Free Cars 2 by Irene Trimble

Grem.
    Grem listened to Professor Z on the radio. “I understand,” Grem said. “Yes, sir.”
    â€œWhat’d he say?” Acer asked anxiously.
    â€œWe go to the backup plan,” Grem said, and they both headed for the doors.
    â€œBackup plan?” Mater called to them.
    Grem gave Mater a nasty laugh and said, “Yeah, we snuck a bomb into Lightning McQueen’s pit.”
    â€œThe next time he makes a stop, instead of saying ‘Ka-chow,’ he’s gonna go ka-boom! ” Acer added.
    â€œDadgum Lemons,” Mater muttered out of a mix of anger and frustration. Of course, his computer heard “gum” and spun out his weaponry.
    The Lemons left the tower, laughing. But Mater noticed that the spinning barrels of his weapons had begun to shave away at the restraints that tied him to the clock’s gears!
    â€œDadgum! Dadgum! Dadgum!” Mater shouted excitedly. It worked! The guns spun away at the restraints until they broke. Mater suddenly dropped toward the whirring gears of the clock.
    He quickly whipped out his tow cable and hooked it onto a pipe. He swung himself toward the doors and landed with a thud.
    â€œI gotta get y’all out of there so you can save Lightning McQueen,” he said, looking up at Finn and Holley in desperation.
    â€œThere’s no time!” Finn told him. “It’s up to you now. We’ll be okay.”
    Holley said, “Go get some more dents, Mater!” Mater gave Holley a smile and shot out of the door.
    â€œSo, we’re going to be okay?” Holley asked Finn.
    Finn shrugged. “He wouldn’t have left if I’d told him the truth.” They both watched as a giant gear moved one click closer to crushing them completely. “Being killed by a clock: gives a whole new meaning to ‘Your time has come.’”
    That gave Holley an idea. She fired at the clock’s gearbox, sending a blast of electricity through the wires and into the gears.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Finn asked as a shower of sparks flew through the clock tower.
    â€œTrying to turn back time,” she answered. “If I can reverse the polarity…” She strained to get off another shot. This time, she scored a direct hit. The clock stopped with a jolt and then reversed itself. The gears began to move away from them.
    â€œQuick thinking, Holley!” Finn said, impressed.
    But a different gear was now moving closer—a gear that was going to smash in their trunks.
    â€œDrive, Holley!” Finn said as the gear began to move over them.
    Chrome was ground off their rear bumpers as the two spun their wheels. They inched just far enough apart to evade the giant machinery—but not too far. The gear sliced right through the cable that had them tied bumper to bumper! Finn and Holley flew to opposite platforms inside the clock.
    They were free!
    â€œWe’ve got to get to the course!” Finn shouted. “Calculate the fastest way to get there!”
    Holley instantly popped out two wings from her side panels. She could see the shock on Finn’s face.
    â€œThey’re standard issue now,” she told him.
    â€œYou kids get all the good hardware,” he said with a smile. He was impressed with Agent Shiftwell. As they headed out the door, Holley noticed an air filter on the ground.
    â€œIsn’t that Mater’s?” she asked.
    They looked at each other and realized that one of Mater’s parts had been taken out and replaced. It could mean only one thing: Professor Z had planted the bomb inside Mater!
    â€œI knew his escape was too easy,” Finn muttered.

M eanwhile, Mater zoomed through London. He had to get to Lightning and warn him about the bomb in his pit. When Mater finally got to the track, he drove through all the pits until he got to Lightning’s.
    â€œMater!” Luigi cried out in surprise.
    â€œEverybody, get out! Y’all gotta get out of the pits