FULL SPEED - O'CONNER

04

Angelina was deep in concentration, her hands covered in grease as she worked on her car in the shop. The familiar scents of motor oil and rubber filled the air, blending with the low hum of chatter from the others. Dom and Mia stood nearby, caught in a conversation about the upcoming Race Wars. The overhead lights cast a bright glow over the vehicles.

She wiped her brow with the back of her hand, feeling the sweat mix with the grime. Her car was nearly ready, and each component was checked and double-checked. She couldn't wait to see how it would perform on the track.

Just as she was tightening the last bolt, a loud commotion from outside caught her attention. The distinctive rumble of a tow truck's engine echoed through the open garage doors, followed by the sound of heavy tires crunching on the gravel. Angelina paused her wrench still in hand, and exchanged a curious glance with Dom and Mia.

"What the hell is that?" Dom muttered, his brow furrowing. Angelina stood up, her tank top smeared with dirt, her hair messy.

The three of them walked towards the entrance, the noise growing louder with each step. As they reached the doorway, Angelina could see the tow truck pulling into the lot, its massive frame casting a shadow over the smaller vehicles parked nearby. The driver was Brian, his expression a mix of determination and slight amusement.

"All right, what the hell is this?" Dom asked, eyeing the wrecked car on the truck. "What do you got there?" he added, his voice laced with curiosity and scepticism. Brian walked towards Dom and Angelina, a confident stride in his step.

Brian turned towards his car and back to the cousins. "This is your car," he announced with a smile, pointing to the battered vehicle on the truck. "My car?" Dom asked, confused. "I said a 10-second car, not a 10-minute car," Dom clarified, his tone a mix of irritation and disbelief.

"You could push this across the finish line or tow it," Jesse joked, eliciting giggles from Angelina, Letty, and Mia. "You couldn't even tow that across the finish line," Dom shook his head, exasperated.

"No faith," Brian replied, shaking his head at Dom's scepticism. "Oh, I have faith in you, but this isn't a junkyard. This is a garage," Dom pointed out, gesturing towards the well-maintained space. "Pop the hood," Brian instructed Dom.

"Pop the hood?" Dom echoed, surprised. "Pop the hood," Brian repeated firmly. Angelina stepped forward and popped open the hood, her curiosity piqued. The group peered down at the engine.

"2JZ engine. No shit," Jesse chuckled, his shock evident. "Damn," Angelina muttered, glancing at Brian, who grinned back at her. "And what did I tell you?" Brian smirked, his confidence evident. "I retract my previous statement," Dom agreed, nodding in approval.

"You know what? This will decimate all after you put about 15 grand in it, or more if we have to, overnight parts from Japan," Jesse explained enthusiastically to Dom. "We'll put it on my tab at Harry's," Dom decided, and Jesse's face lit up. "Yes!" he exclaimed, excitement radiating from him.

"I gotta get you racing again so I can make some money off your ass," Dom told Brian, a teasing glint in his eye. "Ang, tell him about Race Wars," he instructed, turning to his cousin.

"There's a show in the desert called Race Wars. You're gonna race there," she explained simply pointing to him for the last part, her tone carrying an undertone of excitement and challenge. "I'll tell you what. When you're not working at Harry's, you're working here," Dom pointed around the shop, indicating Brian's new responsibilities.

"You can't find the right tool in this garage, Mr. Arizona," Dom paused, a smirk playing on his lips. "You don't belong near a car," he added, walking away, leaving Brian to ponder his words.