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The footprints come out of the other side of the bushes. There’s a note pinned to a tree by a knife. I read the note.
She belongs to the cartel now. Do not come after her if you want to live.
I run for my car. They can’t have gotten far. I would have heard their engine approaching.
I do the calculations as I sprint past the cabin. Going through the woods to the road on the far side. They’re only a couple of minutes ahead of me but they’re on foot. I should be able to get in front of them.
Cursing Piper’s name, I dive into my car and get the engine running. I drive fast, gravel spitting behind me as I churn up the track. I spin the wheel left as I hit the road, looking for the car that’ll be waiting for her.
I spot it a second later. She’s being loaded into the side of it and it’s already moving away.
I slam down on the gas, racing to catch up with them. There’s a crossroads ahead and they fly straight over it. I go after them and I’m catching up.
If they’ve hurt her, I will torture them before I kill them. I don’t give a shit about the consequences. All I care about is getting her back.
The note was wrong. She doesn’t belong to the cartel. She belongs to me. I own her. She is mine. I will protect her, no matter what it takes.
I reach into my jacket to pull out my gun, ready to shoot out their tires.
From my left at the crossroads, I catch a glimpse of a black hood and then from that direction, an SUV slams into the side of my car, pushing me sideways, glass shattering in the window, falling into my face.
I’m shoved into the doorframe by the force of the blow, my wheels spinning as my vehicle is pushed off the road, skidding toward the ravine on the far side.
I get hold of the steering wheel and try to move, but I’m still wedged, stuck to the SUV’s hood. My ears are ringing from the impact. I pitch forward at the cliff edge, lurching into thin air.
I go to open the far door, but I’m too slow. I get a single glimpse of men jumping out of the SUV at the last moment and then my car and theirs are falling off the edge, tumbling together into the ravine.
For a few seconds, I’m weightless, lifting off the seat as I brace for impact as best I can, pressing my arms to my side and making myself small, tucking my head into my neck.
With an almighty crash, the two vehicles slam through the tree branches and straight on to the rocky ground below. It’s the trees that stop me from dying instantly, slowing the descent just enough for it to be painful, but not fatal.
My car lands on its side, the SUV sticking into me from above like a spear to the chest.
My head swims as I try to get the passenger door open. I can smell gas coming from somewhere. That’s not good.
Blood is running down my face and blinking it away does nothing. It’s flowing freely from a deep cut to my scalp. My car is filling with the stench of gasoline. I need to get out fast. It could catch fire at any moment.
There’s a creak, and the SUV moves downward, pressing into the bent metal of my car. I’ve seconds left, but my hands are refusing to work.
I crawl into the back. The glass in the rear windows is gone. The SUV creaks again. I’m going to get crushed if I don’t get out right now.
I wipe the blood from my eyes, ignoring the dizziness telling me to sleep. Take a nap, my brain says. Then you can focus again.
I pull myself through the broken window, grunting loudly. There’s a heat growing nearby. Great, now there’s a fire to add to my problems.
I can hear crackling and snapping as twigs catch alight. The heat is strongest by my legs. The SUV falls a foot more into my car, trapping my ankle. With a twist, I manage to get it free, yanking myself the last of the way through the window.
I can’t rest yet. The flames will eat me alive if I stay here.
I don’t look back so I hear but don’t see as the SUV crunches my car flat. There’s a whoosh of heat as the fire spreads upward on a draft of air.
My strength is fading, but I don’t give up. I need to save her before it’s too late. I have to keep moving.
My legs refuse to go any further, so I drag myself away from the flames, using my arms to pull at low hanging branches, forcing my body away from the flames. I try to stand but I’ve no strength left. All I can do is keep crawling until I pass out.
I manage about twenty feet. In front of me, I spot a dirty creek of stinking green water. I pull myself into it, keeping my head above the surface.
Twisting, I lay back, my head resting on an ancient rotting log. I look at the inferno back at the crash site. From above, there’s no way anyone will think I survived.
