Hello ladies and gentle cars! It has begun. My first multi-chapter story about my favorite Pixar characters EVER. I'm glad everyone has been enjoying my two one shots, and I hope I don't disappoint with this installment! The story idea came to me after going through all the things I thought would happen during Cars 3, and my ideas on afterwards. Put them all together and came up with an interesting plot. I put the rating as T, because sometimes racers curse, sometimes relationships get steamy, and sometimes the themes get dark. I hope everyone enjoys the first chapter of Two Truths and a Lie. Subscribe to the story to get notifications when I post a new chapter! Now on with the story…

The day began like any other. Lightning stretched out his front wheel axles as the little car on his bedside clock popped in and out to the rhythm of the alarm. He winced as he heard his right axle pop! from the stress. It had been days since he last raced. Now was the time to take some laps and work his strength back up for the dirt race at Willy's Butte the next weekend. But first, he needed to run a training session for Cruz.

The garage door to cone number one rolled open. Normally Sally joined him, since it was king sized, but Lightning figured she must have pulled another all-nighter with the Wheel Well renovations. He sighed as he dialed Sally's number on the shiny new phone Cruz had insisted he install. "You may be old, but you gotta be up to date!" she had said.

The bolt, Lightning's favorite sticker, was an LED now. It flickered as his phone continued to buzz, connecting him to his favorite blue Porsche.

After ringing several times, Sally finally picked up. She yawned, muffling slightly as he heard her shove her wheel on her mouth.

"I'm sorry Lightning," she muttered after her yawn. "I lost track of time and had to crash up here."

"It's alright Sally. I figured." Lightning replied, a smile creeping up his lips. "I just wanted to call and make sure you were doing okay."

"Thanks Stickers. Tonight is the last night of renovating the floors and the kitchenettes, so I should be back at the cones tomorrow." Sally stifled another yawn. "Thanks for keeping up with the customers down there. Give Mater my thanks too!"

"I sure will Sal. Get some rest!" Lightning replied, blowing her a kiss through the microphone.

"I'll try. Have a nice day Lightning! I miss you!"

"I miss you too babe." All too soon, he hung up and rolled out into the street leading to Flo's. After he finished the training, he would go visit her and help out. He hated her working so hard and alone. Of course she wasn't entirely alone. She had five contractors working with her on the construction, but it wasn't the same as being with your friends. Or your lover for that matter.

It wasn't eight yet, so Flo was still setting up the diner. Lightning noticed Ramone was blue with green flames today, and Flo was getting a kick out of it. He chuckled and pressed his tire on the pump release. A quick gas and go was all he needed. Nothing fancy.

"Cruz Ramirez speaking," his phone interrupted. Cruz was on the line.

"Lightning, you there?" asked the yellow racer over the speaker.

"No, he's not available today, but Chester Whipplefilter is." He always got a kick out of this.

"Haha, very funny Mr. McQueen. Are we meeting at the dirt track this morning?"

"Yes we are. I'll be there in a jiff. Hope you haven't been waiting too long," the corvette replied.

"Nah, I haven't even left the trailer yet!" Cruz had been staying in Mack's trailer for the week, the one that had been renovated for Dinoco. The shiny blue 51 was slanted across the yellow sides, with the long neck of the dinosaur reaching behind it. Mack was a new shade of blue to match the rebrand. He was reluctant at first to try another color after so long, but he had grown to like it.

Cruz would have stayed in the cozy cone, but he figured she enjoyed the massagers a little too much. Plus they had to save room for the customers that came and went in the tourist town.

Lightning heard the click of the pump shutting off. He let his tire off the button and revved his engine up. He loved the adrenaline rush in his body when he knew he was about to race. He careened down the worn out road behind the Cozy Cone down to the track.

The hot morning sun caused ripples of heat on the pavement. Lightning bet it was going to be around 120 by the afternoon. Training in the mornings and evenings was the best time.

Cruz was already waiting at the start rope that was tied to an old, dusty tire from Luigi's shop. He noticed she had brought along a boom box from the trailer and was dancing back and forth to some beat.

"Getting in the groove this morning, aren't we?" Lightning said as he cruised up beside his ex-trainer turned racecar.

"Oh-oh Mr. McQueen! I-I didn't think you'd get here so soon!" Cruz quickly shut off the music with her tire, looking at him sheepishly.

"I'm not sure the sound system from my-I mean our-trailer was meant to sit out in the desert, but as long as it keeps you motivated I guess it's alright."

"Sorry Mr. McQueen! I'll return it right after our training!" the yellow race car traced circles in the dirt with her tire.

Lightning revved up his engine. "Let's do a little speed test to start off the morning, shall we?"

"Aye, aye crew chief! You're gonna bite the dust today old man!"

"Oh we'll see about that rookie girl! On your mark, get set, go!" The two racers sped down the track, a whirlwind of dirt billowing behind them.

Lightning yelled into his phone "Hudson, track our speed!" He had named his phone assistant after the late Doc Hudson. He wasn't really sure why. It made him feel closer to him he supposed.

"One hundred eighty six miles per hour. One hundred ninety two miles per hour," the assistant called out at various intervals.

Suddenly, Cruz veered off to Lightning's right. He skidded to a stop to see what had gone wrong.

Instead he didn't see Cruz at all.

Hmm. That's strange, Lightning thought.

Then, Ramirez came shooting out from behind a hill, swerving in front of Lightning and rolling over the tattered rope once more.

"Beat ya McQueen! Still the fastest!" Cruz yelled.

Lightning knew what trick she had pulled.

"Been watching some tapes on me and Doc have you? I'm impressed!"

Cruz was glowing. "I watched them all night on the TV in the trailer. Well…maybe not all night. But really late."

"Good start! Now let's take some laps," Lightning said. "We need to work on your drifting skills up on the curve."

"June bug time!"

Lightning laughed.

It was later that afternoon, and Lightning was back in his room, sipping on an energy drink from Flo's. He was playing Tire Crush Saga on his phone which was flipped out to the side, tapping on the matching rows of hubcaps and spinners. He grinned when he passed his high score. Just then, a knock sounded on the garage door.

"Stickers, it's me! Open up!" Lightning instantly recognized his girlfriends voice on the other side.

"Come on in babe," he said as he flipped his phone shut. He had intended to take a drive up to Wheel Well that afternoon, but it looked like Sally had beat him to it and traveled back down to Radiator Springs.

Sally quickly shut the door behind her. "There's been a delay on the last installment, so I decided to come back here for a few hours. And probably take a nap."

Lightning looked at her with loving eyes. "You do that babe. I'll take one with you. It's too hot to do anything right now anyway."

The Porsche snuggled up to Lightning's cheek. He felt the adrenaline rush again. But this time he knew it was love and excitement. He lightly kissed her side, sending the imaginary butterflies in his engine flying around. So many years later and she still made him feel this way. His eyelids drooped as he looked down at her gorgeous body. Sally pulled around in front of him and sunk her lips into his. He moaned at the sudden touch. Sally pulled away, but drove right in for another. After that one Lightning pulled away and reversed into his parking pad.

"I think my engine is going to overheat." Lightning joked.

"Oh Stickers." Sally rolled her eyes sarcastically and smiled.

As Sally closed the blinds for their nap, Lightning realized he had left the TV running. He picked up the remote with his left tire and pointed it at the device. His tire hovered over the power button.

But he never hit the button.

Chick's Picks With Chick Hicks was just starting for the day, but Lightning never cared to watch his old nemesis unless the news was something that truly concerned his well-being. And it rarely ever was. But what came up on the screen definitely concerned his well-being. And not just his well-being. Lightning wasn't prepared for what popped up on the screen behind the mustache clad stock car. No one was prepared for what they saw.

Lightning felt his lunch threatening to come back up.

"Cruz what is THIS?"

Oh nooooooo!!! What was on the screen???? I'm so evil for leaving y'all on a cliffhanger, but well, you'll find out in the next chapter. I haven't decided an upload schedule on this one quite yet, as I'll probably end up writing chapter two tomorrow because I'm obsessed right now with my idea, but I'm thinking biweekly on breaks, weekly during school. Leave a comment below in the reviews what you liked the most about this chapter!