Sean revved his engine, trying to stay in the lead as he asked Nate over the roar of the engines. "Nate, should I be worried?!" Nate's response came quick as he told him. "YES! Don't let him get the platform!" Sean saw him gaining up on his right in the rearview mirror and drifted into his path. Rebel Wing's leader was dressed completely in tight black leather that was complete with a sleek black full helmet with a red visor. Rebel Wing was forced to slow behind him, but his engine revved to show how much that move had pissed him off. Sean listened to Nate telling him how close the platform was, while watching Rebel Wing closely. Rebel Wing tried to move around him, but Sean drifted into his path again. Sean didn't like racing like this, but he didn't know what Rebel's Wing's bike could do. Rebel Wing revved his engine loudly, then hit a charge and slammed into the back of Sean's back. Sean yelped, hunching over his tank as his baby lurched forward.

Without a front wheel, Rebel Wing's front easily shoved the ass of his bike. Sean tried to drift out of his way before he fucked up his back tire, but it was too late. The hovering engine of Rebel Wing jammed into the tire, making Sean's tire start to sputter as it started to jam up. Smoke billowed from Sean's back tire as his tire squealed against the racing pavement beneath it that it couldn't keep up with now. For the first time, Sean panicked. Without his back tire, his bike was going to flip out at this speed. Over the speakers, he heard a deep Cajun voice yell something at Nate, before Nate yelled at him. "Sean, switch tire modes! NOW!" Sean didn't think, he flipped the switch and felt his tires switch from driving tires to hover tires. As his wheels shifted sideways, Sean struggled to keep his bike straight. This wasn't the pavement for hover tires, but it had taken the stress of his back tire. Allowing Rebel Wing to push him without any resistance. This came at a price though. While his tires were safe, he was practically coasting on the pavement like a plastic disc on an air hockey table.

Rebel Wing nudged his bike, causing Sean's bike to turn sideways as he continued to push him toward the dome wall. Sean revved his engine, hoping that if his back tire made contact with the wall that he could get enough traction to boost his way away from him. Rebel Wing gave him a playful salute, then backed off him to speed off toward the glowing circular weapon platform just ahead on the other side of the road. Sean cursed and he heard Nate do the same. However, Sean wasn't going to give it to him. Turning his handlebars, he yanked his bike to hover up the sides of the dome wall. Spiraling up the side and clinging to the bike as it went upside down, Sean hit his plasma charge to speed up. His hovering wheels sprang into ripples of green flame, shooting him off with better traction since the dome wasn't made of pavement. Sean hung on and found himself drifting down the wall on the other side just in front of Rebel Wing. Their fronts slammed into each other as they both spun out over the platform at the same time!

Sean could hear the civilians screaming with excitement outside the dome wall as he leaned hard on his bike to help it face the right way. Just before his bike hit the wall, he switched his tires back and took off with another pulse from his plasma charge. Rebel Wing was not so easily lost. His massive rounded back tire rotated flawlessly to adjust itself, charging right back after him! Over the speaker, Nate told someone in shock. "They both got it! Holy shit! Is it supposed to do that?" Sean heard Al state out in shock. "No... But then again... No one has crossed it at the same time before. We'll have to fix that..." Upon hearing that, Sean looked down to see that he had his weapon light on, before blurting out. "Oh, shite!" Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Rebel Wing rushing up on his right. What weapon did he have? Sean saw a panel slide back on the engine of Rebel Wing's bike, revealing what looked like a small cannon. Over the speaker, Nate yelled at him. "Sean! Hit your break!" Sean's fingers grabbed the break, but Rebel Wing drifting in behind him to slam into his ass.

Sean heard the loud 'BANG' of the cannon and looked back thinking it was his end. From the little cannon something small and glowing shot out. It avoided his bike entirely and deliberately sought him out! The little glowing piece snapped around his wrist like a tight bracelet and then sent a weird light back to the handlebars of Rebel Wing's bike. It was like a leash made of static. Rebel Wing then shot off away from Sean, causing Sean's back tire to slide into a one-eighty. Sean reluctantly watched Rebel Wing dash off, completely lost with what had happened. Over the speaker, Nate yelled to him desperately. "Sean! Don't lose him! Stay with him!" Sean was going to ask why, when he felt the bracelet shock him and began to pull his arm away from the throttle! The damn thing was a leash! Taking off after Rebel Wing, Sean leaned over his engine to get as much speed as he could. He just had to stay within proximity to Rebel Wing to keep from getting shocked or yanked off his bike.

Over the speaker, Nate told him nervously. "Watch your back. The other racers are catching up to you two. They'll be on you by the next turn." Sean stared at Rebel Wing's taillights, asking Nate hopefully. "I'm out of charges and at this rate, I'll never catch him! Nate, what have you got?" Sean heard Nate typing quickly, before telling him reluctantly. "There is stuff after the next track... but Sean, you'll have to take the water track." Sean drifted a little to the side, saying firmly. "Fine! She can handle it." Nate groaned, before telling him seriously. "No! Sean, you're attached to Rebel Wing! He can't take the water track! He's going to drag you into the mud track!" Sean narrowed his eyes on the split that was coming up on the turn and told Nate sternly. "Like hell he is!" Nate's voice was shaky when he informed him just as sternly. "Sean, no! His bike has eight charges! He'll burn them to force you over! If you follow him, you can try to ride the rail with your hover-" Sean shook his head, snapping out. "NO! If he gets me on the mud track, I'll spin out if the rail is jammed! I'll never recover. I have to risk it!"

Nate muttered fowl curses under his breath, then told him anxiously. "If your hand lets off that throttle... Just hold on for another minute and it will detach." Approaching the turn, Sean leaned hard and close to the wall. The turn had put him right next to Rebel Wing who had to take the turn wider. Straightening up, Sean revved his engine hard to go straight for the right lane. The right lane road ended and dropped down to a lap pool that was designed like a four lane road. It even gave off a beautiful blue glow from the lights under the water. While the left road, dropped down to a heavy mud track that would give the Impact racers a run for their money. They both headed to the track they wanted, until the sparking leash between them went tight and jerked them both to a stop. Glancing back, Sean saw that the sparking line wasn't just attached to him but also to a small disc on the tail of his bike. A safety link to make sure he didn't lose his arm. Both bikes squealed loudly as they fought the horsepower of the other. The line had attached to the divider to keep people from doing this. One of them would have to give in.

Sean revved his engine, feeling his baby jerk and strain against the line. The Rebel Wing revved just as hard, jerking forward and pulling Sean back. Sean groaned as his baby squealed sharply and began to sway from side to side to try and get traction. The Rebel Wing had a lot more horsepower. It became a struggle to keep his hand on the throttle when the line was trying to pull his hand off it! Smoke covered the track like a fog from their tires. Racers started to whiz by and yelped when they realized they were swaying in the fog. The Racers were able to drive right through the line, completely unhindered by its sparking or strong connection. Over the speaker, Nate warned him seriously. "Sean, he's going to start burning charges and you're going to be fucked when he does! The guy's engine is too much for her!" Shaking his head, he yelled out in frustration. "SHE CAN TAKE HIM!" Risking movement, Sean let his thumb flip up a switch and pressed the button to unleash his weapon.

Immediately, the golden frame of his bike rose and shifted around to form the golden frame of a dragon body. Her head curled over the front tire, her eyes the green headlights and her legs gripped the sides of the tires. Her long tail curled over the back of the tire to protect it from all sides and from the sides her glittering green wings unfolded down the sides of the tank. Revving the engine, her head rose to roar and spewed green flame from her glittering gold jaws! From the spikes on her tail and wings more green flames shot forth like green jets. Sean laid over her as her tires squealed and then caught fire before shooting forward. He launched off the road and free fell toward the pool, before her wings shot out at her sides to glide out over the pool track. Sean glanced back to see Rebel Wing's bike spin off the track and into the pool just as the bracelet disconnected. Feeling massive relief, Sean cheered and patted the tank of his baby. He hadn't thought that would work. Al had told him that the Tech and Speed module was only a prototype. The first of its kind. Of her kind.

Over the speaker, Sean heard Al and his master cheering loudly. "SHE LIVES! SHE WORKS!" Nate told them to shut up because he couldn't focus, and Sean laughed. The feeling of flying was giving him a powerful rush! As he flew over the pool track, he looked down to see the other Racers were distracted with him. Over the speaker, Nate told him calmly. "Sean, that weapon won't last long so be sure you use it when you land!" Gliding down to the next track just past the pool track was the wet track. Sean prayed this worked. It had failed the first three times he tried to land. Whispering sweetly to her, he braced for a rough landing. Her legs moved off the tires, bracing for the landing. Hitting the ground perfectly, her legs absorbed the shock and lowered the tires to the wet track to let him take off flawlessly. Her legs went back to gripping the tires, then her tail suddenly lashed out behind him to slam her spikey tail into the front tire of the three wheeler bike that road up on him. The tire blew with a loud 'BANG' before drifting to slam into the dome wall.

Someone rode up on his left and her head turned away from the front tire to snap her jaws at the tire and when she missed, she snorted jets of green flames from her nose to force him to slow down. When the guy backed down on his left, her head thrashed to the right to try snapping at another man that was coming up fast. Sean couldn't look at them. He had to keep his focus on drifting around the sharp corners of the wet track. Drifting around one off the corners, he saw her snort jets of flame at a man who jerked his board up to block the heat. As the weapon ended, her head went back to position over the tire and her tail curled around the back tire. Even her wings curled back to hug the tank. Her body was supposed to transition back to the bike frame... but it didn't. Sean cursed. Had to be a lose wire. He couldn't mess with it now. Noticing the man still next to him, Sean chuckled as Rat told him over the roar of the engine. "Impressive! No wonder you kept her a secret!"

Sean nodded to him, happy to see that Rat had managed to recover from his fall. As Sean raced down the wet straight away, Rat whistled to get his attention. When he looked, rat pointed behind him. Looking back, Sean groaned with disgust. The tracks had merged behind him and coming off the mud track was Karl and Bradley. Karl drove a UTV that had a glowing skull on the front with glowing pink eyes and armor around his four wheels with spikes. Sean saw Bradley speeding up to them and turned his eyes back to the road. Along the wet track, holograms began to appear. Some were of women that danced across the track, or of men that tried to jump in front of them to force them to collide with them. Sean knew from the way Mark talked before that these holograms were avatars of paid Nobles in the crowd. A girl screamed as Karl burst straight through her. Since Karl had an Impact vehicle, crashing through the holograms was nothing for him. Sean had to focus harder as he swerved around a few of them. On wet pavement, quick turns could cost him.

The holograms cheered and waved as drone cameras soared overhead to follow the racers. Bradley moved in on Sean's ass, causing Sean to ask Nate hopefully. "Where is Rat?" Nate typed, then told him in a rush. "Going for a Tech weapon. It put him in third. They are gunning for you, Sean!" Sean heard a cluster of holograms shatter to his left and saw Karl using a plasma charge to close in on him. Sean veered right to avoid the hologram of a pillar that shot up from the ground, bringing him right next to Bradley. Bradley kicked Sean's tank, causing Sean to drift away as his bike wobbled on the water. Barely keeping his baby up, Sean yelped as Karl pulled up beside him and drifted into him. Bradley did the same on his other side to pin him between them. Sean revved his engine and when it failed to shake them, he tried to break. It didn't work. They had him pinned! They forced him straight toward a pillar, knowing if he hit it that it would shut his bike down.

Frustrated with both of them, Sean thought about trying to hit Bradley at the risk of letting go of his throttle, when he saw movement and smirked. Bradley looked back to see Rat grabbing onto the tail of his bike. Rat flashed him a grin that pissed Bradley off enough to punch Sean in the elbow in the hopes of forcing his hand off the throttle. Rat hopped off his hover board entirely, wrapping his arms around Bradley's neck and veering him away from Sean. Sean took the opening, just barely missing the holographic pillar. Over the speaker, Nate told him in sudden shock. "Holy shit! Don't look behind you! It's a cluster fuck! Everyone is slamming the hell out of each other! Keep your lead, Sean!" Sean huffed, glancing at Karl who was still chasing after him, crashing through holograms with a vengeance. Sean skimmed over a plasma recharge that he saw coming up. Threading between two pillars to do it. Karl smashed through it to get his recharge, then used one to rush up and slam into the back of Sean's bike. Over the speaker, Nate suddenly said surprised. "Sean, Scorpio and the Rebel Wing are coming back up fast!"

Sean groaned as he tried to keep Karl from shoving his back tire too far to one side. The first person he saw was Scorpio approaching alongside Karl. Scorpio had gotten a weapon at some point because his bike was back to all fours and the scorpion tail was trying to take aim at him again. Sean used a plasma charge to dash ahead, rushing between tight clustered pillars to try and shake them, but both were crashing through the pillars. Over the speaker, Nate told him breathlessly. "Hang on! The last turn is coming up! There is a weapon platform right at the entrance!" Sean tried to keep a row of holograms between him and them. Risking tight turns to squeeze through pillars to keep them from aiming anything at him. He only started to panic when Rebel Wing roared past them using charges to smash through the holograms faster and miss the ones that he could. Scorpio used a charge to speed up on Sean, setting himself up to fire. Sean braced himself to get hit, until Karl sped up and hit Rebel Wing. Rebel Wing's massive single tire suddenly sprouted spikes, popping Karl's front tire.

With his tire popped, Karl's UTV flipped when it tapped the wall at his speed. Scorpio became distracted by it and Sean rushed forward to reach the weapon platform first and drifted into the last turn. He could hear Scorpio and Rebel Wing fighting it out, but his eyes were on the finish line. His heart was racing so fast that he couldn't remember if he was breathing. Revving his engine, he started using his plasma charges to get the extra distance. He didn't think he had ever gone so fast in his life. The crowd screamed and jumped to their feet as he drew closer. He was seconds away, when Rebel Wing started burning through his remaining plasma charges and slipped by him right at the line. Unable to slow his bike from the sudden shock, Sean shifted his weight too far and his bike fell to its side and skidded a few feet before slowing to a stop. The crowd cheered and gasped. While Sean laid still across the pavement to catch his breath. He had never lost when he was trying his best. This hurt like a blow to the balls. His title as an Elite was gone just like that... Mark was going to be pissed.

Sean took his time getting up and setting his baby back up on her kickstand. The other racers were driving in now, but Sean was too lightheaded to care. The only ones that didn't finish were Rat and Bradley. According to the announcements, Rat was injured, but Bradley was dead after they fought. Ending with them steering into a cement wall at the last turn. Sean could imagine Rat was pretty happy being the only one carted away with broken limbs. Scorpio and Karl didn't waste time though. As the other Racers were celebrating a wicked race that had them all panting and talking to each other excitedly, Karl suddenly yelled out. "That's it! The pampered slut LOST! HA!" The Racers all fell silent and so did the crowd. The Leaders looked between Sean and the Rebel Wing. Swallowing his pride, Sean approached the Rebel Wing leader and extended a hand as he told him respectfully. "Congratulations. The Elite Slum Dog title is yours." The Rebel Wing removed his helmet to set it on his bike.

Rebel Wing shook his short brown hair free, a smile spreading over his lips. The older man accepted his hand, then told him in a surprised voice. "A Dog of your word. I can respect that. But I don't want the title. I did this to keep my undefeated record. Nothing more. I'm too old to play War games. I'll step down, but in return... You better not destroy my family." Sean squeezed his hand, feeling uplifted as he told him. "You have my word as a Slum Dog." The man nodded, then looked to the others. The other Leaders banged a fist to their chest, but Karl and Scorpio's jaws dropped in utter disbelief. To Be Continued...