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Luis whipped around, eyes wide, sandwiched between the stranger who might be his boss and the son of a gang boss.

“When a deal’s made, a deal’s made. Ain’t that right, foo?”

Luis gulped. “Y-yeah,” he squeaked.

“So repeat the deal. Just one more time for me and this dude right here.” He shoved Luis, who almost tripped over his loose-laced Converses, towards the tall stranger.

Luis’s nostrils flared, his jaw working like he was chewing on something bitter. His eyes darted between the stranger and Alex. “Challenger for info,” he muttered.

Alex crowded Luis’s space until there was nowhere left to retreat. “Andddd, ese?” he growled.

Luis’s throat bobbed. He took too long. Alex raised a hand—not even to swing, just to move—and Luis flinched backwards into the Vanquish hard enough to rock it. “You didn’t say nothing about this one!” Luis said, tapping the car.

Alex almost laughed. This idiot was more worried about the car than the fact that he’d just confirmed the Durden connection without saying a word. “But you didn’t deny it either. I think that’s worse.”

Murmurs rippled through the garage. Everyone was now witnessing how much of a fuck up Luis was.

Alex smirked. “So that Vanquish ain’t yours to begin with, is that it?”

Luis shook his head when the stranger held up a hand. “It’s mine. I’ve been looking for it all night.” He pointed into the crowd. “Luckily, that nice gentleman helped me out.”

Alex followed the stranger’s finger to Jun, who stood near the edge, phone pressed to his ear, looking like a deer in headlights.

Alex’s jaw tightened. Of course he was still here. That idiot had left the keys in the Challenger.

The stranger chuckled and waved at Jun before turning back to them. “Since he seems to be the most useful tonight, maybe I could have him take care of it.”

Luis pressed his hands together. “Please, boss! Just let me handle this! I’ll make it up to you later with whatever you want!”

“Nah, you did this to yourself, bitch.” Alex kicked one of his legs right from under him, making him fall on his ass. Before Luis could right himself, Alex shoved him down with his foot and pressed into his chest, digging into his ribs. “I can excuse stealing some petty shit, but stealing a motherfucking Vanquish? Bro, who the fuck do you think you are?”

He stomped his sole on Luis’s abdomen, and he shrieked from the impact. “We still ain’t done. You owe me your part of the deal.” He dug his toe deeper as Luis squirmed and whimpered like a dying fish underneath his feet.

“Wow.” The hooded guy scoffed. “Is this how you handle all of your business?”

“Only to guys that piss me the fuck off,” Alex said. “I wasn’t even interested in your car, but if he was gonna throw in a sweet ride, I ain’t backing down.” He dug his foot even further. Luis screamed between his clenched teeth.

“And that would be,” the masked man probed, “information you said?”

Alex shrugged. “Can’t snitch if ya ain’t involved.”

The hooded man stepped closer, eyes dragging down and back up like he was sizing Alex up. Height and size barely fazed Alex, who had beaten men twice his size.

“Then how about you make a deal with me?” He placed a large hand to his chest. He glanced down at Luis with a pitiful condescension in his eyes. “As this car’s owner, I have more credibility. Plus, I can offer way more than whatever he has.”

The man stuck out his hand.

Lifting his foot off a gasping Luis, Alex crossed his arms. He glanced at the hand, then the guy. “What’s your game?”

The hooded man cocked his head to the side, lowering his hand. He nodded at the Challenger behind him. “Race again. I didn’t see it earlier, so that last one doesn’t count. Same offer, same spills.”

He heard Luis struggling to stand behind him. Without turning around, Alex shoved him back down with one hand. Luis hit the concrete again, the air punching out of his lungs.

“And why should I race you for something you already owe me?” Alex stepped into his space. “Walk away now, and we keep it simple. Push me, and I promise you it won’t be.”

The man shrugged, like he was brushing off this threat like nothing. “I may not look like it, but I got connections. Whatever this information you need, maybe I can provide.” He nodded back at the Challenger again. “Unless you’re afraid.”

There was a chorus of “oohs” from the crowd. It didn’t take much for Alex to get offended, but when it came to the Challenger, he hesitated. The thought of gambling his car for someone else’s cause sat like a rock in his stomach. The car was an extension of himself.