RIVAL ON THE TRACK
The twins were goggle-eyed as they stared at their mother. "Mom, you were so mad at Daddy that you actually went with this Gary guy?" Victori asked, her cobalt eyes wide.
"I just brought him home," Trixie said placidly while Speed snorted.
"Oh I'm sure that's what you had on your mind but I bet HE had other ideas," he insinuated.
"Speed, nothing happened. I told you that the next day but you didn't believe me. Then when Gary showed up at the track to help with drafting, I thought you'd blow your top but somehow, Sparky helped you keep your cool."
"Good ol' Uncle Sparky," Victori said.
"Did ya beat this guy up, Dad?" Cam asked Speed eagerly, for the boy worshiped his father. "After all Mom was your girl."
Speed grinned at his son as he replied, "Not then but man, I wanted to. When he showed up on the track that day and after I called your mother all night till I fell asleep and I thought she STILL wasn't home, I was royally pissed the next day. Then the creep shows up at the track to practice with me at Grandpops' insistence, I was ready to take the guy's head off, especially when he made me crash."
"Speed, I don't think he actually made you crash," Trixie objected.
"Trix, I know you don't think so, but believe me baby, I KNOW when someone's getting under my bumper to make me crash," he insisted.
"Anyway," she went on, "the next afternoon…."
The sun was blazing down on the Pops Motors racetrack as Sparky and Pops waited for the arrival of Speed and the Mach 5 so that practice could commence. Then their attention was distracted buy the unmistakable rumble of the powerful 12-cylinder machine as Speed pulled up.
Pops was irate as he snapped, "Well, it's about time you showed up! Thought I would have to go back home and drag you out of bed, you didn't even make it up for church this morning. What gives?"
Speed sighed as he hoisted himself up and over the side of the Mach 5. "Pops, please don't start with me. I didn't sleep very well."
"And whose fault is that, eh? I heard you dialing your phone every five minutes last night till the wee hours."
Speed muttered under his breath, "So much for privacy."
Pops glared at him and then asked, "So who were you trying to reach last night that you were up so late?"
Speed returned his father's glare as he said flatly, "I don't think that's any of your business."
Pops' onyx eyes flashed as he thundered, "Maybe not but when it affects how you perform on the track, it is my business!"
Sparky saw storm clouds on both of the Racer men's visages and intervened as he got between them. "Okay, okay. Speed's here now so let's get some laps in."
Speed glowered at his father and acquiesced, "Okay!" He then got back into the Mach 5 and started her up revving the motor then took off down the track. He brooded darkly as he drove around the making his laps. Okay, so where the hell was Trixie last night anyway? After she cut out, and I got home I kept calling her number and nobody answered, so where was she? Probably with that two-bit flyer and doing who knows what. Speed scowled darkly as he gripped the wheel.
He continued his maudlin thoughts as he continued to run his laps when his eyes caught the familiar speck in the sky above his head. The royal blue helicopter then heralded its arrival with the whir of its propellers and landed on the infield grass. Trixie exited the cockpit and headed over to where Pops and Sparky were consulting the stopwatch and shaking their heads.
"Those are absolutely abysmal times," Pops said worriedly. "What's eating him?"
Sparky was writing down the times and compared them to the previous day's times as he answered, "Beats me. I'm sure the setup on the car's okay but just to make sure, when he takes a break, I'll check it out."
Trixie greeted the men. "How's it going?"
Pops regarded her with a slight smile as he replied, "Could be better. Maybe you can see what's bothering Speed, Trixie."
As if on cue, the Mach 5 pulled over and Speed cut the motor and leaped out. Without a glance at Pops or Sparky, he grabbed Trixie's arm and hauled her over to the helicopter.
"Hey, where do you think you're going? These times stink, we've got work to do," Pops bellowed but his son acted like he didn't hear him. "Speed!"
"Oww, Speed you're hurting me!" she protested but he ignored her as he took her around the far side for privacy. Once there, he pulled her to face him.
"Okay, I want answers. Where the hell were you last night?" he snapped his patience thin.
Trixie's eyes flew open wide as she sputtered, "Speed, what 's come over you? What are you talking about?"
"Don't jerk me around, Trixie!" Speed said furiously. "Just answer me, where were you?"
"What do you mean 'where was I?' I dropped Gary off then I was home, where else?"
"Yeah, you were home alright! So how come the phone rang and rang and you never picked it up, huh?" he demanded hotly his eyes burning into her.
Trixie was genuinely baffled. "Speed, I swear to you, I dropped Gary off at his place and came right home. I actually was expecting you to call, but the phone never rang once." Her verdant gaze beseeched him and he felt his anger cool.
Speed's eyes began to soften as he relented, "Really? Your phone never rang? I was up past midnight tryin' to call you."
Trixie shrugged her slender shoulders as she said, "I got home about 10:30 and waited up for your call. I figured you would've called me and was surprised when you didn't."
Speed was feeling foolish about his false assumptions. He put his hands on her shoulders as he said contritely, "Gee, I'm sorry I flew off the handle like that, baby. Forgive me?"
She smiled as she replied, "Of course I do." She leaned in and they exchanged a small kiss.
"SPEED!" Pops voice was indicating his temper at meltdown level so both hurried back to the Mach 5. As they got there, however a metallic blue Mustang convertible cruised up and parked and the groupies jumped out, led by the ever present and irascible Sally. As Trixie and Speed drew near, Sally detached herself from the group and nearly tackled a flushed and flustered Speed while conveniently knocking Trixie aside nearly causing her to stumble.
"Speedy! It's soo good to see you!" Sally gushed as she wrapped her arms around the nonplussed and speechless racer.
Trixie glared at the titian haired groupie and a part of her held a grudging regard. She had to hand it to her, the girl had moxie, and bonafide persistence while her boyfriend was stuck in his customary inertia that his celebrity always seemed to precipitate.
"Ohhh!" she expostulated as she recovered from the body check contact and became livid as the rest of the girls crowded around Speed, effectively shutting her out. She itched to scratch Sally's eyes out and was contemplating that very action when a low slung silver racecar roared up and stopped at the starting point.
A tall figure in dove gray leapt over the side and approached Pops addressing him. "Mr. Racer, I'm very glad you are allowing me to practice here." The figure removed his helmet and the sun danced on his russet curls.
"No problem. Glad to have ya," Pops said in welcome.
Trixie's eyes flew open as she said in surprise, "Gary?"
"Huh?" Gary's violet eyes were curious as he turned to find out who had called him then they sparkled like amethysts as they a lit on the pretty pilot. "Trixie!" he said delightedly as he tossed his helmet in his car and went to embrace her, taking her by surprise.
Over in the midst of the groupies mugging him, Speed was overwhelmed until his eye caught the sight of the same self-assured jerk from last night hugging his girlfriend. It was enough to snap him to action as he pushed himself free of his female idolaters and strode over to where Trixie and Gary were.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" he demanded as he wrenched Trixie from Gary's arms.
Gary grinned snidely at Speed as he shrugged indifferently. "Take it easy pal, I was just sayin' hello to a friend."
Speed's eyes narrowed to cobalt slits as he remarked sourly, "You just met her yesterday, how much of a friend could she be in 24 hours time?"
Gary winked at Trixie and replied evenly, "You'd be surprised," which in turn prompted a slight blush from the chestnut haired girl.
At the sly innuendo Speed's hands clenched into tightly balled fists as he yearned to knock Gary's perfect teeth down his throat. But his father who joined the group interrupted his murderous thoughts. Sparky also walked over and perused the other racer warily.
"Well it appears you'll have some help with your practice, Speed. Grease here will give you some competition and drafting help. Grease Lightening, this is my son, Speed Racer."
"I've already had the pleasure," Gary said with a hint of sarcasm that Speed immediately picked up. He scowled as he nodded.
"Yeah, likewise. So why don't we just skip the crap and get goin' and practice, huh?" Speed strode over to the Mach 5 and jumped in. He rammed his helmet on and then started the car, revving it with a loud roar.
"Speed, take it easy, you'll flood the engine," Pops admonished as his son continued racing the engine in his irritation and then screeched away and down the track. At Pops' insistence the groupies dispersed and took their place on the bleachers.
"Guess that's my cue," Gary said nonchalantly as he turned to his car. He reached and squeezed Trixie's hand. "Later, doll." He then jumped into his silver racecar and took off after the Mach 5 as she blushed at the familiar gesture.
Trixie watched as the two cars sped around the practice oval and she sidled to Sparky. "Sparky, who's idea was it to have Gary Lightening practice with Speed?"
Sparky replied as he kept time, "Pops and Flywheel Flatte decided to allow Speed and Lightening to practice together to assist each other for drafting purposes."
"But aren't Flatte and Pops kind of adversaries?"
"Yeah, but for some reason both decided to bury the hatchet. At least for practicing, Flatte knows that Pops has the only regulation practice track so I guess they decided to put their differences aside."
"Oh, I see," Trixie said.
She watched the silver car pursue the Mach 5 around the track, her eyes going from one vehicle to the other as she prayed for their safety. She had seen Speed's temper rise before he went on the track and hoped that he would not act rashly, and allow his strict adherence to fair play to prevail. And apparently that was what was happening, as she noticed Speed just driving the Mach 5 to its potential as always, keeping in the lead.
In the Mach 5, Speed had his game face on and savagely quashed any other feelings as he concentrated on staying ahead of Lightening. He glanced in his rear view mirror as he saw that he had an almost two second lead on Lightening and his silver car and grinned in smug satisfaction.
He was coming into turn three when he felt a bit of a slide in the rear wheels indicating that the Mach 5 was getting a bit loose. Dismayed by the occurrence, Speed tried to compensate by driving closer to the apron as he headed into turn four. He was concentrating so hard on correcting his problem that he failed to notice that Lightening had made up the difference between them and was right on his rear bumper.
Speed had just completed his journey into turn four and was heading down the home stretch when he felt a bump then his rear end rise as the Mach 5 fishtailed and went into a spin.
"OHHH!" Speed screamed and he desperately wrestled with the wheel as the silver car shot by. The Mach 5 spun like a top as it whirled off the track and into the infield barrier, where it came to a jarring rest.
"Oh NO! Speed!" screamed Trixie as she sprinted over to the Mach 5.
"Speed, my son!" Pops bellowed as he too took flight over to the infield barrier.
Sparky dropped the stopwatch and hurried over as well as Speed was extracting himself from the cockpit, a little dazed but physically uninjured.
"Oh Speed," Trixie cried as tears inadvertently streamed down her cheeks and she came beside him.
"Son, are you all right," Pops said frantically as he grasped Speed by the arms.
"Huh? Oh yeah Pops I'm fine, just shaken up." He turned to Trixie and reached a hand to brush her tears away. "Relax, baby, I'm okay."
She hugged him as she said, "I was petrified when you crashed. You scared me half to death!"
Meanwhile the silver car and Lightning pulled up and Lightening hurdled over the side of his car and raced over to the Racer entourage, pseudo concern in his violet eyes.
"Hey man, are you okay? I didn't mean to spin ya, I was just making a run on ya, I'm really sorry." He appeared sincere but his eyes glittered cold amethyst.
"You're sorry? You made me crash, you idiot! And don't BS me!" He lunged forward but Sparky went and laid a restraining arm on his best friend.
"Cool it, Speed. Don't get into a fight about it," he admonished, trying to calm him down.
Speed glared at the guy and his hands balled into fists, as he KNEW from his facial expression that Lightening was insincere in his remorse but he decided to give the creep the benefit of the doubt.
"Forget it," he said brusquely as he called over to Sparky, "How's the Mach 5?"
Sparky was examining the Mach 5 and his head popped up as he replied, "She looks okay but I gotta tell ya that the track bar was giving me problems before you went out on the track."
Speed walked over to him and pinned him with his cobalt orbs. "What are you saying, Spark? Are you tellin' me that the car was loose before I went out there and you didn't tell me?" he demanded as he grabbed Sparky by the collar.
"Speed, stop, let him go. It was an honest mistake," Pops admonished as he joined the two irate young men.
Speed took a deep breath as he let go of Sparky. "Forgive me, pal. I was just shook still and it made me uptight." He offered his hand in a conciliatory manner.
Sparky grinned as he accepted the apology. "Don't worry about it, all's forgotten."
Speed grinned back as he turned toward the side and his grin faded as he spotted Trixie and Lightening in conversation by Lightening's car. He scowled as he went over to the car to confront them.
Trixie and Gary were laughing again as an unsmiling Speed came up to them. "I'm glad that someone's having fun!"
Trixie looked a tad guilty as she headed to his side. "Are you all right, Speed?"
Speed glanced coolly at her and bit back a retort of if whether or not she really cared. Instead, he managed a wry smile and assured her, "Yeah, I'm okay. But Sparky said the Mach 5 needs some work."
Gary got into his car and behind the wheel. "Then I guess practicing is out for the rest of the day, eh Speed?"
Speed grunted as he replied tersely, "Yeah, till tomorrow, I guess."
"Will the Mach 5 be ready tomorrow?" Gary looked doubtful.
"Don't worry, she'll be ready and so will I," Speed said with alacrity.
"Great. See ya tomorrow then." He smiled at Trixie, "See you too, sunshine." He then started the engine and tore off leaving a speechless Trixie and annoyed Speed.
"Sunshine? Where does he get off calling you 'sunshine', huh?" Speed demanded crossly as he bored into her with his eyes flashing cobalt fire.
Trixie shrugged as she replied, "I can't control what a guy calls me."
Speed was undaunted. "Yeah but you can let him know that you're my girl. Have you told him that?"
"Oh, I'm sure he knows," Trixie assured him matter-of-factly as a squeal sounded from the bleachers and the fan girls came skittering down. Once again they made a beeline for Speed led by a determined redhead who once again pushed Trixie aside.
Trixie's eyes narrowed dangerously as she was filled with an almost overpowering urge to pull Sally's red hair out by its black roots. She seethed as she heard the groupie simper to her boyfriend, as he just stood there dumbstruck.
"Oooo Speedy, are you okay? I was sooo worried about you, honey." She purred as she stroked his face and ran her fingers through his hair.
Trixie's eyes were like a stormy sea as she expostulated, "OHHH, that's it, I've had it. I'm leaving!" She broke into a run to head to her car, parked by the garage.
"Trixie, wait!" Speed called as he extricated himself from Sally's grasp and ran after her. "Trixie!"
He caught up to her and grasped her arm. "What did you mean before when you said 'you're sure he knows'?" Speed wanted to know.
Trixie wrenched her arm from him as she snapped, "It means exactly what it says. Gary knows all about us, 'cause I told him. Unlike you." She flung an arm at the crowd of girls hanging around by the grandstand.
Speed's eyes narrowed as he retorted, "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"You figure it out, I'm going home." And she opened the door of the convertible and climbed in slamming the door.
Speed grabbed hold of the door and ordered, "You can't leave, we're talking, damnit!"
Trixie started and revved the motor. "Correction. We were talking. I'm not a blue plate special, Speed Racer you can't order me," she spat as she gunned away leaving Speed behind in shock and fury.
"Boy, Dad, Mom sure told you off," Cam snickered as his father glared at him.
"Daddy, you deserved it," Victori sniffed. "All those girls around when you had Mom."
Speed addressed his wife. "Thanks a lot Trix for turnin' my kids against me." He folded his arms and pouted as Trixie reached and caressed his face.
"Now, now Speed, sweetie. I'm only telling it like it was. And now comes the part where the story gets interesting, when you came over to my place afterward…"
Later, Speed had finished working alongside Sparky on the track bar under the Mach 5 and he reached in to use the autojack to lower the car to ground level. Sparky slid out from under the chassis and got to his feet as Speed stared off over the fence at Trixie's airfield and cottage, where her yellow convertible was parked.
Sparky noticed the forlorn look on his buddy's handsome face as he slapped a hand on his back in sympathy.
"Another lover's spat, huh pal?"
Speed nodded as Sparky shook his head. "That figures."
"What's that mean?" Speed demanded, bristling.
"You guys are too much. You're both crazy about each other and yet at times it seems like you act like you're both just friends. Unbelievable."
Speed got defensive, "You're crazy. Trixie's my girl and she knows it."
Sparky snorted, "Yeah right. You sure got a funny way of showing her."
Speed regarded him sourly. "And your point is?"
Sparky sighed and then said, "Speed, I know you've got an image to protect and all but at times you really act like Trixie's invisible. Especially when there's a lot of pretty chicks around."
His friend answered huffily, "No I don't." He folded his arms obstinately over his chest and then snuck a glance, "Do I?"
Sparky nodded, "Uh-huh. And Trixie's been a good sport about it but she's getting tired of it and face it Speed, she's a great lookin' chick, it's a wonder some other guy hasn't tried to make the moves on her before."
Speed studied his friend intently as he nodded and agreed, "She's gorgeous."
"The other drivers on the circuit know better probably because they know she's yours but now it's a different story. A new guy wouldn't know she's hands off."
Speed grew thoughtful. "You mean like Lightening."
"Bingo."
Speed sighed and strolled over to the fence where he could see the lights on at her cottage. He then turned around and headed for the garage and puzzled, Sparky followed him as he went to the workbench and picked up the phone.
"Speed, what're ya doing?"
Speed looked at him like he was from outer space. "Take a guess." He began to dial.
Sparky watched as Speed listened and it seemed that the phone was ringing but not being picked up. He frowned as he hung up and stated, "She's not answering the phone and her car's still parked there, I'm headin' over." He sprinted over to the Mach 5 and leapt in. . . .
Over in her cottage, Trixie was putting the finishing touches on the kitchen floor and slid the mop and pail over by the refrigerator. She ran a hand over her forehead to wipe away the sheen of sweat she had worked up when the roar of high octane sounded outside her window. She peered through the curtains and sighed as she saw the muscular coal haired figure in royal blue and white hurdle the side of his car. Soon there was a knock on the screen door.
"Come in!"
Speed entered and greeted his girlfriend. "Hiya, Trix."
She nodded coolly, "Speed."
"Still mad at me?"
She sniffed, "Maybe. Do you blame me?"
He approached her and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry I was so pissed before. That Lightening guy just got on my nerves and I took it out on you, forgive me?"
Trixie gazed into the earnest ocean eyes that were boyishly pleading with her and again her annoyance fled. She sighed heavily as she gave in.
"I suppose. You going to tell that Sally that you're unavailable?"
Speed nodded vigorously and took his right hand to hold it up. "I promise, Scout's honor."
"Okay, you're forgiven," Trixie said and then was engulfed in a tight hug as Speed's brawny arms encircled her and his warm breath tickled her ear as he murmured softly to her.
"Thanks, baby you're the greatest." He pulled back and then leaned in for a slow, lingering kiss as his mouth claimed hers. They remained locked in their embrace for an indefinite time, savoring each other's closeness.
As they finally drew apart Speed asked, "So, are you going to stop snubbing me now?"
Trixie was puzzled. "Snubbing you? I wasn't snubbing you, Speed."
"So how come you're not answering your phone?"
She looked at him strangely. "What are you talking about? My phone hasn't rung since you called me Friday before our date."
Frowning thoughtfully Speed gazed at her. "Are you sure?"
Trixie nodded, "Uh-huh."
Speed went over and picked up the receiver of the wall phone in the kitchen. Dismayed, he found that there was no dial tone so he checked the phones in the living room and bedroom. They too were dead.
"Hmmm. It seems your phones are all dead. Did you pay your bill?"
"Of course I did," she replied in indignation as she picked up the receiver and heard nothing. Her sea green eyes grew wide with fear as she said, "This is very strange, Speed."
Speed chuckled as he wrapped an arm around her. "Take it easy, angel. Just call the phone company tomorrow and they'll take care of it." He nuzzled her ear again.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Trixie said as she squirmed in his embrace.
Speed whispered, "So how about a ride and grabbing something to eat? To get your mind off everything."
Trixie smiled as she nodded, "Okay. But let me dump the water in the bucket out back first. Wait for me out front and I'll join you."
"Groovy. I'll go wait for ya in the Mach 5." Speed kissed her and headed out the front door, making sure he locked it before he went out.
Trixie picked up the bucket and headed out the back door, locking and closing it as she exited. She took hold of the bucket and dumped the dirty water out then placed the bucket near the door. She then walked around the side of the house and as she stepped her legs got tangled in something and she tripped letting out a squeal as she landed.
"Ahhh!"
In the Mach 5, Speed heard her scream and immediately vaulted over the side and sprinted to the side of the house. "Trixie!"
He rushed over to her in concern. "What happened, baby? Are you all right?" He knelt beside her to help her up and saw a black cable that had gotten tangled in her feet. "What the hell?"
He freed her and helped her to her feet. "Are you okay, Trix?"
She took a deep breath and brushed her capris off. "I-I think so. What made me trip?"
Speed held up the black cable that seemed to be leading to a telephone pole across the side of the cottage. "This was tangled around your feet and made you fall."
Trixie took the cable in her hands as she scanned where it was attached to the pole. She peered at the ends and her eyes widened. "Speed, look."
"What?"
"The end looks like it was cut. The end is clean edged." She pointed to the ends, which were neatly sheared off.
Speed took the wire from her and examined it closely. "You're right, Trixie. This wire was cut. That explains why I haven't been able to reach you since last night."
Trixie felt an icy chill trickle down her spine. "Oh, Speed I'm scared. Why would someone cut my phone wire?" Her spring grass eyes were wide and beseeching.
Speed's handsome face was in a dark scowl as he tossed the cable away. He said grimly, "I don't know, sweetheart. But I promise you we'll get to the bottom of it. C'mon." He took her arm and led her to the waiting Mach 5.
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