"Boom, boom, boom..." The blocked lanes erupted with a display of unique abilities as each player showed off their vehicle's power. Some used the Pegassi Tyrant motorcycle's jet capability, leaping into the air with springboard-like maneuvers, while others blasted their way through with rocket launchers before speeding forward in their Turaldos. Vehicles with sloped frames and cone shapes became the ultimate tools for breaking through the congestion.
Letty launched her supercharged car skyward, rocketing toward a building. Just as she was about to collide, she deftly shifted the controller, activating the pneumatic stabilizer. The car, previously heading straight, angled downwards, grazing parallel to the building's surface like a skateboard. "Bang!" Using the building's face, she propelled herself and then landed at the exit of the intersection.
"Phew!" Letty hit the jet button again, countering the landing's inertia, and shot forward in a blur across the vacant street.
Behind her, Dom's red Turaldo thundered down onto the road with a loud "Bang!" and surged forward. Suddenly, "Boom!"—a black vigilante pierced through a curtain of fiery red with a sharp, arrow-like entry.
"I'm out!" Brian cheered into his headset, steering with one hand.
"Letty's leading! Don't fall behind or you'll be eating her dust," Dom chuckled, glancing at Brian's vigilante through his rearview mirror.
Vince scowled. He had been Dom's right-hand man, but Brian's arrival not only won over Dom's trust but also Mia's affection. Watching Brian race ahead, he couldn't help but wish for his misfortune.
Up front, Letty smiled, hearing her teammates were safe, and pushed forward. As she sped out of the central city and began to climb a shortcut through the mountains, an eerie stillness filled the dark, winding road. Her eyes narrowed at the ominous quiet.
Suddenly, "Zizzizi!!!" sensing danger, Letty stomped on the brakes. The high-speed Super-Fuel vehicle skidded across the road like a spinning top, narrowly missing the guardrail and avoiding a steep drop down the hillside. Her headlights cut through the darkness, casting a shaky glow over the road.
"Tick, tick, tick..."
Letty tightened her grip on the wheel, her eyes narrowing. She had come to a full stop just in time. To her left, a totaled yellow Land Comet sports car blocked the mountain road, its pool of gasoline mixed with dark red liquid glistening on the ground.
"Buzz!" Letty reversed to realign herself. As her lights cast a wider glow, the grim scene before her became clear. The windshield of the Land Comet was shattered, its interior stained with blood. A long streak of blood ran down the hood, marking where the driver had been dragged out. But most unsettling were the deep claw marks on the hood—evidence of some large beast.
"Huh..." A chilly sea breeze passed through, raising goosebumps. Letty eyed the dark hills around her, regretting her choice to drive a roadster with minimal protection.
In the murky darkness, a shadow flashed by, startling her. Grabbing her bullpup rifle from the passenger seat, she steeled herself. The cold weight of the weapon was her only comfort now.
"Where are you guys? I might have trouble here!" Letty's voice trembled slightly, her eyes fierce as sweat trickled down her forehead. Part of her wanted to eject from the car and escape, but something about the dark, haunting scene told her that any weakness would invite a swift, brutal end.
"Vampire alien..." she murmured, weapon ready, suspecting the monstrous culprit's nature.
"Hang on, I'm almost there!" Dom's reassuring voice came through the headset, making her feel a bit safer.
Letty was tense, surrounded by darkness, relying on her headlights for security. She sensed something watching her, but the shadow from earlier remained elusive.
"Buzz, buzz!!!" The roar of an engine echoed from behind her as Dom arrived in his Turaldo.
"Dom—" Relief washed over Letty, but just then, a dark figure darted from the shadows.
"Ah!!!"
In an instant, Letty was yanked into the darkness like a rag doll.
"Letty!" Dom's shout pierced the night as he hit the launch button.
"Da-da-da-da-da..." The Turaldo's machine gun blazed, illuminating the night with a spray of sparks. A pained roar sounded from the shadows, and Letty was thrown to the ground. The creature retreated, melting into the shadows.
Dom pulled his car to her side while Vince aimed a rocket launcher, scanning the area warily.
"Letty! Are you alright?" Dom jumped out and hugged her, concerned by the blood staining her shoulder.
"I'm fine… just keep going! We need those rewards to stand a chance against these monsters," Letty said through gritted teeth, her face pale.
"Stop talking. Vince, get in the back seat and bandage her," Dom ordered, eyes hard as he looked toward where the creature had vanished.
"But…" Vince hesitated, eyeing her bleeding shoulder. He recalled the mission description that warned about the virus infection transmitted by vampire aliens, turning the bitten into hosts.
"What are you waiting for? We might find an antidote on the platform!" Dom barked when he noticed Vince hesitating.
"Alright!" Vince gritted his teeth, grabbed the first aid kit, and hopped into the back seat to bandage Letty's wound.
Dom returned to the driver's seat, ignited the rocket thrusters, and blasted through the remaining obstacles, racing toward Santa Monica Beach.
The night grew darker, and as they sped forward, the fight wasn't just with competitors—but with the monsters lurking in the shadows.
how was the ch?
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