1. Chapter 1 (1/2)

speed watched the replays of the footage from the ice rally. trixie was sleeping, and he had the volume on the television set very low. she would be discharged tomorrow, but he wanted to see if there were any clues as to who had shot her in the footage. every time he saw the bandage on her shoulder, speed got angry all over again. and scared. trixie had been shot, and could have died.

he was so focused on the footage, speed did not notice that trixie had awakened and was watching as they showed the finish line.

"but i thought you said you won, speed," trixie said softly.

speed turned to her and smiled. "i did."

"unless you painted the mach 5 while i was out, it looks like plugger sparks crossed the line in front," trixie said, raising her eye

ow.

"oh, you meant the ice rally!" speed said, acting as if he were surprised.

"of course, i meant the ice rally, speed. what other race have you been in lately?" trixie asked in exasperation.

he took her hand and looked at her. "you. you were my race, trix."

trixie just looked at him, confused.

speed smiled at her, then took a

eath. he was about to tell her something he'd never said. "after you got shot, that race didn't matter. you were all that i could think about. all i cared about was getting you to safety, trixie. you are more important to me than any race, any title. if i lost you, they'd mean nothing." they were dating, but speed had never told her how important she was to him. "trixie, i almost lost you. do you understand what that would do me?"

trixie shrugged. "you'd find someone else. a lot of women find you attractive. and…"

speed interrupted her with a kiss. he whispered, "but they're not you, trix." he took looked down, then back up at her. "you understand how racing is in my blood."

"i know that, speed," trixie said, softly. it was one of the things she'd learned to live with. speed's racing was dangerous, but it was his passion. the next race was always what he was chasing, never her. she kept up with speed. he did not wait for her.

speed looked at her intently. "i don't think you really get it though. i didn't either, to be honest. not until a couple of days ago. then i realized something." he paused and looked at her, a small smile playing across his lips. "trix, you are irreplaceable. you're in my heart. you are what makes my blood race."

trixie looked at him in total surprise, a blush creeping into her cheeks as she stared into his eyes. she did not know what to say to him.

speed took her hand, and then leaned forward and kissed her on the lips before backing up and sitting back down. "i don't know that i could go on if i lost you."

trixie was stunned. she knew how she felt about him; and sure, they were dating; but speed had never ever said anything like this before. she sometimes wondered if she was his girl just because she was there, and comfortable, and didn't put any pressure on him. trixie was in a constant state of insecurity around speed. he was not one to really express himself to her. he never had. but she could have no doubt about his feelings now. "i…."

speed grinned. "now, you need to rest some more if you're going to get out of here tomorrow. and i need to watch this footage so i can…." he suddenly stopped.

trixie raised an eye

ow. "so you can what?"

"please just get some rest, trix," speed said softly, avoiding her question.

"i will, once you tell me what you're looking for. maybe i can help." she looked at him. "i can watch footage and rest at the same time, you know."

he turned to her, frowning. "i'm trying to see if i can see who might have sh—" speed's voice

oke and he looked away. "shot you," he whispered. the look in his eyes surprised her too.

"oh, speed," trixie murmured softly. "are you all right?"

he just smiled and reached out for her hand. "i am now, trix."

trixie nodded. "and have you seen anything?"

speed shook his head. "not yet. i don't know who, or why."

trixie smiled wryly. "i think it was pretty obvious 'why', speed. they wanted you out of the race." she looked down. "and they got what they wanted. so, plugger sparks won?"

"yes."

trixie frowned. "plugger sparks has always seemed like a fair racer. so the question is: was he supposed to win or did he get in someone else's way? or did they just want you out of the race and not care about the outcome?"

speed looked at her.

she continued. "what's so important about it? you've already qualified for the prix. the prize wasn't really that big. so what was important about this race?"

"i don't know, trix." he stood up. "why don't i go get you something to eat?"

"i'm not really hungry," trixie said as she leaned back against the pillow. she was trying to think, but soon was sleeping once again.

speed watched her for a few minutes, then placed a kiss on her forehead, then went back to watching the footage. he squinted at something in one of the play backs. it was not what the camera was focused on, but in the background, speed saw one of the racers get grabbed and pulled off. another driver took control of the vehicle, while the driver was dragged into a warehouse.

speed went over to the phone beside trixie's bed and dialed a number he was all too familiar with. inspector detector.

-5-5-5-5-5-mach-go-go-go-5-5-5-5-5-

as speed waited for inspector detector and racer x to arrive at the hospital, he ran his fingers lightly through trixie's hair, watching her sleep. she was not fully recovered from her injury, and it would take a while. he worried about their transcontinental flight home, and how she would do with that trip. mom and pops had already taken spritle and chim chim home. sparky had flown with them, taking the mach 5 with him so he could prepare it for the race next weekend.

the transafrican race was next weekend, and trixie was supposed to navigate, and speed was not sure if either of them were ready for that. "oh, trixie," he whispered. "what are we going to do?"

"speed?" inspector detector said as he entered the room, racer x right behind them.

speed glanced back at trixie to make sure she had not stirred, then stood up. he walked over to the inspector, and they left the room, shutting the door behind them.

"inspector detector. racer x," speed said as a greeting.

"i got your call. what is it?"

speed nodded. "have you got any leads yet on who did this?" he asked the inspector.

"no, speed. i haven't. my men have been looking, but they haven't turned anything up."

"has anyone reported that grant bane is missing?" speed asked. bane had been the driver speed had expected the most competition from on this race.

"what?" racer x asked. "what makes you say that?"

speed looked at the two of them. "i've been watching the footage of the ice rally that's been being replayed, and one of the clips actually showed it."

"speed, i'm certain we would have noticed that."

"not if you were paying attention to the interviewer talking to mr. carmichael about the engineering of the new motor from carmichaelangelo. the one in the car driven by plugger sparks."