Roaring 20's Part 5

[Amanda Dale]

Here goes the next part! Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to review! Sorry it took so long for me to get around to posting the rest here; my RL went seriously haywire a few months back and it's taken me a while to pick up where I left off fanfic wise.
Any comments you care to leave are greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't pretend to own them. I hope the rightful copyright owners don't pretend it would be a good idea to sue me.

Chapter 5

After her adventure of the previous night, Relena fell into her bed and slept like the dead. At least she did until someone started calling her at a positively obscene hour of the morning.

?-Relena! Miss Relena!? the voice of Peygan, the family butler, gradually penetrated her sleep-fogged brain. ?I?m sorry to disturb you, Miss Relena, but Miss Hilde is outside and-?

?Relena!? ?Miss Hilde? had slipped past the hapless butler, plainly intent on rousting her friend out whether she liked it or not.

?HILDE! What are you doing here at this hour? I thought you were afflicted with relatives!?

?They won?t be up for hours yet,? Hilde assured her impatiently. ?We?ve got to get an early start if we?re going to get there in time!?

?Get where??

?The rally, remember? Just throw something on and come along; we?ll get something to eat on the way. Oh, and wear boots. And an old coat.?
Seeing that her chances of returning to blissful unconsciousness were nil, Relena reluctantly dragged herself out of bed. ?I?ll wait for you by the door!? Hilde called, dashing back out. Peygan followed at a more dignified pace, with a hint of commiseration on his face. Relena suppressed a groan. She had forgotten her best friend was a morning person.

By the time she got downstairs, Peygan was waiting at the door with a thermos flask and a small basket. ?Miss Hilde seemed to be in a hurry, so I took the liberty of packing you a snack to take along,? he explained as he handed them to her. Relena shot the kindly old butler a look of everlasting gratitude as a horn sounded outside.

?Thank you, Peygan!? she called on her way out. Waiting at the curb was Hilde, behind the wheel of a trim blue Lagonda and looking extremely pleased with herself.

?I borrowed it from my older brother for the day!? she announced triumphantly. ?I?m plotting and scheming to get my own for my eighteenth birthday.?

?Peygan packed us breakfast.? Relena settled herself gingerly in the passenger seat and opened the basket.

?Perfect! We won?t have to stop at some wretched pub for sustenance! Would you pass me one of those sandwiches??

?Aren?t you supposed to keep both hands on the steering wheel, Hilde??

?Minor details.?

However, Hilde proved to be an unexpectedly skilled driver. She was fond of going faster than Relena felt was strictly necessary, but she obviously had an instinctive feel for the way the machine handled, and they proceeded at a smooth pace. ?I should learn to drive myself,? Relena thought wryly. ?It would certainly save me another debacle like last night.?

With breakfast finished and Hilde absorbed in her driving, she inevitably found her thoughts returning to the boy in the street. In the light of morning the whole episode held an air of unreality. Still, she hoped he had made it back to wherever he was going safely. ?He should be alright,? she told herself. ?Anyone who can recover from an injury like that and make such a fast exit must be tremendously strong.?

Naturally, it occurred to her that young men who wandered around the streets with obvious bullet wounds, refused medical attention, and threatened passing Samaritans were most likely involved in something illegal. But there was no way she could have acted otherwise. The idea of leaving someone bleeding in the street simply because she didn?t want to get involved was repugnant.

Despite the circumstances, she didn?t believe he was a criminal. ?And why
not?? Well, she thought, there had been that odd statement. ?It doesn?t matter.? Admittedly, her knowledge of criminals was pretty limited, but she had always gotten the impression that a criminal?s first priority was to look after himself. There had been such a purposeful air about him; his blue eyes had virtually burned with it. Somehow, that intensity fascinated her. What goal did he pursue with such dedication?
She studiously refrained from inquiring too closely into why she wanted to think the best of him. The last thing she wanted was to let her mind linger on just how handsome he was, even injured and furious, or how looking into those incredible eyes made her heart beat a little faster?No, that train of thought was very unwise?

Relena was (literally) jolted out of her meditations when Hilde turned off the main road. They must have gotten a long way out of London while she was daydreaming. The country road they were on now looked like it saw more of horses and farm carts than automobiles, but when Hilde pulled to a stop in what looked like a pasture, her car was only one of many. Further ahead, a large group of people was clustered around five cars parked in front of a crudely drawn line in the road.

?We made it! They?re just about to start!? Hilde cried, throwing herself out of the car. Relena made a slightly more careful exit. This looked like?yes, it unmistakably was a cow pasture. She silently blessed Hilde?s foresight in the matter of shoes and resolved to watch where she put her feet.
Now that she was wide awake, some of Hilde?s excitement was beginning to rub off on her. She had read about events like this, but had never been to one. When the passion for automobiles first began to sweep England, events like this one had started to pop up. Amateur enthusiasts all over the country now took to the roads to compete in these sometimes dangerous tests of speed and driving skill. It looked like this might be one of the dangerous ones. She could tell now that the winding road ahead had been turned into something resembling an obstacle course. Wooden hurdles had been scattered about, making it difficult to pursue a straight path, and the hedgerows on either side were tall and thick with ominous-looking thorn bushes, beyond which were rather steep ditches.

Following Hilde, she took a place on a low stone wall, a safe distance from the finish line, and watched as a bright orange flag rose into the air, then went sharply down. The five cars shot off, sending a cloud of dust billowing out across the audience. The central car, a sleek gray Bentley seemed to have the clear advantage at first. The race had barely started before it outdistanced the two cars beside it. One of the two accelerated sharply, trying to make up the distance?and found himself heading straight for one of the wooden hurdles. The driver swerved to avoid it, lost control and barreled across the road, crashing through the hedgerow and landing with a thump in the ditch beyond.

The driver on the unlucky car?s left was forced to brake sharply to avoid a collision, leaving himself a good way behind the field. Further ahead, the Bentley was approaching the first of the sharp turns, accompanied by a dusty brown car, and a black Ford that had been on the outside right. As they approached the turn, the Bentley began to edge slowly across into the brown car?s space, forcing the driver closer and closer to the edge. ?That?s dangerous!? Hilde called indignantly. Relena nodded grimly. Something should be done about that driver before someone got hurt!

Going into the turn, the brown car?s wheels went off the road and it went into the ditch, narrowly avoiding overturning. Several spectators were now running to check on the driver. However, while this maneuver had been going on, the black Ford had managed to overtake the Bentley, hugging the outside of the tight turn.

The Bentley?s driver didn?t seem to take this very well. He accelerated aggressively. The two cars were approaching another group of hurdles now. A few feet from the obstacles, the Bentley executed a sudden swerve to the right. Relena realized that by passing the barrier on the right instead of the side he had originally been aiming for, he was trying to force the Ford to either crash into the hurdle on his side, or go off the road trying to avoid it.

The Ford?s driver reacted instantly. He pulled sharply to the right, sliding past the barrier with barely an inch to spare. For an instant it looked like he was going to veer off the road, but by a feat of sheer skill, he managed to wrestle the car back on course. The moment he was back on sure ground, he hit the accelerator and flew into the next turn, leaving the Bentley in the dust. A few moments later, the black car roared past the finish line a length ahead of the gray.

Both girls let out breaths they hadn?t realized they were holding. All around them, the crowd was surging forward to see the winner. They didn?t have long to wait. No sooner had the Ford come to a halt than the driver had catapulted out, with a war whoop the likes of which the peaceful English countryside had probably never heard. He was a tall, lean young man with a lively, intelligent face and a pair of extraordinary violet eyes. Even more startling than his good looks was the thick dark braid flying out from under his cap almost to the waist.

?That was quite a feat, young man!? The race?s judge was beaming as he came forward. ?Congratulations, Mr-?

?Maxwell. Duo Maxwell.? His voice was as irresistibly lively as his face, with an unmistakable American accent. He gripped the judge?s hand, still grinning widely. Behind them, the door of the Bentley opened, and the driver got slowly to his feet. He was a thin man with slicked-back dark hair, a long nose, and a supercilious expression. He looked his opponent over, from dusty boots to insolent grin, with an expression of profound disgust. However, he didn?t have long to glare. The judge was heading in his direction with a decidedly less friendly expression than he had been wearing a moment ago.

?Did you see that, Relena? What a driver! I?ve got to talk to him!? Hilde seized her friend?s hand and started pulling her forwards.

Talking to the winner proved to be easier said than done, however. Everyone else seemed to have the same idea. Only by taking ruthless advantage of the inbred chivalry of the men in the crowd did Hilde succeed in getting within range. ?That was incredible, Mr. Maxwell!? she told him rather breathlessly, getting a dirty look from one of the other female spectators, who had been about to make a similar remark.

?Praise is always welcome,? Duo Maxwell replied with a wink. ?Especially from lovely ladies.? He doffed his cap.

?I wanted to ask you about that car,? Hilde rushed on before anyone could interrupt. ?You?ve done some kind of custom work to it, haven?t you??
Duo blinked in surprise; this wasn?t the kind of question he seemed to expect from young ladies who came up to congratulate him. He answered her readily enough, though, and the two of them were soon engrossed in a conversation that baffled Relena. Words like ?suspension modifications,? and ?horsepower? flew.

Relena, whose knowledge of the internal combustion engine was limited to the fact that it needed gasoline to run, stood back and watched Hilde in amusement. She hadn?t realized just how deep her passion for machines ran. Although she was beginning to suspect there was something else going on here. Hilde was inclined to dismiss most young men as boring, and refuse to take would-be suitors seriously, but at the moment, there was a definite flush on her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes Relena seldom saw. Most of the other spectators had decided by now that there was no prying the pair apart, and had drifted away. Even the judge had left, and Hilde?s car was one of only two or three remaining in the field.

Suddenly, Duo stiffened like a pointer spotting game. ?Sorry, gotta run! I just saw someone I have to talk to!? He flashed that brilliant grin at both of them again, lingering on Hilde. ?Hey, I hope I?ll see you at another rally!? He bounded off before either of them could reply.

Relena watched Hilde?s face fall. However, Hilde was made of stern stuff; she was quick to cover her disappointment. ?I suppose we?d better go; my mother will have a fit if I?m not home for tea.? She marched off towards the car without a backward look, but her face was still suspiciously flushed. Relena smiled to herself. It wasn?t often she saw self-confident Hilde flustered. ?Maybe its time to get a little of my own back for all those remarks about my wardrobe??

Duo caught up with the man he?d beaten in a grove of trees just off the road. He seemed to be calming his nerves with a powerful-smelling cigar before beginning his return journey. ?Real sportsmanlike driving,? Duo drawled to make his presence known.

The older man looked up sharply, realized who had disturbed him, and sneered. ?I don?t believe I know you.? Nor, his voice conveyed, did he have any wish to.

?But I know you,? the American informed him cheerfully. ?You?re a hard guy to get alone. Lucky for me you have this little hobby. The Hon. Rupert Iveldown. Gentleman, sportsman?Romefeller agent.?

The Hon. Rupert had just time enough to register the impact of those last words before a fist impacted his chin, and the cigar fell from his lips as everything went black.

Duo leaned against a tree until his ears told him all the other rally participants had gone on their way. He then proceeded to sling the Hon. Rupert over his shoulder and dump him unceremoniously in the back of the Ford like a rolled up carpet.

The gentleman woke up to find himself tied to a stiff chair in what looked suspiciously like a disused barn. Duo was leaning against the wall, cap pulled down over his eyes, apparently dozing. However, his eyes flew open as if he could sense the angry gaze settle on him.

?Hope you had a nice nap. And don?t bother yelling ?cause there?s no one to hear you. Now I don?t have much time, so be a pal and tell me what I want to know.?

The older man fixed him with a savage look. ?I don?t know what you hope to accomplish, you ignorant Yank, but I have no intention of-?

?Aw, don?t tell me I can?t make you talk, Rupert. I?m a nice guy. And because I?m a nice guy I?ll tell you a secret.? Duo?s smile widened. It was a smile of sheer bonhomie, pure goodwill towards man. Which didn?t explain how it could be so blood-chilling. ?You know all that stuff you hear about tire irons and rubber pipes? That?s for amateurs.? With a flourish worthy of a magician, he produced something from his coat pocket, which proved to be a hypodermic half-full of a straw colored liquid. ?A few drops of this stuff and you?ll sing ?Yankee Doodle Dandy? if I ask you to.?

He eyed the syringe speculatively. ?I don?t have a whole lot of experience with these things, myself. But I figure that?s your lookout, not mine.?
The Hon. Rupert went pale.

[dragonlady9]

Awesome, I totally loved it!! Can't wait for the next chapter!!!

[Loyce]

*hugs*

I loved this chapter, dear... *coughs* and it had nothing to do with the 2xh stuff... nope, not at all.

*looks at Amanda's stare*

Okay, of course it was!!!

I'm happy to see you writing/posting again. Please tell me we don't have to wait too long for the next chapter!

[AngelOfDeath]

EEEEEEEEEE

That, you see, was a squeal of glee. I loved this chapter so much!

[aku_ryo]

oooh intriguing - so now theyre right in the seedy underbelly of post war england - eek remember many young men didnt come back from the war!

liked duos entrance - perfection indeed -

akuuuuuuuuuu