Heart Thief

0009 Car Racing

"Not so fast," a cold voice cut in as the sneering man began to speak. "With the young master of the Moriyama Group here, how could we be anything but respectful? We apologize for our rudeness earlier."

The words were polite, but the tone was anything but apologetic. Skye peered into the gold car, intrigued by this unseen speaker who commanded such presence without bravado or bloodlust.

The earlier bravado of the group faltered. The sneering man hesitated, then spat, "So you found yourself a big shot to hide behind. No wonder you're so cocky."

Sam raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Yeah, I'm cocky. What of it?"

The unseen voice spoke again, calm and measured. "The heir to the Fengyang Group has every right to be."

Sam's face grew serious. His fingers tapped Jake's shoulder imperceptibly. Jake shook his head slightly. Only he and Will knew Sam's true identity as the heir to the New York-based multinational Fengyang Group. To the world, Sam was just a talented underground racer. Whoever this was, they had serious connections.

"Since you seem so well-informed," Will said coolly, arms crossed, "what exactly do you want?"

"Word is, Fengyang's CEO has put out an APB on his runaway heir. I imagine that news might spread quickly."

Sam's face darkened. There was no way in hell he was going back for some arranged marriage to some well-connected but utterly boring socialite. He'd rather die.

Will, knowing the situation, recognized the threat. "Your terms?"

"Simple. There's a race in Washington D.C. in three days. We want Fengyang's heir to represent us. In exchange, we'll make sure all information about the young master's whereabouts stays under wraps. He can continue his... adventures... uninterrupted."

Sam frowned. Racing for himself or others wasn't an issue, but this smelled fishy. How could they possibly control information at such a major underground event? Fengyang wasn't some small-time operation - they had their own intelligence networks. His grandfather wasn't easily fooled.

"Aren't you overreaching?" Will's eyes narrowed as he stared down the gold car.

"If it were just about information control, we wouldn't dare ask. But the young master moved quite swiftly yesterday, getting his revenge after that little... setback. We don't mind the property damage - consider it our apology. However, a gift intended for an important client was destroyed. That complicates matters."

An arm extended from the car, handing something to the sneering man, who gleefully passed it to Sam.

It was a video tape, meticulously documenting Sam's rampage. Will shot Sam an exasperated look. If you're going to cause trouble, at least don't leave evidence.

Jake, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "He'll do it. But we can't guarantee any specific placement."

"That's fine. The Black Panther's reputation in the underground racing world speaks for itself. I'll make all the arrangements. You'll be satisfied with the compensation. We'll see you in D.C."

"Oh, and give my regards to your father," the voice added, addressing Jake.

Jake raised an eyebrow and stepped out of the car. He approached the gold vehicle, smiling faintly. "And please give mine to your Family's head."

After a moment, the door opened. A man in his early thirties with a sharp nose and cold blue eyes emerged. He extended his hand to Jake. "I'll be sure to pass that along."

Jake smiled graciously as they shook hands.

"Seriously? That's it?" Skye slumped over her steering wheel, disappointed by the anticlimactic ending to all the posturing.

Lily, who had been pale with fear, clutched Skye's arm. "Is... is it over?"

Skye glanced at the dejected Sam, then hopped out of the car with Lily in tow. She bounded over, curious about what could have made the guys fold so quickly.

Jake saw Skye's confusion as she examined the shattered jade pieces. He chuckled. "Sam was careless. The jade itself isn't particularly valuable, but the intended recipient and sender are both people we can't afford to cross. So he'll have to race to make amends."

Skye could tell Jake knew more than he was letting on. Will frowned. "Who was that guy? You know him?"

Jake's smile faded. "He's with the Qi Family."

Will's eyes widened. "The Qi Family? Sam, you should be grateful for your status right now."

Sam groaned. The Qi Family was among the most powerful in the underworld. Their patriarch was notorious for his ruthlessness. Even Sam's family, titans of legitimate business, wouldn't dare cross them directly. This was clearly a courtesy due to his position - anyone else would have disappeared without a trace. Jake and Will's presence had likely helped smooth things over as well.