Chapter Eight

The plane landed in the Tokyo airport, and Lexie and Alex followed Team McQueen off the plane. On the tarmac, she spotted four tuners approaching them, and she slipped around the group to meet them. "Finn McMissile sent us," the purple Mitsubishi in front said.

Lexie gave the tuners a once-over. "You sure about that?" she asked.

The Mitsubishi gestured to the plane the tuners took with them. "The plane's name is Siddeley."

"Finn's plane?"

"Yep."

"Had to check. Anyway, why'd he send you?"

"Because apparently, wherever you go, trouble follows."

"There's a shocker."

"Look, just let us slip in with you, and we'll help take care of everything else. There should be a few lemons on the way, too, for the same reason, except the Professor probably sent them."

"Alex is already with us. Why do they need to send his friends?"

"Try Montgomery on for size. You'll probably meet him in a couple days."

"Don't think I want to, considering."

"Everything okay over here?" Alex asked when he drove up to the five cars.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Lexie replied. "Apparently Finn sent these tuners as added protection against this Montgomery freak."

"Well, we'll need all the help we can get. Clearly he means business. Okay, you four, let's go. We've gotta find our hotel."

Alex, Lexie, and the tuners drove across the tarmac, rejoined the rest of Team McQueen, and after a brief period of explaining, drove toward the hotel.

CARS

"Okay, we're in," Boost whispered over the communication system.

"Excellent," Finn replied. "I trust you'll know what to do."

"Yeah."

"Great. Any sign of him yet?"

"Not yet, but we just got here. I think the lemons are starting to get here."

"Good. Keep up the good work."

Finn hung up, and Boost looked at his three friends, huddled in a corner. Then he looked over at Alex and Lexie, asleep in the corner oppsoite, closer to the door. He turned and studied the parking lot far below, which contained only a few cars huddled about. "Weird," he whispered, turning to drive over to Alex, shaking the Pacer awake.

"Mmm, what?" Alex asked.

"We've got company in the back lot."

Alex's eyes widened. "What?"

"C'mon." Alex glanced at Lexie. "She'll be fine."

"I know that, but I'm still pretty worried about her."

"She'll be in good tires. I trust those cars with my life." Boost gestured to the three sleeping tuners in the corner.

"You know 'em better than I do."

"Now, let's meet our unwanted guests."

CARS

Alex peered out from behind the dumpster and whispered, "Looks like Montgomery's cars. Lexie told me about this sort of thing, except this time it looks like they're asleep."

"Okay, this is getting weirder and weirder," Boost replied. "Now what?"

"Well, better not to wake them. Let's go back."

Boost shrugged and followed Alex back into the hotel. He glanced over his fender at the door, beyond which their unwanted guests slept. "Who sleeps in a parking lot?" he asked as they drove up the ramp.

"Somebody waiting to take out a hit, or carnap somebody. They'll be up when they're absolutely certain everyone else is asleep."

"So we may as well be up, too."

Alex settled into next to Lexie, and Boost joined the tuners in the corner. Lexie's eyes fluttered open, and she muttered, "You went somewhere."

"Yeah, I did," Alex replied. "We have company, and they're waiting for you."

"Great. That guy must never do his own work."

"We're gonna stay up and wait for them. You get some rest."

"I don't need to be protected, Alex. I'm not some damsel in distress from a fairy tale."

"You're still being hunted."

"Doesn't matter. I can hold my own against the sportscars, you and I both know that. Whatever's gonna happen is gonna happen. It's physically impossible to protect someone from fate."

"It's not about protecting you from fate. It's about protecting you from a very real threat that can be avoided."

"Alex, I can take care of myself. Please don't argue this with me."

Alex sighed. "Okay," he said. "You have a huge party tomorrow night. Everyone will be there. Our chances are good that Montgomery and or his minions will show up looking for you, if they don't get to you tonight."

"If they want us, they're gonna get both of us, because if they take you, they take me, too, and I have a sneaking suspicion you'd jump into the fire after me."

"Yeah, I would."

"Now that that's settled, let's wait for some of our dear friends."

CARS

Lexie began to nod off for the umpteenth time before jerking herself awake. The sound of engines approaching from down the hall drove her to shake Alex awake, and she whispered, "They're coming."

The two rolled closer to the door as the sound of engines approached, passed, and then drifted away from them. Lexie exhaled softly and rolled backwards, her eyes closing. Before she could register anything, she fell asleep.