Asphalt Knight (Legacy Version)

Session Sixteen: Underworld

Michael barely had a chance to brace himself before the bike took off like a rocket, Nebulae shifting up through the gears with her feet and controlling the throttle with her hands, the opposite of what it was like in a car.

Michael hung on for dear life while the Ducati screamed forward. The wind chilled him to the bone, his heart pounded, the street blurred around him. He felt like he was flying. Yet he was so vulnerable and exposed. If Nebulae made one wrong move, or there was one stray AutoCab on the racing line, or a stray puddle, a pothole, it would be serious injury or even death.

His life was in her hands.

Someone he had only met twice.

Michael suddenly felt sick.

"Can we... slow down for a bit?"

"Never ridden a bike before Baby Driver?" Nebulae says with a laugh.

"Just don't kill us!"

******

After what seemed like days, Nebulae steered the bike deeper towards the core of Kempton, and they eventually got to an area of the city where the road became more and more rough and cracked, and there were no Autocabs to be seen. Eventually they arrived at a makeshift wall, made of bits of scaffolding and metal. There was a bald man in a suit and gold tie at the gate.

"Nebulae! Who's the newcomer."

"Calls himself Knight! He's just a kid, but we can trust him."

"If he causes trouble, you're dead too."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah I know, Frank."

"Don't call me Frank! You know that's not my real name."

Nebulae shrugged and stepped of the Ducati, grabbing her duffel bag. She then reaches in her pocket and hands Frank an RA Token.

"Park the Ducati for me. Scratch it and I'll kill you."

"Ahhh, but kill me and you'll be terminated from RA Employment. In this chapter, it's punished by death.

"Whatever." Nebulae slipped her helmet off and let her hair down. Michael took his helmet off and followed Nebulae through the gate. The air stunk of sewage, the asphalt and sidewalk cracked and eroded into miniature boulders, trees, vines and shrubs grew around the buildings. The greater Palmont area was a bright, neon lit city, tinged with the blue light of screens and holograms. But here it was all greys, browns and blacks, swirling together in a muddy mess of decay.

They started to walk down the surprisingly packed streets. But the people there weren't busy shoppers or happy couples. There were mostly men, they all looked dirty and tough, many visibly carrying large fire arms. Out side of several of the run down buildings stood the few women, also dirty, but also scantily clad.

They passed by a group of women.

"Hey babe, we can have a real good time-"

"Oh shit- n-no thanks"

Nebulae grabbed him by the arm and kept walking. It was only after Michael realized some of the women were around his and Michelle's age.

"Fuckin skanks! Don't yah realize he's underage!"

Immediately, Michael started asking questions.