Speed is racing in the Ice Rally in Central Snowartica with Trixie as his navigator. "The story really starts back when we accepted the invitation to the Ice Rally. Trixie and Sparky both wanted to be navigator, and they both had really good points. But I wanted to race with Trixie, so I chose her. She spent a lot of time studying the maps. Just before the race, someone tried to kidnap Trixie, but I stopped them. During the race, everything was going great and I was certain that I had chosen correctly. Trixie was an amazing navigator. But then someone shot her and we lost our map. Now we're trapped in the Ice Caverns, and I've got to find a way to get out of here, and help Trixie. There is no way I can win the Ice Rally, but I don't really care. I've got a much more important race to win right now. This one is against time."
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"Sparky? Sparky, are you there?"
"Yeah, Speed. I just sent Spritle and Chim Chim to get my copy of the map. I'm going to have to talk you through it, and you won't be able to go as fast. We've got to figure out where you are so I know what direction to tell you. How many turns have you taken so far?"
"I don't know, Sparky. I …"
"Speed, snap out of it. I know you're worried about her. But the only thing you can do right now is what you do best…drive. Now you're going to have to help me help you."
"You're right, Sparky." Speed looked over at Trixie. She seemed to be getting more and more pale. "Is there anything I can do for her?"
"As soon as Spritle comes back with my map, I'll send him to find a doctor. Maybe he can walk you through something. Now calm down."
"It's so dark," Speed said quietly.
Sparky paused. "Speed. You're going to get through this. Trixie is going to be all right. I promise. But you have got to keep calm."
"How can you promise me that, Sparky?" Speed shouted.
Sparky just went on. "Speed, I promise that because that's what I believe. It's what I have to believe. And you have to believe it too. Okay? We're going to do everything we can. I'm going to do everything I can to help you. You're going to do everything you can to help Trixie."
"You're right, Sparky," Speed whispered.
"What's going on?"
"Who's that?" Speed asked.
Sparky came back. "Inspector Detector just walked in with Chim Chim and Spritle," he said. Then Sparky relayed what happened to the inspector.
"Speed. We're sending help. Stay put and watch over Trixie. Help is on the way," Inspector Detector said.
"Help is on the way? How?"
"Just stay put, Speed." Inspector Detector quickly ran over to the phone and dialed a number. "Nine? Suit up. There's a driver in the Ice Caverns who needs your help." After a pause, he said, "It's Speed Racer."
"What was that about, Inspector?" Spritle asked.
"As you know, Racer X works for us."
"You're sending Racer X after Speed and Trixie?"
The Inspector nodded. "Sparky, X is going to need a navigator. Are you up for the challenge?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Spritle. Chim Chim. I will you two to help me monitor the radio and talk to both Speed and X."
"We won't let Speed or you down!" Spritle stated solemnly.
"Good. Good."
Sparky spent the next ten minutes alternating between studying the maps and watching for Racer X.
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Meanwhile, in the cavern, Speed pulled Trixie closer to him and tried to stop the bleeding. "You're going to be all right, Trixie," he whispered. Every time another car drove past him, he stared daggers after it. He longed to follow them, hoping one of them could lead him out. But he did not dare risk it. Help was on the way.
"Come on, Trixie, wake up. Please," Speed whispered.
Trixie opened her eyes a little and whimpered. "What.."
"Shhh. You've been shot," Speed whispered.
"Whe—"
"We are still in the cavern."
"But I need to –"
"No, you need to be still," Speed insisted.
Trixie looked up at him. He looked as scared as she felt. "Why are we sitting here?"
"We don't have a map," Speed told her.
"I lost the map!" Trixie started to get agitated.
"No, you didn't. Trixie, calm down. Help is on the way."
Trixie saw a car fly past them and leave them behind. "Speed, you're going to lose this race and it's all my fault."
He forced her to look at him. "It is not your fault, and I don't care about this race. Do you understand me? Now calm down. I need you to be calm. I know you're scared. I'm scared, but we're going to get through this. Okay?"
Trixie nodded. "You said help was on the way. How?"
Speed shrugged. "I don't know. But the inspector said help was on the way."
Trixie smiled. "It must be X. X must be coming."
"He's the only driver I would trust right now," Speed said. He was vowing to find out who had shot at Trixie and deal with him. But for now, he had to get her to safety.
"Are you warm enough?" Speed asked.
"Mmmm hmmm," Trixie said. Her voice was starting to slur.
"Rest a bit, okay?"
Trixie didn't respond, and Speed forced himself not to try to wake her up. He was terrified when she was not talking to him, but he knew she needed to spare everything she could for the next part of the race.
"Speed," came a voice over the radio.
"Spritle?" Speed asked.
"Yeah. Sparky is on his way with Racer X. The Inspector is arranging for something at the exit of the Ice Caverns. How's Trixie?"
Speed smiled a little. "She was awake a moment ago. We thought it might be X who was coming. Why is Sparky with him?"
"Because he needs a navigator that's why. Do you know who did this?"
"No. but when I find out, I am going to make them pay," Speed said.
"I want to help," Spritle said. "Trixie bosses us around a bit, but she acts like a big sister and we like her a lot. It makes me very angry that someone would shoot her. Do you think they were trying to get her, Speed? Someone attacked her yesterday, and we thought it was to get at you. Do you think they are trying to get at you through her?"
Speed looked at the radio in shock. It made sense. Would Trixie have been a target if she were not his navigator? Or was this a different kind of attack? The course planners knew who the drivers were –but not who the navigators were. Trixie was known to be his girlfriend. Could the attack last night have been against her specifically, because of who she was rather than attacking his navigator?
Just then, he heard the familiar roar of an engine. Racing X in the Shooting Star. X pulled up next to the Mach 5. Speed looked suspiciously around the cavern before lowering the shield.
"Hello Speed. How's Trixie?" Racer X asked.
"I don't know. She's running a fever."
X hopped out of his car and came over. He looked Trixie over a moment and then looked back up to Speed. "We're going to have to drive like you've never driven before Speed. She needs a doctor and fast. We still have a long ways to go to get out of here. Sparky will be our navigator. He will be calling out the course on the radio for both of us. Follow me as close as you can."
Speed looked over at the Shooting Star and saw a couple of scrapes. Sparky nodded. "I know, Speed. But I have not had as long to study this map as Trixie did. I'll get us out safely."
Speed nodded. "I trust you, Sparky."
"There will be a medicopter waiting for us at the exit of the cavern, but we still have a long way to go to get there. Are you ready, Speed?"
"As I'll ever be, Racer X." Speed reset the bulletproof dome and started the engine to the Mach 5. Racer X took off and Speed took off close behind him. He rode so close that the cars were practically one.
"Okay. The next turn is coming up. 45 degrees to your right. Now X!"
X turned, narrowly clearing the corner just as Speed took the turn. Turn by turn they raced through the cavern, the only lights the headlights of each other's cars and the reflection on the ice.
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Several miles in, Trixie opened her eyes and blearily watched what was going on. "Speed?" she called out.
"Right here, Trix."
"Can we slow down," she murmured.
"X, can we slow the pace down?" Speed asked over the radio.
"Why?"
"Trixie's awake. The pace is too fast for her."
"All right," X said.
Speed slowed the Mach 5 and X matched his pace. Sparky called out the next turn.
"How far, Sparky?" Speed asked.
"Speed, we have about 75 miles to go."
"Thanks, Sparky." Speed looked over to Trixie. She looked like she was barely holding on. She looked back at him. He did not ask her how she was. Trixie looked like she felt horrible. Her eyes were bright with fever.
"Would you help me take this jacket off, Speed? I'm so hot."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Trixie. We shouldn't move your shoulder too much. And it is colder in this cavern than you think."
Trixie nodded and rested her head against his shoulder. She was scorching hot. Speed pulled her to him, and held her close. He knew he needed both hands to drive, but he also needed to hold her.
"Speed, pay attention," X called over the radio.
"We have a really sharp turn coming up, Speed. It's a 45 degree turn to the left, then the turn itself is an elongated 360 degrees. We'll be going up."
"We're going to take this turn really slowly, Speed," X put in.
"Understood," Speed answered.
"Turning now!" Sparky yelled. X made the turn and Speed followed him.
"How much father," Speed asked.
"No more than 10 miles to the end of the caverns," Sparky came back.
"Thanks Sparky," Speed whispered.
"Everything all right, Speed?" Sparky asked.
Speed didn't answer. Trixie was very still. Her breathing had gotten to be very shallow.
"Speed!"
"I don't know," Speed said.
"We don't have any more turns," Sparky announced. "I think we should punch it."
Speed nodded. He shot from behind Racer X and the Shooting Star, going as fast as the Mach 5 would take him. Soon he could see daylight ahead of him. Racer X's headlights were falling behind him, but he did not care. As soon as he cleared the cavern, he saw the medicopter waiting and he sped over to it. Medics ran towards him as the Mach 5 slammed to a stop. Within moments, they had Trixie out of the car and were running towards the medicopter. Speed was right with them. Racer X and Sparky came out of the cavern.
Sparky shouted "I'll bring the Mach 5 to the hospital Speed. You go with her!"
Speed just nodded. He had not actually considered what was going to happen with the car.
He jumped in the medicopter and it lifted off immediately. Speed watched as the medics looked over Trixie and started to give her a transfusion. One of them looked at him and nodded, a slight smile on his face. Speed only hoped that meant he had been able to get her to help on time.
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Speed paced in the room, waiting for word, when Pops, Mother, Chim Chim, Spritle, and Sparky all burst in. Mother just went over to Speed and pulled him into a tight hug. "It's going to be all right, Speed. Trixie is in good hands."
"It's my fault," he said.
"Why?"
"Because I put her there," he said.
"Trixie put herself there. The people to blame are the ones who shot her, the ones who did not believe they could beat you in a fair race, so they cheated."
Speed shrugged. He was considering giving up racing. He did not know if he could handle this again. Then he looked at his mother. "Is this what you go through when I race?"
She nodded. "Every time. But I would never ask you to stop. And neither would Trixie. And she would not thank you to tell her she could not navigate again, if she wants to. I know you're scared for her. But how would you feel if she asked you to never race again because she is scared for you?"
"She'd never do that," Speed said immediately.
"No. She wouldn't." Mother looked intently at him. "And you cannot do it to her."
Speed nodded. "I almost lost her."
Mother hugged him again. "But you didn't. Remember that."
Soon enough, they wheeled Trixie in. She looked pale against the bandages. The doctor looked at the Racers. "Are you her family?"
"Yes we are," Pops immediately said without any hesitation.
"She's going to be fine. I'll probably be able to release her in a couple of days. This is one very lucky young lady."
"We're the lucky ones," Speed said.
Spritle just rolled his eyes and mouthed "Yuck" to Chim Chim, who nodded and hopped up and down. Sparky held his finger against his lips, telling Spritle to hush.
"We'll leave you two alone," Mother said. Pops and Sparky dragged Chim Chim and Spritle out of the room. Speed sat next to the bed and took Trixie's hand.
A few minutes later, she woke up and looked at him. "Speed?"
"Hey, Trixie. Are you all right?"
She smiled. "I'm all right, I suppose. A bit sore. You look awful."
Speed laughed. "I've been a bit worried about you."
Trixie looked at him. "Did you finish the race?"
He was confused for a moment. "I won it, Trixie."
She looked at him in total shock. "You did? Oh that's great Speed. I am so proud of you. I don't know how you pulled that off, considering that you were so far behind."
Speed smiled. She had not understood his answer at all, but he didn't care. He had won the only race that mattered in that moment. "When you get out of here, we're going to go on a picnic to celebrate."
"Oh, Speed."