Cars 2 by Irene Trimble

Professor. His Lemon relatives were blocking the entrance to the side street.
    The other Lemons and their families blocked all the other streets. The Lemons revved their feeble engines, ready to charge.
    Lightning took one look at Mater and sighed. “I’m gonna go out on a limb here. These are the guys that want me dead?”
    Mater faced the Lemons. “Fellas, listen,” he begged. “I know what you’re going through. Cars have been laughing at me my whole life, too. But is hurting folks and making money really gonna make you feel better?”
    The Lemons stopped. They looked at one another.
    Then one of the Lemons in front shrugged and said, “It’s worth a shot.”
    A gang of Hugos, Pacers, Zapors, and Gremlins rushed toward Lightning. The Gremlin Lemon was leading the charge when he was suddenly broadsided by a blast of water.
    It was Red, the fire truck, spraying his powerful fire hose! And the rest of the Radiator Springs gang was with him. Even Flo was ready to rumble. They drove at the Lemons full-force.
    Guido zipped off some Lemon tires with his air gun as Flo blinded them with her high beams. In seconds, Guido had another stack of lug nuts next to him.
    Ramone spray-painted their windshields so the Lemons couldn’t see. Finn, who’d lost all his weapons to the combat ship’s magnet, used his karate skills to take out Lemons three and four at a time. Soon the streets were littered with cheap cars.
    â€œRetreat!” a Gremlin hollered.
    As the few remaining Lemons scattered, Guido rushed to Mater’s side. He tried every wrench in his tool case, but not a single one of them could take the bolts off the bomb.
    Cross-eyed, Mater took a good look at the bolts. Then it all became clear.
    â€œI get it! I get it!” he cried. “I know what needs to be done!”
    â€œThen do it!” Lightning urged his friend.
    â€œNo! I can’t!” Mater answered. Then he whispered to Lightning: “Nobody takes me seriously. I know that now. This ain’t Radiator Springs.”
    â€œYes, it is,” Lightning replied firmly. He continued, “You’re yourself in Radiator Springs. Be yourself here! If folks aren’t taking you seriously, then they need to change. Not you! I know that, because I didn’t take you seriously before, and I was wrong. Now, you can do this! You’re the bomb!”
    Mater beamed. “Thanks, buddy.”
    â€œNo, you’re the actual bomb ! Now let’s go!” Lightning shouted.
    Mater latched his hook on to Lightning, and they took off at top speed.

“C omputer,” Mater said, zooming down a side street. “I need the thing you did before to get me away from Lightning.”
    â€œRequest acknowledged,” the computer responded. Lightning was more than a little surprised to hear Mater talking to a computer. He was even more surprised when the rocket thrusters kicked in.
    Lightning and Mater, still hooked together, were catapulted toward a wall. Mater screamed to the computer, “Now I need you to do the chute—the second kind, not the first!”
    â€œAhhhh!” Lightning yelled. He closed his eyes and heard a swooshing sound. Then he felt air beneath his tires. Lightning didn’t understand, but Mater’s chute had popped open. The two best friends from Radiator Springs were airborne over London!
    Mater steered the chute toward Buckingham Palace. The Queen of England stood on a balcony, surrounded by an audience of dignitaries, including Sir Miles Axlerod. They were gathering to celebrate the completion of the World Grand Prix.
    â€œWho’s winning the race?” the Queen was asking one of her attendants, when Mater and Lightning suddenly dropped from the sky.
    â€œLook out below!” Mater shouted.
    â€œBack up! Back up!” the royal guards yelled. “Stand back!”
    The Queen smiled. “Lightning McQueen!” she said brightly, recognizing