New South Wales, New Speed Wars
AN:Okay, we're closing in on the end. However, you'll see that the end will not be as soon as you think. We've got a little more.
By the way, I've decided to change the model of J.J's limo from a Holden Calais to a Holden Statesman. I recently found out the Calais is not a luxury model like limos usually are. The first two chapters have been altered in accordance.
Anyways, read and review.
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Just after crossing into New South Wales, Jackie continued driving towards Broken Hill. Michael sat back and played a little Tekken on the computer. After reaching Nina, Michael fought hard with Christie, but was quickly defeated.
The second round began. Michael managed to get in a few good strikes, but still lost. He tried to continue, but the computer wouldn't let him. "You are an average player." it said. "Please try again later."
Jackie laughed as Michael tossed the controller in anger. Jackie stopped laughing when he looked in the rearview and saw the lights of the police car.
"Pull over, man." said Michael. Jackie pulled over.
The police officers climbed out of the car. "It's some kind of foreign model." said one. "I'd hate to deal with their nation's consulate."
"It's always some nutjob who thinks another country's laws don't apply." said the other.
The officers walked up to the car's door.
"Why is this light flashing?" asked Jackie.
"That tells you the Carjacking Deterent System is on." said Michael. "Uh oh."
The first officer walked up and said "Sir, may I please see your license?"
He quickly got sprayed by a blast of pepper spray from the B-pillar and stumbled away.
"Do you know what that was?" asked the other.
"Too right!" said the cop. "That was pepper spray!"
"You see those tinted windows?" asked his partner. "You know who's behind those tinted windows? Ashton Kutcher! We're being Punk'd! C'mon, now's our chance!"
He walked over and said "I'd like to see your license." He leaned on the car's A-pillar, then bent back and shook as a few hundred volts pumped through his body. He was thrown to the ground.
"Oh God!" groaned Michael. "I wonder if you can arrest a car for assaulting a police officer."
"He's not pulling one over on me!" yelled the other cop. He ran up to the window and the side mirror turned to the side revealing a small gun. The gun fired a rubber bullet at the cop. Then another. The third sent him sprawling.
His partner got up and said "I'm gonna go say 'Hi' to my mum." He got back up and ran up to the window. "I'd like to say 'Hi' to my mum." he said.
A few more gun barrels emerged from the sunroof. The cop was shot with a few paintballs and was knocked back to the ground.
"This is great!" he said. "Let's go sing!" Both cops got up and ran to the window. "Come on, before they go!"
"By the light...of the silvery moon." they sang.
A blast of tear gas came from the door handle and sent both of them to the ground.
"Let's get the hell out of here!" laughed Jackie. He restarted the car and drove off.
"Aren't we supposed to sign a release, Mr. Kutcher?" asked the first cop's partner.
"Aw, shut up!" yelled his partner as he got up and ran for their own car.
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Blake and Fenderbaum pulled into a roadside stand.
"J.J's gonna get it for setting us up like that!" said Fenderbaum as he climbed out of the Maserati.
"Lotsa luck!" said Blake as he followed. "Half the cops in Australia are probably on our asses after what he did."
"Maybe we can find a way to bypass the fuzz." said Fenderbaum.
"'Scuse me!" said another man. He walked over to the two and pulled out a badge. "Inspector Lyle, Sydney Police. I could use some help."
"Like what?" asked Blake.
"Ah, Americans!" said Lyle. "Surely, your sense of justice is the same in the States."
"What kind of help do you need?" asked Fenderbaum.
"I was assigned to investigate several claims of bribery." said Lyle. "We've been hearing about many police chiefs in major cities across Australia receiving bribes from a major crime lord."
"Who?" asked Blake.
"His name is Big Donnie Cannaglio." said Lyle.
AN:The "g" in Cannaglio is silent.
Upon hearing the name of their tormentor, Blake and Fenderbaum looked at each other.
"What kind of assistance do you need?" asked Fenderbaum.
"I was driving to Cannaglio's closest club when my car conked out." said Lyle. "Can you give me a lift?"
"Why not?" said Blake. "Come on."
"You can ride in front." said Fenderbaum as they walked to the car.
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Just down the road, another team was in trouble. Jill limped the Skyline to the side of the road after the engine died. The 350Z they were racing turned around and pulled up next to them.
"I don't believe this!" yelled Jill. "And we were doing so well!"
"Well, you get what you pay for." said Marcie.
"Dammit! What now?" asked Jill as the Skyline drifted to a halt.
"I dunno." said Marcie. "Get out and start smiling."
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"Damn!" said J.J. at the store in Broken Hill. "The race is gonna be over if that putz doesn't get out here soon!"
Seconds later, Brad stepped out of the store with a bag of groceries and wearing cargo pants and a Hawaiian shirt.
"Holy cow, he changed his clothes." said Victor.
"So, that's what took you so long." said Pamela.
"What's with the new outfit?" asked J.J.
"I got tired of the monkey suit." said Brad. "Wouldn't you prefer a leader who defies convention and follows his heart instead of his advisors?"
"He's got a point, J.J." said Victor.
"Besides, the people don't need to see me to hear my voice." said Brad. "I can still pull off the deception without being seen."
"That's also true." said J.J. "Okay, you can keep your new outfit."
"Alright." said Brad.
"Let's go, Mr. president." said J.J.
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Jill and Marcie leaned against the 350Z while watching someone look over the Skyline. The 350Z's driver sat and leaned back against the car's tire. The muscle car of the guy who stopped for them sat off to the side.
"Think you better call Jessie and tell her where her car is." said Jill.
"Me call Jessie?" asked Marcie. "I called Jessie last time! You call Jessie."
"Will you two shielas quit arguing and come over here?" asked the mechanic.
Jill and Marcie walked over to the car. The 350Z driver got up and did the same.
The mechanic pointed to a section of the engine bay that was splattered with oil. "Here's your problem." he said. "Apparently, the pump's integrity gave out after all the abuse you put it through."
"I see what you mean, there's oil everywhere." said Marcie.
"Can we fix it?" asked Jill.
"Not unless you got a spare." said the mechanic.
"Yeah, that's how it is in the States." said Marcie. "These street racers get the Japanese cars since the Japanese make them very reliable. Reliable, but not invincible."
"I know what you mean." said the 350Z driver. "I got a mate who thought he was unstoppable in his own Skyline. Then, some no-hoper in a Holden cuts him off and sends his car to the scrapheap."
Jill and Marcie looked at him with curiosity. "What model year?" asked Marcie.
"A ninety-seven." said the guy. "Also an R33. He's got a new one and keeps the old one for a parts car."
"Does it still have the oil pump?" asked Jill. "Maybe we can get it for a replacement."
"I can call and check." said the 350Z driver. "But even if he does, it'll take a few hours to get it here."
"We don't have that kind of time." said Marcie. "We need to get to Brisbane pronto."
Jill looked over at the mechanic's orange muscle car. Marcie noticed her looking and looked at the car as well.
"So, what kind of car you got there?" asked Marcie.
"Oh, that's a Valiant Pacer." said the mechanic. "It's like an ancient muscle car produced by the Australian arm of your Chrysler Corporation. It's got a Slant Six engine, 4 barrel carb, blower."
Jill and Marcie looked at him a little deviously.
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The Valiant raced down the highway. Jill was behind the wheel, the mechanic was gripping the dashboard in sheer terror, and Marcie sat in the back.
"Alright, we're good to go and well on our way to Brisbane." said Jill.
"I don't think Chrysler wanted this thing to be doing two hundred kilometers per hour." said the mechanic.
"Well, it's doing it! Woo!" cheered Marcie as she snapped her fingers.
"Look, just pull it off to the side." said the mechanic. "Just pull it off to the side and...oh, crikey. I don't believe this."
"Hey, I wouldn't have asked you for this car normally." said Jill. "It's just that we've got a million dollars on the line."
"A million?" asked the mechanic.
"Mmmm hmmm." said Marcie.
"Oh well, it's only a car." said the mechanic. "Let's go!"
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"Blue Mountains are dead ahead." said Pete as he navigated a road in New South Wales.
"Alright!" said Steve. "Goal in sight."
"Man, I'd love to get in some nice drifts on those mountain roads." said Pete.
"Don't even think about it." said Steve. "I just ate. Besides, you know you can't do any decent drifts unless you turn off the traction control."
Pete took his left hand off the wheel and extended his index finger. Steve noticed him reaching for the button for traction control.
"No. No. No. No. No." said Steve.
Pete pushed the traction control button, turning it off. He then accelerated into the turn and let loose.
Steve screamed as the tail end of the RX-7 swung out. Pete straightened up and raced to the next turn. He let it slide out again and recovered. Steve screamed through that one as well.
Pete raced into the next turn. This time, there was a truck in the oncoming lane. Steve started to REALLY panic. Pete drifted through the turn, missing the truck by mere inches. Finally, he hit a straightaway and turned the traction control back on.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" asked Pete. Steve hung his head out the window and threw up.
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A fight was raging at a roadside gas station as the Falcon raced by and pulled in.
Terry, Mel, and Sarah climbed out. "Isn't this how you two met?" asked Mel.
"Yeah. Ever get that creepy deja vu feeling?" asked Terry.
"Let's see what the problem is." said Sarah as she walked over to a gang of bikers beating up the attendant.
"Excuse me, can we get some service?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'd like to service you." said one of the bikers.
"Hey, this is my best friend's wife!" yelled Mel. "You will treat her with respect!"
"Yeah, we'll treat her with respect." said the biker. "But we'll need something from you first."
"Oh yeah?" said Mel. "What's that?"
"Your ass!" yelled the biker as he and his friends grabbed Mel and tried to carry him off.
"The man should not start fights." said Terry as he ran over to him. Sarah took cover behind one of the bikers' motorcycles.
Terry tackled one of the bikers, making him release Mel. As Terry started punching bikers, Mel ran for cover. One of the bikers chased him.
Mel hurdled the bike Sarah was hiding behind and yelled "Get this guy, Sarah!" As the biker jumped the bike, Sarah grabbed his ankle, tripping him.
Terry punched another biker away from him and ended up next to the attendant under an aluminun roofing.
"You're a good fighter, mate." said the attendant.
"Watch this!" said Terry as three bikers ran towards them. He jumped up and hit the roofing. It was loose and fell on the approaching bikers.
"I can't let him do this alone!" said Mel as he ran back into the fray.
Two bikers started to attack Terry. As he tried to defend himself, Mel ran in to help and tackled one of the attackers into the wall.
"Hey, he's making a run for it!" yelled Sarah as one of the bikers ran up a wooden staircase.
"I got him!" yelled Mel.
"I got your back!" yelled Terry. A biker grabbed him and tried to wrestle him to the ground, but Sarah intervened and punched him out.
They heard another punch and looked up to see Mel tumbling down the stairs.
"Are you alright?" asked Sarah.
"Must be a pretty tough guy up there." said Terry. "I'm going next."
"No." said Sarah. "Leave him to me."
She climbed the stairs as Mel tried to get back on his feet. "I think she's in over her head this time." he said.
Just then, another biker surprised Terry and got punched out as a result. Mel wound up defending himself as well when another biker came up behind him and got rammed into the wall for his troubles.
At the top of the stairs, the biker tried to attack Sarah and she punched him right down the stairs. "Who's next?" she asked.
"Thank you." said the attendant. "Thank you. Whatever you want, it's on me."
"Do you know the fastest way to Sydney?" asked Mel.
The attendant let out a groan. "That was free anyway." he said.
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Jackie raced down the highway towards Bourke. The police cruiser was still behind him.
"Come on, you gotta lose this guy!" said Michael.
"I'm trying but there's not a lot of hiding places!" replied Jackie.
The Mitsubishi raced past a sign pointing to the "Darling River".
Jackie looked at Michael. "Worked in Perth." said Michael. Jackie turned down the road towards the river.
Jackie raced towards the river. "Get that swimmer ready." he said.
"Got it." said Michael as he worked on his computer.
Jackie raced towards a dock and drove off into the river. The amphibious conversion went into action. Jackie and Michael laughed as the cops were forced to stop on the riverbank.
"Smooth sailing." said Michael.
They approached a rowboat with a pair of fishers in it. "I tell you, there's a big one out there." said one. "Went with another guy to go after him. He tried to catch the big sucker. I saw it jump and I took a picture of him while he was in the air. Picture weighed thirteen and a half pounds."
"Now I know you're joking." said the other as he cast his line...right into the path of the Mitsubishi.
"I think we can get back on the highway in Bourke." said Jackie.
"Keep it up." said Michael.
The Eclipse cruised by and caught the fishing line. The fisherman tried to get it free by pulling on the line, but it wouldn't give.
"Oh dammit!" he yelled. "He's got me!"
"Whoa!" said Michael as he looked over the computer. "We snagged something!"
"How big?" asked Jackie.
"Not big." said Michael. "You can probably dislodge it by going to full."
"Got it." said Jackie. He pushed the accelerator harder.
The fisherman started to panic as his fishing line started to reel out at an alarming speed.
"You gotta let go of the pole!" yelled his partner.
"I'm not letting go of the pole!" yelled the fisherman. "I paid a hundred bucks for this thing!"
"Let it go!" yelled the partner. "Let it go or you're going with him!"
By then, it was too late. The fisherman was pulled out of the boat and pulled along behind the car.
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"So, where did you get this car?" asked Lyle.
"It was a loaner from Perth PD's Internal Affairs Division." said Fenderbaum. "They let us use it until we could catch the guy."
"You're saying Big Donnie is trying to expand his operation into the States?" asked Lyle. "Wow, that's pretty messed up."
Just then, Lyle's cel phone rang. "'Scuse me, I gotta take this." he said as he answered it. "G'Day...What? Why?...Aw, come on!...Oh, alright!" He hung up and said "They pulled me off the case!"
"Why?" asked Blake.
"They said they had new evidence clearing him." said Lyle. "I think it was more of Big Donnie's corrupting if you ask me!"
"Sorry to hear that." said Fenderbaum.
"Oh, it's no use." said Lyle. "Drop me off here."
Blake pulled into the next truck stop and parked. The three got out of the Maserati.
"Hey, hey." said Blake. "I want you to think about this. You might have been taken off the case through trechery and corruption, but you knew what you were doing was dangerous and deadly. But you did it because it was the right thing to do. You knew that if you didn't try to stop Big Donnie, others in the future might become his victims. Others might get their legs broken by his enforcers. Others might rack up thirty thousand dollar debts and have to flee the country. Maybe someday, you'll be able to be there when they take Big Donnie down. For you...are Inspector Lyle."
"Good speech." said Fenderbaum.
"It's the uniform." said Blake.
"You know what?" said Lyle. "I have been poking my nose in the affairs of organized crime for five years and wondering if I was making a difference. Now, I know I must try. And try I will. I'm gonna present my findings to my superiors and not rest until Big Donnie occupies a jail cell."
"That's what I'm talkin' about!" said Blake.
"Good luck in your quest." said Lyle. "I'll take good luck in mine."
Blake and Fenderbaum walked back to the car and climbed in. Before he entered, Blake gave Lyle a quick salute.
Blake started the car, then Fenderbaum looked out the window and said "Bye, Lyle!"
Blake peeled out and raced down the highway. Lyle watched them go.
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Just south of the town of Moree, Alex and Rocco flew along in a plane with one of the girls from the club.
"So, that's all I have to do?" she asked.
"That's all." said Rocco. "We'll do the rest."
"Okay, we're nearing the spot where we can intercept the Drake." said Alex. "Now how do I land this thing?"
"Let's see." said Rocco as he picked up the manual. "It says to lower the flaps."
"Good, do that." said Alex.
"Where are they?" asked Rocco.
"Under 'F', you moron." said Alex.
"There's a 'T'." said Rocco. "'T' for 'tabs'. Is that good?"
"Fantastic." said Alex. "Pull it."
"Pull what?" asked Rocco.
"Pull anything, dummy!" yelled Alex.
"Alright!" said Rocco as Alex landed the plane.
Just up the road, the Drake continued to drive. The stereo was blasting "Rain King" by the Counting Crows.
"Oh, I belong..." sang the men. "...In the service of the queen. I belong...anywhere but in between."
"I liked this song so much, I bought shares in Geffen." said the Drake.
The girl from the club walked up to the side of the road while Alex and Rocco hid in the bushes.
"I hope this works." said Rocco. "I talked to Big Donnie about the car and he was really mad."
"Rocco. Rocco." said Alex. "This cannot miss. I assure you, this cannot miss."
"How much further?" asked the doc.
"Just a few miles to Moree." said Ron. "After that, the Queensland state line. Then, it's on to Brisbane. I'd say we've only got a few hours left."
Just then, the Drake spotted the girl from the club. She waved her hands above her head, motioning for him to stop. It worked. He plowed on the brakes and swerved off to the side. He backed up to her and rolled down his window.
"Terribly sorry." said the Drake. "Is something wrong?"
"I was out driving and I got lost somehow and then my car broke down." said the girl, pretending to be frantic. "Can you please help?"
"Absolutely no problem whatsoever." said the Drake as he leaned out the window. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Seymour Drake Jr, heir apparent, master street racer, and one of the world's biggest..."
"Yoyos." said Alex as he put a gun to the Drake's head.
"Okay, who said you could put a gun to my head?" yelled the Drake. He snapped his fingers and said "Ron." Ron leaned out the rear window and the Drake moved to gun to his head. "Now where were we?" asked the Drake.
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TO BE CONTINUED