Chapter 2 - The Crimson Backseat
The tires of Mave’s 1998 Civic shrieked against the wet pavement as she pulled out of the alley, narrowly missing the front bumper of the black SUV. In her rearview mirror, the blinding LED high beams pivoted hard, turning in pursuit.
"Turn left," the man in the passenger seat rasped. His chin was rested against his chest, his breathing heavy and rattling. "Second light... go left. Into the industrial corridor."
"I’m driving to the emergency room!" Mave yelled, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. "You’re bleeding all over my upholstery!"
"No hospitals," he growled. His single open gray eye flicked toward her, cold and lethal despite his fading pulse. "They check gunshots. They call the cops. If the cops come... the men in that SUV find out where I am before I even make it to the operating table. Turn left, Mave. Unless you want a bullet in the back of your head."
Mave swore under her breath, slammed her foot on the accelerator, and jerked the wheel left. The Civic’s rusted suspension groaned in protest. Behind them, the massive Cane Corso thrust its heavy head between the two front seats, resting its wet, blood-stained muzzle against the man’s shoulder, whining softly.
"What’s the dog’s name?" Mave demanded, trying to keep her panic from paralyzing her as the SUV gained on them down the dark, warehouse-lined avenue.
"Titan," the man grunted. He reached up with a hand that shook violently, burying his fingers in the dog’s matted brindle fur. "Good boy, Titan..."
"Okay, Titan, tell your dad to stop bleeding on my carpet," she muttered. "Where am I taking you?!"
"340 River Road. Red brick warehouse... blue door." He winced as the car hit a pothole, a sharp gasp of agony escaping his lips. "There’s a keypad. Code is 0912."
Mave checked the mirror again. The SUV was barely two car lengths behind them now. Suddenly, the driver’s side window of the pursuing vehicle rolled down, and the sleek, dark barrel of a suppressed automatic firearm extended into the rain.
"Get down!" Mave screamed.
She slammed on the brakes. The Civic skidded across the slick asphalt, spinning ninety degrees. A hail of bullets shattered the driver's side mirror and punched a row of jagged holes through the trunk. Titan let out a fierce, chest-rumbling bark.
Mave didn't wait for them to adjust their aim. She dropped the transmission into reverse, spun the wheel, shoved it back into drive, and tore down a narrow side alley between two corrugated steel recycling plants. The Civic barely fit, the side mirrors scraping against brick and metal with a deafening screech of tearing paint.
The SUV, far too wide for the alleyway, slammed to a halt at the entrance, its horn blaring furiously as it got wedged between the buildings.
Mave didn't slow down. She burst out the other side of the alley, turned onto River Road, and spotted the faded red brick building with the blue steel door. She drove straight into the loading dock area, hid the Civic behind a row of rusted shipping containers, and killed the headlights.
Silence settled over the car, broken only by the idling cough of the dying exhaust and the heavy, ragged gasps of the man beside her.
"We're here," Mave breathed, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. "Hey. Mister. We made it."
He didn't move. His head had fallen sideways against the glass. The dark, wet stain on his shirt had spread, consuming the entire left side of his fine wool suit.
"Shit," Mave hissed. She unbuckled her belt, scrambled out into the freezing rain, and yanked the passenger door open. "Titan, stay."
The dog watched her attentively, staying close to his master's legs as Mave hooked her arms under the stranger's shoulders. He was pure muscle and dead weight, easily six-foot-three and twice her size. She dragged him out of the car, his expensive leather shoes dragging through the mud, and hauled him toward the blue door.
She reached the keypad, her trembling fingers slick with rain and his blood. She punched in the numbers: 0-9-1-2.
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The heavy electronic lock clicked open with a deep pneumatic thud. Mave shoved the heavy steel door open and hauled the man inside, Titan trotting right at her heels.
The door swung shut behind them, sealing them into an eerie, total darkness.
