Chapter 2

MATT’S HEAD BOUNCED into the padding below the privacy panel. The impact threw the limo toward the car ahead. The chauffeur slammed on the brakes and avoided a collision.

“The idiot needs a driving lesson,” Nadia blurted, settling again. “The one on courtesy of the road.”

“I don’t think courtesy’s the issue.” Matt’s mouth tightened. Were the Escalade guys Modena rebels? Or just jerks having some fun after downing their breakfast brewskis? “We’re about to find out if His Majesty’s overprotective or right on target.”

A big man, tall and wide, a tank like his vehicle, sat with both hands on the steering wheel. Another man, not as big, filled the passenger seat. Both smiled. Not friendly smiles, more the smirks of predators closing in on their prey.

Nadia had twisted around, so she saw the thugs. Her frightened gaze now found Matt’s.

As much as she must hate the idea, she would have to rely on him. “Hang on.”

He pushed the button for the intercom. “Stefan, are you a good enough driver to lose the Escalade crawling up our ass?”

“I used to be, sir, but my reactions are not what they once were.” The old man’s voice quavered and broke.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

The fuckers were shooting at them. Not just your average street punks but the rebels. Or worse.

Sarika’s eyes widened, clearly shaken by a sound too reminiscent of the last time she was under fire. Nadia sucked in a breath and gripped the armrest.

Matt couldn’t see the gun. Probably a suppressor-equipped semi-auto. Anything bigger would be too obvious in public. He had to get off these slow suburban streets. No time to stow the chewing gum, so he swallowed it. He pushed a button. The privacy panel slid down out of sight between the rear-facing seat and the driver compartment. “You two get down on the floor.”

“But—” Nadia began.

“Do it now.”

The light changed. The Escalade’s engine revved. The delivery van ahead barely moved as gears ground and acrid smoke billowed. The limo and the SUV pulled out as if linked by a short chain.

The women slid to the floor, Nadia behind the passenger seat, the princess beside her.

“We’ll be all right,” Sarika said, her voice abnormally high pitched. “Matt will handle things. Trust him.”

In this case, Nadia had no choice. He stripped off his sport coat. Wrenched away the driver’s headrest and tossed it over her head onto the backseat. “I’m taking the wheel.” He directed Stefan to move out of the way.

He held onto the support handle as he drew up his legs. Then he twisted and slid through to the driver compartment. The smaller man scooted across the console, damned fast for an old guy. Matt dropped into the seat and took the wheel.

More bullets rammed into the rear end.

Plastic shattered. Tail light.

The entrance to Cabin John Creek Park appeared on the right, then the sign for I-495. The Capital Beltway, exactly what he needed. This engine had about the same power as the Escalade but the limo — not a stretch, grazie — should have more maneuverability.

At the beltway entrance, he hung a right and sped onto the north ramp. Because of his blind left side, he had to turn his head farther and rely more on the mirrors. He glanced in the left outside mirror with his right eye, then turned to see forward. He whipped out into the flow of traffic, heavy as usual but not rush-hour jammed at mid-morning.

Other drivers blasted him with their horns but he stomped on the gas.

The women huddled behind him. Their movements and hushed words told him they were hanging in there. Beside him Stefan perched upright and stiff. Matt could smell the sour odor of his fear. Or maybe he smelled his own.

The Escalade followed. It took the on-ramp, pulled into traffic two cars behind.

His adrenaline spiked as he accelerated with the traffic flow. He hoped vehicles packed into five lanes, like racers on a track, would shield them. He cranked the limo’s eight cylinders.

When the space behind him opened up, the monstrous SUV swerved around and pulled up behind.

What the hell were they doing? Aiming to kill the princess? Maybe kidnap her? Not at high speed for sure, but… He gunned it and the Escalade accelerated along with him. It again rammed their rear end.

The limo hopped forward, then veered sideways. The blow nearly bounced them into the left lane.

Into a car he hadn’t seen.

Horns blared. He sucked in a deep breath past the vise clamping his chest. The muscles in his shoulders and arms screamed with the strain but he held the limo in the right lane. Dammit. Damn my eye. Turning his head too far around meant taking his eye off the road. Not good.

He needed a freaking guide dog. He hated it but the choice of words was apt. “Nadia, Sarika, the damn eye injury fucks with my vision on the left. Using the mirrors helps but I need one of you to be my eyes.”

“I can do it.” Nadia’s voice was strained. Trying for confidence. “Sarika needs to stay down.”

“I’ll get out of your way,” the princess said. Clothing rustled, shoe soles scraped on the floor mat as the two women switched places.

If only he could see on his left. “Nadia?”

“I’m ready, right behind you. Steady line of cars on the left. Yellow convertible leading the pack.”

Matt stayed on course with her keeping him alerted. A solid chain of cars and trucks cruised along, intent on the endless merry-go-round, leaving exhaust fumes in their wake. No one around them seemed to notice what was going on. Where was a cop car when you needed one?

The green thicket of the park grounds sped by on the right, trees reaching above walls erected to block traffic noises. In tandem, the limo and the Escalade zoomed past River Road and toward the next exit. The road widened to five lanes for the left-hand I-270 split, so he had to make his move.

“I’m gonna ease left for the exit. Then fake him out.”

“I don’t get what you’re doing, but okay.” Nadia’s voice sounded strained, but her tone determined. “Blue van pulling in beside you.”

He swung back into the right lane just in time.

“Now it’s clear. Go.”

He whipped the car left. The Escalade still hung in the right lane. Then it found an opening and veered into his but remained two cars behind. Good. “Again?”

She told him to wait for a semi to pass. The split for the northern suburbs was fast approaching. The Escalade moved closer again as another car edged right. Only one car back.

He was running out of time. He gripped the steering wheel tighter.

“Okay, go,” Nadia said.

He peeled to his left as if headed for Gaithersburg, luring the Escalade to follow. He gunned it to get clear.

A delivery van blocked the Escalade. Here was his chance. He’d done this once on the Autobahn, but that time he was doing the chasing. And he had vision in both eyes. “Everybody hold onto something. This could be hairy.”

No time or energy to spend on worrying. He ripped the wheel to the right and knifed through vehicles across the right hand lanes headed east around the beltway.

“The Escalade?” He slowed to blend into traffic in the far right lane.

“He’s coming.” He could hear panic shredding her voice. “Oh, God, we didn’t shake him. What can we do?”

“How far back is he?” Matt didn’t dare turn to see. Vehicles were speeding bumper to bumper at seventy and higher.

“About ten cars. Maybe more. But in the fast lane.”

He could still do it. Even if the bastards spotted them exiting. “I’m going into Bethesda again. I can lose him on back streets.” At least that was his plan.