Chapter Text
Prologue: It all begins
John Rahway was angry. Stupid Ghost and his ego had ruined everything. His crew were Takers and they were good at their jobs. Takers were more than just thieves and they were not your average criminals. Good sense and planning meant they'd eluded cops and Feds whilst making huge scores.
The crew never took stupid risks and planned everything with precision. They each had their talents and during their off time they worked hard to expand their skill sets. Ghost had picked John for his skills with cars. Since then John had learnt so much more.
John was smart, something that Ghost and Gordon used to their advantage. He was a quick study especially with firearms. His true gift was his ability to act out any role. He could turn from innocent surfer to deadly assassin and anything else between the two. The one job they pulled he rescued by seducing a close witness. After all, the man having a quick grope in an alleyway couldn't have just robbed a bank. The Takers had all laughed upon hearing the tale. They had covered their shock when they realised the witness was male. John had shrugged, and smirked, "I appreciate beauty in all forms, guys."
In this moment, none of it mattered and it was all due to Ghost’s monumental ego. Ghost was smart but too stupid to quash his ego. Still, it was a harsh lesson to learn by getting sent down for five years.
The rest of their crew was nervous as he got sent down. The rule they’d set in place was no squealing and once outside, their share would be ready to collect. So far, the indicators all pointed to Ghost not snitching. It was good a good thing but damage limitation would see the crew split.
Gordon was John's best friend, and they high-tailed it to the other coast. In Florida, John started to hatch his most elaborate scheme yet. Once the thought had taken root in his mind he could not let it go. It was rattling around in his brain. It was bold, dangerous and right up his alley.
He needed to talk to Gordon.
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Gordon was at his home. He'd got the man a drink of the good stuff and started to explain, "So I have an idea crazier than my normal ones."
Gordon didn't snort but it was a close thing. A statement like that could mean quite a lot coming from John. Gordon sighed and repressed his natural sarcasm, "Tell me."
John was not quite comfortable saying it aloud. He would struggle through it for Gordon. "Remember when I explained why I'm a Rahway and not an O'Connor like my father?"
Gordon nodded, it had been an enlightening conversation, told only after many drinks. It had also gone a long way to explaining why John was like he was. "Yeah, but what's that got to do with the price of tea in china?"
John smirked because if Gordon wasn't adding expletives then he wasn't too annoyed. "Well, you always taught me to hide where they least suspect it."
Gordon frowned and then stared agog, realisation dawning, "You mean pretend to be a Fed?"
John nodded, "Dad, not that he gets the right to the name, has a long familial cop history. It’s one that I can use, you know who to call to get it done."
Gordon nodded, he hated the idea - he did. The problem was he could see the reason and try that he might, it was a damn good idea. Yet that didn't mean that he wasn't concerned for his friend. This was a radical plan but they were serious complications. Gordon wanted to be sure that he understood the ramifications. "John you would have to be someone else twenty-four/seven. Can't do all the cool things we could do this side of the fence."
John chuckled at the idea. He countered, "Caldwell lives within his identity ... And he does well enough at playing both sides. I can be Brian O'Connor newbie agent, who can keep the heat off the crew’s back."
Gordon couldn't restrain the sigh. It was a good idea and it was just like John. He would do anything for those he considered family. He would even hide behind another identity if it kept them safe.
The road to hell was paved with good intentions was a phrase Gordon had often heard when growing up. Not sure how he would classify this act of John's. If the act is morally ambiguous but following a twisted code - Would it still lead to hell?
He guessed he would soon see.
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John had used the contact and was smart. The forger had put his records through the Academy and was smart. John scored well enough to be in the top ten but not remarkable enough to have been a record breaker. The academy record of one Brian O’Conner reflected his natural skills. Who knows, if he could get a gig undercover racing, well that would be awesome.
He started off as a rookie in a satellite office - doing rookie work. It was boring as shit but he managed to access Ghost’s record and relaxed seeing that he hadn’t squealed. That had been the deal amongst the gang but when you went down, things changed.
What hurt the most about this crap was that John had to cut himself off from the gang. All he could do was send coded messages to Gordon relaying any information that he gained. John was making sure no one else was going down for the thefts other than Ghost.
He saw no other option – he became Brian. It was a refuge of a different kind and offered a layer of protection. He was good, and his SAC recognised this and suggested he transfer to a bigger office. Brian had no problem – he knew the real reason. He was good – being of the criminal persuasion himself, he was quite good at catching other criminals.
Gordon had sent him an anonymous bottle of champagne and he knew exactly why. Gordon would have laughed his ass off having figured it out. John was the reason behind busting one of their biggest rivals. Oh, he wished he could have seen Johnson’s face, but for obvious reasons he didn’t show his face during the bust. It could have been awkward if the perp outed him (so to speak).
The transfer relieved him in many ways, New York’s office was larger and the city more vibrant. It also meant that his paper record had stood up to scrutiny. The only trouble here was that his bosses were suspicious bastards. Whereas his skills had impressed his previous boss, his new boss was suspicious. He would pull off manoeuvres that made his boss frown. Christ, they wanted a door down and didn’t want the door knocked off its hinges. His solution had been to pick the lock. Trouble was that he’d picked the lock the criminal way, not the academy taught way. Details.
His boss had been suspicious and asked him why he’d done that. Brian wanted to punch the wall in frustration but held his cool. He had a cocky grin, “Yeah and I would have destroyed the lock. This way the door could be secured and no one would be the wiser.”
It was a good answer and got his bosses off his back. They were still suspicious as they would ask him about obscure pieces of law. The types of law that most agents forgot once they were out the academy. Brian knew the law inside out because it was smart to know your enemy inside out. In his case, that had been the Feds, it was just ironic that he could use all that research. Still, Brian was too good and it was making his boss nervous.
So that was why he’d transferred to undercover work. Well, you gotta work with your skill-sets and when you’ve been a criminal – pretending to be one was a piece of cake. He just had to be careful to avoid anyone who knew him, or that could have been awkward.
As a consequence, he gained a reputation for being damn good at his job. To Brian, this was the perfect life. It wasn’t quite his life, but it was close enough that he could feel comfortable. He enjoyed the chase and even if he was working on the right side of the law. It worked for him.
Well, that was until Agent Bilkins, told him he was going undercover as Brian Spilner. He was able to separate his identities until he met Dominic Toretto. Then life got complicated . Christ, it made him miss the simpler days when he was knocking over banks.
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The first complication was the cover. He was going under at a place called Harry’s as a newbie driver. So now, he had had to practice being a newbie driver, and it was fucking difficult. He’d honed his instincts for too many years, to look like a newbie. The first time he did a slide the racers would clock him as a pro. The only solution he could see was to find someplace out of the way and practice.
It had been a great plan. Brian was up at an elevated parking area practising his driving. All in order to make him look like a beginner to the racers at the race. After his last run, he noticed an RX-7 off in the distance and he banged his head against his steering wheel. “Damn it. Fuck. He's not supposed to be here.” Brian grumbled. Of all the people to have seen him, Dominic Toretto was the last person he could afford. Shit, time for a new plan; he’d have to think on his feet.
Dom drove his car up to where Brian had parked by the guard rail after his last slide. He got out of his car and walked up to Brian's window. Brian rolled down his window to hear what the racer had to say,
“What the hell are you trying to do? You were sliding perfect and it didn't seem you were happy until you managed to fuck it up like a newbie would.”
Brian swallowed and deflected, “Do you have some water on ya? I forgot to get one before coming out here.”
“No. Answer the question.”
Brian rolled his eyes. “I'm not trying to do anything. I had space so I was seeing what I could do.”
“Sure." Toretto drawled. I believed that for about three minutes and then I saw you drive. No, I don't have any water with me so we'll have to go the store or one of our places.”
“I'm down at Harry's - at Racer's Edge.”
“No water there except the shower. You know where I'm at in town so meet me there.” Dom got in his car before Brian could protest and tore out of the parking lot.
Brian followed, trying to drive like a newbie but traffic pushed him to drive like he was able. He took a couple of shortcuts to Dom's house and noticed that Dom took those same shortcuts. He pulled in behind Dom and Dom just motioned him to the garage area.
Brian followed and Dom shoved him against the chained doors. He clenched Brian's shirt and growled. “Rookie mistake number one: Don't say you're a newbie and then drive like you do this every day. Number two: you might have my address but only the locals know the short cuts that I took. Number three: Whatever you say from here on out I'll take as a lie unless you can prove that it's the truth.”
Brian swallowed and worked his heartbeat back to being steady. He wasn't going to let Dom have the last word. “Rookie mistake number four: Don't corner someone who can and will fight when need be.”
He twisted out of Dom's grip and pressed Dom against the doors. He took more than a little satisfaction in seeing Toretto’s shock at having the tables turned on him.
“Who the hell are you Spilner?”
“Just that—Spilner.” Brian was playing it cool, but this was going to be dangerous. The game would have to change. He would have to screw with the prepared identity. It would piss Bilkins off, but he had no choice. If Brian didn’t do something he was dead; he thought – What would Rahway do?”
He stared at Toretto, not showing any fear, “Okay you got me.”
He offered his most cocky grin, “Get me some water and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Much to his surprise, Toretto did just that. It was good as it gave Brian a chance to think. He was about to weave a tale that would make any of his former friends proud.
There in lay the problem.
When he was O’Connor he followed the law. John Rahway was too sympathetic, and Dominic would suck him into his world just like Gordon had. John’s loyalty was to Gordon, not Ghost, and crazily - Toretto had similar qualities. Brian knew it was a question of when not if.