Lightning was out early morning at his academy cleaning up some of this detroyed office of his. He went down to the entrance to take out a box of mixed up shredded junk. As he came to the doors he froze. Francesco was at the entrance amd stood there with this sadden look on his face. "McQueen..." He muttered. Lightning immediately glared and slammed the box down on the front desk. "Get out of my academy Francesco. I don't even want to see your stupid face." Lightning turned away to go back up to his office. Francesco followed behind.
"McQueen! You slow down. I have something for you." "No! I don't want anything from you Francesco! Leave!" Lightning yelled! Francesco jumped into the elevator with Lightning. Lightning sighed and growled "What do you want?!" he was trying so hard to contain his anger and NOT beat the crap out of the italian. The elevator dang as it reached his office floor. Lightning quickly got out making his way into his office with Francesco on his tail. "McQueen stop!" Francesco yelled! Lightning turned and shoved Francesco against the wall and snapped "Don't boss me around! You came here into MY academy! Back the fuck off and get out before I kill you!" Francesco's eyes widened. Lightning panted from the stress and anger and let Francesco go.
Francesco followed Lightning into his office and immediately asked aa he saw the mess "What happened?..." Lightning sighed answering "Cal... Made his best come back.." Francesco was surprised by this! Lightning turned and glared at the old racer "But I don't think Cal was the one who did this.." Francesco was threatened by the darkness in Lightning's tone, his eyes widened. "Francesco did not do this!?" He defended! Lightning held his deadly glre as he replied "I know you didn't.. But I think you know who did..." Francesco didn't know really. But he began to realize this was Cleo's doing.
Lightning clenched his fist and asked "Why are you here Francesco?.." Francesco frowned and answered "I come to.. I came to give you.." Lightning looked at Francesco with this look of just brokenness and anger. Francesco looked at what Cleo had done and then continued "I come to bring you an apology... For everything.. Everything I have ever done to you.. To Miss Sally.. I am truly sorry for over stepping.." Lightning shook his head and snarled "Apology not accepted. Now get out of my academy." Francesco nodded and took one last look at the mess before leaving. Knowing he couldn't keep his alliance with Cleo much longer out of fear she'd stab him in the back...
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE DIDN'T TAKE THE CHALLENGE!?" Cleo yelled at Francesco! Francesco sighed and shrugged explaining "He won't race me. He doesn't think I am a worthy opponent." Cleo snickered and crossed her arms and rudely asked "Well did you push him!? Did you push his buttons?! You were suppose to get him to race you!" "Well he won't. Can't force him to." Francesco said with a shrug. Cleo threw her hands up into the air with a growl! "I can't lose Jackson! I lose Jackson and I'll wind up losing the school for Chick!" She vented. Francesco watched Cleo stress out pretty badly over this.
"Why does Chick matter so much? He is a little green booger, an abscess." Francesco joked rudely. Cleo hit the desk and explained "Because he has MONEY! Money I need! And in exchange I promised him that stupid school!" Francesco rolled his eyes. Cleo was getting really annoying.
"Why don't you have Jackson challenge McQueen?" he asked. "Because Lightning won't race Jackson! He would have raced you! He has history with you and strongly dislikes you over all that Sally nonsense!" she yelled. Francesco sighed. He wouldn't tell Cleo he never challenged Lightning to begin with. Cleo sighed and dropped into her chair. Oh she was stressing out. "Dammit.. I needed him out of this weekends race..." she griped. Francesco glanced over at Gage but back at Cleo as she continued "It's fine I'll.. I'll take care of it.. Just gotta think of a new plan to get rid of Lightning.." "How?" Francesco asked. Cleo shook her head. "I'll figure it out.. Leave! Get out of my site!" She snapped at Francesco. Francesco sighed and left happily before she caught on that he was lying to her now.
Cleo rubbed her head. Such a head ache from this. She turned to Gage and asked "How do you end a racer?" Gage shrugged answering "Crash and burn." He joked. Cleo growled. She thought for a few minutes. "Lightning was warned.. If he didn't refuse the offer.. Things would get worse.. I need you to go out of town Gage. Meet with someone and get something for me." Gage nodded. Cleo then grabbed her phone, calling, "Hello Jackson. I need you to bring me some supplies from the school."...
Lightning sat in his just destroyed office. Thinking of what on earth he could do to get rid of Cleo. What dirt he could bring to her face. Maybe he was just the bad guy and she was right.. She had people she was willing to throw under the buss. He wasn't willing to do that. Was he?.
Bobby walked up to Heather and asked "Is he in that office again?" Heather nodded "All he does is sit in it and think. You know what he told me when I came in?" She asked. "What?" "It inspires him." Heather answered. Bobby's brows lowered. Lightning wasn't himself at times lately. "I'm gonna go see him." he announced then headed on up.
Bobby slowly opened the door to the ruins and there was Lightning. Standing and looking out at his track outside the balcony. Bobby walked around the mess and came and stood next to Lightning. "How's it goin?.." Bobby asked softly. Lightning sighed answering "Justice is a joke." Bobby shrugged and some what agreed with that. "Cleo won't just give up. And I have to be willing to lose things." Bobby nodded replying "Well yeah.. That's why you sent Sally away." Lightning stared out at the track.
"I finally had her.. I had Sally and I had my racer.. Cleo will not let me be happy." Lightning added. Bobby wasn't sure what to say to that. "I'm finally ready." "For what?" Bobby asked. "To fight. It's time I fight her with full force. I'm taking them all down. Not just Cleo.. Francesco, Chick, and Gage.". Lightning explained. Bobby snickered asking "How do you plan to do that? Think they just work with her?.. You know? Cut off the head of the snake and that's it right?.." Lightning shook his head answering "That's not good enough. They all are going down because Cleo will make them go down for her first. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm gonna throw them under the buss for her. One by one." Bobby stared at Lightning's stare out. He saw something dark in his blue eyes and was a little worried but this was Lightning. He was the good guy...
To do what he planned, Lightning had to get the same dirt on her team as she had. Instead of going straight for Cleo. Lightning was going to destroy her allys. One by one. Starting with the weakest link of them.
Gage.
Cruz zipped up her suitcase. "Finally finished packing." She said with a smile to herself. The door bell rang. She stared at the door. She didn't think the can would be here that soon? She walked over, opened the door and glared greeting. "Lightning.." "Hey..." Lightning greeted with an awkward smile. Cruz crossed her arms and asked "What are you here for? Didn't Tex give you the offer to race yet?" Lightning nodded and got quick to the point. "I'm sorry you hate me. I deserve that.. But I need something from you." Cruz raised a brow. "Like what? I'm busy. I have to go to Florida to my family." "I know.. Tex told me. But I need more drugs." Cruz's eyes widened "What!? What makes you think I even have more!?" Lightning stepped in and shut the door
"Because you do. Right?" he answered. Cruz glared and scolded "You have no right coming here and asking for!?.. Drugs? Why?" "I'm getting rid of Gage." "The sheriff?" Cruz asked. Lightning snickered and began searching through Cruz's home. "Hey! You can't come in here and start going through my home!" Cruz yelled and grabbed Lightning's shoulder. In a quick motion Lightning turned and shoved Cruz against the wall. Pinning her against his body and staring into her brown wide eyes. "Where are the drugs Cruz?" he asked. Cruz stared into those deep blue eyes she just grew weak in.
"Give me the drugs.." He said in a deep tone. Cruz just stared. His lips almost touched hers as he repeated that. His deep soft whispering tones of breath against her lips made her melt. She went for it and kissed Lightning softly and gently. Just a small quiet and quick kiss. Lightning let her have it and then pulled away. "Top drawer.." She answered. Lightning nodded once and went and grabbed the drugs. "What are you going to do?.." She asked. Lightning sighed and put the drugs in his pocket before answering "Get our Sheriff back." He headed to the door when Cruz shouted "Lightning wait!"
"No. Stop." Lightning snapped. Cruz froze and they stared at each other. Lightning looked at her and saw those eyes begging for his touch. Lightning's brows lowered. "I will destroy you Cruz. You should go to your family and.. Don't come back for a while." He shut the door behind him. Cruz wasn't sure what was going on. Lightning was acting strange...
Lightning stood outside the courthouse and stared at the old Sheriff cruiser. Being that it was Sheriff's old cruiser, Lightning knew how to get into the car and knew it had no cameras in it. Lightning only had to worry about cameras outside the courthouse. How was he going to get past them. Then Gage came out and walked over to the cruiser. Lightning stood a distance enough that Gage didn't see him. Lightning watched as the kid got on his phone while eating some sandwich. Maybe he didn't have to actually worry about cameras at all.
Lightning walked out and straight up to Gage. "What are you doin here?" Gage asked. Lightning didn't answer. He just walked right up to the kid and punched him right in the nose! Gage immediately grabbed Lightning's arm and shoved Lightning against the cruiser, cuffing him quick! "You are paying for that!" Gage snapped! Lightning didn't say a word and Gage tossed him into the back of the cruiser. Gage then messed with his nose for a few minutes and cleaned up the sandwich off the ground. Lightning carefully reached into his back pocket and shoved the drugs into the leather of the driver seat while Gage was busy.
Gage got in and started up the cruiser. "You are going straight to the jail. And don't think Cleo won't hear about your stupid outbursts!" He yelled at Lightning. Lightning leaned in his seat and replied "I'm counting on it." Gage shook his head and took Lightning over to the jail. Unknown to the plan Lightning was in the middle of...
Gage pulled Lightning in and tossed him into a holding cell roughly onto the ground! "Hey!" Sheriff shouted! Gage slammed the door shut and locked it before snapping at the former sheriff "What!? He assaulted an officer! He punched me!" Sheriff glanced at Lightning who was still cuffed then back at Gage. "You still can't treat anyone that way. Thats disorder"-"SHUT UP DESK COP!" Gage yelled! Gage stood up to the cell and snarled "You are only making things worse for yourself." Lightning just glared and watched as Gage angrily stomped into his office and slammed the door shut loudly and hard enough it knocked down some rewards of Sheriff's off the wall.
Sheriff sighed and began cleaning them up. Lightning waited and sat there. Sheriff grabbed the keys and walked into the cell and took the cuffs off Lightning and scolded softly "You can't hit a cop McQueen.. You know better..." Lightning rubbed his wrists then said "He has drugs." Sheriff stared silent. "In your cruiser." Lightning added. Sheriff was shocked and confused. "Who? Gage?" He asked. Lightning didn't answer but his face did. Sheriff wouldn't let some rookie cop with drugs run his town. Sheriff quickly rushed outside to go search the cruiser. Cleo wanted to play dirty. Lightning was gonna play dirty. Even if he didn't feel so great about it. He just told himself it was for the better of the town...