Chapter 3

Five engines throbbed their deep base growl as the approached the warehouses. They could see the bright lights and hear the music pumping it's furious beat, and all felt a familiar rush of adrenalin. Though they all were concerned as to how they would be accepted. They'd disappeared totally for a year, would the group trust them, if they suddenly reappeared. Dom worried the most, he had been king of the racers, but someone else would be king now, someone else would rule, he was nervous though he didn't show it.

The cars cruised slowly through the crowds of people, and one by one backed into a clear space between a red Integra, looking like it was about to jump into orbit, and a white NSX, it's body shell vibrating as bass flooded out. Few had noticed the teams arrival, but Dom recognised few faces, obviously their were plenty of new racers about, then someone saw the RX7, and the crown began to gather. Dom stepped out of his car, and stood with the others prioratorialy over their gleaming machines. Whispers of cars running nines quickly spread and the excited crown gathered, a black man approached Dom, his arms open.

"Edwin, how you doing."

"Dom, you back. Where you been, I see you picked up a new Crew member."

"Yeah, you know what they say, snowmen don't last forever. So, who's running it down here now?"

"A lots changed man, after you left, these two crews turned up, and started this turf war. Their pretty evenly matched, and each have about half the racers supporting them. Every race, one of each team races, no one else can beat em. They've both got some serious cash behind em." Dom looked at Brian and nodded, then turned back to Edwin.

"Where's Hector, I owe him."

Edwin looked down, "He finally made it pro, got on the Circuit, first race someone k'd his car, fractured the NOS pipe. When he hit the button, it blew. He never knew what happened. Anyway, you back for your thrown." Dom cursed under his breath.

"We'll see boy. I have some unfinished business here." Suddenly the crowd erupted, and the sound of engines gunning could be heard.

"Guess the parties about to start."

Two lines of gleaming metal slowly made their way down the lines of parked cars, slowly peeling off one by one till only the lead cars remained. They stopped dead centre of the meeting place, six feet from Dom, Brian and the rest of the Team. They looked the cars up and down, a green Honda Integra Type R, and a pink Mitsubishi Evo, with a liberal amount of Chrome plating on the extras, it gave the impression of a huge pink cat, ready to pounce on something in the distance. Brian noted the drive as she exited the vehicle. She looked like a blond Letty. He laughed.

"Dom, you've been replaced by a queen."

"Yeah." There was no humour in his voice. "She's the one."

"Sorry. The one what?" Brian looked confused. "Do you know here?"

"Yeah, and she's bad news. She may look hot, but her heart is as cold as ice. Her names Elise Sailais, though she prefers, Full Throttle. I should have know, but I'd heard she'd moved to New York. I guess she's back."

"All we need is the proof then." Brian placed a hand on Dom's shoulder. "But there's no hurry for that is there. Let's get a race." Dom gave a short laugh, and approached the group that had gathered round the girl, and the owner of the Type R, a Black guy in his late twenties, wearing more metal round his neck, than in his car, including his name in Inch high steel letters, Lexx. As they approached, they heard the buy in. The girl was talking, a slick smooth voice that gave Leon a pleasant shiver down his spine.

" It's a 5G buy in tonight, one race, who's in." Lexx handed a roll of bills to an Edwin, who was holding the cash for tonight. Now one else stepped forward.

"No one else?" She said, looking round.

"I'm in!" Dom stepped forward the crowd parting for him. He noted with pleasure Elise shift with unease at the sight of him. Lexx looked him up and down.

"I ain't seen you round here before. What makes you thing you can just jump in with us?" Dom smiled.

"She can vouch for me." Indicating Elise. Lexx looked at her, and shrugged.

"Then your in man. Lets race." People broke for their cars, and in seconds had begun to disperse. Brian looked out of the window at the RX7.

"You know what you're doing."

"Yeah, don't worry about me, it's gonna be your turn next." The team sped off heading for the main street. They knew for big races, it was the only one wide enough. Brian smiled, it had been a while since they'd done this properly, not counting the days at air fields. 'This is going to be fun.' He thought.

** A\N * I'm actually into the racing scene (though in Britain it's slightly different) and the Pink Evo actually belongs to my friend Izi, and it doesn't look as bad as you might think. (Especially with her behind the wheel. ;-))*