"Damn it! They've been waiting for us!"
Wright cursed under his breath, pressed harder on the gas pedal, and the station wagon let out a muffled roar as its speed suddenly increased, the vehicle bumping slightly on the uneven road.
"Stay calm, Wright."
Holmes's voice was exceptionally steady as he issued instructions methodically.
"Accelerate, try to shake them off. If you can't, that's fine, but pay attention to their tailing pattern."
"Watson, keep an eye on the passenger seat of the other vehicle; that's their firing point."
"Miss Catherine, stay low and protect yourself."
Catherine let out a short cry of surprise, immediately lowering her body and curling up to protect her head.
Watson tensed up, his gaze locked tightly on the passenger window of the SUV. The window was tightly shut, but a cold malice seemed to pierce through the glass, striking straight at him.
The first few miles passed in suffocating silence. The station wagon drove out of the brightly lit city area, and the trees lining the road gradually became tall and dense, the intervals between streetlights lengthened, and the boundaries between light and dark became blurred.
In the rearview mirror, the black SUV was like a maggot on a bone, always maintaining a precise distance—neither closing in nor falling behind. Its driver was clearly experienced.
"They are waiting for an opportunity," Holmes broke the silence, his gaze not leaving the rearview mirror, "and also assessing our vehicle's performance, driving habits, and potential for resistance."
Fine beads of sweat seeped from Wright's temples, and his palms were damp against the steering wheel. His breathing became somewhat rapid: "Sherlock, this can't go on. Once we enter the mountain road..."
"Once we enter the mountain road, it becomes their home turf," Holmes interjected, his tone cold. "Therefore, we must hold the initiative."
"At the end of the next long straightaway, there is a sharp right turn. The outside of the curve has a drainage ditch and a forest. When they try to use the curve to make their first contact, give them a'surprise'."
He quickly explained the tactical intent to Wright and Watson.
Watson took a deep breath and quietly disengaged the safety on his shotgun.
Wright forced himself to focus, recalling the angle of that curve and the condition of the road shoulder from the map.
The destination was getting closer. Road signs indicated the direction to Bri Mountain. The road began to show a noticeable incline, and the woods on both sides became increasingly deep and dark.
The engine sound of the black SUV behind suddenly increased, like the roar of a wild beast, and the distance closed in an instant!
Now!
Wright slammed the gas pedal to the floor. The station wagon let out an overwhelmed screech and lunged forward, while he kept his eyes glued to the rearview mirror.
Sure enough, the black SUV, like an enraged bull, roared and accelerated suddenly. Its massive body charged directly toward the rear right side of the station wagon with a brutal momentum!
The intention was obvious: use the outer edge of the curve to ram the station wagon off the road shoulder and down the hillside!
Just as the nose of the SUV was about to kiss the tail of the station wagon, Wright, relying on his superb driving skills and deep memory of the map, jerked the steering wheel to the right at the limit distance!
The station wagon narrowly cut into the apex of the curve. The vehicle tilted violently under the centrifugal force, and the tires emitted a screeching sound of friction.
This move, which seemed like trapping himself in danger, caused the SUV's long-prepared collision to miss completely.
Its massive body, due to excessive speed and misjudgment, slid violently outward on the outside of the curve. The left front wheel even scraped against the roadside guardrail, sending sparks flying!
"Watson!" Holmes barked.
At the same time, the moment the window on Watson's side rolled down, the thick barrel of the shotgun poked out. There was no time for precise aiming; it was entirely based on a soldier's instinct and an instantaneous judgment of the relative positions of the vehicles.
"Bang!!!"
The deafening gunshot exploded on the narrow mountain road, drowning out the roar of the engines. A large spray of lead pellets fired from the shotgun, like an angry swarm of bees, slammed into the front right side of the SUV!
The windshield instantly burst into spiderweb-like cracks, and the passenger window shattered in response! A muffled scream came from inside the other car!
Wright seized the moment of panic from the other driver caused by the loss of vehicle control and the sudden attack, jerked the steering wheel to straighten the car, and the station wagon, like a startled wild horse, roared out of this deadly curve, leaving the temporarily out-of-control and skidding SUV behind.
"Hit! The passenger!"
Watson panted as he retreated back into the car. The pungent smell of gunpowder filled the cabin. With that shot, he had clearly seen the figure in the passenger seat jerk backward the moment the glass shattered.
"Well done, Watson!"
A glimmer of approval flashed in Holmes's eyes.
However, the short victory did not bring any relief. The left rear side of the station wagon was left with obvious scrapes and dents, and the rear window was cracked by flying debris.
"One firing point neutralized, but it is far from over," Holmes judged calmly. "The driver is unaffected. Their retaliation will come quickly, and it will be more violent."
"Ahead is the five-hairpin-bend area. Wright, it's time to test your skills."
"I... I'll do my best." Wright wiped the cold sweat from his temples and forced a smile.
"Don't be nervous. It's just four lives at stake."
"I really... thank you for the comfort."
Wright forced himself to ignore his pounding heart and his limbs, which were stiff from tension, focusing all his attention on the mountain road ahead that spiraled upward like a rope from hell.
Five consecutive hairpin bends, five continuous, nearly 180-degree sharp turns, one after another, layered upward.
The road was narrow, with dizzying steep cliffs on the outside and hard rock walls on the inside. The heavy twilight further swallowed the already limited visibility; any small mistake would be fatal.
The roar of the engine sounded exceptionally harsh in the silent mountain forest. The station wagon was like a lone boat, struggling to move forward through the turbulent, wave-like curves.
Wright was fully focused, his hands turning the steering wheel quickly and precisely. Every entry, apex, and exit of the curves was like the operation of a precision machine. Sweat soaked his shirt, sticking it tightly to his back.
"They've caught up!" Watson stared fixedly at the rearview mirror, his voice tight.
The black SUV, like a vengeful specter returned from hell, appeared in view again, accompanied by the roar of its engine and the menacing beams of its headlights! Its front end had obvious bullet marks and broken lamp covers, making it look even more ferocious.
This time, it did not hesitate at all. With an air of suicidal madness, the moment it entered the first hairpin bend, it squeezed over hard, trying to force the station wagon toward the cliff on the outside!
The metal bodies of the two cars scraped violently, emitting a teeth-grinding screech! Sparks erupted in the darkness!
Watson leaned out the window again, and the shotgun roared!
But this time, the SUV's driver was clearly prepared. The moment Watson leaned out, the driver jerked the steering wheel to the outside. Most of the shotgun pellets hit the thick steel plating of the car body, making a muffled thud, and only a few pellets grazed the roof.
Almost simultaneously, a pitch-black pistol muzzle extended from the broken passenger window of the SUV!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Three rapid and violent gunshots!
The whistling sound of bullets tearing through the air was right next to him! One bullet grazed Watson's scalp, and the scorching heat wave made his scalp tingle! Another bullet hit the B-pillar of the station wagon with a "clang," sending sparks flying!
The third bullet pierced through the rear window, leaving a gruesome bullet hole, and glass fragments splattered all over Catherine in the back seat!
"Ah!" Catherine screamed in terror, curling up even tighter with her hands covering her head.
"Watson! Get down!" Holmes shouted sharply, while simultaneously firing at the SUV through the broken rear window, trying to provide some cover for Watson.
Wright gritted his teeth. At the apex of the second hairpin bend, utilizing a brief gap on the inside, he slammed the gas pedal to the floor!
The station wagon let out a painful roar, tires spinning wildly and rubbing against the ground. On the edge of the limit, it barely managed to seize the inside line, temporarily escaping the danger of being rammed.
But the SUV, relying on its greater horsepower, closed the distance again as they exited the curve!
The third curve, the fourth curve—every curve was a dance brushing shoulders with death, the roar of the shotgun and the sound of pistol fire echoing through the valley.
Watson's cheek was cut by flying shrapnel, and warm blood flowed down. Wright's arms were trembling slightly from the long, high-intensity maneuvering.
Holmes kept calling out the curve angles, road conditions, and the subtle movements of the other vehicle, while occasionally taking potshots at the SUV driver.
"The last curve! Hold on!" Holmes's voice pierced through the clamor of the engine and gunfire.