Chapter 58 - 59: Win
The other eleven cars came back to the start one by one.
Simon had been waiting for several minutes.
Dino stepped out of the Saleen. "You're good," he said. "Better than Tobey Marshall."
Tobey Marshall — one of the best drivers on the East Coast. Simon had heard the name. He'd always wanted a race against him.
"Thanks," Simon said. "I'd like to run against him sometime."
Dino looked at the Mustang. "Is it for sale?"
"No," Simon said.
"Shame." Dino looked at the other drivers. Nobody stepped forward.
"Anyone else?" Simon said. "Quarter-mile, standard format, I'll run either."
"We're done," Dino said. "You can't be beaten on this track. No point."
Simon shrugged. He took the checks from Dino and the other drivers — two hundred thousand each, eleven drivers — and walked back to the RV section with Meg.
"Looks like a good day," Mia said, when they came back.
"One race covered everything I've made all year combined," Simon said.
"Where's Dom?" he asked.
"Outside."
Simon got a beer and found Dom's group.
"How'd it go?" he asked.
"Good," Letty said, holding up a roll of cash.
"Hey — come quick, something happened." Leon ran up.
Dom stood. "What?"
"Jesse." Leon pointed at a white car pulling away in the distance. "He bet his dad's pink slip against Johnny Tran. He lost."
Dom put his hand over his face.
Johnny Tran drove up in his Honda S2000 a minute later.
"Where is he?" Johnny said, getting out.
Dom said, "He went to get his car washed."
"Get my car. Now."
"Your car?" Dom said. "Look around. You're not in your territory. Watch who you're talking to."
He turned to leave.
"Toretto." Johnny called after him. "SWAT raided my house. My family was humiliated. Someone sold me out. I know it was you."
Dom turned back and hit Johnny once. Johnny went down. Dom got on top of him and kept hitting.
Security ran over. Johnny's crew moved toward Dom.
Simon tripped one, hit another, put both down.
Vince grabbed Dom from one side. Simon grabbed him from the other.
Dom was still shouting. "I have never sold out anyone. I never will."
"Let's go, Dom," Simon said.
Dom pulled free and walked back to the RV.
Simon looked at Letty and Mia. "Johnny won't let this go. Watch Dom. I'm going to find Jesse."
He said quietly to Letty: "I've heard law enforcement is spending serious resources looking for a crew that's been hitting trucks. Whatever's happening — be careful."
Letty looked at him. Nodded.
Simon took Meg and left.
He knew the direction Jesse had gone. One road from the base toward Los Angeles. Jesse's car had known performance numbers — Simon knew them well.
With enough speed and Jesse not running NOS the whole way, Simon could catch him.
He pushed the Mustang hard after leaving the gate.
Thirty minutes later he saw the white car ahead.
He came alongside.
"Jesse. Stop the car. Now."
Simon had pulled alongside and rolled down his window.
Jesse looked over. His eyes were red. "Sorry, Simon. I need to be alone. Let me go."
"We'll help you through this. But you need to stop."
"I just need to calm down. Please." Jesse hit the NOS and pulled ahead.
Simon followed.
"What do we do?" Meg asked.
"He's emotional. We don't push too hard. We follow and wait for him to settle."
They drove. An hour passed. Then another. By evening Jesse pulled into a roadside motel.
Simon parked and got out. "It'll be okay, Jesse."
"My dad's going to kill me when he gets out," Jesse said.
"We'll get the car back. I'll help you." Simon put a hand on his shoulder.
Jesse cried.
Simon let him.
After Jesse settled, Simon got them food and two motel rooms. One for Jesse, one for him and Meg.
Morning came. Simon drove Jesse back to Dom's neighborhood.
They arrived just before noon.
Brian was standing in the street pointing a gun at Dom, who was holding a shotgun.
"I brought Jesse back," Simon called out.
Jesse apologized to Dom. Dom dropped the shotgun and came over. Simon started saying they needed to figure out what to do about Johnny Tran when two motorcycles came up the street fast.
Simon saw the submachine guns.
He tackled Meg to the ground. "Stay down."
He ran for Jesse.
The riders swept the area with gunfire. Dirt kicked up across the lawn.
Simon got Jesse down. The riders left fast.
Brian got in his car and chased them.
Jesse had been hit in the shoulder.
"You're going to be fine," Simon said. He took off his shirt and pressed it against the wound. "Mia, call 911. Meg, come hold this."
Meg got up and took over pressure on the wound.
"Watch him. I'll be right back," Simon said.
"Simon, don't," Meg said.
He was already in the car.
Dom picked up the shotgun, got into his muscle car, and went too. Mia tried to stop him. He didn't listen.
On the street: two motorcycles, Brian's car, Dom's car, Simon's Mustang.
The riders opened up on Brian with the submachine guns. Brian drove evasively.
One rider cut down a side street and came up behind Brian.
Simon accelerated and hit that rider into the grass before he could fire.
Dom came up alongside and nodded at Simon, then kept going after the remaining rider.
Brian eventually got a clear shot and took out the second rider.
Dom turned around after that. Brian followed him.
Simon followed at distance and watched.
At a railroad crossing, Dom and Brian ran the final race. Both cars went through ahead of a train. Dom's muscle car crashed on the far side. Brian pulled Dom out of the wreck.
Simon stopped the Mustang nearby and watched Brian offer Dom his car keys.
"Dom," Simon said from his window. "Get in. I'll drive you."
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