Page 16 of Guarding Zuri
“I take it you’ve never been in a high-speed chase,” Daemon added. “I could do this in my sleep.”
The SUV in front of them continued straight while Daemon made a right onto another street.
“They missed the turn,” David remarked.
“Who?” Zuri asked. “Who missed their turn?” She rotated, looking out the densely tinted back window. “Why aren’t we following my father?”
Daemon’s frown at her in the rearview mirror. “Your father’s vehicle should’ve turned left when we went right.”
“Parker said the EG is coming in from the west,” David said.
“We won’t make it if I don’t lead.”
“Road is too narrow. Joqi knows the city. We’ve gotta trust him to get back.”
Daemon grunted. “Is Parker talking to him?”
“Yup, and Archer’s following.”
“Who’s Archer?” Zuri asked.
Daemon glanced at her in the rearview mirror. The whites of her eyes loomed large. Her lips stretched wide and her chest heaved. Was she close to hyperventilating? “Archer’s a buddy of ours. He’ll back them up if they get into any trouble. We’ll get out of this Zuri.”
A spark flew off the front of their car. “Where did that come from?” Daemon asked.
David angled his face to see out of the windshield. “Snipers from the roofs.”
“How can you be so calm about this?” Zuri screeched. “There are snipers on the roofs? How did they find us?”
“Because they knew about this meeting,” Daemon shouted. “Like I said, you should’ve waited. They’re locking this area down to a radius of a few miles, would be my guess.”
“A few miles!”
“This is nothing Daemon and I haven’t done before,” David said. “That’s why I can remain calm. If you don’t, you make a mistake. Daemon, I’m more concerned about the snipers on this route.”
“Agreed. They made a lucky guess unless they have guys on every rooftop from here to the center of the city. I’m going to circle around to Joqi’s vehicle.” Daemon made a sharp left turn. In front of them, Joqi’s SUV zoomed past and Daemon slipped onto the road behind them. “Perfect timing. Archer’s right behind us.”
A loud explosion boomed. A few cars up, fire erupted from a car and a pileup ensued. Joqi’s vehicle slammed into another car and flipped on its side. “Father!” Zuri screamed. Daemon cursed and slammed on the brakes before releasing and swerving around.
“My father! We can’t leave him!”
“Zuri, we have no choice,” Daemon argued.
“You work for me!Stop the car!”
“Oh, now I work for you?”
Against his gut, Daemon hit the brakes hard. He and David grabbed the long guns sitting between their seats. Daemon pierced Zuri with a glare. “Don’t you dare leave this vehicle.” He didn’t wait for her acknowledgment. She wouldn’t give it, anyway.
Daemon and David raced to the other vehicle’s side along with another large man Zuri suspected was their friend Archer. Bayo and another guard had already climbed out. The guard provided them with cover fire. When Daemon reached Bayo, the elder collapsed.
“Help him!”
Daemon’s head snapped toward Zuri’s voice. She was bent, running in their direction. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Princess!” He grabbed her arm and pulled her down towards him. She fell against her father behind the cover of the vehicle. Daemon used his body to shield them both. “I thought I told you to stay in the car!”
She took a hold of Bayo’s arm, a grim determined look on her face. “Help me!” Daemon grasped the other arm.
They both dragged Bayo to the other side of their vehicle, keeping it between them and the bullets. The other guard hobbled with David’s help.
