7
Hong Kong
A day later
"I really feel naked right now, Koko," Minami Amada complained as her best friend Koko Hekmatyar expertly drove their Audi A8 Security sedan on the Wong Chuk Hang Road in Hong Kong Island.
"What are you talking about?" Koko asked.
Minami shifted on the passenger seat, looking nervous. "We are in the lion's den, Koko. And we don't have the security that we used to have."
"Don't worry," Koko assured her. "This car is heavily armored and armed to the teeth. Besides, Chin wouldn't do something stupid in his own backyard."
"It is not Chin that I'm worried about, its Hex."
Koko's gaze turned dark. "I'll deal with her myself."
"This is stupid, Koko. Not only stupid, but insane. I can't believe I'm agreeing with this."
"That is why you're my best friend," Koko replied with a smile.
"So what about your bodyguards?"
"I sent them home. They don't know that I'm here in Hong Kong. Otherwise, they will turn apeshit."
"I don't blame them. You're loco, Koko."
"Hey, are you going to help me or not?" Koko snapped, feeling annoyed at Minami's attitude.
Minami softened a bit. "I'm your friend, the only one that you have now. Of course I'll help you."
"Good," Koko replied with a smile.
"But seriously? Negotiate with a maniac like Chin? It's crazy, Koko."
Koko was about to reply when she spotted something on the rear view mirror. Two black SUV's are following them. Honed by years of experience, Koko's defense mechanism switched on. She quickly scanned the road, looking for a quick way out. There's none; the only chance for them to lose the tail is to go through the Aberdeen Tunnel ahead.
But they have to cross an intersection first.
Koko slowed the car as the lights turned yellow to red. The SUV's sandwiched the Audi, one on the left side and one on the right. Adrenaline is pumping on Koko's veins. "Minami, tighten your seatbelt," she ordered.
"Why?" Minami asked but she did what she was told to.
"Shit's gonna hit the fan," Koko replied, gripping the steering wheel tighter.
The lights switched green.
Koko's right hand dropped to the automatic shifter, quickly putting the car into reverse at the same time stepping on the gas pedal. The Audi rocketed backwards, the G-force forcing their seatbelts digging on their bodies. At that moment, the windows of the SUV's opened, submachine guns poked out and opened fire on the Audi. But Koko's car is already out of their line of fire and the gunmen shot each other.
The Audi slammed on the car at the back, armor plates saving it from horrendous damage. Koko shifted the gear forward, the Audi's V8 engine roared and the car blitzed pass the SUV's at over 100 kph. Despite its heavy weight, the massive engine and twin turbochargers pushed the A8 into ridiculous speed.
"Holy shit!" Minami exclaimed as they rocketed at the highway, weaving pass cars and trucks at breakneck speed.
Gunfire roared as two more vehicles chased the Audi. Bullets hit the rear window and trunk but didn't penetrate either. The gunmen tried shooting the wheels but the run-flat tires filled with honeycombed Kevlar and solid rubber held intact.
Minami flinches as the glass spiderwebbed in front of her face. "I don't wanna die!" she screamed in panic.
"We're not going to die," Koko assured her, not taking her eyes off the road. She opened the glove box and withdrew a loaded Heckler and Koch MP7 submachine gun.
More bullets slammed on the Audi. Rounds also indiscriminately hit other cars on the road, but the gunmen didn't care. Koko could see them armed with submachine guns and rifles, dressed like commandos and loaded with ammunition. These are no ordinary men.
The Audi entered the Aberdeen Tunnel. Koko switched off the lights of her car, navigating only with the tunnel lights. An infrared camera on the front and an LCD screen on the dashboard made it easier to drive even in total darkness. The gunfire stopped, it seems the gunmen are having a hard time acquiring the Audi inside the dark tunnel.
But this would only be temporary as now Koko can see the light at the end of the tunnel. She floored the gas pedal, the Audi shot out into the daylight as they exited the tunnel.
Suddenly, Koko spun the wheel, at the same time applying brakes. The Audi spun 180 degrees, tires burning rubber. Koko opened the driver side window, aiming the MP7 at the lead SUV with her right hand. She squeezed the trigger, spraying 4.6mm armor piercing rounds at the hood of the SUV. Slugs ravaged the left front tire of the vehicle, the momentum sending it tumbling head over heels before smashing roof-first on the asphalt.
The second SUV quickly steered sideways to the right as Koko empties her submachine gun. Without warning, Koko floored the pedal, sending the Audi crashing on the side of the SUV. The weight of the armored car and speed of the impact flipped the SUV like a toy, rolling on top of the Audi before hitting the road behind the car. The front of the Audi was demolished, but the armor-covered engine is still going strong.
"Jesus!" Minami exclaimed as Koko calmly closed the driver side window and steered the Audi back into traffic.
Koko was about to pump the throttle again when she heard the unmistakable roar of a V12 engine like a bat out of hell. She glanced sideways just in time to see a crimson red supercar blitzing pass the Audi. The car looks awesome, like an unholy union of a stealth fighter and the Batmobile.
"It's a Lambo Veneno Roadster," Minami said in awe.
Koko caught a glimpsed of the driver. A beautiful woman with an eyepatch.
"Hex!" Koko exclaimed.
The Veneno suddenly spun on the highway and faced the Audi head on. Koko quickly applied the brakes as the supercar also halted a few hundred meters in front of the Audi.
Koko gripped the wheel tighter. She is breathing hard. "Hex, you bitch…" she whispered.
Minami instantly read her best friend's mine. "No, Koko! Don't do it!"
But Koko quickly shifter the gears and put the pedal to the metal. The Audi roared at full heading, heading for a head-on collision with the Veneno.
Hex followed suit. The two cars are now on a deadly game of chicken.
"Come on, you bitch," Koko said in grim determination. "Let's go to hell together."
Minami closed her eyes, expecting her death as the cars closed the distance in milliseconds.
Suddenly, Hex banked the Veneno to the left. The slope of the supercar acted like a ramp, scooping the right tire of the Audi upwards. The momentum kept the car going, spinning in the air like a football thrown by a receiver. A second later the Audi's roof smashed on the asphalt, crushing metal and glass as it turned turtle before finally stops as it hit a concrete barricade.
"Holy fuck," Minami moaned as she realized they are hanging upside down on their seatbelts. "Are we still alive?"
"Yeah, barely," Koko replied, moaning in pain as she unhooked her belt, crashing on the ceiling of the Audi with a thump. She realized blood is dripping from a cut on her head. Her white blouse is stained with blood and dirt. Every muscle on her body is throbbing in pain but she has the presence of mind to unhook Minami off her seatbelt.
"We got to get out of here," Koko said as she took a Serbu Super-Shorty shotgun from under her car seat.
Someone opened the driver side door of the overturned Audi. Koko was stunned when the man literally pulled the door off its hinges and tossed it away like it was made of paper. The huge muscle man pulled Koko's legs out of the car.
Koko aimed the Serbu at the chest of the man and triggered the weapon. Twelve gauge projectiles hit the man squarely in the torso, but amazingly he didn't even flinch. Koko pump the action of the shotgun to try again but the man simply snatched the small firearm from her hand. The man suddenly twisted the Serbu like a pretzel. He then grabbed Koko by the neck and lifted her like crane.
"Don't kill her, Tiger," a tall woman said, appearing behind the big man. "Boss needs her alive."
"She didn't say anything about hurting her, Edjie," Tiger replied sadistically.
Suddenly, a screeching noise growled from the road. Tiger glanced just in time to see a Ducati motorcycle roared towards him at full speed. Tiger released Koko as the superbike slammed into him with incredible force. The rider of bike jumped off, drawing twin Glocks from their holsters and rapidly firing them at Tiger at close range. The big man collapsed on the road.
The rider removed her helmet, revealing a beautiful Chinese woman with short black hair and sharp almond eyes.
"Karen…" Koko gasped in pain.
"Get out of here!" Karen Low screamed, the same time Edjie suddenly attacked her, blades in hand.