Tyler's sudden acceleration and catching up momentarily shocked the audience. This would typically cause a furor, with fans complaining about malpractice and a possible nitrous boost. How could a low-performance motorcycle go faster than custom-designed, super-engine-powered vehicles? However, the attention suddenly shifted to the crash site. The three leading racers from the Anderson, Cooper, and Carlisle factions suddenly lost all control simultaneously. They crashed into the sideline barricades. Luckily, the men survived with minor injuries. However, the impacts and the resulting fires utterly destroyed their vehicles. Fans raged about possible sabotage, but the remaining racers were on the last lap. Any further investigation would only take place after the race. "Wait, that Ducati DesertX already caught up to the two leaders!" an audience member called out. "How is that even possible? His vehicle is not meant for racing!" Tyler was back in the race. He picked up speed and foll
Tyler smirked thinly. "I was about to come looking for you. But it is good that you came to me directly. It saved me the trouble."Max Powers gritted his teeth and spat on the floor. "Tyler Grant…" he said, mouthing the words with disgust. "It is the first time I lost the Fremont Grand Prix. I had always been the undisputed champion. You did something funny with your bike to make it run faster. You cheater!"Tyler shrugged nonchalantly and teased him. "Why can't you accept I am a better racer than you?"A vein throbbed on Max's forehead. "Bullshit! Your DesertX was moving at unnatural speeds, way beyond the Ducati company's maximum threshold! Clearly, you have some supernatural help!"Tyler raised an eyebrow. "I see. So, my suspicions were not wrong. You dabble in the dark mystical arts."The villain spat again with disdain. "Commoners like you shouldn't dare to talk about the elite martial and mystical arts. It belongs to special people like me! Just tell me who helped you, and then
Duke Hilton filled a glass of scotch jovially and handed it to Max. "Well done, buddy! I expected nothing less of you! You really lived up to your reputation!" The others at the party raised their glasses to the assassin. However, Max nodded disinterestedly and had a severe expression plastered on his face. With Tyler's death, the man's chance to find Chet Barker's opponent was lost. His master had placed a self-implosion curse on Chet's heart to be triggered in case his identity was about to be revealed. Max was supposed to interrogate Tyler since he witnessed the fight during the royal Douglas banquet. At this juncture, only Malcolm and Dwayne remained witnesses but were not as easily accessible. Max's master was likely to punish him severely for the failure. "Why are you lost in thought, buddy?" Duke asked, offering him a seat in the group. "Uh… I lost the race… That's why," came the awkward reply. "Nonsense! Since Tyler Grant is no more, and you came second in the race, you w
Tyler climbed the nearby building and reached the terrace. He surveyed the location, trying to locate where he was. The young man found himself on the outskirts of Sapphire City, where the trash trucks evacuated their dumpster collections. If he had actually been dead, nobody would have recovered his corpse. Tyler bit his lip and assessed the current dire situation. On one hand, Natalie, Gina, and Tracy might be in danger. Max Powers had believed him dead and disposed of his body. Now, the villain could possibly attack his loved ones. On the other, Britta Salvatore sacrificed herself to get him out of the Inbetween. Why was this happening?! Tyler seethed in anger and punched the terrace railing; it shattered like gingerbread. The audacity… The unfairness… The inhumanity of it all. He had sworn never to be weak again and was bested by a rookie villain. To make matters worse, he was helpless to rescue his teacher's granddaughter. Tyler took a deep breath to calm himself. His cultivat
Tyler smirked boyishly at the flustered Britta. “I don’t let anybody owe me anything,” he said, looking into her eagle-green eyes with a smoldering charm. At that moment, the young woman could see him for what he really was—a god among human beings. Britta was almost five feet eleven inches, but Tyler held her in his arms as if she were a pigeon’s feather. “You’re really stubborn, aren’t you?” she jibed, returning to her cold personality. “I still think you were a poor choice for the heir.” Tyler’s eyes drifted down to her body, and he took his time ogling before speaking. “Are you sure you are in a position to be rude to me?” Suddenly, the realization hit Britta that she was completely naked! Moreover, the way he cradled her—his hands almost touched her private parts! “Put me down!” Britta screamed. “How dare you!” Tyler let the beauty down, snickering all the while at her squirming. “Turn around,” she hissed, picking up her clothes. The young man did as he was told, still laug
The celebrity diva shook her head. "I don't think he'd like his identity to be revealed. My lips are sealed." Natalie nodded. "I understand. The one I like also thinks that way. Is it common to all men? I find that hard to believe." Gina laughed aloud and clinked her glass with hers. "Not at all. It seems both our boyfriends are mysterious and secretive. It would be really funny if they ended up being the same person!" Natalie clinked her glass back and giggled nervously. "Yeah, it would be hilarious, but highly unlikely!" Tyler was a Sapphire City local who had spent the last three years in prison. There was no way he could remotely encounter someone like Gina Perry. Besides, the young man preferred to lead a secretive life. An affair with an international celebrity would be counterproductive to his lifestyle. Heavy footsteps sounded, and someone tall and intimidating entered the bar. It was none other than Derek Sentinel. "Hey, aren't you the Indigo Captain?" Natalie asked. He
“Impossible!” Max Powers growled in denial. “I killed you myself and dumped your corpse in a garbage bin! I checked the body for vital signs, and there were none! There is no way one can survive the Reaper’s Curse!” “Jeez, how many things are you bad at?” Tyler jibed, stepping inside casually. “You can’t win the Grand Prix or even make sure your enemy is dead. What an absolute loser!” While Max was frozen, dealing with conflicted emotions of shock and fury, Gina snuck around him and ran into Tyler’s arms. “I knew he was lying!” she bawled, streaming tears. “You’d never break your promise!” The young man smiled and hugged her with one arm, his eyes not leaving the villain for a second. “Don’t worry. You’re safe now.” His gaze quickly moved over to Derek Sentinel and the bartender lying on the floor and then to Natalie sprawled on the couch. At first, Tyler feared something horrible had happened to them. But Chiron’s Eye and his enhanced senses could detect them breathing. They were
Natalie's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself on Tyler's lap. A yellow-tinted sky was above. It took her a minute to realize she was no longer in the Marian Hotel, and it was already morning. "What happened?" she murmured, getting up and rubbing her eyes groggily. She looked around to find they were up on the terrace of the Anderson mansion. It was a luxurious one with a small pool, artificial grass, kingly benches, and a serene backdrop of the mountains. "Well, you were so exhausted you fell asleep in my lap," Tyler said with a boyish smirk. While indeed Max Powers' spell weakened the girl, it was not the exact reason Natalie slept for the last few hours. He did not intend to tell her the truth. "You won against Duke's goon, right?" Natalie asked, trying to recall the events of last night. "It's strange he would send a wiry martial artist to fight someone of your fitness levels." "Oh, really? You like my body that much?" The girl punched him playfully and crossed her arms