Mater chuckled. A Hugo was definitely a Lemon. And so were the Trunkovs Holley identified in the photos from the oil derrick. Even the genius mastermind Professor Z was a Lemon!
“Finn,” Holley commented, “every car involved in this plot is one of history’s biggest loser cars. And they’re all taking their orders from whoever this is.” Once again she brought up the image of the mysterious and poorly constructed engine.
“Life made him a Lemon,” Finn said, musing aloud. “So he made Lemons his aid.”
Tomber’s eyes grew wide. This was familiar! “This explains it!” he announced. “There’ve been rumors of a secret meeting of these so-called Lemon cars in Porto Corsa in two days.”
“Then there’s a good chance he’ll be there, too.” Finn smiled as an idea formed in his mind. Quickly, he told Holley to contact their bullet train. They were heading to Porto Corsa!
Mater’s eyes lit up. “Hey, if we’re gonna be near the next race, maybe we could swing by the pits, and you could tell Lightning how much I’m helping!”
“Tell Lightning what?” Holley looked confused.
But Finn was focused on the Lemons and their upcoming meeting. Now he had a plan: the secret agents would travel to Italy and infiltrate that meeting. Perhaps that would be where they would find out who was behind this plot—and why.
Meanwhile, the race cars and their teams were on their way to the same place as Mater and the two agents, but with different plans and expectations. In Porto Corsa, the small town on the sunny coast of Italy, everyone was excitedly preparing for the second race of the WGP. Lightning and his crew—Luigi, Guido, Sarge, and Fillmore—had just arrived in their WGP transport vehicle.
Porto Corsa also happened to be near the hometown of Luigi and Guido. The cousins couldn’t have been more delighted.
“Guido!” Luigi said as they rolled into the town’s piazza. “Your eyes do not deceive you. We are home!”
Fillmore got out of the transport and looked around. “Luigi, which way to the hotel?”
“What?” Luigi said quickly. “No friends of mine will stay in a hotel in my country. You will stay with my Uncle Topolino!”
As Team Lightning McQueen approached the Maserati fountain in the center of town, a 1937 Fiat rolled into the piazza. It was Uncle Topolino! The piazza soon filled with all of Guido and Luigi’s Fiat family. Tears of joy were flowing as fast as the water in the fountain.
Everyone was smiling. But Uncle Topolino noticed Lightning out of the corner of his eye.
“Race car,” the wise older car said to Lightning. “You look so down. So low. It’s like you have flat tires.”
“He’s clearly starving,” Mamma Topolino said. “I’ma gonna make him a big meal right now, fatten him up.” Lightning tried to stop her, but Mamma rolled away toward the kitchen.
Uncle Topolino took Lightning aside. “I understand,” he said. “Is a problem, yes? Between you and a friend?”
“How’d you know that?” Lightning asked, impressed.
Uncle Topolino shrugged and replied simply: “A wise car hears one word and understands two. That, and Luigi told me. While Mamma cooks, come and take a stroll with me.”
It was hard for Lightning to talk about, but finally he said, “Mater made me lose the race, we had a huge fight, and he ended up going home.” Lightning paused and added: “It’s for the best, though.”
“Best for him? Or for you?” the older car asked.
Lightning was startled. “What do you mean?”
“This Mater is a close friend?”
“He’s my best friend,” Lightning replied.
Uncle Topolino rolled slowly forward. “Then why would you want him to be someone else?”
Lightning considered this for a moment. Lightning now understood that he needed to accept Mater for exactly who he was. Mater was his best friend!
Uncle Topolino gazed into the piazza. Party lights were twinkling, and the sound of music was everywhere. “You know, back when Guido and Luigi worked for me, they would fight over everything.”
Lightning could see Luigi dancing with a lady Fiat—and then he saw Guido suddenly cut in.
Uncle Topolino continued. “So I tell them: ‘Va bene.’ It’s okay to fight. Everybody fights now and then, especially best friends.”
They watched Luigi cut back in on Guido. Finally Guido and Luigi danced together with the lady and her girlfriend.
“But you gotta make up fast,” Uncle Topolino added. “No fight is more important than a friendship. Whoever finds a friend, finds a treasure.”