Once A Toretto, Always A Toretto

36

CHAPTER 36

COVERT OPERATIONS BASE - EL SEGUNDO, CA

"Belgian ale," Mr. Nobody says as he holds a glass of beer up before taking a drink of it while Catalina scrunches her nose in disgust. "Oh, man, those monks got it right. I mean, I don't know about the whole celibacy thing, but when it comes to beer... Would you like one?"
"I'm more of a Corona man myself," Dom tells him.
"Ah..." Mr. Nobody says before he grabs an ice bucket with Corona's in it. Dom and Catalina look at Mr. Nobody shocked and confused. "Your file's not only detailed, it's uh, extremely entertaining." Mr. Nobody holds a Corona out to Dom causing him to look at him skeptically before he takes the beer. Catalina helps herself to one of the Coronas. "Look, Shaw's power is that he's a shadow. He's really good at getting in and out of places without being seen and leaving nothing but a body count in his wake. I mean, he's a legitimate English badass. But to be honest with you, Dom, I don't give two shits about Deckard Shaw. It's you I want. Because you and I can help each other get what we both need."
"I'm listening," Dom tells him as they walk into a room full of computers.
"Just recently a private military company led by a wanted terrorist named Mose Jakande kidnapped a hacker known only by the name "Ramsey". Now, Lady Liberty's got her panties in a bunch over this, but rightfully so, because this Ramsey has created something interesting," Mr. Nobody explains as he shows Dom and Catalina the information on different screens. "Bring it up."
"Yes, sir," A soldier says before bringing something up across three screens.
"Say hello, to God's eye," Mr. Nobody says as he stands below the screens. "Now, this little bastard hacks into anything that's on the digital network. That means every cell phone, satellite, ATM machine, and computer. Simultaneously. If it's got a microphone or a lens, God's Eye can use it to find you."
"So you invited us here to show us a tracking device," Dom asks him.
"On steroids. Lots of them," Mr. Nobody adds as he walks in front of Dom and Catalina. "Let me put it to you this way. It took us nearly a decade to find Osama bin Laden. With this, we'd have located him anywhere on the planet in a couple of hours. Now, that's a serious piece of machinery that could be catastrophic in the wrong hands. But for some very nauseating political reasons, any rescue plans involving any US government forces or entity has been strictly ruled out. And that's why I need you."
"But why do I need you?" Dom asks him. "I mean, we could go back outside, enjoy the rest of the Coronas, let Shaw come to us."
"You could do that. How's that working out so far?" Mr. Nobody answers him. "You got one friend in the ground, another one in the hospital. And then, of course, there's that little issue of the bomb that destroyed your home. Shaw lives in a world that doesn't play by your rules. Like it or not, you live in that world now, too. You wanna know how to kill a shadow? You just shine a little light on it. If you get the God's Eye for me, I've already got authorization for you to use it until you get Shaw. You go from the hunted to the hunter. And there's no place on Earth Shaw can hide from you. More importantly, you and your family don't go to any more funerals. You get Ramsey, you get the God's Eye, you get Shaw. Well, that's the wind-up and the pitch. Now that I've given you this incredibly sensitive and highly classified information, what do you think, Toretto?"
"I think you already know what I'm gonna do," Dom tells him.
"Good," Mr. Nobody states.
"But it'll be my way. And my crew," Dom explains causing Catalina to smirk.
"I assumed you might say that," Mr. Nobody says with a smirk. "Which is why I've taken the liberty of gathering your team." Mr. Nobody motions out the glass window behind Dom, for him to see two SUV's pull in before Brian, Tej, and Rome get out of them. Catalina catches Tej's eye before she smiles and gives him a small wave.

The next morning they gather around a table to form a plan.
"Our intelligence suggest that Ramsey will be transported by an armed motorcade through the Caucasus mountain range. If they clear this range and reach their destination, Ramsey is as good as gone," Mr. Nobody explains to the team.
"So let me get this straight," Rome says as he looks at everyone. "There's only one road that leads in or out, sheer drops on every side, a motorcade from hell protected by a small army from one mile in either direction?"
"Yeah, that's about it," Mr. Nobody says in agreement.
"You done?" A soldier named Sheppard asks Rome.
"No, I'm not done," Rome answers him. "So you all wanted me to break into a police station. Fine. Then you asked me to stop a tank. I wasn't happy about it, but I did it. Then you came up with this brilliant idea to shoot down one of the largest airplanes ever. I shot that shit out of the sky. Mmm. It's nothing. But this right here, my friend, happens to be the stupidest idea I've ever heard of in my life."
"I forgot that you were the only one to bring the plane down," Tej says tauntingly while Catalina smiles and nods in agreement.
"No, no. The only thing I've ever seen him take down was "No Knees" Denise. Remember, at prom?" Brian says jokingly.
"Really, Brian? You're gonna do that right here?" Rome questions him causing Tej, Catalina, and Brian to laugh. "See, y'all trying to get me off my point. All I'm saying is, I'm tired of everybody around me making all the decisions. This time, I lead. Seriously. If I don't start making decisions, I'm out."
"All right, Roman," Dom says with a smirk as he leans on the table. "What do you got?"
"I mean, I wasn't trying to get into the whole leadership thing, like, now. You know what I'm saying?" Rome says quickly. "I was just, kind of, talking about, like, at some point. Like, you know, when we... Whatever. I mean, I think.... Let's hit it from here." Rome hits a spot on the map.
"I don't think that that's..." Sheppard starts.
"No, no, no, don't think," Rome interrupts him. "That's my job." Rome shushes him causing Sheppard to look at Mr. Nobody, who shrugs.
"Okay. It is impossible to hit it there," Sheppard tells him as he walks around the team. "That is literally the most secure spot on the mountain. Why? Because you cannot physically access it."
"See, that's what makes it so sweet," Rome tells him. "Because it's the place that they least expect us to hit them from."
"As much as I hate to admit it, he's onto something there," Brian says as he nods his head.
"Yeah, What do you think Dom?" Catalina asks as she nods in agreement.
"Here?" Dom asks Rome as he points at the spot that Rome marked.
"Yeah," Rome answers him.
"I think we got a plan," Dom says as he looks at Brian and his sister.
"Completely wrong thinking," Mr. Nobody says as he looks at the team. "And I like it." Sheppard looks at Mr. Nobody shocked.
"You see? I'm good at this," Rome taunts Sheppard.
"Good? Okay. How are you planning on getting in that road?" Sheppard asks him as he zooms in on the road.
"Well, Tej?" Rome says as he looks at Tej and Catalina. "Lina?"
"I think I may actually have a plan for that," Tej says as he nods his head slightly.
"What?" Rome asks as Sheppard gives him a 'really' look. "I delegated. That's what good leaders do. Leader!"
"You know, when I was reading your files, I was impressed with what you've accomplished with your team," Mr. Nobody says as he stands beside Dom. "But meeting them now, I've gotta say, Dom, you've truly got a gift." Dom smiles before Mr. Nobody starts walking away. "Consider my workshop your new playhouse. I think you'll find our cars extremely appealing." Dom nods before turning back to face the team. "And your team is now complete." Mr. Nobody stops beside Letty, who had just been escorted in. Brian points at Letty causing Dom to turn around. Dom looks at her shocked before walking over to her. They quickly catch up before they start walking over to the team.
"Brian!" Dom calls. "We're gonna need long-travel suspension, limited-slip differentials on all of them." Brian, Catalina, and Rome hug Letty while Dom keeps walking as he looks at the cars. "Tej. Lina. I want the demon love child between that and that." Dom points between a charger and an armored truck.
"That's a lot of armor," Catalina comments while Tej nods in agreement.
"Yeah, It's just gonna add more weight," Tej tells him. "Slow you down."
"This time, it ain't just about being fast," Dom says as he turns to look back at the team.