DRIVER 88 (The Death Race Saga).

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1. The Shot Heard Across Blackridge

The gunshot split the air like a thunderclap.

Jaxon barely had time to react before pain ripped through his shoulder.

The impact sent him stumbling backward, his vision blurring.

The prison yard erupted into chaos—guards shouting, inmates roaring, the Warden's voice crackling over the loudspeakers.

"Hold your fire! HOLD YOUR FIRE!"

Jaxon hit the ground, clutching his shoulder.

The blood soaked through his shirt fast.

He gritted his teeth, trying to push through the pain, but his body felt like it had been set on fire.

He wasn't sure which was worse—the pain… or the realization that someone had just tried to kill him.

And they'd almost succeeded.

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2. Shadows in the Tower

High above the track, a sniper lowered their rifle.

The figure didn't move, didn't flinch, didn't even react to the chaos below.

They had aimed for the head.

But at the last second, Jaxon moved.

The bullet only clipped his shoulder.

The assassin let out a slow breath.

Next time, he wouldn't miss.

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3. The Warden's Ultimatum

Jaxon woke up to pain.

His eyes fluttered open, the ceiling above him spinning in and out of focus.

Where was he?

The smell of disinfectant filled his nose.

The infirmary.

He turned his head.

And there—standing beside his bed, arms crossed, expression unreadable—was Warden Hawk.

"Someone doesn't want you alive, Driver 88."

Jaxon groaned. "Yeah, no shit."

The Warden smirked.

"Lucky for you, I do."

Jaxon forced himself to sit up, his shoulder burning like hellfire. "What's your angle, Hawk?"

The Warden stepped closer, lowering his voice.

"You're valuable, Cross. But value is a fragile thing. The moment you stop being useful? You become disposable."

Jaxon narrowed his eyes. "So what? You want me to play your game?"

Hawk smiled.

"I want you to win it."

Jaxon exhaled sharply.

This wasn't about survival anymore.

This was about power. Control. Revenge.

Someone wanted him dead.

And Jaxon Cross wasn't about to let that happen.

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4. The Prison Underground

Later that night, Jaxon was back in his cell.

His mind was racing.

The sniper wasn't just some random guard. This was planned.

Someone inside Blackridge wanted him dead.

And if he didn't figure out who?

They'd finish the job next time.

He needed answers. Fast.

And that meant going to the only place in Blackridge where secrets were bought and sold.

The Underground.

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5. The Woman Who Knew Too Much

The Underground wasn't a place.

It was a network.

A secret economy, run by the inmates who had been locked up for so long, they knew every guard, every routine, every weakness in the system.

If you wanted information, you didn't ask questions.

You paid the right people.

And the right person?

Was Vera Steele.

She was sharp, ruthless, and one of the most dangerous people in Blackridge.

She ran the gambling rings. The contraband trade.

And most importantly?

She knew things.

Jaxon found her in the laundry room, counting a stack of cigarette packs—the closest thing to currency in Blackridge.

She didn't even look up as he approached.

"Driver 88. Thought you'd be dead by now."

Jaxon smirked. "Disappointed?"

She finally met his gaze.

"Not yet. But give it time."

Jaxon pulled up a chair. "I need a name. The sniper."

Vera sighed.

"That kind of info ain't cheap."

Jaxon leaned forward. "I just won the biggest race in Blackridge history. That's worth something, right?"

She studied him.

Then, she smirked.

"You really wanna know who pulled that trigger?"

Jaxon clenched his jaw. "Yeah."

Vera leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Then you're gonna love this, 88… because the person who tried to kill you?"

She paused.

"Wasn't an inmate."

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6. A Name That Changes Everything

Jaxon's blood ran cold.

Not an inmate?

That meant a guard.

Or worse—someone even higher up.

He forced himself to stay calm. "Who?"

Vera hesitated.

Then, she slid a scrap of paper across the table.

Jaxon picked it up.

One name was written there.

And when he read it?

His entire world shifted.

It wasn't just a guard.

It wasn't just some corrupt prison official.

It was someone he never expected.

Someone who wasn't supposed to be alive.

His brother.

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END OF CHAPTER 6