Sahara watched, enthralled as she saw the race unfold on the screen before her from Alegra's view. No sooner had the word 'race' sounded than Alegra and the twins were off. However, the other crew sprang right into action too. Their racer fell behind and his two blockers made a beeline right for Alegra.
They would have crashed into her had the twins not appeared on either side. Sahara watched in wonder as the twins each picked another blocker and barged right into them. They viciously knocked them to the side, and though all four hit into each other at that speed, their boards did little more than wobble. It made Sahara remember how Terrell had explained that there were different types of boards. It looked like the blockers had ones for balance.
"Alright, we're going to take this race defensively," Orion's voice sounded. "It looks like the other crew is known for going offensive right from the start..."
"No kidding," Alegra replied dryly as she turned into another ally.
"Don't worry, we're on it," Reagan sounded way too happy.
"Terrell?" Alegra asked. "You going to scout or not?"
Terrell leaned back on his board and yawned. "How good are you at following instructions?" he asked casually.
"If you were to give them at some point today, you would find out," Alegra shot back.
"I'm guessing not that good..."
"Which way!" Alegra yelled.
Terrell shot a lazy glance at the screen. "Turn right..."
Alegra started to turn.
"Not yet!" Terrell scolded as she almost crashed into a wall.
"You said...!"
"I wasn't done."
"Terrell...you better...!"
"Turn now!" Terrell yelled.
Sahara watched as Alegra did and ended up in another alley. The twins were right with her. Arden was flying somewhat higher so that he was almost right above her, and Reagan trailed by just a bit so that his board's front was level with the back of Alegra's.
"Why not just fly above everything?" Sahara wondered aloud. "It would make things easier."
"Turn left in ten meters," Terrell said. He turned to Sahara. "You could, but it's not really seen as racing. You need talent to dodge obstacles. Besides...if I remember correctly, there's something in the Creed about you being able to go high for only a few seconds before you're disqualified."
"Here they come!" Orion warned.
Sahara noticed that on Terrell's screen, he could see all six boarders. It seemed like Orion was seeing the same.
"Blockers, take the lead," Orion added.
Alegra slowed down and both twins shot past her. They came out of the alley just as the two other blockers came from another. The four boarders crashed. Alegra shot past during the confusion and the other crew's racer appeared right behind her.
"You probably want to make a left in eleven meters," Terrell said.
Alegra did so. The other racer continued straight.
"It's a dead end!" Alegra yelled.
Sahara saw through her screen that it was just that. A wall was blocking Alegra's way.
"Go over it," Terrell told her calmly.
"Too little space to get the lift I need!"
"Psh, even I could do it," muttered lazily.
"Liar," Alegra shot back. Yet, it was enough for her to lean slightly back and begin to get her board to go up. The wall was getting closer a lot faster than she was rising.
"Terrell, get rid of the blockers," Orion ordered. "It'll make things easier."
"Arden, Reagan, go right...now," Terrell told the twins who had untangled themselves from the other blockers.
"Rodger that," Arden replied as the twins swerved into another alley and lost the other blockers.
Sahara's eyes were glued on Alegra. She was almost upon the wall and still too low.
"I'm not going to make it!" Alegra yelled, yet she made no move to slow down.
"Yes, you will," Terrell replied.
"Are you trying to kill me?"
"If you can't take small risks then you shouldn't be boarding," Terrell told her.
Sahara turned to see that he had his eyes closed and was looking calm.
"Small risks? I'm about to crash into a wall at full speed!"
"Then you aren't a very good boarder," Terrell told her mercilessly, "Not to mention you'll be the reason the Falcons disband."
Alegra gritted her teeth. "Ahhh!" she yelled as she reached the wall.
Sahara's fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white. "Please make it," she whispered.
She watched as time seemed to slow and Alegra's board rose slightly higher at the last second. She passed over the wall, but barely so. The bottom of her board scraped the top of the wall causing sparks to fly.
Alegra and Sahara both let out a sigh of relief as she found herself on a wider road.
"She's got guts," Terrell grinned. "If she had slowed own even a fraction, she wouldn't have made it."
Sahara gave him a look of disbelief.
"A split second of hesitation when boarding, especially in a race, can end things," Terrell told her as he opened his eyes. "The moment you decide to do something, you've got to pull through with it or it's over."
"Stop giving lectures and tell me where to go!" Alegra yelled.
"Reagan, turn right now," Terrell said calmly.
The boy did as he was told and the twins were separated as Arden kept going. "Alegra, follow the road."
"Where's the other racer?" Sahara asked. No sooner were the words out of her mouth than the other crew's racer appeared some way behind Alegra.
"Looks like he's found you," Terrell commented.
"I won't let him catch up." Alegra leaned forward. "What worries me is where the blockers are."
"I've got you covered," Terrell told her.
Sahara looked over at Terrell's screen. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Alegra. However, from Terrell's view, which was one from further away, she also saw that the other crew's blockers had split up and were both heading straight for Alegra from another alley.
"Arden, you've got to speed up," Terrell told him.
Arden responded by leaning further forward and his board shot forward with more speed.
"Reagan, turn right and then a sharp left."
Reagan followed the instructions.
Sahara gulped as she realized the other crew's blockers were getting closer to Alegra. It made sense to her why their racer was keeping his distance. It looked like her would overtake Alegra the moment his blockers hit her. Sahara's eyes darted up to Terrell who still looked calm; in fact, he even looked somewhat bored.
"Arden, left," Terrell commanded.
Sahara's eyes widened as she watched the other crew's blockers from Terrell's screen bearing down on Alegra. They're going to crash right into her!
"Arden, slow down a bit."
"I should probably say this now," Orion's voice sounded. "But if they fail with attacking, their blockers are going to pull back."
"And then what?" Alegra asked. The road she was on was beginning to fill up with people and she swerved left and right to avoid them.
"They'll switch to another tactic..."
"Which is...?"
Sahara held her breath as she saw the other crew's blockers weren't far from colliding with Alegra.
"Alegra, if you can get any more speed out of that board, I advise you to do it now," Terrell told her.
Alegra didn't ask and did just as he said.
"Arden, left. Reagan, right. Full speed and prepare for impact," Terrell warned.
"Yes, sir!" Reagan yelled and Arden let out a 'whoop' as he turned tightly.
The other boarder's were right onto Alegra. As they closed in, their own racer suddenly sped up to close the gap.
"Here we go," Terrell warned.
Sahara's eyes were glued to the screen as the other crew's two blockers shot out from either side and bore down on Alegra. They were literally inches from hitting her when the twins appeared from seemingly nowhere and rammed into them.
"Whoa!" Reagan yelled as the impact sent all four boarders spinning.
Sahara realized that they had to be using a strong gravity pull or they would all already be off their boards. One of the other blockers crashed through a pile of crates before coming to a stop, the other was desperately trying to get his balance back. Even the twins were fighting for control.
In those moments, both Alegra and the other racer already disappeared out of sight.
"Alright, the blockers are out of the picture," Terrell told Alegra. "You're getting close to the finish, so concentrate on racing. Keep on the road."
Sahara turned to Terrell. "So, now it's a one on one race?" she asked.
"Kind of. The blockers are still in...but they won't catch up at this rate."
"So Alegra only has to worry about staying ahead?"
"Well...the other racer could still try attack her if he wants."
Sahara's eyes widened. Her gaze flew back to the screen, yet it looked like the other racer was sticking right behind Alegra and not making a move to even try to overtake her.
"Alright, he's switched to his teams other tactic," Orion spoke. "He's going to stick right behind you and go wherever you go. He'll aim to overtake you in the last stretch."
"Not if he can't keep up," Terrell said. "Come on Alegra, these low levels shouldn't be a match for you."
Alegra swerved to avoid hitting another boarder who was leisurely boarding along. "You got a plan?"
"Turn right now."
Alegra did so, the other racer right behind her.
"You any good in crowded places?" Terrell asked.
Alegra's eyes narrowed. "How crowded?" However, in that moment she burst into another road filled with people. It looked to be a market area. "Are you crazy?" Alegra yelled.
"Keep going straight," Terrell replied.
Sahara watched as Alegra had to swerve in and out faster than she thought possible for a boarder. She was narrowly avoiding teens and boarders, as well as carts and booths. Behind her, the other boarder was having the same difficultly.
"Alright, lose him," Terrell told Alegra.
"You're so dead," Alegra replied through gritted teeth as she flipped upside down and turned once, passing right through a booth. If Sahara had seen correctly, she thought she saw Alegra actually pick something up and slip it into her pocket.
"If you've got time for that, you certainly can lose him." Terrell's smirk showed that he had seen it too.
Alegra huffed.
"There's an alley to your right. Take it, after that take the left and you're on the home stretch."
Alegra did as she was told without hesitation. Sahara was searching for the other racer, yet he was nowhere in sight.
"Where is he?" she wondered.
"Last I saw he hesitated...he slowed down to stop himself from crashing into a cart," Terrell replied calmly. "It's cost him the race."
Alegra turned the corner into the last stretch and flew over the finish line. Sahara let out a breath of relief.
"Did we do it?" Reagan asked. He and Arden were somewhere behind, still boarding towards the finish line.
"We win!" Naomi's voice squealed.
"Yay!" the twins echoed.
"Well that wasn't too hard," Alegra added.
Terrell yawned as he switched off his screen. He turned to Sahara. "We should probably go join them."
Sahara nodded and turned off her own screen.
"I'll tow you back down," Terrell told her as he got to his feet. He unlocked their boards and got in front of her before beginning to tow her. Sahara stayed sitting, not sure about standing at this height. Once they got lower, she finally dared to get to her feet and Terrell switched off the towing so she could board on her own.
"That was crazy," Sahara murmured as she remembered the speed her crew had been going when racing. "There's no way you can do that without gravity pull," she added under her breath.
"I've told you before," Terrell told her calmly, "boarding is about making the impossible possible."
"Are all of the races like this?" Sahara asked.
"Like what?" Terrell asked as they turned a corner. They were taking their time.
"With the blockers, racer, and a scout..."
"It differs." Terrell shrugged. "It always depends on the crew you race. Sometimes it's more intense and you think they're out to kill you're racer. Other times they aim for your blockers, sometimes the scout, and at other times they seem only interested in racing. Sometimes you don't even see the other members until the finish line if they decide to take a different route."
"Oh."
"Also, the scout doesn't always watch from above. Some actually join the race and go ahead, scouting out the area by themselves and getting others to follow. They're more prone to attacks then...and they usually end up in the way more than anything if they aren't faster than the racer."
They passed by a few stalls. "We didn't have anyone towing!" Sahara realized suddenly.
Terrell shook his head.
"I thought you said it's one of the positions required in a five man race."
"The other team had theirs in the race, but they left him behind. They didn't end up wanting to use him. Which is good for us."
"Why do you say that?" Sahara asked curiously.
Terrell grinned. "Because, then they would have noticed that we didn't have one in the race at all."
Sahara's eyes widened. "Did we...doesn't that meant we kind of cheated?"
"They didn't make the requirements that clear before the race." Terrell shrugged.
Just then, the others came in sight. The twins were hugging Alegra who was trying to get away from them. Noami was running around, her hands in the air. Orion was walking over from where he had talked with the other crew leader, a smile on his face.
"Sahara!" Reagan exclaimed as he caught sight of her. "We won!" He beamed.
Sahara smiled as her board came to a stop.
"Not bad racing," Terrell told Alegra.
She glared at him.
Sahara watched the other crew turn to leave. "What happens to them?" she asked curiously.
Orion glanced back to look at them. "We didn't demand they disband, so they get to stay a crew. However, we've switched positions."
Sahara wrinkled her forehead.
"It means," Terrell explained, "That we're now ranked two hundred and sixty while they're back to being unranked."
"They drop ten whole places?" Sahara asked in disbelief.
Terrell nodded. "Yup. You simply switch places. That's why higher ranked crews don't really bother challenging lower ones for position but race more for disbanding."
"Because racing someone lower than you doesn't help you if you win," Sahara realized. "You'd just stay in your position."
Terrell nodded. "It works in a way that if you win against a higher rated team, you move to their position and they to yours...therefore other crews don't gain a position from the outcome of your race. However...if a crew that's rated is forced to disband..."
"Then everyone below gets to move up a spot," Arden finished off for Terrell.
"Now, can we stop talking about all that and go celebrate?" Reagan added.
"Party!" Naomi looked overexcited.
"Oh no, it's bedtime for you," Alegra told her.
"Noooo!" Naomi and Reagan yelled at the same time.
Alegra glared at Reagan. "I wasn't talking to you."
"Oh," Reagan looked sheepish.
"We should probably all head back though," Orion spoke up. "We do have work tomorrow, and it would be good to get some rest."
"Sounds good to me," Alegra picked up Naomi ad plopped her on her board. "See you there." She turned and headed off with a wailing Naomi who was yelling something about life being unfair with her having to go to bed early.
"Wait for me!" Reagan yelled as he turned and boarder after them.
Arden watched his twin for a moment. He shook his head. "Guess we should follow."
The rest of the crew headed off together, though somewhat more slowly.
"So, now that we've moved up, what's next?" Sahara asked. Terrell had taken the lead while Orion and Arden were boarding to either side of her.
"We can now be challenged by anyone ranked up to two hundred and fifty." Orion was the one to reply.
Sahara felt her heart sink. "It's going to take ages to reach the top at this rate."
"Not if we go up by tens and don't bother with the crews in between," Arden told her.
"And not if we get the interest of the high up crews with our bluff." Orion added. "The more interested they are, the easier it is to get challenges."
"Alright," Arden grinned.
Ahead of them, Terrell seemed far from interested in the conversation as he swerved back and forth on his board.
"So, what's the name of the crew ranked two hundred and fifty then?" Arden asked.
Orion pushed his glasses up. "I already looked into it. They're called Tornados."
"Very original." Arden scoffed.
Orion turned to look at him. "What are the chances of you and your brother tracking them down and getting them to challenge us?"
"Leave it to us."
"Don't you have to go to the moonlight gathering to do that?" Sahara asked as they turned and she recognized their surroundings.
Orion shook his head. "It's the most common place to do so. But if you cross paths outside of it and they challenge you...it still counts as a challenge and you can race."
Sahara shook her head. So many rules, she thought.
They had gone a little further when a whole group of boarders appeared before them. Sahara and the others would have ignored them, for it wasn't uncommon, however, when they boarded past, they came uncomfortably close. Two of them almost crashed into Arden, another only just missed colliding with Orion, and one slipped in right between Sahara and Arden.
"Hey!" Orion yelled after them as they disappeared into the distance. "What's their problem?" he asked.
Terrell had turned on his board to look in the direction they had disappeared into. He looked curious and even Arden was frowning at the near collision.
"Maybe they were racing," Sahara suggested.
"They all had the same logo, I doubt it," Orion muttered.
"Hey slow pokes!" Terrell yelled back. "You going to come or not?"
"Slow poke?" Arden asked. He sped up so that he shot past Terrell. "I'll get there before you and show you who the slow poke is!"
Terrell didn't seem bothered in the least. "Make sure the twerp isn't killing Mo!" he yelled after him without speeding up at all. "And if she's drinking my strawberry milk then I order you to kill her!" he added.
With a smile on her face, Sahara shook her head.
"They really get along well," Orion commented.
Sahara turned to see that he had a faraway look on his face.
"Do you have family?" Sahara didn't know what brought the question on.
Orion turned to look at her. "Family?" he asked in surprise. He turned away. "Someone like me doesn't have family." There was a moment of silence. Then, Orion broke it. "Let me give you a piece of advice."
Sahara shot him a glance only to see that Orion's face had hardened. "Don't get too attached. People don't always show their true nature until it's too late."
They turned another corner and the warehouse came into view.
"You sound like Terrell," Sahara told Orion softly. "He always says not to trust anyone."
Ahead of them, Terrell had gotten off his board and was heading to the warehouse from which loud voices were coming. It sounded like the twins were arguing.
"I'd listen to him," Orion told Sahara as he, too, got off his board.
Sahara watched him for a moment before she followed. "It's got to be lonely," she murmured.
Orion shot her a questioning look.
"Not trusting anyone," Sahara explained. "It makes the world a lonely place."
Orion raised his eyebrows. "And you trust everyone you come across?" he asked as he picked up his board and tucked it under his arm.
"Not everyone," Sahara replied as she also picked up her board. Terrell had disappeared into the warehouse. A smile spread across Sahara's face. "But I certainly trust the Falcons."
Orion paused and Sahara turned to find that his eyes were filled with something she couldn't quite understand. It was only there a moment before it was gone.
"People will always let you down," Orion told her.
"The Falcons won't," Sahara replied as she walked to the warehouse.
Orion's hand reached out and he grabbed a hold of her arm. Sahara turned to stare at him in surprise. It looked like Orion wanted to say something, and yet then he shook his head and let her arm go.
"Never mind," he murmured as he walked past her. He paused at the door. "Someday...someday I'll ask you if you still feel the same way." He turned to look at Sahara. She was taken aback by the look she saw in his eyes. It sent shivers down her spine. "If you really can still trust everyone." And then the look was gone and he was back to being the Orion she knew. "You coming in or not?" he asked before he disappeared through the door.
Sahara stood frozen where she was. For a moment, she simply listened to the voices coming from inside the house.
"I told you to kill he twerp if she touched it!" Terrell was telling Arden.
"But she's only seven!" Arden replied.
"Then you take her place!"
"Noooo!" Reagan's voice yelled. "You've got the wrong one, Arden is over there. Don't kill me!"
"Doesn't matter, you have the same face!" Terrell yelled.
Sahara bit her lip as she remembered the look in Orion's eyes. I wonder what he means, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the warehouse. Warmth encircled her and she found herself watching Terrell wrestle with Reagan on the ground while Naomi and Arden were watching from a corner as they shared a carton of strawberry milk. Orion was sitting near Alegra and the two looked lost in their own thoughts. Sahara smiled, she could worry about it later, right now, she was happy with how things were.