Page 50 of Marko

“Got it. Trigger is ready,” Miki’s voice crackled back. “Stay safe.”

“Here we go,” Melissa said, eyes widening.

As expected, Trigger was waiting up ahead with an actual farmer at the side of the road. I sped past them, and in the rearview mirror, I saw Trigger open the gate in the fence.

Next thing we knew, sheep were heading onto the road, creating another roadblock.

“With luck, that should slow them down this time,” I said with a grin, watching the SUVs struggle to manoeuvre through the large flock.

Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side and the bloody sheep moved too fast. Instead of blocking the way for a good few minutes, as we had hoped, the stupid creatures hurried off the road into the lay-by. Despite the best efforts of Trigger and the farmer we’d bribed, the road was empty again within a few seconds, and the first SUV pushed on past them to continue its pursuit of us. The other one only took a few more seconds to follow.

Damn, damn, and damn again! Plan B was to halt or slow down any pursuit to allow us to get clear of the country roads and make it to the motorway where we could speed off and get away easier. It was not working.

CHAPTER 27

MELISSA

MELISSA (STILL THE SAME DAY – ONTO PLAN C!

The van careened around another sharp bend, the tires squealing as Marko gripped the wheel with white-knuckled determination. I glanced in the side mirror and saw the two SUVs still hot on our trail. My heart pounded in my chest, a wild rhythm that echoed the chaos outside.

“Can’t you go any faster?” I shouted over the roar of the engine, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and adrenaline.

Marko’s jaw was set, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

“I’m trying, Melissa!” he snapped back, the tension in his voice mirroring my own.

I gripped the edge of my seat as I scanned the road ahead, looking for alternative escape routes, every bump and jolt making me more acutely aware of the thin line we were riding between safety and disaster.

There was nothing for it. We needed to move to plan C.

My voice was shaky, but determined as I radioed Miki again. “Miki, Plan B hasn’t worked, it’s time to get serious. We need to move to plan C.”

“On it,” he replied, his tone clipped. “Take the next left and head through the village. There’s a rendezvous point a few minutes away.”

Miki fired off more instructions about what to do next as Marko followed his directions, winding through the narrow country roads until we reached the edge of the village. We ducked down a side street, where two of Miki’s guys stood waiting in overalls. With seconds to spare, they swiftly peeled off the catering signs and customised plates, turning it into a generic white van.

Marko nodded at me, his face tense. “Time to switch rides.”

We ripped off our balaclavas and jumped out. Marko quickly slapped a helmet on my head before donning his own. Climbing onto the waiting motorbike, he gestured for me to get on behind him.

The guys eased the van back onto the road just as the two SUVs roared into the village. Although the van’s appearance had changed, it still looked the same from behind and the SUVs kept tailing it.

Yes, it was working. Relief poured through me as we watched the vehicles pass us by. Miki’s guys were a good distance ahead of the SUV’s now and so hopefully by the time the MP’s security caught up, and saw there were no catering signs and two different people inside, they’d realise they had been duped and give up.

A few minutes later, Marko pulled out and headed in the same direction. There was no other way out of the village, except the way we’d come and that was not an option as we needed to get out of the area fast.

However, once we were through the village, the plan was to let the van go ahead onto the motorway and lead the SUVs away, then for us to continue along the country road which ran parallel to the motorway for several miles. Once we saw the SUV’s end their pursuit, we were to join the motorway at the next junction and head home.

However, yet again, luck was not playing nice, and we rounded a bend to discover a set of temporary traffic lights and unexpected roadworks up ahead had caused the traffic to stop and a long queue to form. Our guys were near the front and the SUV’s near the back with just a few cars between us and them.

Oh hell!

My heart pounded as I watched a guy get out of one of the SUV’s and run to the front of the van. As realisation dawned that it wasn’t their target, the guy rushed back to the vehicles, screaming something into his walkie talkie. He stopped and scanned the road around him, his eyes taking in our bike and I knew without a doubt that he had somehow recognised us

A few seconds later, both vehicles made a U turn and headed back our way.

Panic surged through me. “Marko, they’re coming!” I screamed.

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