Chapter Eight

"Surprise, surprise."

John stared blankly at the man in front of him, the rage rushing through his veins practically a white noise compared to echos of Naomi's broken screams. Light tremors ran through his slim frame, and his ice blue eyes glared at the caramel skinned man.

Ghost had to die.

Ghost had to die, now.

His sister had to be avenged.

His sanity had to be avenged.

Ghost had to pay.

Every thought John had vanished leaving behind only primal rage and a savage need for blood, for revenge, and he lunged at Ghost with a snarl, dodging G's hand as he tried to catch him. With seemingly cat-like agility he landed on the man and rammed his fist into his face.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

His pain and grief had finally found an outlet and he was determined not to let go. He could hear Jesse and Jake crying out for him, screaming for him to stop but he was lost to the beast inside himself. Ghost struggled beneath him and a few heavy punches landed on the side of his face but they only seemed to enrage him more.

"Johnny,"

He shook his head, hissing as his next punch missed Ghost and hit the floor beneath his head.

"Johnny, come back,baby."

He ignored the voice, despite the twinge his heart gave, but in his distraction Ghost was able to roll them over and pin him to the floor, smiling sinister all the while.

John struggled, the rage clouding his thoughts disorienting him and when he found he could not escape...he screamed.

Ghost jerked violently in his place atop the blond traitor, his dark smirk falling into a confused frown. Primal blue eyes stared up at him, full of blood rage he'd never seen and the scream that left their owner rang throughout the warehouse with ear piercing intensity.

Behind him the Toretto gang stared at the two with wide, stunned eyes, watching their former friend snarl and scream as he struggled beneath the slightly bigger man.

G yanked the small man off of his husband who lunged again the second he was free. He caught the slender blond mid-flight, wincing when the beauty continued to struggle against his strength. Another primal scream left the blond's lips, and he tried to lunge at Ghost who was holding his face glaring.

"What the hell was that?" He snapped at G who glared at him.

"That was retribution."

Ghost snorted. "All this for one job?" He sneered and John froze.

"One job? You think that was for a job?!" He snarled and Ghost rolled his eyes.

"Is there another reason you're trying to kill me?"

"Let me go." John ordered his lover icily.

Gordon hesitated. Even he knew that tone meant nothing good. However he also knew that when John was in this sort of mood he was untamable. Unpredictable.

Apparently he hesitated too long because John turned his laser glare on to him.

"Let me go." He repeated and this time, he obeyed.

In calm measured steps, John stalked over to Ghost who, sensing the dark murderous rage emanating from the blond tried to subtly back away.

This was not the same cocky weapons specialist they'd taken in five years ago. This wasn't the crazy but fun blond with more ice in his blood than anyone Ghost had ever met. This...was something else entirely and it wasn't what he'd thought he'd find when he came to find Toretto.

It wasn't even what he had expected to find when he finally got revenge on the blond for shooting him.

He had expected the same cocky crew. The same good but bad people.

What had changed?

The weaponeer came to a stop only a centimeter in front of him and he felt his heart race anxiously in his chest.

Then, quick as lightning a slender, calloused hand curled around his throat and squeezed with a strength that belayed their owner's slim visage.

"You want to know why? Why? The Russians came looking when they didn't get their money." He whispered softly but everyone heard him clearly.

"They wanted G. They wanted to hurt him for killing their meal ticket so they came after us. After me. After Naomi."

Ghost felt his heart speed up and he trembled slightly.

He didn't know what to do. Black spots were dancing on the edges of his vision and he knew if John didn't let go, he'd die.

"They beat us. They beat her. They raped her. Then they killed her and threw her corpse on the ground in front of me for me to stare at while they did the same to me."

The other Takers took in a sharp gasp, and John's lips twisted into a wild savage expression.

"I killed them. Every single last one of them. I ripped them apart with nothing but a pocket knife and my hands. And it was all your fault."

His grip tightened and Delonte squirmed, fighting to get air into his burning lungs.

"Brian." Rome stepped forward and put a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Not like this, brother. Not like this." He murmured and John snarled.

"He dies today!"

"Look at Jesse and Jake, B! Don't let them see you like this."

John glanced at the twins and his gaze softened at the pain in their gazes. He looked at G, who nodded encouragingly. Looking at the barely conscious man in his grip, he sighed and dropped him unceremoniously. Once he let go, G pulled him into his arms, murmuring soothingly in his ear and he allowed himself to break, sobbing silently in the safety of his husband's arms.

Ghost inhaled frantically, gasping for breath as he fought to remain conscious. The dark-skinned man that had stopped Rahway stared down at him in disgust, but before he could act a shot rang out and Ghost fell to the ground, dead.

Everyone turned in the direction the shot had come from and they were surprised to see Jesse holding a gun in his trembling hand. Horror and determination warred for dominance on his face and the gun fell from his grip with a soft clatter.

"Jess?" Jake whispered shocked and his brother looked up at him with wide tearful eyes.

"He hurt Johnny, Jay. He made them do...that!"

John gently pulled the younger thief into his arms, staring at the cooling corpse with an unreadable expression. Gordon sighed and turned to Toretto and his crew.

" We finish this tomorrow night be ready." That said he hefted the corpse up and left the room with Jake following him faithfully. John stayed where he was, holding Jesse who was crying silently.

"Brian," Dom called and the blonde glanced at him, eerily calm despite his earlier mania.

"What the hell was that?"

"That," He began softly, arms tightening around the young man in his arms. "That was Revenge...as anti-climatic and unsatisfying as it was. Goodnight."

Then without another word he turn and walked away, leading Jesse to follow him.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

John's jaw clenched at the betrayal and pain in his husband's voice and he swallowed thickly.

"She asked me not to...then they did the same to me and I was ashamed."

Gordon's dark gaze softened and he pulled his lover into his arms with a gruff "Johnny".

His blonde clung to him, sobbing silently in his arms, whispered apologies falling from his lips.

"Shh, its alright. Everything'll be alright. Shh, just let it all out. I've got ya."

After a moment he calmed and pulled away with a soft sniffle.

"We good, Johnny?" G rumbled and his husband smiled up at him.

"All signs point to it."

Gordon chuckled, his arms tightening around John.

"Good, cause we've got a job to finish."

John nodded and sighed.

"And I need to check on Jesse."

TBC...