Return to the Speed Zone
Update: As of June 30th, 2005, this fic now sports a cast list. Now you should have less trouble picturing the characters. You can find that a little into this chapter.
AN:What you are reading right now is my concept for a follow-up to the 1989 movie "Speed Zone". The movie began its production as "Cannonball Run 3", but started taking a different path at some point of its development. Like the previous Cannonball films, "Speed Zone" was about a cross-country road race. The movie starred Peter Boyle, Melody Anderson, Donna Dixon, Eugene Levy, Tim Matheson, the Smothers Brothers, and the late John Candy.
I was hoping to get this up by March 4th, the tenth anniversary of Mr. Candy's passing. If you're reading this around then, I succeeded in that area. If I succeeded in writing a worthwhile piece, please let me know.
The Cannonball concept is not mine, nor are the characters Charlie Cronin, Leo Ross, Alec Stewart, or Vic DeRubis. The other characters are my creations, however.
As I said earlier, please read and review.
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"I still remember when the last Cannonball was run. The year was nineteen eighty-nine. I was working as a parking attendant at the Federal Inn, the starting point of the race, at that time. Our tiny hotel was beseiged by all manner of car nuts that week. Gamblers, tech-heads, jet setters, grease monkeys, and even international royalty were there, as were the press, of course.
"But suddenly, it all looked to be on the verge of disappearing. A maverick police chief named Spiro Edsel raided the hotel and arrested most of the racers. It all looked like there would be some truth to his announcement:"
"The Cannonball...is history!" announced Edsel.
"However, he completely misjudged the determination of these wild-eyed gearheads and motor madmen. Within hours of his coup, the Cannonballers began calling in replacements. An old friend of mine, who was managing team BMW, gave me such an offer."
"You want me to drive your car in the race?" asked Charlie.
"I immediately accepted. I mean, I had to. As I told my travelling companion, Tiffany, winning the Cannonball is something you tell your grandkids abbout. I took the reigns of the car and three thousand miles later, we had a winner. It wasn't me, dammit.
"Still, I had fun. I even met up with my old friend and we managed to sort out a few long-standing issues.
"After that, I found a job in L.A. tending bar at a prestigeous hotel. The Cannonball faded into legend. However, they say that legends never die. Sometimes, that's literal."
-Charlie Cronin, 2004
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On a highway leading into Los Angeles, a jet black Lamborghini Gallardo raced along with a few CHP cruisers on its tail.
Michael Dorn as Avery Watkins
LL Cool J as Toby
"Yo, there's a lot of five-ohs back there." said Toby, the Lamborghini's passenger. "I was thinking maybe we could pull over."
Bryan Cranston as Spencer Mills
Robert Patrick as Bob Murray
"Not likely." said the Lamborghini's driver, Avery Watkins. "There's a lot of good meeting places between Buffalo and Winnipeg. I'd rather not explain why we came all the way to L.A."
Matt Frewer as Alec Stewart
Joe Flaherty as Vic DeRubis
"So, whatcha gonna do?" asked Toby.
Jennifer Esposito as Beverly Williams
Andy Richter as Charlie Cronin
"Go to the next gear." said Avery as he pushed the clutch and upshifted.
Eugene Levy as Leo Ross
Edward Finlay as Mark
The Lamborghini continued to race down the highway. The CHP continued to pursue.
Peter Facinelli as Chris Donatelli
Christopher Meloni as Peter
"Unit Seven Charles still in pursuit of the black Lamborghini." announced the pursuing officer.
Seth Meyers as John
Michael T. Weiss as "Dallas" Cage
"No problem, Seven Charles." replied another officer. "Preparing to establish roadblock, over."
Michael Ealy as Cali
John deLancie as Dayton
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Not far away, two skateboarders were performing their moves. One finished a rather daring rail slide.
"Gnarly, man." said his friend. "Betcha can't rail slide across that pipeline." he added as he pointed to a pipeline crossing the nearby river.
"No way." said the first boarder. "There's no way I can generate that much speed."
"I think you're just too scared." chided the friend.
"Then why don't you try it?" asked the boarder.
"Make me." said the friend.
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Gigi Edgley as Pippa
Gillian Anderson as Tara Roberts
On the highway, Watkins and Toby continued to escape the police. Unfortunately, the police had their roadblock set up.
Cynthia Preston as Karen
Cheech Marin as Richard Perez
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" stammered Toby as Avery slowed down.
Jason Priestly as Detective Clifton
Michael McKean as Detective James
Avery followed the slowing down with turning down an embankment and onto a side road. The police cars tried to follow, but only three managed to make it down the embankment.
David Cross as Driving Instructor
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Student
Avery continued to race down the side road with the remaining police cars in pursuit. He managed to keep a respectable distance from the police and turned down the access road for the skate park. Knowing it was the only way in or out, the police blocked off the road.
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The skateboarder went off the ramp and performed two 360 degree spins before hitting the ramp again. He slid to a stop next to his friend.
"Seven-twenty." said the boarder. "Not bad, huh?"
"Nah." said his friend. "But are you going to attempt the pipeline rail slide?"
"I told you you need to be going very fast to do that." said the boarder. "I think you have to be going..."
He paused when he heard the Lamborghini's V-10 engine approaching. The two watched the jet black sports car race by the skate park at high speed. The machine let out a roar as it accelerated towards the river.
The car raced towards the pipeline, spun to the side, and drifted across the pipeline sideways at high speed. When it reached he other side, the Lamborghini drove out onto the road there.
"...about that fast." said the boarder.
"Whoa." said his friend.
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AN:You know, on second thought, leave a review after reading the second chapter. This one was kind of weak in my opinion.