Pit Boys - The Next Race

Chapter 2 - "Why do people around me keep faking their death?"

The earpiece in his ear buzzed. Way sat up straighter. He was waiting in the car outside the X-hunter garage. He had missed this place. Pete started to talk and he heard it over the earpiece; the voices were not very clear. Kenta was sitting in the back seat. Way looked at him and nodded. Kenta switched on his earpiece. Pete had asked to meet with Alan and Babe. Way adjusted his earpiece to hear them clearly.
"There's something you both need to know." Pete began. "I had a ... visitor yesterday. He told me that Tony was the least of our worries. His buyers are ten times more powerful and hell bent on getting the children that they had already paid for. Also, Tony's death means that their middleman is gone and they consider it easier to simply snatch the children."
"How is that possible, we sent them back to their families and they are all over the place." Way recognised Babe's voice even though it was not as clear as he would have liked it to be.
"It's not going to stop them." Pete continued. "Like I said, they have resources and they would simply use brute strength."
"The government won't interfere if people from outside came and kidnapped our children?" Again, Babe interjected.
"They have the means to either buy off government officials or silence them. It won't make a difference to them, they have spent millions on this. Besides, Babe, you were Tony's trump card. You and Way and the child he hoped you would have." Way wished he could see Babe's face in that moment. There was silence for what he felt was quite a long time.
Finally, Alan broke the silence. "Babe's life is still in danger?"
"Yes." Pete said. "Babe, Charlie, Jeff and anybody who has powers. Since they are adults, the risk is significantly lesser but it's still there."
"I don't have my powers anymore." Babe countered. "Neither does Charlie. There is a sort of new chemical that can suppress our powers and rid us of it once and for all. It's still being tested but so far it's working."
Way looked at Kenta. This was the first time either of them were hearing of this. If this chemical really worked, their troubles could be over, sooner than they had hoped for. It would take time to get this to every child with special powers but with time, they could do that.
"Where did you get this chemical whatever it is?" Pete sounded concerned.
There was a brief silence before Babe answered. "My father."
Way's eyes widened as he involuntarily pushed his earpiece farther into his ear; he could not miss whatever Babe was saying.
"Ever since Tony tricked him into giving me up, he has been searching for a cure to the special powers. He was the one who helped Charlie fake his death. I met him two weeks ago."
"Do you trust him?" Pete's voice was low and Way could barely hear him.
"He's my father, of course I trust him." Babe said.
Way sighed. Babe trusted people too easily. He remembered the time Babe had recounted the story of his father and how much pain it caused him to talk about the memory.
"Then, there is a chance we could get this to the children before it gets worse." Pete said.
"We don't know if it has any side effects. So far, Charlie and I are fine but we can't say if it's going to be the same for children." Babe sounded worried.
"Wait, who told you all this?" Alan asked.
"He's here with me." Pete said. "Can you not freak out too much?"
That was his cue. Way and Kenta got out of the car and walked up to the garage door. Way knocked. A moment later, the door slid open and Way was looking at Alan.
"What the hell is going on?" Alan stepped back several paces. Babe stood up from where he was standing and took a step forward. His face went white when he saw Way.
"I didn't really die, Kenta helped me fake it." Way stepped forward, Kenta standing a step behind. Alan and Babe were still staring at him, not comprehending the scene. Alan took a step forward and touched Way's hand. "It really is you." Alan pulled Way into a hug and whispered in his ear. "Don't ever pull something like that, again. Do you know how bad it was here?" Way smiled slightly.
"I don't plan on doing it again." A moment later, Babe was by their side and he threw himself at Way, half hitting him, half hugging him.
"What were you thinking?" Babe asked. I thought you were gone, how was I supposed to live without you."
"It had to be done. I will tell you why." Way said.
Way then recounted the story of his fake death and how Kenta had helped. Kenta stood next to them, silent.
"Why do people I love think that faking their death is the best course of action?" Babe put his head in his hands. "Alan, please promise me you're not going to pull something like this." Alan rolled his eyes. "He doesn't have the brains to do this." Way laughed. Alan threw a spanner at Way and he ducked. "Don't make me scold you on the day you came back."
"I've texted Charlie, he's gonna be here soon, with Jeff." Babe said, putting his phone away.
"Did you tell him about me?" Way asked, his eyes narrowed. Babe shook his head. "Good." Way sat back. "As of now, I am really dead to the world and let's keep it that way. If they know that both of us are alive, we are dead meat."
"So, what are you suggesting?" Alan asked.
"Well, at first we did not have a plan, but now with this chemical that Babe talks about, we have a real chance to do something."
"There were a couple of children whose family we couldn't find." Babe sat up. "They were taken to an orphanage. Do you think we can get them to take the chemical and see if there are any adverse effects?"
"We can't bring in random children and make them our guinea pigs." Pete said.
"We don't have a choice." Babe cut him off. "Besides, it's not like we're kidnapping them and forcing them to take it. They are old enough to understand the dangers of the powers they posses and we will be doing it only with their consent."
Pete looked unconvinced.
"I know it's not exactly the right thing and it's definitely not legal." Babe continued. "However much we try to fight off whoever it is, we don't have the kind of resources that they do."
"I can give you some manpower." Kenta spoke up for the first time. "There are still many men who worked for Tony who are jobless. They are trained fighters and bodyguards. Like me." Everyone looked at him.
"Our best option is getting this chemical to every child with special powers. Once it's evident that they are normal, that will be the end of it." Babe said.
"Yes, but we will need whatever manpower Kenta can provide." Pete glanced back at Kenta.
"Well, decide on something. I don't know how much time we have." Way said.
"What exactly is the nature of the attack that you are expecting?" Alan looked at Way.
"We can only guess as to how they will do it." Way said, looking at Kenta.
"We only know that they won't let this matter go easily." Kenta continued. "The most likely option is stealth, that is they send trained people in who kidnap the children and leave without alerting anybody. I doubt they would use brute force, unless absolutely necessary."
"I think the first plan of action would be to relocate every single child who was with Tony." Pete said.
"That should be easy, we still have all the data from his dealings." Kenta shrugged.
"Alright, once that is done, we have to test the drug and see if it acts differently on children." Pete was not happy about this but he had to agree that it was their best bet so far. "And, as Kenta said, we would need additional manpower as much as possible. But that is only if this becomes an outright fight to the death scenario."
"We have to be prepared for everything." Alan said.
"Charlie is here." Babe got up and went to unlock the door once again.
Charlie and Jeff walked into the garage. "What's so urgent?" Charlie was asking Babe as his eyes fell on Way. The utter confusion on his face was evident. Way stood up. He recounted the fake death plan, now for the third time in twenty four hours. When he was done, he said, "I should probably record this, for the next time I see somebody."
"Well, you still have to explain to Sonic and North. Kim has also taken to hanging around with them." Alan shrugged. Way made a face at him.
"You overheard Charlie and me?" Jeff asked, doubtful of Way's explanation.
"But we were careful not to discuss anything in front of people."
"I might have bugged your condo." Way's voice trailed away as he looked down.
"You did what?!" Charlie seemed to not be taking this well.
"Don't worry, the bug is long gone, it's not working anymore." Way explained. "I did not fully trust you, before."
"It doesn't matter." Pete stepped between Charlie and Way. "We have to start work on this drug as soon as possible. Babe, when can we meet your father?"
"I'll call him right away." Babe picked up his phone.
Way leaned in to Pete and whispered, " See, this is why I said you would be the best person to lead us."