Chapter 6 - The Broken Line
The thunder of the motorcycles rattled the high glass windows of Apex Motoring. Exhaust fumes drifted in through the open bay doors, mixing with the clean scent of high-octane racing fuel and floor polish.
""Ten seconds are up,"" Vance said calmly.
Before Grint could pull the iron crowbar from his belt, Vance’s lead bodyguard moved with shocking speed. A compact taser barked, sending two barbed darts straight into Grint’s chest. Fifty thousand volts dropped the two-hundred-pound biker to his knees, his muscles locking in violent spasms.
The other two bikers lunged, but Vance’s second guard drew an extendable baton, cracking it across the jaw of the nearest attacker with professional precision. The man hit the concrete with a dull thud.
""Out the side door!"" Julian screamed, scrambling toward the executive offices in a blind panic. ""They're going to tear this place apart!""
""Get the car moved!"" Vance yelled over the growing roar outside. ""The bay doors are compromised!""
""The car can't run!"" Julian cried out from the mezzanine stairs. ""The valve will bind!""
""Then push it!"" Vance ordered.
""You can't push a two-ton prototype with an electronic parking brake engaged!"" Leo shouted, his voice cutting through the madness.
Leo didn't run. While grown men panicked and fought, the boy dove underneath the rear diffuser of the black hypercar. The undercarriage was low, but Leo was small enough to squeeze between the carbon undertray and the suspension linkage.
""Kid! What are you doing? Get out of there!"" Vance yelled, ducking as a heavy iron chain smashed through the side window of the shop, raining tempered glass shards onto the floor.
""Manual release override!"" Leo yelled from beneath the chassis. ""There’s a mechanical cable near the rear transaxle! Give me three seconds!""
Through the bay doors, three more bikers charged in, brandishing tire irons and heavy chains. Vance’s guards formed a defensive line, but they were vastly outnumbered. Julian had already locked himself in his glass office upstairs, looking down like a cornered rat.
Snap.
A distinct mechanical click echoed from under the car.
""Brakes are free!"" Leo shouted, scrambling out from under the diffuser, his shirt torn and smeared with black transmission grease. ""Get in and steer! Push!""
Vance didn't hesitate. Dropping his aristocratic composure, the billionaire put his shoulder against the carbon-fiber A-pillar. ""Move it!""
Together with the remaining guard, they threw their weight against the black machine. The hypercar rolled forward, gliding silently across the smooth floor toward the private rear transport bay.
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Grint, shaking off the aftershocks of the taser, pushed himself up from the floor, his face red with fury. He locked eyes on Leo. ""Grab the boy! Don't let him reach the trailer!""
Grint lunged, his massive, scarred hand reaching for Leo’s collar.
