Lightning bit his lip as the Hornet backed out of the space and left him standing in front of the hotel. No money, no shelter, no knowledge of where he'd ended up, no friends.
The few people he did know were over fifty years younger than when he had last seen them and had no idea who he was.
How was this going to even work...
He needed money. He was used to just having money. It came with the territory of being a successful Piston Cup driver...
He crushed that thought as soon as it came. Driving against Doc in the '50s would be some childhood dream made reality, but he wasn't interested in putting a target on his back either. His ego might have been talking a big game, but he was pretty sure he'd be able to keep pace. He had a feeling his mentor wouldn't take too kindly to that.
He'd never really worked a regular job before. Helping out every now and then at the V8 or when Sally was busy at The Cozy Cone didn't count.
He could always figure out where Doc lived and ask for help. Hey I just met you, and this is crazy, but you're my crew chief so help me maybe?
That would go over well...
Groaning quietly, he entered the lobby and tried to come up with something to say to the man at the front desk. Waiting patiently behind a few people checking in, he could just make out a hushed conversation to his left.
"He's looking for more drivers."
"By when?"
"Hasn't decided. This is the biggest gig he's ever gotten. He just doesn't have the man power."
Without thinking, Lightning stepped in to the middle of their conversation. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I assume it pays. I want in."
The first eyed him up and down briefly with a skeptical look before glancing about to see who else may be listening. "You want in?"
Lightning nodded.
"He doesn't even know what we're talking about." The second huffed, ashing his cigarette.
"So explain it later. I heard all I really need to know."
"You the one Hudson just dropped off?"
"Yeah." Maybe that could earn him some credibility. Looking between the two, he nodded quickly.
The two men glanced to one another before seeming to come to a conclusion. One nodded as the other gathered up the paper in front of him and motioned for Lightning to follow.
Following a couple of strangers out to a car might not have been the smartest thing he'd ever done, but neither was traveling through time with no means to provide for himself.
He sat in the back seat and bounced his leg as they left the hotel front.
"You any good with a car, kid?"
"One of the best." He met the driver's gaze in the rear view mirror while cracking his knuckles between his knees.
The man in the passenger seat laughed aloud at that. "Anyone with a car between here and the Mississippi says the same. You're not special."
Lightning furrowed his brow, glaring at the back of the seat in front of him but remained silent. He'd have to tone it down at least a little bit...maybe...
He could feel his heart racing when the car came to a stop, parking behind a number of familiar looking vehicles. A white farmhouse stood picturesque near the trees with a nice size barn on the other corner of the property.
It was the Hornet parked in front of the barn doors that had caught his attention.
Getting out of the car and following the two he'd just met, Lightning didn't notice much of the conversation. Looking in all directions, he tried taking in as much as he could until remembering that he was trying to blend in and not be noticed, or worse, make a fool of himself.
He was handed a heavy and decent sized book by the man who had been driving. Juggling that with one arm he awkwardly took the glass of shine, he could only assume was what it was, that had been passed to him in the other hand. He promptly dropped both when someone commented from the porch.
"Hey, you brought Hot Rod."
All attention was suddenly on him, and Lightning was sure he was some sickly shade of gray. He handed the book back to its owner and huffed an apology over the dropped glass.
"That stuff's expensive and he throws it in the grass."
"It cost you nothing, Junior."
"It cost me time, alright?"
Standing awkwardly at the bottom of the steps, Lightning scanned everyone's faces in the gathering dusk. They were all there.
River, Junior, Lou, Smokey...Doc...
He'd called him Hot Rod.
As if reading his thoughts, Lou was the one to mention it, looking across the table. "Hot Rod...?"
"Yeah." Was the matter of fact answer as Jesse leaned his chair back lazily on two legs. "Cause he hasn't got one."
Lightning frowned when the others all reacted in ways that suggested it made perfect sense.
Junior was leaning against the railing, he eyed him briefly over his shoulder before turning fully to face him. "Rob even tell you what's going on?"
"Just that you need drivers.
"Says he's one of the best." Robert supplied.
Lightning was a little offended at the round of faint laughter that rippled through the group, and he couldn't help but glance up to see one reaction in particular.
"Attitude is only permitted when the skill's proven." The second man he'd met commented, watching him. Could that man even drive?
"We've seen more than enough attitude without the skill." Jesse replied as he let his chair fall back in to place. "But how you gunna drive without a car?"
"I uh-" Lightning stuttered. "I'll come up with-"
"He can drive the Ford."
Lightning was surprised to hear a feminine voice aside from Louise in the group, and blinked a few times at the figure that had appeared just outside the screen door on to the porch.
"The Ford's not up to speed." Jesse immediately replied.
Lightning saw his chance and spoke without thinking, all while glancing between the two and realizing who she was.
"You won your first race in that car. It's got to be good for something."
Jesse turned his attention away from his sister to give Lightning a shrewd glance and then finally to Robert. Raking a hand through his hair, he scratched at the back of his head in frustration. "Rob, you brought a fan in to this-"
The others had picked up on that as well, everyone talking at once.
"If this gets out-"
"We could end up-"
"-we'll never be permitted on a-"
Lightning thought his friends could be excitable... Everyone spoke over the other until it was brought to an abrupt end.
"Alright, that's enough."
The porch fell silent with Smokey's stern order, and while they had all been reprimanded as well, Lightning felt three inches tall as he was stared down by the man.
"So you're a Piston fan."
"Yes." He left out the sir realizing he was probably older than most of them.
"You can drive."
"Yes."
"Can you keep your mouth shut."
Lightning nodded.
Smokey watched him for a long moment and finally shrugged a shoulder, looking back toward Junior. "It's your operation. You make the final call."
Lightning tried not to bite his lip, forcing himself to only return Junior's gaze and not look anywhere else.
"We'll see."
AN: This is absolutely a product of recently watching The Sting for the millionth time the other night
