Chapter 20 - Alpine Ambush
"Hands where we can see them," the lead gunman barked in heavily accented English, his rifle steady.
Marcus raised his hands slowly, his eyes darting frantically around the small, windowless viewing room. We were cornered in a subterranean vault with zero leverage.
"Arthur sent you," I stated, trying to keep my voice from shaking. I subtly closed the dossier, keeping my hand resting on the heavy leather cover.
"The Chairman sends his regards," the gunman sneered. "He anticipated you might figure out the verbal passcode. You were allowed down here so we could bury you without a public scene. Turn around and face the wall."
As the lead gunman stepped forward to zip-tie my wrists, Marcus moved with blinding, unexpected violence. He kicked the heavy mahogany table directly into the gunman's knees, pinning him against the doorframe. In the same fluid motion, Marcus grabbed the heavy metal deposit box and hurled it at the second gunman, catching him squarely in the chest.
"Run!" Marcus roared, grabbing the dossier and shoving me toward the open doorway.
Gunfire erupted, the deafening cracks of the rifles echoing terrifyingly in the confined space. Bullets sparked off the steel walls as we sprinted down the corridor, diving into the open elevator just as the doors began to close.
We burst out into the chaotic Geneva street, the cold rain instantly soaking us.
"To the car!" Marcus yelled, tossing me the keys to the rented Audi SUV we had parked in an adjacent alley.
I slid into the driver’s seat, slamming the ignition. Marcus dove into the passenger side just as the gunmen spilled out of the bank's front doors. I floored the accelerator, the tires screaming against the wet cobblestones as we tore away from the financial district.
"They're behind us!" Marcus shouted, looking through the rear window. Two black Mercedes sedans were weaving recklessly through traffic, gaining on us rapidly.
I drove aggressively, pushing the Audi toward the winding, treacherous roads that led out of the city and up into the Swiss Alps. The rain turned to sleet as the elevation climbed, making the narrow mountain roads incredibly slick.
"Hold on!" I yelled, yanking the steering wheel hard to the left, taking a hairpin turn at a terrifying speed. The Audi drifted, the rear tires catching the very edge of a thousand-foot drop before finding traction.
May you like
The first Mercedes wasn't as lucky. It took the corner too wide, hydroplaning on a patch of black ice. The heavy sedan crashed through the weak wooden guardrail and vanished into the foggy abyss below, a horrific crunch echoing up the mountain seconds later.
I didn't stop to watch. I kept my foot on the gas until we were completely hidden in the dense alpine forests, entirely off the grid. We had the evidence, but we were stranded in a hostile country with a target on our backs.
