Karlsson glanced at his watch. “I hate to break up what could be an interesting little cat fight, ladies, but we’re going to need to get back to the car and get out of here.”
Scarlet nodded. “Brad’s right. We need to report to Eden and get this thing somewhere safe.”
They made their way through the bustling lobby of the bank and to the car park, where they climbed into the big Beamer and belted up. Brad drove out of the car park and into the Berlin traffic.
“Something’s not right,” he said, checking the rear-view mirror.
“Oh great,” Lexi said. “A tail?”
Karlsson nodded.
“Easy, darling,” Scarlet said with a smirk. “I’m sure we can persuade whoever it is to go and find someone else to play with.” As she spoke, she opened the glove compartment and pulled out a box of nine mil bullets. “I suspect it’s the chap who almost got the better of you at the airport.” She began to load the bullets into her gun.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Lexi said, as Brad checked the mirror again.
“We’re off,” Brad said, and accelerated across into the left-hand lane.
“They’re closing?”
“Uh-huh. Big Merc.”
Scarlet laughed. “How original. Do these guys have a contract with Mercedes or something?”
“It looks like a hijacked cab, actually, but it sure as shit ain’t driving like a cab.” He turned to Lexi. “I’d say this Kodiak guy has been on our tail waiting for a chance to snatch the map and I guess some local cab driver just got unlucky today.”
Karlsson tucked in tight just in front of a large removals truck and kept an eye on the Merc taxi that was now trailing only two or three cars behind them. He pulled out a little to get a better view and saw the driver of the Merc was loading what looked like a pump-action shotgun.
“Better get ready for some action,” the former Seal said.
Scarlet raised an eyebrow and gently ran her hand down his thigh. “Why, are you feeling horny, Brad?”
“If I were, kitten, you’d already know it.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. “Now? Really?”
Scarlet ignored her. “In that case, I guess our tail is upping the ante…” She leaned forward and looked in her side mirror. The removals truck signalled to exit the road and now the Merc raced up behind them.
“Ah shit!” Karlsson muttered.
A white muzzle flash behind them was followed a second later by the sound of the car’s rear being peppered with shotgun pellets. The rear window shattered into thousands of pieces and Karlsson swerved hard into the adjoining lane to avoid a second shot. With his heavy hands gripping the wheel, the American floored the throttle and changed up through the ZF eight-speed box.
“Listen to that three liter turbo,” Karlsson said. “Purring like a lioness.”
“If we get out of this, Brad, we must make sure you and this car get some alone time.”
“Very funny…”
“We’re like sitting ducks on this damned street!” Lexi said, ignoring the banter.
Scarlet leaned out her window and fired three well-aimed shots from the Sig.
“Thanks for the warning!” Karlsson said, rubbing his ear.
“Don’t be such a baby, Bradley,” Scarlet said, and fired another shot. The Merc saw it coming and ducked in behind traffic.
“Damn it!” she said. “Lexi’s right. We need to get off this street so they have nowhere to hide.”
Karlsson weaved through the traffic with an ease and confidence that impressed Scarlet, not that she would ever have told him that. “I think we’re going that way!” He pointed to a side-street and skidded dangerously over two lanes to make it.
A quick check in the rear-view and it was clear more action was needed. The Merc was also leaving the main street and closing the gap on them. Worse, the driver with the shotgun was reloading and preparing to take another shot. They were now in a more built-up area with people walking along the sidewalks, exercising dogs and jogging with their iPods.
“What now?”
“Keep going,” Scarlet said. “There’s a quiet stretch ahead without any people on the pavements. I’ll take them out then.”
“You’re pretty confident.”
“I’m pretty and confident, darling,” Scarlet said, sliding around in her seat and leaning out of the window once again. She coolly aimed the Sig at the Merc, compensating for the drift of the cars and the uneven road surface as best as she could before firing a single shot at their pursuer.
Karlsson turned his head to check the mirror just in time to see Scarlet’s shots hitting the pursuit car. The Merc’s front tire blew out and sent the car screeching uncontrollably all over the road.
Scarlet smiled as she watched the man struggling to bring his vehicle back under control. He fought against the drag of the blown tire for a few seconds but lost the fight, plowing uncontrollably through a stack of boxes being delivered to a local store and spraying oranges and lemons into the air like confetti.
Scarlet put the gun in the side pocket, sure her work was done, while Karlsson took advantage and accelerated hard along the street.
Behind them in the chaos, the car-jacked Merc came to a juddering halt, skidding so its side was now facing the traffic. Undeterred, Kodiak lowered the window, leaned the barrel of the shotgun on the top of the door and fired.
A second later Brad was fighting was for control of the BMW. They mounted the sidewalk and a woman walking two cockapoos on sparkly pink leashes leaped for her life to avoid the Beamer. After a few seconds Brad brought the powerful car back under control.
“What the hell just happened?” Lexi asked, nervous.
“Bastard got us,” Karlsson said. “Feels like the rear tire’s out.”
The wounded Beamer squealed to a noisy, whining stop, its rear driver’s-side panel spinning around and smashing into a parked Honda and setting its alarm off. Customers at a near-by café screamed and ran for safety, while one of the waiters made a call on his cell phone.
“Everyone okay?” Brad asked, taking a quick look at the others.
“Fine,” Scarlet said, smacking the dashboard with the heel of her palm. “Damn it!”
“What about you, Lexi?”
“I’m okay, but you should know Kodiak is walking toward us and loading his shotgun.”
“And matey-lad over there’s probably calling the rozzers,” Scarlet said, nodding at the waiter.
Brad turned to Scarlet and smiled. “This is just like our first date!”
She rolled her eyes and opened the door. “We have to get the map to safety, Bradley, darling. Do stop trying to be funny.”
“Got it.”
A terrific explosion behind them signalled that Kodiak had fired the shotgun once again. Scarlet saw a cloud of smoke rise from the sawn-off weapon in the Russian’s hands and then shot-pellets sprayed over the side of the BMW. She ducked behind the front of their car and returned fire from the Sig while Brad and Lexi clambered out and took up defensive positions. Over their heads they heard the sound of a chopper approaching from the north.
“Police?” Karlsson asked.
Scarlet shook her head. “I doubt it. They’ll respond in cars first — listen.” She pointed in the direction they had just come from. Over the sound of the traffic and the screams of frightened pedestrians was the sound of police sirens.
“Which means…”
“Exactly,” Scarlet said. “Kodiak’s got back-up.”
CHAPTER TEN
Hawke popped the trunk and climbed out of the Q7. It was freezing cold and snow blasted into their faces as they armed themselves from Brooke’s mini-arsenal in the back. They selected from a range of weapons including assault rifles, automatic pistols and finally Hawke pulled out a Remington 870 Magnum shotgun for the internal doors, weighing it appreciatively in his gloved hands.