Chapter 4 - The Hunt Begins
Sofia did not scream. She dropped instantly into the gravel, dragging Mateo behind the truck's heavy engine block.
""They used thermal,"" Mateo groaned, his hand clamped over the wound near his collarbone. ""He... he didn't wait for morning.""
Another high-caliber round slammed into the wheel well, showering them with sparks and shredded rubber. Julian hadn't left her survival to chance; he had deployed an aerial recovery team on a sweeping patrol along the shorelines. Two black tactical SUVs were creeping down the ridge above, headlights off, guided only by night vision.
""Can you drive?"" Sofia hissed, checking the chamber of the Glock.
""Not with this arm,"" Mateo wheezed.
Sofia lunged into the driver’s seat, kicked the door open for Mateo, and hauled him inside across the bench. She jammed the key into the ignition. The old diesel engine roared to life with an agonizing shudder. She slammed the shifter into reverse, backing the truck blind into the thick brush just as a burst of automatic fire shattered the rear window, spraying glass into her hair.
She spun the steering wheel, throwing the vehicle forward onto the narrow dirt track that wound upward through the canyon. In the rearview mirror, two pairs of blinding LED bars ignited on the ridge behind them. The wolves had the scent.
""Hold on!"" Sofia shouted over the screech of the transmission.
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She turned off her headlights, relying solely on the faint gray contour of the dirt against the cliffs. Behind them, the first SUV surged forward, its armored bullbar ramming the tailgate of their truck with jarring force. Sofia’s head whipped back. Pain flared in her abdomen, sharp and terrifying.
Through the splintered rear glass, a shooter emerged from the passenger window of the pursuing vehicle, raising an assault rifle. Sofia slammed on the brakes.
