CHAPTER ONE || GOING UNDERCOVER

panic spread through Ashley's body like wildfire bringing back every memory she'd fought so hard to forget. his name triggering waves of memories and emotions she'd tried so hard to run away from. The name of the man she had once considered close to family, now filled her with a sense of dread. she hadn't heard from hobbs since the day she started in intelligence and she wasn't sure she ever wanted to hear from him again.

 Ash did what she was best at, avoiding. pretending he hadn't called, pretending there was no problem. in a way, she believed that was the best way of dealing with things, dealing with everything. forcing herself to forget was the only way she could deal with her anxiety.

if he really needed her, needed to speak to her, she promised herself she would at least solve this case first, innocent girls in danger, they had to come first, she couldn't let herself fall victim to the violent memories of what once was. if she could help these girls in Chicago that was her main priority. hobbs and her old team could wait for now, yet like a snake, slowly edging itself towards its prey the thought that something had happened to someone she loved managed to sneak its way into her mind, making her stomach churn. 

with her priorities straight enough, Ash dropped her Nissan skyline off at the garage that was for it to be installed with new NOS, not that she couldn't do it herself. She could probably fit it better than the man she was trusting with her car, but he was her ticket to the races. the inside scoop if you will. fiddling with the silver cross necklace around her neck Ash couldn't stop thinking about the fact hobbs had called, her stomach churned with dread as her anxiety took control. had something happened to Dom or Brian? was everyone okay? Was everyone alive?

she tried to rationalise and calm herself down, she knew if hobbs had managed to find her new number he'd obviously done enough digging to find out she was intelligence, and find where she lived. there was no way he'd tell her bad news like that over the phone. or at least that's what she told herself. 

walking around a run-down corner shop Ash's fingers tangled around her necklace trying to distract herself from the devilish thoughts consuming her mind she picked up a protein bar reading the label 'cookie dough, 15 grams of protein'.  

waiting for the phone call indicating her car was ready to be picked up was painstakingly slow, the wait fueling her anxiety, hoping the adrenaline from being behind the wheel would soothe some of her anxieties as it always used to. the rush. the rush from being behind the wheel, the seat almost hugging your body as the car screams from going 160mph was intoxicating. She missed it, the instant relief that came with changing to 6th gear, or flipping the switch that sent the car flying toward the end of a quarter mile. 

She missed it, but she wasn't sure she wanted to go back. Ash wanted more time with Jay, if hobbs really was calling her for help she couldn't decide if she was ready, she was almost sure she wasn't, or at least she wasn't ready to see him. not for any reason other than the truth. the truth terrified her in a way she couldn't even describe. she'd rather be in a gunfight than face what she'd spent years running from. 

 And as must as her old self would hate to admit it, Chicago wasn't all that bad. she'd learnt to enjoy it,  the people the lifestyle. it was different yet it was enjoyable in a way. she wanted more in Chicago, more time with Jay. or she thought she did. this life wasn't one she was used to but it was one she was learning to enjoy, and she knew she enjoyed jays company.

"just that" she smiled placing the protein bar on the counter in front of the store clerk, nodding he offered Ash a smile as he scanned the bar. Ash unravelled her fingers from the silver chain around her neck pulling two dollar bills from her pocket she placed them on the counter before taking the bar.

heading back to her undercover apartment which was only a few blocks from the garage Ash tried not to let the thoughts take over any more than they already had, sitting down on the old run-down couch that had been laid out in the fake apartment she sighed letting her body sink into the material of the couch trying to relieve some of the tension in her shoulders. 

waiting for the call that her car was ready for pick up was almost excruciating, Brian's car. Ash couldn't remember the last time she'd driven it, normally sticking to her pd issued SUV, which was almost painful every time she hit the speed limit. she was itching for the call, she craved behind the wheel, and the relief that came with it. 

when the painful wait was over and she finally received the call her car was ready for pick up her body flooded with a sense of excitement one that could be described as the same excitement a child feels on Christmas morning,  she couldn't wait to give it a good old test drive. 

that's what she did, barely 20 minutes later she was sat in the driver's side of her classic Nissan skyline. an empty road ahead of her and what seemed like a quarter mile until the next set of lights, no cameras, no wire. just Ash and her car. taking a deep breath she pressed her foot down on the gas, everything feeling like second nature, muscle memory as she finally felt the missing piece in her life being filled in and she finally felt that relief she so desperately needed. 

the sound of the car revving, the control she had over the car, and the smell of the fresh NOS and diesel combined felt so homely to Ash, comforting even. her mind flooding with memories as her eyes glued to the road ahead, her body pressed firmly back against the seat due to the speed as she flipped the NOS switch open before pressing a small red button with her thumb, adrenaline rushing through her veins as the car increased in speed.

her breath was taken away in a matter of seconds as the speed increased and all of her worries withered away into nothingness as she passed what she had previously labelled as a quarter mile the smile etched onto her face wider than it had been in years. as the car came to a halt she radiated pure joy.

the relief she'd been needing for years flooded her body. she'd just experienced what felt like her first time ever driving all over again, but she still had it. they said drivings was like riding a bike, Ash still had the confidence that she could beat anyone in a race, even Toretto himself.  even if she'd only managed to beat him once. and she wasn't sure if he'd let her win. 

she was ready, ready to go undercover. She was ready to be Kelsey, Ash hated her undercover name almost as much as she hated her real name. but at least with her real name, she could shorten it to Ash. but her undercover name normally helped her get into character but this time it didn't feel like she was acting, this time she was herself. pulling an undercover CPD phone from the glove compartment she turned it on activating the wire which would automatically connect her with Kev and Adam.

"50-21 Ocean anyone there?" Ash called into the small radio-like mobile device as she changed gear and began driving back to her undercover apartment, the smile on her face not having faded even the smallest bit.

"copy" Ash heard Kevin's voice through the phone-like radio, her mind finally distracted from her earlier thoughts about Hobbs phone call. her smile still wide as she thought about the fact she could race later on tonight if she got to the meet.

"cameras and wires in the area for tonight?" Ash asked testing the waters, she knew if she got the opportunity to race at the meet while undercover she'd make a good impression and prove herself to anyone watching and that was good enough for her even if she did have to dodge questions from her team. 

"yeah, I'll be on scene far back I'll blend in, Jay'll be ready on a rooftop if things go south" Kevin explained as Ash pulled up on the street opposite her apartment, her hands running over the steering wheel in disbelief she was actually using it. the memories that came with the car filled her with emotions she wasn't sure she was prepared to explore.

"don't move in unless it's on my signal okay? I might have to play these guys for a few nights" Ash knew how this worked, she watched Brian do it to her and Dom. She was sure she had this, she'd even made a mental note that if she did ever see Brian again he'd be getting bullied for being a shit cop. She was sure she'd be better at this than he was. the two men on the other side of the radio agreed before Ash got out of the car going back to her uncover apartment to pass the time until she could go out onto the streets of Pilsen to race.

**

"I've got eyes on Ash" Kevin spoke watching Ash drive past him as he stood next to his car with an abundance of other people who did not plan on racing and were just there to watch. kev stood admiring Ash's car as she drove towards the front where people who were considered the best racers were, his heart raced as he considered the potential dangers that came with Ash going straight for the front yet he remained silent remembering her words from their previous conversation. 

"so do I" Jay spoke into his radio looking down at the crowd, the scope on his sniper rifle coming in handy in the dark so he could actually pinpoint her location as he looked down from the building his eyes glued to Ash's car following her every move. 

Ash pulled up next to a nice car, one she'd seen before but had never driven a Mazda RX7. admiring the car she noticed the driver a tall good looking man with long dark hair. getting out of her skyline she noticed the vibe was very different to what she was used to and the way these street racers acted seemed less welcoming than her normal crowd.

"what's a pretty lady like yourself doing here?" taking her by surprise those words sent a shiver down her spine making her realise she was the only female around, apart from the few prostitutes on the street corner hoping for a good night of work. looking in the direction of the voice she noticed a small group of men, their eyes scanning her body as if undressing her with their eyes.

"I want to race" she shrugged not letting their predatory eyes get to her despite the unease they caused her. her words were only met with laughter coming from the men vastly underestimating the female racer, Ash just smiled in return knowing she was about to smoke them. She could hear Dom and Brian's voices in the back of her mind telling her to beat them, smoke 'em.

"why would any of us waste our time racing a girl?" respect always meant more than any reward to Ash, that being yet another thing she and Brian had in common but she knew she had to race these guys, if they had the balls. They already seemed like ring leaders to her, creepy misogynists enough to raise her suspicions almost instantly yet she brushed them off with a soft chuckle looking up at them seductively. that was another thing she knew about these types of guys they're show-offs especially when a lady's involved.

"you win you get my car." straight to the point as Ash always was, her offer mixed with her body language was enough to make their expressions almost instantly change as the man stood in front with bright blue eyes took a step towards her.

"a quarter mile for your car?" Ash nodded to confirm and the man laughed again licking his lips as he stared down at her, the men behind him had smug looks etched on their faces as Ash remained calm and confident in her abilities.

"alright let's go" the man smirked overly confident in his racing technique yet Ash was sure she'd be able to humble him almost instantly. all of his friends cheered as the man made his way over to his car Ash followed his actions as she returned to her skyline. The two racers driving up to the starting point. as Ash pulled up next to the blue-eyed man she was going to race she noticed a familiar figure in the corner of her eye.

her head shooting over to take a second glance but the figure was gone, her eyes now scanning the crowd around her looking for who she could've sworn was Dominic Toretto. her heart skipped a beat as she thought of the possibility of her family being there with her the familiar anxiety swirling in her stomach yet she quickly got her head back in the game turning her head to look at the man in the car next to her. all she had to do was win this race, earn their respect and hopefully get in with whoever was trafficking. and what leader would pass up the opportunity to use a driver like her?

"you sure you can handle this princess?" the man called out of his car window sending Ashely a wink, Yet she only rolled her eyes, mentally cringing at the man's words his actions only fueling her need to humble him. 

"you should be asking yourself that question" Ash smirked her hands firmly tightening around the steering wheel, her eyes shifted her focus changing to pole sitter, the woman who controls the race. her eyes focused on the barely clothed woman, Ash took a deep breath one of her hands going to the gearstick ready to compete in her first race in 6 years, hoping she was as good as she remembered. her family's voices lingered in the back of her mind as she braced herself for speed.

her heartbeat increased as her clammy hand gripped the steering wheel as the pole sitter initiated the race, the sound of powerful engines roaring through Ash's ears as she pushed the pedal down to the floor getting sucked into her seat as the speed began, adrenaline instantly flowing through her body. her vision closing in on the road in front of her as euphoria set in, that sense of freedom she craved finally back.

the speed increased, the seat almost hugging Ash's body as everything in her peripheral vision became a blur due to the speed yet the world felt quiet, everything was perfect to Ash. looking over she was still in line with the other driver, she knew she could beat him, she knew it. both hands tight on the wheel as she took another breath, 5th gear coming up ash changed gear feeling that nice smooth shift in speed following. seeing the finish line approaching, Ash braced herself for the next gear but not letting herself shift too early, she wanted to let her opponent think he had a chance.

noticing he was now speeding up, Ash decided it was time for 6th gear. the engine screaming as Ash changed gears into 6th and she felt the adrenaline rushing through her veins as she finally felt at peace, the steering wheel tight in her hands the wind rushing through the window now louder than the purring of the engine. it was euphoric.

again fully in line with her opponent, the finish line fast approaching Ash looked over for a split second and he sped off in front of her after having hit his NOS. ash smirked in her seat. mumbling to herself as to how he'd done it too early. watching as he was about a car's length in front of her Ash focused back on the road waiting for the perfect moment and when it arrived she flipped the small silver switch before pressing the red button. the air being knocked from her lungs as the chair hugged her body, the increase in speed causing her to catch up to him passing his car and passing the finish line way before him. 

letting her foot up from the gas she let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding in as her body slightly jolted forward as the car came to a stop, the smile on Ash's face as she got out of the car wider than any of intelligence had seen. the crowd watching cheered rushing over to her as her opponent crossed the finish line. she still had it. for a few minutes, Ash let herself enjoy the thrill of racing momentarily forgetting she was undercover before she turned around to face her opponent's car where he was walking towards her.

"well done," he scoffed holding his keys out for Ash to take, yet that wasn't part of the deal, Ash smiled smugly but shook her head. her past lingered in her mind, Brian lingered in her mind. she might have become an almost unrecognisable person compared to who she used to be, yet she was still the same racer. 

"nah man respects enough for me" she stated holding her hand out for him to shake which he did, they shared a strong handshake, the man growing confused with Ash's behaviour. her actions were almost unheard of in the Chicago racing scene, respect in Chicago was tricky in general let alone when it came to racing. 

"what's your name?" he asked letting go of Ash's hand as the pair walked back over to their cars, he was intrigued. her plan had worked, she'd wedged her hooks into him, now she just had to gain his trust and make sure he was the right guy. 

"Kelsey, you?" a small part of her felt guilty for lying to another racer she felt as if there was mutual respect between racers but not everyone thought like that, and she was well aware of that. yet the situation made her mind wander, she had no idea how Brian had done what he had while he was undercover, being in an almost identical situation made her see it from another perspective. 

"John, let's go grab a beer. no one here's beaten me before I think that deserves a beer" of course Ash agreed, following the blue-eyed man back to his apartment, her undercover phone that acted as a wire secure in her pocket as she parked her skyline outside before following the man up to his apartment.

**

"you're not from around here are you?" John asked as he sat down on his couch next to Ash, she shook her head taking a sip from the bottle of corona in her hand, her nerves calm due to the fact the rest of her team were listening. 

"LA technically I've been here for a while though but the racing scene is shit. I'm used to more adrenaline" Ash explained half truthfully, anything she could possibly make up while undercover in this specific job would not be far from the truth of her old life.

"you a street racer back there? or did you do other things?" Ash stayed silent for a moment acting as if she was unsure of what to reveal to John, but she was just playing him. maybe in another life, she could've been an actor. 

"one of the best. learnt everything I know from my best friends. and well I did a few things for extra money back then but it's hard to find jobs around here especially when your skills start and end with cars and guns" Ash chuckled nervously taking another sip of her classic Corona yet she noticed the smirk show up on johns face at her words and she instantly knew it was him. 

"I feel like we're gonna get on really well, how do you feel about meeting me and a few friends tomorrow night for a few beers after racing?" Ash still had her act going, the innocent smile was one of her best techniques when it came to dealing with men. taking another sip swallowing the cold liquid she inhaled deeply through her nose.

"sounds good, here again?" John nodded and Ashley smiled as he nodded with him, but it all felt too easy, she got in with him so quick but then so did Brian with her and Dom so she tried not to think about it too much she still had to fully gain his trust, a drink didn't mean anything right?

"That was a good race though kels, it's hot seeing girls behind the wheel like that" Ash smiled at his words acting particularly flustered before laying her empty beer bottle on the table with a soft giggle playing into the role of Kelsey. 

**

"now ash that was cool as hell! I've never seen someone race like that" Kev exclaimed as Ash walked into the bullpen, a smile showing on her face at his words. She could tell he liked cars and was interested in everything to do with them. the two had spoken about cars briefly but Ash never let too much up despite how refreshing it was to talk to someone who knew what they were talking about. 

"Thanks, Kev" Ash smiled walking over to her desk, noticing jays eyes linger on her, she could sense his unease from across the room. something about the whole case was bothering Jay, he wanted more information from Ash but he knew she wouldn't give it up and he didn't like the fact she was undercover alone. it was too dangerous and he knew that all too well. 

"There's no way that was your first race." Ash just jokingly winked at Kev as she noticed Voight emerging from his office, Ash wouldn't confirm or deny anything about her racing past yet a joke every so often kept her lies real. 

"good job last night Ash. we have ID's on the four men that were seen with our main racer John. ash is gonna stay undercover and see if she can get in with these guys" Ash listened to what Voight was saying as she looked down at her desk noticing an envelope laid across her keyboard with just her name written on the front of it the handwriting almost resembled scribbles. 

zoning out the words her team were saying as they discussed more details about the case, Ash's focus shifted down to the envelope taking it in her hands she carefully tore it open removing the contents of the envelope made her blood run cold...