Pit Boys - The Next Race

Chapter 3 - The Race

Babe was a nervous wreck. He had never felt this way before when he was about to race. Charlie came into the locker room. He had his suit on. He came and stood next to Babe and looked at him in the mirror.
"What are you doing, where is your suit?" He asked.
Babe turned around and Charlie saw how panicked he was.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Charlie put his hands on Babe's arms and drew him closer.
"I don't know." Babe said. "I'm too nervous to race."
"You're PitBabe. What are you talking about?! This is not like you."
"I don't know. Before I couldn't concentrate because my senses were too sharp. Now I feel like I don't have that edge anymore."
Charlie walked to the locker and pulled out Babe's suit.
"Put this on," he said. "You will be fine." Charlie pulled him in for a kiss and when he let go, Babe was smiling.
"There you go." Charlie smiled at him and helped him put on the suit.
"You have your earpiece, right?" Charlie asked and Babe nodded. He put it in his ear. Way was on the other end of the line. Since he couldn't show up in person this was their line of communication.
"You there?" Babe asked. The only response was static. He looked at Charlie.
"Yeah yeah I'm here." Way's voice was very faint but it was there. "Are you still in the locker room?"
"Yeah." Babe said. "I'm coming out now."
Once they were outside, Way's voice became much clearer.
"Ok, so first of all, you know Red Racing has a new guy since Winner disappeared."
"Made him disappear, more like." Alan chimed in.
" Uh huh, now no more comments from either of you." Way said.
"So this new guy, we know very little about him. What we can guess is that, he's going to be using dirty tricks." Babe shrugged. He looked over at Alan and Jeff who were standing next to his car.
"Alan, you sure everything is fine with the cars?" Way sounded concerned
"Of course. You know we have been sleeping in the garage the past couple of weeks." Alan said.
"Wait is that where you have been?" Charlie frowned at Jeff.
"Well, yeah." Jeff
"I helped him study." Alan said.
"Sure as hell you did." Way was trying very hard to control his laugh. Charlie did not look happy and Alan was glad he didn't have his earpiece in yet. Charlie and Way never did get along all that well.
"Coming back on topic," Way cleared his throat. "The new guy. His name is Ben. He's never been in major league racing but he's known for being brutal on the track. All of you, please keep your head in the game and try not to get yourself killed. Where's Kim?"
"I'm here." Kim appeared behind Alan who jumped. "You did not have to sneak up on me." Alan moved away from him.
Kim smiled. "I did not." He said, holding up his hands. Sonic and North had already started their live streaming and they could hear excited noises from inside.
"I think that's it." Way said. "Let him bite the dust, Babe."
Babe looked over at the track and nodded. "He can kiss my ass."
Babe, Charlie and Kim got into their cars. Alan looked nervous as he went back inside. Jeff took his hand and squeezed it. "They will be fine." He said.
Inside, Pete was waiting for them. "Everything's ok?" Pete asked and Alan nodded.
"In a few moments, the race will be underway, you can see the cars lined up on the track." Sonic and North were glued to their phone pointed to the TV screen.
"Is Dean racing today?" North asked as her walked over to Alan.
"Yes." Alan didn't want to say anything more on the topic and North looked back over at their livestream.
"And 3, 2, 1."
They held their breath. The cars took off with a deafening sound that could be heard even inside the building. Sonic and North continued their commentary and the others focused on the screen. Alan did not let go of Jeff's hand.
In a few moments, Babe took the lead with Ben right behind him. Kim and Dean were neck to neck right behind them with Charlie following closely.
Ben was trying to overtake Babe but Babe did not give him a window.
The first lap was over now. The competition tightened as Ben had managed to pull up next to Babe. There was not even an inch space between their cars and there was a serious chance of collision. Neither of them were giving up the space to overtake. They were followed closely by Kim and Charlie with Dean bringing up the rear. Alan could not bear to look anymore and he moved away and looked out the window. He could see the cars at the far corner of the track. Babe and Ben were still neck to neck as they entered the third lap. It would be over in a few seconds now and the room was silent. They watched the screen intently as Alan closed his eyes.
Both Babe and Ben accelerated to their max potential as they neared the finish line. Babe looked over at Ben and for a second he slowed down. Ben seemed to shoot forward but it looked like he had pushed his car too much, too fast as a puff of smoke came from his engine bringing his car to a halt just inches from the finish line. Babe smirked to himself as he pushed forward and cleared the line with Kim and Charlie in tow.
"He did it!" Sonic shrieked. Alan looked up and then ran out of the room with Jeff behind him. He ran down to the track as Babe got out of his car. The car did not look to be in much better shape that Ben's car.
"This one is going to be out of commission for some time." Babe said as he got out of the car.
"It's ok, that's what we are here for." Alan smiled as his heartrate started to resemble something remotely normal. Alan and Jeff moved over to take a look at the car as Kim and Charlie pulled in. Charlie got out of the car and rushed into Babe's arms.
"Save it for the locker room at least." North laughed with his arms around Sonic who was busy finishing up the live stream.
"You two need to sort out your relationship first before giving us advice." Babe smacked him on the head as they walked inside to the locker room.
North felt his face flush as he stepped back and let go of Sonic who continued to talk into his phone, oblivious of what had just happened.
Babe's earpiece came to life. "Don't you think that was a bit risky?" Way asked.
"Your car could have blown, changing gears like that."
"Where are you sitting, Way?" Babe asked as he looked around.
"You don't need to know that. Winning the race does not mean you kill yourself. We have more important stuff, and I will personally kill you if you bail on us before that."
"You will kill my ghost?" Babe laughed.
"Shut up." Way rolled his eyes.
"P'Babe!" Charlie's voice came over Babe's earpiece and Way winced.
"How do you handle his noise?" Way muttered. "You know what, I'm just going to leave you two to it." He cut Babe from the call as all he could hear were noises, that he was pretty sure he shouldn't be hearing.
"Alan, is everything ok?" Way asked.
"The car will not blow at least, but it's pretty beat up." Alan replied.
"When is the next one scheduled?"
"A week from now. This is the first race of the season so it's going to be hectic. And it doesn't look like this guy's here to play." Alan looked up as he saw the new racer walk away from the track. His face betrayed no expression as he took off his helmet. Jeff looked at Alan.
"Do you think this is going to be a problem?" Jeff asked, in a low voice.
"He's good enough, as good as Babe. The next few races will be crucial. I just hope Babe can handle this." Alan was worried.
"But P'Babe is our best racer, why do you think ke can't handle it?"
"What if he blows a fuse and goes crazy? His temper is not easy to handle." Alan sighed. "Well, if Way is right, things are going to blow up long before this championship will be done."
"I don't like the look of this guy either." Jeff narrowed his eyes at Ben as he stood talking to somebody.
"I'll see you guys tonight." Way's voice came through the earpiece startling Alan.
"You're still there?" Alan asked holding it.
"Not anymore." Way clicked off the earpiece and took it out as Pete joined him in the car.
"So, what do you think?" Pete asked.
"We'll have a meeting tonight at the garage." Way said. "Kenta has information that could be crucial, according to him."
"I meant, the race. What do you make of the new guy?"
Way frowned. "From the live coverage I saw, he's a tough guy. He didn't look especially disappointed that he had lost, almost as if he knew he was going to lose. I honestly don't like the look of him. Winner was an idiot, this guy is not."
"Do you think Babe or the others are in danger?" Pete looked at him, questioning.
"Right now, I don't think so. We just have to watch the track and make sure that no one tampers with the cars." Way did not look happy but he shrugged.
"Well then, I'll tell the others about tonight." Pete took out his phone and began texting.
"You look like you could use a drink." Way gave him a side eye as he settled himself in the seat.
"It's literally noon, why would I be drinking now?" Pete shook his head.
"Just saying, you don't look all that relaxed." Way held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Well, why would I be relaxed, there was nothing especially calming about that race."
"What's up with you, I've never seen you so worked up." Way sat forward.
"I know this is a dangerous game, I just don't want anybody to get hurt. It made me feel helpless to stand by and watch the race today, like I was not doing enough."
"You are doing more than enough." Way sat forward and put a hand on Pete's shoulder. "You know, you don't have to be helping us at all, but here we are."
"Did you forget that Tony was my father too?" Pete shook his head. "I'm not letting anybody ruin those kids' lives anymore."
Pete looked into Way's eyes.
"And I sure as hell am not letting you die a second time."