A Standoff On The Beach (Edited on 27/10/2023)

Hobbs was intrigued by Jack's earlier statement, "Whoever has the bigger fist makes the rules." He couldn't help but question the uniqueness of the man in front of him.

"Are you human?" Hobbs finally inquired, his surprise evident.

Jack appeared to ponder the question seriously, his brow furrowing. "I think so... but not entirely sure."

After some contemplation, he replied, "Probably."

With a smile, Jack decided to bring their conversation to a close. "Okay, let's end our conversation here for today. It's getting late. My bonfire party is still waiting for me."

As he turned to walk away, Jack couldn't resist leaving Hobbs with a parting message. "Agent Hobbs, I hope you think more carefully before you act next time. Otherwise... next time, I might not be so merciful."

"Stop!" Elena's voice pierced the air, making Jack freeze in his tracks.

Jack turned to look at Elena, who had raised her gun at him, feeling mischievous, a hint of his brother's influence perhaps.

With a cold, emotionless voice and an expressionless face, he declared, "You're playing with fire, woman."

But then, he abruptly shifted gears and used a more playful tone. "Hey... forget it, this is too embarrassing. It's not my style."

Jack mused, "Sure enough, this domineering gangster style isn't suitable for me... forget it, I'll just stick with my usual style..."

Elena was baffled by the sudden change in Jack's demeanor. "Ahem, um, who are you? Why are you pointing a gun at me?" he inquired.

Elena began to suspect that Jack might have a mental disorder.

"You were attacking the police publicly just now!" Elena pointed out without hesitation. "We need you to come with us and cooperate with the investigation!"

Jack raised an eyebrow and teased, "Well, it sounds reasonable, but do you think I'm reasonable, madam?"

"I don't need to think that you are. I need you to be," Elena retorted, adjusting her grip on the pistol.

Jack continued to play along, grinning as he invoked their earlier conversation. "Whoever has the bigger fist makes the rules."

He added, "I agree with this sentence, but it applies to me in this situation."

Hobbs intervened and advised Elena to lower her gun. He explained that Jack was not a criminal, and his record was clean. Detaining him could lead to unforeseen consequences, especially with Jack's powerful connections.

Elena was reluctant but ultimately complied. Hobbs took the gun from her hand and gave Jack a nod. "Come on, let's do it the old-fashioned way."

Jack seemed ready for a physical challenge, and Hobbs was taken aback by his earlier agility. He couldn't believe Jack had thrown him off so easily. Hobbs was perplexed about how a man with a solid build like Jack had managed to launch him like that.

Jack's grin was playful as he invited Hobbs to try again. Hobbs was determined and, with a straight punch, launched an attack at Jack. This time, Jack threw a punch in return but held back on the force.

Their fists collided with a resounding thud, drawing the attention of onlookers. Despite the disparity in their arm sizes, Hobbs's muscular arm visibly trembled, and he was pushed backward.

"What the hell?!" Hobbs exclaimed, frustration evident as he clenched his fists. "You were holding back on me or something?"

Jack chuckled, his confidence shining through. "Just wanted to see what you've got."

Hobbs couldn't help but grin at Jack's cocky attitude. "Bring it on, then. I'm ready for round two." The stage was set for a showdown on the beach, where brawn and wit would collide.

▪▪▪▪

[Some Time Later]

"Is that the best you've got?" Jack grinned and casually waved his hand.

"Goodbye, Agent Hobbs. I wish you well. Oh, and let's forget about this little incident..."

Elena was still intent on keeping Jack around, but Hobbs intervened, still catching his breath.

"My priority is getting to the hospital," he urged, wincing from the pain.

It felt as if his hand had been split in two.

As they watched Hobbs and his team depart, Jack placed a call to Toretto, recounting the recent events.

"So, you handed him a beating, huh?" Toretto chuckled.

"Yup, pretty much. Haha!" Jack replied.

"Get a move on, Toretto. We need to figure out what's happening with that safe in the police station before we can start planning in earnest."

"Of course," Toretto affirmed.

"We'll get to the bottom of it."

"Alright, but let's tread carefully," Jack yawned.

"Toretto, once we wrap this up, it's time to wash our hands of all this and return to a normal life. Especially now that we have kids to consider."

"That's the plan," Toretto responded earnestly.

"And if everything goes smoothly, we won't have to do this again."

Jack refrained from commenting further, knowing that Toretto wouldn't change his ways so easily. After all, the thrill and adventure of flirting with danger were deeply ingrained in his blood.

[Several Days Later]

Several days had passed since Jack last crossed paths with Toretto and Brian. True to his promise, he had ceased direct involvement in their illicit undertakings, instead providing equipment and technical support for their modifications.

Thanks to Jack's expertise, Toretto and his crew found everything significantly more manageable. Their armored off-road vehicle ensured their safety in the city, rendering them nearly invulnerable to any threats.

Toretto and Brian's driving skills were exemplary, and with Jack's equipment, they no longer needed to participate in underground racing circuits in Rio to secure the necessary vehicles for their missions, as seen in the movie.

Freed from concerns about their activities, Jack seized the opportunity to indulge in a leisurely vacation. His days were filled with yacht parties, surfing, sailing, and even skydiving. He had no qualms about being directly embroiled in Toretto and his team's operations.

On the flip side, Agent Luke Hobbs remained conspicuously absent since the day Jack had sent him to the hospital with a minor bone fracture.

Recovering would take Hobbs at least two to three months, prompting the FBI to dispatch additional personnel to take over his command. With his right hand now encased in a cast, he was incapable of leading any armed operations.

Elena suggested using Hobbs' injuries as leverage to have Jack arrested, a notion that briefly appealed to Hobbs. However, a phone call from his superior quickly put an end to this plan.

Had he tackled the issue from the outset, Hobbs might have successfully brought Jack back to the bureau for questioning, nipping any potential problems in the bud.

At most, he would have faced a reprimand. But now, he had failed to do so, and Jack had made some phone calls, escalating the situation.

The wealthy often wield significant power, and billionaires like Jack held even more sway. 

Hobbs realized that he needed to weigh the worth of his actions, especially in Jack's case. Jack might not have committed any overtly illegal acts.

Fabricating false charges might work with low-level criminals, but with a businessman of Jack's stature...

Hobbs could find himself bankrupt from the ensuing lawsuits.

The investigator who had suggested this plan to Hobbs faced swift repercussions from an irate superior the following day, reassigning him to an isolated department.

Having been scolded and warned by his superiors, Hobbs had no choice but to abandon his pursuit of Jack. His attempt to trap Jack had once again ended in failure.

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