Chapter 15. Heart of the road.


They arrived at the checkpoint to leave the base and showed their passes. The MP waved them off, and they put on their helmets to contain the noise the engine makes. The build in headset made it possible to communicate with ease.

Alex hadn't lied about the car being a rally monster. With expertise she brought it up to speed and took the ring motorway. She didn't exactly follow the traffic regulations, that is to say, she showed her car off to Donna. As it was early in the morning the motorway lay deserted and Alex could really perform. Donna thoroughly enjoyed the ride, but living under cover gives you that extra sense to predict danger. She kept checking her side rear view mirror and was the first to spot the lights tailing them.

"Alex, we've got company!" she said while pointing backwards with her thumb.

Alex took a glimpse at her rear view mirror and took action. She pushed the Drakkar Rover logo on the dashboard. Immediately a head up display was projected on the windscreen. On Alex's side it had the normal instrument panel and a small Infra-red rear view to the middle of the windscreen. As the front lights of the vehicle didn't interfere any longer they could make out the typical outline of a Hum-Vee. On Donna's side the HUD projected a map of the region with their position and a menu. She also had a small keyboard with touch pad that came out off it's hiding place in the dashboard. She choose the communications menu and logged into Woohp.

The projection now also showed Terry at her desk. "Chief," Donna acting as agent again, "we're being followed by a Hum-Vee, Belgian licence plate BET-882. We're on the R0 Ring motorway near the Soignes forest."

"Do I send some help?" Terry suggested.

"No thanks boss, I'll use the forest tracks to loose them." Alex answered. You could hear her smile.

Terry didn't look pleased. "Is this that break neck trick you've planned some time ago?"

"Yes boss" she sang it out.

"Don't kill yourselves girls. I want to attend a wedding not a funeral." Terry warned.

"Don't worry boss, we too!" Alex had calmed down and was again fully concentrated on her driving. The picture of Terry disappeared.

The Hum-Vee had been trying to close in, but Alex's driving skills and the powerful motor in her car destroyed the other driver's plan.

"Donna choose the file 'Zonietrip', it contains all the information we need to loose those losers." Alex was obviously in high spirits. Donna opened the file menu and chose the file. It took a while but then a document opened, displaying a map and co-driver directions.

"I'm sorry it are my road notes Donna, but I hope they'll help you enough. I've driven this track a few times in virtual reality, but this is the first life test."

Donna was looking bug eyed at the map and directions. "I understand why auntie said not to kill ourselves. This is impossible to drive."

"And yet Donna," Alex cheered, "we are going to do it!"

The car leapt out of a tunnel and with a swift tug on the handbrake made a perfect 90° turn. Alex rammed a barrier and the car disappeared in the forest.

The Hum-Vee lost a few dear seconds making the turn.