Reborn as an American Writer

Hobbs shouted at the driver beside him, "Stop the car! We need to get out and rescue Tom and the others!"

After issuing the command, Hobbs turned and yelled at the terrified Elena sitting in the back, "Watch them!" With his orders given, he grabbed his weapon, opened the door, and leaped out of the now-stationary Knight XV.

Once outside, Hobbs quickly fired a three-shot burst, taking down a bandit who was about to launch another rocket at the overturned SUVs behind them. As he scanned the scene, he saw the wreckage—both SUVs were flipped, wheels in the air. Inside, his men lay motionless, their heads hanging limp, either dead or knocked out from the explosions.

Fury surged through Hobbs as he surveyed the destruction. His arrogance had cost his men their lives, and now he faced the reality that Hernan had gone to such lengths to ambush them. It was a scene of utter carnage.

Despite his anger, Hobbs couldn't immediately rush to help his men. The moment he stepped out of the vehicle, he became the focus of intense gunfire. Mario's men concentrated their fire on the lead vehicle, pinning Hobbs down.

Seeing his boss under heavy fire, the driver quickly unbuckled and exited from the other side, intending to provide cover for Hobbs and alleviate some of the pressure.

"It's on! The fight has started!" Castle's voice rang out with excitement. In their hotel room, he and his tech-savvy companion watched the action unfold through the drone and street cameras. Castle, thrilled by the unfolding drama, turned to his companion and said, "Look, they're getting hammered. What do you think, can Hobbs and his men turn this around?"

The techie, watching the intense battle on the screen, seemed doubtful. "Uncle Rick, you really think they can win? Hobbs isn't a superhero. From what I see, they're more likely to get killed than to turn this around."

Castle gave a knowing smile. "You don't understand the protagonist's luck or the hero's invincibility aura. Just watch. Hobbs still has Dominic, Brian, and Vince on his side. Things might not end up the way you expect."

The techie, perplexed but intrigued by Castle's confidence, decided to focus on the unfolding scene, putting his faith in Castle's mysterious optimism.

Unlike Castle, Hobbs was in a dire situation. Under the driver's covering fire, he managed to find a brief moment to catch his breath. However, the sight of the flipped SUVs and his unconscious men only fueled his rage.

Fortunately for Hobbs, Mario's men were disorganized and poorly coordinated. After their initial impressive rocket attack, their subsequent actions were chaotic and unstructured. They had no proper fire support or tactical advancement. Their haphazard assault and simultaneous need to reload left significant gaps in their offensive. This lack of coordination was due to Mario being occupied at the police station, overseeing the hidden stash of Hernan's cash, and unable to lead the ambush directly.

Hobbs, a seasoned fighter, quickly noticed this vulnerability. He shouted the names of his fallen comrades, hoping they were merely stunned and not dead. But with no response from the four men, his heart sank.

With only himself and the driver able to fight, Hobbs knew they had to hold off the attack to survive. There was no time to mourn. They had to withstand this assault and then find a way to retaliate.

Just as Hobbs prepared to defend their position, Mario's men threw several offensive grenades from the rooftops, landing them in front of the overturned SUVs. The resulting explosions turned the vehicles and the men inside into a blazing inferno, obliterating any hope of rescue.

"No!" Hobbs roared, pushed to the brink of madness. Watching his team be mercilessly slaughtered enraged him beyond belief. His anger now fueled his every move as he and the driver emerged from the cover of the Knight XV, weapons blazing.

Inside the vehicle, Elena made a critical mistake. Distracted by the chaos outside, she relaxed her guard over Dominic and the others. As the sound of gunfire and explosions intensified, her focus shifted to the battle raging outside.

This lapse gave Dominic and Brian, experienced in dealing with law enforcement, the opportunity to free themselves from their handcuffs. When Elena finally realized something was amiss, it was too late—Dominic lunged, pinning her down in the rear compartment. Although Dominic controlled her, he did so without causing unnecessary harm, preventing her from drawing her weapon.

"Don't you see the situation we're in?" Dominic told the struggling Elena. "If we stay in this car, hoping Hobbs and his two men can save us, we're dead. We have to help them, or none of us will make it out alive."

Meanwhile, Brian had already freed Vince and Mia from their restraints. Thanks to Hobbs' foresight, the Knight XV was stocked with an arsenal of weapons, giving them the means to fight back.

Brian grabbed an unusual AR rifle equipped with a dual-drum magazine holding 100 rounds. This weapon, designed for sustained fire, was perfect for providing heavy suppressive fire. Only Hobbs' quirky preferences would include such an odd but now invaluable firearm in their arsenal.

Vince picked up an MP5 submachine gun and handed Dominic a M1014 shotgun along with a bandolier of shells.

Dominic, with Elena subdued, turned to Mia. "Stay here with Elena," he instructed. "Get into the driver's seat. We're going to get Hobbs and then we're breaking out of here. We don't have enough manpower or firepower to take down all of Hernan's men, so once we rescue Hobbs, we make a run for it. Understand?"

Mia nodded, her face set with determination. "Got it. You be careful out there."

Dominic grinned fiercely. "Brian, Vince, let's do this."

Outside, Hobbs, positioned at the front of the Knight XV, poured his fury into his assault. Suddenly, he was taken aback as Dominic, Brian, and Vince emerged from the rear of the vehicle, armed and ready. Their sudden counterattack caught Hernan's men off guard, their concentrated fire giving Hobbs and his driver a much-needed respite.

But amidst the chaos, Hobbs failed to notice a hand grenade thrown by Hernan's men, arcing through the air towards him.

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