Take Me: Faster Longer Part 9

"Just think. In a few weeks, this tournament will be over," I say, "We can go back to Italy and be with Mom and Dad. Maybe Harrison and Shelby could even come along."

"Don't do that," Enzo says, slipping out of my embrace.

"What?" I ask.

"Don't try and sneak your boyfriend into this new idea you have of our family," he says, "I'm not ready to let that slide, Siena."

"I was just trying to-"

"Just trying to muscle me into being OK with him," Enzo cuts me off, "I'm sorry, Siena. I know that's what you want, and I wish I could make it happen for you. But I just can't get over it. I can't get over all the lies, and the-"

"But why not?" I ask, "Why can't you just let the past be the past?"

"Because you're not talking about the past!" Enzo exclaims, "You're talking about the future of our family. Our team. And you're including him in that. I can grin and bear this thing between you two through the rest of the season for appearances, but beyond that..."

"So, what, you expect me to just break it off with him, once the tournament is over?" I ask.

"Isn't that what you are to each other? A world tour fling?" Enzo replies.

"Why, is that what you and Shelby are?" I shoot back.

"I...I'm not..." he stammers.

"See?" I ask, "Easier said than done, isn't it?"

"Siena, you're going to be a shareholder of this team soon," Enzo says, "You're going to be held to a much higher standard than most people. I know it's s.h.i.+tty, I know it isn't fair. But how do you expect to help run the team if you're mooning over a McClain driver?"

"I know how to separate my job from the rest of my life," I tell him sternly.

"Really?" Enzo laughs, "You think it's that easy?"

"Love isn't supposed to be easy," I snap.

"Love?" Enzo repeats, his eyes wide.

"I...Um..." I splutter.

"You're really in love with Harrison Davies?" he presses.

"I...I am," I tell him.

"Christ..." Enzo mutters, "You know, most big brothers have the option of shoving their sister's boyfriend into a school locker and calling it a day."

"But you're held to different standards too, I guess?" I say.

"Unfortunately," he sighs.

"Enzo," I say, "All I ask is that you keep trying to get to know him. You don't have to be best friends, but you need to promise me that you'll make an honest effort. Can you do that for me? Please?"

My brother opens his mouth to reply, but the trailer door bangs open, cutting him off. Gus lumbers over the threshold, looking fl.u.s.tered.

"What is it, Gus?" Enzo asks.

"Are you OK?" I say, going to the Ferrelli manager.

"The Grand Prix...has been...held up..." he puffs, sinking down onto the sofa.

"What do you mean?" I ask, "The weather is perfect. What's the deal?"

"Something's wrong...with one of the cars..." Gus goes on, struggling to catch his breath.

"That can't be," Enzo breathes, "Davies and I haven't let our cars go unwatched for a second since London. How-?"

"No, it's not one of your cars," Gus says, "It's the Spanish team's."

"The Spanish team?" I repeat, "You mean...Marques' car has been tampered with? "

Gus nods his head, and Enzo and I exchange a weighted glance.

"Don't worry," I tell Enzo, "I got a chance to warn him. Maybe he was extra vigilant because I put that bug in his ear."

"When did you see him?" Enzo demands.

"Oh...just before. Around," I reply vaguely. I don't want to tell Enzo anything about my run in with Marques. If I do, he might go and throttle him on the spot.

"At least they caught the problem before we started," Enzo says, "Maybe we can avoid another tragedy this go-around."

"Maybe they'll actually get some prints or something," I say hopefully, "Something that will finally give us a clue about who's been mucking up the works this whole time."

A shadow falls across the doorway as I speak. Two figures in the threshold of the trailer catch my eye, and I look up to see two men I haven't met, standing there in the open door. I notice at once that they're wearing the uniforms of F1 race officials, but far more disconcerting are the solemn expressions on their faces.

"Can we help you gentlemen?" I ask, standing to greet them.

"Are you Siena Lazio?" the taller of the two men asks.

"That's me, yes," I say, "Is there something I can do for you?"

"You can come with us," the shorter man says, taking a step toward me, "We have a couple of questions for you, regarding some damage to Rafael Marques' car."

I feel the breath rush out of my lungs. "You don't think...I had anything to do with that, do you?" I ask.

"If you'll just come with us, Miss Lazio," the tall man insists.

I look back and forth between the officials and my brother, completely at a loss. Just when I thought this year couldn't get any more screwed up.

"Hold on," I tell the men, hurrying back to Enzo. I plant a quick kiss on his cheek before he can say a word. "In case the Grand Prix starts without me, Good luck." I tell him.

"Miss Lazio," insists the short man.

"I'm coming," I tell him, playing it far cooler than I feel, "I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding, after all.

Chapter Eleven.

Deep s.h.i.+t

I square my shoulders and walk past the race officials, keeping my head held high. But while my face is composed as can be, my mind is absolutely reeling. What the h.e.l.l could the F1 authorities possibly want to talk to me about? They can't honestly think I have anything to do with the sabotage? It was my own brother and Harrison who were the targets of the London tampering. What would I be doing messing with my own loved ones? But even as the scores of questions ricochet around my head, I keep my mouth shut. Best just to ride this one out.

As my escorts walk me across the Ferrelli camp, I see Bex and Charlie come bounding toward me. I swallow a groan as they approach, watching as confusion clouds their eyes.

"Siena, what's going on?" Charlie asks, eyeing the officials.

"I've just got to go sort a few things out," I tell him, smiling through my panic.

"What things?" Bex asks, "It's Marques who's been messed with this time, not us."

"We don't have time for this," the taller of my captors says. He closes a hand around my arm, and comprehension washes over Bex and Charlie.

"They don't think you...?" Bex breathes.

"Get your hands off her," Charlie growls.

"Calm down, both of you!" I snap. "I'll be back in three seconds. Just make sure Enzo has everything he needs. And if Harrison stops by..." Jesus. I don't even know.

"We'll hold down the fort," Bex promises, as I'm led away, "Don't you worry about a thing, Siena."

Fat chance of that, I think to myself.

The race officials herd me quickly away from the action of the race track. As the commotion dies down behind us, I spot a huge square building up ahead. It looks like a miniature warehouse, set up just for this occasion. I gather that the F1 offices for this particular race are inside those gray walls. As we make our way ever closer, my nerve wavers. What if I've violated some kind of rule, getting myself wrapped up with Harrison over the course of this season? What if my relations.h.i.+p with him really is at the root of all the mayhem that's plagued this champions.h.i.+p from the get go? Part of me begins to fear that I am actually guilty of breaking some unspoken law of F1. But if that's true...then what will the consequences be?

As we approach the low, square building a door swings open towards us. Harsh fluorescent lighting illuminates the s.p.a.ce within, and two more race officials step out to meet our little party. What's with all the muscle, here? You'd think I was some sort of dangerous criminal, the way they're ushering me in here. I'm about the furthest thing from a criminal there is. I've never done anything worse than steal a lollipop from our local drug store when I was five. And even then I felt so bad that I brought it back the next day.

Keeping a friendly smile on my face, I march into the ominous building. A maze of cubicles and office doors sprawls all around us once we're inside, and I'm promptly shown into a small, harshly lit room. On the door, the words "Head of Security" are etched. You'd think that the F1 higher ups would have more important things to do right now than quiz me about my relations.h.i.+p status, but what do I know? Maybe they need my help spinning this PR nightmare into a workable narrative for the fans.

"Wait here," the shorter of my escorts tells me. I settle into an unforgiving office chair, and the officials step back out of the little room. Alone, I let the charming smile fall from my lips. Something feels so wrong, here. I haven't even heard the full story yet, but this reeks of misinformation, or worse. I feel as though I've been waiting forever when the door finally opens again. I turn to see three serious looking men in suits come into the office. They look at me as though I've just been booked for triple homicide, but I greet them politely all the same.

"Gentlemen," I smile, "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting any of you before. My name is-"

"We know who you are, Miss Lazio," says one of the men, heavyset and red-faced. "I'm Mr. Tanner, the Head of Security for this race track."

"Busy day for you, huh?" I say, striving for a lighthearted tone.

"This is no laughing matter, Miss Lazio," says a stick-thin man with wispy gray hair, "It's a miracle that we caught the problem with Rafael Marques' car before he was allowed to race. Luckily, his team had a backup vehicle available, so we didn't have to hold up the event any longer than necessary."

As if on cue, a swell of noise rises up from the race just outside this little building. A loud horn blares, and I know without seeing that the race in now underway. I bury my disappointment and anxiety deep under my skin, lest these men catch onto my discomfort.

"May I ask why you needed to speak with me?" I say to the trio before me.

"We have reason to believe that there may be some...animosity...between you and Mr. Marques," says the third man, a short and wiry short.

"I barely know Rafael Marques," I tell him, "Before this season began, I'd never even met the man."

"But you have made his acquaintance since this particular tour started?" Mr. Tanner leads, "You've met with Marques in situations that were not purely professional?"

"I've never gone out of my way to meet Marques anywhere," I say, "We've run into each other a couple of times outside of the track, but the same can be said of just about any young people from any team on this tour. There are only so many watering holes in any given city, you understand."

"Unfortunately, Miss Lazio, I do not fully understand your relations.h.i.+p with Mr. Marques," says the tall, thin man. "We received a piece of information just an hour ago that makes this situation a bit difficult to pa.r.s.e."

"What information might that be?" I ask stiffly.

Mr. Tanner nods to the smallest man with grim solemnity. The wiry gentleman nods back, reaching into his jacket and extracting a Blackberry. As I look on, bemused, he scrolls through the device and pulls up a video file. The man slides the phone toward me across the desk, and I feel my questioners' three sets of eyes settle firmly on my face. Swallowing hard, I lower my eyes to the phone, squinting down at the unclear video.

"So what you're saying is that I should watch out?" asks an eerily familiar voice, "Your brother and lover boy are telling me to check myself?"

"In so many words," I hear myself reply tinnily.

My heart screeches to a halt as I recognize the content of this video. The person behind the camera s.h.i.+fts the recording device just slightly, and I spot a flash of red on the screen. My dress. Someone was videotaping the conversation Marques and I had at the bar before the Grand Prix, when I tried to warn him about foul play. But why would this have landed me here? I was trying to tell him to be safe! I look up at the three men, wanting to explain myself. But their stony gazes silence me.

"Well, what are their words, exactly?" Marques asks in the video. There is a pause in the conversation, a moment of grating feedback as my recorded image takes a sip of her drink."

"We all think it would be wise of you to watch your back," says my voice on the screen. The next few moments of audio are muddled and unclear, but my voice continues, "...Isn't afraid to play dirty. If you keep doing well, you're going to get what...is coming to you."

"Wait a minute," I say to the three men, "That's not what I said. I was telling him that he needed to be careful-"

"That's not what the tape says," says Mr. Tanner.

I look helplessly down at the screen, watching as Marques reaches for me. I feel a sick feeling rise in my gut as I watch his hands graze my thighs, just out of view of the camera. Whoever shot this did it in such a way that totally skewed the story.

"I swear to G.o.d, I'll end you," my likeness shouts on the screen. The rest of our conversation, all of Marques' disgusting come-ons, everything's conveniently inaudible. Everything except my own d.a.m.ning words.

"It's not just talk," I say on the screen. In the F1 offices, I wince, knowing what's coming next. I look on in horror as the video captures me punching Marques across the face, a frightened yelp rising out of him. Bex runs into the frame, pulling me away from the driver. The last words that can be heard on the video are mine "Do you really want to mess with me? Because I won't hold back," I hear myself say, before the video cuts to black. Silence engulfs the little room as I raise my eyes frantically to the men sitting opposite me.

"Well?" Mr. Tanner prompts, "Do you care to explain the content of that video, Miss Lazio?"

"Sure," I say, "It was obviously doctored."

"We thought you might say that," the tall man drones.