New chapter time guys n gals. Shout out to my girl Tempest, thanks for beta'ing again girl, your a star. if you havent read them guys go read "Adrenaline" and "She's Bonnie" coz they're both brilliant, and they'll help with this. I also recommend "Tough but Tender" too, it's off the hook! Shout out to Cheer and the other usual suspects, you know who you are. i also recommend "America's Fates" by Penning Fantasy, and "The Ultimate Betrayal" stories by Cheer, all great stories. we're fast approaching Race Wars, so if you got a design you'd like to see there, send in the make of car, and the designs, and the sex of the driver, but please NO Skylines. Enjoy the chapter boys and girls!

Chapter 25: White Bird Must Fly, Or She Will Die

"So, what do you want to do next?" Knight asked as they left the restaurant. Becky twirled in the car park as they walked over to the black and silver Trans-am –"I dunno. I feel full, that was good food."

"Dom said it was the best Italian restaurant in the city," Knight grinned –"Can believe it."

"It's a beautiful night," Becky told him, looking up at the sky. Knight looked upwards –"Yeah it is. Been a long time since I just sat and watched the stars."

"Can't do that well here. Too many bright lights," Becky sighed –"Need a wide open space."

"We could go to the beach, sit and watch the stars for a bit," Knight suggested. Becky laughed –"You're kidding right? It's the middle of the night, it'll be freezing."

"I didn't say we'd stay long," Knight grinned –"I don't relish the idea of freezing to death."

"Can we go dancing after?" Becky asked, leaning on Karr's roof. Now it was Knight's turn to laugh –"I can't dance, you know that."

"So I get a good laugh at your expense," Becky teased. Knight was about to reply when he saw a red dot gleaming on the car's auto roof, travelling across –"Get in the car!" he yelled, dropping to a crouch, yanking the Trans-am's door open. Small flashes lit up against the windows and the bodywork as bullets hit the car, Knight hauling himself in and slamming the door, noticing the change in fire rate. Whoever the shooter was, their weapon acted just as well as an automatic weapon as it did a sniper rifle. Possibly a PSG-1 he decided, wishing he could verbalise orders to Karr with Becky present. Becky flinched, her arms over her head as she drew herself up into a ball against the passenger seat as the bullets bounced harmlessly off the windscreen. He put an arm on her reassuringly –"It's alright, relax. The car's bullet proof."

Becky moved her arms slightly and gave him a nervous look –"Why do you have a bullet proof car?"

"Perk of the job," Knight shrugged, trying to make it sound like a joke. She gave him a suspicious look, and he raised his open hands in mock surrender –"The Knight Foundation came up with a chemical, that when it hardens, forms a molecular bonded shell. It's designed to lessen damage in collisions. Impact resistant. Which fortunately includes bullet impacts," Knight told her, ignoring the fact that while he was telling her the truth, he was misleading her and keeping things from her as well. Becky relaxed slightly –"So it's just a coincidence that its bullet proof?"

Knight nodded –"That's right."

"So next question…who did you piss off to get them shooting at you?"

"Only one person recently. Ricky Tran. Does he know anyone to pull this off or can he do it himself?"

"I don't know who he knows," Becky answered, then reluctantly added –"But I know Tempest could…But I doubt it was her."

"Because you're her friend, and she wouldn't shoot at you?"

Becky nodded, her face lacking its normal pallor. Knight smiled at her slightly –"Besides, who says they were shooting at me? They might have been shooting at you."

She gave him a doubtful but worried look –"In that case, will you promise not to leave me tonight?"

"I didn't have any intention of doing," Knight smiled as he replied, then kissed her deeply for several moments, then grinned as they separated –"Well, the night is still young and I'm not letting our mystery shooter spoil the evening. Let's hit the beach."

They sat at the beach, under the full moon, resting on Karr's hood. Knight sighed slightly –"I got something I really ought to tell you."

"This doesn't sound good," Becky said –"Do I want to know?"

Knight exhaled slightly –"probably not but…its better that I tell you."

"Really not liking the sound of this," she replied. Knight grimaced –"I haven't been entirely honest with you. I haven't lied to you, I wouldn't, but I have kept a few things from you," he raised a hand to forestall her reply –"You got every right to be angry but hear me out. I do work for the Knight Foundation…like I said, it has different divisions. The bit I work for is the Foundation for Law and Government. Sorta freelance investigation department."

Becky sat silently, staring at him –"Wasn't what I expecting."

Knight half nodded –"Last couple of months, there've been a series of truck hijackings. My partner and I got sent undercover to investigate because the vehicles described matched a case from about a year ago, with connections to street racing. I was chosen coz I used to be a street racer, it's why I was hired."

"You never really told me anything about your job, so you haven't lied about that. What else have you kept from me?"

"My car is bullet proof for a reason. The shell I told you about makes the car virtually indestructible. And the computer onboard is a lot more advanced than I've let on."

"How much more advanced?"

"Which leads me to introducing you to my partner. Karr, say hello."

The Trans-am stayed silent, although the illumination from its scanner told him the car had heard him. Becky was looking at him in the same way Toretto and his team had –"C'mon Karr, before she thinks I'm crazy."

"I was under the impression she already did," Karr replied –"But if you wish me to try convince her otherwise, I will attempt to do so. However, since I strongly suspect she may be correct, success isn't guaranteed."

Becky had jumped off the hood and was now staring at the car –"It talks? The car talks?"

"How observant. I'll bet she even knows how many tyres I have."

"And they're over inflated," Knight told him –"Be nice."

"How can a car talk?" Becky asked. Knight shrugged –"It's all computers, and beyond anything I know about them. Don't ask me how, I don't know, and I don't wanna know."

"It would be beyond your mental capability anyway," Karr told him coldly. Becky laughed –"And it knows you so well."

"It lacks manners though," Knight smirked. Karr wasn't prepared to let that slide by –"My manners are fine. I just respond in kind."

"Alright, I give."

"You two sound like old marrieds," Becky giggled. Karr was first to respond –"If we were, I'd want a divorce. And custody of me."

"Karr, there's only one person on the planet I'd marry and it ain't you," Knight replied, then blushed slightly as Becky looked at him –"umm."

She raised an eyebrow –"yes?"

"That didn't exactly come out right."

"Don't worry, I didn't think you meant anything by it," she replied, her tone teasing, but sounding sad at the same time. Knight frowned slightly –"I would sometime, but it's a bit soon."

"I was kidding," Becky said lightly, kissing his cheek. Knight brushed her cheek softly and kissed her gently, pulling her back against him.

Next Day

The door on the rear of the semi lowered slowly as the black and silver Trans-am approached, forming a ramp as the two vehicles moved along the road. The Trans-am was moving slightly faster, gliding up the ramp and coming to a halt, the door closing behind it as Knight exited the car –"I think I may have stirred up the hornets nest."

"How's that?" Michael asked. Knight leaned on the wall of the semi –"someone took a shot at me last night?"

"Sadly not the metaphorical kind of shot," Karr added. Knight glared at the Trans-am –"I think you better be quiet since you didn't get a make on the shooter."

"You never asked," Karr replied coldly –"And I did get an image of the shooter."

Knight shook his head –"I shouldn't have to. And that was not an image, that was a blur, and a useless one at that."

"Let me have it Karr," Bonnie told the Trans-am –"I'll run it through the computers, see if we can clean it up, get a recognisable face from it."

"Very well," the car replied, scanner rippling back and forth once. Michael looked back and forth between Knight and Karr –"Are you two finished?"

Karr didn't reply except for a swish of the scanner mounted on his front, Knight matching the sentiment with a shrug. Michael sighed –"Who do you thinks responsible for the shooting?"

"My money's on Ricky Tran," Knight answered –"I think he saw us last night when we went to check out his private garage. Plus I think I provoked him when I helped Becky out."

"You were out with her last night?" Michael asked, suddenly serious. Knight knew he was in trouble –"Yeah. I was. Had to explain Karr to her as well. One of the few drawbacks to having a bullet proof car."

"It's the distraction she provides that concerns me, not to mention that you're getting far too involved with people in this case."

"Michael she's an old friend," Knight protested –"I haven't told her anything about the case, she doesn't know that I'm an investigator."

"She's still a distraction, and right now, I think she's putting you at risk. And didn't you tell me that she's connected to Ricky Tran? For all you know she's involved with the heists!"

"She isn't!" Knight answered, raising his voice slightly. Bonnie intervened –"Michael, trust him. Like Devon trusted you with Stevie."

Michael tensed up –"Just be careful Knight," and headed into the back of the semi. Knight frowned and looked at Bonnie –"What was that about? Who the hell is Stevie?"

"She was Michael Long's fiancée."

"Who's Michael Long?"

"Michael is. Or was," Bonnie explained –"He was a cop, investigating an industrial espionage case. The culprits shot him, and left him for dead. He survived because of a metal plate in his forehead, but his face had to be rebuilt with plastic surgery. He was given a new face, new identity, to protect him from the people who left him for dead. He then brought them down and sent them to jail. But he had to leave his old life behind, including her."

"So how does she fit in?"

"She was working at a law firm. Her boss represented a Mob boss, and asked her to take a briefcase downstairs to a waiting sedan. The feds arrested her, and tried to use her to get her boss. Michael saw an article about her arrest in the paper and got the foundation involved. You can read about it in the archives, the assignment was codenamed 'White Bird,' file number 57330. There was another case, file 60212, she was involved in two years later, which caused Michael a bit of hurt."

"And this Devon, he was boss at the time? And he trusted Michael to not let his personal involvement interfere?" Knight asked. Bonnie nodded –"That's the short version."

Knight contemplated that briefly –"Thanks Bonnie. Tell Mike I'm sorry ok? I didn't mean to stir up old memories."

"I will. Now get out of here, and get the job done."

"You got it," Knight grinned, sliding into Karr's driver seat as Bonnie added –"Be careful."

"I will," Knight answered as Bonnie finished –"And take care of Ian too."

"I will Bonnie," Karr replied, his tone coldly amused as Knight thumped his head on the steering wheel, before backing the sleek Trans-am out of the semi, and spinning it around, heading for DT autos.

The Trans-am pulled to a fast halt outside DT autos, Knight leaping out and heading inside –"Where's Brian?"

"Him and Dom are at Harry's picking up parts, why?" Letty asked, rolling out from under a Focus. Knight quickly explained –"I think Ricky Tran saw us at his warehouse. Someone took a shot at me last night while I was out with Becky."

"It could be that bitch Tempest. Una cosa asquerosa. She's got the skill to do it and she's always been in bed with Ricky. ella puede ir al infierno " Letty replied. Knight shrugged –"I suppose it could be, but Becky doesn't think so. I just wanted to warn Brian, let him know."

"I'll tell him when he gets back," Letty promised –"How's Karr?"

"He's fine. Fortunately his shell is virtually indestructible. A few bullets can't damage him."

"Even if they do sting," Karr's voice came over the comm. link. Knight sighed –"Has Bonnie managed to get a reasonable image of the shooter yet?"

"No," Karr replied shortly, and the link went dead. Letty raised an eyebrow –"What was all that about?"

"Family feud," Knight wise cracked. Letty shook her head –"You shouldn't tease him so much. He may put a brave face on it for you, but he's very insecure. He told me about his past."

"I know. He has as many issues with trust as I do."

"Then maybe you shouldn't tease him so much," Letty pointed out, returning to the car she was working on. Knight shrugged to himself –"Maybe not."

"Definitely not," Letty told him from under the car, then rolled back out again –"Just out of curiosity, could you have beaten Dom?"

"You mean me and Karr, or just me with an ordinary car?"

"Just you. I know Karr could have beaten him, with or without you driving," Letty smirked. Karr's voice came over the comm. link –"Thank you."

Knight ignored him and shrugged –"I don't know. Me and Brian are fairly evenly matched, and if Brian can't take him…"

"No if about it, Brian can't take Dom in a race," Letty quickly interrupted. Knight shrugged –"If Brian can't, then there's no way I could. I'm good, but Dom looks to be a lot better. Probably only Kat in his league…maybe Tempest."

Letty sneered slightly –"She wishes."

Knight grinned slightly –"we'll see. Warn Brian for me?"

"Will do. Now get out of here, let me work."

"You got it," Knight grinned, and headed out –"Karr, what did she say before? The Spanish I mean."

"It wasn't very complimentary," Karr offered with his trademark cool steely voice –"However if you wish to know…"

"I'll pass thanks pal," Knight grinned –"Come on, we got things to do."

That night

Knight pulled Karr up with the other racers, Becky with him. Team Toretto weren't racing tonight, so he'd joined her to go sprint racing. Tempest was calling the shots as usual. He was impressed to see an Aston Martin Vanquish S, it was supposed to be the fastest Aston Martin ever made. At 520bhp with 7000rpm he could believe it, especially when it was rumoured to easily exceed speeds of 200mph. the first race was about to get started, Craig facing off with the guy who owned the Vanquish S, the Subaru Impreza Knight had raced previously and a Mustang Cobra SVT. Knight noticed a dark look cross the face of Ricky Tran as Tempest started the race, the four cars tearing away from the line. Knight punched up a visual display from Karr, watching as the cars bolted down the first stretch of road, fortunately clear of traffic as they jostled for position. The lead car changed rapidly, the two Aston Martin's trying hard to out do each other, the Subaru keeping up with them as they rounded the first bend, the Subaru on the inside. Craig's DB9 pulled ahead slightly, the Vanquish falling behind slightly as it went round the bend too wide. There was a slight scraping of metal as the Impreza slid by the side of the DB9, then swerved suddenly to avoid an oncoming car, letting Craig take the lead again. The Impreza's back end swung out wildly, the car's tyres trying to find purchase on the road as the car swung back in line, the other two cars flashing by in an instant. Its driver hit the nitrous, and caught up with the other two cars. The cars pulled in close together, swerving in and out of each others paths to stop each other getting past. The other two cars hit nitrous, and Craig hit his nitrous, pulling away from them even faster. He swerved to the left, then the far left lane to avoid an oncoming car, diving back across to the right, falling level with the Impreza. The DB9 pulled forward again slightly, the Impreza moving into his slipstream, then pulling ahead as they went into the last bend. Craig yanked on the wheel tightly to avoid slamming into the side of the Vanquish as it came up the inside, clipping the Impreza at over a hundred miles an hour. The results were spectacular, the Impreza smashing into the central reservation of the road, the front end crumpling as it hit the concrete, flipping up and over the barrier into the oncoming traffic. The car hit the tarmac, and rolled over, skidding along on its roof, sparks flaring from the friction. An oncoming car smashed into wreck, and flipped over into the central reservation. Knight watched on Karr's view screen as two more cars collided with the wreckage –"Karr, call an ambulance."

"Already done. The police have doubtless been notified as well, due to the circumstances."

"Great," Knight groaned, watching as with a surge of nitrous, Craig blasted his DB9 past the Vanquish to take first place, the Mustang bringing up the rear of the back. the cars didn't stop for long, each one roaring away from the scene of the accident, the other racers doing the same, obviously heading for a pre-arranged meeting point in the event of such an accident, every racer knowing that soon the local PD would be crawling around the site looking for those involved. Knight turned the Trans-am after Craig's DB9, following in its wake towards the meeting point, the cars occupants silent.

End of Chapter 25…

NB: The "case numbers" are actually the production numbers for the episodes guest starring David Hasselhoff's then wife Catherine Hickland as "Stephanie Mason"