September 1, 2011

Berlin, Germany

As Letty stood up to her full height she watched him walk toward her. How many times had she dreamt of this? Her standing bereft and then him walking toward her with the rest of their life on a silver platter? He placed his hand on her left shoulder, pulling her bra strap to the side so he could kiss the thin and sensitive skin at the base of her neck where her skin graft was. She tossed her head to the side, giving him greater access, opening herself up completely to him.

"When this shit is done," he began but she cut him off with a genuine chuckle. She turned to look him in the eyes with a sweetly sad smile, "every time you promise me a beach after we complete a mission it goes to hell."

"Actually," he corrected her gently, his fingers grazing her barely covered breast, "I was going to say that when this shit is done we're going to go get the rest of our family and bring them home to LA. We're going to be the most boring family in the history of the world. We're going to fix cars and race cars and make love and make more babies and live a real life."

She snuggled into him, savoring the scent that had never left her nose despite their distance, and smiled, "that sounds like the best plan you've ever had."

March 1, 2011

Oslo, Norway

Dom stood rigid. His back was straight, his knees locked, and his hands firmly bunched in the pockets of his leather jacket. He knew that he was putting himself in one hell of a bad position but it would be worth it to get the answers he needed. The discovery of one of Hobb's bunkers covered in blood a few weeks before meant that someone had been slaughtered in the few hours after the bug placement. The team had thought that it was a sure sign Letty was a goner. Dom wasn't so sure. In the few weeks since another convoy had gone missing and the Feds had flooded Berlin in a new torrent. But it was the continuing feed that had gone through the bug that had captured the information Dom and the team had needed to know it wasn't a lost cause.

Dom had been visiting Mia and the babies with Brian when Tej had called them and sent the information. The video showed two men, obviously soldiers, cleaning the bunker and running their mouths.

"I don't know how this happened. How many people know about this place," the blond soldier asked his red headed comrade.

"It's top level shit man. Hobbs' has the clearance to do whatever it takes to capture this Lukas guy. That was what we were supposed to be doing in this cold hellhole. I don't know why that little Latina bitch captured his attention."

The blond soldier shrugged, "thank God we got that girl out of here before Lukas' team got here. She probably would have been toast like Macintyre."

That short conversation had revived Dom and the team had promptly been back in business. But now they were torn: Oslo or Vienna? That was where Andre came in. Just because he wasn't an active agent didn't mean he didn't have connections. Luckily a few of them had owed him a favor. Vienna was a bust, too close to Berlin, too well connected after World War 2. Oslo was where Hobbs would be regrouping. But before Dom could plan to get the team there something very unexpected happened. He received a phone call from one Agent Hobbs requesting his presence.

And so here Dom was. Standing at the outskirts of the Akerselva river just on the edge of Oslo. Seemingly unguarded and unarmed, waiting to meet with his greatest nemesis.

"You can't know how often I have thought about finally getting a piece of you Toretto," Dom turned around and faced Hobbs in the dimly lit ship graveyard.

"You're the first man to ever tell me that," Dom replied casually.

Hobbs stood in his soldier gear, flexing his fists, obviously restraining himself from starting the fight that he so badly wanted. He took a breath and began, "there is something greater than the Bureau's desire to capture you though Toretto."

"Lukas," Dom guessed. He did not doubt that a sniper had him in his sights at the moment. Just waiting for him to lose his composure. But he wouldn't, not with his life with Letty on the line.

"He's going for international intel. The type of intel that is worth billions of dollars. The type of intel that would have cartels in South America, terrorists in the Middle East, and all the communists in between controlling every nation in the UN within weeks."

Dom's eyebrows rose, just what kind of shit had Letty gotten herself into. He couldn't imagine her being okay with that plan. But knowing Letty she hadn't felt she had a choice and would have tried to make it right to the detriment of herself.

"So I've found myself in the unfortunate situation of having to offer you something you want in return for the help of you and your team."

"That had to have hurt," Dom mentioned, promising nothing. He looked around, "you have to have at least five guys aiming for me right this second. All highly trained and ready to die for the cause. Why me? Why my team?"

"Because you're a good criminal. Because Letty will work best with you."

At the mention of her nickname, so casually spoken, Dom stiffened, "where is she?"

"Up until a few weeks ago she was safely in a bunker in Berlin. But you know that all ready don't you. She was removed from the Berlin bunker about 12 hours prior to the break in. We chose Vienna to stash her. It was a stupid move, prompted more by convenience than good intel. Lukas got her."

"What the fuck do you mean Lukas got her," Dom's temper, so tightly reined, began to push through. He took a step toward Hobbs and a red dot appeared over his heart.

"I'm not overly fond of the way it turned out either," Hobbs replied.

"You stalked my wife. Kidnapped my wife. Made my wife your prisoner to get to me. And then you allowed some sociopath to kidnap her. You are really fucking bad at your job," Dom raged, he turned abruptly and began speed walking toward his car, hidden in the shadows. He couldn't afford to snuff the asshole and get shot over it.

"Wife," the word was a question.

Dom turned to him, "yeah, my wife. I traded vows with her. I've spent my whole life fucking up hers. I tried to make it right."

As Dom began walking away again Hobbs asked one more question, "don't you want to know what the U.S. government is willing to give you?"

"If you don't have my wife then I need to find where Lukas has her. I don't really give a damn what you're offering me," Dom replied.

He heard Hobbs speed walking behind him and despite himself listened as he began to talk again, "if you help bring in Lukas Fischer the U.S. government is willing to give you and your whole team pardons. Including Letty. Think about it Dom. You'd be a free man in America again. You could run a garage again. Race illegally again. Take your son to the park."

At the mention of Christian Dom swung around and stared into Hobbs' eyes. He didn't dare speak or move for fear that he would kill the man. To even speak about his son pushed him to the dark place he hadn't known since nearly beating a man to death, since ramming his car into a man.

"Letty said that your son meant more than her life. Knowing your stubborn ass wife she'll probably do something incredibly stupid and dangerous to keep danger away from you and your family. Something that will get her and billions of other people on the planet killed. Help me to help you and for all intents and purposes no matter how much I hate it, you win."

April 1, 2011

Vienna, Austria

If Hobbs' intel was correct then the next convoy on the list was due to be heisted in the next 24 hours. The rendezvous point was just outside of the Hotel Imperial Vienna, a building that had once served as a castle and stood as the epicenter of historical Vienna. Which meant it was busy. Very, very, busy. The absolute perfect place to hold up a convoy and sneak out a bit of priceless information. It might even be the perfect place to steamroll over everyone and blatantly steal a bit of priceless information. That was the problem, Dom thought as he paced in front of his team, he just didn't know which approach Lukas was going to take. Despite studying the man the way he imagined Hobbs had studied him.

"We've done all we can at this point," Giselle was the only brave enough to break Dom's angry concentration. Per her usual she fiddled with her favorite knife before beginning to clean her nails with it, "if it's a stealthy drive by, we'll get a tracker on him and tail him. If it's a blow out we full on follow him and take the heat. Either way Letty's going to see one of us. She'll know something is up. We can only hope that Lukas thinks Hobbs kidnapped her to get to him and not to get to you."

"Because if he knows who and what you are to her, he'll have studied you," Hobbs added.

Dom nodded letting them know he had heard them. This was fucked. Andre had arrived earlier and confirmed what Dom had hoped wasn't the case. Letty had agreed in the beginning of their arrangement to finish these heists. If she tried to leave it was definitely going to be a kill or be killed situation. He was getting really fucking tired of his wife ending up in those situations.

Brian walked into the room grinning, his phone to his ear. Dom stared at him, silently asking just what the hell was making him so damn happy. Brian wasted no time plugging his phone into the jack in the massive television. He spoke to Mia through the speaker phone, "go ahead babe, they can hear you."

"Hey guys. We miss you! I'm going to make a feast when you all get back here. But in the mean time this is a reminder of what you're doing there," Mia's voice was sweet and made Dom smile despite himself.

A video of Christian toddling around the beach appeared, he was laughing so hard that his big baby stomach was vibrating. Dom couldn't tear his eyes away.

"Can you wave hi to your Daddy and Uncle Brian," Mia's voice was imploring as she giggled at his antics.

Christian turned to her and as clear as day said, "hi Dada!"

Dom's eyes widened. The last time he had seen Christian he was still babbling barely coherent words. The typical random words would be crystal clear: no, ball, baba. But he hadn't been so particular and clear before. Dom felt himself swell with pride. Christian ran off and decimated a sand castle and then Anthony's blond head popped up and he heard the delight in Mia's voice as she shouted encouragement when Anthony took his first steps right there on the beach.

The video cut off and Brian turned, grinning at his makeshift family, "my kid is walking."

Everyone rose, excited, chattering all at once. Dom smacked Brian on the back, a smile stretching his tense features. Giselle was restarting the video and cooing over it, a complete switch from her normal badass persona. Roman was telling Brian to pay up because he knew Mia's good genes would have that boy walking before he was one year old. Tej watched the video with Giselle and laughed when she mentioned how Christian was Dom's replica except he had hair. Han begrudgingly paid up on the bet which surprised Brian because he hadn't know he'd put in any odds. The whole scene was exactly what the team had needed.

Dom turned, still grinning ear to ear, and found Hobbs watching them curiously. Dom walked over to him and leaned against the same wall, watching his family interact. They were meant to be in each other's lives, it was so obvious that the reason they were such a good team was because it wasn't just one it was all for one and one for all.

"Whatever you've read about me doesn't translate into real life. This is real life Hobbs. These people risking themselves time and time again for my dream because we're family. Not everything is black and white. I learned that the hard way."

Dom rejoined his family and left Hobbs to figure out what it all meant.

April 2, 2011

Tej sat in the presidential suite in the hotel using the 360 degree open windows to watch the traffic with Hobbs' soldiers. He had made up his work station, a series of computers with video feed from every member and car. He'd equipped each member with ear pieces so they would be in contact at all times. It was go time, and there wasn't a time that he shined more than when he was doing this, keeping the team in contact so they could whoop some ass.

"What are we looking for," one of the soldiers asked him.

"Either a few cars driving way to fast from different directions toward us or an explosion," Tej replied as he typed on his computer.

The soldiers briefly glanced at one another, "which do we prefer?"

Tej laughed to himself, "definitely the fast cars."

"Why?"

"You've never seen Dom or Brian race have you," he chuckled again. These G.I. Joes had no idea.

"Well I guess it's a moot point."

"Why's that," Tej asked.

"Because there was just an explosion," Tej ran to the window, his eyes widening in surprise. They were early. He ran back to the computer, pushing on the receiver he yelled, "it's go time! Explosion to the Southwest and three black cars racing Northwest, convoy is due to head North in 2 minutes."

There was a pause as Tej watched via the videos everyone spring into action. Dom slid into second easily and out into traffic, barely missing a taxi, "ride or die."

3333

The convoy sped along as fast as it could in the late night traffic. This part of Vienna was a nightmare for a huge, slow moving convoy. An easy target that was necessary even as it was a hindrance. The package wasn't huge but required multiple soldiers to guard it and ensure its safety. The soldier driving the convoy noted the two black BMWs tailing it and managed to get around the traffic by getting on the sidewalk, making pedestrians scatter left and right. He beeped his horn, hoping not to kill any slow moving Grannies in the process. There was a huge explosion in front of him. He turned abruptly and drove the convoy deep into a park, avoiding trees by luck. He had passed the rendezvous point by order of his superior and was just trying to get onto the open highway where he would get more support. What he hadn't expected was the third BMW pulling in front of him, his foot slammed on the brake and the heavy convoy's back flew up at the sudden change causing the whole vehicle to fall to its side.

The soldier watched with blurry vision as a tall, lithely muscled man swaggered toward the convoy. The last thing he was saw was the man aim his hand gun at him and then there was darkness.

Lukas Fischer watched his two large, ex-British soldiers cut and rip open the back of the convoy. Hobbs had tried to destroy this mission, to stop him. Not knowing that Lukas didn't fail. Not when it came to this kind of money.

Expecting to see a few dead, or dazed, soldiers he was surprised when a bald black man popped up, ripping off a helmet and padding. The bald man smiled at their surprised faces, "surprise, motherfuckers," and began to shoot at them.

Lukas and his soldiers ran, finally hiding behind their BMWs. From the front bullets sprayed toward the black man. Sensing that it was his recently retrieved partner Lukas began to shoot too. Then out of nowhere two nondescript cars pulled up and now everyone was shooting. Lukas had expected resistance. But this wasn't Hobbs M.O., he was very confused about who these people were. Were they trying to get the package too?

One of Lukas' soldiers kicked the black man in the stomach, making him double over in sudden pain. He got the package, barely larger than a watch box, and returned to Lukas under fire. As he hid with Lukas behind his car his arm began to bleed, he'd been hit. Lukas wanted to get the hell out of there but didn't think he could under this pressure. He had less than two minutes to get out before Hobbs rolled onto the scene himself. He needed to nip this is the bud.

Lukas signaled for the shooting to stop, still behind his car he called out, "what do you want?"

"The woman," was the reply.

Lukas grinned to himself. Was this really all about his precision driver? Had Hobbs fallen in love with her? Some men were complete fucking idiots.

He rose, putting himself in the line of fire, but knowing that he had the upper hand. He motioned his front driver out from behind the black door where she had been shooting. Letty didn't look overly concerned as she watched the bald black man with intensity, her back straight, ready for a fight. She obviously didn't know him and just as obviously wasn't concerned by the thought of him returning her into Hobbs' custody.

"Take her," he replied. Confident that he could get her back before the next mission. But his eyes narrowed as the black man snatched her and threw her into the back of an American muscle car that had just sped to the scene. Just as quickly the car sped away. He made note of the black man, and the tall gorgeous woman who had been shooting from another car, and the pretty boy blond. He would kill them all before this was said and done. Motioning for his injured soldier to drive Letty's car, they got out of the line of fire before Hobbs could show up.

I'm sorry, but I've never been a particularly good action writer. Maybe that's what has taken me so long. So go easy on me :)