Usual disclaimers apply. Apologies for the long delay between updates, unfortunately I've been having a few problems with my laptop which is delaying progress with the story. That said, enjoy the new chapter :)

Chapter 25:

"Oh hell yeah," Knight almost whispered as Race Wars came into view. "That's what I'm talking about."

"The site is an old military base," Karr informed them quietly. "I somehow doubt that the sites former owners would allow such an event to take place here."

"Don't kill the mood Karr," Knight said as they pulled down the dusty desert road into the queue of waiting cars. "This looks like its going to be fun."

Karr's video monitor came to life as the car's forward scanner rippled. "What are they doing?"

"Marking numbers on the cars."

"No."

"No what?" Knight asked.

"No," Karr replied shortly. "I'm saying these people are not writing numbers on me."

"It's the rules Karr, they have to."

"I will not allow it," Karr said coldly, a steely edge to his voice. "It is not happening."

"Why not?"

"How would you like someone painting on your bodywork or windows?"

"Fair point. But, your having it done, end of discussion. Besides, they'll come off after Wars. Got it?"

The car sullenly refused to answer.

Knight sighed. "You can be a real pain in the ass."

"You want pain, get out and I'll run you over," Karr said coldly.

Knight grinned, "Maybe later," he told the AI as he pulled up to the gate. "How's it going bro?"

"Long slow day," the security guy told him as he marked Karr's rear pillion. "Welcome to Race Wars."

"Thanks bro," Knight replied, and pulled the black and silver Trans-am into the base. "Man look at this place," he breathed as he took in the spectacle, the cars, the tents, caravans and mobile homes belonging to the different racers and teams, the girls in skimpy clothing, one of them stripping off her pants to show her thong as she danced under hoses held up by a couple of guys, appreciative males around her hollering.

Knight grinned, pulling the black and silver Trans-am over next to a car transporter and mobile homes marked with Tempest's business logo. Tempest's car was nowhere to be seen, nor was Jade's, only the silver Aston Martin. "Karr, know where she is?"

"Her car is currently queuing up to race," the vehicle replied.

"Thanks Karr."

The car didn't reply as he got out and nodded towards the DB9's owner. "Hey man."

"You made it," Craig replied. "She's racing currently. Against one of your friends if I'm not mistaken."

"I'll stay neutral in that regard."

The other man grinned. "Wise man."

"Up for a run?"

"You still haven't proved you're worthy of our girl Jade."

Knight's smile broadened. "Time to do so," he replied, sliding back into the Trans-am, Craig clambering back into his Aston Martin, as Knight leaned out of Karr's window. "See you at the finish line."

"I'll be waiting. Loser gets the first round in."

Knight just grinned in response, and gunned the Trans-am's engine.

After queuing for twenty minutes, Knight and Craig got to the front of the line of cars, watching as the cars in front of them took off, the orange Charger easily beating the MR-2 it was pitted against. Knight noticed a slight frown pass over Craig's features, quickly replaced by concentration as they pulled up to the start line, Craig glancing over from the silver Aston Martin at Knight in the black and silver Trans-am. Karr's forward scanner rippled dangerously, Knight feeling the car's desire to get underway. The engines of both cars revved up, trying to outdo each other. The starter called the go, and the two cars took off with a squeal of tyres, pacing each other as they tore down the track, neither car gaining an edge as their drivers shifted through gears. About half way along the track, the Aston Martin surged forward as Craig hit his nitrous. Knight quickly hit the turbo boost and got slammed back into his seat as the Trans-am surged with acceleration, blasting past the Aston Martin and crossing the finish line. Knight thumped the dashboard gently. "Great work pal."

"Like there was any doubt," Karr replied.

Knight laughed. "I think that's our little secret. Lets get our winnings and check in with the Toretto's," he told the car, spinning it round and pulling over next to Craig's Aston Martin, grinning. "Am I worthy?"

"I guess so," Craig grinned. "Here's your winnings."

"Keep em," Knight replied. "First round is still on you."

"You are one weird guy," Craig told him.

Knight grinned. "Keeps things interesting. I'd better check in with the team, I'll catch you guys later."

The Trans-am pulled away, weaving around parked cars and trailers.

Knight pulled the Trans-am over to where Team Toretto had set up operations and climbed out. Dom glanced up from under the hood of his RX-7. "You're late. You were supposed to be here half an hour ago."

"I was," Knight admitted. "I just got into a race before I showed."

"With who?"

"Craig Cowell."

"You win?"

"What do you think?"

"You'd better have. Wish you'd told me first, I woulda taken bets against you."

Knight grinned before their attention was drawn by a black Honda 2000 pulling up next to the Toretto camp, Ricky Tran and his cousin Lance getting out. "Toretto!"

"What you want Tran?"

"My brother didn't get to race you at the last Wars," Ricky told him. "But I'm gonna."

"Hope you got more than that Honda to run," Dom replied, glaring at the Asian. Ricky sneered back at him coldly. "I got something for your ass, don't worry."

Letty glanced over the top of her glasses at the car across from hers, wondering who she was racing. The car was an Eclipse Spyder in dark blue, with silver stars decorating the bodywork and a moon on the hood. She smiled to herself as she saw the car's driver, "well now this is a surprise. The girl that can't race, racing."

"I'll show you who can't race," Cheer replied confidently.

Letty laughed. "Not a chance, be ready to eat my dust and kiss my ass."

"Not gonna happen," Cheer retorted.

Letty sneered at her. "Either way, its gonna be two large," she told the other girl, giving her the finger while holding up a roll of cash. Cheer held up cash of her own as the two cars pulled up to the line, Letty shoving her Ray-Bans up the ridge of her nose with a disinterested look on her face. The go was called, and the cars got underway, tearing away with a screech of tyres and a cloud of dust. They stayed level as their drivers worked up through the gears. The Spyder got ahead as Cheer hit her nitrous oxide, whooping as she took the lead. Letty shook her head slightly, and hit her nitrous, pulling the Silvia level, laughing at the look of the distaste on Cheer's face as she did and said to her self with a sing song voice, "Seeeee yaaaa," and hit her second shot of NOS, the Silvia streaking away in a blur of purple and crossing the finish line a car length ahead of Cheer, making a noise of pure pleasure as she pulled the car to the side, Cheer pulling alongside a few moments later.

Letty got out of the car and headed over. "I win, where's my money?"

"Here," Cheer told her with distaste in her voice, handing over the cash. "Where's your man, maybe he'd like to comfort me after my loss?"

Letty snapped and hauled off, knocking Cheer to the ground with a punch and diving at her, slugging away as Cheer tried to scratch her face off. The fight was abruptly broken off and another started as Tempest intervened, hauling Letty off Cheer and punching her. Letty wasn't about to let that go, and hauled off with an elbow to the face. "You're a much better fight."

"Save your breath, your gonna need it puta," Tempest told her and lunged, an outstretched arm across the torso knocking Letty off her feet, then tried to yank her to her feet by her hair, receiving an elbow to the stomach for the trouble, pushing the following knee to the side and slamming her elbow into Letty's jaw, then decked one of the security team as they tried to stop the fight, before knocking Letty to the ground, going down as well, the two rolling over in the dust, punching each other ferociously, until a spray of cold water from a hose forced them to separate finally, being pulled away from each other by security, both struggling like wild cats to get at each other.

Knight situated himself to watch Dom race Ricky Tran, parking Karr to one side of the former runway that was now used as a race strip. He watched the race before hand, an orange Dodge Charger with a large blower raised above the hood, its license plate reading "Tommo-2", against a white Honda Accord, with gold tinted windows, black hood, red lightning patterns painted on the headlights and front wheel arches, and the rear of the car painted in matching red, a samurai warrior adorning the car's bodywork. The two cars took off as the go was called, the Charger easily taking the lead, its engine roaring. The Accord's driver hit NOS, but it was only enough to bring it level with the Charger. And then only briefly, the Charger pulling away and blazing across the line victoriously. Knight turned his attention back to the start of the track, watching Dom's RX-7 pull up to the line. Next to it, Ricky Tran pulled up in a Honda NSX, bearing the same design as the Honda 2000 he'd driven earlier. Knight raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised, wishing he could see a bit more from where he was sat.

Dom glanced over at Ricky. "Four large?"

"Four large," Tran confirmed, holding up a stack of cash. Dom held up a roll of bills, then turned his attention back to the race track, last minute checks making sure the RX-7 was ready to run, lifting the passenger seat hatch and turning the valve for the nitrous oxide, and turning up the stereo, gunning the Mazda's engine. Alongside, Tran was revving up the NSX's engine, waiting patiently. The co-ordinator called the go, and the two cars were off, tyres howling as they struggled for purchase on the track. The NSX took the lead after a few seconds, forcing Dom to drop a gear to keep up. As the engine started to whine, he shifted back up, and hit NOS, taking the lead. Tran hit his own NOS, both cars streaking along the track, noses level. Just before they reached the line, Dom hit his second shot of NOS, boosting the car into the lead by a nose as they crossed the finish line, a big grin spreading across his face as he looked back at Ricky Tran, seeing the Asian's features contorted into a grimace of annoyance.

Craig glanced over to see who was driving the Charger he was competing against, the same one that had raced before Ricky. He guessed from the license plate that the guy answered to Tommo. "How much?"

"Two large," the Charger's driver, a large bulky guy replied, holding up a sheath of notes, not even looking at Craig. Craig raised his own stash –"You're on."

"And you'll lose," the driver snorted. Can't believe you race that European piece of shit."

"At least it can take a corner."

"In a straight line race, who the hell cares?"

The race started, the Charger's front wheels lifting off the road as the car pulled away. Craig gunned the Aston Martin to keep up, hitting his first shot of NOS to pull level with the Charger now on all four wheels. Both cars roared along, keeping pace, until they approached the finish line. The Charger started to pull ahead, its engine roaring furiously as it edged over slightly into a blocking position. Craig frowned, he couldn't have this, and did the same, moved over slightly and hit the DB9's second shot of NOS, taking the sleek Aston around the muscle car, leading by a narrow margin. The car rocked slightly as the Charger connected, Craig gripping the wheel to keep the car straight as the cars crossed the line. He felt fury over taking him as he spun the car to the side of the road, and climbed out. The Charger's driver had just climbed out of his vehicle before Cowell slugged him. The larger man roared with anger, and charged at him, Craig instantly charging at the same instant. As the two collided, Craig punched Tommo's face hard, with his right hand, then his left. Tommo snarled, seemingly ignoring the blows, and flung in punches of his own, Craig weaving in and out of them, then snapped a punch into his foe's midsection, and kicked his legs from under him. Tommo punched Craig's knee, forcing it back, bringing Craig down to the same level, locked in a grapple, each struggling to hit the other with all the force they could muster as they fought their way to their feet. Tommo retaliated with three hard rights to Craig's face. Craig shrugged them off, and smashed Tommo in the face with his elbow, then shoved him back, breaking the grapple and then spin kicked his chest. Tommo staggered, still reeling from the elbow to his face, feinted left, then hit a huge right uppercut that lifted Craig off his feet. Craig hit the floor, rolling to one side to avoid a kick, then pushed off the floor into a jump kick. Tommo sidestepped quickly and wrapped an arm round Craig's neck in a sleeper hold. Craig viciously drove his elbow back into the side of Tommo's head, forcing him to loosen his grip, then tried to flip him. The size advantage lay with Tommo, shoving Craig to the ground, and rolled to his feet, then launched himself at his foe, tumbling, before rolling apart. As he got back to his feet, still dazed, Tommo locked him in a bear hug, hauling him off the ground. Craig swore, and started flinging elbows backwards into Tommo's head. While Tommo didn't release him, it drove him back. Craig struggled to get free, still slamming elbows back, then changed tactics, and drove his fingers behind him into Tommo's eyes, grasping his foe's head in his hands to increase the pressure. As Tommo let go, Craig whirled round, striking with a hard right fist, then his left elbow, and punched his foe's stomach, and flipped him, locking onto his arm tightly, trying to dislocate the arm. He heard Tommo grunt in pain and frustration, then kicked Craig from where he lay, grabbing him and punching his face furiously. Craig reeled from the impacts, and then blocked the next punch before it landed, and head butted the bigger man twice, breaking his nose before security pulled them apart, Craig yelling furiously at Tommo as Tempest tried to calm him down, Jade running over. "What was all that about?"

"Asshole tried to run me off the road to win a race," Craig replied. "I'm gonna kill him," trying to get away from the security guard holding him, without success until Tommo had got in his car and gotten out of there.

Frowning, Tempest grabbed his shoulder. "Cool it man ok? Keep your cool, we need that. Besides, killing someone in plain sight of over a dozen witnesses, not so bright."

"You should chill out," Jade offered quietly. "Go to the trailer, get a beer and take a break from it ok?"

"Listen to her, she's talking sense," Tempest replied, giving him a meaningful look.

Craig got the unspoken message. "Maybe your right. If I'm needed, I'll be back at the camp," and headed for the Aston Martin, looking deeply thoughtful.

Tempest and Jade watched him go. "That's the second fight from our team today," Tempest muttered darkly.

Jade laughed. "I'm guessing the other was you?"

Tempest glared at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Mean wherever you go, trouble follows," Jade laughed.

Tempest laughed. "Can't argue that. And while it was me beating on Toretto's trophy, Cheer started it."

"Doesn't sound like Cheer," Jade asked. "What you doing now?"

Tempest nodded in the direction of a group of a bunch of guys. "About to get in a lot more trouble if you know what I mean," she replied with a wink. "Couple of boys want to put the Canadian constitution to the test. Likely all lightweights," she smirked. Jade blanched slightly, and Tempest laughed. "How bout you?"

"I was hoping to find a tag partner," she answered. "Couple of guys think their all that, want to do a relay race kind of thing. Maybe I'll ask Knight."

"Good luck," Temp wished her, then pulled her in close. "Keep a close eye on him," she cautioned, the other woman's face dropping the smile, a tight nod of the head before Tempest headed over to her admirers.

Jade shook her head slightly and headed over to where Knight was perched on Karr's hood. "Run a race with me?"

"You don't need me riding shotgun," he grinned.

Jade raised an eyebrow. "I know. I meant I need a second driver. Couple of guys think their all that, I want to separate them from such cash. They offered me a relay race type thing."

"Down and back, tag team style?" Knight asked. "I'm game."

"Great," Jade grinned. "Let's do this," and sprinted off towards her Eclipse.

Knight climbed into Karr's driver seat. "You up for a run?"

"Definitely," Karr replied, starting his engine in anticipation.

Knight grinned. "Shoulda known I didn't need to ask," he said, taking the Trans-am's wheel, and heading the car after Jade.

Knight pulled the Trans-am over next to Jade's Mustang, and checked out their competition. One of the car's was an RX-7 with flames on the sides, a black dragon winding through them, twisted into the shape of a letter 'E' whilst the other car was a Nissan, with the same black dragon on the side, this time twisting through lightning bolts, both cars bearing a black tulip on the hood. He didn't comment, instead getting out of the car and joining Jade. "How much?"

"Two G's each," the guy leaning against the RX-7 answered.

Knight shrugged. "I'm in."

Jade grinned. "Good," and held up her cash. The other two drivers showed the colour of their money, and they organised the race. Jade was up first against the Nissan, with Karr and the RX-7 sat by the line, waiting for their partner to return. A blond girl in a race co-ordinator's outfit called the go, and the two cars took off. Knight frowned slightly as the Nissan quickly left the Mustang behind, wondering what was going through Jade's head.

Jade swore to herself as the Mustang faltered off the line, realising she'd shifted gear too soon. She wouldn't make that mistake again she told herself as she gave everything the Mustang had, shifting up through gears, desperately trying to catch the Nissan. a few seconds after getting to sixth gear, she hit her first shot of nitrous, blasting the Mustang past the Nissan, reaching the barrel a good 3 metres clear of the Nissan, slamming on the brakes and wrenching the wheel as she dropped the gears, the back end fishtailing as she went around the barrel and accelerated away as the Nissan rounded the barrel. She tried to concentrate on what she doing, shifting up through the gears quickly, knowing the Nissan was doing the same, then cursed as the other car rocketed past her, its driver obviously using the car's nitrous. She hit her second shot, trying to keep up, but as she caught up, the Nissan hit its second shot and roared away, leaving the Mustang in its dust. Jade swore, and dropped down a gear, sliding into the Nissan's slipstream in an effort to keep up, but it didn't work, the other car was just too fast, crossing the line way ahead of the Mustang, the RX-7 leaping away quickly.

Knight frowned to himself, revving the Trans-am's engine, ready to go, muttering. "Come on, come on," to himself. The Mustang tore over the line, and the Trans-am was away with a squeal of tyres, in hot pursuit of the RX-7.

Jade thumped the dashboard of the Mustang as she spun it around, and pulled over. "I hope you can pull this off boy."

"You seem awfully relaxed," Karr commented as the black and silver Trans-am raced along. "May I remind you that we're losing currently? And that our competition is just going around the barrel?"

"Not for long pal, not for long," Knight grinned, and moved the Trans-am into the path of the oncoming RX-7.

Karr protested slightly. "May I remind you that my programming now prevents me from allowing you to jeopardise your life, or the life of other humans?"

"Just relax."

"Kitt would not allow this."

"You're not Kitt," Knight replied. "You ready for this?"

"Aren't I always?" Karr replied huffily.

Knight grinned. "Get me a close up on the driver?"

Karr's monitor brought up the image just as the driver realised that the Trans-am was in his way, his face alarmed briefly, then tightened with concentration. Knight settled himself, and waited patiently as the two cars raced towards each other head on. His right hand dropped away from the wheel, as a collision seemed inevitable, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. The Rx-7 seemed to waver slightly, then the front wheels turned. Knight grinned and hit the turbo boost, slammed into his seat as the black and silver Trans-am leapt into the air, clearing the other car. Karr's monitor showed the RX-7's driver twisting in his seat, no longer concentrating, taken aback by what just happened, the RX-7 spinning out and stalling. Knight grinned and braced himself as the Trans-am landed, spinning it around the barrels quickly and blazing back down the strip. The RX-7 had restarted and got back on the road, and was heading towards the finish, but not soon, enough, the black and silver Trans-am roaring up behind it, the twin gold light bars rippling malevolently on the car's nose as it slipped around the side of the RX-7 and came up alongside, the Trans-am's nose just inches ahead as the cars crossed the line and pulled over to the side to collect winnings.

The RX-7's driver was not happy. "How'd you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make your car jump like that, how'd you do it?"

"Musta hit a bump in the road," Knight replied nonchalantly. "Kinda impressive huh?"

The 7's driver frowned, "You gotta be kidding."

"Hey, come on, how could I make it do that deliberately?" Knight grinned.

The RX-7's driver and the Nissan's driver reluctantly handed over their money, muttering as they walked back to their cars and glancing back over their shoulders. Knight ignored them as Jade kissed him."We won."

"Yes we did," Knight grinned. "Now I'm thirsty. Let's find something to drink."

Night Time

Night time was no different to day time at Race Wars. There were still races going on, as well as wild partying. Knight felt slightly uncomfortable, he'd never been big on the partying thing. Sure he enjoyed it when he was out clubbing with his friends when he'd still been home in England, but there was always that feeling of not fitting in. That was why he liked LA. Anywhere else, he felt like he didn't belong, it was why he'd taken up Michael's offer in Miami. LA was different, he felt like he did belong there, if only because nobody belongs in LA. His thoughts were brought back to earth when the Corona in his hand disappeared.

"Dance with me."

"I was drinking that."

"You've been sat for almost ten minutes without moving," Jade told him. "Brian started taking bets on how long you'd be sat there before you moved."

"He hung around Tej for too long," Knight shrugged, reaching for the Corona. Jade jerked it away, a sly smile on her face. Knight got up from where he was perched, stepping towards her, trying for it again as she stepped back. "You'd better give me that back," he growled at her.

She just laughed in response. "Or what?" she teased, moving away as he lunged for it again.

"Your pushing it girl."

Jade stuck her tongue out at him, quickly moving the bottle as he made a move, then squealed as he grabbed her instead, picking her up over his shoulder. "Put me down!"

Knight gave her backside a gentle smack. "Give me the beer back?"

"You want it back?"

"Yeah."

"Fine," Jade replied in a 'be careful what you wish for' kind of voice, twisting around slightly, and pouring the bottle over his head, prompting laughter from the Toretto team.

Knight tried to keep an annoyed look on his face, finding it a struggle. He had to admit it had been funny. "Well, now I'm just gonna have to take a shower aren't I?"

Jade's eyes widened as she realised what he meant and started thumping his back. "Don't you dare! Put me down now!"

Team Toretto got up from the table they were sat around as Knight yelled for Brian, wondering what he was up to, following him as he walked over to the tent where the girl had been dancing in a thong and t-shirt, under a shower when they'd arrived. "Brian get that hose will you?"

"Don't you dare Brian!" Jade yelled. "Ian put me down now!"

"Can't do that. Someone drenched me in Corona. Now that's bad enough, but when you consider its also wasting perfectly good beer…"

"I'm sorry," she offered, not sounding at all sorry, "please, put me down."

"Sure," Knight said, grabbing the second hose as Brian turned them both on. "Whatever you say," he grinned, setting her on her feet, straight under the spray from the hose. She gasped in shock and then grabbed for the hose, trying to turn it on him, or directing spray at Brian with the second hose, then ran and turned them off.

"Now I gotta go get dry and change, thanks a lot. Bastard," she said, although her tone suggested she wasn't as annoyed as she made out she was, and heading off towards the motor home she shared with Tempest and Cheer.

Knight yelled after her. "Hey, I'm sorry, it was just a bit of fun."

"Well, it wasn't fun," she shouted back, without so much as turning round.

Craig kept to the shadows as he waited outside the trailer for the Charger's owner to come out. He wasn't waiting long as the car's driver came out and headed for the Charger. Craig motioned quietly to his brother. The other Cowell pulled his F-40 forward, rolling down the window. "Hey, you up for a night time race?"

"Piss off pa..." Tommo didn't get chance to finish his answer as Craig leapt forward, slamming Tommo's head into the car's hood. Tommo grunted and swung around with a punch, Craig blocking skilfully, his black belt in karate coming to good use as he retaliated with a fast strike to the guy's face, knocking him off balance. Craig took the opening and slammed his forearm into the guy's throat. Tommo crumpled to the ground choking as Craig drew breath and glanced down unconcernedly, then quickly patted the other down, finally finding his wallet. He pulled it out of Tommo's jacket, opened it and extracted two grand in twenty dollar bills, before throwing the guys wallet on top of him and holding up the bills.

"That's the two grand you owe me from earlier."

He looked at his brother and climbed into the passenger seat of the Ferrari. "Let's go."

Brian lined up his Skyline alongside Kat's, wondering how he'd been talked into this. During the course of the night, the group had been laughing and joking, and the conversation had gotten around to whether or not Brian's Skyline could beat Kat's. One thing had lead to another, and now they were facing off. Brian wished he'd pointed out that a lot depended on the driver too, and one thing he knew was that Kat was a better driver, if only coz she was far crazier than he was. He grinned boyishly to himself at that, he'd pulled some crazy stuff in his time, jumping off a Supra to pull Vince off a truck, or jumping his Skyline over an automatic bridge, taking it over the top of the Supra he was racing against, but even that didn't compare to leaping a car off a ramp and onto the back of a private yacht. As Rome would put it, that was "crazy, real dukes of hazzard shit," and he had to admit it was. He knew from experience that Kat was just as crazy, running her Skyline as fast as she could, just to see how fast it could actually go, something that had scared the hell out of Leon. He'd tried it once and chickened out. He grinned and revved the engine of his Skyline, suspecting he was gonna have to come close to finding out if he was gonna stick a chance against Kat. The team was hollering as the two Skylines pulled up to the racing line, neon illuminating the ground beneath them as the starter called the go. Both exhausts flamed as the cars pulled away, dead level, their drivers quickly slamming through the gears. Brian frowned as he hit sixth gear, and punched both his NOS buttons at once. The silver Skyline shot forward as nitrous surged into its engine, Kat slipping her Skyline behind his, his slipstream pulling her car along for a few seconds, before she punched both NOS buttons, and whipped past him with a cheeky wave, the black, tiger bearing Skyline roaring past and over the line. Brian laughed as he crossed the line and spun the Skyline around, knowing he was going to get a ribbing from the rest of the team.

End of Chapter 25…