The Revelers (Serial 1)

Act 2 - Chapter 34: Cithara

What a strange island, I say to myself as I exit the briefing room of Rowynn's shop. I glance around and spot Charles working on the engine bay of his Charger. He parked his car across from a bright orange Shelby Mustang. I visit him, wondering what he's doing. A quick peek in the engine bay reveals the Charger is a hybrid, though it looks like the hybrid components are all aftermarket. I've worked on many Chargers for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during my apprenticeship at the Academy, but I don't think I've seen one with this configuration.

"What's up, Charles?" I greet.

"Yo, Kee!" Charles says while connecting a device to an orange box next to the Hellcat engine. Then he goes to the trunk.

I follow him and spot an array of battery cells. Though I don't see Dodge's branding, nor do I see Mopar's, the parts division serving Dodge. Instead, I see — "Toyota?"

"Yeah, crazy, ain't it?" Charles says. "Rowynn is one hell of a mad scientist, I tell ya. JJ here got some Prius blood up in this joint. Not gonna lie, this battery gives one hell of a kick compared to the original battery that was here when we first got the car."

I'm assuming JJ is the name of his car. Though I'm scratching my head wondering why there's a Toyota hybrid battery there instead of a Mopar one. I suspect it's a reliability issue. When I think of Dodge, I think of raw, untamed performance, but their reliability and longevity can be questionable. However, Toyota vehicles seem to last a really long time. I know my grandmother's 30-year-old Camry still runs. It may not be fast by today's standards, but it runs.

I pull out a scanner tool from my coat pocket and scan the battery. It seems it's not an ordinary Prius battery. The results state it's a battery for a 2050 to 2055 GR Prius, the top-performance trim. An extra kick while keeping reliability, why not?

"Battery is still good," Charles says as a holographic green checkmark appears from a device hooked to the Prius battery. "Anyway, Sebastian and Makoto should come back with your car soon. After that, I gotta fix your window."

The sound of rumbling engines approach the garage. Two bay doors open revealing a blue Subaru WRX STI hatchback parking next to Charles's Dodge Charger. In the adjacent bay is my silver Porsche 911 GT-Classic. Both drivers are wearing racing helmets.

The Porsche driver exits the car, and the helmet comes off, revealing an Asian woman standing at my height with black hair with orange streaks. She has two streaks of eye-black below her eyes.

"Yo, Makoto. What's up?" Charles says.

Makoto laughs. "Charles, this thing is insane. It's built like a race car. The exhaust roars. The engine bangs. Oh yes, the racing slicks. It's unforgiving yet rewarding when you can tame the beast. It's the epitome of a built car, worthy to take on the kings of bought cars. I feel the power transferring with every shift. Though, I suppose this car needs a new window. Someone broke it when Sebastian and I picked it up."

"Yeah." Charles lets out a weak chuckle. "I broke that window during our last mission. We gotta fix it."

I tilt my head, glancing at my car, focusing on the broken window. "Besides fixing my window, what else do you plan on doing with it?"

Makoto answers, "We have to install a warp drive module so the car can traverse to and from this island without piggybacking from another car. Though the suspension can use some stiffening, in my opinion."

I smile back. "The suspension is adjustable. There's a button there that tweaks it."

"I must have not found that button then. Still, it is a fun car, I'll admit. If my Mustang was my girlfriend, she would feel real jealous of me for driving another car just as spirited."