Biker Mice from Mars - Mountain Drift

Chapter 4: Takumi

Meanwhile, in Gunma, Japan...

Takumi Fujiwara packed his bags into the rental car he and his father, Bunta were going to use to get to the airport. Dad had decided to expand his tofu business in an extreme way. He was going to open several Fujiwara Tofu stores overseas. They already had the Eight-Six shipped over there several weeks prior, and it was in storage. They would need it so they could show their overseas expansions how to paint their cars, so Takumi had to do all his most recent deliveries in the WRX. Oddly, and surprisingly, Iketani and Itsuki had earned enough vacation time and side money to go with him! They were in a separate rental car, patiently, yet anxiously waiting for Takumi and Bunta to finish. Even Mika was going since she got permission from her father.

"This is going to be quite the trip, Dad!" Takumi said as he put his suitcase in the trunk.

"Yeah." Bunta simply replied. Mika then walked up to Takumi, since she was riding in their car, too.

"I wonder what Boise will be like..." Mika took Takumi's hand as they got in. "Speaking of which, heard anything from your pen pal?" She smiled.

"Oh, you mean Manuel?" Takumi asked as they started to drive. "He wrote an email a couple of nights ago, saying he's trying to get used to his CR-X's new custom engine, along with that transmission kit he put in."

"You mean that B16A engine he modified and installed with the Turbo?" Bunta asked.

"Yeah. He said he just took it up to Bogus Basin and back, to see how it affected the car."

"You sure this guy doesn't have a death wish, Takumi?" Bunta asked, raising an eyebrow. "I've heard some bad things about this 'Bogus Basin'. Specifically, that some places on it don't have guard rails..."

"Not that I know-" Takumi was interrupted by his cell phone. He and Manuel had decided to get pre-paid cell phones to talk to each other and to help Takumi practice his English when he wasn't using voice chat on a computer. "Sorry, dad. Can I take this call?"

"Go ahead, but put it on speaker," Bunta said as he drove through the city. "I'd like to have a few words with him too if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Takumi said and answered his cell on speaker. "Hello?"

"Hey, Takumi!" Manuel said through the speaker.

"Hey, Manuel!" Takumi said, using his best English with a smile. "How are things?"

"Things right now are... interesting, I'll give you that much," Manuel answered. "You wouldn't happen to be near a computer right now, would you? I need some help looking up some unusual weather patterns..."

"Oh, sorry I'm not," Takumi answered. "We're on our way to the airport. We're heading for America tonight on that nonstop flight..."

"Oh, no! I completely forgot!" Manuel shouted, panicking over the phone. "Your nonstop flight to Boise! I totally spaced it! Oh, Crap! What am I going to do?! I need to be waiting at the airport, and I haven't even changed from my work clothes!"

"Slow down there, Manuel," Bunta said firmly in fluent English. "You still have about twelve hours. Take a moment and breathe,"

Mika chuckled as Manuel took a deep breath over the phone. He was kind of funny like that. Takumi had introduced her to him over voice chat, along with Itsuki and Iketani.

"Okay..." Manuel said. "So, your flight arrives in the morning, then?"

"Yep," Takumi said. "By the way, dad wanted to talk to you about something as well."

Bunta then cleared his throat. "Manuel, I hear from Takumi you are a mechanic?"

"Yeah," Manuel said. "Most of what I do is repairs, but I do know how to customize as well. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to build my CR-X. It's my pride and joy..."

"Yeah. He told me you 'tested' your car at Bogus Basin." Bunta said.

Manuel was silent for a moment. "He... Told you about that?"

"Afraid so. Figuring how you describe your skills at tuning and driving, and if you live up to what you told Takumi, I might be able to hire you for my tofu business."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fujiwara, I'm afraid I'll have to turn you down on that offer," Manuel said in a sad tone. "I already deliver cooking supplies to my dad at Bogus. That and my mechanic job. I'm just not sure I could juggle a third job. I hope you understand."

"It's alright, don't worry about it. I'll give you my long-distance number, though, should you change your mind." Bunta replied as they drove into the airport parking lot.

"Thank you, Mr. Fujiwara, that's kind of you," Manuel said.

"Well, we're at the airport," Takumi said. "I'll have to let you go for now since they don't allow cell phones on the plane. See you in about twelve hours, Manuel."

"Gotcha, Takumi. See you in twelve hours."

"Okay, Later man." Takumi then hung up.

#

Manuel felt like slapping himself in the face. How could he have forgotten about Takumi's flight?

"Well, so much for that idea. I feel like such a moron right now..." He said. "Guess we will have to figure out those patterns on our own." He brought up a recently updated satellite image, then zoomed it in on Bogus Basin, scouring over it for anything unusual. About thirty minutes into pouring over the map, zooming in and out, he then saw not far into one of the wooded areas, there were scorch marks on the ground. He zoomed in more and saw what appeared to be a crash site! The wreckage certainly wasn't of any plane!

"That's it." Throttle said, pointing at the wreckage. "That's where I crashed. Think we can get there and back in less than twelve hours?"

Manuel sighed. "Maybe. You think you'll be able to ride your motorcycle down the pass, though?"

"I shouldn't have that much trouble, even with my eh, current handicaps." Throttle said, confidence in his voice, getting up with the aid of only one crutch.

Manuel got up from the desk, smiling, and went to get his car keys.

"Let's get going, then! Time waits for no one, after all, and the night will only last for so long..."