“Probably not, but you're going to need to know them,” Mateo replied, his warm breath on the back of her neck soothing her in a way nothing else could.
“Okay.” She could do this. Mateo was counting on her to do it.
“We’re going to crash the car into the first empty building I see.”
“Crash the car? With us still inside?” That sounded like a great way to kill themselves for real.
“There’s a half-built shopping mall up ahead, about a mile away from where we are now. When we get close, I'm going to start shooting at the SUV. They’re going to shoot back, that way I can fake losing control of the car.”
“Like with the motorcycle?”
“Just like that. We’re going to jump right before the car makes contact, and then I'm going to shoot out the engine.”
“Why do you need to shoot out the engine?”
“Because I need the car to blow up.”
Stomach dropping, she tilted her head to look over her shoulder. “And why does the car need to blow up?”
“So that our bodies will be destroyed beyond recognition in case Azure tries to confirm we’re really dead.”
“But …” Ally gulped not wanting to say the words, “couldn’t we really die in the explosion?”
“Not going to lie to you, little mouse. Yes. We could. The building around us is going to go up in flames as well, and we’re going to need to run inside as soon as we crash. The guys are going to provide a distraction so that we can get into the building. There is every chance that as soon as we hit and the car explodes, that the men following us are going to hightail it out of here. Anyone close by is going to hear the shots, the crash, the car exploding. They’re going to be calling 911. Prey will make sure first responders are aware that we’re in the building, and that this will be reported as two dead in the car. Azure won't want to be here when the cops show up, so when they think we’re already eliminated as a problem there is no need for them to stick around.”
When Mateo explained it, it all sounded so simple. Crazy, but simple. But things could easily go wrong. The car could be shot for real. They could crash for real, they could get hurt or killedwhen Mateo shot the engine and blew the car up. They could get trapped in the burning building, the people following them could decide to stick around and confirm their deaths, finding them inside this half-built mall and killing them for real.
Risky as it was, she had to trust that Mateo thought this was the best way to get them out of Azure’s clutches for good.
So, when he reached over into the glove compartment and pulled out a weapon, putting down the window beside them, she stamped down her panic, and did her best to put her trust in Mateo, the Delta Force team, and this crazy plan they’d cooked up.
August 23rd
1:02 A.M.
This was, without a doubt, the stupidest thing he’d ever done in his life.
But Mateo did it anyway.
Clutching Ally against his chest, he readied himself to spring out the door with her a split second before the car hit the wall just a hundred or so yards ahead of them. Leaning out the window, he fired at the car behind them. He didn't bother to look to see if he hit anything, that didn't really matter. All he wanted was for them to start shooting back.
Which they did.
Whoever was in the car behind them—Josh, or Van, or Henry, or Hank, or Adrian, or Deacon, or William, or Marvin—they weren't a very good shot, because while they had an easy view of his vehicle, they weren't able to hit it.
The small shopping mall he was aiming for was up ahead, just a few more minutes, and he’d know whether he’d saved his girl’s life or ended it.
“Open the door but hold onto the handle so that it looks like it’s still closed,” he ordered Ally.
Although she was trembling on his lap, she did what he asked without hesitation. She was holding on by a thread, but she was still holding on, and that was all that mattered right now.
Firing off a few more shots, he jerked on the wheel a few times so that the car swerved about, implying it had been hit, or he had. Then he aimed for the wall ahead of them. The mall was about seventy-five percent built. It had its walls up and was mostly fitted out inside. The front door had been fitted, and the glass would provide the perfect way for them to get inside and seek shelter from the explosion since it would shatter on impact.
“Everything is going to go fast now, little mouse, just keep doing everything I ask you to, and this will all be over in a few minutes.”
She didn't say anything, and she continued to shake, but he felt her body tense and knew she was ready to do whatever he needed her to. This made him more determined to ensure he pulled this off. There was every chance that when he blew up the car, he’d bring half the mall down on top of them, killing them anyway. Or he could easily mistime things and not get them out of the car before it hit.
But thinking of the things that could go wrong was only going to distract him.