✓ | 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐎𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐞 ♡ Tej Parker

THIRTY-SEVEN

Hobbs approached Tej after getting back from Dom's encounter with Owen, "Tej, talk to me, what have we got?" Riley stood next to Hobbs as Tej turns to them. "We were able to track Shaw after he left you and Dom," Tej starts explaining, "But this guy's smart, so we could only track him so far. He seems to know all the city's blind spots. See, we lost him somewhere in here, which means he could be anywhere within that half a mile radius. Maybe if we cross-reference phone records, leases..."

Riley shook her head, "No, this has got Shaw's name written all over it. We've got vantage points, multiple exits, subways, highways and storm drains." Hobbs turns to Riley, "Badass and brains. Woman, you keep that up, I'm going to be out of a job. All right, let's go nail that son of a bitch." Hobbs and Riley leave and bust into Owen's hideout with guns at the ready, only to find it empty. "They're long gone," Riley says as she holsters her gun, "There's nothing here." Hobbs starts looking around as he holsters his gun.

"There's never nothing," Hobbs says as he squats down shining his flashlight at the ground to find some paint, "There's always something." Hobbs pulls out his phone as he collects some of the paint for a sample. The contact 'Samoan Thor' pops up on Tej's phone before he answers it. "Yo, it's Hobbs," Tej says getting everyone's attention. "What have you got, Parker? Give me something good," Hobbs asks him. "Yeah, that paint you got from Shaw's place is highly specialized. Anti-thermal, low-IR coating," Tej explains to him.

"Military," Reyna says as she walks in, everyone looked at her noticing her tear-stained cheeks. "Exactly," Tej says in agreement as he furrows his brows, Reyna shook her head at him before mouthing 'tell you later'. "We got a list of bases around Europe that uses this paint type and those specific colours," Tej explains to Hobbs. "All right, let's cross-reference that with all of Shaw's military targets," Hobbs orders, "I guaran-damn-tee you one of them is gonna match." Tej began typing away cross-referencing all of the targets when one hit, "Bingo. It's a NATO base in Spain."

"That puts Shaw in a different country," Dom says as he shares a glance with Reyna, concerned about her after seeing her saddened expression. "That means he's got an eight hour lead on us," Reyna says as she looks around at the team. "We gotta move now. Tej, give me that info. Riley and I will go ahead and we're going to lock down the base. We're going to protect that component personally," Hobbs explains as the team gathers around the phone, "Roshani, I'll arrange transportation for you and your cars. You brush up on your Spanish, boys and girls. I'll see you en España."

The team turn to Reyna once they've hung up on Hobbs "What happened?" Dom asks as Tej pulled Reyna into his arms, rubbing her back to soothe her. She pulled away after a moment, Tej rested his arm around her waist. "Benny and I raced and then we spoke," Reyna started as she looked around at her family, "He, uh, told me some things... Owen and his father were the ones responsible for my mother's death, for Benny's death. My father and Owen's father had a business together and apparently, my father pulled out, he was threatened but he didn't listen."

She took a deep breath as she rested her head on Tej's shoulder, "Benny was trying to take him down from the inside out with an alias, Mitchell Romos. Shaw wants me dead." Everyone looked around at each other as their leader, their sister let a tear fall, let her walls collapse in front of some of the most important people in her life. She was willing to show them that vulnerability, she always believed that her mother and brother died in a car accident only for it to be an intentional target and what she wanted was Brian's comfort, they all knew that.

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The elevator opens to reveal Brian who instantly looked around at the team noticing them heading towards it with their bags in hand. "You son of a bitch! You made it!" Rome says with a laugh as he drops his bags before he and Brian bro-hug. "Good to see you," Tej says as he and Brian bro-hug. "So, what's going on here?" Brian asks as Han and Gisele walk over. "Figured out that they're hitting an army base in Spain. Border patrol ID'ed Shaw's men crossing through last night," Tej answers him before sparing a glance at Reyna who was standing with Dom.

Han spoke next as he looked at Brian, "Hobbs and Riley went to lock down the base. They're going to meet us there." Brian nodded as he looked at Gisele, "Where's Dom and Rey?" She smiled slightly, "They weren't going without you." She looks behind her motioning to where they were. Brian went to walk forward only to be stopped by Han, "Rey needs you right now." Brian furrowed his brows before nodding, he looked at Tej who nodded to him before walking over to Dom and Rey.

"I found out what happened to Letty," Brian tells them once he reached the two leaders, "It's all my fault." Reyna looked up at Brian before he pulled her into a hug. "Brian, whatever you found out, that's for you," Dom says as he faces him, "What we're about to do now is for her." Brian nodded before looking down at Reyna. "I'll leave you to talk," Dom tells them before grabbing his and Reyna's bags and walking over to the team. Brian began rubbing circles into Reyna's back as she melted in his brotherly embrace, this was what she needed in this moment.

Brian lifted his hand placing it under her chin to raise her head to look at him, "What's happened?" He spoke softly, Reyna took a deep breath before explaining what she had learned. She didn't mention the undercover part to the team but she told Brian knowing he'd understand it better. Brian pulled her back into his embrace as his hatred for Shaw grew at the thought of him going after Reyna, though he respected Benny and his actions to protect his sister in a way that he, himself would.

"It's gonna be alright, Reyna. We're gonna bring Benny and Letty home, taking Shaw down in the process. I'll make sure of it," Brian tells her as they pull apart. She nodded as he wiped the stray tears away, "It's time to be strong like I know you can. Let's go kick some ass." Reyna smiled at Brian's words before the two of them made their way to the elevator to meet with the team, she took steady breaths to calm herself before building her walls and preparing herself; she was their leader, after all.

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"We've got four teams on overwatch, sniper spotters in roosts north and south of the target," The NATO commander explains as he leads Hobbs through the base. "Just keep all of your men out of sight," Hobbs tells him, "When they drive the truck in here, I want to come crashing down on them like the walls of Jericho." Riley made her way over to Hobbs with another person, "Hobbs, I just caught this one disabling the perimeter security system." Hobbs glared at Shaw's man before turning to the commander, "Your house is compromised."

The man, offended, looked up at Hobbs, "What you are suggesting?" Hobbs crossed his arms across his chest. "I ain't suggesting," Hobbs answers him, "We follow protocol, we move the component out. Shaw thinks it's here. We're going to get it out of here before he arrives. Stealth and speed are going to be our two best friends. We're going to protect our little egg, move it out of the henhouse, then we're going to wait for that goddamn fox to arrive." The commander nodded as Hobbs looked around the area, ready and waiting.

Tej made his way over to everyone on the plane, "I just got word they caught one of Shaw's men at the base. It's time." Reyna looked down before looking at Brian as he spoke, "Something is not right. He wanted us to find that guy. Think about it. At Interpol, you were face to face with him." Reyna nodded in agreement with him. "Brian, what are you saying?" Rome asks as everyone stands together.

"Braga said the only way you get near Shaw is if he wants you to," Brian explains to him making Reyna perk up, "Tej, where's that component?" Tej looked at her, "They're moving it to a secure location." Reyna sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair, "Shaw ain't hitting that base." Dom looked at her in realization, "He's hitting the convoy." The commander looked up at Hobbs as he rushes out of a room, "We've got a report, the convoy's under attack." Hobbs sighs in annoyance, "Get a chopper, now!"

"Fellas, you better hurry up. They just took the convoy," Tej says over the walkie from his spot on an overpass with Han and Gisele, "And Dom, Rey... Letty and Benny are with them." Reyna took a deep breath as she looked over at Dom, "We stick to the plan." Gisele and Han take off on their bikes as Reyna, Dom, Brian and Rome speed after Shaw's team. "All right, you heard my woman," Tej says over the walkie making Reyna smile, "Let's play this fast and clean. That thing's heading your way." Reyna smirked, When do things ever go clean for them.

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- Rose <3
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