“Nice driving, Tex,” Zack said, as the second SUV was only twenty yards ahead of them and halfway through the final turn onto Triq tal-Prajjet, where its doom lay a half mile ahead.

The adrenaline had dulled the pounding in the back of his skull, which made it slightly easier for him to concentrate on solving the biggest problem they faced: how to stop two SUVs with one in less than half a mile.

Noah considered the same tactical dilemma. “Brace yourself. I’m hitting the second vehicle as soon as we make the turn. We know that one has Belyakov. The security team won’t abandon their master. Just get ready for the gunfight. Time to work,” Noah said, grinning under his balaclava.

“I knew you were going to say that,” Zack said, and gripped the handguard rail of the HK416 assault rifle, ready to engage. Do or die, Zack. It always comes down to this.

The Range Rover covered the remaining distance to the final turn, shot around it at perilous speed, and rocketed forward. Noah was the best tactical driver on the team, and Zack was thankful for it as he braced himself for the impact.

As the Range Rover closed the final feet, two young faces appeared in the rear window of the SUV, expressions of confusion and dawning fear apparent. In that frozen moment, Zack felt the terrible weight of what they were about to do, but as bad as it was, it was better than allowing Griffin to blow them up in a fiery death. Sometimes, there were no good options. The kids. God, please let them be okay. It’s not their fault their father is a monster.

And then they were gone as the Range Rover accelerated and moved left toward the shoulder and the low rock wall that separated the road from the sea below. Noah yanked the steering wheel to the right, the distance between the Range Rover and the Mercedes providing a space in which to increase the SUV’s momentum.

The right front quarter panel slammed into the left wheel well of the Mercedes with a tremendous crunch and potentially disastrous consequences for the occupants of the SUV. The rear of Belyakov’s Mercedes was shoved to the right, exposing the left side of the vehicle to the front of the Range Rover. Unfortunately for Zack and Noah, Belyakov’s driver was experienced and worth the extremely high salary he was paid.

He spun the wheel into the tailspin, even as the Mercedes suddenly shot toward the rock wall on the left, scraping across the front of the Range Rover. At the last second, the vehicle straightened itself out, and the driver regained control. Rather than slam into the low, rugged wall of rocks head-on, the Mercedes turned to the right and delivered a glancing blow, grinding along the rocks for several feet before detaching itself miraculously and then accelerating away.