The roar of the Diomas Nilo echoed like thunder.
Leon had just blown up two tanks — and his blood was still on fire.
The car's AI purred in sync with his adrenaline, a deep, metallic growl that sounded almost alive — as if the machine itself shared his excitement.
This was the first time Leon had used the laser cannon, and even he hadn't expected it to be this devastating. The tank explosions had rattled the ground for miles; the power was godlike, and for a brief moment, he could feel his soul tremble from the sheer force of destruction.
But before he could enjoy the victory, a distant rumble caught his attention.
On the horizon — a few dozen kilometers ahead — he spotted two heavily fortified checkpoints. One on the left, one on the right.
And this time, they weren't holding back.
Rows of American soldiers crouched with RPGs, aiming directly at the road. A strip of spike traps and hydraulic barricades sealed off the center. Behind them, teams of men carried grenade launchers and a mounted Browning M203 heavy machine gun.
It looked less like a checkpoint and more like a war zone.
"What the hell... are they planning to start a war over me?" Leon muttered, eyes narrowing.
On the ridge above, Lieutenant George watched through binoculars, smirking.
"Let's see how you get through this, racer boy."
The firepower was military-grade — rockets, machine guns, and roadblocks. No racer could survive this. To George, Leon wasn't a driver; he was a target, and tonight, he'd be erased.
"No one escapes the United States military!" George declared, voice echoing across the valley.
His soldiers raised their weapons and roared back:
"Oorah!"
From Leon's side, the situation looked grim.
The left was blocked by a massive lake, the right by a steep mountain slope — nowhere to dodge, no escape routes.
"Any ideas?" Leon asked his onboard AI.
"Analyzing possible maneuvers… estimated success rate: 20%."
That was low — terrifyingly low. The AI explained: to jump over the first barricade and then the collapsed bridge beyond it would be like a sprinter doing two Olympic long jumps in a row, with rockets flying at his face in between.
Leon frowned.
"Twenty percent, huh? Not good enough."
Then he looked up — at the mountain slope to the right.
It was tall, steep, and dangerous, but if he could race up the side and launch off the peak, the height might give him enough lift to glide over the lake.
"What about jumping off the mountain?" he asked.
"Warning: elevation 100 meters. Estimated fatality rate: 99%," the AI replied flatly.
"Unless..."
Leon perked up. "Unless what?"
"Unless the Diomas Nilo is upgraded with aerodynamic glider wings."
Leon blinked. "Wait—what? This beast can fly too?"
"Glider wings available for emergency installation," the AI confirmed.
"However, not recommended. Requires nitrous boost to stabilize in mid-air.
Risk of crash: high.
Pilot experience: none."
Leon chuckled. "So... what you're saying is—it's dangerous."
"Extremely."
He grinned wider. "Perfect. Let's do it."
"Cost: 2 million credits. Confirm purchase?"
"Confirm."
"Installation complete… in five seconds."
Leon raised a brow. "Five seconds? That was way too fast. You sure you didn't just flip a switch you were hiding all along?"
"Emergency rapid deployment mode activated," the AI quipped.
"If you're unhappy, you can return it. Estimated refund: three days."
Leon couldn't help but laugh. Even his AI was getting cheeky now.
"Alright, Diomas," he said, tightening his gloves. "Let's make history."
He slammed the handbrake and spun the steering wheel — a perfect 180-degree drift, black skid marks burning into the asphalt.
From the checkpoint, Lieutenant George saw this through his binoculars and frowned.
"What the hell? He's… turning around?"
The soldiers laughed.
"Guess he's scared! Turning tail and running, just like we thought."
"Yeah, no one's dumb enough to charge through that!"
But they didn't know Leon.
He wasn't running away — he was setting up for the jump of a lifetime.
As the Diomas Nilo roared back toward the mountain slope, its engines howled with a sound that didn't belong on Earth.
Nitrous tanks hissed.
The body panels shifted, releasing mechanical wings that unfolded from the sides like a predator preparing to take flight.
"Target acquired," the AI said.
"Trajectory locked: Lake Erie."
Leon grinned, fire in his eyes.
"Let's make them believe cars can fly."
And with that, he floored it.
The Diomas Nilo screamed up the slope, tearing into the air as if gravity itself had given up trying to hold it down.
Below, the soldiers stood dumbfounded, watching the car rise against the setting sun.
"Is he— is he flying?!"
He was.
Leon, the outlaw, the myth, the West Coast God of Speed, had just done the impossible—
a full-scale leap across the Great Lakes.
~~----------------------
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