Taking the Chequered Flag

by Pam Harvey

  As always, to my beautiful girls…

  Bronte, Eliza and Jo.

  MP

  To Wendy and Barry, touring bikers.

  PH

  Table of Contents

  Cover Page

  Dedication

  Chapter 1 The Bet

  Chapter 2 The Moon

  Chapter 3 King and the Mystery Rider

  Chapter 4 Proctor’s Bike Shop

  Chapter 5 The Laneway

  Chapter 6 Croft’s Cement

  Chapter 7 A Visit to the Hospital

  Chapter 8 Gabby Learns to Ride

  Chapter 9 The Preliminaries

  Chapter 10 Caught on Tape

  Chapter 11 Gabby’s Secret Plan

  Chapter 12 The Hidden Room

  Chapter 13 Into the Tunnel

  Chapter 14 The Graveyard

  Chapter 15 Onto the Belt

  Chapter 16 Race to the Finish

  E.D. Speaks to Supercross Star Chad Reed!

  Australias Latest World Champion

  The Daredevils

  More Great Books You Will Enjoy…

  Acknowledgments

  About The Authors

  By Michael Panckridge

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  Chapter 1

  The Bet

  Saturday, 1 January

  E.D. looked down the line of motocross bikes and grimaced, wondering how it had come to this. The kid next to him was off his bike and frantically sweeping the small concrete starting block with a little broom.

  ‘You want it?’ he asked, holding the broom towards E.D.

  ‘I’m good,’ E.D. said, staring at the other boy’s enormous bike. ‘How come you’re racing a 125cc?’ His own 100cc bike looked like a kid’s BMX in comparison. As if to emphasise the point, the boy threw down the broom, hopped onto his bike and started the engine. The kid revved hard then shut the motorbike down again.

  ‘You say something?’ he asked.

  ‘Doesn’t matter.’ E.D. stared glumly at the straight stretch of track ahead of him. The other riders were moving into position in front of the starting gates. He’d purposely chosen the gate furthest away.

  ‘Shove over one, mate. I always start here.’

  E.D. turned. An immaculately dressed rider in expensive gear was standing with his hands on his hips, frowning at him. Behind him a man was doing a last-minute check of his gleaming bike. It looked like it had come straight from the manufacturer.

  ‘Your dad gonna give you a push start, too?’ E.D. said, irritated. He was regretting more and more the bet he’d made—and lost—with his brother. But a bet was a bet. One race and one race only. He didn’t care if he came last; he would just enjoy doing four laps of the circuit.

  ‘My father has made an arrangement with the course officials,’ the boy continued.

  ‘Yeah, yeah. Whatever.’

  ‘What is that?’ the boy asked, looking in a pained way at E.D.’s bike.

  ‘What do you mean?’ E.D. felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle.

  ‘Well, I mean—oh, never mind. You should get yourself a Honda 125cc like me. Top of the range. Makes a wicked sound.’

  E.D. sat on his bike, fiddling with the tear-off on his goggles. Suddenly his ears filled with the sound of bike engines.

  ‘What the—?’ He looked over at the starter’s tower. The guy was waving a green flag. He kicked down hard to start his bike. Nothing. Cursing, E.D. looked towards the ground, saw the spark-plug lead dangling, pushed it on firmly, and kicked the bike. Still nothing happened.

  The kid next to him on the Honda was shouting something at him.

  ‘What?’ E.D. yelled, jumping on the kick starter again.

  ‘Wave at the starter!’

  E.D. knew heaps about motorbikes but not much about racing them. He threw up his arm and gave the starter a wave.

  ‘Keep waving till it starts!’

  The roar of engines around him was deafening, but E.D. wasn’t bothered by it. In fact, he loved it. It sent a thrill of excitement and adrenalin surging through his veins.

  ‘C’mon, you useless piece of—’ The engine sputtered then suddenly burst into life. ‘Yeah!’ Revving the engine hard, E.D. edged his bike up so that the front wheel was nudging the starting gate.

  He glanced up at the tower to give the guy another wave. The sound of roaring engines intensified. The starter was holding a board. Thirty seconds. E.D. adjusted his goggles and revved his bike. His heart thumping, he looked briefly along the line of bikes to his left, wondering again what he was doing. There was another surge of sound. The guy in the start tower flicked the board he was holding. Five seconds.

  Before E.D. had time to think about how fast the last 25 seconds had gone, the metal gates collapsed and 23 bikes roared into life, spitting mud and dirt in all directions.

  E.D. dropped the clutch quickly and the front wheel lifted from the ground. He leaned forward and got the wheel down again, but the mistake had slowed him. The rest of the pack was gone. He’d been left behind in a cloud of slowly settling dust.

  The words of the guy with the 125cc rang in his ears—what is that?—as he swung hard into the first curve, flying along the berm, almost running the back wheel over the edge. The bike swerved crazily with the sudden burst of speed and E.D. fought hard to regain control. Using the slope of the curve, he sped down into a long straight before taking the next bend. This time he went lower, through a damp section of the track that had just been watered. Hanging on grimly, he manoeuvred the bike through the sludge before breaking free.

  He glanced ahead. Already he sensed he’d made some ground on the struggling bikes in front of him. Accelerating hard, he charged towards the first of the jumps—a tabletop. He was flying through nothing but air. As his back wheel touched down, he edged slightly to the right, overtaking the rider in front.

  ‘Woo hoo!’ he roared in relief. ‘This is easy.’ He stole a glance at the rider he’d overtaken then suddenly found he was racing into the next bend too quickly. He dropped it back a few gears, but lost control as he swung the bike hard to the left. A split second later E.D. was off the bike, his helmet sticking to the thick clods of damp soil at the bottom of the curve.

  Heaving his mud-streaked bike onto its wheels, E.D. clambered back on and rejoined the race. Suddenly it became clear to him what he wanted to do. His goal was to not finish last. He knew that if he concentrated he could catch the rider in front, who was now scrambling over the three ski jumps near the rear of the course.

  ‘Concentrate,’ he hissed, taking the next corner carefully, using his left leg for balance to ensure he stayed on his bike. He came out of the corner cleanly and sped away into the straight, clumps of mud flying from his bike.

  After two laps of the course, E.D. became more aggressive. There had been a couple of times when he felt he could have overtaken the rider in front, but he held back, building his confidence, and gaining knowledge of every aspect of the course. E.D. was a fast learner. He quickly realised that there were smart lines to take, especially at the corners. By continually looking ahead he could guide the bike along the best course to go as fast as he could; both on the straight sections and also through the corners and over the jumps. He kept high on his foot pegs and let the bike bounce underneath him over the bumps, keeping a firm grip on the handlebars. The further he went, the more comfortable he felt. On the third lap, he sensed it was time to get going.

  E.D. gritted his teeth, bent low over the handlebars and started to gain ground on the rider 15 metres ahead of him. By the time he’d cleared the three ski jumps, E.D. had halved the gap and was closing in. Ahead of the other rider’s blue and white bike was a group of four bike
s, battling together to stay with the middle pack of riders.

  Giving it full throttle, E.D. burst forward, narrowing the gap even further. Sensing that the other rider was taking a higher line into a large, sweeping bend, E.D. braked hard, taking the tight inside part of the corner. He bolted away on the dry straight ahead, leaving the blue and white bike in a cloud of thick brown dust.

  He managed to overtake another three bikes before crossing the finish line.

  ‘E.D.!’

  E.D. turned quickly, recognising the shout. Gabby was leaning on the fence near the pit, waving. Angus and Hannah stood next to her.

  ‘Hey, what are you guys doing here?’ E.D. pulled off his helmet and walked his bike over to them.

  ‘Well, since you were so kind to support me with my swimming we thought we’d come down and cheer you on.’

  ‘How did you know I was racing?’ E.D. asked, ripping his gloves off and wiping his sweaty brow with the back of his hand.

  ‘Your brother told me. Tony. I saw him down the street,’ Gabby explained. ‘Said I should bring Angus and Hannah and watch you win. He said that you were brilliant.’

  ‘Oh he did, did he?’ There was a pause.

  ‘Tough race, huh, E.D.?’

  E.D. looked at Angus and sighed. ‘Well, to tell you the truth, I didn’t even want to race. It was a bet I had with good old Antonio.’

  ‘Antonio? You mean Tony?’ Hannah said. ‘He’s not that old. He’s only 16.’

  ‘Yeah, like I said: good, old Tony. Tony told me that if I couldn’t get his bike working by six last night, I’d have to ride in his place in the races today.’

  ‘And you agreed?’ Angus shook his head, but he was smiling.

  ‘Hey, I’ve always been able to fix bikes. I’ve been doing it ever since I could hold a spanner. The trouble was I got it going at six minutes past six o’clock. So I had to race.’

  ‘Well, you didn’t come last,’ Hannah said, patting him on the back. ‘Can we go now?’

  ‘Hannah, E.D.’s got three more races to ride. You’re going to stay for a couple more, aren’t you, Gab?’ Angus kept his eyes on the bikes screaming around the course.

  Gabby shrugged. ‘I guess, though it’s very loud. Do you think we could go and sit up in that grandstand over there?’

  ‘I’ll be with you in a minute,’ Angus said, following E.D. into the pit area. The place was filled with trailers and vans and people working on their bikes. It was buzzing with noise and activity.

  ‘Some shifty people around here, mate,’ E.D. said, quietly.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  E.D. parked his bike on a small patch of grass. A huge tool box lay open and screwdrivers, spanners and a range of other metal gadgets were strewn about the floor of the trailer.

  ‘Well, there was some kid accusing someone else of switching off his petrol tap and there was this massive argument going on before the start of the race.’ E.D. looked up, waiting for Angus to say something. ‘What?’

  ‘Nothing. Well, actually, I was just wondering—since you’re such a legend with bikes and stuff, how come you were so far back in the field?’

  ‘Hey, like I said, I might be good at fixing them, but racing them’s another thing altogether. Anyway, that was an all-in mixture of kids and bikes. Don’t know why.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Mate, there were all sorts of different classes and sizes of bikes out there. You know; different engine capacities. Maybe it was a sorting out race. I dunno. Got heaps to learn.’

  ‘Well, you’ve got three more races to go. I assume you’re going to ride in them.’ Angus watched E.D. kick away some of the mud that had stuck to his bike.

  ‘If you’d asked me that after the first lap, I would have said no way, but I reckon I can go okay at this racing caper. The bet was only for one race but I’ve put my name down to do the series.’

  ‘Cool. I’ll go find the girls.’

  ‘Yeah, no worries. If I’m done fiddling here I’ll come and join you.’

  ‘Hey, speaking of girls, maybe you should ride in their races.’ Angus grinned. ‘They do have girls’ races, don’t they?’

  ‘Angus.’ E.D. frowned.

  ‘It was just a thought.’

  ‘Actually, for your information there are girls’ races, and Teagan Proctor is a total legend. She hasn’t been beaten yet and her times are good enough to put her in the top three of the boys’ races.’

  ‘Yeah?’ Angus elbowed his friend. ‘So you wouldn’t have a chance then?’

  E.D. gave Angus a friendly shove. ‘Probably not!’

  Somehow, even though he knew Angus was teasing, the thought of riding in the girls’ race—and losing—spurred E.D. on. He made steady improvement over the course of the last three races, managing to finish in the top ten.

  Angus, Gabby and Hannah pushed their way down to the marshalling area after the final race and looked around for E.D.

  ‘Everyone looks like everyone else,’ said Gabby. ‘They’ve all got the same helmets and gear.’

  ‘You mean they’re all covered with mud,’ Hannah said.

  ‘There he is.’ Angus pointed. E.D.’s old, battered bike stood out among the others. No one else’s looked like it had been put together by a home mechanic. ‘E.D.!’ Angus waved both arms to get his attention.

  E.D. wheeled his bike over and took off his helmet.

  ‘Not bad?’ he said, grinning at his friends.

  ‘Not bad,’ agreed Angus. ‘Maybe you could beat Teagan Proctor.’ He turned and ran before E.D. could get to him.

  Chapter 2

  The Moon

  Saturday, 8 January

  On Saturday afternoons, The Moon was alive with the sounds of speed. An old mining dump site, The Moon was a huge area of treeless grey sand, with hills and tracks all over it—perfect for motocross bike riders. Years of use had flattened the sand into a hard, packed surface. If the bikes hadn’t found it first, it would’ve been perfect for a horse arena.

  That’s what Angus thought, anyway. He sat on his horse, King, at the edge of The Moon, trying to work out which crazy guy on what crazy bike was E.D. All the bikes looked the same to him; dusty with grey sand. The riders weren’t a lot different, either. They were mainly dressed in black protective gear and their goggles hid their faces. Angus walked King forward a bit and finally spotted who he thought was E.D.—only because of his battered bike. He raised his hand and the rider slowed, dropping back into second gear to come over to the horse.

  King stepped back nervously as the bike approached and Angus ran his hand down the horse’s neck. ‘It’s okay, King. I think this is E.D.’

  The rider cut the engine and pulled off his helmet. ‘Hi, buddy. How much horse power you got there?’

  ‘Very funny, E.D.’

  E.D. chuckled and shook his head so that his long black hair flew around his face. ‘Pretty hot out here. All this gear on, and it’s 35 degrees.’

  ‘You should take up swimming then, like Gabby.’

  E.D. grimaced. ‘Mate, I’d rather spend my life stuck in a motorbike jacket than spend one hour in those tiny bathers they have to wear.’ He glanced around The Moon at the bikes speeding past. ‘Anyway, what are you doing here? Not a real good place to bring King.’

  Angus shrugged. ‘I won’t stay long. Just checking that you’re serious about this motocross racing.’

  E.D. bent down and flicked some dry mud from his foot peg before speaking. ‘I don’t know that I am, really. I’m just testing out my bike. Tony’s here somewhere. He bought himself a proper racing bike.’

  ‘Well, that’s okay. He’s got a part-time job; he can afford to buy a decent bike.’

  ‘Yeah.’ E.D. grinned suddenly. ‘He buys one and I copy it. See? I’ve re-bored the cylinder and put a bigger piston and rings in. Now it’s just like his new model.’

  Angus leaned down across the chestnut gelding’s shoulder but couldn’t see anything different. He nodded anyway.
<
br />   ‘I’ll show you.’ E.D. slammed his helmet back on his head and kicked the bike into life. King snorted as the bike swung around and took off into the hills of The Moon.

  Angus watched E.D. tackle curves and slopes and straights. The bike looked like it was going well; E.D. handled it like an expert, passing some other kids as they made their way around the worn tracks. Finally, there was just one other bike in the way and it didn’t seem to like E.D. being hot on its tail. The rider kept looking around and speeding up as if he didn’t want E.D. to pass. It’s only a practice track, thought Angus. What’s his problem?

  E.D. wasn’t taking a lot of notice of who was in front of him. The bike was going steadily and the cylinder change meant that it was like riding a 125cc. E.D. was feeling pretty good. So, Tony, he thought to himself, you go right ahead and spend thousands on a new machine because your little bro can make do with a home-made one just as well.

  Suddenly a bike was in front of him, slowing down abruptly on a piece of sand that should have been an easy straight. E.D. braked sharply, skidding on the sandy surface, and his vehicle went from underneath him. Bike and rider shot across the surface of The Moon and slammed into a hill of grey dirt.

  E.D. stood up quickly and pulled the bike up to check for damage. There was none he could see but it was hard to tell without getting on it. He looked around angrily for the other rider and found him nearby sitting on his lime-green bike, staring at E.D.

  ‘Sorry,’ said the rider. The voice was muffled behind the helmet and hard to hear, but E.D. could tell that the ‘sorry’ wasn’t a real one.

  ‘Yeah, you sound real sorry,’ said E.D. ‘Just watch it, okay?’

  ‘No, I think you’d better watch it.’ The other rider didn’t wait but revved the bike and spun away.

  ‘Are you okay?’ said a girl’s voice.

  E.D. stopped glaring in the direction of the first rider and turned to see another bike pulled up beside him. The rider was on a Kawasaki, the same model and colour as the bike that had pulled up in front.

  ‘I’m okay. Don’t know about my bike.’