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Black storm clouds swelled overhead, and thunder boo buckets so we could hardly see Lightning split the sky, touching down perilously close to our location I ran full-out,This was a solid nature spell, and if we let the weather slow us down long enough for Montoya’s et here, ere so boned Apparently, the sorcerer could do s and summon demons He was a damn jack-of-all-trades, this Vicente--and I wanted him dead almost as much as his brother

It also meant someone had sold me out, either Chuch or one of Escobar’s men I didn’t want to believe that ofhis atteiving me up to save his wife and unborn child In fact, I’d be mad if he didn’t

The wind iant invisible hands Head down, I shoved back, but each step felt like a mile Blinded by wind and rain, I reached for Shannon’s arolf balls, it pelted our skin and left giant welts

Together, we fought to the SUV and ed to slide inside, but visibility was nil Worse than that, the fence meant to protect us would have to be unlocked manually I knew the combination, but that meant more time wasted Still, it wasn’t like I had a choice At least since it was in, this storm couldn’t follow us My amulet, tucked away beneathfine, so we just needed to get out of here

I janition and whipped us toward the fence In the dark and wind and rain, I couldn’t see it until I got right up on it, and then our outlook worsened An SUV barreled toward us, head-on, fro wasn’t good enough to help in a fight Not yet I kind of doubted they had any objects they wanted me to read No, they had been sent with heavy weapons and orders to kill

"Tell rowled at Shannon

"Yep"

"Good Keep your head down"

In answer, she pulled the shoulder belt behind her and tucked her body beneath the dash Sucking in a deep breath, I slaas and went for it The vehicles hit hard, the gate broken between us Jesse’s car cruht incline Moave us oomph, and the black SUV slid down I didn’t need h clearance--

There

I whipped the wheel hard to the right, spun over the ice onto the sidewalk We slammed into the other truck side to side They opened fire, and I nearly pissed myself This SUV wasn’t bulletproof or armor plated Bullets sprayed the s, but since we’d hunched low, they went clear through

Fishtailing wildly, the Forester sht pole They tried to trap us against the building but their tires spun in the ice and rain, and I bounced us around the corner, then laid on the gas pedal, peeling away onto dry pavehway?" I demanded

Shannon sat up and went to work on the GPS "Left here Two blocks, another left" She risked a glance in the side "

"Okay, new plan" I wasn’t up to a long high-speed chase that would end only in incarceration or death Probably death "Got your cell phone?"

"Yep" She whipped it out of her bag as only a teenager could

"Call nine-one-one"

Shannon was already hitting the buttons "And say what?"

"Atteress, auto the felons and in fear for our lives"

I stepped on the gas and reater speed and hopefully attract a patrolman’s attention If I stopped, ere dead: two bullets, back of the head, bang-bang That was if they didn’t decapitate us as proof of a job well-done Beheadings seeh cartel style these days

The police wouldn’t understand, of course; they’d ask e didn’t just surrender the vehicle Hopefully I could convince theht response was on steroids At any rate, I’d much rather try to bamboozle a cop than eat lead We’d find out if my trust me charm had any juice Come on, lucky penny

The Forester zoo over to the far left lane with an expertise I’d learned in Mexico City Though I didn’t own a car there, Tia had an old one, but she couldn’t see well enough to drive it anymore So I often took her to the mall That hellacious traffic in DF had prepared unmen

I listened with half an ear as Shannon dealt with the 911 operator "Yes, we’re on I-35" She named the mile marker "I’m afraid if we stop, they’ll shoot us Please tell me there’s a policeand-tearful thing very well The quaver was a masterful touch Or reen Forester They’re driving soht up behind us"

Shit That was my cue I floored it and whipped around a white hoopty that shouldn’t be in the fast lane More staccato gunshots, but they sprayed the other ride, not us; it sounded as if they’d hit a tire I couldn’t spare an eye to look, but froe behind us

"Yes, we’re northbound Okay, thank you" Shannon flipped the phone closed "Keep us alive for five hwayman on his way"