Mia's screams echoed off the gorge walls as they fell, their clothes ripping in the wind and they splashed into the river, the impact hammering the breath from Nate's lungs and the freezing cold water seeped into his skin.
Beside him Mia was thrashing about, desperate to get to the surface, somehow, he still had a hold of her hand and pulled her closer to him. Bullets started cutting through the water, streaking around them like deadly hailstones. Nate got Mia's attention and pointed to the other side of the river, telling her to swim. Then made a motion as if driving the car, hoping she understood what he meant.
She nodded and kicked her legs in that direction while Nate went the other way.
He surfaced against the edge of the gorge, hoping he was out of sight of mercs. Looking around he saw his backpack floating 15 meters downriver, pushing off the gorge he took a deep breath and ducked under. He began kicking his legs when the bullets started peppering around him again.
Lungs bursting, he surfaced near his pack, grabbed it, took another deep breath and ducked back under heading for the opposite shore.
His lungs felt like they were going to burst when he felt the soft mud under hand. He surfaced, gasping for air and waded out of the water as quickly as he could.
He heard the shouts just before the bullets started again and he ran, slipping on the muddy surface until he reached the grassy terrain beyond the shore. To the left in the distance he could see the site of Sarai Batu, machines still working, kicking up dust.
Wait, no the machines weren't kicking up dust, it was a jeep, one of Khanoğlu's mercs was tearing ahead, leading a handful of others on a chase straight for Mia. She was ahead of him, heading for a crop of trees.
Quickly swinging his pack around, he pulled out the M1911 and sprinted in her direction.
It was a race between Mia reaching the trees and the jeep reaching Mia, but she won in the end.
Just.
And the jeep was forced to skid to a stop just before it would have crashed into the trees. Two mercs got out, assault rifles raised while the driver stayed in his seat, engine still running.
They were expecting this to be short, two mercenaries against an unarmed woman. They hadn't seen Nate tearing across the desolate terrain.
There wouldn't be much cover for her and Nate pushed himself harder and when he was 15 meters from his first target, the lead mercenary. He stopped, got to one knee, aimed down the sight and fired.
The bullet hit the merc in the side of the head and he dropped but Nate was already firing on the second. His first shot went wide, thudding into the branch of a tree near the mercs head, fresh splinters flying in every direction, but the second and third hit true, one in the shoulder and second in the neck.
He was back on his feet and rushing towards the jeep, the driver slow to get his rifle up and Nate jumped, grabbed hold of the roll bar and swung, feet first and connected with the side of the merc, forcing him out of the car, sprawling on the ground.
"Mia" Nate shouted.
"Nate?" she appeared from the shadow of the trees.
"We gotta go!" he said. "More will be coming!"
She nodded and got into the passenger's seat of the jeep while Nate ran around to the other side, kicking the driver who was trying to get up and got in the driver's seat. He put the jeep in reverse, backed it away from the trees, and then accelerated away from Sarai Batu.
The engine roared as Nate floored it and the jeep hobbled over the uneven terrain until they reached a dusty road and turned right, heading south towards Selitrennoye.
"You ok?" Nate asked, shifting gears.
Mia nodded, "I-I think so."
"You're shivering" he said. He cranked on the heating, not that it would do any good in the jeep. "See if there is anything in the back to keep you warm."
She looked in the back seat and then said, "N-Nate?"
"Yeah?" he said.
"Look!"
"What is-"
The Jeep's rear canopy shredded, and bullets shattered the front window and thudded into the seat's headrest. In the mirror Nate saw a black SUV in pursuit, about 100 meters behind, a merc hanging out the passenger window, Steyr flashing as bullets peppered the car.
"Damn it!" Nate yelled and began swerving the car, trying to avoid the bullets. "Keep your head down!"
Mia ducked down, "What are we going to do?" she asked over the thudding of bullets hitting the car.
"See if there's anything in the back we can use" he said.
Mia peered back from her seat while Nate kept driving, racing along the road, swerving past a beat up old pickup truck. He looked in the passenger side mirror, his one having been shattered by a bullet, and saw the SUV had gained ground.
Crap! He had to do something otherwise they were going to be sitting ducks if that SUV got any closer.
"There's a gun back here" Mia said.
Nate looked back and saw it was a Steyr, there was also a closed crate.
"Take the wheel!" he said to Mia.
"What!" she screeched.
The rear-view mirror shattered as he looked at her, "If we are going to get out of this, I need you to drive. Just stay on the road and go as fast as you can, I'll take care of the rest."
He positioned his body so he could quickly slide into the back and said, "Here, grab the wheel and get ready. You'll have to be quick, I'm going to jump in the back."
She nodded and grabbed the wheel.
"Alright, on three.
"One...Two...THREE!"
He let up on the accelerator and almost jumped out of his seat getting into the back, while Mia, still holding the wheel clambered into the driver's seat. The whole sequence took maybe five seconds but that was enough for the pursuing SUV to draw within ten metres.
In the back seat, Nate picked up the Steyr and using the back seat as cover, he started firing back at the SUV, shattering the window and forcing it to veer off the road.
The jeep gained much needed separation from the SUV and Nate kept firing but the bumping and veering of the vehicle as Mia avoided other cars on the road was too much for him to get an accurate shot off. Preferring to save ammo, he opened the crate and inside were ammo clips and a rack of grenades.
"Sweet!" he said.
He picked up one of the grenades and watched as the SUV was back on road and roaring in pursuit. He turned to Mia and said, "Slow down for a couple of seconds and then speed up again."
She did so without question and when the SUV was close enough Nate pulled the pin on the grenade and tossed it out the shredded canopy. The grenade bounced and rolled around erratically before, finally resting on the road. The driver of the SUV saw it, but not in time and as the car rolled over the top of it, the grenade exploded and the back of the SUV reared up like it bounced off a springboard before crashing to the ground, the rear wheels shredded and axle mangled.
Then the fuel tank caught fire and the car exploded in a giant fireball.
Nate let out a whoop of joy but it was short lived. As the fireball cleared another five SUVs burst through the fire smoke.
"Oh shit. Mia, step on it" he shouted while firing his assault rifle at the cars. Then he ducked down as more bullets peppered the jeep. He wasn't sure how much longer the jeep could handle the beating it was taking but he was willing to bet it wasn't long. He peeked up from his cover and peppered the closest SUV.
"Nate, we're almost at the village" Mia shouted.
"Just keep going" he said over his shoulder and fired again. Then he tossed another grenade, but the lead SUV swerved out of the and it exploded harmlessly behind.
Swapping out the empty ammo clip for a fresh one, he fired at a merc leaning out the window, hitting him and he slumped, hanging off the door until the driver pushed him out and he tumbled to the ground, dead only to be replaced by another.
This wasn't good. He didn't have enough ammo or grenades to have a prolonged fight with these guys. It was time for a different strategy.
Instead of aiming for the mercs, he lowered the sight and aimed for the wheels. He fired a flurry of bullets and the driver's side wheel exploded and the SUV flipped and tumbled end-over-end until it finally came to a rest on its side, the vehicle destroyed.
Another SUV was approaching from the side, about 60 meters away, with two mercs leaning out the back windows firing their weapons. Nate moved to the window and leaned out but Mia called out a warning and the jeep swerved violently into the other lane, passing a semi-trailer which honked and flashed its lights. They were passing by a village similar to Selitrennoye, brick and timber dilapidated buildings passing by in a blur as Nate sighted again and fired another hail of bullets at the SUVs as they passed the truck. The back-wheel of one burst and the SUV fish-tailed out of control before slamming into the brick wall of a house.
Behind them, the SUVs were falling back and Nate, still hanging out the window, whooped again.
"Nate!"
He turned around just in time to see a troop truck sideswipe back drivers' side of the jeep and the sudden jerking motion flung the door open and Nate fell out of the car. He grabbed hold of the door and held on for dear life, his feet dragging along the rough road while the door swung open and closed with the fishtailing movements of the jeep. Just as he dragged himself up, the truck sideswiped the jeep again. This time the force of it caused him to lose his grip and he fell, tumbling over and over on the road and bracing his head as best he could. He rolled to a stop against the wall of a house.
"Where the hell did that truck come from?" he groaned, coughing up dust. He looked up and watched the Jeep veer around a corner, the truck in pursuit. Three more SUVs raced past, while a 4th stopped.
A group of locals had come out of their houses, watching on in interest while Nate ducked around the corner. Two mercs got out of the car, shouting something to the locals and Nate pulled his M1911 from his waistband, thankful he didn't lose it when he fell out of the jeep. Using the corner wall for cover, he peered out and let off four shots. Both mercs, who were running to the corner, assuming Nate had run off, went down. He grabbed a Steyr rifle from one of them and then jumped into the idling SUV, tossing the rifle on the passenger's seat, and floored the accelerator.
The wheels spun, spitting up gravel before gripping and lurched forward as Nate pursued Mia. He rounded the corner and followed the road out of the village heading towards Selitrennoye. Ahead he could see the small specs of the cars, kicking up dust clouds, and flashes of gun fire. Nate willed the car to go faster but it was already being pushed to maximum, the engine roaring as he slowly gained on the trailing SUVs.
They were in a barren part of the highway, the dusty road changing to asphalt and Nate was within 50 metres of the trailing SUV when they passed Volenskiy, another small, sparsely populated town similar to Selitrennoye. He grabbed the assault rifle from the passenger's seat and propped it on the side mirror and fired.
The muzzle flashed and bullets pinged into the back of the SUV, shattering the rear windshield. The SUV veered off-road and Nate blew past it, watching the driver trying to regain control of the vehicle.
Ahead he saw the two remaining SUVs trailing the troop truck which was tailing the jeep, trying to nudge it off road. Nate fired again, the bullets thudding into the back an SUV and a merc returned fire from the passenger window. The bullets slammed into the hood and cracked the windshield, the glass webbing on the passenger side and Nate swerved to avoid the bullets.
He returned fire, trying to force the SUV off-road but they were prepared for him and they exchanged gun fire, neither able to hit their mark. Nate knew he wasn't going to win this fight, not with only a handful of bullets remaining in his rifle. He put the rifle down on the passenger's seat and accelerated again, trying up to catch the SUV. He remained on the opposite side to the firing merc, making himself as difficult a target as possible.
Suddenly the SUV in front swerved, narrowing avoiding an oncoming truck which clearly cared very little for the pursuit going on in the opposite direction. The truck horn blared as it passed, and Nate immediately caught up to the SUV. He was side-by-side with the driver when he grabbed his rifle and fired through the passenger's window into the driver's side. The windows shattered and the driver slumped over the wheel, his body riddled with bullets. The merc in the passenger's seat tried to gain control of the car but it ran up a dirt mound on the side of the road, went airborne and crashed on its roof in the middle of the road.
Nate drove on, closing in on the remaining SUV. He nudged the car with the bumper of his own, forcing it to fishtail and slam on the brakes. He flew past it and continued on, now only trailing the truck which took up most of the road, and the jeep which had a small lead on it. Nate was about to fire on the truck, aiming for its wheels when a hail of bullets slammed into the back of the SUV. He looked in the rear-view mirror to see the remaining SUV had recovered and was gaining on him fast.
"Crap!"
Now he was stuck between the truck, taking up most of the road, and the SUV, firing at him and about to bump him off the road. The front windshield shattered as more bullets penetrated the car and Nate was covered in glass. A cold wind blew in, tearing at his face and hair, causing his eyes to water when an idea came to him. He knew he didn't have much time and he could do nothing about the SUV behind him so he grabbed the Steyr and jammed one end against the accelerator and the other on the underside of the seat. Keeping control of the steering wheel, he pulled his legs up and on to the driver's seat in a crouching position. Then he crawled through the windshield and onto the hood, still holding the steering wheel with one hand he waited until the car was closer to the truck.
The wind roared around his eyes, the scenery rushing before him but Nate kept focus on the truck and when his car was close enough, he let go and took a two-step run towards the front of the car, his shoes crumpling the hood and, with a scream, leapt towards the truck.
Just as he leapt, the SUV was rammed by the one behind it and it skidded out of control, barrelling into a power pole, crumpling the front. Nate held, one handed, on to a horizontal bar on the trucks tailgate, his body slamming into the truck with every bump and turn it made. Behind him, the remaining SUV was catching up, merc hanging out the window, rifle aimed, and Nate had to scramble. He swung around, arm straining and trying to get his other hand on the tailgate bar. Bullets thudded into the tailgate near his head and desperation set in.
He swung his body, using the momentum of the moving truck to help and with one final swing, he managed to grab the bar and pull himself up and into the tray just in time as more bullets pinged off the tailgate.
Enjoying a moment of safety, Nate pulled the M1911 from his waistband and crouched, keeping his head out of view of the SUV and duck walked to the truck cabin. He leapt over the side of the tray, feet on a narrow shelf and opened the driver's side door. The driver let out a cry of surprise and Nate grabbed him by the strap of his vest and yanked him out of the cabin. The body making a loud thump as it tumbled along the weedy embankment. Grabbing the roof, Nate swung inside, legs first and kicked the gun-wielding merc in the passenger's seat, slamming him against the door. He got in the cabin, shutting the door as he did and punched the merc in the head. The merc slumped in his seat and Nate leaned over and opened the door.
"Seatbelts save lives" he quipped and pushed the mercenary out.
In control of the truck now he floored the accelerator and chased after Mia whose jeep had gained significant distance in the time it took Nate to take control. Behind him the SUV, obviously knowing he was driving, was firing on the truck, the bullets ricocheting harmlessly off the metal tray.
Nate gave them a laugh and a mock wave, watching the merc retreat into the car from his side mirror. Then his grin vanished as the merc reappeared with an RPG.
"Oh, what the hell!" he yelled and swerved the truck as a rocket shot past, disappearing into the distance. The merc grabbed another rocket and began to load it and Nate floored the accelerator. He began to flash the lights and honk his horn at the jeep, trying to get Mia's attention but she probably still thought she was being chased by the Khanoğlu's men.
Looking in the mirror, the merc had loaded the rocket and aimed. He waited and watched and, just when he thought he was going to fire the rocket, he slammed on the trucks brakes and the SUV, not expecting this tactic, slammed on its own and the merc rocked forward, pressing the trigger and the rocket exploded in the middle of the road. The truck shook from the shockwave and Nate shifted gear and sped off in pursuit of Mia's jeep that had gained more ground. He looked in the mirror and watched the SUV recover and drive around the gaping hole in the road and continue their pursuit, the merc back out the window loading another rocket.
Nate continued alternating flashing his lights, honking the horn and waving his arm out the window, but Mia was too far away.
"Come on" he murmured, eyes swaying between the road and the SUV behind him. They drove, the chase hitting a lull, the SUV too far from him, though closing quickly, and he too far from the jeep. Just as they approached the town of Khosheutovo, the jeep slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road.
Mia had finally seen him and stopped the car.
"No no no" Nate muttered, "Keep going, Mia."
Behind him the SUV still trailed, not realising the jeep had pulled over. Nate watched as Mia got out of the car and watched, unsure what to do.
"Crap. Crap" Nate said and slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel. The truck slid across the road, stopping side on, covering the entire width of the road. The SUV slammed on the brakes, but it was too late and Nate climbed out of the truck and sprinted away just as the SUV slammed into the truck bed and exploded.
The force from the blast blew Nate off his feet and he crashed onto the road a few meters away. He turned on his back and groaned, the truck now a fireball and the heat blasting him like a furnace.
"Well, that's that" he chuckled and lay in the middle of the road, eyes closed.
The sun was almost setting by now and a shadow appeared over his prone body, "Nate?"
He opened his eyes, Mia was standing over him, concern etched all over her face.
"Yeah?"
"You ok?"
"Yeah...well, I don't think we're getting the deposit back for the car."
"I meant physically?"
He flexed his arms and legs, testing for any breaks but only found more aches and pains, "Nothing broken" he said, closing his eyes again.
There was silence for a couple of breaths, and then "Nate?"
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Shouldn't we go before more of them come?"