It was past midnight as the four arrived at the abandoned Intelligence safehouse on the city outskirts, turning on the lights as Finn said "we'll stay here tonight..."
As they all drove in, Holley said "I know we didn't get the boss today, boys, but they'll be there during the race tomorrow. I suggest we all just get a good night's sleep for now..."
Lightning was sitting watching the coverage of Chick being interviewed about Allinol, before he noticed Holley sitting at the small work-desk in the corner, rebuilding her broken taser. "Oh, you're still up, McQueen?" she said.
Lightning nodded, before Holley finally put her finished taser away. "I just have to say... I forgot to thank you for um... for stopping that guard. It was quite... explosive, but... at least we're both in one piece, eh? Hm..."
"Yeah..." Lightning said. Holley paused briefly, before saying "Lightning?"
"What?"
"You and Mater, you're... you're best friends, aren't you?"
"Yeah... sure, we've been pals for years... why?"
"Well, I just don't know how... um... when you're in the field... it's just a bit dangerous to have friends with you..." Holley said. Lightning sighed, saying "sounds like someone with experience."
"I suppose you could say I have a bit..." Holley said, blinking to get a small tear out of her eye. "This wasn't really... really my first ever field mission, McQueen... about five years ago... I um... I was in my first year of training with my friend, Susan. Finn's partner Leland took Susan and I on an interrogation mission to Afghanistan..."
"Right, Shiftwell." You give it a try." Leland said as he passed Holley the gun. Holley nodded as she accepted the weapon, while Susan said "knock him dead, Holley. Ha ha..."
Holley quickly checked the hostage for weapons, as Leland said "remember, Shiftwell. You have to have patience with these hostages."
"Right, yes. Of course." Holley said sarcastically before turning to the hostage.
"Okay... this is how it's going to work..." she said as she pointed the gun to his head. "I will count from one to ten. Within that you'll tell me what I want to know... otherwise the number ten is the last thing you'll hear..."
Susan watched nervously as the hostage bent his head down to the ground while Holley began counting. "One... two..."
Susan looked closely, seeing the hostage's mouth open as his teeth clenched something. "Three... four..."
"Hold on a second..." she said quietly, getting Leland's attention. "Five... six..."
The hostage lifted his head back up, allowing Susan to notice the small, metal pin in his teeth. "Seven... eight..."
"Grenade!" Susan shouted, causing Holley to turn around and say "wait, what?!"
"Get back!"
Susan shoved Holley out of the way and tackled the hostage, covering the grenade as it went off. BOOM!
When the smoke cleared, Holley and Leland got off of the ground, seeing the cindered wreck in front of them. Holley gasped, saying "no... no... I missed it... H... how did I miss it?! No! Susie, no!"
"Wow... I'm so sorry..." Lightning said sadly as Holley finished her story. Holley sighed, saying "well... I suppose you're a little more experienced, so... it shouldn't be an issue for you and Mater, right?"
"Well... Holley... I've um... I've been meaning to tell you and Finn someth..."
"Dad gum! I had no idea this place looked so darn beautiful!" Mater said loudly as he came in from the balcony, having just been enjoying the view of the city with Finn. Lightning said "hey, Mater... I uh... I just wanted to tell Hol..."
"You know what, McQueen. Just tell me in a minute." Holley said. "I just have to use the ladies' room. I'll be just a moment."
As she drove off, Mater said "what was you gonna tell her, McQueen?"
"That... that this is all a lie..."
"What's all a lie?"
"You know. Us being spies?"
"What? Why would you tell her that?"
"Why wouldn't I tell her?" Lightning said, being visibly more frustrated with Mater by the second. "Look, Mater. We're in too far for our own good here. We're not spies, and we're not trying to save the world. I came on this trip to race for Chick Hicks of all people."
"But come on, McQueen. You helped Holley fight that guard. Didn't y'have fun today?"
"Fun?! This isn't a joke, Mater! When are you going to face reality and figure out that this isn't one of those Emission Impossible movies? This is real! I just killed somebody!"
"Yeah, but... it was for a good reason though, right?"
"That doesn't matter, Mater! You said this was gonna be a fun little adventure, maybe save a few lives... I didn't do that! I just took a life, and I didn't save anyone!"
"Well, sure you did..."
"I can't do this anymore, Mater. And neither can you!" McQueen said. "We have to tell them the truth!"
"No, we can't do that. What would Holley sa..."
"Holley is not your girlfriend, Mater! This isn't just your week-long date! This is a life and death situation here! We don't belong in this world, Mater. We should just go to the race. We should just go home!"
"But everybody at home thinks I'm an idiot, McQueen!"
"Well maybe everybody at home is right!" McQueen snapped furiously. Mater gasped as he heard this, before Lightning drove out of his way and left. Mater watched McQueen slam the door behind him before Holley drove out of the restroom, saying "where'd McQueen go?"
"He uh... he went to the race..." Mater said, as Finn came back in from the balcony. "That's good." he said. "He needs his cover... now, let's get ready to break into that casino again..."
AN: The Porto Corsa race and everything that happened during it is the same as the film.
"Mr Hicks! Mr Hicks! Is the final race in London still going to take place?"
"I uh... well, I guess that... look, the show must go on as they say. But now's not the right time to talk about..."
"And Allinol? Will you require all the racers to still run on Allinol?"
"No. I can't in good conscience continue to risk the lives of any more race cars. The final race will not be run on Allinol."
The Lemons cheered as Zundapp opened a glass of champagne. "A toast. To the death of Allinol, and alternative fuel forever!"
"I'm just in shock like everybody..." Mater heard McQueen's voice on the television, looking up to see him being interviewed.
"Crashes are part of racing, I know. But something like that shouldn't ever happen."
"They're letting you choose your fuel for the final race. Do you have any idea what it's going to be?"
"Yeah... Allinol."
The excitement suddenly drained from the room as all the Lemons looked up to the television. "What?! Did he just say Allinol? After today?!"
"Well, I guess we Piston Cup racers gotta look out for each other. You know, sort of me burying the Corvette with Chick... also, my friend Fillmore says the fuel's safe, so that's good enough for me... I didn't stand by a friend of mine recently. I'm not gonna make the same mistake twice."
Mater noticed Zundapp already on the phone with his employer, who's muffled voice on the other end sounded extremely angry.
"Yes, sir. Of course." Zundapp said as he hung up, before turning back to the other Lemons. "Allinol must be finished for good. McQueen cannot win the last race. Lightning McQueen must be killed!"
"NO!"
