CHAPTER 23 – THE "EXPLOITER" AND THE RAMBLING WRECKER
The fighting was intensifying in the city as the red crystal palace was taken over. Johnny and his group made their way into the red palace's fortress wing. The fortress wing of the palace had three floors. Julia and Johnny took the top floor. While Qin and Cleo took the main floor. Leaving the basement for Margaret and Lisa. Johnny was the first to find the chosen. He was at one end of the fortress while. Julia was at the other end of the building. He quickly alerted Julia of the situation. She then alerted the others as they headed his way. Before they could get there, Johnny was suddenly pulled into the room the chosen was sitting in.
Johnny was surprised at the force that was pulling at him. His body was trying to be sucked into a small hole that led to a room. The way his body was trying to be sucked in would kill him. He managed to burst a hole in the wall. He went headfirst throw the hole. "Here's Johnny." He yelled as he shot into the room and rolled,
Johnny heard a voice as he got up brushing himself off. The voice made his body go cold with anger and dread. "Well, if it isn't Johnny." A man said sitting in a chair. The man was sipping a drink from a glass. Johnny knew this man but had no idea how he got here. The man was the missing Road Rage Renegade driver from many years ago. The driver was responsible for crippling his younger brother. The driver went by the name of the "Exploiter".
Johnny completely forgot about the others as he rushed the man. The man let out a rough laugh as Johnny tried to reach him. Johnny was determined to cut him down. Before he could even touch him, the man pushed a button on a table he was sitting next too. "It is time we finished our little feud once and for all." Before Johnny could respond they were both sucked into a warm hole. He was blinded by endless darkness.
When Johnny was able to focus. He found himself sitting in prototype. The outside of his car was a different design. He found the body of the car was a 67 Chrysler Imperial that he had named the "Ballistic." He then scanned the surrounding area. He first noticed the Rambling Wrecker with the "Exploiter" behind the wheel. The Rambling Wrecker was a tow truck given to the driver a year before he mysteriously disappeared. The tow truck was painted neon orange. With other reds, yellows, and oranges painted to look like it was on fire. The truck's front bumper was all brown as it was rusted out. The body of the tow truck was covered with various dings and dents from racing over the years. All the lights on the truck were either broken or missing.
What worried Johnny was the armament and weapons the tow truck was carrying. On top of the roof was a missile launcher. It had six missiles loaded onto a rack. On the hood were two gatling riffles on either side. The front end of the truck had a wedge-shaped plow. The plow had four small holes in it. Two to launch flame throwers. While the other two shot off beams of plasma. On the rear of the truck, it carried land mines. The truck also had barrels of oil the magnetic tow cable could throw at opponents. The barrels could also drop oil slick. Though what made the Rambling Wrecker famous was the tow cable. The cable had a magnet hook line that would trap another driver by swinging them around like a wrecking ball into objects and obstacles. Many drivers died from the magnetic cable.
Johnny gulped as he looked at the truck a final time as he got a better look at his surroundings. He found himself in an old Banzai Bangers derby bowl called the "Grave Pit". The event got the name for its purpose. Drivers who had grudges against each other could face off in a one on one to the death derby. Any type of vehicle could be used. As long as it only had four wheels. No mounted weapins or guns of any kind could be used. The event was popular with fans of the sport. Banzai Bangers eventually axed the event as too many of their good drivers weren't worth losing. Also, the cost for keeping the event running was too much. The arena was state of the art. It was more of an experiment that Banzai Bangers had tried to test.
The arena could change into any landscape or idea. In the center of the arena rose a circular platform. In the middle of the platform sat a multi-colored changing sensor. Whichever driver ran over it first could choose how the arena environment was chosen.
The constant changing of the arena environment was the final nail in the coffin for the event. It used up so much electricity in each event. It nearly drove Banzai Bangers bankrupt. It was only used once a year for a day.
Johnny realized why he was now in the "Ballistic." He needed a vehicle that could keep him alive. He only used the car in feud matches against others. He wanted to survive so he go the best car he could use. The last event was supposed to have him face off against the "Exploiter". The Rambling Wrecker's driver. He never got the chance since the "Exploiter" just disappeared before the main event and was never found.
The first thing Johnny tried to do was contact Albert and the others. He wasn't getting any response. His thoughts were interrupted by a voice on the prototype's radio.
"I hate to tell you that all communication to the outside world has been cut off. So, no one can help you. It also has been far too long Johnny." Said the voice on the radio with a sadistic tone. The voice continued after a brief pause. "It is too bad I didn't add your brother to my tally of kills. If I had claimed him, I would have beaten the all-time death score of 23." The "Exploiter" just sighed in frustration. "At least I hold the number of crippling injuries of any driver of 45, and an injury count of 145." The man smirked to Johnny from inside the Rambling Wrecker as he continued to brag about his stats.
Johnny wanted to cut him off by telling him that the record had been beaten by another driver. He wanted to wait and use that to his advantage to make his opponent make a mistake from getting angry.
"By the way Johnny. The orc you ran into before he was killed. Let me have the chance to deal with you if he failed." Johnny looked back at the "Exploiter" with murder in his eyes.
"No one knows how I disappeared. I was frozen in time and was told I would have the chance to kill you with no witnesses. I would get to do it on my terms without Banzai Bangers interfering." The "Exploiter" said with a toothy grin.
The "Exploiter" continued his rant so much Johnny just began to ignore him. He half heard his comments of where he was arrested at the Death Derby: Euro Enduro. He was left in prison to rot. Then how he was recruited into Road Rage Renegades. Then more on his disappearance again. Johnny was so bored of listening to the story. That he fell asleep on his wheel. Even the "Exploiter" didn't seem to notice Johnny snoring away.
Johnny was woken up and he was given a message on prototype's on-board terminal. He was alerted that he needed to select weapons to use for the prototype as well as armor. He would only allow eight selections of either armor or weapons. He tried to select some weapons was given an access denied prompt.
The "Exploiter" came back on the radio to taunt Johnny again. "Oh I am sorry I forgot to mention. Unlike with Banzai Bangers where they don't allow weapons. I can use them, but not you Johnny. The loathing one has let me set up the rules for our duel. I have made it so you cannot use any weapons. Also, your car isnt invisible to any damage." The man laughed with an evil snarl.
Johnny was livid and wanted to be angry. "My only way of beating him it to out defense him." Sighed Johnny as he decided on what to use for defenses now that he couldn't use weapons against his enemy.
Johnny thought fast as he decided what would work against his opponent. The first thing he chose was to make the prototype nonmagnetic. "There now he won't be able to use his tow cable on me." He thought of other things that could help. He added heat resistance for the flame throwers. He looked up over at the missile rack on the Rambling Wrecker next. He couldn't decide if he would use flares or a jammer on the missiles. He ended up using a jammer, since he wasn't sure the missiles were heat seeking. If that was the case, it would have been a waste.
The last and final thing he added was a ton of armor plating. Johnny tripled the armor for the prototype. The prototype was plated with armor on the sides. Even the wheels were covered. The rear of the car had a heavy weight guard on it while the front had a plow. He added bullet reflective glass to the windows.
Johnny knew if he couldn't use weapons against his enemy, the extra weight of the armor would do. Johnny would have to ram the Rambling Wrecker into pieces. He would also have to outwit the "Exploiter" in the bowl. He would need him to run into the traps on the course some way or another.
Johnny told him he was ready as he finalized the changes. The prototype turned into a mass of dark purple as it transformed into the new design. Johnny and the prototype were both transported to the center of the arena. He was behind a gate that led into a circular arena. He could see the Rambling Wrecker on the opposite side. "I'm going to finish this once and for all." Johnny said in a growling tone as he looked the other way as he watched the starting lights.