Page 179 of Bend

Neither of us gets anything else.

The channel erupts.

A violent scrape that tears through my headset, metal screaming against something harder, followed by one brutal impact that makes my entire body jerk.

Then static.

Nothing.

For half a second, nobody speaks.

My brain refuses to understand what I just heard.

Then Thorne screams.

“Wolfe!”

Talon’s voice collides with his.

Draygon swears.

I grab the headset with both hands.

“Wolfe?”

Static.

“Wolfe, answer me.”

Nothing.

Andre is already on another radio, calling race control, his voice clipped and fast while his free hand comes up toward the team channel.

“Everybody stay on your bikes. Nobody stops. Nobody turns around.”

Thorne fires back instantly. “Fuck that. I’m going back.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I’m fucking closest—”

“And there are other riders still on an active course.” Andre’s voice cracks like a whip. “Medical and marshals are responding. You turn around or stop somewhere unsafe and I could have another fucking rider down. Keep moving.”

“Andre—”

“I am not losing another one of you!”

That silences everyone.

Even Thorne.

My hands are shaking so badly I can barely keep the headset against my ears.

“Wolfe?”

Nothing.

I try again.