Rod Redline's Recovery is the first episode of Disney Pixar's Cars: Carasodes.
Summary[]
Three weeks after the World Grand Prix, Finn's team finds Rod Redline in devestating condition. Can Finn's experts save Rod and restore him back to full health? Or is it too late for him?
Chapter 1[]
Time: Radiator Springs; after Rod Redline is fully repaired
"Guess who is the talk of Radiator Springs?" asked Rod.
Mater stammered to answer.
"Go on," said Rod.
"Could that be me?" Mater asked to Rod.
"Why it's you, of course," said Rod. "My agents told you that you have the photo before I got captured and got tortured by some lemons! Because this has been a dream... A dream like you have never seen. The time I got repaired by CHROME and here."
Rod's backstory fades to Tokyo.
Time: Tokyo; Three Weeks After The World Grand Prix Mystery Solved
Finn and Holley arrived at the airport and met up with several of their colleagues.
"The search party is prepared, sir," a Corvette told them. "Do you have a recent photo of Redline?"
"Holley, show them, please," Finn requested.
"Yes, sir," Holley replied. She turned on her computer and a hologram photo of a blue muscle car showed up. "This is Rod Redline, everyone. This is who we are looking for."
"He was to meet me here one month ago," Finn explained. "But something went wrong and we mistook another car for him. We later realized that something very wrong must have happened to him. He never made any attempts to contact us again after that party in Tokyo for the World Grand Prix."
"We realized that something must have happened," Holley said. "We asked the tow truck that we mistook for this guy if he saw anything and he said that he recalled two hatchbacks and a muscle car in here that seemed to be fighting. He said that the muscle car was banged up and that he did ask if the car were OK. He told us the car had said he was fine but he was not so sure. The hatchbacks then kicked him out. Mater said that he simply left and that's when we mistook him for our American connection."
"We'll search everywhere," the team leader promised. "We have leads that say that Professor Zundapp had hide-aways all over the city. He had one by the railroad station, one in the junkyard in a warehouse, one in an abandoned amusement park. We'll split up and search these places right away."
"I will accompany the warehouse search," Finn said. "Holley, why don't you go to the amusement park with that team?"
"Yes, sir," Holley agreed.
In the junkyard, Finn and the team went into several directions and shone their headlights all over the area. Finn and a Mustang entered the old warehouse.
"Oh, no, that's him," Finn said as he saw what was there.
A lifeless Rod Redline was on the dyno machine with the parking boots were still on his front tires. The tank of Allinol was still at Rod's side with the hose still in the fuel cap.
"They tortured him here, maybe to find out where Mater was," Finn said as he realized what had happened. "The poor guy." He looked at the Mustang. "He passed the device to Mater, knowing that he would be caught," Finn went on. "He must have been sure that he would be able to escape and get it back and find me."
"I don't think he'll make it," the Mustang said.
"My team are consummate professionals," Finn said. "If anyone can save this car, they can." He looked at another car. "Go ask Mater to come in here now, please."
"Sure," the car said. He left the building.
A moment later, Mater entered the building. His eyes widened in shock when he saw Redline. "Oh, man," he said. "That's the guy in the bathroom. Will he be OK?"
"We'll try to help him, Mater," Finn replied.
"I'll get him down off that," the Corvette said. He removed the fuel from Redline and pushed it aside. He then operated the crane magnet and lifted Redline off the machine and then he set the car onto the ground as gently as he could.
"Very good," Finn said. "Be extremely careful with him."
Once Redline was on the ground, Mater removed the parking boots from him.
"Tow him very carefully, Mater," Finn requested. "Try not to do him any more harm."
"Of course, Finn," Mater said as he hooked his hook onto Redline's rear bumper.
"I have a flatbed ready to take Rod from outside," Finn continued as he followed Mater towards the exit gate. "Set him down as gently as you possibly can."
"I will, Finn," Mater promised. "I'll take good care of him."
As promised, Mater lowered Rod very carefully near the truck. The flatbed tossed out two ropes, catching Rod's front wheels and latching onto the undercarriage. He then activated his mechanism and pulled Rod onto his flatbed. With Rod still securely belted down, the flatbed followed the agents and Mater.
Siddeley was waiting at the airport. He lowered his rear ramp and allowed the agents, Mater, and the flatbed to board. He took off and flew to London, where Finn's team was waiting to see if they could save their colleague. Finn stared at Rod and never saw one move come from the muscle car. He was concerned that Rod was gone and that nothing could be done for him. He was not looking forward to informing the family of their loss.
At the C.H.R.O.M.E. headquarters, Flatbed followed Finn and the others into the workshop. He unloaded Rod as gently as he possibly could. However, Rod's front end slammed into the ground and bounced a few times.
"Careful!," Finn barked, angrily. He knew that every small problem could hinder any chance of a full recovery. Rod was already straddling the line between life and death. Finn stared at Rod, concerned at what setback this could cause for him.
"My apologies, sir," Flatbed said. "I did my best. I truly didn't want any more harm to come to him."
"You may go now," Finn told Flatbed as his own team entered the room to begin their work. "I want everything possible to be done to save this car. Spare no expense and do not give up at all. Is that understood, everyone?"
Everyone agreed.
Mater towed Rod onto a lift and moved aside as the lift raised the battered car off the ground. Fork lift workers removed Rod's tires and wheels. The work began.
Finn watched as the team members worked. They were quiet, except for a few orders given at times.
Rod was lowered to an inch from the ground. His hood was carefully opened and two of the team members got their first look at the damage to the engine and other mechanics.
"This is not good," the team leader said. He looked at Finn. "We really have our work cut out for us," he said. "Are you sure he's worth saving? We don't know how much of himself he'll regain."
"Yes, he is," Finn said. "Do all it takes. Miracles do happen."
"Yes, sir," the team leader replied. It was obvious he thought Rod was a lost cause and that he would never be good again. He could end up no more than a go-kart.
Finn was called by his superior. "Keep working," he told the team members. "I'll be back to see how he is later."
In the main office, Finn met with his boss. Finn's boss, a sleek black Jaguar named Nathan Turbo, was waiting. Nathan was the brother of the late Leland Turbo, who had been crushed by the Lemons on the oil rig a few months ago.
That oil rig was sitting on the largest untouched oil reserve in the world and was run by the Lemons, led by Miles Axelrod. A lemon is an item that does not work properly from the time it is manufactured. All these cars were known lemons, mostly hatchbacks. Rod had disguised himself as a lemon and worked undercover. Unfortunately he had been caught before he could share the information with Finn. He had placed the device onto Mater's undercarriage just beforehand. Mater had not known he had the device, but the item made it safely to Finn.
"What are you doing, Finn?," Nathan asked. "Spending countless pounds and time to save a car that's obviously gone?"
"He's not gone, Nathan," Finn said. "And it's my fault he's like that anyway. If I had not mistaken Mater for this car, I could have saved him or made sure Holley saved him. It's the same as if I did this to him myself."
Nathan sighed.
"I know you miss Leland," Finn went on. "I am so sorry that I didn't make it on time to save him. Allow me to save the one we have. Or at least, try to save him. Just like Leland, this car has family."
"How do you know that?," Nathan asked.
"I had Holley check him out," Finn replied. "His father is in Florida. He has two sisters and three brothers. I still need to contact them and tell them what's happened. But I want to be able to assure them that we're trying to save him."
Nathan sighed again and then nodded. "I understand, Finn," he said. "I don't think it's your fault that Rod is like this. And we will make every possible to save him. But, if it's not possible, then we have to let him go."
"I understand, Nathan," Finn said. "All I ask is that we give it every try that we can."
Nathan granted permission. "I also want you to call the American president and assure him that we'll do all that we can for his car," Nathan ordered. "Then, call Rod's family."
"I will do those both straight away," Finn promised.
As promised, Finn dialed the White House number in his office.
"This is Finn McMissile, British Intelligence," he said to the woman who answered. "I need to speak with President Jack Crankshaft as soon as possible. It regards his agent, Rod Redline. It is extremely urgent."
In a few moments, the president's voice was heard.
"Mister President, I am Finn McMissile and I was to work with your agent, Rod Redline, a few months ago," Finn explained. "He went missing and we sent a search team to find him."
"Have you found him?," Jack asked.
"Yes, we did," Finn said. "But he is unconscious and seriously injured. My team is currently trying to revive him and put him back together. I do not yet know the extent of the damage or injuries he has sustained. But, I assure you that we will do everything possible to bring him back so he can return home as soon as possible."
"I appreciate it all," Jack said. "Please do everything you can to save him. He is one of the best that I have."
"You have my word that I will make sure that my team does everything possible to save Redline," Finn assured. "I will keep you updated on his progress."
"I hope there is indeed progress," Jack agreed. "Thank you for informing me, Finn."
Finn then called Rod's oldest brother, who was also the oldest of all the siblings. Jeremy Redline answered the phone.
"Hello?," Jeremy asked.
"Ah, yes," Finn answered. "Is this Jeremy Redline, brother of Rodney Redline?"
"Have you found him?," Jeremy asked, hopefully.
"This is Finn McMissile from London," Finn said. "And, yes, we found your brother."
"Is he OK??," Jeremy asked.
"No, he's not," Finn replied. "I am so sorry, Jeremy. He was tortured and he is currently unconscious and in serious condition. Rest assured that my team is doing all they can to save him and bring him back. You may come see him at any time. We have already cleared you and all your family."
"Thank you," Jeremy replied. "My father will not be able to get there, however. But the rest of us will be there soon."
After the phone call was finished, Finn called Lightning and told him that he was sending Mater home now. "He did a great job and helped me get my agent back safely," Finn said. "He performed better than I could have asked. But, he needs to be home now. I need to look after Rod while we try to save him."
"I hope your team can help him," Lightning said. "Please tell me what happens with him. And I am anxious to have my best friend home. I'll see you the next time you visit Radiator Springs."
"Have a good day, Lightning," Finn smiled. "Mater will be home very soon."
Mater still helped Finn whenever there was any towing to be done. It was rare, but he was called sometimes. Finn had been right in calling him to locate Redline. He had done a great job moving the injured agent and had not even added so much as another scratch to the paint.
"You did a great job, Mater," Finn told Mater at the airport. "I greatly appreciate it. Rod will, also, once we tell him when he wakes up."
"I hope he'll be OK," Mater said. "I'm sorry that I couldn't help him that day."
"You did all you could, Mater," Finn said. "Nobody blames you for any of this. And you did help us find who was behind everything. You did everything right."
Finn watched as Mater left to board the plane and then watched until the plane was flying away.
At home, Mater was overjoyed to see all of his friends, especially Lightning. They had some fun and then went back into town for snacks at Flo's Diner.
"How bad did Rod Redline look, Mater?," Ramone asked as he came over to see his friend. "Maybe I could go and help with him."
Since Doc had died, Ramone was the new resident. "I want to help in any way that I can."
"He was awfully bad," Mater said. "Burnt out in a lot of areas both in and around the hood; never responded to anything, not even pain; can't wake up or move; and he's all dented and banged-up."
"When you talk to Finn on the phone, tell him I can help," Ramone said. "Doc taught me very well. I believe I can help the guy."
"Sure thing, Ramone," Mater agreed. "Finn said he'll call me every day and tell me how Rod is."
"I bet I can help," Ramone said.
The next day, Finn kept his promise and called.
"That sounds great, Mater," Finn said. "I trust you and your friends completely. Give me Ramone's phone number."
Finn called Ramone and asked him to fly to London on the next available flight. He told Ramone that he would have the clearance ready for him and that he would be granted full access.
Ramone left for London two hours later.
Chapter 2
Finn was waiting as Rod's five siblings entered the shop. They were all shocked and devastated to see their brother so close to death.
"Finn McMissile?," Jeremy asked as he approached Finn. "I'm Jeremy Redline. These are my brothers; Shawn and Blake. These are my sisters; Lisa and Jessica. We wanted to see our brother."
"Stay as long as you want to," Finn said. "You can even sleep in this room, should you choose to. We don't want him separated from his family during such a critical time."
"Thank you," Jeremy said. "We're going to take turns staying with him. We want one of us to be here when he wakes up."
"Is there anything else?," Lisa asked.
"He seems to be having bad dreams and flashbacks," Finn said. "We found that talking to help him calm down. So, it's obvious that he can hear us. So, he's alive in there." He paused. "When we looked at him better, we realized that what saved his life was that his engine was not running when this happened," he went on. "They had used a dyno machine to take up his RPM, but the engine was not running on its own and Rod was not running it. If he had been, there would have no chance at all of saving your brother. He does have a chance to make it."
The door opened again. Ramone entered the shop to see an awful-looking muscle car on a lift only one inch from the ground. The muscle car was still unconscious and the work was still ongoing. Finn welcomed Ramone and led him to the lift and introduced him to the team and to the siblings.
"Oh, dude," Ramone said as he studied Rod. "This guy looks awful." He looked at Finn. "This won't be a quick-fix, man. This guy is in really bad shape."
"Do what you can, Ramone," Finn said. "This guy deserves every shot to be back on his wheels."
"Yeah, he does," Ramone agreed. "Mater told me some about him. He didn't know a lot."
"He means a lot to your president also," Finn said. "I promised President Crankshaft that I would do all possible and keep him updated on the progress."
"Yeah, I understand," Ramone said. "Let me take a look under the hood and see where we're at there." He studied the condition of the machinery under the raised hood. "Gonna have to replace everything under here, dude." He looked at a team member. "Remove the hood and that will make it easier," he said.
"Yes, sir," the fork lift agreed. He and another fork lift carefully removed the hood and set it in a safe place. "I will see that the dents are pulled and fixed and I will repaint it."
"Same color," Finn said. "We won't change his color unless he wants that. Now, he cannot tell us if he does or not."
"No, he wouldn't want to," Jessica said. "He takes great pride in his appearance. He likes how he looks."
"You heard the lady," Finn said. "Same color."
"Yes," the fork lift replied. He and another got to work on the hood.
Ramone continued to instruct the team on what to do.
Using an engine hoist, the ruined engine was carefully removed and set aside. A shiny new engine, exactly the same as the old one, was carefully placed into the empty cavity. The fork lifts began to change out the other parts, such as the alternator. The V8 engine was perfect and ready to go. Ramone was hopeful that Rod would be able to use it very soon.
"Tomorrow, we need to get to the transmission," Ramone said. "I'm sure that needs replacing completely also." He looked at Finn. "Have you guys tested his vitals?," he asked. "Does he have a heartbeat? Brain activity?"
"He has both," Finn said. "His heart was weak, but we can get it strong again if we can get him to wake up. Some of his recovery is up to himself. You know that. We need to get him woke up… and soon."
"I agree on that," Ramone said. "Once we get the transmission replaced, I want you guys to keep him running all the time."
"Keep the engine running all the time?," Finn asked.
"That's the best way to encourage him to wake up," Ramone explained. "You didn't know that?"
"I had heard that, but I never thought it was true," Finn said. "How would that work?"
"Keeps him moving, to some extent," Ramone said.
"We won't use a dyno machine, no matter what," Finn said. "That's what he was tortured on. If he awakens to that, he may never be psychologically all right. It might push him into something like Post Traumatic Stress or worse."
"He was tortured first?," Ramone asked. "Dude, that's awful. Poor guy just had a rough time in all of this mess, didn't he? That's just awful. I really do wanna help him out here."
"Please do, Ramone," Finn said. "I will see that you're rewarded."
"I don't need a reward," Ramone replied. "I'm glad to help."
Rather than wait the next day, Ramone decided to have the transmission replaced right away. He raised the lift and had the fork lifts get to work. The old transmission was removed and thrown out. The new one was carefully placed. Rod was then lowered again.
"Let's jump-start the engine and keep it running," Finn said. "We'll be sure to keep the gasoline coming. I want one team member with him at all times, in case he wakes up. Is that understood? Now, decide on who is staying at what times and nobody leaves unless another is here with him. If he is alone, even one minute, there will be trouble. Do you all get that point?"
Everyone agreed.
"Ramone, I will show you where you may rest," Finn said. "Come with me, please."
Ramone did not sleep well that night. He was worried that it was too late for poor Rod and that he was a lost cause.
The next morning, Finn and Ramone found three team members in the shop with Rod. Jessica was also there.
"He trembled a lot in his sleep," Jessica said. "He hyperventilated some and he seemed to be having all those really bad dreams or flashbacks you talked about."
"That's not good," Finn said. "Bad memories cause that. They must have put him through a really hard time."
"What do you want to do?," Ramone asked.
"See that we wake him much sooner," Finn said.
"The hardest work has been done now," Ramone said. "Next we need to work on his vitals. We need to get his heart a little faster and stronger and then we need to see what will stimulate him to wake up. Music, maybe? Or a TV show he likes. Do you know what he does like to hear?"
"Probably rock or rap," Finn said. "And I am not playing rap here."
Ramone smiled. "It's all for him, man," he said.
"I have to see the boss for a bit," Finn said. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Ramone."
"He likes rock and pop, but not the hard music," Jessica said to Ramone. "He hates rap and never listens to classical. He always said that put him to sleep. And he wouldn't listen to jazz either. He likes some reggae. Plus, he likes to watch Detroit Lions games. But unfortunately, the football he likes is not the same as the football people here in U.K. watch."
Ramone nodded. He watched as Rod twitched from time to time, took sharp short breaths at times, and was obviously in mental distress. "I know," replied Finn. "Some of the teams they play against have played here in London too. I once bought tickets to a game at Wembley Stadium. It was Patriots vs Buccaneers." He could still remember the year,the day,and the score. Rod really needed to wake up soon so they could help him overcome this. They couldn't do that while he was out of it.
"Poor guy," Ramone said. "I can't imagine what he's been through and what's in his mind right now."
"Do you believe that you can help my brother?," Jessica asked. "He's such a great guy and deserves to live a long and happy life."
"I'll do everything possible, Jessica," Ramone promised. "I have a brother, too. Unfortunately, I seldom get to see him. But, we call each other as often as possible."
"Thank you, Ramone," Jessica said. "I really appreciate it all. Rod will, too, once he comes out of this."
"I hope he does that very soon," Ramone said.
In Radiator Springs, Lightning and Sally parked on the cliff near the Wheel Well and watched the lights and cars below.
"How is Ramone doing with Finn's colleague?," Sally asked. "Have you heard anything?"
"They said he's improved a little, except that he seems to be having dreams and flashbacks," Lightning said. "That's what Flo told me he said this afternoon. She calls him daily. They sure love each other. But, Ramone says he is not sure how much better Rod will get."
"It's so sad," Sally said. "To be in a deep sleep and not able to wake up and not know what's happening around you."
"They think he can hear," Lightning said. "They said he calms down when they talk to him."
"That's a great sign, right?," Sally asked. "That means there's still life in his brain. He's not brain-dead."
"Yeah, that's great," Lightning said. "I sure miss Ramone, but I admire his determination to help others in need. That's a great thing to do. Everyone should do that."
"You sure have changed, Stickers," Sally said. "I remember when we first met you. We all hated you. You were so stuck-up and self-centered and thought the universe revolved around you."
"Yeah," Lightning replied. "Truth is I was not happy at all then. I don't see how Chick could be happy either. He wasn't much better than me. I think the only thing he did better than me was respect his crew. Mine quit because I treated them so badly."
"But you changed, Stickers," Sally smiled. "I am so happy with who you are now. We all love you."
"I love you, too, Sally," Lightning replied with a big smile. "I have great friends here. I am truly happy since I moved here."
The overnight hours were peaceful and quiet, allowing Lightning a good long restful sleep.
The next morning, Sally woke Lightning by ringing his doorbell over and over like a child. Lightning came outside.
"We're all going to London," Sally said. "We're all needed to try to help revive Rod Redline. They're playing music and they think he needs to be talked to. He has family, but they cannot get to him. They'll talk to him by webcam every day, but he needs somebody to be actually in the room with him so he doesn't wake up alone. His family is there, but Finn said they're getting stressed and anxious. That's understandable."
"I would love to help," Lightning said. "Let's go."
Lightning, Sally, Mater, Flo, and Sarge boarded a plane to London. They were ready, eager, willing, and anxious to help. They just hoped they were not too late.
Chapter 3
Pop and eighties music played in the shop as the fork lifts and Ramone were still working on Rod. Rod's eyes were closed still and he was mostly motionless. From time to time; he did tremble, hyperventilate, gasp, or shiver. His eyes would squeeze tighter shut and he would grit his teeth or make whimpering noises.
"Poor guy," Sally said as she watched him. "He must have been through a horrible ordeal."
"We believe he was tortured pretty badly," Finn explained. "That's what +we pieced together from what we saw in the warehouse we found him in."
"In Tokyo?," Lightning asked.
"Yeah, he was in Tokyo," Finn replied.
Finn introduced the friends to Rod's family.
Sally approached Rod. She looked at him with pity and sadness. She wished she could help him more. "He looks so strong," she said. "If anyone can pull through this, I bet he can."
"We need to make sure that he's never alone," Holley said. "We want somebody with him when he wakes up. That's to be sure one of us can keep him calm. He may be agitated when he comes to. His family is here, but they need some help."
"You're right," Sarge agreed. "Waking up alone from this condition could be frightening. He'll wake up not knowing where he is or how long he's been out."
"We won't leave him," Lightning promised. He looked at Rod's siblings. "Please allow us to help," he said.
Over the next few days, the cars took turns staying with Rod. Every shift, one friend and one family member was with him. When the team and Ramone were working, they stayed aside. In the evenings, they remained close to him. They realized that talking to him seemed to keep him calm, though he made no attempts at any responses.
One night, Lightning and Shawn were alone with Rod and listening to the music quietly. As expected, Rod again began to shake and gasp. "Oh, no, not again," Lightning whispered to himself. He approached Rod and looked at him.
"Try to stay calm, Rod," Lightning said. "Everything is fine and you're completely safe. You're being helped now."
"Come on, baby brother," Shawn said. "Try to stay calm. We're all here for you."
Rod suddenly went limp. The monitors on him suddenly beeped loudly and flatlined.
"No!," Shawn cried.
Ramone and the team hurried in, awakened by the alarms. Lightning kept Shawn back, making sure he didn't get in the way of the team as they tried to revive Rod.
"Rod! Rod!," Shawn called. "Don't leave us, little brother! You're stronger than this!"
"Keep working," Ramone ordered.
"Ramone, he's gone," one teamster said.
"No, he's not," Ramone insisted. "Keep working."
Shawn stared at the monitor and held his breath. "No, Rod," he said quietly, hoping that they would bring his kid brother back. He closed his eyes and repeated Rod's name over and over.
"We got him!," Ramone suddenly announced joyously. "He's back with us!"
Shawn opened his eyes and saw the monitors were active again and his little brother was moving a little. He smiled. "I got my brother back," he said to Lightning. "He's back."
Unfortunately, Rod was not completely out of the woods. He was once again twitching, jerking, and gasping. Shawn approached Rod and looked at him. Lightning also came to see.
"Shawn, talk to him," Lightning said. "He's your brother. I'm sure he loves you."
Lightning moved aside as Shawn started to talk to Rod. He talked about memories from their life, from childhood until now. He recalled family vacations, school days, and the time that Rod had protected a bullied girl in middle school.
Rod stopped moving and jerking. Lightning was nervous as he watched the muscle car. Something seemed different. Rod seemed to be trying to open his eyes.
"Rod?," Lightning asked. "Wake up, buddy. You can do it. Wake up and look at me. We're all rallying for you, man."
Rod shook his wheels, which still had no tires or shocks or springs at this time. He seemed to be trying to move and it was panicking him.
Concerned, Lightning called Finn. "Something is happening, Finn," he said. "You better get here."
"Rod, stay calm and wake up," Shawn begged. "Please wake up."
Moments later, Finn arrived. He was also both hopeful and concerned as he saw what was happening. "Wake up, Rod," he asked. "I know you can do it."
Lightning, Shawn, and Finn watched anxiously. Shawn called his siblings and told them to get here immediately.
"He needs a cheering section," Finn smiled. "Don't give up on him."
As everyone waited anxiously, Rod finally stopped moving so anxiously and his eyes opened slightly. He looked around and blinked slowly a few times. He groaned and sighed. He closed his eyes for another moment and opened them again, slightly wider.
"Rod?," Finn asked as he moved to see Rod straight in the face. "Can you see me? Can you speak to me?"
Rod sighed heavily. He stared at Finn and then at the ceiling. He looked at Finn again.
"Rod? Big brother?," Blake asked as he came closer. "Talk to me, please."
Rod spoke, but his words were not understandable. He then tried again. "Where am I?," he asked very quietly.
"London," Finn said. "It's me, Finn McMissile. I was to meet you back in Tokyo. I am so sorry, Rod. I feel so responsible for what's happened to you. My team are taking very good care of you. We're going to take very good care of you and get you back to full health. I promise you that."
Rod looked at Finn. "So, I'm not dead?," he asked.
"You're as alive as I am," Finn smiled. "And we're going to see that you stay that way. My team are the best and you're already making great improvement."
"Thanks," Rod said. He still sounded very weak and he didn't seem to be seeing quite well. These were normal for somebody who had been in a deep coma for almost a month.
"Your vision will clear up and you will regain your strength," Finn reassured Rod.
"What about the nightmares?," Rod asked. "Can I get rid of those somehow?"
"I don't know, Rod," Finn said. "We can get you a shrink. But I don't know what a shrink could do for you, though."
"Man, I feel awful," Rod said as he forced his eyes open more. He still was not able to open his eyes completely. For the first time, the others could see that Rod had blue eyes. "I feel horrible."
"We won't give up on you, Rod," Finn promised.
"Who's the race car?," Rod asked.
"This is my friend, Lightning McQueen," Finn replied. "His friend was the rusty tow truck you left the device on in Tokyo."
"I remember that truck," Rod said. "Did you get the item?"
"We did," Finn said. "And he helped us decipher the photograph that you took and then he helped us get you here so we could help you. He will be here later so you'll be able to meet him and thank him."
"Good," Rod said, his voice becoming a little stronger and normal toned. He sighed. "And, Finn, this is not your fault," he told Finn. "I don't blame you. This goes with what we do. We take this risk every day of our lives in our line of work."
"But if I had not made the mistake of thinking another car was you, then Holley and I would have found you in that fight and been able to help you," Finn said.
"Finn, it's not your fault," Rod said. "We all make mistakes."
"I'll see that you're well cared for, Rod, and brought back to full health and get you back on your wheels," Finn promised. "I am not giving up on you."
"Thank you, Finn," Rod said. He still sounded awful. "I appreciate everything. I could never repay you for all the help you've given me. And will continue to give me."
"Your president also thinks highly of you," Finn said. "I promised him also that we would do all we can possibly do to get you back one-hundred percent."
"He's a good president," Rod said. He took a deep breath. "I don't mean to be rude, but I am so homesick," he said.
"That's not rude, Rod," Finn said. "We'll have you home as quickly as we can. I'll have Siddeley fly you home as soon as you're physically ready and strong enough. We won't let you down." He looked at Shawn and then at Rod. "We brought your brothers and sisters here so they could be here for you."
"When can I move around?," Rod asked. "I want to move."
Finn looked at Ramone.
"Right now, if he's asking," Ramone replied. He smiled and added, "In fact, it's a great thing that he wants it now. The sooner he moves, the quicker he heals. Have the team get his shocks, wheels, and fenders back on immediately so he can be put down. We'll take him outside and let him move around."
The team fork-lifts began to do as asked.
Once Rod's shocks, springs, tires, and hood were all back in their places, Ramone set him down. Finn, Shawn, and Lightning then accompanied him outside. Rod closed his eyes and took a long and relieved sigh. He looked around and then started his new engine. The new engine ran smooth as silk. He smiled and then drove across the property at a moderate speed. He was still too weak to go top speed, also known as "redlining."
Rod felt like he had just been released from prison. He was eager to go home and get back to his old life. He wanted to be close to his friends and family. Because of his line of work, Rod could not have that many friends. That was dangerous because others could threaten that friend to learn where Rod is and who he really is.
Rod's cover was that he was a traveling antiques dealer. He was also a master of disguise. When he had been undercover on the oil rig owned by Miles, he had disguised himself as an ugly orange hatchback with a yellow stripe. He had even turned his eyes brown.
After a slow drive with Finn, Shawn, and Lightning around the property; Rod relaxed inside. He was given his first meal that he could take in himself and he was so happy to get it. He then drove onto the lift and was raised a few inches from the ground.
"Dude, you're coming along great," Ramone smiled.
"What's your name, friend?," Rod asked.
"Ramone," Ramone replied. "I'm a friend of Lightning and Finn and Mater."
"Cool," Rod replied. "Thanks for all the help, Ramone."
"No problem, my man," Ramone said. "I'm glad to help in any way that I can. How you feeling?"
"Great, but could be better," Rod said.
"Give me a few more days, you'll feel awesome," Ramone said. "I am that good, Rod."
Rod smiled. He had faith that Finn knew exactly what he was doing and that he would only allow the best to be here. He trusted Ramone completely.
Ramone was determined not to let Finn or Rod or the family down. He was going to be sure that Rod came back even better than before. Rod was still a bit weak and fatigued, but Ramone was positive that he would be redlining again very soon. Rod was a fast muscle car, half Dodge Challenger and half Ford Mustang. He was active, funny, charming, charismatic, and sometimes had a smart-mouth. He was able to make great speeds and launch himself in the air and sometimes backflip while airborne. He often bragged on himself, saying: "This good-looking… and I can fly!" while he was in the air. He loved to race and never let up until he crossed the finish line. He was not an actual race car, but he was still quite fast.
Ramone waned to make sure that Rod would be just as fast, if not faster, when he was finished with him. Ramone loved to give it his all at whatever he was doing. He liked Rod, also.
"Well, Rod, you're looking great," Ramone announced one afternoon as he lowered the lift. Rod's wheels found the floor. "All we gotta do is take care of all these dents those guys gave you."
"Yeah, I am ready to be rid of all reminders," Rod smiled. "You've done great, Ramone. I really appreciate all the help, my man."
"It's no problem," Ramone smiled. "I live in Radiator Springs. Come see me when you have time. It's a great town and lots of really nice folks live there. You'll love it."
"I'll do that, Ramone," Rod promised.
The last task was underway: pulling out the dents and returning Rod to the new condition he had been in before the attack. Rod waited as patiently as he could. Patience was never his strong suit, but he knew this was not a rush job. He talked with Ramone as the work continued.
"Are you sure you're feeing good, Rod?," Ramone asked.
"I am feeling great," Rod boomed with a big smile. "I am ready. Let's go, Ramone. I got the need for speed."
Ramone chuckled.
It was almost three hours before Rod's body was in pristine new condition. All that was left was to repaint him. He was adamant that he wanted to stay how he had always looked. Ramone made sure of that as the team added a fresh coat of paint.
Rod looked in the mirror. "Wow," he smiled. "You can't even tell anything ever happened to me. I look great." He turned around and looked at Ramone. "I can't thank you enough, Ramone," he said.
"I still wouldn't take things too fast, Rod," Ramone said. "I know you feel like you've been confined for so long, but you've been through a lot lately. And you were unconscious for six weeks altogether."
"Yeah, but I feel fine, Ramone," Rod said.
Finn entered the room and was thrilled at what he saw. "Rod, you look fantastic," he said. "How are you?"
"I am great, Finn," Rod said. "Thank you for everything."
"You're very welcome," Finn replied. "I can have Siddeley ready to take you home within the next twenty-four hours."
"Please do that," Rod said. "I want to get home."
"You'll all go home soon," Finn promised. He looked at Ramone. "Thank you, Ramone, for the help," he said. "If I can do anything for you, just ask me."
"Nah, dude," Ramone said. "It was my pleasure."
On the lot, Rod parked at one end and took in the sunshine. He looked up at the sky, then across the lot. He revved the engine and screeched his tries, zooming across the pavement. It felt so good to be free again and back at the top of his game.
"Oh, yeah!," Rod exclaimed as he reached the end of the lot and started drifting. "I love doing this!" He popped himself upon his two left-side tires. "I do this all the time," he bragged. Yes, he was the same old guy he was before. He dropped back onto all fours and used some nearby lumber stacks as a ramp.
As he flew through the air, he announced, "They don't call me a muscle car for nothing!" He landed squarely on all four wheels and braked sharply. "I am back," he announced, as if the entire world could hear him. His smile was larger than he had ever smiled before.
Finn was happy to see him doing so well.
"Ramone, what's his prognosis?," Finn asked.
"He needs to slow down for right now," Ramone said. "He's doing too much too fast. He'll go back down, man."
"Rod!," Finn called. "May I talk to you?"
Rod slowed down and drove to Finn. "Yeah?," he asked.
"Slow down, Rod," Finn said. "I don't want you to hurt yourself again. I know you're happy to be recovering well, but you can't push it."
Rod sighed almost angrily. "Come on, man," he protested, sounding like a teenager. "Cut me some slack."
"Let's go inside for awhile," Finn said. "We have things to do."
Rod reluctantly agreed. He didn't want to be cooped up like that any longer. He knew that they were simply trying to keep him still for awhile longer. At the same time, he knew that he was still recuperating. He knew that the others were right to worry so much. He was never one to be slow. He was a muscle car, not a minivan.
The night was long and foggy. Rod slept near a window, but did not get a good night sleep. As usual, he trembled and shivered and gasped and muttered as the horrible dreams continued. Jessica felt so sorry for her beloved brother and wanted so much to help him. But, she was not a shrink or any type of doctor who could help him get over the trauma that was still haunting him. What had they done to him? He was alive, but not as happy as he once was.
Jessica wanted her brother back; the car that was reckless, fast, stunt-player, and lively. Rod was never one to be still for long. He loved to be on the move constantly. Sometimes, she wondered how he maintained so much energy.
"No," Rod gasped in his sleep. "Please don't do it. Please stop."
Jessica went to her brother's side and touched him. "Rod, it's OK," she whispered. "You're safe, big brother. They won't hurt you again. Or anyone."
Rod seemed to calm down a little. He was still gritting his teeth and muttering. Jessica let a tear fall from her eye. She wanted to kill the cars that had done this to her brother.
"How is he?," Finn asked as he entered the room.
"Still having those flashbacks," Jessica said. "Is there anything that can be done to put a stop to those? He can't get a good sleep with these running through his memory."
"I know that," Finn replied. "I have spoken to a psychiatrist who specializes in traumatic recovery. She'll try to help him. It's called deprogramming. She will actually try to erase the bad memories from his mind."
"But what about his good memories?," Jessica asked.
"Those will likely remain," Finn replied.
"Likely?," Jessica asked.
"There are always risks," Finn said, knowing he had to be honest. "We could even have him hypnotized. With that, she could actually lock away the bad memories without erasing the good."
"That's possible?," Jessica asked.
"Absolutely," Finn replied. "Many shrinks can do that. They've done it to me also. Thank the manufacturer."
"Has anyone called Rod's girlfriend?," Jessica asked. "They were about to get married when this happened. She needs to know."
"Girlfriend?," Finn asked. "I didn't even know he had a girlfriend."
"She's a Mustang, yellow with black stripes," Jessica said. "Her name is Irene Horsepower. I'll call her." She drove away.
"She won't take this well at all if she loves him that much," Ramone pointed out. He sighed. "Flo would freak out if I were in this condition."
"How long have you and Flo been together?," Finn asked.
"Thirty-three years," Ramone replied. "I love her more than anything in this world."
Jessica returned. "Finn, can you get Irene clearance to be here?," she asked. "Rod would love that. He's crazy about her."
"Absolutely," Finn replied. "Anything for Rod."
Jessica smiled.
"Is she on her way now?," Ramone asked.
"She'll board the next available plane," Jessica replied. "She'll call me when she gets to London."
"Good," Finn said. "She'll be able to come here. I promise that." He hoped that Irene's presence would be a big help to Rod. If they were really in love, he was sure it would be the best thing for him. He believed that love was a strong and powerful force, more so than any medication or therapy. With her help, Rod could make a complete recovery… in more ways than one.
Chapter 4[]
Irene was a beautiful Mustang. She was true yellow with black stripes on her skirts that read "Mustang" and had a small blue heart on each of her front fenders. She had green eyes and a sweet smile.
Finn and Jessica greeted Irene at the gate and escorted her to the shop. Irene gasped when she saw Rod unconscious, banged-up, no wheels or tires, hood gone, hyperventilating, and trembling. Tears fell from her eyes as she approached him. She touched him.
"My poor sweetie," she whispered. "I'm here for you, baby."
Rod stopped moving and let out a relieved breath. He got quiet.
"He heard you," Finn smiled. "He heard you! He knows that you're here! That's wonderful."
"Yes, it is," Jessica agreed.
"What's wonderful?," Shawn asked as he and his two brothers entered the room.
"Rod heard Irene talk to him and immediately became calm," Jessica smiled at her family. "He seems to be very comforted by her presence."
"He loves her like nothing else," Jeremy said. "I am really glad that she's here."
"He was thinking of retiring," Irene said. "When this happened, he had told me he wanted to marry and have a family and live a normal life. He even had names he liked for both daughters and sons. He joked that his daughters would not date until she's thirty!"
The others chuckled at that.
"Sounds like Rod, all right," Lisa said. "He was always protective of me and Jessica when we were kids. Any guy even looked at either of us, he would get in the guy's grille and warn him that he better treat us right or he would suffer the consequences."
Everyone laughed again.
Ramone looked at Rod. "He is the calmest I have seen him since I got here," he remarked. "Irene, are you a miracle worker?"
Irene smiled. "No," she replied. "Just the woman he loves."
"Stay in this room at all times," Holley suggested. "We'll see that you get anything you need. I think you're the one who needs to be here when he wakes up. I think the first one he needs to see here is you."
Irene kept her eyes on Rod. "Wild tanks couldn't drag me away," she said. "I am not leaving this room without him right beside me."
It was obvious that Irene meant just that.
Irene kept her word. She remained in that room day and night. She touched Rod, talked to him, and hoped for him. She missed his smart mouth. She missed his jokes and his one-liners. Rod was truly a character. He was always looking for something fun to do when he was not working. He had been considering changing his position in the FBI so he could stay home more and have that family he and Irene wanted so badly.
"His new engine is perfect," Ramone said. "The transmission is also perfect. And everything is working well now. All we need is for Rod himself to kick-start that brain of his." He looked at Irene. "The rest is up to him, Irene. We can put him back together, repaint him, pull out the dents, and replace his wheels and tires. But some parts of any recovery are up to the patient. Now, it's all up to Rod." He paused. "I'll have the team start putting his tires and hood back on in the morning. I will also get them started on those dents and paint work."
"Thank you, Ramone," Irene said as she gave him a quick kiss on the fender. "I appreciate all you have done for him. He will, too, once he does wake up."
Night seemed to the worst for Rod's dreams and flashbacks. He had been tortured after dark. But Irene could not figure out how this affected him while in a coma. How did he know? She talked to him to calm his terrified symptoms. Most times, she was successful. But the child-like whimpering seemed to always be there. He sounded so pathetic.
Irene fought back her tears, knowing that she could not let Rod hear her crying. It might make things worse for him. She barely slept and watched him almost constantly. Would he ever wake up?
The next day, Rod's new wheels and new tires were placed back on and the hood was carefully put back where it belonged. The team began to work on the dents.
Working on the dents was somewhat difficult when Rod started trembling or moving again. Ramone wondered if they should wait until he woke up. He finally made that decision. The work stopped on the dents and body damage. The four fenders remained on the work tables and were still being worked on. Rod himself was left alone, except to be sure that his vital signs were good.
Ramone kept Rod close to the ground, keeping his wheels only an inch from the floor, so that Irene could touch him when she spoke to him and so that he would be less panicked when he awakened. He knew that awakening from a coma is terrifying. Many times, the patient will not see very well, their vision will be blurry, and they will be very confused as to where they are and what day it is. They will not know how long they were out of it. All this could terrify the strongest one in the world and it could lead to panicked reactions upon awakening.
At the hotel, Lightning and Sally called home to let them know what was going on.
"When will you be back, Lightning?," Mack asked "We gotta get you ready to start the next Piston Cup season."
"I may take the year off, Mack," Lightning said. "This is more important than a racing trophy. This poor guy has been through hell and back."
"But, what do I tell Bobby?," Mack asked. Bobby Drivetrain was the new agent that Lightning had hired. He never forgave Harve for calling his hometown "Radiation Stinks" and fired him once the contract was void. Bobby was much nicer and liked Radiator Springs. He lived in a city called Motoropolis. It was about fifty miles from Lightning's home. No matter how nice he was, Bobby would also not be happy if Lightning took that year off.
"Have him call me," Lightning said.
"I will," Mack promised. "He probably would anyway."
"I'm sure he would," Lightning said. "I'll talk to you later, Mack."
After Lightning turned off the phone, Sally faced him. "Go ahead and race, Lightning," she said. "Rod wouldn't want us to miss our lives."
"Look, I know he doesn't know me yet," Lightning said. "But Mater feels like he's partly to blame. He told me that he should have stayed in that room until there were more cars in there. Nothing like this would have happened if there had been some witnesses. Rod could have escaped at that party and he would never have been tortured and almost killed. Mater feels like this is all because he was a fool."
"Mater is not a fool," Sally said.
"Of course he's not," Lightning agreed. He sighed. "Sally, all this has me thinking. We've been together for so long. And we're not getting any younger. I think we should get married and have a family. Rod almost lost his chance at that. And he still might if anything goes wrong. I don't want to lose that chance. Let's get married… soon."
Sally smiled. "Lightning, I would love to be your wife," she replied. "I will definitely marry you!"
Lightning smiled. "I love you, Sally," he said.
"And I love you, Stickers," Sally smiled back. "Just do me one favor, will you? Race. It's what you love. I will call you every day and let you know how Rod is doing. And take Mater with you. He needs to get his mind on something else also."
"OK," Lightning agreed reluctantly. "I will. Let's go talk to Mater."
Lightning and Sally drove away together.
"But I wanna stay with Rod," Mater said when the couple told him what was on their minds. "He needs me."
"Mater, he would tell you to live your life," Sally said. "I'll stay here and make sure to let you and Lightning know how he is every day. You have my word on that. Rod might feel guilty for causing all of us to lose any part of our lives."
"He would," a female voice said. Lisa was approaching. "He would feel really awful. Go race, you two. And we'll stay with my brother. He has a lot of support here now." She smiled. "Maybe even too much."
"Well," Mater sighed.
"Mater, this is not at all your fault," Lisa said. "You did not do this to Rod. You're not to blame for his condition. He would tell you that himself if he could right now."
Mater looked at Rod, who was now calm and still. "I don't know," he said. "If I had stayed with him."
"You didn't know," Jessica said. "He told you he was fine. Maybe he was trying to save you. They might have taken you also if he said anything."
Mater thought hard. "Well, OK," he said slowly. "I'll go if McQueen does."
"Rod would love that," Lisa smiled. "We'll all watch the races on TV right here."
"Thank you for the support, Lisa," Lightning said. "And when Rod wakes up, tell him I'm dedicating all my wins to him. I really hope he'll be fine soon."
"Thank you, Lightning," Lisa said. "Rod will love that. He's a big fan of racing. He once wanted to be a racer, but things happen. It's a long story. But he watches all the races and enjoys every minute."
Lightning smiled.
The next day, Lightning and Mater left for Radiator Springs to meet Mack and prepare for the racing season. Sally and Jessica stayed in the shop with Rod and the team.
"He seems so much calmer now," Sally commented.
"I think he's starting to forget what happened," Jessica said. "I sure hope that's the truth. Maybe he'll wake up soon."
"They're still keeping his engine going, I see," Sally said.
"Ramone said that may wake him up sooner," Jessica said. "I would give anything for him to wake up right now. His birthday is next week also."
"It would be great to have him awake for that," Sally said. "How old will he be?"
"Thirty-six," Jessica smiled. "The thirty-something years are the prime of life, too, Sally."
"We'll throw him a party right here," Sally said. "Maybe if we treat him like he's actually involved, it may help. Ramone is sure that he can hear us and that he knows exactly what's happening around him."
Jessica smiled. "We'll decorate and we'll have music," she suggested.
"And snacks and dancing," Sally said. "I'll call a friend who owns a diner back home. She can come prepare some great snacks. She is the best with party foods."
"Thank you, Sally," Jessica smiled. She looked at Rod. "We're going to give you the best party ever, big brother," she said. "You better wake up and enjoy it."
Over the next few days, everyone prepared for Rod's party. The men put up decorations while the women prepared snacks. Flo arrived and led the snack-making. She wanted to see that the party was the best party that Rod ever had and ever would have.
On the afternoon of Rod's birthdate, everyone gathered in the shop and started to party. Music played and everyone talked and laughed. They all talked to Rod a lot and touched him, hoping that all the positive activity around him would jump-start that brain of his. Ramone joined the party, but also kept an eye on Rod's running engine.
As the party went on, Jeremy suddenly noticed something. He hurried to the stereo and shut it off. He looked at his brother.
"Rod, can you see me?," he asked as he saw that Rod's eyes were open. "Can you talk to me?"
Everyone else looked and saw that Rod's lovely blue eyes were partly open and he appeared to be trying to make sense of his environment and what was happening. Thankfully, he was calm. Jeremy drove closer and lowered the lift a little more.
"Rod?," Jeremy asked.
"Where am I?," Rod asked very quietly and weakly. "Where am I right now?"
"You're in London," Jeremy told his brother. "At the C.H.R.O.M.E. headquarters. Finn and his team found you and brought you here. It's been almost six weeks since you were left there by Professor Z. You've been in a coma and everyone has been here to help you."
Rod looked around until he saw Finn. "Thank you, Finn," he said, still very weak.
Rod shut off his engine. He looked around and gave a small smile. "I'm a year older today," he said. "So, it's August tenth."
"Right," Jessica said.
"Please put me down," Rod asked.
"Ramone?," Finn asked.
"Yeah, he can do that," Ramone said. "Start the recovery process for him. But let's keep him in here for now."
A fork-lift lowered the lift until Rod's wheels were all on the ground.
Rod moved a little. He was greeted with joyous siblings and a joyous girlfriend.
"Irene," he smiled. "I'm so glad that you're here. I'm so sorry I scared you, baby."
"Just relax and recover," Irene said.
"Then, I'll put in for the transfer," Rod promised. "We'll have that normal life that we wanted."
"Let's take it one step at a time," Irene said. "Let's get you back to full health and get your strength back."
"Why is my sight so blurry?," Rod asked.
"Because you haven't used them in such a long time," Ramone replied. "They'll clear up in a few hours."
"Who are you?," Rod asked.
"My name is Ramone," Ramone replied. "I'm a friend of Finn and I came to help you. I learned from the best and I offered my help at no cost at all. I'm pleased that you're recovering well."
"We're all here for you, Rod," Jessica said. "Every one of us is here to see that you fully recover."
Rod sighed and smiled. He looked at Irene with a still somewhat blurry view. "Well, weren't we having a party?," he asked.
Everyone cheered and the music came back on.
Rod was still weak, so he took it easy. Irene stayed with him. She was so happy that he seemed to be coming back.
The party went on into the night. They had a reason to party, now that the guest of honor was awake. They knew that he still had a long road to a full recovery and that he would face more difficult obstacles.
Brains and brawn, Rod was not one to give up. He would push himself to the limit to get what he wanted. And he wanted to be back one-hundred percent.
Chapter 5[]
"You're doing great, Rod," Ramone smiled as he monitored Rod moving around the room.
Rod drove around the room so Ramone could watch him. He was steadier now and drove a straight line. His vision was clear and he was breathing normally and rid of all the monitors. He was so happy. Ramone kept reminding him not to try to do too much too soon. He knew that these muscle cars loved to be fast and loved to show off. Rod's siblings had warned him that Rod was not one who took well to being slow like a minivan and loathed the feeling of being confined. That's exactly where he was now: slow and confined.
"Come on, man," Rod said as he approached Ramone. "When can I go out and be fast?"
"Rod, you're still recovering, dude," Ramone said. "If you push yourself too hard, you could do more harm to yourself."
Rod sighed heavily. "Yeah, I know," he muttered. He knew that Ramone was right. But, he was eager to meet his need for speed and quit being a family minivan.
Nights were still hard on Rod. He continued with the dreams and flashbacks and even refused to sleep some nights. He would watch the television, not really interested in what was on, until he dozed off involuntarily. He would then have another such dream and jolt out of his sound sleep.
Rod was so angry. He longed for a good night sleep, something he had not had since his brutal treatment. He was angry at the cars that had done this to him. Some nights, it got so bad, he almost wished that he had died that day. But his love for Irene always changed his mind. He wanted to have years with her.
Irene was Rod's reminder to follow every instruction that he was given, no matter how much he hated it. Rod had always hated to be told what to do. He liked to make his own decisions and not worry about being scolded like a child. He loved the sense of being his own boss and not answering to anyone.
One afternoon, Finn arrived with the deprogramming specialist he hoped would put a stop to Rod's flashbacks. "This is Rod Redline," Finn introduced. "Rod, this is Dr. Nina Carson. She is here to help you get over the bad memories."
Rod smiled. "If you can do that, I will be so grateful that you'll get sick of me," he said. "You'll never even want to hear my name again."
"Those might be a good thing, Rod," Nina smiled. "We want to get rid of those flashbacks and help you be happier."
"And help me sleep at night," Rod replied.
"They're interrupting your sleep, too, huh?," Nina asked. "We'll do our best to deal with that also." She looked at Finn. "May we be alone for awhile, please?"
"Yes, of course," Finn smiled. "If you need anything, just call for me." He left the room.
Now alone, Nina faced Rod. "It's nice to meet you, Rod," she said. "Finn and Holley and your loved ones all told me so much about you and how highly they think of you."
Rod smiled.
"Don't be afraid to talk to me," Nina said. "Many are afraid to talk to psychiatrists. They think they'll be labeled as 'crazy' forever. We all know that you are not crazy. We just want to help you get these bad dreams stopped. We want you to be happy and get a good night's sleep."
Rod sighed. "You think you can help me put a stop to this?," he asked her, unsure.
"Rod, the brain is not a simple organ," Nina said. "We still know so little about it. However, we do know a lot about dreams and a lot about how the memory areas of the brain seem to function. They can be manipulated to some extent. Part of it is your responsibility. You need to help me help you."
"Let's do it," Rod said. "If you can help me with this, I will be so grateful."
Nina smiled. "Listen to me and trust me," she said.
Rod waited.
Nina had Rod close his eyes and concentrate on a very good memory that he had. Rod smiled as he remembered his first date with Irene.
Eight years ago, Rod had met Irene at a movie drive-in. They had almost bumped into one another when they were both about to park in the same spot to see the movie. He offered the spot to her and found another spot, but one where he could see Irene. He barely noticed the movie after that. He was concentrating on that beautiful Mustang.
After the movie had ended, Rod had approached the girl and asked her if she would like to come back to see a movie with him next weekend. She was a little shy, but she accepted. From then on, they were inseparable.
Nina could see that Rod was perfectly relaxed and seemed genuinely happy. She had been told that he had barely smiled since he had awakened from his coma.
In the other room, Finn and Holley were looking through Rod's service records.
"Impressive," Finn said as he read the information. "A hero eight years ago, injured in the line of duty six years ago, recruited after the Cold War." Finn looked at Holley. "I like this guy," he said. "He is a tough-as-nails Detroit muscle car with a mastery of disguises. Do you remember how he was disguised at that hatchback? That was very incredible. I hope to work with him once he's back on the job."
"If only I had not mistaken Mater for Rod," Holley sighed. "I could have prevented all of this."
"I used to blame myself also, Holley," Finn said. "We are all in the same dangerous line of work. Any one of us could face such a horrific event at any time in our careers. I did learn that we all need to be more cautious and more observant."
"I agree," Holley replied. "Any time we need to meet another agent from anywhere, I will really look around rather than trust the first one I see."
"Some of that was my fault, also," Finn said. "When you told me he was American, I immediately told you that was him. I should have had you check the restroom to be sure."
"So a long list of mistakes led to Rod's capture and torture," Holley said. "I will trust my own instinct from now on."
"As will I," Finn agreed. "I do wish we could have saved Rod before he had to face such a thing."
"I am going back to Tokyo," Holley said. "I want to talk to some others and see if there are any witnesses. I want to know exactly what happened to this man."
"It won't change anything," Finn said. "But do as you please. Make sure you contact me every day."
"I will," Holley replied. "I plan to leave first thing tomorrow. I already have my plane ticket ready."
Finn nodded. He looked at the clock. "It's been three hours since the session with Rod and Nina began. I wonder if she's making progress with him. I wonder if she can help him get those awful memories out and sleep better."
"She's very good, from what I hear," Holley said. "She has succeeded with others in similar traumatic events that Rod went through."
Finn smiled. "I think Rod wants these memories out so badly, anyone could help with that," he said. "Even a child."
After a few moments, Nina entered the room.
"I think he's going to be all right," Nina said. "I worked with him to replace the bad memories with good memories from his past. He sure loved those good memories that he used. He actually looked much better and he seemed so much calmer and had this peaceful expression on his face. I am willing to bet that he will sleep very well tonight. And every night for the rest of his life."
"I hope so," Finn said.
"However, something could trigger those bad memories back," Nina warned. "I think I need to work with him while he is on an operating dyno machine. That's his biggest fear right now. That's what they tortured him on."
Finn sighed. "I don't know how he will take that," he said. "Did you ask him?"
"You can imagine his response," Nina said. "But I think it needs to be done." She paused. "Soon."
Finn took a deep breath. "Will tomorrow be good?," he asked.
"Yes," Nina said. "I will be back tomorrow."
"I will have the machine ready," Finn said. "I don't know how we'll get him on it."
"I do," Nina said. "He'll wake up on it, complete with parking boots."
"This won't be good," Finn remarked. "Are you sure this will work?"
"Yes," Nina said. "To conquer a fear, you must face that fear. We need to make Rod do just that. He needs to face it."
Finn agreed quietly, afraid of what was going to happen the following day and knowing that this would be a difficult thing for everyone.
Finn spent a sleepless night that night. He was terrified at what would happen the next day. He saw that Rod was sleeping very soundly and even appeared to be smiling. Finn knew that smile would be erased the next day when he awoke to his own personal nightmare.
As the sun rose, Finn had his team carefully and quietly place the parking boots onto Rod's front wheels and then use the magnetic crane to move the still-sleeping car onto the dyno machine. Irene was not sure about this, but she wanted to be with him. She closed her eyes as Finn turned on the machine. Finn, however, did not place it to full power. He waited until Nina arrived. She gave the order to wake Rod up.
Rod's eyes opened and he almost immediately freaked out. He started to struggle and panic. "Let me down!," Rod screeched, panicked and wide-eyed. "Please! Let me down from here!" He cried out and wailed and struggled to free himself. "What's happening here, Finn?," he demanded to know. "What is this for?"
"Rod, stay calm," Finn urged. "We need you to get over your fear of this. We're only trying to help you."
"No, no, no," Rod argued, still struggling. "Please get me down from this thing. I cannot be up here."
"Rod, look at me," Nina called as she came closer. "To get over a fear, you need to face it and see. This machine is not what hurt you and it did not try to kill you. You need to be able to see that this is only a machine that has no feelings, thought-process, or intent. What if a doctor needs you to be on this one day?" She watched as Rod continued to gasp and struggle.
Nina talked to him the entire time, trying to calm the muscle car and help him to see what he was truly afraid of. Rod slowly calmed down and soon grew still. He was still not truly calm for quite awhile.
"Let him down, please, now," Irene asked. "I think he gets it."
"No, he doesn't get it yet," Nina replied. "Not until he is totally calm and comfortable. He needs to get over this fear."
Rod closed his eyes. Nina kept talking to him. "Rod, I need you to stay calm and think very hard," she said. "How did get onto that other machine back in Tokyo?"
"Magnet," Rod said, still keeping his eyes tightly closed.
"Who operated that magnet?," Nina asked.
"Grem," Rod replied. "Or one of his cohorts."
"And who turned the machine on?," Nina asked.
"Professor Zee," Rod replied.
"What role did the machine have in the event?," Nina asked.
Rod thought for a long time. He eventually relaxed. He opened his eyes and looked at Nine. "Nothing," he said flatly. "It was just there and they used it."
Nina smiled. "Absolutely," she said. "You see where I am going with this experiment, Rod?"
Rod smiled. "Yes," he said. "Yes, I do."
Nina winked at Finn. "You can turn this off now," she said. "Then, let the team get him down and free him."
Rod did not react anymore as Finn shut the machine off and nodded at the team. Rod was carefully placed back onto the floor and the parking boots were removed. Through it all, Rod was smiling and completely relaxed. He didn't even react when one boot was stuck for a moment. It popped off and he slowly went to Irene.
"It's OK, baby," Rod said. "I'm fine. Really, I am."
Irene stared into his eyes.
"I'm fine," Rod said again, this time with a smile. "I think it's all over now. I really do." He looked at Finn. "I just wanna go home, Finn," he said. "Really, I feel fine."
"Let's see about that," Finn said. "Come on."
Rod followed Finn out to the fenced-in lot. They stopped. Rod was not sure what Finn needed or wanted him to do.
"Go on," Finn said. "Have fun."
Rod smiled. He started his engine and revved it loudly. It felt so good to him. He squealed his rear tires and zoomed across the lot. Nearly all muscle cars are rear-wheel drive, including Rod; who was a Dodge Challenger with some Ford Mustang in him. He drifted in one area of the lot and announced, "I do this all the time." He then sped to the other end of the lot. With a big smile, he bragged, "They don't call me a muscle car for nothing." He then used a pile of scrap lumber as a ramp. As his tires left the ground, he felt like he could touch the sky. Once again, he could not resist the urge to brag on himself, saying, "This good-looking… and I can fly!" He popped himself up onto his left-side tires and headed towards the spot where Finn was waiting. "Yeah, I'm good," he said. He dropped back to all four wheels.
"Hey, you looked great, dude," Ramone smiled. He looked at Finn and said, "Let him go home. He seems just fine to me."
"We'll discuss it tomorrow," Finn promised. "I want to be sure." He looked at Rod. "One more night, Rod," he said. "We'll talk about this and make sure you're truly ready."
Rod reluctantly agreed. He was so homesick. "Fine," he said.
Rod met with Irene inside the room. He smiled at her and told her that everything was looking positive. "We'll be home soon," he promised his little lady. "Then, I'll put in for that transfer and we'll have that family we both want."
Irene smiled. "That will be good," she said. "I'm ready for that."
Irene slept in the room alongside Rod that night, leaning against him and feeling so comfortable and serene.
Rod was awake and watching the morning news on TV. He didn't really seem all that interested. He was just bored and so very ready to leave for home.
Holley arrived at the facility shortly before noon.
"Holley, what did you learn?," Finn asked.
"The warehouse where Rod was tortured had an old security camera that was left on by accident," Holley said. "Rod's ordeal was all captured on video. Do you want to see it? I warn you, it's graphic and heartbreaking."
"Let me see it," Finn said.
Holley played the video on a big screen in their computer. Finn was horrified with what he saw. He was also proud of Rod's determination to survive. He was sure that was the reason that he was still alive now. He had refused to give up. Once they saw Rod burst into flames on the video, Finn sighed and turned off the video. "Poor Rod," he remarked as he tried to soak in what he had just seen. "He sure fought hard to survive, though. He's a real profile in courage, that man."
"Let's send him home," Holley said. "He needs to be home in familiar surroundings with his siblings, parents, and girlfriend."
Finn thought for a moment. "OK," he finally said. "I'll have Siddeley fly them all home in an hour. Contact him now, please, Holley. I'll go tell him and the others."
Rod was overjoyed at the news. He was growing more homesick by the minute and eager to see his hometown again.
"Take care of yourself, Rod," Finn smiled as everyone was getting ready to board Siddeley. "And don't be a stranger."
"I will and I won't," Rod replied with a wink and a smile.
Rod was the last car onboard. Siddeley took off and flew away as Finn and Holley watched.
"Will he be OK?," Holley asked. "Will he really?"
"I believe so," Finn replied. "Anyone that strong can survive anything life throws at him."
Holley smiled.
Chapter 6[]
President Crankshaft was waiting near the runway as Rod, Irene, and his siblings left Siddeley in Rod's hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas. Rod stopped by him.
"Mister President," he greeted with a serious smile.
"Great to see you home, Mister Redline," Crankshaft said. "Welcome home."
"I thank you, sir," Rod replied.
"If there is anything you need, Mister Redline, just ask," Crankshaft told him.
"Actually, sir, there is one thing," Rod said. "I want an immediate transfer to the FBI, a position where I can be home much more and no more espionage work. My lady and I want to be able to settle down and have a family."
"You got it, Mister Redline," Crankshaft promised. "You're taking paid time off first to rest up. I insist. Then, I will see that you get any position in the FBI that you desire."
Rod smiled. "Thank you, sir," he replied.
"Now, go home and relax," Crankshaft smiled.
"I will, sir," Rod replied. "Thank you again."
Rod and his companions went to Rod's home. It was a simple home with a small yard. Irene moved in with him. Rod spent most of his time relaxing, reading, and spending time with his sweetheart.
Three weeks later, friends and family gathered as Rod and Irene married. They bought a larger home and redecorated it. The new house had two extra garages, perfect for children. They wanted kids, but wanted some time alone first.
One month later, Rod took a plane to Washington, DC, to see the president.
"Good to see you again, Mister Redline," Crankshaft smiled. "I heard that you got married. Congratulations."
"Thank you, sir," Rod smiled.
"Have you decided what you would like to do?," Crankshaft asked. "I have an opening for Special Agent In Charge in Arkansas. I think your experience and your brains and brawn will be perfect for that spot. Would you like that position?"
Rod thought for a moment. He smiled. "Yes, sir," he said. "I would love that."
"It's all yours, Mister Redline," Crankshaft said as he signed the form.
Rod smiled. "Thank you so much for everything, sir," he said. "I truly appreciate it. I'll do a great job on this. You have my word."
"I know you will," Crankshaft replied. "I hope you and your wife have a great life together."
After saying "goodbye" to one another, Rod left the White House. He met Irene at the hotel. They decided to spend a few days touring before they went home. They visited the Smithsonian, toured historic sites, and spent quiet time together. They went home happy.
"On our next vacation time, let's go to Radiator Springs," Irene suggested. "I want to see the town that Ramone and his friends all live in and seem to love."
"I agree," Rod replied. "I start my new work next week. I will let you know when I get my first vacation time."
Irene decided to get a part-time job so she would not be alone when her husband was working.
Rod and Irene made friends. It was the first time since childhood that Rod had been able to have friends. It is always very dangerous for professional spies to have friends because it could blow their cover. A friend could accidentally give the information to somebody wrong and that could put the spy's life in danger, even the family if that spy does have a family. That was why many spies from all over the world do not marry or have children.
Now that Rod was no longer a spy, he could do all these things. He was looking forward to fatherhood. He wanted school plays, PTA meetings, sports games, and more. He wanted to be able to brag to friends and family that he had a wonderful son or daughter. He had seen other parents with their kids and saw how they loved their kids and were so proud of them.
Irene wanted all these same things.
Rod was doing so well. His nightmares and flashbacks had completely stopped and he was sleeping soundly. He smiled real smiles now and truly enjoyed his life. He loved getting up early and watching sunrises and then watching sunsets at night. Irene was so happy to see her beloved so happy. She was so worried that he would never recover from his incident.
Thankfully, Irene had not seen the video of Rod's incident. Finn had decided it would hurt her and had it destroyed. Irene never even knew that there was a video. Rod never knew either. Finn wanted that information kept from the two so they could go on with their lives and be happy.