The noises coming from the other cars' engines was becoming increasingly loud for Hex's taste. She didn't like the sound of any other car except her own - it scared her. So, to drown out the noise, she simply turned on the speakers inside her car as well. The music was good. Now all she could hear was her car, her music, and her thoughts. Surprising considering how damn loud it currently was inside The Amplifier, though it helped her concentrate in a strange sense. She always used to street race in Sri Lanka with music playing - it made her feel like she was the only one driving. It made her feel... comfortable. Take that music away, and Hex simply can not drive. She's no racer, at least not a good one. But she had to try, both for the people back home and for herself. If she couldn't win the money, she could score a job, or sponsorship money she could send back to Sri Lanka, the gang and her parents. Honestly, any money she could get would help. She just needed to show everyone what she could do... [hr]The hum of the engine was soft, like a purr. It was easily distinguishable to most vehicles nowadays, since it sounded a lot more... advanced. The high-pitched squeak of a shifted gear against a soft, almost relaxing hum which could lull the teen to sleep in seconds provided there was no outside interference. She tested the revs. Slow, but steady, and powerful. She could sense exactly how it worked simply by touching the pedal! It was as though this car were some kind of mechanical soulmate; her partner in crime; her comrade, and friend. "Delores!" A familiar voice called, knocking at the window. The young Lee girl smiled and wound down the window. "Hi, Bon~!" She chimed with an innocent smile - something rarely found among the "rabble" of Sri Lanka. "You testin' out my ride?" The older man asked with a grin, poking his head inside. "Careful! Do you know how much it costs to repair this thing?" Delores-Kent nodded excitedly. "Uh-huh! It's twelve thousand for the screen, thirty two thousand for the wheels and suspension, ninety thousand for the engine, two hundred and seventy thousand for the body, a lot for the speake- mmmph!" Hex was muffled into silence by Bon's hand covering her mouth, ensuring her silence. "It was a figure of speech, shorty..." He muttered with a sigh. "Please try not to say those kinds of numbers out loud, OK? People get really scared when you talk about lots of dollar." "'Kay!" Bon was always going on about how special this stolen ride was. After all, it alone was worth more than what everyone combined earned in a year! Hell, even asking to use the speakers required exclusive permission and an ice-cream bribe to get him to consider it. As leader of the gang, he was given the spoils, though we all knew he'd put it to good use one way or another. Nobody would've guessed it'd be for street racing and stirring up the cops. Though simple, his idea and points were sound when he conducted the group meeting later that night. "Basically, you get the cops attention in one area, and you steal from the other! I know it sounds simple, but if we do it right, just think about all the stuff we could do!" Bon spoke with sincere optimism. It was infectious, that look of determination he got when he had an idea. It always got the ball rolling when it came to getting something done. "We're going to put this baby to good use, get some cash by doing some legal and illegal things, understand? Remember, we're like the Republicans over in America, except not total assholes who crash the world's economy - we're bringing it back. We're the Red Robins, guys! We're steal from the rich n' give it to the poor!" The crowd was built up to a climactic finale which brought several cheers from the audience, including the young Delores at the time. Bon was always such a charismatic fellow - a natural born leader, so to say. He was kind and caring, but fair and a great mentor. He made the Red Robins from the ground up, and always thought of new ideas to expand and grow, both in and out of the gang. Tall, handsome, tan-skinned and built like an Olympian, Bon was just about as great a guy could be, minus the illegal activities he promoted, despite their good intentions. Oddly, very few people got to know Bon on a personal level. Except for his girlfriend Izzy, and Delores herself, as well as one or two others. He was the reason she even got her nickname in the first place. He was the reason she could drive at the Risk Rally GP. He was the reason... ... that she was even alive...[hr] Relaxing into her seat, Hex took a deep breath, clearing her mind of the past and looking ahead toward the future - the race. [i]'Don't worry, Bon... I'll get the money for everyone, and I won't kill myself in the process. I promise.'[/i] She could feel the gentle purr of The Amplifier beneath her as the revs rose by the thousands, her grip on the wheel loosening. [i]'Relax, Hex... Relax.'[/i] Staring across at her open laptop -- the source of all her music --, Hex took another look at the first section of the track. The very first corner was where she could make a good pass after building up some speed, and then slingshot out of the corner if she could find an opening. The other racers would likely need to slow down at least somewhat to make a turn like that. Hex could make it, though, if she was fast enough. "Take a deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breath." The chant of the short chorus brought her mind back, and as the song from before started to make it's end, a new one took it's place, just as the announcers began to chat. Funnily enough, it happened to be one of Bon's old favourites... Maybe it would appeal to her American audience? [hider="Let's begin."][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q2YiWtnq9A[/youtube][/hider] As the countdown began, Hex took her foot off the accelerator. The lights timed perfectly with the song's intro. And on "GO!", she took off. There was a sudden kick as her ride jolted forward, and quickly shot into the higher RPM ranges. Quick to shift her gears, the transition from first to second was both swift and smooth, which she was glad for. Her starts were the things she had the most trouble with as a racer, and this lucky one meant she would have a good run. Probably. Following the trend most racers were likely thinking by now, Hex took to the left side of the track semi-steadily, making sure to get a key position along the left-hand side of the track. With her tunes blaring and her head bobbing, Hex was in an element of her own on the track, though remained wary of the other drivers. She wanted to take this first lap or so to gauge everyone's racing style and get a feel for the track. After all, she was always horrible on the first lap. Always. [i]'... Guess I'll need to drive better today...'[/i]