Chapter Quote:
"The problem with putting your foot on a tiger's neck is you can never let it up."
~Dom, Fate of the Furious
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Chapter 31

Jace

I'd been driving casually up the Pacific Coast Highway, minding my own business, when I noticed Lynch's car in my rearview mirror. I texted the alert to Hobbs and then kept Lynch at bay, pretending I didn't notice him tailing me.

"You ready?" Ember's voice came through my earpiece.

"Ready," I said.

"Good. We're coming up behind you in a few seconds. Lead him onto the interstate. Be careful. It's really dark tonight, and the clouds aren't letting any moonlight help us."

"Same goes for you."

"All right, let's ride or die."

"Preferably ride. I don't want to die right now," Jackson mused.

"Ah, you're here," I remarked, my jaw throbbing in pain at the memory of our last meeting.

"I'm not letting Ember go by herself, and she and I know Lynch best. Besides, it gives me a chance to apologize for what happened during the fight. I'm sorry for punching you."

"Why did you?"

"I let your words get to me, even though I knew we were acting."

"Boys, I love both of you, but now is not the time to be having a heart to heart. Jace, we have you in our sights. Jackson, let's go," Ember said. I glanced in my rearview mirror to see them flooring it towards me in black Lamborghinis. Ember swerved into the oncoming lane once and blew past us. A second later, Jackson followed. I hit my own accelerator, chasing after them. Predictably, Lynch followed, although he kept a safe distance behind me. Probably to make sure this wasn't a trap.

The three of us kept switching places, playing musical cars to annoy him. Meanwhile, we listened to the radio chatter from the rest of our group. Klaus had been the first to be taken out, being cornered in the warehouse Lynch and crew had been hiding out. Ember voiced her disappointment that Klaus hadn't at least been shot in the process. Sloane was still being chased, but they were gaining on her.

We turned onto the interstate, swerving dangerously around cars. Lynch stuck to us like a hawk.

"All right, Jace, pull off and lead him away, and then circle back. We'll meet you head on and cut him off," Ember ordered.

"You got it." I jerked my car onto the nearest exit ramp, and Lynch followed. Either he was more interested in me, or he thought I was easier to take alone. Of course, he didn't know it was Ember and Jackson in the other two cars, so that might have something to do with it.

My car skidded around the corner, but I quickly gained control, heading in the opposite direction of the freeway. I planned on going a few blocks, then slowly making my way back to give Ember and Jackson time to get ahead. But Lynch had other plans. Gunshots went off behind me, one shattered my back window. I ducked out of reflex, not wanting a bullet to go in the back of my head.

"He's shooting at me!" I shouted.

"Are you okay?!" Ember asked, frantic.

"I'm good. Stick to the plan and-"

A bullet hit my tire, and I lost control. I would've regained control had my front tire not hit a deep pothole, blowing it out. With my car slowing down, Lynch nailed my back end, sending me spinning out of control, and flipping my car over multiple times.

When I came to, my world was spinning, but I managed to say, "He's got me, guys. I'm out."

"Jace?!" Ember shouted. "Jace!"

I threw my car door open and crawled out onto the shattered glass, wincing in pain with each movement.

"Good evening, son," Lynch said. "That was quite the stunt you pulled. Did you think I'd follow your friends? Who is it? Brandon? Sam? The two dimwits named Steve and Bucky?"

"They're a hell of a lot smarter than you," I said.

"Is that so? This trap you set for me would've been ingenious, but I know you too well. You still want revenge on me for what happened to Ember, and if that means working with the Torettos, then you'd do that. I'll say you nearly had me with that fight with Jackson. I do believe that was real."

"You're even dumber than you look, you know that?"

"Jace," Ember came over the comm again. "Give your walkie to Lynch. Just trust me. Don't argue with me."

I wanted to. Every fiber in my being wanted to argue, but we needed the element of surprise, and we'd certainly have that. If anything, it would send Lynch into a frenzy finding out Ember was alive and well and ready to kick his ass. I hoped if he went after her, he'd be so laser-focused on her, he wouldn't notice anything else. It helped we had two lines of communication, so even if I lost my walkie, I still had my comm. We always had multiple ways to communicate in case something like this happened.

"Here," I said, taking my walkie. "Someone wants to talk to you."

Raising his eyebrows, Lynch hesitated, then took it from me. "Hello?"

"Miss me, asshole?" Ember growled.

Lynch's gaze turned to me, silently asking me if what he was hearing was really true, if Ember was really alive. I grinned and said, "Told you, you're dumber than you look."

His boot violently connected with my ribcage, and I curled up in pain.

"Ember Toretto-O'Connor. If it isn't a dead man walking," Lynch replied.

"The only dead man walking is going to be you if you hurt Jace. You want me? Come get me. This started with us, and it's going to end with us."

"No, you're going to come to me. For all I know, you're sending me into an ambush. Like you did to poor Klaus and Sloane."

"If you knew about this, then you sent them into the trap yourself. And honestly, it's a real shame Klaus didn't get shot. But that's okay. I'll shoot you instead."

"You're going to want to after I finish with Jace." He pointed his gun at my head.

"You touch him-"

I never heard Ember finish. A car came screeching around the corner and nearly plowed into us. I barely moved out of the way in time. Lynch had to dive to the other side of the street. The car did a one-eighty, the tires squealing in protest. I looked up to see the passenger side door being thrown open and a strangely familiar man shouting at me, "Get in!"

"Who are you?!" I shot back.

"A friend! Now get in before you get shot!" I would probably regret this, but getting away from Lynch took priority for me. Besides, the guy seemed like he knew how to drive well. You had to in order to pull off what he just did.

"Hit it!" I barked. The man floored the accelerator, and turning around, I saw Lynch already chasing us in his car. I turned to the man driving and asked, "Who are you?"

"Introductions later. Where are Ember and Jack?"

Some ideas started forming in my head. "Head back to the interstate. They'll meet us there."