Page 80 of The Lazarus Protocol

“Then they should make me an offer,” Ice said.

“It’s scanning.”

“The tablet uses satellites that belong to a range of companies, and countries, and bounces off different ones so it’s untraceable.”

“He’s in there.”

“We knew that.”

Steph said, “Let me try and⁠—”

The rear door of the van swung open, and a man in black with a black ski mask clung to a handle with one arm and lifted a rifle, pointing it at them.

“If I swerve, they’ll hit⁠—”

Bullets spat from the rifle and hammered into the hood.

“—whoever is behind me.”

She dropped the tablet between her feet and grabbed the pistol she’d borrowed from Adam. “If you don’t, they’ll hit us!”

She hit the button on the window, and it descended excruciatingly slowly. Not the time to wish for a handle to wind it down, but there it was.

The windshield cracked, and the popping sound of gunfire got louder.

Around them, horns honked and people swerved to get out of the way. She heard brakes squeal and the unmistakable crunch of metal as two vehicles crashed into each other.

Steph stuck her gun hand out the window, and Ice yelled, “Don’t hit Kai!”

As if she would? Even under duress she had better aim than that. She squeezed off a series of rounds and hit the shooter in the shoulder, causing him to fall back into the van, where he landed on Kai. The Division Zero team member lay unmoving, and she had a great view of the soles of his boots but not much else.

Another guy in black with a ski mask took the shooter’s place.

Steph didn’t let him bring his gun up. She nailed him in the chest, and on the side of his neck. Blood sprayed out. He fell forward, hitting the hood of the car before they bumped over him. Her forearm slammed on the open window.

“You good?”

She hissed. “Yes.”

In the open door, she spotted Vesper. Steph fired two shots in the woman’s direction, certain that whatever happened next, later she would wish she’d reacted fast. So she did.

The shots missed her target, who lifted Kai and put a gun to his head. Vesper had to hold his chin to keep his head up. Kai’s eyes were closed. He had no idea he was being used as a bargaining chip.

Ice yelled, “Don’t hit Kai!”

“Back off, or she’ll kill him.”

Vesper had to have read Steph’s lips, because she nodded slowly.

“Back off, Ice.”

He let out a cry of frustration and eased off the gas. Behind them on this stretch of busy motorway, flashing lights and sirens could be heard.

“There’s nothing we can do.”

“Live to fight another day? That’s all you’ve got?”

Steph’s fingers flexed on the gun. “You’ve got the comms tracker. That’s going to be enough.”