Page 22 of All The Pretty Little Lies

We lapse into silence as we approach our first checkpoint. Alex's voice crackles through the earpiece I had forgotten I’d put in.

“I just uploaded the tracking software to each vehicle. You should only have a few seconds delay from my screen with the satellite uplink.”

The car's navigation system beeps softly, and I check the screen. "They're heading north," I report. "Looks like they're taking the scenic route."

"Perfect," Zaire mutters. He takes a sharp right, guiding us onto a narrow access road that runs parallel to the highway. We can see the steady stream of traffic to our left, a river of metal and exhaust fumes.

I take the chance to fire off a text to her new phone that Alex stashed in the car.

Put on your seatbelt and hold tight. Things are about to get interesting.

The car's engine purrs as we race along the access road, the scenery blurring into a smear of green and gray. Zaire's eyes are fixed on the road ahead, his hands gripping the wheel with white-knuckled intensity. I keep my gaze locked on the navigation screen, watching the blinking dot that represents Vesper's car as it moves steadily northward.

"Alex, how's it looking on your end?" I ask, pressing a finger to my earpiece.

"All clear so far," he replies, his voice tinged with static. "I've got eyes on the traffic cams and police scanners. Nothing unusual to report."

As we speed along, I can't help but think of Alex back at the warehouse. He'd insisted on staying behind, claiming he could do more good from there. I know he's right – his skills are better utilized in coordinating our efforts and monitoring the digital landscape – but a part of me wishes he were here with us. Still, someone needs to take care of the loose ends, including Zaire's distinctive Lamborghini. Alex had promised to give it a new paint job and swap out the plates before stashing it in a secure location. It's a small comfort, knowing that piece of our old lives will be waiting for us if we make it through this.

Suddenly, the dot on the screen veers sharply to the right. "Shit!" I exclaim. "They're changing direction!"

Zaire curses under his breath, scanning the road ahead for an opportunity to turn. But we're boxed in, concrete barriers on one side and a steep embankment on the other. "I can't turn here," he growls, frustration evident in his voice.

"There's an exit coming up in half a mile," I report, my heart racing. "We can loop back around."

The next thirty seconds feel like an eternity. As soon as we reach the exit, Zaire takes it at breakneck speed, the tires screeching in protest. He executes a flawless U-turn, and we're racing back the way we came, desperate to make up lost ground.

"Talon, what's your status?" I bark into the comm.

"I made the turn," he replies, his usually calm voice tight with tension. "But there's some kind of accident or construction up ahead. Traffic's at a standstill. I'm stuck."

My stomach drops. "Can you get around it?"

"Negative," Talon grunts. "It's completely blocked. You two need to find another route. I'll catch up when I can."

Zaire nods grimly, already scanning for alternate roads. "On it," he says, taking a sharp left onto a narrow side street.

We weave through a maze of residential areas, the houses blurring past in suburban monotony. I keep my eyes glued to the screen, calling out directions as we go. "Left here. Now right. Straight for two miles.”

The suburban landscape gives way to a more industrial area, warehouses and factories looming on either side of the narrow street. Zaire's knuckles are white on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched as he navigates the unfamiliar territory.

"Alex, what's the status of Vesper's car?" I demand, my heart pounding in my ears.

There's a moment of tense silence before Alex's voice crackles through the earpiece. "They've stopped. About two miles ahead of your current position."

Relief floods through me, but it's short-lived. Zaire accelerates, the engine roaring as we tear down the empty street. We're so close. So damn close.

"Wait," Alex's voice cuts through again, panic evident in his tone. "The signal...it's gone. I've lost them."

"What do you mean, you've lost them?" I shout, panic clawing at my throat. "Alex, what the fuck is happening?"

"I don't know!" he yells back, the sound of furious typing coming through the comm. "The tracker just went dark. I'm trying to reestablish the connection, but?—.”

I don't hear the rest of what he says. My mind is racing, scenarios flashing through my head, each one worse than the last. Vesper captured, Vesper hurt, Vesper...

"Oscar!" Zaire's sharp voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts. "Get it together. We're almost at their last known location."

I force myself to take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. "Right," I manage to say. "Right. Let’s just get there."

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