Drive to Survive

Chapter Fifty-Three

More tears spilled down her face and she shook her head, "I-I don't know anymore."

"Do you want me to go get Max?"

He stood up to run back to the driver room he'd passed on the way in but she latched onto his arm and cried out, "No!"

Before he could question why, she was sobbing harder than before and as her breaths came out quicker and more laboured, he worried she might pass out. He had to think quickly; he'd barely had time to process anything but it was clear that Dylan needed his help. The frustration of not knowing how to help her was irritating him and finally, an idea came to him. 

It might not have been a good one but he didn't have time to sit down and write a pros and cons list. 

"Right." He said, reaching down and scooping Dylan into his arms, "Let's go." 

Dylan didn't have the breath or capacity to even ask where they were going so she placed her trust entirely into Hunter and let him carry her out of the comms room and down the twisting paths out the back of the garage. 

Her hair blew out behind her as they stepped out into the fresh air but Dylan's entire focus was on regulating her breathing and as she grew more frustrated with her failed attempts, the worse the burning in her chest got. It was painful now and she pressed down hard against it, sobbing out that she wanted it to stop. 

"Almost there, doll." Hunter murmured, adjusting his grip on her. 

Unbeknownst to Dylan, who had her eyes firmly squeezed shut, Hunter walked into the Ferrari garage and stormed straight past all the mechanics who had paused their work and looked up in surprise. The pair of them stood out like a sore thumb in their Red Bull uniform but Hunter had bigger priorities than explaining the invasion.

Mattia, the team principal, clocked their arrival but before he could say a word, Hunter spoke first, "Where's Carlos?"

Mattia's eyes glanced down and recognised the brown-haired girl who had been such a frequent appearance in his garage. His brow furrowed in concern and he nodded silently, turning and leading the way down the back of the garage. 

They soon came to a stop in front of a white door marked with Carlos' name and Mattia knocked loudly twice, before nodding for Hunter to go in. 

The Ferrari driver was tying the laces on his trainers, having clearly just got changed out of his race kit. He looked up in confusion and then sudden alarm as he saw Dylan in Hunter's arms.

"She needs you." Hunter breathed out, placing her down on the sofa and backing away.

He felt kind of useless, like he hadn't been able to properly help her. However, as he watched Carlos rush to his shaking cousin, he allowed himself to be relieved that he'd at least got her to the right place.

But why hadn't she wanted to see Max? 

"Dylan!" Carlos exclaimed in alarm, his hands cupping her face and instantly becoming wet with tears. He turned back, "Hunter, there's water in my cupboard, can you get one?"

Hunter nodded, rushing to the cupboard and undoing a fresh bottle of water before passing it back to Carlos. 

Carlos took the bottle and turned his attention back to Dylan. She was hunched over holding her chest so he gently pushed her shoulders back to expand her breathing and brushed her hair out of her face. As he held the water up to her lips for her to take a sip, he looked back once more at Hunter.

"Where's Max?"

Hunter shook his head warningly but Dylan had already pushed the water away and cried, "No! Don't go get him! I- please!"