Faster Than Angels

[BardicSMG]

For the third time this month, Halvred had sat quiet at the laundromat and listened to the yelling and banging of someone who thinks he's a big crime kingpin. That scrub with the big boy gun was a Korean immigrant named Kyung, who would pay common thugs cheap to keep watch while he went through the classic 'It'd be a shame for something to happen to this establishment' scheme in a few different towns, having just enough wit to distance himself from any prosecution. Hal's anger had been suppressed for long enough that it might as well be him that takes care of the matter.

Hal had found out that Kyung liked to street race along the E6 near the Oppland/Hedmark border, a two lane road along the river. It was almost completely free of tight corners, but was extremely narrow, even for a two-lane road. Hal had already been an established racer of the area, but had been focusing more on training in the simulator after finding out he'd be a pilot for Syncline.

His hobby of racing had started with a G-Tech zone-class craft, which Sterling had had him pilot it as part of his training. It might have seemed odd to give Hal a vehicle to improve his combat abilities, but it was one of the most important things he'd ever done. Fear, experienced in both a fight and a race, inhibits the ability of a fighter to rationalize when one should focus on the offense or defense. Pushing one of the most dangerous types of craft there is in a way where one slip up would be lethal in an uncontrolled environment trained Hal to think past horror.

Piloting the fastest class of physical craft gave Hal an appreciation of racing. It wasn't so much the adrenalin that the high speeds gave, but the need to know the vehicle you ride and the track you're on well enough to travel among the fastest possible route, while still reacting to immediate obstacles. The car he got to follow his new passion was a 2144 Koenigsegg CCGT, known for being a bit more 'pointy' in design then what would be typical of the make.





The black Koenigsegg arrived to a group of people partying around several high performance cars, a few recognizing it from before its hiatus. Halvred stepped out to greet himself to his old friends, keeping his eyes peeled for his target. Stopping not to far down the road was a Zonda released just a year earlier, with a driver drawing Hal's attention like a bull to red cloth. The engine was revved loud enough to challenge those from Sweden had they listened hard enough.

Hal walked towards the call to confront the owner. He did not recognizing Hal from when he was spotted doing his daytime rounds.

“Don't feel ashamed, you're far from the first.” Kyong boasted from the inside, thinking Hal was a newbie.

“Lemme see the engine, it sound's like you tuned it a bit.” Hal requested calmly.

Kyung pupped the back hood to reveal the engine, eager too show off his work. Hal pretended to care about the inner-workings for a bit, and walked back to the driver.

“This thing up for wager?” Hal asked.

Kyung almost busted out laughing before seriously considering the challenge. “What you got in return?”

Hal motioned Kyung out of the Zonda to show his CCGT. The interior was not made for weight reduction, having speakers surrounding the cabin and fire red cushioned seats. Hal always thought that his best car should have a bit of luxury to drive, a concept Kyung seemed to agree with. The Engine was custom built from the ground up by a friend of Hal's that normally works on war vehicles. The friend ended up charging, but it was worth the heavy payment.

It didn't take to long for Kyung to accept, as he called to attention the new race about to be held. The two cars sat next to each other as someone walked to the middle with a starting gun. The cars were considered equal performance, and so when the shot is fired, they would drive at will. The starting man check each driver to make sure they were ready. After making one last check to make sure the road was clear, he aimed up, and shot his gun, and the bang was followed by the squeal of tires leaving the starting line.





Hal let himself get edged out before being fully overtook, where in he kept close behind. Kyung didn't let himself get to cocky, as he was just now catching up to his wager. Hal was able to stay close enough to make Kyung just that little bit less confident, but didn't attempt a pass on the narrow streets. Kyung had drove the streets enough to drive the racing line by instinct. Hal, in full concentration to the race, read the leaders movements and followed flawlessly. They kept they're positions up to the bridge crossing from the left side of the river to the right.

Kyung made a perfect corner and landed his turn on the left side of the road. Hal turned a bit tighter onto the right lane, and accelerated faster then he'd been driving before. He meet side by side with Kyung and turned left into him. The speeds they were going meant Kyung had no hope to recover. His car broke throw the guard and slammed nose first into the river.

Halvred pulled to inspect his car, which didn't take a scratch. Kyung floundered out of his wreck slightly injured. Hal walked to the side of the river and bent down closer to Kyung's level. He had reach out to a hand that Hal didn't offer, getting instead a cold stare.

“Get out of my town...” Hal's command barely exceeded a whisper, but was loud and clear to Kyung, whose panic fueled new anger toward Hal. He had turned around and was walking back to his, Kyung lifted himself up. He reach behind his back to grab his revolver, but the water had damaged it to the point where the trigger wouldn't move. Hal's story was that Kyung lost control, which everyone else believed. Kyung didn't risk staying in town, but knew how to get more money while he waits for his chance to strike back.

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rip in pizza zonda