Brutal vows

Chapter 4: Broken Metal

The remaining enemy sedan rammed its heavy front bumper directly into our rear quarter panel. The impact sent a violent shudder through the frame of the SUV. The tires shrieked against the wet pavement, fighting for traction as the driver twisted the wheel, desperately trying to keep us from flipping over into the ditch.

"Take the logging trail now!" Alekov shouted, bracing his arm against the back of my seat to keep from crushing me as the vehicle rocked violently.

The driver yanked the steering wheel hard to the right. The massive SUV slid sideways, its tires leaving the smooth highway and plunging down a steep, unlit mud ramp that cut directly into the dense, black pine forest. The transition was brutal. The vehicle bounced aggressively over deep ruts and exposed tree roots. Thick pine branches scraped loudly against the sides of the car like frantic fingernails trying to break inside.

Behind us, the second enemy vehicle followed without hesitation. Its headlights cut through the thick downpour, its tires spraying plumes of thick mud as it refused to give up the execution order.

"The road is washed out ahead! There's a ravine!" the driver screamed, his headlights illuminating a massive, gaping drop-off where the dirt trail had collapsed into a rushing river from the storm. He slammed his foot on the brakes, but the mud offered zero traction.

"Brace yourself!" Alekov yelled, wrapping both of his massive arms completely around my head and pulling me tight against his chest.

The SUV skidded completely sideways, spinning out of control before crashing hard into a massive, ancient oak tree. The impact was deafening. The front hood crumpled like paper, and the airbags deployed with a loud, smoky boom. The engine hissed violently as white steam began to pour from the shattered grill, filling the dark forest with the smell of burning oil and hot metal.

For a second, there was nothing but the sound of the pouring rain and the frantic ringing in my ears.

Alekov was moving before the smoke could even settle. He checked my face with a trembling, heavily tattooed hand. "Are you hurt? Elena, look at me. Are you intact?

""I'm... I think so," I choked out, blinking through the dust.

He didn't waste time. He kicked his crumpled door open, shattering the hinges with pure brute force, and grabbed my hand. He pulled me out of the smoking wreck and directly into the freezing, torrential downpour. My white silk dress was instantly soaked through, clinging to my skin as the wind whipped through the trees.

Up front, our driver groaned, struggling to crawl out of the broken side window. He managed to draw his sidearm, but a sudden, silent flash from the dark treeline changed everything. A sniper bullet tore cleanly through his chest. He didn't even scream; he simply collapsed forward into the deep mud, his eyes staring blankly into the dark.

"Sniper! Move, move!" Alekov hissed.

He didn't wait for me to run. He wrapped his powerful arm around my waist, lifting me effortlessly against his side, and sprinted deep into the pitch-black woods just as a heavy hail of automatic gunfire tore through the leaves exactly where we had been standing.