All credit to Volition, Deep Silver, THQ, for the making of the wonderful Saints Row franchise. I effin LOVE IT ALL.

Falling for You

He lit his cigarette and inhaled, thankful for the moment of silence. The church was unusually crowded as a dozen new faces passed, the last, a more familiar one, giving a slight nod. A chuckle echoed down the hall as Troy turned his attention back to the streets. They'd been busy, but it'd been a good day, a good start to their recruitment process. It seemed everyone wanted in on being able to reclaim their turf and he had to give them all credit for enthusiasm, even some of their motives made him almost rethink personal morals, as he remembered his reason for joining the Saints. He frowned as he took another drag of his cigarette, while two different voices filled the foyer of the building.

"You know we'll help her out tomorrow, but you shouldn't be out dealing with this sort of thing, baby girl, I'm gonna have a talk with that old man."
"Thanks Julius, I'll let her know...and...I only came because he's been completely sacked since Tuesday, you know him. Once you get going though, maybe he'll take the opportunity to sober up a little…"

A young woman's soft voice and forced laugh brought him back to his senses, as two figures appeared behind him. A faint smile appeared under the shadow of a hood as he lifted his head in return, squinting slightly, trying to get a better look at the hidden face. The man next to her patted her head and smiled, quickly hardening his face as he looked down at Troy,

"I'm gonna drive her home, think you can look after Johnny and the new guys?"

He took another drag of his cigarette and shrugged, "Canonization's about the only time Johnny's remotely restrainable, so..."

Julius laughed and the woman brought a hand to her mouth. Troy's eyes widened momentarily as he noticed she was trying to contain her own laughter, and he wondered if she knew the guy they were referring to. He opened his mouth to ask, but quickly relinquished the thought, opting for merely waving his hand and reassuring the older man, "Sure thing, Jules, we'll be alright."

"I'll be back in an hour."

Troy watched as the two began to walk away and he could hear when she finally let it out, wrapping an arm around the man's and giggling like a child. "So who's that, Jules?"
"Hah, I can think of worse nicknames from you, and that's Troy, he's my right hand."

She turned her head slightly as they rounded the corner and he could feel her eyes on him, even with her hood. He straightened quickly and averted his gaze, knowing she had caught him staring, as she confirmed his suspicion with another girlish giggle before the duo walked out of sight.

Troy ran a hand through his hair and stretched, flicking the cigarette butt and thinking nothing more of the exchange. A few loud thuds of flesh hitting flesh made him grin and shake his head slightly, that son of a bitch started without him! He quickly jogged inside, hoping to get a few good hits in, after all- there was something justifiably fun about beating the shit out of new blood, and these wanna be gangsters.

"Jules, you sure about this?'

He looked through the window at the back of a young man flipping the bird to a group of older folks crossing the street. The day had passed, and the irritation that he was the last in on this was starting to come through his tone.

"Her uncle says she's more than good, Johnny does too." Julius chuckled at the man's actions outside as well as the one before him. "We could use a good tuner if we're gonna get this started right."
"Yeah, but she's just a kid."
"So is Johnny. Shit, so are you."
"Yeah but,-" he turned around to protest, but was met with the palm of Julius's hand.
"Her uncle's taught her everything he knows, hell, she's been fixing cars since she was 8. The whole family's in the game, their spa is where we're gonna lock down that money- I just met with their advisor to confirm it yesterday. She knows what's going down, and she's tough. Just go check her out all right, and don't judge their books by the covers."
He grabbed a cigarette from his pack and lit it, taking in a long drag and sighing,
"Yeah, yeah- Alright."

He stepped outside and took another pull. The sun had already set as the street lamps perked on, illuminating the darkening asphalt as the night began to settle in. He fiddled around in his pockets, the stick barely hanging from his lip, as he fumbled with his keys before throwing them to Johnny. He opened the passenger side and climbed in.
"Alright kid, let's go see this friend of yours."

"Fuck right."

Johnny swung to the driver's side and started the car, as Troy flicked the rest of his cigarette out the window, "Just, try not to get us killed alright?"
The other man laughed, "What, it's like, 15 minutes away? no promises."
Troy merely shook his head as he lit another from his pack.

He pretended to listen intently as Johnny had filled him in on everything about the new girl. She'd lived over this day spa her family had owned for years, the business that had recently become affiliated with the Saints. Her uncle, the head of the everything to do with the family, had taught her everything he knew about his love of cars and his younger days as a tuner, seeing as his own kid, had no interest in the like, and his wife would never allow her precious child to be near anything so vile like gangs. He spat the last words out with such loathing, and a somewhat remorse, which made Troy wonder.

"So. His wife doesn't like gangs?"
"Died cuz of 'em."
"But he's running a ring?"
"Yup."
"And he taught his niece to tune?"
"Yup."
"But not his own kid."
"Right."
"Because his wife said no?"
"Uh huh."
"But…his niece's mom was like 'psh, go for it?'"

"Look, Lin's mom and uncle go way back, they grew up in this shit. Hell, her mom is the number one masseuse in his Spa. Just don't ask to do to that dirty shit or she'll beat the fuck outta you." Johnny laughed, stopped the car and parked it out front. "Shit, the closest thing to legit for them is Jae. and they want to keep it that way."

"Who's Jae?"
He lit another cigarette.
"Dude's kid."
"Right, the "sheltered one." Troy made air quotes as he scoffed and unbuckled his seatbelt. Johnny slammed a defensive hand to Troy's chest just a little too hard, as he looked at the man over his sunglasses.
"Yo, don't say shit about Jae, there's a reason for all that." Johnny got out of the car.
Troy followed suit, "Oh yeah man, like what?"
Johnny just waved him off, "Yo, you finished with the 20 questions? Let's go.
Troy raised the cigarette and Johnny shook his head and headed inside a building the other was all too familiar with.

Sure, he had only been in this building a handful of times, but he had become extremely acquainted with the surrounding streets and alleyways over the past years. He'd had his first stakeout here, albeit for nothing he recalled, chuckling at the conversation they'd actually had with the kingpin himself that day. They'd been watching the family for decades, but the Mendez's knew their shit, and how to cover it, which only served to intrigue him further. So when the Chief had told everyone of his new idea, Troy quickly seized the opportunity.

He admired the newly renovated exterior and the lavish signs- he didn't remember it looking quite so nice the last time he'd been around almost a year ago. As he finished his 3rd cigarette in the last hour, he remembered Julius saying that although the Uncle may run the family, the money is really in the kid. Troy figured he must have meant the niece, because from every report he'd read, and from what Johnny had told him, dude's own kid probably didn't know anything about the game. Troy wondered just how long he'd have to be playing this game as he pushed opened the door to the parlor and entered. The edge of the door caught on something as it toppled and a woman squealed before something heavy landed in his arms. Troy shuffled, arms and legs wobbly as he tried to keep both himself and the object upright. She wrapped her arms around his neck and wiggled, effectively throwing their weight, and his back, into the door frame, and causing him to fall to the ground with her in his lap.

"Holy shit."

"OH MY GOD."

The young woman immediately stood and straightened her outfit, simple plaid skin-tight pants and a black and yellow 'Stilwater' t-shirt, tied and dangerously riding up the left side of her body. She knelt back down beside him as she fixed her braids.

"I'm so sorry! Usually Johnny only comes by himself. But I should have been expecting you too….." her voiced trailed off in his head as he met her eyes. Beautiful hazel gems filled with concern and laced with embarrassment met his deep green ones. He could see her lips moving, but heard nothing as his eyes traced her features, her high cheekbones, infectious smile, and the most jagged scar going across her face, disrupting the symmetry of her beauty in an alluring, enticing way. Her chuckle brought him back to his senses as she was trying to turn him around, effectively lifting his shirt over his back. He took a sharp breath.

"Ouch. Don't move. I'll be right back."

He shuffled slightly and winced as she ran behind the desk and came back with a first aid kit. Her laugh had sounded familiar, but as he was sorting his thoughts, a cold painful spritz hit his back,

"Ow! Damn girl!"

"It's just peroxide. Don't be a baby and sit still."

She chuckled again, and he couldn't help but smile. He closed his eyes and tried to obey the girl despite the pain she had caused, and was causing, just as footsteps cascaded down the stairs.

"The fuck!?"

"Cuz, you okay!?"

Troy immediately tried to stand, though a gentle but firmly placed hand kept him in his place.
"I was trying to fix that light," she pointed above them before going promptly back to her task, "But he ran into my ladder, and we both fell. We're okay, aside from this scratch that I'm patching up." She set the gauze and lowered his shirt, "There."

Johnny laughed slyly and the girl helped Troy to his feet, smiling warmly at him.

"Lucky son of a bitch, I can't ever get her to touch me like-"

"Shut up Johnny!"

She dropped Troy's hand immediately and blushed. Troy smiled, chuckling inwardly at her embarrassment, as his eyes went back to the other man,

"Jussayin, whatever it'd take to get you to fall for.."

The other woman threw a fist into Johnny's shoulder, "She said shut up. Listen." Johnny rubbed the spot and pouted. The two argued while her soft voice brought his attention back to his side.

"Thanks for saving me, I owe ya."

He met her eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, " Wasn't particularly graceful, so I wouldn't mention it."

She laughed as she walked by to grab a bag off the desk, setting a pair of glasses on her head and hushing the other two before addressing him once more, "I'm assuming you're here for Lin, she's with Johnny." the girl said, nodding to her cousin standing in the stairway next to the Asian, "I'll be upstairs until you guys get back." she sorted some papers between the desk and her bag.

"It might get late cuz, don't wait up."
"Psh, you know her, she never listens."
Troy listened to the duo, slightly confused, "Wait..so who're you?" He asked the woman he 'saved'.

Silence.

Johnny doubled over in laugher before starting for the door as Lin stared Troy down.
"No one you need to know."
"I'm Jae." She quickly shooed her cousin to Johnny and out the door, while offering a hand to Troy.

"Wait..who?"

She raised and eyebrow at him, "Julius didn't tell you?"

He returned her questioning gaze.

She shook her head, "It's really not a big deal, Troy."

He crossed his arms, "But you know my name?"

"I think it's safe to assume I know a little more than just your name at this point."

"And why's that?" he found himself growing increasingly irritated at her tone.

"Lots of privledges come with being the daughter of a Kingpin." she held out her hand once more, "I'm Jae. Raul's daughter."

He shot her an eye and scoffed, "Wait, the spoiled, sheltered kid?" He waved her off.

She rolled her eyes, "Being a smart ass to the financial advisor of your top source of income isn't a wise decision, Mr. Bradshaw." She quickly shoved him outside with the other two, promptly shutting the door in his face.

"Wha.."

He stood for a second, taking in everything that she and Johnny had said, and what Julius had said earlier. Don't judge their books...the top advisors...sheltered..the daughter….Jae...holy shit... Chief'll wanna hear this.

"Hey! Wait!"

He heard more than one chuckle as he pounded the front door several times before turning around to the duo awaiting him with grins on their faces.

Fuck.

Lin took a hard left as Johnny hooted from the back and Troy's cigarette flew out of his hand. He had to hand it to the girl, she really knew her shit, and she was fucking good. Julius had offered assistance in helping her requisition some products from the rival garages, but once they'd hit the first shop, Troy realized that it was just another night of the older man bragging and showing off another banger, as Julius liked to do with the aces he had hidden up his sleeve, just like Troy had gone through with Johnny and Dex previously.

The trio managed to knock out all four places she had in mind with little effort. Lin really did her homework with the parts she was trying to get her hands on, figuring out the optimal time to break into the lots and seizing the opportunity to the fullest benefit. With more than enough time on their hands, Lin and Johnny tossed around the idea of hitting another garage for kicks, and with Troy's final agreeing word, they set their course for the other side of the bridge.

"Haha! So you're quite the Casanova huh buddy?!" Johnny ruffled his hair and laughed loudly.

"Yeah yeah- Bite me Frosty."

"Whoa whoa, no need to be bitter at me cuz you're a dumbass. I tried tellin ya in the car that-"

"Yeah yeah..I got it. Now.."

The car lighter popped and Troy set his cigarette on his lip, puffing a few times before returning the lighter to its place and turning his attention to the driver, "So uh...What's you's guys story anyway?"

"I'm sure Johnny enlightened you."

"Well yeah, that you grew up here, and you're good with cars."

She shifted her eyes toward him briefly, "That's right."

He took a long drag and frowned, "Well shit, I dunno. Why'd you wanna join the Saints then? You girls seem like you're doing alright for yourselves."

They stopped at a light, and she turned her head to him, "To keep a promise to my Uncle."

"About?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Doesn't happen to have anything to do with his daughter, does it?"

The light turned green, and Lin turned toward the road and sped off, offering him no answer to his question and no more conversation as the made their way to the last garage.

~QQ~

The guys were halfway through the shop, stuffing parts into their bags and the trunk when something caught Lin's attention. She quickly ran from the window and to her car, unlocking the glove compartment as she jumped in to the driver seat,

"Time to go boys!"

The sound of the far garage door opening and engines revving made the duo drop the remainder of the parts, and follow Lin's direction, Johnny hopping up front and grabbing something from the box, tossing one back to Troy while cocking the other and grinning madly.

"Bout time we had a little more excitement!"

"Yeah, too bad you won't even get to use 'em."

The yelling and sounds of engines quickly approaching were all the cue she needed, as Lin adjusted her mirror and sped off, popping off two shots and effectively sending the door crashing to the ground, as the zipped through the streets and back to Kasiyahani.