Down a Dark Road

Title: Down a Dark Road

Part 2 of ?

Author: Raythe

Fandom: Speed Racer (Movie-verse)

Pairing: Speed/Racer X (Rex)

Disclaimer: I do not own Speed Racer, and I do not make any money from these writings.

Warnings: Incest, Slash

Summary: While Speed comes to terms with his growing feelings for Racer X, the corruption of the racing world continues. New more sinister and terrifying villains emerge on the scene to take Royalton's place.

Notes: Just so it’s clear, the POV will switch between Speed and Racer X (Rex). Last chapter was in Speed’s POV, this chapter is in Racer X’s (Rex’s).

CHAPTER TWO: DRIVEN

Racer X’s POV

“That’s impossible, Inspector. The sabotage of Rex’s car can have nothing to do with this,” Racer X said. He made a slicing motion with one hand as if to cut off the conversation with the CIB officer.

“X’s right! How could the man behind Rex’s death be responsible for Kaczak’s? I thought he was in maximum security prison!” Speed exclaimed.

“He didn’t kill …” X shut his mouth quickly. ‘What am I thinking talking to Speed about Rex’s death? It’s madness. It’s seeing him upset earlier that is doing this to me. His face … so beseeching … I can’t … sometimes I wonder how much longer I can go on with this façade with him.’

Speed’s luminous blue eyes rose to X’s face. Pain and confusion laced his younger brother’s expression. Rex ached even more when he saw those raw emotions there. Things had been easier, not much, but easier, when he hadn’t been so close to the younger racer. And if he were completely honest, for as much as he had adored and been devoted to Speed when he was a little boy, Speed as a beautiful, young man was a whole other story. His little brother had grown into someone who would have fascinated Racer X even if they didn’t have a past. He dragged his eyes away from Speed to focus on Inspector Detector.

“Prison doesn’t stop thugs like him, not really. Just restricts him … slightly. But I don’t think he’s behind this,” X said.

“The similarity can’t be ignored, X. Perhaps someone is trying to send a message,” Inspector Detector offered.

“You certainly figured this out quickly. The last racer’s barely left the track” X said, eyes narrowing.

The inspector shifted his shoulders forward and his eyes suddenly skittered away from X’s as he explained, “We had a warning mid-way through the race. We tried to stop Kaczak from racing. But he wouldn’t answer on his headset,” the Inspector continued softly, “Then … it was too late.”

“A warning? How convenient yet again that we should get one and yet still Kaczak is dead,” X hissed.

“I know what you’re thinking, X, but we’ve no proof,” Inspector Detector said with his customary lack of heat, but he tugged at his goatee a sure sign that he was distressed.

“What is it, X? What’s wrong?” Speed intuited, placing one of his hands resting gently on Racer X’s forearm.

X could felt the warmth of that slender hand through the leather of his driving outfit. It was like his whole body became hyper-sensitive when Speed was near him. ‘I could lose myself in this. In him.’ Shaking his head, X gritted out, “A traitor is what’s wrong. Someone on the inside … who has a fluctuating conscience or …”

“Or?” Speed asked.

“Or a sick sense of humor,” X said with a bitter laugh.

The inspector explained, “When they warn us it’s always too late for us to do anything.”

“That’s horrible!” Speed said and tightened his grip on X’s arm.

“Yes, it is,” X said turning so that he was facing Speed and had the younger driver’s full attention. “But the truth is that he can’t have been their target. Not their ultimate target anyways. Kaczak is a nobody.”

“He’s not a nobody, X! He had friends, a family! He mattered!” Speed protested.

X couldn’t help the slightly hysterical laughter that escaped him at Speed’s continued innocence of the world and his own worth. “Kaczak was a third tier racer. So in the eyes of the people who want to corrupt the racing world: no, he doesn’t matter. Not one bit.” X grabbed Speed’s right wrist and drew his brother to him. There was hardly an inch of space between them. It was maddening.

Speed’s eyes widened, startled by X’s sudden vehemence. “What happened to not letting the racing world change you, X? Don’t you remember saying that to me, here, at this track?”

“I didn’t mean for you to close your eyes to what others will do. Only not to let yourself become like them,” X said.

“And have you succeeded in that, X? Have you not become like them?” Speed asked softly.

X didn’t reply at first. His brother’s question shocked him. As the Harbinger of Boom, he didn’t care what others thought of him. If they feared him, if they thought him ruthless, heartless and cold, so much the better. But this was his brother. His brother. Speed’s breath came in soft puffs against X’s face. It was sweet. X suddenly had the wild desire to crush his lips against his brother’s soft berry-colored ones. To taste. To feel. To stop this conversation about how far he’d fallen. ‘And fall even farther as I steal my brother’s innocence.’

“I was always one of them, Speed,” Racer X said, smoothing back his brother’s sweat-dampened locks.

He saw Speed’s pupils dilate with his touch. ‘This reaction is something to do with what he said to me at the finish line. About being unable to look away from me. Like I’m unable to look away from him. He feels something for me. Something he shouldn’t. Something he wouldn’t if he knew I were Rex,’ X thought. And with a twist of revulsion in his gut he released his brother and took two steps back.

“I was always one of them, Speed. Don’t ever forget that,” X said and melded into the darkness of the hallway where he couldn’t be seen anymore but could still hear the final words between Speed and the Inspector.

“X wait!” Speed called.

“Let him go, Speed. He’ll be back when he’s ready,” the Inspector said gently.

“How can you be certain?” Speed asked.

The Inspector smiled, a weary smile, and said, “Because he’s driven to take these villains down … and to protect you.”