Chapter 23: CHAPTER 10: BLOOD ON THE ASPHALT
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1. The Calm Before the Storm
Jaxon Carter sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the steel walls of his cell. The hum of security drones outside was a reminder that freedom was just an illusion here.
Two more days until the next race.
Two more days until the trap was set.
Jaxon clenched his fists.
The warden thought he could control him.
Thought he was just another pawn in the system.
But Jaxon had other plans.
"If I play this right," he muttered, "I won't just win… I'll burn this whole operation down."
A soft knock on the cell bars.
Lucas.
Jaxon exhaled, standing up.
"We don't have much time," Lucas said. "You're being watched."
"I know."
Lucas glanced over his shoulder, making sure they weren't being overheard.
"You're not the only one who wants out of this hellhole, Jax. Some of us are ready to make a move."
Jaxon folded his arms.
"And you expect me to lead it?"
Lucas smirked.
"You're the only guy who ever made the warden nervous."
Jaxon thought about it.
He wasn't a leader.
But he was a survivor.
"Get me the names of the men who are in."
Lucas nodded.
"And the ones who aren't?"
Jaxon's gaze darkened.
"They better stay out of the way."
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2. The Warden's New Champion
Down in the lower levels of the prison, Warden Calloway leaned against his desk, watching the security feeds.
Jaxon Carter was planning something.
That much was clear.
"He's getting too bold," one of the guards muttered. "We should take him out before the next race."
Calloway smirked.
"No need."
He tapped the screen.
Feed 77B—The Isolation Wing.
Inside a dimly lit cell, a man stood with his back against the wall.
His face obscured by shadows.
A monster in human form.
Calloway turned to his guards.
"It's time to unleash him."
The guards exchanged uneasy glances.
"Sir, are you sure? He—"
"Do it." Calloway's voice was like steel.
They had Jaxon Carter.
But now?
They had something even worse.
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3. The Night Before War
Jaxon sat in the cafeteria, eating a meal that barely qualified as food. Around him, prisoners murmured, their voices low.
Word had spread.
This next race wasn't just a race.
It was a slaughterhouse.
Lucas slid into the seat across from him.
"We've got about twelve guys ready to move when you give the signal."
Jaxon nodded.
"Good. We don't get a second chance."
But before Lucas could respond, the cafeteria doors burst open.
A hush fell over the room.
Then—
Footsteps.
Slow. Heavy.
A figure stepped forward.
Towering. Muscular. A scar running down his face.
Jaxon's blood ran cold.
It was him.
Ghost.
The man was supposed to be dead.
But here he was.
And the look in his eyes?
Pure murder.
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4. A Dead Man Returns
Ghost stopped a few feet from Jaxon's table.
The entire room was silent.
Then—
He spoke.
"I hear you like winning, Carter."
His voice was like gravel.
Jaxon didn't move.
"And I hear you don't like staying dead."
A ghost of a smile crossed the man's lips.
"Calloway says you're the best. That true?"
Jaxon smirked.
"Why? You jealous?"
A flicker of rage crossed Ghost's face.
The air was thick with tension.
Then, suddenly—
Ghost lunged.
Jaxon barely dodged, flipping the table between them.
Chaos erupted.
Prisoners scrambled. Guards rushed in.
Jaxon spun, fists flying.
Ghost blocked, countering with a brutal punch to Jaxon's ribs.
Pain exploded through him.
But Jaxon didn't go down.
Instead, he grinned.
"Is that all you got?"
Ghost charged again.
But before he could strike—
TASERS.
The guards unleashed electricity.
Both men collapsed, convulsing.
As the world blurred, Jaxon caught one last glimpse of Ghost's face.
He was laughing.
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5. The Real Race Begins
Jaxon woke up in a dark, cold cell.
His wrists were shackled.
Ghost sat across from him, looking perfectly at ease.
"You're good, Carter."
Jaxon exhaled.
"Better than you."
Ghost grinned.
"That's what we're gonna find out."
A screen in the ceiling flickered to life.
Warden Calloway's face appeared.
"Gentlemen," he purred, "tomorrow's race is going to be… special."
He leaned forward.
"You see, only one of you gets to leave the track alive."
Jaxon stiffened.
Ghost just chuckled.
"Good," he muttered. "I was hoping it'd be personal."
Jaxon's jaw clenched.
The warden had just made a mistake.
Because now?
This wasn't just about survival.
This was about war.
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6. A Deal with the Devil
Deep in the shadows of the prison, Vera sat in front of her laptop, fingers moving rapidly.
She had intercepted the race data.
The betting pools.
The hidden agendas.
And most importantly?
The kill orders.
She took a shaky breath.
"Jaxon, what have you gotten yourself into?"
Then, a notification blinked on her screen.
An encrypted message.
From an unknown source.
She hesitated—
Then opened it.
A single sentence appeared.
"If you want Carter to live, we need to talk."
Vera's hands clenched into fists.
She didn't trust easily.
But this?
This was bigger than trust.
This was life and death.
And she was about to make a deal with the devil.
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TO BE CONTINUED…
The final race is set.
Jaxon must face Ghost in a death match.
The warden is playing his final game.
And in the shadows?
A new player has entered the field.
Next stop—
The most dangerous race of Jaxon Carter's life.
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