Leverage

***

***

***

We've no confirmation on...

Uh, wait a minute. Something's happening.

Driver, pull over!

Pull over now!

Hands up. Step away from the truck. You're making a mistake.

Sir, step away from the vehicle!

You're making a mistake!

Step away from the vehicle!

It's a mis- a misunderstanding, okay?

Face down on the ground! I didn't steal the truck!

It's a misunderstanding, okay?

All the way down! All the way!

This is my truck, okay? I didn't steal it.

I paid for it, all right?

Okay. Hold on. Okay.

Can we just talk for a second?

I didn't steal the truck!

The rich and powerful take what they want.

We steal it back for you.

Sometimes, bad guys make the best good guys.

We provide leverage.

I mean, if it wasn't my truck,

why was I making all those car payments?

Let me ask you something - why'd you run?

I know. I shouldn't have.

But I panicked.

But I didn't do anything wrong.

You, uh, you bought it used?

Yeah, from Penzer's a few months ago

for my landscaping business.

You can't really get by on just a teacher's pay these days,

not with a family.

Mm. And how did you find out it was stolen?

I went to a job in nashua

and the "check engine" light came on,

so I took it to a mechanic,

and he tells me that the truck's onboard computer

spit out a fishy vehicle identification number.

So the vin number was reported as stolen.

I figured it was a mix-up and took off.

Next thing I know,

I'm the poster boy for "america's most wanted."

I appreciate you bailing me out, Mr. Ford.

But what do I do now?

I mean, the cops seized the truck.

The bank says I still have to make good on the loan.

The school suspended me because of the pending criminal charges.

I keep thinking, "how did this all happen?"

It's called car cloning.

Thieves steal a vehicle then go to another state,

where they find a car of the same make and model

and use its vin number.

Then, using those numbers,

they register the stolen vehicle in the first state.

And since each state runs its own vin database,

the hot car comes up clean.

Now, Paul Mantlo - he had the bad luck

of wandering from Massachusetts into new Hampshire,

where the vin was copied.

And of buying a stolen car.

Where'd he get the car?

Duke Penzer... he's a former race car driver.

He parlayed some minor success on the lower circuits

to start his own used-car dealership

out in Payden, Massachusetts.

Hi, folks. I'm Duke Penzer.

In my racing days, old Veronica here never let me down.

You come on down to the finish line at Penzer automotive,

and we'll make sure we don't let you down.

He still runs laps on the weekends.

He tries to keep up his image.

I checked out some of his prices, and they're sick.

I mean, 20%, 25% below blue book.

Yeah, well, it's easy to offer great deals

when your inventory's stolen.

How's he getting the cars?

He's not nicking them himself.

That's a good question.

I haven't found... well, he's the distributor.

The suppliers are probably a car-theft ring.

That way, cops trace a hot car to him,

he can say he got it from someone who's long gone.

Besides, the scam falls between state jurisdictions, so...

I was a car thief.

That's how I know.

All right.

So, Penzer is a big fish in a small pond.

We need to muddy up the waters.

Hardison, you get us a base?

Yeah. Art's auto sales.

It's a little mom-and-pop shop down the road from Penzer's.

It's run by art and joy Bauer.

They've been in the community for decades,

but Penzer's running them out of business.

They're on the verge of bankruptcy.

It gets awfully wet this time of year in Payden, doesn't it?

And chilly.

Yeah, don't you think the Bauers need a little sun and fun?

Little r&r?

Mm. Mm.

Which is why,

on behalf of the American auto dealers association,

we'd like to honor you, the Bauers,

with this lifetime achievement award.

As part of this prize, you'll receive

an all-expenses-paid trip to Tahiti!

Say Hawaii.

The tahitian reservation systems are for crap.

I mean Hawaii! For two whole weeks...

10 days. 10 days.

Do you know what's going on? No.

But since we've already laid off the staff,

at this point, shutting down for a couple of weeks

will actually save us money.

I'll pack my speedo.

All right, we're in.

Now what?

Now? Start your engines.

Vroom-vroom.

Man on p.A.: ladies and gentlemen,

Payden, Massachusetts' very own Duke Penzer

now coming into pit row.

10.36.

Not too bad considering I got loose in turn three.

Still a track record.

Not exactly. What are you talking about?

That was half a second faster than my last run.

Both times were just beaten.

Somebody beat my record? Who?

Whoo!

Yee!

What was his time?

He beat your record by... 15 seconds.

What? That's impossible!

It is? Oops.

Uh, I... oh, I meant 1.5 seconds.

Uh, sorry. I must've read that wrong.

You think?

Whoo!

***

Hey, there, junior.

Ahh! What's with the jammies?

What do you got in that thing - a supercharger?

Oh, hell, I don't know.

My guys just picked this up somewhere.

I just figured I'd kick the tires.

What's that... a matchbox car?

What do you think, darlin'?

I think I want to go now.

Go? W-we just got here.

I'm asking you if you think I should buy these wheels.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Veronica's not for sale.

"Veronica"?

So Betty was the fast one. Who knew?

Look, mister, uh...

Lucas. A.J. Lucas.

Well, I don't know who you think you are...

well, I'll tell you what - I think I'm the guy

that just broke your track record, if I'm not mistaken.

One good time trial don't make you a racer.

Let's do it, kid. Let's... let's mix it up.

Let's go... you d me, right now.

But I'll tell you what.

We're gonna do it old school, all right?

I win, I get your car. You win, you get my car.

Plus, um...

...Other considerations.

I doubt you could handle either.

Green flag... 15.

Excuse me.

Yes, Mr. Penzer? Run along, Todd.

All right, I changed the compression on the pistons

and opened up the valves.

Should get about another 75 h.P.

I think the left bank is running a little lean.

I tweaked that.

Head looks good on the flux.

You'll get a better burn on your fuel.

How's, uh, the rest of your research coming? Good.

I found out a bunch of the local thieves

work for a guy named lefty.

You know how to find him?

Got some ideas.

Okay, well, when we're done here,

that'll be your priority - infiltrate their gang.

Hardison?

All right. Now, look, man, I just installed this.

You punch it to release an oxidized chemical

into the engine.

It's my own little mix.

It's kind of like nitrous but three times the kick.

Yeah. It's gonna turn your manifold into pudding,

so don't use it too soon.

Hey, man, I'm serious.

Don't mess my car up.

You know, we still got to find a way to slow down Penzer.

I got you covered... e.M.P. Cannon.