Chapter 9: Try to catch me riding dirty
"Dominic?"
"What is it Jesse?"
"I got that stuff you wanted Dom," Jesse beamed like a kid who knew he'd done good. "Found out something really interesting."
"Yeah?" Dom asked, glancing up as he took the papers from Jesse.
The kid nodded. "I didn't find anything at first, other than what Brian had told us, and what we knew. Then I figured maybe I was looking in the wrong place, so I took a look at Rome's rap-sheet."
Dom was scouring the paper. "Wait a minute…that's…"
"Uh huh," Jesse said, losing his smile. "Brian went to Miami before Rome got released from house arrest in Barstow."
"Then I guess Brian has some explaining to do," Dom frowned, getting to his feet. "Don't mention this to anyone, especially Brian. I'll deal with it."
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"Good morning," Mia said softly as Knight came up the driveway into the back yard, joining the group for breakfast, the morning warm and sunny enough for the group to be outdoors to eat, rather than in the kitchen.
Knight gave her a warm smile as he sat down. "Morning all."
Nyssa cleared her throat. "So what did I miss last night?"
"Jesse taking off," Vince remarked slyly.
Brian put on a confused look. "Didn't everyone after the cops showed up?"
"Nah dawg, Jesse had already had slipped out of there early," Leon grinned. "Then slunk back in, tail between his legs during last night's sixties monster movie marathon."
"Not like Jesse to leave races early," Brian noted. "He's too into it all normally."
"Why'd he slink back in," Nyssa asked.
"The reason all men sneak in with their tail between their legs," Dom put in between mouthfuls of his breakfast. "It was a girl."
"Right on brother," Leon laughed.
Letty glared at him. "You need to shut the hell up. And you Dominic Giovanni Toretto…" the group oohed at her use of his full name, showing how annoyed she was with him as she continued, "had better watch your step. Eyeing skank's last night and now showing what a chauvinistic grease monkey you are."
Dom grinned and pulled her to him. "I love when you get all mad and fired up."
Nyssa made an irritated noise, as if clearing her throat. "So who was the girl?"
"It was Veronica," Vince snorted, as Jesse came in, and ignoring Letty's scowl. She was the only one around the table who didn't break out in laughter besides Jesse, who suddenly looked sheepish.
"Look who it is," Leon smirked. "The mad scientist. Find a new body to work on last night?"
"So long as he got the covers off before he started the detailing," Dominic added gruffly, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Jesse flushed with colour and he scrunched down in his chair as the other guys ribbed him good naturedly, taking it with good humour. Knight sat back quietly, reflecting on how the team was more than that, that they were a family first and a team second. The ribbing continued for several minutes before Mia interrupted. "C'mon guys, give him a break will you?"
There were a few more chuckles and comments before Dom called a halt. "Alright, alright. C'mon, knock it off give the kid a break. Eat your breakfast so we can head out."
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"Brian, a word."
Brian glanced at his watch. "Dom man, I'm gonna be late for work."
"Tell Harry to take it up with me," Dom replied, motioning Brian into the living room, glad that the rest of the team had headed for the garage. "Alright Brian, this is one of those times you need to be very clear about what you say."
Brian recognised those words, and the tone with which they were delivered. Dom had same the same thing the night Vince had caught him snooping round Hector's while investigating the truck heists, and struggled to keep the worry from his voice. "What's up Dom?"
"Maybe you can tell me," Dom said, handing him a printout. Brian closed his eyes as he read it. "Shit."
"What's going on Brian?" Dom asked, his voice calm, but with an edge of danger. "You a cop again?"
"Nah man, I swear," Brian said, looking worried.
Dom nodded slightly, more to himself. "Can you explain what happened in Miami then? I mean, you told us you had to go help a friend, but Rome wasn't even in Miami then. And somehow, his police record has been cleared, apart from the archives. How'd that happen Brian?"
"Dom, you have to believe I'm not a cop again," Brian answered. "But…ok, Bilkins asked for my help. He had a job to do in Miami, helping customs, and they needed drivers."
"So you helped the cops," Dom said, his tone questioning as he folded his muscular arms across his chest. Brian bit his lip slightly. "I made a deal. Dom, you know they'd been watching us since the heists man, Bilkins arranged for that to stop. Cleared our records, cleared Rome's record, got him off house arrest. Cleared my record…"
"Your record?"
"Yeah," Brian answered. "They logged some things as unconfirmed, you know, aiding and abetting, obstruction of justice. They just couldn't prove it."
"So they did all that…what did you do for them?"
"Me and Rome drove for them, helped put this dude behind bars, Carter Verone," Brian answered. "I stayed down there a while, to make it look legit, helped Rome set up a garage, then came back."
Dom looked unconvinced, and still slightly angry. Brian sighed. "Dom, I had to, I did it for the team."
"And did Mia factor in? Do you know how much she missed you while you were there?" Dom asked, his tone getting more agitated.
Brian winced. "She knew what I was doing Dom, I told her. We agreed we wouldn't tell you, coz you'd get like this. We knew it'd be hard, but that we'd come through it ok, she understood why I had to do it."
Dom seemed to mull it over for a while, before Brian tentatively asked, "Dom?"
"You aren't back doing police work, aren't going back to it?"
"Nah man," Brian answered. "I chose you guys over that. Yeah I miss it occasionally. All I ever wanted was to be a cop. But I don't regret the choice I made. You guys are my family, that hasn't changed."
"Alright," Dom nodded. "And Knight was just a friend you made there, he ain't a cop?"
"Yeah man, Knight's just Knight," Brian grinned slightly. "He doesn't have the temperament to be a cop bro."
"Alright," Dom replied, visibly cooling down. "This stays between us then. I'll have to explain to Jesse, he dug this stuff up after all. You can tell Mia if you want, but other than that, it stays between us."
"Cool," Brian grinned. "So I can go to work now?"
"Yeah," Dom answered. "Go on, get outta here. Tell Harry I'll be dropping by later."
"Gotcha," Brian nodded as he grabbed the Skyline's keys and headed out the door.
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That Night
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Dom tapped his foot impatiently. "C'mon guys. I know we have to make an entrance, but that doesn't mean being late. Move it."
Knight flopped into a chair in the den. "I'm not going."
"The hell you aren't, go get ready," Dom responded, annoyed when Knight merely looked at him, but made no move. "I said go get ready."
"And I said I'm not going," Knight replied.
Dom gave him a disgusted look. "You're not going to race?"
"Nope, not tonight. I have other things to take care of," Knight replied. "If you have a problem with that, tough."
"You really got a pair on you, don't you punk?" Vince growled as the team assembled.
Knight glared at him. "If I don't, you got your ass kicked by a girl."
Dom resisted the urge to smirk. "You watch your mouth. V, cool it. Save it for the races."
"Yeah man, let's go race," Letty added. "Chill out bro."
Brian hung back as the team headed for their cars as Knight watched them leave. "He's real friendly."
"Vince doesn't like strangers," Brian shrugged apologetically. "You gonna be ok here bro?"
"Like I said, other things to do," Knight shrugged. "I'll be fine. I might show later, unless I decide to go find a bar."
"Alright man, enjoy yourself," Brian replied with a friendly grin, heading out of the door after the rest of the team. Knight waited until the engine noise had faded, and keyed his comm. Link. "Alright Karr, fire it up. We got work to do pal."
End of Chapter 9…