Chapter Text
Day #27 Voiceless
Laboratory/Muzzled/"I have no mouth and I must scream."
It was finally off-season. Lightning was so relieved that he could be back home in Radiator Springs to relacks and unwind from the season he was coming off his second Piston Cup win and it had been crazy in that final race. It was all worth it though for the smile that he saw on Doc’s face McQueen was so glad that he was able to do his mentor proud.
They had just rolled back into town the other night. They were greeted by a large group of fans it seemed to have spread quickly that he was staying in Radiator Springs during his off-seasons so he often found that fans or paparazzi would be waiting for him when he finally got back.
The crowd was not the biggest but it was more people than it had previously been so he was a little overwhelmed and kinda frustrated. Didn't these people understand that he was tired and not in the mood for interviews at the moment? All he was concerned about was seeing Sally and catching up on the going on while he was gone.
Guido and Luigi were the first out and already fending off the crowd when he stepped out of the truck with Doc and Mack. The four of them knew that he was not in the mood for questions at the moment and helped form a barrier against the crowd as they moved to the motel where he knew Sally would be. It was around 5 in the evening so she would still be manning the desk for a few hours before wrapping up for the day.
“Back up, Back up. Give him room.” Doc seemed just as over the crowds as Lightning was.
“Mr. McQueen, Mr. McQueen would you give us a statement on your win.”
“Lightning can you sign this.”
They were all talking over each other as he looked up he was blinded by the flash of their cameras. He kept moving choosing to ignore them as Mack let them know they could work something out for tomorrow but he was done for the night. This seemed to satisfy most of them even as they grumbled under their breaths and wandered off into the town. There were a few stragglers unwilling to give up.
Lightning looked up and caught sight of one of the remaining people, he was a young man in maybe his mid to late twenties he was taller than Lightning and looked more well-built than Lightning. Something about this man made his blood run cold he had a casual smile on his face but his eyes didn't convey that smile. He had never felt this kind of visceral negative reaction towards a person before. The only way that he could describe it would be a bad feeling. He decided that he was just going to brush it off as they had finally reached the cozy cone and Guido and Luigi had shooed off the remaining people including the young man.
“Hey, Stickers glad to see you. Ready for the off-season?” Sally ran over to hug him.
“You know it.” he pressed a soft kiss on Sally’s lips and when they parted they moved behind the counter and took a seat.
“Okay, kiddo we are going to head out and let you two catch up.” Doc had ruffled his hair and turned towards the door with the other three men. The door dinged as they exited the office leaving them in comfortable silence.
They sat together Lightning filling her in on the last few weeks he hadn't been home and how the time on the road was. Sally told him about the town and the progress they had made on the Wheel Well. They chatted for a few hours. Until lightning could no longer hold in his yawns and Sally was ready to close for the night.
“I can see you are tired no need to hold out because of me we will have plenty of time to hang out now that you're back.” Sally stood from her chair grabbing his elbow and pulling him up with her.
“Yeah, Sal I love you but I think you're right it's time for me to hit the hay.” the Cone wasn't far from Docs so he didn't mind walking in the dark.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Stickers!” she pressed a kiss to his lips before they parted heading in the direction of their homes. She had a cone of her own, once she reached it she stood on the porch and watched him walk until he was no longer visible in the dark streets.
He decided that it would probably be best if he stuck to the side roads and allies on his walk home just in case any of the reporters thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get a one-on-one. The only thing he hated about this plan was just how dark these streets were and he still had that bad feeling lingering on his spine. He felt foolish for being paranoid he was safe here no one would think of doing anything in the safety of the little town.
Still, he found himself on high alert jumping at any shadow real or imagined he saw. He was just down the street from his and Doc’s shared house when he felt a presence at his back, before he could turn though a strong hand wrapped around his mouth and nose cutting off his air supply as a meaty arm snaked around his waist pulling him towards a much larger body. He began to struggle, but it seemed futile his capture didn't even flinch.
“You better knock it off or you'll regret it.” Lightning could feel his captures hot breath on his ear. The man gripped his face tighter effectively getting his point across, Lightning stopped struggling the hand moved down to only cover his mouth and he sucked a breath in through his nose. Lightning didn't dare move the man lifted his feet off the ground and started to move towards one of the many abandoned businesses in the area. As they entered the building Lightning was panicking what was he supposed to do? The man set him down but kept his hand on his mouth and his other hand disappeared from around his waist when it reappeared there was a gun in his hand.
“I'm going to remove my hand but if you even think of screaming I won't hesitate to use this.” he shook the gun in his hand to emphasize his point. Lightning nodded his head and the man removed his hand which was quickly replaced with duct tape. He was shoved into a chair and the man stood in front of him, it was the same man from the crowd. His heart dropped at the angry expression on his face. As he looked closer this man seemed more and more familiar.
“Now, how about we discuss business?” Lightning couldn't help but roll his eye there wasn't going to be much discussion happening with his mouth taped shut.
The man caught the eye roll which seemed to piss him off if his tone was anything to go by.
“Montgomery McQueen”, he was stren and angry with his words. Lightning’s heart fell there were not many people who knew his legal name nowadays.
“That is no way to treat your uncle now, is it? First, you run off to racing leaving the family behind. While you gain fame and money that made it easier to track you down and get what we are owed. So, I guess I should thank you for that.” This man was his uncle he could see the resemblance now his dirt bag of a father's younger brother they were only a few years difference between the two of them. They used to play with each other as children at family gatherings before the family fell apart and he decided to leave that single wide in Florida far behind him.
They never did seem to agree with his career choice anyway especially when he told his father he would not be working in their run-down autobody shop which he was sure was just a front for some kind of criminal activity. Which led him to be homeless right out of high school after his father kicked him out. In his mind he was no longer a part of that family the only thing tying him to it was his last name.
He shook his head no he was not going to allow him to try to guilt him into giving those people any of the money that he worked so hard for.
“No, you say?” he could see his uncle's face heat up, he wasn't happy with that answer. “Still the spoiled brat you always were huh?” now that hurt he has grown so much in the years he has spent in Radiator Springs.
His uncle used the roll of tape to secure him to the chair by his arms and legs. “I have been following you for a while but you always seem to have company which is very inconvenient I must say.” that made him shiver how had no one noticed him, he had clearly used the crowds of reporters as cover. That caused his anxiety to spike he had no idea just how close danger had come who knows how many times.
When his uncle was finished taping him to the chair he began to search his pockets removing his valuables and stashing them in his own.
“You won't miss these Monty and they will benefit the family.” Lightning could feel the heat rise in his face and he looked away from his uncle. He was so mad hearing that nickname coming from this scum bag he only let Doc call him Monty on very few occasions.
They sat for a few hours as his uncle searched through his wallet and chastised him for being selfish and greedy. He said every horrible thing he could think of. He had left the Cozy Cone around midnight to head back home when his uncle grabbed him. Lightning guessed that it was around two in the morning the night had gotten colder as it progressed and Lightning was starting to feel its effects.
He shivered on occasion and when his uncle finally noticed his discomfort he laughed. It was around half an hour later when his uncle gathered his loot and exited the way he came only throwing a brief wave over his shoulder as he exited. If His guess was right he had a few more hours before anyone would even notice he wasn't around.
He sat in the cold darkness of the abandoned building for another hour before he heard a ding from across the room and his phone screen lit up. Clearly, his uncle hadn’t bothered to take his cell phone when he robbed him which was a saving grace.
He did his best to scoot toward the pile of discarded items and thank whatever deity that was listening that the phone was face up. Now to figure out how to use it while tied to this stupid chair. His legs were taped at the mid-calf which allowed him to slowly work off his shoe and sock so he could type with his toes. It took him twenty minutes and many failed attempts but he eventually got the phone unlocked and in the messaging app where he clicked on the first contact at the top which happened to be Sally. He did his best attempt at an SOS give or take a few letters.
It wasn't more than ten minutes later that his phone was ringing he answered it and could faintly hear Sally on the phone.
“Lightning it's three in the morning what is with the weird text?” she asks to the open air. He attempted to yell something knowing that it would be muffled by the tape but hoping that she would notice something wrong and help him.
Sally didn't hear anything from the other side of the phone for a minute then something that sounded like muffled shouting. That made her heart race and she was out of bed throwing clothes on in seconds. Something was wrong. She spoke into the phone and hoped that he would hear her. “I'm coming don't worry I’ll get Doc and we will find you.” she could hear his heavy breathing as she ran to Doc's house.
Lightning went to pull the phone closer with his foot but in the process, he accidentally hung up the phone and slid it farther from himself. It slid across the floor as Sally attempted to call him back but he couldn't reach it. It had taken the rest of his energy to move towards the phone earlier and Sally knew something was wrong someone was coming. He slumped in the chair and allowed tears to run down his face.
Doc awoke to pounding on his door. He rolled over and looked at the clock it was only 3:30 he didn't plan on being up for another 3 or so hours why was someone pounding on his door this early? Then he heard the shouts of his name, it sounded like Sally so he rolled out of bed and moved to the door. What he found on the other side frightened him. Sally was haphazardly dressed in house shoes standing on his porch looking frantic. As soon as the door opened she was pulling on his arm and saying something his brain was quite processing.
“Lightning's missing he left the cone like three hours ago and then I get this text” She flashes her phone screen in his face. As he reads the odd combination of letters her other words catch up with him. Lightning missing come to think of it he hadn't heard the boy come in but he had assumed he decided to stay with Sally and wasn't worried. But now Sally was standing in front of him and there was no Lightning.
“I called him and all I could hear was muffled then the phone disconnected and he won't pick up now. We have to find him.” she was still pulling his arm as she continued. He pulled her to a stop finally getting his bearings.
“Hey, you need to pause and take a breath,” he told her and she stopped on the sidewalk and glared at him. But he didn't have it and returned the look until she relented and took a few calming breaths.
“We have each other's locations shared let me look if he has his phone we will find him.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened his location app. Lightning's pin was only a few doors down in one of the abandoned shop fronts.
They raced to the shop and went around the back where Doc knew he could get in. They found a crying Lightning taped to a chair in the middle of the room. He must have heard them coming cause as they entered he was looking towards the entrance with fear. It quickly dissolved into relief when he saw who it was though.
“Oh, son.” Doc ran up to the boy and pulled the tape from his mouth. Lightning released a cry of relief as the tape was removed. Then Doc pulled out his pocket knife and cut his hands and feet free all the while Lightning whispered a string of thank yous over and over. The minute he was free he was in Doc's arms. Doc could feel his rage boiling. He grabbed Lightning by the shoulders and pushed him away just far enough to see his face.
“Tell me what happened.” Doc was searching the boy's face he had never looked this young. No response came and Doc tried again. “Monty,” that caught his attention. “Tell me what happened.” Lightning was looking at Doc it took him a few but he eventually told him about his uncle.
Doc was furious how could someone who claimed to be family rob the kid at gunpoint? He wanted to catch this bastard himself and the sentiment that he had first felt would be fitting reminded him of his first meeting with Lightning. Something along the lines of a double-rotting prison. He pushed that aside and wrapped the kid in a hug. Sally was picking up Lightning's belongings when he finally broke the hug.
“We should go tell the sheriff.” Doc started to push them out of the building and back towards the house. Monty nodded his head but spoke up softly. “I want to go home.” He couldn't deny the racer and they moved as a group towards the house. When they arrived he settled Sally and Lightning on the couch and called the sheriff.
The phone rang but only twice before he heard a sleepy sound hello on the other end.
“Hey sheriff I know it's early but I need you to come over someone hurt Monty and I want the bastard caught.
He left no room for argument but there was none anyway. In twenty minutes all four of them were sat in the living room as Lightning told Sheriff everything.
He filled the report and reached out to his many contacts around the country it didn't take more than a few days for Lightning's uncle to be caught red-handed attempting to use one of Lightning's cards to buy alcohol a few states over.
Lightning was just glad it was over.