STORY: Limit Gear - Fires From Within
Episode One, Chapter 3
[CAMERA FOCUS away from Yamcha's Porsche. CAMERA drifts out of Wangan Bay Highway and to Northwest Inner Loop, where Ace Wasachi and a mysterious midnight caller are still stationed at parking area Daishin Five, by the highway.
Ace is leaning against his car. He is watching as a black AE86 pulls out behind one of his Speed Box member cars, a red Lancer Evo 5 twin turbo. In terms of pure technical specs, the Evo 5's tight chassis and notorious suspension tuning should make lunch meat out of the AE86, or so he thinks...]
Ace:[Thinks to himself] I've seen jokers like these before, parading a seemingly weaker car and then completely surprising people on the open highway. On the other hand, wh at kind of joke is that weird dude in the parked AE86 trying to pull? [breathes deep] I guess I'll just have to see it for myself.
[FOCUS shifts to red Evo 5 as it tears out of the parking area. The AE86 is slow in initial takeoff but proceeds to shock Ace as it lights up its rear tires in a hurry and then begins to take off after the red Evo.
CAMERA cuts to Ace as he runs over to his yellow NSX. He gets inside and switches on his camera on the red car. FOCUS cuts to camera as it swivels back to see the black AE86, pulling in slowly, now travelling at 130+ mph.
CAMERA drifts out to view both cars driving down curves at speeds approaching 140, curves meant to be handled half as fast. Both cars drift into, out of, and through late night truck traffic wit h incredible ease. Entering the tunnel, the AE86 drifts aggressively and initiates a pass. The red Evo 5 pilot is caught off guard, and the AE86 completes its move. Recovering to 130, it begins to pull away through traffic. The shocked Evo 5 pilot and Ace are in disbelief. CAMERA cuts to Ace in the car with an incredibly floored expression of disbelief on his face. His left eye begins to twitch slightly.
CAMERA cuts to outside as Ace gets out of his car dazed and disoriented]
Ace: [whole body is twitching] He...he just... pulled... away... twin turbo... versus a single... [regains full composure] OKAY! What did they feed that car for dinner?
Driver (of other AE86 in parking area): [rolls down window, face still not visible, yells across lot] Did you think you were just going to hold another quick race for your team? This kind of thing will continue to happen until you pay attention to what I have to tell you. Learn from us, Ace, and you will dominate on the highway, wherever you go.
Ace: I already told you, whoever you are, that we do not care about the rest of the highway, only the part that we inhabit. Been that way, will be that way.
Driver: Is that so?
[flashback sequence, Ace and unknown racers in their earlier teenage years with early examples of modded cars, Driver voiceover]
I remember a different Ace a long time ago. You used to pursue highway racing wherever and whenever you had the chance. Sheesh, you made your first big break outrunning a police cruiser down the wangan! And now you think sticking to one area is going to make you the best.
[flashback ends]
The rules are changing, Ace Wasachi... get with the program now before you and your team suffer losses.
Ace: [Obvoiusly upset at this point] You've got some nerve pulling into our territory, pulling a huge theatrical production with a car that seems to be powerful. Is it really? [CAMERA focus on Ace's eyes as they narrow, light line runs across (-ed, like a ninja/samurai focus)] Or is the car unmanned? Lightened beyond the possible reach of safety? Could it be that you are just plain...
cheating?
[CAMERA FOCUS on parked AE86]
Driver: Apparently, losers never stop thinking the house has the odds stacked in its favor. I was even looking forward to sharing what I knew with you, Ace , but you keep thinking I'm this unreasonable animal. Let it be known then that you chose to pass up the opportunity of the rest of your life. For your sake, and that of your team, I would quit now. Because the next time my team meets yours, we will mop t he floor with every last one of you. Buried is too kind a word for what I have in store for those who think they can challenge me.
[FOCUS shifts over Ace's shoulder as he sees AE86 and Chaser pull out of parking lot]
Ace: The feudal racers are going to have a field day with this loony case.
[CAMERA cuts to Wangan as Ryu and Rex begin the U-turn sequence at the tunnel. The one-lane offramps have them slowed down behind truck traffic, so they use their 2-way radio system to communicate. (-ed, 2-way does not mean a reference to old cb technology, but a newer, speakerphone-based system akin to the speaker option of a cellphone inside a car. Just much cooler.)]
Ryu: [again, 2-way communication with Rex, FOCUS on Ryu's yellow Sti] So, do you really think he still exists?
Rex: Gosenki? It's a possibility. I would say it even depends on your religious persuasion. But you do not approach an issue as worthy as Gosenki without some reverence... why even think about whether he could be alive if things always point to it?
Ryu: I want to get his perspective. This guy sounds like a fountain of youth of racing information. Gosenki was talented. PERIOD.
Rex: Ok, ok, just stop buttering the legend up, will you?
Ryu: All right, all right... I know you gotta eat tomorrow. [cracks a smile]
[CAMERA cuts to just behind and above Ryu's Subaru]
Rex: Sheesh, legends, rumors of nitrous use... I remember growing up, things were much simpler. We just worried about having enough money to afford the next upgrades to our cars. It was almost better back then. Do you remember when Hiroshi was trying to look cool and lowered the suspension on his dad's Soarer?
Ryu: [laughs] Yeah, only he lowered it so much, he couldn't even move the car - it had to be lifted onto a tow truck and driven to a garage. He walked for a while.
[Ryu and Rex slip out from behind truck traffic as they begin up the Wangan North]
Honestly, though... the older days seemed so carefree, so peaceful. Now we have everyone jockeying for position, trying to be the best. I mean, what IS that? Can there really be only one best racer?
Rex: Sounds like a question for the feudal racers to decide.
[Ryu and Rex continue driving up the Wangan. CAMERA shifts over to the left side of the highway as two highway racers merge from a tollbooth. One is driving a white R34 GT-R, and the other is driving a silver S13 Silvia Qs with modified wheels and a body kit, along with a rather huge exhaust . Both immediately begin to pick up speed. CAMERA cuts to Ryu inside his car as he stares in disbelief.]
Ryu: Both of them are going incredibly fast!
Rex: I'm not missing this!
[CAMERA cuts to an overhead view as Ryu and Rex scramble to keep up. Turbo sounds echo across the bay as the quartet of cars drives back towards Tokyo downtown (-ed, still a considerable distance away).
CAMERA shifts FOCUS to Skyline and Silvia S13 in front. Both are angrily hissing as their turbos spool up massive amounts of power. With every shift, the silver S13 pops out fire from the exhaust pipe. The driver of the Skyline, however, refuses to give one inch. Both are already traveling at 195 miles per hour. Rex and Ryu have managed to close the gap slightly in the back, but are not going to get any closer.
Entering the Haneda Airport Tunnel, all four racers are already over 200 mph and tear down the road. Then, CAMERA closes in on the S13's rear tires. The driver shifts, and both tires instantly chirp. The Silvia begins pr opelling itself down the highway at 220, 230, and then 240 miles per hour, disappearing down the tunnel. The Skyline slows down.
CAMERA cuts to a split image of Rex and Ryu inside their cars. Both of their jaws are on the floor.]
Ryu: [eye twitches] Wha...?
Rex: My thoughts exactly. Did you get any video of that race?
Ryu: Nope... too amazed by it all.
Rex: Not an excuse... I want footage! That was too interesting to not watch over and over again. Who in the world WAS that racer?
Ryu: We will most likely be seeing more of that car soon enough.
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[CAMERA cuts back to a small town in the Tokyo suburbs. Down a small side street, a garage door opens, releasing a golden NSX from inside. It creeps down the alleyway to a main street, catching flashes of light with its chromed star-shaped rims and substantially polished exterior. A black, fully adjustable racing wing is affixed to the rear, and fitted pass-through exhaust pipes, painted in a shiny golden hue, occasionally growl as the car flexes its muscle.
FOCUS shifts to small avenue as the NSX pulls out. The driver slowly approaches a stoplight. As the red hue dances across the carbon fiber hood, CAMERA cuts to car's interior, looking at the dashboard over the driver's shoulder. The driver's hands are masked by red racing gloves. The cockpit instrumentation is a ripe with activity - digital readouts display the tachometer and speedometer, with plenty of other readouts gathered a round them for boost readout, engine management and timing. Just over the stereo compartment are TFT screens for other turbo management functions.
CAMERA cuts to avenue as the stoplight turns green. The NSX revs for one moment, and then the tires chirp as the car launches forward. CAMERA follows the NSX as it rapidly approaches an industrial park. The NSX drifts through various intersections, kicking up dust as it flies down one road after another. Finally, it approaches the onramp to a highway inbound fo r Tokyo. The NSX pulls away from CAMERA as it continues climbing through gears.
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CAMERA cuts back to Rokaici and Hakaida as they pull up to a police blockade in the northwest district. Their modified Toyota Cressida police cruiser screeches to a halt behind a couple of police suvs blocking side streets.
As Rokaici and Hakaida get out of their cars with weapons in hand, FOCUS scrolls up to a small shopping complex, where various other police units have surrounded 3 red and black Toyota Supra sports cars in the parking area out in front of the mall. Various guns click off safeties as the police supervisor gets on a megaphone.
Supervisor: YOU ARE SURROUNDED! OPEN THE DOORS TO YOUR VEHICLES AND GET OUT SLOWLY NOW! ANY OFFENSIVE FORCE WILL BE MET WITH RETALIATION!
[CAMERA shifts back to Rokaici and Hakaida]
Rokaici: Hmmm.
Hakaida: [glances over at Rokaici] What do you mean "Hmmm"?
Rokaici: I was looking at the red and black cars. I can't quite see the markings from here, but aren't they one of the racer groups?
Hakaida: Not likely. I contacted my source in downtown just a couple of days ago. Unless they formed just recently, and unless they have large amounts of money (which wou ld make this even MORE confusing), it usually takes a lot of money and time to make a racing gang from scractch.
Rokaici: This doesn't sound confusing to me - they're just raiding a mall to have more money to buy parts!
Supervisor: THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING! OPEN YOUR DOORS AND GET OUT SLOWLY OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO MOVE IN!
Hakaida: But why would they raid a mall to get more money? Why not just raid a bank, and get all their money in one shot? [Rokaici suddenly splits back to Cressida, behind Hakaida ] What are they up to? What are - [looks around to not find Rokaici behind her shoulder, starts looking for him...
CAMERA cuts to Rokaici inside car]
Rokaici: They're not going to do it. That's just stupid.
[CAMERA cuts back to glass mall entrance as a massive 18 wheeler crashes through]
Rokaici: THEY ARE DOING IT! ACK!
[Rokaici turns on the car. Hakaida jumps on roof]
Hakaida: GO! It's coming this way!
[Rokaici throws transmission into reverse, smoking the tires as the car pulls back from the blockade. The 3 Supras pull out of the way of the trailer, then begin following. CAMERA shifts to southern blockade (where Rokaici and Hakaida were) as the trailer bears down on a group of police cars. Officers scramble to get out of the way as the trailer bashes through, sending cars flying (-ed not a typo) out of the way. Officers open fire on the trailer, only to scramble for cover again as the 3 Supras pull away from the scene.
As the group tears down the street, Rokaici pulls out from a side street to follow. Hakaida is busy loading weapons in the back seat.]
Rokaici: What's the plan?
Hakaida: Disable the 3 cars, and capture the trailer.
Rokaici: [big sweat drop forms down his face] That simple, huh?
[Rokaici's Cressida cop car bears down on the group of Supras. The group is fast approaching 140 mph to catch up to the trailer. Rokaici lowers the rear passenger window, and Hakaida pops out, bracing herself on the car as she begins firing with a sniper rifle.
FOCUS cuts in front, as two Supras consecutively lose control of their cars. The third slows to lower a window as a passenger opens fire. Bullets whiz by and bounce off the hood as Rokaici swerves to avoid them. Hakaida settles herself after hanging on and almost being thrown off the car and fires again. The two shots disable both rear tires on the third Supra, and wreck both rear wheels. The ailing car's rear axle bends, then snaps from the pressure, coming abruptly to a stop.
Rokaici drives past, confident that the police units just behind them will arrest the culprits.]
Rokaici: [Yells back to Hakaida] Can we take the trailer?
Hakaida: Let's find out!
[CAMERA looks down a small avenue in the northwest district of Tokyo. In the distance, police sirens can be heard echoing off of buildings. Small lights begin growing brighter and brighter in the distance, until a black and red trailer is seen tearing down the street. Rokaici and Hakaida follow immediately after in their modified Cressida police cruiser.
CAMERA cuts to Hakaida as she finishes loading a police issue shotgun. She is sitting braced on the passenger side window opening as Rokaici pilots the cruiser at 100 plus mph. They are amazed that someone could possibly be piloting a trailer this fast without wiping out, but they are also determined to bring it down.
FOCUS shifts to behind Cressida as Rokaici tries to pull alongside the trailer, which randomly spits out dust and bounces over potholes. Hakaida temporarily slings shotgun into her shoulder holster and holds on to a roof rack on top as Rokaici continues maneuvering over potholes. He feins movement to one side and then charges up the driver's side of the trailer.
Both Rokaici and Hakaida are bouncing violently as the cruiser and trailer travel over rough road. Rokaici knows this may very well be the only shot that they will get to stop the driver. He punches the throttle, and pulls up alongside the driver's side. CAMERA cuts to Haneda as she pulls the shotgun from her holster and points it up to the window on a female driver wearing shades and a black and red jumpsuit.]
Hakaida: I WILL ONLY SAY THIS ONCE! PULL OVER NOW OR WE WILL USE FORCE TO STOP YOU!
[FOCUS shifts to female driver as she lowers her window and looks out into space, then down at Hakaida. She raises her left hand and shows what looks to be a detonation device... and presses the button.
FOCUS shifts again to door panel as a small black piece, rather unnoticeable in the paint, suddenly begins counting down from 100 in digital numbers in an uncomfortably quick fashion. CAMERA switches back over to Hakaida.]
Hakaida: [Half-shocked] What are you doing?
[CAMERA cuts to a flashback of the truck plowing out through the mall entrance, then a Hakaida suddenly remembers seeing a sign on the back of the trailer's hitch - a flammable materials sign.]
Hakaida: ROKAICI! HIT THE BRAKES!
Rokaici: WHAT?!!
Hakaida: Do it, unless you want to see fireworks point blank! Get the point?
[CAMERA cuts to Cr essida as it skids to a halt, but not before Hakaida fires off a few shotgun shells. They pierce the rear tires of the hitch and force the trailer to jacknife. It's momentum drags it for a city block until the hitch gets caught on several light poles. The cab violently jerks to a halt.
Rokaici and Haneda stop 30 yards away. They run to the cab and grab the driver, unconscious due to hitting her head on the trailer's steering wheel. They dash back to their car and load the passenger in. Rokaici smokes the tires on the Cressida and bootlegs away as the counter on the driver door counts down...
At zero, the entire trailer explodes massively, a fireball devouring the entire street. The shockwave shatters windows and sends street signs flying in all directions. CAMERA cuts to Rokaici and Haneda as they get out from their car and survey the damage. Even being 7 blocks away, they still get a sense of how powerful the blast was - all the buildings within the immediate vicinity of the trailer are now either crumbling, collapsed - or disintegrated. The truck is an unrecognizable shell, the remains of which were catapulted for a solid 5 miles after the blast.
Hakaida: [Looks at unconscious driver in back seat of cruiser] Rokaici, we got ourselves into something big, didn't we?
Rokaici: Something much bigger than us is going on. We either stop it now, or Tokyo is done for.
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[CAMERA cuts to a view of an onramp to the Yokohane as Yamcha and Hiroshi drive by. Yamcha's Porsche and Hiroshi's R32 Skyline belch a few quick flames as the turbos handle the curve. FOCUS zooms in on Hiroshi's R32, just behind Yamcha.]
Yamcha: [Over 2-way speaker to Hiroshi's car] Rosh, something just happened up in the northwest district of Tokyo... I'm getting chatter from police radio about something tremendous that just went down...
Hiroshi: Hold on... [tunes to police chatter] 3 black and red Supras, one trailer...
[CAMERA shows Yamcha and Hiroshi simultaneously]
Together: EXPLOSION TOOK OUT A CITY BLOCK?!?!
Yamcha: What's going on?! Something was NOT right about tonight. I knew it the moment I turned the key in my car.
Hiroshi: Why would someone want to do something like this? I don't get it. [Hears more chatter] Hold on! There's more.
[Hiroshi and Yamcha hear reports from police of the possible gang... description comes in of black and red Supras with male and female drivers, and Rokaici and Hakaida's capture of the single driver of the trailer.]
Yamcha: you think they'll start suspecting activity from all of us?
Hiroshi: [blank stare] I don't have to think Yamcha - this is going to be incredibly bad for everyone who even owns a car with one or two mods on it.
Yamcha: [big sweat drop, sincerely frustrated cartoon-like look] Argh! Now they're going to come after me! All those years and no attention, and now I don't want that much attention and they're coming after me!
Hiroshi: Head for the hills, huh Yamcha?
Yamcha: [surprised look] Hiroshi... you're absolutely right.
Hiroshi: What are you talking about?
[Yamcha flashes back memories of earlier times racing]
Yamcha: when the heat used to get thick on the Wangan, and street racing had to hold off for a while, racers used to travel to the hills and sharpen their touge skills exclusively. The mountain homes were havens of the quick. It was not a coincidence to find home after home with AE86s, Skylines, Glorias, and Silvias lining the roads. Cops are a lot smarter now, but there's one spot no one will think to look. At least not yet...
Hiroshi: Where is that???
Yamcha: The one place a racer never hangs out at, at least when they're from here... bus ride, anyone?
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[CUT CAMERA to Ginza district as Ryu and Rex pull into a downtown rest area and hit the vending machines for a quick bite of food. An unusually packed parking area holds a lot of people eating food, and talking amongst themselves. Aside the highway, Ryu and Rex strike up conversation. FOCUS is on Ryu.]
Ryu: Why is everyone pulling in here? This does not feel right. People normally go racing at this time of night, and yet all we saw coming back over the bridge was trucks and taxis. No one else. Something is not right.
[conversation gets overheard about the incident in the northwest district. Rex and Ryu listen in.]
Ryu: I guess our plans are going to be off for a while.
Rex: Yeah, you'd think so, but here comes Mr. Late Night himself...
[A red Porsche 911 pulls into an open space across from Ryu and Rex. the passenger side door opens, revealing Ace Wasachi. He thanks the driver for the lift and walks over as the Porsche cuts its engine.]
Ace: Ryu - I need your help.
Ryu: You need MY help? Something MUST be going on.
Ace: Ryu, listen to me for a moment. When the explosion happened, my group and I were still at the service area closest to the incident. We saw the fireball from where we were. Cops descended upon the service area quickly and caught two of my riders for questioning. The rest of us split - but I took off in his car and left mine back there.
Ryu: And... you want me to help you go get it?
Ace: Yes! Please! The people who are waiting to put sponsorship on that car are already as deep in the waiting list as they are in their wallets.
Ryu: [instantly drooling] M-mo-money? Ddid you just say m-money?
Rex: Are you sure about this, boss?
Ryu: I haven't gotten into too much trouble lately. Why not start now?
[CAMERA cuts to WRX and Rex's 240 as the duo drives out to Ace's rest area. His yellow NSX sits alone at the area - except for the police cruisers and swat element present.]
Ace: [riding with Ryu] Stop the car! I want to see something!
[Ace steps out of the car and activates his key fob. Instantly the car turns on, to the surprise and amazement of Ryu and Rex. They are realistically 500 yards away on the highway's left lane. The NSX plows up the highway, then reverses to pull back to Ace. He quickly belts himself in.]
Ace: FOLLOW ME!
[All three drivers peel out, with cops hot on their tail]
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3rd gear: redline
Next shift
Continue on to Chapter 4
The Limit Gear background
Episode One's Cast of Characters
The Wangan Way
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