Pit Boys - The Next Race

Chapter 4 - Let's do an auction!

That night at the garage.
Sonic, North and Kim who were now aware of Way's resurrection were also present. The ten of them were huddle around one coffee table.
"What do we know about the new guy?" Alan asked.
Way pulled out a tablet and showed them a picture. "Recognise this guy?"
Babe leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "I think I do."
"We have raced him before." Way said. "It must have been some seven years ago. He was banned from racing some years later."
"So that's the new guy?" Babe asked. Way nodded. "Well, now that you say it, he does look familiar. How old is that picture?"
"From when he first started racing, I think." Way shrugged.
"What does that mean for us?" Charlie asked.
"Now that we have identified him, we can try to find clips of other races, see how he fights." Babe explained to him.
"Yes, sure, but that's not out main concern right now." Way put away his tablet. "Do you know what is happening with the kids in the orphanage?"
"They're safe, for now." Pete replied. I have men checking on them periodically.
"That's not going to be enough." Kenta spoke up. He rarely spoke and now nine pairs of eyes were on him. He did not particularly like the attention.
"I mean, we keep seeing strangers checking out the orphanages and we have also had people hanging around the families of other children. I don't think they're safe anymore."
"We can't bring all of them back and keep them somewhere." Jeff said. "That would be like putting them back in Tony's house."
"We would treat them better than he did." The comment came from Kim.
"Well, that house was hell for all of us." Charlie said. "I don't want to traumatise those children anymore."
"He's got a point." Alan shrugged.
"I think at least we can move the children in the orphanage." Pete said. "They can stay at my house. Nobody is going to take them away from there."
"Yeah but that doesn't ensure the safety for every one of them." Alan interjected.
"That's where Pete comes in." Way said. Pete side eyed him.
"So I need all of you to listen first and hear me out before coming for me." Way said, holding up his hands.
"So, Pete poses as Tony's associate who has taken over the empire after Tony's death. We'll bring over the children and conduct an auction for them."
"Are you out of your mind?" Kim asked, as all the others looked a little lost for words. Way sighed.
"Obviously, we are not going to sell them. It's a fake auction. This way, we can know how many people are willing to still do this and identify them one way or another. It's a risky plan but think about it. What other option do we have?"
"I can't get on board with this." Kim shook his head. "We saved all those children and now putting them back in danger, I don't want to do this."
"Well then, do you have a better idea?" Kenta glared at him. Kim glared back but neither of them had anything more to say so Way held up his hands once more.
"To be fair, it was not my idea." He glanced at Kenta. "But I think it's the best course of action."
"I admit, I cannot think of a better way, but how can we ensure that the children are not harmed?" Babe asked.
"Well, it's an auction, so not many people would be carrying heavy arms or be ready to fight their way through some forty armed guards." Pete said. "Besides, we don't even have to show them the children. Just, their details."
"Why do you know so much about auctions?" Jeff asked. He was always suspicious and Pete's knowledge about child auctions did not help his case.
"I have attended Tony's auctions before and most of the time, the children are not present. In fact, we get a list ahead of time, with the description of what power each one has. The auction is only for bidding."
"I still think this whole plan is too dangerous." Alan said. He looked uncomfortable. "Look, I'm just a garage owner and honestly, I don't want any of you to be in trouble. This is like inviting trouble to our doorstep."
"Lung, we have to do this." Jeff put a hand on Alan's leg. "We have to do this so that these children at least will have a better life. We can't just leave them at the mercy of these people."
"I'm going to take a walk." Alan stood up and left. Jeff tried to go after him, but Charlie caught him by the hand and shook his head.
"I think we should do this." Babe said. "It's risky but it's also quick and effective. At least it's better than waiting around for somebody to kidnap the children. Alan will come around. Or we'll make him."
"Hold up, you want to invite a bunch of people who buy and sell children, to your house?" Sonic looked very concerned. "I mean, that's not risky, that's suicidal."
"Well technically, it won't be in my house." Pete said. "And like I said, it's an auction, nobody is looking for a fight. Besides, you're not allowed to bring weapons into the hall. We'll monitor them closely. This auction is just to get to know who we are up against."
"Sonic has a point." North looked at them and shrugged. "If these people are as bad as you say they are, I wouldn't trust them to play fair."
"When have you two ever had different opinions on anything?" Way asked. "I understand your concern but like Babe said, it's the quickest and most efficient way to get to know these people and find a way to send them back. With minimal damage to us."
"So you agree there will be some damage?" Sonic looked sceptical.
"Well, I mean, it's not like they're peace ambassadors that they would listen to reason." Way said.
"Moreover, some of them have already lost millions. They're not gonna sit back and think morality."
"It's not morality, it's humanity." Charlie frowned.
"Sometimes, humans have the least humanity." Babe countered.
"Well, since nobody can think of a better idea, we'll put this in action." Pete said, after a moment of silence.
"First, we need to make arrangements to move the children from the orphanage."
"I can handle that." Kenta nodded. "They'll be in your house, and safe, in the next two days."
Pete looked at him. "I think we also need you to be our point of contact. You're the only person who has access to Tony's private data and if we are to send out invitations, supposedly, you should be handling that."
Kenta did not look particularly happy about the job he had been given and he grudgingly accepted it.
"Kim, would you help him do that?" Pete turned to Kim.
"Why me?" Kim frowned.
"You've been to different places and you know more languages than all of us. We would need that."
"Who said I agreed to this whole thing in the first place?" Kim crossed his arms.
"I understand why you're worried." Babe said, looking up at him. "But we're not planning on selling them. All of us have suffered at the hands of Tony and we're not letting those children go through that again."
Kim still looked unconvinced but he nodded. Pete was relieved.
"North and Sonic, I want you guys to live stream the whole thing."
"What, why?" They were completely taken aback. "You want us to live stream an auction for children, with you running it?"
"Our plan is to expose these people. Not just here but everywhere, worldwide." Pete explained. "Besides, they wouldn't be here if they didn't have inside help. I don't even want to know about the number of government officials inside their pocket."
"That makes sense." Sonic nodded. "Once you know where it's going to happen, we could set up hidden cameras and sound recorders. Live streaming shouldn't be a problem."
Pete exchanged a look with Way. They had talked about this before and in this way, North and Sonic would be away from the fight which was best for everyone. They were too young and excitable.
"Charlie and Jeff, I think you guys should be with the children somewhere safe. So that you can keep an eye on them." Pete looked at them and then at Babe.
"He's right, we need somebody to make sure the children are safe." Babe nodded. "We don't want anybody to take them while we're away." Charlie looked like he wanted to protest, but Babe put a hand on his leg and squeezed. He looked at Babe, frowning. Babe shook his head.
"And Babe, Way and Alan would be with me."
"Wait what?" Way sat up. He was glaring at Pete. "You know Babe can't be seen out there, he was Tony's trump card."
"Wait, let me finish." Pete gently touched Way's arm. "Babe will not be in the main hall. He will be monitoring the auction live, and you will be with him."
"But I'm not leaving you alone in the hall." Way looked at him.
"I won't be alone." Pete's voice was gentle. "If he agrees, Alan will be with me. And about twenty armed guards will be there as well."
"I don't trust hired men." Way frowned.
"Well, you won't be far away." Pete continued. "If things go south, you two can come fast enough." Way was not satisfied with the answer but he refrained from arguing further. They could beat out the details later.
"When do you think we can have this auction?" Babe asked.
Pete looked at Kenta.
"I would need a little time, first to make this invitation and then to spread the word." Kenta said. "It needs to be vague enough but also, enough details to bait them."
"Do we have a rough estimate of how many people would show up?" Way asked.
Kenta shook his head and said, "Not yet. We will, soon."
"How about three weeks from now?" Pete asked.
"Three weeks from now would mean the day of the championship finals." Babe interjected.
"We'll plan around that." Pete nodded. "We still don't know if it's possible, we're just speculating."
North and Sonic had wandered off talking about cameras. Jeff got up and left to look for Alan. Babe sat forward.
"As much as I want this to be over, are you sure it's going to be under control?"
"I can't predict what's going to happen. But we will prepare for the worst possible scenario." Pete did not show how worried he actually was. He looked at Way and then back at Babe. "But it's our only shot at finally putting this together rest."

Jeff walked outside the garage searching for Alan. Finally, he found him standing near the cars looking like he was deep in concentration.
"What are you thinking about?" Jeff asked, standing next to him. Alan turned and looked at him.
"I don't know." He sighed. "It's all too risky, what if somebody dies for real this time?"
"Lung, stop worrying so much." Jeff gave him a small smile. "We won't leave anything to chance, we'll do the best we can. Besides, we can't just sit around and wait for them to attack us."
Alan looked far from happy with the answer he was given.
"Stop it, Lung." Jeff poked his arm. "You don't have to pretend to be older than you are." He moved closer and put his head on Alan's shoulder.
"Really, you think I'm that old?" Alan smiled as he grabbed Jeff's arm and turned him around to face him.
"I don't know, you tell me." Jeff looked up at him.
Alan's arms found their way to Jeff's waist and he pulled him closer. "How do you want me to prove it to you?" Alan's mouth was next to Jeff's ear.
"Really, Lung?" Jeff laughed quietly, but the sound was muffled as Alan kissed him. Jeff's mouth opened as the kiss deepened. Jeff's hands reached around Alan's neck. Alan's mouth reached his jawline and a small sigh escaped Jeff's lips. Alan pushed him up against the car, his lips moving onto his neck, touching the neckline of his shirt. His hands grazed Jeff's back inside his jacket.
Jeff pulled back for a moment. "Don't tell me you're going to do it here." His voice was barely a whisper.
"You were the one who wanted proof." Alan's lips moved against his mouth and they were kissing once again. Alan's hands tugged on Jeff's jacket, impatient to get it off. Jeff shrugged out of the jacket and his hands were on Alan's face. Alan moved away momentarily and pulled his T-shirt off. Jeff smirked as their lips collided once again, his hands on Alan's shoulders, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them.