Fast Lane ━━ Brian O'Conner

𝟮𝟯. surrender to the wind

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
because us traitors never win

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     𝐋aw has to be the toughest battle they have to face. Guns blazing and car chasing just seemed far easier than having to face the consequences of their actions. As for Josephine Toretto, she got off aiding and abetting a criminal after Brian pulled a few strings he still had in the FBI. He wasn't letting her get thrown in prison just like that. Not after what they'd been through. Not again. He was choosing her this time, and Josephine had never been so sure about someone in her whole life.

     Whilst Dominic had been whisked away by the authorities, Josephine spent a good week in the hospital. With Mia and Brian's constant visits, she managed to survive the prodding and poking of the doctors (without getting into an altercation with them because of how stubborn she was). A few cuts and bruises were nothing. Josephine had said that one day. She just wanted to leave so she could help Dom and figure out a way for him to get out of prison.

     Now that day had come and Josephine almost wanted the ground to swallow her from anticipation and the nerve-wracking feeling of watching the said law decide her brother's fate. She will never get used to it. The glass windows between the courtroom already felt like the same hard steel bars that separated her from Dominic for a long time. She felt like throwing up at the thought of losing her brother all over again like some kind of sick game that they just couldn't get out of.

     "All rise." Her thoughts were cut off short by the sound of the gavel banging. They all rose from the long benches as the hearing started. "Please be seated."

     Josephine sat down, gulping ever so slightly. Mia and Brian were seated on both of her side. The latter was wearing a different attire than his usual. Suit and ties and looking as proper as the rest of the law-abiding people in this room. His arms slid around her on the chair, his hand grazing on her clothed arm as he ran subtle shapes on them. Mia held her other arm, her hand in her sister's as the two grasped each other for support. Their gaze remained on the scene before them through glass windows.

     "Please rise, Mr. Toretto," The judge stated and Dominic stood, wearing that ugly orange prison jumper of the LA County. "I've listened to the testimony and taken into special consideration Agent O'Conner's appeal of clemency on behalf of Mr. Toretto. That his actions directly resulted in the apprehension of known drug trafficker Arturo Braga."

     "However, this judiciary finds that one right does not make up for a lifetime worth of wrongs." The minute the judge started that sentence, everything fell apart for the Toretto sisters. The disbelief and disagreement were clear on Brian's face as he took a deep sigh and shifted in his seat. Immediately glancing at his partner to see the lack of reaction on her face which worried him. "And as such, I find that I am forced to level the maximum sentence under California law."

     This time, Brian couldn't seem to take it anymore. The FBI agent stood with incredulity, shaking his head adamantly as he hastily walked out of the courtroom. He didn't accept the situation but it was out of his hands. Josephine had let him leave, both her and Mia too speechless as they listened to the jury sentence their brother to serve twenty-five years to life at the Lompoc maximum security prison. Without the possibility of early parole.

     Then the gavel banged as the court adjourned.

     Mia's grip tightened around her hand, cutting off blood circulation but Josephine didn't care. Because at this moment, the latter was forced to make a decision that would cause permanent damage to their system. But like she said before━no way in hell was she going to let these people take away the only family they had. Never again. And in that room, the sisters came to a mutual agreement. They were going to get their big brother back no matter what.