A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed.

The peaceful silence was interrupted by the piercing cries of both an alarm clock and a cell phone. A growl emitted from underneath the pile of blankets that was strewn around the king-sized bed. The person beneath the blankets reached up, hit his fist off the alarm clock then grabbed the phone.

"This had better be good."

"Pyro, where are you?"

"I was in Dreamland until you called."

"The boss is getting edgy," the caller said.

"When is he not edgy?" Pyro asked.

"Your career is on the line here, Pyro."

"As is the life of the kid I was sent to get," Pyro pointed out. "Relax, would ya? I know what I'm doin'."

"Let's hope," the caller muttered.

Pyro rolled his eyes. He was in his mid-twenties and everyone treated him like he was a child. He had been doing this for the past eight years. He knew potential when he saw it and he knew the streets better than the gangs who ran them. Everyone called him the Recruiter. No racer ever made it to Speedway without going through him.

"So, when will you be back?" the caller asked.

"I'll be back when I get back," Pyro answered. "And if you call me again before I get back to Speedway you're gonna be doin' laps for a month."

He could almost picture the person on the other end swallow.

"Okay. Uh...bye."

The line went dead. Pyro snapped the cell phone shut and tossed it back on to the bedside table. He buried himself back into the blankets. He still had a few more hours before he had to go work.

Leonardo shifted through a car magazine while Trek and Lyle yelled at the TV. It was the last race in the final circuitand things were getting hectic. Trek wanted Sev, who indeed had the best car on the track, to win. However, Lyle wanted Cooper, Sev's rival, to win. Leonardo was glad Natalia wasn't there. She would be yelling because Trek and Lyle were yelling. Though she was a die hard race fan, she had a life. And on this bright and sunny Saturday her life had taken her to Manhattan for a cousin's birthday.

Over the noise of the television and his friends, Leonardo heard the phone ring. He tossed the magazine on the coffee table and headed into the kitchen. He silently wished that it was the police station. He had finally forced himself to call the parole officer to tell him about his father's drinking. He picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Get me out of here," someone hissed on the other end.

"Nat?"

"Who else would it be?" Natalia whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Leonardo asked.

"Because I'm in a closet upstairs and I don't want to be found."

I don't want to know. "Is it really that bad?" Leonardo asked.

"Have you met my family?"

Leonardo couldn't help but smile. Natalia could overreact at times. Her dream for life was to become an actress. She also wanted her boyfriend to become a professional racer, but that would never happen.

"Leo, please?" Natalia begged. "I can't take this anymore. They're so boring. Plus, I'm missing the race."

Leonardo glanced into the living room. Trek and Lyle were on the verge of having a fist fight. Leonardo looked down at the VCR. The red record button was flashing. Good. The race was being taped.

"Can you slip away?"

"You're going to rescue me?"

"Duh."

"I love you," Natalia breathed.

"I'll be there soon."

Natalia and Leonardo both hung up. Leonardo walked into the living room.

"Guys, I'm gone to..."

"What was that?" Trek yelled.

"Go, Cooper!" Lyle cheered as his favorite racer's car pulled into the lead.

"Guys?"

"You let him blow right by ya!" Trek shouted, though he knew he wouldn't be heard.

Leonardo sighed and headed for the garage. He grabbed his car keys and jacket and walked out the door. He opened the garage door and got into his car. While the door was sliding up, Leonardo turned on the engine. He drove out of the garage, pushed the button to automatically close the garage door and headed for Manhattan.

Thirty minutes of driving soon found the blue Ferrari slowly driving through the neighbourhood of Natalia's cousin. He parked outside an apartment building and turned off the car. He checked his watch and waited for his girlfriend. A couple of minutes later, someone came sneaking around from the back. Leonardo knew that fiery red hair anywhere. He turned on the car and unlocked the doors. Natalia hurried over to the car and climbed in.

"Go," she hissed.

Leonardo drove off. Within seconds they were crossing the bridge. Natalia sat back in the seat and sighed in relief.

"Rough day?" Leonardo asked.

Natalia glared at him. "Don't even joke," she snapped. She groaned. "Urgh...my family is so dull."

"They're not that dull," Leonardo said.

"Not to you. You like dull," Natalia countered. "Which is what I don't get. Your dad is...or was...a racer. Why don't you like racing?"

Leonardo didn't answer. He just kept his eyes on the road, checking the mirros every now and then. Natalia fell silent and gazed out the window. A heavy, awkward silence fell. Leonardo checked the rear-view mirror and felt like his heart was going to stop beating. The ominious red car was right behind him.

"Is this guy a cop?" Leonardo asked.

"What?"

Natalia turned in the seat and looked out the back window. She saw the red car.

"Isn't that the same car we saw at school yesterday?" she asked.

"And it's the same car that made me break the speed limit."

Natalia turned back around. "Is he stalking you?"

From his car, Pyro could hear everything that was being said. While Summers was in school, he had planted a wire in his car.

"Whoever this guy is, he's starting to fray my nerves," Leonardo spoke.

Pyro smirked. This was too much fun.

"Why don't you try to lose him?" Natalia suggested.

"And risk getting caught? I'll take my chances with the stalker," Leonardo said.

"You're the son of a street racer!" Natalia yelled. "Your dad is Brad Summers, the most respected and feared man known to street racing history."

Pyro's eyes widened a little. Why did that name sound so familiar? Leonardo shook his head. He looked in the rear-view mirror at the red car. Pyro looked right back at him, though Summers couldn't see him. They stopped at a red light. Things were quiet in the Ferrari.

You've got what it takes, kid, Pyro thought. You were holdin' back the other day. You can't fool me.

"I'm not going down that road," Leonardo said.

The light turned green and the Ferrari disappeared into traffic. Pyro pulled into a nearby alley and turned off the car. He knew enough. It was time to strike.

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