Chapter 138
PART VI
138
Lars
Present Day
Ididn’t know why, but Dario’s words from the night I shot the Turk kept coming back to me:
I knew you could do it.
That’s why I entrusted it to YOU.
That was what I heard in my head as I raced onto the lawn…
As I shouldered my rifle and looked through the scope…
As I watched the assassin scale the stone wall and jump over the other side, out of sight…
And when I didn’t pull the trigger.
I knew you could do it.
That’s why I entrusted it to YOU.
The words felt like an accusation…
A judgement on my failure.
I ENTRUSTED IT TO YOU…
“Boss?” one of my men asked over the radio. “Do you see him p>
“Get the Bugatti ready,” I said in a daze. “I’m going to have to chase her down p>
There was a pause.
“…uh… did you say ‘her p>
I ignored the question as I raced back for the house.
It couldn’t be her –
It COULDN’T be!
But if there was even the slightest possibility…
That was why I couldn’t pull the trigger.
I sprinted back to the garage where Giorgio was waiting with the Bugatti.
“Have a dozen men guard Dario and the others!” I ordered him. “Then put a man on every entrance to the mansion and have everyone else search the grounds for more shooters p>
Giorgio nodded as I jumped in the race car and sped away.
I roared past the iron gates and out onto the main road, heading for the spot closest to where the sniper had jumped the wall –
But I’d arrived nearly five minutes after I’d watched her escape.
There was no sign of a getaway car.
I screeched to a stop and got out of the Bugatti.
This part of the road was on a ridge with a view of the surrounding countryside.
If I could just get a glimpse of –
There.
Miles away and at a much lower elevation, the road curved back around through the valley –
And a tiny black speck of a car raced away at breakneck speeds.
It was her. It had to be.
I jumped back in the Bugatti and roared off in pursuit.
Unfortunately, if there was one area I was sorely lacking in, it was high-speed pursuit.
I’d spent years as a soldier, and soldiers got shuttled around in Humvees and transports. They didn’t go tearing around the countryside in car chases.
I’d never trained for it, and that lack of training was coming back to bite me in the ass.
I went as fast as I safely could – and probably pushed it way beyond my skill level – but it wouldn’t do Dario any good if I rolled the Bugatti and got myself killed, so I took the corners as a greatly reduced speed.
However, I was guessing that Rachel had definitely trained for high-speed evasive driving during her years in MI6.
No matter how fast I went on the straightaways, I lost precious time on the curves – and there were a lot of curves as the road wound back and forth through the hills.
After 20 minutes of pursuit, I was sure I’d lost her.
The best thing now would be to try to anticipate her next move.
I slowed down and called Niccolo. He answered on the first ring.
“Did you get him p>
“No, they got too big of a head start,” I said, being careful to say ‘they’ and not ‘she.’ I wasn’t looking forward to the conversation where I had to reveal my suspicions about the shooter. “But I was thinking, maybe we could get the cops on your payroll to look out for a speeding car heading for Florence – ”
“Forget about it and get back here,” Niccolo said. “We’ve got other problems p>
“What other problems?” I asked fearfully, expecting to hear about another attempt on Dario’s life.
“Somebody fucked up our jet in Venice, and now Massimo’s stranded p>
Niccolo filled me in on the drive back.
Massimo had the Widow’s granddaughter with him, but there was no way to get her back to the Widow without fighting more Wagner mercenaries.
He also couldn’t bring her back here. The family jet hadn’t been completely destroyed, but a rocket-propelled grenade had taken it out of commission while it was sitting in a hangar.
Niccolo didn’t want to rent another plane from an outside party because we had no idea how far our enemies’ influence reached.
As soon as Niccolo booked the plane, the owner could tip off Fausto – and Massimo might show up to fly home and be greeted by a dozen assassins.
Massimo and the girl couldn’t risk flying commercial, either. Fausto might be willing to blow up the plane and kill 200 civilians just to kill his intended targets.
“How far away is Venice?” I asked. “I could drive up there with a team and extract them – ”
“No, Massimo’s going to take the granddaughter and go on the run p>
“But – ”
“It’ll be MORE dangerous trying to bring him back than just letting them hide out for a few days p>
He was probably right.
“What about the shooter? Did you find out anything?
“I’m pulling up to the front gates,” I said. “I can tell you in person in five minutes p>
“Alright, sounds good p>
Niccolo hung up as I pulled onto the property.
This was not a conversation I was looking forward to.