The crew was gathered in the living room of their apartment and the air was suffused with tension. Payton had been discharged from the hospital and Paige had been tending to him nonstop since they got home. Michelle was the only one who really understood what she was going through; almost losing Brook last year had made her feel the desperate need to tend to him all the time, making sure he was safe and sound.

"It can't have been a coincidence, chief," Leslie began, breaking the silence. "This incident has all the signs of a planned attack." Soriano nodded.

"I gathered that much. Those criminals even knew us as the Night Blazers. They called out Paige and Payton."

"So those thugs launched a planned attack on the dealership – question is, why? They weren't exactly expecting anyone to be there," Brook stated.

"If they were really after us, they'd have come to the NNC – that is, if they knew where we were," Reece said.

"Or they could've just waited for an opportune time to get us alone and attack us," Jett said, looking worried.

"So then they weren't after us – they just wanted to get our attention?" Michelle asked.

"They got it, alright," Payton said dryly. "And more than they bargained for."

"I'll give them more if they show their ugly faces in front of me again," Paige said through clenched teeth. Soriano shook his head.

"No, no one is getting into any more gang fights. And anyway, the police have apprehended those men. They'll be put away behind bars where it'll be a long time before they go around committing vandalism and assaulting people. But Michelle is right. They weren't trying to attack us, they only wanted our attention."

"How can you be so sure?" Brook asked. "They had a field day simply because Payton happened to be there at the wrong time."

"I don't think so," Soriano said. "They left a message." Everyone looked puzzled. Paige spoke up.

"When I got to the dealership, I didn't pay much attention to my surroundings. But when Soriano came, he saw something and pointed it out to me. On the back wall of the dealership, one of them had spray painted a message." Paige pulled out her phone and showed them a photo she had taken of the wall with words painted eerily in red which read 'Where do the bones of the innocent lie? Beneath the pride of criminals.'

"That's not blood, is it?" Jett asked with a wince.

"No, just spray paint. I heard them talking about leaving the message, it sounded like they came specifically to give it to us," Payton said.

"Who are these people and why are they leaving cryptic messages for us?" Michelle asked with worry in her eyes.

"That's the million-dollar question," Soriano said grimly. "I tried to interrogate them at the station but they were tight-lipped. Didn't so much as give out their names. Only their leader breathed a threat as I was leaving."

"What did he say?" Brook asked.

"He said this was only the beginning. We'd better watch our backs because it won't be long before we get what's coming to us." Soriano's morbid answer sent a chill through the room. Brook instinctively pulled Michelle closer to him While Paige did the same with Payton. Leslie quietly laid a protective hand on Soriano's shoulder.

"They may be associated with whoever was behind all those arson cases," Payton spoke up, diffusing some of the disquiet in the air. "Maybe if we figure out who they are, we'll know what their beef is with us."

"But how do we do that? They're not exactly talking," Michelle pointed out.

"True. But they did flash a clue in my face," Payton said with a wry smile. "They all had tattoos on their necks, something that looked like fangs. Or flames could be either, I'm not sure. Thing is, we can use that to track down what gang they're a part of and take the fight right to them." Paige, who had been listening intently, raised her head.

"I don't want you running head first into danger again," she said obstinately.

"Hold up, no one is going anywhere without my order," Soriano interposed firmly. "I won't have any of you getting hurt again. Jett, Reece, I want you two to look up our network and see if you can dig up any gangs with the insignia as Payton said. That's our first move."

"Got it, chief," Reece nodded.

"Once we find out who they are, we'll tackle them on our terms," Soriano continued. Michelle looked thoughtful.

"Maybe..."

"What is it?" Brook asked.

"This gang... they left a message and now they're not talking. If they were really after us, they wouldn't be sitting tight just because they got put away. But what if – they were only following orders? What if someone else hired them?" Michelle asked. Soriano nodded approvingly.

"Smart thinking, Michelle," he said. "That's a definite possibility." Jett blinked at her.

"How do you know how criminals work?" He asked in surprise. Michelle looked modest.

"I used to read a lot of crime novels when I was little..." she said.

"And yet you still got tangled up with us," Paige said with a smirk. Michelle smiled guiltily at her.

"So this gang was hired by someone else to get our attention and leave a gruesome message for us," Brook summarized. "They may have ties to the Mao You. We can't discount that they have issues with us for entering the NNC. And since I slaughtered Lee in the first race... I'd say this incident had perfect timing."

"That may be true, but the Mao You don't bear that insignia," Payton said.

"And Zhang and his men were at the race. They won't have had time to leave before us and arrive at the dealership right after you crossed the finish line," Reece deduced.

"Unless they had more men somewhere else," Jett suggested.

"But the message they left doesn't sound like those moronic goons," Paige said. "It was way too highbrow for those buffoons to come up with. Plus, this message sounds like it runs deep for someone who for some reason has it in for us."

"Paige is right. I suspect we're dealing with someone else behind the scenes," Soriano said, causing Paige and Payton to exchange secret glances. "The men who attacked us don't think too much on their own. They're paid to do what they're told and simply follow orders."

"Well, whoever we're dealing with, the best thing we can all do now is stick together," Leslie said firmly. "We won't get picked off one by one that way."

"Agreed, it's what's best for all of us now," Soriano said. He turned to Brook and Michelle.

"I know you kids would rather stay at your own place, but until this gets sorted out, I'd prefer it if you two bunked here. Whether it's the Mao You or someone else, if they know where you live, they might attack you again. With Jackson Kromer, at least he never found our hideout or tracked us down. This time, however, we're fighting blind."

"What fight? We didn't even know we were in a fight till we got hit," Brook grumbled. Michelle laid a soothing hand on his back and he exhaled resignedly.

"I know. Which is why our safest bet is to stick together," Soriano replied.

"What about the Nightshades? Did they bring back any useful information?" Reece asked with slight sarcasm.

"I still think it's a waste to rely on them," Brook said.

"No, they can go places we can't without attracting attention," Paige said, shaking her head. "We've been over this, Brook. We keep our heads down and act like we don't know what's happening. That should fool whoever's after us. We'll let the Nightshades get their hands dirty digging up the details."

"For once, Paige is talking sense," Soriano said with a glance at her. She averted her eyes, not wanting him to guess her real thoughts.

"So what? We just sit back and wait to get hit again?" Brook asked cynically.

"No... we keep our heads down and not attract any more attention," Soriano said. "Until we can figure out who we're up against."

"That's kind of hard with my participation in a high-profile race," Brook said. Michelle bit her lip anxiously.

"What if – they try to attack Brook through the race?" She asked worriedly.

"The security at the NNC is pretty tight, they're not going to let things get out of control with gang fights," Reece said.

"Yeah, that would ruin the vibe," Jett said.

"Right now, all we can do is work with the Nightshades. They might be back with an update soon," Paige said. "I talked to them at the race."

"And in the meantime, I don't want any of you traveling alone or investigating anything suspicious on your own or keeping any secrets from the rest of us, understood?" Soriano asked sharply.

"Got it, chief," everyone mumbled in response.

"What about the race? The next stage is in Carson City," Reece reminded them.

"We'll all go together. Nobody gets left behind," Soriano said. Jett whooped, being the only one to find the bright side in their current situation.

"Whoo-hoo! We're goin' on the road again, baby!" Michelle sighed.

"What's wrong, Michelle?" Brook asked.

"Nothing. It's just that – we just got settled in and all... I was supposed to get a job... and now we're on the run again."

"Hey," Brook pulled her against his shoulder, massaging the small of her back. "I know it's hard. Believe me, I hate it too. But as long as we're together,  we can get through anything, right?" He reminded her of her words to him at the hospital. She smiled wanly.

"Right," she hugged him, wishing earnestly that that would be the case.

"That goes for you too, Mr. I-can-do-things-on-my-own," Paige reprimanded Payton. He grinned, taking her hand.

"You got it, babe, you're stuck with me for life, remember?"

"Seriously, Payton. We're really glad you're okay. We were so worried about you," Michelle said with concerned eyes.

"Luckily I was around to save his butt," Paige said smoothly. Payton grinned.

"Thanks for that, by the way," he said, kissing her full on the lips. Paige reddened; it was the first time he'd shown her his affections for her in front of everyone. Jett made 'ooh' sounds. Paige cleared her throat in embarrassment.

"Oh my gosh, Paige, you're blushing!" Michelle teased. Paige punched her arm.

"Am not," she said, averting her eyes.

"Aww, look at you two. You're like one of those soap opera TV couples," Leslie said, gushing at them.

"Sheesh, let's get out of here, Jett, before they smother us with romance," Reece said with a grin. Everyone laughed.

"I think they're cute!" Jett said. "Gives me an idea – what if we added a bunch of romance scenes to our game? You know, like a side story!"

"Ugh, not you too!" Reece whined. Jett chuckled.

"Hey, we should ask our marketing manager about it. What do you think, Michelle? Should we add a side plot of romance to Trail Blazers?"

"You're really asking me that?" Michelle asked in amusement. "You should know my answer."

"Yes! No!" Jett and Reece answered simultaneously. Reece groaned.

"Aw, man!" Everyone laughed. Jett spoke again.

"We'll keep the idea on the table for now... Come on, we'd better go pack up. There's a race in three days."

Gonna get a little hot, watch out. 🥵🌡🔥💖

It was the day the crew was to leave for the second stage of the race in Carson City. Michelle yawned and opened her eyes. The morning sun was streaming through the bedroom window at the Night Blazers' apartment and it took a moment for her to go through their plans for traveling in her mind. Once she had it sorted out, she turned to look at Brook and was surprised to see him awake and smiling at her.

"Morning," he said, draping his arm around her waist.

"Morning, sexy," she teased, running her hands up his bare chest. He chuckled deeply in his throat.

"Michelle, we're not gonna make it out of bed if you do that to me," he said. "And you might wanna remember that the others are in the next room," Michelle smirked.

"Oh, we've got a few minutes, and I'm sure we can keep things quiet..." She said, shifting her hand to touch his face. A single ray of sunlight shone on his skin, lighting up a golden path through his long hair. Michelle ran her fingers through them, watching the light glisten on each strand.

"Like what you see?" Brook asked playfully. Michelle's eyes became hooded.

"More like amazed by it," she said. Brook took her hand and placed it right on his chest.

"Do I amaze you, Michelle?" He asked in a low husky voice. She nodded.

"I still feel like you're a dream some days... and I'm dreading waking up." She caressed his chest and became keenly aware of his heartbeat speeding up. He sighed, caught her hand, and brought it to his lips.

"You're making it awfully hard for me, you know," he said, his eyes suddenly focused with blue fire on her. She blinked.

"Hard, how?" She asked. Without warning, he pinned her back, climbing on top of her, placing himself right between her legs. She gasped and her heartbeat went into overdrive.

"I could have my way with you and show just how real I am," he said in a ravenous growl. Michelle swallowed, both terrified and thrilled. Whenever Brook got possessive like this, she felt herself turn weak and incoherent; he rendered her powerless.

"But I'm saving it for a special occasion," he said in a softer tone. He ducked and began tasting her neck, his lips suctioning her skin with soft guzzling noises. She inhaled sharply, her whole body tensing up at his kisses which weren't as tame as compared to how he usually kissed her. His hands automatically came to her wrists and squeezed them, pinning them down harder on the mattress.

"Brook..." She breathed.

"Mmm?" His mouth crawled up to her jaw, then the edge of her lips, succulently ravishing her.

"What is... the special... occasion..." It took all Michelle's willpower to form a comprehensible sentence. Brook grinned against her skin.

"Our wedding night, of course," he answered as if it were obvious. Michelle blushed furiously and suddenly felt very vulnerable under his body. Brook felt her tremble and pulled back.

"Did I scare you?" He asked with raised eyebrows. Michelle shook her head violently.

"No, no, not at all! I – I'm stronger than that," she said, her voice a little too high to be reassuring. Brook smiled, knowing that she was trying to appear unfazed.

"Good. Because I want you to look forward to it," he said, returning to kiss her. She closed her eyes as he picked up where he left off, his lips molding with hers in one rhythm while his body kneaded against hers in another. Michelle wished her own body would stop shaking, it was like he had roused all her senses and deepest desires and now she had a hard time trying to get them back under control. When she felt close to moaning aloud from the pleasure, she reluctantly tried to push him away, biting back the ecstasy that bubbled up in her. Alerting the others to what they were doing in bed would give them the trump card to teasing them for who knows how long!

"What was that you were saying about keeping quiet?" Brook teased her when a stifled squeak left her lips. He chuckled at her effort to hold back her cries as he gratified her surface desires. Michelle knew she would burst out in moans of pleasure if this went on so she blurted out the first excuse she could think of before that happened.

"Er, Brook? I need to go to the bathroom..." She murmured, trying to keep his fervid mouth at bay. Brook smirked and immediately got off her as he helped her up.

"We can continue this later," he said with a heated sideways glance at her that made her legs wobble like jelly. She hurriedly grabbed her bathrobe and hopped into the bathroom, almost tripping over the rug. Brook snickered, well aware that she was ruffled because of him.

"Get a grip, Michelle, you're stronger than this! Just because you don't have any experience..." She clung to the washbasin as she talked to herself. She looked at her face in the mirror. She was red-faced and her hair was tousled terribly but she didn't mind. It was a visible sign that Brook had had his way with her, engulfing her with his affections. She quickly combed her hair, not wanting to appear too disheveled, even though she knew Brook found her breathtakingly attractive that way... She closed her eyes, a soft smile spreading on her face.

"He wants me," she whispered to herself. "Even though he knows I've never had a boyfriend before and I have no clue about how to do this right... He still wants me." The thought filled her with more love for Brook.

"I want him too..." She palmed her face and felt her cheeks give out an unnatural heat as she said that.

"I still need to have better control of myself..." She muttered as she stripped and got into the shower. She turned on the cold water and almost yelped as the icy sprinkles hit her body.

"Eek, that's so cold! But cold showers are supposed to help in situations like this..." She sighed to herself, trying to get used to the cold water. Soon it became more comfortable and she began singing. After a long chilly bath, the warm bathrobe was very welcoming. She stepped out, continuing to hum.

"Hmm-mmm-hmm... Oh!" She gasped, stumbling back in surprise as Brook was waiting for her outside leaning against the doorpost, his arms folded.

"What song was that you were singing?" He asked, a secretive smirk on his face.

"Oh, er, just some song that popped into my head – wait, you heard that?"

"Hmm-mm," he winked at her. Michelle groaned inwardly.

"You have a nice voice when you sing – I'd love to hear more of it," Brook said, pulling her into his arms. That started the fire in her skin all over again as she felt far too vulnerable in just a bathrobe, pressed against his chest.

"Brook... I should dress..." She protested feebly. Brook nuzzled against her neck.

"But you look so good in just that robe..." Michelle hurriedly hopped backward.

"Brook, really, I mean it, I should get dressed!" She laughed nervously. Brook only smiled at her in that secretive way, as if he knew something she didn't.

"Alright. I'll leave you to it. Where we're going calls for you to be fully covered up," he said, heading for the door.

"Where are we going?" Michelle asked.

"It's a surprise. I have one quick stop for us before we head to Carson City. All I can say is that what we're about to do should provide tangible proof that I'm real. That we're real, Michelle." His gaze softened on her and she felt warmed by it but in a different way.

"Okay, give me five minutes to dress," she said. He paused at the door before shutting it behind him.

"It's nice to know that you want me too," he said roguishly and left. Michelle's jaw dropped and a noise of shock escaped her throat. Crap, how much of that did he hear in the bathroom? She wondered in shock. She touched the bathroom door, feeling its density. It was almost paper thin. She groaned.

"I gotta be careful about what I let him hear..."

Fighting blindfolded is a lot scarier... but also a lot more thrilling as you need to be alert and ready for anything. And what if you don't know who you're fighting? You might know thyself, but dost thou know thy enemy? 

It may not be who you think it is.

Also, what are your thoughts on the writing on the wall? No, it's not a horror story. Hope you enjoyed s'more steamy moments with Brook in bed. 🥵🔥💘 Boy is he sneaky, hearing Michelle's private thoughts! Brings back memories of when he secretly read her diary... once a bad boy huh? 😏

Where do you think he's taking Michelle next? You'll never see it coming. And get ready for some shocking surprises!