Chapter: Where is the line? Pt 3/4

The Job came around soon enough. The meeting with the handlers had gone well. By well, Penning and Stasiak had made several demands and Owen along with Brian had struck them down. It was not working well for their bosses this partnership any more. Shaw and O'Conner were forming a true partnership. It was going to benefit them in the field but it was not going to sit well with the brass.

"What do you mean no trackers!"

Dom rolled his eyes at Stasiak as the statement was self-explanatory enough. "What I said. I like breathing and I will not let you fuck that up."

Penning was looking at their 'consultant' and asked for his opinion. "What do you think?"

Shaw snorted, "I think Stasiak shouldn't handle dangerous undercover plots. Well unless the bureau likes losing your Agents. I would imagine it would not be cost effective."

Penning didn't miss the smirk on Brian's face. In the interest in harmony Penning didn't ask his Agent's opinion. He would imagine Stasiak might end up with a broken nose if he did. "What is your suggestion? I will not leave the pair unprotected."

O'Conner looked up with anger. He didn't like the question. Penning got a response of, "We are the protection and no, you won't be able to track us either."

Stasiak zinged back, "Why doing something you don't us to know?"

O'Conner snickered, "Christ you're fucking naive. You will both want plausible deniability. I thought the entire arrangement with O.. Shaw was based on deniability."

There was dead silence in the room. Brian had never been one to pull his punches. He wanted this discussion over so he made it happen. The meeting broke up not long after that and Dom, Letty, Owen and Brian left eager not to have their covers blown.

Stasiak was waiting for the door to close before turning to his boss. "What are you going to do to keep O'Conner in line. Shaw is definitely worming his way underneath O'Conner's infamous ice."

It was rare insight from the Agent. Penning knew he was right too, they would have to do something. O'Conner was too valuable an asset with his skill-set to lose. He knew one thing he could do ... bring in a distraction. He wondered if Carter Verone would come to town for a few days to visit his dear husband.

Penning had no idea that he was playing into Shaw's hands.

The driving job was crap and boring in Dom's mind. There was no skill in this job. It wasn't even as if they were cheating and using their pull with law enforcement to ease their way. The satellite system guiding them from their pick-up to drop off point was state of the art. He would be asking his bosses just how the crooks had got hold of their toys. It was FBI issue. Letty was leading the pack of cars and he was the last one.

Dom was still tense. He wasn't just watching the pack of cars in their procession. He was watching out for Fenix. Fenix was a medium rank guy in the organisation. He seemed to take immediate offence with Dom's existence. Fenix's unease amused Dom. He got under the guy's skin and Fenix didn't even know why.

Dom was guessing it was the criminal's radar, having done time in Lompoc. Well it made life trickier. They were across the border and signalled to stop in a wide opening.

This whole thing smelt of a trap.

Dom picked up the gun he'd strapped to his thigh as he got out of his car. He hid the gun from the sight of the gun wielding maniac. He might not be in the same car as Letty but he knew his ex-wife would be the same. She more than likely had a knife to add to the mix. She was fond of throwing knives which had found out during their divorce.

Fenix seemed spirited with an AK47 in his hands. "Get out!"

Dom sighed and did as ordered, as much as he didn't want to. He wanted to try and limit the loss of life to Braga's cartel only if he could. So this is how they kept a cone of silence... Get the job completed and then you kill the drivers. It made a twisted sense but they'd never heard about keeping keeping staff turnover low..

Dom needed to get the wannabe big-man's attention onto him and Letty. It wouldn't be difficult, all he had to do was attack the enforcer's ego. "Look at the big man with his big gun Letty."

Letty smirked seeing the angle at play. They needed to slow things down to give Shaw and O'Conner time to back them up. A slow smirk,"Hey luv be fair." She gave Fenix a once over before finishing her thoughts with a wicked grin. "Not everyone has your assets Dom."

Dom looked Fenix up and down and let him see just how unimpressed he was with the two-bit criminal. It must have angered Fenix as Dom was now the sole focus of his fury.

Dom stared Fenix down, even as he is facing a barrel of a sawn off shotgun. He won't give the punk the satisfaction of his fear. This is it, he hears the click of the barrel. He would have one-shot to take out his gas tank. Letty's car was closer and she hadn't turned her ignition off. So they were of like mind's in that way also. He had to hope the gas had built up enough to be explosive.

The stand-off ended but it wasn't because of Dom or Fenix.

The sniper shot came out of nowhere.

Chaos reigned supreme. Dom and Letty were the first to react and did their job - they grabbed the product. Brian, who had the gun over his arm, showed them the way out as Shaw was driving. They would leave the drivers where they were and let the authorities pick them up.

It was time to use their situation to their advantage.

Campos listened to the efficient report from Giselle. He spat his coffee out hearing the last bit about Fenix.

"He's dead!"

Giselle nodded, enjoying her morning report a little more today. She was not the only one who had found Fenix to be a douche. It wouldn't be unfair to say the world will be a better place without him in it.

"That's right. Shaw's assisstant shot him for ... and I quote, 'sheer stupidity'."

Campos paled, "What did the stupid bastard do?"

Giselle didn't appreciate the shouting. It was not like it was her screw up. She could think with her actual brain. Fenix had tried to be too clever and paid with it with his life ... His arrogance had too high a price.

"Well Mr Shaw and his associate were following. He was not too happy with your performance. He has the product and the money ... We can expect a phone call soon." She explained.

Campos growled, "Expect a phone call? I'm to wait for him to call me!"

Giselle shrugged, she was not stupid enough to challenge Shaw. She didn't like her bosses but she recognised a bigger shark. "Nope I think he says he will phone the boss."

"Fuck me."

Giselle wrinkled her nose at the idea. "That won't help. Toretto is still alive if that helps."

Campos was running the idea through his mind. The racer had impressed him in the meeting they'd had. He was big and could handle himself. "How did he cope?"

"Well we have our Intel because he and his lover are still alive. He reported the facts to me."

Letty would be spitting to hear herself described in that way. Still if it could keep them alive and bring them Braga she would play the part.

Well that was something, if the guy was still alive - Shaw liked him. "Where is he?"

Giselle shouted and the door opened. In strolled the man himself looking none the worse for wear. He was carrying a duffel bag with him. Toretto dumped the bag his feet. He peeked inside and their was half of the product he thought lost.

Things were looking up. He had written Toretto off as a driver but he could play the part of muscles. He had the build and menace if nothing else. Campos was never one to let opportunity pass him by.

"How do you fancy a job?"