Page 89 of Jackal

We were already down on the floor, so we all hugged tighter, jumping each time another shot rang out.

“After everything that’s happened, I can’t believe I’m going to die in a car with a mob boss,” I said.

Mama Hen sucked in a breath, clearing her throat. “Jesus, how embarrassing,” she said with a sniffle. “You’re not dying in this car. Do you think they’d put us in a car if it wasn’t bulletproof?” she asked as she wiped under her eyes. Her breath hitched again but she licked her lips. “Now you don’t mention this to anyone, ever.”

She turned to Penny, and grabbed her hand. They shared a look, and Penny wiped her eyes before Mama Hen leaned in and kissed her cheek.

“Mom,” she said, rubbing the spot.

“And there’s my girl.” Mama Hen looked around at us all huddled on the floorboard of the car. “I’m gonna get back in the seat.”

She and Penny climbed back to their seats, but the rest of us looked at each other, still jumping each time a shot hit the car. We didn’t say anything, but we silently agreed to stay put, no matter how silly we looked.

It felt like an eternity as we sat and listened to the gunfire outside of the car. I imagined the large SUVs that were accompanying us were taking part, but I couldn’t see anything from where I was sitting.

Mama Hen grabbed Penny’s hand, and she had a renewed sense of calm in her, so I sat up like a muskrat, peeking out the back window.

“Holy shit,” I said as I watched a limo, like the one we were in, flying toward all of us. “Is that them?”

“I hope so, or that driver probably just lost his tip,” Mama Hen said.

We all piled onto the seat, gripping the top as we watched in awe, or horror, the jury was still out. My emotions were all over the place and my heart was racing.

The bikers must have caught a glimpse of the car flying up behind them, as they sped up even more. Our car accelerated as well, and now we were in a high-speed chase.

“Girls, may be best to sit down and brace yourself, just to be safe,” Mama Hen told us.

It was like a train wreck, though. We couldn’t look away. Instead, we all locked hands, and I forgot how to breathe as I watched the limo catch up to the bikes that were incredibly close to us.

The large SUVs had flanked both sides of us and each had a man hanging out the window with a long barrel aimed at the bikes. There were four bikes now, but I didn’t know when the extra two came into play. When we all realized they were behind us, everything went to shit fast.

Suddenly, the limo gunned it, swerved a little, then broadsided one of the bikes which sent them all sliding across the road like dominos. But the car spun out of control.

We all screamed as we watched the bikes fall, slide, and send the drivers across the road. Lacy and I squeezed each other’s hands so hard, surely we’d leave a mark, but I didn’t care.

More than likely, Jackal was in that car that was about to roll into a ditch. But as it did, we kept going.

Realizing we were moving away from the accident, I finallytook a breath and remembered how to speak. “Wa–wait, wait, wait! Stop the car!” I screamed. Scrambling to the other seat, I started banging on the window. “Stop the car! I’m a doctor, are you dense?”

The partition rolled down partially. “Yes, I remember Dr. Raja. But I was instructed to keep you away from the danger, so that’s what I intend to do.”

“Petrov! My son is in that car. Do you want to protect your investment or not?”

“We will pull over and wait, but I am not allowing you to exit the car until I hear from them. End of discussion.” And he raised the partition.

“What a pussy,” I said.

“I think he can hear us,” Penny said.

“And?” I quipped. “He wouldn’t even roll down the little window. Now he has us trapped in here. Good plan.”

Mama Hen grabbed my hand and patted it with her other. “He’s probably right. We need to let them sort it out before we go over there. We’re bulletproof in here. Not out there.”

Clenching my jaw, I squeezed her hand. No amount of arguing would work and honestly, after a few deep breaths, I realized I probably shouldn’t have called this mafia guy a pussy.

Holding Mama Hen’s hand and staring across at my friends, all I could do was take slow, deep breaths and wait to see if they were able to walk away from the wreck and without getting shot at in the process.

Chapter 49

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