“You know, I used to think you were hanging around Waters too much. It’s obvious Nemo has tainted Mythos with his dumbassery.”
“Just our tail left now,” Nemo called from the back.
“Hang onto your seats. Making a quick exit.” Medusa yanked the wheel to the right, careening through two lanes at breakneck speed and exiting the highway.
“We surprised them!” Nemo yelled from the back. “They couldn’t make the lane change in time. Next exit is seven miles. If they want to catch us, they’ll have to find a place to do an illegal U-turn. Grassy median is too steep to just drive across.”
“How long until the airstrip?” Demon asked.
“Four minutes.”
They were the longest four minutes of her life. She kept turning in her seat, scanning the cars behind them, convinced the cartel members would be behind them. Nothing looked out of place, but she didn’t trust it.
“Be ready,” Steel advised. “I only saw two of the vehicles keepgoing past the exit. If they’re worth anything, they’ll be looking ahead to see where we might be headed. The only thing that makes sense is that airstrip.”
By the time Medusa made the turn into Aire Estates, Nova had pinpointed the men pursuing them. One was barely a minute behind them. The other two had found a place to make an illegal turn on the highway and were headed back toward the exit they’d taken. If they were in communication with the third car, it wouldn’t take them long to catch up.
Loki came over the airwaves. “We’ve lost the blue line, but we’ll have to catch up with you later. There’s no way we can make it to the rendezvous point without holding you up. I’ll contact Janus and make alternate plans. In the meantime, we’ll see if we can’t circle back and take care of your hangers-on.”
“Copy that,” Medusa replied.
A sharp left turn, and Medusa was skidding to a stop in the driveway of a large mansion at the far end of the runway. A plane sat, ready and waiting, the pilot hopping inside as soon as they arrived. Eyes trained on all possible avenues to the airstrip, the men piled out of the vehicle.
“Remember what I said,belleza,” Steel said softly. “Run. Don’t stop. We will protect you.”
“And who protects you, Ildefanso?” she challenged.
“My tribe,” he said simply. “We protect each other, and by extension, those who are important to us.”
The sound of a fast-approaching car hit their ears. He smacked her on the ass. “Go!”
Adrenaline spiked, and as she saw the SUV come into view, she pushed off, heading toward the plane. Scheherazade was on her heels. Almost immediately, shots rang out, and a quick glance behind showed a man leaning out the passenger window, firing on her and the others. Everything in her screamed to turn and take a stand, but she also knew she was an open target where she was, stuck in the no-man’s-land between Steel’s friends and the plane. She pushed forward.
Upon reaching the plane, she hopped through the door, then turned, her weapon drawn, hoping to provide cover for the men protecting her.
The passenger dropped his gun, his body hanging loosely out the open window. Someone had managed to hit him.
A different man took his place, this time firing from the rear passenger-side window.
More than a few bullets had hit the oncoming vehicle, but it continued to aim itself at the group of men. From her position in the doorway, her pistol was unlikely to have any accuracy, but…
“Head for the plane,” she yelled.
Without question, the men took off in her direction. TB was at the rear, trying to provide cover, but his body spun out at one point, and he nearly went down to the ground. He’d been hit, but it was unclear where. Managing to right himself, he ran straight for the plane. When the SUV got closer to the vehicle they had arrived in, she aimed for the fuel tank. Two shots later, a fireball bloomed, taking out their pursuers as well.
Nemo stood next to her in the doorway, his chest barely heaving from the run. In answer to his look of surprise, all she said was “Oops,” mimicking his comment after he blew up the safe house earlier.
He laughed. Ildefanso was just hauling himself up into the plane when Nemo clapped him on the shoulder. “I like her. Can we keep her?”
She saw the scowl pass across Ildefanso’s face, but he didn’t answer the question. “Strap in,” was all he said.
Medusa went left into the copilot’s seat, while she, Ildefanso, Nemo, Scheherazade, TB, and Demon went right and sat in their seats. It was a crowded flight, especially given TB’s large size, but it was only for an hour or so until they changed planes.
Demon checked TB’s arm and began administering first aid. The shot had gone through the fleshy part of his bicep.
“Flame’s gonna kick your arse,” Demon joked.
“She’ll cry,” the giant admitted, “but then she’ll make a big production of kissing it better.”
