Naomi stood on the little board Alegra had tracked down. It was the perfect size for the little girl and she used it in a way that left Sahara and some of the other Falcons stunned.

How did it ever come to this? Sahara wondered as she watched the little girl racing against the large guy who was slightly in the lead. However, she knew the answer well. For the entire race was her fault. Sahara could almost hit herself as she remembered how things had gone wrong the moment she stepped up to the other crew.

"Eeek," Sahara had shrunk back as soon as she caught sight of the other crew. There were at least twenty teens standing in a clump, each looking as threatening as the last. "There's no way I can do this."

The twins appeared on either of her side and began to push her forward.

"Of course you can," Arden told her.

"You're our fearless leader," Reagan added.

"No, I'm not," Sahara whispered in reply as they approached the crew.

"Yes you are," Arden told her firmly.

"Bad girl, remember?" Alegra whispered from behind.

The twins pushed her forward and Sahara found herself standing before a guy. A girl stood to his right, her eyes wandering up and down Sahara in distaste.

"So, you're the leader of the Falcons?" the guy asked.

Sahara was frozen to the spot as she felt all eyes on her. She opened her mouth to say something, yet, upon not finding the words she quickly closed it again. The guy before her raised his eyebrows.

"Ha, she's not the type to waste words," Reagan tried to save the situation. A hand came on his shoulder and he was pushed to the side as Terrell came to stand next to Sahara. The other crew turned their attention to him.

"And who are you?" the leader asked as he suddenly looked interested.

Sahara wasn't sure if her eyes deceived her, but she thought she saw one of the members do a double take before quickly returning their gaze to neutral.

Terrell's face split into a grin. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked before he turned. He grabbed Sahara's arm and pushed her a few steps away from the group.

"Hey!" one of the guys yelled, angry at the fact that Terrell was showing his back to them so easily. Yet his leader stopped him, watching the exchange with calculating eyes.

Sahara found Terrell looking down at her. "If you're not going to act the part then the Falcons are done for. The reputation you got will disappear and it will take a lot to build it back up."

Sahara shook her head. "I can't do this. I don't know how!"

"You just need to pull it off for a few minutes. Be that tough girl they're all expecting."

"But that's not me!"

Terrell shrugged. "They don't know that."

Sahara bit her lip.

"Look," Terrell began, "don't think it over too much. Just act and think the most unlike you that you ever have. You don't need to even say anything. If you can just change the feeling radiating from you then you don't need words. I can even do the talking."

"Act the most unlike me," Sahara repeated. She closed her eyes and took a breath. Most unlike myself, most unlike myself, she chanted in her head. Images of her school back home flashed through her mind; images of the girls at school who strutted around with confidence. An image of Alegra, who always managed to be graceful in all she did and yet at the same time radiated danger, followed. Unlike myself. Sahara's slowly opened her eyes and she straightened up.

"Good:" Terrell smiled at the look he saw in her eyes. "Now keep that for the next few moments."

Sahara nodded curtly before she pushed Terrell out of the way with one arm. She walked back to the leader of the other crew, her steps filled with confidence and a hardened look in her eyes. I don't care what anyone thinks, she chanted in her head. I don't care about anything. She could suddenly almost believe it.

She jutted her chin out and looked directly into the eyes of the other crew's leader. "You called me out?" she asked, her voice steady.

The guy cocked his head to the side and his eyes narrowed somewhat, as though trying to figure out the sudden change in her attitude. Terrell came to stand right behind Sahara's right shoulder, his expression neutral. The other Falcon's all looked the same, though if one looked closely, the twins looked surprised at Sahara's sudden change in behavior.

"I heard the Falcons were somewhat promising," the leader began. "But after seeing you, I don't quite think that's the case."

Sahara didn't bat an eyelash as her gaze never left his.

"It was a waste of time, never mind." The guy turned to go.

"So it really is true," the words escaped Sahara's mouth. "There's no one worth the time around here."

The guy paused.

"You all call yourself boarders and yet you're like kids still learning." She looked right at the guy's back as she spoke. "I bet even our youngest member could easily beat one of your members in a status race."

This didn't seem to sit too well with the others. Sahara got glares from all around the leader turned. Sahara, however, remained unaffected.

"Alright then." A smile spread over the leader's face. "Let's do it then."

Sahara felt surprise flitter through her, yet she didn't show it.

"A status race."

I did it, Sahara thought in excitement.

"My racer against your youngest one."

Sahara froze. What?

Beside her the twins exchanged glances.

"It shouldn't be a problem," the guy continued. "If you really are as good as they say."

Sahara swallowed. "Fine. Let's do it," her mouth said the words while her brain screamed for her to take it back.

The guy's smile widened. "Alright then. It's a race." His crew members let out shouts of agreement.

Sahara turned to the Falcons, her eyes widening in panic. "What do we do?" she mouthed.

The twins looked lost.

"Interesting," was all Orion said as he pushed up his glasses.

Alegra looked like she wasn't sure to say while Naomi was bouncing up and down in excitement.

Sahara turned to Terrell who shook his head. "You really did it this time."

"Help me get out of it," Sahara pleaded.

"Hey," Terrell raised his hands. "You dug the ditch, you fill it back in."

Sahara gave him a look of disbelief. "What does that mean?"

"It's not my ditch."

"Race," Naomi sang excitedly.

Sahara turned to Alegra with a pleading look.

"She can do it," Alegra surprised her with those words.

"Be serious," Arden told her.

"No, I think she can really do this," Alegra replied. She beckoned for Naomi to come over. "Honey, do you remember what I said about racing?"

Naomi nodded her head firmly. "It's dangerous, never do it without your permission or if I don't know I can win." She paused. "Unless there are a lot of points involved. In that case, if I lose I need to run as fast as I can, because if I get caught you'll pretend not to know me."

Alegra nodded. "Well, can you win?"

Naomi scrunched up her face, as if deep in thought. Her eyes suddenly widened. "Can I use that?"

Alegra hesitated. "Only if it's safe."

"Is there a prize?" Naomi added slyly.

"If you win I'll give you..." Alegra began.

"Blue!" Naomi chirped.

Alegra shook her head. "Blue is on vacation, remember?"

Naomi scowled.

"But..." Alegra glanced around. She pointed a finger directly at Terrell. "He'll be your slave for the rest of the day," she announced.

"What?" Terrell asked.

"Done." Naomi shook Alegra's hand, her face serious.

"Sold," Alegra replied just as seriously.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Terrell protested.

He was ignored by the rest of the Falcons.

And so the crew found themselves agreeing to Naomi racing. It had started out a disaster. The other crew's racer had disappeared as soon as the countdown reached one. Naomi had stayed at the starting line until the Falcon's yelling finally got her to move. The race was going in two loops around the same area, with the start line also being the finish line.

The two boarders were just coming into the second round, with Naomi finally catching up. The first racer crossed the line. When Naomi came to it, she began to slow down, as though thinking the race was over.

"What are you doing?" Reagan screamed.

"Go, go, go!" Arden yelled.

"Keep going, honey!" Alegra hollered.

Naomi leaned forward and sped up again.

Reagan hit his palm against his forehead and turned away. "I can't watch this," he whined.

Orion looked like he wasn't sure what to think while Sahara simply watched in a trance. Terrell stood a little to the side, sticking to the shadows with a lollipop stuck in his mouth. If one looked closely, he actually had a grin on his face as though he was enjoying the whole episode immensely.

"We're so dead," Sahara groaned, "And it's all my fault."

"It's not over yet," Alegra told her.

"For someone so small she certainly can board well," Orion commented.

Sahara turned her attention back to the race. She watched as Naomi boarded right under a cart, something she wouldn't have been able to do were she not so small. The girl calmly followed the boarder in front of her. She looked to have absolutely no concern whatsoever about being behind, nor that she was in a high speed race. In fact, she didn't even seem to be paying attention as she kept looking all around her.

"We've lost this one," Arden murmured.

"You're already giving up on the twerp?" Terrell asked from the shadows.

Arden turned to look at him.

"She's not yet giving it her best," Terrell told him. "Aren't I right, Alegra?"

A crooked smile appeared on Alegra's face. "Just keep watching. When she realizes it's almost over and she's loosing then she gets a bit...crazy; especially in the last stretch."

Sahara furrowed her forehead. She looked at the screen showing Nomi, with renewed interest.

"She's got some amazing talent there," Terrell murmured.

Reagan turned to look at Terrell in surprise. "How can you see that?"

Terrell only grinned.

Sahara ignored them as she continued to watch the race. Naomi and the other racer had reached just over half way of the second lap. It certainly didn't look like Naomi would catch up. Then, the little girl suddenly started. She stopped looking around and stared ahead of her.

"She's realizing the end is coming." Alegra shook her head.

Naomi face turned to one of determination as she suddenly changed her stance.

Alegra snorted. "Such a drama queen."

The Falcons watched in wonder as Naomi leaned forward and shot forward with a new burst of speed. However, it wasn't enough as she only closed the gap between her and the boarder ahead by a bit. They came to the last corner and shot around it.

Now, in sight of the Falcons on the last stretch, it was easy to see the two boarders.

"It's over," Orion said. "There's no way..." he trailed off as Naomi reacted.

She kept leaning forward to such an extent that left those watching with open mouths. Using the gravity pull and her flexibility, Naomi's feet stayed firmly planted as she leaned so far forward that she was parallel with the board.  In fact, her face wasn't far from touching the board's surface.

"Here she goes," Alegra said.

Terrell looked a whole lot more interested. The speed which came out of Naomi's move was amazing as the board shot forward like a bullet. It went so fast that it began to shake violently as it became almost a blur to those watching.

 "Surely she'll crash," Sahara whispered in horror as concern for the safety of the little girl grew bigger than her desire to win.

Naomi shot past the other racer just as they came up to the finish line. She came by the onlookers so fast that Sahara felt a hard wind hit her. She turned, watching in horror as Naomi's board bore down on a wall.

However, the little girl had already reacted. The moment she had crossed the finish line she stood upright. If it hadn't been for the gravity pull, she most likely would have been torn from her board at the speed. However, her feet stayed planted and she used the momentum to lean back and brake hard. Her board skidded, shaking dangerously as it threatened to go out of control. As Naomi was just about to reach the wall, she had slowed down enough to turn abruptly to the side. She skidded to a stop, her board a hairs breadth from touching the wall.

The girl turned her head to look over at her crew. "Did I win?" she asked.

Only then did it hit the Falcons that they had actually won. The twins let out whoops and rushed towards Naomi. Orion wiped a hand across his brow in relief before turning to the other crew who stood there with stunned expressions, as though still trying to let what had just happened sink in.

"That girl has guts." Terrell grinned.

"What was that?" Sahara asked as she watched Arden grab Naomi and place her on his shoulders while Reagan kept yelling in excitement.

Alegra shrugged. "She came up with it. We call it MiFlash. Mi for the end of Naomi and Flash cause that's what it pretty much is." She shook her head. "I don't like her using it though..."

"Why?" Sahara asked.

"It's next to impossible to turn corners at that speed," Terrell told her. "That's why she only used it in the straight..."

"And why she didn't try to avoid the wall at the end," Sahara realized.

Alegra nodded.

The twins were bounding over, Naomi still on Arden's shoulders.

"Her talent is almost scary." Terrell turned to Alegra. "If you don't let her use gravity pull as much she may actually be Omega status in a few years.

Alegra turned to glare at him. "I'm not going to let her be crazy enough to race without gravity. Doing it with that move would kill her!"

"With that move, yeah," Terrell agreed. "But with gravity on a daily basis she'll come to rely on it. It's made many talented boarders lose their touch."

"Like you would know anything," Alegra told him. "You don't even race."

Terrell shrugged.

"Make way for our little champion," Reagan announced loudly as he bounded over with Arden in tow.

Naomi sat on Arden's shoulder, beaming from ear to ear. Upon seeing Terrell, she pointed a finger at him. "Slave!" she announced.

Terrell scowled. "I didn't agree to that."

"Slave!" Naomi repeated.

"Hey, you can't just..."

Sahara tuned out of their argument as someone tapped her on her shoulder. She turned to find the leader of the other crew standing there. For a moment, he seemed to glare at her. Sahara swallowed. She was surprised when the guy held out his hand and his face split into a sheepish grin.

"Guess I shouldn't have underestimated you," he said.

Sahara reached out and shook his hand.

"It looks like for once the rumors are true." The guy dropped her hand. "I can't believe we were beaten by a little girl."

"Don't take it too hard." Alegra appeared beside Sahara. "Just be glad she's the one you raced and not our leader here." She winked at Sahara. In the background, Naomi was pulling at Terrell's hair while still perched on Arden's shoulder. Reagan was laughing like a hyena as Terrell tried to get free.

"You've got an interesting crew," the guy told Sahara.

"They're one of a kind," Sahara agreed.

The guy nodded. "You know..." he looked right at her. "No one's made it until now. But if it's you...then maybe, just maybe, the fifth area will find themselves with an Omega in time."

Sahara blinked in surprise at the complement.

"But don't think that doesn't mean we won't be up for challenging you," the guy continued. "We've just been set back a bit. Give us time and we'll work our way back up. And then...maybe you and I can have a one on one race."

He's unexpectedly nice, Sahara realized in surprise. She smiled. "I'd like that."

The guy nodded. He turned to his crew without another word and they headed off.

Alegra turned to Sahara. "I'd like that?" She raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Sahara asked.

"My, my, Sahara. You were flirting."

Sahara's eyes widened. "What?"

Alegra grinned.

"No." Sahara shook her head.

"Say what you like," Alegra told her. "But you might have just won an admirer."

Sahara felt her face heat up. "So did not," she argued.

"She what?" Reagan asked as he appeared out of seemingly nowhere.

"Sahara has a..." Alegra never got to finish as Sahara clamped a hand over her mouth.

"It's nothing," she told Reagan as Alegra tried to slip free.

"I want to know too," Reagan wailed.

"Mind your own business," Terrell told him as he pulled him away. For some reason there was a scowl was on his face.

"How about we go celebrate?" Orion asked.

"Yes!" Naomi squealed. Arden had let her off his shoulders and she came running over. "I want a present," she announced.

"You already got Terrell," Alegra, who had finally managed to slip free form Sahara, told the girl.

Naomi scowled. "He doesn't count."

"Shall we go eat something?" Arden suggested.

"Candy!" Naomi agreed.

Sahara felt exhaustion wash over her. Somehow, acting all tough and watching the race had taken its toll. She hadn't slept well the previous night either.

"I think I'm going to head back," she announced. "Sorry, but I'm in need of a nap."

"No candy?" Naomi asked.

"How about we do it like this," Orion began to suggest, "We'll take Naomi out for some candy and then we can celebrate this evening, when everyone's feeling up to it?"

Sahara felt grateful that he was looking out for her like this.

"I'll accompany you home," Terrell told Sahara.

"Oh no you don't," Alegra grabbed his arm and pulled him away. "You're Naomi's slave for the day. You have to come along."

"You're not serious." Terrell glared at her.

"Slave," Naomi sung.

"It's okay, we'll take her home," Arden volunteered.

"I can go back by myself," Sahara tried. No one listened.

"Alright. The twins and Sahara head back, the rest of us will head out with Naomi. We'll meet up later," Alegra announced.

"Sounds good," Orion agreed.

Terrell didn't reply. He looked like he was pouting.

"Alright then." Reagan called his board over. He turned to Sahara. "Shall we?"

Sahara called over her own board and got on. The two groups split up.

"Thanks," Sahara told the twins as they headed back to the warehouse.

"Pft, you don't have to thank us," Arden told her. "I'm actually pretty tired too. A nap sounds pretty good to me right now."

"I get the couch!" Reagan yelled.

"Haven't you ever heard about respecting your elders?" Arden asked him.

"Yeah, so?"

"You can start by respecting me and letting me use the couch," Arden told him.

"You don't count," Reagan replied with a grin.

"Of course I do, I'm older," Arden told him.

"Fine." Reagan turned to look at his twin. "I'll race you for it." He shot forward on his board.

"Cheater," Arden muttered before he followed.

Too tired to speed up, Sahara followed at a leisurely pace. She was daydreaming when she saw the figure rushing towards her out of the corner of her eye. Not able to react fast enough, she felt a board crash into hers. At the same time, a pair of arms pushed her.

Sahara let out a scream as she went tumbling towards the ground. Before she could hit it, another pair of arms snatched her. A hand snaked over her mouth. She now found herself standing on the ground with someone behind her, not only covering her mouth, but twisting her arm painfully behind her back too. Whoever it was, Sahara was certain it wasn't a friend.

She struggled, letting out a muffled cry at the pain that shot through her arm.

"Hold still, honey. We only need your co-operation for a moment," someone murmured in her ear.

We? Sahara managed to shoot a glance to the side to notice two guys on her right; on her left stood another. That made four counting the one holding her. Are there more behind me? she wondered as she began to panic.

"Sahara?" she heard Arden's panicked call.

Sahara felt relief wash through her. They must have heard her scream and were coming to her rescue. Seconds later, the twins shoot around the corner, Arden in the lead.

However, both of them skidded to an abrupt halt as they took in the situation.

"Mmm," Sahara got out a muffled scream.

It was then that she realized that both the twins were staring at her captors with a mixture of disbelief and horror written on their faces. Reagan had turned white and Arden clenched his jaw.

"Long time no see, Arden, Reagan," one of the guys to Sahara's right spoke as he stepped forward.

Neither of the twins said a word, yet Sahara saw the rage that flashed through Reagan's eyes. Arden, staying the calmer of the two, met Sahara's eyes.

"Let her go," he said softly.

The guy holding Sahara's arm chuckled. His grip tightened, increasing the pain in her arm. Sahara squeezed her eyes shut, tears threatening to form.

"Now, now, is that the way to great an old friend?" the guy asked.

"He said let her go!" Reagan yelled angrily. He was about to shoot forward on his board, yet Arden reached out a hand and stopped him.

Slowly, Arden lifted his eyes to meet those of the guy who had spoken. "What do you want, Rick?"

Rick? Sahara's eyes widened even further. Rumor has it Rick's looking for us and is out for revenge...and Jay's up for round two, Reagan's words echoed in Sahara's mind. They knifed him. She felt the blood drain from her face.

"I think we should have a nice talk," the guy named Rick said.

At the same time, Sahara heard a click. She felt the blade that appeared at her throat.

"We'll do the talking," the guy holding Sahara said as he traced the blade across Sahara's throat.

There was a roaring sound in Sahara's ears and she became painfully aware of her heartbeat

Help! Her mind screamed. Somebody, help!