Chapter 12 - The Highway Intercept
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Lena didn't ask questions. She grabbed her laptop bag, and Marcus wheeled her rapidly toward the private freight elevator at the back of the penthouse.
"Who sent them?" Lena asked as the elevator descended to the underground parking garage.
"Warren Caldwell," Matthew replied, checking his own encrypted phone. "He hired a private security firm known for making problems disappear. They bypassed the lobby cameras."
The elevator doors chimed open. Two black, unmarked SUVs were idling near Marcus's armored sedan. Four men in tactical gear were spreading out across the concrete garage, searching for them.
"Get in," Marcus ordered, throwing open the backdoor of the sedan. He lifted Lena from the chair with practiced ease, tossing her into the backseat, followed by Matthew.
Marcus slammed the door, jumped into the driver's seat, and slammed on the gas. The sedan's V8 engine roared to life, tires screeching as he blasted toward the exit ramp.
The mercenaries spotted them and opened fire.
Sparks flew as suppressed bullets pinged off the bulletproof glass of the sedan. Lena ducked her head, her heart hammering against her ribs.
They burst out of the garage into the blinding San Diego sunlight, merging aggressively onto the coastal highway. The two black SUVs tore out of the garage seconds later, weaving wildly through civilian traffic in hot pursuit.
"Hold on," Marcus growled.
He whipped the heavy sedan across three lanes of traffic, narrowly missing a semi-truck. The first SUV tried to follow, but Marcus suddenly slammed on the brakes. The SUV rear-ended them with a sickening crunch of metal. Marcus immediately gunned the engine again, spinning the wheel, causing the pursuing SUV to fishtail and crash violently into the concrete median.
The second SUV kept coming, pulling up alongside them. A window rolled down, revealing a mercenary aiming an assault rifle.
Before he could fire, a massive, militarized armored truck slammed into the side of the SUV out of nowhere, crushing it against the guardrail in a shower of glass and sparks.
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The armored truck came to a screeching halt. The doors opened, and heavily armed men wearing Elias Rowan's insignia poured out, securing the perimeter.
Marcus let out a slow breath and looked in the rearview mirror. "Your father sends his regards, Mrs. Caldwell. He says it’s time to come to Washington."
