Chapter 6: No Safe Harbor
Vienna – 07:30 Hours
The city was waking up, but for Jasper Hawke and Nadia Petrova, the night’s shadows still clung to them. They moved quickly through the backstreets, staying clear of main roads and security cameras.
Hawke’s grip tightened on the USB drive in his pocket. The data inside was the key to unraveling a deep conspiracy—one that had already cost lives.
They needed to disappear. Fast.
Nadia checked their six. “Keaton will put the whole agency on us the moment he makes a call.”
Hawke gave a short nod. “Which is why we have to move before he does.”
He pulled out a burner phone and dialed a secure line.
A gravelly voice answered. “This is Bishop.”
Hawke didn’t waste time. “I need an exit.”
A pause. Then, “Vienna’s too hot. You’ll need to reach Prague. I can set up an exfil from there.”
Hawke exhaled. Prague was nearly 300 kilometers away.
“Copy that,” he said. “I’ll make it work.”
The line went dead.
Nadia raised an eyebrow. “Prague?”
Hawke pocketed the phone. “We need transport.”
The Pursuit Begins
They ditched their safehouse within minutes. Hawke led them through the maze-like backstreets of Vienna, careful not to double back or stay in one place too long.
They needed a car. One that wasn’t traced.
“Public transport?” Nadia suggested.
Hawke shook his head. “Too many cameras. We steal a ride.”
Five minutes later, they found what they needed—a dark sedan parked on a quiet side street. Hawke jimmied the lock while Nadia kept watch. Within seconds, the engine roared to life.
As they pulled onto the road, Nadia glanced at the rearview mirror. “We should be clear for now.”
Hawke didn’t reply. He had learned long ago—you were never clear.
The Trap
They had barely crossed into the outskirts of Vienna when Hawke’s instincts flared.
“Something’s wrong,” he muttered.
Nadia looked up. “What?”
Hawke’s grip on the wheel tightened. “We’re being funneled.”
She glanced around, confused.
Then—she saw it.
Ahead, a black SUV idled at an intersection. The driver wasn’t looking at the road—he was watching them.
Nadia turned, scanning behind them. A motorcycle had just merged into their lane.
Then another.
Hawke’s jaw clenched. “They’re boxing us in.”
Nadia reached for her weapon. “How do you want to play this?”
Hawke’s eyes flicked between the rearview mirror and the road ahead. The SUV wasn’t moving—waiting for them to pass so it could close them in.
He made his decision.
“Hold on.”
Breaking the Box
Hawke slammed the accelerator.
The stolen sedan lurched forward, tires screeching as he aimed straight for the intersection.
The SUV’s driver reacted a second too late.
Hawke cut the wheel hard, veering off the road and onto a narrow side street.
The two motorcycles reacted instantly, engines roaring as they gave chase.
Hawke swerved through the tight alleyways, barely missing parked cars.
Nadia leaned out the window, gun in hand.
Bang. Bang.
The first rider swerved, losing control. He clipped a trash bin and spun out, crashing hard.
The second biker wasn’t deterred. He accelerated, pulling up alongside them, one hand reaching for a weapon.
Nadia fired again.
One shot.
The biker jerked sideways and tumbled from the bike, skidding across the pavement.
Hawke didn’t slow down.
They burst out of the alley onto a main road, leaving the wreckage behind them.
The Border Plan
“We can’t keep this up,” Nadia said, catching her breath.
Hawke nodded. “Agreed. We need a new ride.”
He drove another fifteen minutes before spotting a parking garage. They ditched the sedan and found another vehicle—a nondescript gray hatchback.
As they pulled onto the road again, Hawke spoke.
“We make for the Austrian-Czech border. Cross by foot if we have to.”
Nadia raised an eyebrow. “You think they’ll be waiting?”
Hawke’s expression was grim. “Count on it.”
