"Damn it Kat, what're you thinking?" Leon was looking over his shoulder to
make sure that Dom wasn't following them out of the garage to keep it
going. Kat was still trying to get back into the garage herself. Leon
couldn't believe how beautiful she was while she was this impassioned. She
was strong for her size to, Leon was having some trouble keeping an arm
around her.
"You heard what he said, he had it comin'." She shouted as Leon dragged her farther away from the garage door.
"You woulda been in pieces if you tried to fight him Kat. Jesus, look at him. He makes three of you."
"Yeah, if he fought me he woulda kicked the shit outa me eventually, but he'd still feel it tomorrow." Kat was still half shouting the insults toward the garage door as if she wanted Dom to hear her and come out to finish what they'd started.
"You really are cocky. He'd never fight you anyway, but he might backhand you or shove you to get you out of his face and not know how hard he did it in the heat of the moment." Leon shook his head. God she was hot while she was riled up. She was flushed and her breath was coming in pants. Her green eyes flashed fire like glacier ice. Her eyes were hot with passion but cold with intent all at the same time. He was still holding her back out of going back into the garage to finish what she started and she was fighting him off just like her namesake feline. Then she changed.
"Damn I'm sorry Leon. I didn't wanna start shit but he had to start in at me. I wasn't doin' anything and he started. But it's his place and I gotta work with Brian. Harry'll kill me if I piss Dom off too much." Kat didn't have any more incite into why Dom didn't like her and why she didn't like Dom then she did at the start of the day.
Leon watched the fight drain out of her as quick as it entered. She looked small and fragile all of a sudden where as a second before she looked larger then life and like she probably could've taken Dom on and held her own for a minute or two. She looked sad.
"I do shit like that sometimes, take shit too seriously. I don't know when to let stuff slide. This obviously would've been a good time to just let it go." She was scared of what could've happened in truth, but she wasn't gonna tell Leon that.
Leon could read the fear in her eyes. She was scared of Dom. Leon didn't know if it was because of what would have happened if they fought or if it was for some other reason, but he didn't like to see Kat scared. It didn't suit her. He didn't know if he should let her go, now that she wasn't gonna run off and do something stupid, or haul her closer and try to make it all better. "You don't need to be scared."
"I'm not scared." She stated. Leon saw right through the act. He bet it worked great on most people. People who didn't look too deep into her eyes.
"Well, do you think you're ok to drive home, or do you want me to take you? Your car'd be fine here overnight."
Dom looked out the window to where Kat and Leon were standing. He could read the fear in her expression and he was ashamed of his part in putting it there. Damn, if he coulda just kept his mouth shut about the NOS none of this woulda happened. But if she was scared of him and angry for at him for making her scared she's stay away right? Not likely by the way Leon still had his arms around her waist, his chin on her shoulder while he talked into her ear.
Kat glanced around and thought about that offer. She had no doubt she could drive home. Wither she could drive home safely was another matter. But she didn't want Dom to be mad at Leon, he had to live and work with the guy after all. Kat just saw him every once in awhile. She was calming down more every minute that she was away from Dom. She couldn't put her finger on what it was about him that pissed her off.
Leon watched the emotions play across her face and he could tell she was feeling better every second. He knew the reason Dom said he didn't want her around, but was that the real reason? Leon didn't think so. Why would that get him so hot and bothered about Kat's attitude? He looked at the shop window and saw Dom watching them.
"I think I'll be fine Leon. And I should probably go now. While he's in there and I'm out here and neither of us have to talk again today." She gave him a weak smile.
Letty wondered what Dom was so interested in out front. She'd just come into the shop via the back door to find Dom staring at something out front through the window. She walked to a point where she could see what he was looking at. It was that damn blonde girl, what's her name again. Kat, that was it. And Dom was staring at her while she talked to Leon.
"Dom, I thought you didn't have any interest in that girl." Letty spat out.
"I don't." Dom replied without looking away.
"Oh really? Then what the hell are you staring at?"
"Leon talking to the girl. I just almost hit her Let." Dom looked at Letty. "She said something about not knowing why someone would hold their NOS open, or that she never heard of it, and I said something like 'imagine there is something that miss perfect doesn't know' and she went toe to toe with me and started insulting me back. Leon hauled her out of here and if he didn't we woulda gotten in a fight. I don't have any interest in her, but I don't like her."
"Whatever you say Dom." He could tell she was being sarcastic.
"Damn Letty, ask Brian, I almost fought her. Besides that I think Leon likes her and she seems to like him back." Dom looked sincere.
"He really did almost fight her Letty. I was scared we'd be pullen 'em apart on the floor." Brian looked shaken.
Leon looked down at Kat, and while he wasn't tall like Dom and Vince, he did have to look down at this girl, she couldn't be much more then 5'4" in the flip flops she was wearing now and tried to judge if she really was ok to drive herself anywhere. She had some color back in her cheeks.
"You sure I can't take you home. If you want me to I will, I don't mind." And he really didn't, even though he was hotter then hell in this sun and his car didn't have A/C to save on the weight.
"Naw, I'll drive myself home. I'll be fine. I didn't actually fight him, I just almost did." She laughed. "And you probably never thought you'd meet a person as stupid as me." She said and looked away.
Leon could tell the laugh was to try and take some of the sting out of her self insult. He put a finger under her chin and turned her face to look him in the eye. "You're not stupid. But you act on impulse too much. You don't want to push Dom too far. I think maybe passionate is a better word for what you are."
She gave him one of those big genuine smiles he had already come to know. "Thanks." She said softly and simply.
"Don't mention it. Now head for home before he comes out here to 'apologize' and you all have another fight."
"Men like him don't apologize, but it is time to go. See you around?" She said as more of a question then a statement.
"Sure, I'll see ya. And Dom apologizes but not often. Say, you comen' to races at the warehouse tonight?"
"I never thought of it, I might. Doubt I'll race there yet, but I might come hang out."
"Well, if you do, I'll see you then."
"Well, maybe I'll have to come out now, just to see you in your natural habitat."
"This is my natural habitat, I work on cars, I race cars, and I hang out. I'm a simple guy."
"Well, I'm a simple girl." She tried to look serious.
Leon burst out laughing. "You are many things Kat, but simple ain't one of 'em."
She cocked her head to the side. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"
"I'd never do anything but compliment you Kat. I don't insult ladies."
"But I'm not a lady. I never was. I wasn't raised that way." She was serious this time.
"Maybe not, but you're not a guy so that makes you a lady." Leon pointed at her car. "Go home Kitten, before we decide to keep you." He chuckled.
"Yeah, like big daddy Dom'd let you." Leon gave her a very dirty look. "Ok, ok. I'm goin'. See ya tonight?"
"I'll be there for sure."
She got in her car and drove home. She took it right to the house. It was still broad daylight and she figured they'd go out for supper then go to races. She'd let Kale and Stacy take the Eclipse to races and her and Sean could take the Skyline. She ran up the steps to their place and burst through the door.
"Hey guys!"
"Hey girl, where ya been?" Kale asked her.
"Work, then hangin' out with Brian for awhile. You guys wanna go get some supper then check out races at the warehouse?"
"Hell Yeah." The three guys answered at the same time. Something wasn't right with Kat, but they knew if they pressed her about it she'd just clam up and they wouldn't get to talk to her about anything. She'd only talk when she was ready, you couldn't pressure her.
They all squeezed in the Eclipse and went to dinner at this restaurant the guys knew of called Cha Cha Cha. It was great food. Then they went and picked up the skyline and decided to see a movie. No one showed up to race till 12 and it was only 8 now. When the movie was over they headed to the warehouse and got parking spots. Kat took one look at how the girls were dressed and knew she didn't fit in. She was dressed too conservatively. She took her shirt off, thanking god she had a camisole under it that could pass for a tank top and she figured there was no help for the fact she was just wearing plain black pants. She took her hair down and finger combed it out. Then she climbed out of the car and met the guys in front of the cars.
"You racen' tonight Kitten?" Stacy asked her.
"Naw, doubt it. Not unless I get an offer I can't refuse."
"Such as?" Kale asked her.
"I won't know unless it happens guys. The idea is to come down and see how this scene works, and to hang out and start some speculation on who we are. I don't know if I'm ready to race here yet. Besides, I don't wanna race Torreto yet." She hadn't told them about the close call with fighting Dom she'd had this afternoon and she didn't intent to. "Do I look ok?"
"You looked fine with more clothes on if you ask me anything." Sean said. Kat punched him in the shoulder and grinned.
"You can only see a bit of my tummy. Every other girl is wearing hot pants and her bra as an outfit." Kat laughed. Stacy and Kale were enjoying that fact.
"But you're our girl, not some skank." Sean frowned at her.
"And my outfit isn't going to make me any less your girl, bro. I'll never be a skank. Let's go mingle." Kat wanted to see if Leon was around, but she didn't want the guys to know that.
"I'm there." Stacy said, still eyeing the scantily clad women.
"Let's go." Kale added his two cents. There was so much eye candy here it wasn't even funny.
They wandered off. The sites and sounds were even more overwhelming then back home to Kat. There were easily triple the cars and the varieties of music blaring from the cars were as varied as the ethnic backgrounds of the racers. The cars here easily outclassed over half the cars from her 'hood too. They walked around quietly commenting on the different cars and what they thought looked good. Stacy and Kale not so quietly commented on the women they thought looked good. Kat spotted Edwin and walked over to him and his clique.
"Hey Edwin. What's up man?"
"Kid! What're you doin' down here?"
"Well when someone told me it was on tonight I decided to come check it out. This is a different scene all together. But I like it."
"Who told you about races?" Edwin knew it hadn't been him. He wasn't ready to have Kat here yet. He had wanted to try to get her to race for him. Edwin guessed someone had gotten to her first.
"Just someone." Kat grinned like a cat in the cream.
"Gonna be like that huh?"
"You know it." They did there little closed fists handshake. "You racin' tonight Bro?"
"Sure, if Torreto is." Edwin said with a smirk.
"You still chasin' that rainbow bro? Think you'll beat him someday?" Kat grinned.
"Sure, I will. Someday. If you don't beat me to it."
"Now you're talkin' Edwin. So is he here yet?"
"No, I thought you weren't racin' tonight?"
"I'm not. I just wanna watch him race. He always show up late?" Kat frowned, thinking it would be just like someone like Dom to make others wait on him.
"Pretty much, they like to make their big entrance." The unique sound of a double clutched rotary engine could then be heard along with the particular beat of Pov City Anthem, Dom's signature song to play on the way to races. "Hear they come, we're on." Edwin rubbed his hands together. He headed for the red car. Kat ducked her head and headed back over to her guys. She didn't want Dom to see her. She hopped that Leon would seek her out because she wouldn't go looking for him if he was hanging out with his team.
She saw her guys were talking to a guy she didn't know. He was Latin and bald. She put an arm around Kale and smiled at him. He put an arm on her shoulders and smiled down at her.
"Kat, this is Hector. Hector, my girl, Kat." Kat held a hand out to Hector.
"Nice to meet you."
"Same to you Kat. So, you race?"
"Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing." They laughed. "Yeah, I do, but never around here before. I'm not racin' tonight. You?"
"I'm trying to go legit so I don't race here anymore. I wanna get up on the NIRA circuit. You know about that?"
"Of course. Whatoya drive?" Kat looked around any only saw a sickly colored Honda Civic hatchback. Hector pointed at it.
"That's my baby. Fastest car around here."
"Oh yeah? Then why aren't you racing the big Dawg tonight?"
"Cause I don't wanna get locked and get that as a black mark against me while I try to make it onto NIRA."
"I see." Kat nodded.
"What about you? Why aren't you racin'?"
"I'm just here to take in the sights."
"What, don't think your car can take on Torreto? Or is it that you don't think you can take him on and win."
"Homie please. I drive a Skyline, '99, GT-R, V-Spec. Nothin' here, including" she put a sarcastic lilt on the name, "Dominic Torreto can touch my ride. It's the fastest thing this crowd'll ever see. And when it comes to drivers you are looking at the real thing. I'm the real deal. If I can't make a car do it, it can't be done."
"Whoa, you have a skyline huh?" She nodded to the affirmative. "Well kid, I still think Dom can take you."
"Someday you'll get a chance to bet on that, but it won't be tonight. I'm not here to race. I just wanna be a bystander tonight." She said with a smile. "I can't get away with that back home so it's a nice break." It was hot out even for California, Kat thought and she gathered her hair off her neck for a second to let the cool breeze blow across her neck and back. She was totally oblivious to the looks she was getting from the males present, 'cept for her guys of course.
No one saw Dom in the shadows off to the side, listening to the whole exchange. He was steamed that she was talking shit about being able to beat him, then saying she wasn't gonna race. He didn't want to get in a fight with her again so he didn't say anything, but he wanted to. He'd never talk trash then say he had no intention of backing it up. Plus there was only one of him and three of her big friends. He wondered what she meant by she couldn't be a bystander back home. Well, he knew what she meant. Every time you showed up at races 10 punks wanted a chance at you.
But being the queen of her little homeboy races wouldn't get her far here, in the big leagues. He had an idea and he slipped off to put it in motion. He thought he could declaw this Kat. Plus he found her attractive and the fact made him angry. He hadn't messed around on Letty since before the last heist and he never planned on doin' that to her again. She still didn't trust him. He didn't want to mess his life up again. It was just a physical thing, he figured other guys had it happen to them. They just didn't act on it the way he had been. But he wasn't acting on this. Especially since Leon seemed to like her.
Someone walked up to Dom and asked him how they were doing the races tonight. Dom told him,
"Tonight for a change we're gonna let the ladies race. If we can get four ladies that wanna go that is. Letty, you want in girl?"
"Oh hell yeah." It had been awhile since Letty got to race and she was ready. She stood up off her bumper and walked over to Dom.
"Ok, 1 g buy in, ladies only for the first race." See if Kat could turn down Edwin when she got a chance to race girls. Dom'd bet money Kat figured girls couldn't race well, cause she fancied herself as one of the guys. Dom motioned Edwin over.
"Yo Dawg, how we doin' this?" Edwin asked. Dom reiterated the Ladies race and then said he was having trouble finding three girls who wanted to race Letty. Edwin smirked, Dom knew he'd fallen for the bait. Kat racing Letty wasn't as good as Kat racing him, but he'd bet Letty'd hand Kat's ass to her anyway. After all Dom had taught Letty everything she knew.
"I got a friend here tonight that might want in on this. I'll go talk to her." Dom nodded and Edwin walked away. He walked over to where Kat was still talking to Hector and her guys. "Yo Kat, first race of the evening is a ladies special. You gotta get in on it."
"I don't know Edwin. I didn't want to race. I wanted to build some mystery about my team first."
"Well, nothing better for that then taking on some competition and winning on your first night out. I mean come on girl, a ladies race? The only lady around here that'll come close to you is Letty. And I think you can take her in the end. He needs to find three others to race, if you get in it's only two."
Kat looked at Sean. He thought about it for a second. "How much?" He asked.
"1 g. Not even a big risk." Edwin wanted Kat in. She was his find in a way. He'd built her up in the 'hood when no one wanted to race a no name white girl, got her races and got her on her way. He wanted to break her into the big time too.
"Well, I'd say go for it Kitten. No big deal. You might even want to consider entering and throwing it so people underestimate you the next time you come here to race for real." Sean couldn't see why she shouldn't race.
"Sean, what are the odds of me losing on purpose? I rush to get everything done before other people, even if it isn't a race." She put her hand on her hip.
"Point taken Kitten. Race, win. It's all good. They'll all wonder who the new mystery chick is who beat the best women they have to offer." Kale wanted to see his Kitten kick some ass.
"Kay, I'm in. Who do we pay?" Kat decided in a snap when she had Sean's approval.
"I'll take care of it. Just give me your money." They trusted Edwin so Stacy handed over the thousand dollars. Kat snuck up through the crowd to watch who held the money down here. Dom and Hector and some other guys and girls were standing in a group off to the side by their cars. "Well Dom, my girl's in. Here's her money." Edwin handed the money to Dom. "Did you get 4 girls?" Dom nodded yes.
"Hector can hold the money." Dom said. And again, just like every other week someone asked "Why Hector?" And like every week Edwin said,
"Cause he's too damn slow to make off with the money, Man." Kat snickered behind her hand. She'd sized Hector up just that way herself, driven' a slow ass Civic. That was a kid's toy, not a true tuner car. He wasn't even in her league. But would she ever make NIRA? Not bloody likely, they never took girls. It wasn't fair. But that was her lot in life. She'd always be trying to make people see that she was just as good as any guy. She slipped back to her friends, who were standing by her car.
"Well, it's on. He got 4. Any minute now Edwin'll be back telling me where to line up." Edwin rejoined their group. "I gather the races around here are straight line?" She asked him. He nodded yes.
"Time to go line up girl." Edwin named the street.
Kat, Sean, Kale and Stacy all put their hands together. "Do or Die." They said in unison. Kat got in the skyline and headed for the street in question. The guys took the Eclipse down to the finish line. Kat stopped on the line. Edwin walked up to her car.
"You feelin' it girl? You ready?"
"Oh yeah, I'm ready." She could already taste the coppery adrenaline in her mouth, like sucking on pennies and honey. She revved the engine and looked to her right. She saw a black Eclipse, about 96 she figured. She looked back at Edwin. "Well Edwin. Fill me in. Who're these people, and who do I need to watch out for?"
"Well the black Eclipse isn't half the car this bad boy is, so needless to say as you proved down home last time, Eclipses aren't in your league."
"Don't go there Edwin, you know the older Eclipses blow the newer ones out of the water."
"Yeah, ok, but the chick driving that one doesn't blow anyone out of the water. You can take her. The car right behind me, the MX-6, the car might keep pace with you for the first while at least, but the girl is just out for a thrill, it's her man's car, he normally drives it and he put in all the wrench time." Kat nodded. "And the maroon 240sx, the American cousin of your car, with Letty Rodriguez driving is gonna make you work for the win. Hard. Letty is as tough as nails and fast as all get out. She's Dom's girl and he taught her all she knows. She's been with him since she started to drive. She helped him build that car, it's hers and she puts in most of her own wrench time. In other words, she's you, but Latin and this is home turf for her. Well, Dom doesn't let her race much, but this is still what she's use to."
"OK, so Letty is the only one I really need to watch." Edwin nodded. "Ok. I got this Edwin."
"I know you do. See ya at the finish." Edwin walked to his car and drove to the finish line.
Kat revved her engine and turned on her NOS and checked over all the monitoring software. Everything was within specs and ready to roll. She revved again and spit flames out her tailpipe. The crowd went nuts. They were just waiting for an all clear from Leon on the scanners. Kat was not use to this part. Normally they let tension build for a few minutes then raced. Here they had to do their best to be sure the cops were busy. She could see Hector talking to someone on his two way. All this waiting was nerve racking. She rolled her head around her shoulders to loosen up and then threw the car into first and got ready to go.
Leon was very curious as to how this race would play out. Letty was damn good. But Kat was driving a skyline. And since she had just won a car, she must be good too. He wished he'd gotten a chance to talk to Kat before this all went down. He heard that there was a robbery and hostage situation in a far off part of town. He gave Hector the all clear.
"We're good to roll? Ok. Let's Race!" Hector waved his arms to get their attention then with a snap dropped them to start them off. There was a great screech as the 4 high powered machines all took off. The four girls took off pretty well in unison. Letty snapped out to an early lead, the chick in the black Eclipse was sitting second, Kat was third, and the MX-6 was in last place.
"You heard what he said, he had it comin'." She shouted as Leon dragged her farther away from the garage door.
"You woulda been in pieces if you tried to fight him Kat. Jesus, look at him. He makes three of you."
"Yeah, if he fought me he woulda kicked the shit outa me eventually, but he'd still feel it tomorrow." Kat was still half shouting the insults toward the garage door as if she wanted Dom to hear her and come out to finish what they'd started.
"You really are cocky. He'd never fight you anyway, but he might backhand you or shove you to get you out of his face and not know how hard he did it in the heat of the moment." Leon shook his head. God she was hot while she was riled up. She was flushed and her breath was coming in pants. Her green eyes flashed fire like glacier ice. Her eyes were hot with passion but cold with intent all at the same time. He was still holding her back out of going back into the garage to finish what she started and she was fighting him off just like her namesake feline. Then she changed.
"Damn I'm sorry Leon. I didn't wanna start shit but he had to start in at me. I wasn't doin' anything and he started. But it's his place and I gotta work with Brian. Harry'll kill me if I piss Dom off too much." Kat didn't have any more incite into why Dom didn't like her and why she didn't like Dom then she did at the start of the day.
Leon watched the fight drain out of her as quick as it entered. She looked small and fragile all of a sudden where as a second before she looked larger then life and like she probably could've taken Dom on and held her own for a minute or two. She looked sad.
"I do shit like that sometimes, take shit too seriously. I don't know when to let stuff slide. This obviously would've been a good time to just let it go." She was scared of what could've happened in truth, but she wasn't gonna tell Leon that.
Leon could read the fear in her eyes. She was scared of Dom. Leon didn't know if it was because of what would have happened if they fought or if it was for some other reason, but he didn't like to see Kat scared. It didn't suit her. He didn't know if he should let her go, now that she wasn't gonna run off and do something stupid, or haul her closer and try to make it all better. "You don't need to be scared."
"I'm not scared." She stated. Leon saw right through the act. He bet it worked great on most people. People who didn't look too deep into her eyes.
"Well, do you think you're ok to drive home, or do you want me to take you? Your car'd be fine here overnight."
Dom looked out the window to where Kat and Leon were standing. He could read the fear in her expression and he was ashamed of his part in putting it there. Damn, if he coulda just kept his mouth shut about the NOS none of this woulda happened. But if she was scared of him and angry for at him for making her scared she's stay away right? Not likely by the way Leon still had his arms around her waist, his chin on her shoulder while he talked into her ear.
Kat glanced around and thought about that offer. She had no doubt she could drive home. Wither she could drive home safely was another matter. But she didn't want Dom to be mad at Leon, he had to live and work with the guy after all. Kat just saw him every once in awhile. She was calming down more every minute that she was away from Dom. She couldn't put her finger on what it was about him that pissed her off.
Leon watched the emotions play across her face and he could tell she was feeling better every second. He knew the reason Dom said he didn't want her around, but was that the real reason? Leon didn't think so. Why would that get him so hot and bothered about Kat's attitude? He looked at the shop window and saw Dom watching them.
"I think I'll be fine Leon. And I should probably go now. While he's in there and I'm out here and neither of us have to talk again today." She gave him a weak smile.
Letty wondered what Dom was so interested in out front. She'd just come into the shop via the back door to find Dom staring at something out front through the window. She walked to a point where she could see what he was looking at. It was that damn blonde girl, what's her name again. Kat, that was it. And Dom was staring at her while she talked to Leon.
"Dom, I thought you didn't have any interest in that girl." Letty spat out.
"I don't." Dom replied without looking away.
"Oh really? Then what the hell are you staring at?"
"Leon talking to the girl. I just almost hit her Let." Dom looked at Letty. "She said something about not knowing why someone would hold their NOS open, or that she never heard of it, and I said something like 'imagine there is something that miss perfect doesn't know' and she went toe to toe with me and started insulting me back. Leon hauled her out of here and if he didn't we woulda gotten in a fight. I don't have any interest in her, but I don't like her."
"Whatever you say Dom." He could tell she was being sarcastic.
"Damn Letty, ask Brian, I almost fought her. Besides that I think Leon likes her and she seems to like him back." Dom looked sincere.
"He really did almost fight her Letty. I was scared we'd be pullen 'em apart on the floor." Brian looked shaken.
Leon looked down at Kat, and while he wasn't tall like Dom and Vince, he did have to look down at this girl, she couldn't be much more then 5'4" in the flip flops she was wearing now and tried to judge if she really was ok to drive herself anywhere. She had some color back in her cheeks.
"You sure I can't take you home. If you want me to I will, I don't mind." And he really didn't, even though he was hotter then hell in this sun and his car didn't have A/C to save on the weight.
"Naw, I'll drive myself home. I'll be fine. I didn't actually fight him, I just almost did." She laughed. "And you probably never thought you'd meet a person as stupid as me." She said and looked away.
Leon could tell the laugh was to try and take some of the sting out of her self insult. He put a finger under her chin and turned her face to look him in the eye. "You're not stupid. But you act on impulse too much. You don't want to push Dom too far. I think maybe passionate is a better word for what you are."
She gave him one of those big genuine smiles he had already come to know. "Thanks." She said softly and simply.
"Don't mention it. Now head for home before he comes out here to 'apologize' and you all have another fight."
"Men like him don't apologize, but it is time to go. See you around?" She said as more of a question then a statement.
"Sure, I'll see ya. And Dom apologizes but not often. Say, you comen' to races at the warehouse tonight?"
"I never thought of it, I might. Doubt I'll race there yet, but I might come hang out."
"Well, if you do, I'll see you then."
"Well, maybe I'll have to come out now, just to see you in your natural habitat."
"This is my natural habitat, I work on cars, I race cars, and I hang out. I'm a simple guy."
"Well, I'm a simple girl." She tried to look serious.
Leon burst out laughing. "You are many things Kat, but simple ain't one of 'em."
She cocked her head to the side. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"
"I'd never do anything but compliment you Kat. I don't insult ladies."
"But I'm not a lady. I never was. I wasn't raised that way." She was serious this time.
"Maybe not, but you're not a guy so that makes you a lady." Leon pointed at her car. "Go home Kitten, before we decide to keep you." He chuckled.
"Yeah, like big daddy Dom'd let you." Leon gave her a very dirty look. "Ok, ok. I'm goin'. See ya tonight?"
"I'll be there for sure."
She got in her car and drove home. She took it right to the house. It was still broad daylight and she figured they'd go out for supper then go to races. She'd let Kale and Stacy take the Eclipse to races and her and Sean could take the Skyline. She ran up the steps to their place and burst through the door.
"Hey guys!"
"Hey girl, where ya been?" Kale asked her.
"Work, then hangin' out with Brian for awhile. You guys wanna go get some supper then check out races at the warehouse?"
"Hell Yeah." The three guys answered at the same time. Something wasn't right with Kat, but they knew if they pressed her about it she'd just clam up and they wouldn't get to talk to her about anything. She'd only talk when she was ready, you couldn't pressure her.
They all squeezed in the Eclipse and went to dinner at this restaurant the guys knew of called Cha Cha Cha. It was great food. Then they went and picked up the skyline and decided to see a movie. No one showed up to race till 12 and it was only 8 now. When the movie was over they headed to the warehouse and got parking spots. Kat took one look at how the girls were dressed and knew she didn't fit in. She was dressed too conservatively. She took her shirt off, thanking god she had a camisole under it that could pass for a tank top and she figured there was no help for the fact she was just wearing plain black pants. She took her hair down and finger combed it out. Then she climbed out of the car and met the guys in front of the cars.
"You racen' tonight Kitten?" Stacy asked her.
"Naw, doubt it. Not unless I get an offer I can't refuse."
"Such as?" Kale asked her.
"I won't know unless it happens guys. The idea is to come down and see how this scene works, and to hang out and start some speculation on who we are. I don't know if I'm ready to race here yet. Besides, I don't wanna race Torreto yet." She hadn't told them about the close call with fighting Dom she'd had this afternoon and she didn't intent to. "Do I look ok?"
"You looked fine with more clothes on if you ask me anything." Sean said. Kat punched him in the shoulder and grinned.
"You can only see a bit of my tummy. Every other girl is wearing hot pants and her bra as an outfit." Kat laughed. Stacy and Kale were enjoying that fact.
"But you're our girl, not some skank." Sean frowned at her.
"And my outfit isn't going to make me any less your girl, bro. I'll never be a skank. Let's go mingle." Kat wanted to see if Leon was around, but she didn't want the guys to know that.
"I'm there." Stacy said, still eyeing the scantily clad women.
"Let's go." Kale added his two cents. There was so much eye candy here it wasn't even funny.
They wandered off. The sites and sounds were even more overwhelming then back home to Kat. There were easily triple the cars and the varieties of music blaring from the cars were as varied as the ethnic backgrounds of the racers. The cars here easily outclassed over half the cars from her 'hood too. They walked around quietly commenting on the different cars and what they thought looked good. Stacy and Kale not so quietly commented on the women they thought looked good. Kat spotted Edwin and walked over to him and his clique.
"Hey Edwin. What's up man?"
"Kid! What're you doin' down here?"
"Well when someone told me it was on tonight I decided to come check it out. This is a different scene all together. But I like it."
"Who told you about races?" Edwin knew it hadn't been him. He wasn't ready to have Kat here yet. He had wanted to try to get her to race for him. Edwin guessed someone had gotten to her first.
"Just someone." Kat grinned like a cat in the cream.
"Gonna be like that huh?"
"You know it." They did there little closed fists handshake. "You racin' tonight Bro?"
"Sure, if Torreto is." Edwin said with a smirk.
"You still chasin' that rainbow bro? Think you'll beat him someday?" Kat grinned.
"Sure, I will. Someday. If you don't beat me to it."
"Now you're talkin' Edwin. So is he here yet?"
"No, I thought you weren't racin' tonight?"
"I'm not. I just wanna watch him race. He always show up late?" Kat frowned, thinking it would be just like someone like Dom to make others wait on him.
"Pretty much, they like to make their big entrance." The unique sound of a double clutched rotary engine could then be heard along with the particular beat of Pov City Anthem, Dom's signature song to play on the way to races. "Hear they come, we're on." Edwin rubbed his hands together. He headed for the red car. Kat ducked her head and headed back over to her guys. She didn't want Dom to see her. She hopped that Leon would seek her out because she wouldn't go looking for him if he was hanging out with his team.
She saw her guys were talking to a guy she didn't know. He was Latin and bald. She put an arm around Kale and smiled at him. He put an arm on her shoulders and smiled down at her.
"Kat, this is Hector. Hector, my girl, Kat." Kat held a hand out to Hector.
"Nice to meet you."
"Same to you Kat. So, you race?"
"Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing." They laughed. "Yeah, I do, but never around here before. I'm not racin' tonight. You?"
"I'm trying to go legit so I don't race here anymore. I wanna get up on the NIRA circuit. You know about that?"
"Of course. Whatoya drive?" Kat looked around any only saw a sickly colored Honda Civic hatchback. Hector pointed at it.
"That's my baby. Fastest car around here."
"Oh yeah? Then why aren't you racing the big Dawg tonight?"
"Cause I don't wanna get locked and get that as a black mark against me while I try to make it onto NIRA."
"I see." Kat nodded.
"What about you? Why aren't you racin'?"
"I'm just here to take in the sights."
"What, don't think your car can take on Torreto? Or is it that you don't think you can take him on and win."
"Homie please. I drive a Skyline, '99, GT-R, V-Spec. Nothin' here, including" she put a sarcastic lilt on the name, "Dominic Torreto can touch my ride. It's the fastest thing this crowd'll ever see. And when it comes to drivers you are looking at the real thing. I'm the real deal. If I can't make a car do it, it can't be done."
"Whoa, you have a skyline huh?" She nodded to the affirmative. "Well kid, I still think Dom can take you."
"Someday you'll get a chance to bet on that, but it won't be tonight. I'm not here to race. I just wanna be a bystander tonight." She said with a smile. "I can't get away with that back home so it's a nice break." It was hot out even for California, Kat thought and she gathered her hair off her neck for a second to let the cool breeze blow across her neck and back. She was totally oblivious to the looks she was getting from the males present, 'cept for her guys of course.
No one saw Dom in the shadows off to the side, listening to the whole exchange. He was steamed that she was talking shit about being able to beat him, then saying she wasn't gonna race. He didn't want to get in a fight with her again so he didn't say anything, but he wanted to. He'd never talk trash then say he had no intention of backing it up. Plus there was only one of him and three of her big friends. He wondered what she meant by she couldn't be a bystander back home. Well, he knew what she meant. Every time you showed up at races 10 punks wanted a chance at you.
But being the queen of her little homeboy races wouldn't get her far here, in the big leagues. He had an idea and he slipped off to put it in motion. He thought he could declaw this Kat. Plus he found her attractive and the fact made him angry. He hadn't messed around on Letty since before the last heist and he never planned on doin' that to her again. She still didn't trust him. He didn't want to mess his life up again. It was just a physical thing, he figured other guys had it happen to them. They just didn't act on it the way he had been. But he wasn't acting on this. Especially since Leon seemed to like her.
Someone walked up to Dom and asked him how they were doing the races tonight. Dom told him,
"Tonight for a change we're gonna let the ladies race. If we can get four ladies that wanna go that is. Letty, you want in girl?"
"Oh hell yeah." It had been awhile since Letty got to race and she was ready. She stood up off her bumper and walked over to Dom.
"Ok, 1 g buy in, ladies only for the first race." See if Kat could turn down Edwin when she got a chance to race girls. Dom'd bet money Kat figured girls couldn't race well, cause she fancied herself as one of the guys. Dom motioned Edwin over.
"Yo Dawg, how we doin' this?" Edwin asked. Dom reiterated the Ladies race and then said he was having trouble finding three girls who wanted to race Letty. Edwin smirked, Dom knew he'd fallen for the bait. Kat racing Letty wasn't as good as Kat racing him, but he'd bet Letty'd hand Kat's ass to her anyway. After all Dom had taught Letty everything she knew.
"I got a friend here tonight that might want in on this. I'll go talk to her." Dom nodded and Edwin walked away. He walked over to where Kat was still talking to Hector and her guys. "Yo Kat, first race of the evening is a ladies special. You gotta get in on it."
"I don't know Edwin. I didn't want to race. I wanted to build some mystery about my team first."
"Well, nothing better for that then taking on some competition and winning on your first night out. I mean come on girl, a ladies race? The only lady around here that'll come close to you is Letty. And I think you can take her in the end. He needs to find three others to race, if you get in it's only two."
Kat looked at Sean. He thought about it for a second. "How much?" He asked.
"1 g. Not even a big risk." Edwin wanted Kat in. She was his find in a way. He'd built her up in the 'hood when no one wanted to race a no name white girl, got her races and got her on her way. He wanted to break her into the big time too.
"Well, I'd say go for it Kitten. No big deal. You might even want to consider entering and throwing it so people underestimate you the next time you come here to race for real." Sean couldn't see why she shouldn't race.
"Sean, what are the odds of me losing on purpose? I rush to get everything done before other people, even if it isn't a race." She put her hand on her hip.
"Point taken Kitten. Race, win. It's all good. They'll all wonder who the new mystery chick is who beat the best women they have to offer." Kale wanted to see his Kitten kick some ass.
"Kay, I'm in. Who do we pay?" Kat decided in a snap when she had Sean's approval.
"I'll take care of it. Just give me your money." They trusted Edwin so Stacy handed over the thousand dollars. Kat snuck up through the crowd to watch who held the money down here. Dom and Hector and some other guys and girls were standing in a group off to the side by their cars. "Well Dom, my girl's in. Here's her money." Edwin handed the money to Dom. "Did you get 4 girls?" Dom nodded yes.
"Hector can hold the money." Dom said. And again, just like every other week someone asked "Why Hector?" And like every week Edwin said,
"Cause he's too damn slow to make off with the money, Man." Kat snickered behind her hand. She'd sized Hector up just that way herself, driven' a slow ass Civic. That was a kid's toy, not a true tuner car. He wasn't even in her league. But would she ever make NIRA? Not bloody likely, they never took girls. It wasn't fair. But that was her lot in life. She'd always be trying to make people see that she was just as good as any guy. She slipped back to her friends, who were standing by her car.
"Well, it's on. He got 4. Any minute now Edwin'll be back telling me where to line up." Edwin rejoined their group. "I gather the races around here are straight line?" She asked him. He nodded yes.
"Time to go line up girl." Edwin named the street.
Kat, Sean, Kale and Stacy all put their hands together. "Do or Die." They said in unison. Kat got in the skyline and headed for the street in question. The guys took the Eclipse down to the finish line. Kat stopped on the line. Edwin walked up to her car.
"You feelin' it girl? You ready?"
"Oh yeah, I'm ready." She could already taste the coppery adrenaline in her mouth, like sucking on pennies and honey. She revved the engine and looked to her right. She saw a black Eclipse, about 96 she figured. She looked back at Edwin. "Well Edwin. Fill me in. Who're these people, and who do I need to watch out for?"
"Well the black Eclipse isn't half the car this bad boy is, so needless to say as you proved down home last time, Eclipses aren't in your league."
"Don't go there Edwin, you know the older Eclipses blow the newer ones out of the water."
"Yeah, ok, but the chick driving that one doesn't blow anyone out of the water. You can take her. The car right behind me, the MX-6, the car might keep pace with you for the first while at least, but the girl is just out for a thrill, it's her man's car, he normally drives it and he put in all the wrench time." Kat nodded. "And the maroon 240sx, the American cousin of your car, with Letty Rodriguez driving is gonna make you work for the win. Hard. Letty is as tough as nails and fast as all get out. She's Dom's girl and he taught her all she knows. She's been with him since she started to drive. She helped him build that car, it's hers and she puts in most of her own wrench time. In other words, she's you, but Latin and this is home turf for her. Well, Dom doesn't let her race much, but this is still what she's use to."
"OK, so Letty is the only one I really need to watch." Edwin nodded. "Ok. I got this Edwin."
"I know you do. See ya at the finish." Edwin walked to his car and drove to the finish line.
Kat revved her engine and turned on her NOS and checked over all the monitoring software. Everything was within specs and ready to roll. She revved again and spit flames out her tailpipe. The crowd went nuts. They were just waiting for an all clear from Leon on the scanners. Kat was not use to this part. Normally they let tension build for a few minutes then raced. Here they had to do their best to be sure the cops were busy. She could see Hector talking to someone on his two way. All this waiting was nerve racking. She rolled her head around her shoulders to loosen up and then threw the car into first and got ready to go.
Leon was very curious as to how this race would play out. Letty was damn good. But Kat was driving a skyline. And since she had just won a car, she must be good too. He wished he'd gotten a chance to talk to Kat before this all went down. He heard that there was a robbery and hostage situation in a far off part of town. He gave Hector the all clear.
"We're good to roll? Ok. Let's Race!" Hector waved his arms to get their attention then with a snap dropped them to start them off. There was a great screech as the 4 high powered machines all took off. The four girls took off pretty well in unison. Letty snapped out to an early lead, the chick in the black Eclipse was sitting second, Kat was third, and the MX-6 was in last place.