Hello my dears….
As you know we lost Her Majesty just over a month ago on 8 September. A day that was supposed to be happy, the day Cars on the Road came out, was shattered when I heard the news of her passing.
I wrote this fic as a coping mechanism during that very rough time. I am hesitant to share it, but some friends encouraged me to share it. I was dealing with very raw emotions when I wrote this fic so I apologise if it's not my best work. Also there may be some minor inconsistencies here, which I will explain in the end notes.
Disclaimer: Some of the events have been changed slightly for fictional purposes. I have tried to remain as close as to what's going on right now as possible but a few details may have been changed or otherwise not mentioned out of respect for the Royal Family.
Somewhere in London, England, 8 September 2022
"Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision."
"The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral."
Finn McMissile tensed as he heard the news, his eyes wandering over at the other agents next to him. There were quiet murmurs between a few of them, while others stared off into space with wide eyes. It had been a normal day for the agents–normal as in there were no missions and the day had been filled with boring and monotonous paperwork. No agent enjoyed it, as some preferred being out in the field, but it was an important part of their job as well as what they did the majority of the time anyway.
"We are expecting the news from Balmoral that she's having treatment, or that indeed they are unable to help Her Majesty anymore."
Finn glanced around at his colleagues, who all seemed fixed on the TV that was displayed in the general office area. Porter Philips' face was grave–a shocking departure from the hunter green Aston Martin's posh exterior. Nathan Stanford looked nervous, his tyre twisting along the ground. Holley Shiftwell was giving Finn a questioning look, as if she needed him to verify what was happening. Leland Turbo, a red Runwell, glanced over at his mate, his expression a mixture of confusion, fear and worry.
There was still a buzz throughout the area, the sound of keyboards tapping, phones ringing, and general chatter amongst the crowd for some time, as if nothing had happened, though tension still hung in the air like an uncomfortable fog that wouldn't lift.
The programme that was playing was suddenly cut off, catching everyone's attention as they all seemingly stopped what they were doing to look at the large screen mounted on the wall.
Finn's eyes wandered over to the television, where an old Bentley was displayed on the screen. The channel was switched to the BBC and the black car had a very serious expression, as though he had heard something serious.
"A few moments ago, Buckingham Palace announced the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The palace has just issued this statement." He paused. "It says the Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and the Queen consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."
A wave of silence fell over the area. The tapping of the keyboard stopped, nearly every car was gathered at the TV now and even the phones had gone eerily silent.
"Within the past few minutes, Buckingham Palace has announced the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ." He paused again, bearing an expression that seemed as though he himself couldn't believe the news he was saying. "To recap on the statement, the Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King that is Charles and the queen consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow." He then went silent, bowing his front slightly.
Finn's stomach dropped, his mouth falling agape. "No.…" his eyes went wide. His chassis went numb, his tyres and mirrors tingling slightly as a strange sensation washed over him. A feeling of disbelief….disassociation….and other feelings he could not quite identify. The room seemed to blur around him, his only focus being on the television. He barely noticed the announcement over the loudspeaker and the other agents skirting around him as they left in single file.
"Come on mate," Nathan, a young black Jaguar, said, lightly tapping Finn on the wing. The Faultless jolted out of his stupor long enough to follow the others to the main room, where the director, Walter Mason was waiting. The old tan Aston Martin bore a serious, grim look on his face and everyone knew that he too had received the tragic news.
For once, Finn didn't wait for him to speak. "Sir, I heard the news….is it true?" His stomach twisted. Of course it was a futile ask but it was still so hard for him to believe what he had just heard.
Mason was quiet for a moment, as if he too were shocked by the news. He then gave a slow nod. "Yes, McMissile."
Finn stared at him unbelieving. His mouth gaped open slightly, as if he were speechless, which was not far from the truth. He then closed it slowly, his eyes wandering to the ground as a faraway look came over him.
The older car took a deep breath. "I know the news has been quite shocking for us. It has been shocking for the whole nation," Mason told them, "But I want you all to know that you've completed your most important mission, and that was to protect Her Royal Majesty…."
The powder blue Faultless studied the patterned carpet beneath his tyres as his superior spoke, barely registering his words. It was not possible that England's queen of 70 years was gone….
"CHROME shall be keeping in touch with the Royal Family, as they have requested some agents to assist in moving Her Majesty from Balmoral to London…."
Finn barely heard Mason's words as his mind started to wonder. He did his best to keep focused and kept his eyes on the older car, yet the unthinkable news kept playing over and over in his head. He didn't even hear Mason dismissing him, nor paid any mind to the chatter around him. It was as if his mind were wandering somewhere else….
The days passed in a blur. Finn and the other agents did their best in staying busy, but the atmosphere in the air had changed. The chatter had stopped, aside from some murmuring about the recent events. Even though work continued on as usual, everything felt different in a way no one could quite place.
A couple of days later, shortly after noon had passed, Mason pulled Finn aside, asking him to come into his office. Finn noticed the director taking a moment to compose himself before he began to speak.
"The Royal Family has requested for you, Turbo, Philips, and Stanford to go to Balmoral. Once Her Majesty is back in London you will be tasked in helping to guard the premises until the funeral." Mason's eyes locked with Finn's and the seasoned agent could tell that he was struggling to keep his emotions in check, which was a rare sight for the stoic war veteran.
Finn nodded. "Yes Sir."
"Very well. You will set out for Balmoral tomorrow." Mason backed away from his desk, signalling Finn's dismissal.
The agent's front was low as he drove out of the office. He just couldn't process everything. He wondered if his older age was beginning to affect his mind, his ability to cope, to keep his emotions in check. Perhaps it was time to retire. Perhaps he just needed a holiday to take his mind off things. He had always prided himself on being sharp and intelligent, but he sometimes wondered if that was still the case. He had mistaken a tow truck for a spy after all. Perhaps something really was wrong with him, he wondered….
...
Finn McMissile bit his lip, looking at the casket in front of him, which was finally back in London after the long trip to and from Balmoral. It had once been empty, and now it was the final resting place of Her Majesty. Her funeral was set for the next morning and the Royal Family had requested CHROME to keep watch over Her Majesty until they could move her to Windsor Castle, which would be her final resting place. The news still felt so raw to him, no different than the feeling he had felt on that fateful day that would change the course of Great Britain forever.
Death was no stranger to Finn, nor to anyone who worked with CHROME. He had seen countless colleagues get gunned down before his eyes, civilians massacred in numbers, even one of their own directors had been assassinated right in his office when Finn was still a trainee. But inevitable as it was, nothing could have prepared him for the death of Her Royal Majesty.
Of course Finn, like everyone else, knew this day would come and that one day their Queen would pass, as she was well into her years. Yet somehow, it seemed unreal, like he and the whole country had been thrust into a different timeline.
"Finn?" a familiar voice broke the silence, echoing off the walls.
The Faultless spun around, the figure of a Runwell gliding over towards him. "Looking after Her Majesty?" he asked quietly, pulling up to him.
Finn could only nod. The Runwell pulled up next to him, looking over the casket. "She was quite the lady, mate."
Finn nodded. "Indeed, she was." His eyes wandered over to the wall.
Leland gulped. "Always thought Queen Liz would outlive us all."
"It did seem like that….didn't it?" Finn asked, a slight crack in his voice.
Leland cast a concerned look at his friend, knowing it was very hard for him. "You go get some rest, alright? I can take it from here."
"That's not necessary…." Finn tried to protest, but Leland cut him off.
"Finn, you look quite knackered….please let me handle this one." It was very unusual for Leland to get so authoritative, but when it came to the health and well-being of his best friend, he stood his ground.
Finn sighed. "Very well. Thank you Leland." He turned and left the area slowly, still trying to process everything. In truth, Finn was having a hard time coping with everything. The trip to Balmoral had been draining, the procession with the Queen's coffin had nearly moved the elder agent to tears and it didn't help that he had seen and heard scornful words from the media. Calling her unmentionable names, accusing her of war crimes she had never committed and a myriad of other horrible things Finn didn't even want to think about. He tried to push it out of his mind, as he had better things to think about, yet they haunted him like a fog that wouldn't lift….
...
Holley had been unable to sleep. Social media and news outlets had been blowing up with news of the Queen's death. Posts making jokes and memes about the Queen's death were flying everywhere. Conspiracy theorists, claiming she was fake, an evil monster even–and much worse. The magenta Mark II sighed and switched off her laptop. Browsing social media was only making her feel worse. Mater had called her and although she had felt better after talking to him, there was a lot she had not revealed to the tow truck. If anything, she had been the one to do most of the comforting–even though Mater had asked her if she was okay multiple times.
She pushed the laptop aside with a low growl, rolling over towards the door. She wanted to go for a drive along the corridor to clear her mind, as the room was beginning to make her claustrophobic. She rolled down the dark, quiet corridor. It was unusually silent–too silent. Holley thought it would bring her welcome relief, but it only seemed deafening, the words and thoughts rolling around in her head like restless demons.
"Can't sleep?" a voice asked, the silhouette of an older car rolling up next to her.
Holley jumped slightly at his voice. "Finn? Why are you up this late?" she asked, spinning around to face him.
The older spy sighed. "I'm….in the same situation as you." he said after some hesitation, his aquamarine eyes locking with the magenta car's jade ones.
Holley relaxed slightly, realising it was only her mentor. "Still thinking about Her Majesty?" she asked, her voice bouncing off the walls in a near silent echo.
Finn gave a slight nod, looking tired and downtrodden. Dark circles were under his windscreen and he seemed much older than he already was.
Holley looked at the ground beneath her. Even in the dim light she could just barely make out her distorted reflection, her jade green eyes staring back at her as if pleading for an answer.
Finn seemed able to read her mind. "Did you come across some….remarks about her?"
Holley sighed, giving a slight nod. Finn closed his eyes, letting out an inaudible sigh. He too had seen the remarks about Her Majesty, from the most ridiculous claims of her being a lizard car to much more heinous accusations. Finn of course knew none of those were true, yet somehow they seemed to mess around with his head, making him question his reality. He wondered if his old age was making him easier to fool….or perhaps he was just letting cruel rumours get to him.
Holley wanted to say something, but no words came, even though thousands of them were whirring through her mind like a restless hurricane. So many things she wanted to express, but she was unable to find the right words.
Finn rolled up next to her, noticing her downtrodden demeanour. "You should try and get some sleep, Miss Shiftwell."
"I can't Finn…." Holley started to protest but Finn's stern look silenced her.
"Please," he said, almost pleadingly. "You'll only feel worse if you don't rest."
Holley sighed. "You need it too."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," he said reassuringly. "You go."
Holley knew there was no use arguing with Finn. She drove down the hall to her bedroom, disappearing out of sight and leaving the older agent alone in the hallway.
Finn sighed, feeling slightly bad for pushing her away. He hadn't been able to sleep either, the thoughts clouding his mind like restless demons that wouldn't go away. He glanced over at his reflection on the wall, shocked to see a tear he hadn't even noticed rolling down his side. He shook it off. It was late, he needed sleep for the funeral tomorrow. Yet tired as he was, he just couldn't seem to put himself at ease. He drove back to his room, his engine not making a sound as he crept down the halls.
...
The next day came all too soon. The night had dragged on for Finn, yet it had passed by at a strangely rapid pace, as though he had lost track of time. A large crowd had gathered around St George's Chapel. Civilians were everywhere, CHROME agents mingling in the crowd, making sure not to stand out too much but also making sure to keep alert, and then of course there was the remaining Royal Family.
Finn drove up next to the other agents, who had gathered to watch the funeral. Leland, Porter Philips, Nathan and Holley were all there and Porter moved aside slightly so Finn could join in. All of them looked solemn, Holley in particular looking like she was trying to fight back tears. Finn couldn't help but sympathise. There was no doubt Holley was going through the very same emotions he was now. The Mark II looked like she had barely slept, with dark circles under her windscreen, the edges of which were slightly crimson as though she had been crying. Finn wanted to comfort her, but he was at a loss for what to say. Leland's wife was trying to comfort their four children, who were all in tears as they huddled between their parents.
The procession soon began, the Queen's coffin being escorted inside along with the guards. Porter closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to compose himself. Nathan was biting his lip, his brown eyes wide. The priest was waiting, his forklift assistant holding the book in his tines as the coffin was placed in front of them.
Holley looked off in the distance. All of her life, Queen Elizabeth had been her Queen, and she, like many other Britons, could simply not imagine life without her. It felt so strange. Everyone was mortal and the Royal Family was certainly no exception. And yet it had felt as though she would have lived on forever.
Of course Holley, like every other agent, was faced with mortality every day. But now it was a different kind of mortality. Not the fear of being killed, not the fear of being tortured and destined to die a slow, painful death. It was the reality that anyone could go at any time and that one day they would all die. As agents, they would be lucky to die of natural causes. No matter what they did, they would all have to face death eventually. She thought about Mater, recalling when he had been knighted by the Queen, wondering how he was coping.
An old Rolls Royce Phantom VI was parked nearby, his grille bowed slightly. A younger Bentley was next to him with his family, trying to appear composed but he looked as though he were fighting his feelings.
In the background, an old American car stood parked, hidden amongst a crowd of older cars, as though he did not wish to be seen. His blue eyes focused on the scene in front of him, and a sad look washed over him as his thoughts started to wander. He had a longing look on his face, as if missing something….or someone.
The priest began to speak.
"We have come together to commit into the hands of God, the soul of his servant Queen Elizabeth, here in St George's Chapel, where she so often worshipped."
Finn could barely hear what the priest was saying, even though the chapel was deathly quiet. The audience broke into a soft hymn, and one by one the cars joined in unison. Some of them sang along, some of them hummed the words they didn't understand and some closed their eyes and let the music do the talking for them.
More hymns were sung. The casket was lowered beneath the floorboards. Finn watched as the crown was carefully removed. He watched as King Charles paid respects upon his mother's coffin. He watched as little Princess Charlotte cried for her great-grandmother. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, yet so quickly he could barely process everything. A lone bagpipe played, growing quieter and quieter as the pitty roamed down the hall. Afterward, the organ began to play, and an old, familiar song played, only now something had changed.
God Save The King.
...
It was later in the day before the funeral came to an end. The cars poured out slowly. Finn rolled out alongside his friend, still trying to process everything he had seen, the events playing over and over again in his head.
Leland sighed. "So Prince Charles is king now."
Finn bit his lip slightly. While he had huge respect for the Queen, he had always been rather….on the fence about Prince Charles–who was now King Charles. Namely, how his marriage with Princess Diana had gone sour and his affair with Camilla, who was now the Queen Consort….and a far cry from the Queen Elizabeth he knew and loved. Admittedly, he had never quite liked Camilla, as he had always been sympathetic about Princess Diana's plight. He remembered how shaken up he had been when she had tragically died, having met the Princess of Wales several times beforehand.
"I don't necessarily believe him to be a bad King." Finn said slowly. "I suppose I just….never quite had the fondness for him that I bore for Her Royal Majesty."
Leland nodded. "There is Prince Wheeliam down the line though."
Finn gave a light nod. He had always liked the young Prince, but the thought of him becoming king seemed like too much to think about, especially considering how old his father, the king, was.
"It will be quite the change, going back to having a King rather than a Queen. It looks like it shall be that way for the next few generations." Leland said, his violet eyes wandering left to right as if lost in thought.
Finn nodded quietly. The two of them dispersed from the crowd, driving a ways down a forested dirt road. They passed by a fountain and stopped for a moment, as if studying the water. Holley pulled up next to them.
Finn stared at his reflection. He had spent nearly his entire life in service to Her Majesty the Queen. He thought back to the event of the World Grand Prix scandal, when Mater had been knighted for his bravery. He thought about his own knighting back when he was a young agent after successfully helping to disband the KGB. Granted, like most Britons like Finn hadn't really seen the Queen all that much, and yet she had been a constant presence.
Finn took a moment to compose himself, letting out a long sigh. He had completed his most important mission, and that was ensuring that the life of Her Majesty was never put in danger. Now, it would be his duty to protect King Charles and the rest of the Royal Family, as well as all of Great Britain and the world, from danger and evil that lurked in all corners of the world.
God Save the King.
...
In the small town of Radiator Springs, Arizona, USA, 8 September 2022
A red fire engine was watching the television, his brown eyes full of tears. A quiet whimper left him, before stronger sobs followed, catching the attention of the other residents as they huddled near the cafe enjoying their afternoon drinks.
"What's the matter Red?" a blue Porsche asked, pulling up next to him.
Soon all of the residents moved from their shady spots under the awning and crowded around the TV.
"Oh no.…" Sally's eyes went wide as she watched what was on the screen. Flo huddled closer to Ramone, Luigi and Guido watched with teary eyes, Red was actively crying now, Lizzie was still asleep in her curio shop and even Sheriff looked as though he had just lost his best friend.
"Whoooo boy! That was fuuu-un!" the loud Southern accent of the resident tow truck broke the silence as he drove up to the V8 Cafe with his racing car friend in tow.
"Thanks but…I don't think….I'm ever gonna….bother that bulldozer again," McQueen was shaking slightly as though he had seen a ghost. He then brightened up upon seeing his friends. "Hey guys, what's going on?" He rolled over towards them but paused when he noticed their melancholic faces. "What's wrong?"
Sally opened her mouth to speak, but McQueen was already rolling over towards the TV. His face fell the minute he locked eyes on the screen. "Oh no…."
"Say! What's on the TV?" Mater peered over next to McQueen, trying to get a better look.
Lightning bit his lip, knowing his friend was going to be taking it hard. They all were. Even though the United States of America was their home, everyone was at least aware of the Queen's presence.
"Mater….you know the Queen of England?" he asked.
"Well yeah I know her, she done knighted me!" Mater said with a goofy grin.
McQueen took a deep breath. "Well….Mater….she….passed away earlier today…."
For a moment Mater bore a confused look, but the reality slowly sank into him as his eyes drifted towards the screen. "Oh no…not the Queen…"
"Yeah….I'm sorry Mater," the red racing car said, giving him a sympathetic look.
Mater's tow hook drooped. "She seemed like such a nice lady."
"She was…." Lightning's voice trailed off, recalling the aftermath of the World Grand Prix when he and Mater had been allowed into Buckingham Palace to see the Queen, who had knighted Mater for his bravery.
Mater looked at the screen with a long expression. "I never got to say goodbye to her."
"Me neither," Lightning said, his blue eyes growing teary as he watched the screen.
Mater sniffled. "Imma call Miss Holley." He turned and headed for his shed. McQueen cast him a worried look before looking back at the television.
"You okay Stickers?" asked Sally, looking up at him with a concerned expression.
McQueen nodded, too upset to say anything.
Sally pulled up next to him, watching the TV. McQueen followed her gaze but somehow he couldn't focus. He felt his mind going foggy too as the talk on the tv became a murmur, the reality setting in like a fog that wouldn't lift.
The residents were all crowded around the TV near the V8 cafe, watching the Queen's funeral. Everyone was silent except for the occasional whimpers and cries from Red and Mater.
McQueen bit his lip as he watched the funeral. His mind was full of thoughts, from the fact that the Queen was dead to Prince Charles now being King. He tried to block out the cruel words that kept running through his mind, wishing he hadn't looked at his social media. How could people say such cruel things about someone they never even knew?
No one made a sound as they watched, aside from the occasional murmur and quiet chatter. It was as though time had frozen, yet everything until then had gone by at an alarming rate. McQueen huddled closer to Sally as they watched King Charles pay his respects to his deceased mother, only four words narrowly making their way through his head like a slow train through fog.
God Save the King.
...
In a small town in Motortana, a classic black Mustang watched as the funeral progressed on her screen, a tear rolling down her windscreen as she quietly sang along to the song that was playing. She sniffled, her voice quivering as she tried to comprehend everything that had happened over the past few days. Her eyes were fixed on the old Rolls Royce as the camera zoomed in on him.
God Save the King.
To anyone who is confused about Leland's appearance, there is a fic I am working on that explains how he's still alive.
I was also unsure which bits of the Queen's funeral to cover in this fic, so I just went with a few highlights, largely out of respect for the Royal Family. Sadly, I was unable to watch her entire funeral due to my work schedule, but I did get to watch the Funeral highlights thanks to the Royal Family Channel on YouTube 3
The fic would most likely take place before the events of Cars on the Road although there is no set timeframe during this. Judging from the finale, it's possible we may get a second season, but until then I would assume this would take place before.
This fic was written in loving memory of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II
1926-2022
Thank you all very kindly for reading, and God Bless 3