Chapter Sixteen

Finn drove down Route Sixty-Six after hearing a tip from one of Boost's friends that he'd gone for a drive. After some time spent in peaceful silence, he reached a promontory point, where he found the tuner in question, idling in silence. He drove up and settled next to the tuner, who only glanced at him before returning his attention to the canyon. "I didn't say anything, if that's what you're wondering," Boost said flatly.

"Thank you, but I actually wanted to talk to you about the invitation," Finn replied. "CHROME will have to be relocated, of course, and if you're still in, I'll have to send you the code for the new location, as well as the temporary location for the academy."

"About...about me still...still goin' through with this."

Finn turned his eyes toward Boost, intently. "Yes?"

"I can't leave my friends out of this. It's kinda complicated, for all of us, goin' straight and all. It's their choice if they want to do this or not, but I think it's helping that they have this chance, that we all do. I guess we all felt like we had to be tuners and violate the law because we couldn't do anything else."

"You're free, now, aren't you?"

"Yeah, we are, I guess."

"Well, you continue working on it. I'll contact you if we need anything."

"Okay."

Finn backed up slowly, and Boost watched as he drove off, somewhere at five to ten miles an hour below the speed limit.

CARS

"Francesco, what're you still doing here? I thought you had to go back to Italy," Lightning said, idling next to his Italian Formula counterpart in Flo's diner. The Italian was enjoying a quart of oil.

"Francesco does," the Italian replied. "Just not right now."

"Only sticking around so you can catch up on insulting me?"

"No. That can wait for the race. You did help save a-Francesco's life, after all."

"Well, thanks, Francesco, but really, it's nothing. Cars look out for each other in this town."

"Wish I could say the same for Porto Corsa."

"I think Radiator Springs is of a dying breed."

"Couldn't agree more."

"So, if I may, what're you going to do, y'know, about...about Antonia?"

Francesco sighed. "I gave the Sheriff my statement, and he said he'd send it to Italy for me. I'll probably be called on to fly back to give my statement again, to Italian authorities, and of course, I have to go back around the world for the Grand Prix."

"Oh, okay."

"Are you going to be in the Prix, McQueen?"

"Yeah, I am. Lookin' forward to it, too."

"Don't go and play stop sign on me. I want this to actually be a challenge."

Lightning chuckled. "You're on, Francesco." Francesco joined Lightning in laughing over their oil. Looks like all is right with the world, Lightning thought.