Noir et Blanc

~In which Radiator Springs never existed, Mater is a sharp detective, and Finn needs the tow truck's help to save his partner. Eventual M/H and L/S -AU- *Based on Cars Toon: Mater Private Eye*~

A/N: To understand this story, you don't need to have watched the Cars Toon this fic is based on because I retell it here. So enjoy it, and review, please!

~Downtown Chicago- 1915 Hours~

The rain fell steadily that Friday night; the sound of a train track not too far off mixing with the steady rhythm of the rain pattering against the window of a motel, the sign outside flickered faintly. On the glass, "Mater Private Eye" was visible, and inside was the detective himself.

Tow Mater had been working in his office downtown, a few small jobs all he had to keep him going, but this time had was on to something big. Really big.

There were newspapers spread out on the desk in front of the tow truck, all about the same topic; blowouts everywhere. Tires were failing everyone, and Mater was almost positive that there was some sort of counterfeit tire ring. There was also a sale on trailer hitches down at Rusty Rod's, but that was beside the point.

He was fully prepared to hit the bricks, when….she drove in.

There was a knock at the door, and after a moment they were pushed open, revealing a small Miata dressed in a dark hat and bow. She was wearing whitewalls, the ones that used to drive him crazy. "Hello, Mater," she remarked seductively, but the tow truck ignored her advances, his answer deadpanned.

"What're you doin' here, Tia?"

"I missed you," she replied as if it was obvious, the tow truck turning away from the Miata, the light from outside reflecting off of his paint.

"Like you missed your last smog check," he muttered in return. Tia gasped, hurt across her features.

"You don't have to play poker with me!" she cried, shifting her tires. Mater barely glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he answered.

"Well you always were the wild card."

The tow truck knew that this couldn't go on forever. Tia was the kind of girl that smashed your heart to pieces if you opened it up to her, and had done so to him a time or two. He couldn't keep falling for her helpless-victim act. ….Like he was doing right now….

Turning back towards the Miata, the private investigator inquired, "What do you want?"

"I need you to find my sister Mia," the smaller car began, lower lip trembling. "She's been car-napped!"A sob escaped her, and she shook visibly for a moment. Mater simply rolled his eyes at her theatrics.

"Quit the waterworks, will ya'? Where did you last see 'er?"

Tia rolled up slightly, locking eyes with the taller car, thunder rumbling and a flash of lightning illuminating the room as the Miata spoke."She was working for Big D."

"Big D, ya say?" Mater inquired curiously, eyelid raised. The smaller car tossed a newspaper onto the desk, only adding to the pile that had accumulated there, this one depicting the image of an older model car on the cover.

"She was working at his club," Tia continued." The Carbacabana."

~The Carbacabana Nightclub- 2000 Hours~

The interior of the club was dimly lit; small candles on the tables as the main source of light, as well as the large stage set up in the front. Upbeat, Cuban music drifted through the room, the singer none other than Lola Motorama, the stunning car wearing something akin to a turban, filled with fruits of all kinds. Three forklifts sang beside her, each playing a different instrument; guitar, maracas, and conga drums.

Downtown traffic

Always so frantic!

Downtown traffic

Oh, so romantic-oh-oh-oh!

Mater watched the performance keenly, paying specific attention to the larger forklifts that had stationed themselves at the exits. This Motorama car was one of the only vehicles present who he could question freely without the danger repercussions. Or at least that's what he hoped...

I give to you a driving lesson!

Oooooh…oooh….oooh

Cha-cha-cha!

Cheers swiftly sprouted from the vehicles gathered, and the Motorama car smiled graciously at the praise, beginning to drive off the stage,"Muchas gracias!" she called with a laugh and thick Cuban accent, before stopping in front of the detective, smile vanishing. "You wanted to see me, señor?"

"Ah'm lookin' fer Mia," the tow truck began, glancing around for an instant."You seen 'er?"

"Mia? Peh," Lola spat disdainfully. "That ragtop." The singer's expression became indifferent, "I don't remember."

"Well maybe this will help you remember." Using his tow hook, Mater plucked a shiny whitewall tire out of his flat bed, dropping it onto the table next to him with a dull thunk.

"Ooh, maybe," Lola mused, gaze locked on the new tire. The tow truck rolled his eyes before pulling out three more, the last coming to a stop upright, and spinning around with a slight squeal. "Oh," the Motorama car began, lifting herself up slightly. "Well now I remember."

The Cuban singer sidled up next to the private investigator, his hat tipping slightly as she spoke, "I saw her a couple of days ago with Big D."

"Where'd they go?"

"I don't know," Lola whined. "And I don't care." Mater rolled his eyes once more before the Motorama car quickly spoke again, sticking her tongue out in disgust for a moment, "But she did smell salty, like the ocean."

Mater's eyes widened slightly at the revelation, but before he could speak a small white forklift with a hat of the same color rode over, interrupting them,"Hey, this guy buggin' you?"

"Not yet," Lola quickly interfered, glancing back at the tow truck with a wink. "But a girl can hope." Her confident look faded when one of the larger, darker forklifts drove up, eyes narrowed.

"Well he's buggin' me!"

In the next instant, Mater found himself tossed forcibly out of the club, the huge forklift coming up from behind to pick him up once more. The smaller forklift rode out as well, and the tow truck muttered, "Hello, Clyde." The detective was turned to face the small gangster-esque vehicle, "where'd ya get the hand trap?"

One of Clyde's forks switched open into a sharp screwdriver, and he began questioning the tow truck, "You're a very nosy fellow, kitty cat, huh? You know what happens to guys who shine their headlights in the wrong places, huh, no, wanna guess, huh?"

"Ah dunno, free car wash?"

"No," the forklift snapped, inserting the screwdriver under Mater's headlight, popping it out and allowing it to shatter against the cobblestone street. "They lose 'em." The tow truck cried out in pain, flinching, and Clyde continued, flipping the screwdriver back into place, "next time it's the blinkers, understand?"

The small forklift drove back into the club, the larger one tossing Mater out onto the road before following.

~Chicagoan back alleys, 2130 Hours~

The private investigator was down to one headlight, but he could still see just fine.

Driving up a dark alley, lone headlight shining faintly, and where the other used to be covered by a large bandage, the tow truck came to a stop several feet from a large, filthy garbage truck who was just lifting the last of his load onto the huge container on his back. "Hey, Stinky," Mater greeted. "What's the dirt on the street?"

"I don't know," the large truck muttered, shrugging lightly.

"No?"

"No. They got me working the alleys, dumping all these blowouts," 'Stinky' affirmed, jerking his hood lightly in the direction of the large, industrial sized garbage cans.

"Blowouts, ya say?"

"Yeah. It's odd though," the garbage truck mused lightly.

"Odd?" Mater repeated, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"They all have this smell…"

"Smell?" the tow truck questioned.

"They smell salty," Stinky clarified.

"Salty?"

"Like the ocean."

"Ocean?"

"I haven't smelled that since I worked down at the docks…"

"Rocks?"

"Docks."

"Ducks?"

"Docks!"

"Oh, the docks!" Mater grasped, jumping up in realization. "Thanks, Stinky!" he called, beginning to drive out of the dank alley. The garbage truck smirked.

"You're welcome, Mater."

~Fanbelt Docks, 0000 Hours~

The docks were full of activity, even so late at night. Forklifts of all sizes drove to and fro a large cargo ship, carrying a varying size of crates. Cranes helped with loading as well, the dark port teeming with light and working vehicles. Mater peered out from behind one of the large wooden boxes, swiftly catching sight of the bulky forklift from before lowering a parking booted- and duct taped-Mia onto the ship's deck. The private investigator gasped lightly,"Mia!"

The tow truck swiftly backed into the shadows as his cry caught the attention of a lone forklift, although the smaller vehicle shrugged it off after a moment, continuing on his way. Sighing in relief, Mater began glancing around, trying to think of a way to get to the Miata. His gaze landed on the crates beside him, and he smirked deviously.

A few short minutes later, a stack of boxes rode by, tow hook clearly visible as it made its way onto the ship. Or attempted to, at least.

A small number of dock pitties that'd been playing poker over a stack of crates noticed the independently moving containers, and one of them whistled sharply, a crane hearing and lowering his own hook, picking up the boxes to reveal none other than the tow truck himself.

Mater was swiftly surrounded, and he glanced around nervously for a moment, Mia tied up in front of him,"Uh-oh..."

Big D himself drove up, smirk adorning his grill. "Big D!" the private investigator cried in realization, grinning proudly. "Wait 'till ah tell the DA!"

"You ain't telling the DA notin'!" the older model snapped, the crane behind the tow truck easily picking him up, dangling the detective above everyone's hoods.

"What the—Ah been shanghaied!" Mater cried out in shock, only for a familiar voice to cry out in objection, and familiar Miata driving up on the other side of Big D."Tia!" the tow truck shouted. "You double-crossin' double-crosser!" he accused.

"I had no choice!" Tia cried."It was the only way to save my sister!"

"Well ya always did the right thing," Mater amended slightly, the crane beginning to turn so that he dangled above the dark water."Just the wrong way."

But before the detective could be dropped into the ocean, the sound of sirens reached them and a group of police cars swiftly arrived, the leader of the group none other than Lieutenant Lightning McQueen. "Looks like we've finally caught ya, Big D!" the cruiser yelled, high beams planted on the older vehicle.

"Oh no, McQueen!" Big D shouted indignantly, backing up in horror. The police cars roared forward, but just before they were able to drive up the plank to reach the ship's deck, dock pitties dumped several empty barrels down the wooden walkway, the cruisers forced to stop as the metal containers crashed into them.

Through the ongoing chaos, they had failed to dump Mater into the ocean, and after gathered her courage, Tia raced over to the crane, pushing a button to make the derrick turn, dropping the detective onto the deck. Once he gathered his wits, the tow truck noticed Big D trying to escape, and in a moment of blatant immaturity, hooked his tow cable around another crane, this once hefting a large rectangular box, and spinning it around with a giddy cry of,"Weeee-hooo!" forcing the crane to turn and drop his load onto the Oldsmobile.

The crate shattered on impact, the tires having filled the box falling on top of him, one of the settling around Big D's hood ornament. "Just what ah thought!" Mater cried smugly, driving over to the criminal. On closer inspection, the tires covering him read "Lite Yeer". "Counterfeit tires!" the tow truck continued. The young police cruiser rode up to the old model car as well, nodding proudly.

"Led us right to 'im, Mater." McQueen turned towards the rest of his men, "Take him away boys!"

~Outskirt of Fanbelt Docks, 0103 Hours~

Sirens wailing, the three police cars escorted the Oldsmobile to the station, lieutenant taking up the lead as they drove under a bridge, disappearing into the fog and they headed towards the station. Tia had been hiding in the shadows, coming out when Mater drove over.

"This is a fine mess you got me into, Tia," he began, glancing down at the Miata.

"I'm not bad, Mater," the smaller car murmured."I just drive that way."

As if that solved anything, the tow truck thought with an internal sigh.

Smirking lightly, the Miata drove around him, humming thoughtfully, "Now c'mon," Tia started, turning to face the detective once more. "Let's pick up where we left off."

Her smile fell, and the Miata gasped once she caught sight of the tow truck driving off, disappearing into the gloom as well.

"And you're positive that this is him?"

"It's in clear black n' white," the Jaguar replied, pushing the newspaper towards the Aston Martin across from him. "Mater Private Eye. The one car that revealed "Big D's" counterfeit tire ring." Leland looked up from the paper, "Now what do you have in mind, McMissile? Why even search for this American bloke?"

"Because," the spy car replied, gaze never leaving the newspaper laid out in front of him, and the image of tow truck plastered over them. "He's the only one with enough skills that can help me find my partner."

A/N: The entire plot of this chapter -excluding the last bit up above- is copied from the Mater's Tall Tales toon. All credit goes to PIXAR.

~Noir et blanc means 'black and white' in French, just so you know that this entire story will be set in the aforementioned color scheme~

~Cars + Toons (c) PIXAR 2006-2011~

I apologize for not knowing what kind of car Big D was-if anyone does know, please tell me so that I can correct it.

And by the way, I came up with the Motorama car's name. Lola's from the 'Copacabana' song by Barry Manilow that the club in this story is based on, and Motorama is the car-ified version of 'Miranda' like Carmen Miranda, only it's Lola Motorama. Yep, so that's it...

Please review, and flames are not tolerated!