Fast and Furious: Future (editing and adding to)

Chapter 6: Race Wars

Theroad trip up to the Norton Air Force Base was fairly quickconsidering the amount of people that will be heading up. The chanceto beat the cops in a fair race was a very attractive incentive andthe weather was amazing too. I drove up in convey with André, Carlosand Fern, with Alison and Jasmine taking up my back passenger seats.I had no doubt that the regulars from the street race scene would bethere, dotted about in the heat of the sun.

Ihad spent the last ten minutes trying to explain what Race Wars wasall about to them but they weren't really bothered about that.

'Howcome you've never been there before?' Alison asked.

'BecauseI've not heard of it before Ja...' I stopped abruptly.

Toolate, they knew whose name I almost said. 'Jack? When did you seehim? Are you together now?' they asked between them all at once, soit seemed.

Istared at them momentarily through my rear view mirror. 'Veryfunny. We're just good friends.' I refused to divulge all theprivate moments we had shared together since they would definitelyjump to many conclusions.

'Ishe going to be there?' Jasmine asked, far too excited for myliking.

'Yeh,since he told me about it. And his guys too.' Secretly, I also hadthe impression that his whole family might turn up too since theycould race under legal terms.

Itwas another half an hour as we passed Ontario International Airportwhich was about half way between LA and San Bernardino. Andréovertook me and took the front whilst Carlos was happy enough tofollow behind with Fern in his passenger seat. The three of us hadnever really raced each other and here would have been the perfectplace to do so, if I wanted and if we weren't on our way to an evenmore perfect situation where I wouldn't have the distraction of twoof my closest friends chatting in the back.

Andréseemed to slow down for a moment and I realised he was just allowingme to catch up. We glanced at each other with anticipating smiles andI pulled in behind him as we saw traffic ahead. The traffic wasn'ttoo bad but with the view of spoilers and exhausts, there was nodoubt where they were all heading. Between the rolling convey ofsports cars, there was the random average citizen that was probablywondering what was going on.

Aswe approached the junction with Riverside Freeway, the signs for theair base began to appear, this meant we were very close and Jasmineand Alison were even more excited than they had been on the journeyso far. Following André as we pulled off the San Bernardino Freeway,the traffic was a little slower. There was a lot as we had left veryearly in the morning to get a decent spot and I could find Jack a loteasier with less people filling the spaces between the cars. At thatpoint I thought it was a good idea to call Jack and put him on loudspeaker so I could still concentrate on driving and not bumping intoanyone.

Thedialling tone went on for a mere five seconds and then he answered.'Yo, where abouts are you now?'

'Justleft the freeway. Meet us at the gates?' I asked. The talking frommy back seats now turned to a complete hush as Jasmine and Alisonlistened in.

'It'snot busy enough yet. You'll find us easy enough. Just look out formy dad's GT-R,' he explained as someone started shouting in thedistance on his side of the call.

Fiveminutes later and the gates were now in view, the speed had droppedto five miles per hour and it seemed ages until I found Jack. As Iwas watching out for people getting in my way, I asked my friends tolook out for any blue coloured car they spotted and told me where itwas so I could check out if it was the one I was looking for.

Itwas about ten cars later that they called out another blue one andthis time it really was Brian O'Connors' GT-R. I smiled widely asI pulled up a few cars down the line. Since my car was a two door, Iwaited beside my car as Alison and Jasmine got out from the back innot the most elegant manner. As I looked around, I spotted Jacktalking to a friend of his and raised my hand to catch his attention.Just then, André and Carlos joined us and parked alongside me. Therewas a lot of talking going on around us all and now and again youcould hear the subtle rumbling of an engine as someone moved theircar to join the line of waiting racers. And every minute or so therewas the unmistakeable noise of a pair of engines roaring off into thedistance along the runway.