Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
So, here's the tenth chapter. I'll be honest with you all- I'm not sure whether I should actually continue a sequel to this one. I'm feeling it and I really want to but...well, we'll get there when we get there.
In case I do, I already have a sneak peek that I had done before the Fast 7 movie came out. I am pleased to say that I have to change almost nothing. No, I don't mean the movie producers were predictable, it's just that most of the peek was based on the various trailers.
Well, enough. Here's Chapter 10...
Brian was relieved when Owen didn't mention their lateness. He was, however, very nervous with the plan Owen proposed. Placing oneself by the entrance of the monster's mouth was foolhardy. Placing oneself in the stomach of the monster was a totally different brand of brave stupidity.
And Brian was perfectly sure Owen had intended to make Brian have doubts. Normally, Brian wouldn't have even cared if Owen made them run all the continent without an ounce of thanks; that was just how Owen was. But when the man started doubting his loyalty...that's when Brian was more than a little rankled.
Still, Brian owned a Owen a debt for giving him a life- something he hadn't had the hope of having when he was stuck in the hospital. Owen had revived in him his love of racing, cars, and the jobs that came with it. For that, Brian would follow the man until Owen himself told him to make himself scarce.
"Brian, you'll take the head once we pass the rendezvous point- lead your team as civilians. Once we get on the highway, you're free to do whatever you wish to Toretto and his crew." Owen instructed.
"Right."
"Also..." Owen tossed his pencil back atop the stack of papers, "you wouldn't mind if a borrowed Kumiko for this assignment would you? I understand she's one of your best but I believe her sharp eye would very much help me this time."
Brian froze, eyes shifting between Owen and Kumiko, who was struggling to maintain her composure. The moment was tense, like a finger upon a loaded gun trigger. Kumiko looked away when Brian caught her eye, "No. I wouldn't mind. She'll be happy to help."
"Good." Owen lips quirked into a small, relieved smile, "Then get ready. We'll be arriving in six hours."
As Owen slowly picked his utensil and papers up, Brian didn't move. Even from here he could feel the burning stares on his back.
Letty frowned grimly as the officers walked her down the ramp. The airplane had been very cramped and her legs felt like they had been folded for an eternity. She staggered outside, feeling like pummeling both the officer's backside. And in her orange garb, she felt like a fucking rainbow decided to throw all the carrots on her.
Her eyes caught the cop waiting for her. Her mind flashed to that day, Brian's funeral, when that very same man gave a speech that just managed to make them all launch in reminiscence of the blonde idiot.
"So, Ms. Ortiz, how's the weather in London?"
Letty shrugged, watching the cop sign the exchange papers and hand the clipboard back to the officers who retreated back to the plane. "Eh- so and so. Not my type."
"Second time dealing together, don't you think we should stop doing this? Not only are you ruining your perfect criminal record, but you're staining my record."
She smiled, "Ha! You're funny, cop, she continued, "Though...cop, would you care to listen if I told you something?"
The man opened the door of the black vehicle, promoting her to enter, and closed the door behind her. "I'm here, aren't I? And if you're going to call me something, my name is Michael Stasiack."
Letty leaned forward, "Well, cop, Brian lives."
For a second, Stasiack refused to move. His eyes had widened and his mouth was open in a soundless gasp. But, like every well-trained pig, he regained control and smiled briefly, "That lucky fucker. A cockroach is easier to kill than him."
Letty opened her mouth to reprimand the man for his blatant lack of empathy...until she caught sight of the relief tinging his eyes. She relaxed and leaned back, for once letting herself close her eyes.
"Hey, Ortiz..." Stasiack hesitated, "Bring him over one of these days. There are several of us who still have a bone to pick with that guy."
Letty laughed rambunctiously, "Whatever. I'll be back in a few hours, so don't go running back to your secret lair, cop."
From the back of his trailer, Brian made use of the skills Owen gave every subordinate of his. Entering the satellite system in Europe was no hard task given that Interpol was firmly in Owen's pocket. It had taken Brian several months to pick up the basics and another several to actually put it on practice.
"Jake, I want you to take up reverse. Kumiko, since you'll be helping Owen, I won't speak to you during the duration of the operation. Unless it goes awry, keep focused."
"Hai!" Kumiko's channel closed abruptly and Brian sighed.
Zane's chewing was the heard as his channel opened, "Why don't you just tell her?"
"You know how she is, Zane." Brian admonished gently, "She won't be able to keep Owen from suspecting her and it'll be over before it even finished."
Indeed, to keep up the pretense, Brian wouldn't tell Kumiko that they were actually against Owen this time. When Owen was in the tank, Brian's two friends would turn against Owen and aid Toretto wherever they would require it.
Brian feared telling Kumiko for she was as subtle as an elephant in a china shop. She was also hasty and entirely lost when it came to waiting. She simply couldn't know. And Brian was fully prepared to be ignored for at least a year after this.
"I guess, Brian, but remember that we are always a team, yeah?"
For a moment, Brian was confused at the sudden comment. Then he remembered their early days, when Brian was more of Owen's direct subordinate than a leader of his new team. Not only had that prevented any connections to be formed between the new teammates, but it was as if Owen himself was leading the team. With that, Brian understood. But instead of answering, he smiled and closed the channel.
Sighing, knowing he was in private now, he leaned back and thought of those days when he had been lost and forced to learn. He shook his head amusedly, bringing his attention back to the fifteen mile layout of their playing field. His friends and he would enter into the operation officially when Owen unveiled the ace. Brian's instinctual driving would only be good in the thick of things. Zane and Jake would only distract.
One thing bothered him though and that was Kumiko. He prayed that Owen wouldn't notice his little rebellion and do something bad to Kumiko because then, Brian would never forgive himself. Yet, Brian couldn't let Owen get away with what he was panning to do.
Ever since he realized what Owen was...by some deductive reasoning that knew better than an amnesiac did, Brian knew that Owen did not care for casualties or people in general. That Brian himself had attracted Owen's attention was a miracle.
Mia Toretto's reveal had only served to make him think and awaken a spark of his old self. At least, if that wasn't true, he could say he wanted it to be true. The ideal cop took care of people so Brian would.
A glance over revealed the dog tags he had slipped. Once he had gotten into his trailer and had his car rolled in there too, he'd taken the small things and inspected them. On one side, the name Brian Spilner glared at him accusingly- for some unknown reason- but on the reverse, shiny lettering spelled Brian O'Conner.
For some reason, the idea of being two identities, as this tag suggested, brought a bad taste to Brian's mouth. Perhaps this was mostly because now, the real O'Conner who was is where deep in his mind already had another identity added to the tag. He was scared because...what was going to happen when or if he regained his memories? Who would come up? Spilner or O'Conner?
Feeling guilty and ashamed of it, Brian quickly dispelled one thoughts, letting the tags slip from his grasp. They dangled in the air, hanging as they were from the mirror, like pendulums counting time. The other tag simply had the word Buster on the front.
What made it all worth it? What was he fighting for? Was he even fighting?
Sighing morosely, Brian leaned back and waited for Pam to arrive with the main trailer so they could all start the mission. All this thinking had him trying to burn his brain off.
Two hours later had him and his friends loaded in their respective vehicles car which were inside the running trailer. Pam's stern voice was issuing commands left and right to Brian, who was connecting the GPS to all of their systems and routing it to hers.
He noticed, as he worked, that they slowed down considerably and he knew the reason for it. "Owen and the convoy just passed, Bri. Should I stay at speed or get in on their lane?"
For precaution, Brian had insisted all of them wear earpieces and use walkie-talkies. That way, nothing short of a crash would impede communication. "No, if we do, we run the risk of becoming mincemeat. Stay behind and alert Owen that we're in the scene. Toretto will be coming on the opposite side and if I know Owen, then he'll move to the other side in response."
"Roger that, boss."
"Okay, Zane, Jake? System check?"
Both men replied in synchronization from experience, "Set up and running. We are up to date and ready to go."
Nodding satisfyingly, Brian let a smile show, "Remember to help them when they need to. Do not engage directly otherwise...Owen knows what he's doing. So does Toretto. Let them be, we are just backups. For now, we follow Owen's plan."
Uncomfortable silence reigned as soon as he said that and Brian wondered if they felt the bitter guilt he felt himself. Once again he reminded himself of the mission at hand and all personal problems faded into the background. Just in time too, since Pam was beginning to accelerate.
"Toretto's team spotted. Two motorcycle and the rest are cars. I spot another one atop a bridge- I suspect Parker."
"Thanks, Pam. You can deploy whenever you want."
"Yes sir!"
Each trailer had one door that enabled them to exit through the underneath of the trailer. Not many could actually use it unless the driver was exceptionally good- something Brian made sure his team was- and most of the times, they never used it, preferring to unload through the actual entrance.
Today however, Toretto wouldn't know what the hell helped him today.
"Okay, they're engaging now. Owen just broke out of the- he's got a freaking tank!"
Realization dawned on Brian, "So that's what I forgot to mention," he said blankly.
On his earpiece, Zane sucked in a gasp, "Damn you boss!"
Chuckling, Brian didn't even bat an eye, "Ride or die, guys." Then his mind caught up with what he said and bafflement coupled with dread and realization welled up from inside him. Where had that come from?
"Door is opening; Zane, you're first." Pam continued, "May the Force be with you."
Zane's breath was rapid and almost panicked but all of them knew it was excitement running trough their veins right now. Right now, there was nothing else but anxiousness to get going.
Zane's Charger lowered unto the ramp, only a few feet away from them. If he advanced too much, he would get squished. If he advanced too little...he would get squished. But underestimating him was wrong because Brian knew all his team members and they were all above average driving skills,
The Charger's engines revved and in a flash, was already covering the ground underneath the trailer. From there, they moved uniformly. Jake followed, his simple Sonata swerving to the left whereas Zane took to the right. Their vehicles disappeared as they went head to head with Toretto's side buddies- a jeep and a motorcycle.
With a sigh, Brian was off too, sliding to the street and facing the humongous wheels of the truck that could squish him and end all this. He was good though- better than most and he slid seamlessly besides the truck, still moving forwards even if he was facing the wrong way.
Then he caught sight of Mia Toretto's car- still the same she'd used at their first encounter. Later, he would deny it to himself, but his hands froze over the wheel for a brief second as he became enraptured in her determined glare.
Then he caught himself and spun his vehicle around, reaching Roman Pierce's car. Brian wasted little time in reaching for his gun on the other seat. It was already loaded and ready to fire. As soon as he aligned his window with the other man's he aimed, enjoying the man's startled yelp as he registered the gun, and with a smirk, fired.
Three bullets shattered this window and he passenger window too. Roman was left untouched but the anticipated reaction was fulfilled. "Payback's a bitch, huh, Pierce?" Oh, and it distracted Pierce too and enabled Brian to approach Dominic Toretto without interruptions. But he'd be a liar if he said he didn't enjoy what he just did.
He almost skidded to a stop when Owen did as predicted and had Jah transfer the tank to the other lane by going over the highway markers. Brian made sure to keep moving ahead, paying close attention so that his little Plan A could become Plan B and he could join Toretto on this one without conflicting thoughts later on.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending of the point of view, the tank aimed at the bridge and with it, Brian's hopes of actually keeping loyal to Owen crumbled.
With that done and decided, Brian gained ground until he was right beside Toretto. The group leader's dark eyes settled on Brian's clear ones, going from determined to questioning as Brian held up a spare walkie-talkie in his hand. It seemed to Brian, that in the heat of the moment, more words were exchanged within those seconds than there ever could have been in an entire hour.
Brian lowered his window, watching in satisfaction as Dominic did the same with little prompting. "How about a little game of mouse and cat?" Brian shouted over the wind, egging the other man by smirking.
Dominic took it. "And who's the mouse, if you don't mind me asking?"
Brian pointed to the tank, closing the window back up and falling back as he was overtaken again by Roman Pierce. The man spun around his car in a poor imitation of Brian's perfect one. The other guy failed to consider the approaching Sonata and Charger.
Before an unneeded confrontation took place, Brian observed Pierce's walkie-talkie was brought close and suddenly, Pierce threw a glare over to Brian but straightened and turned his vehicle away. Advancing to where he had previously been beside Toretto, Brian watched with rising excitement as Roman and his own friends sped up; reaching towards the tanker that was squashing cars and civilians.
It was in this respect, Brian reflected, that sometimes Owen was a child. One that believed he held all the power and was allowed to do as he wanted because nobody could ever match up. Of course, Brian now saw what- or better yet, who was going to do what Brian would only dream of achieving.
But...what made this team so powerful? So much that even in Tokyo, street racers adored the tales of these men and women... He didn't know, but Brian hoped to find out.
Apparently, his spacing had been covered yet unnoticed as the jeep with Ivory and the rest of the backup was rerouted rather violently. Brian felt a flash of pity for those aboard it but he'd never been close to them- particularly Denlinger.
But where was Vegh and Klaus? Had Owen left them behind or-? Had Owen given them an assignment that involved Brian's teammates? Vegh and Klaus were both friends...
He decided it wasn't worth getting distressed over that when he was in a mission where one mistake equaled death. Instead he focused on where it really mattered. The first shell erupted from the tank, aimed overhead and brought down on them an entire road atop them. "Jake, did you bring-"
Another shot echoes powerfully over the air, causing civilian cars to stop. Pierce's car had been the aim. He stopped in shock when Roman recklessly allowed the tank to take up his car without even trying to save himself. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing, boss?" Zane asked, voice filled with amazement.
"I think I am." Brian replied, revving the engine and accelerating, "Forget what I said, keep running along Ortiz; take out whomever gets in the way."
"Roger that. Zane out."
When Brian slid beside the tank he could,money watch, enraptured as the reckless Roman undid a cord from the back of his car and pulled it out with him as he climbed out of the failing vehicle. Realization came to him fast and he had to suppress a smile for it was quite ingenious indeed.
"Brian? They have retreated...alive." Jake announced, his voice crackling with static over the earpiece, "What now?"
"Keep running," Brian returned, "I'm tying up a loose end over here!"
Cord tied to the tank's muzzle, Roman cheered in victory but was immediately subdued when the first shot almost made him lose his balance. Fortunately, Brian was there.
As if they had once worked in tandem, Pierce showed none of the past friction between them to stop him from jumping to Brian's car and sliding inside via the open window just as the tank swallowed the entire car underneath it. "Was that awesome or was that awesome, brah!?" He crowed, peeking back outside to crow even more.
Brian chuckled loudly- it was indeed awesome. His walkie-talkie came to life as for the first time, Dominic decided to speak to him, "Brian, I must say that car would make a nice anchor."
"Yeah, I'm on it."
The transition was so easy, now that Brian cared to notice. Flawless...as if...like if he had done this before and we're now going through the motions of it again. Had he really known these people? So why...why had he gotten in an accident in the first place! And why had none of them been there?
All this and more Brian wondered, pushing and pushing his engine so that he could get Pierce's meager car remainders over the vault and into the waiting ocean below. How easy it had been to slow down Owen... They had finished fast too.
Finally, after three more pushes, the car twisted with the cord repeating its movements like a decapitated snake and finally dropped down. The tank was definitely more slower now and the fact brought a smile to all.
"Follow up, Zane!" Brian commanded, all but eager to get this done and speak with the Toretto team.
Zane answered by finally leaving Ortiz's side and accelerating to the tank. Aligning himself, a compartment from the top of the car opened up and turned, revealing a Plumett AL-52 which was better known as a grappling hook.
"Whenever you're ready, Zane!" Jake screamed joyously, "I finally see my baby all grown up." Brian sincerely hoped Jake was speaking about the hook and not Zane because then he'd have to explain a whole lot of things that really didn't need explaining.
Brian was finally about to see the fruits of their hard work when...he saw her. Kumiko was outside the tank, climbing towards the muzzle to attempt to dislodge the cord with Roman's car attached.
"Wait! Zane, wait!"
"What the hell, Brian? Again!? You really-oh!" Zane stopped abruptly before screaming, "Brian, Kumiko is there!"
Swallowing the urge to spit out a sarcastic comment, Brian wished horribly he had told Kumiko to wear the damned earpiece even if it contradicted Owen. And then, another surprising thing made Brian wonder if today was the day he died, not of racing, but of a heart attack.
Owen aimed the muzzle straight at Mia's car and the scream of another shell pierced the air. Time slowed down and Brian could only watch in horror as his friend and little sister sailed to meet her doom. She was screaming, he saw.
The last miracle happened before Brian and his teammates' eyes.
The files described Dominic Toretto as a family man; a protector and guardian of all those he held dear. Like those heroes Kumiko obsessed over when she watched those cartoons of hers.
Once again, Dominic Toretto proved those files true as he did the most reckless thing Brian ever had the honor of witnessing. Dominic Toretto flew to Kumiko's rescue. And promptly slammed so hard stop the top of a car that, several feet away, Brian grimaced.
Brian O'Connor sighed, leaned back while ignoring the frantic calls of Pierce by his side and those of his teammates- new and old alike- and said, "I died."
