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Dom was inside his garage, chatting with Vince, when a dog ran in. His fur was pure black, and he was acting strangely. He headbutted Dom’s knees, and Dom bent down to him. He stroked his ears.
“What’s up, little man? Where’s your owner?”
Vince came over and checked his collar. “Names Max. The owner’s some guy named John? Oh, lookie here! This little dude’s a veteran. Bomb sniffing dog for 6 years.”
Letty rolled out from under the car she was working on. The dog ran to the entrance, and looked back at them.
“I think he wants you to follow him. Maybe his owner’s in trouble?” Letty offered.
“Alright, mind holding down the fort? Vince, come with me.” Dom and Vince followed the dog. When Max saw them following, he started running.
“Think this is a bad idea?” Vince asked.
“Well, we’re armed. Might as well check.”
They started jogging after the dog. They almost lost him a few times, but the dog made sure to stay with them. They reached an old warehouse, and Max nudged the door open with his nose, whining softly. There were raised voices coming from inside.
“- ing kill you!” An almost familiar man’s voice yelled.
“Where’s the fun in that, Johnny? Besides, I’m the one in power here.”
Dom and Vince heard the telltale sound of a gun being cocked. “Selling us out to a Russian gang doesn’t put you in power, Ghost. You kill me, bet you can guess what G will do. He’ll hunt you down and rip you apart, seam by seam. Matter of fact, I’ll do it myself.”
The other man snorted. “I’ve got a gun on you, John. You’re nothing. Plus, even if you escaped, my new employees will still kill you all.”
Dom and Vince both pulled their guns silently, in case of something going wrong.
“Oh, that’s almost comical, Ghost. They ain’t your employees. Just because you offered them your cut for our murders, that doesn't make you special. You see, if you’d gone to jail and came out without alter intentions, we would’ve taken you back with open arms. But no, Ghost, you offered up a bogus heist. Can’t believe we fell for it, honestly. Then, you hop the damn window in the bathroom, while our hotel door is blown open with a 12 gauge? You may not be a narc, Ghost, but you’re worse, you’re a traitor.”
Dom and Vince exchanged a look. What had they just stumbled into?
“Is it just me, or does John sound familiar?” Vince breathed, so quiet Dom almost missed it.
“Sounds like the buster,” Dom responded. They raised their guns and silently made their way into the room, Max following on their heels. As it turns out, there he was, a gun pointed directly at his brain. They hid themselves behind a couple of stacked crates and watched. The buster looked pissed, but not at all scared.
“Says the man who used to be a cop. You know, maybe I’ll track down those people. What were their names? The Torettos?”
Brian growled. “You touch even a hair on their heads, I’ll flay you with a toothpick. You’re really pushing it, Ghost. Seems like you missed the big picture. We don’t like you, never have. Lily is happier with Jake than she ever was with you. I know you think you’re hard because you were in Chino Penitentiary, but news flash fucker, I went to Lompoc. You think you have contacts? I have more than you could even imagine. Besides, you think you can what? Get an in with them? They’ll never trust you.”
Dom growled under his breath. Max bared his teeth, and launched himself at Ghost, latching his teeth around Ghost’s calf. Ghost fired, and the bullet barely missed Brian, who twisted around and whistled for Max. The dog immediately came to his side.
“Now, Ghost. Think twice before you fuck with me again. G doesn’t like traitors, and you’re the biggest one of all.”
Ghost took aim at Max, but Brian crouched, sweeping the dog behind him and caught a bullet in his shoulder. Dom and Vince came out of hiding and both aimed at Ghost, who turned tail and ran out of the warehouse, somehow dodging their bullets.
Brian stood, and stroked Max. “Good boy.” He muttered, and turned to them. Noticing who they were, he cursed.
Dom raised an eyebrow. “Problem?”
He chuckled bitterly. “Not at all, except now you are in danger too. Kinda hoped Ghost would forget about you, not likely now.”
Vince stepped towards him. “What’ve you gotten yourself into, buster?”
“Why’s it matter? No one wants a damn cop on their team, in their family. Your words, Vince. Don’t worry, I don’t plan on sticking around long enough for it to bother you.”
Dom frowned. “Look, Brian, we don’t give a shit anymore. You saved Jesse, and Vince. Saved me from Lompoc. We looked for you, but it’s almost like you don’t exist anymore.”
“That’s because Brian doesn’t. Name’s John. This is Max.”
“We’ve met,” Vince said wryly.
“He’s trained to detect danger, and retrieve backup when needed.”
“We’re several blocks away, why us?”
John grinned. “He likes garages. The smell of gas, grease, vehicles. People he trusts hang out there.” John gestured to him and he ran to Dom, demanding pats. Dom obliged gladly.
“C’mon buster. Why don’t you come around to the house. We can talk it out, and Mia’ll sew up that shoulder of yours.” Vince offered.
“Alright. Thanks.” He reluctantly said.
~
They arrived at the house, having driven from the garage in Vince’s truck. Max had his head out the window the whole time. They got out.
“You okay with having a dog in the house?” John asked, and Dom nodded.
“Of course. One in there all the time.” He gestured to Vince, who mockingly looked hurt.
The second they walked in the door, Max pushed his way in and ran up to Mia.
“Pick up a stray?” She asked, laughing, before she caught sight of John. He crooked his mouth into a small smile.
“You could say that, but no. That’s Max, the buster’s dog. Came and found us at the garage, led us to a warehouse. The buster here has been in some shit.” Dom said, and the man in question suddenly remembered something.
“Ah shit, I totally forgot. Listen, I have to make a call. I’ll put it on speaker, so you know I ain’t a cop still, or whatever.”
Dom knew that it wasn’t necessary, but as it seemed to put Mia at ease, so he nodded. The phone rang twice, before a man’s voice with a heavy English accent spoke.
“Johnny, where have you been? Said you were going for a walk with Max, it’s been hours.”
“G, Ghost isn’t dead. The Russians lied. Cornered me in a warehouse, but Max found some friends and saved my life.”
“Ah, remind me to reward him. You hurt?”
“Just the shoulder, I’m fine. Listen, you need to grab Naomi. Ghost threatened to come after some friends of mine, and he knows Naomi personally.”
“John, she’s an addict. You know what happened last time.”
“Then we don’t make that mistake again. She’s never alone, ever. No extra money, nothing.”
“Alright, I’ll go pick her up now. Where are you? I’ll send the boys.”
“Take Jesse with you. I’ll come get Jake and AJ. Lily’s safe, right?”
“Hasn’t left Jake’s side. Have you seen the new Star Wars movie?”
This was code for G asking if John was being listened to. Dom and Mia exchanged looks at that.
John glanced at Dom. “Yeah, but my favorite is still Game of Thrones.”
Referring to the fact that he was, but they were trustworthy.
“Listen, G, can you contact Rome, Tej and Suki? Tell ‘em that if they spot any odd behavior near the garage, shoot first. Also, are we bringing Naomi into this shit? Because she’ll get suspicious, I guarantee it.”
“I’m not sure at this point, John. If she gets hooked again, who knows what she’ll blurt to whichever unlucky fellow catches my fists. Any ideas?”
John thought for a moment. “Well, we should probably lay low. After that armored truck job, every agency on this side of the planet will be after us. Keep our business on the down low, maybe finally open that new club? After all, who in their right mind opens a bar after they pull a stunt like that?”
Mia looked suspicious up until this point, but now it was replaced by worry.
“Good idea. I’ll get AJ to set up the credentials. Get your shoulder fixed up, princess.”
John scowled. “I’ll break your jaw, I swear.”
G laughed. “Your loss, Johnny. Call me when you pick up our boys.”
“See you.”
John hung up, and turned back to face the Torettos. “Ah, you probably want an explanation.”
“Damn straight, buster. Take a seat, and you can tell us while Mia stitches you up.” Dom pulled out a chair, and John sat down, straddling the chair backwards so Mia had easier access.
“Take your shirt off.” Mia asked, and he unbuttoned his flannel, before pulling off his form fitting black undershirt.
“Where’d you get all these scars, Brian? And why is everyone calling you John?” Mia inquired, taking a cloth to soak up the blood with. He shrugged.
“That’s my name, John Rahway.”
“So, was Brian O’Connor a lie too? Are you undercover or something?” Mia was suspicious. He chuckled.
“What's funny, buster?” Vince asked.
“I ain’t a cop. Only reason you got to hear that phone call was because I know you aren’t narcs. Oh, hey buddy.” Max came up to him, and sat right next to him. John started stroking his fur.
“No, Brian O’Connor was my name. After G picked me up, I changed it. Well, technically Brian O’Connor is dead. The PTSD from Lompoc became too much, and he took his own life in his home, which burnt down. The fire burnt so long, his body turned to ash. He left a note in his email, to all his close friends. That’s the official version.”
“How the hell did you pull that off?”
“Well, G’s rich, and he needed a sharpshooter. Plus, a guy from the station owed me a favor. No questions asked, and he’ll never talk.”
“How come we never found out?” Mia asked reluctantly.
“Well, seeing as I lied to you and betrayed your trust, I doubt you counted yourselves among my close friends. Anyway, the only ones who knew it was bullshit were Tej, Suki, and Rome. They help us mod our rides from time to time.”
“So, you’re rich now, buster?” Vince asked, grabbing a beer from the fridge, and handing one to Dom.
“Technically. Though I earned every penny. Well, as far as you can count earned.”
Mia caught sight of his left hand. “You know that your ring is on the wrong hand right? The left ring finger is reserved for marriage.”
“Well, Mia, that is my left hand, yes?”
She nodded, and Dom did a double take.
“You’re married? Is it that Lily chick you were talking about in the warehouse?”
He laughed. “Nah, but you’ll probably meet them later. Assuming you don’t throw me unceremoniously from the house.”
Dom frowned, and clasped his good shoulder. “We ain’t kicking you out again, buster. It was an awful idea the first time anyway.”
Mia finished sewing and tied it off, bandaging the area.
“Thank you, Mia.”
Someone knocked at the door. John was up instantly, Max by his side. Max’s ears were perked, but he immediately sat down. John knew it was someone he knew. Dom walked over and peeked through the spyhole. He opened the door.
“Do you need something?”
“We’re here about the refrigerator?”
John recognized their voice and grinned, walking over. “They’re my boys, Dom. They’re safe. This is Jake, and AJ.”
Jake grinned and shook Dom’s hand. AJ pushed past him and hugged John.
“I’m alright.” He reassured him.
Dom cocked an eyebrow and John faced Jake, frowning. “I swore I set boundaries about tracking me, boys. For all you know, these people are serial killers.”
Jake somehow grinned wider. “Wrong. You forget, AJ is the best hacker in the world.”
AJ blushed.
“I never forget. Including that time you got so drunk you proposed to G.”
Jake’s smile dropped. “What?”
Dom chuckled. “So, are you going to come in, or just stand there?”
Jake stepped inside, after AJ, and looked around. “Man, mum has a photographic memory. Exactly as he described it.”
Dom looked curiously at John, who shrugged. “Wasn’t going to deceive again. I went into this shit completely transparent.”
Mia and Vince introduced themselves to Jake and AJ.
“Where’s Lily, Jake?” John asked.
“With G and Jesse. We figured they’re safer. Yo, has this place been exterminated recently?”
Asking if John had checked for bugs, but Mia took it the wrong way. “I assure you, we are not infested! Who does that, walking into someone's home and demanding to know if they have insects or rodents? Just because we know and care about you, Brian, John, whatever you are, doesn’t mean that you can bring strangers in who are that rude!”
“Oh, I didn’t…” Jake started, but John waved him off.
“No, this place isn’t bugged Jake. She just didn’t realize what you meant. Not everyone understands our lingo. By the way, it's all code when they retrieve Naomi. She doesn’t know anything, and it’ll stay that way.”
They nodded, and Mia looked apologetic. “I’m sorry I overreacted.”
John smiled. “It’s alright, Mia. You work hard on this home, it’s okay to be protective of it. My boys mean no harm.”
Vince decided to ask the question that’s been hanging around. “You keep calling them your boys. No way they are your kids, so what? Plus, why are they calling you mum?”
“No, they're not my kids. But me and G are the parents of the group, so to speak. Then there’s the twins, Jake and Jesse, always into mischief. Then AJ, he’s the youngest of the group.
“I’m 17, mum. Not 4” AJ muttered.
“Hold up, we’ve got a pretty good grasp of what’s going on here, so why don’t you cement that for us?”
“We’re Takers. We take, we don’t give back.” The three spoke as one.
“You're the ones all over the news,” Mia exclaimed, but she immediately frowned.
“You’re thieves, and you have a seventeen year old on board? He should be in school, not robbing cars and banks and whatever else. What the hell, Brian?”
AJ looked upset. “Alright, listen. Clearly mum isn't going to defend himself, so I’ll do it. First of all, I’m 17. I can make my own decisions. Second, Gordon saved my life. Offered me a shot at whatever life I wanted, but I decided to roll with him. I’m smart enough to pass every single test at the end of college level courses without missing a single question. I have a GED, and several diplomas. Plus, I don’t see how you're judging us. I don’t run in the field with them, I stay back, guide them, hack the systems and plan escape routes. Isn’t that what your guy used to do? Jesse Torretto, isn’t it? Everybody is in this consensually. We can get out anytime we want. So please, don’t judge a book by its author, and don’t judge a person by their age.”
John nodded, proud.
“Sounds right to me. We won’t judge you, but mind telling me who this Ghost person is?” Dom asked, sipping his beer..
“Hold on, Mr. Toretto.” He turned to John and handed him a backpack. “Figured you’d need a change of clothes. We’ll explain if you want.”
Vince pointed to the hall. “You remember where it is.”
John nodded and walked out. AJ grabbed a laptop out of his bag and sat down at the table.
“Ghost was a member of our team. One day, a heist went wrong and Ghost got shot on a drainpipe. We couldn’t get him out without getting arrested ourselves. He went to jail. A week or so back, he gets out and shows up in John’s house. He wanted to meet with G, so we set it up. He proposed the armored vehicle heist. Hell, it was planned down to a fucking T. Even set up sales for C4. After the heist, when we’re in our hotel, G gives Ghost his cut from this heist and the one he got shot in, and Ghost goes to take a shower. He hopped the window and left, which would’ve been fine if it weren’t for the Russian gang blowing our door in with a shotgun. Mum barely got AJ out of the way. Turns out, Ghost had paid them his cut for our murders.”
Mia was staring at him in horror as John walked back out, dressed smartly in an Armani suit, his blonde curls pulled back into a tie at the nape of his neck. Dom and Vince were open mouth gaping at him, Mia just looked utterly shocked.
“What?” He demanded.
“What happened to the surfer boy?” Vince asked playfully.
“Died in a house fire.” He replied, with a straight face. Jake walked up, and John ruffled his hair. His phone rang. John answered, on speaker.
“Talk to me,” he said.
“I’ve got Naomi. One thing John.” G replied.
“Shoot.”
“You alone?”
John put the phone on private and walked out of the house.
“Am now.”
“Alright, listen. We’ve got a major issue. Verone, your crazy ass ex, escaped. He’s apparently joined up with Ghost, and they’re closing in. Get out of where you are now, don’t give any explanations. Plausible deniability, because Verone’s got an in with some cops there.”
“Meet up with me at the pickup.”