Rewritten: 6/9/18

It is mid-2015, Midday Los Angeles. While it was a hot summer day in the west coast, the beaches were nice and cool with a sea breeze hitting the Santa Monica and Malibu coasts. It was a perfect day to drive and is what both Jake Ryder and his friend/VP Maxwell Connor decide to take a test drive down the Pacific Coast Highway back to Santa Monica starting from Malibu. Jake was driving his restored and highly modified red Ferrari LaFerrari while Max drove an orange McLaren 650s. After finishing the final tweaks on the LaFerrari, Jake decides to try it out on the highway while also racing Max's Modified car. Calling it a day and beating Max, they stopped at a food shack close to the Santa Monica beaches for a quick eat. While ordering and waiting, they talk about Jake's car and his modifications, tuned to perfection for any race that comes by. Jake was still president of the LA Street Rats controlling all of LA and becoming the Showstoppers of every race meet happening around town setting up HQ in Santa Monica. While Speaking about races, that was when Maxwell decides to notify Jake about an invading motorclub coming to the city. From the sound of his voice it was serious.

Maxwell went over the details about the motorclub saying these drivers are as vicious as the Black Tigers they defeated and shut down few years back. As Jake asked for the name of the motorclub, Max gave the name "The 5-10s". Jake of course never heard of them, but from the tone of Max's voice this crew they're about to meet will come in with the fastest cars, sounding worried that they were probably dangerous. Jake didn't feel threaten of what they might drive, but the danger about them was that they're threatening to shut down his motorclub once they beat and take over the city as said by Maxwell. Seeing how they have a lot of power from the other regions of the US, this could be the end for the LA Street Rats, and to make things worst they were coming tonight to meet at the Griffith Observatory during midnight, not giving enough time for the home motorclub to probably plan a race or choose their cars. Backing out meant automatically losing their turf said Maxwell. "Accept to challenge us or your motorclub and turf will be taken over. If you want to keep your turf, your motorclub must meet at the observatory, you decide how we race and choose your rides. No matter what challenge you give, the 5-10s will take your territory. You have until midnight, there is no backing out." The driver that gave the message to the Streetrats went by the name "Logan Callahan" and Max was the one to give it to Jake who was leading the home motorclub. Maxwell also admits this as the reason why they took a drive on the highway and test Jake's LaFerrari, judging by Jake's performance on his driving, Max was confident that he'll beat this "Logan" and the 5-10 crews that are coming in the city. Both of them finish eating and immediately drive back to the HQ not too far away from where they were.

As they drove back and entering the HQ that was an abandon parking complex, Jake immediately comes out of his car to inform the crews that were stationed there. He announces that "A storm is coming for us", as he explains what Max had told him back at the restaurant to all the drivers. Giving his speech he tries to give confidence to them, convincing that they are the fastest motorclub in the city and will beat any crew or motorclub including the 5-10s. He sets up his best drivers to confront this 5-10 crew leader, getting their best and fastest cars to meet until midnight. While it was a lot of time, Jake's VP, Maxwell, was skeptical for once about this coming threat, but Jake cocky as usual was optimistic that the Streetrats will win and keep their territory, relying on his LaFerrari to do the job. Close to that time, every driver in the HQ drives out and make a route to the observatory in the hills. The roaring engines echo through the night and Griffith Park as all the drivers from the home motorclub make it first to the observatory parking lot. Lucky for them it was a closed night with the parking lot empty for the racers to park, waiting for the 5-10s to show up. Soon they here more engines roaring from a distance as it got louder and louder until racers from down the hill spot them coming through the tunnel and up to the observatory. Jake was notified on his phone as another Ferrari in black comes up and does a roundabout in the parking lot as well as other drivers following. Jake was about to meet this lead driver face to face.

Coming out of the black Ferrari 458 Speciale was a driver in a black leather jacket and backwards cap along with distinctive tattoos around his neck including the 5-10 mark on his right. Also coming out behind him was his main crew, while one of them gets Jake's attention. The driver that Jake looks at was a petite young girl, also in leather but in a full dress with high heel boots and high ponytail. Suddenly, the driver snaps him out of it and threatens Jake for looking at her. Jake calls for his name as the driver gives it to him, "Logan Callahan". Logan asks for the challenge as Jake jokes around in front of him until Logan gets annoyed and demands an answer. Jake gives the route for the race by making a full lap around the hills starting from the tunnel and back. As Jake decides what drivers to choose, Logan decided to change it up abit and challenges Jake to race two of each of Logan's crew by himself in this race. The two drivers, Vince and Isaac approach alongside Logan for Jake to race. As Jake looks at their cars he starts to joke and underestimate their sports cars with his hypercar, until suddenly Logan grabs his phone and calls in something. Coming up were two small loaders as they drive in the parking lot carrying two hypercars. One was a yellow Koenigsegg Agera R while the other was a silver Pagani Huayra, both of them are fully modified performance spec cars. Jake was impressed in a way as he now shows of his. Logan gets a glimpse of the LaFerrari and even he was impressed explaining he too loves Ferraris himself. While Logan wasn't here to have things in common with Jake, he offers the twist challenge to race his two best drivers.

He tells Jake: "If you beat these two, you'll get to race me. If you lose to one of them, then I guess you weren't as fast as we thought you were, and we take this city automatically. Unless you want to give up right now, spare your motorclub and take them elsewhere away from here. Either way, you'll have nowhere else to go, kid. The 5-10s have already dominated the whole eastside. You either quit unless your crews decide to join us. What's it gonna be?"

Jake accepts to race the two drivers as he refuses for his crews to join the 5-10s. They set up the starting line near the west tunnel opening.

Jake lines up on the makeshift starting line with his first opponent Vince in the Huayra. All this time Jake kept his confidence while his VP Maxwell was beginning to lose it. The first race was a close one with Jake leading most of the way, but when going up against the 2nd opponent, Isaac, driving the Agera R, gives more of a challenge. During the race around the hill, the Agera led most of the way with little to no room for Jake to pass. Meters from the finish and knowing the road, Jake makes a daring move on a final hairpin turn, having the advantage with a better turn radius/grip by turning from the outside while the Agera needed to slowdown turning in as Jake keeps more speed passing and passing the tunnel again in first. The StreetRats cheer for him as he heads up back to the observatory. Logan watches in disappointment as his driver Isaac failed to keep him behind. Logan approaches Jake, feeling he got lucky, but there was one more race to do and that was against him. However, Logan wanted a riskier challenge testing Jake's cockiness, as he had the answer starting later on in the day. Jake goes for a middle of the day race in heavy traffic and cop activity, making a route deep in Downtown LA. They'll start their race at the Dodger Baseball Stadium and ending up at the observatory. Then suddenly, Jake bets the whole pot and decides to have the race become a race for pinks as well. Logan chuckles as Jake was willing to risk it all and makes a deal with him. Both agreed to keep their cars locked up in a small storage with one of each motorclub member looking after the two cars overnight. Logan accepts and has the crews on his side leave the area. The female driver who was also Logan's girlfriend, starts to question him for once as he only said he had a plan for Jake and setting up a trap. She didn't like what she was hearing and doubts of joining the 5-10s until Logan decides to threaten her and reminding who she was driving for. Focusing on her 5-10 tattoo on her right chest, he also reminds her of him giving it to her. She still follows Logan while giving a last look back at Jake and his motorclub, stepping inside her red Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. The 5-10s leave the area with the Streetrats feeling anxious for their motorclub's fate in Jake's hands. Maxwell doubts him of his new challenge but Jake was not gonna back down and relies his knowledge of the streets he'll be passing through. Jake gets some sleep back at HQ for the judgment raceday hours from now.

Hours from now in the afternoon at 2:00PM, The LA Streetrats were already waiting for the arrival of the 5-10s to show up at Dodger Stadium. Eventually the crews come over to the parking lot With Logan sitting on the co-driver seat of his girlfriend's 8C, approaching Jake and his group behind him. He gets out and meets Jake once again, threatening him that he'll lose his car and everything as Jake doesn't give in. Soon the two loaders carrying their cars finally arrive with the two ready to race. Maxwell once again wanted Jake to reconsider the pinkslip offer, but his overconfidence gets the best of him and proceeds to continue the race for slips and the city. Max couldn't do anything else as Jake steps in his LaFerrari and meets Logan at the starting line. The route details were on their GPS', revving their engines just waiting to take off the line. Logan asks his girlfriend to take the pinkslips coming to their windows to collect them. But as she comes up and asks for Jake's slip, she starts to warn him about something.

"Listen to me, you need to get out of here, Logan is setting you up."

Jake: "What? What are you talking about?"

Girl: "Just trust me, you need to abandon this race or else.."

Suddenly, Logan yells at her for taking her time as she just leaves Jake's window and proceeds to start the race for them. Jake however got confused of what she was saying to him as Logan comments him one last time. "Be prepared what's coming to ya kid, you're gonna need it. (Chuckles)" The race starts as the two jump out of the line and out of the parking lot, not realizing what Logan had said to Jake was a foreshadow.

In the middle of the race they were already speeding through intersection in Downtown LA while immediately they had LA police on their tails. There were a number of marked Chargers getting in on the pursuit with police choppers following their every move in the busy streets. However to Jake, something felt unusual as roadblocks were being set up exactly on their race path until they blocked off the way forcing the racers to take a detour. Logan was leading while Jake followed as cops decide to block them around a parking structure, forcing the racers to drive inside. They try looking for an exit as Logan passes through first when suddenly a few cruisers block the way before Jake. Jake tries going back the way they came as few more cruisers also blocked the way. Jake was trapped as he tries to go up the parking complex and on the roof. There was no other way out as cops now reach up and surround him including police choppers. They shout at him to get out with his hands up and to lay on the ground. Jake had no choice and does what they say. He was arrested for the first time and taken away, leaving his LaFerrari behind and put in a marked cruiser to escort him to a nearby detention center, registered, and put in a jail cell. While being held for a few days, Jake begins to regret what he did and thought he let down his motorclub. He then thinks back at what that female driver told him at the start as if she knew this was gonna happen. Awaiting for a possible trial, an officer comes up and takes him out of the cell. Surprisingly, he was being released, as for the fine it was already paid for. Wondering why, it turns out there was "no evidence" of an alleged warrant but faced the charges for street racing which got paid. Jake didn't understand what was going on until his stuff was given back to him and was pushed out of the detention center. Immediately, Jake thought it was Maxwell that bailed him out and expected him to arrive for a pickup. Looking out for him and his car though, there was no sign until a red 8C rolled up in front of him. The car looked familiar as the window rolled down and saw it was the female driver that warned him. "Come with me, there's a lot I need to explain to you." Jake gets in and was driven off who knows where.

Jake: "Who are you?"

Alicia:"My name is Alicia, but you could call me Alice (A-Leese). Before you ask me, yes, I was the one that bailed you out. I warned you to drive away from that race, and you didn't listen to me."

Jake: "I didn't know what the hell you were talking about. How did you know that was going to happen, what are you psychic or something..."

Alicia:That race was set upped. Logan tested you and lured you to a trap. He bribed with the cops and gave them the route to your race path and let him get away. He told me everything"

Jake:"Then what happen to my crews then, the Streetrats?"

Alicia: "I'm sorry Jake, but your crews are long gone, the Streetrats.. don't own this city anymore."

Jake: "That quickly? No that can't be, take me back to the HQ in Santa Monica, maybe Max…"

Alicia: "The 5-10s already moved in to your guy's HQ. You can't go back."

Jake: "What about Max then, where the hell did he took off to?"

Alicia: "I hate to say but I don't know what happened to him or everyone else."

Jake: "Then I failed them. They lost because of me. I was too cocky to even pay attention to what Max kept telling me. It's my fault."

Alicia: "It wasn't your fault. You could have beaten Logan in a fair race, but he decided to screw with you before the race even started."

Jake: "That bastard, I knew something weird was going on when they blocked us in. This system is all screwed up if they're taking bribes from some street racer."

Alicia: "You have no idea what he's capable of, even myself."

Jake:I can't believe this had happened to me. Now I lost my car, and it's probably at an impound lot somewhere."

Alice:"...I'm afraid I have some bad news about it, Jake, and you're not gonna like it when I tell you."

Jake:"What is it gonna be turned into a scrapped cube? Is that what you're saying to me?"

Alicia:"Worse. Logan has your car now, and he's using it to take over the rest of the west coast. He's heading to San Francisco as we speak."

Jake: "You gotta be f*cking kidding me. But hold up, why did you bail me out then? Why didn't you go with him? I thought you were his girlfriend"

Alicia: "WAS his girlfriend. I did something I should have done a while back. I left his crew, ran away from him and abandoned the 5-10s. As far as I know he probably doesn't care that I left if not have the 5-10s track me down. I knew they were bad news including himself. I gotta lose this car."

Jake: "So wait, you left the 5-10s, and your boyfriend, just so you could help me?

Alicia:"There's more to it, Jake. I'm gonna need more drivers if we decide to do this thing."

Jake:"Like what thing? Where are we even going?"

Alicia: "Hang on I gotta make a call. (Uses phone) Hello… yes..I drove away.. I'm coming to you, if it's not too late… I got someone here with me, perhaps you could give him another chance. …Right, I'm on my way. (Hangs up) It's gonna be a long drive from here."

Jake: "To where?"

Alicia: "The high desert, there's someone we need to see first."

Jake: "But what about.."

Alicia: "I'm not sure yet. ...We just have to get out of this city. The 5-10s will look for us if we keep staying here."

They both make their way up to Victorville Valley before sunset and meet their contact there. They meet at a supermarket parking lot in one of the small desert towns where they spot the person they wanted to see. Jake gets introduced to him, a black male introducing himself as Dwayne Carson. He meets him for the first time, but while speaking to him including noticing he too had a 5-10 tattoo on his neck, he gives the unfortunate truth like he did to Alicia. Jake discovers who Logan was, what his plan was for the 5-10s and how much power their crime networks have in the country. At this point the motorclub reminded Jake of a past gang his Streetrats had to face few years back. He wanted to go after him, but Dwayne thought it was dangerous at this point, realizing how unpredictable Logan could be and what power he could have as V4 of the region. Either way, Jake has no car to challenge him or Jake's LaFerrari he currently has. Unfortunately for him, he's going to have to start over again along with Alicia, but not in the West Coast. Dwayne had to settle things back in the Midwest and for the two to start at with him having a plan for Jake to go up against Logan and the 5-10s. Dwayne has a contact to fly them over to the Midwest, starting with Detroit Michigan. Lucky for Alicia, she still had a car there, but it was Jake that needed to find a new ride. On the way, Alicia makes another call, having someone she knew to travel to the Midwest to help, bringing a new crew together. Out in a dirt airfield not far from them was a small passenger plane waiting to take them east to the Midwest. Dwayne pays the pilot as they now set a destination to Detroit, heading for the farmlands.

The Journey starts…