NOTE: I just want to thank all the people who were nice to read the beginning of this story once again, and though this chapter came out pretty quick I don't know if that will be the case all the time. So know that your patience is greatly appreciated and I hope you keep giving me feedback on how you think the story is progressing/should progress.

- Chapter II -

Rendezvous

Bilkins stood on the edge of the building's roof, his eyes closed, as the wind engufled his senses. The sun was setting, and there was rarely a more peaceful moment to be found than this one, especially for his profession. But of course, such moments are always shortlived.

"You know, I gotta hand it to you, Bilkins," a voice boomed from behind him.

"You gave the kid a chance, he screwed you over. You gave it to him again, got him into the FBI no less, and he screwes you over again," the man recalled as he stepped to Bilkins' side.

"I don't want to sound like a pesimist, but I'm starting to detect a pattern here."

Bilkins looked at the suit and tie wearing government official and the two smirked at each other.

"Us, Seargeant Tanner. He screwed us over," Bilkins noted.

"Doesn't wash away the bad taste, does it?" Tanner asked, his hands in his pockets as he looked over at the streets below.

"No. It doesn't," Bilkins admitted.

"So why would you split the blame, then?" Tanner asked probingly.

"You know what they say. 'Sharing is caring'."

Both laughed at this heartily. In a way, they both knew that Brian was a product of the two of them. Then, reality settled in and they considered their position.

"So is the LAPD intervening with our investigation as usual?" Bilkins asked with a frown.

"Why not? I thought you'd miss my charms after all this time," Tanner joked.

"You should've sent flowers, then," Bilkins retorted sarastically.

"I didn't know you were into flowers," Tanner admitted.

"Stop with the jokes, alright?!" Bilkins demanded, sighing in frustration.

"O'Conner's out there, alone, with a fugitive from justice. He could be on the other side of the ocean right now, and we can't do a damn thing about it," Bilkins noted, as Tanner's light attitude began to fade.

"Well, we're just gonna have to do what we do best," Tanner said, putting on his sunglasses. Bilkins turned to face him.

"And what's that?" Bilkins asked inquisitively. Tanner smirked again.

"Make sure nobody suspects we're doing anything."

Dom and his crew gathered at the airport. The former King of the streets turned to Tego and Omar. The latter seemed a lot more visibly disturbed than the other.

"So you know when you'll be back?" Tego asked, although he very well knew that Dom's return trip would have to wait an indefinite time period. He saw that Dom knew that as well, and simply nodded. Both Tego and Omar gave their friend a bro hug, Omar trying to hold back his discontent but failing at it miserably.

"Be careful on the other side, okay?" Tego warned.

"You know me, Tego," Dom noted with a smirk.

"That's what worries me," Tego admitted. Dom nodded in appreciation. Then they turned their attention to Mia.

"Ah, bonita, we're going to miss you," Tego said as he and Omar shared a hug with her as well.

"I don't doubt it for a second," Mia acknowledged with a smile.

"Alright guys, we have to go. They'll be contacting airports about us," Brian said, fist bumping with the two teammates, and throwing his duffel bag over his shoulder. The three waved their final goodbyes and continued on through the airport.

"So, where are we going?" Brian asked.

"How does the other side of the map sound?" Dom offered, wrapping his arm around Mia.

"Japan?" Brian asked again.

"Tokyo, to be exact. I know a friend who'll hook us up when we get there," Dom confessed.

"Maybe someone who'll finally settle you down," Mia pondered jokingly.

"Han? Nah. He'll probably be in more trouble than I am already," Dom said as he recalled his runs with Han in the Dominican Republic and elsewhere.

BUMP!

Brian grunted as he got bodychecked by another passanger, an Asian mobster-looking type whose right arm was wrapped in a cast from a recent injury. He was followed by two large bodyguards. After sharing a glare with the man, Brian took a look at the tag on his suitcase. It read 'Takashi Kamata'.

"Who was that?" Mia asked, but Brian saw that Dom was staring past him, at Takashi.

"I don't know," Brian said with shrug, turning to face his bald headed companion.

"What about you, Dom? Ever seen him before?" Brian asked, but Dom clearly wasn't in the mood.

"Never mind him. Let's go."

Lance knew there was something off right from the beginning as he sat in the passenger seat of his Toyota Camry. For starters, the deal was supposed to go down in an orderly fashion with the two negotiators meeting alone at the center of the dock. No such luck. There was no one there, and despite all the lessons Tran taught him, Lance had to take the chance. He sent his negotiator in, communicating with him over an earpiece.

"Don't make any sudden moves or gestures. Who knows who could be out there?" Lance warned his footsoldier, but then...

BOOM!

The sound of the windshield shattering was a surprise to Lance as he thought the negotiator was the obvious victim, but it turned out to be the driver next to him who had his brains blown out all over the backseat. The two thugs there recoiled in disgust.

"Ah, shit! What do we do, boss?!" one of them asked.

"Get out!" Lance ordered, and after the two hesitated, he pulled out a gun threateningly.

"GET OUT!"

With no time to argue, both of the thugs exited the vehicle and ran over to where the negotiator dissapeared, spraying ammo aimlessly.

BOOM! BOOM!

Two more shots rang out from the dark and Lance kicked the dead driver out onto the concrete slab, taking control of the car. The mobster floored it, the tires leaving treadmarks on the ground. Taking a look in his rearview mirror, he saw a few pairs of headlights suddenly light up in the dark.

It was a set up. The pursuing cars were all tricked out imports ranging from Mazdas to Nissans and the like. There was simply no way he would be able to outrun them so Lance swerved harshly to the left into an alley and then a right, manuvering his way through the tight spaces. He saw the back entrance to what would seem to be an apartment complex and stopped his car right beside it so that you had to go through the passenger door to enter the building. That would stall the pursuers a little, but it was hardly a moment to relax. Lance burst into the complex and started running up the stairs.

Just at the very end of one of the last flights...

SMACK!

He felt someone melee him with would appear to have been the butt of a rifle and Lance lost consciousness.