Chapter Text
In the empty space the drivers had vacated, the Wylde brothers were playing table tennis; Monkey had found a table and all the kit earlier while exploring the storerooms for spare parts. It was another contest for the pair to try, after three days of simulator racing or taking each other on in the desert.
“I don't think you should serve with that arm.” Kurt had a job to return the ball, Markie had hit it pretty hard using his robotic arm.
“You hit the ball back, I can keep on using this arm.” Wylde flexed, the whirr of servos not as terrible to him as they once had been. “You're gonna have to get used to it.” With a flick of the robotic wrist, he sent the ball back, scoring a point.
“Right.” Kurt was getting worn out now but was not going to show it. He went to collect the ball where it had halted, close to the acceleration track matrix. He looked up at the empty space the hologram was supposed to occupy.
“You think Tezla will get it working again?” Wylde noticed his brother's focus. He was itching to get back and beat some realms, and hopefully trash some Drones in the process.
“I don't trust him, but I know that if anyone can do it, Tezla can.” Kurt called back. “The man is a genius.”
“Sure.” Wylde flipped the ping-pong paddle. “Gonna stop delaying and get whooped by your little brother?” He laughed at the put-upon look Kurt had.
“Hey, I can still beat you.” Kurt tossed the ball back at the table. “Come on.”
-*-
In his lab, Tezla watched the computer assemble a model of the wheel. When the final data fragments fell in to place, Tezla felt his excitement rise. The Wheel of Power on his screen looked perfect. The rendering of the new ring slotted into place exactly as he theorised.
At the click of a button, the table hologram appeared.
As it did so, the symbols of the outer blue ring disappeared. “What?” The scientist lifted his glasses to examine the wheel. “The realms are missing?”
It was a puzzle. However, Tezla was persistent. He had unravelled the mystery of the World Race, he could solve this riddle.
Hours later, Tezla's desk was scattered with paper notes, old information he had recorded when researching the World Race, new observations from the Racing Realms. There had to be a reason for the wheel to have gone blank, it had to start opening the realms again.
Glad he had given the drivers some time off, he set to reading through the paper again.
-*-
“Do we make a portion for the old man?” Wylde was doing his best to prepare a pasta dish using a selection of ration packs they had found in the kitchen. Where so many had come from, they weren't going to question and anything was better than prison food in his opinion.
“Tezla can get food when he wants it.” Kurt replied. “Besides, I've seen him move food into his lab.”
“Alright. Let's see if this spaghetti carbonara holds up to Gramma's!” Wylde laughed as he poured the pouches out into bowls. Camping food looked pretty edible.
“Doubtful.” Kurt looked at the food. It at least smelled okay.
“Hey, I can cook!” Wylde grabbed his meal. “The Maniacs did cook-outs all the time.”
“Barbecue is not the same as Italian food.” Kurt took a fork-full of the pasta dish. The bite was edible. “We have to ask someone to bring groceries out here.”
-*-
Gripping his coffee cup, unaided at least, Tezla took a sip, still staring at the wheel as it revolved on the hologram. Idly watching as the symbol marked gold rings slowly span, matching glyphs from time to time.
It gave him an idea, each glyph had to match to open the realm. When a new realm opened and was completed, it did not re-open. The new wheel had been awarded after the Ultimate Race, to the driver who had completed the challenge.
Vert almost certainly did not have possession of the fifth wheel, it had gone blank. “That's it!” Tezla realised all at once. Vert did not have the wheel, Vert had earned it through racing. “If we complete each realm again, we will reach the Accelerons!
Steady hands tapped in the final directions on his computer. A perfect replica of the Wheel appeared on his table, the data a near match to the old one that had proven to resonate correctly.
His drivers could race again.
Excited, Tezla ran out to the balcony of his lab, it overlooked the portal space. As he had hoped, the Wylde brothers were there. “Eureka!” He shouted to the pair.
“Huh?” Wylde looked up at the scientist stood on the balcony. Kurt joined him, both confused by Tezla's behaviour.
“I've got everything hooked up and working!” Tezla shouted out. “I expected it to be a whole new gateway, but it can't be! We need to race each realm once more and earn our place as true racers!” The man was ecstatic, but the two drivers were still confused.
“Should we call the others back in?” Kurt asked, from the sounds of it they would be racing the realms again.
“Yes, yes. We will need everyone here so we can have the greatest chance when the wheel activates.” Tezla returned to his lab, leaving the brothers to call in their friends. A few moments later the hologram rippled on, filling the centre of the acceleration matrix. A blank blue ring with silver edges placed as the outer-most ring.
“Looks like we get to race again.” Kurt sent a text out to the other Teku. Everyone would want to get in on this.
“Oh yeah we do.” Wylde grinned and clenched a robotic fist. He was ready to get some payback. Going went to contact his team, Wylde hoped that he would get to race soon.
-*-
Taking another look at the footage from Sparky, Dr. Tezla examined the wheel that Vert had received from the Accelerons. It was very different to the wheel of power. He had replicate the new ring. Realising that the racers once again had to beat each realm for a chance to reach the Accelerons had been the key.
His replica of the Wheel of Power was resonating correctly. When the realms opened again then his drivers could enter and start filling in the outermost circle. They could race to earn the right to meet the higher beings. His recruits, though accidental, were excellent candidates.
-*-
Kadeem looked out over the Drone City. His Drone City. With the enhanced eyesight the implants gave him and the connection all Drones had to the network, he could view every corner of the city. The Drones worked to repair the damage to facilities the driver's incursion caused, there was enough that it was taking time.
“The Wheel of Power data is complete. The hologram will resonate. We can re-enter the racing realms.” A technician drone reported.
“Good.” Kadeem clenched a robotic fist. “Have my car prepared for me.” The Man-Machine hybrid changed his view to the vast green hologram. Soon he would be able to confront the Accelerons.