Before I could throw the engine into a lower gear, the road took a hairpin turn –
And we skidded sideways.
Now my heart reallywasbeating hard.
“TURN INTO THE SKID – TURN INTO IT!” Rachel shouted.
But I didn’t do it in time –
And we crashedthroughthe guardrail.
The entire car shuddered violently –
And then we were sailing over the side of the mountain.
“FUCK!” I yelled as the entire world outside turned upside down and the seatbelt pulled hard against my body.
There was a brief instant as jagged rocks rushed up at us.
The entire car jolted as we landedhard–
And the words ‘SIMULATION OVER’ appeared on the windshield.
“…and we’re dead,” Rachel said drily.
“That was the hardest one yet!” I complained, my ego wounded.
“I know. You’re getting better, though.”
Suddenly, Lars’s voice came over the simulator’s speakers.“He killed you. Don’t COMPLIMENT him, for God’s sake.”
Rachel laughed. “Why don’t you get in here and show us how it’s done, then?”
“I think it’s better for everybody if I stick to being a sniper.”
“I drive wellandI’m a sniper,” Rachel pointed out.
“Yes, well, not everybody’s as talented as you.”
“Goddamn right,” she said cheerfully.
“Can I do another run, boss?” I asked Lars.
“No, Adriano’s here.”
“Okay,” I said as I opened the door and climbed out of the simulator.
It was a monster – basically a six-foot-tall metal box with an interior like a sports car. Photorealistic graphics played on all the computer-screen windows, and special hydraulics made it rattle and shake exactly like a real car – especially when you crashed.
It couldn’t quite make you feel like you werereallyupside down, though. The best it could do was tighten the seatbelts.
And thank God it didn’t actually kill you.
The Rosolinis had bought the simulator three weeks ago for millions of euros. It currently sat in the garage with the family’s sports cars and fleet of bulletproof Mercedes. Ever since the simulator had arrived, Lars had made all the foot soldiers start using it as part of our training.
We all sucked at it, so Rachel volunteered to ride along and teach us. Under her guidance, I had improved tremendously in just the last three sessions.
Which wasn’t quite enough for Lars.
