Allied by C.A. Gleason

Author:C.A. Gleason
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: C.A. Gleason
Published: 2023-08-04T00:00:00+00:00

18. Onnin

Hyde pointed out the race loop. “You sure you got it?”

Onnin nodded.

“Good. This is the one, big man.”

One of them shook the scoutbike chosen as his ride. As if shaking it would prove the quality of its condition. He certainly hadn’t done it very hard.

If Onnin did, those loose, heavy pieces probably would have fallen off. He didn’t say anything about it. It was part of his plan.

Hyde must have believed he was simple-minded being so quiet, or hoping he was. Onnin couldn’t wait to disappoint them. They’d clearly added weight to the bike in the disguise of aerodynamics.

They were even flashing looks at one another. When Royah or Buddy tried to speak up, having noticed, he shook his head at them.

“Speed, speed and more speed.” Hyde pointed to fenders. “Quite the advantage.”

Onnin chortled—he couldn’t help himself—causing them, even Hyde, briefly, to look nervous. Let them believe they were getting away with something, before they figured out they were not.

The scoutbike looked augmented to impress an old blind man who knew nothing about scoutbikes but also had no intention ever to ride one.

“Does it run?”

Hyde rolled his eyes dramatically. “Course it does! I’d bet my life on it. Especially bet their lives on it.”

There were groans and scoffs and one of them said, “Leave me out of it.”

“You know it’s true.”

Hyde’s conviction, and the honest reaction of his men convinced Onnin at least that the bike’s functionality wasn’t in question. Except, the makeshift fins down the fenders looked cut and placed yesterday, and an extra heavy bumper was also attached.

Them knowing that him and Royah and Buddy were coming was nearly impossible, but the bike was clearly intended for a plot to take advantage of other travelers.

Commonly, there was a side compartment meant for tools or whatever possessions its rider deemed necessary. There were two compartments on this one, one on each side, and no doubt filled with as many useless and heavy items as could be found.

Onnin unlatched and lifted a flap to see he was correct. It was filled with what was often necessary for day-to-day travel but not for a race. He withdrew goggles. He would need them so he strapped it atop his head. Then he pulled out a pry bar.

“You don’t need to do anything else. Bike’s ready,” Hyde said. “We thought of everything.”

“Exactly,” Onnin said.

Hyde’s men were still readying Hyde’s scoutbike in ways showing they knew what they were doing. Hyde’s bike was sleek and missing all of the nonsense obscenely attached to the one they chose for Onnin to ride. Onnin went to work on his.

“What are you doing? It’s already ready!”

Onnin pried the side compartments off. The metal objected with high shrieks both times.

“Making it fair.”

“Fair? This is fair. You might need those. And a man your size? You need something to counter-balance your weight. Ever been in a race before? Are you a racer?”

Onnin continued to even the playing field in silence by prying off all the useless metal made to look as though they made the bike faster.

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