Chapter 138 Rescued
Nico's POV
I nearly toppled over as Marcus floored the gas pedal.
I looked around as fast as my neck could twist as I searched for what could have made him do that.
I saw nothing but an endless road, then my eyes slowly turned to him.
“What the hell, mhen? Why stop now?!” I yelled.
He kept mute and just looked ahead at the road, then back. Like I was searching for something.
“What now?” He asked suddenly.
“Where the hell did that van go?” He finally said in a low tune while leaning forward over the wheel. “We were right behind them, weren't we?”
That's when I realized that there was no sign of the van anywhere and in fact, we could be chasing shadows at this point.
“What now?” He asked when he probably ran out of room to twist around.
That's when I remembered my little shot and found myself hoping it did the trick.
So I didn’t answer right away, I remembered that while he’d been doing his crazy swerves and shots back there, I’d shot a small tracker to the rear bumper of Dante’s van.
It was that kind of planning Marcus would never think about.
With that, I pulled the tablet from the glove box, tapping the screen once and maneuvering through till a red dot blinked on the map.
“Relax, hot head. I put a tracker on it while you were playing cowboy. They’re two miles ahead, heading north on the old service road,” I called out.
Marcus glanced over and raised a brow with a half-smile tugging at the corner of his lips again. “Look at you. Thinking ahead for once. How cute,” he shot back.
My face heated up and I kept my eyes down on the tablet so he wouldn’t see.
“Someone has to. You had to just drive like you’re trying to kill us both,” I muttered.
He laughed under his breath. “And that driving is the only reason we aren't dead,” he teased and I couldn't argue with that.
So I didn’t reply, my chest did that tight thing again anyway.
The same thing it always did when caught up like this.
Marcus leaned forward and glanced down at the screen before pushing the sedan forward.
The engine roared to life at once and I partly gave thanks that it was a good model.
One would think that with all his crazy driving, it would be in pieces by now.
Trees blurred past us as Marcus didn't take it down one bit.
“I know a shortcut!” He screamed and before I could argue, he cut into the dirt again, dodging through the trees again.
I placed the tablet between a fix and Marcus took a look, guiding his drive with each move of the red dot.
It wasn't long before we cut out into the main road again and I immediately recognized the familiar structures.
We had hit the service road and the red dot grew closer on the screen.
Other cars started appearing with normal people heading home late by now.
Marcus weaved between them like they were cones on a track with one truck honking loud as we flashed past its bumper.
I gripped the door handle tighter. “Easy!” I screamed.
“Easy’s gonna get Dante killed!” He shot back, but eased off the gas just enough to slip through a gap between two cars.
After another few minutes of his Bond kind of driving, we finally saw the van.
Its single taillight glowed ahead, and with no escorts left, it was easy pickings.
Marcus grinned wide as we approached it. “There you are,” he smirked.
He pulled up fast on the left side and the van quickly noticed.
Its driver swerved hard, trying to shove us off the road while Marcus fought with the wheel to keep us steady.
“Any plan?” I asked as I held onto the door for dear life.
But Marcus didn’t slow a bit. “You jump. I’ll ram him from the side so you don’t slide off!” He yelled back.
I stared at him. “You’re insane!” I replied.
“It’s the only way!” He said again, softer this time.
The van tried to ram us once more but Marcus yanked the wheel, matching its speed.
The two vehicles ran side by side, inches apart. And I took a breath, picking up my gun, and climbing out the passenger window.
My boots found the narrow ledge on the sedan’s door while Marcus kept the car glued tight to the van, giving me something solid under my feet to climb.
The van’s side door was locked so I reached for the front instead.
My fingers grabbed the mirror and the driver caught me. He rolled the window down fast and popped a gun out immediately.
I ducked as a shot cracked past my ear while the glass from our own windshield exploded, just barely missing Marcus.
Then Marcus slammed the sedan into the van again, rocking it hard. The impact gave me the half-second I needed and I swung up landing my boots on the narrow climbing support.
The driver fired again but I swung to my right, dodging the bullet. My hand found the handle but it was locked.
I smashed the window with the butt of my gun, and the driver swung the pistol towards me.
But I got one shot off first, clean through the shoulder. The guy screamed as the wheel jerked and the van swerved wildly.
Marcus rammed us one last time from the side and the van finally lost control. It slid sideways, then flipped once, crashing hard into the ditch, crashing me inside.
I immediately took a shot at the driver without aiming, landing it straight in his head.
I pushed him off me and crawled over to the back.
“Dante!” I called out, searching for him.
I found him on the floor in the back. He was cuffed with a bag still over his head and his body looking limp.
I ripped the bag off fast, worried he may have suffocated by now.
His eyes were half-open, looking all dazed up from the gas and crash.
“Don,” I muttered, cutting the unlocking the cuffs with my device. “You don’t get to play hero and leave us behind,” I murmured as I dragged him towards the door.
The door pulled open and Marcus’ face showed up.
“Great plan by the way,” I muttered over to him. “Get me hanging on the van then knock it over, pretty smooth,” I added.
He chuckled. “I knew you'll find a way, besides, you kept the driver distracted,” he defended and I only shook my head as I dragged Dante out.
Be helped me out and we got Dante out and laid him on the grass.
He blinked slowly, trying to focus as he was probably enjoying the scent of fresh air.
Dante's POV
The world still spun heavily.
My head felt stuffed with cotton and the taste of blood never left my tongue.
Nico and Marcus stood on either side of me with their faces closer than they probably were.
They looked to be breathing hard like they’d run a marathon and the van lay on its side in the ditch with smoke spilling from the hood.
I tried to stand but my legs didn’t listen right away and Marcus caught my arm before I could.
“Easy, Don,” he said.
I looked at the wreck, then back at them. The way they stood together hit me differently tonight.
They’d come for me, didn't bother waiting for backup, just them.
“You two argued the whole way here?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Nico gave a short laugh. “Like always,” he joined in.
While Marcus just smirked. “He still thinks plans matter more than speed,” he objected.
I shook my head, the motion making the ground shake a bit.
“You shouldn’t have had to come after me. I stayed so you could get clear,” I croaked out.
Marcus' face hardened. “That’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever said. We’re not leaving you. Ever,” he said firmly.
Nico nodded once. “Team. Remember?”
I swallowed as the words sat heavily. They always had my back. Even when I tried to push them away.
Marcus helped me to my feet. “So… after all this time… you actually know where or who the mole is now?”
I looked down the dark road.
“I think I have an idea.”