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Now Kashala was in the back of the Yukon, the rest of the mercs pulled back fast, leaping into the two other SUVs and slamming their doors. The vehicles sped away in a cloud of dust and gas fumes.

Hawke knew he had seconds to take at least one of them out. By now, Kashala’s SUV was too far away and partially obscured by the backup vehicles. These men knew what they were doing and they did it fast. He calculated that if he couldn’t bring the boss down, then one of the other Yukons would pay half the fine.

Selecting burst mode on the Glock 18, he aimed at the Yukon in the rear, raising the handgun into the aim and taking his time as he lined up the shot. Crosshairs planted on the right rear-tire he fired the preset three-round burst and ripped the rubber right off the rim.

The explosion of the rear right tire sent the heavy SUV swerving off to the side, just as Hawke knew it would. He was ready. Without hesitation, he swung the gun to the left and fired another three-round burst into the left-hand tire. It exploded into another shower of shredded rubber and now the SUV was running on its rims at the back and spewing wild jets of orange sparks out across the blacktop.

The wounded Yukon swerved and skidded for a few seconds before leaving the road and crashing into a concrete barrier. It came to a smoking, smouldering stop and when the doors opened, the dazed mercs spilled out into the day. Some carried weapons but others were empty-handed. It didn’t matter. The vehicle burst into flames and a colossal, chest-thumping explosion followed a second later.

Hawke shielded his eyes from the heat and light, guessing it must have been a ruptured fuel line, a leak, just a spark… and then it was all over and the mercs were dead. He swivelled the gun around to the second Yukon only to see it screeching around the corner and vanishing from sight.

“They’re getting away, Joe!” Lea said. “We can’t let them take Jazmin! She hasn’t finished decoding the lyre!”

Getting away,” he said, revving the Escalade. “Not got away. Let’s get on it!”

Racing over a bridge crossing the Danube and hitting the eastern part of the city, Hawke hit the throttle and the Cadillac surged forward. As the rev counter needle swept almost all the way over to the right, he spun around another street corner, eyes fixed on the fleeing Yukon. They gained speed and reached fourth gear when he stamped on it a second time and sent the automatic gear box changing down again for the next corner.

“He really wants that lyre,” Hawke said.

“That’s because he really wants to discover Hades!” said Lea.

“You’re being too hard on him,” Ryan said. “From what I’ve seen of him so far it might be possible he just has a keen amateur interest in ancient Greek lyric poetry.”

“Thanks for that, Ry,” Lea said. “But shut up now.”

“Simply lightening the mood with a dash of sarcastic observation.”

“If you really wanted to lighten the mood,” Scarlet said. “Why not try opening the car door and jumping out?”

“Ouch, Cairo Sloane.” Ryan leaned back in his seat and placed his hands over his heart. “No one has ever cut me so deep. I’ll never quip again.”

“Thank heavens for small mercies,” Lea muttered.

In the rear seat, a dazed Kamala was gaining consciousness. “What the hell happened?”

“No time to explain now,” Lea said.

Hawke piled the SUV forward, crashing through a fence and ploughing down a steep embankment until they reached the next road.

Scarlet leaned out of the window, raising her gun and firing on the second Yukon. The initial burst of rounds was wide, smacking the asphalt and ricocheting off in every direction. Ignoring Ryan’s cynical congratulations, she aimed and fired again.

The first round ripped the paint off the rear right wheel arch and carried on its way. The second punched a hole through the rear window and reduced the rest of it to an opaque mess of spider-fractures. The third went through the driver’s skull and killed him instantly.

“Good shot!” Lea said.

“Not so sure about that,” Hawke said.

The swerving Yukon smashed into a traffic light pole and spun around hard, tipping on its side and skidding to a halt right in front of them.

Hawke spun the wheel but they were too close to the upturned SUV. “Bloody hell! Brace for impact everyone.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Never,” Scarlet said, glaring at Hawke, “ever, take up chauffeuring.”

He spun the wheel and tried to turn into the skid. “You have my word, Cairo.”

“We’re not going to make it!” Ryan said.

They sailed past the Yukon with inches to spare but their troubles had only just begun.

Hawke saw it first. “Incoming!”

Up ahead, Kashala’s SUV had spun around in the lane and was now emerging from a thick cloud of burned rubber smoke. It crossed the central barrier and was now heading straight for them.

“They’re coming for the rest of the Blood Crew!” Zeke yelled.

“Nope,” said Lea. “They’re coming for us.”

“Maybe we should just turn around and run away?” Ryan asked. “I like that idea.”

“Not an option,” said Lea. “Jazmin Benedek is the key to Hades.

“I was joking, Lea.”

Kashala’s SUV zoomed toward them, armed mercs hanging out the window and taking aim on them.

Zeke leaned out of the rear window and opened fire.

“Hey!” Lea said. “Jazmin’s in there! Without her we’re going nowhere!”

Hawke swerved to the right. “And Kashala is walking right through the gates of the Underworld and getting whatever the hell he thinks is down there.”

“Some pretty bad karma, if you ask me,” Scarlet said, turning to Lea. “And by the way, just how the fucking hell did I end up in a job where I have to stop failed African dictators from discovering Hades?”

Lea shrugged and gave an innocent smile. “You’d be bored in a nine-to-five.”

“And you have to admit it,” Ryan said. “This is going to look shit hot on your CV.”

Scarlet looked daggers at him. “Stick a dick in it, Bale.”

Kamala laughed as Scarlet leaned out her window and took aim at the approaching Yukon.

Lea rolled her eyes, but before Ryan could reply, the shot hit Kashala’s front tire and blasted it to pieces. Hawke swerved again to avoid the worst of the fallout, but as they zoomed past the Yukon, several large fist-sized chunks of tire rubber thumped into the shattered windshield and bounced up over the roof.

“They’re stopping!”

The Yukon skidded to a halt at the side of the road and the mercs streamed out, dragging a still-unconscious Jazmin as they went. Now, Block heaved her up on his shoulder as the Blood Crew laid down some seriously heavy cover fire.

Hawke hit the brakes and swerved away from the incoming fire. As bullets ricocheted off the back and sides of the Escalade, Kashala’s men sprinted through a grand entrance of smoked glass and bright neon signs.

“Not good,” Lea said.

Hawke flicked a quick glance at her as he brought the smoking Escalade to a stop. “What is it?”

“The Corvin Plaza,” she said. “According to my phone, it’s one of the biggest malls in the city.”

“So what the hell is he going in there for?”

“Maybe he needs some new shoes?” Ryan said.

Scarlet snorted. “He definitely needs a new vehicle.”

“That’s it!” Hawke said. “He doesn’t want what’s in the mall, he wants what’s on it!”