DRIVER 88 (The Death Race Saga).

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1. The Arena of the Damned

The crowd inside Blackridge Prison's Death Dome was deafening.

Inmates roared. Bloodthirsty. Hungry.

High above, the Warden watched from his bulletproof glass booth, a twisted smile on his face.

The arena was a monster's playground.

Rust-covered spikes jutted from the walls.

Explosives were scattered along the track.

Barbed wire fences lined the perimeter.

And in the center, waiting inside a blacked-out muscle car, was The Ghost.

Jaxon swallowed hard.

Lucas.

His brother.

His enemy.

He climbed into his own car—a modified Dodge Charger with reinforced armor.

His hands trembled for the first time in years.

Tonight, it wasn't just about survival.

Tonight, he had to face the truth.

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2. Brothers in Blood

The speaker crackled.

"Welcome to the Death Race!" the announcer bellowed. "Two men enter, one man leaves! Let the carnage begin!"

Jaxon's fingers gripped the wheel as the countdown began.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1…

The starting gun exploded.

Tires screeched.

Engines roared.

Jaxon shot forward, his car nearly kissing the track as it sped past the first spike trap.

But Lucas was faster.

His blacked-out muscle car swerved ahead, weaving through the chaos with unnatural precision.

Jaxon's jaw clenched.

Lucas wasn't just a driver.

He was a ghost.

Untouchable.

Unstoppable.

And right now? He was gunning straight for Jaxon.

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3. Death Comes Fast

A missile exploded behind Jaxon, sending his car spinning sideways.

He barely corrected in time, dodging a blade-covered semi-truck that came out of nowhere.

Ahead, Lucas drove like a demon.

Jaxon's instincts screamed:

Lucas wasn't just trying to win.

He was trying to kill him.

Jaxon gritted his teeth.

If this was how it had to be…

Then so be it.

Brother or not, he wasn't dying here tonight.

He hit the gas.

If Lucas wanted to kill him—he'd have to earn it.

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4. The Trap That Changed Everything

Lucas veered left, heading toward the Deadman's Spiral—a vertical loop known for claiming drivers' lives.

Jaxon followed.

But the second he hit the loop—he knew something was wrong.

His tires slipped.

The car lurched sideways.

Then, he saw it.

A thin, nearly invisible oil slick.

A setup.

Not by Lucas.

By someone else.

Jaxon's car flipped midair.

Glass shattered.

Metal crunched.

For a moment, everything was silent.

Then—he crashed.

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5. A Brother's Mercy

Smoke.

Pain.

The taste of blood in his mouth.

Jaxon tried to move. Failed.

His vision blurred as footsteps approached.

Then—Lucas.

Standing over him.

Holding a gun.

Jaxon coughed, grinning despite the pain.

"You gonna finish me, huh?"

Lucas's hands trembled.

Then, to Jaxon's shock—he lowered the gun.

"Get up, Jax." Lucas's voice was rough, but… real. Not the voice of a killer.

Jaxon blinked.

Lucas wasn't here to kill him.

Then who the hell set him up?

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6. The Shadow Behind the Curtain

Before Jaxon could respond—a sniper shot rang out.

Lucas jerked violently.

Blood splattered the sand.

Jaxon's heart stopped.

Lucas hit the ground.

A shadowy figure stood on the prison's upper catwalk, rifle smoking.

Then Jaxon saw who it was.

And everything fell into place.

The Warden.

He had planned all of this.

Not just the race.

Not just the assassination attempt.

Everything.

Jaxon's hands clenched into fists of pure rage.

The Warden had played him.

Manipulated him.

Destroyed his only family.

He wouldn't get away with it.

Jaxon would burn this entire prison to the ground.

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END OF CHAPTER 8