Chapter 20: Change of Plans
As the caravan pulled into a long, underground tunnel, they slowed to a stop. Ahead of them, a tractor trailer was sitting at an odd angle, blocking the way out. Several agents jumped out of their cars and ran over to investigate.
Alex stepped slowly out of the car and glanced briefly back at the prisoner transport vehicle.
"What's going on?" hissed Jack, "Is this the 'staging' thing you were talking about on the phone?"
Alex nodded, leaned over, and whispered rapidly into her ear. Jack's eyes widened with each new detail of the plan.
"Are you serious?"
Alex nodded again.
"Think they'll go for it?"
"I hope so," he muttered as he glanced around the tunnel.
He saw an officer who looked like he was in charge and walked over to him.
"How long is it going to take to move this semi?" he asked.
"Got my men working on it right now."
Alex nodded curtly and turned back to look at the brothers. Finally, the two guards inside the vehicle were called out to help move the semi.
"Come on, Michael," whispered Alex, "Take it!"
"I really hope this works," muttered Jack, fearfully.
Just then, Alex's phone rang.
"They go for it?" asked Kellerman.
"No…they're talking but nothing so far."
"Nothing?" he asked in surprise, "Okay, in five minutes if they haven't made a move, you order the pull of the semi and release traffic."
"And then what?"
"You want a rabbit to hop, Alex…move the carrot."
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Several minutes later, Jack began to grow anxious. \
"I don't like this, Alex."
"Hold on," he muttered as he saw movement inside the vehicle.
He grabbed his cell phone, "Here we go."
"Copy that," replied Kellerman as he hung up.
He leaned down and talked into his wrist.
"Heads up, hold traffic," Kellerman ordered.
Several officers back in the tunnel glanced around. They had earpieces...
Suddenly, all hell broke loose. The prisoner vehicle door opened and the brothers made a mad dash to a nearby door. The officers and guards began to draw their weapons and fire, but they were too late. Michael shut the door behind them.
Alex and Jack were instantly on the move. They ran down the tunnel in the opposite direction and stepped through another door.
They ran down long, winding hallways, trying to pinpoint the brothers' location. Finally, they began to catch up to them. Alex whipped out his cell phone.
"They're in and heading straight for you," he whispered.
"Armed?" asked Kellerman.
"No, Jack and I'll back you up."
"Just keep running. As long as their running from the both of you, they're heading towards me. They'll get boxed in."
Alex hung up the phone and motioned for Jack to follow him. They resumed running through the passageways. Suddenly, as they turned the corner, they saw the brothers' shadows receding down a different, narrower tunnel.
"They're improvising," muttered Alex into his cell phone, "They're heading for the surface."
Kellerman cursed and hung up the phone.
Alex and Jack kept running until they turned another corner and found themselves in a large, concrete room, face to face with Michael and Lincoln. On the other side of the brothers, was Kellerman. They were trapped. Jack could not help but smile in satisfaction.
Kellerman raised his gun to fire, but Jack noticed something was not right. He was aiming too high and too far to the left. He was aiming at Alex!
Jack cried out and shoved Alex out of the way. They both fell to the ground as Kellerman ordered the brothers to follow him. They obliged, but kept glancing back. Unsure as to who was shot.
"Jack?" asked Alex, voice quivering with fear, "Jack…are you okay?"
Jack did not reply. Alex lifted her up slightly, but froze in horror as he felt something wet on his hand. He glanced down and saw that the right side of her shirt was covered in blood…
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