It was late afternoon outside the LAPD station.
Hunter leaned against the van, lighting a cigarette and taking slow, deliberate drags.
Mia had woken up around noon, but Hunter hadn't let her come with him to pick up Dom and the others. The bail had been posted, but the release processing took time.
So, Hunter had exited the station first and was now waiting outside.
He leaned casually against the vehicle, looking for all the world like a bored smoker. In reality, his sharp eyes were scanning the perimeter, hunting for the gaze he felt burning into him.
Shortly after leaving the station, Hunter had sensed eyes on him. But after searching for a while, he couldn't pinpoint the source.
Of course, he had his suspicions.
While surveillance cameras weren't as ubiquitous in the US as they were in other countries, this was the LAPD headquarters. The area wasn't exactly lacking in security infrastructure.
In just a few moments, Hunter had spotted at least three cameras pointing in his general direction.
He was mentally prepared for this. Helping Dom meant exposing himself.
So, he didn't bother hiding.
From the moment he agreed to Mia's request, Hunter knew he was putting himself squarely in the FBI's crosshairs.
After waiting for nearly an hour, the main doors of the station finally swung open.
Four young men and women walked out, including a large, bald man.
It was Dom, his girlfriend Letty, and two of his crew members.
Hunter's borrowed van was parked in the temporary lot directly across from the station.
As soon as Dom stepped out and looked down from the high steps, he spotted Hunter leaning against the van, smoke curling from his cigarette.
"Dom!"
Letty saw him first. She patted her boyfriend's back gently and pointed.
Dom followed her gaze. When he saw Hunter, the gloom on his face lifted slightly, replaced by a faint, grateful smile.
"Hey!"
The group walked down quickly. Dom extended his hand first.
"Thanks."
He was as stoic as ever, a man of few words. But Hunter could tell that Dom no longer held any hostility toward him.
Letty smiled and patted Hunter on the shoulder.
"Not bad, kid. Not bad at all."
When the lawyer had visited them yesterday to announce he was handling their bail application, Dom knew instantly that this wasn't Mia's doing.
Mia might be eighteen now, but just last year she was still a high school student. Even after she dropped out, Dom had set her up with a quiet life running the cafe/grocery store. He had purposely kept her insulated from his criminal activities.
So when a high-powered attorney showed up and effortlessly navigated the legal bureaucracy, Dom knew Mia didn't have the connections or the savvy to pull it off alone.
Seeing Hunter now, everything clicked into place.
Initially, they had wondered if Mia had gone to Vince for help. But Vince and the others were still in the hospital recovering from the beating Hunter gave them weeks ago. They certainly hadn't been part of the street race that got everyone arrested.
Hunter shook Dom's hand and nodded at Letty with a smile.
"This isn't the place to talk. Let's get out of here."
"Mia is waiting for you at home."
Hunter wasn't close to the other two who had been arrested, but he recognized them.
Jesse and Leon.
They, along with Vince, formed the core of Dom's team. With Vince and the muscle currently hospitalized by Hunter's hand, Jesse and Leon were the last pillars of support Dom had left.
With them all locked up, Mia had literally no one to turn to.
That was why she had gone to Hunter.
Dom clearly understood this too.
Their cars had been impounded for illegal modifications. They would have to be restored to stock condition before they could be reclaimed. That meant they needed a ride.
Hunter had borrowed a nondescript van from Old Parker for the pickup.
Fortunately, Dom and his crew weren't the type to be picky about luxury. They nodded and piled into the van. Hunter took the driver's seat and headed for the Toretto house.
Inside the LAPD station, in a secure monitoring room.
Brian O'Conner, sporting bandages from his recent beating, stood behind several senior FBI agents.
Together, they watched the live feed on the monitor. The screen showed Hunter picking up Dom and his crew.
"Do you know this guy, Brian?"
A black agent pointed at Hunter's grainy image on the screen and asked.
Brian frowned, staring at the slightly blurred face.
The guy looked familiar, but Brian couldn't quite place where he had seen him.
He shook his head. "He looks familiar, but I can't remember exactly where I've seen him."
"Is he part of Toretto's crew? Is he in the database?"
The black agent shook his head. "No. Toretto's core team doesn't have any Asian members."
"Captain," the agent turned to a middle-aged white man in an LAPD uniform. "Do you have anything on him?"
The Police Captain nodded. "We do, though not much."
"His name is Hunter Sun. He's 18, Chinese-American."
"He's the kid who hired the lawyer to bail Toretto out."
"We've run a background check. He has zero criminal record with us."
"Plus, the lawyer he hired is a shark. The guy plays golf with state senators."
"Since you Feds couldn't produce hard evidence proving Toretto is behind the highway hijackings, we could only hold them for forty-eight hours max."
In America, powerful scumbag lawyers often had powerful backings.
The FBI agents understood the LAPD's frustration.
But Brian was agitated. "Captain, based on my investigation, Toretto fits the profile perfectly."
"The cars you have impounded..."
"They are the exact same make and model as the ones spotted at the hijackings."
"I have every reason to suspect Toretto is the highway hijacker."
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