The Velocity of Light

Twenty-year-old Zephyrine Vance stared at the empty track in front of her. She was number 4 amongst all fifteen cars on the lane, but it didn't matter. She only had one goal, and that goal was to win the race today. This was her first time back on the track for a professional race since she was banned almost a year ago by the IAF (International Automobile Federation). So this race was different from any other races. This was her comeback. Even if it was a local race, she was going to reclaim her championship title. “Are you nervous?” Gideon's thick voice vibrated in her ears, disrupting her thoughts. “No,” Zephyrine responded back to the radio system built into her helmet. “Don't worry, I have a lot of faith in you. I know you'll be the winner.” “I know,” Zephyrine replied. Even though the person on the other end of the call could not see her, he could hear the determination in her voice. “Okay, just remember to stay alert and be careful of the racers from Vanguard. You know how much they love to play dirty.” “Mhm,” Zephyrine just hummed in response. The radio went silent. Zephyrine’s finger tapped on the steering wheel subtly, not because she was nervous but simply out of habit. If there was one thing Zephyrine loved to do, it was racing. This had always been her favourite sport since she was a kid, even though her parents hated it the most. The moment Zephyrine had pursued her interest in racing, no one could stop her. Not even the FIA. If she couldn't race legally, then she would do it illegally. In fact, this was how she earned the title ‘The Queen of the track’. How could a young woman like her succeed so much in a men-dominated sport? She had been involved in so many street races and illegal races that she had even lost track of them. This was also how she made her first money as a Racer. And the more dangerous the race was, the more money she made. As long as she didn't get caught or get in trouble with the police, she didn't mind her side hustle. The giant red lights hanging directly above the starting line came on, indicating that the race was about to start. Five, four, three, two, one. Lights out. Zephyr released her steering wheel lever. Her back tires gripped the road, revealing a huge cloud of white smoke as the car shot forward like a rocket. The sudden burst of speed slammed her head back into her seat. Since she was number four, there were three other cars in front of her. Vanguard was leading the race without any obstacle, but the two cars in second and third place got tangled up, aggressively swerving to block each other. This didn't make Zephyrine slow down. As they reached the first sharp turn, the car in third place slammed its brakes too hard. His tires smoked, and he drifted wide off the road. Zephyr didn't hesitate. She pushed the radio button on her wheel. "Taking the gap," she grunted to Gideon, who was also watching the race from the Pit wall. She swerved her steering to the right, slicing through the inside of the turn so tightly that her tires rattled violently over the bumpy red-and-white concrete blocks on the edge of the road. She was now in third place, but her goal was to be first. By the final laps of the race, Zephyr's body was exhausted. The extreme physical force of taking high-speed turns was tearing at her neck muscles, and the suffocating heat inside her racing suit had her completely drenched in sweat. She had passed the second-place car a few minutes ago, and now, only Vanguard’s car was left ahead of her. Vanguard was driving perfectly, using the open road to stay fast. Even worse, his car was creating a messy wall of turbulent wind behind him. This invisible wind blasted against the front of Zephyr's car, stealing her grip and making it hard for her to get close to him. "This is the last lap," Gideon’s voice hummed in her ears. "Vanguard’s tires are starting to slide. He is losing grip. You are faster than he is. Make your move.” Even though Vanguard's car was originally leading, Zephyrine’s car was now beside Vanguard. As a way to stop her from overtaking, he tried to bully her, slowly steering his car toward her to force her off the road onto the grass. Instead of backing off out of fear, she used the wind to her advantage. She drove even closer to his side. When two cars travel that fast inches apart, the air would get trapped between them like a solid wall. That trapped wind pushed hard against the front of Vanguard's car, acting like an invisible brake and instantly slowing him down. But this wasn't the time for Zephyrine to relax either. Taking advantage of the few seconds Vanguard's car had reduced his speed, she increased her speed and sped past him. With her speed, there was no way he could catch up with her again. It was already too late. Ahead, a track worker frantically waved the black-and-white checkered flag. Zephyrine crossed the finish line. She had won. "Woohoo!" Gideon cheered over the radio, his cool voice finally breaking into excitement. "First place, Zephyr! You did it! An absolute masterpiece!” Zephyrine let out a long, shaky breath. Ahead of her, the giant digital scoreboard lit up, flashing her name at the very top of the list while she steered her steaming car into the secure parking area. After collecting her trophy and granting the press an interview, Zephyrine made her way to the Apex Alpha Team's assigned garage where she was supposed to meet with the other members of the team. Although she had joined the Apex Alpha team a month ago, she hadn't been formally introduced to any of the team members. In fact, her first interaction with anyone from the team was at yesterday's pre-race when they needed to officially show up and prepare for today's race. “You only got lucky today but it won't be like that for long.” Valen Dane, Vanguard's lead racer and second place in today's race, stopped her in her track. He was still wearing his suit. “You're just a sore loser, and the quicker you admit it, the better for you.” Zephyrine resorted easily. She and Valen used to race side by side when she was still at Vanguard, but he had deserted her when she needed him the most, so Zephyrine did not care about saving face in front of him. “Even when I was still at Vanguard, the highest position you ever held was second place, right behind me.” “You won't be smug for long because I will destroy you.” Valen threatened. “Bring it on,” Zephyrine challenged back. Vanguard had once tried to ruin her career but she fought until she won. She wasn't afraid of fighting again. Refusing to allow Valen’s tall physique to intimidate her, she stepped closer to him until their faces were al most touching. A glare was etched onto her face as she said to him “I dare you to do your worst.”