Chapter 205: Retaliation

Dominic placed deep trust in Brian, his brother-in-law. Brian had been a former FBI agent who initially infiltrated Dominic's group to gather evidence against him, but he fell for Dominic's sister Mia and ultimately chose her over his career. If Brian and Mia hadn't risked everything to break Dominic out of the prison transfer, he would have ended up in Lompoc maximum-security prison, where escaping would have been nearly impossible.

Moreover, Brian had abandoned his identity as a federal agent to join Dominic on the run. Despite his current outlaw status, Brian's background as a highly trained FBI agent and his excellent performance at Quantico meant his opinion was invaluable in dealing with their current predicament involving Hernan Reyes and Hobbs.

Dominic knew he was just a former street racer from Los Angeles who had managed to make a name for himself through good driving skills and street smarts. Although he had taken down the Mexican drug lord Braga to avenge his late girlfriend Letty earlier that year, Dominic wasn't adept at handling complex situations that required strategic thinking.

Facing the combined hunt by Hernan Reyes and Hobbs, Dominic was caught off guard by the unexpected support from the chubby hacker. Not only had this hacker found them a safe house in an affluent area but also provided them with five high-powered cars and a stockpile of weapons in the basement. Dominic was still in disbelief after inspecting the arsenal, especially the discovery of fifty kilograms of C4. Such a sudden windfall of military-grade weapons was beyond his comprehension.

Given the current circumstances, Dominic looked to Brian for advice on their next move—whether to abandon the mission and leave Brazil or stick to their original plan to rob Hernan and then flee with the loot. Brian's earlier comments suggested that, while the hacker's actions didn't seem malicious, they weren't necessarily beneficial either.

Before Dominic could respond, a breathless Tej came rushing down the stairs, "Dom, I just spoke with my hacker friend. He told me he placed an anonymous order on the dark web with some weapon smugglers to deliver these weapons to us. His exact words were that he wanted us to have the means to defend ourselves against Hernan's men. Since he placed the order a few days ago, they included the explosives as part of the delivery. He added that, knowing you, he thought you wouldn't just let things end like this. So, consider these weapons his investment. If you decide to go ahead with your plan and it succeeds, he expects a cut of the loot."

Brian relaxed upon hearing Tej's explanation. The scenario aligned with his expectations, and it seemed there was no hidden trap. The hacker had no reason to set them up, and Brian felt reassured.

With Tej's clarification easing his concerns, Dominic's instinctive urge to retaliate surged. He was furious at the unprecedented level of pursuit and betrayal by Hernan. With a safe house, powerful vehicles, and a small armory at his disposal, Dominic's inner rage flared. He decided not to flee. He couldn't tolerate leaving Brazil without giving Hernan a severe lesson. How could he maintain his leadership if he ran away now?

Determined to retaliate against Hernan Reyes, Dominic ascended to the villa's living room where Giselle, Vanessa, Han, and the two South American demolition experts were seated casually. He addressed them loudly, "Guys, I'm sorry that after gathering you all here, we've been relentlessly hunted by Hernan Reyes. But now, thanks to Tej's friend, we have this safe house and all the transportation and weapons we need. I propose we take a couple of days to rest and then strike back at Hernan Reyes, reclaim our honor. What do you all think?"

Except for Roman, everyone present was there because of their loyalty to Dominic. They had traveled from various countries, and none of them were accustomed to being pursued and humiliated. Given Dominic's resolve to continue the mission and the resources now at their disposal, it didn't take long for the group to reach a consensus. Even Roman, who had initially argued for fleeing, was swayed when Dominic casually mentioned that their heist could net them at least $100 million. Roman quickly discarded his previous stance, eager to join the effort.

Dominic now considered it a stroke of genius to have agreed to let Tej's hacker friend join their small crew. Who could have anticipated that just as his friends from around the world arrived, they would be immediately pursued by Hernan's men? Worse yet, they also had to contend with Hobbs from the US federal government after their trail. Thankfully, the hacker had proven to be their savior multiple times, warning them and helping them avoid capture. His contribution in securing the safe house in this affluent neighborhood, which was unlikely to be discovered by Hernan's men or Hobbs for at least three days, was invaluable. This respite gave the team crucial time to rest and regroup.

Most importantly, the hacker had foresight in providing enough weapons and transportation for their counterattack. Dominic wasn't one to let grudges go easily. Hernan had initially tried to double-cross him, leading to this entire conflict. Now, with the means to fight back and the opportunity to strike Hernan and reap a substantial reward, Dominic was more than eager to proceed.

With their plan set, Dominic personally called the chubby hacker, who was comfortably watching the unfolding drama from Rio's most luxurious hotel with Castle. Dominic didn't waste time on pleasantries. He asked the hacker to intensify surveillance on Hernan and quickly find the location where Hernan had been hiding his laundered cash.

Knowing that money is a powerful motivator, Dominic offered the hacker a third of the stolen cash if he could help them locate Hernan's stash. This would be a generous reward for arranging the safe house, vehicles, and weapons.

The chubby hacker, having already been thoroughly briefed by Castle, immediately agreed to Dominic's terms. Over the past few days, he and Castle hadn't just been passively observing Hernan's and Hobbs' chase of Dominic's crew. They knew that the data card holding the locations of Hernan's hidden money was now with Dominic's team. Hernan had been consolidating his scattered funds in response. Remarkably, the location where Hernan was hiding his cash turned out to be the same police station from earlier in their conflict!

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