"I liked the sentence you said earlier very much. Whoever has the bigger fist makes the rules."
"Are you human?" Hobbs finally realized what had happened just now, raised his head, and asked with surprise.
"I think so... but not entirely sure" Jack frowned and seemed to seriously consider it for a while.
"Probably." he said after considering it for a long time.
"Okay, let's end our conversation here for today. It's getting late. My bonfire party is still waiting for me,"
Jack smiled and walked away.
"Agent Hobbs, I hope you think more carefully before you act next time. Otherwise... next time, I might not be so merciful."
"Stop!"
At that moment, Elena's voice made Jack stop and stand still.
"Are you serious?"
Jack turned around and looked at the woman pointing a gun at him. For some reason, he suddenly felt like messing around. Maybe his brother Alex Ashborn is influencing him.
He used a cold, emotionless voice and paired it with an expressionless face.
"You're playing with fire, woman."
Before Elena could respond and say something, Jack continued on his own.
"Hey... forget it, this is too embarrassing. It's not my style."
"Sure enough, this domineering gangster style isn't suitable for me... forget it, I'll just stick with my usual style..." Jack murmured.
"Ahem, um, who are you? Why are you pointing a gun at me?" He asked Elena.
Elena began to suspect whether Jack had some mental disorder.
"You were attacking the police publicly just now!" Elena said without hesitation.
"We need you to come with us and cooperate with the investigation!"
"Really?" Jack raised an eyebrow.
"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 moved the pistol in her hand.
"Whoever has the bigger fist makes the rules." She added
"I agree with this sentence, but it applies to me in this situation," Jack smiled.
"You may have a gun, but I have the power and backing. It's best if Agent Hobbs can explain it to you here.
"Lower the gun, Elena,"
Hobbs stood up and walked to Elena's side, shaking his head. He pressed the gun into Elena's hand and started explaining to her.
"We can't use a gun. He's not a criminal, and his record is clean."
If he had caught Jack and been detained for a few days, his boss could help him easily. But if shots are fires, then it's a totally different matter.
If something were to happen to any citizen around or to someone as powerful and clean as Jack, then not only would Hobbs not be able to complete his task. But he would also face revenge from Toretto and others later on. It's not worth the risk.
"But!" Elena's eyes widened.
"There are no buts," Hobbs shook his head, waving his hand. He walked over to Jack and said, "Come on, let's do it the old fashion way!"
Hobbs was utterly bewildered about how he had been thrown out so easily. Jack may have been in good shape, but there was no way he could have launched himself that far on his own.
"Okay, let's go again," Jack said with a grin.
Hobbs gritted his teeth and swung a straight punch at Jack. Rather than avoiding it, Jack threw a punch of his own, but this time he held back a bit on the force.
(THUD)
The fists collided with a loud thud, causing those nearby to turn their heads. Despite the difference in the size of their arms, Hobbs's thicker arm visibly trembled and was pushed backwards.
"What the hell?!" Hobbs yelled, his fists clenched in frustration. "You were holding back on me or something?"
Jack chuckled. "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."
▪▪▪▪
[Sometime Later]
"Is that all you've got?" Jack smiled and waved his hand.
"Goodbye, Agent Hobbs. I wish you all the best. Oh, and I'll forget about this little incident..."
"You..." Elena still wanted to keep Jack around.
"No, let's go to the hospital first," Hobbs called out, still gasping for breath.
He felt like his hand had been split in two!
After watching Hobbs and the others leave, Jack called Toretto and explained what had happened.
"So, you whopped his ass?" Toretto laughed.
"Yup, pretty much. Haha!" Jack said.
"You should hurry up, Toretto. We need to figure out what's going on with that safe in the police station before we can officially start planning."
"Of course," Toretto said.
"We'll get to the bottom of it."
"Okay, but it's better to be careful," Jack yawned.
"Toretto, after we finish this job, it's time to wash our hands of all this and return to a normal life. Especially now that we have kids to think about."
"That's the plan," Toretto replied seriously.
"And if everything goes well, we won't have to do this again."
Jack didn't comment on this. He knew that Toretto won't be able to change his ways so easily. After all, the thrill and adventure of playing with death are engraved in his blood.
▪▪▪▪
[Several Days Later]
It had been several days since Jack had last seen Toretto and Brian. As promised, he stopped participating in their illegal activities. He only provided them with equipment and technical support for their modifications.
With Jack's expertise, everything became much easier for Toretto and the others. There were no safety concerns thanks to the armoured off-road vehicle, which was practically indestructible in the city, and no weapons could threaten them.
Toretto and Brian are skilled drivers. With Jack's equipment support, they no longer need to participate in underground racing circuits in Rio to get their cars for the mission, like in the movie.
Instead of worrying about their actions, Jack took the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing vacation, spending his days partying on a yacht, surfing, sailing, and skydiving. He had no concerns about being directly involved in Toretto and the others' activities.
On the other hand, Agent Luke Hobbs had not been seen since the day Jack sent him to the hospital with a slight bone fracture.
It would take Hobbs at least two or three months to recover, so the FBI sent additional personnel to take over his command. Hobbs was now sporting a cast on his right hand, unable to lead any armed operations.
Elena proposed using Hobbs' injuries to ask to take Jack into custody. Hobbs was also moved by this idea. However, after answering a call from his superior, he gave up on this plan.
Suppose he had taken care of the matter right from the beginning. In that case, he could have brought Jack back to the bureau for interrogation, cutting off any potential issues.
At most, he would have received a scolding. Now, however, he had not succeeded, and Jack had made a few phone calls, causing the problem to become serious.
Being rich often means being powerful. Billionaires hold some weight, let alone a billionaire of Jack's calibre...
At least, before you act, you must weigh whether it is worth it, especially in Jack's case. He may not have done anything illegal, at least not on the surface.
Could have fabricated some false charges. But this set of tactics will only work on punks, but for a businessman like Jack...
Hobbs would most likely get bankrupt from all the lawsuits.
The investigator who suggested this to Hobbs was sent to a desolate department by an angry leader the next day.
After successfully getting scolded and warned by his superiors, Hobbs could only give up on catching Jack. His Jack trap has failed yet again.