Chapter 5 - The Sabotage
The storm reached its peak as they crossed the summit of Loveland Pass. The wind howled against the side of the truck, pushing the heavy vehicle toward the icy embankment. Visibility was down to less than ten feet.
"We need to slow down," Evelyn said, her voice betraying a hint of real fear for the first time. "I can't see the road."
"We're only doing twenty," Jonah said, his tone hyper-focused. "If we stop on the incline, we'll lose traction and slide backward. We have to keep moving until we hit the downhill slope."
Suddenly, a blinding flash of red lights appeared directly in front of them through the snow. A commercial semi-truck had jackknifed across both lanes, completely blocking the narrow mountain pass.
"Brace yourself!" Jonah barked.
He slammed his foot on the brake pedal, pumping it rhythmically to avoid locking the wheels on the sheer ice. The truck fishtailed sharply to the right, the heavy steel bumper scraping against the guardrail with a deafening screech of tearing metal and sparks.
The truck ground to a halt just five feet from the trailer of the jackknifed rig.
Evelyn was gasping for air, her heart pounding against her ribs, her hands clutching the dashboard so hard her knuckles were white.
"Are you hurt?" Jonah asked immediately, his hands already unbuckling his seatbelt.
"I... I don't think so," she stammered, her voice shaking.
Jonah reached for his radio to call state patrol, but before he could press the button, a heavy black SUV emerged from the whiteout behind them, coming to a sudden stop thirty yards back.
Jonah’s eyes went sharp. He looked at his side mirror, then at the jackknifed truck blocking the path ahead.
"We're trapped," Jonah said low.
"It's just traffic from the storm," Evelyn said, trying to convince herself.
"No," Jonah pointed toward the black SUV behind them. "That's a Merc-Tech Security vehicle. One of our off-site response units from the Denver office."
"Why would a company security unit be following us on a private road?" Evelyn asked, confusion overriding her fear.
"Because they knew where you were going," Jonah said, reaching under his coat and drawing a concealed semi-automatic pistol from his shoulder holster. "Lock your door and stay low."
"Jonah—"
Before she could finish her sentence, two men dressed in dark tactical gear stepped out of the black SUV. Both carried compact automatic rifles.
"They aren't here to rescue us," Jonah said, his voice deadly calm. "The mole didn't just leak your schedule, Evelyn. They sent a cleanup crew."
One of the men raised his rifle and fired a short burst into the engine block of Jonah's truck. Sparks erupted from under the hood as the radiator hissed loudly, steam billowing into the freezing air.
"Get down!" Jonah grabbed Evelyn by the back of her coat and shoved her into the floorwell beneath the dashboard just as a hail of bullets shattered the windshield, sending spraying glass fragments across the cab.
Jonah returned fire through the shattered glass, three precise shots that forced the advancing men to take cover behind their SUV.
"Listen to me," Jonah said, grabbing Evelyn’s arm, his grip firm and steady amidst the chaos. "The truck engine is dead. We can't stay here. When I open this door, you crawl out behind me and stay behind the rear tire. Do you understand?"
"I'm terrified," Evelyn whispered, tears finally leaking from her eyes.
"I know," Jonah said, staring into her eyes with an intensity that anchored her frantic mind. "But I promised your father I'd keep you alive. I intend to keep that promise. Now move!"
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Jonah kicked his door open, rolling out into the freezing snow, firing two rounds to cover her exit. Evelyn scrambled across the seat, her hands slipping on the snow-covered asphalt as she dragged herself behind the rear wheel of the dead truck.
The freezing wind howled through the canyon, mixing with the sharp crack of gunfire, as the fight for their survival began in the middle of a mountain blizzard.
