Scott glanced at the rearview mirror but quickly looked away. The car behind them kept flashing its headlights, trying to blind him. His face darkened, his jaw tightening.
"HOW?!" Marshal cried, sliding down in the backseat to hide in case they started shooting.
Even though the car was bulletproof, Marshal’s reaction wasn’t surprising.
For years, the Don of the Di Carpios had enjoyed a life of leisure. He mostly focused on business dealings, politics, and giving orders. He hadn’t been in the field for years, and even when he ordered someone’s execution, Marshal was never the one doing the legwork.
"Scott, what’s going on?!" Marshal panicked from the backseat. "How did they know about the exit?!"
Scott didn’t answer, keeping his focus on the road.
"Are you kidding me?! Or have you become stupid?! How could they—"
"Shut up!" Scott roared without looking back, silencing Marshal instantly. "Shut your damn mouth... if you want to live."
He ground his teeth, his mind running faster than their vehicle.
His enemy—Ashley—was reading every decision he made as if she had planted a bug inside his head.
It wouldn’t have been so unfair if Ashley were acting alone. But considering the number of men involved in this operation, Scott had already realized Dominion had joined the fight.
With Ashley and Lucian working together, this would be difficult.
And it would be even more challenging if Marshal kept bitching in the backseat.
"Damn it." Marshal held his head, still crouched low in the backseat to protect himself.
He didn’t even bother reprimanding Scott for having the audacity to raise his voice at him.
Regardless of their complicated relationship, Scott had never raised his voice at Marshal. He knew better. But if he did, that meant Scott had no room to think about anything other than keeping them alive.
"Do they have a mole in the family?" Marshal wondered aloud in his panic. "No, no. That’s not important."
"Sir." Scott gulped, his voice gradually calming. "Once we reach the city, our men will be there to assist us and get rid of them."
Marshal’s pale face turned toward the driver’s seat.
"Until I get you out of here, keep it together," Scott breathed. "You said it yourself. If you fall, everyone who relies on the Di Carpios will fall with you."
Even the very people Scott was protecting.
"I’ll get you out of here," Scott promised through clenched teeth. "Tonight... is not going to be the night you die."
Marshal’s mouth trembled as he stared at Scott’s back. He nodded, drawing a deep breath and forcing himself to keep a clear head.
"I just have to get out of here," he breathed. "Once I’m out... all of them will pay."
That was if he still had enough money or people willing to fight for him.
But that thought hadn’t crossed his mind yet.
Right now, his life was more important.
All his other problems?
Those were for later.
Marshal would not go down tonight.
*****
Meanwhile, just like Marshal, the person hot on his tail had one important agenda tonight.
To end him.
And he was just as determined to see it through.
"Gustav," Lucian called.
Gustav nodded and rolled down the window. He stretched his arm outside, pistol in hand, and aimed straight at the side mirror of the car ahead.
BANG!
The side mirror shattered in one shot.
Gustav immediately shifted his aim toward the tire.
BANG!
But the moment he fired, the vehicle ahead swerved sharply, dodging the shot.
The bullet struck the trunk instead, but as expected, the vehicle was bulletproof.
Gustav tried again, specifically targeting the tire, but Scott made it nearly impossible for him to get a clean shot.
"They’re dragging this out." Gustav pulled his pistol back inside, tucked it away, and picked up a rifle instead. "I’ll try again."
Lucian didn’t answer. He simply let Gustav continue trying to take out the other car’s tires. Not that he expected much from it.
The person behind the wheel was Scott.
One vehicle came dangerously close to slamming into Lucian’s car, only for him to swerve at the last second.
Another came from the opposite side.
Then another.
Within seconds, Dominion and the Di Carpio forces were engaging one another across the road.
"Shit," Gustav hissed, grabbing the handle above him as Lucian maneuvered between the vehicles.
His gaze shifted toward the side mirror.
One of the cars behind them was gaining fast. Then, a man leaned out of its window with a rifle.
Gustav’s eyes sharpened.
But just before the man could pull the trigger, another vehicle suddenly came barreling in from the side.
HOOONK!
It crashed straight into their pursuer.
The impact sent the other car swerving violently across the road.
Gustav looked farther back.
Cars were still following them, while chaos unfolded in their wake. Even with their windows closed, bursts of gunfire echoed through the night.
His jaw tightened when a motorcycle suddenly shot into his peripheral vision.
Gustav’s eyes widened.
"What the..." He whipped his head toward it.
The motorcycle had launched from the elevated section near the entrance of the overpass, soaring through the air above the road.
For the first time since the chase began, Lucian tore his eyes away from Scott’s car.
His gaze shifted toward the airborne motorcycle.
Seeing it, the corners of his mouth curled up.
"And there... she goes."

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