Part 9-EPILOGUE
The crowd at the Raytona Speed Oval was dissipating, fans heading home after the excitement and thrills of the race. However, the winner's circle continued to be a beehive of activity with race officials, sponsors, and the press buzzing about Speed, Trixie, and the Mach 5 as the winner of the Raytona Road Rally. He stood there, fielding questions, getting his picture taken and giving interviews, all the while holding onto Trixie's hand for dear life with both of his like he was afraid she would disappear. The press took note of this as they recorded the young couple's closeness on film.
"Congratulations on a great race, Speed."
"Are you ready now for the Grand Prix?"
"Is this young lady your spotter?" the reporter from The National Insinuator asked slyly.
Speed eyed the man evenly as he smiled and drew Trixie even closer. He wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her as the flashbulbs popped. "Yes, gentlemen, Trixie Shimura is my spotter and the best pilot around but- -" he paused for emphasis and spoke in a loud clear voice, "she's also my girl."
The press corps all made notations as the cameras continued clicking. But the reporter from the gossip rag continued with, "We were under the impression that you were intimately involved with the supermodel, Debbie Donne."
Trixie bristled slightly but Speed gave her a reassuring squeeze. "That was false information. Trixie Shimura is the only woman I'm intimately involved with," he announced firmly.
"I see." No further inquiries were made.
Trixie gazed up at Speed affectionately. "Thank you," she said, sotto voce.
He grinned and winked at her and he gave her another squeeze as more pictures were taken.
Soon the crowd from the media dispersed and Inspector Detector, Sparky, and the rest of the family approached Speed and Trixie.
She glanced at Sparky and said with gratitude, "Thanks for taking my place, Sparky."
Sparky waved his hand dismissing her. "Think nothing of it. But please don't make it a habit to disappear before a race."
Speed wrapped his arm around Trixie. "Don't worry, Sparky. I'll see to it that she doesn't." He grinned down at her.
Pops came over and clapped Speed on the shoulder. "Terrific job, Speed. We're so proud of you, you did a bang up job."
"Thanks, Pops but Racer X helped me out when Pistone tried to make me crash, putting oil on the road. He had his car blow the road dry, he's really the hero," Speed admitted as he glanced around. "Where is he, anyway, I want to thank him."
Everyone shook their heads as they too tried to find the enigmatic racer. As usual, he had mysteriously vanished at the end of the race. Inspector Detector then stepped forward and spoke up.
"Well, you'll all be pleased to know that we've arrested Wiley and Fixer for Trixie's abduction and the International Racing Commission is pressing charges for the blatant violations to the rules. Between their jail sentences and being banned from the circuit, you should have no more problems with them."
Speed answered, "That's a relief. Wiley won't be threatening Trixie anymore."
"Threatening Trixie? When did he threaten you?" Detector asked, his eyes on her.
She sighed and said, "I got a note from Wiley just before we came down here for the race. He told me that he intended to get rid of me and destroy the Go Team. While I was in his car he said that if he removed me, he'd have succeeded in eliminating the Go Team as a threat for the Formula 1 championship."
"Why didn't you say anything, Trixie?" Detector inquired.
Trixie looked at Speed so he answered, "Trixie was afraid, sir. The note said that there'd be dire consequences if she contacted the police. You remember that Wiley tried to have her killed for refusing to join up with him. As it was, she almost quit the Go Team because of the threat but I talked her out of it." He took her hand in both of his and squeezed it fondly.
"I was afraid that he'd try to hurt Speed or the Racers so I didn't tell anyone but Speed," she said earnestly. "I couldn't let anything happen to them because of me."
The family all gazed upon her with open affection and gratitude as Speed brought her hand up to plant a kiss on it. Inspector Detector awarded them with a rare grin and everybody was happy but Spritle who appeared extremely annoyed.
"Well, I must be going now. Congratulations to you all and a special thanks to Pops and Spritle for your help in finding Wiley's limousine. Good work," he said, clapping his hand on the bereft youngster's shoulder.
"Well, I'm glad somebody's giving me credit," he said with a pout.
Trixie glanced at Speed and then knelt before Spritle. "I'm sorry I didn't thank you before but thank you, Spritle. I know that if it weren't for you and Chim Chim, Inspector Detector wouldn't have found me in time." She reached and kissed the boy on the cheek, who blushed then wiped his cheek vigorously.
"Yechh! Girls always gotta get all mushy!" he complained as everyone burst into laughter.
Later, as the sun was setting Speed was walking with Trixie along the deserted trackside clutching her hand in both of his, just savoring having her near. Since his reunion with her, he hardly let her out of his sight, making sure he was nearby at all times, as if she could be snatched away from him again. They sat on the pit wall to talk.
"Really, Speed. I'm okay now. You don't have to hold on all the time," Trixie protested weakly but Speed shook his head stubbornly.
"No way. Till we leave and head home, I'm gonna make sure you're not alone for a minute. So deal with it." He smiled down at her. "Besides, I have something I want to say to you."
Trixie examined him quizzically. "What is it?"
Speed took a deep breath and with her hand still clasped in both of his gazed deeply into her eyes. "Trix, I'm so glad you're okay. When I was racing and I found out that Wiley nabbed you, I was scared out of my mind 'cause I couldn't do anything to try to find you."
"You had a race to win, Speed," she said quietly.
"Yeah, I know. But I also found out that as important racing is to me, you're more important. I almost left the course and came to look for you but Pops stopped me and said he'd look for you. That was the only thing that kept me in the race otherwise I'd have ditched the whole thing to come after you."
Trixie's heart caught. "What are you trying to say to me?" she asked, holding her breath.
Speed pinned her with his cobalt orbs. "I'm saying that I know we've only really known each other for about a month but I think--- no, I know I'm in love with you." He reached and brushed her hair back out of her eyes. He then put his head down as he continued, "I-I know that you've submitted your resignation from the Go Team and I'm asking you to please reconsider."
Trixie's eyes became wide as saucers as she digested what he said. She had assured Mom Racer that she was staying with the team regardless so at first she did not understand what he meant. She then realized that she must have left the letter in the trailer and Speed must have seen it.
She shook her head in self-recrimination but Speed mistook the gesture for a refusal and his heart sank like a stone as he tried to think of what to say to convince her to stay but his thoughts were interrupted by a loud feminine cry.
"Yoo hoo! Speed!" Debbie Donne called out as she pulled up in her red Triumph, screeching to a halt right where he and Trixie were sitting. He groaned inwardly while he felt Trixie stiffen beside him.
Debbie parked the car and jumped out to approach the duo. "I've been looking all over for you, I've wanted to congratulate you for winning the race." She looked shyly at Trixie. "Hi, Trixie."
Trixie nodded an acknowledgement as Speed said coolly, "Thanks Debbie but you need to know that I'm very disappointed that you said all those things to the press about us that aren't true."
Debbie lowered her head in shame. "I-I know. I'm really sorry for that, Speed but I did it because I needed some publicity. My career has been flagging lately and I thought that if I could get some press, I'd get it going again. And then Wiley approached me and paid me to get you away from Trixie."
"Oh!" Trixie exclaimed but her eyes widened as she saw the fury in Speed's visage.
His eyes narrowed dangerously as he rose to his feet. He spoke in a very low dangerous voice, "Debbie, you have exactly ten seconds to get the hell out of here before I go to the phone and tell the police just what you said. Now move!"
Debbie needed no further prompting. She scooted back to her car, fired the motor and peeled away in a cloud of dust. Speed shook his head in disbelief as he sat back down beside Trixie.
"Can you believe her? I'm not a stupid guy but sometimes I just don't use the brains I have," he muttered to himself in disgust. He held his head down as gentle hands were placed on his shoulders. He glanced up into warm spring meadow eyes.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Speed. Everybody makes mistakes," Trixie said softly.
"Yeah, but lately I've been cornering the market. And because of it, you're leaving." Speed turned his head away but Trixie took his chin in her hand and turned his head to her.
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Huh?" Speed said, his eyes widening.
"I said, I'm not going anywhere," Trixie repeated giggling.
"B-but I read your letter to Pops," Speed protested. "You wrote one, didn't you? Either that or I was really crocked last night and hallucinated it."
Trixie nodded, "I did write a letter of resignation and planned to give it to Pops but your mom talked to me and talked me out of it."
Speed said brightening, "She did?"
"Uh-huh. She told me some things and convinced me to stay. Besides, I'm not and never have been a quitter."
Speed took her face in his hands. "No, baby, you aren't a quitter. And I'm honored to have you on my team and in my life." He leaned down to capture her lips in a slow lingering kiss as they were bathed in the warm tropical rays of the setting sun.
END
The crowd at the Raytona Speed Oval was dissipating, fans heading home after the excitement and thrills of the race. However, the winner's circle continued to be a beehive of activity with race officials, sponsors, and the press buzzing about Speed, Trixie, and the Mach 5 as the winner of the Raytona Road Rally. He stood there, fielding questions, getting his picture taken and giving interviews, all the while holding onto Trixie's hand for dear life with both of his like he was afraid she would disappear. The press took note of this as they recorded the young couple's closeness on film.
"Congratulations on a great race, Speed."
"Are you ready now for the Grand Prix?"
"Is this young lady your spotter?" the reporter from The National Insinuator asked slyly.
Speed eyed the man evenly as he smiled and drew Trixie even closer. He wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her as the flashbulbs popped. "Yes, gentlemen, Trixie Shimura is my spotter and the best pilot around but- -" he paused for emphasis and spoke in a loud clear voice, "she's also my girl."
The press corps all made notations as the cameras continued clicking. But the reporter from the gossip rag continued with, "We were under the impression that you were intimately involved with the supermodel, Debbie Donne."
Trixie bristled slightly but Speed gave her a reassuring squeeze. "That was false information. Trixie Shimura is the only woman I'm intimately involved with," he announced firmly.
"I see." No further inquiries were made.
Trixie gazed up at Speed affectionately. "Thank you," she said, sotto voce.
He grinned and winked at her and he gave her another squeeze as more pictures were taken.
Soon the crowd from the media dispersed and Inspector Detector, Sparky, and the rest of the family approached Speed and Trixie.
She glanced at Sparky and said with gratitude, "Thanks for taking my place, Sparky."
Sparky waved his hand dismissing her. "Think nothing of it. But please don't make it a habit to disappear before a race."
Speed wrapped his arm around Trixie. "Don't worry, Sparky. I'll see to it that she doesn't." He grinned down at her.
Pops came over and clapped Speed on the shoulder. "Terrific job, Speed. We're so proud of you, you did a bang up job."
"Thanks, Pops but Racer X helped me out when Pistone tried to make me crash, putting oil on the road. He had his car blow the road dry, he's really the hero," Speed admitted as he glanced around. "Where is he, anyway, I want to thank him."
Everyone shook their heads as they too tried to find the enigmatic racer. As usual, he had mysteriously vanished at the end of the race. Inspector Detector then stepped forward and spoke up.
"Well, you'll all be pleased to know that we've arrested Wiley and Fixer for Trixie's abduction and the International Racing Commission is pressing charges for the blatant violations to the rules. Between their jail sentences and being banned from the circuit, you should have no more problems with them."
Speed answered, "That's a relief. Wiley won't be threatening Trixie anymore."
"Threatening Trixie? When did he threaten you?" Detector asked, his eyes on her.
She sighed and said, "I got a note from Wiley just before we came down here for the race. He told me that he intended to get rid of me and destroy the Go Team. While I was in his car he said that if he removed me, he'd have succeeded in eliminating the Go Team as a threat for the Formula 1 championship."
"Why didn't you say anything, Trixie?" Detector inquired.
Trixie looked at Speed so he answered, "Trixie was afraid, sir. The note said that there'd be dire consequences if she contacted the police. You remember that Wiley tried to have her killed for refusing to join up with him. As it was, she almost quit the Go Team because of the threat but I talked her out of it." He took her hand in both of his and squeezed it fondly.
"I was afraid that he'd try to hurt Speed or the Racers so I didn't tell anyone but Speed," she said earnestly. "I couldn't let anything happen to them because of me."
The family all gazed upon her with open affection and gratitude as Speed brought her hand up to plant a kiss on it. Inspector Detector awarded them with a rare grin and everybody was happy but Spritle who appeared extremely annoyed.
"Well, I must be going now. Congratulations to you all and a special thanks to Pops and Spritle for your help in finding Wiley's limousine. Good work," he said, clapping his hand on the bereft youngster's shoulder.
"Well, I'm glad somebody's giving me credit," he said with a pout.
Trixie glanced at Speed and then knelt before Spritle. "I'm sorry I didn't thank you before but thank you, Spritle. I know that if it weren't for you and Chim Chim, Inspector Detector wouldn't have found me in time." She reached and kissed the boy on the cheek, who blushed then wiped his cheek vigorously.
"Yechh! Girls always gotta get all mushy!" he complained as everyone burst into laughter.
Later, as the sun was setting Speed was walking with Trixie along the deserted trackside clutching her hand in both of his, just savoring having her near. Since his reunion with her, he hardly let her out of his sight, making sure he was nearby at all times, as if she could be snatched away from him again. They sat on the pit wall to talk.
"Really, Speed. I'm okay now. You don't have to hold on all the time," Trixie protested weakly but Speed shook his head stubbornly.
"No way. Till we leave and head home, I'm gonna make sure you're not alone for a minute. So deal with it." He smiled down at her. "Besides, I have something I want to say to you."
Trixie examined him quizzically. "What is it?"
Speed took a deep breath and with her hand still clasped in both of his gazed deeply into her eyes. "Trix, I'm so glad you're okay. When I was racing and I found out that Wiley nabbed you, I was scared out of my mind 'cause I couldn't do anything to try to find you."
"You had a race to win, Speed," she said quietly.
"Yeah, I know. But I also found out that as important racing is to me, you're more important. I almost left the course and came to look for you but Pops stopped me and said he'd look for you. That was the only thing that kept me in the race otherwise I'd have ditched the whole thing to come after you."
Trixie's heart caught. "What are you trying to say to me?" she asked, holding her breath.
Speed pinned her with his cobalt orbs. "I'm saying that I know we've only really known each other for about a month but I think--- no, I know I'm in love with you." He reached and brushed her hair back out of her eyes. He then put his head down as he continued, "I-I know that you've submitted your resignation from the Go Team and I'm asking you to please reconsider."
Trixie's eyes became wide as saucers as she digested what he said. She had assured Mom Racer that she was staying with the team regardless so at first she did not understand what he meant. She then realized that she must have left the letter in the trailer and Speed must have seen it.
She shook her head in self-recrimination but Speed mistook the gesture for a refusal and his heart sank like a stone as he tried to think of what to say to convince her to stay but his thoughts were interrupted by a loud feminine cry.
"Yoo hoo! Speed!" Debbie Donne called out as she pulled up in her red Triumph, screeching to a halt right where he and Trixie were sitting. He groaned inwardly while he felt Trixie stiffen beside him.
Debbie parked the car and jumped out to approach the duo. "I've been looking all over for you, I've wanted to congratulate you for winning the race." She looked shyly at Trixie. "Hi, Trixie."
Trixie nodded an acknowledgement as Speed said coolly, "Thanks Debbie but you need to know that I'm very disappointed that you said all those things to the press about us that aren't true."
Debbie lowered her head in shame. "I-I know. I'm really sorry for that, Speed but I did it because I needed some publicity. My career has been flagging lately and I thought that if I could get some press, I'd get it going again. And then Wiley approached me and paid me to get you away from Trixie."
"Oh!" Trixie exclaimed but her eyes widened as she saw the fury in Speed's visage.
His eyes narrowed dangerously as he rose to his feet. He spoke in a very low dangerous voice, "Debbie, you have exactly ten seconds to get the hell out of here before I go to the phone and tell the police just what you said. Now move!"
Debbie needed no further prompting. She scooted back to her car, fired the motor and peeled away in a cloud of dust. Speed shook his head in disbelief as he sat back down beside Trixie.
"Can you believe her? I'm not a stupid guy but sometimes I just don't use the brains I have," he muttered to himself in disgust. He held his head down as gentle hands were placed on his shoulders. He glanced up into warm spring meadow eyes.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Speed. Everybody makes mistakes," Trixie said softly.
"Yeah, but lately I've been cornering the market. And because of it, you're leaving." Speed turned his head away but Trixie took his chin in her hand and turned his head to her.
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Huh?" Speed said, his eyes widening.
"I said, I'm not going anywhere," Trixie repeated giggling.
"B-but I read your letter to Pops," Speed protested. "You wrote one, didn't you? Either that or I was really crocked last night and hallucinated it."
Trixie nodded, "I did write a letter of resignation and planned to give it to Pops but your mom talked to me and talked me out of it."
Speed said brightening, "She did?"
"Uh-huh. She told me some things and convinced me to stay. Besides, I'm not and never have been a quitter."
Speed took her face in his hands. "No, baby, you aren't a quitter. And I'm honored to have you on my team and in my life." He leaned down to capture her lips in a slow lingering kiss as they were bathed in the warm tropical rays of the setting sun.
END