The Race Horses

It was noon in Death Valley, California. The air was filled with the sounds of roaring car engines as they raced down a strip of road. A man stood high on a cliff over looking a soft curve and he eyed the cars flying by. 1

"Carlos is in 3rd." He said.2

"He's gonna have to do a little better that 3rd if he wants to join us." another man said from behind, he was clearly Irish. "You take some of these races much to seriously Rick, ya' ever stop and think about what you're doin'?"3

"What are you trying to say to me?" Rick turned around and glared at the Irishman. 4

"I wasn't sayin' anything." He gave Rick a sly smile and took a swig of his Guinness.5

"You're somethin else Dave..." Dave stood next to Rick and watched the cars slowly fade over a hill. "Ya t'ink he'll make it?"6

"He better." A small beep sounded an Rick reached in his pocket for his cell phone. Dave watched for a minute, then turned around to find something else that would amuse him. 7

"Siren wants to meet us at the finish line, she said Jaime got it."8

"Well 'dat's great news!" 9

"Know what else is...you're drivin'." Rick shoved a ring of keys at Dave and walked back to a black HUMMER. 10

"I always fuckin' drive!" Dave said to himself. He didn't want Rick to here since lately he has been in the best of moods...he's also almost 2ft taller than Dave as well.11

At the finish line, people were gathered around a blue 1998 Dodge Viper. The hood was up as people looked inside. Rick and Dave walked up to the crowd, instantly people moved out of the way of the two, they were the most respected racers in all of California. There was a Hispanic kid, looked to be about 19 or 20 standing in front of his car and shaking hands. Rick pushed his way to the front and stared down at the Hispanic, who happily stared back.12

"You must be Rick." he said, "Your sister told me all about you man, she said you let me race with you guys if I won today." 13

"A deal's a deal kid." Rick didn't sound all that happy, but he rarely is anyway, after what has happened to him at least.14

He grew up in Philadelphia with his sister, and due to family problems, the two ran away to watch the street racers lap around the back streets of Philly. Rick started racing at on 16. Two years later his sister started to race as well and the two were unbeatable. After a few more years they moved to Los Angeles to race there and to get more money. At 23 Rick already was driving an old 1985 Lamorghini Countach, and his sister had a 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo. From then on the names Rick and Siren Furher were some of the most feared and respected in LA. They always worked in pairs, Rick was the calm, yet competitive giant, and Siren, the out going, road raging fighter, with the attitude of a biker babe. They were so different from each other, they just seemed to click with one another. And it was all about racing.
People had every right to be scared then these two race horses pulled up to the starting line.15


Later that night, the group met up at a local bar. There were a few races going on down the street. Dave and Siren were out in the parking lot looking at some of the tuner cars that were being shown off. Of coarse though, people only looked at the winners. Inside, Jamie was destroying everyone at pool, just like he did on the streets, Rick sat at one of the tables in the corner and stared at out the tinted window...thinking. A shadow interupted him, it was Jamie, just coming to pick up his soda. He held it up and smiled at Rick, who only nodded back, he had other things on his mind. 16

From down the street, there was a faint hum Rick started to pick up, but from the angle of his seat, he couldn't look to well in that direction. The hum quickly turned into a roar, with flashing sirens. Rick left his table and ran out front, followed by several others. A lazer red 2002 Ford Mustang Cobra R flew by the bar, quickly followed by three modified Queen Victoria chase cars. Rick pushed his way through the small crowd and ran to the back parking lot to start up his Diablo. Jaime got out side just in time to see Rick, and Siren speed out of the parking lot after the Mustang. 17

"I'll take out the chase cars, you go up front and keep an eye on that Ford," Rick said.
Almost instantly, Siren's silver Porsche 911 Turbo sped up to pass Rick and try to get the Mustang. Rick held back and drifted behind one of the chase cars. Though his Diablo could easily out run them, he took his time to stay a good distance behind them so he can follow them better. 18

Upon seeing Siren's Porsche enter the chase, one of the chase cars started to make a bee line for it to run her off the road.
"Fuck off pigs..." Rick said to himself and reached in the passenger seat for a grappling hook clipped to a 60 ft chain. He turned on the computer in the car and it instantly took over, taking on a crusing speed of 90 and closely following the chase cars. He opened the sun roof and slowly climed out, holding on to a rail attached at the top of the windshield. Once on the roof of the car, Rick lifted the hook over his head, swung it and threw it as far as he could, letting the chain slide out of his hand. The hook hit the roof mounted lights on the last chase car and it violently swirved off the road, falling into a ditch. He pulled the chain back and cast it out again, this time ripping through the door of the next chase car. A cop in the passenger seat leaned out of the window and fired his hand gun a few times. Rick pulled the chain back for the last time and got back in his car, then conntacted Sirenover the car's computer.
"They're using weapons now Siren, I've done all I can."
"..And what you had wasn't a weapon?"
"I need you to take them out now!"19

Siren sped up to get along side of the Mustang, rolled down her window, and motioned the other driver to do the same. 20

"Let me take care of this, there's no way you're gonna take out two chase cars in that thing." 21

"I got it under control babe...Watch and learn" The Mustang sped up further towards an exit ramp, but Siren stayed close behind him. She followed him from the left shoulder of the road and watched him swirve through traffic like it was nothing. He slowed down a bit to let the chase cars catch up. it seemed like he was going to go straight down the road, but at the last second jerked the car to the right up the exit ramp, while the three chase cars flew down the road, missing the Mustang. The car started to lose control and went off the road, the grass eventually slowed it to a stop. Siren followed him off the exit, and into the field, where she opened the door as the car was still moving and jumped out. The Porsche rolled in the grass for a few seconds before coming to a complete stop. Just as the kid started to open his car door and step out Siren rushed him and punched him in the face, knocking him into the door. 22

"Watch and Learn my ass!" She yelled. As the kid started standing up again, she punched him yet again, and knocked him down. "You're lucky I don't have my gun on me, I woulda shot you dead on the road! What were you thinking taking on three chase cops in a Mustang, are you crazy..." Siren stopped mid sentence when she felt a hand cover her shoulder.23

"That's enough Siren, I'll take care of it." Rick stepped between them and let the kid get up, but as soon as he found his balance Rick also punched him in the face, knocking the kid into the car door again. 24

"What the hell were you doing, you coulda' gotten someone killed drivin' like that." Rick growled. 25

The kid held on to the car door, holding his jaw and looking up at this giant, "I take it you two are related..."26

"Howd'ya guess?" Dave and Jaime walked over to the small group, "We just follw'd ya, it's not evra' day ya see cars like t'at ya know. Can't say it was hard." 27

Rick turned his attention from Dave back to the kid. "Well?"28

"Look dude, no one got hurt, ok. I knew what I was doing, and everything's fine."29

"That coulda' been different though. You didn't have to get into a chase like that."30

"Dude, do you know what cops do now a' days? They find kids in Mustangs and go chase them, just to say they caught a Mustang. I wasn't doing anything and I had two cops on my ass. I don't feel like getting fined for something I didn't do just because a few cops ran outta donuts! You'd do the same thing too!" 31

Thinking the situation was getting out of hand, Dave pulled out a hand gun from his blazer and aimed it at the kid, Jaime took a few steps back. Rick held up a hand, and Dave lowered his gun. 32

"What's you name son?"33

"Ryan..."34

"You live around here?"35

"I'm from Mountain View..."36

"Ya' race a lot?"37

"Not really."38

"Tomorrow night this street's gonna be open for anyone who wants to run. The best racers in the city are gonna be there. Can I count on seein' ya?"39

"I'll try.."40

"You better be there, or I'll sick that Irish guy on ya." Rick nodded in Dave's direction, Ryan looked over just as Dave was putting his hand gun away. 41

"See ya' then." Rick turned around and started back to his car, that was pulled up next to Siren's. Ryan waited until they were gone before he got back in his car. His mouth and nose were bleeding and he had a few cuts on his face from Siren's rings. He fell asleep in the back seat of his car, eagerly waiting for tomorrow night.42

43

The day had gone by quicker than Ryan thought it would and he headed back down the bar from the night before, just as the sun was starting to set. He waited for a few minutes, but the street was completely empty, even the bar had no activity. Ryan cruised down the street a little more, and saw a Diablo, Corvette, Viper, and 911Turbo lined up on the side of the street, but that was all. Ryan pulled up next to the Viper and got out, cautiously approuching Rick.44

"Hey man, you said there's gonna be a race here"45

"There is, on the other side of town."46

"But you said the best racers were gonna be here....on this street..."47

"You callin' me a lier son?"48

"No...but, where are they?"49

"You're lookin' at 'em."50

Ryan took a step back and looked at the four, then realized where Rick was going with this. 51

"So, you wanna race me?"52

"Not exactly." Rick turned his head and looked down the road, it looked like it went on forever, the only lights were the street lamps that were just starting to go on.53

"There's a few things you gotta do first before you race me." He said, "I don't wanna be responcible if a rookie like you got hurt." 54

"Rookie huh? What do you want me to do, I'll do it."55

"Cocky, aren't we son?"56

"Stop calling me 'son'. What do you want!"57

"Down the road, about 20 miles from here is a pig house, ster them up and get some action going, we'll be behind you. Once you get them out, you have a 10 second head start."58

"Why get the police involve?"59

"It adds fun to the chase."60

"Where we racing to?"61

"Los Angeles."62

"What!"63

"First one there wins, it's you and me kid. The rest are just out to follow." Rick smiled down at Ryan, who was still trying to figure out, how he was to get to Los Angeles without getting caught by the cops. He thought for a minute, looking at the custom red-orange Diablo sitting before him. He had a strange sense about the car as he stared at it, because the car seemed to be staring back at him. He couldn't figure it out, but it almost seemed like it had a mind of it's own. It knew what was going on and was slowly prepping itself for the midnight race ahead. 64

"Well?" Rick's booming voice cut Ryan out of his trance.65

"OK, I'll do it. But what do I get if I win?"66

"You get to beat the best fuckin' racer in the state son, that's a good enough award."67

"But I thought you guys raced for money?"68

"Not tonight. So you in? If you are, we gotta go now to beat any traffic." Rick turned around and started back to his car. Before closing the door down he took one last look at Ryan and said, "Remember son....10 seconds." Then the door fell down with an echoing bang, and the high pitched engine of the Diablo started up, it's lights shining out down the street. Ryan got in his car and pulled out onto the road.69

The 5 cars quietly made their way down the road at a steady 50mph, with Ryan up front, gliding closely next to Rick. His car seemed to go from red to orange as it passed under the street lamps. Ryan tried to keep his cool but he could feel his palms sweating ontop of the steering wheel, and his arms were shaking. He glanced back at the Diabo every now and then just to get a look at it. It almost seemed to know he was looking at it. Rick flashed his lights and the cars stopped, up ahead was a small lighted building with about 15 chase cars out front. It was about 7 miles away. Rick lowered his window and motioned for Ryan to do the same. 70

"Remember, 10 seconds son, and I'm comin' after ya."71

"Will they come out?"72

"you said it yourself, pigs love Mustangs." Rick rolled up his window and revved his engine a few times. 73

Ryan took a deep breath and revved his, the put his car into drive and floored it. But since the car didn't have a good hold on the ground, the Mustang started to spin, Ryan turned the wheel, which caused the Mustang to spin out of control. Once the tires caught something the car shot off, hitting a gaurd rail. The other four all laughed. Rick counted in his head to 10, then moved his car up a bit, then the Diablo started climbing to 90mph in only a few seconds and rushed past the police station. Rick looked his rear view mirror and saw Ryan slowing catching up. But Rick was only going 90, his car could go much faster, he just wanted to give Ryan a chance, but a small one. 74

Ryan brought his car up to 120mph and passed Rick on the left. He was starting to feel a little better about the race, since he didn't see any chase cars coming after them, like planned, and he was winning. Hours went by and the sun soon slowly started to come up, and already Ryan was seeing signs for Los Angeles. But with the morning sun also came morning traffic, and Ryan tried to slow down a little. Once entering the outskirts of the city, Rick flew by him and into the morning work traffic that slowed Ryan down. He could easily see the orange car moving in and out of Californian traffic with ease. Ryan turned on to the shoulder and passed cars by that route. Soon enough it was all over. Not only did Rick win by almost 30 minutes, but also Siren, Dave, and Jaime also beat him. 75

"Couldn't match up to the top huh?"76

"You have a freakin' Lamborghini, you expect me to beat that!"77

"I've seen it done before." Rick leaned back against his car, he was so tall he could almost sit on top of it if he wanted to.
"It's a shame though," he said. "We're looking for a 5th person to race so we can enter the US Durby this year. 78

"What are you talking about?"79

"You're kidding right?" Siren stepped in. "The US Durby is the biggest race in the world. The close off major highways all around the country just so people like us can race. the winners walk away as millionaires!" 80

"Aren't you guys already rich, considering your cars and everything."81

"Not exactly," Rick said. "We use all our money on our cars, that's it. We don't have houses, or places rented out. Hell, the last place I lived was a 10 story appartment building in Philadelphia, that was little over 20 years ago. We rent out hotel rooms for maybe a night or something, but most night's we're out racing. Not exactly the healthiest lifestyle."82

Siren stood next to Rick and put her arms around him, "Guess we'll need to find someone else, huh?"83

"No." Everyone turned to look at Ryan. "I might not be the best racer in the world, but I can help you guys win...if you're interested."84

"Keep talkin'." Rick said, but it sounded like a whisper when a semi truck passed by them. they were met up on the outskirts of Los Angeles on the side of a highway.85

"OK, I used to work for the government a few years ago, and I helped them work on a computer that the army is developing that they can put in cars like HUMMERS so they can drive on their own and soldiers can go and fight in battles and not worry about the car. Thing is, the first computer was installed in a 1995 Ferrari F50. It shows nothing on the out side, it just looks like a normal car, and the unit itself looks somewhat like a radio with a navigation screen. F50's are prety freakin' fast, if we can get a hold of it..."86

"But you said you worked for them, how will you get it now?" Jaime asked.87

"We'll have to steal it, and with you guys, it shouldn't be a problem, since you all can out race a bunch of Jeeps and what not. It should be a snap. I know where it is, and I know how to get it out, I just need you guys to back me up. You in?"88

Siren looked up at Rick, who was looking at Dave and Jaime. "How long is this gonna take?"89

"We can do it whenever. The units are already mass produced, so they don't use the Ferrari anymore, but it's still there, and it still works."90

"Where is it?"91

"It's stored in a hanger near Area 51, it's easy to get to though, I know a few routes off the main roads."92

Rick looked down at his car, he knew they were caught, they could be arrested, fined big time, and would have to start all over again. He'd lose the small amount of money he had, and his Diablo, which he'd worked so hard to get for 19 years. He closed his eyes and thought about it. He knew with his line up, they could win the US Durby, so it was to continue living on the streets, or to accept this challenge, which would mean, lose it all, win it all. After a minute Rick looked up to Ryan. 93

"Lets get that horse."94