Reborn as an American Writer

Elena, deeply aware of the close ties between Hernan Reyes and the local Rio de Janeiro police, couldn't help but voice her concerns. "You all don't seem to understand the extent of Hernan Reyes' influence over the Rio police. To put it bluntly, at least 80% of the city's police have some connection to him, and countless officers receive direct benefits from him.

"Moreover, Hernan controls the entire underground order of Rio. His men are everywhere, from the affluent areas to the slums. Your plan to rob the police headquarters' vault is pure suicide!

"Even if you succeed, how do you plan to escape the inevitable manhunt by the city's police? Remember, you're talking about robbing a police station. The police won't just let that slide, if only for their own pride, regardless of their ties to Hernan. Do you think you can evade the entire city's police force?"

Dominic looked at the small but spirited policewoman and chuckled, "What about you? Have you been bought by Hernan Reyes?"

Elena scoffed, about to retort when Hobbs interjected, "Her husband was gunned down because he refused to join the corrupt officers working with Hernan Reyes. After his death, Elena joined the police force, hoping to avenge him. So, technically, she has just as much of a vendetta against Hernan as we do. You don't need to worry about her."

Dominic glanced deeply at Elena. Though he didn't apologize, his actions showed that he accepted Elena, a petite but determined officer burning with a desire for vengeance against Hernan Reyes, thanks to Hobbs' endorsement.

Brian, noticing Dominic's brief awkwardness, quickly asked Tej, "Was this yacht another of the chubby guy's handiwork?"

Proud of his success in recruiting the chubby guy to Dominic's crew, Tej was ready to boast about his friend's contributions. Without the chubby guy, they would have disbanded long ago and certainly wouldn't have the means to counterattack Hernan's men. However, Dominic cut him off, wanting to keep this valuable ally a secret from Hobbs.

Dominic knew that Hobbs was temporarily allied with them out of necessity, having lost most of his team to Hernan's ambush. But once Hernan, the greater threat, was eliminated, the fragile alliance would dissolve. The chubby guy's existence, though not entirely hidden, needed to remain a secret from Hobbs, who could easily turn against them.

Hobbs, aware of Dominic's guardedness, understood that their forced alliance was tenuous, built solely on the principle of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." He knew he couldn't call for help from back home without jeopardizing his chance for revenge. Hobbs had vowed not to return home until Hernan was dead.

Additionally, if they could take down Hernan with Dominic's help, Hobbs wasn't sure he could continue his relentless pursuit of Dominic and his team. The debt of gratitude for aiding in his revenge was a burden he wasn't sure he could easily dismiss.

Understanding Dominic's need for secrecy, Hobbs showed no sign of offense at being kept in the dark. He respected Dominic's caution, knowing that revealing the identity of such a useful ally would be a strategic error, especially given their fragile truce.

After a tense day of nerve-wracking confrontations and a fierce battle, fatigue settled over both Dominic's team and Hobbs' remaining members. Recognizing the exhaustion, especially considering his sister Mia's pregnancy, Dominic arranged for Giselle to show Hobbs' group to their quarters. He then suggested that everyone rest and regroup later that evening to discuss how to adapt their original plan in light of the day's events.

As everyone dispersed to rest, Mario stood dejectedly in front of his boss, Hernan Reyes, acknowledging his failure. He was mentally cursing, having accounted for every variable. He even deployed six operatives with rocket launchers, ensuring at least one of the three vehicles in Hobbs' convoy would be hit. Who could have predicted that a single successful hit would be followed by such a disastrous assault?

What Mario didn't anticipate was his men abandoning their strategic positions in favor of a direct, chaotic rush. His operatives gave up their advantageous positions to claim the bounty on Dominic, leading to a disastrous engagement where Hobbs' team, despite being outnumbered, effectively repelled the attack.

As Mario stood before Hernan, he silently cursed the incompetence of his men. He reflected that his biggest mistake was not personally overseeing the ambush.

Hernan Reyes, seeing his trusted lieutenant trembling in silence, felt a mix of anger and frustration. It wasn't entirely Mario's fault. Reyes himself had decided to keep Mario close to oversee the security of their amassed dirty money, considering it a higher priority than capturing Dominic.

Initially, Mario had expressed concerns about their subordinates' competence, which Reyes dismissed. He prioritized the safety of over a billion dollars stashed away over capturing Dominic, believing his men could handle the task. Who could have foreseen that his men would act like fools, prioritizing personal gain over the mission?

Hernan, simmering with rage, was lost in his thoughts when Mario's words jolted him back to reality. Mario suggested that despite the ambush's failure, they did manage to kill four of Hobbs' team members. This would likely prevent Hobbs from calling for reinforcements, as he would be too embarrassed by his losses. Mario speculated that Hobbs might instead ally with Dominic for revenge.

Hernan, recognizing Mario's insight, asked, "Do you think Dominic will hand over that storage card to Hobbs, using it to leverage the US government against us? That card contains not only our smuggling routes but also the laundering channels worldwide. What's your take?"

Mario pondered for a moment and replied, "Boss, I can't be sure if Dominic will do that, but I'm certain Hobbs harbors a deep hatred for us. If he wants to avoid being recalled in disgrace, he will likely join forces with Dominic against us."

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