Chapter Eight

The helicopter touched down on the landing pad atop a four-story building, and Alex was escorted off by a pair of Pacers. The Pacers pulled to the side as Gremlins took over this role, and he was led down a ramp to the ground floor and to a meeting room in the back of the building. A Gremlin opened the door, and Alex was escorted into the room.

Along the table were seven Gremlins, among them J. Curby, positioned at the head of the table. "Alex? What's Tubbs want this time?" he asked.

"I'm not here to negotiate for my granduncle," Alex replied, nodding to Curby. With a deep breath, he said, "Montgomery's out of jail."

Everyone in the room seemed to gasp at once, and all eyes were on Alex, as if expecting him to continue. The Pacer shook his head, closed his eyes, and turned away slightly. "Say that again," Curby said.

"Montgomery's out of jail," Alex said, looking up at Curby. "He arranged a breakout, presumably by shorting the power grid and causing the doors to open. I don't know where he is now, but it's not behind bars."

Curby gave Alex a once-over. "You gonna tell the other heads of the Four Families?"

"That's my plan."

"What're you gonna do after that?"

"I'm hoping to get word to the Professor."

"And after that happens."

"I hadn't thought that far ahead."

"Okay, look, you keep spreading the word, and I'll call a meeting." Alex nodded, and Curby gestured to a couple of Gremlins. "Make sure he gets to his helicopter." The Gremlins nodded and led Alex out of the room. They were joined by the two Gremlins outside the door, and as a group, they crossed the room to the ramp. The Gremlins drove to the side, and Alex boarded the helicopter with the Pacers who waited for him.

"Where to next?" the helicopter asked.

"Porto Corsa," Alex replied.

CARS

"Alright, Dad, you sure you wanna do the Grand Prix again?" Lexie asked. Lightning nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he said. "Of course, you'll have to go to school."

"I know, Dad."

"Be sure to wear the team's colors, okay?"

"Okay, will do."

Lightning chuckled and shook his hood. Lexie sipped from a quart of oil and then looked around Radiator Springs at the clusters of residents who engaged in small talk, and why not? With the arrest of Montgomery, the case that had gripped the town had seemed resolved.

Of course, she hadn't told anyone outside of Alex what Holley had told her over twenty-four hours prior, and it did her more good to keep the secret rather than scream it from the rooftops.

Holley met Lexie's gaze and drove over to her. "Hello," she said.

"Hey. How's Mater?" Lexie replied.

"He's well. He had to give his friend Otis a tow. Got half-way to the county line again, but no further."

"Sounds like Otis. He's got a bumper sticker at Lizzie's old place that says 'Keep on Truckin'' with his name all over it."

Holley chuckled and turned to Lightning. "Are you going to the Grand Prix this year?"

"Why not?" he replied. "Aside from those two times, it's been great."

"Good."

"Everything okay?"

"Well..." Holley looked at Lexie, who nodded. With a deep breath, she said, "There's been a problem."

"What...kind of problem?"

She lowered her voice. "Montgomery's broken out of prison. He cut the power and set everyone else free, including an informant of ours who monitored his plans for us."

"Informant? What informant?"

"I can't tell you who, largely because Finn didn't express to me that information. However, the informant is not our issue. Montgomery is, and he could be anywhere by now."

Lexie turned to her father and added, "I told Alex after she told me, and he went to go tell some others who might be able to help."

"That's where he went?" Lightning asked, and Lexie nodded.

He looked at Holley, who said, "I'd have done the same thing, or I would've helped protect our informant, or a few other agents, as Finn has done. I just wasn't sure if Alex could trust me the way he trusts Alexa."

"He obviously trusted your information."

"Yeah, he did," Lexie said. "Probably because he could be certain I was telling the truth."

"Okay, I don't think we should stop talking about the accuracy of information right now. We should be planning, trying to figure out what we should do, making sure everybody's safe."

"I'm certain Alexa can handle herself," Holley replied. "Since she's the target, you and your team should be safe, unless he attempts to use you to get to her."

"Then what?"

"As a precaution, I will go with you in Alexa's place, if that's alright, of course."

Lightning blinked and raised an eyelid. "Yeah, okay, I guess. It should be. I don't see anything wrong with that." Holley smiled and nodded, and Lexie did the same, exchanging a look with the purple spy car and then looking at Lightning. "I've got a few minor details to work out, and then we'll be good to go."

"Great."

"Fine by me," Lexie said.

CARS

Finn drove into Radiator Springs as the neon lights switched on in the fading twilight. "I assume everything went well," Holley said when he pulled into the cafe.

"Of all the things to happen ever since last night, that was the only thing went right," Finn replied.

"Excellent. I'll be travelling with Team McQueen in Alexa's place as a precaution."

"Good."

"So, how was your drive?"

"Quite pleasurable. Some day when we have some time off, we should travel along the Mother Road for no other reason than to drive."

"That's a possibility, but you must be aware that I am in a steady relationship."

Finn chuckled. "A car like you? I'd like to meet this lucky gentlecar."

"Shoot, you already know me, Finn," Mater said, and Finn laughed softly.

"Nice to know you still have a sense of humor," Holley said.

"What? Did you think I was too old?" Finn asked, feigning annoyance.

"Actually, yes."

"I'm getting you for this, Shiftwell, but not now. My old axles have been on the road too long."

Holley rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, shut up."

Finn scanned the town and asked, "Where's the Pacer boy?"

"Presumably gone to tell the heads of the Four Families about Montgomery's escape."

"Who done what now?" Mater asked.

"Alex has gone to tell some important lemons that Montgomery's broken out of prison," Finn replied.

"Oh. That good or bad?"

"For us, good. For Montgomery, not so good. The heads of the Four Families have cars all over the globe on various operations, ready at a moment's notice to move on to something else, in this case seizing Montgomery and making sure he stays in custody."

Mater blinked, and Holley said, "We're trying to catch and keep a bad guy."

"I get that part, but why're you talkin' to the lemons? Didn't they try to kill ya?"

"That part doesn't matter anymore," Finn said. "We all have a common enemy, and if I know the Professor, I know he won't risk losing anyone he needs alive."

"Kind of a tall order, don'tcha think?"

"Kind of, yes, but I've been through worse."

Mater nodded. "So what happens when you get him?"

"That depends on how much of a fight he puts up. He could end up dead if he's not careful. We're dealing with hardened killers here."

"Either way it works out for us," Holley added. "There will be no threat of Lexie falling into enemy tires and being forced to carry out his nefarious plans."

Mater looked from Holley to Finn and back again. "You sure about that?"

"More certain than if Montgomery were allowed to roam free," Finn replied.

"Uh...okay?"

"We don't expect you to have a major role in this," Holley said to Mater. "You don't have to deal with this. All we ask of you is that you let us know if anything happens to Alexa or the rest of Team McQueen, which should be easier now because I'm going with you instead of her."

"Oh. Well, I can do that."

Holley smiled. "Excellent."