Chapter 63: Escaping On A Go-Kart, Frustrated Spies, and Start Of An Embarrassing Report.

Back in the SUV, Casey's knuckles turned white as he clenched the steering wheel, his frustration mounting with every second. The streets of Los Angeles blurred around them, a chaotic mix of honking horns, glaring headlights, and distant sirens. The black SUV was a beast on the road, but it couldn't seem to close the gap on the maddeningly nimble Go-Kart zipping ahead like a mischievous child outmaneuvering a lumbering giant.

"Damn Kid… He may be fast…. But, this doesn't make him bulletproof, or crash-proof," Casey growled through gritted teeth, the edge in his voice sharper than ever.

From the passenger seat, Sarah didn't bother looking up from the tablet resting on her lap. "Don't even think about it," she warned, her voice calm but firm. "You know the protocol."

Casey's lips twitched in frustration, his eyes fixed on the diminutive vehicle weaving effortlessly through traffic ahead. "I won't have to if they stop. But don't get your panties in a twist, Walker, let's be real. At this rate, we're not even going to get close enough to touch them, let alone stop them."

In the Go-Kart, Guldrin's grin stretched wide, his eyes gleaming with exhilaration as he deftly navigated the twisting streets. The small vehicle responded to his every command with precision, the hum of its finely-tuned engine a symphony to his ears. Every gear shift was a perfectly timed act of mastery, clear evidence of the lessons Dom and Letty had drilled into him.

Beside him, Shiro lounged in the passenger seat as if they were on a joyride instead of a high-stakes chase. She crossed her arms, leaning back with a relaxed smirk. "You know," she said, her tone casual, "if this were a video game, I'd rank this as an S-tier getaway."

"Stop giving me performance reviews!" Guldrin shot back, though his annoyance was betrayed by the laughter bubbling beneath his words. He threw a quick glance her way, catching her smug expression. "You're supposed to be my co-pilot, not my critic."

"Hey," Shiro replied with a shrug, her smirk widening. "You're the one who told me to hold on. I'm just here to enjoy the ride."

They shot out of an alley, the Go-Kart bouncing slightly as it hit the uneven pavement. The SUV loomed in the distance, its hulking frame struggling to match the nimbleness of its prey.

Guldrin caught a glimpse of the vehicle in his peripheral vision and quickly assessed his next move. Without hesitation, he yanked the wheel to the right, cutting through a crowded parking lot.

Shopping carts flew in all directions, startled pedestrians froze mid-step, and a man clutching a half-eaten pretzel leaped aside, his snack soaring through the air. Somehow, a piece landed squarely in Shiro's lap.

It was like they had never seen a Go-Kart piled with supplies before.

"Where do these people come from?" she mused, holding up the pretzel piece as if it were a souvenir.

"Focus, Shiro!" Guldrin barked, narrowly avoiding a parked car as he swerved back onto the main road.

"Relax," she teased, tearing off a clean piece of the pretzel and holding it up to his mouth and didn't give him a chance to refuse as she shoved it in his mouth. "You're not you when you're hungry."

Despite the chaos, Guldrin couldn't suppress a laugh as he took the offered bite mid-turn. "You're impossible," he muttered, his tone light even as his eyes remained laser-focused on the road ahead.

Behind them, the SUV crashed into the parking lot like a battering ram, scattering carts and sending them clattering against parked vehicles. Casey slammed his fist on the dashboard, his frustration boiling over. "Walker, get us something, anything, to corner them!"

Sarah didn't even flinch, her fingers flying across the tablet's screen. "I'm pulling up traffic camera feeds. If they keep this up, we'll have them boxed in."

But Guldrin had no intention of letting that happen. Anticipating their next move, he veered sharply into a residential neighborhood, the Go-Kart's small frame bouncing lightly over the uneven pavement. The SUV, in stark contrast, struggled to maintain its speed on the narrow, winding roads.

Shiro glanced at Guldrin, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "This thing's got more kick than I expected. What'd you do to it?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Guldrin replied with a smirk, his hands steady on the wheel. "Jesse said we didn't need to go faster than 40 mph. Clearly, he underestimated my need for speed."

Shiro laughed, "Game jokes; real funny, a great game, we should replay it soon."

Back in the SUV, Sarah's tablet pinged with a notification. She glanced at the screen, her lips curving into a confident smile. "They're heading into a dead-end zone. No outlets."

Casey's grin matched hers, but his carried a sharper edge. "Finally. Let's end this. Damn brats, when I get my hands on you…"

The SUV accelerated, its engine roaring as it closed the gap. The dead-end street loomed ahead, promising a swift conclusion to the chase. But Guldrin wasn't done yet. His sharp eyes caught sight of a narrow bike path winding between two rows of houses, barely wide enough for his Go-Kart. 

Without hesitation, he swerved onto it, the vehicle zipping through the tight space like a needle threading a seam.

Casey slammed on the brakes, the SUV screeching to a halt just short of the path's entrance. He stared in disbelief at the impossibly narrow escape route, his hands tightening on the wheel. "You've got to be kidding me."

Sarah sighed, shaking her head. "They're not just running. They're planning. Every move they make is deliberate. They are either really lucky or know this area like the back of their hand."

"They're mocking us," Casey spat, his frustration simmering dangerously close to the surface.

"They're outsmarting us," Sarah corrected, her tone calm but laced with a hint of admiration. "And now they know we're after them… We lost two kids, on a Go-Kart… This is going to be a really embarrassing report."

As the Go-Kart burst out onto another street, Guldrin let out a triumphant laugh. Shiro joined in, her carefree demeanor only adding to the absurdity of the situation.

"Think they'll give up yet?" she asked, her tone light and teasing.

"They will have to, they have a highly congested traffic area between us and them to reach us," Guldrin replied, his grin unshakable. "But we're almost home. Just a few more turns."

True to his word, the Go-Kart finally skidded into the Toretto Café driveway, its tires squealing in protest. Letty and Mia were waiting, their arms crossed in perfect synchronization as they took in the sight of the battered Go-Kart and its grinning occupants. They'd heard the chaos blocks away, the roaring engine, the screeching tires, and the unmistakable sound of mischief.

"Well," Letty began, her voice carrying the weight of both amusement and exasperation. "Care to explain what the hell that was?"

Guldrin and Shiro exchanged a glance, their laughter bubbling up again despite the stern glares directed their way. The chase had been wild, reckless, and utterly exhilarating, but they knew the real challenge was about to begin. Mia and Letty weren't happy.

"What did we say about not getting into trouble?" Mia's voice was calm but carried an edge of disappointment as she looked at Guldrin and Shiro, her arms crossed.

"Technically," Shiro said, hopping gracefully out of the Go-Kart, "we didn't get into trouble. Trouble found us." Her smirk was unapologetic, but her tone tried to disarm the situation.

Letty raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "And what kind of trouble involves driving upwards of 50 miles per hour, blowing stop signs, and pulling stunts like that on the streets?"

Guldrin hopped out of the Go-Kart, giving a sheepish grin. "Creepers. They chased us from the Buy More. No idea who they were or what they wanted, but we noticed how awkward and out of place they were, just like you taught us. So we paid, bolted out, and lost them. They tried to block us in with some big SUV, but, c'mon, sloppy drivers compared to Mom, Dad, Aunt Mia, or Uncle Vince. Jesse…" He paused, shrugging. "Sometimes he's good, sometimes he's not."

Letty's glare darkened, her arms still crossed as she stepped closer. "You think this is funny? Running from strangers and pulling this crap in the middle of the city? What if they had followed you back here? Why the hell didn't you call us?"

Guldrin's grin faltered under her glare, his confidence ebbing. "I didn't lead them here. I lost them. Way before I got back."

"Doesn't matter," Mia interjected, her tone softer than Letty's but still firm. "They were strangers chasing you. What if they had kept up? What if they were dangerous? You know how crazy this city is, Guldrin. What would we do if something happened to you?"

The weight of her words hit hard. Shiro shifted beside him, her usual bravado dimming slightly as she spoke up. "We didn't just panic and run. We assessed the situation. These weren't regular people. The guy had a military vibe like he was trained. And the woman? She felt like a spy or something. You know, kind of like… Brian."

Mia and Letty exchanged a glance at that, their expressions tightening. The comparison to Brian wasn't one they liked hearing.

"You're lucky you made it back in one piece," Letty said, her voice still sharp but tinged with reluctant admiration. "You've got good instincts, I'll give you that. But pulling stunts like this? It's the fastest way to end up on someone's radar, someone who won't just stop at chasing you in an SUV."

Mia sighed, rubbing her temples. "You said they looked out of place at the store?"

Guldrin nodded quickly. "Yeah, totally. The guy was stiff, like a textbook soldier's posture. And the woman? She was way too composed, too observant. Plus…" He hesitated, the memory clearly unsettling him. "The Buy More cashier freaked out when he saw me. Like he recognized me or something. It was weird."

Letty frowned, her arms finally dropping to her sides. "Recognized you? How?"

"I don't know." Guldrin's voice dropped, and he shifted uncomfortably. "It was like he had a mini-seizure or something. His face just froze for a second, then he started acting all jumpy like he didn't know whether to run or call someone."

"That's not just weird," Shiro added, stepping closer. "That's suspicious. It's like he knew something but didn't expect to see us."

Mia and Letty shared another look, their worry deepening.

"This is bigger than just some creeps in a store," Mia said quietly. "If they recognized you, or even thought they did; they might know something about your past. Something we don't. We still don't know where you come from, why you lost your memories, or what kind of life you had before this. What if that cashier does?"

Letty placed a firm hand on Guldrin's shoulder, her expression softening just enough to show her concern. "Alright, listen. From now on, no more solo trips to random stores. If you need something, you tell us, and we'll handle it. Got it?"

"Got it," Guldrin said, his voice subdued. He knew they weren't mad, they were scared for him. After losing Dom, Letty and Mia were extra overprotective of them.

Shiro nodded in agreement. "We'll be more careful. Promise."

Letty's gaze lingered on her for a moment before she nodded reluctantly. "Good. Now go inside and unload whatever you bought; make sure to cover the Go-Kart. Mia and I need to figure out how to handle this."

As the kids headed inside, the weight of the situation seemed to settle over the two women. Letty leaned against the wall, her brow furrowed. "Do you think it's government? CIA, FBI… something worse? Did they finally start to use us to find Dom?"

Mia crossed her arms, her worry etched across her face. "Could be. Or it could be people tied to his past. Either way, it's trouble. Dom needs to know. He's got contacts, people who can look into this without drawing too much attention."

"You really think Dom can help from where he is?" Letty asked, though she already knew the answer.

Mia nodded firmly. "If it's about Guldrin, Dom will move heaven and earth. You know that."

Letty exhaled heavily, her protective instincts flaring up. "Yeah. But this whole thing feels off. Strange people showing up at a Buy More out of nowhere, a cashier acting like he's seen a ghost, a female spy, or whatever, and a military-type guy chasing our kids through the city? It's too much to be a coincidence."

Mia nodded in agreement, her gaze hardening. "We'll make the call. But in the meantime, we keep them close. No more Go-Kart adventures, no more solo runs. If someone's looking for Guldrin, they're going to have to get through us first."

Letty smirked at that, her resolve matching Mia's. "Damn right, they will."

"Oh yeah, Mom! We didn't get arrested," Guldrin shouted,

 "But we got pulled over, he was nice though" Shiro interjected as they entered the shop.

Mia and Letty exchanged looks and laughed, "I win." Mia said and Letty grumbled about technicalities and handed her the ten dollars she owed her from the bet.

—

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Back at the Buy More, Casey and Sarah sat in the break room, their frustration palpable. Casey was nursing a cup of coffee, his knuckles white as he gripped the mug. "A Go-Kart," he muttered for the tenth time. "We got outmaneuvered by a damn Go-Kart."

Sarah leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. "They're not ordinary kids. The boy is clearly trained, and the girl isn't just tagging along. She was analyzing us the entire time."

"And let's not forget the part where Bartowski flashed on him," Casey added. "If the Intersect thinks he's important, then he's important."

Sarah nodded. "We need to escalate this. Get authorization to dig deeper."

Casey grunted in agreement. "Fine. Let's get it over with."

-

–

—

Minutes later, they were in a secure video conference with their respective agencies. General Beckman's stern face appeared on the monitor, flanked by a gruff-looking man from the NSA.

"Report," Beckman demanded, her tone leaving no room for pleasantries.

Sarah took the lead. "We identified two individuals of interest at the Buy More. One of them matches the profile of a missing Goldblood heir, who disappeared three and a half years ago. Discovered by Chuck when he flashed, confirmed identification through activation of the Intersect."

Beckman's eyes narrowed. "And the other?"

"A girl, around the same age," Sarah replied. "Unknown background, but she's sharp. Could be a relative or an ally. Maybe a friend, we are not sure Ma'am, we would need to run a facial recognition."

Casey took over, his tone gruff. "We attempted to intercept them, but they escaped. On a Go-Kart."

The gruff NSA official raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry… Did you just say, a Go-Kart?"

"Yes," Casey said through gritted teeth. "They used their surroundings to their advantage. Narrow alleys, bike paths, places we couldn't follow."

Beckman's expression remained impassive, though a flicker of amusement might have crossed her face. "So, you're telling me two children outsmarted you?"

Sarah's cheeks flushed, but she pressed on. "They're not ordinary kids. The boy's driving skills were exceptional, far beyond what you'd expect for someone his age. And their coordination? It was seamless, like they'd done this a hundred times before."

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