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Jun slammed on the gas pedal and accelerated down the main road. Heavy, sweaty breathing filled the entire car. Jun’s pulse thundered in his ears with the revving of the car’s engine vibrating every bone.

Streetlights blurred his vision as they rushed down the street. He wasn’t sure if he ran a red light or several of them. He steadied his breathing. Blinked his vision clear. Focused on the red light ahead. Then he looked in the rearview mirror. His blood went cold.

“He’s behind us.”

Alex whipped his head around. “You’re fucking joking.”

“I’m not. Black Corvette.”

Hal’s hand jammed between them, rapidly pointing to the right. “Go to Willow. Now.”

The light flashed green. Jun yanked the wheel right. The car lurched, pressing everyone against their doors. He floored the gas, the speed climbing up to fifty miles per hour. The tires hammered over cracked asphalt, rattling Jun’s teeth. The Corvette closed the gap between them. The alley opened to another main road. Jun swerved right. A red truck lay on its horn, missing them by inches.

“Jesus Christ! What the fuck!” Kana screamed as Hal slammed her into the door.

“Sorry, miss, you okay?” Hal scrambled back, straightening himself.

“No!” Kana slapped Jun’s headrest. “This motherfucker is gonna get us killed!”

“Stop yapping and be glad you ain’t dead yet,” Alex yelled back at her.

Jun glanced at the rearview mirror. The Corvette emerged from the alleyway. Two cars behind them. It cut between the lanes, getting dangerously close. Jun pressed on the gas. Another small alley was coming up on the left. He swerved again, followed by another slew of Kana’s curses.

This alley was narrower, darker. Only one streetlamp cast a single cone of light on the whole area. Older apartment complexes lined the alley, built above open street-level carports. A few parking spots sat empty beneath them.

Hal patted Jun’s seat and pointed to an open parking spot in the parking garage. “Connor, right there!”

Jun almost missed it. He hit the brakes, threw the car in reverse, and backed into the spot between a wall divider and a Dodge truck.

“Turn your lights off! Everyone duck!” Alex ordered.

Jun killed the lights. Darkness swallowed them. Then the growl of an engine, swelling to a roar—the Corvette blew past the opening without slowing.

When the sound of the Corvette’s engine faded, everyone exhaled. Jun closed his eyes and rested his forehead on the steering wheel, leveling himself with deep breaths to cool down. Hal clapped a hand on his shoulder and gave him a small shake of approval.

After a moment of silence, Hal broke in, “Looks like we can’t go to Norms no more.”

“No,” Alex replied. “Just not that one.”

Kana tapped Alex’s seat. “Hey, so, your demonstration sucked.”

Alex sputtered. “Hey, I didn’t say I was a straight-A student. I still got it done, right?”

“He never was,” Jun muttered, still not raising his head.

Alex turned towards him, mouth open, but Kana slapped his seat before he could speak. “You said you were the one that was gonna take the device and go.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t expect him to catch me,” Hal chimed in. “I was just gonna go about my merry day.” He glared at Alex. “And then someone had to pick a fight.”

Alex turned around and faced the backseaters. “He started it.”

“Bro, he did not. You aggravated him. You needed to calm the fuck down.”

“But he was accusing us, and I don’t tolerate anyone who talks shit to my homies.”

Hal sighed and shook his head. “I appreciate that, Augs, but he’s two of you! And was he Bai Hu!?”

“Doubt it. But I coulda taken him anyways. Remember Tío Rafael?”