When Life Gives You Lemons

Chapter 30- Mission Accomplished

"Get your bloody tyres off me!" Axlerod yelled as the police struggled to drag him off. "Don't you know who I am?! We'll get you all for this! See if we don't! I'll get my revenge! Mark my words! Long live Lemons! LONG LIVE LEMONS!"

Sammy rolled her eyes. "Sheesh! What a drama queen!"

Luigi glared at him in disgust. "You are a despicable car!" he declared. "How could you hurt my daughter like this?"

"It's all your daughter's fault for sticking her nose in when it doesn't belong!" he shouted.

Luigi just smirked. "I am glad she did."

Once Axlerod disappeared, though, he seemed angry again, this time at the spies.

"What were you thinking?!" he berated them. "My daughter is only eleven years old! How could you possibly think she is a spy?!"

"I didn't", Sammy replied smugly. "I tried to protect the kid, but these idiot Brits couldn't figure out that she wasn't a spy."

Finn bristled. "I have never had a civilian get involved in a case!" he informed her. "Until now, I believed it was impossible for such a mistake to occur."

"Oh!" Sammy scoffed. "So-"

"All right", Holley interjected sensibly. "What's done is done. I feel awful that we let a child get involved, but I'm glad she did. We never would have been able to solve the mission without her and Mater's help.

"That's right", Finn agreed wholeheartedly. "It was very brave what you two did."

"Really?" Fudge asked uncertainly.

"Fudge, it took a lot of courage to expose Axlerod like that", Finn explained. "You are by far the most courageous eleven-year-old I have ever met."

The human girl couldn't help but beam with pride at that comment. "Well, I wasn't brave", she disagreed. "I'd never been more scared in my entire life."

"Fudge." Finn looked her deep in the eyes. "There's a difference between being brave and being fearless. Of course, you were afraid. I don't blame you for that at all, but you did the right thing anyway. That's what bravery is."

Fudge's smile expanded.

There was a long pause.

"So, what happens to Axlerod and everybody else now?" Mater wanted to know.

"They will all be placed in CHROME's custody", Finn explained. "We'll have to go through the evidence to make sure we have enough to have them convicted." He cast Mater and Fudge a smile.

"Thanks to Fudge, that shouldn't be a problem", Holley spoke up with a smile.

"Fudge, do you think you can send me that recording?" Finn requested.

"Sure." Fudge got out her watch and, following Finn's instructions, was able to send him the recording of Axlerod's plans and the photo of the clutch assembly package.

"Thank you."

"Now that that's done, what do y'all say we get outta here?" Sammy suggested. "I need a drink."

"So could I", Lightning agreed, sounding both relieved and still a little shaken up, like everyone else.

Finn smiled. "I know just the place."

Most everyone agreed to go out and get a drink or two to release their tension.

"I am afraid I must decline", Luigi spoke up politely. He pulled Fudge closer to him protectively. "The only place Fudge is going is to bed."