CHAPTER 29: CAT AND MOUSE

The arena thundered with life. Lights flashed like lightning bolts, sweeping across the roaring crowd as the giant screen came alive with colour and sound. The host’s voice boomed through the stadium speakers, carried by the fevered energy of thousands.

"ladies and gentlemen! ,Welcome to the first elimination round of the Reagent championship season!"

The crowd erupted, a living sea of noise and flashing banners. The floor itself seemed to tremble beneath the stomping of feet. Names and numbers filled the air, the chant of adrenaline-driven fans echoing across the metallic walls, the heat of bodies, sweat, and electric light fusing into one endless roar.

The host’s voice rose above the chaos, grinning into the camera. "Congratulations to all who made it this far! We know the acceptance letters were so many, but only ten percent were accepted. Only the best of the best rise to this stage. And now, meet the ones to watch this season!"

The screen behind him flared to life, a reel of faces and stats spinning like a slot machine before stopping on each name, one by one.

"First up—BULLDOZER!"

The crowd exploded. The man himself stood off to the side of the stage, throwing up both arms, his massive frame flexing as the crowd chanted his name in unison. His shadow stretched across the floor like that of a titan. Cameras zoomed in on the steel plating of his gauntlets, his brutal grin.

"Next—SPIKE!"

A dangerous smirk cut across the man’s blood-stained face on the screen. His scar caught the light like a blade’s edge. The cheers that followed were mixed with a ripple of unease ,an echo of the fear his name carried.

"And now... returning with unfinished business—ETHAN!"

The stadium lights flared white. Ethan’s image filled the display: calm, poised, eyes sharp and cold. The crowd’s roar became a storm, chanting his name with the reverence reserved for a fallen hero clawing his way back to glory.

He didn’t flinch. Didn’t smile. Didn’t even blink. Every inch of him was built for this, precision, restraint, violence waiting behind silence.

"And..." The host’s grin sharpened, milking the tension for every heartbeat. "The one they call the Shadow Racer—HUNTER!"

The noise turned deafening. Fans screamed. Camera drones whirred overhead like mechanical hornets. The air itself seemed to shake as his face appeared, half-lit, half-hidden. A legend built from whispers, rumour, and a trail of burnt tracks.

"Then finally..." The host paused, eyes glinting. "The final guest of them all—TIMOTHY!"

The crowd erupted again. Confetti cannons thundered. The lights dimmed, then burst back to life. The names shimmered above the arena like constellations.

Far from the chaos of the stadium, in a quiet room lit by the cold blue light of a single screen, Lucien stood motionless. His reflection trembled on the monitor, ghostlike, framed by the flicker of the broadcast. The cheers from the arena were muffled here, distant and hollow, like echoes of another world he’d once belonged to.

He exhaled slowly. His fingers curled into fists. It’s time, he thought.

Behind him, the metallic door hissed open.

Lucien turned, heart skipping before he could stop it. Hunter.

The taller man stood framed in the doorway, jacket half-zipped, hair damp with sweat, expression unreadable. The air seemed to tighten between them as Lucien straightened, masking the flicker of emotion that passed through him.

"Did you revise the map?" he asked, voice low, almost uncertain. His throat felt dry.

Hunter’s eyes flicked to him briefly, then away. "Yes," he said quietly, his tone flat, professional, almost mechanical.

He moved past Lucien without another word. His boots thudded softly against the concrete floor, the scent of engine oil and steel following him. He crouched beside the bike, fingers trailing along the smooth metal as if reading a language only he could understand.

The silence stretched between them like a taut wire. Neither of them spoke.

Lucien watched him, every movement precise, every gesture carrying weight. After everything that had happened between them... after the shouting, the distance, the hollow days of avoidance, he hadn’t expected Hunter to show up. Not today. Not at all. But the Dastin had insisted. They need him,

You need him.

Lucien’s jaw tightened. They need him, sure. Me? They’d survive without me.

He forced a small smile that didn’t touch his eyes. "Looks like you’re serious about this."

"Always am," Hunter replied, still focused on the bike.

Lucien’s throat tightened. The way he said it ,steady, detached, hurt more than it should have.

The door slid open again.

"Lucien!"

The name cracked through the room like shattering glass.

Lucien turned, blinking. "Mason?"

The boy’s voice was bright, too bright. His smile was stretched too thin. He stepped inside, the glow from the hallway cutting a halo around him. "Hunter," he greeted, careful, almost respectful, but there was something else buried in his tone, something sharp.

Hunter didn’t even glance his way. He simply continued his inspection, jaw working slowly, muscles tight beneath his collar.

Lucien blinked again, caught between confusion and irritation. "Mason? What are you doing here?"

Mason laughed softly, the sound brittle. "To support you, obviously."

Lucien frowned. Mason never came to these events. He never even showed interest. Yet here he was, smile plastered on like armour. Something about it made the back of Lucien’s neck prickle. Mason... every day, you become more of a puzzle I can’t solve.

Meanwhile, Mason’s eyes kept drifting toward Hunter. His thoughts coiled into something dark, sour, and trembling with envy. Being close to him already turns me on, he thought, shame mingling with spite. After Ethan’s rejection, I need somewhere to bleed all this anger, and Hunter looks like the perfect target. He looks even hotter up close. Too bad, you’re going to be off the market soon.

Lucien sighed softly. "Alright, fine."

Hunter stood abruptly, grabbing his helmet. Without a glance, he walked past both of them and out the door. The air seemed to collapse in his absence, leaving only the faint hum of the machines.

Lucien rubbed the back of his neck, muttering, "This is more awkward now."

"I’m going to meet the new participants," he said after a moment.

"I’ll go with you," Mason offered instantly, still wearing that too-bright smile.

Lucien hesitated, then gave a short nod.

Together, they stepped out into the corridor.

The square outside was a living storm, revving engines, laughter, and the restless thrum of competition. The air was thick with smoke, fuel, and nerves. Racers from across the regions had gathered, checking their bikes, tightening gear, running diagnostics with shaking hands and adrenaline smiles.

Lucien’s gaze swept over them, scanning for familiar faces. This season’s turnout is insane, he thought. Ten percent acceptance out of thousands. It’s already a bloodbath.

He was about to move when something massive collided with him, lifting him off the ground entirely.

"YOUNG WHEELS!" a deep voice bellowed, echoing through the square.

Lucien yelped, flailing. Then came the laugh, booming, familiar.

"Bulldozer!" he groaned, half laughing, half annoyed. "It’d be great if you didn’t make this your grand entrance every time!"

The mountain of a man roared with laughter, setting him back down with surprising gentleness. The ground seemed to quake beneath his size.

Bulldozer, reigning champion. A human wall of muscle and force. On the track, he was unstoppable, a juggernaut of torque and willpower. Off it, he was sunshine incarnate. The kind of man who could crush you with one hand and then buy you dinner with the other.

"Can’t help it!" Bulldozer said, grin wide. "Knew you’d be here, sniffing around your new opponents."

He leaned to the side, eyes glinting. "And who’s this?"

Mason froze like a deer caught in headlights.

"New assistant?" Bulldozer teased, folding his arms.

Lucien shook his head quickly. "No, no, he’s just a friend."

Mason gave a nervous half-smile. Damn, why does this bear give me the creeps?

Then the sound came, a crack, sharp and violent. A body hit the ground with a wet thud. The laughter died instantly, the square falling into tense silence.

Across the courtyard stood a man with blood dripping from his knuckles, chest rising and falling like a caged animal. The crowd parted instinctively, fear spreading like wildfire.

Spike.

Lucien’s breath caught. He’s back.

Disqualified last season for killing a judge mid-race. A walking live wire. No one knew why he was still allowed anywhere near the track. No one dared ask.

"Wouldn’t be surprised if he pulls something crazy," Bulldozer muttered, voice low.

Spike threw the man he’d hit aside, wiping the blood on his pants like it was nothing. Then his eyes found them. Cold. Ferocious. Alive.

He grinned, a predator’s grin. Then walked toward them.

"Well, well, well," he rasped, voice like gravel and smoke. "More people I’ve been waiting to crush."

Mason stiffened, pulse jumping. What the hell is this place? A racing tournament or a gladiator pit? he thought, taking a step back. Then another. His throat went dry as Spike’s gaze snapped toward him, sharp, assessing, cruel.

Mason slipped away into the crowd, vanishing between bodies.

Lucien didn’t move. Bulldozer stepped forward slightly, blocking Spike’s path. The air between them buzzed, a collision waiting to happen. The tension was palpable, half rivalry, half respect. Two storms measuring each other’s strength.

Before it could break, the giant screen above them flickered to life again.

The interviewer’s voice crackled through the speakers, sharp and triumphant. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. The wait is over. The first elimination challenge begins now! , with 256...255 participants we shall begin"

A collective breath swept through the crowd. Heads turned. Eyes narrowed.

The camera panned dramatically, scanning faces, machines, and tension.

"Today’s game..." The host paused, letting the silence build until the anticipation was unbearable. "...is Cat and Mouse."

A ripple went through the racers. Some smiled. Some froze. Others muttered curses under their breath.

Lucien’s heart began to pound. Cat and Mouse. The most unpredictable challenge of them all, no track, no rules, no mercy. Hunters and prey, switched without warning. Only one goal: survive.

Somewhere out there, Ethan was waiting. Hunter too. And Mason, twisted by something darker, watching from the edges, calculating every move.

Lucien’s hand tightened around his gloves. The engines began to roar to life again, each sound a promise of chaos.

The announcer’s voice dropped to a whisper, drawn out for the cameras.

"Racers... welcome to hell."

The signal blared.

And the storm began.