335: AGAINST ALL ODDS LUKE’S POV Glaring at this man, with my fists clenched tightly, I was breathing heavily, exhausted as hell. But 1 couldn’t give up yet. My eyes narrowed down to the pistol on the ground. And I knew getting that right now was surely going to put this man in his place.. That was when I decided to follow through with my leaden steps, and then I grabbed the pistol from the ground. I pointed it at the man who lay sprawled before me, glaring at him with fierce intensity. “Haven’t you done too much evil?” I asked him, not taking the direction of the gun off him. He chuckled. “What are you going to do? Kill me?” I didn’t say anything. I just shot him in the leg. He let out a cry of pain.. “Now, if you don’t behave yourself, there will be a second bullet, and trust me, I won’t hesitate to send it straight to your skull.” “Okay, okay. What do you want me to do?” The man asked in agony. Now we’re talking! “I believe you have a vehicle capable of transporting me away from this dreadful area,” I replied with a raised eyebrow. He seemed hesitant to speak, but I released another bullet. This one was really close to his leg, but I managed to put things together, sending it off. “If you don’t want your head to be the next destination for the bullet, you better tell me where the car is. I know it’s somewhere around here, so where the fuck is the goddamn car?” I snapped at him.. As I rubbed my hands through my hair while pointing the pistol at the moron, I was on the verge of losing it. “Tell me now!” The man’s eyes widened in terror, his hands raised in a feeble attempt to placate me. “Please, don’t kill me,” he pleaded, his voice quivering. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know.” I pressed the muzzle of the pistol‘ against his forehead, my gaze unwavering. “I don’t want to hear your pathetic pleas. Just tell me where the car is, and maybe I’ll consider letting you live.” The man swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously. “Okay, okay,” he stammered. He pointed out a car parked nearby, just down the path. It’s a black sedan; you can’t miss it.” I narrowed my eyes, assessing him for any signs of deception. Satisfied that he was telling the truth, albeit out of sheer desperation, I lowered the pistol slightly but kept it trained on him. The man scrambled to his feet, casting a fearful glance at the pistol in my hand. With shaky steps, he began to walk, and I followed closely behind; every muscle in my body tensed for action, carrying Ariel along. As we made our way through the dense foliage, my mind raced with thoughts of escape and survival. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down, not for a second. The man may have given me the information I needed, but I couldn’t trust him completely. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we emerged into a small clearing where a sleek black sedan sat parked, its engine idling softly. I eyed the car warily, noting its pristine condition with a mixture of relief. and suspicion. “Keys,” I demanded, holding out my free hand expectantly. The man fumbled in his pockets before producing a set of keys, which he tossed to me with trembling hands. I caught them deftly, my fingers closing around the metal with a sense of grim satisfaction. “Get the hell out of here,” I told him. “And remember, if you try anything, I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger.” Do you hear me? Now go!” I placed Ariel in the car before bursting inside. After that, I dialed Jack’s number, since I still had hold of the phone I had snatched from the man during our brawl. 1 began to call Jack, praying that he would answer his phone. And indeed, he did. I was extremely glad. I thought the signal around here connecting to those areas was terrible. “Hello?” *Jack!” I vocalized right away. “Boss, is that you?” “Yes, it’s me. And I need your help right now.” “Your voice doesn’t sound good. Are you in some sort of danger?” “Yes, I am in danger. That’s why I want you to call the cops so they can come here and put an end to all. this nonsense.” “Okay, boss. Where are you right now?” “I can’t actually tell, but looking at á signboard close by, it says Dershville Woods. What the heck?” I made a confused face in that last part. I hadn’t even heard it myself. “Okay, sir. I’ll inform them right away.” “Hurry up, okay? Also, please call an ambulance.” “Yes, sir,” Jack said and ended the call. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Gazing back at Ariel, who lay unconscious in the backseat, I AGAINST ALL ODDS needed to regain my energy. I started the car immediately, and as I was about to drive, I looked through the mirror. Two cars were. behind me, driving in my direction. And I knew those were the scumbags that were after our lives. I wore my seatbelt and began to drive, moving at full speed. Let’s go into fast and furious mode. I slammed my foot down on the accelerator, and the engine roared to life, propelling us forward. The tires screeched against the asphalt as I tore down the winding road, the headlights of the pursuing cars looming ominously in the rearview mirror. I navigated through the twists and turns of the deserted forest road while those Idiots kept on chasing me. With every passing moment, the distance between us seemed to shrink. I glanced over at Ariel, her face pale and drawn as she lay unconscious in the backseat. The sight only fueled my determination to escape and get her to safety, no matter what it took. Gritting my teeth, I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white with the effort. But no matter how fast I drove, the cars behind us stayed hot on our tail. It was like they were toying with us, taunting us with their relentless pursuit. With a growl of frustration, I veered off the main road onto a narrow dirt path, hoping to lose them in the dense forest. The trees whipped past in a blur as I navigated the treacherous terrain, branches scraping against the sides of the car. But still, the cars behind us followed, their headlights casting eerie shadows in the darkness. It was like they were determined to hunt us down no matter where we went. I glanced at the fuel gauge, and I realized our tank was running dangerously low. We would find ourselves stranded in the middle of nowhere if we didn’t find a way to shake off our pursuers soon. So, a quick turn took place as I went back to the main road, and these guys were really confused because they paused when I did that, but they followed anyway. After several minutes of intense speed, I managed to lose track of them. And with that, I was relieved. But I had to realize that something was terribly wrong. The brakes of the car were no longer responding.
