The wonders that could be achieved from people owing him favors. Gather enough and there will always be at least one person in or near any area that the favor could be called upon. He'd had one such person in Los Angeles who had a few connections, enough to get quite a decent vehicle for what he had planned. Getting a tip about what the Toretto crew was planning, he knew it would take him a bit to reach all the action. Better that way, strike when they were too focused on the task at hand.
He's watching as he weaves through the trees, the chaos unfolding as the girl is flung onto Toretto's car. Whether O'Connor was planning to get a lift from Toretto as well, he isn't waiting around to allow him the chance. It's clear his presence has gone unnoticed, the group too focused on the girl and no doubt trying to get out of there before the backup cars recovered and caught up.
Slamming against Toretto's car, the girl just managed to have gotten a grip of Toretto's hand to be saved from falling off onto the road. Staying alongside the other, he's watching the alpha, waiting until finally Toretto is turning his head to look at him. Allowing a small smile to appear as their gazes meet, he's soon swerving the vehicle into Toretto's car again. The girl was an inconvenience, not the target of his attack. Just had to have the misfortune of the crew's plan ending up with her being rescued by Toretto's car.
Their plan had clearly been working, but now it wasn't going in Toretto's favor. The alpha couldn't return the swipes, could really only try to avoid it and outspeed him. With the girl still stuck on the hood and veering close to the edges of the car with each strike, he couldn't retaliate if he wanted to keep her safe.
The other vehicles in the background aren't ignored, occasional glances in the mirrors to monitor their locations, make sure they weren't close enough to pose any danger. He can see O'Connor waiting at the edge of the truck, knees bent ready to jump. No doubt trying to get Toretto to get close enough for him to join the fight, or at least to help Ramsey. Next glance to check the former cop's position had soon found him disappearing into the truck in a fight with one of the vehicle's occupants. One less interruption.
He can see Toretto's turned his focus back on securing Ramsey's safety, as expected. Still trying to keep the car on the road as Shaw continues his strikes, sending him closer and closer to the wall on Toretto's other side. One of the other cars are getting too close for Shaw's liking, but if it comes to it, he'll deal with them too.
A glare is sent from Toretto, noticing the shift of the alpha's hand and the loud rev of his car before it's jolting, sending Ramsey closer to the opening in the roof until she's being tugged inside the vehicle. No more a distraction from Toretto or a restriction to his driving. Bugger.
The sudden swipe of Toretto's car directs their paths down the trail, noting that Toretto's crew doesn't follow. Going after O'Connor, no doubt. Toretto clearly wasn't a man to draw his team into his fights, or was too confident in his ability to win this one. Though he does note the two cars from the truck's convoy that had caught up also splitting off. Going after Ramsey no doubt. They would be dealt with along the way.
He watches in amusement at the sedan's attempt to direct Toretto's car into trees, towards rocks that would cut Toretto's drive short. A poor choice, considering the lack of muscle the car sported in comparison to the enhancements made for the alpha's current vehicle. The point proven as he watches the sedan go flying into a fallen tree. One nuisance gone.
Whilst the remaining vehicle could work in his favor against Toretto, the likelihood of it getting in his way or redirecting their focus on him is not worth the chance. Plus, he knows they aren't going to let Toretto walk from this. Ain't letting anyone else kill Toretto unless it's him. A well aimed swipe against the other vehicle, clearly not having contemplated turning their attention to dealing with him just yet and even driving beside him, quickly has the vehicle swerving away automatically.
Just in time as they hit the edge of the ground and start the descent down the hill. He's keeping an eye on the broken vehicle, making sure he won't end up in its path, whilst also ensuring the trip downhill doesn't result in his car flipping. It's well armored to not cause any harm to himself, but he isn't planning on being stuck upside down and having to cut this pursuit short. Not while Toretto's car still has him well able to get away.
It's irritating, being so close to the other, at the best chance to truly endanger him. But even though he can plan the swipe correctly, he isn't taking the chance of Toretto recovering from it or the vehicle surviving and being able to drive away at the cost of losing control of his own vehicle. The perfect time to strike, but sacrificing his control by sending the car into a roll was not worth it.
His gaze turns as Toretto finally breaks the staredown, almost using Toretto's car as a brace as they both turn to avoid the cliff before them. Leaving Toretto, yet again, in a vulnerable position, stuck between him and the cliff edge, with a passenger he has to focus on protecting first over dealing with the threat. He allows Toretto the time for the situation to sink in before he starts swerving the vehicle into him again, pushing him closer and closer to the cliff edge.
It's going perfectly until he hears the rev of an engine behind him, realising his change in position to deliver one final blow to Toretto's car has turned against him at the arrival of the backup. Unable to respond in time before his vehicle's being rear ended, jolting him forwards as the vehicle shifts to the side, right in front of Toretto's and towards the edge of the trail. Barely having the time to brace himself before Toretto's shove sends it tipping over the edge and into a roll.
He doesn't let go until the car, finally, comes to a halt. Stuck on its side, the smoke seeping from beneath the hood definitely proves its in no shape to continue, if he had even had the space and ability to flip it back onto its wheels. A shame, it was quite a nice vehicle. Retrieving the bag, he's pulling himself free, slinging the strap over one shoulder and settling the weight of it on his back before he's leaping away from the wreck.
Now for the backup plan.
As soon as Toretto was back on the road, he'd be getting chased. The convoy protecting the truck wasn't the only vehicles on the road. Not the only backup the group holding Ramsey had had. He knows just the perfect spot to overlook the road, somewhere Toretto wouldn't pass before he's there, set up and waiting.
Even as he runs, he's shifting the bag to unzip it, taking parts out and assembling the gun, setting it up to snipe. Sure, he would have preferred a face to face fight, not shooting him down from the distance. But if it came to it, he wouldn't miss his chance.
He's behind schedule, but the backup vehicles he'd predicted had stalled Toretto. Enough to still be there by the time Shaw reaches the spot, setting the stand upon the rock to take a closer look at the situation. Clearly whoever these people were, they were quite determined to get their hands on the tech Ramsey has. Or, well, had.
Though noticing Toretto's car to be faced towards the cliff edge, back to the enemies wasn't the encounter he was expecting to walk into. A muttered '' Interesting. '' escaping him as he pulls away from the scope to survey the entire scene. He could take the shot, but he was quite curious to see how this would go.
And if it came down to it, whoever these people after Ramsey were could certainly come in handy if deals needed to be made. He'd just have to wait it out, when he had something to offer that they couldn't resist.
~ ~ ~
It had been expected. Ramsey gave the tech away to avoid being caught with it, they needed to get it back. Predictable. He could deal with this, and if it turned south, he knew who he could go to. He knew what the tech did, and what Toretto's first target with it would be. The perfect chance provided to make an alliance.
He knew the car was bulletproof. The whole going in guns blazing had just been for show, just to push Toretto even further, make sure the man wouldn't even think twice about not going after him. Sure, he doubted the man needed any more push to keep the fight going. But it was fun riling him up.
Perhaps wasn't worth the sideswipe he got from Toretto, being struck by the car nearly knocking the breath out of his lungs despite having tried to clear most of it as soon as he'd dealt with the guard and seen the car on its way. But was worth it to see the idiotic maneuvre of Toretto to get out of there. Just giving the car that little bump as it cleared the floor and started its way towards the neighbouring building. A pity it did more to help than undermine Toretto.
Whilst not a choice that had been his most favored of ideas, at least it would work in ensuring he wouldn't get caught in their crossfire. Not that he wouldn't expected the chance of them turning on him. But for now, he was their ticket to getting their hands on the Gods Eye, so there was little reason for them to refuse the deal.
It had been easy finding Jakande, not even bothering starting on bad terms by knocking the guards that had been protecting the area. Allowing himself to be escorted into the room where the man was clearly yelling at his team. A brow raising at the irritated alpha until the man finally turns his attention on the interruption of his guards, and then to the cause of the interruption.
'' Heard you lost your little betting chip. '' He's commenting casually, caring little for the weapons the others carried. Had they done a proper check, they would've found the knives and pistol he'd hidden away. If it came to it, he'd fight his way out if this group turned out to be a bunch of idiots not willing to accept their best chance at retrieving the tech they were after.
'' Who the hell are you? '' The man is demanding, brows furrowed. The growing irritation evident when the man seems to try to smell for his scent, clearly annoyed at finding no trace of scent. Whether he was trying to detect his second gender or whatever, Shaw didn't care. Wasn't important, and the man didn't need to know.
'' That's something you don't need to worry yourself knowing. '' He's replying confidently, ignoring the annoyed growl that escapes the man. Taking another step forward, he ignores the sound of weapons raising, a warning to tell him to stop moving. '' What you might want to know is.. I can get you the Gods Eye. ''