The streetlights flickered against the tarmac, casting long shadows over the industrial lot where Nate's meet was already in full swing.

Engines growled low, the bass of speakers from parked cars thumping through the air, and the scent of unburnt gasoline clung to the atmosphere.

But when four unfamiliar cars rolled into the lot, the energy shifted. Eyes turned. Conversations paused. The names attached to those cars weren't just random challengers.

Ace Calloway was back. And she didn't come alone.

Ethan's Evo II pulled in first, its sleek stance and deep turbo rumble catching attention before he even parked.

Hunter followed, his Celica rolling in smooth, understated, but dangerous.

Then came Dax, in the borrowed WRX STI, a car that looked built to devour grip and send challengers home humiliated.

Erin.

She drove in last, behind the others, the borrowed Evo IX beneath her hands. She had wished she had her Nissan or Silvia. This was about winning in their own game. She rolled into Nate's territory in one of their own. A sharp nudge on her shoulder.

"They're looking at you." Dax, leaning against the Evo, hands in his pockets, studied the way the crowd reacted.

Some knew her. Some were curious. Some still only saw Jamie's sister.

That pissed him off. "Time to change that."

Erin smirked. "Damn right."

"Alright, we need eyes everywhere," Ethan muttered.

The plan wasn't just to show up. It was to gather intel. Know the cars. The people. The stakes.

They split up.

Jinx and Rev wandered toward the pit lanes, checking out the competition and seeing what mods had been done to Nate's best racers.

Ethan and Hunter headed toward the betting crowd, where the serious cash was being thrown down, getting a feel for how these races were organized.

Ghost disappeared into the shadows, watching, listening, picking up the pieces everyone else missed.

Dax and Erin stayed by the cars, watching the way people reacted.

The whispers had already started.

"That's Ace Calloway?"

"Jamie's sister? I thought she left."

"Damn, does she even race, or was that just Jamie?"

Dax clenched his jaw.

This again.

Erin pretended not to hear.

Dax wasn't about to let it slide.

"You hearing this shit?" he muttered, arms crossed.

"I'm ignoring it."

"You shouldn't."

Erin raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What should I do, Carter? Start punching people?"

Dax smirked. "I'd pay good money to see that, but no. You should make them shut up the only way they understand."

Erin exhaled. "By racing."

Dax nodded. "No more of this 'Jamie's sister' bullshit. It's about time you make a name for yourself."

She tilted her head, watching him. "You really think I haven't?"

Dax met her eyes and smirked. "I think you're about to."

Across the lot, Nate finally noticed them. He was older than most of the racers here, mid-thirties, with a lean build, cocky smirk, and a presence that told you he owned this scene. He didn't walk. He strolled. Like he was untouchable.

Erin wasn't impressed.

Nate's gaze locked onto her first. "Calloway." His smirk deepened. "Didn't think I'd see you back here."

"You'll be seeing a lot of me." Erin crossed her arms, tilting her head. "That a problem?"

Nate chuckled, shaking his head. "Not at all. But I hope you didn't come just to watch."

Erin grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it."

His eyes flicked to Dax. "Who's the bodyguard?"

Dax raised an eyebrow. "More than you can handle."

Nate laughed. "Right. So, what's the play, Calloway? You here to prove something? Or just here to remind people who your brother was?"

Silence. The air thickened.

Jinx and Rev had just made it back, catching the tail-end of that line.

Jinx's expression darkened.

Rev rolled his shoulders, already looking ready to start something.

Erin just smiled. Slow. Dangerous. "Let's make one thing clear, Nate. I didn't come here to talk about Jamie." She took a step forward, closing the space between them, her tone casual but carrying enough weight to shut down the entire conversation around them. "I came here to race."

The crowd stirred.

Nate's smirk didn't waver. His eyes told her exactly what she needed to know. He hadn't expected her to be this direct. Good. "Fine. You wanna race?" Nate glanced at the cars they had rolled in with. "Pick your poison. But I don't run casual sprints, Calloway. You step up to my lane, you bet big."

Erin didn't even blink. "Then let's go big."

Dax, standing just beside her, smirked. That was exactly what he wanted to hear.

This wasn't about Jamie's sister. This wasn't about proving a legacy. This was about Ace Calloway making damn sure the world knew her name.

This was just the beginning.

The industrial lot was buzzing with energy now, the crowd thickening as word spread that Ace Calloway wasn't just back, she was racing.

Dax and Ethan stood near the Evos, arms crossed, taking in everything Rev and Jinx had gathered.

Ghost was nowhere near them, but they all knew he was out there, watching. Listening. Tonight wasn't just about a race. It was about setting the scene for something bigger. And Ghost played a different game than the rest of them.

Jinx had dug deep into the competition.

Rev had fine-tuned the details.

Now they laid it all out.

Jinx leaned against the Evo II, his arms crossed, grinning. "Alright, boss man, here's the deal."

Dax raised a brow. "This better be good."

Rev took over, voice level. "Nate's best guys are running three different setups. One's a straight-line monster, huge turbo, no handling. Another's all about grip, but it's underpowered in the straights. And the third is the full package but driven by a cocky idiot who's known for choking under pressure."

Ethan nodded. "We don't just need speed, we need strategy."

Jinx pointed at the Evo II. "That thing? It's got brutal launches, and it'll handle well enough in the tight sections."

Dax smirked. "So, perfect for me."

Jinx grinned. "Exactly."

Rev pointed at the Subaru. "Your II's got raw power. You'll be better suited going up against their straight-line build. It'll be a power fight, but if you hold the launch, you'll win."

Ethan cracked his knuckles. "Sounds like my kind of race."

Jinx turned to Erin. "And you, Calloway? You're already on their radar. You're not just racing; you're making a damn statement. So you gotta take down their all-rounder."

Erin smirked. "Let's ruin his night."

Dax chuckled. "Love that attitude."

But even as they finalized the plan, there was still one wildcard missing. Ghost.

Dax finally scanned the mass of people, his eyes searching.

He hadn't seen Ghost since they arrived. That didn't sit right.

He leaned toward Erin. "Where's your shadow?"

Erin didn't even blink. "He's around."

"How do you know?"

She finally turned to him, smirking. "Because he's always watching."

Dax exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.

Ghost was a wildcard. He wasn't here to race. He was here for something else.

Which made Dax uneasy. He wasn't about to let it distract him from the real task.

Winning. Loudly.