An Eye For An Eye (Fast & Furious | Hobbs/OFC)

Chapter 16

After returning to the warehouse, Deckard parked the McLaren close to the southwest corner, a good distance from where Toretto's Charger would be. Deckard stepped from it, shut the door behind him and casually strolled across the floor towards where Owen sat.

Three desks were set up in a triangle formation with one chair and computer per side; the monitors were excessively wide for reasons that became clear once Deckard saw what was onscreen. Schematics for a custom car. Of all his brother's ideas, this had to be the foremost self-indulgent waste of time. "Still working on it?"

"Yes." Little Nobody had arranged for him to take receipt of a retired Formula One car. Owen would proceed to strip it and adjust the seating for himself. The armour plates would then be modified and attached, not to mention the ramp mechanism itself required fabrication and installation. The pneumatics were the only thing he couldn't build; they'd be shipped within the week once he placed his order.

"You seen Beth?"

Did it look as if Owen was concerning himself with their sister's current whereabouts? He saved the schematic again, sent a copy to the upstairs printer and closed the program window. Besides the glass-walled meeting room, there was an office in the western mezzanine containing an industrial printer. If his instincts were correct, he'd also find a concealed biometric scanner somewhere which would lead to the facility's security hub. "No. I'm busy. What is it?"

"Toretto got into the plane."

He lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. "Good for them."

"And you've been here alone the entire time." Deckard frowned and scratched his jaw where stubble was beginning to grow. It all seemed too simple. Owen being left to his own devices, allowed to play out his little fantasies, while they did the hard work and Elizabeth put herself in an early grave. Neither Hobbs, Reisner or anyone else had approached Owen in an attempt to encourage him to work with the team. Beyond his few 'conversations' with Letty — and his scheming with Beth — Owen hadn't interacted with the group at all.

That was how he wanted to look at things? Owen wasn't here to play games or feed Deckard's old paranoia. Their enemies were dead for the most part and he had no reason to think they'd suddenly rise from the grave. "Where exactly are you going with this?"

Deckard fetched an empty stool and seated himself next to Owen. He then turned Owen's office chair around so they were at eye level. "I put it all on the line for you. Killed eighteen men because they stood between me and you in that hospital bed. Destroyed half a cell block to get you out of that prison."

"And you'd do it all again because that's the kind of brother you are." Owen gave the faintest smile in response. The loyalty and brutality he inspired in his siblings was somewhat of a fascination of his. He was still yet to figure out why they chose to go to such extents for him, but Owen wasn't about to complain. Sometimes he even enjoyed putting himself in situations where Deckard was forced to choose between morals, ethics and him.

There was no end to the lengths Deckard would go to for Owen. If it came down to it, he wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in anyone who stepped between them. Blood and family mattered more than paperwork or spoken words. It went above and beyond duty of care, regardless of how many times Owen proved to be the one intentionally finding trouble.

"Exactly." Deckard had found himself slowly putting the pieces together while watching his siblings. He couldn't say with complete certainty that he knew what their plan was but Deckard had a fair idea. "So I'm going to let Toretto do his job, you play your little game, and we all disappear the moment Cipher's dead."

It was good to know Deckard had finally gotten with the program, or seemed to have. Owen inclined his head in a slight nod then reached for his glass of iced coffee. The first indication that something was wrong was a ripple disturbing the surface of his drink, then the building began to shudder. Overhead came the sound of a plane, growing rapidly from a dull drone to a loud roar, as if it were moments from landing.