CANNONBALL RUN 4: HIGH OCTANE
By The Turbo Man.
CHAPTER 3:
Heading Out To the Highway
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would like to thank my brother Luke and Nightw2 for their suggestions for the story.
The Cannonball Dome at the North Pole had been converted into a massive hotel and it was awaiting the arrival of the racers after weeks of preparation. In their office, Brock Yates, J.J. McClure and Victor Prinzey were keeping an eye out.
"The race starts tomorrow." J.J. said. "Knowing those Cannonballers, they'll be here within the hour.".
"Yeah, if they weren't stopped by traffic." Victor said.
"Victor, we're in the Arctic!" J.J. said. "There IS no traffic!".
"Oh, right." Victor said. "I'm looking forward to their arrival, especially 'Him'!"
J.J. sighed. "Who'd you get into it this time?".
"Come on , guys. No arguments, please." Brock said as he stared out the window through a pair of binoculars. "AHA! I can see them coming now!".
J.J. and Victor rushed to the window. On the horizon, the thundering vehicles of the Cannonballers were approaching. Many were on the ground, but some, like the Deluxo, the XXS Tomcat and Malice were flying.
THANKS FOR TELLING ME ABOUT THE FLIGHT CONVERSION IN THIS CAR Death said to Austin in Malice.
"Yeah, I thought it'd be an advantage." Austin said.
IS THERE GOOD FOOD IN THE CANNONBALL HOTEL? Asked Death.
"Yeah, there is." Austin said.
GOOD. BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I COULD MURDER A CURRY!
Meanwhile, Priss and the Terminator were running neck and neck.
"A cold beer says I can get there before you!" Priss yelled as she gunned the PCJ-600.
"I've never drunk before, but you're on!" The Terminator said as he accelerated the Freeway.
Behind them, the Van Go and Van Itty were running alongside the Hyperion.
"Hi Wallace, how are you?" Doc Heller yelled to his colleague.
"Great, Doc! This race is going to be brilliant!" Wallace yelled back. "May the best inventor win!"
"We'll see!" Heller yelled back.
In the Infernus, Chun-Li was driving.
"Here we go!" she yelled. "This is gonna be awesome!".
The Stinger 2 was cutting through the competition.
"If you get us there first, I'll give you a million bucks!" Tommy said to Chili.
"I may hold you to that!" Chili replied.
The Behemoth was approaching fast.
"Outta the way, losers!" Beetlejuice yelled. "We're coming through!".
The Phantom suddenly cut out in front of the huge van.
"Chaos coming through!" Sora yelled. "DUN! DUN! DUN!".
"One side there, buddy!" Bugs Bunny yelled across to Buster who was trying to cut him off.
"No chance!" Buster yelled back as he pushed the Muscle Car for all it was worth.
The various vehicles were speeding like mad to reach the dome.
Brock continued to gaze at them through his binoculars.
"The race hasn't even started yet and they're already trying to get the better of each other." Brock said. "At least they've got determination.".
"We'd better go out and greet them, Victor." J.J. said.
"Okay!" Victor replied as he and J.J. left the room.
Outside the building, the four Cannonball commentators were addressing the camera. There were three people standing and the fourth was displayed on a screen on a laptop.
"Alright, people, it's Lazlow here, with my colleagues Misty, Kat and Max! We can see the racers already approaching and it looks like they're already raring to go!".
"After the standards set by last year's Cannonball, our hopefuls this year will have to pull out all the stops!" Misty said. "And I should know since I was there last year!".
"Mr. McClure and Mr. Prinzey will be coming out soon to lead the Cannonballers into the conference room where Cannonball organiser Mr. Brock Yates will address them." Kat Stratford said.
"With such a long w-w-way to go, the Cannonballers will need plen-plen-plenty of encouragement." The computer-generated Max Headroom announced, stuttering as he did so.
"It's time someone upgraded your program, Max!" Lazlow said jokingly. "Later on in the evening we will have a performance from the official Cannonball band. It's gonna rock!".
"Hold on, Lazlow!" Kat said. "I can see Mr. McClure and Mr. Prinzey now!".
"Yes, they're coming out!" Misty said. "The Cannonballers are getting very close now!".
The roaring vehicles were nearly at the dome.
"Come on, let's go!" Domino yelled impatiently in the Direwolf.
"We're going!" James snapped. "If I put my foot down any more, it'll go through the floor!".
"The race hasn't started yet, you know!" Conker yelled in the Buckshot.
"Well, if we get to the dome first, we can sign in quicker!" Crash replied.
In the Maniac, Darkwing drove furiously as he yelled "Beware the terror that flaps in the night!".
"Okay, DW, save that for the race!" Kid Rock yelled.
Each and every vehicle turned and headed into the massive garage that was built into the side of an ice face and parked there. The Cannonballers all got out and headed out of the garage towards the dome.
"Quite good performance." Cid said. "You handled it brilliantly Captain Chaos.".
"Why thank you, good citizen." Sora said. "Now I believe we should present ourselves to the organisers.".
The Cannonballers trooped to the entrance of the dome.
"Welcome Cannonballers!" J.J. announced. "We are all pleased to see such a great turnout for the Cannonball this year!".
"If you will please follow us, Mr. Yates would like to deliver his pre-race address to you all." Victor said.
With a cheer, the Cannonballers followed the two men inside.
"Well, there they go." Misty said. "We're heading inside now to get coverage of the address.".
Lazlow picked up the laptop on which Max was displayed and they all headed towards the dome. Suddenly, they heard the sound of a helicopter approaching.
"What's that?" Lazlow asked as he looked upwards. A black helicopter with a news company logo on the side was descending towards the dome.
"Must be the reporters for the New York Times." Kat said. "They said they'd be sending some people.".
"Yeah, well I just hope they understand that WE'RE commentating on the Cannonball!" Max said.
"Not getting jealous are you, Max?" Lazlow asked, teasing.
The chopper landed near the commentators and out of it climbed five woman reporters. With them were four photographers, two male, two female. One of the reporters approached the four.
"Are we too late?" she asked.
"No, you're just in time." Kat said. "The racers have arrived and Brock Yates is about to deliver his address.".
"Good." Isabelle said as she smiled. She nodded to the other Dolls, Marcus and Regis, and the group headed inside.
As they entered, Isabelle turned to Jennifer and Marcus.
"You two hang back. Radio Mr. Luthor and let him know we've arrived.".
"Roger." Jennifer replied.
The conference room was packed. The Cannonballers were all seated, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the man who had made the Cannonball Run possible. The crowd was hushed as Ali G, Brock's special compere took the stage.
At the back of the room, Isabelle, Brooke, Vivien and Elizabeth had tape recorders at the ready and Regis, Nastassja and Sayuri were taking pictures, the Cannonballers blissfully unaware of their intentions.
"Good evening, people!" Ali G announced. "On behalf of Mr. Yates, let me be da first to welcome you all here to da Cannonball Dome. AWRIGHT!".
The Cannonballers cheered in response.
"Now, I give you da organiser of da Cannonball Run, Mr. Brock Yates!".
The crowd got to their feet and cheered as Brock took the stage. He stood at a podium and motioned for the crowd to sit down. As they did, a hush once again came over the room.
"Ladies, gentlemen, toons." Brock said. "Thank you all for coming. A special welcome to those of you who took part in last year's Cannonball. I'm glad to see you all here again, and I'm glad to see that quite a few new faces have shown up as well. You have all come here because you all have the determination and the guts to go all the way. This, as you know, is the second time the Cannonball has become a global event. Now, the President has signed another document which gives the Cannonballers immunity from prosecution for any damage done during the race. However, it is indeed possible that the authorities may try to get their hands on you during the race. But remember, NO country on this planet gives the death penalty for speeding. But you can all handle yourselves in the race. I have no doubt about that. Some of you may not make it all the way, but hopefully you will. As you know, in this game there is no runner-up prize. There can only be one winning team, and that team will become the proud possessors of $200 million of tax-free cash!".
At that, the crowd cheered.
"So, it is with pride that I announce that the Cannonball Run has begun!"
The crowd erupted, cheering.
"Okay, settle down, now!" Brock said. "Tonight, is a time for relaxation. The pre-race party begins in a few hours. You will be shown to your rooms. Your vehicles will be attended to and you can make any modifications you feel necessary. I'll see you later.".
The crowd cheered still as Brock left the stage.
"Okay, so what do we do now?" Elizabeth asked.
"Brooke, Sayuri and I will mingle with the racers. You and the others snoop around. See if you can find anything out." Isabelle said.
"Now, here for your listening pleasure" Ali G announced. "The leaders of the Cannonball band! Chazz, Rex and Pip, otherwise known as The Lone Rangers!".
The three musicians took the stage and got ready to play.
"ALRIGHT PEOPLE!" Chazz said. "Here we go with a little Twisted Sister number! ONE, TWO, THREE!".
We'll make it!
Been fighting for so long,
Don't know which way up is
been stuck and ripped and burnt
Till it feels like nothin'
Our time will come,
And when it's over and it's done,
Those fools are gonna know
That we ain't bluffin'
We're gonna make it
We'll reach the top!
We're gonna make it
And then
We're never gonna stop
The power of the people
Ain't been showin'
It's never what you know
It's who you're knowin'
Sure it ain't right
But as the saying goes it's might
That decides who stays behind
And who'll be goin'
We're gonna make it
We'll reach the top!
We're gonna make it
And then
We're never gonna stop
We're Gonna Make It
We'll reach the top!
We're Gonna Make It
And then
We're never gonna stop
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, We're Gonna Make It
Gonna Make it to the top
Ain't Gonna Stop Until We Drop
Ahhhhhhhhhh!
Drive Hard Boys
HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA
"We're Gonna Make It" by Twisted Sister.
Later that evening...
The Cannonballers were all taking it easy in the lounge of the hotel, eating, drinking and generally having a good time.
At one table, Sora, Cid, Riku and Kairi were chatting.
"So, it goes down in 24 hours." Riku was saying. "The Phantom handled pretty well. Even with 'Him' at the wheel.".
"Oh, give it a rest, Riku." Kairi said. "Your jealousy is unbelievable!".
"I'm not jealous!" Riku snapped.
"Just take it easy, okay kid?" Cid said. "You'll get your chance to drive.".
"Well, I did okay driving without the mask." Sora said. "Maybe I should only put in on when necessary.".
"Well, I think Captain Chaos does mighty fine." Cid said. "But you and Riku both handle the Phantom pretty well. And I intend to drive myself. I think it's possible we may have this race in the bag.".
"Not with us around you won't!" a voice said.
The group turned to see Jessie, James, Domino and Meowth standing behind them, looking at them disdainfully.
"So, this is one of the 'hot' new teams that entered the race this year?" Jessie snorted. "They must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel!".
"I actually agree with you!" Domino said. "You guys think you've got what it takes?".
"You obviously haven't seen our vehicle." Sora said. "Cid here put it together.".
"Yeah, young lady." Cid said. "A lot of hard work went into the creation of the Phantom, and it ain't gonna let us down!".
"HAH! Well, the Direwolf could take out that piece of junk anyday!" James said.
Cid nearly leaped to his feet at hearing his work insulted. Kairi put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Cid." She said. "We're not gonna be baited by a bunch of cheap hoodlums!".
"Cheap hoodlums!" Jessie, James and Domino chorused.
"Yeah, we know who you guys are!" Riku said. "Team Rocket! A bunch of pokemon thieves, and you can't even keep your hands on a pokemon that you steal.".
"So?! You think a bunch of kids and an old codger can beat us?!" James said.
"Why not? We've heard that a bunch of kids get the better of you guys all the time." Sora said smugly.
Team Rocket's faces turned red with anger at that. Meowth remained strangely calm as he climbed up on to the table. He had noticed that Sora was holding the Captain Chaos mask.
"Well, well." He said. "So, you're Victor Prinzey's latest pupil, huh?".
"What about it?" Sora asked.
"Just to let you know, kid." Meowth said. "Wearing that mask didn't help Prinzey win the Cannonball in '81 or '84, it didn't help Roger Rabbit win last year and it sure as hell ain't gonna help YOU win either!".
"Yeah." Jessie said, smiling. "So why don't you just spare yourselves the embarrassment and quit?!".
"Because we can promise you guys that we'll reach the finish line first!" Domino said.
"If memory serves correct, you guys didn't win last year either." Sora said. "So why don't you guys save YOURSELVES the embarrassment of being two-time losers!".
Jessie and James leaned forward.
"You better watch your mouth, kid!" James said.
"Take it easy!" Domino said. "This isn't the time or the place for a fight.".
Jessie and James calmed down a bit.
"You'll get what's coming to you in the race!" Jessie promised.
"What's coming to us is all that prize money!" Riku said.
Team Rocket left the table. Sora now looked really nervous.
"Don't let those creeps get to you, Sora." Cid said. "They're just full of piss and vinegar!".
"Really? What they said was true about Prinzey and Roger Rabbit." Riku said.
"RIKU!" Kairi snapped. "Whose side are you on anyway?!".
"It's okay, Kairi." Sora said smiling "I'm not too worried. I just know that things are gonna be great on this Cannonball!".
Steve Austin returned to his table with some drinks. Death was wolfing down a curry.
THE FOOD HERE IS EXCELLENT he said. BUT I WISH THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T KEEP GIVING ME SCARED LOOKS.
"Well what do you expect?" Austin asked. "You ARE Death after all.".
I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE SCYTHE AT HOME said Death. THE COMPETITION HERE IS VERY STRONG.
"Rrrra!" Nemesis growled.
"It ain't no big deal!" Austin said. "We can whoop their asses! And with Death in the car, they'll be too scared to come near us!".
OH, BUT I CAN TELL THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE VERY LITTLE FEAR said Death.
Death's eyes seemed to narrow.
"What's up?" Austin asked.
THERE'S SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THOSE REPORTERS OVER THERE said Death.
Austin turned to look towards the bar where Vivien and Brooke were interviewing Tommy and Chili.
"So, Mr.Vercetti." Brooke was saying. "Do you believe that you are up to such a challenge as the Cannonball?".
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't, lady." Tommy said. "To be honest, it's more or less for fun that I'm here. But I could use a bit more petty cash.".
"Do you really need it, considering that you run Vice City?" Vivien asked.
"Now, look!" Tommy said. "Despite what rumours about me have been printed in the tabloids, I am a legitimate businessman! Always have been.".
"Whatever." Brooke said. "Mr. Palmer, do you have anything to add?".
"Yeah, I do." Chili said. "Like everyone else here, we're both gonna give our all to win. Now I can tell when some guy is just full of crap, but I can tell that each and every person here has their heart put into this race. There's gonna be no time wasting here. Our effort will be no less than anyone else's.".
"Fighting words indeed." Vivien said as she shut off her tape recorder. "Thank you for your time, gentlemen.".
The two androids left Chili and Tommy, who went back to their drinks.
"Well, this is it!" John McClane said.
"Well, here's to us." Buffy said as she raised her glass. "Let's give it all we've got!".
"We certainly shall!" the Shadow said.
"Oh my God! The Shadow!" someone called. The group turned to see Darkwing Duck heading over.
"This is a real honour, sir." DW said. "You have been a total inspiration to me!".
"So I can see." The Shadow said as he looked DW up and down. "You must be Darkwing Duck".
"That I am!" DW said proudly. "And your team mates are worthy of my respect, too. You have all done the world great service in the fight against evil.".
"Thanks." McClane said. "But we don't do autographs, okay pal?".
"I'm just here to wish you good luck in the race!" DW said.
Kid Rock yelled from his table "Hey DW! Get your ass in gear and get those beers!".
DW turned to face him. "Okay, I'm going!". He turned back to Shadow and the others. "Excuse me." He said as he hurried off.
Team Rocket were standing at the bar. They were still angry.
"The nerve of those little twerps! Insulting us!" Jessie snapped.
"Oh, it doesn't surprise me that they insulted you two and that fleabag!" Domino said. "But they should have had respect for a senior operative!".
"HEY!" James said.
"Knock it off, all of you!" Meowth yelled. "We're supposed to be a team!".
Jessie and James glared at Meowth.
"Whose side are you on anyway, Meowth?!" James asked.
"Just like our organisation. Always fighting!" A voice said. The Rockets turned to see Dick Dastardly standing at the bar as well.
"If you guys really are as bad as you say you are, why don't you consider joining the Villains Society?" he asked.
"Because we are loyal to Team Rocket." Domino said.
"HAH! A pokemon stealing group?! You could be fighting for something much better! Like world domination.".
"That sounds good." James said.
Jessie took out her fan and whacked James with it.
"You are a member of Team Rocket, James, and don't you forget it!" she yelled.
"Yeah, pal!" Meowth said. "Besides, we're here to win that money. We ain't sidin' with any other teams!".
"Okay! Okay!" James said, rubbing his face.
"Well, don't say I didn't offer you the chance." Dastardly said.
"Don't say we didn't reject the offer, creep." Domino said.
Dastardly picked up his beer and headed back over to the Villains' table.
"Are those guys you were talking to those losers from Team Rocket?" Fearless Leader asked.
Dastardly nodded.
"Here to make themselves look like fools again?" Captain Hook asked.
"I offered them a chance to join us." Dastardly said.
"Are you kidding?" Shredder asked. "This society doesn't need morons like those in it!".
Dastardly looked over at Wild Dog and Baron Harkonnen. Both of them were blind drunk.
"Yeah, because there's enough morons here already!". Dastardly said.
"SWEET CAROLINE! OH, OH, OH, OH!" the two villains sang.
"Dang, that's so embarrassing!" Yosemite Sam said.
"There are many people who would oppose us here in this room." Fulgore said.
"Yeah, a lot of do-gooders!" Cyril Sneer said. "The place is chock-full of them!".
"Where are the Brain and Professor Nimnul?" Fearless Leader asked.
"In the garage, making some final adjustments to the Titan." Jafar said. "They wanted to get a head start by working on it now.".
"Great." Dastardly said. Muttley sniggered, and the Villains joined in laughing.
At the bar, Toretto and Memphis were drinking.
"Here's to us, and the hope that we'll get there ahead of the rest!" Toretto said.
"They won't see us for the dust we're gonna leave them in!" Memphis said.
"We'll see about that." Said Max, who was sitting nearby. "If there's one vehicle that can leave competition in the dust, it's the Interceptor.".
"I have no doubt that your car's powerful." Memphis said. "But can it cut the mustard in the race?".
"I'll give you a demonstration tomorrow!" Max said.
At their table, the Mystery Inc. gang were eating. Scooby and Shaggy were eating large pizzas.
"Okay, guys, so if we work together as a team, like we always do, we can win the money no problem." Fred said.
"That sounds great. But are we going to split the money equally?" Daphne asked.
"Sure." Velma said. "If we split the money in five, each of us gets $40 million.".
"Zoinks! That's a great arrangement!" Shaggy said. "He looked at Scooby and said "Think of all the hamburgers that could buy, Scoob!"
"Reah!" Scooby said.
"Oh, you guys! Always thinking with your stomachs!" Daphne laughed.
"Well a guy and a dog have to eat." Shaggy said.
At their table, most of the Mystery Men were drunk.
"Damn, this is some good booze!" Mr. Furious said.
"The Shoveler is hammered again!" Blue Raja said, pointing to Shoveler who was lying face down on the floor.
"You guys are incorrigable!" Bowler said. "It was a good job we picked designated drivers tonight.".
"Amen to that!" Doc Heller said.
In the garage, Professor Nimnul and The Brain were fixing up the Titan. They weren't the only ones who were making adjustments. Launchpad and Kronk were checking over the vehicles. Gyro, Doc Brown, Wallace and Gromit were fixing up their respective vehicles.
Kronk had gone over to the Phoenix. He tried to open the door so he could pop the hood.
"What exactly are you trying to do?" KITT asked.
Kronk was taken by surprise when he heard the voice come from the car.
"Um, I just wanted to make sure your wiring was okay. It's my job, you see." Kronk said.
KITT opened the Phoenix's hood for Kronk.
"Alright you can look. But be careful. I'm a precision machine.".
"Aw, KITT, don't be so touchy." Michael Knight said as he entered the garage. He turned to Kronk. "Don't mind him. He's just a bit sensitive.".
"Um, okay." Kronk said.
Launchpad wandered over to the XXS Tomcat.
"Hi Gyro!" He said. "I saw that you're here with Mr. McD.".
"Nice to see you, Launchpad." Gyro said. "Yes, Scrooge and I are racing this year. I'm just trying to work all the bugs out here before we set off. Scrooge didn't want to waste time getting ready on the day.".
"No, and Mr. Yates didn't want any of the racers to do that either. That's why he hired Kronk and me." Launchpad said.
"Well, that's good. But if it's all the same to you, I'll finish up here myself." Gyro said.
"No problem." Launchpad said. "I'll go see how these other guys are doing.".
Launchpad walked over to the Hyperion. Wallace was checking the oil pressure.
"Seems alright." He was mumbling to himself.
"Everything okay, sir?" Launchpad asked.
"Yes, thanks. We can handle it." Wallace said smiling. Gromit smiled also.
Launchpad left them and went up to the Titan. Nimnul and the Brain were in the cockpit. Pinky was with them.
"The weapons systems check out." Nimnul was saying. "We just need to ensure that we carry enough fuel.".
"That's no problem." Brain said. "There are plenty of barrels of gasoline in the storage area. Each of them can be pumped into the engine from the rear section. We won't need to make one stop for fuel.".
"Excellent!" Nimnul said. "We can save some time then!".
"NARF! This is gonna be great!" Pinky yelled.
"Excuse me, fellas!" Launchpad called up. "Do you need a hand?".
"Thanks for the offer." Brain said. "But we can handle this ourselves.".
Doc Brown was checking the tyre pressure of the Deluxo. "Everything seems okay." He mumbled to himself. "Better just make sure the flying circuits are okay.".
On the top floor of the hotel, Marcus was wandering around the corridors.
Regis reached the top of the stairwell and joined him.
"Isabelle sent me to help you." Regis said.
"Okay, so Luthor told us to try and find where the money could be." Marcus said.
"We should look for Brock Yates' office. It's most likely that he has it there in a safe." Regis said.
"Okay, but keep it quiet. Some of the Cannonballers are staying on this floor." Marcus said.
"So? Most of those losers are downstairs.". Regis said.
"Better safe than sorry." Marcus said.
Isabelle and Jennifer were interviewing Lara Croft and her team.
"So, would you ladies say that you could win the race?" Isabelle asked.
"We've all been training for months." Lara said. "And we all follow the example of two of the best Cannonballers of all time.".
"Yes, Marcie Thatcher and Jill Rivers, right?" Brooke asked.
"Yeah. Their resourcefulness and cunning helped them win the first Cannonball Run." Mirai said.
"And hopefully, things will work out the same for us." Chun-Li said.
"With the looks of the rest of these guys in here, we should have no problem winning." Mai said.
"Rather strong words." Isabelle said. "Well, good luck to you.".
As they were about to leave, Mirai stood up.
"Just a minute." She asked, looking Isabelle over. "Do I know you from somewhere? You look familiar.".
Isabelle smiled and said "I just have one of those faces. Excuse us.".
Brooke and Isabelle left the table. "There was something familiar about that girl who stopped you." Brooke said to Isabelle.
"Never mind that now." Isabelle said. "Let's try and find Yates, McClure and Prinzey.".
Mario, Fox and Samus were sitting at their table.
"That hedgehog's certainly gonna get a run for his money this year!" Mario said.
"You've got that right!" Fox said. Sonic wandered over to their table.
"Hi, Mario." He said. "Ready to rumble this year?".
"You'd better believe we are." Samus said.
"Well, just thought I'd wish you good luck. You'll need it.".
"Luck has nothing to do with it." Mario said. "It's skill that counts, and my team is the most skilled Nintendo has to offer.".
"Well, I'll be seeing you in the race anyway." Sonic said as he shook Mario's hand.
"May the best team win." Mario said.
Beavis and Butthead were walking across the lobby. They bumped into the Lone Rangers.
"Hey! You guys rocked!" Beavis said.
"Oh, is that so?" Chazz said. "That time you guys called into the radio station, you told us we sucked!".
"That's 'cause your early stuff did suck!" Butthead replied.
"Oh yeah?" Rex said. "This coming from losers like you two?".
"HEY! We're gonna win this race!" Butthead said. "Us and that guy Corvax and that Nomad dude are gonna kick ass!".
"YEAH! YEAH!" Beavis said.
"We'll see. You're gonna hear some great tunes from us and the other guys in the Cannonball band." Pip said.
"Beavis! Butthead!" Corvax called across. "Come on! We're heading to the betting room!".
"Catch you guys later." Butthead said as he and Beavis left.
"What a pair of jerks." Chazz said.
"Hey guys!". The Rangers' manager Ian The Shark approached them. "You did great after the address. You better get some sleep, 'cause there'll be practice tomorrow before the racers set off. The Red Hot Chilis are already saying that they're gonna wipe the floor with you!".
"Okay, Ian. Let's go guys." Pip said.
The Cannonball Run Betting Room had a large board with the names of the vehicles on it. A large computer map was set up so the staff could keep track of the racers. Some of the Cannonballers had crowded into the room so they could check their odds.
Behind the desk was trucker Jack Burton and his friends Shrek and Donkey.
At this moment, the three Angels and Austin Powers were talking with Shrek and Donkey.
"It's good to see you again, Shrek." Natalie said.
"Aye, and I'm glad to see you girls are racing this year too. So is this guy your partner?".
"You'd better believe it, man!" Austin said. "We're ready to win that moolah!".
"Yeah, well Shrek gave you guys pretty good odds." Donkey said. "You just gotta keep your head in the race.".
"That'll be no problem." Alex said.
"What about our odds?" Asked Carmen as she, Juni and the three WOOHP spies approached the desk.
"Well, considering your excellent record at saving the world, we saw fit to give you guys thirty to one." Shrek said.
"Well that's pretty good." Clover said.
"We'll be coming in first." Juni said.
"We'll see about that." T-Bone said. "Is that the best you could give us?!" he said to Jack Burton.
"Look, guys. The odds were based on the power of the vehicle, the skill of the drivers and the determination which you have to win." Jack said. "So personally, I thought it was a very fair system.".
"Yeah, but 50 to one!" Raye said. "We could win this race with our eyes closed!".
"Maybe." Jack said.
"Our odds don't look too good either!" Miss Piggy complained. "I'll have you know that Moi is a very skilled driver.".
"I have no doubt that vous are a very good driver, ma'am." Donkey said. "But can you handle the competition?"
"If any competition gets near me, I'll karate chop them into oblivion!" Piggy replied.
"Out of the way!" a voice yelled. Strong Bad and the Cheat pushed their way through the crowd.
"Hi Strong Bad." Jack said wearily.
"Nice to see you too, Burton!" Strong Bad replied. "I just want to see what the odds on El Diablo are.".
Strong Bad took a look at the screen. He looked outraged.
"Is that supposed to be a joke?!" he demanded.
"Nah, pal. It's supposed to be realistic." Jack said. "I mean come on. When you drive, most golf carts could overtake you!".
"You'll regret that, Burton!" Strong Bad snapped. "We'll see who's laughing when the race is over!".
Back in the bar, Snake and Ethan were sitting at their table, trying to work out a strategy. They were also looking at an instruction booklet for the Cheetah.
"Well, we'll be going through Canada first." Snake was saying. "When we hit the States, I'd say we should go via Houston. That should be quicker.".
"Maybe." Ethan was saying. "So, what other little surprises does the Cheetah have?".
"Well, according to this, there's an infra-red system." Snake said. "We can check the rest tomorrow. Want another drink?".
"It's okay, I'll go get it myself.". Ethan stood up and headed towards the bar. As he did, he bumped into Secret Squirrel.
"Hi Ethan." Secret said. "So you're here too."
"Secret!" Ethan said. "Great to see you."
"So, I see you're partnered with Snake. Looks like I may have some competition.". Secret said.
"We've all got competition in this race." Ethan said. "So are you looking forward to it?".
"Is Washington the capital of the USA?" Secret said mischievously.
"Well, I hope you do well." Ethan said as he shook Secret's hand.
"Likewise." Secret replied.
Mathayus, Rath and Amon were eating their dinner. As usual, Amon was stuffing his face with a lot of food.
"You'll do yourself a mischief one of these days, Amon." Rath said.
"Oh, come on, Rath. I'll be fine." Amon said.
Rath turned to face Mathayus who was drinking his wine.
"So Mathayus, do you think we should have a look at that fuel injection system." He asked.
"There'll be plenty of time for that tomorrow. I could use a break, especially after listening to you two argue for so long today." Mathayus replied, laughing.
Rath sighed and went back to his meal.
Upstairs, Marcus and Regis had found Brock Yates' office. After picking the lock, they had entered the office and now they were searching for a safe.
"There's got to be one around here somewhere." Marcus said as he checked behind a painting.
Regis was looking under the carpet in case there was a safe in the floor. "Well, Marcus, do you think he'd keep the money here. I mean, he's no dope. Remember that business last year when the money kept in New York was fake?".
Marcus turned around to face him. "You could be right. For once.".
Regis stood up. "What do you mean 'for once'?!" he snapped. "It makes sense doesn't it?!".
"Well, maybe we should tell the others." Marcus said. "Let's go.".
In the bar, Donald Sinclair, Scrooge McDuck and Willy Fogg were all having a conversation.
"So, what do you intend to do with the money if you win it?" Scrooge asked Fogg.
"Well, I already have enough money to last me the rest of my life." Fogg said. "So I intend to give my share of the money away to charity.".
"Well I was going to do that too." Scrooge said.
"Yeah, I bet just to get a tax break." Sinclair said.
"Well I didn't know then that the money's tax-free!" Scrooge protested. "What were YOU planning to do with it, Sinclair? Finance another stupid betting game?".
"Actually, I'm going to use my share to build a hospital for ill children." Sinclair said. "I got a rather good feeling after that charity concert in New Mexico.".
"Oh? I could swear I saw you crying when you had to donate money to that." Fogg said.
"Look, let's not fight, alright?" Sinclair said.
"You three are so pathetic!" Blackadder said as he approached the table. "You really think you can win that money?!".
"Blackadder." Sinclair said. "I see you haven't forgotten that incident from two years ago.".
"How could I when you tricked me in that card game?!" Blackadder snapped. "Making me lose half my fortune!".
"So? You would have done the same." Sinclair said.
"Is something wrong with that?" Blackadder said.
"What is it with you, Edmund?" Fogg asked. "I mean you have pots of money still. You could give some to charity.".
"What's the point of busting my arse to win that money if I don't keep it?" Blackadder said. "The race would be as pointless as a spear made of oranges!".
"That's you all over, Blackadder. Always out for number one!" Scrooge snapped.
"You used to be the same, McDuck." Blackadder said. "Never forget that. As for the race, we'll just see who wins.".
Blackadder spun on his heel and went away.
At one table, Buckaroo Banzai and New Jersey were in conversation with Ghost Rider.
"So, Danny...I mean Ghost Rider, how has your fight against evil been going?" Buckaroo asked.
"It has been going very well. But it is possible that evil will never be fully defeated." Ghost Rider said. "The best people like us can do is continue our mission to aid the innocent. I'm pleased to see that you're taking part, Dr. Banzai.".
"Well, the World Crime League's been quiet for a while." Buckaroo said. "And the money from the race could go towards many a good cause.".
"Yeah, and some of it could finance some special medical research we've been doing at the Banzai Institute recently." New Jersey said.
"Very good, but something tells me it will be no easy trip.". Ghost Rider said. "I sense the presence of evil-doers nearby.".
"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about." Buckaroo said. He looked around the bar. "Where did Tommy get to?".
Perfect Tommy was at the bar. Priss was sitting there drinking a beer and Tommy was trying to chat her up.
"So you're a singer?" Tommy was saying. "That's great. I'm in a band myself.".
"Really? How interesting." Priss said as she tried to ignore him.
"So, what's Tokyo like nowadays? I haven't been there for a long time. Maybe after the race, we could go there together.".
"I doubt it." Priss said.
"Would you be interested in having a ride in the winning vehicle of the Cannonball. The Maelstrom's got what it takes." Tommy said.
Priss turned to face Tommy. "Look pal, you might stand a better chance of winning the Cannonball if you spent less time chasing girls. As for the winning vehicle, you haven't seen the PCJ-600. In my experience, two-wheeled vehicles are much faster.".
"Well, we'll see." Tommy said. "But would you be interested in..".
"The only thing I'm interested in right now is finishing my drink and getting some rest, so why don't you just take yourself off?".
Tommy walked away from the bar.
"Better luck next time." He thought to himself.
The Warners were talking to the Mask at his table.
"So, are you looking forward to this race?" Mask asked.
"You bet!" Yakko said. "It beats being locked in the tower at Burbank!".
"We're going to do the best we can to win. Then we can get that money and have a huge party.". Dot said.
"Yeah, have lots of food!" Wakko said, trying not to drool.
"This race is gonna be SSSMOKIN!" the Mask said. "If I win this time, my money will probably be gone before I get in the car!".
"Why? What are you gonna spend it on?" Yakko asked.
The Mask thought for a second, and then said "I haven't really thought about it.".
At the Simpsons' table Marge was unhappy again.
"I don't believe it!" she said. "They allow kids to drink alcohol here?!".
"Sure." Bart said. "Dad and I both had beers last year.".
"HOMER!" Marge yelled. "How could you let him?".
"Oh, Marge, lighten up!" Homer said. "It didn't do him any harm. Besides, I ordered him non-alcoholic beer.".
"Oh, that's a relief." Marge said.
"WHAT!" Bart yelled. "I got ripped off!".
"Hey, do you really think I'm dumb enough to let you drink real beer?" Homer said
"Well, Bart, at least you didn't end up with a hangover." Lisa said.
"I'm just not sure if you should be drinking, Homey." Marge said. "I mean, alcohol slows down your reactions. If you're gonna be driving...."
"Well, Marge, if it makes you feel better, why don't you take the wheel when we set off tomorrow?" Homer said.
"Hmmm, I don't know." Marge said. "Remember that I had a road rage problem when we had that SUV?".
"Marge, I thought you said you could have fun." Homer said. "You can't keep worrying about every little thing.".
"Well, okay." Marge said. "I'll drive us through the States, but you take over when we get to South America.".
"Deal." Homer said.
Near the entrance to the bar, Marcus and Regis were reporting to some of the Dolls.
"You really think that's possible?" Sayuri asked.
"Well it was Regis who thought of it, so I'm not sure." Marcus said.
"Maybe, but it is plausible that Yates and the others would have kept the location of the money top secret.". said Elizabeth.
"We'll find out soon enough." Nastassja said. "Isabelle and Brooke are interviewing Yates and McClure now.".
Across the room, Isabelle was talking to Brock and J.J.
"So, Mr. Yates, it must indeed be a great feeling to see the Cannonball Run going on again.".
"Yes, it is." Brock said. "The Cannonball has always been close to my heart as it allows people to enjoy themselves like they never have before.".
"The race is more popular now than it ever was before." J.J. said. "My partner and I both had great fun on the race before. I admit that I'm a bit envious of this year's racers. I'd love to be out there with them.".
"Mr. Yates, we really need to ask you a question about the prize money." Brooke said. "We know that there were numerous attempts to steal the money last year. I trust that this year you are taking the necessary precautions to protect it?".
"Yes, we are." Brock said. "The location of the prize money this year is a complete secret. I can tell you that the money is in the hands of a man I can trust.".
"Would you care to elaborate on that a bit?" Isabelle asked.
"I apologise, but I can't tell you any more." Brock said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to.".
Brock and J.J. walked away.
Lee and Carter were standing at the jukebox, having a disagreement.
"Carter, I think I should choose, since I've got the change." Lee said.
"What, so you can put more damn Beach Boys stuff on?!" Carter said.
"You said you liked them." Lee said.
"Yeah, but I don't wanna hear them 24/7!".
"I played that Michael Jackson CD of yours on the way here!" Lee said. "Now I think it's my turn!".
"You can play your music on the trip, can't you!" Carter retorted.
A large shadow fell over the two. They turned to find themselves face to face with the Terminator.
"I would like to play some music." He said flatly.
Lee and Carter both looked pale. They both moved to let the Terminator past.
"Be our guest." Said Lee.
"Yeah, we've got plenty of tunes in our car." Carter said.
"Thank you." The Terminator replied.
The Terminator put a coin in the jukebox and 'Bad To The Bone' started playing.
Sam, Alex and Clover were heading back into the bar. Suddenly, Clover stopped and her jaw dropped.
"GUYS! Look over there!" she said, pointing
The other girls looked in the direction she pointed.
"Is that Leo diCaprio, Ben Affleck and Keanu Reeves?" Alex asked.
"It so totally is!" Clover said. "I'm gonna go talk to them.".
"Clover, there's no time." Sam said.
"I don't care." Clover said. "I'm gonna make some time.".
Clover headed over to the three actors' table.
"Uh, are you guys busy?" she asked.
"Not at all." Leonardo said. "Can we help you?".
"Are you guys racing in the Cannonball too?" Clover asked.
"That we are." Keanu said. "Good luck to you in the race.".
"Oh, thanks!" Clover said. "Good luck to you guys too! Uh, I was wondering, could I..".
"Sure you can have an autograph." Ben said as he took out a pad and started writing on it.
Clover was ecstatic.
"It'll cost you $50." Ben added.
Clover's smile faded. She sighed and took out her wallet.
In a corridor on the first floor, Beetlejuice and the Jackass crew were getting ready to perform a stunt.
"We're just doing this to leave the mark of Jackass on this place." Johnny said.
"Well I hope it's not gonna take long." Beetlejuice said. "I need a drink!"
"We just need you to give the thing a HUGE push." Chris said. "You're powerful enough to do it.".
"Okay." Beetlejuice said. "Are Ryan and Wee Man ready?".
"We're here." Ryan said as he exited the room pushing a shopping trolley. Wee Man was sitting in it, wearing a crash helmet. Ryan was also wearing a crash helmet.
"Okay, guys. Climb aboard." Steve-O said.
In the bar, Victor Prinzey had approached Sora and his friends at their table.
"Hi Sora, how are you?" he asked.
"Victor, it's good to see you again." Sora said.
"So, are these your friends?".
"Yes, this is Cid, Riku and Kairi." Sora said.
The others all shook Victor's hand.
"It's good to finally meet you, Mr. Prinzey." Cid said. "Sora's told us a lot about you.".
"So you're the original Captain Chaos." Kairi said.
"Yes, you could say that." Victor said. "To be Captain Chaos, you have to look inside yourself and find the courage to do things that you wouldn't normally do.".
"I just don't think that that's necessary for Sora, sir." Riku said. "Because, having seen him in action, I can tell you that he's pretty courageous on his own. He's a skilled fighter.".
"Maybe. But Captain Chaos has become part of the Cannonball mythology now." Sora said. "People expect to see him.".
"True, and people still root for him. Everybody needs heroes." Victor said.
"Well, Victor, I'd like to thank you for showing me the way." Sora said. "But I'm just hoping I can win.".
"Well, Sora, just do the best you can. That's all anyone can ask of you." Victor said. "But 'Him' will not let you down. I assure you.".
"And you'll be in good hands, Sora. We'll take care of you." Cid said.
"Thanks, guys." Sora said, smiling.
"Okay, are you guys ready?" Beetlejuice asked.
"Ready." Wee Man and Ryan chorused.
"Okay, here goes.". Beetlejuice turned one of his hands into a large mallet. He drew it back and whacked the trolley. The trolley was propelled forward at great speed.
"COMING THROUGH!" Ryan yelled as they sped along the corridor. They passed through the door leading to the stairs and shot down them.
"WATCH OUT!" cried Wee Man. Marcus and Regis, who were walking across the lobby quickly jumped out of the way as the trolley passed them and crashed into a wall.
"What in the hell was that?!" Marcus said.
"Must be a moron convention on!" Regis said.
Wee Man and Ryan picked themselves up.
"That kicked ass!" Ryan said.
"You got that right." Wee Man said.
Ali G walked past them into the bar.
"Awright, people." He said. "Remember, lights out at midnight, so you'll be fresh and ready for tomorrow. You'll have the chance to work on your vehicles then, before da race begins at 9 pm.".
The Cannonballers all nodded as they ordered some more drinks. They were all ready to go.
The Dolls were talking among themselves. "What do we do?" Vivien asked.
"Obviously, we'll have to find out who this man Brock Yates gave the money to is." Jennifer said.
"I think that some of us should stay here and try to gain information while some of us go out on the road to stop the race." Brooke said.
"Yes." Isabelle said. "And didn't Jennifer say Mr. Luthor had a plan?".
"That's right." Jennifer said. "Marcus and Regis are on their way out now to photograph the license plates of the race cars.".
"Foyt and Mr. Benedict will be here soon." Vivien said. "Everyone else is ready to go.".
The Dolls laughed to themselves as they thought of getting their hands on the money.
In the garage, Kronk and Launchpad were just looking over the cars. Kronk was checking the Serpent's engine when Marcus and Regis entered, both holding Polaroid cameras.
"Can we help you guys with something?" Kronk asked.
"If it's okay, we'd just like to get photos of the cars for the paper." Regis said.
"Sure, go ahead." Launchpad said.
Marcus and Regis laughed to themselves as they started to snap photographs of the cars' license plates. After some photos were taken, Regis took out a pager and pressed a button on it.
On a dark highway in Canada, a black Ferrari 308 was cruising along the road. Driving it was Mr. Benedict. Seated next to him was Alice J. Foyt. Benedict heard the beep of his pager and he picked it up off the dashboard.
"It's from Marcus and Regis." He said. "Stage One of the plan is complete. They're taking photos of the license plates.".
"Brilliant!" Foyt said. "So, they'll meet us ten miles away from the dome and give us the photos.".
"Yes, and then we'll inform the authorities, and thus give our Cannonballer friends a spot of bother.". Benedict said. "That presidential decree may exonerate them from crimes, but that's not to say that they can't get speeding tickets.".
"And that will slow them down a bit. Maybe they can get arrested too. That'll slow them down even more." Foyt said.
"And allow us more time to try and get that money.". Benedict said, smiling. "And if the cops don't stop them, we will!".
Early the next morning, the Cannonballers were all ready to start the race. The day was spent making preparations. Already, a huge crowd had come from the United States and Canada and were crowded around the huge stage that had been erected for the band.
"Well, folks, the race starts at Nine o'clock this evening, and expectations are high. You can almost reach out and touch the excitement today!" Kat said into the camera.
"The Cannonball band is getting ready to perform." Lazlow said. "Once again, there's a hell of a line-up. Ozzy Osbourne, Tom Jones, Burt Bacharach, Elton John, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nickelback, Linkin Park, Good Charlotte, the Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera, U2, Avril Lavigne, Clarence Clemons, Ice-T, Dr. Dre, Aerosmith and LA's own Lone Rangers!".
"That doesn't m-m-ake sense." Max said. "There's three of them, so they're hardly 'lone'!".
"Yeah, they've heard that before Max." Misty said. "Anyway, things are certainly heating up! I think the band are gonna give us a little number now, to kick off the festivities!".
Up on stage, the Lone Rangers were speaking with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
"So are you guys ready?" Chazz asked.
"You bet we're ready!" Anthony Kiedis said. "We're gonna rock this place like it's never been rocked before!".
"Yeah, especially with Ozzy in the band, and Aerosmith!" Flea said.
"Hey, what are we? Chopped liver?" Rex asked. "WE'RE meant to be the leaders after all.".
"We'll see." Said Chad Smith.
"Are you guys gonna do the Sockman thing?" Pip asked. "That was so cool!".
"Knock it off, Pip!" Rex snapped.
Ian the Shark and Ozzy Osbourne walked up to the two groups.
"Hope you guys aren't cutting lumps out of each other." Ian said. "You're on in a few minutes.".
"Yeah, the band's relying on you guys to give us a hell of a start!" Ozzy said.
"Don't worry." Said Anthony. "We're ready to go!".
A few minutes later, Ali G came to the front of the stage. "Awright, people!" He said into the mike. "The festivities have begun! Here to open up the show, we have the Lone Rangers and the Red Hot Chili Peppers!".
The crowd erupted as the two bands took the stage.
"ALRIGHT!" yelled Flea. "HERE WE GO!".
Well I'm a
mean machine, I'm the kind you don't wanna meet
My middle name is trouble, I'm a danger in the street
My motor's in overdrive, I've got my pedal to the floor
I never get enough, I'm always comin' back for more
Here I come, better step aside
I said here I come, comin' at you live
I'm comin' atcha live
The only one you want, I never give a warning twice
Well anything could happen like the rollin' of the
dice
Here I come, you better step aside
I said here we come, we're comin' at you live
Comin' at you live - comin'
atcha live
Comin' at you live - comin'
atcha live
Comin' at you live - you better step aside
Comin' at you live - ow! ow!
Comin' at you live - comin' atcha live
Comin' at you live - comin'
atcha live
Comin' at you live - you better step aside
Comin' at you live - comin'
atcha live
Comin' at you live - comin'
atcha live
Comin' at you live - comin'
atcha live
Comin' at you live - step aside, step aside
Comin' at you live - 'cos
here I come!
"Cumin' Atcha Live" by Tesla.
In the garage, the Cannonballers were all gathered around Launchpad and Kronk, who were holding a basket full of numbered tokens.
"Okay, people, you've all been given your cards for the punching of the clock." Launchpad said.
"So, now you just have to draw a number to determine the order in which you will be leaving." Kronk said. "Now, no pushing. One at a time.".
A member of each team drew a token from the basket and returned to their teams.
"Okay, guys!" Riku said. "We're leaving third!".
"Who's ahead of us?" Sora asked.
"Those girls in the Lamborghini and the guys in the black Chevy." Riku said.
"Memphis Raines and Dom Toretto?" Cid asked.
"Yeah." Said Riku.
"Well, at least we're ahead of those Team Rocket jerks." Kairi said.
Team Rocket were sitting around the Direwolf.
"Sixth in line!" Domino was saying. "Well we can catch up no problem!".
"Yeah!" Meowth said. "As long as we pass those brats and the old geezer, I'll be happy!".
Meanwhile, Bugs Bunny and his team were talking to Lara and her team.
"So, you ladies are Cannonballers too?" Bugs asked.
"You bet we are." Chun-Li said.
"I asked because, my partner wanted to ask you something.". Bugs turned to Daffy. Marvin and Wile E. were standing nearby. Both were trying desperately not to drool at the sight of the girls.
"Well, I was wondering, if any of you would be interested in riding in the winning vehicle." Daffy said. He too was smitten with the ladies.
"Winning vehicle?" Mai said as she raised an eyebrow.
"Well, hopefully anyway." Daffy said. "After all, it's a hard thing to do, going all over the world." He turned to face Marvin and Wile E.
"Isn't it hard, guys?". He asked.
"It certainly is." Marvin said as he took off his helmet and held it over a certain area of his body.
"Well, we'll see who the winner is." Lara said. "You guys haven't seen our equipment".
Daffy blushed a little and mumbled "Unfortunately.".
"Come on, guys. Let's go." Bugs said.
Ten miles away from the dome, a blue Subaru pulled up alongside the black Ferrari. Regis and Marcus got out and approached the Ferrari.
"Here are the photos." Regis said as he handed the pics to Ms. Foyt.
"Well done. The others are standing by. How about you guys?". She asked.
"We're going into the field to stop the racers. Five of the Dolls are doing the same, but Elizabeth and Jennifer are staying with Yates and the others to try and find out where he's keeping the money.". Marcus said.
"Okay. Let's do it!" Benedict said as he smiled widely.
That night, at nine o'clock, the racers' vehicles were all outside the dome, ready to go. They were lined up in the order they had picked to leave. The Road Kill was at the top of the line.
Dominic revved the engine.
"What a rush!" he said to himself. "This is gonna be great!".
"Yeah!" said Memphis. "I hear Brock, J.J. and Victor are gonna give us the send-off.".
In fourth place in the line was the Maniac. Kid Rock was finishing off a phone call.
"There, I've let the school know I can't come to the next PTA meeting." He said.
"PTA Meeting?" Darkwing asked, surprised.
"Hey, just 'cause I'm a rocker doesn't mean I'm not a responsible parent!" Kid Rock said. He turned to B.D. Joe who was at the wheel.
"You ARE gonna take the shortcut through Toronto to get us to the States aren't you, Joe?".
"Hey, we're in this to win, ain't we?" Joe asked. "If you gonna be a bear, be a big grizzly!".
"YEAH!" Kid Rock and DW yelled.
In front of the desk with the clock on it, Brock, J.J. and Victor stood and addressed the racers.
"Alright, people, this is it!" Brock said. "No turning back. Once again, history is about to be made! Myself and the other organisers of the race would like to wish you all the best of luck!".
"Have fun and try to come back in one piece!" J.J. added.
"Okay! Fire 'em up and let's get the show on the road!" Victor yelled.
With that, the Road Kill roared forward so Memphis could punch the clock. After this, the huge black car sped off into the night.
"Well, there goes the first racer!" Lazlow said into the camera. "And the others will soon be snapping at their heels!"
"It's been predicted that by this time tomorrow, they'll have crossed the Canadian border into the US of A!" Misty said.
"But what I want to know is, who will be our winner?" Max Headroom said.
"We'll just have to wait and see." Kat said. "In the meantime, here is Nickelback, performing Judas Priest's 'Heading Out To The Highway'.".
The Infernus pulled up to the table. Mirai quickly ran out and punched their ticket in the clock. She leaped back in the car.
"Gun it, Lara!" she yelled. The Lamborghini roared off as the band begun to play.
Well I've
said it before, and I'll say it again
You get nothing for nothing: expect it when
You're backseat driving, and your hands ain't on the
wheel
It's easy to go along with the crowd,
And find later on that your say ain't allowed
Oh that's the way to find what you've been missing
The Phantom was next. Riku punched the ticket, then the car disappeared in a blur as Sora yelled "DUN! DUN! DUN!". The Maniac, then the BF Injection were next.
"Well, here we go!" Steve Irwin yelled. "I hope we see some nice critters in Africa!".
"We won't have time to try and get close, Steve!" Mick Dundee said as he got out the ticket. "We're trying to win after all!".
The Direwolf was the next up.
"Well, here's hoping we get there first." James said.
"If anyone gets in our way, we'll kick their butts from here to the moon!" Jessie replied.
Behind them was El Diablo. "Okay, guys here we go!" Homestar said.
"Hey, Marzipan." Strong Bad said. "If we win this thing…."
"Forget it, Strong Bad!" Marzipan replied. "I've already told you that I would never go out with you!".
"Then maybe I shouldn't give you a cut of the money!" Strong Bad replied.
"You wouldn't dare!" Marzipan replied.
"We'll see." Strong Bad said.
So I'm
heading out to the highway
I got nothing to lose at all
I'm gonna do it my way
Take a chance before I fall
A chance before I fall!
You can hang in a left or hang in a right
The choice it is yours to do as you might
The road is open wide to place your bidding
Now, wherever you turn, wherever you go
If you get it wrong, at least you can know
There's miles and miles to put it back together!
Inside the Serpent, Blackadder revved the engine.
"Before we start this race, Baldrick, I just want you to know that any 'cunning plans' you come up with are mostly going to be ignored, unless they are actually any good.".
"Oh, fine, sir." Baldrick replied.
Further back in the line, the Blue Devil and the Muscle Car were getting ready to mover up as the line moved on. In the Muscle Car, the Dizzy Devil was so excited he couldn't sit still.
"FUN! FUN!" he yelled.
"Hey, chill, Diz." Buster said. "Of course it's gonna be fun!".
In the Dragon, Miss Piggy was getting ready to go as well. "
"This is it!" She said.
"You're in for a great time, Piggy, we assure you." Kermit said.
Animal had his face pressed against the back window.
"WOMAN! WOMAN!" he yelled. Behind them was the Silver Streak. Animal was looking at Sam and Clover who were in the front seat.
"Oh, grody!" Clover said. "That guy is SO freaky!".
"Don't worry." Sam said. "Things should be okay.". More and more of the cars roared on as the line grew shorter. By this stage, the first 15 vehicles had gone.
In the Cheetah, Snake and Ethan were ready.
"Aren't you gonna turn on the headlights?" Snake asked.
"Hey, why let the authorities know where we are?" Ethan replied.
"Ethan, we're still at the North Pole. There's no cops around for a hundred miles." Snake said.
"Well, I also want to give the infra-red system a try out.".
"Okay." Snake said. "Engaging.". The interior of the car went dark, but the windscreen became an infra-red screen.
"Right. Let's go!". Ethan said.
And I'm
heading out to the highway
I got nothing to lose at all
I'm gonna do it my way
Take a chance before I fall
A chance before I fall!
On the highway! On the highway!
Making a curve or taking the strain
On the decline, or out on the wain
Oh everybody breaks down sooner or later
We'll put it to rights, we'll square up and mend.
Back on your feet to take the next bend!
You weather every storm that's coming atcha!
In the Banshee, Lee pressed some switches on the dashboard. "Alright, that's the booster engaged." He said. "With the car partly controlled by computer, things should be easy.".
"Well, if anything goes wrong, at least we're both pretty good behind the wheel." Carter said.
Behind them, the Freeway growled. As the line moved up, the Terminator turned to face the Typhoon which was behind him.
"Hasta la vista, baby!" he said as he moved the bike forward.
"Don't be so sure!" Dylan yelled as the bike drove away.
One by one, the cars disappeared into the night.
Brock Yates gazed after them. "Godspeed, Cannonballers." He said as the last vehicle, the Deluxo, lifted into the air and flew away. "Good luck to all of you.".
Inside the Deluxo, Marty was saying "We've gotta hurry if we're to catch up with those guys!".
"Don't worry, Marty." Clara said. "This thing's full of surprises.".
"We may not be able to travel in time when we hit 88 mph anymore." Doc said. "But you're still gonna see some serious shit!".
And I'm
heading out to the highway
I got nothin' to lose at all
I'm gonna do it my way
Take a chance before I fall
Yes, I'm heading out to the highway,
I got nothing to lose at all.
I got nothing to lose at all!
So, the fourth Cannonball had begun. Up ahead of the racers lay at least six months of hard work as they drove all over the world. Who would be the winner? Only time would tell, but everyone was going to give all they had.
TO BE CONTINUED.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: There you go. Please R & R.
