Several weeks later, the Metal Maniacs and Teku were all eating in the dining room when Dr Tezla and Lani came in. All the drivers became quiet as they turned to look.
When Dr. Tezla knew he had everyone's attention he spoke. "It has been done. The Wheel of Power is back online."
There was jubilation from the drivers, as Tezla waited for the noise to drop before continuing.
Over the excitement, Tork asked, bringing everyone to silence again. "Will the Wheel open again for us?"
Tezla ran his fingers through his hair, "It will open but to where I have no idea. Without the actual forth ring, there are no guarantees what will happen. All we can do is try and see what happens."
"So how did you get it to work?" Nolo asked.
"I've been running the final transmission we had with Vert over the last few months. The magnetic pulses and the images we were able to record from his on board camera were enough for me to configure the information to get the Wheel of Power running without the actual forth ring".
Lani continued, "We're not sure if what we have is right or not, but the wheel is now operational and could open at any time."
"You rock Lani," said Monkey jumping up onto his chair. Then realizing everyone was looking at him, he blushed and sat back down again.
"Thanks Monkey," Lani said awkwardly.
"So now we wait?" Taro asked.
"Yes, I suggest you return to your garages and get you and your cars ready. We don't know when the realms will open." Dr Tezla told them.
The only noise heard was the scrapping of chair as the drivers exited the room.
Lani looked at Dr. Tezla and asked, "Are you sure it's safe?"
Tezla did not look at her but the door in which the driver had left from. "I don't know Lani, but we're about to find out."
The Metal Maniacs made their way to their garage.
"Do you think Tezla's got it?" Wylde asked.
"If he says he has, then he has." Taro replied.
"Well it's about time," said Pork Chop, "I'm tired of all this waiting around."
"What are you talking about Pork Chop you've barely been here?" Monkey stared at the large man, walking in front of him.
"Well someone needed to get us new cars. I'm probably the only one here that's done any real work." Pork Chop told them.
Wylde, walking at the front of the group, spun around and raising his drone'd arm at Pork Chop said, "Hey, who do you think built this place."
Pork Chop shrugged and walking passed Wylde replied, "Yeah well, it took you long enough, didn't it."
Wylde clenched his drone'd hand ready to take on Pork Chop when Tork said, "Enough! We have work to do. If you guys want to fight then do it on the track."
Wylde dropped his arm, with a huff, stormed past them all, and headed towards Spine Buster.
"Geez, and I thought he was angry before," said Monkey.
Taro turned and said, "How would you feel if you lost an arm to the drones."
Monkey looked back at Wylde and shuddered he didn't like the idea at all.
Once in their garage the Metal Maniacs went to work.
After spending an hour under the bonnet of Rollin' Thunder fine tuning the engine Monkey stopped and walked over to Wylde who was working the closest to him.
Not wanting Wylde to think he was frightened of him Monkey said, "Hey! Wylde."
Wylde ignored him as he tuned his engine. Ever since he had been tortured by the drones and had his arm replaced, Wylde had become even angrier, if such a thing were possible, thought Monkey.
"Wylde." Monkey said again.
Wylde, concentrating hard on what he was doing, as well as ignoring Monkey, suddenly used too much force with his droned hand and stripped the bolt he was trying to do up.
"Ahhhhhh!" Wylde yelled throwing the wrench his was holding across the room just missing Monkey's head.
Monkey didn't bother hanging around. He took off backwards, tripped over the wrench, before getting back up and running to where Tork was standing beside his car.
Tork had stopped what he was doing at the sound of Wylde's frustrated yell and watched Monkey come over to him.
"Man, should he even be here?" Monkey told Tork.
"It's not over for him yet. He still has a score to settle and until he does we need to stay welded."
"You don't think we will be racing the drones again do ya Tork," Monkey asked a little shaky.
Tork shrugged and went back to tuning his engine.
"Hey! Tork," Monkey said, "Why doesn't Lani help us anymore?"
Tork did not look up from what he was doing but replied, "Since Tezla plans to race this time Lani has decided to race as well."
"Really, you mean I'll be racing against Lani," Monkeys eyes glazed over as he stared off into space with a large grin creeping across his face.
Tork looked at Money and shook his head. There was no helping him, he thought, as he went back to tuning his engine.
Over at the Teku garage, talk was also about the wheel of power.
"Finally, something is going right for a change. It should work, right." Nolo asked to the others, as they gathered around the benches in their garage.
"He's worked too hard not to believe he hasn't done it." Kurt replied. Kurt thought about the last twelve months. It had been hard for all of them but Kurt couldn't help think how much harder it had been for him. With Markie being tortured by the drones and with Vert still missing, Kurt was only just keeping it together.
Kurt looked back over at Nolo. No one took Vert's disappearance more seriously that the leader of the Teku. Nolo felt himself responsible for Vert's disappearance and the fact that they had had no word from him so far only tormented Nolo further.
Looking over to Shirako and Karma, they were down to four now and Karma had thought they should consider getting another Teku to help them once the realms had reopened. But Nolo was adamant that no one would replace Vert.
They had all been, in some way, affected by the loss of Vert and the wheel of power. Now with the wheel up and running, the hope that Vert might be found, was on all their minds.
"We should give are cars the once over before Tezla opens the wheel." Nolo told them. Separating, they all moved towards their cars and began the process of checking them, ready to race.
With Pork Chop's assistance, Shirako had been able to replace all their cars they had lost during the last race. Pork Chop had not been too happy to hear he would be going out with Shirako but had taken him anyway when the other Teku had insisted.
Kurt made his way over to Sling Shot. Shirako had done a fantastic job with the sound since his return and both Nolo and Karma had worked wonders with the paint. Kurt admired his car, then getting in and started it up. It purred, then turning up the sound, he popped the bonnet.
Nolo listened to the music coming from Kurt's car. Nodding his head to the beat, he lifted Synkro up with the hydraulic lift and got underneath to check the nitrox. With new cars, Monkey had helped them to install nitrox 3 ½. Checking to make sure it was all connected right, not that he didn't trust Monkey but he wasn't taking any chances.
Nolo thought of the Maniacs. His relationship with Tork had turned into a great friendship, although Nolo was not quick to admit it. Since accepting Tones death, as it was - an accident, Nolo had come to respect Tork as a driver and an equal. During the rebuilding of their headquarters Nolo and Tork often worked together as did Taro and Karma.
Nolo looked over at Karma. She had Chicane on the dyno and was testing the torque of her engine. She and Taro had developed a strange relationship. Nolo was unsure at times if they were together or not.
Kurt came over to Nolo and looking up under his car said, "Not much we need to do really is there."
"No, not much. Unless your Karma, then your car can never be to perfect."
Kurt gave a laugh, "She's one of kind, good thing she's on our side."
Nolo laughed too. "Those Maniacs won't know what hit them once she's out on the track. Kurt, you think we'll see the drones again?" Nolo asked the question quietly and seriously.
"They'll be there; I doubt they'd have given up."
"Then I wouldn't want to be anywhere near Wylde when we see then next."
Kurt looked out into space thinking of his brother, then focusing back in at Nolo he said, "When the drones come no one better be in Markie's way".
Nolo gave Kurt a pat on the back and said, "When the drones come Kurt, we'll be ready for them."
Kurt nodded and leaving Nolo walked over to Karma.
Karma had worked the hardest of all the Teku to have her car ready. From the technology she had learnt from the drones and what she had been able to pick up from Dr Tezla regarding Nitrium, Karma had developed by far the greatest car anyone could imagine.
Kurt stood back and admired the fine lines of Chicane. When Karma saw him standing there she turned the engine off and came around to stand by him. "I still haven't decided if you're planning to race or just win," he said to her.
Karma laughed, "Both," she replied. "Actually it's more than just that Kurt, it's about getting even. There's no doubt the drones will be wherever it is we go and this time I plan to make it count."
Kurt looked back at Karma's car, "Then they won't know what's hit them," he said with a smile.
Kurt moved off, leaving Karma and made his way over to Shirako. He stood for some time watching Shirako inside Bassline with the music up too loud to get his attention. Shirako lay back in his seat with his eyes closed and Kurt wondered if anything bothered Shirako. He turned away and looked around their garage. It hadn't been the same since the disappearance of Vert. If Kurt thought he was just keeping it together, looking around he realized they were all feeling similar. The only think that was keeping them together was being a Teku, and the desire to get even.