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“Not justknowhim, we were friends back in the day. He’s quite happy to see me again. So, when I told him I was taking my dear daughter out for a little driving practice, he was quite enthusiastic about it. He even offered me two modified cars to use while teaching you.”

“Two? Why do we need two cars?”

Dad gave me a mysterious smile. “Let’s get started, and I’ll explain on the way. Head out to the main road and turn left at the second light.”

I started the engine and pulled out onto the road, driving as cautiously as possible. I gripped the steering wheel so tight, my turns ended up being too slow, and I accelerated unevenly.

“Just relax, Angel.” My dad patted my knee. “You’ve got a modified car and me in the instructor seat, so you aren’t going to roll over. Stop looking directly in front of the car, and keep your gaze farther down the road. That will make it easier for you to stay in your lane. It will also to give you a better picture of what’s going on ahead of you. When you do accelerate, keep it steady. Don’t be timid, but don’t stomp on the gas pedal, either, unless, of course, you’re trying to do an evasive maneuver.”

It seemed like a lot to remember, but I tried to take his advice. I had to consciously relax my hands, as my knuckles were clenched so tightly on the steering wheel, they were bloodless. “Where exactly are we going?”

“To the UTOP driving track. I figured you’d be more comfortable if you got some extra driving practice and experience on the track itself.”

“Wow. That’s a great idea. I thought we were just going to drive around here in the UTOP parking lot. Was it hard to arrange some time on the track?”

“No,” he said, chuckling. “In addition to Ardus, I still have a little pull at the agency.”

“A little? Ha! You’re totally hot stuff, Dad. Legendary, just like Wally said.”

He cocked an eyebrow at me. “Well, just so we’re clear, I’m nothalfas famous at the agency as my daughter.”

We both laughed, and I actually relaxed enough to ease the death grip I had on the wheel. After several more minutes of driving, I’d actually started feeling a bit more comfortable.

“That’s my girl,” Dad said as I took a turn with steady hand.

We finally came to the turnoff for the track, and I turned at half the speed Frankie had done the week before. Wow. Had that only been a week ago? So much had happened since then.

As we approached the gate to the track, I stopped the car so we could open it. That’s when I realized Dad had forgotten to tell me why Professor Grange had given him two cars to use for practice. “Hey, Dad, you never told me why we need a second car.”

“Give me a minute.” He got out of the car and opened the gate to the track, waving me through. I drove forward, waiting for him to close it behind me. To my surprise, he didn’t and instead returned to the car and climbed in.

“Why didn’t you close the gate?” I asked.

“Well, it was going to be a bit of surprise, Angel, but I wanted to add some realism to your evasion training today.”

“What do you mean by ‘realism’?” My eyes narrowed as I studied him.

He spread his hands, his eyes twinkling. “Effective evasion training requires you to have the feeling like you’re being pursued. So, I found a volunteer to drive the second car to push you a little out of your comfort zone so you could get used to that feeling while driving.”

“Dad, I’malwaysout of my comfort zone while driving.”

“Don’t worry, this will be fairly low-key and just enough so you know someone’s behind you.”

At that moment, another car roared through the gate and skidded to a stop next to me. The passenger-side window rolled down, revealing Frankie’s smiling face.

“Hey, Angel!” she said waving a hand cheerfully. “I’m really looking forward to this. Helping you learn to drive is going to besomuch fun!”