Page 55 of Toxic Vengeance

She dove right, rolling and slamming into the concrete wall. The Tesla shot past into the street and screamed around the corner. “Trinity, take that asshole in the blue Tesla out,” she snarled, climbing painfully to her hands and knees.

“On it.”

Zack ran over and took her by the shoulders, anxiously scanning her face. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” He lifted her to her feet and she scanned him in turn. “You?”

“I’m fine. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

They hugged the wall as they ran to the top of the ramp, pausing there to check for the Tesla. “Are we clear?” she asked Trinity.

“I see it. Just turned east heading toward the front entrance of the building,” Trinity responded. “In pursuit now.”

Eden ran with Zack down the sidewalk, both of them watching for new threats. She almost ran into his upraised hand, inches in front of her face. “Stay here,” he told her. “I’m not letting you anywhere near this thing until I’m sure it’s safe.”

She opened her mouth to argue but he’d already turned around for the rental vehicle. Things were tense enough without them arguing, so Eden stayed put, guarding him while he checked it out.

“All right, we’re good,” he called out, and she hurried to the car.

He already had the engine running. As soon as she shut the door, he shot away from the curb. She checked the side mirror, then swiveled to look behind them. “Anything?”

“No. Trinity?”

“Lost it around the next corner. It’s headed east.”

Theywere headed east.

She and Zack looked at each other, then Eden spun around—just in time to see the blue Tesla veer out from behind the truck between them.

“Hang on,” Zack said, and hit the gas. He yanked the wheel to the left, passing the car in front of them before veering back in front. Horns blasted as he hit the brake just in time to whip around the next corner.

The Tesla followed as Zack picked up speed, weaving in and out of traffic. There was so much of it. Innocent bystanders were going to get seriously hurt. “Fifty meters and closing fast. We need to get off this street.”

“Working on it,” he muttered, dodging cars and trucks as he raced to get them away from the Tesla. He took a hard left on a stale amber light, tires squealing. She braced herself against the door, then jerked against the seatbelt when Zack suddenly hammered the brakes to avoid smashing into the back of a minivan.

They both grunted, their heads snapping back when the car behind them rear-ended them. Wincing, Eden turned to look behind them. The Tesla was only three cars back and coming on fast. “Zack—”

He cranked the wheel hard and took off before the other driver even knew what happened. The traffic up ahead was even thicker, ending in a lineup at the next light.

“Hang on,” he warned and cranked the wheel again, spinning them into a sharp U-turn.

More horns blasted, three cars colliding with a metallic crunch as they swerved to avoid them. The Tesla mimicked them, pulling a tight U-turn and coming up behind them.

Zack turned right, trying to get them on a road with more room to move, but it was no use. “You’re gonna have to take out the driver,” he said to her.

Firing her weapon at a moving target with so many innocents between them was a last resort, but they needed to get rid of this asshole if they were going to make their escape.

“Ready.” She rolled down her window, pistol in hand. “Bring him in closer.”

Zack’s face was grim as he eased up on the gas. Eden watched the Tesla in the side mirror, tracking its progress as it neared, counting down to when she would pop her head out the window to fire behind them.

Four. Three. Two—

A black car barreled out of a side street just as they passed it, hurtling toward the Tesla. The Tesla swerved an instant before they collided and was slammed into by a passing delivery truck.

“Your tail’s clear,” Amber said through Eden’s earpiece.

Holy shit. Eden grinned. “It’s Jesse and Amber.” Jesse was behind the wheel. “Great timing,” she told them.

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