=One Month Later=

[=Miami | 1:01am | Midnight Car Meet=]
Take a deep breath, and let it all sink in. From the multitude of revving engines sending ripples against marked concrete. Down to the blaring hip-hop echoing throughout the ambience. And now, the neon underglows wrapping all of the above in its fluorescent abundance. This is midnight street racing. A stone's throw away from the criminal underworld. Yet, just a few steps to the left, and you'd find yourself in urban sanctuary.

Miami never changed.

Its midnight air always remained the same. That same air that was fumed with gasoline and burnt rubber that Brian had gotten addicted to - soaked up like a cigarette. And just like the city he loved, Brian O'Conner never changed along with it. Staying that same hardcore street racer that ate his competition for a midnight snack.

His people. His fanbase. His family. They never changed either.

Suki, a young woman he'd grown close enough to call his sister. Then you had Tej, Suki's boyfriend, who was chief of all street racing in Miami. They were down with Brian all the way. They'd been down ever since he earned his moniker, "Bullitt," just a year and a half ago after arriving in Florida. His electric yellow Evo VII had become synonymous with his name, and you could also say that about his trademark toothy smile as well. It was impossible not to love Brian, even when he forced you to stare at his taillights as he smoked the hell out of you. And just like every other night in the past year, this current night wasn't much of a difference at all.

Same crowd. Same cars. Same...- wait. Hold up!

As a matter of fact, maybe tonight would be different after all. Because the last thing anyone ever expected was for a world famous green 350Z to make its presence known, as well as the underground celebrity driving it, Rachel Teller herself./

Under the hood of his Evo, Brian tinkered away at the engine when he heard a familiar voice rushing up behind him, belonging to his fellow enthusiast, Jimmy.

"Yo, Brian! Aye, man, you gotta come check this out, you 'bout to flip your shit!"

Along with Brian was his sworn brother, not related by blood, but still family all the same, Roman Pearce.

"What's the big surprise? Someone finally tell Tej this ain't Soul Train? That dude been need a haircut," laughed Roman as he stepped out of Brian's passenger seat.

"Nah, man, this is even better," replied Jimmy.

"Better?" Came Brian's sarcastic reply as he finally peeked out from under his hood.

Roman chuckled and playfully tapped the back of his hand on Brian's shoulder. "Say, bruh, we bored as hell, ain't we? Let's go see what's up."

'Nuff said for Brian. He smirked and shut the hood.*

Brian was cool. Relaxed. Calm. Focused.

Eventually, he heard the rumblings of his opponent's engine in the distance behind him. Whoever they were, they must've been well known, since the crowd erupted in cheer as they pulled up to the road. Brian kept his eyes straight ahead, focused on the faint glow of street lamps in the distance. It wasn't until a hint of green, coupled with the familiar timbre of the engine, that Brian finally turned to look at this surprise guest. Then came the dragon's head, followed by the glint of magenta inferno behind it - that vinyl was sooo iconic. Brian opened his eyes in shock, and he wasn't the person that was easily taken by surprise. Out of all the street racers in the world, it was Rachel Teller banging her turbo next to his Evo.

"What the hell?" Brian murmured to himself as he reached for the door to get out, but before he could, Tej knocked on his window. "Tej, what the hell is this?"

Tej grinned and ran his hands together like Birdman. "You been winnin' so much, I had to throw in a lil' curveball to keep it interestin' for the fans, y'know."

"Bet you had to pull some teeth to get her to show up."

Tej shrugged and leaned closer on Brian's window seal. "'Matter fact, she's the one who hit me up. All I had to do was give her the green light."

Brian chuckled and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. What's the stakes?"

"No money, homie. Only thing you'll owe her is a favor when she wins."

"A favor? What?"

"Look, bruh, that's all she told me. Didn't give me no details. Nothin'. That's it. A 'favor' when she wins."

"If she wins," Brian corrected.

Tej chuckled. "That's the Bullitt I know. Put on a show for em' tonight."

Brian gave his attention back to the 350Z that started revving its engine again. Rachel rolled down her window and shot Brian with her game face. Brian followed suit, lowered his window on the passenger side, and flicked his head up.

"'Sup, Bullitt. Mind if I test your mettle?" As she was known for, Rachel had an alluring, confident, streetwise tone to her voice, as well as the way she presented herself.

Brian smirked in return, and pointed toward the hungry streets ahead with his pinkie. "Home field advantage."

"You don't think that's gonna be enough to squeeze a loss outta me? Do you?"

"Should be more than enough."

Her eyebrows rose at the level of confidence Brian put forth - a bit taken aback by it. All she could do was nod in approval and hope to match it. "Good energy. Stick to it, alright? You're already 'bout to lose this race. No need to lose that charm too."

Proper introductions could wait until later. Brian kinda wanted to hop out his car and start geeking out like the roaring crowds that surrounded them. The hairs on Brian's back were standing up straight, because he realized this race was no joke whatsoever. No doubt Rachel wasn't planning on playing around, especially with the way she rolled up her window and looked straight ahead toward the distance.

Out came Suki and Tej; the couple positioned themselves in front of the two cars.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we got a real treat for y'all tonight!" Tej jabbed a finger at Brian's Evo as he continued, "On the left, it's ya boy who needs no introduction. Y'all know who it is! Miami's own king of the street, our boy Bulliiiiitt!" The crowd erupted in cheer and praise for their local legend. "Tonight, ya boy'll be bumper to bumper with one of the fiiinest ladies in street racing! All the way from Bayview, make some noise for ya girl Rachel Teller!"

Just like for Brian, the same crowd exploded in cheer that they had the privilege to see Rachel. She was stunningly beautiful, drove an equally stunning vehicle, and was known to have never lost a race, which made her name sacred in the tuner world. Women looked up to her, and guys yearned to marry her. But nobody could catch her. Maybe tonight would be the night Brian changed that. Regardless, one of them was giving up their winning streak...

Suki firmly planted her boots and raised both arms for the countdown. Tej stood behind her, his palms cradling her exposed waist, and his chin on her head. She looked to Brian. "Ready?!" His Evo struck like lightning with its revs. Then to Rachel. "Ready?!" Her car followed up, and the VQ's exhaust notes rumbled like an earthquake. Suki then brought both her arms down at once while shouting, "Aaaand GO!"

Prompt on the gas, came the moment Brian was waiting for. The moment that got him out of bed every night and that same moment that kept him wide awake - when foot met pedal and vehicle and human became one. Brian could visualize/feel his soul manifest in the engine bay, slide its way through the transmission, and out that exhaust like an explosion of spirit energy. It translated into his wheels, granting him a take off akin to a lightning crack. Smooth, powerful, and fast enough to make the blue stripes on his doors come to life and reach out toward the bystanders that just couldn't get enough of his AWD burnout!

Already, Brian scored the lead thanks to the Evo's all-wheel-drive. One glance to the rear view mirror and Brian could see Rachel followed suit, albeit, a bit slower due to her wheel spin. Not to say it wasn't a treat for the crowd to see her shred all the way through her first gear; her rims resembled spinning bronze discs clouded in smoke. Once the two cars found their footing, the race could really begin. It was a simple enough layout - basically a giant u-turn through Biscayne Boulevard, a portion of Miami's downtown strip. Not too long to where the action would get stale. But short enough to push every bit of skill out of both drivers.

Brian kept his eyes on the road ahead that was nothing but a blur as he climbed up to 100MPH. Snatching another glance at his rear view, he was greeted to nothing but metallic green. Rachel was on every inch of his exhaust. He heard her revs lower than they should be before the situation flipped in her favor. She used his draft to slingshot around to his right side. Revving high again, her engine shouted against his ears, accented with that lovely *ksssk* of her turbo. The flaming dragon on her door seemed to be flying away, soaring towards victory!

Brian smirked. He got overtaken quicker than he thought was possible. But the race just started, and he didn't plan on losing. Not tonight. It certainly helped that he was more familiar with Miami's streets, enough for him to properly brace for an upcoming bend that would transition them to another block of the strip. Opposed to his opponent's hesitation at the bend, Brian shoved his gear stalk upwards and shot through the area with ease. It was an impressive maneuver, but not enough to shake off the growls of Rachel's mythical beast.

Up ahead, the second segment of the race presented itself with the introduction of wider streets and more traffic. Nothing wrong with dipping their toes into Miami's downtown hub. It pushed their expertise to the limit, Rachel especially - her and her dragon slithered in and out traffic. One second, Brian's eyes shot to his left where the green monster was still chasing him. The two legends had been neck and neck since the start, and Brian was ready to earn a definitive lead. So the next second, his eyes then shot to an alleyway he remembered. He downshifted/slowed down a bit, just enough to avoid getting T-boned by a station wagon. Once the coast was crystal clear, he shot right back through his gear and launched himself into the shortcut.

The alley was cramped and jam packed with all sorts of obstacles that would trip any other amateur driver up for sure. Good thing Brian was far from the amateur driver. There was a group of gangsters that tripped over themselves just in time to avoid getting zapped by the electric yellow Evo. The drugs and other contraband they were selling went flying through the air, along with a slew of curses toward the car that thundered away in the distance.

Right. Then left. Right, again. Brian dodged the dumpsters and debris that tried tripping him up, throwing him out of his groove. Nope. When Brian was in his groove, everything else on the road just had to sit down and let him dominate. He made use of the Lancer's tight suspension and nimble body, and at the mouth of the alleyway's exit, Brian thundered out right in front of Rachel just like he'd calculated.

Sure, Brian had a nice chunk of lead between him and his opponent, thanks to his maneuver. But Rachel still made up for it by soaring at a much higher speed than Brian. Maybe the alleyway was a good idea on paper, but it still wasn't enough to wiggle his way out that dragon's teeth.

Dammit.

Just like before, they found themselves literally bumper to bumper/panel to panel. It was anybody's race. Brian had already concluded that Rachel's car was straight up faster than his own. It seemed to have been modded in some sort of mythical realm with all the power that it not only made, but also put down to its wheels. It was certainly appropriate that she chose a dragon as her car's icon.

Fine by Brian. He'd just need to lean a little harder on his technique to secure his victory. Thankfully, they were reaching the last leg of the race so that very same technique could be put into play. There was an upcoming roundabout that led back toward the start/finish line. Easing off the gas just a bit, he let the engine do the braking and shifted in his seat, ready to sling the car. To his left, he could see Rachel doing the same, though a bit more unprepared and clumsy. First came the stalling of her revs. Followed by the abrupt halt of her back wheels, making an ear-popping screech from the street. She had choked the handbrake/tightened her leash, and the very next second, those spinning bronze discs returned.

Now with the both of them into the entrance of the bend, the two cars worked in tandem together to provide a smoke show for the crowds that waited on the side. Brian let the Evo muster as much of a "drift" that was possible with an all-wheel-drive car, which was more of a powerslide than anything. Even so, it was the principle, the idea of the legendary "Bullitt" and the iconic "Rachel Teller" drifting together in tandem that made him appreciate the moment for a second. There was something about the extra special energy. The way the eager crowds on each street erupted with excitement at the collaboration - seeing their local hero powersliding around a corner along with her.

The way Rachel's car chewed up the corner put an even brighter smile onto Brian's face. He'd heard the stories. Saw the magazine articles and forum posts. But seeing Rachel's skills in person was a different animal. Her drift angle stayed speedy and perfect all the way throughout the end, enough to edge out a brief lead at the exit of the turn. No time to recover from the drift, the both of them had a blinding set of industrial lights that greeted them on the opposite side! Brian swerved to the left, and Rachel to the right. The angry horn from the Peterbilt dwindled in Brian's rear, only phased out by his victorious chuckles.

"Ha ha!" He was enjoying the hell out of himself.

Brian looked to his right to see Rachel compensating for her fishtailing, trying to recover from the sudden movement she threw her car in order to dodge the semi.

Perfect.

Just what he needed to secure the lead for good. And to seal the deal, Brian wasted no time in shooting the NOS through his system. Every perceivable object distorted to nothing but lazy strokes on an infinite palette provided by midnight. The composition was perfect. But a splatter of green threw off his artistic masterpiece. Brian shot his head to the right. Rachel was right back next to him, emptying the twin NOS bottles in her trunk just like Brian. She'd recovered from her fishtail/tamed her dragon faster than Brian expected. Everything about her was faster than expected. And even faster than her was the approaching twin flares that signaled the finish line.

"Home stretch, baby, c'mon!"

Brian's heavy foot damn near pushed the pedal through the floorboard, craving as much speed the Evo could muster. But in those last seconds of the race, it became clearer by the second which artist had overtaken and claimed the canvas. Even so, Brian's smile never wavered./

After parking his car to the side of the nearest building, Brian looked in his rear view mirror to see a pumped up crowd had surrounded Rachel's car. Paparazzi from magazine companies peppered the area with flashing lights. For everyone, it would definitely be a night to remember. Two street racing legends in a NOS injected race of sudden death. Brian could hear Tej narrating the end of the race with his megaphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen! There you have it! They were neck and neck, but our guest here edged ya boy out just in time to break his win streak-"

That's right… his win streak…

Brian huffed. At the end of the night, one of them had to lose their title of "undefeated" anyway. Brian sighed as he got out of the Evo, where he was then welcomed by a crowd around his car that offered him their condolences.

"Ayo, you had her, Bullitt!"

"Next time, dog!"

"Don't sweat it, my man, you still the best!"

"And you're still the hottest!"

He threw on a smile for his fans and made way towards the winner's car. She was posed against the driver side, one foot propped up on the door and her arms crossed. The crowd parted to make room for Brian as he walked on over. With his hands in his pockets, Brian approached Rachel's crowd and congratulated, "Nice race."

Rachel gave a simple nod and replied, "Likewise."

He licked his lips before he continued, "A deal's a deal. So, what can I do for you?"

"You can take me for a ride," came her abrupt reply, like she already knew beforehand how the night would play out.

Rachel got off her door and tossed Brian a set of keys. He effortlessly caught them with one hand, and turned the key fob over in his palm. Under the street lamp above, the chromatic "Z" logo twinkled like a star, amplified by the star that owned it. Brian had driven, or at least knew about, pretty much any car you could think of, so a 350Z wasn't anything to write home about. But this certainly wasn't your run of the mill 350Z. This was Rachel Teller's 350z - A spitting image of the import tuner dream build. Most people either loved or hated these "ricer" cars. But Brian could appreciate the loud paint job, in-your-face vinyls, and exaggerated body work, especially now that he knew firsthand that Rachel had the skill to back it up.

"You ain't gonna stand there droolin' all night, are you?" Quipped Rachel while her heels clicked toward the passenger door. She opened that door and flicked her head up. "How 'bout we hit the road, huh?"

No need to tell Brian twice. He eagerly joined her inside and was pleased to see the interior modded out as well. A fair chunk of the black factory plastic was exchanged for a material coated in the same green pigment as the exterior. Black Sparco bucket seats to match the steering wheel from the same manufacturer. Custom speakers to be utilized by the custom radio fitted with the extendable screen and the whole shebang. Craning his head to the back, over his shoulder, Brian's face was illuminated by the green trunk neon that showcased the layout - two large subwoofers and two NOS bottles that were probably empty now for sure. Admittedly, it was a bit too much for Brian's personal tastes, but it nevertheless reminded him of why he fell in love with the custom car scene from the start.

"Talk about a wild ride. You gotta have close to a hundred grand dropped in this thing. Right? Hell, not to mention the up-front for the car itself, huh? I know these new Z's don't come cheap."

Rachel shrugged and propped her elbow against the door seal, all laid back and relaxed. "A girl can splurge, can't she? Saw the car at the Detroit Auto Show a few years back, and it just clicked with me. It's got this dope energy to it that just kinda sucked me in, y'know? And you better believe it responds to mods very well." She let a teasing smirk crack onto her cheek. "But I don't have to beat you twice to prove that to you, huh? Guess 'home field advantage' wasn't enough to ease out the win, was it?"

Brian made a sucking sound with his teeth. "Ouch. Rubbin' it in, are we?"

"Uh huh. I think I've earned it. Racin' against 'Bullitt' is no easy feat. You're the hottest driver on the east coast, y'know."

"I am? Not really keepin' track of my reputation. Fame is cool and all, but it's not what I live for."

Rachel nodded, twirling a brunette strand on her finger while she thought about his response. "Hm. I like you. You got a good head on your shoulders. It's hard to find people like that nowadays in our scene."

Before Brian could even appreciate the compliment, their conversation was cut short by a double knock on the driver side window. Brian shot his head toward the window and lowered it. Tej, Jimmy, Suki, and Roman all stood over the door, each with an unashamed shit-eating grin.

Roman in particular leaned over the window seal and murmured, "My bad, Romeo. I owe you a rubber."

Instinctively, Brian reached in his pocket, just to feel the super-duper secret compartment in his wallet empty. "I'm gonna kill your ass," Brian whispered back. Roman laughed without shame and reached inside to pat his best friend on the back. Brian shook his head, "It's not like that anyway."

From behind Roman, Tej and Suki waved Brian off. "I got Jimmy takin' care of your wheels, dog," Tej said, reassuring that no one would touch Brian's coveted Evo while he was gone.

Suki, with her arms wrapped around Tej's neck, joked, "You kids behave yourselves, now. Aaand be responsible." She winked and Brian rolled his eyes, as well as the window all the way up.

Brian awkwardly swallowed and looked over at Rachel, who no doubt heard his friends' inappropriate banter. "My bad, don't mind them. They're just screwin' around."

Rachel shrugged. "No, you should enjoy the moment. I don't give this opportunity to many people, if at all."

Brian nodded and took that as a cue to finally start the engine. He leaned back, taking a moment to appreciate the unique exhaust notes exclusive to the 350Z's VQ engine. Upon starting the car, her radio came to life, ready to play the song she had loaded on the CD - a new remix by Snoop Dogg and The Doors. Brian let the beat kick in and got ready to take Rachel up on her joyride offer.

Thank God tonight was gonna be a long one./

Brian spent the next few minutes enjoying how it felt to pilot a rear wheel drive car again. There was, of course, his Evo - then his magnum opus, the Skyline. Two cars before that were his 3000GT and Eclipse GSX. Each of them were all AWD. The snappiness and preciseness of Rachel's two-seater had him smiling like a kid in a candy shop, and Brian was very much a kid at heart; Rachel could see this as she watched him execute drifts and pulls all over Miami's empty late night streets.

When she was satisfied with the fun she let him have with her car, Rachel pointed toward a side street that led to a pier, "Pull up over here. If you don't mind, Bullitt."

Brian complied with a nod, then put his eyes toward the direction she mentioned. Pulling up toward the very edge of the boardwalk, Brian watched Rachel get out as he unbuckled his seat belt. Through the windshield, he watched her perch herself against the hood of her car and stare out into the bluish haze provided by the contrast of the moon and the midnight waves of the beach. She turned her head just enough to glance back through her peripheral, silently urging Brian to join her outside. It wasn't long before he did so, slipping his hands into the pockets of his Dickies as he took a spot next to her on the hood. A bout of harmonious silence cascaded the two drivers.

Brian turned his head toward her and noticed how deep in thought Rachel seemed to be. "What's up? You okay over there? Hope I didn't get too carried away with your car," he threw in a tease to test the waters, not totally sure of what her mood was. It was more awkward than he expected. Brian knew of Rachel but didn't know her personally.

She gave a faint hum and tucked a brunette lock behind her ear. "'Course not. Don't sweat it. Just... got a lot on my mind. Was hopin' you wouldn't mind if you lend me your ear for a while." Rachel turned to him with a look that reinforced her words. She seemed oddly serious, and something told him that there was more to her surprise visit than he knew.

His confident look met her eyes. "I don't have anything else going on tonight."

"Good," she idly nodded and looked back out toward the moonlight.

Playing the smooth operator he was known for, Brian opened the conversation with another tease, hoping to ease her obvious anxiety, hinted by her tense shoulders. "Y'know, I never thought I'd have the privilege to take you of all people on a joyride. Too bad I had to fork over my streak to do it."

She let a chuckle escape through her nose. There was a tidbit of guilt somewhere in there. "I'm hopin' you at least enjoyed yourself."

His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her like she was crazy. "Hell yeah. Haven't had my palms sweat like that in months. No worries, Rachel, it was fun as hell. But next time you'll be the one owing me a favor. Count on it."

"Guess that's somethin' to look forward to. But, listen. Bullitt, whether I won or lost… it wasn't top priority. What went down tonight? It was all a show. A publicity stunt."

Brian's eyebrows pinched again. "'Publicity stunt?' For what? What more publicity do you need?"

"See? You just proved my point. 'Means you haven't got the scoop on what I've been cookin' up in Bayview. Have you?"

Brian shook his head with a lost gaze. "Can't say I have. Nah."

"Well, here's the four-one-one. I'm puttin' together a crew. An exclusive club for the best and only the best. I've been playin' around with this idea for a while now, but I only just got the ball rollin'. Folks down in Bayview are hyped, but I need people from all over the States with eyes on me and what I'm doin'."

"Why the attention? Y'know with the way police have been cracking down on street racing, everyone's backing off a little. 'Least out here in Miami they are."

Rachel smacked her teeth and waved her hand. "Oh please, they're no threat to me. On my side of town, I even put food on some of their tables. I get em' to turn a blind eye for a night or two, and they don't miss next month's rent."

"Serious? Damn. 'Guess what I heard about you and your influence is true."

"Then you heard right. Bayview is my baby at the end of the day." Brian watched her pause as she glanced down at her silver bracelets with idle eyes and a huff. "But… to keep it real? I'm not so sure if I can keep sayin' that with a hundred percent certainty right now."

"Why? What do you mean?"

"I'm glad you asked. Here." Rachel reached in her purse and pulled out a manila folder that was folded up as best as it could be. "Here's what I got goin' on, Bullitt. I wa-"

"-You don't have to call me that, by the way. Just call me 'Brian.'"

Rachel nodded. "You got it. 'Brian' it is."

Brian freed his hand from his pockets to take hold of the files. She pointed to the first page that Brian flipped to, which is where the title for everything she'd been working on was headlined.

"Check it out. I call it… 'Project-'"

"-'Underground,'" he finished for her, reading the rest of the label. "Nice ring to it. A little over-the-top though, huh?"

"Let's call it a start."

Brian pulled out some of the photos which featured some famous racers he recognized. Others not so much, like for example, the flamboyant dark-skinned man that seemed to take up the majority of the photos in file.

"Who's this dude?" Brian asked as his fingers graced along what must've been the tenth photo of him surrounded by women, cars, and money.

"He… is a problem." Brian noted her irritated sigh at his mention. "He goes by 'Booke,' and he's a household name in Bayview. Anybody who's somebody has caught a whiff of this clown. That being said, his street cred is no joke. Whenever he's not swimmin' in women at one of his clubs, he's speedin' through town in cars you've probably ain't even heard of. Probably will only see once in your life, too. That's how top-tier his wheels are."

"So. A rich bastard with too much money than what he knows what to do with?"

"Oh, he knows what he's doin' with his money. That's how he's earned his reputation. Booke is shady, Brian. And he drags his dirty laundry onto Bayview's import tuner scene. He used to race, but now? He runs crews that fund themselves through his cash, and pipe that cash back to him twofold. Cash that definitely ain't squeaky clean like he'd want you to believe. It's gotten to the point where he's blurrin' the lines between street racin' and organized crime."

"'Serious? How deep does organized crime in Bayview go anyway?"

"Good question. And my point, exactly. There used to not even be much of 'organized crime,' in Bayview. I mean, sure, you've got your thugs and gangsters just like every other city. But at its core, Bayview was pretty tame. Untiiil…-"

"-Our buddy Booke here."

"Right. Now, listen, this is the main reason I want him gone. It used to just be petty bets and the occasional tussle between a winner and loser. Now? You're talkin' boosted cars, trashed shops, and folks getting seriously hurt. I'm talking about life-threatening attacks here, Brian. And all this is happening regularly, at any given race, car meet, you name it. So, how does he pull the strings? Here." She followed up her rhetorical question by pulling out a photo/description of a man standing next to a metallic orange R34 Skyline.

Following her index, Brian found a photo of one of the most notorious drivers in North America. She opened her mouth to elaborate but was cut off by Brian's excited cheer, as if he was treated to another bar of automobile chocolate. "Maaan, I know who this is. That's Eddie, am I right? That Skyline of his has got me jealous as hell. Makes me miss my own."

"Right on the money, Brian. The Eastsiders are the hottest street racing gang in the States, and no one has been able to touch 'em in years. Everybody loves the Eastsiders. And trust me, they know it themselves. Their egos are so big, it makes me laugh. You never see these cats without a trail of people following them like its a parade. 'Course Eddie is the ringleader and is also Booke's golden boy. They're only five men deep. But what the lack in number, they make up for in skill. These cats win so much that most of them don't even race anymore. Their fans got bored of them winning. No joke. The Eastsiders are mostly showboats nowadays, but every once in a while, they'll throw the crowd a bone and remind them just how fast they are." Rachel paused to see that Brian's attention was piqued by a blonde woman that often stood next to Eddie in the photos. "*Ahem* I see somebody's got your attention. Don't get too attached, lover boy, that's Melissa. Eddie's squeeze. She's one hell of a hassle and has been gunnin' for my seat for a minute now."

Brian smirked and looked up at Rachel. "Why don't you just race her and knock her out of the picture?"

"I did race her. And I whooped her." Rachel rolled her eyes and giggled to herself. "Okay, I didn't whoop her. I give cred where cred is due, she put up a close race. But, I won. Thing is? That was a little while ago, before Booke started tossin' all the top racers into his pockets. Now that she's workin' with a little more money, she's modded out that Eclipse of hers to some wickedly scary levels. It's a legit weapon now. Every now and then, her and I will cross paths and she'll hype up this massive re-match she wants to do, so she can snatch the title of 'Street Racing Queen' away from me. 'Course it won't happen. I'll beat her, just like last time, and go home without thinkin' twice about it."

"'Sounds like it'd be one hell of a race. 'Course, I'm invited right?"

"Oh, for you? Honey, I'd let you ride shotgun. Even with the extra weight, I'd still smoke her." Brian laughed and shifted against the hood. "Listen… I know I just threw all this out to you at once, but I hope you can get the idea of why I'm takin' action. Booke's Eastsiders have exclusive rights to call the shots in Bayview's City Center, which is where the meat and potatoes are when it comes to racin'. And that's also the hotspot for some dangerous gambling. People throw down ten racks just to pull a couple of drags on the highway. Can you believe that?" Rachel pointed to another photo of a man standing confidently next to a black widebody 350Z. "Check this guy out. Name's Takashi. Calls himself 'DK.' Short for-"

"-'Drift King.' Yeah, I've heard of him too. I've seen some videos of him in action and his angles are insane."

"Yeah, and so is his attitude. He's straight from Tokyo, and he's even brought over some of his home talent to dominate Bayview's drift scene. With all the driftin' they do up in Tokyo, it's no surprise that these guys are in a league of their own in Bayview. No one can keep up with em'. Word on the street is that he just scored himself a spot on Booke's payroll around Jackson Heights, which is the northern district of Bayview. So now you've got that chunk of land under Booke's thumb too. See what I'm sayin'?"

"Yeah. Damn."

"I'm still not even finished. The last big crew funded by Booke are these tryhards known as the 'Wraiths.' They aren't known for being talented per se. What they make up for in lack of skill is their aggression. These are people who you don't want to mess with. People who should not be behind a wheel. A lot of folk's rides go missin' after racin' these creeps. From what I heard, people themselves go missin' too if they piss off the wrong member. Especially their leader, Caleb Reece. He cruises around in a smoked out Hummer. Creepy stuff, am I right? My guess is that Booke uses these guys for some serious dirty work. Off the record stuff, y'know?"

Finally, Rachel took the manila folder back in her hands, closed it up, and shoved it back in her purse.

Brian voiced his thoughts as she did so. "So what's the idea here? You make this team of drivers to compete head-to-head with all these crews? Kinda like a… like, an A-Team or something, but with street racers?"

"Somethin' like that. Look, I love Bayview, Brian. I was born and raised there. Can't imagine settlin' down anywhere else. So I'd be damned before I sit by and let Booke continue to taint it with his bad business." Rachel shrugged and let out a tired groan. "'Course I could mop the blacktop with every one of these fools. But I'm only one woman. There's only so much I can do on my end. I can show up to any race, throw around some Benjamins, and tell folks not to bet on Booke's posse anymore. But you and I know that the streets ain't that easy. People need to see change start from the inside. Can't just happen overnight. They need that spark, to see it with their own two eyes of what this culture should be. It should not be sandbaggin' someone else's ride. It should not be waging your entire livelihood on bets, then goin' postal when it all goes south. It should be about the love of your crew, your car, and your street. Nothin' else. Point blank. Period."

Brian nodded and let out a clap. "Amen."

Rachel gave something somewhere between a chuckle and a wince. "Ah... my bad. Got a little heated there-,"

"-No, it's cool. You're passionate as hell and I can respect that. We need more racers like you."

"And I need more racers like you. Brian… I'd love to have you on board with me."

Brian sucked his teeth and ran a thoughtful hand across his stubble. All of it was so sudden and unexpected. Ever since that Carter Verone fiasco, he'd done nothing but chill and settle down. Yet, he'd be lying to himself if he said he wasn't itching to come back into some sort of action. Maybe Rachel's invitation was his express ticket.

Brian beamed at Rachel and nodded. "You got me."

"*Phew*."

"C'mooon, don't tell me you thought I'd pass up a chance to run with you. I'm all in."

"Not gonna front… I had my doubts… you're pretty high profile, y'know. Cats up in Bayview often drop your name. So rest assured, you'll be a welcome addition to our streets."

Now that both of them were on the same page, Brian stood up from off her hood. Rachel looked up at him, a bit of a confused look on her face as he reached his hand out towards her.

"You got me stoked. Let's shake on it."

Rachel smirked, stood up too, and returned the gesture. In the moment, she let her thoughts recess towards Samantha and voiced those thoughts out loud. "Thank you, Brian. To be honest… someone… very close to me got hurt. Now, I'm not totally sure if Booke or any of his boys were directly involved or not, but their fingerprints were all over it."

"Damn… I'm sorry that happened."

"Don't be. It's on me. It shouldn't have taken someone so close to me gettin' hurt to wake me up and realize that these people need to be put in their place. Booke needs actual competition… and that's where this team comes in."

"Sounds like we got our work cut out for us."

"We do. Think you can keep up?"

"C'mon. I'm sure you already know the answer."/

That addicting timbre of Rachel's car echoed off the walls of Tej's garage as they pulled up. Rachel put the car in park and unlocked the passenger door so Brian could get out. He took his exit and propped his forearms against the open window.

"Say, thanks for letting a total stranger take your car for a spin."

"Mm, you may be a stranger, but I trust your skills. Wouldn't have recruited you if I didn't."

Brian flashed a smile. "Thanks for that too. I mean it when I say I'm pumped as hell for this."

"Good to hear." Rachel reached into her glove department. She pulled out three plane tickets and handed them to Brian. "You ship out in a week. Use that time to do what you gotta do and saddle up for Bayview."

Brian narrowed his eyes at the three tickets instead of just one. "Wait a minute, Rachel. You gave me three tickets."

"I know. Forgot to tell you the part where you bring two other drivers with you. Now, I trust your judgment, so I know you won't drag along a couple of slouches. Along with your group, you can expect three other drives that I've also personally recruited to meet you in Bayview. Together, you'll all be a team of six. I figured that's enough to tackle the competition in the city, especially with me as your agent."

"Sounds like a solid plan." He gently gave her door a couple of playful knocks and got ready to dismiss her. "Alright. I'll let you get out of here. I bet you got a million places to be tonight and the night after that, and so forth."

Rachel nodded and reached for the dial to turn her beats back up. "Sure thing, Brian. Catch you later."

Brian stepped back and let the exhaust notes tear his ears to shreds as she sped away in a cloud of smoke. He sighed and looked up at the moon, scratching his head as he did so. He had an entire boatload dropped on his shoulders. And even though he was excited for it, he couldn't help but be just a little bit anxious. With his hands buried in his pockets, he started toward the entrance to Tej's, and got ready to catch up on some much needed shuteye.

=The Following Evening=

[=Tej's Garage | 4:34 PM=]
"So, lemme run this back real quick. Make sure I heard you right," Roman said while muting the TV. On the sofa, he shifted towards Brian and crossed his arms. "You want me to fly with you to the biggest street racing hub in the country, to race against the biggest gangs in the city, all because you somehow shmooed up the biggest street racing celebrity last night?"

"Nah, I think you missed the part where you do all that and still manage to be the biggest loser on the street." Suki sarcastically commented. She was talking about Roman's current lose streak that he still hasn't broken yet.

"Aye, come on, homegirl. You still givin' me lip on that?"

"Win a race for a change and maybe I'll chill out," she teased, playfully nudging Roman in the arm from the other side of the sofa. "Come on, B," she continued, "You can find someone better than this fool."

Brian shook his head. "Nah, see, Rome's the only brother I got. So his spot was occupado from the get go." Brian held up one of the tickets to Bayview and beamed at his best friend.

Roman hopped up from the sofa with a toothy smile on his face. "That's my boy. You already knew I'd be down for this, huh," he said as he gave Brian a dap and a quick bro hug.

"It wouldn't feel right without you anyway, bro." Brian fished out the last ticket from his back pocket and held it up. "That just leaves me with one person," he said, looking over at Tej, Jimmy and Suki.

Suki ran her fingers across Tej's cornrows. "You should go, baby. The street's been callin' your name for a while now."

"Yeah," piped up Jimmy, "this could be your big comeback, you feel me?"

Tej chuckled and ran a tired hand across his face. "Y'all chill. I ain't goin' nowhere. Who gonna stay and hold it down out here?" He countered, looking out the window at all kinds of people having a good time on his property. Partying and drinking was what he was known for. It didn't feel right to let it go now. "Besides, y'all know I don't throw down rubber no more."

"Y'know, I actually had somebody else in mind anyway," started Brian.

"Oh yeah," asked Suki. "Who's the lucky candidate?"

"I'm looking at her."

Suki nearly choked on her tongue in surprise as she fought to come up with a response for Brian. "Wha-me?! Get ouut! Why-"

"-Why not you," questioned Tej.

"He's right," agreed Jimmy. "I mean, you and your girls are poppin' out here in Miami. And you said you been lookin' to expand your art biz."

Roman nodded his head and backed up Jimmy. "Yeah, so why not roll with us, and work on that art shit in Bayview as a side hustle? That way, you killin' two birds with one stone. You see what I'm sayin'?"

"It's a win-win for everybody," Brian finished.

Suki gawked at all her bros, silently thanking them for all their support. She put her hand over her heart that fluttered with happiness. "Damn, you guys rock. 'Preciate it, for real."

Brian went over and perched himself on the arm of the sofa. "Truth is, Suki, I was gonna pick you from the start. You always kick ass when you're with us."

She stood up and squeezed Brian into her hug. "I'm down for it. Let's kick some more ass."

Tej ran his hands together in anticipation for his friends. "Now, Bayview is at least twice the size of Miami, so don't y'all head up there and forget about us. Me and Jimmy'll hold down the fort, a'ight?" Tej gave Brian and Roman a dap, then went up to Suki. Taking a lock of her hair in his hand, he planted a wet kiss on her forehead.

"Try not to burn the place down while I'm gone, m'kay?" Teased Suki.

Tej laughed and gripped her waist. "Girl please. You really do be givin' yoself too much credit."

She licked her lips and whispered in his ear. "Only 'cause I love to get under your skin. And… other things…" She purred against his ear and traced her teeth along his neck, eliciting a soft groan from her lover. Her fingers snaked their way underneath his shirt.

"Damn, girl, you freaky." Tej murmured into the crook of her neck. "Imma miss that shit."

"Yo, y'all know we're still standin' here, right?" Jimmy awkwardly announced.

"Oh, shutup, boy. Are you still in third grade?" Suki jokingly spat.

"I mean, naw, but-"

"-Alright then. Don't act like you never heard us get nasty before."

Tej grabbed Suki by the waist and started leading her toward the back. "Aye, look. We'll be in the back, uh… sayin' our goodbyes. Y'all two do what'cha gotta do for the flight in a few days."

After they said a quick goodbye, Brian and Roman both walked out together toward their cars. Brian reached to open the door to his Evo, but stopped when he noticed Roman hovering over his Eclipse with a giddy grin on his face.

"The hell you find so funny?" Brian asked.

"Man. Ain't this what we dreamed of when we were kids, dog? Goin' to some big time city as hot shots. Smokin' the competition. Gettin' famous and havin' everybody wish they could roll with us? Shit, Brian, this is it. We made it, bruh."

"Nah, dog. I made it." Brian joked, running Roman's losing spree in his face. "Remember, I'm only bringing your slow ass because you're family."

"Unh-uh, you bringin' me because you gots to. Ha ha. I'm the one that keeps that stupid ass smile on your face, homie." Roman laughed at his own joke and hopped in his convertible. "Face it, Brian. You and me, we just don't function right without each other."

Brian nodded. Roman was right. He wouldn't have had it any other way. They were brothers. And going to Bayview was their moment. Their big dream that they envisioned since they were teens!

"You're right, man. We made it."

Both of them fired up their cars and sped for their own garage to get ready to turn their dream into reality.