Bab 25: Let's Race
Alice heaved a sigh of exhaustion. The two young Falcones were chatting up a storm, involving her whenever they could. Her gaze was focused on the track's starting line, where the pit crew resided.
"-and we also have to renovate the construction company. The workers we previously had are gone. Rehiring, managing inventory…ugh. So much money down the drain. We might not be able to afford it!" Sofia exclaimed loudly. She constantly glanced at Alice.
"Things are bleak, Sofia. But God doesn't close all doors. If we stay true to ourselves, a blessing might just come when we least expect it." Mario responded. Another glance at the broken doll.
The two were having a conversation that didn't seem to end. A glass of sweet wine found its way beside the mature beauty. She gave it a taste, still focused on the pit. Multiple crew members could be seen hurrying between the Lockhart Estate's designated bike and the racer deck.
Their bike was known as an MV Agusta F4 RR. It was a mostly white motorcycle, with accents of black and red. New wheels were quickly drilled onto the bike, along with other changes. It was as if the crew were preparing the vehicle for a new rider.
"Oh? What flavor of wine are you drinking?" A calm voice reached Alice. It was Mr. Wayne. He seemed extremely satisfied.
"Ah, this is Rosé. Are you still content with your martini, Bruce?" She responded with a smile. She felt relief at being saved from the Falcones.
"It goes down with the most delicious aftertaste. You can't beat it. I don't see Sora anywhere. Is everything alright?" He asked.
"It…It should be fine. Apparently, something is happening in the pits."
"Oh?"
As their conversation continued, the Falcone voices grew louder. Bruce gave them a light frown. He locked eyes with the siblings, causing them to back off. It seems like they finally got the memo. Alice immediately gave him a grateful smile, which he returned. Still, he couldn't help but think to himself.
'This woman…why are her eyes like that? They're empty. She can't be an assassin. There aren't any signs of it in her gait.' He thought.
A few more minutes passed before something happened. The announcer finally turned on his mic. He hadn't even said anything, but the feedback caused the audience to cheer.
"Welcome to the first race of the Moto Grand Prix, hosted by the Lockhart Estate and Wayne Enterprises! Today will be a full circuit race, making it twenty laps."
As the announcer entertained the crowd, the pit crew moved each bike to their starting positions. The racers followed behind them. Only one bike was without a rider. People soon noticed this. Where was the racer? Fortunately, their questions were answered.
Bruce's eyes widened along with Alice's. Walking out of the racer deck was the man in question. Sora was revealed in a racing suit as he casually approached the bike. His image appeared on the big screen. The crowd was silent for a moment before going ballistic. All of the noise drowned out the surroundings.
"It seems we have a slight change, folks! The Lockhart Foundation's racer has been replaced by Sora Lockhart himself!" The announcer exclaimed.
Sora put on his helmet before mounting the bike. Each contestant revved the throttle, warming up their engines. The red lights flickered on before turning yellow. After one more second, they turned blue.
VROOOOM
"And they're off! Already nearing the first corner, Diablo's Edge. Sora Lockhart is currently in 6th place!"
The young man leaned his body to the right of the bike. A perfect exit was made upon rounding the corner. He took advantage of the slipstream to pass the rider in front of him.
"The race is only ten seconds in, and Sora has already moved positions!" The announcer yelled.
Ever since the sleepy man had made his appearance, phones and cameras alike were always at the ready. There was no doubt that this would surface on social media. Alice's gaze was glued onto his figure. Bruce couldn't help but smile.
'Interesting guy.' He thought while watching Sora.
The race carried on in a steady manner. Things grew more hectic as time passed. Some racers lost control of their bikes and flipped. There were only five more laps. Sora had already taken the lead by the third lap and maintained his position.
It currently seemed like the first win would belong to the Lockhart Estate- as long as the bike kept working as intended. The top five were neck and neck. Every turn was a chance for them to push forward.
Alice took another sip of her wine. A smile adorned her face as she realized that Sora would most likely win this race. This would put their company into the spotlight, even more than they already had.
"Hmm?" Bruce looked in the far distance.
A large military cargo plane was approaching from far away. It seemed as if it would pass over the raceway. The beautiful doll also noticed it but didn't pay it any mind. The race carried on, and it was the final lap.
Sora was focused on his race. From the constant shifting of gears to leaning at the perfect times, his work was cut out for him. It's a good thing that his perception is fast. He could take advantage of it to win.
VROOOM
"It's the final turn! The top five are right next to each other! Who will take the win?!" The announcer roared.
A few positions switched on the final turn. Sora was barely holding his position in first place. The finish line could be seen far in the distance. Their engines revved at high pitches, hitting over 180 mph.
The crowd was at the edge of their seats, observing the final stretch. Some weren't paying attention. They were too occupied by the massive cargo plane that seemed to be…headed straight for them!
"Say, isn't that plane flying a little too low?" A civilian commented.
"Huh?"
"Wait…is that a question mark on the front?"
More and more people finally noticed the plane. Bruce frowned while watching from the suites. Something was wrong. It wasn't correcting its course! He immediately bolted out of the room, off to who knows where. Alice's eyes were wide with worry.
"Sora!"
Sora was pulling the throttle as hard as it could go. He glanced behind him to see the racers only inches away. One bad gear shift and they'd pass him at the finish line. He looked forward once more.
'Eh?' He thought.
Right in front of the finish line…was a fucking plane! It smashed into the ground, immediately breaking into pieces. A piece of the wing clipped his bike, sending him flying into the air. His figure disappeared in the explosion.
BOOOM
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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