Chapter Twelve – Brenna Bonds
The training sessions improved greatly. Lightning started to look like his old self, and picked up new skills at the same time. Soon, he was catching up to Cruz during their laps around the dirt track.
"I think McQueen has a pretty good shot." River said as he, Wendell, and I restocked the trailer with supplies for the drive to the race.
"I always knew he had it in him." I said. "Thanks for helping to bring that out."
"It's nice to finally meet the guy who managed to get Hud back into the racing scene." Wendell said. "You did your best, Harley, but—"
"Say no more." I laughed. "I got Dad's tire in the door, but Lightning managed to convince him to go for it. I think being a crew chief really suited him."
"It's a good look on you, too." Wendell said.
"Smokey says you're working two jobs right now." River pointed out. "Something about international travel?"
"Yeah, it's a mix of racing research and travel writing." I said. That was the cover story Finn and I used when talking about the days I was off doing spy stuff.
"Maybe you can take Brenna with you on one of these racing research trips?" Wendell suggested. "You know how passionate she is about racing. Getting her foot in the door would really help. If it's not too much to ask, of course."
"I would be delighted to bring Brenna along. I think she'll enjoy some time in the pits, too." I said.
"Of course, I think it's Ramirez who's giving Brenna her start in racing." River pointed out. He nodded behind us, and Wendell and I turned to see Brenna sprinting past and going straight for Cruz.
"Hey Cruz! Check these out!" Brenna showed off a pair of circular magnets attached to straps. "They're racing magnets! I made them myself!"
"Whoa, cool!" Cruz gasped excitedly. "Just for your hands, too? Smart. I think having your feet free is much more advantageous."
"Right?" Brenna agreed. "Then, on the off-chance I get thrown off, I can tuck-and-roll and jump up again much easier."
"Here, hop on! Let's test them out!" Cruz lowered herself a little so Brenna could jump on her hood and then climb onto her roof. Brenna strapped the magnets to her hands and stuck them to Cruz's roof, near her eyes. Brenna bent her legs so she rested on her hands and knees/toes on Cruz's back. Cruz drove down the road a ways and then back again, even weaving around. Brenna stayed on her back, and even shifted to match Cruz's movements.
"Okay, that's pretty adorable." River said.
"They're naturals, the both of them." Wendell added. "I've been meaning to ask for some time, Harley, but I would so appreciate you helping Brenna get into racing. She has to finish school, of course, but the sooner she gets onto the track, the happier she'll be."
Even to someone without racing knowledge, it was clear Cruz and Brenna worked perfectly together. Clearly, they spent much of their free time together. "I'll do that." I assured. "Brenna will be a racer. Lightning will help." Truthfully, I wasn't sure how I would fit that into my future plans, which were blurry enough already, but I knew Brenna deserved it.
I wasn't sure what to expect when Smokey and the gang dragged us out into the forest in the middle of the night. I just made sure my skates were properly oiled and ready to go. Brenna attached herself to Cruz with her racing magnets, and Wendell hopped onto River.
"Didn't you guys use to run moonshine up here?" I asked.
"How exactly do you know about that?" Louise asked suspiciously.
"I found your stash during one of my trips to Thomasville, remember?" I laughed. "You told me it was moon juice."
Smokey chuckled. "All right! We'll stop once we get to the lake. And no headlights!"
"No headlights?" Lightning repeated, surprised.
"Instinct only!" Smokey shut off his headlights, as did Louise, River, and Junior. Wendell attached himself to River, and Cruz had insisted Brenna join her for this run. I used one of the hand magnets to help me hang onto Lightning. My skates would roll just fine over the woodland trail. Lightning nearly hit a tree several times, and I had to push off him once or twice to avoid the trees myself. Cruz and Brenna veered off-course and disappeared in the darkness and shrubbery. Moonlight cut through the darkness through the gaps of the trees. Smokey, Louise, River, Wendell, and Junior whooped and laughed.
As we continued through the woods, Lightning fell into a groove. He relied on his instincts and reacted well when confronted with obstacles. My spy training kicked in, and I found myself letting go of Lightning often. We burst through bushes, swerved around trees, and laughed joyfully. Brenna and Cruz reappeared, also having figured out the exercise. I sped just as fast as Lightning, my momentum uninhibited and easily reinvigorated should I slow down. I noticed Lightning's tech suit from the training center getting torn. He and I shot off a small slope, airborne for a few seconds, and the moonlight fully lit us up.
Lightning looked just like his old self, and it filled me with happiness. I felt like a helium-filled balloon.
We skidded to a halt at the lake, where Smokey and the others waited. "Now that's what I'm talking about." Smokey said proudly. "Well done."
"That was….." Lightning panted, a wide smile on his face. "…so awesome!"
"What happened to Cruz and Brenna?" I wondered. I got my answer when the psych-man and yellow car shot from the trees. Cruz slammed her brakes, but I still jumped back out of fear of being hit. I ended up tripping over a stick on the sand and fell in the shallow water of the lake. A brief shriek escaped my mouth from the cold water.
"I'm so sorry!" Cruz said sheepishly while everyone else laughed.
"Think that's funny, huh?" My teeth chattered a little.
"Quite funny." Lightning agreed.
I scooped up some mud and chucked it at Lightning. He spun his tires and swung around to spray me with muddy sand, and he hit Wendell and River, too. It did not take long for a mud fight to break out, which led to us washing off in the lake and heading straight home so we could shower and get warm again.
Wendell and Brenna let me use their shower. Afterwards, I pulled on pajama pants and a T-shirt and stepped outside to inhale the cool night air. The front porch was half-dark due to one of the lights being out. The porch door opened, and Brenna stepped out with two mugs.
"Here." Brenna handed me one of the mugs, filled with hot cocoa and whipped cream.
"Thanks." I took a sip, relishing the warmth spreading through me. "Your dad says you're eager to get into racing."
"It's all I've ever wanted to do." Brenna confirmed. "He told me you might be able to help with that?"
"I'm going to do my best." I assured. "We can start with getting you to races. Work in the pits. Lightning can hook you up with other racers who are training, and you'll learn all you can about it."
Brenna drank some of her cocoa. "Smokey says you might not be doing the crew chief thing anymore."
I stared at her. "How'd you hear about that?"
"He talks about you to everyone else." Brenna said. "I like to eavesdrop. Is it true?"
"Well, I'm not really sure." I sighed. "I have a lot to think about."
"Aren't you old enough to have everything figured out already?" Brenna asked.
I laughed. "Brenna, you'll find out that people continue to grow and change long after college. I have a lot to consider, paths that I'm having trouble deciding on. It's a tough choice. But one thing is certain: I'm going to find a way to get you on that track. If I can't do it myself, I'll guarantee Lightning will do it. You have my word. Have I ever broken a promise to you?"
Now, Brenna smiled. "Nope. Thanks, Harley."
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders to give her a side-hug. "Happy to do it."
We stood in silence, enjoying the sound of the crickets and the sight of the stars above. We stood in the darkened part of the porch, so Smokey and Lightning didn't see us as they drove past. When Brenna and I heard them talking about me, we decided to stay quiet.
"Has she told you about her plans?" Smokey asked Lightning.
"Yeah, and I guess I can see where she's coming from. Being torn between two parts of yourself." Lightning said. "Racing is all I do, and I'm happy to keep doing it. But Harley's been sort of living a double-life for several years. Ever since she met her Soul Connect Partner….."
"Never met this feller. What's he like?"
"Really nice. He cares a lot about Harley, and she's pretty protective of him."
"So they do some sort of writing thing?"
"Uh, yeah. Some kind of travel writing. He's like her mentor."
Smokey hummed in thought, and I made a mental note to introduce him properly to Finn one of these days. Smokey paused outside the house, glancing to the door. He and Lightning still hadn't seen me and Brenna hiding in the shadows.
"Hey, McQueen?"
"Yeah?"
"If Harley decided she wanted to quit being your crew chief, if she decided to pursue a career in this travel writing business, would you be okay with it?"
"Why wouldn't I be? She's like my sister. I want her to be happy."
"Just want to know your thoughts. Ultimately, it is her decision. But that decision is going to cause a reaction from her family. Everyone is proud of what she does. Heck, we're all worried about her mental health and want her to do what's best for her. What would you say and think about her leaving?"
Lightning seemed to consider the question carefully. "Harley is a living piece of Doc's memory. She was, and still is, the best crew chief I could ask for after he died. She'll always be there. If I ever need her, she'll be there for me. But if being with Finn—her Soul Connect Partner—and doing her other job makes her happy, then she should do it. Racing and Radiator Springs will always be there for her."
Smokey chuckled softly. "Wise words. You really are getting old." Lightning groaned and laughed as the two cars drove off.
Brenna nudged me with her elbow. "I guess you can stop feeling guilty about disappointing them."
I hugged her again. "Yeah, I guess you're right." I stared in the direction Lightning left. Thanks, bro.
This was it. The final run-through before we had to hit the road for Florida. It finally felt like all the training was falling into place. Lightning looked as determined as a rookie on his first day.
"All right, hurry it up!" Mack said anxiously. "We gotta hit the road if we want to make it!"
"Harley?" Smokey looked to me.
"Go!" I shouted.
Cruz and Lightning sped off, kicking up dust.
One lap down, and Lightning was right on Cruz's tail.
"Go Lightning!" Brenna cheered.
"Come on, boy!" Smokey shouted.
Second lap…
Lightning passed Cruz!
I whooped and cheered. "That's what I'm talking about!"
"That's more like it!" Smokey laughed.
"Bring it home, McQueen!" Junior urged.
"Don't let up!" Louise encouraged.
Halfway through the final lap. My smile made my cheeks hurt, but I didn't care. Lightning passed Smokey's training, and now he was ready to—
Cruz suddenly came up and passed on the inside. Lightning slowed a little from surprise, and then desperately tried to climb back up and regain the distance.
"What's going on?" Brenna asked, confused.
No one else understood, but I did. This was making Lightning think of what happened at the end of the last season, right before his detrimental crash. He was losing focus.
Guido waved the checkered flag, half-heartedly, and Cruz shot over the finish light a fraction of a second before Lightning did. Nobody said a word.
Cruz spun a few donuts in the dirt, laughing. "That was incredible, wasn't it? Wasn't I—" She paused when she saw Lightning, and her smile fell away as she realized what happened. "Oh. Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"Don't apologize." I assured as everyone gathered behind Lightning. "Going easy on him wouldn't have helped."
"He still did really great, though." Brenna insisted. "He'll kill in Florida. No offense, Cruz, but you're not Storm."
Brenna was right. Cruz wasn't Jackson Storm. She didn't race like Storm. He would do whatever it took to win. If Lightning managed to get ahead, Storm would knock him down and make him lose focus again. We hadn't trained for that.
I cautiously approached Lightning. "Speed Racer?"
Lightning cleared his throat. "We should get going."
