Some old Volkwagen*Fast and Furious*

Chapter 21 - Dear Sir

It was one week until Nelly would have to go back to the US, probably not seeing Dom again until her next semester holidays – there would be no inconspicuous opportunity to go to England before then. Obviously, Dom visiting her in America was out of the question. But something was wrong – other than that she had to leave. She felt it; Dom and Brian both had been silent and rather brooding the last few days. Nelly let him have his space for a while and didn't badger him, but after a day she couldn't take it anymore. Nelly snuck away from the farm house at the time that Dom and Brian usually had their lunch break and cornered them in the little kitchen they shared with the others of Uncle David's workers.

"Well." Nelly put her hands on her hips. "What's up?" The men looked at her, not even pretending that everything was alright – but no one spoke. Nelly frowned at them. "Come on, I'm leaving for England in a week and I won't be able to go unless you tell me what's bothering you! – Don't you like the job? – That's alright; we can find another job for you, my uncle won't be sulky and England is big..." – Finally, Brian broke. "It's not about the job," he said forcefully. Nelly raised her eyebrows, trying to hide that the tone of Brian's voice had given her the creeps. Whatever it was, it was worse than she had expected. Slowly, Dom looked up to her. "It's about you. There's an arrest warrant out for you." – For the first time in her life, Nelly felt like fainting.

Mia had a clean record so Nelly had firmly believe that she'd be able to have a relationship with Dom without committing a crime herself. And she had not committed a crime – not really, anyway. But then, she had. Not only had she in fact lied to the police, she'd played them a whole, convincing charade. If they knew all that, the police would have a real reason for arresting her. Her future was done for. It was all over. She couldn't be arrested – what would her family think? Her friends? – Nelly wouldn't be able to look into the mirror anymore. She didn't want to be a criminal. Dom reached out for her but stopped mid-movement, as if giving her space if she wanted it. Nelly could tell he felt guilty, but it was all her own fault. She was a grown-up and could decide for herself and she herself had had the idea of going to the police to get the information. All in vain, as it had turned out. Nelly really wanted to punch Brian in the face. – "We won't let them arrest you," Dom finally said. Nelly laughed bitterly. "There's nothing you can do, is there? – You can't even enter the US, not even to mention going back to LA. And I can't go into hiding just like you. I've got family – parents who don't even know that I've been involved with... with criminals. They don't know that I am... a criminal." – Dom shook his head angrily. "Don't be a fool, you ain't no criminal! – The police only want to arrest you to get to me. But that won't happen; I won't let them arrest you." – At this, Brian looked at Dom suspiciously. "You're not going to hand yourself in, are you, under the condition that they drop all charges against Nelly immediately?" – Dom just returned Brian's look without answering. Nelly grasped Dom's shirt. "You can't do that! You'll be in jail forever; you'll find another way, won't you? Brian will find another way." She looked at Brian pleadingly. Brian blushed slightly. "Sure, we'll find another way... perhaps we could..." – Dom frowned. "Could what?" – Brian blushed even more. "Erm... I don't know... anything... Aah this whole affair is bullshit." – Dom sighed and turned away. "The only thing we have is the cars; I talked to Vince yesterday, he's keeping a close eye on them. But they're no good, most of them are race-tuned already and the police surely won't trade them for Nelly's freedom." – "No, they won't," Brian agreed. "As soon as you contact them in a way – and were it only to suggest a trade or even to give them back the cargo – they know that they've got you hooked. Getting in contact with them means you care; and as soon as Cillian knows that she's not going to let go. She really wants you locked up, Dom."

Nelly looked at Dom who nodded slowly. Finally, she suggested tentatively: "Brian, you said the stolen cars all belonged to high officials, right? – Was there perhaps something we could use to make them put pressure on Cillian to let go of the arrest warrant?" – Brian raised one eyebrow. "Like blackmailing her bosses to make them blackmail Cillian?" He hesitated. "They're probably the only ones who can blackmail Cillian, that much is true." – Nelly felt a shudder running down her spine. Now she was thinking like a real criminal. She wanted to blackmail someone; that was kinda hardcore – for her at least. Brian sighed. "Thing is – I don't think we'll be able to blackmail the 'higher officials' with the cars. Sure they'd like them back, but as we already said, they're being turned into racing cars as we speak. Also, they'll know about Cillian's quest to get to Dom – and me, for that matter – and I think they'll deem the cars a price worth paying. The police have been trying to arrest Dom for ages now, after all." Brian ruffled his hair. "So basically, we needed a really, really dirty secret, like drug dealing or child abuse or..." Brian threw his hands in the air, but Dom had put a forefinger to his mouth, suggesting: "...bribery?" – Brian froze and then slowly nodded. "That might work. But... there is no bribery..." Something in Dom's voice had his voice fade away to a mere murmur. – "One of the cars had a secret department, right?" Dom asked with the beginnings of a grin. Brian nodded. "Yes; but it was empty. We don't know what it was used for." – "Good." Dom had a spark in his eye.