BOOK 1 - CHAPTER 20 – BACK FROM THE BRINK
CHAPTER 20 – BACK FROM THE BRINK
"I'm so excited for my first Banzai Bangers event." Jamie spoke to Johnny. Who was reliving an old nightmare.
He occasionally had the same nightmare repeatedly. When stressful Banzai Bangers events were around. Johnny would manage to push on. He liked the thrill of adrenaline and danger.
He watched his brother get into his car. Johnny then climbed into his car. He taking a deep breath. "Remember Jamie you don't have to win or be aggressive. A lot of drivers die in the first few races because they make bone headed decisions." Johnny spoke with a calm tone.
"I'll be fine." Replied Jamie as both pulled out of the pits. They made their way with the rest of the field to the starting grid. Johnny had managed to get the pole for the race. While Jamie had a minor crash and had to start in the rear. Next to one the new recruits for Road Rage Renegades.
The Road Rage Renegades were a nasty bunch of a four-car team. The early years of the team couldn't find talented enough drivers. So, the team's owner ended up bribing the head of Banzai Bangers in recruiting to hire felons who had life sentences in prison. The felons though were carefully selected. Those who were not at risk of harming fans but could take out other drivers in a race with any means. Once a felon was selected, they were then given a fake identity and cover story to race. They were strictly monitored while racing.
The race started off poorly as two of the four drivers for renegade crashed out in the first few laps. Jamie unfortunately, ran into the wrecked vehicles. The damage wasn't noticeable until very later in the race when things would take a turn for the worst.
As the race dragged on, coming to the closing laps, Jamie reported to Johnny that he was suddenly starting to lose fuel. Johnny looked ahead of where Jamie was, who was five laps down. Johnny saw fuel spilling out from his car as he was straight away behind Jamie.
Jamie's car eventually ran out of fuel as his car came to a dead stop around a blind corner of already wrecked cars.
One of the two remaining drivers for renegades saw the spilled gas on the track. The driver had an idea to impress the crowd. The driver intentionally smacked the wall causing part of the bumper to come loose. It dragged behind the driver sparking as he drove over the end point of the leaking fuel. It ignited fast. The driver wasn't done yet. He saw Jamie sitting in his car. He drove into the rear of Jamie's car. Setting off the fuel tank as the car exploded into a massive fireball. His car was launched into the air as it landed on its wheels. Johnny watched in horror believing his brother was dead. He radioed to his brother who moaned and cried in pain. Jamie was able to escape the raging inferno without any serious burns. The problem what Johnny saw was Jamie crawling over the pit wall in agony. He told Johnny he couldn't feel his legs. He soon passed out from the pain. His brother would be paralyzed from the waist down after tte crash. Johnny since then had a grudge with Road Rage Renegade. He would try time and time again to cripple the driver who injured his brother. The driver soon vanished mysteriously after a few seasons of racing.
Johnny soon woke up with a start waking up in the medical tent. He looked to his left to see Qin and Margaret sitting on a bench. They both had a small bandage covering different parts of their bodies. To his right he saw Cleo and Lisa, who were peacefullt asleep in their beds. Qin quickly noticed Johnny. "Glad to see you awake." She said as she got up with Margaret to walk over to his bed. He tried to get up, but Qin pushed him back down.
"Where is Julia?" Johnny asked in concern.
"She is with Orion right now talking of what happened in the void portal." She replied. He then turned his gaze to Cleo and Lisa. Qin caught his glance. "They are just physically and mentally exhausted. They will recover they just need rest." Johnny sighed with relief before asking his next question.
"What exactly happened when I finished the race and how long was I out for?" Asked Johnny.
Qin quickly went over how they healed him after he passed out. Then they escorted him back in the prototype with the help of Albert. Then how they were fighting endless waves of rift eaters. To where she had gone berserk. After that she couldn't recall anything more. She finished the story with him being out for a only a day.
"So, you can't recall anything after that." Asked Johnny. Qin just shook her head in response.
"What about you Margaret?" He asked. She just told the same tale. Except gave her part of the tale of them getting into the prototype and trying to save Qin before they all collapsed from exhaustion.
He just sighed and asked Albert what the Ai knew. Albert said the same thing but was puzzled when the core overloaded. The Ai lost all records of what occurred after that. The AI just managed to wake back up when Johnny had.
Johnny pondered on the idea they almost lost. I really need to learn healing if that is even possible. His thoughts were interrupted when Julia walked in with Orion. He saw Julia was bandaged up. She had bandages around her forehead and arms. They were both talking low so Johnny couldn't make out the conversation. Julia then quickly spotted him. She excused herself as she ran over to Johnny.
"Thank the Radiant you are awake." Julia said as she ran and hugged Johnny crying. Orion had a look of frustration on his face when she ran for him. Orion just sighed as he left. "I hope next time we won't need to save you all again. I have also returned the void core for tranport to thexalliance HQ. They are going to study more on the intact core."
Johnny thabked Orion before looking over Julia. "Are you okay? I see you have been bandaged."
"That is sweat you are concerned but I am fine. Nothing my healing magic won't fix when I recover my mana." She finished.
"So how did we all end up back here." Asked Johnny?
"Orion was the one who saved us all. He didn't tell me much after I had passed out. Does Albert have any idea?" Asked Julia.
Johnny just shook his head in response. "Albert told me went offline after the core overloaded." Added Johnny. Well, no one has any clue what has occurred. As he thought more an idea came to him. He quickly asked Albert if the prototype had any log histories. Albert was silent for a few moments before saying the prototype did have a log history. He then asked Albert if he could pull up the information. Albert said he didn't have access to that information.
Johnny informed Julia he may have a solution to knowing what had occurred when they all passed out. "I need to have a look at the prototype's logs." Johnny was weak as he tried to stand. Julia took his left side. She ordered Qin to take his left as they walked out of the tent. Margaret was about to join them when she told her to stay back and let her know if Cleo and Lisa awoke. Margaret sighed with frustration but followed her orders. The three of them slowly made their way to the exit of the tent.