Tezla's 3rd Headquarters: The Ultimate Cube
"The government, particularly, the Silencerz, and I worked closely together to research ancient scriptures. These scriptures were from the extraterrestrial beings known as the Accelerons. From what we had already deciphered they left behind a test. A test from another world. What the test was, and what was in that world, we didn't know yet. So we continued our studies. And, what we found was incredible. The Wheel of Power. In the scriptures that we translated, the Wheel of Power was a source of unlimited power. But the only way to get the wheel was to pass the Accelerons' test. A race of sorts." Tezla started.
"Highway 35." Kurt said.
Tezla nodded. "The government began to design cars, built for racing. And enhanced to take on the challenges that would be put in place by the Accelerons."
"However, sometime during our work, we had conflicting interests. I wanted to use the wheel to solve many of the world's problems. The government was more interested in using the wheel for themselves. That was when I decided to leave. Of course, with the information that I had, they wouldn't just allow me to leave. That was when I took one of their X-88 drones and reprogrammed him. With his assistance, I was able to gain access to some of their technology in areas that I didn't have clearance to." He explained. One of the things that he was able to take was one of the specially designed cars that he mentioned before. This one being an early revision of Nitrium.
"Once I retrieved everything that I needed I escaped. Not without resistance. The government wanted their technology back. And while I was able to escape, I could not continue my research out in the open. So I created a secret base of operations here in California. I could continue my work without the burden of the Silencerz potentially finding me. But I was always careful. Not careful enough, it would seem." Dr. Tezla said, the last statement referring to GIG and how he was spying for the Silencerz.
"Using the artifacts left behind by the Accelerons, I continued my work and studies. Those scriptures revealed a different dimension created by them. A dimension created for racing, to challenge drivers. And at the end of the challenge awaited a source of an incredible amount of energy. The Wheel of Power. Using Nitrium as a basis, I began designing cars. The fastest in the world. I sent in robots to pilot these cars, confident that their programming and the cutting-edge technology in those cars would be enough. But it wasn't. I tried different cars, different upgrades, but every time it was a failure. I didn't understand it. These were the fastest cars in the world! Until GIG proposed that I needed a new kind of driver. That was the missing piece. So I designed more cars." Dr. Tezla started.
Hot Wheels World Race: Street Breed Theme Plays
"Each car type having different strengths." Dr. Tezla said.
A flashback scene of Kurt finding his car, Slingshot in front of a hotel.
"Street Breed cars. Designed for urban environments." He said.
Kurt couldn't help but grin a little as Tezla talked about the strength of his World Race team.
Another scene of Dan Dresden using the Eye in the Sky camera drone in the Artic Leg of the World Race.
Hot Wheels World Race: Scorchers Theme Plays
Taro finds his car, the '70 Plymouth Road Runner.
"Scorchers. Cars specializing in mountainous terrain and volcanoes."
Taro's demeanor never changed as Tezla said this.
A scene of Taro being able to go through lava during the Volcano leg was shown.
Hot Wheels World Race: Road Beasts Theme Plays
Banjee finds his car, Ballistik. He whistles as he looks at it in approval, a large grin on his face.
"Road Beasts. Designed for jungle environments." Tezla said.
Scenes of the Road Beasts driving through the Rainforest Leg are seen.
A scene with Banjee using his saw blade to cut through the ice in the Artic Leg of the World Race, along with scenes of him cutting through the environment of the Swamp Realm and racing against the Drones are also seen.
Hot Wheels World Race: Dune Ratz Theme Plays
Kadeem finds his car, Krazy 8s in the Sahara Desert. He raises an eyebrow before studying the car, nodding in approval before he sees Tezla talking, looking on in curiosity.
"Dune Ratz. Specializing in off-road environments."
Kurt closes his eyes and shakes his head a little, after thinking about what the Drones did to Kadeem.
Scenes of the Dune Ratz driving through the Desert Leg and Kadeem being able to drive through the smoke of the Volcano were seen.
Hot Wheels World Race: Wave Rippers Theme Plays
Vert finds his car, Deora II in front of his house.
"Wave Rippers. Specializing in jump jets and mobility. To give the feeling of 'riding the wave'." Tezla said.
Wylde nodded a little, along with Lani having a slight grin, the former acknowledging his time on the team, and the latter reminiscent of her time on the team and how much fun it was.
A flashback scene of the Wave Rippers using their jets to go across the sand dunes in the Desert Leg, and Vert surfing across Lava in the Volcano Leg of the World Race were seen.
Wave Ripper Theme Stops
"And, as we are standing here today, GIG's proposed idea proved to be a success. Of course, I did not account for the intervening of Gelorum and the CLYP Agency." Tezla said, eying Kurt in his opaque glasses. Kurt frowned a little. He couldn't see, but he could feel the Doctor looking at him. Who hasn't had a clean record himself.
"Wait, Gelorum and those crazy robots have been around since the World Race!?" Monkey asked.
"Yeah. When I worked for her I didn't know what she really was. Why she wanted me to get the Wheel. And why she wanted the wheel. When I did I realized I made a mistake." Kurt said.
"It is said that only humans could get the wheel. Unlike robots, our innovation and creativity are what help us overcome challenges that artificial intelligence cannot solve. That was why my robots didn't work. And why she wanted Kurt to bring her the wheel himself." Dr. Tezla said.
"That's probably why Gelorum was never considered an Acceleracer." Karma started. "The Drones were built for winning. And that means doing anything to do so. Things that the Accelerons wouldn't consider you a true racer for." She finished.
"When I realized that the Wheel had too much power for anyone to control, we decided to send it back. Gelorum attempted to take the wheel, but failed. However, I wanted to continue my studies on the wheel. To attain a better understanding of it. And possibly finding a way to control the Wheel's Power. Without creating a countrywide blackout. And I did so for 2 years. But unfortunately, the World Race wouldn't be the last time Gelorum would be seen. She tried to take the Wheel for herself again. When I discovered this, I took Nitrium and went to Highway 35. But before I could reach the top, I was attacked by the Drones. They were able to take the wheel. I was able to escape at the last second, and built the Acceledrome."
"What exactly happened in Highway 35? You never told us how you were able to escape if the drones had that much control over it." Kurt said.
"I… was able to use the EDR found in Nitrium to escape." Dr. Tezla said. This was something that not even Lani knew about.
"An EDR?" Monkey asked before laughing a little in disbelief. "You're tellin' me you had access to that type of tech for that long, and you only had it in your car? Doesn't exactly seem fair now does it?" Monkey asked.
A thought came to Kurt. "When I came across a Silencer that changed his car to look like mine in the Junk Realm, Taro was able to knock him off the track, but he was able to get out. With his car. Like an improved version of the EDR. Something else the Doctor took from them." Kurt said.
"If you had access to EDR technology for that long, why did you wait until after the Lava Realm to add them to our cars?" Kurt asked.
"A simple answer." Tezla started. Kurt looked at the doctor, waiting for the answer. "The technology wasn't ready to be implemented into other vehicles yet."
"Tch. It's easy for you to give those simple answers when you're not the one driving in those realms. What about Dan? Alec? Banjee? Kadeem? My brother?" Kurt said. He wanted to drop it, but decided against it. Not after what he saw happened to Kadeem and his brother from the Drones.
"If the EDR's were ready to be equipped, I would have implemented them as soon as I could." Dr. Tezla said.
"As soon as you could? Or as soon as you wanted?" Kurt said. He looked at everyone else. "It's pretty convenient that as soon as we started winning accelechargers, the Swamp and Cavern Realms, Tezla said that he was ready to equip our cars with them. You could have just waited until they were ready before sending drivers out into the Realms." He said to the others.
"We had no time to waste! If we waited, the drones would have won more accelechargers!"
"You kidding me!? All you care about are the accelechargers! FOUR people were lost in the Realms! My brother could have been lost too! Look what the Drones did to him! You never cared about us! You said you wanted to stop Gelorum but you're no better than she is!" Kurt said. Lani's jaw dropped.
"I just want to know Tezla. What's at the end of the realms? Huh? What was worth drivers being trapped in the realms? Vert going missing?" Kurt asked, cooling down.
"I don't know!" Tezla said.
"You know something about this Tezla! You can at least be honest with this!" Kurt said.
"I DON'T KNOW!" Tezla said. This one was a lot more aggressive from him, something that took Kurt aback.
"When Gelorum won all of the Accelechargers, she was able to achieve something that I was never able to figure out in my research. The ultimate test from the Accelerons. The Ultimate Race. An opportunity to go to their home world. And become a true Acceleracer. Vert won, yes. But what he received, and what he could achieve by going to their home world, I don't know." Dr. Tezla said. "The only thing he said before he returned to the Acceledrome was, 'Wisdom is a circle. What you receive, you must give back.' "
Porkchop scratched his head, unsure what that meant.
"Did you know about all of this? About the EDR?" Kurt asked Lani.
"I… I knew about some of it. Dr. Tezla never told me that he had one in Nitrium before." Lani said.
That was all he needed to hear. He shook his head.
"Well, ya worked for 'em before, right?" Porkchop asked Tezla, getting back to the task at hand. Finding Vert.
Tezla nodded.
"Any ideas where they might have him?" Porkchop asked.
"The Silencerz are very secretive with almost everything they do. From their motives, the identities of their drivers, to even their base of operations. All I can say is that the one that I worked in was in Europe. But even with knowing this information, I doubt the Silencerz would keep him there." Dr. Tezla said.
"Because you used to work for them, they know that it would probably be the first place you'd look." Lani said.
"Correct. If the Silencerz have Vert, they are keeping him somewhere else. If they have the wheel like you propose they do, then they and the wheel would be in the same place." Tezla said. "I have already begun creating another hologram of the Wheel of Power. In the hopes of it potentially leading us to Vert. Or the Wheel itself." Dr. Tezla said.
"How long's it gonna take to finish?" Wylde asked.
"Two days." Tezla said.
"If Vert went through with that race with Gelorum, the easiest thing we could do is just go through that ourselves and then find him once we finish it." Nolo said.
"Replicating the Ultimate Race was something I considered, but we can't. Not without the Accelechargers. Which were also with Vert when he disappeared." Tezla said.
"How do we even know if the Wheel's even gonna be open when it is done?" Tork asked.
"And what if it isn't?" Taro added.
"We don't. And if it isn't, I am afraid we'd have to wait." Tezla said.
"We don't have time to wait! We've got a missing driver out there in who knows where! If that Wheel's not open, we're just gonna have to find another way." Nolo said.
"Then it is settled. In two days, you all will return here to see if the Wheel is open. If it isn't…." Tezla paused. "We would have to find another way to reach Vert." Tezla said.
"If it is, there is no guarantee that the Wheel would be in the Silencerz' headquarters. It may still be in possession of the drones in Highway 35. Although Gelorum has been defeated, I would advise you to proceed with caution if you do have to venture there."
"Please let the Silencerz have him. I don't want to go back there again." Monkey said, thinking an abandoned Drones HQ would be even creepier than one occupied by the Drones.
Kurt walks up to Dr. Tezla. "The only reason I'm doing this is for Vert. Once this is over, I'm done." He said, before walking away.
Drones HQ
2 Days Ago
A drone, seemingly part human as well, opened their eyes, awakening. The robotic arm along with a part of their back had sparks coming out of it. It struggled to stand, falling down as soon as it did stand. It was on one knee. It continued to move slowly, eventually having to resort to crawling, it let out a grunt, seemingly in pain. The grunt indicated that it was a male. It continued to crawl before closing its eyes again, but not before getting a glimpse of something black and green.
Present Day
The drone opened his eyes again, realizing that it was on some sort of bed-like chamber. It got out of it, and tried once more to stand. This time it did so, without issues.
As he walked and explored the room he was in, he was met by what was a Worker Drone, an RD-W1 to be specific, and a standard RD-S1 soldier drone.
The human-like drone held his head with his human hand. "Where-where am I?" He asked.
"You are in a factory." The RD-W1 unit said.
"Why?" He said, holding his head.
"You were damaged. Critically damaged. Repairs were needed." The RD-W1 responded.
"And what of Gelorum?"
"She has not returned in 4 days. Highly likely that she has been defeated." RD-W1 said.
He lets go of his head. "Then…. I am in command now. Where is the wheel?"
"Gone."
"The humans have stole it."
"Begin building an army. We will take back the wheel! With force." He said, balling his robotic arm into a fist.
2 Days Later
The human-like drone was sitting on a throne. The same throne that Gelorum was sitting on before she left.
An RD-W1 unit approached him.
"What is the status of the production?" He asked.
"Production of all units is at an optimal rate. However, estimated time to full restoration of forces is unknown." RD-W1 said.
"Good. But not good enough. We need to be faster!" He said.
"Yes, General." The RD-W1 said, leaving.
22 minutes later
"This is what you are leader of now, Kadeem?" A voice asked the robot.
"Who-" He said, not recognizing who it was that was talking to him. "Haziz?" He said, blinking and now having his normal voice, no longer having the robotic effect. The robot was in fact Brian "Zone" Kadeem, leader of the Dune Ratz, who was turned into a Racing Drone after being lost in the Storm Realm.
"I…. I apologize for being gone for so long."
His voice then has the robotic effect again. "Once my forces are rebuilt here, I will bring them to Africa Haziz. What they have done to me, I will give to everyone there."
Haziz shakes his head.
"You disapprove. Why?"
"This is not what your people need, Kadeem. Your people need you to lead."
"You don't understand. This." Kadeem said, pointing to himself with his robot arm. "This will solve our problems. No more fighting. No more thirst, hunger."
"You have lost your way. I have warned you before of this danger. You have already paid for it. Now you repeat your mistakes."
"Danger… the danger of what?" Kadeem asked, his eyes no longer being green.
"The danger of seeing what you want to see, instead of what is true Your people have waited long enough. Come home, Kadeem."
"Home?" Kadeem said, holding his head again.
His eyes return green. "It is you who doesn't see, Haziz. But, once I reclaim the Wheel, I will show you the truth."
Haziz was gone. But Gelorum replaced him. "Gelorum?" He kneels in front of her.
"Kadeem." Gelorum said before grabbing his face with her metal hand gently. Kadeem rises. She gently moves the hand across his face.
"My people. They worry. Haziz, he disapproves." Kadeem said.
"You were once one of them. Blind. Believing in what Tezla told you to race for. Even though he has no clue himself what he's even asking you to race for." She said, circling him.
"Now you understand Kadeem. You have a purpose to race." She said.
"Yes. To win!" He said, balling his metal arm into a fist.
She then speaks softly into his hear. "Soon, they'll know everything you do." She said, smiling before grabbing his face gently again and walking away.
He then sits back on the throne, grinning in a similar fashion that Gelorum did before his left eye twitched.
A faint semblance of the Dune Ratz Theme Plays before stopping again a few seconds in