The air inside the abandoned warehouse was thick with tension. Neon lights flickered from the old metal rafters, casting shadows that danced across the cracked concrete floor. Outside, the roar of engines echoed in the distance — the Underground Kings were gathering.
Kelvin leaned against the hood of his matte-black GT-R, eyes locked on the girl in front of him. Ava. Her leather jacket clung to her like a second skin, her hair pulled into a high ponytail that swung with every sharp move. But her eyes… they were different tonight. Harder.
"You sure about this?" Kelvin's voice was low, calm, but the way his hands tightened on the hood betrayed the storm inside him.
Ava didn't answer immediately. She stepped closer until the scent of gasoline and her perfume mixed in the air between them. "I didn't come this far to back out now. They think they can scare me? They're wrong."
Before Kelvin could respond, the warehouse doors groaned open. Marcus walked in, the so-called "King" of the rival crew — Iron Serpents. He wasn't alone. Behind him, two of his men rolled in a blood-red Ferrari SF90, its headlights cutting through the dim light like knives.
"Kelvin," Marcus smirked, tossing the keys in the air before catching them again. "Heard you've been making noise in my city. Thought I'd see if you're man enough to back it up."
Kelvin's jaw tightened. "Name the terms."
Marcus's grin widened. "Tomorrow night. The old airport runway. No cops, no rules. You lose, you hand over your car… and the girl."
The room went still. Ava's fists clenched, but before she could speak, Kelvin stepped forward, closing the space between them. "And if I win?"
Marcus's eyes glinted like steel. "Then I walk away. No more interference. For now."
The sound of revving engines from outside grew louder — the crews were here. Kelvin nodded once, slow and deliberate. "Fine. But when I win, you're going to wish you never stepped into my world."
As Marcus turned to leave, he leaned close to Ava, his breath hot against her ear. "Hope your boy can drive faster than he talks."
Kelvin saw it. The slight flinch. The flash of anger in her eyes. And he swore silently: Tomorrow night, Marcus was going to eat his words.
When the Iron Serpents were gone, Ava looked at Kelvin. "You know he's going to cheat, right?"
Kelvin smirked, but his eyes burned with focus. "So am I."
Tomorrow night wasn't just a race. It was war.