Loving the Buster//Brian O'Conner

eighteen

Brian and I have been driving for weeks. It's been a different town or city every night. We don't want to stay too long and attract attention. It's been five years since I've been on the run, I've forgotten what it feels like.

Brian and I are driving through Rio De Janeiro. After running Vince found his way down here. We're supposed to meet up with Mia, Jason, and Dom at his house. The favela is a cramped slum. We stop the car and get out.

"It's got to be it, right?" I ask.

As we walk up a set of stairs the men stare at us. They close in around us. Each one carrying a gun. I grab onto Brian's arm.

"Let's get out of here," Brian tells me.

"Whoa, whoa," someone shouts. "Calma, amigos. Ela está comigo." I smile as I see Vince walking towards us. "Cruz."

"Vince," I say as I hug him.

Vince lets me go and turns to Brian. "Buster." Vince gestures with his head. "Come on."

We start up the stairs again.

"Dom here yet?" Brian asks.

"No, but Mia and Jason are," Vince tells us.

"When was the last time you heard from him?" I ask.

"A couple of weeks ago. Up in Ecuador somewhere," Vince tells us.

"How does it feel?" Vince asks.

"What's that?" Brian asks.

"To be on the other side of a wanted poster?" Vince teases.

"He will show up," Brian tells me.

I nod my head. "Yeah."

Vince brings us to his home. It's nothing glamorous but from what I can see it's something to even have a roof over your head here. Mia and Jason greet us with smiles and hugs. Vince's wife Rosa makes us all something to eat.

I help Rosa clean up after. Mia is holding Vince's son, Nico. He starts to get a little fussy.

"Hora de ir para a cama, pequenino. (Time for bed little one.)" Rosa says.

"Posso trazê-lo? (Can I bring him?)" Mia asks.

"Claro," Rosa agrees.

I head to put Nico down with Mia. He's a cute kid. A little fussy but what baby isn't. Mia rushes out of the room suddenly.

"Ela está bem?" Rosa asks.

"Tenho certeza que ela está bem. (I'm sure she's fine.)" I tell her.

I head back out to sit with Brian, Vince, and Jason. Mia comes out to join us after a few minutes.

"So, listen. There is a job coming up," Vince tells us. "I was hoping Dom was going to be here by now but this one is clean enough we can do it without him. It's a good gig. Couple of high-end cars, easy targets. Guy I know is putting together a team to swipe them. Just need a few more willing bodies."

"I don't know," Brian says.

"Look, the way the car scene is down here we can unload them quick and get top dollar," Vince assures us. "It's easy money. And from where I am sitting, it looks like you could use the payday."

So, we agree to do the job. We really didn't have much of a choice. Vince is right we need money.

Brian and I are sitting in a train. I'm reading a travel guide. Looking for our next adventure.

"What are you reading?" Brian asks.

"Travel guide," I tell him.

"Yeah?" Brian grabs the magazine from me. "Tokyo. Moscow. Goa."