Saviors 101

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Time trials started today for the race next weekend.

Theresa really wished she’d had less to drink after last night’s race.

At least she was farther down in the start order and would have another hour to recover before her first run.

The beginners. The low-lifers with dead-zero completed race points, nothing but “completed lap” points, had to run first. Go out on the unknown, unknowable track and vie for a starting position that would get them into this race, not knowing if their time was good enough until the top point holders spun around the final laps once the track was heated up and the tires were really sticking.

The crowd along the pit wall thinned out as one after another got called for their runs.

The track would be different, react differently because of last night’s race on its surface, because of temperature, humidity, cloud cover, and a dozen other factors.

All Theresa could do was wait and discover the track when the Lipstick Lady’s turn came up.

A loud bang made everyone spring onto the wall or climb onto their chairs and look out over the infield. Johnson’s car was spewing a black cloud out its pipe and steam washed out in a wave from beneath the hood.

“Slick spot a hundred yards past the center of the backstretch,” a part of her mind cataloged. She knew by the feel of how it seated in her thoughts that that tidbit of information would be available when she needed it during the race.

Johnson was a decent guy and rather than trying to limp to the pits spewing oil all over the turns, he dropped down onto the infield and abandoned his ruined vehicle. Blown ring if he was lucky, might make the race yet. Thrown rod if he wasn’t lucky, and his chances of racing were very slim.

Tee stuffed a piece of Juicy Fruit chewing gum in her mouth, stuffed the yellow wrapper into her pocket, and started to work on it.

Trucks came out, fire, ambulance, and tow. Nobody watched once they saw Johnny was clear. It was the track scrubber they all paid attention to. The team found the first drop of oil on the track and backtracked. Two guys on foot and one in the truck itself. Detergent and scrubbers beat upon the surface seeking every drop of oil. They followed the trail of the dying car down across the lane and into the dirt.

They were good here. New track. The suits still had a lot of funds, and dreams of excellence. That mattered.

A groan rolled up pit row. She glanced to see where everyone was looking and her own throat echoed the other drivers. The asshole of a tow truck driver had pulled the damaged car back out of the dirt and onto the track to make his job easier. A thin black line of leaking oil trailed along through Turns Three and Four despite the other crews desperately trying to wave him off the track.

Well, they’d better fire the jerk, or he wouldn’t live out the day. Every driver would take a piece of his hide. The scrubber truck started up again and did what it could on the turns but the race had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.

Her turn was almost here.

She slid over the wall and walked three times around her car clockwise. If it worked for dogs going to sleep and for Hindus in their temples, then she wasn’t above trying to get in good with God or whoever that way too. She patted its nose and stuck the piece of gum on the front bumper, just as Chuck Yeager had on the nose of every test plane while trying to break the sound barrier.

The hood was warm, the engine purring like tiger right before it rips your ass. She rubbed her hand across it for luck. Jane helped her slide in and buckle down. Helmet on. Radio check. Zippered into her fire suit, she’d sweat off a couple pounds before this time trial was done. Last slug of hot cocoa. Hands in heavy, fireproof gloves. Safety net across the window and she was good to go.

Johnson’s car was dragged off the track and headed for the garages. His crew had a long day and night ahead of them.

Now it was her turn to roll the dice.