CHAPTER 30: CAT AND MOUSE -1

Lucien stood, the words rolling through his head like thunder.

"Cat and Mouse?" he whispered, eyes flicking toward the massive screen again. His stomach twisted. The title alone carried a weight, an implication of danger disguised as a game.

Its been so long they ever announced such a game after the last one nearly taking dozen’s of life, what’s going on now?

Spike cracked his hands and neck, grinning like a wolf in an open field. "Oh right, that’s what I’m talking about!" His voice boomed through the square, drawing a few nervous glances. Even the air seemed to pulse around his excitement.

The interviewer’s voice rose through the speakers again, smooth, professional, but laced with something almost cruel.

"This round," he began, "is not your usual race. As the name just say by itself. The rules are simple but deadly. There will be predators... and prey."

The murmurs spread through the crowd. Every racer leaned in closer.

"The prey must capture at least three predators to advance to the main tournament," the host continued. "The predators, however, must evade capture for as long as possible. They will be given a five-minute head start. Other than that no rules set on how the prey can catch the predators ,...that’s right the preys can go bananas on how they catch the predators" he roared

The camera cut to each racer, panning across determined faces.

"And the prey," the host said with deliberate pause, "will be, Bulldozer, Spike, Timothy, Ethan, and Hunter!" he laughed "well that’s not surprising isn’t it right"

Lucien’s eyes widened slightly. Around him, a few gasps broke through the crowd.

He sighed, shoulders slumping. "So they used the ones who already participated," he muttered, voice quiet, almost disappointed. It figured, the veterans were always the ones thrown into the fire first. But either prey and predators , it doesn’t matter the title you are given

Spike burst into laughter, the sound booming, unhinged, raw. "That’s what I’m talking about! Time to crush some newbies!"

He slammed his fist into his palm, excitement rolling off him like static.

Lucian looked at him , they are going to regret not setting some strict rules, and especially Spike being a prey , gosh they is going to be a lot of bloodshed

"Try to be a little bit gentle," Bulldozer said, exhaling with a sigh that came from a man used to cleaning up the messes of others. His tone was casual, but the heaviness in his voice betrayed how serious he really was. "anyways young wheels, well see you after this "

Soon after, they began to disperse, each heading toward their bikes, engines flaring alive like the growls of beasts. They exchanged brief nods and half-hearted smiles before vanishing into the metallic corridors leading to their stations.

Lucien turned back toward the screen, and then froze.

His eyes widened when he caught sight of Ethan.

The camera had found him among the crowd, talking to old man Harris near the pit area. Ethan’s face was calm, his posture easy, but then, he smiled. Just faintly. A small, quiet smile that punched the air right out of Lucien’s lungs.

His heart began to pound, painfully fast.

Slow down, he thought, breathe.

But he couldn’t. Not when Ethan’s profile flickered across the screen, not when that calmness reminded him of all the things they hadn’t said.

"First time in the event I’m not racing with you," Lucien mumbled, his voice barely audible, he felt something forming in his throat . He stared until the camera shifted away, until Ethan disappeared into the sea of motion and light.

The noise of the stadium faded in his ears. Everything else felt distant.

He turned away and walked quickly back toward his room.

I cant be thinking about him , he’s my competitor now, nothing else or more, remember that

The door slid open, and Lucien froze again.

Hunter was waiting inside.

Lucien’s throat tightened. The taller man stood near the table, arms folded, the faint buzz of the overhead light glinting off his dark jacket.

Lucien cleared his throat, forcing his attention to the screen instead of the storm inside his chest. "Congrats on being one of the prey," he said, trying to sound steady. "But that doesn’t mean you’re in the safe zone. Catching one of the riders is going to be a challenge. Just because they’re new doesn’t mean they’re newbies. Some are more skilled than the next."

He walked toward his tablet, flipping it open with shaky hands. "For now, we have to use the map to our advantage. We can easily get one or two riders if we move smart. But don’t ride recklessly, you’re not used to the intensity of these rounds."

He was rambling now, trying to sound professional, logical, but his voice trembled in the smallest ways.

Hunter’s gaze didn’t leave him. His jaw tightened.

"You’re thinking of him, aren’t you," Hunter said, voice calm but heavy.

Lucien froze mid-motion. "What?"

Hunter stepped closer, closing the space between them with deliberate slowness. "Your eyes are distant," he said, his tone colder now, darker. "I wonder why."

Their eyes locked.

For a heartbeat, neither spoke. The tension between them was sharp enough to cut. The hum of the tablet filled the silence.

Then, the television’s sudden blare startled them both, the broadcast surging to life again.

Hunter broke eye contact first. He grabbed his helmet from the table and turned toward the door. "I hope you can forget about him," he said quietly, his voice muffled slightly as he placed the helmet over his head. "and try to think more of the game ahead of you Lucian"

Lucien’s breath caught. His gaze dropped. He took a shaky gasp before whispering, "Win... for Dastin."

Hunter paused in the doorway, then looked back through the dark glass of the helmet. He nodded once.

Then he was gone.

Lucien stood still for a moment before pressing the tablet close to his chest. His eyes flicked back to the screen, Ethan’s face filled the display once more. He is just a competitor , nothing else....nothing more

The interviewer’s voice sliced through the growing static.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, the show will start soon! The predators are preparing to venture out, to get as far away from the prey as possible!" He chuckled, voice dripping with anticipation. "It’s going to be one for the books, folks!"

On the screen, the five "prey" lined up at their marks.

Bulldozer stood perfectly still, eyes closed, like a monk preparing for war.

Timothy, by contrast, grinned wildly, tossing his hair out of his face.

He turned to Hunter, his voice lazy but taunting. "Well, too bad you’re not a predator. If you were, it’d be a delight hunting you down. But..." His grin widened. "...it’s not like they said the prey can’t become predators, am I right?"

Hunter looked at him blankly, saying nothing, he was not putting him to heart after all .His focus was elsewhere, on Ethan, standing a few meters away, adjusting something on his wrist.

The small bracelet glinted in the light. Ethan’s fingers brushed it softly, like a ritual, a good luck charm.

He lifted his gaze just long enough to meet Hunter’s eyes.

Fire sparked. Neither looked away.

Then the first gunshot rang out.

The predators shot forward into the distance, engines roaring, wheels screaming against metal as they disappeared into the sprawling labyrinth of the course.

Bulldozer’s eyes opened, calm and sharp. "So Young Wheels chose a new rider," he said, glancing toward Hunter’s bike before it vanished. He grinned, almost proud. "Interesting."

"Interesting or what?" Spike said, revving his own engine until it howled. "What’s interesting is the game laid out now. I can’t wait to crash those newbies into shreds!"

He laughed maniacally, the sound echoing through the speakers. Bulldozer grinned back.

"Forget about them, they’re trying to get inside your head," Lucien’s voice came through Hunter’s earpiece, steady but soft.

Hunter didn’t respond, only adjusted his grip on the handle.

"Don’t worry," Lucien continued. "I inserted a transmitter in your helmet. Every rider has one. I’ll be your eyes and ears in this. We’ll win this together."

He tried to sound confident, but his voice cracked slightly. "How quick, don’t you think, chiquitín?" he added, a nervous chuckle at the end.

On the other side of the arena, Bulldozer looked toward Ethan, his grin returning. "Ethan, guess your old Young Wheels is already getting pumped up. Shame he’s no longer with you. You guys seemed indestructible working together "

Ethan didn’t respond. He closed his sensors, shutting out everything, noise, chatter, emotion, until all that remained was the hum of his bike.

The interviewer reappeared on-screen, voice cutting through the chaos. "Time’s up for the predators to hide. Now... it’s time for the prey to prepare."

Lucien’s breath hitched.

The racers lined up once more, their engines rumbling like beasts ready to strike.

The silence before the signal was thick, suffocating.

Then—

BANG.

The gunshot echoed.

And Spike was the first to launch forward, his roar tearing through the air as the engines ignited the storm.