The neon glow of Sigma City's Entertainment District pulsed with energy as crowds gathered in the vast underground garage—a labyrinthine space lit by vibrant holograms and roaring with the echoes of revving engines. Cars gleamed under flickering Lights, each a testament to its owner’s mechanical prowess and unchecked ego. Etrius leaned against the hood of his Famdorchini Airesuqque, a sleek beast of a car with its massive front grille resembling a predatory maw that fed on cold air. The polished and painted carbon fiber body reflected the vibrant lights, opposing the rugged figure who owned it.
Zoey, towering even by comparison to most present, stood at his side, the tip of her thick, prehensile tail idly curling and uncurling around her cybernetic arm. Her amber eyes scanned the competition. "Not a bad turnout," she said, her voice sharp and laden with sarcasm. "I’d say half these asshats couldn’t drive their way out of a parking lot."
Etrius smirked but remained silent, his emerald eyes focused on the competition and their cars. Most were high-performance supercars or heavily modified street machines—nothing he hadn’t seen or outdriven before. He tapped the car’s hood, signaling Zoey to check their route. She stepped forward, her tail swishing as she opened the passenger-side door to retrieve the holomap.
The pre-race party swirled with chaos. Mechanics worked feverishly to adjust last-minute tweaks, while racers postured and exchanged taunts. The air reeked of burnt rubber and high-octane fuel. Among the participants was a shady character known only as Barris, a gaunt figure with a sinister grin and a vehicle bristling with illegal tech. He locked eyes with Etrius across the sea of people and smirked. Zoey caught the exchange.
"That creep is up to something," she muttered, slamming the door shut with a force that made the nearby mechanics glance nervously.
"He always is," Etrius replied, his voice low and measured. "Keep an eye on him during the run."
As the signal for lineup approached, Zoey slid into the passenger seat, her cybernetic fingers deftly adjusting the car’s internal navigation system. The cabin of the Airesuqque was a blend of cutting-edge raw power. Monitors displayed live telemetry, and Zoey's holomap highlighted the mapped route through Sigma City's outskirts—a perilous course riddled with narrow passages, sharp turns, and long straightaways begging for speed.
Etrius settled into the driver’s seat, his large frame seeming almost too big for the custom racing harness. His grip on the steering wheel was firm, his cybernetic arms making the thick carbon fiber wheel feel like paper. Zoey handed him a headset. "Comms are up. Don’t get cocky."
The race master, a flamboyant figure wielding a glowing baton, stood atop a raised platform near the starting line. He shouted instructions as holographic numbers counted down above the racers. Engines roared to life, the deafening symphony of horsepower echoing through the garage. Etrius revved the Airesuqque’s monstrous engine, its signature V10 roar drawing a mixture of admiration and intimidation.
"Ready for this?" Zoey asked, glancing at Etrius.
He turned his gaze to her, a rare glint of humor breaking through his usual stoicism. "Always."
As the countdown hit zero, the baton slashed downward, and the cars shot forward like bullets from a chamber. Tires screeched against asphalt, and the crowd erupted into cheers. The race was on.
The deafening roar of engines filled the night as the convoy of cars surged from the starting line, their headlights slicing through the shadows of Sigma City's desolate industrial outskirts. Etrius's Famdorchini Airesuqque clawed the pavement, its rear wheels spinning for a split second before the traction control kicked in, propelling the vehicle forward like a missile. The air inside the car buzzed with tension as Zoey gripped the edge of her seat, her glowing navigation display tracking their position against the other racers.
The pack of cars screamed down the first straightaway, a canyon of crumbling warehouses on either side. Holographic checkpoints floated in the air, casting eerie light onto the cracked asphalt. Etrius’s focus was unyielding, his cybernetic arms keeping the wheel steady even as the Airesuqque’s monstrous engine strained against its limits.
"Sharp left ahead!" Zoey shouted, her voice cutting through the cacophony of the engine and wind.
Etrius didn’t respond but shifted gears with a brutal efficiency, throwing the car into a perfectly calculated drift. The rear tires screeched against the ground, smoke trailing behind them as they skidded around the corner. Behind them, a pair of cars miscalculated and slammed into the dilapidated wall of a warehouse, leaving fiery wrecks in their wake. Etrius barely spared a glance at the orange glow in his mirrors.
"Two down," Zoey muttered, tapping rapidly on her screen. "But Barris’s gaining. Bastard’s cutting through lanes like a maniac."
Etrius’s jaw tightened, his emerald eyes darting to the rearview. Barris’s sinister vehicle was indeed closing the gap, its angular, matte-black frame an ominous shadow in the distance. Etrius recognized the burst of flame from its exhaust, a telltale sign of nitrous.
"They’re not playing fair," Zoey said, her amber eyes narrowing. "That setup isn’t street legal."
"No one here is playing fair except me," Etrius replied, his voice grim. "My car might be modded, but the last thing I need are regulatory agencies up my ass. Just a simple production car with a body kit and some tuning."
"Wait, this is a production model?" Zoey responded, somewhat surprised.
"Yes," Etrius replied as they sped along, keeping an eye on the rearview mirror. "2023 model year, fresh production because I asked nicely. It's got some body panels from the modern repros, mainly the rear bumper and taillights. The original '23's ass looks horrible."
"I've just got my truck and my bike. I don't have time for racing, to be honest." she replied.
"Well I'm glad you found time for me." Etrius said, matter-of-factly.
Ahead, the course funneled into an abandoned tunnel—pitch black except for flickering emergency lights embedded in the crumbling ceiling. The echo of the cars entering the tunnel amplified the noise tenfold, creating a claustrophobic cacophony. The Airesuqque’s interior lights dimmed slightly as the vehicle’s sensors adjusted for the narrow space.
The tunnel was chaos. Racers jostled for position, the screech of metal against metal filling the air as they scraped against walls and each other. Sparks flew as one racer tried to ram Etrius’s car, only to be rebuffed by a sharp yet gentle maneuver that sent the aggressor spinning into another vehicle. Zoey grinned wickedly and laughed, clinging to the console as the collision erupted into an explosion that briefly illuminated the tunnel.
"You’re insane," she said, her tone almost approving. "Look at that, one eighty three and climbing!"
"That’s why we’re ahead," Etrius replied.
As they exited the tunnel into the open air, Barris’s car surged up alongside them, its dark form gliding unnaturally smooth over the uneven pavement. Zoey caught sight of something glinting in Barris’s window—something metallic and unmistakably dangerous.
"He’s got a—"
Her warning was cut short by the crack of a gunshot. The sound echoed through the night as the bullet found its target: the Airesuqque’s left rear tire. The rubber shredded instantly, sending the car veering violently to the side. Etrius fought to regain control, his cybernetic arms straining against the steering wheel, but the car was moving too fast. The loss of traction was catastrophic.
"Fuck, brace!" Etrius shouted, his voice the last thing Zoey heard before the world exploded into chaos.
The Airesuqque spun wildly, its massive frame skidding sideways across the asphalt before flipping end over end. Metal screamed as it twisted and crumpled, shards of glass exploding into the cabin. The force of the impact threw Zoey against her harness with bone-rattling force. Etrius’s cybernetic arms locked reflexively around the steering wheel, the joints in his augmented frame absorbing some of the catastrophic energy but leaving his flesh bruised and battered.
The car rolled once, twice, three times before coming to a shuddering stop on its roof. Smoke and steam hissed from the wreckage as sparks danced along the jagged edges of torn metal. The once-pristine body of the Famdorchini was reduced to a mangled husk, its signature roar silenced.
Inside, silence reigned. Etrius hung limply in his harness, his head slumped forward, blood trickling down from a deep gash along his temple. Zoey’s massive frame was crumpled awkwardly against her seat, one of her horns chipped from the impact. Both of them were motionless, their breaths shallow and uneven as the sounds of the ongoing race faded into the distance.
Zoey groaned as consciousness clawed its way back. Her head throbbed, her vision blurred, and the acrid stench of smoke and gasoline assaulted her senses. With a deep breath, she forced her amber eyes open, immediately met with the sight of the mangled interior of the Airesuqque. Sparks rained down from exposed wires, and the faint crackle of an encroaching fire pricked her ears.
"Shit," she muttered, coughing as she unfastened her harness with a sharp metallic click, falling onto the upside-down car's shattered sunroof. Her serpentine tongue flicked out, tasting the air for the unmistakable tang of burning fuel. The wrecked vehicle wouldn’t hold together much longer.
She turned her head, wincing as her stiff neck protested, and saw Etrius slumped motionless in his seat. Black blood trickled down his temple, staining his white fur. Zoey cursed under her breath, her heart pounding.
"Etrius," she growled, reaching out to shake his shoulder. He didn’t respond. "Come on, don’t you dare die on me. I've lost enough friends." She crawled out of the broken window, her fur scraping the broken edges of glass.
Her cybernetic arms whirred faintly as she gripped his harness. With a grunt of effort, she yanked the release latch. Etrius’s massive frame collapsed onto her, his dense tungsten-carbide skeleton making him feel like dead weight. Zoey staggered, nearly losing her footing as she struggled to haul him out of the wreckage.
"Goddamn it, Etrius!" she snarled through gritted teeth. "You weigh more than a fucking tank! This is your fucking fault. ‘Let’s race, Zoey, it’ll be fun,’ you said. Yeah, fun. Real fun, pulling your thousand-pound ass out of this death trap!"
Her serpentine tail lashed as she dragged him inch by agonizing inch, the jagged edges of the car scraping against her legs and tail. Outside, the faint orange glow of flames licking at the ruined chassis spurred her on. She wasn’t about to die in a fireball, and she wasn’t about to let Etrius go down either.
Finally, with one last heave, she pulled him clear of the wreck and collapsed onto the cracked pavement beside him. She gasped for air, the exertion leaving even her cybernetically enhanced body trembling. The flames began to creep higher, feeding on the leaking fuel. The once-pristine Famdorchini was now a smoldering wreck of twisted metal and shattered glass.
A faint groan drew her attention. Zoey looked over and saw Etrius’s green eyes flutter open, their usual sharpness dulled by pain and confusion.
"Zoey?" he croaked, his voice raspy.
"Yeah, genius, it’s me," she snapped, her relief masked by irritation. "You’re alive, no thanks to that hunk of junk you call a skeleton."
Etrius blinked, his expression softening despite the situation. "Glad... to be alive," he murmured, his lips curling into a faint smile as he sat up.
Zoey huffed, leaning back and staring up at the dark sky. "Yeah, well, the car can be replaced. Your life? Not so much."
The two sat in silence for a moment, the wreckage behind them growing brighter as the fire intensified. The soft pop of igniting fuel tanks broke the quiet, prompting Zoey to push herself to her feet. She offered a hand to Etrius, who accepted it, groaning as he rose unsteadily.
As they walked away from the wreck, the flames fully consumed the car, sending a plume of black smoke into the air. Zoey glanced back, her tail flicking irritably.
"Well, there goes that," she said, stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets. "Now what?"
Etrius sighed, rolling his shoulders to test his battered body. "We’re lucky to be walking away from this at all."
"Damn right," Zoey muttered. She cast a sidelong glance at him, her expression hardening. "But we can’t let that asshole Barris get away with this. Shooting out our tire? That’s not just racing dirty, that’s attempted murder."
Etrius nodded, his usual stoicism returning. "We’ll deal with him. But first, we need to figure out how to get back to the city."
Zoey snorted, her condescending tone returning despite the situation. "Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m sure we’ll ‘borrow’ a ride from some poor schmuck along the way. But next time? I'm bringing my own iron."
Etrius smirked faintly. "Or maybe a thicker set of tires."
Zoey chuckled dryly, shaking her head as they walked into the distance. "You're such an idiot sometimes," she replied.
Behind them, the smoldering remains of the Airesuqque marked the end of one chapter—and the beginning of a much grimmer pursuit of vengeance.
A few weeks later, Etrius sat hunched on the worn leather couch in his living room, his large cybernetic hands moving deftly across the keyboard of his laptop. The glow of the screen illuminated his striped fur and reflected off his green eyes as he scrolled through Famdorchini’s website. The familiar sleek lines and aggressive profiles of their vehicles filled the screen, but none sparked that sense of satisfaction he sought.
He muttered under his breath, navigating through filter options and custom packages. "Too flashy... too slow... not enough cargo space..." His voice was calm but tinged with frustration. A car needed to do more than look good or go fast; it had to fit him. His towering frame and immense weight meant most vehicles didn’t make the cut.
He paused on the image of a new model. It looked promising, but the specifications left much to be desired. “Really? Only 500 horsepower? And what’s with this ground clearance? Am I supposed to drive this thing or admire it in a showroom?” He sighed and rubbed his temples, scrolling past it.
The soft sound of heavy footsteps on the floor signaled Zoey's approach before she leaned against the doorframe of the living room. Her serpentine tail flicked lazily, the tip coiling and uncoiling. Her amber eyes sparkled with mischief as she took in the scene, folding her arms across her chest.
“Still crying over your precious car?” she drawled, a smirk spreading across her face. "Let me guess—can’t find a car tough enough to handle you?”
Etrius stiffened but didn’t look up, though the faint twitch of his ear betrayed his annoyance. “Not now, Zoey.”
“Oh no, I think right now is the perfect time,” she teased, stepping into the room. “You flipped that thing harder than your short-term memory flips every time you—”
Etrius turned toward Zoey, his cybernetic expression neutral, though his fur bristled slightly. “Shut up, Zoey. I’m not in the mood.”
“Relax, Etz,” she said, smirking. “I didn’t come here to roast you. Well, not entirely. I’ve actually got something for you.”
His ears flicked upward in surprise. “Something for me?” he asked, cautiously lowering the laptop.
“Yeah, I’m giving you my Dominator.” She tossed a set of keys, which Etrius caught midair with one hand, his brow furrowing.
“Your Dominator? Isn't that your project car?"
“Not anymore.” Zoey shrugged, leaning casually against the doorway. “It’s kitted for offroading, and has the same V10 as your Airesuqque. It’s got a reinforced chassis, skid plates, and enough torque to climb a vertical wall. But if you want to make it street-legal, you’ll need to swap the suspension and throw on some new wheels.”
Etrius stared at the keys in his palm, then back at Zoey. “Why are you giving me this? You’re sentimental about your stuff. What’s the catch?”
She snorted. “Sentimental? Yeah, normally. But my Mantis handles all the offroading I do, and let’s face it, I just don’t use the truck anymore. Might as well go to someone who’ll actually drive it instead of letting it rust.”
“Still doesn’t explain why you’re giving it to me.”
Zoey’s grin widened. “Because I’m feeling generous. And because I figure you’ll need something better than that glorified paperweight you totaled.”
Etrius opened his mouth to retort, but Zoey raised a hand, cutting him off. “Speaking of which, I pulled that trash out of the tunnel you wrecked it in. It’s on a trailer in the parking lot. You want it, it’s yours. If not, I’m taking it to the scrapyard and using the money to get high and drunk.”
She pulled a folded title and bill of sale from her jacket, dropping them on the kitchen counter. “Already signed it over to you. Cost you one whole dollar. Don’t say I never did anything nice.”
Before Etrius could respond, Zoey turned and strode out, the jingle of her motorcycle keys in hand. Moments later, the roar of her bike echoed through the penthouse walls as she sped off.
Etrius sat in stunned silence, staring at the keys in his hand, the faint smell of burnt rubber still lingering in the air.
His cybernetic fingers tightened around the keys, their weight grounding him in the moment. The Dominator wasn’t his style—it was a rugged, capable truck meant for climbing mountains and tearing through mud. He was a speed and precision guy, a driver who wanted to feel every turn, every gear shift. But the truck’s engine, a finely tuned V10, was a masterpiece. Even some of the offroad parts had potential for more than just utility. Zoey had essentially handed him a treasure trove of components.
Money wasn’t the issue; it never was. What mattered was the challenge, the sense of purpose. Glancing at his laptop, Etrius navigated back to the Famdorchini page he’d been browsing before Zoey interrupted. His finger hovered over the image of the 2100 reproduction of the 2020 Airesuqque. Its sleek lines and aggressive stance were everything he loved about the car. Unlike the 2023 model, with its overdesigned rear, the 2020 reproduction stayed true to the version he liked.
Without hesitation, he clicked Buy Now. A grin spread across his face, rare but genuine.
“It’s time,” he muttered to himself.
The smile lingered as he leaned back into the couch, staring at the confirmation email. The reproduction would arrive in a matter of days, pristine and ready for his next project. Between the new car and the wreckage sitting on a trailer downstairs, Etrius already envisioned the restoration of his old Airesuqque. Piece by piece, he’d rebuild it—not just to its former glory but beyond.
The idea ignited something in him, a spark of excitement he hadn’t felt in months. With Zoey’s parts as a foundation and his knowledge of Famdorchini engineering, the possibilities were endless. The wreck was just the beginning.
He had heard that a well known tuner had gotten one of the newer models to achieve a top speed record using a modified old Ford motor. He vowed to claim that record himself.
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