Chapter 13 - Roadblock in the Canyon
The unmarked police cruiser skidded violently on the loose gravel of the winding canyon road, the tires screaming in protest as Detective Miller slammed hard on the brakes. The vehicle came to a shuddering halt just inches away from the rear bumper of a massive black SUV that had suddenly blocked the entire two-lane asphalt.
High-beam headlights flared blindingly bright, flooding the interior of the police car with harsh white light and blinding everyone inside.
“Damn it!” Detective Miller cursed loudly, instantly shifting the cruiser into reverse while reaching for the tactical shotgun locked beside her seat. “Hold on to each other, do not look up!”
Before she could hit the gas, the doors of the black SUV flew open. Two heavily armed men stepped out into the glaring headlights, their faces obscured by tactical masks, raising their weapons and aiming directly at the windshield of the police car.
Arthur Pendelton closed his milky eye, letting out a heavy, defeatist sigh.
“It’s over, Detective,” Arthur murmured, his frail hand resting gently on Lily’s arm to keep her down. “They knew our exact route. There’s a leak inside the department.”
Lily didn't cower. Despite her small size and the soot staining her white collared blouse, she reached down into her pink backpack and gripped the heavy leather-bound journal tightly against her chest. Her heart beat furiously against her ribs, but the memory of her mother’s tired, determined face gave her a sudden surge of courage.
“Mommy didn't fight this hard just to give up now,” Lily whispered fiercely, her voice steady despite the terrifying situation outside.
Suddenly, the passenger side window of the police cruiser shattered with a sharp, explosive pop as the butt of a tactical rifle smashed the glass inward. Glass shards rained down over the front seat.
“Unlock the door and step out slowly, Detective! Hands where we can see them!” a harsh, electronically modulated voice demanded from outside the broken window.
Detective Miller kept her hands firmly on the steering wheel, her jaw clenched so tight it hurt. She knew if they stepped out of the vehicle now, they wouldn't survive the night.
“I am a federal officer! Stand down or face federal charges!” Miller shouted back, stalling for time while her fingers frantically tapped a hidden panic button beneath the dashboard that broadcasted their exact GPS coordinates to federal headquarters.
The masked operative outside the window raised his rifle barrel, pressing it dangerously close to the glass frame.
“You have three seconds before we open fire,” the operative warned, his voice devoid of any humanity.
May you like
Just as the operative began to count down, a deafening roar of a heavy engine echoed from behind them down the canyon road. A second set of headlights appeared out of nowhere, barrelling down the dark highway at breakneck speed, smashing directly into the rear of the black SUV with a thunderous crunch of twisted metal and shattering glass.
---
