In a few days Torn was all better. He met up with Errol in the area by the racing stadium. Mar Memorial Stadium was one of the boys favorite places in the city.

"Come on Torn!" Errol called running towards the stadium.

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming!" Torn yelled to his friend.

They raced each other up the steps leading to the stadium.

"So what time do you have to be home by?" Errol asked.

"Same time as always, by sundown." He replied.

"I have to be home by dinner which is like seven, maybe seven thirty."

"You can stay out after dark?"

"Today I can!" Errol said in a mocking tone.

"Why?"

"Mom is in a really good mood."

"oh"

"Oh yeah….so what are you doing for your birthday?"

"Not sure"

"Ok then…so how bout something you do know? Like what are we going to do today? Watch some of the practice races or go to the garages and watch them work on the zoomers?" Errol asked.

"I'm up for whatever you want to do."

"Well then, I'm in the mood to see the practice races." Errol said entering the stadium.

"Well let's go!" Torn shouted.

"So the bleachers or the side of the track, you know by the pits?"

"Pits, we can talk to the racers if we are lucky!"

"Come on then let's get down there" Errol said.

"Race you?"

The boys raced each other down the stadium steps and over the divider rail that separated the seats and the pits.

There were a few drivers and their mechanics at the pit talking about various things from zoomers and races to what they are planning to do after work.

The kids walked down the long stretch of rows of garages.

"Hey you! What are a couple of kids like you doing here at a time like this?" a deep voice from behind called to the boys.

They turned around to face the owner of the voice. It was Zee.

"Zee?" Torn asked.

"Yeah it's me."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm on a job call, got to fix some of the stadium lights and replaced the eco bulbs."

"Oh…." Both boys said in unison.

"So what are you kids doing here?" Zee asked

"Watching the racers practice" Errol said.

"Oh is that so?" The boys nodded. "Well have fun then, wish I could stay and talk but I got a job to do." Zee said, and with that, he walked away.

The boys continued on their way. Walking down the rows and rows of pits.

The sound of music came from one of the garages.

"Make way start a revolution" The music played and sang.

The boys recognized the song. They really liked it. It was a popular song, a lot of kids their age listen to it.

They went to the garage where they heard the music. There was a mechanic. He was working on a zoomer. He looked up as they walked in.

"Well hello kids! What are you doing in a place like this?" He asked.

"We are here to see the racers practice!" Errol said

Torn nodded "Yeah, and we like zoomers and stuff." He said.

"Well I think how bout I teach you about the racing zoomers?"

Both boys nodded excitedly.

"Ok then" the mechanic said.

"My name is Steve and I'm the head mechanic for the alpha racing team"

"If you kids want to meet one of the drivers, I might be able to arrange a meeting." Steve said.

The boys eyes light up "really?" they asked

"yeah!"

"That's awesome!" Torn said. Errol nodded.

"Who's the head racer for the team?" Errol asked.

"Lynn. Otherwise known as KLM."

"A girl?" Errol asked a bit surprised

Steve nodded. "She's the best god damn racer the team has and the best I've seen in some time."

The boys nodded in surprise…could a girl really be that good?

Torn turned his attention from Steve and onto his surroundings. He looked around the small garage.

"What kind of zoomer is that?" Torn asked pointing to an old rusted up zoomer hanging from the ceiling.

"Oh that's an old cutie! It is a first model 'go A' racing zoomer. It's from the first race season the alpha team was ever in, and the first one we ever won." Steve said looking up from his work to look at the old zoomer above.

"That year was only my second year as a mechanic and my first year as a race mechanic. That year the only things Alpha had been a hope, dream, one zoomer, one racer and me the only mechanic." He said shaking his head happily at the memory. "A lot has changed since those early days. We grew so much and we have become the top crocadogs of the Haven racing world"

The boys nodded in a bit of amazement. How can so much come from so little? They wondered.

There was a knock towards the front. The three glanced over at the open door to the garage.

"I'm Zee with Frank's handy maintenance man service. I'm here to fix the door opener."

"Over there." Steve pointed over to a button on the wall. Zee nodded and went over to the wall. "Oh hey boys, long time no see huh?" Zee said with a chuckle.

"You know these Kids?" Steve asked. Zee nodded.

"Yup. That's my step son and his best friend and cousin." Zee said smiling "There great kids."

"Hmmm well fancy that.." Steve said nodding.

Zee fixed the door and left without another word, as Steve went back to fixing the zoomer he was working on, telling Torn and Errol stories of racing days past as he did so.

The children sat by Steve and listened as he told his many stories. The sat obediently. Staying still and handing him tools that Steve asked for that were out of his reach upon the first request.

Usually they would fidget and never able to hold still, and if asked to do something even an easy task like handing someone a tool they would not do it until the third or fourth request. Steve must have really made a positive impact on the boys.

It seemed as thou time fly by really quick because before the boys knew it, it was almost 7:30 PM it would be getting dark soon! They need to start heading home.

The boys said their goodbyes to Steve as they made their way out of the stadium and back towards the slums.

They said their goodbyes to each other at the corner of East Main Street and West Pine Grove Road because Errol lived on West Union Street, which is what East Main Street turned into, and Torn lived on West Pine Grove Road.

The sun was just starting to set by the time Torn walked into his house. "I'm home mom!" Torn said as he entered.

"Dinner is ready Torn! Go get cleaned up and we'll eat!" Mom called

"Aren't we going to wait till Zee gets home?"

"Zee is working overtime tonight! He won't be home till after midnight!" Mother said.

Torn nodded "oh" he said as he headed to the bathroom to wash up for dinner.

Torn washed his hands and then made his way to the kitchen.

"What's for dinner tonight?"

"Pasta, broccoli and chicken in a cheese sauce."

Torn made a face.

"Don't be like that Torn, you like cheesy chicken pasta!"

Torn just nodded as he sat down at the table, after he got himself a glass of milk.

Mom grabbed two plates and put some cheesy pasta on each. She handed one to Torn and sat down at the table across from Torn with her own plate in front of her.

As she sat down, she let out a sound of shock. Her eyes widened. "Oh,oh Torn! The baby's coming!"