FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Friday came and Alice had to say goodbye to Nodrog, Jenny and her car. Made for a shitty day if you asked her. It made for a lousy weekend with her toy and her two lovers gone. She managed to keep a little busy with some work and meeting with Amber for a couple of fittings for the catalog they were going to shoot for.

It was kind of fun and she wasn't too nervous about being mostly naked in front of Marcus. Since she wasn't the right gender for his interests and the one day there were four other mostly naked models in the room the one time.

Finally after a lengthy week the day came to jump on a plane and head for the race. Alice made one last check to make sure she had everything she would need for the nearly two week trip. She also made sure everything in the apartment was turned off before heading down to meet Kenny and Jim at the bus stop.

"I think she looks a little excited." Kenny said as Alice stepped outside.

"Her excited? Not our little Alice." Jim chuckled.

"I am way past excited. This week couldn't go by fast enough." Alice had her bag slung over a shoulder.

"It did drag a little ass. Joe told me we should land about an hour before they will start off loading the ship." Jim said as they got on the bus to head for the airport.

"We have a hotel for the night, catch up on the jet lag. Then it's a six hour drive to the starting line?" Kenny asked as they rode out to the airport.

"Sounds about right." Jim said.

"So who are you pairing up with for running the one chase truck?" Alice asked.

"Tim and I will be in the one truck. TJ and DJ will be in the other truck." Jim said.

"The twins are running chase? I thought Joe would have taken one." Kenny asked.

"No he is staying with the haul truck coordinating the whole thing." Jim said.

They met Wes, Tim, Joe, the twins, little Joe and Natasha at the airport entrance. All ten of them quickly got checked in and headed for the gate. Natasha was Wes' girlfriend and navigator. She was very much fem-fatal, tall even without the spike heeled boots. Her black hair was long and straight, Alice thought she had very pretty light green eyes, and like Joe's wife, had a very sensual figure.

DJ and TJ were more girls like Alice, short and petite. They were a mirror image of the other. Black and white cat anthros they both had a gray and blue eye. That was the only way to tell them apart. TJ's left eye was blue and DJ's right eye was blue. Both dressed like little boys which was baggy shorts and t-shirts. DJ did engine work and TJ did transmissions.

Little Joe was the same height as Big Joe, but he was considerably skinnier. Almost comically so, his messy blond hair and tan made him look like a surfer bum. Little Joe was the main electrical guy, he could fix anything with a circuit board in it. With two electrical masters degrees, she wondered why he didn't go for a higher paying career. Alice had seen him fix a cell phone someone had ran over with a car. He was that god like with electronics.

Alice had thought about bringing a book with her to read, but with as excited as she was and given how rowdy they could be. In flight entertainment had pretty much taken care of itself. The twins had fallen asleep first after the sugar rush ran out a quarter of the way through the flight. Much to the relief of other passengers Alice had thought.

Since they twins crashed early it meant they were the first ones awake in the morning. And they remained mostly quiet, for a while. It was their first trip to another country so they were understandably excited. After that had been explained most of the other people understood why they had been bouncing off the walls. Everyone else in first class had been to several countries.

Navigating the airport and arranging for transportation to the motel was considerably easy since Alice and Natasha could speak more than English. They both knew French. Alice also knew German and some Italian. Natasha was also fluent in Spanish and Russian. English was actually Natasha's fourth language Russian was her native language.

After checking into their rooms, they did a little touring of the port city. Alice and Natasha had to translate most of the prices and menus any place they went. The two wished they had time to stop in Paris for a day. Even though they had both been several times. The twins were the only other ones interested in sightseeing. Alice and Natasha shared a room and the twins got their own room. Leaving the boys to pair up however they wanted.

"Wes told me Jenny asked you to marry her. Congratulations." Natasha said as they got ready for bed.

"Thank you. I am really excited about it." Alice said.

"Have you set a date for it yet?" Natasha asked.

"Not yet, we were talking about in the spring next year." Alice pulled her night shirt on.

"Spring is always a nice time of year." Natasha said.

"We do have a place all ready picked out. Jenny's grandmother gave us a little beach house down on the coast." Alice said.

"That sounds romantic. With all of the flowers in bloom." Natasha said as she got into bed.

"Do we need to set an alarm?" Alice asked before she laid down.

"Most likely." Natasha checked the rooms clock. "six am?"

"Should be fine. Good night." Alice said and laid down pulling the sheet over her.

"Good night." Natasha turned out the lights.

Morning came rather quickly for all of them. The jet lag seemed to have hit the twins hard since they had not traveled much before. However they only had to eat and sit in a van on the way to the port to pick up their equipment. They had a full two days to get used to the new time.

Alice was glad to get a chance to drive one of the two chase trucks. The twins would take over after they got to the starting area. The race route and chase vehicle route were clearly mapped out and marked. The roads leading to the event, were not. Alice and Natasha were the only ones who could read the road sides along the French country side as they made the seven hour trip to the small city that was hosting the event this year.

Alice led the way with Natasha riding in the semi truck with Joe so he wouldn't get lost. Which was not a problem since Jim and Joe stuck to the back bumper of the truck in front of them like glue.

They were staging everything on the southern edge of town at an old air force base. Plenty of space for them to spread everyone out and the old runways made for a good drag strip for some events. Alice got directions from one of the gentleman standing at the gate and passed on his instructions to Jim and Joe. She found the area marked off for them easily and parked the chase truck so it could get out.

Joe got the giant truck backed in and they all got out to help set up banners, tables and unload the two cars. They had arrived late afternoon the first day the gates had been opened and had beaten many of the other racers here. Which worked out well because they didn't have to hurry to prep anything.

With a bit more flash and flair then some they stood out all ready. Alice and Natasha got them squared away with registration. While the paper work was in English, the people helping run the event were not all good at speaking it. Sure there were excellent electronic translators, it was faster and easier when someone could speak the other person's language. Jim, Tim and the twins had translators in the chase trucks just in case they needed something.

The large equipment truck Joe had spared no expense on. It could hold up to four cars, all up at the top of the trailer. The heavier stuff was actually on the bottom, tools, machines and spare parts all were housed lower. While it had places to store food, the cooking was done mainly outside by gas burning grills. At the very front of the trailer it had enough room to sleep six. Both chase trucks had sleeping provisions as well, though it would be more like camping. Each night the cars would be locked in an impound and the drivers returned to a hotel for the night. Leaving the chase crews out on the race course.

Much farther to the east then south eastern France. Nodrog lead the group down to the place Alice and Kathrin had found him. The bodies were gone, but the blood stains were still prevalent. He had made a rather gruesome mess in places as he made his way out. After all, more than four hundred years without a bite to eat; he was a bit famished.

"I am so glad I didn't have to see all of this the last time I was here." Jenny said. Most of the dust and cobwebs were gone from the clean up.

"How the heck did Alice not lose her lunch?" Katie asked.

"She couldn't see. They had lost her glasses." Nodrog lead them further down, the hidden door way still stood open.

"I did a preliminary check and never found anything even hinting at this." Frank said as they followed the stairs further underground.

"That's because Alice is good at finding trouble." Jenny said as they stepped down into the large room with several rooms off of it.

"The one at the end." Nodrog shinned the light from his lamp at it. Frank and Sherman entered the room first. Nodrog stayed out of it, he had spent enough time in there. They had brought large portable work lamps down with them. He headed back out as the others searched the rooms carefully looking for artifact or clues. Nodrog was the least thrilled to be back in his tomb, so he went back outside.

Jenny and Cindy looked around his prison cell it was barren aside from the broken chain and the chunk of stone he had been sitting on. No marks on the wall or floor. Frank had looked over a book someone had found in another room. It covered a lengthy span of gruesome time and events that had taken place here.

"There is nothing here. Its like the castle itself does not acknowledge he was ever here." Frank said as they stood in the larger room.

"Surely something has too." Katie said.

"She is right the three of us saw him come out of the castle. With Alice and Kathrin behind him." Mary said.

"Maybe when they locked him away the erased everything to keep him hidden from the world." Cindy said.

"Makes sense, he is an immortal living weapon." One of Frank's crew said.

"Which makes you wonder why he is here." Another said.

"Cause he is the big man's newest pet." A third said.

"Maybe he wasn't ever here." The first one to speak out said.

"The General should have kept him." The second speaker said.

"After he saves your ass what gives you the right? None of you understand so keep the comments to your selves!" A teary eyed Jenny yelled.

"Why are you defending him? He is a monster. Are you fucking him or something?" A fourth asked.

A few had started laughing as Jenny started to cry but the mood changed quickly from the sound of the heavy slide slamming home on Sherman's .50 caliber pistol. Which was further emphasized by the sharp clack Cindy's .45 acp made as she put a round in the barrel. At this point Jenny had ran away with Mary chasing after her.

"Another word and I will pull the trigger. Trust me, the dragon is the least of your problems." Sherman said coldly.

However it was Frank who acted first and cold cocked the kid that had asked. "What the hell is wrong with you? You are god damn lucky I don't let him shoot you and leave you in here!"

Cindy and Sherman still held their weapons out as two of them helped the third up and onto his feet. Frank had given the kid a fat lip and a bloody nose, not bad for a guy in his sixties the two of them thought.

"Cindy go tell Scott to radio these boys a ride home. And have head quarters print out their last paychecks." Frank said a little bit calmed down.

They had started to argue but Sherman interrupted them. "He can do that, because he is in charge of this operation. His orders are final, now lets go get your crap." Sherman motioned with the barrel of the gun.

Frank sat down on a stone block with a heavy sigh. Katie sat next to him and Chris knelt on a knee in front of him. "You all right Frank?"

"Yeah, I'll be all right. Damn kids." Frank was a little tired now that the adrenaline wore off.

"Not a great way to start an expedition." Katie said.

"Was I to harsh on them?" Frank asked as they got up to head outside and see how much more of a mess there was.

"I would have done the same. Hell of a nice right hook you have." Chris said with a little chuckle.

"I would have let Sherman shoot him." Katie said.

"National mid weight boxing champ in high school and college. Maybe I am just getting to old to run field units." Frank said.

"I would disagree, you're a good guy to work for Frank. You would be bored if you were stuck at a desk all day." Chris said as they stepped out of the hidden dungeon.

"After seeing you move that quick, I have a hard time believing you are too old." Katie said.

"I better find Jenny and make sure she is okay." Frank said as they entered the main hall of the castle

"We will take care of quelling any rumors and getting the story straight." Chris said as they walked outside. Katie and Chris rounded up those that were outside at the time so they would only have to explain the situation once.

Frank found Jenny sitting on a large stone to the east of the castle. He was surprised she was by herself, he had expected her to have ran strait to Nodrog. He sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "You all right kiddo?" Frank asked.

Jenny sniffed a couple times and nodded her head. "Usually I am not bothered by little stuff like that."

"Some people are just cruel like that. They are on their way back, I fired the lot of them. I know its not much." Frank dug out his handkerchief and handed it to Jenny.

Nodrog and Nightrunner watched from the dark shadows of the eastern rampart tower. They had both overheard what had gone on down in the hidden dungeon.

"You really have changed, I'm impressed. The old you would have gutted the lot of them." Nightrunner said as Frank and Jenny talked.

"Trust me, it is still very tempting. However any involvement on my part would probably be frowned upon." Nodrog said.

"Or confirm their suspicions." Nightrunner said.

"That too." Nodrog said.

"What are they looking for exactly?" Nightrunner watched as Frank and Jenny headed for camp.

"I don't know. They seem rather disappointed in the lack of any indication I was really here." Nodrog said.

"Still trying to prove you exist then. I would think your actions would have proven that." Nightrunner was amused by the humans.

"Unlike other monsters, I don't even get vague references in books or carvings." Nodrog said.

"That would have just meant someone would have went looking for you. I think it was twenty sixty they drained most of the damn Lock looking for Nina." Nightrunner said with a scoff.

"How is she? Haven't seen her in a long time." Nodrog said.

"My sister had found a nice large lake a star system over." Nightrunner said.

"The lovely Eitak. And how is she doing?" Nodrog said.

"She is doing well. She and I have had no luck in our search." Nightrunner said.

"I had figured after a thousand years the two of you would have given up." Nodrog said.

"Not yet, a few of our hunters are still searching. The council still wants to know who turned on you. In my thousands of years of being in this job you are the only monster betrayed by another monster." Nightrunner turned and looked at him.

"Damn it that kind of back stabbing was only done by lesser kinds. Our loyalty to our own kind is what separates us from those vermin." Nightrunner said.

"But I am different, I was not born a monster. I was turned into one. I know that it upset a number of people. As was the single minded reason for my creation." Nodrog clenched his hand in a fist.

Nightrunner put his hand on that fist. "Yet, you have proven time and time again that you are greater than those that created you. Even when cast out and betrayed you remained honorable and noble. I confess that I was shocked you didn't simply slaughter them all. By not retaliating you proved to us, our own fears were unfounded."

"If I had, I would not have ended up on this rock and met Alice and Jenny." Nodrog realized, just how odd the universe worked sometimes.

"Banished to a world where you find love. An interesting twist of fate. I never thanked you for giving the fairy enough magic to contact me. Some days there is not enough time for me to see to everything." Nightrunner said.

"Oddly enough, time was something I have always found we have an abundance of. I try to help those of us I can." They turned and headed down the stairs as the sun began to set.

"And they thank you for it. I thank you for it." Nightrunner said.

"So why are you not on the council?" Nodrog could almost hear him winch.

"Because I am too good at my job. And I have no desire for such things." Nightrunner said.

Nodrog grunted. "I could see why. So are you convinced enough?"

"That's harsh, I didn't come to check on you for work. I came to check on you as a friend. Nodrog, I am truly glad you have found happiness in this world. You are the one that seems to still need to be convinced." Nightrunner said.

"Sorry about that. It has been a little hard to be trusting." Nodrog said.

"I know it has. Take care of those two girls and let them take care of you." Nightrunner said before he disappeared into the shadows.

Nodrog stood in the now empty castle. Only his thoughts to keep him company. He looked at his watch, most of them would be heading to bed shortly. The only monster that never sleeps, and never tires.

Chapter

Sherman had came inside to see if he could find Nodrog. No one had seen him since he left the hidden dungeon. He found him sitting on the large carved stone throne holding a skull in his hand. With a little mockery and jest he said "Alas poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest..."

Nodrog raised an eye brow at Sherman's antics. Then looked back at the skull that had been sitting on a mantel. "Didn't figure you as someone who would quote Shakespeare. I do know this is not poor Yorick."

"Everyone knows that line. So who's head do you hold in your hand?" Sherman asked as he walked up a few steps.

"Bethany, she was a hired killer and I am the one who took her head. I can still see the surprise on her face as the poisoned dagger she had failed to pierce my flesh." Nodrog did remember it vividly as it was one of the last things he saw before being imprisoned.

"I would imagine so. Did she tell you her name?" Sherman asked.

"Just before pulling the knife. I probably did her a favor by drinking her blood. They would have tortured her." Nodrog said.

"I get the feeling she was not the only one to try." Sherman said

"No, probably a hundred or more. When you are a god no one tries, but when you're a devil..." Nodrog raised eyebrow.

"How do you keep from going mad? After all of this time and all of the hate. I don't mean to sound rude, but I have thought about it almost since we first met." Sherman said.

Nodrog turned from the skull and looked up at Sherman. "Who says I haven't?"

The thought caused a shiver to run up Sherman's spine. If nothing could stop him now, four hundred years or more ago he would have been, a devil. "But then you have probably always had friends or supporters."

"For my first one hundred years I had neither. And for the first two hundred I did not even have free will. I was a weapon, rarely to speak and only to do as I was told. For hundreds years even monsters were afraid I would be turned loose on them." Nodrog looked back at the skull. "I was not called the Iron Dragon because I am metal."

"Then why are you called the Iron Dragon?" Jenny asked as she walked up to them.

"Because it was thought I had no heart or soul. In truth, they were right because like any weapon I never questioned only carried on." Nodrog said.

"A weapon is only a tool, its actions are of solely that of the person wielding it." Sherman said.

"That only holds true for things like swords and guns." Nodrog said.

"But you said you had no free will." Jenny said.

"I still could have refused to follow the orders. But I didn't. She wanted revenge and gave her life trying. So I ask you Bethany, can I ever be forgiven?" Nodrog directed the question to the skull he held in his hand.

Both Sherman and Jenny half expected the skull to answer him after everything else they had seen. The two of them both thought it looked like he could hear the skull talking even if they couldn't.

Nodrog turned the skull and held it out so they could both get a better look at it. "Bethany had not even been eighteen for three full months when I stole the life from her. Even now, her head in my hand, I can't remember the reason why she had tried... I can only remember her name and the frightened look in her eyes."

Neither Sherman or Jenny had a response, it was a glimpse into a very troubled and dark past. Sherman looked at Nodrog carefully, this was a side they had not seen. "I would be worried if you didn't feel something. At least questioning it proves you do have a soul and a heart."

"I never questioned if you had a heart or not." It made Jenny nervous.

"At least you both understand." Nodrog stood up. "It is rather late you two should probably get some sleep."

"What are you going to do?" Jenny asked as the three of them headed out.

"Lay the last of Bethany to rest." Nodrog picked up a shovel that was leaning against the wall outside. "Good night."

Jenny and Sherman wished him a good night and walked to the RV they were sharing with Cindy, Katie and Mary. Nodrog had a bunk in it too, even if he was never going to use it. At least it was a place to keep his clothes while they were out in the field.

Nodrog glanced up at the stars and headed off in the direction he thought the cemetery had been. Any grave markings for peasants would be long gone now, and the mausoleum was only for royalty and nobility. With no landmarks except the castle he stopped where he thought it might be, set the skull on the ground and began digging.

He lay the skull in the roughly three foot deep hole carefully and began filling it back in. He didn't know any prayers to say. "I know it is not much but I hope you are resting in peace." Nodrog stood in silence for a short while before turning back to head to camp. The lack of remembering more still bothered him, but he felt slightly better. This was going to be two very long months.

Alice was up rather early as were the twins. The excitement was too much for them and since Alice could translate they did a little early morning tourism. There was a small vineyard and some little shops to at least spend a few hours going through.

They had a good time, Alice even managed to get them to try some new foods. However getting them in girl clothes proved impossible. But at least she could say she tried. After heading back to the staging area the trio wandered around to the other trucks that had shown up.

"Now there is someone I haven't seen in a long time. How have you been Alice?" A cute guy at a tire manufacture said.

"Hey Mike. Still factory sponsored to burn up new tires I see." Alice teased as they walked up to him.

"You know Mike Suka, the drift king?" TJ asked.

"Kind of old friends. He always made fun of me for going with a European car." Alice said.

"I still do. I had heard a rumor you were runnin' under Joe's banner this year." Mike said.

"I am. Wes and I both are racing for him this year." Alice said.

"So these must be his mechanic twins DJ and TJ." Mike shook both of their hands as they stood speechless.

"They don't get out much so you will have to excuse their star struck behavior." Alice said with a smile.

"So can I talk you into a little exhibition later in the week?" Mike and Alice laughed as the twins took the question wrong.

"That would be fun. Have to see if Joe has a set of rubber I can burn up before I could give you an answer." Alice said.

"Funny you should say that cause it just so happens I have a lot of rubber." Mike said with a grin. The innuendos confusing the twins that much more. Mike wrote some numbers down on a sheet and handed it to Alice. "Are those still your size?"

Alice glanced over the list with a smile. "You're the only guy that remembers. So are you just burning up tires or do we get to see you race?"

"Just so happens we are in the same class. I hope you'll take it easy on me." Mike handed the note with the tire sizes to one of the techs and told him to send them to Joe's pit.

"Not a chance boy. I'm not playing around anymore." Alice said with a smile.

"I was hoping you would say that. Nice to meet the two of you." Mike said.

At least they didn't faint like she had thought they might. She was glad to see her father had arrived in town after having a last minute emergency at work. Which they thought would cause him to miss the whole thing.

"We had wondered where you three had ran off too." Ron said as he got out of a chair and gave Alice a hug.

"Little shopping and a little bench racing." Alice said.

"She knows Mike Suka." Both twins blurted out.

"We didn't bring enough tires for you to play with him." Joe grumbled as he fired up the grill for lunch.

"Judging from her smile that doesn't matter." Little Joe said.

"It doesn't because he is still sponsored by BFG. And they just happen to have a set that would fit my car." Alice said as sweet and innocently as she could.

"Hell if he has tires you can burn up then no problem." Kenny said.

"I thought you quit playing with little ricer cars?" Ron asked.

"Mostly, Mike just wanted me to run an exhibition with him later in the week. Just for fun." Alice dug an iced tea out of a cooler.

"Haven't seen him in a long time." Wes said as he and Tim came out with burgers and chips. They ate lunch and talked with a number of people who had shown up early to speak with their favorite drivers. Alice had signed twenty autographs by the start of the drivers meeting at four a clock. And the main crowd wouldn't be here till the following day.

While called a drivers meeting it was for their crews as well. A good hundred and fifty people. It laid out a little more how things would be run and other important information. Like some last minute changes to the course due to a mud slide. The gravel road just fell away and had not been repaired.

After the meeting they had headed back to their pit and a few old friends came by to stop and talk. The next day was preliminaries and qualifying runs. Neither Alice or Wes had to take part, because they all ready had spots. Alice, Kenny, Ron, Wes and Natasha watched some of the qualifying to see who they would need to avoid and who might be stiff competition.

They talked with other racers, there was no real pit strategy this year because the course was laid out in a way that only the very thirsty cars would have to stop. Alice and Jim had thought she should have at least a quarter of a tank or more at the end of every section. Wes and Joe figured he would have to stop once for a few gallons on the two long stages of the course. Each team had an hour prep each morning to fuel the car, change tires if needed and make any adjustments or repairs.

Alice lightly punched Wes in the arm. "Do you hear what I hear?"

The group paused and listened. DJ and TJ shouted "Go karts!"

"Sweet, lets go!" Kenny said.

All eleven of them had to jump in go karts and tear around the kart track like little kids. Alice and the twins having an unfair advantage cause they were so small and light. Big Joe just barely got the belt around him. They yelled and taunted each other, they bumped and pushed, and generally raised hell. Their antics drew a little bit of a crowd. Usually race teams did not goof off this close to a race. Granted they really were not a team as much as gear heads with two fast cars and a pair of drivers.

Still the go kart antics had brought in a crowd of people to their staging pit. The Lotus and the Austin Martin erased any thoughts of them being slackers. With hoods and doors open, everything polished and cleaned to show quality. Even with the form follows function approach Joe took with everything, he still paid attention to the details. It proved they did know what they were doing and they were damn good at it. People had a hard time believing the two cars were going to be racing.

Joe had a hand in building each car and knew them both inside and out. The twins and little Joe also did a great deal of work on each car. Alice and Jim had done a fair amount of work on her car, but it was at the suggestions and advice from the other four. Little Joe had built and programmed the electronic control system for Alice. It was his creation that allowed her to have the dual personality in the car.

Mike and one of his techs showed up with the four drift tires, all ready mounted on rims they also just happened to have. "All ready to go for Thursday."

"Hey Mike, nice of you to even mount them up for us." Big Joe said.

"Anything to help out. Good to see you again Joe." Mike said.

"So I noticed you're in the same class as Alice." Little Joe smiled, he knew Mike could drive, but the drift king hadn't raced in a long time.

"Yeah didn't do myself any favors picking to run in that class. She isn't the only big name I have to try and beat." Mike said.

"Sir we should head back, the meeting is about to start." The tech said.

"That time all ready. Guess we will gave to catch up another time." Mike waved good bye before heading back to his own pit.

The rest of the evening they kicked back and tried to relax for the start of the race the following morning. The twins, Jim and Tim would have to get the chase trucks fired up and down the road early. The rest of them would have to do the last minute checks and pull the NOS tanks out of both cars. Alice's water meth system was legal but the NOS systems where not.

Alice and the twins were glad the hotel had breakfast. The three didn't want cold cereal or grilled breakfast every morning. After breakfast, Tim and Jim decided who was driving first by the very professional method of rock paper scissors.

"Looks like you are navigating old man." Tim said with a laugh.

"At least I know we won't get lost." Jim said.

"I thought our routs were mapped out?" DJ and TJ finished packing their stuff into the truck they were driving.

"It is, very clearly I might add." Tim said.

"You two will be fine. I'm just giving Tim a bad time. You ready, we need to get rollin." Jim said.

"Waiting on you." Tim laughed and the four climbed in and headed down the road. Leaving the rest to get ready. Alice, Kenny and her dad went over her car bumper to bumper checking everything. This year her class was starting second, they got the car in line and ready to go. Her and Kenny got suited up and stood by waiting to start the car and the first stage.

Her dad gave her a hug and wished her good luck before heading back to the pit to watch with both Joes at the trailer. An Official came by and gave them the five minute warning and the two put on their helmets and got belted in.

"How are you feeling?" Kenny asked over the little in car radio they had.

"Ready to go and a little nervous. You?" Alice asked and started the engine.

"Same. Radio check. Joe can you hear us?" Kenny asked as they now got the two minute warning. The first car just left the line, they were sitting fifth.

Joe keyed his mic. "Hear both of you loud and clear. The twins are half hour out from their first staging area. DJ you got a copy?"

"Yup, we hear you all loud and clear." DJ said with a giggle.

One minute warning. Alice rolled up a few feet, she was in a state of excitement and unnerving calm. The engine's rumble soothing her nervousness and getting the blood pumping.

"Final check Alice. How's your gauges?" Little Joe wanted to confirm his computer screen was reading everything right.

Alice read every gauge reading. "You seeing what I'm seeing?"

"I am. Good luck." Little Joe said.

"Only one more car to go." Ron said as they watched several screens and monitors.

Alice rolled up to the starting line as the fourth car sped away. The officials did one last check and gave her the countdown. She revved the engine as she watched the numbers count down. On the number one she began engaging the clutch. They were just starting to roll as the light went from yellow to green.

"Hit it." Kenny said about the time the clutch grabbed hold and they were off in minimal wheel spin. Tires hooked up and they were gone.

"Perfect light by my account." Little Joe and Big Joe had to key their mics to talk to Alice and Kenny. That way their other conversations would not distract the two in the car.

"That's my little girl." Ron said with a smile as the candy apple rocket quickly ate up road.

Kenny read the GPS and notes from a note book. Telling Alice what was exactly one obstacle past what they were at. They were short and to the point, that's all she needed so she could get in a line before coming up on the next obstacle whatever it might be.

Now a full two minutes in, Alice and Kenny were in the groove they wanted. Little Joe fed them other information as needed. At this point it was the other car's timing information.

With the small V-8's low growl being the only other noise Alice was focused and excited. A quick down shift and a tight left hander handled perfectly. Up shifts all the way to sixth gear for a long sweeping right, they could see the car in front of them. Outside Alice was usually quiet and soft spoken in a race she was a turbo charged predator on four wheels.

"We are in position." DJ said giving them a brief update. They waited outside the truck but with the engine running.

Hard on the brakes from fourth down to second they howled around a very sharp uphill right turn. The little engine roared as they reeled in the car sitting in fourth place. While it was a timed event, they didn't want to be stuck behind a slower car. They didn't have to cross the line first, they had to cross it the shortest amount of time. It also bumped their starting order up leaving less cars to deal with in the next stage.

The twins cheered as Alice and Kenny zipped by them at 160 mph. "They just pasted truck one. Fourth place is seventeen seconds ahead." DJ said over the radio.

"Making good time." Ron said and glanced over little Joe's shoulder.

"They are averaging two point six miles per hour faster than the lead car by my calculations." Little Joe said.

Joe keyed his mic. "That's a good steady pace Alice."

"I like it. Hard downhill left followed by short jog to right." Kenny said.

Alice took the left wide and straight shot the jog. Quick glance down at the gauges and an up shift to fourth. "Time to car?" Alice asked as they entered a tighter section of the course.

Little Joe keyed his mic "Ten seconds and closing. Second place car is off track at highway bridge a minuet out."

"Copy car off track at bridge." Alice grabbed third. Kenny made a mark by his notes to remind her of the off track car.

"Left over crest. One hundred jump." Kenny said as they rounded a moderate right. All distance was in meters.

Alice let off the throttle as they hoped into the air from the sharp change in road angle. Back on the throttle once the tires touched down and up to fifth. Quarter of the stage behind them Alice's heart sung along with the engine's rhythmic beat. They ate up mile after mile of French country side at an average speed over one hundred and ten miles per hour. A feeling as indescribable as having sex, but equally exciting and passionate. For those that understand no explanation needed. For those that didn't, no explanation could be told.

Jim keyed his mic. "Truck two in position. " They rolled to a stop at the second staging point.

"Copy that. Ten minutes till Wes starts stage." Joe said and turned his mic off.

Ron watched as Alice over took fourth and closed in on third. They had pulled the car that slid off track to a service road. They didn't even have to slow down. He was proud of his little girl. He was a little hesitant when she first showed interest in racing. However she had taken quickly to all things engine powered. Jim had told him how quickly she had learned to drive the multi transmission trucks and heavy equipment.

Time had gone by too fast it seemed like only yesterday she was tearing up a kart track. Now she was engaged to be married and running her second international race. As an invited driver no less. She was well respected by friends and peers alike. So much like him and her mother.

"Two miles of nearly flat and straight road. Open her up, Alice." Kenny said as they round a hill and the open stretch of road came into view.

"I was waiting for this part." Alice smiled and gave the engine full throttle running fourth, fifth and sixth way up in the rpm band.

"I knew you were." Kenny said as they climbed up to one hundred and ninety two mph. If they had another gear it would probably keep going faster. It was geared for tighter courses. The wide power band gave it an edge in the tighter sections of the race.

"I got one ninety three mph, Joe. Everything looks good on her end." Little Joe said.

Joe keyed his channel with Wes. "Give us your final check."

Wes rolled up only one car in front of him to start. He read out all of his gauges. "Getting anxious to go. How's our little mouse doing?"

Joe check the screen monitoring Alice and keyed the channel. "She's sitting in third on course and second in time."

"Good to hear. Your ready dear?" Wes asked as they pulled up to the line.

"Of course." Natasha said with a grin.

A bit more wheel spin and tire smoke from the rear wheel drive car as Wes launched in a similar fashion as Alice. The larger engine roaring as the tires howled trying to find traction. They hooked up mid way through third gear, after they warmed up they would bite much better.

Joe keyed both channels so everyone would hear him. "Wes and Natasha are on course."

"Think they will catch us?" Kenny said as they neared the end of the open stretch.

"Going to try and keep them in our mirrors." Alice said with a smile.

"Good plan. Moderate right. 120 hard right." Kenny said.

Everyone out in the field was looking forward to the recorded race they would get later in the evening. They wouldn't get much work done if they tried to watch it live.