Chapter 10 Warm Welcome

Brook frowned at her.

"What?" He asked as if he didn't hear her.

"I said I'm gonna help. I'm in. I have a stake in this too. They attacked me and burned my car. Now they're after me. I want to get them before they get me." Brook slid her legs off his lap and stood up.

"Not gonna happen. You're not getting involved in this war Michelle. It's too dangerous. I told you what happened to my dad. I – I won't let that happen again."

"I'm already involved, Brook," Michelle said standing up in front of him. "I can't go back home without being hunted by the Inferno Ghosts. I'm guessing they burned my car as a sign that they're after me. Which means they won't stop till they get me – or we get them." Brook stared hard at her.

"I can't change your mind, can I?" he asked resignedly. Michelle shook her head and slipped her hand into his.

"Not by a long shot." He half-smiled.

"You're a tough girl, you know that? You're not as fragile as you look."

"I get that a lot," Michelle said, smiling back. Brook pulled her into a hug.

"Promise me one thing. If things go bad, promise me you'll run – get out of here. even if it means leaving me behind." Michelle clenched her teeth at his words and clung harder to his shoulders.

"No matter what happens, we're gonna see this through together. I'll never leave you." She said fiercely. Brook sighed.

"I seriously underestimated you. I'm not gonna make that mistake again." He said. Michelle pulled back in his arms just far enough to face him.

"Good. Now please tell me there's ice cream in the fridge. All this midnight chat has made me hungry – that and the fact that I skipped dinner." Brook laughed.

"Chocolate or pistachio?" he asked.

"Both," Michelle said, winking. Brook got out two tubs of ice cream from the mini fridge and spoons from the kitchen. they curled up on the couch in the base.

"Bon appetit." He said as they dug in.

"Hmm. I missed this." Michelle said.

"You could've asked for it earlier." Brook teased.

"I was –"

"Too busy ignoring me?" Brook finished for her. Michelle grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry about that." Brook frowned suddenly.

"Why did it look like you were gonna cry earlier?" he asked. His question caught her off-guard.

"Earlier – Oh. That."

"Well?"

"I was pretty guilty about everything you know. And you got hurt because of me... and Payton gave me a cold hard knock into reality. You should have heard him. No wait, it's better you didn't. But everything he said was true." Brook's fingers balled into a fist.

"I'm gonna rip that guy's mouth off in the morning." Michelle laid a hand on his balled fist.

"No Brook. I needed that. Besides, he just ignited something in me. Without his little truth talk, I wouldn't have realized how much I owe you guys." Her eyes glinted in the darkness.

"Remind me not to cross you," Brook said.

"Don't worry. The only guys who are gonna get it from me are the Inferno Ghosts."

It was past nine when Jett came out of the control room the next morning, yawning and stretching like a cat. He glanced at the couch out in the base and stumbled back in shock.

"Gah! What the –" his reaction was so comical he almost thought he was dreaming. On the couch lay Brook and Michelle under a thin blanket, Brook in a sitting position with his head flopped back on the headboard of the couch, Michelle curled up in his arms, using his chest as a pillow.

"Sweet pot roast!" He exclaimed under his breath. He slowly tip-toed towards the kitchen and poured himself some milk and cereal. Paige and Leslie came into the kitchen soon after.

"Morning, beautiful," Jett said to Paige with his mouth full of cereal. She scowled in disgust.

"Ugh, even if we live in a dump, have some standards." She said.

"Hey, wanna hear some gossip?" Jett asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"Whatever you think as gossip probably has to do with the latest hack you stole off the internet," Payton said coming from the boys' bedroom. Reece followed him, yawning.

"No, no. This is for real. Someone stayed up past midnight and got cozy on the couch."

"What? Who?" Reece asked.

"Take a good guess," Jett said, smacking his lips. Leslie looked up.

"Wait, where's Michelle? I didn't see her when we got up," she said looking at Paige. Paige shrugged.

"Brook didn't come to bed either..." Reece said. It suddenly dawned on them. Only Payton looked confused.

"What are you getting at? If they ran away again –"

"No stupid," Jett said, slopping cereal from his mouth. Everyone piled out to the base and stopped short when they saw Brook and Michelle on the couch.

"Ew," Paige said, scrunching her face in disgust. Reece's jaw dropped.

"Whoa. They were – together all night?!"

"I knew Brook had a soft spot for her," Leslie said with a smile. Only Payton scowled.

"Hello, everyone up early?" Soriano asked, coming out. He also stopped when he saw the couple.

"I gotta take a picture. I need something to tease that fluffy mush of a guy with. He always beats me in wordplay." Jett said. He ran to the control room and brought a Polaroid camera. He quickly snapped a picture of Brook and Michelle sleeping.

"Oh-ho! This is precious." Jett said.

"Did you guys forget what this guy put us through yesterday?!" Payton shouted. His shout woke Brook and Michelle and they looked around at the crew dazed.

"What – why are you all here?" Michelle asked. Leslie pointed at Brook.

"Sorry to wake you, kiddo. But you two did look cute while it lasted." Michelle glanced at Brook next to her and gave a cry of embarrassment as she realized they had fallen asleep on the couch together. She got up and fled to the bathroom leaving Brook bewildered. Jett, Reece, and Leslie burst out laughing. Soriano smiled and covered it by rubbing his stubble. Even Paige's lips twitched.

"Happy Valentine's Day Brook," Jett said, showing him the photo. His eyes widened and he tried to snatch it away. Jett dodged him.

"Uh-uh! This is my only photo! You're not getting your hands on it!" he teased as he ran around the base. Brook chased him.

Come back here, Jett! I'm gonna rip your ponytail off when I get you!" Soriano stopped him.

"What happened with Michelle? Does she want to leave again?" he asked. Brook stopped remembering everything they talked about last night.

"No... she's not leaving. I told her everything." Payton whirled on him.

"You idiot! You were not supposed to drag her deeper into this!"

"Wrong. I'm already in this Payton. And I'm gonna see this through all the way. I'm gonna be a part of this crew whether you like it or not." Michelle said returning. She stared hard at Payton.

"Chief, you're not gonna seriously –" Paige began. Soriano studied Michelle's face and spoke.

"Everyone to the kitchen. We can talk after breakfast."

"Okay, now that we're loaded up on fuel, let's get to business," Jett said. "Get it? Loaded up on fuel... 'cause we deal with cars?" Paige shoved him to one side causing him to stumble.

"Your jokes are lamer than your ponytail." She said leaning against the wall with folded arms. He merely smiled at her.

"One of these days, I'm gonna crack a smile from you."

"Take a seat, Michelle," Leslie said, watching her stand aside. Michelle, Payton, Leslie, Soriano, and Reece sat down at the table. Brook stood behind Michelle's chair, her hands resting on her shoulders. Paige and Jett watched everyone from the wall opposite.

"First order of business – the initiation of a new member to our crew. Michelle from –" Jett paused and looked at Michelle.

"North Valley," Michelle said as he paused and looked at her.

"North Valley, Nevada!" he said in a commentator's voice.

"Enough with the dramatic intro already. Chief?" Reece looked at Soriano.

"Brook told you everything, as I understand?" he asked Michelle.

"Yes. And I want in. I have a stake in this. I want to help. I want to be a part of this." She said.

"Angel face, you have no idea what you're getting into," Paige said nonchalantly.

"Who says she's getting in at all?!" Payton asked, slamming his fist on the table.

"Let's not lose our tempers. We have to consider this with a rational mind." Soriano said.

"Chief, she can't go back to her life without being hunted. They proved that when they torched her car. Neither can she just run away from all this. Like she said, she has a personal stake in this." Brook said from behind Michelle. She touched his hand on her shoulder.

"If it were me, I'd want revenge." Brook continued. Paige scoffed.

"Think she can handle the heat? She's just a small-town girl getting in over her head."

"Why should she help us? She has nothing to gain from all this! No. I'm against this. She should just go back to her life and forget this ever happened." Payton said.

"You think that's easy?" Soriano said in a hard tone to Payton. "You think she'll be safe just running away from here? We swore to protect everyone from the Inferno Ghosts. And if she's their target, she's our responsibility."

"She's nothing but trouble! She'll only hinder what we do! She can't drive! She's no outlaw! Ask her if she's okay with hanging around a bunch of outlaws!" Payton yelled.

"Easy tiger. I'm just as against this as you but we won't get anywhere losing our heads about this." Paige said to him.

"Michelle, this isn't a life for everyone," Leslie said with concern. "We look out for each other, yes, but there will be times when we can't. We constantly put our lives at risk just so we can fight for them in the first place. And we're not exactly doing all this by the law." Michelle looked resolute.

"I know. And I understand everything. But I'm not backing down." She said. Soriano glanced at Brook and he nodded.

"The only reason for you not to join this crew is that it's too dangerous. I won't put another civilian at risk." Soriano said.

"I was already in danger when my car hurled at a hundred per hour in a somersault, sir. I think I've passed the risk test." Michelle said.

"Wow, I have never seen a chick want to run headlong into danger. Except for Paige." Jett said. Paige raised her fist to punch Jett in the face.

"Call me chick again and you'll need a face transplant." She said. Jett put up his hands in surrender.

"Okay, so back to the topic – is she in or not?" Reece asked.

"Let's take a vote. All in favor?" Brook asked, raising his hand up. Jett also raised his hand, as did Reece. After a moment, even Paige raised her hand. Brook smiled.

"Four against three. Michelle, Welcome to the Night Blazers."