It still drives me crazy that I can't respond to guest reviews =_= Anyway, when I said that it would get better, I didn't mean that Dusty would wake up in the next chapter and everything would be hunky dory. I meant that the story wouldn't have a sad ending, hence why I didn't put it in the 'tragedy' category. Stories with character deaths can still have happy endings (ex: The Lion King) We've got some time before the story ends, so it's not 'emotionally' getting better yet.
And... 50 REVIEWS OMFG! *faints*

May 8, 2015

The story of Dusty's premature death had been all over the news for the past week. The whole world was in shock. It hadn't been officially confirmed that the RPX team was guilty, but few people doubted it. No one knew where Ripslinger or his sidekicks were, and it didn't seem like a coincidence. They were most definitely in hiding somewhere to avoid being arrested. After all, a crime like that would put someone in prison for a long time.

And as for Propwash Junction. Life just wasn't the same for his closest friends. They were still getting used to not seeing him everyday. They would never see his face or hear his voice ever again. It just never felt right, especially since it happened so suddenly. They didn't lose Dusty. He was taken from them. And that made it much more painful.

His friends from the Wings Around the Globe and Piston Peak had arrived a few days ago. What used to be birthday preparations were now funeral preparations. And once again, there was only one thing missing: Dusty himself. Dottie finally decided to radio the spies.

"What is taking so long? You've had more than a week!"

"Well, we're having some… difficulties…" Holley replied uncomfortably.

"Holley, what in the world is going on?" Dottie demanded.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. It's classified."

"Classified?! We're talking about my best friend! Why would you need to keep that information from me?"

"It's for… safety purposes… the point is I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

"Safety purposes?"

"No more questions," said Holley, and she hung up. Dottie groaned and went outside. Could the past two weeks possibly get any worse? It had been a total nightmare for her and her friends.

Just then, a black forklift with brown eyes that was about twice her size rolled up to her with a seductive look on his face.

"Hey there, beautiful," he said. "What's your name?" He stroked her on the right side of her face. Oh, so it can get worse, Dottie thought to herself. She batted his arm away.

"I'm really not in the mood! Get away from me, you creep!"

"Girl, what's your problem?"

"My problem? I've had the worst two weeks of my entire life and you—"

"Well, maybe I can make you feel better!" the forklift interrupted, and lifted her up by the sides.

"No! GET OFF OF ME, NOW!" Dottie yelled, squirming in his arms. Then Katherine came up behind him.

"Benny! Put her down, now!" she demanded. Benny obeyed, smiling sheepishly.

"I just wanted to know her name…"

"My name is Dottie! Now goodbye!" Dottie turned around and drove away.

"Do you… do you think she knows?" Benny asked Katherine after Dottie was out of earshot.

"Oh, definitely not," Katherine replied. "She'd go completely ballistic if she knew. Dusty was like a little brother to her."

That night…

"Hey! Kid! Wake up!"

"Huh?" Michael yawned and groggily opened his eyes. Katherine was right in front of his face, in the middle of the night. That couldn't mean anything good.

"Wait, what's going on?"

"The people that killed Dusty know you're here and they want to kill you! You have to get out of here as soon as possible!"

"What? But… why?"

"Well, obviously they know you found them out," Katherine replied. But Michael was still shocked. First Ripslinger killed Dusty, and now he was trying to kill his own son? "But that doesn't matter right now. Let's go!" Katherine drove out of the hangar. Michael followed her, trembling in fear as he imagined what would have happened to him if those sadistic crooks had caught him. Little did he know that that was exactly what he was driving himself into.

They met up with Benny at the exit.

"Glad you made it! I was worried about you Michael!" Then suddenly, he pounced on Michael and held him down.

"Whoa! Personal space, dude!" He didn't realize that he was in trouble until Katherine smiled ominously.

"Do you want to know the real reason I was in Propwash Junction?" she said. That was when Michael got a really bad feeling inside.

"Uh… to deliver pizza?" he said nervously. Ah, if only that were the case.

"I was there to make sure Dusty was killed. And now I'm doing the same for you."

"WHAT? NO! HOW COULD YOU—" Benny hit him in the head and the glider went silent.

When Michael woke up again, he was tied to the floor. Though it wasn't the same place where Dusty's life had been taken, being much brighter and cleaner, he knew that his situation was probably not any better. His dad and his racing team were talking with three cars and Benny. The floor seemed to be moving, indicating that they were inside of a moving vehicle who was much larger than Chloe.

"I am so screwed," he said under his breath.

"Uh, boss?" Zed spoke out, "He's awake."

"Great!" said a bright green car. "Now, where are the tools?" Michael's heart dropped upon hearing that question. He trembled and blinked back tears of terror. An orange car brought out a cart of sharp weapons, and Michael started hyperventilating as soon as he saw it.

"It's too bad we don't have the Electrocutor in here," said the orange car.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on!" Ripslinger said. "Don't touch him! He's my son! I'll take care of him." Michael sighed in relief as his dad freed him from his bindings.

"Come with me," he said softly, turning and rolling away without even looking back to see if Michael was following him. Although it didn't seem like he could trust him, it was preferable to being cut apart by those other bozos. He followed his dad into another room.

"Okay, now that we're alone together…" Ripslinger said. Then suddenly, he rammed Michael into a wall and his son cried out. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING! ARE YOU CRAZY?"

"Says the guy who tortured and murdered my friend for beating him in a race," Michael scoffed. Eyes filled with rage, Ripslinger banged his son into the wall again.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Ripslinger yelled. "DUSTY? YOUR FRIEND?"

"He may have lived a short life bit he did a lot more good with it than you ever will!" He immediately regretted saying that when his dad mercilessly bashed him into the wall twice more. He moaned. His whole body was throbbing.

"He ruined me! And so did you, you little brat!"

"Come on, Dad! You know this isn't the real you! You're better than this!"

Ignoring him, Ripslinger rolled over to a lever and pushed it with his wing. The door to the outside opened up, showing that they were miles above the ground. Michael began to panic.

"Dad? What are you doing?!"

"I won't let them kill you," Ripslinger said, rolling behind Michael. "So I'm going to do it myself."

"What? NO! PLEASE, DAD, NO!" Ripslinger bashed into his son again, although this time sending him spinning down uncontrollably towards the ground far below.

8D MORE CLIFFHANGERRRRRSSSSS!