Chapter 54
Chapter 54:
Trusting her, Chad drew a steady breath, relying on his gut and his dashboard as he ghosted through the whiteout. His car slipped past Phillip’s as if invisible, clawing into the lead and shrinking the gap to just 0.8 seconds.
Meanwhile, down in the pit, Stacey was already in her seat, helmet fastened, bracing for the handoff. Phillip stepped over, his words hushed but urgent. “Stacey, the weather’s gone wild at the summit. We’re trailing Britton by just 0.8 seconds. You have to make it up on this lap. It’s all in your hands now p>
A jolt of nerves shot through Stacey. Rylie had always carried the pressure before, buying her time in every relay. Now, everything was on her shoulders. Jake, sweat still streaking his face, added his own push, replying, “Whether we clinch the win or not — it’s on you, Stacey p>
Uncertainty gnawed at her. She glanced up and asked, “What’s happening on the summit? Is the weather still rough p>
A weary sigh escaped Phillip. “No, the weather’s taken a turn for the worse. Hail’s coming down hard, and you can barely see ahead. It’s too late to swap drivers, so you have to stay sharp. But meanwhile, you can’t let Rylie get past you. She’s the only one standing in our way now p>
Steeling herself, Stacey gave a resolute nod. Outwardly, she looked composed, but her grip on the steering wheel betrayed a faint tremor.
Why did Rylie have to be on the final leg as well? If she failed — especially against Rylie — how would Phillip see her? And what about the team, or all those fans cheering her on?
Across the track, Rylie removed her earbuds and walked straight toward her car — the Black Mirage. The vehicle had been sitting untouched in Britton’s garage until now. For this race, he’d finally rolled it out.
“I haven’t touched the engine,” Britton said. “It’s still running exactly how you tuned it last time.” He nodded toward the new paint job. “The only thing I changed was the color. Looks sharp, doesn’t it p>
Rylie gave the car a once-over. Satisfied, she climbed in. “Alright. Let’s go p>
As soon as her car reached the starting line, the crowd began to murmur.
Your adventure awaits at gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․c〇m
“That design… doesn’t it look like one of Revline’s builds p>
“But Revline hasn’t worked on a car in years. And this driver — she’s a woman p>
Phillip spotted the car, and his face tightened. “How is this possible p>
Everyone familiar with racing cars knew that Revline’s creations were rare. Their speed, handling, and cost — nothing matched them. These machines sold for hundreds of millions.
If Rylie really had one, Phillip had no idea how the race would turn out. How was she connected to Revline? Why hadn’t he ever heard of this? But the questions had to wait. The fifth racer was already in view. His two sisters, Stacey and Rylie, were about to go head-to-head.
Stacey gripped the wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her car gave a slight shake — not from the weather, but from her hands trembling on the controls.
“Three. Two. One! Go p>
Both engines roared to life. Stacey’s custom pink car slipped on the wet track. The tires spun out briefly before finding grip. Meanwhile, Rylie’s Black Mirage blasted forward, slicing through the rain and grabbing a half-car-length lead in seconds.
Phillip shouted from the sidelines, “No turbo lag? Are you kidding me?” He hadn’t been told that Rylie had already removed the speed limiter from her car.