A dark highway, almost abandoned then, a blur. A flash of motion slices through the air. Then another. A chase. Just another night in the city.
A black motorcycle cuts through, its rider dressed in all black
"There he is again. Damn kid always giving us trouble, Would make our lives a hell of a lot easier if he'd just disappear. Wait I... I don't see him anymore. What the? he's gone."
Ten years ago, a new law tore this city apart. The people protested. They wanted change. But the higher-ups didn't listen.
The silence caused a rebellion it started small, then it spread like wildfire. Now, the cities divided into two beliefs
1: The police are tools of oppression.
2: Law and structure are necessary, even if some areas suffer.
And in the midst of all this chaos a rider who leads this rebellion no one knows his face. Just the roar of his engine.
On the sheltered side of the city, A boy named Eli mercer will start his first week as an intern at the Central Station. Most of his days so far have just been filing reports that have been irrelevant for years. But today, he found something new. A folder marked with thick black ink:
"NIGHT RIDER"
Eli glanced toward the hallway. Empty.
He opened the folder.
Blurred photos. Bike specs. Sides notes in sharp red pen: "sometimes I think he see's us before we see him. Makes us look like amateurs."
He didn't know what he expected but this wasn't anything close to what he would've imagined. Whoever this Night Rider guy was, the officers hated him more than anybody else in the system.
Why though?
Somewhere in the city, tires screamed against the pavement. A blur cut through the streets again.
Eli tapped repeatedly on the corner of the folder, Thinking to himself "If he's the problem-
"You're not supposed to read those"
Eli jumped in shock, Slamming the folder shut.
A guy leaned against the doorway, sipping from a cup like he owned the building. Hoodie under a half-zipped precinct vest, badge clipped but barely visible, Dark hair a little too long to pass expectation.
"Relax," the guy added, grinning. "I used to poke around those files too. First weeks boring. Everyone acts like it matters, but it doesn't."
Eli hesitated "You work here?"
"no I just walk into buildings and get free food" he said, walking in "But yeah I do work here, mostly I fetch things and fix the broken printers. no one bothers me. Its a sweet gig honestly."
He plucked the folder from Eli's hands, glanced at the cover, and whistled.
"Night rider, huh? Ooh. They hate this guy. someone brings him up, the room gets awkward. Like he's Voldemort on a motorcycle."
Eli gave a small laugh despite himself. "You believe the stuff they say about him?"
He shrugged, Flipping the folder open again. "Believe? I'll believe it once I see it"
He handed it back. "word of advice keep your mouth shut about this, the other officers here are really insecure about this guy"
Eli nodded slowly.
"I'm Kai, by the way, Kai Cross." He added already halfway out the door. "Printer guy. But I'll show you where the good vending machine is if you're nice"
Eli stared after at him, unsure if he'd just made a friend or been warned.
Either way, Eli still had no idea what reading that file would get him into.
Somewhere in the shadows beyond the city lights, a rider slowed. engine low, lights off.
He watched the city skyline, the city glowing like a lie.
He reached into his jacket, pulled out a thin slip of paper, a torn precinct map, half burned at the edges
"So it begins" he muttered.
The engine growled back to life. And just like that, The ghost faded into the night.