Robina Torqueburn couldn't believe what she was witnessing. Her two sisters, Techa and Mecha, had agreed to a stupid, suicidal race through the ravaged wasteland. And for what? To prove what, exactly? Her anger intensified with every ear-splitting roar of their engines as the bikes hurtled deep into the desolate, zombie-infested territory. The wasteland was home to too many horrors, abominations Robina had dedicated her life to preventing from ever touching her city walls. But how could she defend her sisters if they voluntarily chose to expose themselves to such unimaginable danger?
Robina had to remind herself, forcefully, that her own strength, her very purpose, was owed to these two. Techa and Mecha Torqueburn, twins, and before their bitter rivalry, the greatest engineers in all of Cape Lumous. Together, they had created her Combat Droid, a colossal titan of riveted iron, powered by a thrumming steam core, capable of wiping out anything in its path. The twins had crafted this magnificent, terrifying fighting robot specifically for her, because only Robina had sworn herself to a life of pacifism. She had steadfastly refused Blaze Reddington’s multiple attempts to recruit her into the Attack Force. No, Robina would not seek out violence. Her purpose was to prevent it, resorting to brute force only when the mutated horrors dared to breach the city’s defenses. Robina might be one of the youngest Torqueburns, but she was undeniably one of the most mature. She would never have raced into the wasteland. Or agreed that the loser had to enter the Arena. Why were her sisters so stupid? Such thrill-seeking, she knew, was a direct path to a gruesome death. Robina had pleaded with their eldest sister, Forgea, to stop the madness, but Forgea, with her steadfast belief in individual freedom, insisted that everyone should be free to make their own choices, even if those choices were catastrophically wrong.
Robina snapped her fingers, and her giant robot, a silent, obedient behemoth, lowered its massive metal hand. She climbed onto its palm, snapped her fingers again, and was gently raised, then placed on its huge, metal shoulders. From this elevated vantage point, she gained a clearer view of the insane race her sisters had embarked upon.
Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!
Techa, a streak of gleaming chrome and steam, held a precarious lead, but Mecha was a menacing shadow right behind her, expertly drafting in her slipstream. Smart, Robina acknowledged, a grudging respect mixed with her fear. The course was deceptively simple: one long, straight line, followed by a sharp, treacherous turn, then a headlong dash back home. Mecha, with a cunning born of calculated risk, had deliberately allowed Techa to take the initial lead, conserving her own precious power within the slipstream, a silent predator biding her time.
The sharp corner, a brutal one hundred and eighty degree bend, finally loomed. This was it. This was where the race would be decided. Mecha made her move. With a sudden, explosive burst of acceleration, she darted to the inside of the turn, a brazen, audacious maneuver that caught Techa completely off guard. Mecha’s bike roared, its tires spitting gravel, as she cut across Techa’s line, effectively blocking any attempt to follow her optimal racing path. Techa, forced wide, lost precious momentum, her own engine sputtering a frustrated protest. Then, with a savage burst of speed, Mecha unleashed every ounce of power her engine possessed, leaving Techa floundering in her wake. The slipstream, once an advantage, became a vacuum, sucking Techa backward as Mecha blasted forward, a victorious blur.
The race was over from that moment. The return journey was a mere procession, a victory lap for Mecha. Yet, still, the crowd loved it, their cheers echoing across the wasteland, a macabre celebration of a foolhardy gamble. Robina noticed Mirena Veilstorm, the woman who ran the Arena and much of the city’s underground entertainment, watching the spectacle with a keen, calculating curiosity. A fresh wave of worry washed over Robina. She feared this reckless stunt by her sisters might become an ongoing spectacle, drawing more fools to risk their lives, and making her own vital job of defending the city from true horrors infinitely more difficult.
