"[Max, Incoming! Two Ducati are coming toward the hovercraft. They ducked under the trees, and I can't intercept.]" Leah yelled over the team chat.

Max cursed as he banked hard against the embankment and shot over the river the team was using as their path back to the plateau. He needed to get between the opposition and the hovercraft.

"[On my way! The AI is totally fixing this game again. The Shanghai team hasn't only just finished the speed round with the air bikes! How did they activate both their hovercraft and the Stealth Wing?]" Max replied.

"[The better question might be is how do they all know exactly where we are?]" Charlie interrupted.

"[It's got to be a tracker bug. Are you still looking?]" Xavier cried.

"[Yes, damn it! Just keep driving, kid!]"

"[Found the incoming bikes! Be right back, hanging up now.]" Max silenced the comm and dove.

His ExaVision saw the pair of heat signatures racing below. He locked them both in and opened the Tesseract portal. He assigned a target to both the maser and the minigun. A mental command and both targets disappeared under the combined weapons fire.

"What the hell? They just disappeared." Max wondered aloud. No explosions and no debris were not normal. He replayed the scene in his mind with his gestalt filter swapping out senses.

[Radar +1, Radar reaches level 5]

"[Max, look-] Mal warned. Too late to ramp up his speed, a shadow flashed past, and the front of Max's bike was ripped free. His PreCog skill flashed, and Max jumped free as a second shape blasted through the body of his bike.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Max managed to lay a hand on his opponent's turbofan cowling. He shuffled his Traction skill, canceling his grip on his fragmenting bike and amplifying all the skills that focused strength on his hand. He flew from his saddle, hanging from the other air bike as his own smashed into the trees.

Stiction +2, Stiction reaches level 8]

His warning clambered again, and Max tucked in and grabbed the underside of the bike as K-gun rounds flashed past where his head was moments earlier. He scrambled around the underside as his attacker cursed. Max recognized the deep voice. He'd fought against the big man from the ACME team before, Brandon.

The man had demonstrated advanced skills with camouflage and used a large hammer in his fights. He was also monstrously strong. Max had seen him put Charlie through a wall. A wrestling match for control of the bike probably wouldn't end well. Max's strength was as far advanced as augmentation could provide, but Brandon was bigger.

"[Max, Brandon's not alone. His partner is turning. You need to move fast!]" Musashi said calmly. Max's senses reached out, seeing the other bike and its rider bring a long rifle to bear on him.

His position under the bike provided a view he hadn't appreciated before. The Ducati had adopted a very rustic feel for their Airfoil Twin Turbo. It had details mirroring ancient horse riding with an authentic saddle and stirrups. The leather pieces didn't have a traditional belt, but the seat's anchors were visible from underneath. Max's claws flashed, cutting both anchors easily using his vorpal enhancements to ensure it.

Max jumped from the undercarriage to the left jet cowling, as laser fire shot past. The bike tilted due to the unbalanced weight and Max got a glimpse of Brandon's face. As he aimed his K-Gun at Max, his focused aggression turned to surprise as he felt himself and the saddle come loose.

He screamed in rage and fear as he fell, just missing his attempt to get a hand grab. Max yelled out, augmenting his voice's volume using the focused sonic attack, at the falling ACME warrior.

"You should focus on training up Stiction!" Max hurried to crawl to the central console of the bike as it spun into a dive. He slapped the contact pad cycling through his hacking skills. Tesla's nervous voice broke his concentration.

[Focus Stun +1, Focus Stun reaches level 7]

[Brandon Ramirez (ACME) knocked out by Max Mitchell (Utopia): +100pts]

[Brandon Ramirez (ACME) knocked out: +100xp]

[Death Race Leaderboard update: Utopia 1450, Luna AI 1150, ACME 1050, DAIE 350, Shanghai Surprise 150 New Boston -800]

"[Anytime now, Max. I know I'm only a daemon, but the ground is coming up very quickly!]"

"[Damn it! Max, someone installed extra security locks on this bike. A combination of two-factor biometrics and quantum encryption. I don't know how to bypass it!]" Cipher said in a panic.

Max growled in frustration. He didn't want to lose the bike. It was a long way back to catch up with his team's hovercraft. He remembered his father's warning to avoid using the alien Chthonic skills he'd copied, but they had come in handy.

The Domination skill was key to disabling almost any devices, but he didn't want to destroy the bike's systems. He had yet to use the Joining skill he had "seen" the mantis creature use. It had enabled the insect to subjugate the other techno-organic beasts. He activated the skill.

[Chthonic Joining +3, Chthonic Joining reaches level 4]

He felt Mal cringe away from the rabid and quickly blooming code as the alien software rewrote itself within the bike system. It didn't even try to co-opt the bike; it just consumed the software and filled the void left behind. It crystallized intuitively, closing the gaps between controls, and sensors. It filled in its own unique logic paths based on the code it consumed.

Max felt the access link as it formed. The software reacted and tried to propagate down his link but he squashed it with his Blocking skill. It was deeper than his previous skill. He could feel every capability within the bike, even a slight tuning error in the left turbofan. He established control, the foreign feel fading as the new software firmed beneath his access.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

[Chthonic Joining +2, Chthonic Joining reaches level 6]

[Chthonic Block +1, Chthonic Block reaches level 10]

[Custom Skill advancement award +100 XP. Warning – due to foreign program, system is unable to determine if this skill has finished its efficiency advancement.]

He pulled out of the dive and circled back. Brandon's peer had collected him, and the single bike streaked away before Max could decide to engage. He considered chasing when Xavier opened the intercom again.

"[Max! We're off the river and headed up the plateau. Final race! Charlie says we'll need all hands to manage the Mech. Hurry up!]"

"[On my way! Any sign of the other teams?]" Max asked.

"[I've been tracking them from up here, Max. The Stealth Wing's sensors are excellent for ranged reconnaissance. ACME and DAIE have secured their Mech packs and are starting toward the plateau. LUNA AI is loading up now. Shanghai is halfway to target, while New Boston just claimed their Hovercraft. We still have the lead, despite the spoiler opposition attempts.]"

Max slung the bike about and redlined the turbofans.

The plateau was in sight and Max could see his friends with his telescopic vision enhancements. The Ducati's responsiveness was so much better with its new foreign software. Only the inconvenience of the missing saddle marred the ride. He had the answer. The new saddle was almost finished printing inside his tesseract.

Max opened the portal to collect the replacement, and he felt Mal flinch. He watched her closely as he grabbed the saddle from the manipulator's arms. He understood as the wash of whispers pried into his sensors.

"[Mal, are you okay? We share the Chthonic block skill. It's not like the system skills but exposure to the subspace talkers seems to improve it. I know you…had a traumatic experience inside. What can I do to help you?]"

Mal's voice was shaky, but she responded, "[I'll be okay, Max. The Chthonic code is just...unsettling. I'll manage. Let's focus on the race. You need to get that saddle on and catch up to the others. They'll need your skills in the final challenge.]" Max nodded, not liking this inability to help.

The phenomenon of the voices inside the tesseract remained a mystery. Max was tired of it; despite the benefits he'd obtained in his nightmares. He swore to himself that, after this battle, he'd dedicate a few instances to understanding that aspect of the device and shutting it down.

Mal seemed more sensitive than him to the voices despite the blocking skill, so he needed to fix the issue at its source. His own dreams were often traumatic and prevented him from getting any rest.

Then something changed.

The whispers became more urgent and louder. Max felt a slight resonance between the bike's new operating system as the whispers poured forth from the portal. The bike jerked under him, making Max grab tight.

Max commanded the bike to descend, but a roar shook him and the bike.

{{{ Zodameta, lap zirdo, olixof dovors epha. }}}

{{{ Phalek! Od dazug chirel, Chthulhu!}}}

The deluge of commanding and imperious alien invectives rattled and shook Max to the core. The onslaught threw his augmentations into a shuttering series of error calls. He tried to raise his block skill as the pain shot up his spine. He felt Mal collapse in on herself as the bike spun out from underneath him. In free fall, Max fought to contain the voice; to shut it out. He snapped the portal shut as the ground raced up to meet him.

[Chthonic Block +4, Chthonic Block reaches level 14]

[Warning – due to foreign program, system is unable to determine if this skill has finished its efficiency advancement.]

Impact came without him awake to feel the snapping of nigh unbreakable bones.

Charlie cursed as he took to the full weight of the power pack while Xavier worked the topside connections. Even in RUSA, the damn connectors had never been long enough. At least then he had access to cranes to hold the pack while the delicate work was completed.

"Got the fucker! We're good!" Xavier cried.

"So, get the fuck out of the pack's chamber so I can load it!" Charlie screamed, even with the augs, the two tons of weight was straining his carbon-reinforced muscles and diamondoid bones.

"Clear!" Xavier declared.

Charlie groaned as the pack shifted into its receiver. Sweat beaded up and rolled off him. He wiped it away in annoyance.

"Fuck! I thought physical bullshit was a thing of the past. I guess there is always a bigger rock to lift." He said as he cracked his back. Xavier landed heavily beside him and slapped him on the shoulder.

"Good work, partner," Xavier said, grinning. "Now let's get this Mech prepped and ready for the final race. Max should be here any minute to lend a hand."

Charlie groaned again and staggered after him. Xavier opened the control panel, checking the diagnostics and making final adjustments. The RUSA Kaiju Mech stood tall; a formidable machine primed for the ultimate challenge.

Xavier's boundless energy paired with Charlie's insider knowledge let them make short work of the tedious checklists to start the massive machine. Dust washed over the mech as Leah landed the Stealth Wing and the notice popped up.

[Team Utopia Objective 3: Convoy Round- Stealth Wing: Complete. +500 pts.]

[Death Race Leaderboard update: Utopia 1950, Luna AI 1150, ACME 1050, DAIE 350, Shanghai Surprise 150 New Boston -800]

She ran up yelling. "We've got a window! That crazy AI Leroy just engaged with the DAIE's Stealth Wing. What can I do? Is Max coming soon?"

"I'll take main weapons and command chair. Xavier seems adept enough to keep driving. We have secondary weapons and shields as the third seat and damage control as the fourth. What's your preference?" Charlie asked.

"Hmm. I prefer shooting but Max is better with quick tactical decisions. I'll do damage control." She answered. They heard the howling turbofans before they saw Max's air bike.

"And here comes our boy! Hey, what the fuck? He's coming in a little fast. Fuck!" Charlie yelled.

Max's bike spun out of control as he fought to regain command. The bike careened towards the Mech, threatening to collide. Charlie and Xavier braced for impact, but the bike veered away at the last moment, crashing it into the ground nearby. Max's body fell free as the bike cartwheeled and broke apart into pieces.

Leah rushed to help him, while Charlie and Xavier scrambled down out of the mech. She stopped in horror. Max's arm had a compound fracture, and he was bleeding heavily from his mouth, ears, eyes, and nose.

"Help! Max's augs are offline! He's not regenerating!" Leah ran all out, her daemon Kurumoto guiding her in stabilizing his neck first. Charlie and Xavier charged over.

"I've got a med kit from the mech. What's wrong?" Charlie asked.

"Shit. He's burning up. My sensoria show his heartbeat is racing and he's got a lot of hemorrhages in his head and chest. Compound fracture of the right arm and both legs with clean breaks in the femur and tibias. Two broken ribs, one had pierced his lung. His augs are completely down! We need to get him out of here."

Charlie and Xavier looked at each other with anxious expressions. Xavier spoke first.

"Leah, can you reboot his augs? If we don't finish, we're going to be in last place. All the real points for this level depend on this last race." Xavier said.

"Damnit. His augs aren't active at all. Nothing is working!" Leah said with tears of frustration beginning to stream down her face. Charlie snapped a neck brace around Max's head and sighed.

"She's right, kid. This is just a damn game. Max needs help right now. Come on. How do we get out of here?" Charlie cursed as he waved his system windows away looking for help.

"I just found the exit protocol, Charlie. If we yell, "forfeit" three times; we'll be pulled from the game." She answered.

"Alright. Let's all grab a hold of Max to make sure we don't get separated. All together?" Charlie looked to the others. With nods all around, the team shouted.

"Forfeit! Forfeit! Forfeit!" They yelled to the air in a group chant.

A platform of ground around them broke loose and a new platform under their feet dropped with a controlled speed into the ground. All their augs flashed as they exited the level.

[Multiteam Challenge Match. Format: Death Race Location: Mixed Biome]

[Team Utopia has Forfeited. All points removed from team points accrual.]

[Death Race Leaderboard update: Luna AI 1750, ACME 1550, DAIE 650, Shanghai Surprise 150, Utopia 0, New Boston -800]

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.