Being home was a relief like no one would imagine. Finn was able to relax more, but had posted guards on the edges of town to warn them if any unidentified aircraft's were coming their way, It had been three days and none had showed up.

While no drama was from outside the town, it was a mess inside. Gossip floated around like wildfire and rumors spread like the plague. What was the source of all the rumors? The most likely candidate was when Lightning walked off the ship and almost instantly broke up with Sally. He had said it had been a long time coming, and that his kidnapping just made him see how fast life could end, he had apologized and asked to still be friends. Sally... had reacted surprisingly calm. She didn't cry or get worked up or anything. Finn guessed it was because of his recent trauma, and Sally still hoped he would come to his senses. Finn knew that Lightning was aware of every move he made, there was no trauma card to pull with him.

And how Lightning ended up coming to him for a confident he will never know...

"Why Me?" He asked.

"You're the only one I can trust not to talk! Mater was pretty crap with secrets." And Finn had accepted his answer and his peace-offering of Chinese food.

So now they were in his cozy cone relaxing and talking about their problems. Occasionally they would stuff food in their mouth, but as the rice cooled their appetite crumbled.

"So, being a spy? How'd you get into the business?" Lightning had asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, how did you get into racing?" He shot back.

Lightning frowned, "I asked you first!"

"And I asked you second."

He huffed in defeat and opened his mouth to speak when there was a knock at the door, Lightning looked expectantly at Finn until he stood to go answer it.

Outside was a miffed looking Flo, "We need to talk about your little affair." She hissed through the door.

He blinked in surprise before throwing Lightning an apologetic look and letting himself out into the surprisingly cold evening. Flo looked about ready to snap his neck.

He stared at her for a few more seconds, "My what?" He finally asked.

"I don't know what you wanna call it, but that's exactly whats happening between you and Lightning!" She fumed, "You have the nerve to lure him away from Sally! And I thought Europeans were supposed to be polite!"

"Wait, what?" he stopped her rant, his voice and octave higher when faced with the outrageous accusation, "Lightning and me? Luring him away from...? What are you talking about? There's nothing going on between us!"

"Don't you lie to me! Holley told me about your little night date on the Base! He and Sally were still together back then you home wrecker!"

"Flo, I can assure you that I have no feeling for Lightning except friendship!" He smiled softly, "That night on the base was nothing, Lightning had just got his prosthetic and I was worrying myself sick over Leland. We were offering each other comfort, not propositioning each other for sex! yes, I do love Lightning, but it's the same way I love Mater and Holley and Siddeley! We're friends, and that's all."

She stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out if he was lying or not, "Well, then how do you explain this little date?"

Finn laughed, "This isn't a date! Someone has been avoiding, ignoring, and shunning him ruthlessly, and he needed someone to vent to." Flo opened her mouth to argue for Sally but he cut her off, "I know this was painful for Sally, but he does love her and her sudden absence makes him sad. He just needed a friend who wouldn't blab all his secrets."

Flo sighed, all the fight falling from her body as her shoulders drooped. He put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly, "I know Sally's your friend, and you want to do something or blame someone, but the best thing you can do right now is be there for her."

She nodded and smiled weakly at him, "Sorry for yelling at you."

He shook his head, "No need to apologize. I've done the same thing."

"Well, having a nice evening!" She took her leave and Finn took a moment to compose himself before pulling the door open and walking back inside.

Lightning was spread out on his back reading the first few pages from a book he found on the floor, he glanced up when Finn returned and pushed himself up onto his elbows, "What was that all about?"

Finn smiled, "Nothing important, what are you reading?"

Lightning glanced down at the cover, "'Spider Venom', you've read it?" He asked him.

Finn nodded, "Yeah, it's not very realistic to spy life."

Lightning quirked up an eyebrow, "Really? Well, why don't you teach me?"

Finn grinned, "I believe we had a deal. Tell me why you got into racing and I'll tell you why I'm into spying."

Lightning frowned, "Unfair. okay, so you know we moved around a lot and we didn't have a lot of money, which meant we didn't have a lot of the luxuries some other families had. With me and my sister's clothes we couldn't afford a TV, so instead we got a Radio. We listened to music, but I found the channel that broadcasted Racing, and for a while that was what the Radio was turned to. It was a really cool concept to me. These men got fancy cars and money just to drive around a track over and over again... so as soon as I was old enough I taught myself how to drive and got a job. For the first years I had my job I saved $30 from each paycheck for my own car, but the rest went to my family. Anyway, after I had saved enough I bought a car and started drag racing with some of the other teens in my neighborhood, and I was pretty good. After a while I got noticed and was picked up as a sponsor of Rust-eze and you know the rest. Your turn."

Finn took a moment to process the information just offered to him, "Um, okay. Well the first thing you need to know is that I'm not from England, but France. My dad was a baker, and my mom died when I was young. I don't remember how old I was, but I was riding my bike home when I got snatched off the street by a mafia kings' stooges. I was there for a few days before I managed to break out and get home, and as it turned out my father hadn't even been looking for me. He was actually waiting for me to escape, because he couldn't go to the police. When I asked why he revealed to me that he was a mafia boss and I was going to take over when he died. I was approached by a CHROME agent soon after this and they asked me to help them get solid evidence on my father. I agreed and my father ended up dying, so I joined CHROME and I've been here ever since."

Lightning nodded thoughtfully, more questions filling his mind when he suddenly jumped up, eyes on the clock. "Damn! Sorry to leave so soon, but I totally forgot I've got therapy today!" He quickly scooped up his trash, before going to leave, "See ya later, Finn!"

Finn half waved at the door as it swung shut, before pulling his open laptop out from under the bed. He probably needed to shut down his laptop more often so the password lock would appear. The codes that Zundapp wanted were on here, and he definitely couldn't let him get those.


yay! Another chapter! Since it's still pretty close to the holidays I won't be able to update as quick, sorry about that! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!