Victoria gave a small, firm smile. "Neither was saving my life tonight." Elias thought about Lena waiting at home, about the clock on the kitchen wall, about promises. Then he looked at the convoy again. "You might need someone who knows how these traps work," Victoria said.
Elias sighed quietly. He already knew she was right. And somewhere out there on a dark road, someone who had set a deadly trap now knew it had failed. The white cargo van was gone, but the tension it left behind clung to the highway like the last mist of rain. Marcus Trent stood still for a moment, staring down the access road where the van had vanished.
The taillights had disappeared quickly, swallowed by darkness and wet pavement. "They didn't even hesitate," one of the guards muttered. Marcus shook his head slowly. "No. They came to confirm the outcome."
Victoria Hale looked back at the disabled SUV. "And they confirmed it failed." Elias stood beside the vehicle tightening the last adjustment on the temporary clamp he'd installed on the brake line. The metal gave one final quiet click under his wrench. "There," he said calmly.
Marcus looked down. "That's it?" "For now." Marcus crouched to inspect the line again. The clamp held firm, gripping the damaged section tightly enough to prevent the slow leak of hydraulic fluid.
"You sure this will hold?" Elias nodded. "It'll hold long enough to move the vehicle slowly." Victoria studied the repair with quiet interest. "You did that in the rain with a bag of basic tools."
Elias wiped his hands on the rag again. "Tools matter less than knowing where the problem is." Marcus straightened and looked down the road again. "Which means whoever set the trap knows we're still alive." "Yeah," Elias replied.
"And if they were watching," Marcus added, "they saw you fix it." Elias didn't seem concerned. "That's fine." Marcus frowned. "You're not worried about that?"
Elias shook his head. "People who plan something like this don't care who fixes the first problem." Victoria tilted her head slightly. "Because they already planned a second one." Elias nodded.
Marcus let out a quiet breath. "That's exactly what I didn't want to hear." The security chief walked toward the convoy vehicles and spoke quietly with two of his agents. Radios crackled softly as instructions spread through the team. Victoria remained beside Elias.
"You're very calm for someone who just discovered a murder attempt," she said. Elias glanced toward the road. "Calm helps you see what everyone else misses." Victoria gave a faint smile. That sounds like training.
It is. Thunder rolled faintly in the distance as the clouds began to thin. Marcus returned a moment later. "We're changing the route," he said. Victoria nodded immediately.
"Good. The convoy will head south instead of taking the interstate." Elias listened carefully. Marcus continued, "Less predictable. Fewer high-speed curves."
Victoria crossed her arms. "That still leaves the question of who planned this." Marcus nodded. "And why tonight?" Elias spoke quietly.
"You said you were taking a call at the gas station." Victoria nodded. "Yes. Work call?" She hesitated slightly. "Confidential meeting arrangements."