Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"This was taken yesterday. Have a look." A slim woman in black handed a heavy bulk of files to a heavily built man who looked at her with a questioning gaze and eyes that said, 'This had better be worth my time.'
As he thumbed through the files, he became frustrated and made a motion to throw the files off, but after a calming gesture by the woman, he continued. His eyes widened.
The woman and the man saw in clear proof what was supposed to be a dead man. "You believe in ghosts?" She asked, seriousness lacing her tone, gazing at her with dark brown eyes that seemed to penetrate the soul yet didn't intimidate him. In her eyes there was something else...care.
The sound of pounding waves was all she heard as she made her way into her cabin near the cliffs. It's sunny outside so she wears a wide brimmed hat that covers a wide area. The salty air is enjoyable to her and she wishes she could always stay here, near the water and the cliffs.
She always feels free here.
She gazes towards a little mound, a small rocky outcropping, and notices it is being pounded by the waves very violently, but it stands strong. Just like her family despite everything they had lost. Vince...Jessie...Brian.
She remembered that day. The creamy colored coffin being lowered into the rectangular opening in the ground. It had been a cloudy day that day, sad and depressing. The atmosphere had been heavy and suffocating- for her. The only sounds she heard was from the people who cared enough to come, and she had noticed with bitterness that not a single of Brian's former friends seemed to have come even if they did had responsibilities as cops.
It almost made her want to tear them apart.
She had been a mess that day, and sometimes, at night she grieved the man she had loved so much yet knew so little. He had given everything he had for her and her family, even going from the 'good side' to the 'bad side' for her and her family. She had also noticed sadly that Brian had been the only O'Conner in that vicinity that day.
Days later, Dom had been called. The man who had killed Brian was Braga, a drug dealer. Dom didn't need further encouragement to seek the man and kill him for taking away Mia's happiness and a part of the family. Mia had been told later, after the mess had been sorted, that an old buddy of Brian's had joined Dom.
She remembered with perfect clarity, storming up to the dark-skinned man, slapping him and and crying. Wondering why he hadn't been at Brian's funeral.
The man only muttered a few apologies and disappeared. And that had been all she had heard of the man until the job back at Rio de Janeiro. Roman, that was the man's name. Roman Pierce.
Brian...
Dom had never really stopped grieving for the man, even Letty couldn't help that much about the issue. Dom had gone as far was having a Nissan Skyline in his garage, constantly upgrading it, 'Makin' it the way he liked it,' he always said with a grin.
Letty had been filled with guilt since that happened, saying it was her fault because she had allowed Brian to take a risk she had been willing to take herself, just so that Dom could come back. 'That Brian...he didn't jus' drop it, he kept sayin how he wouldn't let me do it by myself.'
They all knew they owned Brian something, the matter had become very personal.
But Mia...she had never been the same afterwards. Despite knowing the man for a very short time, she had known a lot about him yet not all. She truly loved him. It had been a shot to the heart when the news had traveled.
Now she was over here, in an exotic island with hopes of relaxing using her new riches. 'Brian would have liked this place.' He really would have, it was a sunny and bright place to be and with palm trees and shady trees; it was the perfect vacation.
'Yeah, he would have liked it. He would have loved it.'
Dominic Toretto really wasn't in the mood to deal with Hobbs again. He was shifting and mending the motor of the Skyline he had in his new garage. It had a lack of...spunk in it and didn't flow as natural as it could and should.
He supposed he could have Tej look over it...but the man might go a bit overboard with the upgrades though. It didn't matter whatsoever, Dom had been personalizing his own rides for years already, a few more hours or days and he could do it. Fix the motor, that is.
"If this is what several million dollars can offer, it wasn't really hard to find you."
Dom, not really surprised at hearing the cop only smirked smugly, "Wasn't trying to hide."
"How is life as a retired international criminal?"
"I like to be here. There is peace and quiet." Dom said, laying one tool down for another.
"Good weather." Hobbs agreed.
"What are you doing here, officer?" It was a reminder; something to say that although they worked together, Hobbs was still not to be trusted.
"On Tuesday robbed a team of trained riders a Russian military convoy."
Dom smirked, "I don't do cold weather."
"Oh-I know it wasn't you." Hobbs assured as only a cop can, "But you're gonna help me catch the team that did."
Dom shook his head, "No, we left that life already." He continued meddling with the motor.
Hobbs focused on the engine, "Is that for the Skyline? O'Conner's Skyline?"
Dom said nothing and Hobbs didn't expect him to so he continued, "I guarantee you, in a few seconds you'll be asking me to join-no you'll be begging me to join." Hobbs looked confident when he said that; Dom wondered what kind of blackmail Hobbs would use now.
Letty had come out of the grand house where they both lived, clad in a white loose shirt with short shorts. She had been merely silently observing until Hobbs mentioned that, to which she responded with clear disbelief.
"What makes you say that?" Dom asked calmly, never losing that calm facade of his.
A single file was produced, the one that had been shoved under Hobbs' arm. Looking curiously at the cop as he received that file, Dom opened that ridiculously yellow folder and slid the contents out.
The single paper was turned around and he hesitated to turn it around but he did. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the image on top.
"He's dead." He monotonously said, "He can't be alive."
Because that picture had the man Mia loved, the man that had become part of the family a long time ago, especially when said man had sacrificed everything he had for them. A life of a cop for the life of a criminal.
The picture was taken at night, that much was clear, the lights of the backdrop illuminating a face set in a heavy scowl, looking over the side of a car at a distance. The former cop hadn't changed much, except his hair was even shorter than he had last seen the man. It was also obvious that the blonde-headed man had changed his choice in attire a lot. What could be seen of his clothing was just a black leather jacket but Dom didn't need anything else to know that the man was dressed in all black.
"Taken a week ago. Brian O'Conner in the flesh." Hobbs mentioned prompting Letty to stride towards Dom and practically snatch the files away from his hands.
"Man..." Was all she uttered, her shock being enough to tell them on what her feeling were.
Dom didn't wait any longer, he reached into his pocket and dialed, ignoring Hobbs as the man sent him a knowing look. This was time to group up and confer with the gang.
"The next job will be in London?"
"Yes."
"Wow! You're mad, Kumiko. Usually you say more words."
"I'm not."
"Don't tell me! You lost to Bri-Bri."
Kumiko blushed and frowned at the same time. The pencil in her hand shook as she scribbled madly on her paper. Her companion was grinning, shoving various spoonfuls of ice cream into his mouth.
"Shut up Jake!" She grumbled.
Another chuckle from said Jake and then the man turned serious. "No but seriously, why London?"
Kumiko frowned, stopping her scribbling to tap the pencil on her chin. "Bri-Bri got a call from Owen."
"Then it's going to be one hell of a ride."
