VIPER ♱ b. o'conner

05: race wars

Soon enough security and Vince got Dom off of his foe and started yanking him to the RV. "I never narc'd on nobody! I never narc'd on nobody!" He yelled back at the man still laying on the ground before his friends got him out of sight.

Lala let out a breath she didn't realize she was even holding and let go of Brian. She stepped aside even though he continued to just stare down at her, his eyes unreadable. Eyes that she used to know every emotion of. Eyes that looked at her with love, sadness, anger, pity, joy...you name it. "Brian, was that because of you?"

His sigh was enough of an answer for her. Brian had given Tran up in hopes of more time for Dom's crew. He was losing his grip on this case and his superiors knew it. If Lala wasn't here, maybe it'd be easier for him. He reached out and gently picked up her necklace from her chest. The gold chain held the small and simple ring that he had gotten her with his first check from the station. His thumb ran over the circle and without looking up from the ring, he spoke. "You still wear it? After everything...do you still...?" He trailed off but she knew what he was asking.

Lala nodded slowly and before she could say anything, Letty yelled for her to come over to the RV. "I-I gotta see what she needs." She walked in her direction before pausing and turning back to him, "we need to talk later." Without waiting for a reaction she went to Letty and the others.

-

A few hours passed by and Lala was currently looking for Brian but couldn't find him. She assumed he'd be hovering around Dom and the others but once she got to the crew standing by their cars, he wasn't there either. He probably snuck off with Mia. She was trying her best to cope with their existence.

"We need a favor, bird." Letty turned to her sister with a pleading look. It caught Lala off guard and she really hoped they weren't asking what she thought they were going to ask, she was hoping they would sit this job out.

Dom looked at Lala. "I know that we haven't gotten a chance to talk about this job in detail yet since you were just supposed to be a backup tonight but we need you to come with us. We're down a man without Jesse."

"I got your back." She swallowed hard, forcing a smile, while Letty slung her arm over her shoulder. Everything about tonight felt off to her as if she could sense it in the air.

"You'll ride with Letty and Vince to the site and then switch to the backup car we got. They will explain formation and your job to you on the way to the cars." Dom explained to her.

"Okay, sounds good. When do we leave?" Lala asked just as Mia came stomping over to them, begging Dom to listen to her pleads not to go.

Dom sighed softly, "Mia."

"I have respected you and I haven't said shit. Now I am asking you not to go!" She grabbed her brother's arm with tears in her eyes. It hurt Lala to see the younger girl so upset despite the conflicting feelings with Brian.

"I'm doing this for both of us." He tried reasoning with her to no avail, Dom held both of her arms in his grasp with a sad look on his face. She was beyond hurt and fed up with the risks her brother wanted to constantly take.

"Don't give me that crap. You're doing this for you." She yanked away from his grasp and looked at the others who awkwardly stood aside while she had her emotional freak out on them. "Why are you insisting on doing this? Dom, please, just don't." He kissed the side of her head before going over to his car and getting in. Leon got in the passenger seat of Dom's ride while Vince got in his and Letty waited by the passenger door.

Mia looked at Lala and frowned. "Please, Lo. Please."

"I'm sorry, Mi. I got eyes on them." Lala said while squeezing her hand lightly before climbing into the back of Vince's car, the three racing off into the night behind Dom.

Brian chose that moment to make his appearance. "Mia, what's going on?"

Mia sniffled and kept walking, "What?"

He gave her a look while keeping stride with her, "you know what I'm talking about."

"No I don't." She rolled her eyes while moving.

"You always have tears in your eyes when Dom drives away?" Brian pushes the topic and Mia glares at him.

"What's the matter with you?" She asks and he pushes yet again.

"What's he racing off in the middle of the night for? You know about the trucks?"

"No, Brian! What trucks? Jesus Christ." He grabbed her arm and she looked at him as he contemplated telling her the truth in his head. "What?"

Brian stepped up and looked her in the eyes. "Listen to me. Mia, I'm a cop." He confesses just as Lala gets in earshot.

"What are you talking about, Brian?" Mia asks him in confusion and slight annoyance, "What is this?"

Brian's face softened as he looked at her. "Ever since the first time I met you, I've been undercover. I'm a cop."

He could visibly see her heart breaking by the second. "Oh, you bastard. You bastard." She shook her head as tears began to well up and she turned to walk away.

"Mia." He grabbed her arm.

"Get off of me, Brian!" She yanked away from him.

"Mia! Listen to me! Everything I ever said I felt about you was real. I swear to God." He started, "You have to believe me, Mia but this isn't about you and me. Your brother's out there to pull a job. We're running out of time."

"Those truckers aren't laying down anymore. Maybe they'll make it through tonight, but every single law enforcement agency in California is coming down on them." He continued to desperately beg for her help. "If you don't want anything to happen to your brother, to Letty, to Leon, to Vince - you have to get in that car with me right now and help me. Mia, you are the only person that can help me right now."

"Please, Mia. Please help me." He begged.

This is the last time I'm helping Brian. Mia thought to herself.

"Fine, let's go." She led the way over to the orange Supra and got in the passenger seat. Brian drove away from the event and she sat there silently.

After about ten or so minutes, Mia spoke up. "Lo is with them, you know."

Brian's grip on the wheel tightened and his jaw clenched. "What are you talking about?" He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, pure adrenaline rushing through his veins. There's no way she would've joined the crew, she would've told him that. Right?

"You listed off everyone else but her. Lo is a part of my brother's crew now, she joined the other day." She spoke and leaned her head back against the headrest. The car increased in speed and she side eyed Brian. "What happens now? You take them all to jail and you move on with your life?"

Brian stayed quiet as he drove.

"You're a coward, Brian. A damn coward." Mia spat her words at him and took out a map from the glovebox.

All the two could do was silently hope everyone would make it out of this alive.