Dirk Speedblood rolled down his window. The gingerbread curse had already spread up his whole hand, and it kind of itched. "Henry, do you know these people?"

"Yeah," Henry sighed. "They're my family, but I don't want to see them right now. Not til I have my heart back."

Dirk Speedblood turned off the ignition. "Everyone has to face their fate sometime, Henry. Come on, let's go." Dirk Speedblood opened the Civic's door and got out.

"Henry!" called Emma, rushing from the back of the crowd.

"Hi dearie," said Henry sarcastically, Rumpelstiltskin's evil influence playing over him.

"I don't believe it!" said Emma. "You ate a peasant's heart?"

Henry laughed. "No, that's stupid. I just tasted it to see if it was the heart of the truest racer. It wasn't. But I'm being controlled right now, so I'm not responsible for my own actions."

Hook came forth from the crowd. "Ha, that's laughable. Do you expect us to believe that the Crocodile is responsible for your actions? Way to pass the blame, Darker One."

"Darker One?" Dirk Speedblood asked himself. This was truly a strange town.

"I believe you, Henry," said Regina. "But now on to more pressing matters. How will we identify the second fastest racer in this town?"

Dirk Speedblood stopped, puzzled. "How do you know I'm the fastest racer in this town?"

If Henry wasn't present, Regina would have melted Dirk Speedblood's face off like the bad guys from Raiders of the Lost Ark. "YOU? Don't make me laugh!"

But Henry stood up for Dirk Speedblood. "Mom, he's right. He had Mr. Gold grant him that power, at a cost. Look at his hand!"

The town mareveled at Dirk Speedblood's gingerbread hand.

"You're marked alright," said Regina. "And I have the satisfaction of knowing that when that curse runs to its completion and you're completely gingerbread, I'll have the top spot again. But for now, I'm satisfied to know we're number one and number two. Now let's go end this curse."

The town clamored. Several punches were thrown, and Will Scarlet tried to start a riot. At long last, Dirk Speedblood spoke. "It should be a tournament. I bear the mark of the gingerbread curse as proof of my status, but the rest of the town needs to produce one winner to race alongside me."

Regina spat. "You and your stupid ideas. I decline."

Snow White taunted Regina. "If you're so confident, what do you have to lose by entering a tournament? Just win it and you'll prove to everyone you deserve to rule the roads of Storybrooke."

Regina simmered, but she was caught. Finally, she assented to the proposal. "Fine, everyone who wants in, submit your name to the mayor's office. Single elimination, starting at midnight tonight. But be wary, I do not guarantee the safety of my opponents." And in a whirling purple cloud of smoke, Regina vanished.