Authors Note: Usual disclaimers apply. I still don't own Knight Rider, or Fast and the Furious. Thanks to Tempest-Races for beta-ing and fixing my mistakes, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 18:

Knight pulled up to the line. Alongside Karr was a grey-black Subaru Impreza RS with blue tinted windows and blue and white flashes on the side, a silver Nissan 350z with aqua coloured underglow with windows the same colour and a blue spoiler, with a blue snake pattern down the side and a red RX-8 with a similar pattern to Dom's. Knight bet that wasn't sitting well with "the King of LA" as he waited. The all clear came from Leon, and Dom set the cars racing, all four level at this early stage of the race. Karr's monitor displayed images of the four cars from the front, the rippling gold light on the cars black and silver nose looking menacing as ever, as if the car was trying to feel out its opponents. Knight hit the pursuit button, giving the Trans-am extra speed, starting to edge out ahead of the competition. The Subaru surged ahead. Knight shook his head and hit the car's turbo boost and raced up behind the Subaru, cursing as it suddenly changed lanes. "What the?" Knight cursed, hitting the Trans-am's brakes to avoid hitting the Subaru as the other two cars started to close, the RX-8 slightly ahead of the Nissan. Knight started to switch lanes to get around the Subaru, cursing as its driver blocked him. "Son of a–"

"We could turbo boost over him?" Karr suggested.

Knight shook his head, glaring at the Subaru's "Tommo-1" license plate. "Got a trick up my sleeve," he told the car, and swung towards the Nissan slightly. The Subaru started to shift, and Knight swung the wheel back around, and hit nitrous. The Trans-am raced around the Impreza and pulled into the lead. Both the RX-8 and the Nissan hit their nitrous, surging forward in a last ditch effort to win. Knight hit the turbo boost, and the Trans-am bolted forward, crossing ahead of the other cars by a full length. "Hah."

"Over-rated, underpowered pieces of junk," Karr muttered.

Knight grinned. "They weren't that bad."

"They had no chance against me," Karr replied. "I am the future of the automobile industry."

"If you say so," Knight replied, laughing as Karr made an irritated noise. "Just remember that for now we want to keep you and the other cars a secret. And for the moment, we're trying to keep what you can really do a secret too, so clam up, got it? Let's get our winnings"

The Trans-am didn't reply, and Knight groaned. "Don't sulk."

"I'm not sulking," the car replied sullenly. "You told me to be quiet."

"You sound like you're sulking," Knight told the car as he pulled back up to the start line. "I'll be right back." He climbed out, grinning boyishly at the praise for winning. He gave Dom a wink. "Beat your imitator for you."

"Punk needs a few lessons," Dom replied. "Your winnings."

Knight took the roll of cash, and handed back a third. "For putting me in this one."

Dom looked at him, slightly confused and Brian laughed. "It's called mutual respect bro. Knight's listened to Tej's speeches a few times too many."

Knight flipped a finger at Brian as Dom spoke. "I think we got time for one more. Alright Brian, lets see what you got there."

"Yeah B," Letty laughed. "Let's see you earn your Bullitt name here. Or if you're doomed to forever be known as Chumpy."

Brian grinned. "Dude I almost had you in the Supra."

"You never had me," Dom replied. "I was owning you till I blew a seal."

"I think Chumpy suits him better than Bullitt," Knight said to Letty.

She laughed "It does, doesn't it? He just has that look about him."

Brian shot Knight a betrayed look. "Thanks a lot bro."

"C'mon man, you oughta know me better than that. It's a sign of affection."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"It's true Brian," Knight said, doing his best to sound serious. "You know I love you man."

Letty burst into laughter as Brian put on the face of a long time sufferer. "Yeah alright, knock it off bro."

Even Dom was smirking. "So you ready to race?"

"Alright then, let's go bro." Brian replied. "Before the mocking continues."

Knight faked glancing at a watch. "Nah that's cool bro, I have to go meet someone. I don't have time to mock you further."

The crowd of racers were already cheering as the cars lined up, Brian's Skyline and Dom's RX-7 in the middle, Edwin on Dom's left and Donny Yen on Brian's right, all four cars revving their engines, flames licking out of their tailpipes. Letty called for the go, Dom taking off rapidly, the RX-7 pulling away from the other cars like the rockets on its sides. The blue Skyline was almost as quick getting away, both cars leaving Edwin's and Yen's in their dust. Knight whistled slightly. "That guy is fast."

"That's why he's the king of LA," Jade said. "He's the only person Tempest has never beaten."

"She's beat Kat?"

"Ok, he's the only person she's raced and never beaten. She's never raced Kat," Jade answered, punching his arm slightly. Knight just smirked in response as she eyed him curiously for a moment, before turning her attention back to the race as the Skyline took the lead, blasting forward with nitrous to do so. "He's gonna do it!"

A second after she spoke, the RX-7 surged forward, its nose just an inch ahead of the Skyline's as they crossed the line. Knight cursed. "Damn."

"What?"

"I bet on Brian."

Jade couldn't help it, she just had to laugh. "That's why I bet on Dom."

"Right." Knight replied dryly, as the cars pulled back up to the line, their drivers getting out. "Congratulations Dom. Still the king of LA."

"Like there was any doubt," Dom snorted, lifting Letty up. "My trophy."

Knight glanced at Brian. "You let me down Chumpy. I had money on you."

"That was a mistake," Letty grinned. "No way Chumpy was ever gonna beat Dom."

"I was close," Brian protested, still wearing his trademark grin. Knight shook his head. "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades."

"Brian, remember what I told you after the first time I beat your ass?" Dom asked. "It doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning's winning."

"Amen brother," Leon said warmly. "We'd better get out of here before the cops show up."

"Party time brother," Vince growled, hugging Nyssa close. "Let's get some grub."

"Looks like Ole Coyote's hungry," Leon laughed.

Letty grinned slightly. "He's always hungry," she added as Vince pointed at Leon threateningly. The sound of sirens had everyone running for their cars, peeling away rapidly. Knight glanced in his rear-view mirror as Karr pulled away, glad that Jade had pulled in tightly, staying in the Trans-am's slipstream to get that little bit more speed out of her car. The scramble was chaotic, cars weaving in and out of each other, a miracle there were no accidents. The cops weren't nearly so lucky, a couple of the cruisers running into each other, fortunately not at high speeds. Knight set Karr on course for the Toretto's and relaxed as the car disappeared into the night, attracting little attention from the cops.

The street outside the Toretto's was packed with parked cars as the Trans-am pulled up, carefully sliding itself into a space. As Knight stepped out, a wave of noise hit him as music blared out of the Toretto house. Knight grinned and leaned down to the cars window, "Sounds like a party."

"And you call this work."

"It's a tough job, but someone has to do it," Knight smirked. "Go into surveillance mode. Let's see whose here and who isn't."

"How will that help?"

"At the very least we can identify a few of the key players," Knight told him. "Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky."

"If you say so," Karr replied. Knight shook his head slightly and patted the cars roof before heading inside to the party.

End of Chapter 18…