The prospect of undercover was exciting enough, but to be permitted and encouraged to fall so far into character was an exhilaration that Kogami had not anticipated. There were no cymatic scans to cause him the slightest hesitation and no Dominators to curb his rabid enthusiasm. The deeper he immersed himself into his role the better he looked, and the better he played the part. But he worried that he might have gone too far. On more than one occasion, he caught Akane watching him with trepidation.

Can't be helped, he thought. She's along for the ride now. We both are.

The Patriarchs led Kogami on a challenging cat-and-mouse chase through the heart of Los Angeles. Unlike the quarter mile, these were not protected back alley stretches of the city or sequestered side streets just off the strip. This contest was high stakes: complete with power slides through red lights, sudden turns on the fly, and rapid acceleration weaving through oncoming traffic and against the flow. he had a feeling that this was a test, the pre-game trial run before the actual competition.

"They must be communicating with each other!" Akane said. With one eye closed and the other watching through her fingers, she held onto the five-way restraint with the other hand as Kogami aggressively maneuvered the Porsche through a turn to keep pace with the Patriarchs.

"They've been a team for over three years according to the file," he replied. "They know each other's moves."

"Which gives them an unfair advantage."

Kogami grinned. "You're right. Only one thing to do."

"Kogami?" she whispered in warning.

"You want me to slow this down, so let me do that."

Kogami downshifted, which sent the Porsche lunging forward in response to the increased power output. Since leaving the off strip quarter-mile heats, he had kept his eyes on Tsuki's rear bumper, but now he set his sights on the RX-7. He cut sharply into the opposing lane to cut ahead of her for a new pole position.

Not expecting him to usurp her place, the Patriarch did her best to close the gap and prevent Kogami from eclipsing her. But when the lead car, the Skyline, made a sudden left turn across traffic, he downshifted again to transfer the Porsche's weight from the back tires to the front. Despite Tsuki's attempts to block him, he drifted passed her to claim the third place in their line up.

"What do you think of that?" Kogami asked, a big smile on his face. He glanced at Akane only to find her cowering in the seat with both hands over her eyes. "Akane?"

"I can't. I c-can't watch." She brought her knees up to her chest and buried her face in them.

"You trust me, don't you? It's just like a roller coaster ride."

"Thanks to you, I'll never ride in a roller coaster again." One eye glared at him from beneath her fingers. "Is this what you call slow?"

Kogami laughed at her remarks. "One down, two to go. Then you can open your eyes, okay?"

Gripping the five-point restraint as if her life depended on it, she waved him on with her hand.

For a mile-long stretch, there was a break in the traffic. Kogami used the opportunity to stretch the Porsche's legs in a hard sprint with the RX-7. Patriarch Sung entertained the notion and allowed him to pull even. With a tire chirp, the sprint was on, and the two cars raced for dominant position. Though BabyGirl had more to give than her current rival, Kogami matched the RX-7 quarter panel for quarter angel until the space ran out with the Porsche in the lead. Having underestimated the Porsche, Sung was just not fast enough and settled for third.

Before Kogami could make a move on the more agile Skyline, the Nissan took a sudden right turn into a parking garage. It was a last-minute, narrow turn that Kogami nearly missed; however, the Porsche proved reliable and made the acute angle through a precarious series of slides.

Avoiding a line of concrete barriers by mere inches, the car's tires fought to adjust themselves from the surety of asphalt to the slick surface inside the structure. The rear wheels spun furiously and sent the Porsche into a slide. To counter, Kogami looked to the winter sapphire hanging from the rearview mirror. As the centrifugal force pulled on the pendant, he adjusted for the speed and angle, allowing the Porsche to drift in tandem with the Skyline. Only inches from each other, door to door, the two high-precision cars danced in a directional right loop around the parking garage's ceiling supports.

The Skyline straightened only for a moment and, with tires squealing, began to drift to the left. It was a dangerous way to feel out a newcomer, but Kogami was certain the Patriarch, Brian, had seen the footage from the car show. So he downshifted and spun the wheel in a controlled glide, which caused the Porsche to sway from right to left in measured synchronicity.

Eyes open, Akane sighed in awe at the graceful ballet on four wheels. "What are they doing now?"

"I think we passed the test. At least the first part." Kogami kept his hand on the gear shift and his eyes on the winter sapphire. "I'm just wondering how far they'll go."

The Skyline straightened and sped into the second tier of the garage for another loop of drifting. This time they were joined by the RX-7 for a precision dance in high-performance horses. Heading into the first loop, the Skyline's lights momentarily flickered and then flickered again. Kogami reached for the headlight control and responded. The RX-7's lights flashed, and the dance of three became four as the Supra joined them. All four cars drifted right, straightened, and then drifted left in a carefully orchestrated waltz on wheels.

Finally, the Skyline's driver straightened the car, slowing the pace. Turning off his headlights and guided by only the dim glow of his parking lights, he drove up to the third tier where he came to a stop and completely turned off his lights. Kogami followed suit and pulled up beside him as did the remaining two drivers.

The darkness was complete. For a full three seconds. In an eruption of vibrant neon, the parking level burst to life with light, color, and the deep bass of electronic dance music. A crowd of 60 or more people blew noisemakers and threw confetti into the air. Holographic cameras replayed lucid camera footage of the cat and mouse chase from across the city, as well as Kogami's quarter mile heats and the qualifying runs from the car show.

The Patriarchs got out of their cars and joined the party goers. Showing only base interest, Kogami slowly got out of the Porsche and sat on the hood. Crossing his arms over his chest, he took in the sights. There were catering trucks, just like the strip, but these were serving wine and cheese. Serving gourmet ice cream, a vendor opened a second and third customer window, where another worker was handing out fruits and salads. There was even a truck serving bowls of noodles and fresh vegetables.

Joining Kogami at the front of the car, Akane squirmed anxiously at his side. Her stomach growled noisily as she eyed the food vendors with yearning. "Shouldn't you go after them?" She was on the case, but her eyes followed a couple as they left the ice cream vendor with cones in their hands.

"Can't look too eager. Besides, we haven't been invited," Kogami replied. He watched as the three Patriarchs made their way through the crowd to a tall, black man dressed in a blue Armani suit and shades. "That's him. The Pit Boss: Luda."

Before Akane could comment, her stomach growled again loudly. "Kogami?"

Kogami locked eyes with the leader of the Patriarchs and held the man's firm gaze before looking away. Putting a hand on her shoulders, Kogami nodded to the ice cream vendor. "We haven't eaten since breakfast. Why don't you go get a popsicle?"

"A popsicle?" Akane chirped eagerly. "I was thinking noodles." She held her hands over her belly to quiet the rumbling in the pit of her stomach.

"Suit yourself." Kogami laughed softly. "I think we passed the test. Might as well celebrate."

"Maybe I'll have a popsicle and then noodles," she mused aloud. "Do you want one?"

"Cherry, if they have it," he called after her.

Though Kogami wanted to take in the many distractions about him, his eyes were fixed on Akane. The micro kilt gave her a a flawless, long-legged stature that was difficult to miss but not difficult to appreciate, even in a crowd of attractive, scantily clad young women. While Akane's fresh look was quite alluring, there was a playfulness that enticed and teased him as he watched her walk away in her red Converse sneakers.

As a smile curled in one corner of his mouth, he leaned back on the Porsche and delighted in the subtle swaying of her hips. Being shorter than the vendor window, she had to stand on tiptoe to receive the popsicles, and the motion flexed her prominent calf muscles. He took a deep breath and committed the image to memory. There was a lot that he had missed beneath that gray business suit. A mistake that he would not make again.

"Hello, sexy."

Kogami turned to regard a woman dressed in all black ruffles and lace. It was as if someone had gift wrapped her in nothing more than a wide black ribbon and set her loose in the world. The fabric was barely enough to cover her substantial breasts and keep her decent in public.

With more than an ample amount of flesh showing below the mini skirt, she ran her hands through her dark hair and smiled up at him with a wink. "Those were some serious moves out there." She ran her hand along the inside of his knee and up his inner thigh. "How'd you like to show me some of those moves a little later?" Cocking her head to the side, she seductively rolled her tongue over her lips. "You don't mind if I have a seat, do you?"

"I do actually," he replied before she could sit beside him. Kogami brushed her hand away from his leg. "But not as much as she does." He pointed to Akane.

Standing aghast with two popsicles in her hands, Akane cocked her hip sharply to one side. She looked like a video game character before powering up and going ballistic in a final boss battle. Lips pressed into a thin, jealous line that made her look remarkably more mature than her age and remarkably more attractive, she tapped her foot irritably against the concrete floor. "Do you mind not touching him? There's no telling where those hands have been."

"No offense, honey," the newcomer said, "but you're yesterday's after-THOT. Out with the old and in with the new, I say." The interloper turned her back on Akane and leaned over the hood of the car, all the while staring up at Kogami. "Around here, lover, we throw the little ones back in the pond." She stood up abruptly and walked away from the car toward Akane. Snatching the popsicles from Akane's hands, the groupie licked one and then the other. With a surly, almost malevolent grin, she held the cherry-flavored treat up to Kogami's lips.

He raised his hand to stop her. "That was a bad move."

"What? Getting rid of her or leaning on your car?"

"Turning your back after insulting her."

The woman turned to confront Akane and was met with a vicious closed fist to the face. There was barely time for her to stumble back a step before Akane caught her a second time with a left hook. Blood trickled from both of her nostrils as she staggered like a drunken ballerina.

"Who are you calling an after-THOT?" Akane piped. Grabbing the woman by the hair, she dragged her around in a circle before throwing her to the ground. Taking the fallen popsicles, Akane shoved one down the woman's ruffled top. "Remember the cold the next time you set your sights on what doesn't belong to you." She was preparing to bury the other popsicle elsewhere, below the waist, to drive home her point, but Kogami wrapped an arm about her waist and held her back.

"You've made your point," he whispered in her ear.

Hands on her hips, Akane glared on as the woman slinked away in humiliation. Casting that intimidating scowl around at the assembled crowd of racers and spectators, she asked, "Anyone else?" When her challenge went unanswered, Akane settled herself beneath his shoulder and wrapped herself in Kogami's arm. "Didn't think so."

Trying with great difficulty not to laugh, Kogami held her close and did his best to console her. "Feel better?"

"You did say to act like an Enforcer."

Leaning his forehead against her temple, Kogami felt the heat rising from her skin. "What would Ginoza say?"

"He'd lecture me, but he'd blame you." Akane looked at her phone, working the holographic keyboard with one hand. Still angry at the intrusion, she growled at the display screen.

"What's wrong?"

"The translator isn't working," she complained. "What's a THOT?"

Kogami laughed uncontrollably. "You could always text Kagari. I bet he'd know."

Appreciating the recent display of driver performance and girl drama, the crowd applauded and shouted accolades. Slowly, the fanfare faded and the applause died away until there was but one man clapping: Luda Banks. Meticulously groomed, the Pit Boss grinned with the authentic presence of royalty.

"Bravo, Cerberus." The deep baritone of his voice reverberated in the silence beneath the garage ceiling. He gestured toward the wall holos and the various replay footage of Kogami's exploits through the city. "I owe you thanks."

"Cerberus?" Kogami questioned. "As in the Hound of Hell?"

"That's the name my Patriarchs have given you. It's rare that anyone can make their hearts beat faster than their pistons." The three Patriarchs stared at Kogami across the crowded room. As Luda approached, the spectators and racers between them parted, which cleared a path directly to Kogami. "The last driver to best Tsuki in the quarter mile drove that very car. But you are not that man."

"Not trying to be." Kogami tapped a cigarette from the pack and lit it. "Just looking for a little distraction."

"She's not enough?" Luda bowed, taking Akane's hand, and kissed the back of it.

"Man's got to have a little something on the side to keep him honest." He grunted audibly when Akane dug her elbow into his rib cage. The comment and her reaction brought laughter from the group and from Luda.

"Then you've come to the right city. Los Angeles is home to delights and distractions of of all kinds. I am the Lord Patriarch, Luda. But first, before we continue, I need to know, and I really need to know. Are you a tourist, or are you down for getting freaky with the natives?"

"Is that an invite?"

"An invitation. Given only because she's a native." Luda pointed to indicate the Porsche. "You're not."

Kogami watched the ash from his cigarette fall to the concrete floor. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Depends. Having bested one of my Patriarchs and put the others to task, I'm curious. And when I'm curious, the whole fof Purgatory is curious."

"Name the sport."

"The name of the game is Around the World."

"What's the entry fee?"

"A nickel," Luda replied. "A nickel large. This ain't go-karts, friend. You run here? You run with the big dogs."

"Then make it a dime," Kogami said. "I can't see breaking a sweat for less than $10,000."

Luda dropped back a step and deftly spun in a circle on his heel. With a half-cocked smile on his face, he leaned to one side as if gravity had suddenly shifted. "You got nice bookends, Cerberus," he said, eyeing Akane and then the Porsche. "I see that both of them can pack a punch, but are your pockets deep enough?"

"My girls can hold their own." Kogami looked at Akane with a wry smile on his lips. "They're proven, don't you think?"

"You certainly know how to make an impression." Luda watched close-up footage from the figure-8 track. "A dime you say?"

Kogami ran his hand across Akane's shoulders. "Pay the man."

Akane tucked her chin demurely and played the role she had practiced with the female vice cops back at the precinct. Reaching in her shirt, she tugged the roll of $100 bills from her cleavage and handed it to Luda with a respectful nod. Blowing him a kiss, she readjusted her push-up bra and retreated to Kogami. As he wrapped his arms around her waist and perched his chin on her shoulder, she sat back between his legs on the car.

With an eyebrow raised, Luda asked, "You hit that?"

"Every day. Sometimes three times a day," Kogami replied. He kissed her neck as she ran a hand through his tousled black hair. "But one man isn't quite enough, you know?" He rubbed his fingers up and down her thigh. "Some days I can't keep up. That's why I race fast cars."

"We all have our habits, Cerberus. If she can navigate as good as she looks, you might actually win back some of your cash." Luda turned to the crowd and held up the money roll. "Denizens, minions, fellow outcasts, we have a rare treat on the menu tonight: Around the World! Buy in is high stakes—a dime! You suckers in or out? Who's brave enough to drive against the big, bad wolf."

"Need to get my street cred back," Tsuki said. She tossed a wad of cash to Luda.

"I'm in," said Sung. He handed his payment to the Pit Boss, and behind him, Brian followed suit, putting his money in the pot.

"Now the house really is on fire. All three Patriarchs online?" Luda shook his head incredulously. "We have four. Is there a fifth."

"Make it five, Luda." Kogami recognized the driver of the BMW M5. "Need my street cred back, too," he said, glaring at Kogami.

"Is there a sixth?" Luda inquired.

Kogami crossed his arms over Akane's chest and from over her shoulder. "What about you, Pit Boss?"

A palpable tension swept through the crowd. Even the Patriarchs react with raised eyebrows or head shaking.

"Didn't mean to be rude," Kogami said.

Luda eyed Kogami with skepticism. "As tempting as my participation may be, someone needs to be the recorder of this deeds." Once more dramatically playing to the crowd, he shouted, "Five mighty horsemen and their steeds at the gate! A dime to buy in. Is there anybody up for these stakes and what promises to be a night to remember?"

"Count me in." Still counting money from the passenger seat of a green Mitsubishi Evolution, a man in his twenties handed over his entry fee to Luda.

With a satisfied smile that reminded Kogami of a tiger after slowly strangling its prey, Luda closed his eyes and raised his hands to the ceiling. "The betting windows are open, ladies and gentlemen. Make your wagers. Don't hedge your bets. Post time in 15 minutes!"

As the music was cranked up, the crowd swelled for place in the confines of the parking tier. The vendor trucks swapped food and drink entrees for betting tickets. Intermittently playing footage from the night's events, the holo screens were interrupted with a display of the participating drivers, their cars, and the odds of their winning the race.

Kogami frowned because the odds were clearly stacked against them and put BabyGirl down for a fifth place finish. With the uneven tide of the betting, the Porsche moved between fourth place and dead last, which did little for his ego.

Kogami threw his cigarette to the ground and crushed it out. "Got anything else down there I should know about?" he said in Japanese. Playfully reaching down into Akane's bra, he feigned fear as she swatted his fingers. "You played that out well."

"This is actually quite interesting," Akane replied. "Except for hitting that girl." She frowned in remorse.

"She deserved it."

"It made the point." Akane watched the swelling crowds at the betting windows. "What do you think would happen if there was a cymatic scanner in here?"

"I think it would have imploded by now."

"Five minutes until post time!" Luda shouted above the tumult of voices. "Drivers to the gate for final instructions!"

The excitement in the garage complex was tangible as spectators gathered around a central area near the exit ramp. As favored odds continued to fluctuate on the holographic screens, the truck vendors closed out their final bets and returned to serving food and drinks to the assembled party goers. But now, the dining fare was as high stakes as the race that was about to begin: escargot served with Black Cherry Cabernet, caviar and Pinot Noir, and Egyptian dates served with a spiced rum. Kogami was duly impressed.

Luda Banks held his hands up for silence and was answered. He smiled across the ocean of enthusiastic faces. Straightening the lapel of his expensive suit, he took a deep breath and sighed it out. "My faithful Denizens, welcome to a night of nights. As a courtesy to our tourists, I'll breakdown the finances. Around the World is the first order on the menu with a nominating fee of 10 large to buy in. That's $10,000 to get in the gate. Six cars have been entered. Six drivers have paid the fee. Six contenders will come to the line to be judged.

"That means a prize purse of $60,000, friends. There's a 10% service fee off the top, rendered for my facilitation services. Winner takes 50% of the remaining pot with diminishing returns for the driver who can Place or Show. Drivers, select your navigator." With a flourish of his hands, Luda turned to a line up of beautiful women behind him. "These girls have been around the world many times, if you know what I mean. You won't find more experienced navigators beyond this underground. Or," he cast a glance at Kogami and Akane, "if you've brought your own, it will save you 10% of your winnings. It's 10% of your purse for the ladies, if you win."

Kogami chewed at the inside of his lip and looked down at Akane. "Might get scary out there. I'm sure one these girls would be happy to sit in for you."

"Keep talking like that, and I won't need a Dominator to paralyze you!" she hissed in his ear.

"Fair enough," he replied. "You've been warned."

One woman from the line-up was selected by every driver, including Tsuki, who took her navigator by the hand and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"The appointed hour has come!" Luda said loudly. "Glory and light of poets! Virgil, initiate program!"

The lights went out, bringing complete darkness to the Denizens on the garage level. With a flutter, the neon lights and strobes slowly came back on until the tier was filled with a dim, eerie illumination and a low-creeping smoke.

"They certainly enjoy their theatrics," Kogami said.

"If it's supposed to be scary, it's working," Akane replied, gripping his arm tightly.

"If I cannot move heaven, I will raise hell," a deafening voice declared.

The voice emanated from every car speaker and subwoofer, phone receiver, and walkie talkie within range. In a fanfare of rolling percussion and blasting horns, the grainy holographic image of a man rose with a low wall of flames. The digital apparition was dressed in a simple, gray tunic beneath a flowing toga in the style of Ancient Rome. Phasing in and blurring out at odd intervals, the noble image of the famed poet finally coalesced in full relief.

"Wasn't exactly expecting that," Kogami remarked.

"An AI. Incredible." Akane stood entranced by the lifelike image. "It's like a holo avatar."

"At your bidding, Lord Patriarch, I have come. How may I serve?" The artificial intelligence bowed respectfully from the waist.

"Tonight, Virgil, the Denizens have requested Around the World," Luda said.

"Calculating." The holo faded into a swarming mass of miasma and light before coalescing into a definitive city grid and map of the city of Los Angeles. "Abandon hope all ye who enter here." A red blip pulsed on the grid. "You are here." There was a brief chorus of laughter for the AI's sense of humor. "Stand and send forth the champions."

"Scan for six contenders."

"Online: Tsuki—Patriarch Beatrice." The image of a forlorn woman in a form-fitting gown appeared on the holographic map. "Online: Brian—Patriarch Wraith." An amorphous apparition with yellow eyes phased in on the holo. "Online: Sung—Patriarch Charon." The silhouette of the Grim Reaper, hand extended for payment, joined tshe other markers. "Online: Error detected."

"State the nature of the error."

"Online: Reese—Patriarch Archangel. How is this possible? Do the dead dream of racing with the living? Initiate deletion?"

"Negative," Luda said, a hint of remorse in his voice. "Overwrite the code."

"Online: Shinya—Patriarch Cerberus."

Akane's grip on his arm tightened in fear. "How did it know your name?" She fell silent at Kogami's insistence.

Luda waved his hand in protest. "Correction. In his place of birth, people go by their last names."

"Correction parameter accepted. Online: Kogami—Patriarch Cerberus." The holographic representation of the three-headed hound of hell appeared on the map.

Kogami unfolded his arms and stood up. At nearly six feet tall, he was an inch taller than the Pit Boss. "Patriarch? Don't I have to earn that title?"

"She already has," Luda replied, glancing at the Porsche. "I only hope that you can live up to her legacy."

"Something's downloading onto my phone," Akane whispered to Kogami. She swiped across the screen to halt the process but the screen would not acknowledge her gestured command.

"My apologies," Luda said. "That would be Virgil. He has a tendency to be overly assertive."

"But why?" Akane questioned, helpless to stop the download.

"Virgil keeps track of the cars via GPS positioning during the race," Kogami answered. "But to access the maps and use them for navigation requires being plugged in. Am I right?"

"Virgil is your way to Paradise and the finish line. That is if you still want to race?" Luda responded. "I'll understand if you back out."

Resenting the insinuation, Kogami grinned. "Not a chance."

Luda clapped his hands together and cautiously patted Kogami on the shoulder. "Didn't think so. Once Cerberus has a sinner in his teeth, it's rare that he ever lets go."

"The way is prepared," Virgil said. The holographic map zoomed in on a coastal view of the city. "Whoever has courage in his breast, let him come forward, lace on the gloves and put up his hands."

Luda quickly glanced at his watch and, once more raising his arms for quiet, took center stage beneath the map. "The city's terminal has been hacked, courtesy of yours truly. For the next three hours, we have unfettered access to eight miles of the most pristine city streets from the strip to the coast. All traffic has been deferred to alternate routes in the city, except of course for local traffic. Consider that a bit of flavoring for the feast.

"If you stray outside of these barriers, you will alert the police and shorten the evening's festivities. Forget being disqualified, you'll earn a three-month ban from all events and forfeit your money.

"There are five pre-selected crossings that have not yet been determined. Your task is to navigate to those spots as quickly as you can, however you can, and get back here before your opponents do. You can't just be near the crossing, you must navigate through it, wherever that might be.

"You'll be sent out in 10 second intervals to loop the block," Luda explained. "When all players are on the map, the first crossing will be displayed. Thirty seconds later, the second crossing will appear and so on. Cerberus, you may not know our fair city, but there's no need. Follow the crossings and come back to the gate to win. It's post time, boys and girls. Saddle up."

Kogami opened the passenger side door to let Akane get in before seating himself behind the Porsche's steering wheel. After strapping himself in, he leaned over to help secure her harness.

"This Virgil is amazing," Akane said, working her fingers across the phone screen. "The application is incredibly interactive. Do you think Luda created it?"

"I'd have to say yes, especially because he seems to have such control over how it operates." Kogami caressed the stick shift until it was warm against the palm of his hand. "And to think that such a man would find himself sitting in an isolation cell if we were in Japan."

"Do you think you can win this Around the World?"

"Not according to these odds." Thinking about Phoenix, Kogami frowned and stared into the darkness at his feet. Despite the dim illumination, the winter sapphire captured what little light there was and cast a small blue halo across the console. "But when something is important enough, the odds don't matter."

"Standby, Cerberus," Virgil said through the car speakers.

Kogami watched intently as the Supra raced out of the garage area and down a level onto the street below. Ten seconds later, the RX-7's distinctive tail lights vanished into the darkness behind it. "Here we go."

Like Thoroughbreds being led to the starting gate, the cars were directed out of the garage with applause to await the commencement of the race. The field was an impressive one: a Toyota Supra, a Mazda RX-7, a Nissan Skyline GT-R, a Porsche 911 GT, a Mitsubishi Evolution X, and a BMW M5. With their lights cutting into the night, the cars circled like a frenzy of prowling sharks.

Giving an alert through a dull tone that reminded Kogami of a school bell, the screen of Akane's phone lit up with a holographic image of the philosopher. "The descent into Hell is easy. On your mark, champions. Three...two...one." As the first GPS crossing was revealed, there was a roaring of engines and the squealing of tires, and the six high performance cars scattered in what seemed to be every possible direction.

Kogami felt the firm embrace of the five-point restraint harness press against him as the Porsche raced forward with a tap on the accelerator. He settled back into the security of the bucket seat. BabyGirl reminded him of the sensitive, but talented stallion Touch the Sky. Bred to perform and in the right hands outperform any competition. The car was a masterpiece of craftsmanship and magnificence that he had ignored earlier, but now under the pressure, his confidence hinged on that quality, and not just skill. "What have we got?"

"An alley two blocks over," Akane replied. "Follow them. If you make a quick right turn here—"

"Find another way! Winning this won't happen by following the herd. We need to make our own path."

"C-can you safely do that?"

"That's why it's called Around the World, Akane. Virgil sets the crossing, and we get to it anyway we can. Now find another way."

"There's a section where the ally intersects with another street. It's directly on top of the crossing. But getting there, Kogami, you risk crashing into the other cars."

"BabyGirl is configured for street racing, this is what she's meant to do. There is nothing too challenging here for her, so long as I know how to handle the situation," Kogami said. "So help us know the situation. Look for a gap."

Akane opened the holographic imaging of the city grid and created a multiple-layered view to manipulate. "Speed up. If we can get there in the next few seconds, we'll miss the first two racers."

"Who's leading the pack?"

"The Supra. No surprise. Followed by the Skyline."

"Alright, count on Sung and the RX-7 to make up the distance." He downshifted and sped up through the narrow alleyway. "You can either close your eyes for this or help me through it," Kogami teased. "This might be a little scary."

Fear gave way to fury as her eyes narrowed. "If your driving was so good, why not make your move between the Skyline and the RX-7?"

"Alright, you're the navigator," Kogami said. He downshifted again and Porsche bolted forward, roaring in response to the demand as they sped through the narrow alley. The sound of the engine reverberated up the sides of the buildings and made the small car sound like a dragon on a strafing run. He could see the intersection of the alleys and had confirmation as a lavender blur shot across him, closely followed by the blurry, blue outline of a Skyline.

Akane clasped her hands over her mouth to stifle a scream. Her face went pale, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Kogami downshifted for good measure and punched the accelerator. BabyGirl responded with a hiss of rubber on the asphalt and shot forward with a burst of speed. There was a slight rise in the street as the Porsche sped across the intersection, which momentarily sent the featherweight 911 airborne. For a terrified moment, the RX-7's high beams appeared only a dozen feet away from Kogami's window before vanishing into the shadows behind them.

It was a narrow miss. BabyGirl landed with a skid that Kogami fought to control and then proceeded into the darkness. Fearing that his reckless maneuver might have spooked Sung, Kogami listened for the sounds of mayhem, but heard only revving engines and shrieking tires. Two more sets of headlights raced by to confirm all was well on course.

"Whew, that was close," Kogami said.

The holographic Virgil appeared above the phone screen. "Fortune favors the bold! Cerberus, takes third place!"

"You alright?" Kogami asked. He couldn't risk looking at Akane while stabilizing the steering wheel.

"Just give me a minute."

Hearing an alert from the phone, Kogami shook his head. "We don't have a minute. Where's the next crossing?"

"Kogami, the next crossing is behind us. Directly behind us."

"Don't panic," he said. "Find me the best place for a U-turn."

Akane quickly manipulated the map and zoomed in for a better layout of the immediate area. "There's a bakery ahead of us. There's a loading dock in the rear of it."

"Can we make it?"

Akane leaned over the console and put her hand in his lap, where she proceeded to rub her fingers along the inside of his thigh.

Kogami stiffened involuntarily and lost all focus. The Porsche fishtailed precariously and took out a trash can from the side of the wall. "Not like that, we won't. What are you ddoing?"

"That was payback for slapping me on the butt back in front of all those people," she complained. "Do I have your attention?"

"Fully."

"The bakery is a straight shot out of this alley, but watch yourself. According to these dimensions, there's just barely enough room to make the U-turn into a parallel alley. Don't get cocky, or you'll crash into the wall."

As they barreled toward the loading dock, Kogami turned the wheel hard, bending the Porsche to his purpose. Easing up on the throttle, the 911 drifted into the turn, until he tapped the accelerator again and let the wheels bite and grip the road. Missing the brick walls by inches, BabyGirl slid sideways out of the alley. Deftly, he straightened the car only for a moment, Kogami then threaded the needle back into the other alley to head back in the correct direction of the race.

"Slow down, Kogami, and I mean really slow it down!" Akane warned.

"Not often I hear you say that."

"Would you be serious? There's a slight turn leading to the crossing. You're heading into the first one too fast."

"It's called a dog leg," Kogami said calmly, glancing at the map. "Don't worry. It's not really a challenge." He accelerated and sent the Porsche flying into the subtle turn. Behind them and ahead, he could hear the distinct thunder of engines under duress and tires fighting for purchase on the asphalt. In the narrow city canyons of brick and stone, the reverberation of precision-tuned cars boomed through the shadows.

"Love conquers all," the holographic image of Virgil said. "Third place, Cerberus."

"Still in third," Kogami mused. "We can do better than that. Where's the next crossing?"

"It's about a half mile away," Akane reported. "Virgil didn't make it easy to get there either. There's new construction underway in the area. It's a virtual labyrinth of dead ends and switchbacks to get there."

"We can't afford that. Put that MWPSB training of yours to good use, Inspector. The obvious way is not always the best way."

"We usually have Enforcers to sniff out the less obvious course," she retorted.

"Want to switch? You drive, and I'll navigate."

She exhaled angrily and went back to manipulating the map. "There is a straight shot to the crossing, but it's not a road."

"What is it then?"

"It's a kind of aqueduct." Using calculations within the app, Akane added, "There's very little precipitation in this city, so I don't think there's much to worry about except the steep angles of the wall. If you can manage it, this shortcut will certainly get you ahead of the others. And it looks like the crossing intersects with a bridge."

"While they're crossing the bridge, we'll be going under it?" Kogami grinned at his good fortune.

"This car rides fairly low, Kogami. You could bottom out if you take that route."

"Why don't you let me worry about that." He tapped the brake and slid into the next right turn, which sent the car's tail end spinning in reaction to the accelerator. The Porsche responded with a more graceful slide as the rear tires bit into the asphalt and carried the car on course through the curves. "Where's this aqueduct?"

"You're driving right beside it, but Kogami—"

"Akane, you've got to trust me. So long as we stay parallel, we'll be fine." He let the Porsche ease over the side of the steeply angled aqueduct. Clearing the edge, he brought the car onto the sloped concrete and continued that angled approach toward the flat bottom of the basin.

"That was impressive," Akane said.

"We're not there yet."

Akane snapped her head around and glared at him. "You ask me to trust you and then you say something like that?"

"Just keeping it real, Inspector. Is that the bridge ahead?" He knew the answer to the question before she could respond. Four sets of headlights turned onto the roadway leading up to the bridge and then moved at speed toward the crossing.

Determined to make the checkpoint before Tsuki, Kogami brought the Porsche down off the slope. The car bobbled slightly, the undercarriage brushing against the concrete as he raced down into the basin area at nearly 80mph. Downshifting for immediate speed, Kogami pressed the Porsche for more power and blasted his way beneath the bridge as the fury of high-octane engines roared overhead.

"Trust not too much to appearances," the holo of Virgil said. "Welcome to first place, Cerberus."

"You did it!" Akane shouted.

"That was the easy part," Kogami said. "Keeping the lead? That's going to be hard. Can't imagine that second place sits too well with Tsuki. Where to next?"

"Looks like the course really does take us around the world. The third crossing has us heading for a port authority terminal on the city's edge."

"A shipyard and docking area?"

"Yeah. I can't believe Luda managed to shut down this much of the city. There's a causeway that leads directly into the terminal. You're headed straight for it."

"A causeway, huh? How long is it?"

"According to the map, it's nearly three miles long. If you exit this aqueduct on the right side, make one left turn and another right, you'll be right on it."

"Or if I take that ramp over on the left, we come out onto the causeway at full speed."

"That's a maintenance ramp, Kogami. Babygirl may not fit!"

"If she's got hips like yours, we might be in trouble."

"Kogami!"

Kogami downshifted again to bring up the Porsche's speed. He chuckled through gritted teeth and did his best to ignore Akane's furious glare. Her ire didn't last long. As he sped straight toward the ramp, she squealed in terror and brought her knees up to her chin to hide her face.

Once again moving across the differentiated slopes, the car's undercarriage lightly scraped the concrete due to the angle of the ramp. Given no room for error, Kogami squeezed the Porsche's slender profile through the narrow maintenance space and emerged onto the causeway in one piece. Except for the graceful, towering necks of the port's light poles on each side of the access road, they were alone.

"Are we still alive?" Akane whispered. Her hands were crossed over her chest as she clutched the phone beneath her chin.

"You can't exactly navigate from that position, or can you? Where's the next crossing?"

There were no headlights to be seen in the rearview mirror, but with the speed of the Supra and the Skyline, Kogami was taking no chances. He unleashed the full power of the 911's engine on the straightaway. The car's point of gravity shifted to the rear tires and lightened the front like a derby horse unleashed in the homestretch.

Akane's eyes went wide as the scenery passing by them blurred. Even the light beaming down on them seemed to meld together, becoming synchronous streaks, as the Porsche raced unchallenged down the causeway. "Kogami, how fast are you going?"

"Haven't hit 200 yet, if that makes you feel any better, but I'm working on it." He downshifted to punctuate his words with action. The Porsche lunged forward playfully and accelerated. Its speedometer reported a velocity over 190mph. "Akane, where's the next crossing? The end of this causeway is coming up fast."

Manipulating the layers with trembling fingers, Akane stared into the holographic map. "This can't be right. Looks like the next crossing is in a building, a warehouse of some sort on the north side."

"Actually inside the structure?"

"It's hard to tell. I can't zoom in any farther."

"Then it's inside."

"How do you know that?"

"It's a port. Everything here is commercial: massive inventory requires equally massive shipping crates and containers. Got to have room to store all of it."

Coming off the causeway, Kogami took his foot off the pedal and let the car drift into the outer perimeter of the shipyard. There was a lazy s-curve turn aligned between the towering stacks of containers. Kogami let inertia guide the Porsche through the drift and kept the vehicle on a strict apex to glide through columns of empty shipping crates. Stacked 80-feet high, the containers creating a metal labyrinth into the port and its docks.

"I'm guessing that's our destination?" Kogami pointed to a concrete-block building built on a raised foundation in the immediate boundary of the terminal's shipping and storage yard.

"It is, but I still can't tell where the crossing is. It can't really be inside that warehouse, can it? Maybe you should stay outside and see—"

"We improvise. You said north side?"

"Yes."

"North side it is." Kogami downshifted to second and let the Porsche drift sideways up the entrance ramp to prevent the car from bottoming out on the steep slope. Before the car's tires could get hung up over the edge of the concrete ramp, he tapped the throttle and slid onto the main floor of the warehouse. Nearly as large as a commercial jet hangar, the first level of the warehouse was a large, airy room with nothing more in it than dust, cobwebs, and a few plastic bangs skittering across the slippery floor.

Slowing to a crawl, Kogami guided the Porsche to the north side of the building and up a low ramp that led up to the next level. Meant to accommodate forklifts, it was a tight fit in the corridor. BabyGirl sat poised between the concrete wall and a flimsy metal railing that guarded a 15-foot drop to the floor below. As he continued on his course, the holographic image of Virgil popped up. "Easter egg! Congratulations! Go forth a conqueror and win great victories! First place!"

"Right now, Kagari would be wetting his pants," Kogami said. "As for myself, I have no idea what all that meant."

"By coming inside the building to make the crossing, you activated some sort of advantage. Kogami, the fifth crossing has appeared," Akane said. "And it says here that even after the other racers hit this checkpoint, the last one will not appear for a full 60 seconds because of what you did."

"So the Easter egg was a reward for taking a risk and coming into a tight spot." Kogami shrugged. "Can't let that go to waste."

Despite its diminutive size, the Porsche itself was now stuck in a tight spot. A right turn out of the warehouse was not possible without dropping a tire over the edge and bottoming out on the concrete. To avoid jeopardizing their lead, Kogami gunned the engine and spun the wheels to make a sharp left and continued on the second-floor walkway before braking.

"What are you doing?"

"You might want to close your eyes."

"Kogami!"

He punched the accelerator, but feathered the clutch until the Porsche's tires conjured smoke. The front end of the car remained virtually still, but the rear tires spun and shifted the back end of the car by 90 degrees. Once straightened, Kogami put the car into reverse and hit the throttle. The Porsche raced down the exit ramp backwards. Manipulating the clutch, Kogami shifted into first gear just before the back tires were about to hit the bottom. The car spun in a 180-degree J-turn and leaped forward at speed. He straightened out the wheel and raced away from the warehouse.

Sensing Akane's curious eyes on him, Kogami cut his eyes over to her. She was panting, struggling to catch her breath. "What?"

"When we get home, the first thing I'm going to do is get a Dominator and—"

"And shoot me?" Kogami asked. Feigning hurt feelings, he frowned and pushed his lower lip out for effect. "When I'm behaving myself?"

"Don't you dare make that face, Shinya Kogami!" Akane screamed. A bit of bass came into her voice. "You are far from behaving appropriately!"

He laughed. "Yeah, I know. But we're winning, doesn't that count for something?"

"You're hopeless." Akane bowed her head and groaned in resignation. "That must have been some physics class."

"It was." Racing back toward the causeway, Kogami worked his way through the maze of shipping containers and dock equipment. As BabyGirl raced away from the docks, the competition was speeding in to find the crossing. Kogami waved at them and playfully honked the horn before fully opening up the throttle down the three-mile causeway. "Looks like we lost one along the way. I only counted four cars."

"Considering the difficulty of this course, are you surprised?" Akane asked.

"I love this car. Think we can take her home?"

"Somehow I don't see Chief Kasei signing off on that."

"Too bad. I think BabyGirl would go a long way to keeping my crime coefficient in check."

"Or have just the opposite effect!"

"Now you're just being mean, Inspector. Where to, navigator?"

"The last crossing is a mile away the causeway access and two blocks to a roundabout," she replied. "We're right on that borderline that Luda warned about. If you cross that boundary, the police will come, and we're disqualified."

"I'll be careful."

The center of the roundabout featured a mahogany memorial obelisk that was decorated with wreathes of lights that simulated vines. Palm trees and street lamps, draped with the California state flag, were strategically placed on the perimeter at measured intervals.

"This must be a residential area," Akane said. "With the cars parked on the outside, that's an awfully tight fit." She stared at him and frowned. "Why are you going into the curve so fast? We have an excellent lead!"

"Still don't trust me, do you?"

Opting to ignore the brake, Kogami used the car's shifting momentum to slow and reposition the Porsche before gunning the engines to steer BabyGirl through the traction of the tires. While their lead was extensive, Kogami was taking no chances. More than likely the competition had opted to take the faster crossing point on the outside of the warehouse and were at that moment barreling back down the causeway to catch him. "Might want to close your eyes for this part."

"You said that the last time and it didn't help," she complained.

"Don't get mad at me then. I warned you."

BabyGirl decelerated for only a moment and then lunged into the first arc of the roundabout. Carefully positioning the Porsche, Kogami tucked the left front tire in a drainage channel on the inside line, which anchored the car as it rotated through a drift that sent the rear of the 911 flying at an almost 45-degree angle. Kogami watched the winter sapphire as it swung into position and marked how narrowly the Porsche missed multiple collisions with the parked cars behind it by merely inches. Straightening the car, Kogami raced back to the parking garage.

The holographic image of Virgil appeared once more above the screen of Akane's phone. "Wherever the fates lead us let us follow. First place, Cerberus!"

"Hey! Still with me?" he whispered to a stunned Akane. "Time to bring it home."

"Remind me to strangle you when this is over," she said in shock. "I think I just saw my life flash before my eyes."

"Painfully short? Uninteresting? I can help with that."

Lips pursed in fury, she glared at him and crossed her slender arms over her chest. The defiant act only served to make her breasts appear fuller as they pressed against the thin fabric of her top.

"You know, you look great," Kogami said. "Forget to mention that in all the excitement." When she didn't respond, he decided to provoke her. "Have to admit, I'm a little turned on—"

"Kogami! Drive the car!"

With a smirk on his face, Kogami tapped the brakes and let the Porsche drift at a slight angle into the parking garage. The applause was thunderous. The shouts from the spectators grew loud enough to drown out the Porsche's shrieking turbos. Alone in the winning pole position, he brought the car to a stop within feet of the appreciative crowd. Some seconds behind him, the first of the Patriarchs arrived: Tsuki. The lavender Supra came to a squealing halt, and the pretty driver, her lips pressed into a thin line, got out of the car and rested on the roof staring at him half in loathing, half in admiration.

One by one, the remaining Patriarchs returned to the starting point, Brian and then Sung. With each arrival, the swelling crowd grew more and more raucous until Luda held up his hand and called for their complete silence. Unsettled by the stillness, Kogami got out of the car slowly and went around to the passenger side to help Akane get out. Visibly shaken, she leaned heavily against him.

Luda handed her a silver flask. "Something to soothe your nerves," he whispered.

"Thanks, but I'm not sure I could keep it down." Akane glared at Kogami and refused the Pit Boss' offer.

Concern evident in his face, Luda checked the digital city grid. "Six horses ran but only four return to the stable?"

The Pit Boss pointed to the images flashing across the various holographic screens on the walls. The night's exploits were replayed in color from the hairpin in the alley to the wide open throttle on the causeway to the extended power slide through the roundabout. Luda held his hand out to a beautiful Hispanic woman with long, straight hair that swayed well below her waist. Dressed to kill in a silver mini-dress, she handed him a neat bundle of cash. "To beat the odds is one thing. To best my Patriarchs is quite another." He shook his head dubiously. "Not a bad pay day, Cerberus. Doubled your investment and then some."

"Did I live up to the legacy?" Kogami asked.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Luda bowed his head in respect and offered her the money. "Behind every great man is a goddess." He glanced at his own partner and gently kissed her on the lips. "And truly, you are a goddess. No navigator has ever thought to penetrate the surface of the holo map and see what Virgil can really offer. You'll be in high demand among drivers when the word gets out."

Without warning the neon lights of the chamber turned red and blue. They began to flash with intermittent pulses of white. "Virgil?" Luda asked.

"No other evil we know is faster than Rumor, unless it is a man's pride," the AI replied. "We are undone, Lord Patriarch. These games are finished and not of their own accord."

New images were projected from various angles. All of them showed the same scene of the BMW M5 from the race. Trailing the Evolution, the M5 slid well off the racing line as it tried to make the roundabout at speed. The rear of the BMW collided with the parked cars before sliding out completely and wiping out a truck. Still moving with some velocity, the BMW flipped over the truck bed and came to rest upside down in someone's well-manicured lawn.

"The barrier has been breached," Virgil reported. "Law enforcement agents are enroute. ETA 3 minutes."

"Well ain't that a bitch," Luda said angrily. "Amateur. Virgil, mark the driver of the BMW M5 for facial recognition."

"Facial recognition complete. Status for the driver of the BMW M5?" the AI inquired. A rotating image of the driver appeared in the middle of the room.

"Banish to the ninth circle."

"Never to be seen again."

"Not even for tea. That's a wrap, people!" Luda shouted. "You know the drill. Time for a scramble. Where are my lookouts?" Like the esteemed wagonmaster of a caravan, he gestured wildly in all directions of the garage level.

The normal fluorescent lights above the concrete floor winked on and momentarily stunned the crestfallen crowd as they prepared for an immediate evacuation. On foot or in vehicles, the racers and spectators quickly exited out of the parking structure. In a single-file line of cars, trucks, and minivans, they made an expedient retreat to the city streets, where they scattered in all directions.

"I do wish we had more time," Luda said with a heavy sigh.

"Is that it?" Kogami said, his tone ungrateful.

Reaching into his lapel pocket for a cigar, Luda handed it to Kogami. "Not by a long shot. I made a lot of money off you tonight, Cerberus. You're not the only one who brought home a big pay day."

"You bet against your Patriarchs?"

"Something in the stars moved me to do it. I have no regrets. I cannot say the same of Tsuki; however, she's going to want her money back one way or another. In some manner of contest. How's your hand to hand combat?"

"Decent enough."

Luda's eyes widened at the prospect of a martial combat. "No quarrel about hitting a woman?"

"Not if it's consensual."

Luda grinned mischievously. "Maybe the next head to head between you two won't require a road map." Above the fading screech of tires, incoming police sirens could be heard. A sober expression came to Luda's face. "Welcome to the family, Cerberus." He kissed the back of Akane's hand. "We race twice a week. Never on the same night. As always, let Virgil be your guide."

"Any tips on getting out of here?" Kogami asked.

"Not knowing the city could be a real disadvantage, even after your successful Around the World tour." Luda paused before climbing into the passenger seat of a yellow Corvette C5. "Virgil, plot escape route from the party."

"Carnival By the Sea," the AI replied. "Shall I set a crossing?"

"Set it and download to Patriarch Cerberus' navigator." Hearing the tone on Akane's phone, he smiled at Kogami. "The Carnival of the Sea is a tourist trap at this time of night. Park your car and get lost in the crowd. Good luck." Leading an entourage of vendor trucks and equipment vans, the Corvette darted down the ramp and sped into the night. Kogami and Akane were left alone on the emptied level as the lights in the garage began to dim.

"Guess, we're on our own," Kogami said. He watched the well-orchestrated scramble from over the edge of a concrete barrier.

"Not really," Akane said. She held up her phone. "It's Rodriguez. They're on the way here now."

"And when they arrive, we won't be here. Come on, get in the car."

Akane rolled her eyes. "Kogami, why do I get the feeling this is going to be a bad idea?"

"I don't know. This the most fun I've had since we got here. How can it be a bad idea?" Kogami quickly clicked himself into the five-point restraint harness. "Where to, navigator?"

"There's only one crossing. Down the ramp and make a sharp left."