"You're late," Rose said, puffing her cheeks.
"Sorry, I got caught up in something," Leo smiled and pulled Rosalie into a hug. "I'll make it up to you later."
"Hmph, you'd better," she snorted before hugging him back.
After heading home, Leo took a quick shower and rushed out again. Thankfully, time moved slower behind the Veil—half-speed—so he wasn't as late as he'd expected.
"So, you dragged us all the way out here. How exactly are you planning to get there?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow. Then added quickly, "Also—quick question—can I take your car back to the house?"
"Hell no, I'm not stupid," Leo snapped, flicking his hand toward the car. "Alfred, send it home."
"Hmph! Meanie," Alice huffed with theatrical disappointment, but her cheerful self quickly returned as she hugged Jasper. "So, how are you planning to get there?"
"Oh, that depends on Rose's choice." Leo turned to the blonde beside him, grinning. "Sooo… sea or air?"
Rose looked at him, thoughtful. "Air, I guess?"
Nodding, Leo pulled out a slim remote and clicked it.
A faint hum began to vibrate in the distance, then intensified—yet no aircraft was visible in the sky.
Moments later, a cloud of sand kicked up from the far end of the clearing. The Cullens turned toward the noise just as a mirage lifted, revealing a sleek, snowy white aircraft shimmering into view.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Leo said dramatically, "I present: the White Shadow. An aircraft that makes others in the same type look like toys."
{image}
"Okay… that's cool as hell," Emmett said, stunned.
"Taking a girl on a jet ride for a first date?" Jasper muttered, eyeing Leo like he'd grown a second head. "Bold move."
Alice practically bounced on her heels. "This is new! Next time I go on a date, I'm borrowing it."
"Eh… okay, I guess," Leo replied uncertainly, not sure if she was joking or serious—he would later regret agreeing.
"No take-backs!" Alice called gleefully, drawing surprised looks from the others, especially Jasper.
"Now," Leo said, offering Rose his hand as he guided her into the aircraft, "shall we?"
They were airborne moments later, flying under cloaking protocols.
For a while, they simply enjoyed the ride. About twenty minutes in, a voice crackled over the comms.
[This is C.S Paradise. You've entered an active air zone. Identify yourself.]
Rose gripped the edge of her seat. "What is this, Leo?" she asked, a trace of unease in her voice. Vampire or not, this was her first time on a jet.
"Don't worry, that's actually our destination," he reassured her. "Look at your two o'clock."
{image}
Squinting through the clouds, she caught sight of a colossal ship—no, a floating fortress—surrounded by countless smaller vessels. Compared to it, everything else looked like toys. It resembled an artificial island more than a ship.
{This is White_Shadow_001, codename: SkyLion.} Leo spoke calmly into the comms. {Requesting permission to land.}
{OHH! you're finally back! Good, good!} The voice on the other side buzzed with excitement. {Man, how long has it been? Two years?}
The comms burst into chaotic cheers and greetings, leaving Leo with a sheepish smile.
"You're quite popular here," Rose remarked, surprised. "But… are you sure we're here to race cars, not some jet crarier?"
{Is that a girl's voice I hear with you?} someone chimed in. {Well, looks like I won the bet! Pay up, suckers!}
Leo sighed. "I don't want to know what the bet was. Anyway, is my yard ready?"
{Aye, sir. But you'll need to circle the field. There's a competition going on. Sending the map now.}
Lines of glowing color and tight borders lit up on the canopy glass—routes and zones for aerial navigation.
"This is really just a racing ring?" Rose asked, bewildered.
{Oh, it's a racing ring, alright. Just… not only one kind of racing,} the voice replied mischievously.
Leo grinned at her confused face. The surprise was already worth it.
"Send the live feed of the competition to me, please," he requested, adjusting their course.
A translucent screen lit up beside Rose. As the feed stabilized, her eyes widened.
Three red jet fighters tore through the clouds like razors, coordinated and aggressive. A single white jet moved among them—smooth, precise, untouchable.
The red jets tried trapping it in a pincer, but the white one slipped out with an impossible dive-roll, twisting around their formation.
"That's amazing," Rose whispered. "But that's not a race... that's a warzone."
The white jet dropped its thrust, flipped backward, and let one of the reds shoot past—then surged forward and tagged its tail with simulated rounds.
[Lock confirmed. Red Jet #3 eliminated.]
{Yup! it all about reaction speed and tactics, so technequely race!} the voice said proudly.
The white jet dove under the second red one, flipping again in a dangerous loop. Another kill confirmed.
Rose watched in awe. "How is that even possible?"
Leo was unusually quiet, eyes fixed on the screen, a proud smile tugging at his lips.
"That's Skyer," he said at last. "We grew up together here. He raid in the sky, while i was more of the car guy."
"You know him? Then... you've done this too?"
Leo nodded slowly. "Yeah. Not recently, but yeah—I've fought up there."
Rose turned, astonished. "You don't just move fast on foot, huh?"
Leo chuckled. "Speed's a mindset."
The final red jet pursued Skyer into a narrow canyon of floating towers. At the last moment, Sylas veered, and the red jet collided with a wall—outmaneuvered and defeated.
[White Shadow 02, skyer : Victory by clean sweep.]
The screen replayed the final moment in slow motion.
"He always liked dramatic finishes," Leo said.
"You used to pass the time here doing this?" Rose asked, half stunned. "Now I feel like my life's been wasted."
{Enjoyed his time?} the voice over the comms laughed. {He didn't just use this place—he built it. Didn't tell her, Leo?}
"Tell me what?" Rose asked, looking between the live screen and Leo .
{He designed the whole system. This rings, the simulations envorment VR, the tech—it's all him. 'Speed Paradise' wouldn't exist without him.}
"...Wha—" Her mouth opened, but nothing came out—just a stunned, fish-like expression.
As they neared the ship, the full view unfolded: a gigantic aircraft carrier with multiple race tracks built into its deck. Thanks to the bright lights cutting through the night sky, it looked more like a festival than a military base. Traffic zipped overhead, races ran across glowing rails—it was alive, bustling, electric
with big sectiont linked toghather with trackes and roads.
"When I was around eight or nine, this started with a small ship and just two racing lanes," Leo explained. "It was my father's idea, and his organization made it possible."
He leaned forward in his seat.
"Alright guys, raise shielding. I'm landing in three. Gravity anchors engaged. See you on deck."
{All systems green. Ready for touchdown. Also... welcome back.}
As the comms cut off, Leo glanced at Rose.
"And since I had a knack for designing vehicles and gadgets, it became a little side project of our due father and son."
He looked down at the landing strip glowing in the dark like a runway pulled from a sci-fi dream.
"And now… It's more than that. It's become a haven for people who love speed, and have the skill to prove they have what it take to ride to the extreme."
The White Shadow touched down smoothly, the landing gear locking into magnetic rails.
Leo opened the hatch, extending his hand.
"Welcome to Speed Paradise."