Rowen was about to open the driver's side door when he heard a couple of clicks close to his head, "I suggest you remove your hands from the door and put them on the steering wheel, slowly, unless you want a bullet in your head blue boy."
"You too, move your hands! Now!" The second driver barked at Ryo as he stood outside Ryo's door with a gun towards his head as well.
"Alright, fine, just relax, I'm moving my hands. See, nice and slow. There's no need to..."
"Quiet! I didn't say you could talk! Just move your hands!"
They've been through so many battles with their lives on the line day in and day out they knew it was better to keep their cool. But this time it was a little different, they haven't dealt with people having guns cocked at their heads. So at the moment all Rowen and Ryo could do was follow through with what they were told. They had to figure out how to get out of their mess as soon as possible without anyone getting shot. So many thoughts ran through their heads. How serious were they? Would these two shoot them without a second thought?
Kaye and Sage looked over towards their friends who were being held by gunpoint. They started to move until.
"I wouldn't unless of course, you want them to go through with it. I promise you, they will shoot."
Kaye readjusted her fighting stance as she narrowed her eyes at Reno. She could see he was enjoying the moment. 'This crew is crazy. They would resort to using guns to settle their disputes? I thought they'd have more honor and race or something else. But shooting people?'
Reno chuckled as his eyes gleamed, "Good choice, so you two are smart enough to not put your friends in further danger."
Sage watched them a bit longer and then turned his attention back to Maverick, "I thought better of you. Back in the day, we never once had any guns in the crew. You forbade anyone to carry. So why now?"
Maverick smirked as he kept his sights on him, "Times change, and so do people golden boy. I have no problem using guns anymore. As long as the job gets done, I don't care how. I told you before, you're going to pay for what you did to me."
"This whole vendetta is wrong. It wasn't Sage's fault what happened. Tobias was the one who sabotaged Maverick's car before they raced." Kaye interjected as she glanced towards him.
Reno frowned, "What are you talking about? Tobias wasn't even around back then. How do you know about what happened anyway? Wait, let me guess, golden boy finally told all of you our history. It doesn't matter, he's going to pay and the rest of you are going to as well."
"No Reno, Tobias was there back then. She's right, Rowen got it on video when he came the day of our race." Sage replied trying to bide time.
"Come on Sage, you expect me to believe you? Where's your proof?"
"Rowen saved his videos and sent them to each of us. We even have a picture of what Tobias looked like back then and what he looks like now. If you would just call off your crew and let us show you." Sage was trying hard to persuade him as he slowly reached for his cell. "I remember how you were against having photos taken because of other crews might see what we had under the hood of our cars so they could try to make their cars better and outrace us. But since he was trained as a reporter, he could sneak in a video recorder with no problem."
A deep and disturbing laugh came from Maverick, "Of course I know who Tobias is golden boy. I've always known, it's why we joined crews. He has more of what I was looking for in him than you ever did. I knew back then how dangerous he was, and how dangerous he is now. Just like he knows the same of me. We staged the whole thing! I knew Tobias sabotaged my car, I told him to!"
Reno glanced at his brother with a quizzical expression, 'What? Did I have it all wrong? My brother and Tobias knew one another? Did he tell him to sabotage his car? I don't understand.'
Kaye studied Reno, for a moment she saw the confusion in his eyes, 'Reno didn't know about their deal. Why would Maverick keep his brother in the dark with something like this?'
Sage blinked in confusion as he moved his hand away from his pocket, "Why would you tell him to do such a thing? Didn't you realize what you were risking?"
"Sure he did! So did we golden boy. We just had to make it look convincing enough so we could pay back your father's prescient for busting us. It was all for revenge, and you Sage fell for it so easily." Maverick taunted, "Now if you don't mind, hand over your cells so we can get rid of the evidence."
"Not going to happen. You're going to have to take them from us." Sage replied in an angered tone.
Reno and Maverick glanced at one another and gave a nod as they reached behind their backs and whipped out a gun at their targets.
Sage and Kaye stepped back from the guns pointed at them. These two were serious, they were going to shoot just like the other two holding Rowen and Ryo at gunpoint.
The two who were waiting by the cars Rowen and Ryo were sitting in turned their attention away from them for a moment. Just then two car horns blared hard and loud making the two move their guns away and covered their ears. Rowen and Ryo wasted no time and pulled the handles as they shoved the driver side doors at them and dove out of the cars as they wrestled with the two on the ground.
'If I don't time this just right, then I..No, this has gone on long enough!' Sage thought to himself as he saw Maverick starting to aim. Just as he saw him squeeze the trigger he dove for cover behind a tree just as the screaming slugs slammed into the space he'd occupied seconds before. Breathing hard he narrowed his eyes and steadied himself behind the tree. He could feel his heart racing, his adrenaline roaring in his ears.
"I suggest you two get off of my crew right this instant, the first shots were warning ones, next time they won't be so I suggest you two follow through with what I said," Maverick ordered as he cocked his gun a second time.
Rowen and Ryo held down the two on the ground as they looked towards the others when they heard Maverick's demand. "Alright! We're getting up don't shoot!" Ryo shouted back as he and Rowen released the ones they had pinned and stood up next to the cars.
Sage reached for his cell and did a quick text, 'guns shot at Yayoi Date's home send backup.' Then he put the cell away and glanced around the tree staying behind it for cover. He steadied himself getting his breathing back under control. Once he felt he was back in control Sage stepped out from behind the tree and faced Reno and Maverick. "The two of you have changed over the years, I thought better of the two of you."
"Who do you think you are going all high and mighty with us? You threw away your life of racing when you walked away from my brother and me. How could you have turned your back on family? Oh wait, I guess it gets easier turning your back on people since you've walked away from your other family first." Maverick reminded him. "Do you plan to walk out on your friends' too golden boy?"
Sage winced a bit internally, true enough it was his fault for walking out on both families. If he didn't then maybe things would have turned out better. He and his father might be talking and Maverick might not be teamed up with Tobias to carry out whatever they have planned.
Kaye glanced at Sage and then focused her attention back at Reno as she took a step towards him, "You're crazier than I thought. Sage wouldn't walk out on his friends. He's a better person now."
Reno raised a brow towards her, "Want to test your theory? I think it would be interesting to see if you're right about him or not." Faster than anyone realized Reno reached out and took hold of Kaye's wrist and yanked her towards him, securing her to his body while holding his gun on her.
Kaye struggled a bit testing out the strength of his hold. 'He's stronger than I thought, faster too. Stay calm. Why did it have to be guns? I hate guns.' She felt the cold nozzle of the gun dig into her side and stopped her struggling as she glanced at her friends.
"Come on man, you're better than this. Release Kaye and we'll walk away from this." Rowen chimed in as he talked to him in a calm tone.
A clicking sound could be heard when Reno pulled back on the hammer, "Stay back, don't you even think of coming any closer if you value her life."
Ryo narrowed his eyes at the brothers. He was about to speak, but then he saw Sage moving from the corner of his eye.
Sage took a few steps closer, "Reno, I'm warning you. Let her go now."
Reno laughed as he kept his hold, "What are you going to do if I don't, hmm? Tell me."
"It isn't what I'm going to do to you if you don't let her go. It's what she's going to do." Sage warned with a slight smirk as he caught her eye.
Kaye picked up on his intention. She dropped her head forward and then snapped it straight back hard and fast nailing Reno dead onto his nose. When she felt him loosen his grip just enough, Kaye leaned forward and grabbed his leg and yanked up so he would land on his back. She kicked his gun out of the way and shifted into a fighting stance.
Reno glared at Kaye from the ground as he cupped his bleeding nose. "I'll get you back for this bitch! You broke my frickin' nose!"
"Tch, whatever, since you held a gun on me, I'd say we're even."
Just as Kaye launched her escape, Sage took the opportunity and kicked the gun out of Maverick's hand and delivered a few jabs to his face and then finished off with an uppercut.
Maverick landed on the ground laying on his side rubbing his pounding head. Glancing around he couldn't believe these four took out him and his crew in just a few moves. His thoughts turned back to the crew member inside who was suppose to be gathering the evidence the detective hid in her house. 'If they took us out, then more is likely the other two would have no problem taking out the one inside. We might have to go more into desperate measures.'
Rowen and Ryo whirled around at the same time and in the confusion knocked the guns out of the other two from the crew and sent them flying into a couple of trees a few feet behind them.
"Nice kick Rowen, but the execution could have been a little better."
Rowen raised a brow at him, "What are you talking about? My kick was on point. He went further than your guy."
Ryo gave a small nod, "Yes, but it was mainly because you're faster, I'm more accurate."
"Aww man, come on, seriously!"
Sage glanced over towards them, "Hey, would you two mind saving this debate for another time? We're not done yet."
'You're right about one thing golden boy, we're not done, not by a long shot.' Reno thought as he lowered his bloody hand from his nose and scrambled to his feet. He raced to his car and took out a remote. A drone flew out from the backseat and hovered next to him.
"What in the world?" Ryo asked when he turned his attention towards Reno.
"It's a drone. By the looks of it, pretty advanced in design." Rowen replied as he studied the hovering object.
"Thanks, it's mine, and I have plenty more where this one came from just waiting for me to program their next orders," Reno said as he maneuvered the controller and made it fly towards Sage's and Kaye's vehicles. When it was close enough, Reno pushed a button and made the drone self-destruct taking both vehicles with it. A series of explosions lifted both burning cars off of their wheels. Once they landed, hunks of metal were ripped away in a fiery mess. The raging wall of fire rose higher, fueled by ruptured fuel tanks.
Their eyes went wide as they dove behind what they could for cover as razor shrapnel cut through the smoke-filled air.
Taking the advantage, Maverick and Reno raced to their car and took off as the other two ran to their cars and drove away as well.
Inside of Yayoi's home Kento, Cye and the one crew member remaining turned their attention to the explosion outside. "Well, looks like you have a choice to make, stay here and take me down, or go out there and see if your friends are still alive. Which will it be boys?"
Kento and Cye glanced at one another, there was no choice to be made, the two of them raced out of Yayoi's house and across the street as the allowed the remaining crew member escape with the evidence he was to find.
Kento's and Cye's eyes went wide when they saw both cars up in flames and a mountain of smoke billowing above. They shielded themselves as they crossed the street. "Kaye! Rowen! Sage! Ryo!" The two yelled out searching for them hoping they were alright.
"Kento! Cye! We're over here!" Ryo shouted over towards them from behind a large van.
They raced over towards them, concern laced in their eyes when they saw the others sitting on the ground with their backs against the van. "Anyone hurt?"
"Besides, being sore, and a few scrapes it seems we're ok. What about you two? Looks like you had a bit of a hard time with the one inside?" Sage asked when he and the others took their time getting to their feet.
"Same, but most of all fine. Sorry, Sage but he got away with the evidence your sister collected on Tobias." Cye replied as they walked around the van and watched as the two cars continuing to burn.
Sage sighed as he closed his eyes, and after a few moments, he opened them again, "It's fine Cye. The most important thing is we're all ok. We'll have to figure out how to take them down another way."
Kento looked over towards Sage, "How did your cars blow up anyway?"
"Reno built a drone and flew it over to them and made it self-destruct." Rowen answered, "Though I'm impressed someone like him could build something so advanced."
Kento raised a brow towards him, "A what?"
"Drone, a small flying robot which can be programmed to do just about anything the programmer wants it to," Rowen explained still a bit fascinated by the idea.
"So now what? We can't stay around here, the cops might believe we had something to do with the two cars blowing up." Cye asked as he glanced around at them.
"I sent a message, they'll be arriving soon enough. Besides, the neighbors more likely called the cops so Cye has a point we shouldn't be here when they arrive. We don't have all of the answers yet." Sage explained and smirked a bit when he heard familiar engines revving close by. "Sounds like they're here." Sage walked out into the middle of the street and flagged them down.
"You always knew how to make yourself known didn't you golden boy." Dominic teased as she got out of her car.
"Hey Sparks, I see you got my message. What took you?" Sage teased back as he walked over towards her.
Dominic rolled her eyes, "Oh you know, traffic, the continuous construction, the cops. Which are on their way here along with the fire trucks. I heard their dispatcher over the radio. So if you and your friends don't want to stick around then I suggest we get going."
Kento raised a brow with a smirk, "Is it me, or does it look like those two are getting back together?"
Rowen shook his head as he hit Kento in the back of his, "Come on, it looks like we have our ride."
"Rowen!" Kento scowled as he rubbed the back of his head a bit and then lowered his hand and followed him.
"So what are we to do now Ryo?" Cye asked as he glanced over towards him as he and the others walked towards Dominic's crew.
"The only thing we can do now Cye is to go with Dominic's crew and figure out our next move. We're going to have to stay out of sight for a while, I wouldn't doubt if Reno can program his drone to self-destruct, then he might be able to try and track us through them as well." Ryo figured as they walked up to Dominic and Sage.
Rowen gave a nod, "Sounds possible. Especially if he's as smart as he seems to be. We might have to figure out a different angle to use to take them down."
"I think I might have one, but it isn't all the way thought out yet." Kaye offered while looking over at Rowen.
"What are you thinking?"
"Well, when Maverick was boasting to Sage about him knowing about Tobias back in the day. I noticed Reno was confused about what his brother said. He had no idea they struck a deal to have Tobias sabotage Maverick's car." Kaye started to explain.
Dominic raised a brow towards her, "So you're saying, to take down Maverick and Tobias, we'll have to see if we can flip Reno? He's not going to flip on his brother. They're tight."
Sage nodded, "She's right, it'll be too hard to convince Reno to turn in his brother."
One of Dom's crew leaned out of his window and looked at the group, "Hey, mind if we talk about this somewhere else? They're only a few blocks away, so unless you want to go downtown? I suggest we get going, now."
Dom gave a nod, "Alright! Everyone! Get into a vehicle and let's get moving!" Getting into her car she started it up, glancing over she saw Sage taking the passenger seat. The two of them smiled at one another and then she leads them away from Yayoi's home.
Sage glanced in the review mirror and saw his friends going into the remaining cars and they followed right after. 'I can just imagine what my father would be thinking when he hears about this. He already has his mindset against me, so this would make it worse. I don't know if we can come back as a family after this.'
Dominic glanced at Sage and noticed his distraction, "Hey, everything will work out, you'll see. Tobias and Maverick will be taken down, and we'll put a stop to their crew."
Glancing towards her he gave a small nod. "Sparks, know of any place where we'd be able to get a few new cars?"
Dominic smirked at him, "You bet I do. They're the best in the city. We just received some new ones a couple of days ago."
"Received? You mean racing for keys?"
"Is there any other way to get a new car?" Dominic teased with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
Sage chuckled, he knew Dom would never change no matter what. It's what he liked about her. She told it like it was and didn't care how others felt. It was the reason why Sage left Dom in charge when he left the crew. Well, one of the few reasons why she was a good leader. She cared for the ones who stuck around like family. It was the way it was supposed to be. It didn't matter where someone came from, just as long as you didn't cross her she would do whatever it took to keep her crew together. But, if you crossed her, then you better take cover.