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PIXAR AND DISNEY
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Rated M for language and sex.
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Chapter 6.-Phoenix-
Four long, very boring hours later, Lightning rolled out of his trailer very stiffly. His axles were throbbing from speeding the day before. He and Sally were surrounded by reporters. Lightning was used to it, but Sally's eyes were large from the flashes and questions. All the reporters crowding around Lightning felt very intimating for Sally and she huddled close to him "No questions, please!" Lightning called out. He pushed through the crowd and into the restricted section. There, Kori Turbowitz came up to him. "Hey, Kori" Lightning greeted her. "Hi, Lightning," Kori said smiling. "How are you feeling?" "Pretty good," Lightning said, getting tired of the question. "A few bumps and bruises, but overall okay" Lightning responded. "Good," Kori said. "You don't mind if I quote you on any of this, do you?" "Not at all," Lightning replied. She pulled out a notebook and a pen from under her. "What are your feelings towards Chick Hicks right now?" Kori asked. "Pretty fucking pissed off," Lightning said frowning. "Lightning, language!" Sally scolded. He just smiled at Sally. "There was no excuse for what he did. I'm definitely angry, and personally, I'm glad he's out for at least as long as I am" "Who is this?" Kori asked, gesturing to Sally. "This is my girlfriend, Sally Carrera" Lightning said, looking lovingly to Sally. "I met her when I arrived in Radiator Springs." "Did you hear that?" A reporter said from the gate of the restricted section. "Lightning McQueen really is dating a Porsche!" "Sorry," Kori said. "You weren't trying to keep your relationship a secret, were you?" "No, it's fine," Lightning reassured her. "Don't worry about it." "Okay," Kori said, closing her notebook. "Thanks for the information." "No problem," Lightning said.
"Racecars please make your way to the track!" the loudspeaker called. Lightning felt a familiar jolt in his stomach. He started moving towards the track, but when he felt his axle begin to throb, he stopped and winced. Lightning watched longingly as his fellow competitors made their way to the racetrack. He sighed and turned away. "Are you okay?" Sally asked "I miss it," Lightning said lowly. "I should have told Doc I wasn't up to coming." "You'll be back before you know it," Sally reassured him. "Yeah, not until next season" Lightning said, discouraged. "I don't want to be here." "Do you want to leave? Where do you want to go?" Sally asked. "I don't care where we go, I want to be anywhere but here" Lightning said. He saw Doc across the parking lot and drove over to him. "Hey, Kid" Doc said. "What's up?" "I don't want to be here," Lightning said unhappily. "I don't want to see all these cars doing what I want to do while I'm stuck on the sidelines." "Okay, Kid," Doc, said. "You and Sally can go into the city and have some fun if you want. I'll call you when the race is over and we'll figure what we'll do next." "Sounds good," Lightning said, thankful to be able to leave. He turned around and drove back to Sally. "Come on," he said. "Doc said to go into the city for a while and we'll figure out what we're doing later. Come on let's get out of here" Lightning said. Ignoring all the reporters, Lightning drove out of the gate and into the city with Sally right behind him.
Once Lightning and Sally was out of the stadium, Lightning pulled into a nearby parking lot. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Doc's number. "Hey, Kiddo," Doc said through the receiver. "Hey," Lightning replied "We're out." "Good," Doc said. "Why don't you and Sally stay in the city a couple days? And have some fun; Mack can wait here at the track." "Seriously" Lightning asked. "Yeah," Doc replied. "You don't really need any more monitoring, so just go have fun. I'll see you in a couple of days. "Okay," Lightning said happily. "I'll see you later." "Bye," said Doc. Lightning hung his phone up and turned to Sally. "Doc says to stay in the city a couple days and have some fun. Mack is going to hang out at the track and wait for us" Sally smiled. "Are you up to it?" she asked "How could I not be?" Lightning asked happily. "I've been cooped up in a hospital room for three weeks, and now I can actually go places!" Sally laughed. "Where are we going to stay?" she asked. "We can find a nice hotel," Lightning said. He then looked into the sunset. "We might need to find one soon." Thirty minutes later, Lightning and Sally found the 'Take a Brake five star suites. "Do you want to stay here?" Lightning asked, looking at Sally. "It looks really expensive," Sally said apprehensively. "Don't worry about it" Lightning said. "I can afforded it, remember?" Sally laughed "Sounds good to me," she said. Lightning opened the door for Sally and drove in behind her.
Fifteen minutes later, Lightning and Sally got keys to their suites. Lightning drove into his suite and directly onto the bed. He sighed as his axle got some relief. It had been bothering him. "Are you okay?" came Sally's voice several minutes later. "Yeah" Lightning said, his eyes opening. He had dozed off. "Are you tired?" Sally asked "A little," Lightning said. "This is the furthest I've driven since my accident. I need to regain my endurance." "You will" Sally said. "Do you want to stay in for dinner tonight?" "That would probably work out better," Lightning said. "Well, I'm going back to my room for a quick shower," Sally said. "I'll come back when I'm done and we can order something." "Okay," Lightning said. He saw his television and turned it on. He was surprised to see himself on the television screen. "Lightning McQueen made his first appearance at a track since his horrific wreck three weeks ago. He introduced his girlfriend, Sally Carrera to the racing industry, but Lightning did not stay long at the track" said the reporter. "Kori Turbowitz got a brief interview with McQueen's crew chief and doctor, the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, Kori " The TV cut to Kori "Doc, why did Lightning leave right after the start of the race?" Kori asked. "There was no point in him staying," Doc said gruffly. "He misses being on the track, and it just depresses him to watch other cars do what he wants to be doing." "Do you think determination will help him do well in next season races?" Kori asked. "Yup," said Doc. "He's gonna start racing again next season. He'll have plenty of time to heal and get back in shape." "He still has to have an engine replacement and I don't want him to rush it." "Wow" Kori said. "When he was on the track right after the wreck, what were his chances of survival?" "About fifty percent," Doc replied. Kori shook her hood dramatically. "Thank you, Doc Hudson," she said. Kori turned to face the camera. "Those were words directly from Doc Hudson, Lightning McQueen's crew chief."
The television then turned to commercials. Lightning sighed. "What's wrong?" Sally asked, rolling back into the room. Lightning jumped and winced. "Nothing," he said. "Okay," Sally said, not looking reassured. "Do you just want to order room service, or call a restaurant and have something delivered?" "Room service, it'll be faster" Lightning said, reading over the room service menu. "What do you want?" Sally looked at the menu. "A cheeseburger, fries and a Pepsi, for desert I'll have the chocolate cheesecake" she said. Lightning looked at her surprisingly. "What… I'm hungry" Sally said. Lightning nodded and used the hotel phone to call down to the hotel restaurant. He ordered Sally's food first. Lightning ordered a super deluxe pizza, cheesy bread, a bag of potato chips, a Coke, and bottle of wine. "You were giving me grief about what I ordered" Sally said. "Doc would have a cow, if he found out you were pigging out on pizza and junk food" "Where're on vacation, besides he told me to go have fun" Lightning pouted. "Eating crap, is 'having fun'" Thirty minutes later, a hotel employee brought the food for Lightning and Sally. "Thanks" Sally said, accepting the food. She closed the door and gave Lightning his food. "Wine, on top of everything else?" Sally said as she picked up the bottle. "Sure why not" he said. She eyed Lightning nervously "What?" Lightning asked. "You're not acting like yourself" Sally said. "Well," He said "Three weeks ago, my life kind of took a nasty turn, I think you'd act differently too" "You seem quieter." "There hasn't been much to say" Lightning replied. Sally sighed and did not say anything else.
"Sorry if that sounded rude" Lightning said a few minutes later. "I've been in a bad mood lately." "With good reason" Sally replied. "Just ask me if you need any help doing anything. Don't be embarrassed." Sally said. "Sally, I would ask, if I needed help" Lightning said defensively. "Okay, you don't have to bite my hood off." Sally said as she popped the cork on the bottle of wine and pored two glasses. She handed Lightning his glass and leaned against him gently. "This is nice." "What is?" Lightning asked, glancing at her. "Us, being able to get away" Sally said. "I love Radiator Springs, but sometimes it's not private enough for me." "Yeah" Lightning agreed "Especially with Mater" "And Doc," Sally added quickly.
Just then, Lightning's car phone rang. "Hello?" he asked in a flat voice. "You two settled in a hotel, Rookie?" Doc asked "Yeah," Lightning said. "Good," Doc said. "Sapphire won the race today, and at the rate she going, she'll get the piston cup for this year" Lightning's stomach lurched. "Oh, that's nice" he said uncomfortably. "You'll be back before you know it, don't worry. Have you heard the other news?" Doc asked, his voice turning dark. "Do I really want to know?" Lightning asked. "Chick told the disciplinary board that he didn't see you coming up on the outside and they believed him." Doc said angrily. "That mother fucker will be back racing next week." "What, no!" Lightning groaned. "I can't believe this! How could the board believe him?" "Who knows," Doc said. "But don't worry…" "This means Chick probably will win the Piston Cup again." Lightning said cutting in. "No, I don't think so, he too far behind Sapphire in points" Doc said glumly. "Well I'm filing for an appeal of the ruling" Doc said. "Tell Sally when she gets back we're going to have a meeting, all three of us. Just enjoy your vacation, Rookie." "Okay," Lightning said. He knew if there was an attorney that could win the appeal it was Sally. "So anyway, Kid," Doc said. "You guys stay for a night or two and I'll see you when you get back." "See you in a couple days," Lightning said. He hung his phone up. "Chick starts racing again next week," Lightning said. "No!" Sally cried "How did he manage that?" "He told the disciplinary board he didn't see me" Lightning said glumly. "And the board believed him" Doc is filing for an appeal; We have to meet with him when we get home so we can figure out how to win the case." "If I have anything to say about it, Chick won't be racing for a long time" Sally said angrily. Her pretty face turned from a deep frown to a sly, almost satisfied grin." "What?" Lightning asked, utterly confused. "Oh nothing," Sally said in a singsong voice. "I think I just thought a way to defeat Chick though "How?" Lightning asked eagerly. "I'll tell you in our meeting with Doc in a few days," Sally said mysteriously. "Tell me, now!" Lightning said "Please?" Sally thought for a moment. "Nah," she said grinning. "I'm going to make you suffer." Lightning sighed and surrendered.