you’ve got some ideas,” he muttered.
“There’s a right coming up in sixty meters. Take it, and then slow down,” the gunman said. “There’s a canal on the left – there may be a maintenance gate or something. It’s worth a try.”
Roland dared a glance at the gunman. “If they get choppers in the air, we’re in serious trouble.”
“Remote chance they can respond that quickly. I like our odds.”
“It will occur to them soon enough.”
“By which time we’ll be gone.”
The heavy vehicle leaned precariously as it made the right, and the Frenchman had to fight to bring the steering back under control before decelerating to a more sane speed. All eyes were on the chain-link fence that ran alongside the dark canal, and Roland slowed further when he saw a gate.
“Can you blow through it?” the gunman asked.
“You pay the insurance, not me.”
He pointed the hood at the gate and accelerated as the SUV neared it. The gate exploded off its hinges and flew off to the side, and then they were bouncing down a rutted dirt track. Dense vegetation surrounded them, and branches scratched at the windshield and body as they tore by.
The canal was full of rushing brown water, but the driver managed to keep the vehicle’s wheels clear of it enough to achieve reasonable progress. The gunman’s phone trilled and he answered it, spoke a few hushed words, and then terminated the call. He turned to the driver.
“Can you get us to the Yamuna River by the Nizamuddin bridge?”
Roland’s eyes darted to the mirror and then back to the road. “Anything’s possible.”
The gunman gave him further instructions. “Everything’s ready.”
The Frenchman considered him. “You may wish to take a taxi. Split up. That way if we’re stopped, they’ve got nothing.”
“No time. They may be slow, but they’ll mobilize, and we could see roadblocks, at least overnight.”
The driver shrugged. “Your call.”
“That’s right, it is. Get us back on a road as soon as you see an opening. They’ll tumble to the broken gate eventually.”
Spencer and Drake watched the exchange without comment. Drake took Allie’s hand and was relieved when she didn’t pull away. Any anger she’d felt at being subjected to immediate danger after arriving had apparently been forgotten, although Drake was only cautiously optimistic.
“Who are you?” Spencer asked the gunman as the driver swerved onto a concrete ramp that led to a street above.
“I’ll explain later.”
“How about now?” Drake tried.
“Right now, the less you know, the better. If you’re captured, you know nothing. That’s the way I like it.”
The gunman’s tone didn’t leave any room for argument, and Drake settled back into the seat as the SUV accelerated and shredded through another gate. The passenger-side mirror blew off from the impact and the cracked windshield frosted on the gunman’s side, but if the Frenchman cared about the damage, he gave no sign.
The gunman checked his phone map again and nodded. “We should be there in ten minutes. Fifteen on the outside,” he said.
“We’ll want another vehicle.”
“I’ll arrange it by morning.”
“Where are we going?” Allie asked.
“Somewhere nobody will think of looking for you in a million years.”
Spencer tried again. “Why are you helping us?”
The gunman laughed humorlessly. “Obviously, because I want something.”
“Money?”
It was the driver’s turn to chuckle. “I’ll take some if you’re offering.”
The gunman shook his head. “I’ll tell you soon enough.”
“What do you want?” Drake demanded.
The gunman twisted around in his seat and studied Drake for a long beat, and then turned back around.
“I asked you a question,” Drake said.
The gunman nodded. “I heard you. Now hear me. We’ll discuss it once we’re off the road. Until then, you’re to keep your mouth shut so you don’t distract us. That’s not an option, and if you don’t like it,
“There’s a right coming up in sixty meters. Take it, and then slow down,” the gunman said. “There’s a canal on the left – there may be a maintenance gate or something. It’s worth a try.”
Roland dared a glance at the gunman. “If they get choppers in the air, we’re in serious trouble.”
“Remote chance they can respond that quickly. I like our odds.”
“It will occur to them soon enough.”
“By which time we’ll be gone.”
The heavy vehicle leaned precariously as it made the right, and the Frenchman had to fight to bring the steering back under control before decelerating to a more sane speed. All eyes were on the chain-link fence that ran alongside the dark canal, and Roland slowed further when he saw a gate.
“Can you blow through it?” the gunman asked.
“You pay the insurance, not me.”
He pointed the hood at the gate and accelerated as the SUV neared it. The gate exploded off its hinges and flew off to the side, and then they were bouncing down a rutted dirt track. Dense vegetation surrounded them, and branches scratched at the windshield and body as they tore by.
The canal was full of rushing brown water, but the driver managed to keep the vehicle’s wheels clear of it enough to achieve reasonable progress. The gunman’s phone trilled and he answered it, spoke a few hushed words, and then terminated the call. He turned to the driver.
“Can you get us to the Yamuna River by the Nizamuddin bridge?”
Roland’s eyes darted to the mirror and then back to the road. “Anything’s possible.”
The gunman gave him further instructions. “Everything’s ready.”
The Frenchman considered him. “You may wish to take a taxi. Split up. That way if we’re stopped, they’ve got nothing.”
“No time. They may be slow, but they’ll mobilize, and we could see roadblocks, at least overnight.”
The driver shrugged. “Your call.”
“That’s right, it is. Get us back on a road as soon as you see an opening. They’ll tumble to the broken gate eventually.”
Spencer and Drake watched the exchange without comment. Drake took Allie’s hand and was relieved when she didn’t pull away. Any anger she’d felt at being subjected to immediate danger after arriving had apparently been forgotten, although Drake was only cautiously optimistic.
“Who are you?” Spencer asked the gunman as the driver swerved onto a concrete ramp that led to a street above.
“I’ll explain later.”
“How about now?” Drake tried.
“Right now, the less you know, the better. If you’re captured, you know nothing. That’s the way I like it.”
The gunman’s tone didn’t leave any room for argument, and Drake settled back into the seat as the SUV accelerated and shredded through another gate. The passenger-side mirror blew off from the impact and the cracked windshield frosted on the gunman’s side, but if the Frenchman cared about the damage, he gave no sign.
The gunman checked his phone map again and nodded. “We should be there in ten minutes. Fifteen on the outside,” he said.
“We’ll want another vehicle.”
“I’ll arrange it by morning.”
“Where are we going?” Allie asked.
“Somewhere nobody will think of looking for you in a million years.”
Spencer tried again. “Why are you helping us?”
The gunman laughed humorlessly. “Obviously, because I want something.”
“Money?”
It was the driver’s turn to chuckle. “I’ll take some if you’re offering.”
The gunman shook his head. “I’ll tell you soon enough.”
“What do you want?” Drake demanded.
The gunman twisted around in his seat and studied Drake for a long beat, and then turned back around.
“I asked you a question,” Drake said.
The gunman nodded. “I heard you. Now hear me. We’ll discuss it once we’re off the road. Until then, you’re to keep your mouth shut so you don’t distract us. That’s not an option, and if you don’t like it,
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