“But they were worried that they might be beaten by a young racer named Flash Marker. He was driving car number X-3, which he called the Mélange.”
“X-3!” said Speed, remembering the cards that the dangerous race car had left behind.
“There were fifty cars in the race, and for the first half it looked as if it could be won by anybody. But then Flash Marker started passing all the other cars. His Mélange had a special supercharged engine. Flash was about to take the lead at the top of Danger Pass when another car cut in front of him, and he spun out. He crashed through the guardrail and fell into the valley far below. That was the end of Flash Marker, and of the Mélange.”
“Oh, dear!” said Trixie. She hated to think that something like that might happen to Speed someday.
“That’s quite a story, Pops,” said Speed. “Inspector, don’t you think it must have something to do with the case we’re working on?”
“There seems to be a connection, all right,” said Inspector Detector. “Pops, in that race at Danger Pass years ago, was Flash Marker wrecked on purpose, or was it accidental?”
“No one ever found out for sure,” said Pops Racer. “All I know is that one of the Three Roses cars was responsible.”
“Hmmm,” said Inspector Detector. “I believe Mr. Herring of the Racing Car Association is coaching their team this year.”
“Maybe that’s why he seemed so nervous,” said Speed.
“What a sad story,” said Trixie. “Did Flash Marker leave any family behind?”
“Well, I seem to remember that he had children, just like me,” said Pops Racer, putting his arms around Speed and Spritle. “Except that his kids were a boy and a girl.”
“Wonder what happened to them,” said Inspector Detector. “Are they involved in racing?”
“I doubt it,” said Pops Racer. “I think the daughter runs a little flower shop downtown.”
“I think I know her!” said Speed.
Trixie shot him a jealous look, but Speed ignored her. “Let’s head downtown!” he said.
9
DEADLY PROMISE
A little while later, the Mach 5 and Inspector Detector’s squad car pulled up in front of the flower shop.
The pretty girl with the honey-blond hair was arranging flowers out front.
“Hello, Miss Marker,” said Speed. “I believe we have met before.”
“I remember,” she said in a sweet, soft voice. “Would you like to buy some flowers?”
“No, thank you,” said Speed. “My name is Speed Racer, and ...”
Trixie interrupted, stepping between them.
“And my name is Trixie! ” she said, placing her hand on Speed’s shoulder. “I’m Speed’s girlfriend!”
Trixie wanted to make sure that this flower girl knew that Speed was off-limits.
Inspector Detector stepped forward and introduced himself. “You must be Lily Marker,” he said. “I believe your brother is Flash Marker Junior. Is he here?”
“Yes, he is, Inspector. We live at the back of the store. But my brother Flash is sick in bed.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Miss Marker, but I’d like to speak with him, just for a moment, if I may. It’s official police business.”
“All right,” Lily said. “Come this way.”
She seems troubled, thought Speed. / wonder why?
Speed, Trixie, and Inspector Detector followed Lily through the flower shop to a small bedroom in back.
A young man with stringy hair lay in the bed with the covers pulled up to his chin. He opened one eye and glared at his visitors.
“Flash hasn’t been well,” said Lily. “He’s been in bed for three weeks now.”
Inspector Detector pulled at his beard. “So, he’s been in bed all day today?”
Lily nodded. Flash Junior scowled but didn’t say anything.
“We’re investigating a mysterious race car that has caused some bad accidents lately,” said Inspector Detector. “Do you know anything about it, Flash?”
Flash shook his head.
“Are you certain?”
Flash scowled and nodded.
“Well, then, thank you for your time,” said Inspector Detector.
He left, and Trixie followed. Speed paused in the doorway and looked back at the scowling young man in the bed.
“There’s something suspicious about him,” he muttered to himself. “Something dangerous!”
Moments later, Lily stood on the sidewalk, watching Speed and Trixie drive away. They were following Inspector Detector’s squad car.
As soon as the cars were out of sight, Lily heard an evil laugh behind her.
She turned and saw her brother standing in the flower shop door, leaning on a crutch.
“Hahaha! ” he laughed again. It was a wicked, ugly laugh. “The cops were unable to find out anything, thanks to you, Lily! ”
Lily burst into tears. “Oh, Flash, you told me to lie, and I did it to save you. But I can’t lie anymore.” She wrung her hands in desperation.
“Get over it, Lily,” said Flash. “We have a job to do.”
Lily grabbed his arm and pleaded. “Oh, please, Flash, you’ve got to stop driving that car! ”
“Don’t worry, Lily. They caught the robot, so I am making some changes to the car. Changes I’ve been planning for years. Let me show you. Come inside.”
Still sobbing, Lily followed her brother back to the bedroom behind the flower shop. He pressed a button in the wall, and the bed swung away, revealing a secret passageway.
“Come, Lily,” he said. He led her down a flight of steep stairs to a huge underground garage.
Lily’s eyes grew wide with amazement.
“You didn’t know I’d built this secret workshop underneath your flower shop, did you, Lily?”
“No, Flash, I had no idea.” The garage was enormous. It was crammed with tools and equipment. It even had a racetrack, steeply banked, around the walls.
In the center was the black race car, minus the robot driver. The windshield was broken and the body was banged up where the railroad crossbar had smashed into it.
“That black race car was just for practice, Lily,” said Flash. He grinned. “Watch this.”
He picked up a remote control and pressed a button.
A hook lowered from the ceiling and lifted the dented body off the race car’s chassis. Then it lowered a new body, a sleek, familiar-looking one.
“Our father’s car! ” exclaimed Lily.
“The Melange,” said Flash. “I have restored and rebuilt it for the big race at Danger Pass. I can’t drive it with this bad leg, but you can!”
“Me?” Lily shrunk back, frightened. “No, Flash. I can’t. I won’t.”
“You have to, Lily. The car has to have a driver to enter the race. But I will be operating it from a helicopter above with this remote control.” He showed her the remote in his hand.
“No!”
“Yes! I need you. Now get behind the wheel.”
Flash pushed her into the driver’s seat, then started the car by remote control. He pushed the joystick forward and the car took off around the track, going faster and faster.
“No!” said Lily. “Stop the car! She tried to get out, but the car!” was going too fast.
“Lily, have you forgotten that the Mélange was wrecked by the Three Roses team? We lost our father because they cared more for winning than they did for his life! ”
Lily sobbed.
“I’ll get even with them for what they did to our father! I’ll get revenge! ”
Flash pressed the joystick forward. The car went faster and faster around the tiny track.
“No, please, Flash! Forget what happened to our father!”
“I can’t. They’re going to pay for what they did to him!”
Flash stood in the center of the cave, operating the car with the remote. As she sped by, holding on for dear life, Lily saw big tears running down her brother’s face.
“
Promise me, Lily. Promise me you will ride in the Mélange in the race. That way I can destroy the Three Roses team, and we can get our revenge!”
“Flash, please, stop the car!”
“I will, but only if you will promise, Lily. After what those men did to our father, we never saw him again! Please, Lily!”
Lily saw her brother’s tears. Her pity for him overcame her fear.
“Iʼpromise,” she sobbed. “Even though I know it’s wrong!”
Flash pulled the joystick back and the race car rolled to a stop.
He ran to the car and held his sobbing sister in his arms.
“You won’t be sorry, Lily,” he said. “Remember, you are doing this for our father. We are not racing to win, we are racing for revenge!”
10
“START YOUR ENGINES!”
Speed’s heart was pounding.
He had been waiting and practicing for this day for months. It was the day of the biggest and most exciting road race of the year, Danger Pass!
The grandstands were filled with eager racing fans. They all cheered in anticipation as the race cars assembled in the pits below.
The loudspeaker boomed:
“Ladies and gentlemen. Let us introduce some of the world-famous drivers who will take part in the race at Danger Pass.”
A hush fell over the crowd. They all had their favorite drivers. They waited to hear their names.
“Racing car number six will be driven by Skid Chill. Car number seventy-seven will be driven by Sutton Grimes. Car number eighty-six by Scootem Rooter . . .”
Loud cheers erupted as each name was announced. But the biggest cheer went up for the young man in the bright blue shirt and the red scarf.
“And the fabulous Mach 5, driven by none other than Speed Racer . . .”
Speed waved to the crowd and went back to work assisting Sparky, who was giving a few last touches to the engine of the Mach 5.
Meanwhile, all up and down the pit area, race car owners and coaches were giving final instructions to their drivers.
Mr. Herring was addressing the three drivers of the Three Roses team.
“Speed Racer has been suspicious of us ever since Black and Green were wiped out by that mysterious X-3 race car,” he said. “He’ll be watching for violations.”
“Don’t worry about a thing, Mr. Herring,” said one of his drivers.
“We know how to take care of that kid,” said another.
“We’ll whack him!” said the third.
“Good!” Herring nodded in approval. Just then, they all looked up, alarmed, as another race car pulled into the pit area.
It was a silver car, and it looked familiar.
“Huh!?” gasped Herring.
“That car looks like the Mélange!” said one driver.
“That’s the car Flash drove when we knocked him over the cliff years ago!” said another.
“That’s the Mélange. I’d know it anywhere!” said the third.
All three broke into a sweat.
The loudspeaker crackled and boomed: “Racing car number three has just joined the starting lineup. It will be driven by a rookie driver, Miss Julie.”
Herring smiled and relaxed. “You see? Don’t worry, men! That’s number three, not X-3. Besides, it’s only a girl at the wheel.”
The drivers all nodded.
“Just do everything you can to win,” said Herring. His eyes narrowed to two evil slits as he hissed, “Everything, understand? Everything!”
Meanwhile, Speed and Trixie were watching Sparky at work. Soon the Mach 5 would be ready to win! Then Speed heard the announcer and looked up. He saw the new entry, car number three, at the other end of the pit.
“That girl at the wheel, she looks sort of familiar,” he mused. She was almost as cute as Trixie!
He studied her with a dreamy look in his eye.
Trixie slugged him on the shoulder to get his attention. “What’s the matter, Speed, haven’t you ever seen a girl racer before?”
Speed didn’t answer. He was staring at the pretty girl in the red helmet and goggles.
“SPEED!” Trixie yelled in his ear.
Speed waved her away. “There’s something I’m trying to figure out, Trixie. But I can’t.”
“Hmph,” said Trixie, her hands on her hips. “There’s something I’m trying to figure out, too, and I can!”
Just then Sparky slammed the Mach 5’s hood shut. “Speed, the Mach 5 is ready to go! I have re-jetted the carburetors for a high-altitude run! The rest is up to you.”
“I’ll do my best,” said Speed. He was ready to prove that he was one of the world’s best drivers, in spite of his young age.
“I’ll help you with your helmet, Speed,” said Trixie. “I want you to come back safely!”
Safety is an important part of every race. Trixie helped Speed fasten his seat belts and check his safety gear. Both of them were concentrating on the race ahead. Neither of them saw Spritle and Chim Chim tiptoeing to the back of the Mach 5.
“Climb in,” whispered Spritle as he opened the trunk. He wasn’t about to miss the biggest and most dangerous race of the year—not if he could help it!
He and the chimp were just about to close the lid when two huge hands grabbed them and yanked them out of the trunk.
“Pops!” Spritle squealed.
“Trying to stow away again?” Pops said.
With a squirming boy under one arm and a squealing chimp under the other, he hurried off toward the stands to watch the race.
“Wait for me! ” said Sparky. He wished Speed luck and followed.
Speed saw his father heading up into the stands carrying Spritle and Chim Chim. “He caught them trying to stow away!” he laughed.
“Spritle always wants to ride with you,” said Trixie. “He hates to be left behind!”
Then she saw that the trunk where Spritle and Chim Chim liked to hide was still open.
And empty!
“And so do I,” she whispered with a grin.
Up in the stands, Pops and Sparky were getting ready to watch the race. They grinned at each other. They knew that the Mach 5 could win, with Speed at the wheel.
Pops looked around. “What happened to Trixie?” he asked. “Isn’t she going to watch the race?”
“I saw her by the car just a minute ago,” said Sparky.
“Gentlemen—and lady—start your engines!” said the announcer.
The magnificent roar of fifty cars starting at once shook the stands. It sounded like a thunderstorm. It drowned out the sound of the helicopter hovering overhead.
Flash Junior was at the controls. He looked down, studying the cars lining up with an evil grin. “Today I will avenge my father. I will make them pay!”
11
“GO, SPEED RACER!”
The eyes of all the racers were on the lights at the starting line as they changed from red, to yellow, to green.
Then the green flag flew, and the cars were off! The sweet smell of raw fuel and burning rubber filled the stands.
In the stands, Pops and Spritle and Sparky cheered for their favorite:
“Go, Speed Racer!”
Chim Chim added his own cheer: “Hoo-haa!”
On the track, Speed relied on his razor-sharp instincts to get the Mach 5 off the line and into the first turn.
His hands were busy with the wheel and the gearshift, but his mind was on the story he had heard about Flash Marker’s tragedy fifteen years before.
“The first race in years at Danger Pass,” he muttered. “There’s a car that looks just like the original Mélange. The Three Roses club has three cars entered. Are they planning more mischief? Is someone plotting revenge?”
Even as Speed was considering all this, the Three Roses cars were communicating by radio. Mr. Herring’s orders to his drivers were grim. “Speed Racer suspects us, I’m sure. At your first opportunity, get rid of the Mach 5!”
“Okay!”
“Roger that!”
Meanwhile, up above, Flash’s helicopter was following the race cars as they began to negotiate the treacherous curves. Flash flew the helicopter with one hand, while with the other he used the remote to control the rebuilt Mélange.
“Lily,” he said on the radio. “Keep a tight grip on the steering wheel, and no one will know that I am actually driving. It won’t be long until I get my revenge! The revenge I’ve been planning for years!”
Pushing the joystick forward, he watched gleefully as the Mélange accelerated faster and faster.
“No, please!” cried Lily. She closed her eyes and began to sob. “No, Flash, please!”
The supercharged engine roared as the Mélange wound through the pack, dodging right and left. Lily gripped the wheel in terror as she whipped past the Mach 5.
Speed Racer watched in awe as car number three passed him.
“Who is that girl behind the wheel?” he cried as he floored his accelerator and took off in pursuit. “I’ve got to know! ”
Far above, Flash looked down and saw the Mach 5 and the Mélange, now running side by side on the road.
“Speed Racer’s going to ruin it for me!” he muttered. “I’ve got to take care of him first, before I wipe out the Three Roses cars.”
He pressed a button on his remote control. Below, a panel on the Mélange turned over. It replaced the number three with a new number:
X-3!
As Flash operated the remote control, the newly named X-3 bashed into the Mach 5’s rear fender. “Ugh!” shouted Speed as he skillfully recovered from a deadly spin.
“No, Flash, please!” shouted Lily. She was afraid of crashing. She was even more afraid of making Speed crash.
“Now we’ve got him, Lily!” shouted Flash into the radio as he rammed the Mélange into the Mach 5 again.
The impact knocked off Lily’s helmet. Now unconscious, Lily slumped over the wheel of the speeding car.
Race for Revenge Page 3