Note: I don't really know if Rex ever had such a birthmark, but I thought it'd make a good plot device to use as conclusive evidence that Spritle knew what he was talking about and for Rex to admit the truth!

Chapt. 11 X Has A Dilemma!

For several long awkward minutes, a tense silence engulfed the upstairs hallway. Clearly Racer X's youngest brother had caught him off guard, literally hitting the proverbial nerve, and now the man struggled to formulate an answer. "Well?" Spritle demanded impatiently, standing with his hands on his hips and a cross expression on his chubby little face. "I'm waiting for an answer, Racer X. Or should I say...Rex??"

Fighting his growing inner emotions, Racer X (rather, Rex Racer) tried to maintain his composure in the face of this unexpected development. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, belying how he truly felt about the situation, as awkward as it were. He certainly hadn't expected to have to reveal his true identity this soon---and to the youngest Racer, at that.

Still, he managed for the time being to maintain a perfectly straight face about it. "Now hold on, Spritle! What makes you come to that conclusion?" X asked, resting his hand over his right knee. "Do you have any evidence to back that statement up?"

Spritle gave him a comically annoyed look. "Yeah! I got evidence," the lad huffed, determined more than ever to prove his host's true identity. "Exhibit A: the white roses in your house, which are exactly like the ones Mom likes! Which you happen to like, too, Rex, 'cause Speed said you always got Mom white roses on her birthday--!"

Racer X smiled, slightly amused. Nice try, Spritle. But you're going to have to come up with something more creative than that, he mused to himself. "But, Spritle. That's hardly conclusive evidence. A lot of people like white roses," he calmly pointed out. "Look at how many brides use them in their bridal bouquets."

Spritle wouldn't be dissuaded from his mission, it seemed. "Oh, yeah? OK, wiseguy. You care to explain then, how you look just like the picture of Rex in the Mach 1, that's hanging on the wall of our living room?" he retorted, his little eyes narrowing.

Well, Spritle, it seems two can play that game! As quickly as the little boy came up with an answer, the un-Masked Racer had a counter-reply of his own. "Well, Spritle, sometimes people happen to be similar in appearance, even if they're not related," X countered, continuing to play devil's advocate. "For example: wouldn't you say, Speed looks a little bit like Elvis?"

Spritle mulled over the question for a moment or two. He had to admit, Racer X had a good point. "Ummm...maybe just a little," he answered, after a brief pause. "I think it's the hairstyle."

"And is Speed related to Elvis?"

"Nooo..."

"Well, then, point made." X smiled, and playfully mussed the lad's hair. "Now, back to bed with you."

"OK." A crestfallen Spritle started to shuffle off back to the guest room where he and Chim Chim were staying.

Suddenly, he spun around and stared hard at his host. An idea had just popped into the little boy's mind---maybe there was still a way to trip Racer X up, after all, Spritle told himself. He recalled looking at the family photo album one day not so long ago with his mother and Trixie; Mom had been showing Trixie some of Speed's baby photos, and some of Rex's were in there as well. One photo of Rex in particular really stood out—he was probably not more than a year old, in a diaper and reaching for a toy that Pops was dangling in front of him to get him to look up for the camera. There was a clear view of a rather distinctive-looking birthmark on the upper left portion of the toddler's chest. If this was truly his other big brother... "Hey, wait a minute! You're trying to distract me! You want proof? I'll give you proof," Spritle snapped, stepping forward on the tips of his toes until he nearly reached the Masked Racer's waist. "I happen to know for a fact, my brother Rex had a birthmark on the upper left side of his chest in the shape of a four-leaf clover. Now take off your pajama top, and prove me wrong---if you can!!!"

Uh-ohh!!! Talk about throwing down the proverbial gauntlet! Rex Racer winced, caught totally off guard by the lad's excited demand. He never thought he'd see the day, he'd have to worry about that birthmark giving him away! He made a pained face, and sighed. "I was hoping, it wouldn't come to this. At least not this soon," he murmured quietly, as he slowly unbuttoned his top. "On the other hand...We are in the safety of my own home where I can explain things without fear of being overheard..."

Finally, Rex came to a decision. The game was up, and he knew it. "All right, Spritle. You win," he admitted, with a slight chuckle. "I certainly couldn't fool you, could I?" He pulled open his pajama top, revealing the aforementioned birthmark.

Spritle's eyes lit up. He was thrilled, to say the least. "I knew it! I knew it! You really ARE Rex!!!" the youngster happily cried out, hugging the man tightly. "Speed knew it, too! But..." Spritle paused, and looked up at his brother with his wide, saucerlike brown eyes. "...But why couldn't you tell us before??"

His elder brother sadly shook his head. This was going to be the hard part: trying to explain his situation to an eight-year-old, without frightening him. "Believe me, Spritle, there were plenty of times I really wanted to tell you all the truth. Especially, Speed and Pops," Rex said softly, his eyes misting slightly at the thought. "But it just wasn't safe for me to do so. Even now, it still isn't very safe."

"Not safe?? What do you mean, not safe?" For a moment, Spritle looked puzzled. Then his eyes narrowed, and he looked askance at the older man standing in front of him. "Are you some kind of secret agent, or something?" the lad asked a few minutes later.

At that, X let out a light laugh. And he thought, Speed had an uncanny knack of reading between the lines, so to speak---and this little boy was as equally perceptive! But then again, he's a Racer, Rex thought to himself, highly amused. "What?--What did you say, Spritle?"

Spritle looked a little annoyed. "I said..." he glowered at his big brother, "...Are you a secret agent, or something?"

An ever-familiar tight half-smile broke at the corners of the former Masked Racer's mouth, and he emitted a low, throaty chuckle. "You know, Spritle? To quote something that Speed said to me the other day---when you're on, you're on," Rex joked. He stood up, and patted his little brother on the back. "Now. Why don't we go downstairs into the kitchen, and I'll pour you a nice, tall glass of chocolate milk? Then...I'll spill the beans."

Spritle grinned broadly. He was truly excited by the idea of having another big brother around, especially one who just might very well be a secret agent. "Okay!" he agreed, eager to hear Rex's story. "This I gotta hear!"

The pair started downstairs. "By the way. I've got a question for you now, Spritle," Racer X said, as they headed down the staircase, towards the kitchen.

Spritle glanced up. "What's that, Rex?"

His older brother made a face. "How did you know, about my birthmark?"

A giggling Spritle shrugged. "Well, Mom was showing Trixie some of Speed's baby pictures one day, and your photos happened to be in that album, too," the little boy smugly replied. "And there it was, clear as day. At first Trixie thought it was a smudge on the picture but Mom said no, it was a birthmark shaped like a four-leaf clover. She said, one day it would bring you good luck."

"And where were you, during all this?"

"I was sitting on the couch, looking at the pictures with 'em. You should've seen Speed when he came in and saw we were looking at his baby pictures. Boy, did he blush!" Spritle chortled happily at the memory. "Especially when he saw it was the picture of Pops changing his diaper, and the diaper was only half on!"

Rex let out a soft chuckle. Family photos...now, that was something he hadn't looked at, in years. "Maybe I should take a look at that album sometime," he mused, a wistful expression on his face.

A still-partially suspicious Spritle eyed him carefully. "You're not gonna destroy the evidence. Are you?" he suddenly blurted out, with a certain innocent, childlike quality about him.

At that, Rex broke into a light laugh, and shook his head. He had to wonder---just where was his youngest brother getting all these ideas, anyways? "No, of course not! Besides, Spritle. I want to see for myself, just what embarrassed Speed so badly," he joked. Then in a moment of silent personal reflection, he reminded himself of just how long, he'd been away from home...

...Too long, in Rex's own opinion.

He proceeded to lead Spritle into the kitchen. "Come on, Spritle. Let's have that tall glass of chocolate milk I promised," Rex said, helping Spritle into a chair at the table. "I guess I have plenty of explaining to do."

"Uh, huh. You sure do!" Spritle declared, settling down in his chair and eagerly awaiting for his "new" big brother's story.

Over the promised glass of chocolate milk, Rex Racer spent the next hour or so carefully explaining his position to a very eager Spritle. It wasn't going to be easy, explaining to his eight-year-old brother why he couldn't tell anyone his real identity...And why it was just about impossible, for him to come home again. Still, he felt obliged to tell the youngster the truth, although it would require that Spritle not tell Speed or their parents about this incident..."Now, where should I begin?" Rex mused, after pouring the chocolate milk for both him and Spritle and putting the gallon jug back into the refrigerator.

A wide-awake Spritle innocently looked up. "At the beginning, usually works best," he spoke up, holding his glass with both hands.

His older brother sat next to him, a sly smile crossing his face. "All right, then. The beginning," Rex chortled, with a devious wink at an unsuspecting Spritle. "I was born on March 17th, nineteen forty-thre---"

At that, Spritle smacked his forehead with his hand. It hadn't taken him very long to realize, he was being tweaked! "Awww, not that far back!!!" he groaned, in mock dismay. "Just from the time when you and Pops had that big argument at Sunny Downs, and you walked out on us!"

The sly smile on Rex Racer's face quickly turned into a wicked grin. "Well, why didn't you say so, Spritle? You said, start at the beginning," he answered, enjoying his baby brother's comic reaction.

Spritle threw his hands up into the air. "Rexxx!!!" he wailed. "I give up. You're just as impossible, as Speed!!!"

Rex/Racer X laughed, and playfully mussed the lad's hair. "I was just joking, Spritle. This time, I'll start from where you really wanted me to. Although..." He paused. The smile on his face soon disappeared, and his tone of voice changed to a more quiet, serious one. "...What I'm about to tell you, is no laughing matter. For your own safety---you must never tell anyone about my identity. Got that?"

Spritle sensed a change in his elder brother's demeanor, and became uneasy. "Uh...my own safety?" he repeated slowly, realizing that something very serious and possibly dangerous was going on here.

X nodded. "Let me explain. Spritle, you were right when you asked upstairs if I were a secret agent," he said quietly, a dead serious expression on his face. "I am an agent---I work for an international agency called Interpol. Racing happens to be my cover, since I am a professional driver and many of the cases I've worked on involved the sport in some way or another. Many of those cases, proved to be extremely dangerous over time."

Spritle listened with rapt but somewhat bewildered attention. He wanted to bombard his big brother with all sorts of questions, but slowly the importance of what Rex was saying set in and he fought back his curiosity. "B-but...But, Rex. Why didya hafta go hide from us all these years?"

"I'm coming to that," Rex replied somberly. He heaved a heavy sigh, paused to take a sip of his chocolate milk, then continued on. "After I left Pops, I hooked up with a team that wasn't exactly on the up and up...I'm not sure, you may have been too young to have heard the names 'Uniron' and 'Black Jack Benelli'---but that bunch certainly made Jack Wiley's Alpha Team look like choirboys out on the track."

Spritle wrinkled up his nose, and shook his head. "Nope! Never heard of 'em! Maybe Pops and Speed have, though. What'd this Benelli guy do?" he asked.

X made a face. "Let me put it this way. He was one of many who put the 'dirty,' into 'dirty racing,'" Rex answered, grimacing at his own memories.

"Gee! Then what happened?" Despite his best intentions, Spritle just couldn't help himself. So much for battling his natural curiosity about things!

"Well, one thing led to another. I learned more than I cared to about my new employer, and eventually I wanted out. At that same time Inspector Detector was trying to bring Benelli and others like him to justice on racketeering and other sundry charges, so I took my inside knowledge to him and he in turn put me in touch with Interpol. Although to get out of this predicament fully, I..." Rex paused, and bit down hard on his lower lip. "...I had to fake my own death. A year later, I became the Masked Racer... Since then, the racing world thinks Rex Racer is dead, and it has to remain that way."

Srpitle sat there, momentarily stunned by the man's admission. "I still don't get it, Rex. Why do people have to think you're dead?" he wondered, scratching the back of his head for a moment.

His brother winced. OK, Rex. This is going to be the tricky part, X told himself. He certainly didn't want to terrify the boy, but since Spritle wanted to know the truth... "I wish it didn't have to be like this, either. But the fact is, I've made many enemies in a short span of time," Rex said softly. "If those enemies knew who I really was and who I was related to, they'd all be after the family in a heartbeat. And if just holding you all captive didn't work, these people wouldn't hesitate to kill you to get to me."

Even as Rex was finishing his story, Spritle began to react. His face suddenly paled, his eyes widened and he let out a frightened whimper. Rex noticed this, and swiftly proceeded to hug his littlebrother in a comforting manner. "I'm sorry, Spritle. I didn't mean to scare you," the eldest Racer brother whispered, trying to reassure the lad. "But these are the type of people I have to deal with---and I most certainly don't want you, Speed, Mom or Pops to have to worry about them yourselves!"

A trembling Spritle sniffled back a stray tear. "I-I'm not scared," he blurted out.

Rex smirked, trying to cheer his baby brother up. "Oh, no?" he retorted. "You could've fooled me!"

He hugged Spritle again. "Listen Spritle. Now you see why, we have to be very careful about where and how people address me. Promise me this: you won't tell anyone what happened in this house tonight. Not even Speed," Rex quietly told Spritle. "I could put all of you in unnecessary danger, if my true identity gets out."

Spritle gazed up at him, a sad look in his eyes. "OK, Rex. I get it now. B-but...will you ever tell Speed? And will you ever make up with Pops?" he asked, ever so hopeful for a real family reunion. "He doesn't wanna admit it, but I heard him say over and over how he really misses you---"

At that, Rex bowed his head and briefly said nothing. He himself had longed to make things right with his father for many years, but because of his current situation that scenario might never come. At length, Speed and Spritle's older brother spoke. "I'm sure he does miss me, Spritle, and I miss him, too. More than I care to admit," Rex replied, his eyes again beginning to mist slightly at the thought. "But I'll say this---yes, I will tell all of you the truth, but only when the time is right to do so. But for now, give me your word that you'll remain quiet about this, When I'm inside my own home, Rex is fine; but in public, I'm still Racer X or the Masked Racer. Understood?"

He gazed intently at Spritle, who nodded his head in agreement. The little boy looked like he was about to fall asleep at the kitchen table. "Gotchya!" he said, letting out an enormous yawn.

His brother chuckled. "Hmm! Looks like it's time for you, to get back to bed," Rex commented, rising from his chair. "Now finish up your drink, and let's get you settled back upstairs."

A yawning Spritle finished his milk, then rose from his chair. "Okay," he said, sleepily rubbing his eyes. "Will you tuck me in?"

Rex smiled kindly at his littlest brother. "Sure, Spritle. Come on, we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow," he said, ushering the lad upstairs. "We don't want you to be half asleep at the candy store now, do we?"

At the mere mention of "candy," Spritle perked up almost immediately. "Candy??" he echoed. "No, no no! I can't be asleep at the candy store. 'Cause if I'm asleep, how will I be able to put anything in the basket??"

"Precisely, Spritle. That's why you're going back to bed. Right now!" A grinning Rex scooped up his baby brother, and carried him upstairs back to the guest bedroom.

Poor Spritle felt his face turn red in embarrassment. "Hey!!! I'm not Speed, and you're not Pops!" he playfully protested. "What do ya think, you're doing???"

Rex grunted, and pushed open the door to the guest room with his foot. "Putting you back to bed. And, besides. You asked me to tuck you in..."

He gently placed a frowning Spritle in the bed, then in a moment of sheer Racer impishness playfully pulled the covers over the lad's head. "Hey!!! Who turned out the lights on me??? I can't see a thing!" Spritle comically hollered, thrashing about under the blanket.

He heard his elder brother laugh softly as he exited the room. "Good night, Spritle."

Spritle growled, and tried to shake a fist under the blanket. "Hey, I wasn't done talking to you yet! Get back here, Rex Racer, and get this blanket off of me!!!" In his wild thrashing motions, Spritle accidently kicked a sleeping Chim Chim, startling the chimp awake.

Eeeeeek!!!! Chim Chim cried, then turned on Spritle and started to wrestle with him beneath the blanket.

"No, Chim Chim!" a frazzled Spritle protested. "I'm not the enemy. Blame Rex!!!"

Hmmm. Even when Spritle and Chim Chim aren't at home...they sure act like they are!

Later, as the night slipped into dawn, Rex Racer lay awake in bed, deep in thought. As comic as the sleepwalking episode with Spritle had been, he wondered whether it'd been such a good idea to reveal the truth to the little boy. Of course, I can't fault Spritle for what happened tonight. I normally don't have overnight guests in my home. Nor can I fault Mom and Pops for not telling me about Spritle's penchant for sleepwalking---I'm guessing it doesn't happen often enough, to be considered a problem, the racer/secret agent thought to himself. I'm also certain, that Pops is onto me---ever since I rescued Speed from Wiley's mansion last Sunday, Pops has been giving me odd looks. Not his usual glaring ones, just the kind that says, 'Do I know you?' And judging from what Spritle said tonight, I think Speed suspects my identity as well.

He shifted his position, looked up at the ceiling, and sighed. He knew that one day, he'd have to go home—if only to reunite briefly with the family; but he hadn't counted on a chance encounter with a sleepwalking little brother, to be the catalyst for such a move. Still, the more Rex reflected on the night's events, the more convinced he was that he'd done the right thing. But then again, thank God I was in the safety of my own house when I told Spritle. I'm sure now, Spritle knows the seriousness of the situation I'm in and he'll take my warnings to heart...No, come to think of it, I think I handled the situation correctly.

The bigger question on his mind now was, how---and, when---should he tell the rest of the family?

With that thought on his mind, Rex Racer/Racer X drifted back to sleep.

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