Aragua Must Fall

Chase Through the Night

An ambulance screeched to a halt at the fast food parking lot with lights flashing red and blue across the burning wreckage. Paramedics jumped out fast carrying a stretcher and medical bags. They rushed to David’s side where Micah knelt sobbing over his still body. One of them knelt and checked his pulse pressing fingers to his neck.

“He’s alive but unconscious,” the paramedic said loud over the sirens. “Pulse is weak but steady. We need to move him now.”

Micah’s tears fell harder. “Please save him. He can’t die.”

The paramedic looked at her with calm eyes. “Everything will be fine ma’am. We’ll take good care of him.”

They lifted David onto the stretcher careful with his head and arm. Micah reached into his pocket quick and grabbed his phone before they strapped him in. She stepped back as they loaded him into the ambulance. The doors slammed shut and it sped off with sirens blaring.

Micah stood there shaking phone in hand. She dialed Xavier with trembling fingers.

“Xavier,” she said voice breaking when he answered. “David’s car exploded. They took him to the hospital. Please come.”

Xavier’s voice came sharp. “I’m on my way. Stay there.”

He arrived three minutes later his SUV pulling up with tires squealing. Police were already on scene taping off the area questioning witnesses. Xavier jumped out and ran to Micah. He pulled her into a tight embrace holding her as she sobbed into his chest.

“Everything will be alright,” he said softly. “He’s tough. He’ll make it.”

Police milled around the burned car taking photos and marking evidence. The air smelled of smoke and metal. Xavier pulled back from Micah and scanned the lot. His eyes landed on a man standing afar off by a black van. The man was dressed casual but something felt off. He stood too still watching too closely.

The moment the man noticed Xavier’s stare, his eyes widened slightly, he turned quickly, entered the van he came with and drove off tires kicking gravel.

Xavier’s gut twisted. He turned to a nearby policeman. “Hey, you there! take her to the hospital. Make sure she gets to David safe. I’ll meet you there.”

The officer nodded. “Yes sir.”

Micah looked at him worried. “Where are you going?”

Xavier squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll be right behind you. Now go with him.”

She got into the police car and it drove off. Xavier ran to his SUV jumped in and peeled out after the van. The van was already turning onto the main road heading north. Xavier floored the gas, increasing the speed and weaving through traffic, his siren was on now with its lights flashing.

He grabbed his radio. “This is Agent Brooks. In pursuit of a black van license plate 7GK-492 heading north on Biscayne Boulevard. Possible connection to bombing at beachfront fast food. Requesting immediate backup from all units.”

Dispatch crackled back. “Copy Agent Brooks. Units en route. Keep line open.”

The van accelerated merging onto the highway. Xavier stayed close, his car horn blaring to clear cars. The van swerved lanes cutting off a truck. Xavier matched it, tires screaming around a curve.

“Suspect accelerating,” Xavier said into the radio. “Eighty miles per hour. Heading toward the bridge. Be advised, suspect may be armed and dangerous.”

A police cruiser joined from a side ramp lights on. “Unit 42 in pursuit. We have visual.”

The van clipped a sedan sparked off the guardrail but kept going. Xavier closed the gap quickly. The van exited sharp onto a side street heading east toward the port. Xavier followed hard in pursuit as buildings blurring past.

“Suspect eastbound on NE 2nd Avenue,” Xavier reported. “Request air support. He’s not stopping.”

Helicopter rotors thumped overhead. “Air One overhead. We have eyes on the van. He’s turning south on 1st Street.”

The van slammed through a red light cars honking swerving. Xavier braked hard then accelerated through the intersection. Another unit joined from the left blocking a lane.

“Unit 19 blocking southbound,” the radio said. “Setting spikes.”

The van hit the spikes, tires bursting. It fishtailed, sparks flying. Xavier’s SUV closed in.

Then Riley’s car shot from a T-junction ramming the van from the left. The van was hit really hard that its metal crunched. The van flipped once and again, rolling onto its side and sliding in a shower of sparks.

Xavier pulled up, holding his gun out. Riley jumped from his car rifle up. Police swarmed surrounding the wreck.

A man in black crept out from the driver’s side coughing blood. He pulled a pistol aiming at Riley.

Xavier fired from his open door, two shots. The man jerked and dropped dead.

Riley breathed hard lowering his rifle. “Close. That was really too close.”

Xavier approached the body. “Check him.”

Riley searched the pockets and pulled a phone. “Name is Luis Moreno. Info says he’s on vacation in South Beach. Nothing else.”

Riley cursed kicking the body. “Bastard. Vacation my ass.”

Xavier stared down. “He must be the one who planted the bomb. They’re sending pros now.”

Riley nodded. “Yeah. We got him though.”

Xavier holstered his gun and looked at a police officer standing by “Clean this up. Have the body in a bag. Let’s have a full sweep. I’m heading to the hospital. Riley, you’re coming with me.”

The police moved in zipping the body into a black bag. Xavier drove off sirens still blaring.

The chase was over, but now a war was rising.