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Rated M for language and sex
Chapter 12-Investigations
"I'm sorry, Doc," Lightning said for the millionth time. "Its okay, Rookie," Doc said. "I'm the one who should be apologizing." "It's fine. Is that why you and Sophia have not gotten married?" Lightning asked. "Yeah, it's just too hard for me. Sophia has been pressuring me to, I… I'm not…. I….mean, I don't want…" Doc stuttered. "It's just… I'm scared; I don't want to lose Sophia the way I lost Julie." "Doc, what's the odds of that happing again" Lightning said "Dose Sophia know about Julie?" "No" Doc said. "You're the first one that I've ever told." "You think maybe you should?" Lightning asked "It might smooth things over with her." "I'll think about it. Thanks Kid, it has been weighing heavily on my mind for a while. Do you want to go get something to eat?" Doc said. "I don't want you driving around too much on your axle when I just clean it up and put staples back in it." "I can go to the track restaurant; it's a two minute drive!" Lightning protested, grinning. He was glad he and Doc were on good terms again. "It'll be a least a ten minute drive for you, Rookie" Doc sniggered. "I'm okay," Lightning said, beginning to roll on three wheels next to Doc. "You look like a fucking idiot" Doc said. "Fine, I'll drive on four wheels and be unbearable pain," Lightning said. He put his front right tire on the ground lightly, only pretending it hurt.
Two days later, Lightning got up at six to beg Doc to let him train. The antibiotics have the infection under control and his axle did not feel bad. However his stomach was killing him. Lightning did not take Doc's warning seriously and took the antibiotics without eating first, and they tore up his stomach like Doc said they would. "No, Kid," Doc said. "Wait 'till tomorrow, you need time to heal." "Fine" Lightning huffed, half-serous, half jokingly. He had been joking around a lot lately. With Doc back to the way he used to be, Lightning was very happy. "What am I supposed to do if I can't train?" Doc shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "What have you been doing?" Nothing!" Lightning said. "That's the problem! I'm going crazy with boredom!" Doc laughed. "I'm sorry, Kiddo," he said. "You can train Friday and Saturday." "Okay," Lightning said. "But what if I don't get back into shape before Sunday and I lose again?" "You won't," Doc said. "You'll be fine. Taking a few days off isn't going to affect your conditioning." Doc's phone started ringing and he answered it "Hello… yes, it is… yes I did… we can do that." Doc said into the phone "We'll be there shortly. Well Kid you can't complain about having nothing to do. That was Dr. Bull Riddell. He wants to meet with us in an hour, and he wants to see the metal shards that I took out of your axle." "Do I need to go get the nurse?" "No she has been contacted and will be there as well" Doc said.
They met up with Harper as they headed to the administration building. A yellow Porsche was there to meet them. "Doc, Lightning, Harper welcome, I've been expecting you" Dr. Riddell said "This way please" Dr. Riddell led them to a plush office. "Please have a seat" He said "It's hot out there, can I get you anything to drink." "I'll have a Pepsi please" Harper said. "That sounds good I'll have one too" Lightning said. "No thanks, I'm good" Doc said. Dr. Riddell came back with the drinks a few moments later. "Lydia, I'm going to be in a meeting." The doctor said to his sectary "Hold all my calls." He handed them their drinks and he settled himself behind a desk. "Now, you all know why you are here" Dr. Riddell said. "I'm investing your clam of negulance when Dr. James Cannae treated you after the race at Huston. Tell me from the beginning exactly what happed." Lightning explained that Doc was not available to crew chief for the race at Huston, so he got his fiancé to do it. Late in the race was a big accident involving some other racecars. He avoided the wreak, but when he weaved around a bumper, he ran over a piece of debris and it cut him. It hurt, but he pain went away quickly and he thought that he had only pulled something and didn't think anymore about it until after the race. When took of his brace she noticed he was bleeding. They deiced to go to the track doctor. He put four staples in and sent Lightning on his way. It bothered him the entire way here, it bothering him so much that his driver had to pull over a few times and let him out of the trailer so he could stretch. He met up with Doc here. Doc wanted to look at right away and they headed to the medical center. Doc said that is was pretty torn up and there was an infection present. He got Harper and they opened the wound and cleaned it out. Doc said that he found metal fragments. They took pictures and then closed it.
"Do you have the pictures you took" Dr. Riddell asked Doc. "I sure do" Doc said. "Can I see them" Dr. Riddell asked. Doc handed the pictures to him. "Those are copies, you can keep them if you want." Dr. Riddell looked through the pictures. Stopping ever so often to ask about something about them. Lightning saw for the first time how badly he was cut. He looked like he was going to get sick when he looked at the pictures that showed his axle. It didn't seem to bother the two doctors or the nurse. "I'm assuming you have the shards too" Dr. Riddell said. Doc handed him the bottle. Dr. Riddell asked Harper and Doc a series of questions. He handed Doc back the bottle. "It looks to me that there something went wrong at the Huston track" Dr. Riddell said "I need to talk to Dr. Cannae and get his side of the story before I make any decisions. I will contact you in a few weeks when I have made my ruling." "Thank you Dr. Riddell" Lightning said "We'll be waiting to hear from you." Dr. Riddell escorted them out of the office. Thank you, Harper for your input" Doc said. "I think it made a difference." "It was my pleasure" She said. "I think that Dr. Riddell will rule in your favor."
Sunday, Lightning rolled opened his trailer door and rolled out to a roaring crowd. He grinned at his fans and drove down to Doc. "You ready, Rookie?" Doc asked. "As much as I'm going to be," Lightning said. His training had gone fairly well. Friday been somewhat disastrous training session, but Saturday more than made up for it. "Racecars! Line up on the track!" the loudspeaker blared. "I'll see you in a five hundred laps Old Man," Lightning said, turning towards the track. "See you then, Kiddo," Doc said. "Go kick some fucking bumper." "Will do" Lightning said, grinning. He drove onto the track and parked on Chick's right "You ready to lose again, McQueen?" Chick asked cackling "In your dreams Thunder" Lightning said "Keep it cool, Rookie," Doc said through Lightning's intercom system "Remember, float like a Cadillac" "And sting like a beamer" Lightning said Lightning revved his engine and watched for the green flag to be dropped. Once it was, Lightning shot onto the track, his axle protesting slightly. He got ahead of Chick and pulled into the inside groove in the track. "Good, Kiddo," Doc said. Try to stay in first." "Isn't that the game?" Lightning laughed. "You know what I mean," Doc said. One hundred laps later, Lightning pulled over for a pit stop. "How's your axle?" Doc asked. "Good, sore, but good" Lightning said. He bared his teeth as a pity quickly changed his front right tire, which was painful for him. "Good," Doc said. "You've got one hundred laps left. Go get 'em." "Will do," Lightning said, speeding off. He was in third behind Chick and Sapphire. Sapphire had not pitted yet. Lightning easily passed her and ended up behind Chick.
Chick's racing strategy was blocking, so it was incredibly hard to pass him. Lightning stayed behind Chick for ninety laps, blocking Sapphire the entire time. Finally, Lightning saw an opening between Chick and the infield. Lightning floored his engine as hard as he could and made it through the opening, but just barely; half way through Lightning's move, Chick saw him and attempted to cut him off, but Lightning was too fast. Lightning grinned; he had completed his task of passing Chick. He was almost positive he had the race won. Chick's specialty may be blocking, but Lightning's was speed. Lightning pulled away from Chick and sprinted the remaining laps until he crossed the finish line in first place. "Good job, Rookie!" Doc said. "Great finish!" "Thanks, Doc," Lightning said.