“This was to be alternative fuel’s moment in the sun. But after today, everyone will race back to gasoline. And we, the owners of the largest untapped oil reserve in the world, will become the most powerful cars in the world! They will need us. And they will finally respect us!”
Mater gasped as the roomful of Lemons burst out into cheers.
Finn zigzagged up the steep cliff until he reached a large crevasse. He could see Grem and Acer on the opposite side, holding the WGP camera. Finn hit the gas and leaped toward the two Lemons.
That was when Finn felt himself freeze in midair. A helicopter had captured him with a large magnet.
Grem and Acer started laughing at Finn.
“We figured you might stop by,” Acer shouted to Finn. The two Lemons gleefully turned back to the camera and aimed it at Number 4, Max Schnell. This time it was Grem’s turn to zap the racer.
Down on the racecourse, plumes of smoke suddenly billowed from Number 4. The car swerved out of control and crashed into another racer, sending them both tumbling. The crowd gasped when another car—Shu Todoroki—spun out as his engine exploded in black smoke. Grem and Acer chuckled as they watched the car skid to the railing, taking two others with it. The race was becoming a monster pileup.
Up ahead at the finish line, Lightning and Francesco were still battling it out for the win. They had no idea what was happening on the track behind them. Each was focused on winning!
“Ka-chow!” Lightning shouted as he narrowly crossed the finish line first. He was about to thoroughly enjoy beating Francesco when he saw the smoke rising from the multiple car wreck.
“Oh, no,” Lightning said to himself.
It wasn’t long before Sir Miles Axlerod had to face the media. The reporters all demanded to know whether the last race, in London, would be run on Allinol. Was it causing the race cars to crash?
Axlerod seemed completely defeated.
“I cannot in good conscience risk the lives of any more race cars,” he told the anxious reporters. “The final race will not be run on Allinol.”
Inside the casino, the Lemons were still cheering when Lightning suddenly appeared on the screen.
The room went quiet as Lightning announced that he would still use Allinol in the last race.
“My friend Fillmore says the fuel’s safe,” he told reporters. “And that’s good enough for me.”
Mater held his breath as he watched Lightning add: “I didn’t stand by a friend of mine recently. I’m not making the same mistake twice.”
The sound of a ringing phone suddenly cut through the silent casino. Professor Z quickly answered it. It was the Big Boss.
“Yes, sir. Of course,” he said into the phone.
He turned to the Lemons and announced what the Big Boss had said: “Allinol must be finished for good. Lightning McQueen cannot win the last race.” The Lemons had to stop Lightning.
Mater’s eyes grew wide. Professor Z was going to ask Grem and Acer to take aim at Lightning next!
“No!” Mater said. He turned to leave and banged his hood on a chandelier. An electric jolt passed through him—just enough to cause his holographic disguise to disappear. The Lemons stared in shock as Mater turned into his rusty old tow truck self.
“The American spy!” Professor Z said. The Lemons immediately drew their weapons.
“Dadgum!” Mater said into his radio.
“Gaitlin gun. Request acknowledged,” Mater’s computer answered.
Mater was shocked to see guns roll out of both of his side doors.
“Shoot. I didn’t mean—” Mater tried to say as he suddenly sprayed the ceiling with bullets.
Mater was thrown back by the force of one of his guns. “Whoa! Wait!” he hollered. “I didn’t mean that kind of shoot!”
“Correction acknowledged,” the computer replied. “Deploying parachute.”
With a whoosh, a large parachute shot out from Mater’s undercarriage. In seconds, he was dragged out onto the casino’s balcony.
“Whoa!” Mater cried as the chute filled with air and hoisted him into the sky.
Mater drifted over the town of Porto Corsa until he spotted a motorboat speeding through the water below. He dropped his tow hook and hitched a ride toward the race site. There was no time to lose. He had to get to Lightning and warn him.
Mater could see Lightning onstage, talking to the reporters, as he dropped into the crowd.
“Lemme through!” Mater shouted as he tried to make his way to the stage.
“Back up, sir,” a security guard told Mater, who was frantic with worry.
Mater kept pushing through the crowd.
“We have a lunatic at gate nine,” the guard said into his walkie-talkie.