As soon as the announcer had said ‘Go,’ Ratanus sped forward, kicking up a cloud of dust behind him. I tried to send a rocket towards his vehicle, but I missed by a long shot.


    “Come on,” Grinny said as she too drove forward.


    I didn’t move. I thought back to my strategy with the Mimiccycles. The announcer didn’t say there was a time limit or some kind of race element to this encounter. All they had said was that we had to defeat Ratanus while racing around. So all I needed was one good hit on him. However, that strategy was stopped dead when a few metallic pings came from my hood. I looked out and saw that there were now several small holes.


    “Move,” Grinny called.


    I sighed and pushed down on the pedal, joining the race. It didn’t take me long to catch up to them. As far as speed was concerned, they weren’t going very fast. At least no faster than you would go on the main road in the city.


    Ratanus''s trunk had opened and a small gatling gun was inside, currently aimed at me. I swerved to the side as the gun barrel turned and another barrage of bullets came flying at me. They missed, striking the ground and kicking up clouds of dust.


    I aimed and fired another rocket at the rat’s car. We were on a straightaway, so my aim was perfect. At the last possible moment, the car swerved to the right and the rocket sailed past and collided with the wall. I slammed my fist on the steering wheel out of frustration.


    “Nice try little worm,” Grinny said. “But let’s try this.”


    A hole slid open in the front of her pumpkin car and a claw attached to a chain shot out towards the gun. It grabbed on to the base and began to retract. Ratanus''s car veered backwards and the front of the car popped up, like a motorcyclist doing a wheelie. The engine whined as it fought to retain its speed, which is surprisingly did considering its current predicament.


    For a few moments there was a tug of war between the two vehicles with no sides giving an inch. The fact they were both still driving at a brisk pace was impressive.


    “Come on you damn thing,” Grinny said through what sounded like gritted teeth.


    The front window to Ratanus’s car rolled down and he popped his head out. “Might be best if you let go babe,” the rat man yelled. Obviously since Grinny was in her car, she couldn’t answer him. “I warned you.”


    There was a loud click and the gatling gun suddenly dislodged itself sending both vehicles off in opposite directions. Ratanus''s car bounced a couple times before settling and speeding off. The gatling gun just barely missed Grinny’s car as it was released from the claw and it too bounced away on the road. The claw quickly retracted back into its compartment.


    “Not a bad try,” I said consolingly.


    “Either way, it’s one problem down. We’re lucky his back didn’t close. He can’t summon another one unless it is.”Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    “How do you know that?”


    “Harvey told me.” Grinny paused. “Now what other weapons do you have on that thing?”


    “I have two guns under my car, and a speed boost.” In that moment I had an idea. I hit the brakes and spun the beetle around. The movement made me feel like an action hero and I wondered if I should buy some rock music for the radio next time I was at a garage so I could have a soundtrack for these fights.


    “What are you doing?” Grinny asked.


    “I’m going to intercept him.”


    “That’s dangerous and stupid. But I like it. I’ll hit him with my grappler and see if I can’t slow him down for you.”


    Holy crap, that was a brilliant plan. I wanted to kick myself for not thinking of that part, but I needed to concentrate on the race. I sped down the straightaway and past the curve we had started at and gripped my firing column as I came out of the turn.


    Meanwhile, Grinny was gaining on Ratanus. When she was close enough she fired her grapple and hooked it on the edge of the trunk and bumper. Through the radio I could hear her brakes rumble as she hit them and pulled on the rat man’s car. Another tug of war began between them as they continued to drive.


    I came upon them fast, aimed my reticle at Ratanus, making sure his head was within my circle and fired. As I did, the rat jerked his wheel to the left and pulled a u turn much like I had done moments before. Horror flooded me as he used the momentum to whip Grinny right into the path of my rocket. She screamed as it hit.


    The explosion broke the chain and sent Grinny’s car flying backwards. It bounced and rolled several times before hitting the wall and settling upright. I stopped the beetle and stared at the wreckage.


    “Grinny?” I asked. There was no answer. I called her name again but there was nothing. Tears started to sting my eyes. “Holy shit Tooty. I think I killed her.”


    “Not quite,” Grinny coughed. “Gave it hell of a shot though.”


    “Are you okay?” My voice was louder and more high pitched than I meant to be. It was a mix of relief and amazement.


    “Maybe. Fair bit of blood, but nothing we can’t fix I don’t think.”


    I was about to say something else when Ratanus pulled up and stopped next to me. He stuck his head out the window and laughed maniacally. “That was amazing. I dare you to try and come at me again.”


    “With pleasure,” I said seething. I stepped on the gas.


    Ratanus’s grin grew and he sped off again. I closed in on him as we took the turn. His trunk was still open and flapped up and down with every bump. I switched from the rockets to the rifles under my car and fired. The bullets hit the bumper and the inside of the trunk leaving coin sized holes.


    The rat stuck out his hand and flipped me off. Normally I would’ve been surprised by the fact that a rat had enough fingers to do that, but in that moment I was pissed and this rat was the only thing I could take out my anger on. This encounter needed to end so I could get on with this damn quest.


    I looked at my menu and stared at the Nitro 1 ability. I could use it to splat this rat all over the road. But it was a big risk. I could just as easily crash into the wall. But then again, I hadn’t made it this far, which admittedly wasn’t that far at all, by playing it safe. And I was angry at what had just happened. So I said to heck with it all and as soon as we turned out of the curve and into the straightaway, I pressed Nitro 1.


    Even though it was stupid, I still had a plan. Everything blurred and when I felt the force of the other car as I slammed into it, I jerked my steering wheel sideways. The goal was to steer away from the wall and try to pull off a donut until the speed boost wore off.


    I spun fast, like one of those rides at an amusement park that stuck you to the wall, only faster. My stomach, my heart and my bones were all squished together inside my body due to the sheer force of it all. As I spun I began to lose consciousness and I did my best to hold on.


    Finally after several agonizing seconds, I felt the Nitro fade away and I pulled the beetle out of the donut and tried to get my bearings, just as I crashed right into Grinny and everything went black.