28. Race, part 2

The Gorge of Death. It was a huge canyon that could only be crossed by an old and rotten bridge. It was the only bridge that had not been changed for several generations.

"I don't think he can stand us. " - Sasha looked skeptically at the bridge swaying in the wind

"Don't worry. Although he seems unreliable, but he is strong. It's been standing here since my grandfather's time. And so far he has not given up. " - her partner said in a confident tone

"...okay, I'll trust you. But if we fall, I know. I'm using your body as a pillow. "

"Hahaha, a very funny joke. "

"….."

"...it was a joke, wasn't it? "

They stepped carefully onto the bridge.

[ SCREECH ! ]

The old boards began to creak under their feet here. They have been rotten for a long time and God knows how they still held on.

"Step by step. Slowly, step by step. " – Sasha looked ahead and tried not to look down

Sasha is not that afraid of heights, she is her....disliked. When they almost fell off the bridge and Adam saved them, Sasha began to bypass the high places side. She didn't want to repeat that experience again.

Walking carefully and taking her time, she reached the middle of the bridge. A light wind blew in their faces, rocking the bridge a little. But when it stopped, the bridge for some reason continued to swing from side to side.

"What's going on? " – Sasha turned around

A huge crowd had gathered behind them. Several teams stood side by side and began to rock the bridge.

" Fall down ! Fall dishonest bastards ! "

" This is for you for all your misdeeds ! "

"Stronger, guys! Let 's make them dance ! "

They rocked the bridge harder and harder, forcing them to literally dance so as not to fall into the abyss.

"Toadstool, let's run! If this continues, then we will simply be carried off the bridge! "

" Got it ! "

He quickly picked up Sasha in his arms and ran. No matter how proud Sasha was, she could admit that toads have much more strength than humans. She saw it for herself in the dungeon.

" Follow them ! Don 't let these rats get away so easily ! " – the frogs stopped rocking the bridge and ran after them

The toadstool sped up and jumped to the other side in the blink of an eye.

" We need to slow them down ! Hurry up, cut the rope! "

Sasha took out her sword and cut the ropes holding the bridge with two quick strokes. The bridge immediately began to fall.

" AAAAAAA ! "

[ BOOM ! ] – the bridge hit the other side of the canyon

" Phew ! Now everything will be much better. She sheathed her sword

"Ummm....Sasha, I'm not sure about that. " – Toadstool looked down

Through the heavy fog, he could make out the distinct figures of frogs crawling towards them. Sasha noticed it too and swore to himself.

" Run ! We still have time ! "

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Valley of the Sands. I can't say much about her, because now our main characters are running for all their strength, hiding from a crowd of angry frogs.

"Hold on, Toadstool! There's just a little bit left! "

Because of the infernal heat, the Toadstool's face was smeared. After all, amphibians are cold-blooded and the heat does not benefit them. So the young face of the Toadstool turned into dried raisins!

"I can't....go without me..."

" I can 't ! We 're fucking attached to each other ! "

[ BAM ! ]

" AAAAAAA ! "

There was a scream and a sharp explosion from behind. Oh, yes, huge sandworms also live here.

" Aaaaaah ! Hold on! " – Sasha lifted the Toadstool on her hump and dragged him with all her strength

" Victory will be in our hands ! "

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" So, I am proud to announce to you the winners of our annual race! Mayor Toadstool and his assistant Sasha ! "

[ CLAP ! CLAP ! CLAP ! ]

There was a crowd in front of Sasha with a Toadstool. They clapped their hands with grim smiles while pure hatred and malice played in their eyes. They were all covered with soot, cobwebs, dirt and sand.

Sasha and the Toadstool were no better either. Most of Sasha's robe was burned by fire salamanders in the valley of the sands, grains of sand and a lot of dirt could be seen in her hair.

The toadstool is the opposite. He was clean, well-groomed and calm. He gladly accepted the golden crown with wings and waved to the crowd, not noticing their quiet curses.

" And this is the end of our race ! We are waiting for you next year ! "

Everyone immediately dispersed. Sasha got off the pedestal and stomped to the center of the village. She found Adam sitting there reading a book.

"So, how is ...? "

Sasha silently approached him and sat down on a bench. She turned and rested her head on his lap while her golden tiara lay on her chest. Adam flinched, but quickly calmed himself down.

He put the book away and took off her mask, exposing her face. He put his hand on her hair and began to stroke her head slowly.

"So, tell me what you learned? "

Without opening her eyes, Sasha began.

"Complete chaos. I didn't understand what I was doing at all and just went ahead. "

"Believe me, I saw it. "

"I chose a partner who at first did not want to listen to me at all. I had to resort to tricks, forcing him to listen to me. "

"Yeah, go on. " – he 's a curl from her face

"At first everything was simple, but then chaos came. Most of the participants turned against us. They united against us and chased us for hours ! For hours ! Until we crossed the finish line. "

"Yes. It was fun. " he chuckled

" But I didn 't have any fun at all ! I thought I was going to die ! For real ! " – she opened her eye and looked at him

Adam looked back at her and smiled behind his mask. He continued stroking her head, soothing her.

"Tell me, do you think you're ready to become a leader. "

"Hell no! I'm not ready at all. "

"Hohoho, that's what I wanted to hear. Now close your eyes and listen to what I'm going to tell you. " – he covered her eyes with his hand

"Everything you've been through in the last few hours is going to be experienced on a large scale. I have prepared all this to show you how difficult it is to be a leader. She flinched, but he continued stroking her hair

"The leader is not the one who commands, it is the one who leads. You have to be an example for them to follow. " he chuckled

"All the shit that will happen to you in the future, you will have to take it head-on. You have to stand up and show them that if you can, then they can. " – he patted her on the head

" This is the leader's share. Lead, protect and solve the shit that your team has done. For example, the fact that she made half of the villages her enemy. Well , you 've managed it ! "

Sasha smiled and opened her eyes.

"I wonder how you know all this? According to Ann's stories, you don't remember anything about your past. "

"Yes, it is. But Ann probably also forgot to mention that I was preparing for your arrival. He tapped his helmet

"When my power awakened, a lot of information poured into me. Strategy, math, combat, leadership, everything you need to train you. All this information appeared suddenly and out of nowhere. "

(Out of nowhere, yeah. Information from Wisdom plus my four years of mafia boss life.) – he chuckled

"Wow... that must suck. "

" Yes , indeed ! Can you imagine how my head hurt while I was taking all this?! I can 't compare this pain with anything ! " – he exclaimed raising his hands

"Sometimes. You remind me of someone I know. she smiled and reached into her pocket

" Yes ? And who is this acquaintance ? It's just that Ann also mentioned it a couple of times.... He shut up and looked at the object in her hands

"Well.....he's an old friend of ours. He is emotional, calculating, sometimes cruel, he also infuriated me a lot. He was someone I could rely on. " – she turned the lighter in her hands

"But because of my own stupidity, I lost him. We all lost him. She looked up at him

Adam's eyes turned cold and he stared at the lighter.

"And this, you probably don't know what it is. This is..."

Naturally , he knew what it was ! After all, it was his own fucking lighter! He lost her back then. When I was on earth. After one steamy case, he did not pay attention as it fell out of his pocket.

(Where did she get my lighter?! )

" ....and she is capable of setting things on fire. This is the last thing he left. "

( I didn 't leave her ! I lost her ! )

"My friend, Marcie, and I often walked around the city and at one point we found her. "

( Marcy?! She also got her involved here?! And in what sense " walked?! No one is walking around my neighborhood ! On the contrary, a special forces squad is cause there ! )

"So something like that....everything is fine? You're just staring at her. "

Adam shook his head sharply and came to his senses.

" It 's okay ! Just thinking. " - He looked at the setting sun

"Okay, let's not delay any more. " – he got up and forced Sasha 's head to fall on the bench

"You did your job perfectly. Ann must have been waiting for us already." – he headed to the library

Sasha immediately got up and took her tiara and ran next to him

" And the punishment ? You're going to cancel our punishment, aren't you?! "

"....I'll think about it. "

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Deep into the night, Adam sat in his office and could not concentrate on the papers. This lighter kept popping up in his head. He put the papers aside and looked at the moon.

" What the fuck were they doing there ? " – he stood up and stretched

" Why wasn 't this reported to me ? I asked you to report on every step they took... " - he clasped his hands

"Why would I pay these bastards to detectives if they can't even follow them properly?! " - he started walking around the room

"They couldn't just accidentally go there, it's a remote area. No one will willingly go there, only inveterate scumbags. "

His gaze was directed at the stars.

"I need to think..."