Chapter 231: Chapter 231: Revenge
Having just survived a high-speed car crash and still in shock, Ernan struggled to free himself from the seatbelt that had saved his life. He stumbled out of the car, unable to catch his breath or worry about the fleeing Dominic. A casual glance up made his heart sink to the bottom.
Thirty meters away, two heavily armed, fierce-looking men were running towards him with automatic rifles. Behind them was a female police officer in a Rio police uniform, her face stern and her eyes looking at him as if he were a dead man. It was Hobbs and his team, who had escaped his ambush a few days ago!
Ernan Reyes, a true villain, knew that it was highly unlikely he would escape from the enraged Hobbs today. Despite the severe pain from the crash, he quickly adjusted his mindset. He loudly tried to distract Hobbs while subtly signaling four of his men, who were in another car and hadn't been severely affected by the crash, to draw their guns and kill Hobbs, buying himself time and a chance to survive.
After all, a large number of Brazilian police officers were not far behind. If they arrived, Ernan did not believe Hobbs would dare to kill him and risk confrontation with the Brazilian government.
Unfortunately, Ernan's thinking was that of a normal businessman or an ordinary person. He didn't understand that a soldier's mindset was not as complicated as he imagined. Hobbs and Mike's only purpose today was to personally kill Ernan Reyes. To achieve this goal, the highly responsible Hobbs was even willing to temporarily ally with his quarry, Dominic Toretto. So, Ernan's little tricks had no chance of stopping Hobbs.
The four men in the other car, which wasn't badly damaged, received Ernan's signal and were about to draw their guns to ambush Hobbs and his team. But Mike's automatic rifle acted first, firing a full magazine of thirty rounds into the car's cabin without warning.
The four of Ernan's men were caught off guard and, at such close range, were thoroughly riddled with SS109 rifle bullets. Known for their lethality, the 5.56mm SS109 bullets would tumble upon impact, creating large, irregular exit wounds. These four men stood no chance against Mike's vengeful barrage.
"It's over..." This was Ernan Reyes' true thought. Seeing Hobbs and his team approach and kill his only remaining men without a word, Ernan knew he had no chance of surviving today.
Facing death, Ernan's mind worked quickly. Being a man accustomed to dealing with schemes and plots, he quickly realized that Dominic's high-profile robbery of his money-laden police station was also meant to lure him out. The fact that Hobbs was driving the first vehicle into the police station indicated that these two, usually cat and mouse, had teamed up against him.
"Bang, bang, bang..." The sound of three pistol shots jolted Ernan from reflecting on his tactical errors. It was Elena, who had approached the severely damaged car Ernan had been in and shot Mario, who was still trapped in the driver's seat. Elena's husband had died under Mario's orders, and today she finally avenged him. After firing three shots—one to the head and two to the chest—Elena broke into tears.
"Wait, wait... what do you want? Anything but my life, please spare me..." Ernan pleaded with Hobbs, who was approaching with a terrifyingly large revolver.
Hobbs ignored Ernan's pleas, fired his Smith & Wesson M629 twice into Ernan's chest. The .44 Magnum rounds almost tore Ernan Reyes, the Rio underground kingpin, in half. Without even glancing at the gruesome scene, Hobbs muttered, "This is for my fallen brothers, you bastard."
Mike also approached and fired two more shots into Ernan's already lifeless body before holstering his gun. Feeling relieved, Mike casually asked Hobbs, "Boss, are we really giving Dominic twenty-four hours to escape before we start hunting him again?"
A rare hint of a smile appeared on Hobbs' usually stern face as he looked at Mike, his loyal subordinate. "What, can't do it?"
Mike, knowing his superior was in a good mood, joked, "It's not that. I'm just thinking, given the losses we've suffered, shouldn't we rest and rearm before our next mission? Maybe take a vacation?"
Hobbs cast a sidelong glance at Mike and then addressed Elena, who was still grieving. "Your performance these past few days has shown me that you deserve a bigger platform to showcase your talents. There's nothing left for you in Brazil. Join my team, and you'll not only leave this painful place but also avoid being hunted by Ernan's remaining men. You can come to the USA and experience more."
Elena, surprised by Hobbs' offer, was momentarily speechless. Hobbs, understanding, gave her some time to think. He called his team, got into his imposing Knight XV, started the engine, and drove away.
As they drove off, Elena recalled something important. Dominic's sister Mia had given her a small box that morning, instructing her to pass it to Hobbs after everything was over. She quickly took out the box and handed it to Hobbs, sitting in the passenger seat. "I accept your invitation to the USA. By the way, this is from Dominic's sister. It might contain information on Ernan Reyes' smuggling and money laundering channels."
Hobbs, knowing Dominic would give him a reason to return to the USA, hadn't expected such valuable information. Though Ernan Reyes was dead, his smuggling and money laundering channels still existed. Turning this data over to his superiors might not only absolve him of his unsanctioned actions but also earn him commendations.
Damn, how could he pursue Dominic with a clear conscience now?
By the time the timid Rio police arrived, Hobbs' Knight XV was long gone. They found only six corpses, including Ernan's, a flipped heavy truck, and an empty safe.
The police, seeing the scene, knew that respecting Ernan Reyes was unnecessary now that he was dead. They could even pin the entire affair on the deceased crime lord. For the police, this was a convenient and profitable resolution.
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