The parked driver seemed to realize something was wrong. His car's engine revved suddenly. Marcus reacted instantly. "Hold on." He accelerated.
The SUV surged forward toward the intersection. The driver in the parked car slammed his own vehicle into motion, swinging across the lane to block them. But Marcus didn't turn. Instead, he drove straight past the intersection and veered sharply toward the narrow maintenance lane Elias had spotted. The SUV bounced over uneven pavement and slid briefly on wet gravel before stabilizing.
Behind them, the convoy vehicles reacted instantly, following the unexpected maneuver. The blocking car screeched to a halt in the intersection. Too late. Marcus steered the SUV down the narrow path between the trees. Branches scraped along the sides of the vehicle.
Victoria gripped the seat tightly as the convoy thundered behind them. Marcus glanced at Elias. "You knew that road was there." Elias shook his head slightly. "I noticed it."
Marcus laughed once under his breath. "Same difference." The narrow lane curved sharply through the trees before reconnecting with the main highway further south. Marcus checked the mirrors. The convoy was still intact behind them.
No crashes, no spin-outs. Victoria exhaled slowly. "That was the final piece." Elias nodded. "Yeah."
Marcus looked back toward the highway they'd avoided. The blocked intersection faded behind them through the trees. "That driver expected us to follow the route, exactly." "Right," Elias said. "First the sabotage, then the oil, then the funnel."
Marcus shook his head slowly. "That's three separate traps." Victoria's voice turned colder. "Which means whoever planned this knew our route, our timing, and our security procedures." Elias nodded.
Marcus looked at him again. "You ever deal with someone this thorough before?" Elias thought for a moment. Then he answered quietly, "Yeah." Victoria asked the obvious question, "Did you stop them?"
Elias looked ahead at the road opening back toward the highway. Eventually, Marcus merged the SUV back onto the road. The convoy followed behind in perfect formation. For the first time since the night began, the highway ahead looked clear. Victoria leaned back in her seat.
"Well," she said calmly, "someone just lost their chance to kill me tonight." Marcus nodded. "And they know it." Elias watched the empty road stretching ahead beneath the early hints of dawn. The traps had failed.
The convoy had survived. But whoever planned the attack had revealed something important. They had studied everything except the quiet mechanic who stopped to help change a tire. The narrow maintenance road emptied back onto the main highway with a jolt that rattled the suspension. Marcus eased the SUV onto the pavement, checking the mirrors immediately.
One by one, the black convoy vehicles followed, headlights sweeping through the trees as they rejoined the road. No crashes. No pursuit. For the first time since the night began, the highway stretched ahead without traps, blockades, or waiting headlights. Marcus let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"Convoy status," he said into the radio. A guard's voice answered quickly. "All vehicles intact. No damage." Marcus nodded.