Time slows as you grip the steering wheel of the Supra. The moment your fingers wrap around it, your consciousness expands. The car becomes an extension of your body, its capabilities downloading into your mind like complex software. You can feel every ounce of torque, predict the precise limit of tire adhesion, and calculate drift angles with supernatural precision.
[Skill Activated: Professional Driving - Master Level]
[Special Feature: Pursuit Evasion Techniques]
[Vehicle Status: Toyota Supra - 95% Condition]
[Nitrous Available: 3 Charges]
The police cruisers turn onto the street, light bars painting the surroundings in alternating blue and red. Your minimap shows five units converging, with the garage marked as a yellow safehouse icon you need to protect.
You slam the accelerator. The Supra's engine screams as you launch forward, tachometer redlining. The G-force pushes you back into the seat as you barrel directly toward the lead police car.
"Holy shit," you whisper, a grin spreading across your face. This is nothing like video games. This is visceral, terrifying, and exhilarating all at once.
At the last possible second, you crank the wheel, feathering the brake and throttle simultaneously. The Supra breaks traction, rear end swinging out in a perfect drift that carries you around the corner at impossible speed. Through the driver's window, you catch the police officer's stunned expression as you slide past, mere inches from collision.
[Driving Style: Aggressive]
[Heat Level Increasing]
[Police Response: Pursuit Initiated]
[Respect Gained: +5]
Your phone buzzes. Dom's voice comes through the car's speakers: "Michael, what the hell was that? Where did you learn to drive like that?"
"Long story," you reply, watching the rearview mirror as three police cruisers scramble to follow, one clipping a parked car in their haste. "I'm drawing them east, away from you."
"Just keep them busy for ten minutes. That's all we need."
The line goes dead as you focus on the road ahead. Your mastery provides you with perfect knowledge, but your body still surges with adrenaline as you weave through traffic at 90 mph. Each near-miss sends a fresh spike of endorphins through your system.
Your HUD highlights potential escape routes in green, danger zones in red. When you approach a construction zone, you see an opportunity.
[Environmental Opportunity Detected]
[Risk Level: High]
[Success Probability: 73%]
You downshift, feeling the engine brake before accelerating again. The Supra flies over a partially constructed ramp, catching air. For a breathless moment, you're suspended above the street, the city spread out below in a glittering tapestry. The landing is rough but controlled, and you're already accelerating again as two police cars screech to a halt at the edge of the construction site.
"Two down, three to go," you mutter.
The remaining cruisers split up, attempting to cut you off. Your minimap shows a helicopter icon joining the pursuit.
[Warning: Police Helicopter Dispatched]
[Visible Cover Required]
You spot the entrance to the Los Angeles River canal—the iconic concrete channel from countless movies. Without hesitation, you swerve down the access road, the Supra's suspension bottoming out as you hit the concrete at speed.
Water sprays in twin rooster tails as you power through the shallow flow. The helicopter spotlight sweeps over you, but the canal's bridges provide intermittent cover. Your tires find surprising grip on the slick surface as you navigate under another bridge.
A notification pings on your HUD:
[Message from Letty]: "Dom says garage is clear. You can ditch the heat now."
Relief floods through you, but it's short-lived. The canal's exit is blocked by a police roadblock—two cruisers parked diagonally across the narrow ramp.
[Roadblock Detected]
[Options: Breach, Evade, Alternative Exit]
Your Instant Mastery kicks into overdrive, analyzing the scenario in milliseconds. There's a maintenance tunnel to your right, barely wide enough for the Supra. It's not on any standard map, but your system highlights it in neon green.
With a sharp turn, you plunge into the darkness of the tunnel. Concrete walls scrape against the Supra's side mirrors as you navigate the tight space, guided only by headlights and your system's outlined path. The police cruisers can't follow—they're too wide.
You emerge on a quiet street miles from where you started, heart pounding but victorious. The police chatter on the scanner confirms they've lost you.
[Mission Complete: Distraction Successful]
[Police Evaded]
[Vehicle Damage: Minimal]
[Respect Earned: Dom +20, Letty +15]
[Bonus: Heat Management Skill Improved]
As you catch your breath, your phone rings again. It's Dom.
"You still have my car?" His tone is neutral, unreadable.
"Yeah. Some scratched paint, but she performed beautifully."
A pause, then: "Bring it to this address. Not the garage. We need to talk about where you learned to drive like that."
A waypoint appears on your map—a secluded lookout point overlooking the city.
[New Mission Available: Meeting with Dom]
[Importance: Critical]
[Warning: Explanation Required]
As you drive toward the meeting point, your mind races. The thrill of the chase still courses through your veins, but reality is setting in. Dom isn't just a character anymore—he's a real person with questions you don't have believable answers for.
The sun is setting over Los Angeles, painting the city in gold and shadow. In the distance, police sirens still wail, searching for a ghost driver who disappeared into thin air. You've passed your first test, but the real challenge is just beginning: How do you explain abilities that shouldn't exist in this world?
The lookout point comes into view, Dom's iconic Dodge Charger already parked at the edge. He stands beside it, arms crossed, waiting for you.