4. Chapter 4 (1/2)

a few minutes later, speed came into trixie's room, carrying a tray. "hi there, pretty girl," speed said.

"hey, handsome guy," trixie said back, causing speed to smile

oadly.

"mom said you were hungry, so i fixed you a tray."

trixie laughed. "i would not want to argue with mom, would i?"

"i wouldn't," speed laughed as he placed the tray over her lap. trixie looked down and saw that mom had made roast beef and gravy with green beans. "if you eat all of that, she's also got a chocolate pie. of course, you'd better hurry because spritle and chim chim had their eyes on it."

trixie smiled, and quietly ate for a few moments. she looked at speed. "how are you doing, speed?"

"me? oh, i'm fine," he said easily.

trixie took a bite, looked at him and raised her eye

ows, challenging him.

"well, obviously, i am worried about you," speed started and trixie nodded.

she finished her bite. "mom outdid herself. but besides being worried about me, how are you?"

"trixie, i didn't get hurt."

trixie nodded and looked down at the plate. the thought of food was starting to make her physically ill, but she'd promised mom she'd eat. "i know. but, well, i'm not exactly at my best, and i don't want to add any stress to you."

speed nodded. "okay, truthfully, i'm worried about the future." as soon as he said it, he saw trixie practically wilt. "no, not our future. i have no worries about that. i love you, remember?" trixie nodded. "i mean, my future as a driver."

"you wouldn't really give up racing, would you, speed?"

"i don't know, trixie. i mean, every racer has to end his career some time. and i'd rather do it on my terms than after a bad crash and serious injury." speed shrugged.

"well, i'd rather that too. but you're not there yet," trixie exclaimed.

"would you love me any less if i didn't race?" speed asked nervously.

"of course not. i just don't want you giving up something you love because of me."

"i'm not holding any press conferences to announce my retirement just yet," speed said with a grin.

"good."

"but i'm not going to race in the transafrican."

"speed…"

"no, really, my focus would not be what it needs to be for the race, and my focus is where it needs to be right now. on you. and don't you feel guilty about it. you're worth my time, trixie. and i do want to share picnics with you. okay?"

trixie nodded.

"now, your food is getting cold and you need to eat."

trixie smiled and started to eat. as she was finishing up, there was a knock on the door and inspector detector and racer x walked into the room.

"hi trixie," x said. "i wanted to check on you and see how you were doing."

"i've been better, racer x."

racer x smiled. speed stood up and looked nervously at them.

"what's going on?" trixie asked.

"oh, the inspector wanted to ask speed some questions, and found out i was coming over to say hi, so he tagged along."

trixie narrowed her eyes, sensing that there was something else. "speed, what are you not telling me?"

speed tried to pull off an innocent look and failed miserably.

"speed, look, i was injured. you can't always protect me, and that's not your job."

"yes, it is," he protested.

"speed. i don't blame you for this in the least bit, but i'd like to know what is going on. i'll just worry if you don't tell me," trixie protested.

"she does have a right to know, speed," inspector detector said.

"while we were on the plane, someone put something in your drink. fortunately, the stewardess saw it and told me. she gave me the drink to have analyzed."

trixie was shocked.

"and we have had it analyzed. and it was the same poison used to kill another team just before the ice race."

speed's knees buckled and he sat down heavily on the bed next to trixie, trying to catch his

eath.

"but we were a dnf. i mean, i can understand disabling the navigator for the ice rally," trixie said. "but, why would they want to kill me?"

speed reached over and pulled trixie tightly to him.

"because it would destroy speed," racer x said.

"well, i obviously can't have a body guard around me all the time. i have a life to live. and speed has a racing career, and most times the races do not require navigators. he can't be focusing on whether i'm safe or not when he's in the middle of a race. that could get him killed," trixie said strongly.

"i'm going to quit racing," speed said.

"no, speed, you can't do that!" trixie said.

"actually, we think we know who is behind it," inspector detector said, "thanks to your tip."

"the carmichaelangelo team?" speed asked. he had not let go of her yet. trixie was certain that speed had an idea what would have happened if she had drank that poison, but hearing it said aloud had unsettled him. oddly enough, because he needed her, she felt stronger. she kissed his cheek and he turned to her and smiled.

"they are our prime suspects. we got prints from bane, and they match up with several of the mechanics on the payroll for carmichaelangelo. but these mechanics have long rap sheets and no history of working with cars. but they might be considered his clean up crew."

"and the carmichaelangelo team had to win both the ice rally and the transafrican to qualify for the prix." racer x said. "they've won the ice rally. of the field competing in the transafrican, you're the only driver who has a chance of beating them. the only teams expected to contend on the ice rally were speed…whose navigator was shot, taking him out of the race: grant bane...who was killed: and plugger sparks…the driver of the carmichaelangelo car, who won the race."

"so they want me out of the way. they tried to kill trixie during the ice rally, but until i drop out of the transafrican, and possibly the prix, she's not safe." speed concluded. "so i'll drop out of the transafrican."

"no!" trixie said. "let the inspector deal with him legally, but someone has to show them they can't do this and get away with it."

"trixie, i can't lose you. and i'm not going to be able to concentrate on the race because i'll be worrying about you."

"then i'm going to have to navigate, so you won't have to worry about me," trixie concluded.

the three men looked at her. speed smiled gently at her. "trixie, we both know you're not ready for that. you can't even ride in the mach 5 right now."

racer x looked at them. "then take her for a ride in the shooting star."

speed and trixie looked at him. "you'd let me drive your car?"