A/N: This was written for the 2006 Alphabet Challenge. It was a joint effort, and since my co-author and I are so proud of it, I asked permission to re-post it here. I apologize for the length.
Pairings: Charlie/Amita, Larry/Megan
Disclaimer: We do not own anything Numb3rs, but we have taken the characters out to stretch their legs sometimes. They are always returned in good condition.
X is for XX² vs. XY²
Rated: K+ (I hope that's right)
The flyer was printed on golden rod colored paper. 'City Attack Race'. The web site was given and promised the registration and rule information. The race was gaining popularity across the country; Los Angeles was hosting one in the next month.
This was not your typical bike race. Teams of two competed using a tandem bike, peddling over a course throughout the city. This race included six checkpoints with three of those requiring the teams to participate in a 'challenge'. If unable to complete it or if a team chose not to participate in a specific 'challenge' they were required to sit out of the race for a penalty. All the 'challenges' were designed to be wacky and fun.
The photos of similar races had always made him laugh. It really looked amusing. Perhaps he would invite Amita to be his partner. A whole day together and not work related; would be fun. He smiled and tucked the flyer in the book he was holding.
The foursome had a very interesting 'double' date. It hadn't been planned that way. Megan stopped by to say thank you for some help Charlie had given the FBI on a case earlier in the week. Actually it was an excuse to see Larry, Charlie was sure. Then Amita mentioned she and Charlie were heading over to see Keplar's niece play in a little quartet at the student union. One thing lead to another and the four ended up watching the young musicians for about an hour and then deciding to find some place to eat dinner.
Charlie was happy it all worked out the way it did, anything to spend time with Amita. Larry too was thrilled.
Walking down the sidewalk Megan was handed a flyer about the 'City Attack Race' coming up. "Oh, I read about this in the newspaper. It looks totally ridiculous." She was laughing when she handed the flyer to Amita. "I'd love to do this; it looks fun."
Before Charlie could open his mouth Amita was asking Megan to be her partner.
"I've always thought it sounded like fun myself," Larry commented.
"You and Charlie should have a team too!" Amita declared.
"Oh no. I don't know … unless Charles might be so inclined?" Larry was smiling at his young friend.
Who could resist that smile? Charlie joined in the light heartedness. "Actually, I was thinking of doing this." He failed to add that he was planning on asking Amita to be his partner. Maybe he could bring it up later and they could trade partners.
"Great. The boys vs. the girls!" said Amita.
The race was rapidly approaching. Megan and Amita had emailed some information back and forth and were planning to get together for lunch soon. It had been a standing joke between them and 'Team XY²' - a bet was yet to be determined. The girls' were considering if the boys' lost, being treated to a romantic dinner, and a show afterward. The guys had yet to come up with their wager; well, anything they wanted to share.
Amita met Megan at the FBI office's cafeteria, ready to talk strategy.
"Megan have you ever ridden a tandem bike before?"
"No. Do you think it is any different?"
"Perhaps. I think we should try one out before the race."
"There is a place on the Santa Monica pier that rents bicycles I'll call and see if they have any tandem bikes. We can go do that this weekend if you're free."
"Should we invite Larry and Charlie?"
"Sure. Why not? They aren't really into this competition are they?"
After plenty of laughter, and more than a few spills, Amita and Megan had pretty much mastered the basics of tandem riding. Megan was acting as 'captain', taking over the front seat and as such was the majority of strength that was needed.
Larry and Charlie had a more difficult time with the tandems. It was comical, watching while they tried to decide which was better suited to command the team.
The fact that the 'captain' has the responsibilities to control the bike, including balancing it whether stopped or in motion, as well as steering, shifting and braking was lost on the men. They were both more concerned with who would be the 'rear' rider or 'stoker' as that rider was commonly called. The stoker is basically a motor for this bike and must not attempt to steer, the thought of not being in control was one neither man liked as neither were what you would call 'experienced' cyclists.
Larry was becoming even more concerned about the race. When he and Charles had picked up Team XY²'s registration packet he considered backing out.
The packet gave suggestions about 'training' for the race. Luckily Megan and Amita had talked them into trying out the Tandem bikes but other than that they had not discussed 'training'.
A map of the course throughout the city was given with checkpoints listed. It was beginning to look like a lot of ground to cover trusting his life on the back of a bike piloted by Charles Eppes.
The 'Challenges' were not specified; they would be a surprise the day of the race.
They received their t-shirts and were given a list of the equipment that would be provided the day of the race. The bikes were provided along with helmets they were required to wear during the entire race. They were required to wear tennis shoes, have two water bottles and to carry one cell phone with them. The one requirement that caused some concern was that they needed to wear bathing suits under their shorts and shirts. What on earth?!?! they thought.
Team start times would be determined by a 'quiz'. The best score and the time in which it took teams to complete the quiz was the determining factor. The questions were random covering topics from Los Angeles history to basic algebraic formulas.
Charlie filled out the quiz and handed it back in without even consulting Larry. Team XY² had a perfect score, the only perfect score, along with the fastest time. They were placed in position number one when the race began.
Between their being in the number one spot at the beginning of the race and the fact that Megan and Amita had arrived at the check-in Larry's resolve grew that he could do this. They could do this. He would never want to disappoint Megan.
Team XX² was in the number three spot. The women had conferred on their answers and they got all but one correct. Another team scored the same but had done it in a faster time.
Although all four had tried to keep their participation in the 'City Attack' a secret; a reporter for the LA Times had snapped a photo of contestants picking up their registration packets and the photo was posted in the local paper. No names were given but there they were all smiles holding up their race numbers on the front of the Metro & State page. Alan called Don immediately!
The day of the race started with Charlie having to talk Larry into riding the Tandem all over again.
Then the first hurtle for Team XY² came when the helmet they gave Charlie to wear would not fit properly over his hair. Once that was taken care of they were lined up.
Each team took off one minute after the other. With about 100 teams in the race the event had drawn a nice crowd. All laughing and cheering for their favorite teams.
Larry got on the bike first and at Amita's insistence he was balancing himself on the pedals praying that Charles would not let him fall.
Then Charlie made the classic mistake – he stood on the low pedal, and swung his other leg over the seat kicking Larry in the head. An official was there to catch the bike before both men went sprawling on the ground however; they had been caught on camera and would make the highlight reel of the local news.
The next teams all got off to a less rocky start and headed down the course to the first checkpoint. By the time they reached the second check point, teams XY² and were more confident in their riding skills. They were no longer at the head of the pack but they were battling each other and riding along having fun.
At checkpoint two they were given a clue to find the 'third' check point along their route at which point they would face their first 'Challenge'.
The clue: Where will you find works of art by Arp, Falkenstein, Matisse and Rodin to name a few? Get your self-lost around a figure as we lead you to a Maze.
Megan and Larry both shouted: The FDM Sculpture Garden!
The race official at the booth nodded and marked their scorecards. They were on their way. The Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden located on UCLA's North Campus wound it's way over five acres. The 'City Attack' race had set up a maze in the middle of the garden.
The Maze: Constructed of bamboo and covering 20 square yards – the twists and turns abound. Three 10 foot tall platforms positioned around the circumference of the maze gave one team member a birds eye view from above. However, they would have to run from one to the other to get a complete picture. The other team member would enter the maze and start searching for the way out. Time being the key. Instructions could be called from above.
Charlie was sure they could get ahead of the girls if they only pushed through this maze. He instructed Larry to climb the stairs to a platform and give him instructions. He was thinking of Larry's stamina since he was tired from the bike race but he failed to recall Larry's handicap when it came to directions.
Amita entered the maze for Team XX² and Megan joined Larry at the first platform.
Larry called out: "I can't see you Charles!"
Charlie looked skyward and waved. He was about 10 feet into the maze. "Larry, here! Which way? Which way do I turn?" he shouted from below.
"Oh there you are! Go left. …. No Charles, I said left!" Larry was shouting.
Megan began to laugh, "Your 'other' left Charlie! Amita you're doing great it looks like if you go straight you will make it to the center. I'm changing locations now!"
Amita waved her hand in the air and ran forward. Charlie rounded a corner from his wrong 'left' turn and ran right into her, his hands bracing her shoulders he was startled. She laughed and kissed him quickly on the mouth then continued on her way. Taken off guard he turned and searched for Larry.
Several people were already lost in the maze and teammates were yelling back and forth, directions getting confused over the din of voices.
Megan ran from one platform to the next to get an overview of the maze. "It looks like you have to reach each of the far corners and then find a long narrow trail to the exit."
Larry had finally made it to another platform finding it difficult to push through other participates. He was still searching for Charles when he saw Amita exit.
"Charles, I'm afraid the team XX² is finished. Charles, where are you?"
Before Amita ran out of the maze exit she looked up to see Megan and shouted. "I'm going back for Charlie."
Megan laughed in amusement and went to retrieve Larry. Both couples wound up at the exit area at the same time. Getting their scorecards punched, they headed back to their bikes and on with the race. By this time, Charlie and Larry were becoming quite accomplished with their tandem riding.
As they pedaled down the streets, neither team really in any hurry, they chatted and laughed, enjoying the ease of the day.
"So, have you boys come up with a wager yet?" Megan asked innocently. "We're half-way through the race."
"Actually, we have," replied Charlie. "Thanks to some fancy thinking on the physicists' part, we've decided that should you ladies lose, you must spend an evening star-gazing with us."
Megan looked over her shoulder at Amita, who simply smiled and shook her head. Typical Larry, she thought.
As they neared their next checkpoint, they were relieved to find out that it was just that, a checkpoint.
They received the clue for their next destination.
The clue read: Tired? Worn? Want to cool off? Head to a favorite hang out of Grimace, the Hamburglar & Vladimir Salnikov …
"The McDonald's Olympic Swim Stadium …," they all said at the same time. "Sounds like just the ticket," said Charlie, and they were off again.
As they entered the complex, they heard hoots of laughter echoing around the facility. They peeked around the corner, and saw the reason for the swimsuits. People were in the pool, half in duckie rafts, and the other half in the pool itself. The purpose of this challenge was to push or pull your partner one lap of the pool. Amita, Megan, Larry and Charlie looked at each other, and shrugged, smiles on their faces.
The girls shed their shoes, shorts and shirts, having their suits on under their clothes. The boys couldn't help but sneak glimpses at their counterparts, looking sleek and fine in their one-piece suits; the guys simply removed theirs shoes and shirts, subbing their shorts for suits.
Since Amita and Charlie ran the maze, it was only fair that they got to ride in the rafts. They climbed in, and Larry and Megan slipped into the water. There were ropes attached around the necks of the ducks, long enough that the person towing had a comfortable distance from the raft.
The teams started off across the pool, the going not as easy as they thought it would be. Charlie and Larry were trying to determine the best place for Charlie to sit, to make the way easier for Larry to pull him. Megan grasped the rope and started swimming, with Amita helping by paddling along over the sides. In no time, the girls had finished their lap, and when they looked back, the boys were only half-way across the pool.
Shaking their heads, Team XX² put their clothes back on, and started cheering XY² on. Once they were all out of the water, they went to the table for their stamp, and directions to the next checkpoint.
Along the route a giant X was formed in the road – a 'Detour' – the next checkpoint would actually be a challenge – and to get to the challenge you had to solve this clue:
Clue: Head to a place with 'sticky ponds' wedged between museums, office buildings and condos near Beverly Hills. You are looking for a site where paleontologists are rewriting the early history of LA.
Amita read the clue again: "Paleontologists, so we are looking for an archaeological dig? But near Beverly Hills?"
Charlie started pedaling faster. "This way!"
The girls followed and Larry was trying to keep up with Charles and couldn't speak.
When they finally were able to coast down a small slope.
Larry caught his breath. "Pit 91?"
"Yes. It has to be!" Charlie said.
"Where?" Came the question from both women.
"Pit 91 at the La Brea Tar Pits. For over a century researchers have been pulling bones from the place. The 'tar' is really asphalt formed by decaying marine plankton that lived millions of years ago. .." Charlie was almost out of breath trying to give everyone all the details.
"Shut up and go!" Megan cried out looking back over her shoulder. "I don't think the majority of the contestants are getting the clue – we may beat them to the next stage."
"But what will the challenge be?" Amita called from behind.
"I don't know but if we get there first we have a better chance of beating it!"
And off the foursome rode – they arrived to a crowd of tourist that were waiting to watch the dig but the race officials had commandeered a near by parking lot and set up the 'challenge' here.
A roped off area had 4 giant movie industry bubble making machines at each corner. The square was covered with the foaming stuff at least three feet thick.
Each team was handed a laminated card with these instructions:
Find 4 different dinos and proceed to the check out table – each team to name all correctly will be given a bonus!
"What are we doing? Do they expect us to participate in the dig?" Larry was asking.
Megan grabbed his arm. "No. Come into this foam and start reaching down and feeling for something." She proceeded to demonstrate. Charlie and Amita also feeling around on the ground beneath the bubbles.
"Oh, I found some!" Amita pulled up two little toy dinosaurs. They were both the same shape and color. "We need four right?"
"They have to be different! Throw one back!" Charlie said.
After she did she looked over and smiled, "Why didn't I just give it to you?"
Bubbles all around he took her in his arms and kissed her. "Because that just wouldn't do."
Back to the search.
Larry was spitting bubbles but had gone down on all fours. The soapy mess stinging his eyes but he was coming up with a collection.
"Charles. I think I found something."
When all was said and done teams XY² and XX² had found all four different toys and were heading out of the bubble pen as the rest of the contestants headed in.
"Hey bubble boy!" Don called from behind the roped off area.
Charlie looked up and smiled his arms looped around Amita and Larry who had his free arm holding Megan's hand. Alan took a photo laughing.
However, at the checkout table a whole new problem arose.
"Sir, if you identify the four different types of dinosaurs. Your bikes will be loaded in a truck and you will be given a ride to the last 100 yards of the race."
"Really!" Larry was so excited those wet shorts had started chaffing a little after the last challenge.
"Well, of course I can identify these animals."
The first purple plastic figure he offered as a Daspletosaurus. The official shook her head no. Then he said, "Well, it does have some of the classic features of .."
Megan offered, "Tyrannosaurus?"
The official eyed her seriously. "Miss are you two on the same team?"
"Well, no but …"
"Ah Megan I believe you are correct. This could very well be a Tyrannosaurus."
"Bingo." The official said.
"What about this one?" Megan asked Larry. It was a short yellow one with tusks.
"These models are not exactly stellar are they."
Larry was toying with the items.
"Upper cretaceous. Was it indigenous to the US?"
"I don't know." The lady at the table stared at him in utter disbelief.
"Torosaurus … no let's say Triceratops." Larry offered.
"Thank you Jesus!" the woman shouted.
Other teams were now making their way to the tables.
"Larry, hurry!" Charlie shouted.
"I believe this is a Camarasaurus."
"No."
"Well, you do realize that there are roughly 49 various dinosaurs with this similar shape!"
"Sir, we are looking for Long Neck! Have you ever seen 'The Land Before Time'!" The woman at the desk was frustrated to no end with this egg head.
"It was a cartoon movie, Larry. They called these 'Long Necks'" Amita offered softly.
"Here this one is a Raptor." Larry eyed her suspiciously.
The official yanked his scorecard out of his hand and punched it. "What you've never seen the logo for the Toronto Raptors? Geez. NEXT!"
They managed to get their bikes loaded into the truck, and climbed in after them. Looking quite pleased with themselves for reaching the end, the truck took off to the finish line.
When they got there, though, they found out the race wasn't over yet. There, lined up about 20 feet from the end of the line, were Big Wheels.
"I thought we were done?" inquired Megan.
"You started the race pedaling, you finish the race pedaling. One drives, the other rides." the driver said. "Good luck!"
Charlie walked over to one of the tiny contraptions, hunkered down, and managed to sit on the 'bike'. Larry did the same, looking at Megan and saying, "My lady, your Chariot awaits."
The girls climbed aboard the backs, standing while holding onto the guys shoulders, and off they went. After Charlie and Larry made some adjustments so their legs weren't knocking their arms, the way was easy.
They crossed the finish line to a chorus of cheers, and photographers who were covering the story for the papers snapped pictures. Alan and Don high-fived each other. Charlie hugged Amita, and Larry, Megan. They were all so happy with themselves.
"Congratulations for completing the 'City Attack Race', however, I must disqualify you," the announcer said
"What? Why?" they asked.
"Well, since you didn't cross the finish line with your respective teams, I have no other course but disqualify you."
The foursome looked upset, but then realized all the fun they had during the day, and shook off the disappointment.
"What do we do about the wagers?" Amita asked.
"Well," said Larry, "since neither team won, nor lost, I propose that we combine them. We shall escort you lovely ladies to a restaurant of your choice, followed up by the star-gazing."
In the end, team XX² + XY² all winning.
THE END
Author's notes:
The 'City Attack Race' was loosely patterned after the real "Urban Assault Race".
Our course might not be actually plausible not knowing the distances between the site choices selected for the fictional challenges.