The overhead grates opened out to reveal the true force of the near blistering, setting sunlight, bearing down over the expansive docks that stretched from left to right as far as the eye could see. Hundreds and hundreds of piers, most abandoned and decaying; the ones that saw use were alive with activity - workers unloading cargo, or fixing hovercrafts and expensive cruise vessels. It was not uncommon for the latter crafts to be outfitted with heavy weaponry and even heavier fusion engines, the native aquatic life was generally as huge as it was terrifying.
Erica stopped on the way to the old industral sector of the docks, taking a moment to admire the vast array of detail now available to her; however, she was not a sentimental person, and soon was testing the full ability of her new cybernetic cornea. Hidden vital components in the machinery she scanned appeared highlighted to her, her eye picking up on the energy they generated.
She wondered how MacGrath would fare when a few of her bike parts were destroyed, and smirked.
A short electronic buzz and a brief dizzy spell indicated that her spinal augment had activated; Erica leaned on the wall for support, a warm sensation travelling down the wires embedded under her skin. Had the world gotten slower? No, that must have been her senses sharpening, her reaction speed multiplying. Someone stopped to ask if she was alright, but Erica brushed them off, shaking her head to clear it; when the dizziness wore off, she continued the rest of the way to her home. She had beaten MacGrath before, and suffered embarrassing defeats at the hands of her rival. Now all that mattered was beating her again.
Every year, the final took place on the streets of an abandoned, desolate city, reachable across a canal out of Topside. Or at least, that was the official route - the racers and gamblers had other, less reputable ways of getting there. Erica, as well as many others, used the old service tunnels beneath Cagetown.
Typing in the access code to her garage-turned-home, Erica checked her watch - time to get ready.
Erica stopped on the way to the old industral sector of the docks, taking a moment to admire the vast array of detail now available to her; however, she was not a sentimental person, and soon was testing the full ability of her new cybernetic cornea. Hidden vital components in the machinery she scanned appeared highlighted to her, her eye picking up on the energy they generated.
She wondered how MacGrath would fare when a few of her bike parts were destroyed, and smirked.
A short electronic buzz and a brief dizzy spell indicated that her spinal augment had activated; Erica leaned on the wall for support, a warm sensation travelling down the wires embedded under her skin. Had the world gotten slower? No, that must have been her senses sharpening, her reaction speed multiplying. Someone stopped to ask if she was alright, but Erica brushed them off, shaking her head to clear it; when the dizziness wore off, she continued the rest of the way to her home. She had beaten MacGrath before, and suffered embarrassing defeats at the hands of her rival. Now all that mattered was beating her again.
Every year, the final took place on the streets of an abandoned, desolate city, reachable across a canal out of Topside. Or at least, that was the official route - the racers and gamblers had other, less reputable ways of getting there. Erica, as well as many others, used the old service tunnels beneath Cagetown.
Typing in the access code to her garage-turned-home, Erica checked her watch - time to get ready.
