ALICE Ch 290

The car shudders. Alice doesn’t even react. She might be able to catch Ocon and get into the points, but there’s no sense in making a move now. He’ll have enough time to take the place back, and Alice knows she isn’t getting past Danny Ric with the way the car is running today.

There’s another jitter.

“You know what we need? Do they have Star Wars in Ireland?” she asks.

The pause is long before Glynda replies. “Yes, Alice.”

“We need a button in the car that plays the funny noises when the spaceship breaks down and won’t do DRS.”

“DRS?”

“Space DRS or whatever. You know what I’m talking about. How have you not seen Star Wars?”

“I’ve seen it,” Glynda snaps.

“Why are you snapping? I’m the one out here in a rickshaw.”

“Alice, look sharp. Valeria is gaining on you.”

“What?” Alice laughs. “How is she still in?”

“New tires.”

“We’re that slow? Jesus.”

“Do you want to just let her by?” Glynda asks.

“Hell no. Then I don’t get my point from Ocon.”

“I don’t think we’re having any points today, Alice.”

“OK, Eeyore. Fuck no. I see you, Val. Glynda, you know she never let me pass her when we were karting. Come on, Val. Pull up then,” Alice mutters.

FF1

“It’s a fight!”

Clutching her empty cup, Erica gets to her feet as the commentators go on.

“**** to get back into this race and possibly even capable of doing it, Valeria Flores is not stopping! Oh dear! That was very close! Alice Wilde isn’t having it! She’s quite attached to that P11!”

Erica hops up and down, biting her lip and shaking her head.

“No, no, no,” she says. “Don’t do this!”

“Flores takes her on the inside! No! Alice Wilde does not blink! Will there be a penalty? Freedom is sure to assert that Wilde should have yielded, but no matter now! Flores on attack!”

Some of the pit crew laugh about how the commentators are ignoring the front of the race, but it’s like Val and Alice are glued together. Mere centimeters separate the cars.

FF1

“I want that point, Glynda. That's my point. That's not Ocon's point. It's mine. You're gonna pay what you owe, Ocon!”

“Alice, that point is not worth my car!”

“You kidding me? I have socks worth more than this car,” Alice snarls. She turns ruthlessly into Val, whose reflexes save her yet again.

“Penalties, Alice! Penalties!” Glynda pleads.

“What, my license? I wasn’t using it anyway. Come on, Val! You couldn’t score on me back in the day, and you can’t score on me now! Even if I am out here on a fucking moped! Speaking of, does Faye have one of those? Like a cute little Vespa or something? She just seems like the type.”

“Alice, watch the bloody road!”