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[center][sub][url=https://www.youtuberepeater.com/watch?v=4nxofkdXZrE]"Fly" by Retnik Beats[/url][/sub][/center]


	Ever since corporations began outsourcing manufacturing jobs overseas, many parts of the rust belt have been on the decline. Those who relied on those companies for work were out of a job, and had no choice other than to find minimum wage jobs or turn to a life of crime. This rust belt decline led to many industrial areas being abandoned, some of which still contain some incredibly toxic pollutants that affect both the ecosystem and the people who still live in the area. All that's left of these rust belts nowadays are just ghosts of their former selves. Abandoned rusty buildings with large shattered windows stand tall, with smokestacks not producing a single particle of smoke or steam. Abandoned lots with little to no vehicles within, rusty silos and abandoned railways filling spaces between the roads of these industries. Rusted chain-link fences, with terrible cliche graffiti plastered all alongside of these empty, abandoned buildings. While those who did live here were often minorities who struggled to make a living, criminals often found a home here too.

	A small microdrone flew through the night, moving in a similar search pattern to that of a bird. Blending in with the night sky, the drone was very difficult to spot by sound or sight, small to the point where it flew unnoticed. Flying in between trees and ducking through windows, the small drone flew with precise movements, a hint at the inhuman nature of its master. At the first sight of humans, it stopped. While most of the abandoned parts of the industrial area weren't lit, some parts were, with rogue streetlights operating flickering on since the 90s, unmaintained. This amber streetlamp lit up a small crew, a trio of men standing by what seems to be a slightly modified black GMC Yukon. One man with tattoos and a wifebeater, another wearing an oversized shirt, and the third wearing an Adidas windbreaker, the three looked like standard 'neighborhood bad guys' one would find in any movie. Completely unaware of the drone, Adidas leaned against the streetlamp impatiently, lighting up a new cigarette. After putting out his old one with his rather expensive shoes, he took a drag, and watched the entrance into the abandoned parking lot.

	The drone, employing an HD camera that could see for a decent distance, zoomed in on the figures. The view was transmitted through a cell tower, and then to a receiving node, which then displayed that view through its Bluetooth connection to a set of augmented reality glasses, plastering it on the corner of the wearer's vision. The wearer's vision, along with seeing a live view of the figures with a slight delay, would then get a picture of each o their mugshots in a separate corner. 

	[b][i][color=d083fc]Contact spotted.[/color][/i][/b] A feminine, digital voice spoke through the mind of the wearer, using vibrations through the temples of the augmented reality glasses. [i][b][color=d083fc]Look alive, Slingshot. You got business to attend to.[/color][/b][/i] The voice, despite being digital, seemed to have a teasing tone to its last sentence, having some degree of inflection. 

	The wearer of these augmented reality glasses groaned. The African-American woman, wearing a plain gray T-shirt, jeans and black leather driving gloves, remained seated in a vehicle far away from the location of the drone. Her mahogany skin was only put on display by the interior lighting of vehicle, exposed along her arms and her face. The woman stretched a little in her seat, popping a few bones. [color=8f4bfc]"Ugh."[/color] She moaned a little, her voice tired. [color=8f4bfc]"These guys look cliche as all hell. Are you sure they won't just shoot me on sight?"[/color] The woman asked as she put her seatbelt on.

	[i][b][color=d083fc]Relax, Andrea. I've already searched their criminal records, and from what I can bring up on them, standard psych analysis functions indicate that their violent behavior is only reactionary. Just don't make any sudden moves and you'll be fine.[/color][/b][/i]

	[color=8f4bfc]"What functions? Yours, or formulas you ripped from the internet?"[/color] Andrea asked, fixing herself up in the rear view mirror. Her small afro needs a little work but she believes she appears approachable enough to men. Hopefully women too, but Andrea has no plans to date criminals yet. Not like Andrea could use anything else other than her looks and wit anyway, her natural instinct often has her fleeing rather than fighting. [color=8f4bfc]"And do you think I should straighten my hair?"[/color]

	[i][b][color=d083fc]Will your trust in my judgement change depending on how I answer?[/color][/b][/i] The artificial intelligence asked. [i][b][color=d083fc]And no. I think you look beautiful. At least according to the functions I 'ripped from the internet.'[/color][/b][/i] The AI chuckled. 

	[color=8f4bfc]"Thanks Patches."[/color] Andrea said with a soft smile, patting the small brick-like device in her pocket. [color=8f4bfc]"So, business as usual huh? Did you see any cops along the way?"[/color] [color=d083fc][i][b]Negative.[/b][/i][/color] [color=8f4bfc]"Alrighty. Time to clock in."[/color] She smirked. [color=8f4bfc]"Patches, play my nighttime speed playlist."[/color]

	[color=d083fc][i][b]With pleasure.[/b][/i][/color] Through the will of the AI (or at least through a node installed into the car's electrical systems), the radio lit up, and from the sound system played [url=https://www.youtuberepeater.com/watch?v=4341FfSedsQ]a drum and bass tune[/url]. Just as the song began, Andrea grabbed the keys and turned the ignition.

	The [url=http://momentcar.com/images/ford-taurus-1988-1.jpg]rusty 1988 Ford Taurus[/url] roared to life, and despite its appearance and some of its sounds, seemed to hold quite a bit of power. The lights turned on, and just as soon as the car did, Andrea shifted into gear and the car peeled away. The front tires squealed against the pavement for a few seconds before they got their grip on it, the car picking up speed as it drove off from the abandoned parking lot and onto the street. The car sped down the rarely traveled street, and approaching a corner, Andrea lightly brought the handbrake up to bring the car into a fishtail, drifting along the street, before flooring the gas, the car straightening itself out after drifting on the 90 degree turn. She continued to speed through the streets, the lazily upgraded 140 horsepower engine barely trying to keep up with the Slingshot's demands. Hitting several bumps, the car jumped up a few times from the force as the car hit them at high speeds, but it had little effect on the Slingshot herself. 

	The Slingshot, as she was called in criminal and racing circles, is a woman who's rather familiar with how cars work, and what their limits are, depending on what make and model. Having worked as a mechanic for most of her adult life, and raced cars for quite a bit of it, her passion is nothing but being at the seat of some of mankind's greatest machines. Driving around at breakneck speeds was just nothing but pure thrill to her, and cars themselves always appealed to her as a kid. She had already achieved her dream of being a race car driver, and while she does participate in local races nowadays, her past association with murky racing groups ruined her chances of going anywhere high. At least for now, and while she still races and works on cars, it only gives her enough money to survive. But Andrea is not on this earth to [i]survive.[/i] She is on God's Green Earth to [i]live.[/i] And live she did, through thrill of speed.

	[i][b][color=d083fc]Drift turn left.[/color][/b][/i] Patches said to Andrea, using the heads up display in Andrea's augmented reality glasses to give the driver a path through the dimly lit roadways, as well as some rudimentary statistics on the aged Taurus. Andrea did as she was told, performing the same handbrake cornering trick, drifting at the 90 degree turn into the factory parking lot, nose towards the group of men up ahead. She sped towards them, the men ahead of them looking quite uneasy. They seemed as if they were just about to run away when Andrea jerked her car to one side then the other, bringing it into a proper drift. Screeching along the pavement, the car was finally brought to a stop at the feet of the three men, driver's side facing them. [color=d083fc][i][b]You have reached your destination.[/b][/i][/color] Patches said in a sing-song tone.

	Andrea rolled down the window, looking at their shocked faces. She smirked at them. [color=8f4bfc]"Did someone call... [i][b]The Slingshot?[/b][/i]"[/color] Andrea asked, adding a little bit of flair to her beloved nickname, one that may or may not be based off of her favorite Hot Wheels car.

	Adidas relaxed a bit before speaking angrily to the woman in the car, his voice a little gravelly. "Fucking crazy bitch, you nearly killed us!" He shouted.

	Andrea turned down the music. [color=8f4bfc]"Relax, Generic Bad Guy Number Two. I was just giving you a little [i]démonstration.[/i]"[/color] She patted the side of the car, adding a bit of French to her last word. [color=8f4bfc]"So, you got the goods?"[/color]

	Adidas grumbled angrily before gesturing to the other two men, who promptly walked over to their GMC Yukon. "How do you plan on getting them to Wiseman?" 

	Andrea popped the trunk. [color=8f4bfc]"Secret smuggling compartment, hidden underneath the jeans and lining. Hard to see, but once you feel for it you'll be able to get to it easy."[/color] She said. [color=8f4bfc]"It's sealed, so not even dogs can sniff through it. Hopefully. Don't quote me on that."[/color] Andrea said, trailing off a little.

	"Whatever. You seem to know your way around." Adidas said as Wifebeater and Oversized brought a small crate out. "Remember, you're looking at five kilos of some of the best Bolivian cocaine right there. Any less and it'll be your ass on a platter." Adidas said, taking a drag from his cigarette as the two other men put the military styled crate into the secret compartment, making sure to hide it well before closing the trunk. "You know where to go, right?"

	[color=8f4bfc]"You wouldn't call me here if I didn't."[/color] Andrea replied casually. [color=8f4bfc]"53rd Lambert Street, the pizzeria on the corner. Been there before, several times."[/color] She repeated just to assuage them. She then held her palm out, clearing her throat.

	"Right." Adidas smirked. "The best never work for free." He pulled out five crisp one hundred dollar bills from his front pocket, putting them into Andrea's hand gently. "Wiseman's rep will give you his cut on delivery. The rest of our cut's in a drop, which should come with your payment." Adidas explained, stepping back from Andrea as she pocketed the cash. "If you got the spine for it, maybe I could hook you up to my racing scene. Got my own car and everything."

	Andrea nodded. [color=8f4bfc]"I'll think about it, just hope that you can afford losing to me."[/color] She said with a soft teasing smirk, putting her hands back on the steering wheel. [color=8f4bfc]"Any friendly tips for me before I head out?"[/color]

	Adidas was walking away, but he then turned around. "Word out there says that the Hills are being watched over by some Angel of Death. With all of that 'superhero' bullshit going on in the city nowadays, with fuckin' metahumans runnin' around, I would take a little stock in what they say. Hopefully it won't find you but, if it does, you're fucked." Adidas said, tossing his cigarette onto the ground, stomping it out.

	Andrea was a little unnerved by this news, as she would be heading straight into the Hills to get to Wiseman's place. She was a little confident in the facade she normally put up though. [color=8f4bfc]"I doubt some superhero's gonna attack an innocent woman in a beat-up Taurus anyway. If they do, I'll just tell them the same story I normally do."[/color] Andrea said. [color=8f4bfc]"I appreciate it nonetheless. Stay safe out there."[/color]

	"You too, Slingshot." Adidas said. "I'll call you again for more if you don't fuck up. Peace." 

	Andrea flashed the peace sign before turning up the radio back up to its original volume, shifting the car into gear and speeding off. The tires briefly squealed once again, but her car was able to get a grip and speed out from the parking lot. Flying out from the entrance to the factory parking lot, she was back on the road again. Her glasses outlined and highlighted the less visible parts of the road, with a highlighted path fading into view, giving Andrea direction as to where she should go. Shifting her car into gear, she floored it, making a drift turn onto the four-way road that led straight towards the Hills. It would be a long trip, but if it were short, those guys would done the job themselves. Drones in the skies kept an eye out for cops and other pursuers, and while Andrea drove through the near desolate streets, Andrea kept a careful eye on her vehicle's limits, and how much time she had left on her drones. She'll slow down once she gets to the Hills, but until then, she has time to make. Flooring it, the Taurus sped off into the night, gunning it through a green light, red taillights fading into the darkness.

	Time trials were something Slingshot was all too used to.