The far industrial areas of northern L.A; usually pretty motionless and rather quiet...except tonight. The air was cracked open by the sound of a supercharged V8 leading the way of one of the many street races going on that night. A bright orange Corvette was responsible for the noise, with a determined driver at the wheel. Cole watched the tach to reach 7k until he slammed the clutch and bumped it into the next gear, the massive torque of the engine leading him further and further away from the two other cars he was racing against. These guys were pushovers, they thought they had something for Cole and his new ride, but they were horrifically wrong, as they were finding out. One of the perks to mob racing was that he encountered many drivers with a lot of money but no talent, and more often than not, these races were actually easier than the ones for just a couple grand.

He navigated through the final corners of the race, pulling off a few nice heel-toe downshifts and corner apexs along the way, before he pointed the car down the final straight and went through the gears a final time before crossing the finish line, considerably ahead.

After doing the usual post-race winner activities, he lined up the vette in a row with a few other parked exotics and proudly climbed out, leaning on the front fender with his iphone out. The feeling after a race win these days was more relief than joy, Stephano hired him because he expected Cole to win damn near every race. He couldn't lose, or at least have a losing night, and feel safe in the morning. It was quite a way to make a profession, but for him, it became just another night on the job.

Leaning against the silver Lamborghini Natassia folded one leather clad leg over the other, arms resting over her chest as she continued to watch the race progressing in front of her. She had called it the second he had stepped into his car that evening. It wasn’t the car he had been driving, and it hadn’t been the cocky attitude of the males he had been going up against, no, there had been something in his eyes, there had been a fire and drive. No, there had been no doubt in her mind who was going to win. When he crossed the line there had been a bubble of excitement. God she loved being right. She hung back as he went through the post race win. Dark eyes flicked over towards the ones that he had been racing , oh they were not the most happy campers at all.

When he finally pulled away from the crowd, dark eyes watched him carefully, her head tilting to the side slightly, dark locks of hair blowing about in the wind. “Stay here” She commanded to the two males standing behind her. Her gaze looked over her shoulders, and watched as Gabe nodded his head, offering him a smile she slowly pushed away from her car, making her way over towards the male and where he was now standing, his car stood proudly against the rest of the cars.

“Impressive race” She stated, moving to stand against the side of his car, not bothering to lean her leather clad bottom half against the car. Dark eyes lifted up to him. “Bout time someone showed those guys they aren’t all that” Oh she had been dying to show them just that, but she had been on the down low since the shit she had gotten herself into, especially since her father was in town. Did she mention how thrilled she was…..not.

Cole watched with a little amusement as the drivers he was just up against went back to their respective crews and tried to explain the loss. Racer's excuses were always the best to listen to. They were really no different here then they were on the pro tour. People always had to explain why they lost no matter what, and it of course was never their fault. He had first hand experience with that on both sides of the coin back in the day.

The voice of a female caught his attention, and so he turned to see a dark haired women, not particularly young compared to most of the other ladies out here. It was kind of a rare sight actually. "Thanks, turns out these American sports cars do just fine against all these foreign things." He said as he tapped the hood of the corvette. "Doesn't everyone think they're the shit around here? Whether they win or lose?" He laughed.

Natassia shrugged a shoulder ever so slightly. “American muscle always has a way of surprising people” She stated eyeing his car before returning his gaze back over towards the male once more. She needed decent drivers like him, never knew when you were going to need them. She had one, once upon a time, things hadn’t turned out quiet as well as she would have wished. He’d had promise, both her, and her brother had done their research, maybe it was time to go back to the start and just go with her gut instead.

“Mmm” She stated with a small nod of her head, her body shifting ever so slightly. “It’s those that have that gleam in the eye that you really gotta watch” She stated. Her gaze flicked over towards the males that had lost, her gaze focusing on them, even as she spoke to the male next to her. “There are those that think they’ll win, and then those that know there gonna win” this time her gaze shifted back over towards him.

“And you knew you were going to win” Stepping slightly closer to him she inclined her head upwards, “You enjoy the thrill of teasing people mmm?”

"That it does." He said with a grin. He was never really one for American cars, but he always had a special place in his heart for corvettes, and he finally got the chance to own one. He was actually relieved to know it was competitive. He himself would still struggle with his medical conditions from time to time, but overall it didn't hold him back too much.

He was a little impressed when she actually said something he'd hear straight out of a driver couches mouth. The drivers with the confidence and the will to get it done were the ultimate winners, few people realized that. "Racing is mostly a mental game, and that's why you got to feel and appear like you'll win everytime. Sends a message to both your competitors and yourself."

He curved his brow a little when it seemed she had read him...even from the very start. He wondered if she had been watching him closely or something. It was the first time any "street racer" had ever said anything like that to him. "Depends on the area." He said with a smirk, though not exactly sure what she meant by that.

She nodded her head, a small quirk to the lips evident. “Few people realize it in any part of their life. Only person who allows you to succeed is yourself” Looking around once more, she continued eyeing all the other people all. None had shown any promise. They were all loud, boisterous and ready to go, none of them seemed to have a cat in hells chance of doing what she wanted. They would all win once in a while, of course they would, It was a matter of luck. Yet this male, oh he had that look about him, she had seen it a handful of times, the first time had been with Dominic Torretto, the second with Jack O’Conner.

Flicking her gaze back over towards him she slowly nodded her head “That’s good to know” She replied with a smile, shifting ever so slightly she offered him her hand, “Nattassia” Brown eyes watched him closely, perhaps coming out tonight had been a good choice on her part.

“Guess ill have to find those certain areas myself” Her voice held a certain tease to it, even those her initial question had been all about the racing, rather than anything else. Even though now her words would seem as if she was suggesting something else entirely.

Her tone was interesting, it almost sounded like she was scouting him or something. If she was, at least she was a knowledgeable scout, who already proved to Cole she knew more about racing than 90% of the other fools out here. He wondered if maybe Stephano had something to do with her presence, but then what would it possibly be for? No, she was more than likely independent from him.

Cole took her hand with an instinctive firm grip. "Name's Cole." His own gaze switched back between her and the rest of area behind her, trying to see if she was with anybody that might explain what was up. He grinned and lightly nodded at her rather enticing tone. "I'm not as much of an open book as I may look." He replied with a little humor in his voice.

"So tell me Natassia, what do you do around here?" He asked having the feeling that it went beyond driving in some way. He relaxed himself against the fender of the vette again, he gave up on trying to figure it out himself, might as well get it straight.

Cole, had already ticked two of her boxes, he had balls, he had proved that with the way he raced, he went right out there, heads on, with that look in his eyes that let you know he was going to win. Second, he had a nice firm handshake, meant he didn’t take any crap from anyone, and he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. “Pleasure to meet you Cole” She stated firmly, a twinkle in her eyes as she watched him.

Ahh, so he was a straight shooter as well, he couldn’t figure the game out so he was right out there asking. Trailing her tongue over her lip she kept her attention firmly on him, not bothering to look behind her. Gabe and Lukas would be around, mingling with the crowd, making sure they had her in their sights without being seen and she was more than prepared to defend herself if it ever came to that, so she had no need to take her gaze of Cole, to continue to look around anymore.

“Anything I want” She stated with a small shrug of her shoulder “Racing” Her head tilted to the side as she smirked at him, “When im not doing that, im checking out the competition” She stated looking up at him “Gotta admit, I like what I see” Again she wasn’t answering his question, not really, you came to race nights for two reasons, to race, or to watch, and right now she was doing neither.

"Pleasure to meet you too." He said maybe a little too properly. He developed the habit of appearing very mature and proper from back in his semi-pro circuit days. In the professional business of racing, it was all about attracting sponsors, and you did that by appearing to be as marketable as possible. That was skill he never really shaked off even when he transitioned to illegal competition.

He laughed briefly with her answer. Yeah, she was playing a little game here. Usually, attractive women playing games didn't end well for him, and yet it happened more than he would like. "What competition is there to check out? Most of these guys are just pimps with a lot of money, a nice car, 3 or 4 girls in their arms, and average at best driving skills. I get bored seeing the same thing every day." He grinned and shook his head mockingly towards them. "I just do what I've done my whole life, now I can make a living out of it." He cursed himself for letting those last few words slip out, he may have just given away that he was a little more than just a casual street racer.

Natassia inclined her head ever so slightly. He was extremely formal for the situation, interesting, now she wondered if he gained the firm handshake from a different stroke of life. Either way he was still tough, she could see that clear as day. He was a guy who had done and seen a lot and wasn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty.

“Well like you said. Most of them” Her brow rose ever so slightly as his words, tilting her head to the side. So racing wasn’t just an evening thing for him, it wasn’t just for the quick cash, he had been doing this for a while, which meant he was pro. Good for her. She had a first name, she could find out a hell of a lot more about him now. Licking her lips she ignored the comment so not to let on that her mind was working over.

“Seems to me you’re entirely different from the rest of them. You’ve actually got skill, and you haven’t got one woman on your arm, let alone three or four” She shrugged a shoulder, “Which means this is more to you than just fun, and a quick buck. I like that about a guy” Offering him a genuine smile she shrugged a shoulder.

Her head tilt and expression was enough for Cole to conclude she was reading him like a book. Not a whole lot he could do about it though, not like he had much to hid, or that he even really cared for that matter. He was his own man.

Predictably, her next few statements basically summed him up in a sentence or two. But she did say something that caught his attention. You're entirely different from the rest of them. That was yet another thing she said that no one told him before. As far as the women thing, the memory of when he was with Neela bit him a little. But he finally convinced her to go back to Tokyo, that was her true home, not here. Not to mention he did not want her around his deal with the mob.

"This is my passion, I'm addicted to it. I can't live any different." He said softly. "That's where I'm different from everyone else. I race for a different reason than they do." He looked towards the staging area, where the usual trash talking was taking place. "You see those guys?" He nodded in their direction. "They're here because their ego won't allow them to not be here. That's their ultimate downfall." Her last words resonated with him, he couldn't figure out if she was trying to recruit him for something, if she was flirting with him, or whatever. It put his mind in a knot as he tried to figure it out. If elusive was what she was trying to accomplish, she was doing a damn good job of it.

His words had grown soft which let her know what he was speaking was nothing but the truth. He was being completely honest with her, which she liked. Not that she hadn’t figured it out herself the moment she had spotted him when he had arrived, but it was nice to hear it coming out of his lips. Smiling at him her gaze flicked over towards the guys that he was pointing out. She had seen them around, and more often than not they were trash talking. She had seen them race, and they were good, but that was more to do with the fact those they were going up against weren’t the best in the first place.

Shrugging a shoulder ever so slightly she returned her attention back to Cole, “They’ll either kill themselves or someone else, they won’t be smiling then that’s for sure” She knew people like them, big talkers, and that was about it, they hardly ever had the stuff to actually back it up.

“If you ask me its about time this place had more guys like you” Dark eyes sparkled as she looked at him “Get a couple of guys in here with some real passion, it would make for an interesting show” She commented. Tilting her head backwards she shifted, stepping closer to him until she was resting against the side of his ride.

“So Cole, tell me when you aren’t out here living your passion what are you doing?” Her head tilted to the side as she flicked her gaze over towards him.

Cole gave an eyebrow raise. "I've seen happen way too many times." A little resentment was maybe evident in his voice as he remembered getting the news that day his parents were killed in an accident involving street racers.

She was getting very complimentary of him, which to some degree he enjoyed, but also thought there may be a motive for her attitude. One that he had no idea what that could be.

Oh god, there it came, the question he was hoping wouldn't be asked. His downtime involved meetings with Stephano, prepping his ride for the next night, and....well, that was about it. Why would she want to know that though? It was odd, this whole deal was sort of odd. Nonetheless, he gave a clever response, one she may even appreciate. "Anything I want." He smiled, funny thing was, that was somewhat true. He basically did whatever the hell he wanted when mob duty didn't call. "I'm trying to start up a garage, mostly for myself and maybe a few friends. Finding the perfect spot is quite time consuming." Even that wasn't a lie, he always wanted his own garage with a loft he could live out of, and now that he had some money, it was something he was pursuing.

"Why do you ask?" He brought his eyes to match hers.

Resentment slipped into his words and her brow rose ever so slightly, one only ever got that tone when you knew someone who had died because some street racer had been showing off to their friends. She wondered who he had lost. She didn’t know him well enough to ask, and she was about to start prying into his personal life. Natassia was many things, inconsiderate wasn’t one of them.

Nodding her head she smirked slightly “My kind of man” She replied with a small shrug of her shoulder. No, she wasn’t flirting with him, not this time anyway. She enjoyed a person who did what they wanted, be it male, or female. It said something about a person who could just kick back and do whatever they pleased, no cares in the world, just total freedom, what she would give for that.

“Gonna take a lot of money” She flicked her gaze over towards him. He continued racing the way she had seen him race tonight he’d have no problem gathering that sort of money. He agreed to work with her? He’d get it even faster. Flicking her gaze over towards him she shrugged a shoulder ever so slightly.

“Curiosity. It isn’t every day one comes across someone who can actually race, who has that spark and desire in them” She stated gently, looking over towards him “You look like a guy who knows how to keep things interesting” And she liked interesting.

Cole had to raise a brow at her. Here she was, couldn't be any younger than late 20's while he wasn't even 20 yet, and she was acting this way with him. He was pretty certain at this point that it was just her way of reeling him in to some sort of job, and he was tempted to simply ask what it was. But that would be too blunt right now.

He nodded in agreement that his endeavors would be big bucks. Luckily though, he had big bucks...well pretty big bucks anyway, enough to get something off the ground. Trouble was, that Porsche dealership not that far from her was calling his name. He could probably never have enough money, not with the lifestyle he was thinking of. Good thing he wasn't married, that was for sure. "Money can't stop you from doing what you want if you don't let it." He said not allowing himself to give away the fact that he was raking in the cash from his "job."

She was curious? That curious? "I have to live interestingly, otherwise life is boring." He smiled. "So you get the same question then, what do you do away from the streets?" He ran a hand through his hair, hoping to get something out of her that would give a hint to what she wanted of him

Her gaze flicked over towards him and she nodded her head “Seems like you live by that rule” She stated softly. But then when racing was your life you tended to live a certain way. Nothing stopped you from doing what you wanted. She wondered though if he had a little something already set up, he didn’t seem to bothered about what he was suggesting was going to need some serious money going into it, especially if he wanted to make it big. When you were going up against places like racers’ edge and other garages that had already put in the time and effort it was going to take some serious work, and serious will power.

“same thing I do when im here” She stated looking over towards him “I recruit” She shrugged a shoulder ever so slightly. Might as well give him a little something, something. See if he bit or not, she wasn’t above finding out information about him and using that to her advantage even if it wasn’t to his own. Wouldn’t be the first time she had threatened someone loved just to get them to work with her.

“I look for guys like you who are good at what they do. Not just in racing, but in other areas as well” This time she gave him a slow, deliberate once over, drawing her lower lip between her teeth as her dark eyes met with his own. “And your exactly what I look for”

Now this was starting to make sense, he was putting it together. She needed something from him, whatever it was. She was "seducing" him into a job. Now it was a little tough for him, he wasn't sure he could handle another job, especially if it was as strenuous as mob work. Hell, maybe she was with other organization around these streets that recruited drivers for the exact same reason Stephano does. Then what would he say?

"And what do you recruit for?" He prodded, his gaze holding hers. He was getting to the bottom of this, come hell or high water. He knew what this girl was about now.

Now wasn’t this interesting, he didn’t look shocked, in fact he didn’t look one bit shocked. Bad for her, because that meant he was already working a job. Licking her lips she slightly she flicked her gaze over in the direction of Gabe, before pushing away from the car. “I recruit drivers Cole, what do you think I want” She shrugged a shoulder slightly.

“Remember how I said you got two kind of drivers….well Im hired by very rich men, who want to relive their youth” She shrugged a shoulder. “They want to race, and they want to win. All of them are fixed of course, and you get a pretty little pay check at the end” Lie…partially. Looking over at him she shrugged a shoulder.

“Trust me what I offer in return for losing a race here and there is worth it” Stepping closer to him she smiled, “Don’t worry they aren’t official, and never in a scene like this. My clients cant afford to be caught doing something illegal”

Finally he heard something he was anticipating, she's a scout. Great, now he was going to have to find a way to explain he couldn't do it...until she started giving him the details. Fixed races? Never, ever, would he be caught dead participating in fixed races. He was true driver who raced more for the trophy than the money.

"So, you want me to drive in fixed races, win a few, and lose a few, that right?" He said with a frown. "You say not in a scene like this, so where? On a professional circuit?" He further questioned. He was actually offended that she was even proposing this to him, who did she take him as? A fake?

Nat laughed shaking her head “What do you take me for Cole?” She questioned with a raise of her brow “Its bad enough Im asking a guy who lives for racing to deliberately lose races, you think I’m stupid enough to ask a guy who raced professionally to lose races on a pro circuit” shaking her head ever so slightly she shrugged a shoulder.

“There’s an old warehouse lot, we have a track set up there. Its just you and the other driver and me to hand the money over at the end of the day. The guys get to think its real, the only ones who know its not are me, and the other driver” Licking her lips she stepped away from him.

“Look I get its not for everyone. Normally the cash in hand at the end of it is a big incentive but” Smiling she bit the inside of her lip “You win some and you lose some I guess”