Page 77 of Run

Ryan gestured out the window, waving for them to carry on and hurry up about it.

Callum’s car sped up, and David put his foot down to follow.

“My laptop can’t find a Wi-Fi signal to connect to either,” Elle said. “It’s as though something’s blocking it.”

Yeah. That wasn’t good. “Put the laptop away and hold on tight,” David said. “We’re getting out of here.”

Out of nowhere, a car shot from a side alley meant only for pedestrians. The fit was so tight that its sides scraped the walls, and sparks flew. David slammed on the brakes as the car slammed into the side of Callum and Harvard’s vehicle.

Elle screamed as he shifted gears to reverse into the space that’d opened up between theirs and Dimitri’s car when David accelerated. He didn’t make it.

Another car smashed through wooden garage doors and into their path. It sped through the gap between cars and crashed into the wall of the building opposite. David couldn’t stop in time, and they slammed into the crashed car, sending both vehicles into a spin that had them bouncing off walls on either side of the road before they stopped. Like pinballs in a machine.

“Out, out, out,” David ordered, shoving at his warped door, feeling it stick.

Ryan was already out, gun up, opening the door for Elle, who scrambled toward it.

David undid his seatbelt, twisted in his seat, and slammed his feet into the door until it opened. Smoke from the car behind them billowed into the alley. People shouted. Someone screamed. There was the sound of glass shattering.

David held up his gun, aiming at everything, scanning the area for threats as he made his way around the front of the car to get to Elle. Two armed men climbed over the wrecked vehicle behind them, heading straight for her.

“Run,” David shouted. “Ryan, get her out of here.” He fired at the men, giving Elle cover.

Three gunshots rang out from behind him, echoing through the narrow alleyways and streets, bouncing off the buildings. David spun and threw himself beside the car, searching for the shooter.

There was a grunt. A thud.

Elle screamed.

David poked his head out to see what was happening, and a volley of shots barely missed him.

“Ryan?” he shouted. “Elle?”

When there was no answer, he risked sticking his head up. And stopped breathing. Elle was being carried toward a passageway. Her eyes panicked as she struggled against a man much larger than her, his hand covering her mouth. David could make out the dark outlines of two more men at the end. A car in the sunlight behind them.

They had her.

They were taking her to Tommy.

A bullet whizzed past his head. He was pinned. Stuck. While Elle was being taken.

There was nothing he could do but call out to her. “Elle,” he bellowed. “I’m coming for you!”

Two more shots rang out, forcing David to focus on what was happening around him. Forcing him to wait instead of going after the woman he loved—despite every fiber of his being demanding that he chase her down.

He roared into the sky. Then assumed the cold mask of clarity he wore for every mission. He had a job to do.

Then, he would get Elle.

And eliminate every man who’d touched her.

“Clear this end,” Dimitri called from the other side of the wrecked car. “I’m coming over.”

“No. Somebody’s firing at me.” David pressed himself flat to the ground, lying on his stomach to peer under the car. A man stalked toward them from the direction of Callum’s vehicle. He wasn’t wearing the shoes Harvard or Callum wore. David stretched out his arms, gun in hand, and fired at his legs.

There was a wail. The man struck the ground, panic making him shoot wildly, aiming at nothing. David had no choice but to stop him. He took aim and fired again. The gunfire stopped.

“Callum?” David yelled as he got to his feet. “Harvard?”