"Ow!" Jackson snapped at the nurse! She glared a little. Cruz snickered. They were only adjusting the hearing aid. "Way too loud!" Jackson snarled. The doctor made adjustments then smiled asking "There. How's that? Can you"-"I CAN HEAR!" Jackson exclaimed with excitement! The doctor laughed a little "Good. So can you tell me your name and why you're hear?" Jackson raised a brow answering "You know why I'm here.." The doctor snickered explaining "Just checking the time it takes your brain to receive and answer. You seem good. Now we can get your eyes looked at." Jackson nodded. He could hear but his vision was still nothing but a horrible blur of shapes and shades of lights.
Cruz spoke up saying "It was nice of Tex to get a rush on that hearing aid for you." Jackson snickered answering "Yeah.." "Tex asked me to ask you if you would please go to a ceremony their having at the track.. For the racers.." She slowed as she said that. She forgot that sense he lost his hearing and sight.. Jackson hadn't heard the full extent of what happened that day yet or how many people died. "What ceremony? Which racers?" he asked. Cruz hesitated then looked at the doctors. The nurse explained "I can get you in for your eyes today. But if you wait it won't be until monday.." Jackson shook his head "I don't want to wait.." He replied. Cruz frowned. "You need to come.. You need to go to the ceremony." she said.
Jackson frowned. "Come on Jackson.. You've been blind a week.. You can handle a few more days.. You can hear now after all and I'll stay with you." She offered. Jackson shook his head. "You should know what happened.." Cruz softly mumbled. Jackson sighed. He was curious all week. "Well.. I'll be back in a few minutes. Let you two talk." The doctor said then left with his nurse. Jackson sat there in the bed. Cruz sat down and took his hand before taking a deep breath. "Don't do that.. Don't build up to it, what happened that day." Jackson asked. "Do you remember?.. Crashing?" Cruz asked.
Jackson nodded answering "I told the police too.. I told you, I remember the car ceasing and then it locked up. I know I hit the car next to me.. I don't remember who it was, but I remember I looked over because I knew.. I knew I was going to hit him. Then it went black. That's all I remember.. That and waking up all fuzzy and deaf.. Then you.." Cruz frowned.
"Okay... Well twenty two drivers were in the accident." "What?.." Jackson was shocked! He could feel his stomach turning as he then asked "Wait.. So this ceremony Tex wants me at.." He paused. "Did I kill that driver I hit?.. Did I?.." His eyes teared up. Cruz held his hand tightly as he broke asking "How many racers did I kill Cruz?.." "Jacks"-"HOW MANY!?" he asked rudely! "You didn't kill anyone Jackson. It was a huge accident." Cruz assured. "How many Cruz!? Stop doing that! Stop it and tell me! Tell me how many people I killed!? How much of a monster am I!?"
Cruz swallowed almost choked before answering "Fourteen racers died.." Jackson was silent. Fourteen.. He killed fourteen people. "Jackson.." Cruz muttered. He snapped like a twig and began to cry, braking into tears. "Oh Jackson.." Cruz said as she wrapped her arms around him. Holding him while he cried. "I'm a murderer... I. I didn't"-"Shoosh.. you're not.. It was an accident.."...
The president of the sport walked up to the microphone and began his speech. The stadium was filled with people. Most families and friends of the racers that died. Some other fans that came. The field had a bunch of race cars and flowers and signs and memorials built up in there honor. Also a large statue of a race car was in the center of the inside of the pits where the garages sat for the trucks and trailers. On it had each number and name to those who died in the accident.
A stage was set up which was where the president of the sport was standing as he spoke. Behind him were fourteen seats. For the remaining, surviving racers. The six that were lucky not to be in the accident, like Lightning. And the surviving eight like Jackson. All those chairs were filled except one. Jackson's. It seemed he wasn't going to show up and pay his respects.
A lot of the racers blamed him. It was natural human emotion to blame whoever you could on such an event. Fans, friends, and families blamed Jackson too. Some saw it best he didn't come really. Some wanted him dead. The president finished then let the racers say a few words.
One said, "It's a dangerous sport.. It's a very dangerous sport.. I knew a few of.. The racers personally. Like Dudd and... Speedy. We put. A lot of work.. A lot of time into the sport. It was our job.. Putting 80 to 100 hours in a week.. They died doing what they loved.. They loved racing..." That was sugar coating it. Forget it, that was spreading vanilla icing on shit! Those racers died in terror! Fighting to save their lives! During the crashing and even in the hospital as one by one was lost.
Dan stepped up to even say a few words. "The racers that... I was lucky enough to get to race these.. These past two weeks.. They were role models.. They were role models to me... There aren't a lot of people.. Racers... That young that are seen as role models around here.. But they were.. Those racers were role models.." Lightning glanced over at the empty chair.. Jackson's chair. He knew exactly why Jackson wasn't here. He was scared.. Scared of the judgement and the crowds, mobs of people who hated him. He had a right to be. Lightning would be to if he was that first car in this domino effect.
The next racer got up to speak. Then a few people stared as Jackson and Cruz walked up and onto the stage. A few whispered to themselves and that's when Lightning snapped at them telling them to "Shut up!" in a a loud whisper. "Be respectful!.. He has every right to be here." the young racers glared a little but shut their mouths. With Cruz's help, Jackson sat down in his seat. A lot of people stared and were surprised to see Jackson.
Some racers spoke and some didn't. Tex asked if anyone else would like to say anything. To the racers. Some remained quiet, some looked around at each other. "Lightnin?.." Tex said softly. Lightning looked at Tex. Unsure what he would even say he shook his head then he looked at Jackson, Cruz standing next to him. She ignored Lightning completely right now. But the looks people were giving Jackson.. They were pure hatred. And you could see it in the champ.. Jackson was feeling the hate, the guilt, the pain. He did not deserve that. Jackson was broken in a state of depression and Lightning didn't want that for the racer. He stood up and walked to the microphone.
Lightning cleared his throat before speaking. "What happened out here was... Was a tragedy.. I didn't.. Know a lot of the young racers personally. But none of them deserved this... It was an accident.. It is a dangerous sport. These kinds of risks come with it.. It's.. It's in the contract.. I can't express my emotions right now.. Mostly because their all over right now.. This was such a.. Sad day for racing.. But this is how we learn.. We learn to make racing safer. These guys that came out and literally gave their life for this sport will not have done so for nothing..." Lightning glanced over at Jackson. "This isn't anyone's fault. These things happen..." Lightning could hear the racers behind him snickering and whispering, blaming Jackson.
"It's not." Lightning continued. "But I can promise we will work harder to make the race track, the cars.. Communication with the teams ans its members a safer..." he paused and sighed. "Jackson.. It's not your fault." Lightning said. Jackson just kept staring downward. He couldn't see anything so he could really only hear Lightning, but Lightning saw him. He saw the brokenness in him. Storm didn't deserve that...
People mourned, some people left. It was announced that including Dan, three racers quit the sport. It was expected to happen really. Cruz was walking with Jackson. Helping him back out to the car and then to the motel. He needed to stay over the weekend to get his eyes seen and fixed at the hospital. Two young racer walked by giving Cruz and Jackson a look. "How dare you help him." One snarled. Cruz glared and snapped back "Shut up! He is innocent!" The two boys only snickered with hatred and walked away. Jackson sighed but agreed "Their right you know.. You shouldn't be helping me.." Cruz didn't understand. "Well I want to.." She said.
"Until you get your eyes back, I'm like.. You're seeing eye dog." she joked. Jackson shook his head explaining "By helping me you will hurt your name.. I'm not innocent." he frowned. "Yes you are. Stop blaming yourself. You said that the car malfunctioned. It happens. The polive said you lost cantact with your team So you had no clue of the danger that was coming." "I should have been paying more attention to the car. Should have listened better." He griped. Cruz rolled her eyes and just continued to help Jackson to the car.
"Let me ask you something.. Why him? McQueen? You two having that affair? I mean, you knew he was a married prick.. Come on, why?" he asked. Cruz frowned and thought a moment before answering "I don't... I just always... I had a stupid crush, that was all!" Jackson snickered "That was more than a stupid crush." "Well whatever.. Doesn't matter. It's over anyway." She was upset about it. He could hear it in her voice. "Well, my opinion. He isn't worth it. You deserve better than a man like that.." "Oh like you?" Cruz asked with a laugh! Jackson laughed to answering "What!? No! You were a good fuck but not my type." "Oh right, you like boys."
Cruz's eyes widened after saying that "I mean men! Not like little boys!?.. At least I hope not.." She muttered. Jackson shook his head and snapped "I like male and female. You're not my type because your too soft. You're to kind and kind of annoying. Have this weird voice that gets annoying after so long. Becoming deaf might had been a blessing." He joked. Cruz glared but smiled and snickered at his joke. They walked a few more steps before Jackson admitted "Well that.. And I'm into men." Cruz giggled and shook her head. "You wanna find the car by yourself?" she teased. "No, no.. Just havin a little fun with you." Jackson admitted. Cruz was happy to see him this way. And not moping in sadness.
"You'll race again." She assured. "I know you will." she said confidently." "How?.. Set aside how hated I am and how all anyone is gonna think when they see me or hear my name is this accident, what insane person would hire a legally blind and deaf, washed up, murdering driver?" Cruz glared snarling "You can't see it, but I am so glaring at you." "What?" Jackson asked. "Oh yea. You think I'm annoying? You are beyond annoying. And negative." Jackson sighed explaining "I'm just being real.. No one will hire me.. I have to accept that Cruz.. I have to accept it rather than fight it and keep hoping for something that's never gonna happen again.." He was hurt saying that. Cruz frowned as they got to the car. She felt incredibly bad for the man and wished she could help.
Lightning stared and watched Cruz help Jackson. Tex approached the old former racer saying "I got him his hearing aid quicker.. Thought he needed the assurance that he'd be okay." Lightning sighed replying "He's never gonna race again over something he couldn't control.." "It's not fsir is it?" Tex asked. Lightning shook his head. Tex snickered saying "Who knows.. Maybe after his vision is back he'll surprise someone." Lightning knew the truth though being a former racer, and no. No one would hire Jackson after this. Because hiring a broken racer who was hated and had vision and hearing problems, and who still needed to get back into a race car which meant he may have fear or problems or flashbacks of the crashes. He was a high risk and a liability to anyone to even looked at him. His career was over.
"Thanks for the speech Lightnin." Tex added. Lightning looked at the man with a sort of smile "Ofcorse.." "And thank you for the school union thing. I love it and look forward to the years we get to spend together as partners." "Yeah, me to Tex." Tex nodded once. "Be safe goin home. Wait til Cleo finds out what happened. She was the one who wanted Jackson to race in Cruz's place to begin with." Tex said before beginning to walk away. Lightning's brows lowered as he asked "Wait?.. What?. Cleo wanted Jackson to race?" Tex nodded "Yep. She was the one who convinced Cal to hire the kid." "She didn't want me to race.. Said I'd regret it." "What?" Tex asked a little baffled. "Are you saying Cleo might of known Jackson wou"-"No. She couldn't have known.. It was an accident.." Lightning interrupted.
Tex and Lightning stood there a moment. Wheels were turning. "What else has Cleo been helping with at the racing school?.." Lightning asked. "Besides hiring Jackson.." "Um.. She wanted me to hire Chick in place of Cal. Back when I put Strip in charge for some time.." Lightning nodded but now began to think he missed one. What if Jackson was working with Cleo?
Sally approached them saying "There you are!.. You kind of rushed off.." She grabbed Lightning's hand. Tex noticed but didn't say anything. Lightning sighed saying "I need to speak to Jackson.." "Why?" Sally asked. Lightning thought for a moment before answering "He might be able to help me take back Radiator Springs.." Sally wasn't so sure about that, but she didn't know half the things Lightning did about Cleo and what all Cleo had been up to secretly...