The sun was gone, and night had fallen over the city. But as the night was not deep yet, the city was still lit up from the glow of different artificial lights, still steeped in a sense of life and movement. And that sense of life extended far, even until the outskirts of the city.
At the beginning of the road girding the rocky formation too short to be called a mountain at the periphery, the night seemed inconsequential to the gathering there.
It was brightly lit, and noisy. The light not only shone on the market-like gathering, but also into the distance, lighting up the road to the point of keeping all darkness away from it.
As for the noise, it was not only from the people. There were engines revving, or just running on standby, not only of cars, but also motorbikes, and other vehicles.
Cars that had painted, tuned, and even remodeled to look totally different from their original appearance, becoming more sleek, more beautiful, and most importantly, more powerful, making the place truly a gathering of race enthusiasts, sleek motorbikes, and even more attention-grabbing than men trying to show off, beautiful girls of all kind, and in all kinds of skimpy outfits.
At the forefront of such a heat-generating gathering, two cars, the center of attention of some in the crowd, stood side by side in a competition of momentum. Their engines, each trying to sound more powerful than the other, kept growling as the brunette in crop top with deep cleavage and barely covered butt lowered the flag she was holding in front.
With a screech, the smoking tires biting the asphalt stopped being suppressed, and the two sports cars bounded, jumping forward with ferocity and trying to leave the other in the dust.
The crowd shouted in exhilaration as the cars disappeared in the distance, before they turned to the large connected screens to the side showing the road, sometimes from the side, and sometimes from above, live feeding the race to ensure the most enjoyment.
In a competition of speed, the two cars tried hard to outdo each other, pushing for higher performance with skillful handling. Skids, 180 degrees drifts and other displays that were a feast for the eyes. Until a few minutes later when the blue car passed the finished line less than a second before the red car.
The spectators exclaimed, some in exhilaration, and others in dismay and disappointment. The streaks of blue and red continued forward for a while, before turning around to take adjacent paths to return.
At that moment, a Mustang GT arrived at the gathering with its engine's growl low but deep. It was obvious that it had been modified, almost overhauled, and it was recognized by many in the crowd who made way for it, and let it drive to the center of the gathering.
The car slowed down, and jumped in place with one last growl of its engine, before the driver, with his dirty blond hair, opened the door on his side, and came out with a smile, one which only turned brighter as he was welcomed.
"Lance! You came!"
He clapped hands with others of his age and shared half-hugs with them, while all the while, his eyes twinkled as he focused on the heart-pumping display from the opposite sex.
"Of course I came. I would never miss this."
Exposed legs, fair and tanned skinned cleavages each deeper than the other, blatant inviting gazes. Lance subtly swallowed his saliva as he looked around, his appearance making the dark-haired passenger who arrived with him smile.
His eyes also looked around, but without the same desire Lance was sporting.
"Tyler! Where is Alex?"
That question pulled Lance's focus back slightly. He looked around, then at the one who had asked the question:
"Has he not arrived yet? He said he would come."
The one who asked the question shook his head, causing Lance to look toward Tyler:
"Did you hear anything from him?"
Tyler shook his head and took out his phone to check for any message he might have missed. Right then, a jarring voice exclaimed:
"That mama boy! Maybe he is hiding in a skirt somewhere!"
Laughter resounded in the direction where the voice came from, while the expression of Lance, Tyler, and their friends beside them changed.
They looked over with ugly expressions on their faces, before Lance suddenly smiled:
"Yo! And here I was thinking some big shot was speaking. Turns out, it is just the lackey of some jealous people. Where is that bundle of dissatisfaction and resentment? What? Because Alex is not here, he sent you to show his existence?"
Behind Lance, on the other side of the car, Tyler sneered, and added:
"Well, you are done. Now, scram."
The group of young men that had been sporting mocking smiles had their expressions freeze, then turn ugly, making even the girls they were embracing by the waist or the shoulder feel tasteless.
Their eyes grew wide with fierceness, as they ground their teeth:
"You–"
"You, what? Unable to come up with a retort?"
Lance leaned back against his mustang, and suddenly his mocking smile vanished:
"Then scram, and wait for Alex to arrive. Tell your master that the shadow draping over him he has always detested will be here soon, so he will not have to miss it for much longer."
The group that came to make trouble glared at Lance and his group, then at the eyes full of amusement around, looking ready to retreat in defeat.
At that moment, a light came from the darkness leading toward the city, and it brightened up suddenly, like a searchlight, shining a harsh light on the gathered crowd of people and vehicles.
Many squinted their eyes to take in the beast that came out of the night. It was like silent darkness, spreading its influence like ink in water, turning the gathering quiet, and pulling all the attention.
Just the imposing manner of the new arrival brought a feeling of anticipation that only climbed higher as the car slowly drove to the center of the crowd.
The door on the driver side opened, and calmly, a foot descended, at the same time as the tension reached its peak.