{"id":20337,"date":"2022-12-02T08:00:16","date_gmt":"2022-12-02T16:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sylumclan.com\/sylumblog\/?p=20337"},"modified":"2022-11-10T21:31:48","modified_gmt":"2022-11-11T05:31:48","slug":"sylum-advent-2022-december-2nd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sylumclan.com\/sylumblog\/sylum-advent-2022-december-2nd\/","title":{"rendered":"Sylum Advent 2022: December 2nd"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Title:<\/strong> Shifting Tides – The Waiting Game <\/span>
\nAuthor:<\/strong> Gil Grissom<\/span>
\nPairings:<\/strong> Dom\/Brian, other background pairings <\/span>
\nRating:<\/strong> R <\/span>
\nSummary:<\/strong> Things are winding up toward the start of Race Wars and the team is in a holding pattern when it comes to Tran and the FBI.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOw! Shit!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian looked up from where he was working to see Dom shaking out his hand. \u201cYou okay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, just pinched my finger. Being a Vampire doesn\u2019t stop that shit from hurting even if we heal quickly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood to know,\u201d Brian said, filing it away with all the other information he was learning about this whole new world he was thrust into and determined to fully embrace.<\/span><\/p>\n

He loved the family he was born into and the family that he made in the neighborhood he\u2019d grown up in, but no matter how meticulously they\u2019d put themselves back together over the years, the cracks were always going to be visible. They\u2019d always be a little bit broken, and there would always be gaping holes left behind, where two children destined to never grow old used to be.<\/span><\/p>\n

But being Dom\u2019s Mate offered Brian a chance to build a new family. He\u2019d never, ever leave the one he had behind; he loved them too much for that. But this gave him a chance to have another part of his family, an additional part where looking at them didn\u2019t have that underlying stab of pain every time they were together. Or the guilt, misplaced as it might be.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s it going over there?\u201d Dom asked him as he walked over, still examining his finger.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood. All done, actually,\u201d he said, motioning to the part of the engine he\u2019d been working on.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ll be able to get it put into the car tomorrow. The equipment Suki ordered for the painting came in, and the paint room at the garage is now up to her exacting specifications under pain of Vince\u2019s death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian snorted. \u201cI think he likes <\/em>being threatened with death by women much smaller than he is. Why else would he pick a fight with women who could wipe the floor with him without breaking a sweat? I think he needs a qualified therapist to sit down with him and assess whether or not this weird kink of his is detrimental to his physical and mental health.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian grinned when Dom burst out laughing. \u201cIt\u2019ll be good to get this done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a hell of a lot of work, but we should be able to get most of the assembly done tomorrow if we all work on it, finish it up the next day and get it painted.\u201d Dom pointed at him. \u201cGo ahead and get cleaned up. Han\u2019s taking you out for some more driving pointers, while I do the cleanup here. I\u2019ll also start sorting everything so we can get to work as soon as we\u2019re up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Heading over to the sink to wash away the grease so he didn\u2019t track it into the house, Brian glanced over at Dom. \u201cCan I ask a question?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can ask me anything you want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian motioned around them, rolling his eyes at himself when he splashed water as he did so. He ignored Dom\u2019s smirk and said, \u201cPutting together cars isn\u2019t cheap. How do you guys afford all this? I know you race sometimes, but I also know you spend a lot of time away from the Los Angeles area, and I know that store and your garage aren\u2019t making that kind of money. I\u2019m not accusing you of anything shady, but I am curious.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cInvestments, actually, and I have more than a few businesses of my own. There\u2019s a kid\u2026\u201d Dom snorted. \u201cI say kid because he was seventeen when he was Turned, but he\u2019s actually older than I am and yet he looks like a twink. He\u2019s the scientist for Sanctuary Clan, down in Brazil.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are very few people on this planet that you\u2019ll find who are smarter or even on his level. Funny thing is you\u2019ll find a lot of them in the Clans, and most of them shouldn\u2019t exist anymore. But he\u2019s insanely smart and very good at playing the stock market. He\u2019s also a good bet when it comes to any business he creates. If he likes you, he will go to and over the wall for anything you need.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if he doesn\u2019t like you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll watch you drown.\u201d Dom laughed a little. \u201cOr he might half-assed throw you a life preserver after watching you flounder for a good long while. I\u2019m not always sure about his sanity. I mean, he\u2019s very attached to Riddick, and he\u2019s attached himself to quite a few people in Border, which is another check in the not-quite-sane box. But sane, insane, or somewhere in between, he\u2019s one of those people who, if they grow attached, you\u2019ve got a friend for life unless you cross them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like a good guy who just doesn\u2019t take any shit from people,\u201d Brian said. \u201cSo he helped you with investments.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe and several others in the Clan. We\u2019ve also invested in his businesses and his non-profits. Lucas is the one who has been working with Nathan Bridger to figure out what\u2019s going on, and he\u2019s been upping the security for Han\u2019s family\u2019s business. Which he\u2019s doing for Han, because he\u2019d let Han\u2019s idiot cousin crash and burn otherwise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t blame him, honestly,\u201d Brian said with a shrug. \u201cSounds like the guy was the worst choice to run the family business.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t have either. Anyway, between what Lucas has helped me out with and just living my life, I\u2019m worth a couple hundred million in liquid assets, and I\u2019ve got more sunk into various things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian blinked, because he hadn\u2019t realized just how much Dom was worth, especially since his home and businesses that were noted in his files were rather modest and didn\u2019t earn a great deal. Then he frowned and tilted his head. \u201cHow old are you, anyway? I know you\u2019ve been around a while, but I don\u2019t think you\u2019ve told me that yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom snorted. \u201cNo, I doubt you would have forgotten. I was born in 1892 and was Turned by Josiah Scurlock, our Clan Leader, in 1925.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian cleared his throat as he let that sink in. Then he quirked a brow at Dom. \u201cSo, if I was into that kind of thing\u2014which I\u2019m not\u2014that would make you my what\u2026sugar great-granddaddy?\u201d He started laughing when Dom just glared at him, though he was clearly horrified at the thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom pointed to the house. \u201cGo and hang out with Han, you crazy person. You\u2019re going to fit right into this Clan, I swear to God.\u201d He pinched the bridge of his nose. \u201cAnd don\u2019t ever call me that again. That is not my kink either.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian continued laughing as he headed toward the door. \u201cI want to hear your story when I get back later!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom rolled his eyes when Han and Brian walked in and then grinned when they caught sight of him. \u201cShut up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel looked up from the book he was reading. \u201cI miss something?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlways,\u201d Dom said as he stood up and stretched. \u201cHow\u2019d it go?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d Han said. \u201cWe\u2019ve smoothed out the rough edges he had, so now it\u2019s really all down to getting the experience in handling the cars properly that he needs. If we take him out daily and run him through what it\u2019s like for Race Wars, then he shouldn\u2019t have any problems.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom nodded. \u201cA few of us will go out so he can race against us, get a feel for driving with multiple cars.\u201d He looked at Brian. \u201cOnce the Supra is done, you can get a feel for her and how she handles.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good to me,\u201d Brian said around a yawn and headed upstairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom followed, flipping Han off when he laughed at him again, and found Brian in his room, getting ready for bed. \u201cTired?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExhausted, but it\u2019s more physical in the body rather than actually needing to sleep. I just wanted to make sure I was changed because I might not have the energy later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom dropped down on the bed and wasn\u2019t surprised when Brian climbed on and half-draped himself over Dom. \u201cYes?\u201d he asked, amused as Brian stared at him expectedly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell me about yourself. We haven\u2019t actually talked much about your actual growing up and the life you\u2019ve led. Been kinda too busy for that kind of thing, and I\u2019m curious.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy parents were named Robert and Julia. They weren\u2019t ever technically married, because\u2026 well, back then, interracial marriage was illegal. My mother was Mexican, but they classified her as white back then because of the historical Spanish heritage of the Mexican people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIgnoring the reality of the whole thing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, they didn\u2019t want to hear about the indigenous people or slaves that contributed to many Mexican\u2019s gene pools, and my mom was fairly light-complected. Didn\u2019t stop them from treating her like shit or being racist assholes, not to mention the fact that she was a woman on top of it that brought its own problems, but it was enough to fuck over her rights in whole other ways and to claim her as one of their own in the statistics.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople suck.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, a lot of them do,\u201d Dom agreed. \u201cDad couldn\u2019t pass as white, even though his own complexion was fairly light. So they couldn\u2019t get married. By the time they overthrew the anti-miscegenation laws, they were both gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t stop them from loving each other or building a family. They were just circumspect about it, and honestly, the neighborhood they lived in\u2026 This one, in fact, though it\u2019s changed a lot since then, protected them well. Mom even took Dad\u2019s last name. Back then, it was far easier to fake shit and there were no computer systems or any real checks that would genuinely catch things. Most people honestly did not care around here as long as it didn\u2019t hurt their own livelihoods.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMakes sense,\u201d Brian murmured. \u201cWas it tough growing up?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWasn\u2019t always the most pleasant, and we didn\u2019t have a lot of money, but we made the best of what we had and what was available. Dad made sure Mia and I got the best education we could, and that we were happy and well-cared for. Any complaints I could have had about my childhood could be laid at the foot of the government and the racism and sexism at the time. But it was what it was.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI started working as soon as I could, first after school and then full-time once I was finished. College wasn\u2019t in our futures at the time, which is why I\u2019m happy that Mia is taking advantage of her opportunities now, because we didn\u2019t really have them then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I can understand that, which is why we definitely need to keep Vince out of the way. I\u2019d hate for her to have to go to prison for killing him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom laughed. \u201cHe\u2019s learning, but it\u2019s a slow process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian hummed and shifted. \u201cSo, when did you get Turned? What happened?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProhibition. It was the catalyst, anyway. I was doing runs back and forth from Mexico, and in 1925, I caught one of the strains of flu and fell ill when I was in Mexico. Josiah and Jose were some of my contacts down there, and I was with them when I got really sick. Back then there wasn\u2019t a lot that could be done other than to wait it out, and I had a horrific reaction. Not sure which strain it was, but I was going to die. Josiah didn\u2019t let me, and gave me the chance to return home to my family. I took it, and I returned to Mia. My parents were both gone by then, taken by the flu as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter Tran turned Mia, though we didn\u2019t know it was him at the time, we all went down to Mexico so I could get her settled in with the Clan for protection, and I went back to LA. I ended up buying this property and opening a couple of businesses with the money I earned after Prohibition ended, and then eventually the Lues came into my life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian shifted again and rested his chin on Dom\u2019s chest, looking at him. \u201cSo the car story?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Totally true but tweaked to account for the time period. It was one of the earliest models of car that came out. Not very fast though it seemed like it was at the time, more of a novelty, and my dad\u2019s friend stole it for the joyride aspect of it, ditched it before getting caught.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian laughed at that. \u201cSounds like a fun time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe enjoyed it for what it was,\u201d Dom agreed. He reached up and ran his fingers through Brian\u2019s hair. \u201cYou should try to get some sleep. We\u2019ve got a busy day tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian hummed and shifted around, and soon enough with Dom stroking his hair, he fell asleep. He was clearly more tired than he\u2019d realized. And once he was asleep, Dom was essentially trapped, but he honestly didn\u2019t care. He was just content to hold Brian for as long as Brian wanted.<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

A few days later and the car was completely finished, but for the paint job. But it was finally in Suki\u2019s capable hands, and they were in somewhat of a holding pattern.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another truck had gone through, prompting Brian to wonder just how much merchandise had actually been stolen from the Lues. They\u2019d let the truck go, which had the FBI and Tran completely confused, no doubt, but they were sticking to the plan to only go after one during Race Wars, which was only a week away at this point.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian jumped a little when he felt a poke in his side. He turned to find Han staring at him. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou look like you\u2019re having deep thoughts. What\u2019s up?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was wondering just how much merch he\u2019d stolen from your family, and whether or not he might have stolen from others. He\u2019s been hauling a lot through.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Han shrugged. \u201cI genuinely have no idea. I know that Bridger and Lucas were going to look into that as well, and see if Alma and Faith can\u2019t scare the truth of just how much he fucked up out of Dal and just how long this has been going on. I get the feeling it\u2019s been for far longer than he wants to admit, and he probably would have continued to cover it up if my other cousin hadn\u2019t stumbled upon it when he\u2019d unexpectedly showed up to deal with the books.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s a distinct possibility that it\u2019s not only us who have had things stolen. Who knows how long Tran\u2019s been hoarding what he and his people have stolen before deciding to move it into the US? It may have just been bad luck for him that we discovered what was going on at the same time he decided to unload it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you think we\u2019ll hear from those working their angles down in Mexico?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully sooner rather than later. I think Dom was going to call in the morning if he doesn\u2019t hear anything today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian nodded and then slumped down and rested his head against Han\u2019s shoulder. \u201cWhat\u2019s the Clan home like down there?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s outside Salina Cruz, the whole complex sitting on a hilly area that was flattened out for that purpose. There\u2019s the large main house and then a whole slew of smaller houses that spread out behind it. Off to one side are the barns, corrals, and pastures for the animals, and back further and spreading out to the left are the fields. Beyond that is the landing strip for the Clan\u2019s plane.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a stairway that leads from the main house, from the deck attached to the kitchen and living room side of the house, that goes down to the beach. The beach is beautiful and private, and spreads out for miles in either direction due to the Clan purchasing a great deal of land back in the late 1910s and early 1920s.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe main house is only two stories but it sprawls, and a good portion of the Council lives in it. The rest live in the various two-story homes on the property. Under the main house is a complex of rooms for the Council\u2019s use\u2026for the Clan really. Mostly meeting rooms and laboratories. The infirmary is down there as well. It\u2019s honestly very peaceful there, and we\u2019re far enough away from the town that when it\u2019s dark, you can pretty much see everything in the night sky.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds beautiful. Can\u2019t wait to see it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019ll like it. Plus, there\u2019s a lot to do in the town, Clan-wise. We\u2019re all very involved with Salina Cruz and do everything we can to protect it and keep it a good place to live. A number of Clan members have businesses there, or they work for the police or the hospital. Our Chosen often celebrate on our property and hold their parties there, so there are frequently dances and weddings and stuff. It\u2019s honestly a lot of fun.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the record, I don\u2019t dance. I don\u2019t even know if I can, since I just\u2026never learned,\u201d Brian told him. \u201cWas never really a priority for me growing up, and by the time I was in high school I was super busy trying to keep my grades up for college and work part-time so I could help pay for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Han laughed. \u201cSay just that down there with a whole crowd around, and you\u2019ll not only get cooed all over for your good sense and ambition as a teen, but it\u2019ll be like chumming the water for a bunch of sharks. You\u2019ll not want for someone to teach you everything you need to know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shaking his head, Brian jumped a little when his phone went off in his pocket, and he pulled it out to see the number that McDonald called him from. He stood up and went into the dining room, more so someone else didn\u2019t make noise for McDonald to hear. \u201cThis is Brian.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Brian. It\u2019s Lindsey. I\u2019ve got some 4-1-1 and we need to talk somewhere safe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian had expected this, so he rattled off the address of the beach house.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho owns this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFriends of mine. It\u2019s on the up and up, I promise. You can ask Nathan Collins if you want a second opinion. Hell, bring him if you want and he\u2019s off. I trust him with my life, which is honestly more than I can say about some of the people I\u2019ve been working with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlright. I\u2019ll meet you there at six tonight. I\u2019ve gotta go in for a court hearing in about an hour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be there. Stay safe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian hung up and walked back into the living room, where Dom had joined Han and the two were looking over some kind of paperwork. Han looked both furious and gutted, and Dom didn\u2019t look all that much better. \u201cThat was Lindsey McDonald. He has some information and is going to meet me at the beach house at six tonight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just got off the phone with Bridger and\u2026\u201d Dom snorted. \u201cAlma and Faith brought Montoya with them and Dal sang like a fucking canary. That asshole has actually been working with Tran to steal from the family for nearly two years. For fucking money for himself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s run the business into the ground completely, even worse than we ever suspected,\u201d Han said as he continued to look over the paperwork. \u201cHe\u2019s not only been fixing the books so they didn\u2019t look like there was a problem, he\u2019s evaded taxes and he\u2019s put the company into hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, if not into the millions. They\u2019re still looking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Han looked up at him. \u201cAnd you\u2019re right that this isn\u2019t the only business Tran is stealing from, but this is the only one that is actually actively involved with what\u2019s going on. The others are just outright thefts, and not on this level at any one warehouse. It\u2019s happening in the US, Mexico, and Japan. Bridger\u2019s already sent the info they have for Japan over to Shogun for them to do their own investigations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian dropped down next to Dom. \u201cWell, shit. I think we\u2019re going to have to read McDonald into everything and let him get the full scope of what\u2019s going on. If it\u2019s this involved, he could end up in a lot of danger if someone figures out he\u2019s looking deeply.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom hummed and nodded. \u201cYeah, he will, because about eighty percent of those in the FBI involved in this operation are part of the whole racket, including dear Agent Bilkins. They seem to be in it mostly for the money, and Bridger\u2019s going to contact Booth about this shit, let him get a head start in figuring out if the FBI has any more dirty agents other than this group. As far as Bridger and Lucas can tell, it\u2019s about the money for the FBI agents. This isn\u2019t the first time, apparently, these agents have swept Tran\u2019s shenanigans under the rug.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian frowned. \u201cIf Tran\u2019s been doing this for two years, I doubt he\u2019s just been sitting on the merchandise that whole time. And no one knew. Why did he all of the sudden make it obvious that he\u2019s the culprit behind everything? Even if Dal was caught, there would have been no proof other than he was a thief and an embezzling asshole. Sure, he could have blamed it on Tran, but would he have if you didn\u2019t already know who was behind it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProbably not,\u201d Han admitted, \u201cbut we already knew so he had no reason to deny who he was working with. Especially when faced with two of the most fierce women I\u2019ve ever met and a Hunter who tends to be a loose cannon on alternate Tuesdays.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo we read him in,\u201d Brian said. \u201cCan you make sure they send all the relevant paperwork and have copies for McDonald? It\u2019s going to be a long ass night, and he\u2019s going to be bombed with a whole lot of shit at once.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom pressed a kiss to his temple. \u201cYeah, I\u2019ll take care of it. You can look over all this with Han while I do that.\u201d He leaned over and kissed Han\u2019s temple as well. \u201cYou remain calm. We\u2019ll figure shit out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I hope so, because the rest of the family shouldn\u2019t have to be buried under this bullshit amount of debt.\u201d Han huffed. \u201cWhere is that asshole anyway?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDal is being escorted back to the Clan home, where he will be put in a cell that is currently being built in the basement. It\u2019s apparently a safety measure for him, because a couple of your family members have found out with all the sniffing around and they are out for blood. Lucas is going to look into where exactly your dickbag cousin has been stashing his ill-gotten gains.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe has that shit coming,\u201d Han muttered as Dom walked out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian scooted over so they could look at just what kind of clusterfuck his family was in.<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian huffed when the time rolled around to six and he saw McDonald\u2019s car driving up, followed by Nathan\u2019s. \u201cOkay, everybody who isn\u2019t me, get out of sight and be quiet until I tell you that you can come in.\u201d He rolled his eyes when Daniel was dragging his feet a little. \u201cThat especially means you, dumbass. The last thing we need is for him to have a heart attack or something. Who knows how he\u2019s going to react to any of this. I don\u2019t really know him that well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom laughed and threw Daniel over his shoulder, shooing a laughing David down the hallway. Han shook his head and closed the doors behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n

They\u2019d left most of the group back at Dom\u2019s house, but Dom, Han, Daniel, and David had come along to help with giving McDonald the information. Well, Dom and Han had. Daniel wanted to be there because clearly, this was a distant relative of some kind, though he wasn\u2019t exactly sure where McDonald fell in the family line.<\/span><\/p>\n

He\u2019d had a lot of kids, and that led to a lot of descendants.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAvon calling,\u201d Adam called out in a chipper tone as he walked in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want any,\u201d Brian called back dryly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam reached over and ruffled his hair and then pinched his cheek. \u201cWho\u2019s a cute little LAPD officer?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian stared at McDonald, who was grinning. \u201cThis is why I don\u2019t carry my gun when I know he\u2019s going to be around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

McDonald laughed. \u201cSounds about right.\u201d He sat down. \u201cWe\u2019ve got some major problems and\u2026 Honestly, I\u2019m at a loss as to how this happened.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI also have some things to share, Mr. McDonald, so why don\u2019t you tell me what you know, and I can probably shed some light on it. It\u2019s honestly way more complicated than even you probably think.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, call me Lindsey,\u201d Lindsey said, giving him a look, because it hadn\u2019t been the first time he\u2019d asked Brian to do so. Brian had had a tendency to not, both out of respect and because he knew that he was at odds with what the ADA had been trying to accomplish without knowing the whole story.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLindsey, then. What have you got?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly? If we\u2019re talking about gathering information legally, not a whole hell of a lot. These people are very good at covering their tracks, especially since not everyone or everything is done electronically. Many are still very old-school. Still, I have managed to get a few things through legal means that made me pause.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s the information a couple of hackers I know managed to find for me through not-so-legal means that really nailed home that this is a bogus operation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lindsey passed over a thick pile of folders and Brian opened the first one to find Bilkins\u2019 smug face staring back at him. \u201cAgent Bilkins has a second phone line and he\u2019s been in frequent contact with a number that can\u2019t be traced directly to Tran, but can be to a known associate of his. Odds are Tran had this person obtain the phone for him but didn\u2019t realize that he\u2019d purchased it under his own name or that it could be traced that way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey also found that Bilkins has transferred about three hundred thousand dollars that seemingly came out of nowhere to an offshore account. There are several other FBI agents and analysts that they\u2019ve found have sudden payouts who are working directly for Bilkins, though not for those kinds of numbers. All of them were tasked with gathering information on Dominic Toretto and his associates for this current op. I\u2019m not sure why they chose Dominic Toretto or how he managed to get on his radar.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s where my information comes in, because I know some of the answers for the blanks you have. It\u2019s\u2026going to seem rather far-fetched and incredible. Believe me, I\u2019m still trying to wrap my head around everything even after knowing for weeks now, but I\u2019m not yanking your chain, and these two bozos can back me up on it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can,\u201d Nathan agreed. \u201cI\u2019ve known Dominic Toretto for a while now, and Adam\u2019s known him for a lot longer than I have. He\u2019s a good man. An asshole sometimes because that\u2019s just his nature, but a good man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, how did he get involved in all of this?\u201d Lindsey asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny Tran and Dom have been at odds with one another for a very, very long time. Since the early 1920s, in fact. They\u2019re both Vampires,\u201d Brian said, ripping off the band-aid.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2026actually makes a lot more sense,\u201d Lindsey said, not seeming surprised in the least.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian blinked. \u201cUh, you believe me? Just like that?\u201d he asked incredulously. Then he turned to Adam, who was the oldest in the room. \u201cDoes that happen often?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot usually, no. Unless they already were Chosen and just didn\u2019t know it.\u201d Adam looked at Lindsey like he was a new science experiment and Lindsey clearly shifted restlessly under the scrutiny.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian, amused at hell by the whole thing, shook his head. \u201cHow do you even know?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know a lot, and I don\u2019t know what this chosen thing you\u2019re talking about is, but this is LA and I\u2019ve lived here my whole life and have seen some things. I\u2019ve met a couple of them over the years, learned enough to know that while they can be dangerous, they don\u2019t often mean harm and that they prefer to remain hidden from the general populace.\u201d Lindsey shrugged. \u201cThey gave me a few pointers on how to deal but otherwise just said the easiest thing is to pretend that I don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on even if I figure it out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the most difficult hurdle really wasn\u2019t a hurdle at all, was it?\u201d Nathan said, looking at Brian and laughing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which was probably fair, because Brian knew he looked like an indignant kitten right now, as his mother would say. He sighed heavily. \u201cJohnny Tran is a Rogue Vampire who has strong ties with the Yakuza, and he and Dom are pretty bitter enemies. Near as I can tell it started with Prohibition and really amped up when Dom suspected him of Turning his sister, Mia, into a Vampire without her consent.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny\u2019s been working with Han\u2019s cousin, Dal, to basically embezzle money and steal goods from the Lues\u2019 business, and he\u2019s stolen from other people\u2019s businesses outright. I have all the not-so-legally obtained information about all that, including that this whole thing branches off into Mexico and Japan. Border Clan is taking care of the Mexico shit, they\u2019ve flung the Japanese issues over to Shogun, and I have no idea what the fuck we\u2019re going to do about these assholes in the US.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI only understood some of that,\u201d Lindsey said, raising an eyebrow at him, but appearing amused by his state.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian blew a raspberry. \u201cDom! Han! Get your asses out here and explain it to him. This is your rodeo!\u201d Brian gave Nathan a look when he started laughing. \u201cI need a drink. Probably three.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian slid between Dom and Han as they came through the doorway, and he pushed Daniel back toward the kitchen. \u201cExplain Daniel too!\u201d he yelled out. \u201cYou, in the kitchen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou are not the boss of me,\u201d Daniel said loftily. Then his expression turned flirtatious. \u201cUnless you want to be the boss <\/em>of me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian snorted. \u201cI think Dom would pout for a decade if you got all up on this before he did,\u201d he said, motioning to himself. He took the beer David offered. \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome. And hey, at least you didn\u2019t have to spend an hour convincing this guy that we exist and then another two talking him off the proverbial ledge. So\u2026it seems like a win all around for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I am glad about that. I just\u2026want all of this done. Vampire. Human. I just don\u2019t get people. Why go through all this trouble just to be an asshole? Why risk your life, your freedom, for this shit? For some money?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are complicated, greedy, selfish,\u201d Daniel said, motioning for him to sit down before massaging his shoulders. \u201cThere are many who are all the good things you expect them to be, but most are a mixture of good and not-so-good qualities. Some are more of the latter than the former, and vice versa. You\u2019ve just been exposed to some real asshole behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor people like Tran and this Bilkins guy, they do the things they do for selfish reasons and don\u2019t really care about the people they\u2019re hurting or the damage they\u2019re causing, so long as they all get their own needs met. Why do they go about the way they do? No one really knows but them, and it probably will never make sense to anyone but them. Meaning Tran, mostly, because people like Bilkins and these other agents and whoever is working with them, like Dal, only see a meal ticket. A means of doing a cash grab without having to earn it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t like this ride and I want to get off.\u201d He smiled a little and drank his beer when Daniel and David both laughed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The three of them fell into silence, and Brian noticed that David occasionally tilted his head, a sign that he was listening to whatever was being said. He envied that ability a little, to be honest, but he knew that it was something he\u2019d get when he was Turned.<\/span><\/p>\n

He knew he wanted to be. He liked these people and the family they\u2019d made, and he liked what he\u2019d heard about the rest of the Clan. He didn\u2019t exactly regret taking this undercover op, because he knew that if he hadn\u2019t he might not have ever met Dom, or it might have happened far later and who knew where he\u2019d have been in his life at that time.<\/span><\/p>\n

But honestly, he could have done without the drama that having the FBI involved in all of this\u2014in the way of them being dirty and shady as fuck\u2014brought into his life. He\u2019d have been happier if it had only been Tran pulling on the Clan\u2019s pigtails like a dumbass.<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel patted Brian on the shoulders after a while had passed. \u201cDom\u2019s calling us forth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian got up and followed the back into the living room area, laughing when David said, \u201cYou bellowed?\u201d as he entered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoly shit!\u201d Lindsey said, staring at Daniel. \u201cI know you said we looked a lot alike but\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

David looked between the two. \u201cIt\u2019s like looking at a younger, much twinkier version of my Mate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian laughed when Dom palmed his face and Lindsey blushed and stuttered at the same time. \u201cWelcome to the madhouse, Lindsey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lindsey really didn\u2019t have to say anything. His glare said it all.<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, how did it go? Did you blow his mind? Did he threaten to have you committed?\u201d Belle asked as they walked in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom snorted. \u201cNope. Turns out he already knew we existed, though he didn\u2019t know all that much about us. We exchanged information and I put him in touch with Lucas and Bridger so that they could help him find a legal path to getting the information he needs, and Booth is on it as well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, and he took to talking to that goofball as well,\u201d Han said, pointing at Daniel, who flipped him off. \u201cAfter all this shit is done, they\u2019re going to get together and figure out which branch of the family tree Lindsey fell off of.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just glad he dealt with everything well,\u201d Brian said. \u201cI\u2019m going upstairs. I\u2019m exhausted. See you all in the morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom watched his Mate go upstairs while everyone called out their goodnights to him. Then he looked at the rest. \u201cAnything we need to talk about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be finishing up the paint job on his car tomorrow,\u201d Suki told him. \u201cIt\u2019ll be ready for him to take out the day after.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. Anything else?\u201d he asked. When no one had anything, he nodded. \u201cOkay, I\u2019m heading up as well. Remember there are humans in the house and they need sleep. I know what you guys sound like when you get into any kind of gaming competition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Han snorted. \u201cI\u2019ll make sure they don\u2019t get too loud.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou say that like you\u2019re not one of the loudest,\u201d James retorted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom laughed a little when Han pounced on James and bit him, but he left the others to deal with it. First, he went into the kitchen to grab a couple of bottles of water and then headed upstairs. He walked into the bedroom and smiled when he found Brian in bed already, clearly not wearing much of anything, if anything at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, don\u2019t you look like a twelve-course meal,\u201d Dom said after he closed the door. \u201cDefinitely not what I expected to see when I came up here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThought maybe we could fool around a bit. Getting tired of just my hand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll give you whatever you want,\u201d Dom murmured as he pulled his shirt over his head and then sat down to take off his shoes and socks. \u201cNot even going to try to do this standing up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian laughed. \u201cNo, I wouldn\u2019t recommend it. It\u2019d just end in embarrassment and tears.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely tears because you\u2019d be laughing so hard,\u201d Dom said, grinning when Brian laughed harder. Once he had those off, he stood back up and unfastened his pants, pushing everything down at once and stepping out of them. He kicked them to the side as Brian looked him over and wet his lips.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian pulled the sheet off his lower body and allowed Dom to look at him fully naked for the first time. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you come over here and we can get to know each other a little better?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom smirked and crawled up the foot of the bed, and Brian spread his legs wider so Dom could kneel between them. Dom slid his hands up Brian’s thighs and rested them on his hips. His thumbs ran back and forth over the soft skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Like what you see?” Brian asked while Dom drank him in.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Very much so,” Dom said. He slid up further and pressed a kiss to Brian’s lips before mouthing his way down his jaw. “I wanna suck you off,” he said before sucking a small bruise at the base of Brian’s neck.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian moaned softly. “Like I’m gonna say no to that.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Not needing any further invitation, since he well knew Brian would tell him if he didn’t like or want something, Dom kissed his way down Brian’s body. He didn’t linger on Brian’s nipples because he knew that they weren’t particularly sensitive, unlike his own, and instead focused his attention on leaving a small chain of marks along Brian’s lower abdomen, which was surprisingly sensitive and had worked him up when they’d been at the beach house previously.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Stop teasing,” Brian said as he ran a hand over the top of Dom’s head.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You like it when I tease.” But Dom moved lower, ignoring Brian’s cock and laughing a little at the indignant huff he received in response before nipping and sucking along Brian’s inner thighs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Something Brian clearly enjoyed from the gasps and moans coming from him. “Please, Dom,” Brian begged over and over again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom took pity, licking a stripe up the back of Brian’s cock and taking him into his mouth, sucking gently on the head a few times before taking his cock all the way down his throat. He quickly grabbed onto Brian’s hips and held him down when he practically levitated off the bed and worked Brian’s cock over until his Mate was a writhing mess beneath him, half-babbling and half-moaning, hands trying to find something to hold on to, to ground him.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he knew Brian was close, Dom slid his thumb behind Brian’s balls and pressed against his perineum, and a gentle massage was all it took before Brian came with a long moan. Dom only pulled off when Brian started to soften and tugged on him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian slid his hands up Dom’s arms and then wrapped his legs around Dom’s waist. “Slick yourself up and rut against me. However you want. Come on me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah.” Dom reached for the lube as he kissed Brian again. Then he moved from between Brian’s legs and slicked up his own cock. “Turn over.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian grinned and flipped onto his stomach, grabbing a pillow and wrapping his arms around it, moving without protest when Dom moved him around. Dom slid his slick cock between Brian’s ass cheeks and moved slowly, until he found a good rhythm and increased his speed, chasing his own orgasm.<\/span><\/p>\n

He came all over Brian with a shudder and dropped down on him, careful not to give him too much weight, while his body came down from his orgasm.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You got me all messy,” Brian murmured sleepily. “Need a shower. Gonna need to change the sheets too.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“In a minute,” Dom said, nuzzling the back of Brian’s neck.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian hummed and there was silence for several minutes before he spoke up again. “Don’t wanna wake up glued to the bed, dude.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Bitch, bitch, bitch,” Dom muttered, but he slid off and pulled Brian from the bed, manhandling him into the bathroom while Brian laughed.<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

“She really is beautiful,” Brian said to Suki as he looked over his Supra after giving the front windshield a final wipe-down.<\/span><\/p>\n

And she was. She was finally done and she was gorgeous. Instead of the flashy orange design that they’d originally considered, they’d gone with a metallic blue with silver angel wings on either side. Simplistic in artistry compared to some of the other stuff he’d seen in Suki’s design book, but absolutely gorgeous all the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m glad you like her,” Suki said. “Just try not to wreck her on the first day.” She grinned when Brian stuck his tongue out at her. “When are they taking you out in this one?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Dom wants to go for a joyride here in a couple of hours. Wants me to get a feel for how she drives before I try anything crazy in her.” He laughed a little. “Which fair, because I think I scared about fifty years off his life when I picked him and Han up after that one race that the cops pretended to raid.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Suki snorted. “Virtually immortal and tough to kill, and yet, so delicate at times.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian laughed outright at that. “You know, I’m not sold on the sanity of any of that group. It’s not even the Vampires only. I’m pretty sure Vince has got a death wish and lives on the edge, man. He walks a fine line, and I’m pretty sure one day we’re all going to wake up to find a catapult in the backyard and find him tied up and ready to be launched into the stratosphere.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“He does like to poke the Vampire contingency, doesn’t he?” Suki asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yes. I don’t know why they indulge him. It’s just going to get him maimed for life if he keeps bothering Mia.” Brian shook his head. “It’s not even just her. I’m pretty sure Jason is about ready to shove him into a box and mail him to Mexico.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Clearly he’s a masochist.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah.” Brian dropped down on the couch next to Suki, so they could stare at the car while they waited for the others to come down. “How are things going with you and Belle?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Good. Just getting to know one another mostly. She’s a little hung up on my age and worried about me not having a lot of life experience or some bullshit. I’ve had plenty of experiences in my life already, to be honest, and I know my own mind. I’ve known my own mind since I was three days old, according to my parents.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian snorted. “Yeah, I get that. Sometimes Dom looks at me like he’s wondering how I got here. I know he’s kind of hung up on the fact that I did this whole undercover thing at my age, but I knew what I was getting into. I didn’t have a terrible home life, but it also wasn’t all sunshine and roses, and Rome and I got a lot more reality thrown in our faces growing up than some kids do.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I knew what I was doing when I decided on this route. Granted, I didn’t know I needed to take frickin’ Vampires, corrupt federal agents, and a century-long grudge into account when I did so, but I’d like you to show me a single undercover cop who would have.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Suki laughed. “Yeah, that one’s a little far-fetched, I have to admit. It honestly never would have crossed my mind. Vampires were just a horror movie villain, sometimes sexy, sometimes not, depending on which movie or show it was. I didn’t expect it to be real… Or that I’d find my future with one.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“How’s that gonna work? I know you have a whole life and stuff over in Florida,” Brian said.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Tej is already working on getting my own cars ready to ship here to LA. After this is over, Belle is coming with me so I can finish up the jobs I’ve already agreed to, and I need to get everything packed up. I’m going to keep the house there for a vacation spot, since it was where I grew up and I really like the house. It’ll give the Clan another place to go if they want to get away from the crazy.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Sounds like a great plan.” Brian ran his fingers through his hair. “I, at least, don’t have a lot to worry about. I live in a duplex that I rent. Got a good price on it since it’s owned by a family friend, and it came furnished, so I really only have my own car and my personal belongings to move out once this is all said and done.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“You’re not going to continue with the whole cop thing?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian shook his head. “I’m kind of disillusioned with the whole thing, you know? The sheer corruption of the Feds, the lack of independent research and thought. Tanner might not be part of the corruption, but his response to everything has been so damn apathetic. Plus, once the shit hits the fan, I don’t know that I’d trust people to have my back. Rome and I learned not to trust easily early on. Honestly, I’m surprised at how easily I trusted in Dom, even before verifying what was going on.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Suki nodded. “I totally get it.” She shook her head. “You know we’re totally fucked, right?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“In every sense of the word,” Brian said, grinning when she laughed. “Wouldn’t change anything though.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Neither would I.”<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian sighed happily as he and Dom drove along the California coastline, wind in his hair and his new car practically purring beneath them. He knew that he would probably have a fight on his hands to keep the car, since he knew the Feds would probably want to confiscate it due to buying the initial junk piece, but Dom had assured him that once everything was out, he’d fight them on it since he’d put thousands of his own legitimately made money into the damn thing, so if they wanted it, they’d have to pay him every single cent for it, plus all the manual labor that every single one of them put into it, charged by the hour.<\/span><\/p>\n

What was hilarious was that Dom and Han had actually logged every single minute everyone worked so he had accurate numbers on it.<\/span><\/p>\n

“She really does ride like a dream,” Dom said, breaking the content silence after a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, definitely. I can’t wait to really open her up, give her room to maneuver,” Brian said.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You hungry? I know a really good seafood place up here in a few miles,” Dom said as they came to a stop at a red light.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, I definitely could eat,” Brian said as a car pulled up next to him. It was a Ferrari. “That’s a beautiful car.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Flashy, definitely. Cop magnet.” Dom smirked at him when Brian threw him a flat glare.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Wonder what that one retails for,” he said idly, not really caring since Dom was right, and a car like that would catch a cop’s attention faster than anything. Couldn’t get away with shit in a car like that one.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Costs more than a guy like you could afford,” the guy in the Ferrari said, and revved his engine. “Ferrari,” he added, like Brian was too dumb to know what he was looking at.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Dom muttered under his breath. “Smoke his ass.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian grinned and waited for the light to turn green. He smirked at the guy just before the light changed and they both gunned it. Brian expertly weaved his way in and out of the light traffic, leaving the asshole in the dust in record time. He also, much to his amusement, seemed to be scaring a few more years off Dom’s immortal life, if the way he was holding onto the ‘oh shit’ handle and staring out at the world with wide-eyed panic was any indication.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You okay?” he asked, not bothering to hide his amusement as he slowed down.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m fine. And you’re a little crazy,” Dom said. “After the next light, the restaurant will be on our left about mid-block.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I am no more insane than the rest of you. You’re just not used to this kind of behavior coming from a human Mate, would be my guess.” He glanced over at Dom, seeing him making a face, and figured he’d hit it right on the money. “I am a lot tougher than I look, you know. I’ve managed to live for a whole twenty-six years without you being around to mother-hen me to death.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, yeah,” Dom said, reaching over and resting his hand on Brian’s thigh and squeezing lightly. Then he laughed when the Ferrari breezed by as Brian flicked his turn signal and got into the lane to turn into the restaurant. “Someone’s a sore loser.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“He’s just an asshole. Probably one of those guys who’s never heard the word \u2018no\u2019 in his whole life and lived off the satisfaction of getting trophies for participating rather than working for and winning anything on his own merit.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom snorted. “That I would totally believe. Guys like that piss me off.”<\/span><\/p>\n

As soon as they parked and got out, Dom led the way into the restaurant. It was off-hours for any kind of meal rush, so they were seated within a few minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

“What do you usually get here?” Brian asked as he looked over the menu. They’d been seated outside, so they had a nice ocean view, and there wasn’t anyone seated nearby.<\/span><\/p>\n

“All of it’s really good, but I love their coconut shrimp, and the fish ‘n’ chips are really good too. Probably the biggest seller and for good reason. For drinks, I’d definitely go with the cherry limeade. Han would drink those all the damn time if it wouldn’t send him bouncing off the walls.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian nodded. “Sounds good.” When the server came back, he ordered both, along with mozzarella sticks and jalapeno poppers for appetizers, and a cherry limeade. Dom seemed amused but ordered the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You and Suki have fun bonding this morning?” Dom asked him once they got their limeades and their appetizers.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, she’s a lot of fun. She was telling me about some of the people she knows in Florida on the racing scene. They have some…pretty colorful characters down that way, apparently.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m sure they do. It is Florida, after all.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian laughed a little. “Yeah, it is. Anyway, she’s got some pretty cool paint jobs she’s designing for Belle, Daniel, and David. She was showing me her sketchbooks. She’s really talented. I think she’ll have a lot of business once she sets up down there. Jesse said there’s a lot of cars owned by the Clan down in Salina Cruz.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, there are, and some of them are up here and in various places where we have other homes. No one really needs to drive anywhere once they get to a house, because there’s usually at least three cars at each one. But there are quite a few at home. We like to collect them as well as race them. We’ve even got a track there at our home base. Josiah thought we were ridiculous when we told him what we wanted to build, but he indulged us.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian snorted. “Considering how many of you fall into the category of car fans, it’s probably the only thing that saved his sanity.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’d like to refute that but it’s only the truth,” Dom said. “What do you think you want to do after all this current bullshit is over and done with?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian blew out a breath and spoke in a low voice. Even with no one else around close, he didn’t want what he was talking about to carry. “I was talking to Suki about that, and I know I’m done with the whole being a cop thing, especially in the immediate future. There’s too much apathy and mistrust. I don’t think I can trust those I worked with to have my back.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian shrugged. “I mean, I knew pretty much almost immediately after I learned everything that I’d be quitting so I could follow you to Mexico, but right now I’m more inclined to just blow shit up if it was just me involved. Wouldn’t do that to the others who didn’t have anything to do with all this, though.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Like Lindsey.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, and even Tanner. I know he doesn’t know what’s going on, but I just can’t get over how…uninterested he is that there might be a problem. It’s like, I told him the things I knew and what my gut was telling me, and it was like he just didn’t care. I get needing evidence to back it up, but he also only had Bilkins’ word that the op was legit and factual, and he just took it as gospel because they’re the FBI.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I get it. We’re supposed <\/em>to be able to trust them. But after this…how can I? This isn’t just bad intel. This is corruption. It could have gotten me killed if you weren’t actually a good guy. Tran could have killed me, killed all three of us that night. Bilkins let me walk into this situation blind and placed me in a truly horrific set of circumstances. He doesn’t care if I live through it or not. And that’s galling.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“It is, and I hate that you were put in the middle of it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian shrugged. “Yeah. So, I’m done. I’ll never trust any of them again. Trust is hard for me to come by anyway. Besides, like I said, since I’m following you back down to Mexico, it’s not exactly the most ideal job anyway.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom tilted his head and then sat back when the server brought their appetizers. They dug in and ate for a few minutes in silence before Dom finally said, “So you really are going to throw yourself in the deep end with us, aren’t you?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, yeah. I’ve learned I can trust you guys. Even Vince, the dumbass. Plus, Han’s going to be there, and I’m learning to tolerate you well enough.” Brian laughed and ducked when Dom plucked a pea-sized piece of ice out of his glass and threw it at him. “As to what I’ll do when we get down there…I’ll figure it out eventually. It’s not like I’m going to have a shortage of time once I’m Turned and all.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian tilted his head and peered at him curiously. “Did you really think I wasn’t going to? I’ve been telling you I’d already decided.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, but it’s a huge change in a lot of ways, and I wouldn’t have blamed you if you were having even the mildest of second thoughts. It’s just relieving to hear it, because I’ve grown to tolerate you as well.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian threw back his head and laughed, and Dom smiled at him. He honestly hoped that this whole thing wrapped up sooner rather than later, because he’d really like to get Brian down to Salina Cruz and introduce him to the rest of the Clan.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Title: Shifting Tides – The Waiting Game Author: Gil Grissom Pairings: Dom\/Brian, other background pairings Rating: R Summary: Things are winding up toward the start of Race Wars and the team is in a holding pattern when it comes to Tran and the FBI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[184,1049,137,66],"tags":[732,1050,86],"class_list":["post-20337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-side-stories","category-sylum-advent-2022","category-sylum-events","category-sylum-stories","tag-series-shifting-tides","tag-sylum-advent-2022","tag-writer-gil-grissom"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Da1M-5i1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9691,"url":"https:\/\/www.sylumclan.com\/sylumblog\/sylum-advent-2017-december-23rd\/","url_meta":{"origin":20337,"position":0},"title":"Sylum Advent 2017: December 23rd","author":"Nicolaus Meridius","date":"December 23, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"*** Title: Episode Three \u2013 Revelations Season: Shifting Tides Author: Starkindler Main Pairings: Dom\/Han Background Pairings: Adam\/Nathan Rating: R Summary: More is revealed about Vampires and Brian figures out just how deep he's landed in it. 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