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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

ROCCO AND NICO

R occo was wheel-to-wheel with Anker. Clarke was just up ahead. Anker tried to pass him on his right, but Rocco stayed with him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Anker inching left, threatening to make contact with him, but Rocco held firm.

Rocco: Anker’s trying to squeeze me out. I don’t know if we have more power but if we do, let’s use it.

Race Engineer: Go for it, Rocco. Push. Push. Push.

Rocco: Copy.

Rocco increased his speed, got out in front of Anker, and was just on Clarke’s tail when Anker approached on the right of him.

In another second, all three cars were wheel-to-wheel.

Anker pulled out in front, but as he did, he veered left and made contact with the front of Rocco’s car.

Clarke shot out ahead of them both, avoiding contact while Rocco skidded but was able to regain control and keep the car on the track. Anker slid far right into the gravel.

Rocco: Can you check my front? I was sandwiched.

Race Engineer: We’re checking. You got past Anker. Well done. He’s back on track. Just behind you.

Rocco: Copy. How far back?

Race Engineer: Looks to be at least three seconds.

Rocco: Copy. Where is Nico?

Race Engineer: She moved up one position. Holding steady at ninth.

Rocco: Copy.

Rocco smiled. She could earn some points this race. They both could. She’d moved up to ninth after starting at tenth, and right now he was second after starting at sixth position. Seven laps to go.

Race Engineer: Excellent, Nico. You’ve moved up to eighth.

Nico: Copy. Where’s Rocco?

Race Engineer: He’s second, just behind Clarke with Anker a couple seconds behind him.

Nico: Copy.

Nico smiled. He would make the podium, maybe even come in first if he could overtake Clarke. And she was about to earn her first Formula 1 points, if she could just hold position. Six laps to go.

Race Engineer: Damage is minimal, Rocco. Car handling fine?

Rocco: Seems to be. How is the rear slip and braking?

Race Engineer: All data looks good. You’re keeping pace with Clarke, and Anker’s slipped back to fifth. Looks like he did some damage to the car. Nico’s moved up to seventh.

Rocco: No shit!

Race Engineer: No shit. Just keep your head down, Rocco. Head down. Focus on the pace.

Rocco: Copy.

Five laps to go , he thought. Come on, Nico. Five laps to go .

Seventh is good. But sixth would be better , Nico thought as she saw Hans Mendelsohn of Blue Jet Lightning just up ahead. She’d set a faster pace in this last lap. With four laps to go, she might overtake him.

Race Engineer: Excellent pace, Nico. After this turn up ahead, you can pass Anker on the straightaway.

Nico: Did you say Anker?

Race Engineer: I did. He and Mendelsohn swapped positions on that last lap.

Nico’s heart was racing. It might be racing faster than the car.

The turn was just up ahead, and so was Anker.

The safe move was to pass on the straightaway.

That’s what Anker would expect her to do.

And he’d do everything within his power to stop her.

If she tried to pass him on the turn, he would expect her to do it from the inside, and he would block her out.

He would never expect her to make a move on the turn from the outside.

But she’d need to make him think that’s exactly what she was going to do.

Nico: Can I use some more power here?

Race Engineer: I told you to pass him on the straightaway, Nico. He’s not going to budge on that turn.

Nico: I know. I just want to get close behind him.

Silence.

Nico: Did you hear me?

Race Engineer: I heard you. Go ahead and push. But be careful.

Nico: Copy.

Nico was just behind Anker now. It felt as though there was hardly an inch between the front of her car and the rear of his.

Of course, just as expected, he was hugging the inside as they came to the turn.

She did likewise. But halfway through, she began to drift out to his right as though she were going to make a move to pass.

Anker veered right to block her way. She watched the space to his left on the inside of that turn grow inch by inch.

And when it was wide enough, she jerked the car left, almost hitting the embankment when she did.

As she slid past Anker on the inside, she felt as though she were scraping up against the wall, she was that close.

Race Engineer: Push, Nico! Push!

Nico shot past him. He hadn’t anticipated her move and went spinning to his right, lost control, and hit the outside embankment, coming to a full stop.

Race Engineer: Shit, yes! Nico! Head down, now. One more lap, and then the checkered flag is just up ahead.

Nico: Where’s Rocco?

Race Engineer: Second. I think he’s got it. I don’t think he can overtake Clarke at this point. He’s holding off Lopez and Stewart who are just behind him. He’s kept them both out of DRS range for the last three laps. Just one more lap to go.

Come on, Rocco , she thought. One more lap. Just one more.

When Nico crossed the finish line, her first thought was about her grandfather.

As she cheered and thanked the team over the radio, she placed her hand on her heart, where she carried that photo of her mother and the sketch of her grandfather in a small inside pocket.

But never in a million years would she have imagined that her next thought would be about Rocco.

She was beaming. He’d come in second and would be mounting the podium.

I can’t believe I’m this happy for that annoying, arrogant, asshole, prick.