Chapter 5 - A Race Against Death
The rain finally began to pour over New York, slicking the dark streets.
Vincenzo drove like a madman, weaving through the heavy Saturday traffic.
Behind them, two black sedans were in relentless pursuit.
"They are gaining on us, Boss!" Vincenzo yelled, checking his mirrors.
"Don't let them pit the car," Lorenzo ordered, rolling down his window.
The frigid wind howled into the cabin.
Lorenzo leaned out, aiming his pistol at the leading sedan.
He fired three precise shots.
The first two spider-webbed the windshield, but the third found the driver's shoulder.
The sedan swerved violently, crashing into a parked garbage truck with a deafening crunch.
"One down!" Vincenzo cheered.
But the second sedan accelerated, pulling up alongside them.
A masked man leaned out with a submachine gun.
"Down!" Lorenzo roared, throwing himself over the back seat to cover Sophia and Emma.
A hail of bullets shattered the reinforced glass, showering the interior with sparkling shards.
Emma screamed, burying her face into her gray stuffed rabbit.
"Hold on!" Vincenzo yelled, jerking the steering wheel hard to the right.
The heavy SUV slammed into the side of the sedan, crushing it against the concrete median.
Metal shrieked against metal in a shower of orange sparks.
With a final, brutal shove, Vincenzo sent the sedan spinning out of control.
It flipped twice before landing upside down in the middle of the highway.
Silence returned to the car, save for the roaring engine and Emma’s soft crying.
Lorenzo sat up, brushing glass from his suit.
He looked down at the little girl, his heart twisting with unexpected warmth.
"You are very brave, Emma," Lorenzo said softly.
He reached out and gently patted her trembling shoulder.
May you like
"We are almost there," Sophia whispered, pointing to a small, unassuming row house in Queens.
Lorenzo felt his chest tighten, the reality of what was waiting inside finally hitting him.
