My heart had never beaten so fast. We were speeding down cobblestone streets. “Are you sure this is the right way?”

“Yes. That’s what the map is telling me, unless Ned is leading us astray.”

“No, sir! This is the fastest route,” Ned called out, defending himself.

Franklin simply kept his eyes on the road, turning into a street that was somehow even narrower than the last.

The side mirrors sparked as they grazed against the brick walls that threatened to close in on us.

“Okay, this one is definitely an alleyway!” I screamed, holding on tight to my seat.

Up ahead was a metal gate. My eyes grew wide as I realized we were planning to drive right through it. I braced myself for impact, my whole body tense.

Crash! The metal flew above us, along with a couple of trashcans.

“Alright, now up ahead, you’re going to merge with the main road once again. If I timed this right, you’ll be meeting up with Dean. The two of you should be head to head, driving toward the old Memorial Bridge. It’s currently under construction. Make sure to keep to your left, or you’re going to catch some air.”

“Got it.” Franklin eased onto the main road, his tires squealing.

A second later, Dean flew past us.

Franklin floored on the gas, pushing the car to its limits. “Hold on tight…” he whispered, a sinister smile on his face. I knew he was after revenge at this point, and nothing could get in his way.

I tried to keep calm, breathing through my nose and exhaling through my mouth. For a moment, everything seemed to slow down before it sped up just as fast. My stomach lurched inside of me. I was going to be sick.

“There’s a tire spike up ahead. Swerve onto the grass, and you should be able to avoid it.”

Franklin did as he was told. The terrain was bumpy and rough. Rocks flew up from underneath the tires, nicking against the windshield.

Up ahead, Dean had managed to dodge the obstacle. He took an off-road trail used for RTVs.

Franklin did not hesitate to follow him. “He drove into the woods. Where does this trail lead?”

On the other end of the line, all that could be heard was the click-clack of a keyboard.

“Ned, I need an answer. Where is he leading me?”

“The Nomad Camp Site. It’s a Saturday; it’ll be packed.”

“Fuck…” Franklin muttered under his breath.

“You aren’t going to drive through it, are you?” I asked, thinking of all of the families that were enjoying a weekend of camping. “You could kill someone.”

“I don’t have a choice. If we don’t stop this man, there’s no telling what he could do. For all I know, he’s planning to start World War III.”

“Actually… he told me what his plan was. He wants to shut down VanGuard so that he can start a competitor company. Apparently, he has some associates in China willing to invest.”

“So he’s doing all of this for money?” Franklin growled. “I should’ve known. I should’ve fucking known that this man would be willing to destroy everything I loved for his own sick gains.”

“Franklin…” I took his hand and squeezed it. “We’re going to stop him.”

This seemed to quell his anger. He sat up and leaned forward a bit. The trees started to thin out. I grew anxious, knowing we were getting closer and closer to the campsite.

And suddenly, there we were, among tents, picnic tables, and campfires. Dean didn’t even slow down as he ripped right through it.

People screamed and jumped out of the way. I looked back, but it was impossible to see if anyone had gotten hurt. We were going so fast.

Soon, however, we were back on the open road.

“Okay, you’re on the interstate. He’s heading east, I think…”

“You think or you know?” Franklin snapped. “This is no time for hesitation, Ned. I need specifics. I need to know if I can cut him off.”

“Okay. There’s a small, narrow bridge up ahead. It’s only big enough for two lanes of traffic. If you can get ahead and cut him off, that should be enough to stop him. Although be careful, it’s a drawbridge, and it’s often open for the sailboats that use the channel.”

“Alright.” Franklin changed gears.

Peering over at the speedometer, we were going almost 150 MPH. My heart skipped a beat, finding the number impossible to imagine. I held on even tighter to my seat.

Slowly, Franklin crept up beside Dean’s car.

I could see his face in the side mirror, staring us down. Suddenly, Dean jerked on the wheel, ramming into us. My door bent with the force, nearly yanked from its hinges. I screamed, nearly jumping into Franklin’s lap.

“Get in the back,” he commanded. “Now!”

I did as I was told.

Before I could even settle myself properly, we were rammed once again. I tumbled into the back seat, my neck nearly snapping from the awkward position I landed in. Somehow, however, I managed to survive, quickly buckling myself in.

On the third ram, Dean nearly drove us off the road.

“Alright, no more playing around.” Franklin tore ahead, driving onto the bridge. He slammed on his breaks, swerving the car in a horizontal position across the road.

It was too late for Dean to avoid us, but he nonetheless veered to the left, ramming into the railings. In an instant, they broke off and fell into the channel below. His car hung precariously on the edge. Dean opened the door, a look of fear in his eyes.

Franklin started to laugh.

I just sighed in relief, glad that this was all over.

We got out of the car and approached. Franklin kept me behind his body, just in case Dean tried one last, desperate move.

But before we could reach the car, it tottered forward, falling into the water.

Franklin and I rushed forward, but when we looked down, the car was already sinking, only the bumper visible above the water’s surface.

I held my breath, waiting for the villain to emerge, but he never did.