain argued with me, you can do the same?”
“Maybe I can”
“You got courage kid I’ll give you that. He was taking our recruits to easy and when he tested them, he always did light movements. Saying I needed to treat our recruits with respect or not many would enroll in our station”
“And you raced him?”
“Yeah. the deal was, If I can spin him he does things my way, if not I follow his methods. We started out strong but the kid was starting to get annoying. He was showing off his true colors. He was a good driver, the best one I’ve seen. But I let my brutal nature get the best of me”
“You shot him with a shotgun?”
“Don’t interrupt me driver!” he shouts and stands
“Sorry”
“Yeah, unlike you I was shootin for your tires or gas tank but for Soarin, I was so jealous of his skills that I shot him straight to the arm”
“What happened next?”
“He lost control of his car and crashed into a house”
“Do you regret it”
“Yeah. I regret it”
“What happened next?”
“I was demoted, took Soarin’s job and did things my way. But the good part was the officers learned to drive and shoot at the same time and became more effective, but Soarin, after recovering, so how they did and left me with the job and was afraid to get behind the wheel, now he’s in intelligence gathering”
“Good for you”
“What do you mean?”
“You shot someone and he lived”
“So?”
“I heard from Spitfire that you killed guards trying to steal something and you served your sentence and yet you were given an opportunity to be here”
“Did you kill someone trying to steal something?”
“I killed children trying to run from the cops, I was an illegal street racer before this job”
“I should arrest you”
“I regret killing those kids, that’s why I’m here. I’m going to help you learn every trick street racers know. I’m trying to make amends but showing you on how to catch people like me”
“So, ratting your friends out will help me forgive you”
“I’m asking for a chance, the same chance this station gave you”
He was silent for awhile trying to think whether he should do the same for me. He said before that criminals were not men and needed to pay for their mistakes. I’m fixing my mistakes, please understand that Sarge.
“Alright. I accept you help. But this does not make us friends” Tirek
“Yet” I replied