Chapter 9: The Extraction Gambit
Prague – 04:35 Hours
The rain had picked up, hammering the rooftops and slicking the cobblestone streets below. The black sedan remained parked across the street, its occupants barely visible behind the tinted windows.
Hawke crouched near the door, his mind running through possibilities. This wasn’t just a routine surveillance team. Whoever had sent them was waiting for a kill shot.
Nadia adjusted the strap on her holster, her eyes locked on the vehicle. “If they’re here, then we’re already compromised. We don’t have time for a clean escape.”
Hawke checked his magazine, then pocketed the burner phone. “We don’t need clean. We need fast.”
She arched a brow. “What’s the plan?”
Hawke’s gaze flicked to the alley behind the safehouse. “We force their hand.”
She nodded. “You want them to follow us?”
“Not for long,” Hawke said. “I need a driver.”
A smirk tugged at Nadia’s lips. “I hope you’re not implying I can’t drive.”
Hawke grinned. “Just don’t get us killed.”
The Chase Begins
Hawke moved first, stepping into the open like he had nothing to fear. The reaction was immediate.
The sedan’s engine roared to life.
The back door opened, and two men stepped out. Dark suits, earpieces, no hesitation.
They weren’t local law enforcement.
Hawke didn’t wait. He turned and sprinted down the alley.
Behind him, footsteps pounded against wet pavement.
Then—gunfire.
A round smacked into the brick wall inches from his head. Hawke pivoted hard, pulling his pistol and firing two shots.
One of the men dropped. The second ducked behind a dumpster.
Hawke didn’t stick around. He darted out of the alley onto a side street, where Nadia had already hotwired a stolen sedan.
She threw the passenger door open. “Get in!”
Hawke dove in as she slammed the accelerator. The tires screeched against wet pavement.
Behind them, the second operative sprinted back to the black sedan.
A moment later, their pursuers were on the move.
Through the Streets of Prague
The city blurred past in streaks of neon and rain. The roads were slick, the old cobblestone treacherous at high speeds.
Nadia handled the car like a professional, weaving between narrow streets, forcing their tail to work harder.
Hawke glanced at the rearview mirror. The black sedan was still with them.
“They’re not letting up,” he muttered.
Nadia barely reacted, gripping the wheel tight. “We need a bottleneck.”
Hawke’s mind raced. “Take the Charles Bridge. If we cut across the river, we can lose them in New Town.”
Nadia nodded, jerking the wheel left.
The historic stone bridge loomed ahead, empty at this hour except for dimly lit street lamps. The moment their car touched the bridge, the sedan behind them picked up speed.
“They’re going for a hit,” Hawke warned.
The black sedan surged forward, trying to ram them.
Nadia swerved hard, barely avoiding the impact.
Hawke grabbed his pistol. “Hold it steady.”
She gritted her teeth. “Make it count.”
Hawke leaned out of the window, took a breath, and fired.
The first shot shattered the sedan’s windshield. The second hit the driver.
The car spun out of control, smashing into the bridge railing.
Nadia didn’t wait to see the outcome. She gunned the accelerator, taking them off the bridge and into the maze of New Town’s backstreets.
Finally, after a few turns, they lost sight of their pursuers.
Nowhere Left to Run
Nadia pulled into a dimly lit parking garage beneath an abandoned building. She killed the engine, letting silence settle.
Hawke checked his weapon. “We won’t be lucky twice.”
Nadia exhaled. “Agreed. So where do we go from here?”
Hawke pulled out the burner phone and dialed Bishop.
The voice on the other end was grim.
“You’re out of time, Hawke.”
Hawke didn’t like the sound of that. “What’s going on?”
Bishop hesitated. “The agency flagged you as rogue. Interpol issued a red notice. Every intelligence outfit in Europe is hunting you now.”
Nadia’s expression darkened. “They’re burning us.”
Hawke tightened his grip on the phone. “Then we make our own way out.”
Bishop’s tone dropped. “I might have something for you. But it’s risky.”
Hawke smirked. “Risky is my specialty.”
Bishop sighed. “Meet me in Berlin. Midnight. I’ll have a way out.”
Hawke didn’t hesitate. “We’ll be there.”
Bishop ended the call.
Hawke turned to Nadia. “We need to disappear until then.”
She met his gaze. “And after that?”
Hawke looked toward the rain-drenched city beyond.
“Then we finish this.”
