Dames and Dough
~Cars characters © PIXAR 2006-2011~
~The Carbacabana, 2030 Hours~
The nightclub was alive and bursting with sound, music pouring out of the dark building. And while there was now a new owner, she had decided to keep the nightclub the way it had been before, with only a few minor changes, keeping the same name, staff, and entertainment. Speaking of which, Lola Motorama was singing once more, her presence having nothing to do with the fact that her cousin owned the club. The patrons simply enjoyed her singing, and so she stayed.
At the moment, Mater was idling at one of the tables once more, having been finally dragged out of his office by Lieutenant McQueen and his fiancée Sally, the couple parked on the opposite side as Lola sang. Waiters raced to and from customers, although they hardly interrupted the Cuban car's singing. She had been growing more popular, but had decided to remain in the club for the time being.
Si, si, si, si, si, si, si
See the moon, above
Way, way, way, way, way, up in the blue
Si, si, si, señor, I think I fall in love and when I fall
I think I fall for you
Lola sang jovially as always, Cuban accent ringing loud and clear, and on the last line sent Mater a suggestive wink. Attempting to keep his unemotional mask up, the tow truck couldn't help but crack a small smile. Always the flirt….
"She's such a tart, isn't she?"
Jumping at the sudden voice, Mater turned to lock eyes with a Motorama car almost identical to the one onstage. Her coloring was different however, and other than the notable lack of fruit on her roof, her lips were more metallic and 'V'-shaped. She smirked, the police car and Porsche having to yet notice her presence. "Sorry, I've always wanted to say that. Those Brits get all the interesting phrases."
The tow truck's eyelid rose,"Flo Motorama, ah presume?"
"Last time I checked," she nodded. "And you're the fine detective that made it possible for me to buy this place, unintentionally, of course."
It was then that the police cruiser noticed the show car before them, and tore his eyes away from his fiancée to greet her,"Hey, Flo!"
The show car smirked, "How's it goin', McQueen?"
"Pretty good," Lightning grinned, the Porsche next to him rolling her eyes with a smile.
"Hey, Flo."
The Motorama car smirked widely, "Well hello, Sally. Congrats on the engagement, you two."
"Thanks," McQueen answered, drawing himself up. Flo chuckled, shaking her hood in amusement before getting down to business.
"Now y'all want somethin' to drink?"
A bit put-off by the show car's laid back demeanor, the tow truck answered first, "quart a' oil, please. Ah've gotta long drive home t'night."
"Two of my usual order, Flo," the police car added, and the club owner nodded with a smile, beginning to drive towards the bar.
"Can do, fellas."
Lola's previous song ended, and she promptly started on a new one, accent becoming slightly more pronounced as she sang.
Beginning to tune out his friends' conversation, Mater began mentally looking over his list of more recent cases, and as a result, failed to notice the two British cars driving into the club.
"Tell me why we're here again, Finn?" the Jaguar inquired quizzically, not a smidge of sarcasm spared as the two spy cars sat in the back of the dark club. The Aston Martin heaved an exasperated sigh for the umpteenth time, turning towards his companion.
"Because, Leland, we came to search for the private investigator."
"Well I don't see how this American bloke will help us find Shiftwell,"Leland huffed, looking off to the side, only to lay eyes on the Cuban Motorama car singing at the head of the club, fully ignoring what his comrade said next.
"He's supposed to be one of the top private investigators in the state, and to solve a case of that magnitude—are you even listening?"
"Uh huh."
Following the Jaguar's line of sight, Finn groaned irritably before turning back towards his friend, eyelid raised in annoyance, "You are aware of the fact that you're married, correct?"
"Of course, "Leland scoffed. "But that doesn't mean I can't look."
"Actually, I believe it does mean—"the Aston Martin began to point out, only to be cut off by an unknown female voice.
"So what'll you boys be havin'?"
The two spy cars turned simultaneously, and were met with a Motorama car extremely similar to the one onstage, only with a few noticeable differences. Leland answered first, putting on his most suave smile, "Scotch, please. Extra olives, extra ice."
"Alright, and you?" she inquired, fully ignoring the coupe's advances, turning towards the Aston Martin.
"Ah, nothing for me, thank you."
The Jaguar whispered to the Motorama car conspiringly behind a tire, "He's a lightweight."
Finn sent his companion a piercing glare, before turning back to the show car ordering their drinks, "say, aren't you the owner of the club?"
"Indeed I am," the Motorama car answered proudly.
"So why are you waiting tables?" Leland inquired with a raised eyelid. The club owner smirked in response.
"I believe that a good owner of any restaurant, café, or diner should do as much work as their employees."
"Hmm," Finn murmured absently, turning slightly to look over the club's patrons. The Motorama car noticed this sudden shift in behavior and after a moment raised an eye ridge.
"You two cops, or somethin'?"
"Or something," the Aston Martin muttered in a clipped tone, and the show car smirked lightly.
"Well alright, but if y'all ever need anythin', the name's Flo."
The two spy cars bobbed their hoods slightly, and the club owner began to go into reverse, heading for another table across from them. The Jaguar watched her leave for a moment before Finn rolled his eyes and bumped him lightly to get his attention, "We're supposed to be on lookout, Leland."
"Yeah, yeah," the coupe grumbled, shifting his gaze towards the patrons around them. Both cars were silent for several moments, Leland having diverted his attention towards the singing Motorama car once more, while the Aston Martin watched the exits.
Four more songs were sung before something actually happened.
Three older model cars rolled into the club, their paint dark and shining dully in the faint candlelight, and Finn backed up further into the shadows upon seeing them. The sports coupe beside the Aston Martin watched him reverse with raised eyelids, following his lead before muttering quizzically, "What're you doing, McMissile?"
The Aston Martin jerked his hood in the old model cars' direction, "Those are some of the men Miss Shiftwell and I were trying to get information on. They'll most likely have guards posted all over the club, and won't hesitate in effectively 'silencing' us. If they see me, the entire mission could be jeopardized."
Finn's glare never left the three cars, who by now had begun to drive further into the club, heading towards a table near the back. The Jaguar sighed heavily, muttering under his breath," I can't believe I'm doing this…"
At the Aston Martin's questioning look, Leland revved his engine slightly, murmuring,"Eh, McMissile, if I don't come back…well, it's been one hell of a year."
"Leland, what're you—" before Finn could finish his sentence, the Jaguar had rolled out of the shadows, in plain sight of the three Oldsmobiles, MI6 badge displayed proudly on his side, and they instantly began to race towards the club's exit. The sports coupe gunned his engine again, swiftly following them as he busted through the double doors, none of the club's patrons noticing a thing, leaving the Aston Martin shell-shocked and alone.
Lola had moved on to another song several minutes ago, before driving off stage for a much needed break, smiling widely at the cheers she received once she had finished. Rolling down the ramp and heading towards the bar for a drink, the Cuban singer was confronted by her cousin, the elder Motorama car drawing her away from the patrons, whispering, "there's a gentlecar that wants to speak with ya'," the club owner gestured towards a table in a darker part of the room, where a silvery Aston Martin could be seen, idling behind a table. "I think he's a cop, Lola, so be nice."
Lola's resulting snort was very un-lady like,"'nice' is my middle name, prima."
Turning towards the forklift behind the bar, the Cuban Motorama car inquired, "Could you hold a tequila for me, Rico?"
The bartender smirked lightly, "Sure thing, Lola."
Nodding contentedly, the singer began to make her way over to the darker part of the club, stopping a few feet away from the elder car. "You wished to speak with me, señor?"She inquired, looking him over. The Aston Martin was sleek, shiny and suave, with a kind (yet still somehow flirty) smile, but a sort of heaviness seemed to hang dimly in his eyes.
The sorrow faded slightly, and the elder car smirked,"I'vd heard that you've been in contact with a 'Mater Private Eye'?"
"Yes," Lola began guardedly, her expression quickly morphing into one of suspicion. The Aston Martin chuckled lowly at the look she sent him.
"Don't worry; I didn't come to exterminate him, or anything of the sort. I simply wished to know if he is, or was, here tonight."
"Oh," the Motorama car started, more than a little surprised, "Sí, he's here. At the front of the club actually, with two other cars, a coche de policía and a Porsche."
Looking over the elder gentlecar once more, the Cuban couldn't help but chide herself for being so wary. The look in the Aston Martin eyes was one of kindness—minus the heavy sorrow—although warranted as much suspicion as hers had.
He bobbed his hood slightly, glancing up at her with a twinge of appreciation, "Thank you, Miss Motorama."
Taking this as a dismissal, the singer began to head back towards the bar for her drink, only for the Aston Martin to call her, a pang of regret in his voice, "and by the way, my friend was quite a big fan of yours."
Lola hadn't overlooked the fact that he'd used past tense.
The music had been at a standstill for some time now, the voices of several dozen patrons filling the silence instead. Once again, Mater only paid half-attention to his friends' conversation, the tow truck only adding a nod or comment when he deemed necessary.
Now if only Lola could go back upstage and sing again to quiet the surrounding cars, his night would be perfect.
"Well hello, handsome."
Mater sighed heavily as a familiar metallic body pressed against his side. Spoke to soon….
"What do ya' want, Lola?"
The exotic Motorama car pouted,"Oh, c'mon, Mater, couldn't you at least pretend to be happy to see me?"
The tow truck glanced annoyingly out of the corner of his eye for a moment, watching McQueen and Sally begin to drive away, knowing smirks adorning their grills as they watched him. The private eye groaned inwardly. As soon as this was over, McQueen would never let him live it down…
As soon as the couple was gone, Mater averted is gaze towards the Cuban car beside him, "a'right, why are ya' really here?"
Lola frowned, huffing in annoyance, "there's a car looking for you. Britaníco. Didn't give me a name, but he's plenty handsome."
The detective rolled his eyes at the Motorama car's dreamy expression, shaking his cab slightly, "An' where is this mystery car?"
Lola shrugged, "He didn't say. But it must have been something importante for him to come to you instead of going to the policía."
The Motorama car detached herself from Mater's side, beginning to head towards the stage once more. "Well good luck, Mater!" the Cuban called before her voice was lost in the chorus of applause that she received upon her return.
The tow truck rested low on his axels for a moment, mulling over the information Lola had given him. Over the course of the past few weeks, the Cuban car had become one of Mater's top informants, and would frequently alert him to anything he needed to know—whether it concerned a case or not. And yet, none of his clients spoke to him through his sources…
"Mater Private Eye, I presume?"
"Jist 'Mater's fine," the tow truck said as he turned, nearly coming bumper to bumper with a silvery Aston Martin. "You tha' guy tha's bin lookin' fer me?"
"Indeed," the British car nodded.
"Well, kin ah git yer name?"
"Not now," the silvery car muttered, glancing around the dark club with caution clear in his eyes. "Our location could very well be compromised." The Aston Martin turned to meet the detective's bewildered gaze again. "Is it alright if we meet at your office tomorrow, eight o'clock sharp, to further discuss my…predicament?"
Mater shrugged openly, not having discussed anything, "Sure."
"Very well, thank you for your time, Mater." The British car bowed his hood lightly before turning to drive into a darker part of the club, swiftly disappearing into the shadows. The tow truck watched him leave with raised eyelids, before his friends' voices came to his attention.
"So, Mater…"McQueen began, rolling back over to the table with Sally in tow, the Porsche smirking behind him. "How'd it go?"
The detective—fully aware of the fact that his companions hadn't noticed the exchange between him and the nameless Aston Martin, rolled his eyes as his friend waggled his eyelids, "Lola's jist a source."
"Uh huh, a 'source'," the police car waggled his eyelids again, the Motorama car in questioned singing loud and clear in the background. The Porsche nudged her fiancé, gently reprimanding,"oh, hush! Mater can have lady friend if he wants to. It doesn't mean they're together, or anything of the sort!" the tow truck sent her a grateful look, only for her to add, "But of course, this wasn't a usual incident. When did you start seeing each other, Mater?"
Mater heaved a sigh, explaining slowly and exasperatedly, "we ain't together. Lola's jist a flirt!"
"Of course, buddy," McQueen said disbelievingly, before the subject was dropped—but only for the moment. The couple diverted their attention towards the Cuban car onstage, the cruiser occasionally whispering to his fiancée, and Sally would usually chuckle in response.
Mater rolled his eyes once more at their romantics, and took a long sip from the quart of oil on the table before him. It was going to be a long night…
I finally updated! And for all that want to know, the song Lola was singing is a Carmen Miranda one, called 'I Yi Yi Yi Yi' you should listen to it, it's pretty funny
And as for the Spanish...
-prima= cousin
-señor= sir
- coche de policía= Police car
- Britaníco- British
-importante= important
- policía= police
Please review!