Note: even though I said I was setting it in the classic cannon; some elements of the movie and the manga were dancing in my h
Note: even though I said I was setting it in the classic cannon; some elements of the movie and the manga were dancing in my head; so I included some of them. I decided to continue this story even though I could use some reviews. So after reading this; hit the little purple button and tell me what you think.
Also this chapter could be border line PG-13 due to a little insight into Rex's married life; nothing graphic. But I thought you should be warned.
Speed lay sprawled out on top of his bed in his hotel room; a small sigh escaped his lips, as his blue eyes stared up at the white ceiling. He closed his eyes, trying to relieve some of the soreness in his body. Every last inch of his body was pounding, as if he had been hit by a speeding truck. He felt an intense sense of exhaustion, yet he wasn't tired. Far from it actually, the adrenaline rush from the race had yet to ware off leaving him feeling wired and edgy.
This race had been a hard one; too many times, he had nearly been knocked out of the race. In fact, many times if it hadn't been for Racer X, he would have been road kill. It didn't make any sense, why Racer X would help him like that. They weren't on the same team; there weren't any teams in this race, in fact.
It was every man for him-self; but that hadn't stopped Racer X from taking out five different drivers, who nearly took out Speed. It was almost like Racer X was protecting him. Even after all the races he had raced with the Masked Racer, he still didn't understand the man at all.
Another thing that puzzled him was: for the past few races, Racer X seemed to have a woman with him. Speed had seen her around the hotels and the tracks, but had never gotten a good look at her. Because she would be there one minute; and the next, she had disappeared into the crowd.
Speed knew Racer X was in a room down the hall. And last night, as he and Spritle were coming back from the vending machines; they had seen a young woman with dark hair enter Racer X's room using a key.
While her and Racer X seemed to be keeping a distance from each other in public. He had seen a few stolen glances, especially tonight at the victory banquet. He had heard some of the other drivers ask about her tonight, none of them seemed to know who she is or about her connection to Racer X. She seemed almost ghostly, because no one ever seemed to remember seeing her arrive or when she left, either. She always seemed to just appear, seemingly, from nowhere.
As he often did while thinking of Racer X, Speed's thoughts shifted to his older brother. There were times when it seemed that Racer X could easily be his older brother, Rex. And other times it seemed that he was purposely on the other side of everything about racing that Rex had taught him; that Rex had believed in.
Rex had been the one to teach Speed about racing. From the time Speed was ten months old, he would watch Rex with eager fascination as the older boy would tinker with everything from his toy cars in the living room, to the go-karts that Pops had build for them, to the day Pops, Rex, and himself had rolled out the very first predecessor to the Mach 5.
As he thought about it, Speed realized how much racing and cars had always been such a big part of his life. From before Speed could talk, his mom had told him how, he use to imitate the sound of car engines; that had also come from Rex's influence. In fact, a lot of things in his life were still influenced by his missing brother.
As Speed continued his musings, the sound of Spritle shifting in his sleep, in the bed next to his, drew Speed's thoughts to his younger brother. The relationship between the Racer boys was not like that of normal brothers, as he was all too aware. Despite the expanse of years between them, the brothers had been exceptionally close to each other; even though Rex hadn't been home to know Spritle.
The relationship between Speed and Spritle strangely reflected the relationship that had existed between Rex and Speed. Sure he could get angry at his younger brother for sneaking into the trunk of the Mach 5. But in reality, most of the time; he secretly enjoyed knowing that his brother was there. And when he wasn't racing or out with Trixie, Speed could normally be found with Spritle, sitting on the couch watching TV with a bowl of popcorn between them; just like Speed and Rex did when Rex was still home.
Spritle also looked up to Speed, and in almost a frightening way acted like Speed did around Rex. The annoying little brother act was just that, an act that Spritle would go into when anyone else was around. Speed had done the same thing with Rex. It had been the brothers' way to try to make their sibling bond seem normal; to avoid the pointed looks or the comments that they were too close, that it wasn't normal for them to be each other's best friend with the large age difference that exists between the boys.
And like Rex before him, Speed took the antics of his younger sibling in stride; reacting as if he was really angry when he actually knew that it was all part of the act. The brothers seemed as though they had their own unwritten rules as to how far to take the "normal" sibling act before it got to be too much; because to others it seemed as if they just stopped the antics before it reached a certain point.
As his thoughts lingered on the similarities between his relationships with his brothers, Speed felt his eyes begin to drift close; a sign that his energy was wearing down. As he stretched out a final time, he allowed his eyes to close as he drifted into an exhausted sleep.
The next morning Tabitha was up early, as usual. Alex hid a small smile as he watched his wife, through half closed eyelids; change into some figure hugging jogging pants and a Nike shirt. Tabitha loved her early morning jogs; and if she didn't get her jog that morning, she was just not the same that day. She would be unable to concentrate the entire day and her work would not quite be up to par.
Even though they had to be at the airport by ten, to get the Shooting Star loaded on the Interpol jet to fly back to Paris that day; Tabitha was obviously determined to go for the jog this morning. And Alex had enough experience to know never argue with a woman when she set her mind to something; especially, a woman that was registered as a lethal weapon in five countries.
Besides the long flight back would only provide a reason for her to go on her run this morning; the argument would be that it would help her not be so stiff when they got to Paris.
Just before Tabitha sat in the chair next to the wall to put on her shoes, she turned back to the bed. Alex quickly shut his eyes so Tabitha would think he was still asleep, and not staring admiringly at her. He felt the shift in the covers and the slight sinking of the mattress, which told him that Tabitha had sat down on the bed. A few seconds later, he felt the delicate touch of her finger very lightly running slowly up and down his bicep; followed by a soft kiss.
"You can stop pretending, I know you're awake." Came Tabitha's teasing voice. Alex opened his eyes, only to meet the exotic green gaze of his wife.
"You're not wearing your contacts this morning." It wasn't a question, but a concerned statement concerning his wife's safety; since there were plenty of people still around the area that wanted to end the treat that she served to their interests, both criminal and personal.
"I just haven't put them in yet. I was about to, before I felt someone watching me." Tabitha said. With a quick kiss, she got off the bed and moved to the vanity to put in place one of the most vital parts of her disguise.
Alex got out of the bed and moved behind Tabitha, wrapping his arms around her small waist and kissed her neck.
"If we keep this up, we'll be luck to even get to the airport on time." Tabitha said as she felt tingles go up and down her spine; knowing that if they didn't stop now, they wouldn't until it was completely finished.
For as unemotional as Alexander seemed to the rest of the world, Tabitha knew that he was actually a very passionate man; and that when that passion was aroused, he was adamant about finishing the job.
"You started it, this morning." Alexander argues as he allows Tabitha to turn to face him before he presses his lips against hers; his hands sliding down her trim, but curvy figure.
"Well we're going to have to put it on hold until we get home; I need my run and don't you have a meeting to go to." Tabitha said, imitating his tone perfectly, as they reluctantly parted. And he knew she was right; the farewell meeting for the drivers was not even an hour away.
Alex watches her as she puts on her running shoes and heads towards the door. A smile over her shoulder before she opens the door and, in her stealth manner, slips into the hallway and closes the door without making a single sound.
That was one of the many reasons why she had stood out amid all the other female Interpol agents to him; Alex mused as he began putting on his suit. Out of all of them, she was the only one who could be just as impertinent as he was. She absolutely refused to acknowledge his superior prowess; and is the only person who could actually give him a challenge.
And make him thank every divinity he knew of that they were on the same side; and actually fear for his life when they weren't. For he knew she could have easily taken him out upon first sight. She had given him several warnings and reminders that she could, during the early days of his training as a secret agent.
They had not seen eye to eye at first. In fact, they had seemingly put any excess energy they had into plans to get rid of the other. Constantly trying to go about their lives, their own way. While the chief had repeatedly reminded them that: they were to be partners; and that if they didn't grow to tolerate each other, then they were only going to get themselves killed.
Finally, their defenses began to ware themselves down. And they found that: they had to not only tolerate each other; but, more importantly, they had to trust each other. And before Alex knew it, Tabitha was not only the person he trusted most in the world; but he had found himself falling in love with her.
Which was why Alex wanted so badly for Tabitha to understand the turmoil he was dealing with as he made the decision to continue his secret life. But he doubted she would ever completely empathize.
After all, she had never really had a family of her own. From the age of fifteen, she had been a wanderer; a run away like him. But the difference was that while he did have fond memories of his childhood, she didn't.
From what little Tabitha would tell him about her childhood, she had grown up not believing in a family at all. To her, a family was only a source of hurt and heartache. That was something he had to convince her was not the case for all families when he was trying to get her to marry him. So why Tabitha had taken up the argument of returning to his family was beyond him.
But then again, Tabitha's attempts to get him to at least contact his family wasn't an entirely new development. And even though Alex wouldn't admit it, Tabitha had nearly convinced him to contact his family a few months after he had left. But, at the time, things had been too complicated. Too dangerous, really; since he had already made enemies that might go after his family in order to get to him. And that was something Alex had swore he would never let happen.
Still there was plenty of times that Alex would have liked to be able to have had his family back. Times when he would have liked to talk with Speed about a race as a brother, or a partner on a team; or help Spritle with his go-karts, while they got to know each other as brothers; or to be able to have lunch with his mother, as she had made her famous chocolate cake for dessert; or to be able to work with Pops on a design of a car, and not mind that they got into an argument over a design modification.
If he allowed himself to think about it, Alex could even imagine what a day would be like if he was able to come home: his mother's breakfast; followed by a day working with Pops in the garage; then, after work, the evenings spent just relaxing in pleasant company of the family. And for the first time in a long time it felt possible.
Shaking his head, Alex knew he shouldn't dwell on thoughts like that. For going back to his family now was an impossible dream; he had too dangerous of a life for him to make it known who he really was.
As he pulled on his boots, Alex knew he had to strengthen his resolve to continue his life as Alexander Recar; not Rex Racer. But he knew that no matter how hard he tried, the thought of returning to his family would always be there; never leaving his mind completely, only pushed aside for the moment.
Finally getting control of his thoughts, Alex made his way to the door, and like Tabitha before him, stealthly made his way out the door and down the hall.
As Tabitha left the hotel, her gaze fell on a seemingly inconspicuous gray van parked about ten yards away. Something about it caught her attention and made all her instincts go into high alert.
Kneeling down, Tabitha pretended to be adjusting her shoe; but she was actually checking her service weapon that was currently in its holding strap just above her ankle. Looking up at the back of the van, Tabitha could read the license plate number and made a mental note to run a check on it after her run.
As she began running, she never knew that inside the van was a man watching her intensely by way of small surveillance cameras installed in the side paneling of the van.
"I have her in my sights now, boss." The man said into a small radio microphone in his hand.
"Excellent, have you seen the other one yet?" came the response from over the radio speaker.
"Not yet, but I expect to any minute." The man said, his eyes never leaving the screen that was showing the footage the camera was recording.
"Good. Continue surveillance, and report back to me when you do."
"Got it boss." With that the man put down the mike and continued watching for his target.
TBC
I know it's a bit of a cliffhanger; but what can I say, I'm evil that way.
Before anyone says anything about the relationship differences between the Racer brothers; I'm going to say that I got tired of Spritle always being the odd brother out, so I decided to establish things my way.