Chapter 217: Joining Forces

Hobbs sat in the passenger seat of the massive Knight XV, a mix of emotions playing across his rugged face. He watched as Mia Toretto, whom he was supposed to extradite to the USA for trial, skillfully maneuvered the giant armored vehicle toward a dock. During the earlier fight, he had been caught by surprise when a grenade exploded nearby. Fortunately, it was an offensive grenade, lacking the preloaded shrapnel of a defensive one. The blast had only temporarily stunned him, injuring his lungs but leaving no visible wounds. Although semi-conscious when Dominic stuffed him into the vehicle, Hobbs had regained full awareness shortly afterward.

He had then witnessed Dominic and his team, whom he had previously captured, leading him, his sole surviving squad member Mike, and the Brazilian police officer Elena on a dramatic escape under a barrage of gunfire from Hernan's men.

Despite the escape, Hobbs was gripped by deep sorrow. Four of his team members were now forever lying on a secluded street in Rio de Janeiro, and he hadn't even been able to retrieve their bodies.

However, the next event shocked this hardened man. Not long after Mia had driven the armored vehicle through the blockade, the satellite phone in the car rang. At first, Hobbs thought it was a call from home, but instead, a young but slightly slick voice asked him to pass the phone to Dominic. As Dominic conversed on the phone, Hobbs, though initially puzzled, quickly realized that the call was from one of Dominic's allies.

After the call, Dominic suggested they ditch the conspicuous Knight XV and mentioned that his ally had arranged a safe place for them to regroup. It was then that Hobbs understood why he had always been a step behind Dominic in recent days. Clearly, Dominic had unseen partners in the city aiding him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have known about Dominic's capture by the CIA just today.

Yet, Hobbs had his doubts. If Dominic's ally was as capable as Dominic's relieved demeanor suggested, how had he managed to capture Dominic today? This lingering question took a backseat to his more pressing concern: avenging his four slain comrades.

As these thoughts churned in his mind, Mike, the sole surviving member of his team, burst out from the back seat. "Boss, we can't let this go. That bastard Hernan Reyes ambushed us. We need to hit back hard and make sure our brothers didn't die in vain!"

Hobbs didn't want to discuss revenge just yet. It was clear that payback was necessary, but his immediate concern was understanding Dominic's next move and, more intriguingly, who was aiding him from the shadows.

Dominic, aware of the importance of gaining Hobbs' support, had already invited him to join them at the safe house prepared by his ally. They needed to park the vehicle first, and then they could discuss their plans in detail once they reached safety. Hobbs resolved that Hernan Reyes' days were numbered, regardless of who tried to interfere.

Calming Mike, Hobbs assured him that they would indeed avenge their fallen comrades. With this uneasy truce, they drove the highly noticeable Knight XV to a dilapidated factory as directed by Elena, hiding it securely. They then switched to several cars arranged by Elena's contacts and headed to the dock location provided by Castle through the chubby guy.

By the time Dominic and his team arrived, Tej and the others were already there. Not only had they arrived, but they had also loaded all the weapons from the villa's basement onto the large yacht that Castle had rented. With Roman and Han having filled the yacht with fuel, water, and food, they were ready to set sail. As soon as Dominic's group, along with Hobbs and his team, boarded, Roman immediately started the engines, and the yacht left the dock, allowing everyone to finally relax.

Dominic, knowing that Tej and the others had many questions, wasted no time in recounting the morning's events. He explained how Hobbs had led his team to surround and capture them at the villa, how they were ambushed by Hernan's men on the way to the airport, and how they escaped with Dominic's help. He also mentioned the chubby guy's timely advice to use the yacht as a safe haven.

The only detail Dominic withheld from Hobbs was the identity of the chubby guy and the fact that he was in Rio.

As Hobbs pieced together the events, he realized why he had been trailing Dominic for days. The hacker ally, always a step ahead, had been aiding Dominic clandestinely. Today's successful raid was only possible because the CIA's involvement was unknown to the hacker, allowing Hobbs to surprise Dominic at the villa.

Dominic didn't concern himself with Hobbs' contemplative mood. Covered in dirt and sweat, he didn't even think about cleaning up. Instead, he gathered everyone except Hobbs, Mike, and Elena into the cabin, where he addressed them with a serious expression. "The situation is clear. Hernan is going to stop at nothing to capture us. We have two choices: admit defeat or fight back and continue our plan to hit Hernan hard, possibly securing our financial freedom in the process. What's your decision?"

Before Dominic's team could respond, Mike, grimy and grim-faced, barged in. "If you're going after Hernan, count me in. I want revenge for my brothers killed by that son of a bitch. I want to blow Hernan Reyes' head off!"

Seeing his subordinate's firm stance, Hobbs had no choice but to make his position clear. Not aligning with Mike would undermine his leadership. He approached Dominic, his expression fierce. "What my man said, I feel the same. For now, I'll put aside taking you back to the USA. But in return, I want to be part of the action against Hernan Reyes. You can keep his dirty money if you want, but Reyes' life is mine and Mike's. Deal?"

Dominic's tense face softened slightly into a smile. He extended his right hand towards the fuming Hobbs. "Welcome aboard. I promise you, Hernan Reyes' life is yours. We'll draw him out by robbing the money he values most. If you can take him down, it'll be up to you and your men."

Hobbs extended his hand, sealing their temporary alliance to take down Hernan.

After solidifying Hobbs' position, Dominic released his grip and began explaining their plan to a bewildered Hobbs, Mike, and Elena.

"You… you plan to rob Hernan Reyes' dirty money from the police headquarters' vault? This is madness!" Hobbs exclaimed, stunned by the audacity of the plan.

Elena, deeply familiar with Rio's underworld, was even more shaken by the sheer recklessness of Dominic's scheme. She knew firsthand the peril of crossing Hernan Reyes. Her late husband had been murdered in the slums for refusing to collude with Hernan. As a local, Elena understood Hernan's reach and the danger far more profoundly than Dominic and Hobbs, blinded as they were by their vendetta and daring. This realization gave her a unique perspective on the plan and its potential consequences.

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