Hawk came on the line again. “Visual. They’re turning into Ermin Court. Going silent. Heads up everyone. We’ve got this.”
Seconds later, Nash saw them too. Two Land Rovers, headlights off, crept down the road. Nash hadn’t known it was possible for a SUV to appear sketchy, but here was his proof. The two vehicles travelled at around five miles an hour, as if scared something would leap out at them. They were right to be cautious.
No doubt the occupants of the vehicles were concerned that every member of the breaching team went silent at the same time. Surely one of them should have raised an alarm if the raid had gone wrong? All their comms gear wouldn’t have failed at the same time, surely? They were here to take out one man, how could he take down six of their highly experienced mercenaries simultaneously? They were no doubt spooked.
The rear SUV slowed to a halt at the entrance of the court, while the lead vehicle crept forward. This wasn’t what they wanted. Both vehicles had to be in their trap before they could spring it.
The first Land Rover crawled slowly forward, while the second remained stationary, its engine still running.
“Move, you bastard,” Harry growled through Nash’s earpiece. “Move.”
“Stow the chatter.”
“Affirmative.”
The first vehicle parked behind the Land Rover used by the breaching team and stopped directly in front of Nash’s house. No one exited the vehicle. It was like they were debating what to do next.
Slowly, the furthest SUV finally moved towards the first. Collective sighs of relief came through the team’s earpieces.
“Hawk,” Nash whispered, “light ‘em up.”
“Already ahead of you, partner.” There was a variety of clattering sounds followed by a woof. “Fireworks incoming. Team Spikey, you’re on.”
“Fuck yeah, Team Spikey!” Eva yelped.
The two teams leapt into action. Targeting the lead Land Rover, Nash crouched and ran towards the front of the car and threw one of their homemade spike strips. Made from old tyres, they were studded with nails and screws. Nash laid his in front, Sophia at the rear. Paul and Eva did the same to the rear SUV.
As they laid their trap, the sky above the far end of the court burst into an intense orange. A burning Vauxhall Cavalier rolled across the intersection the rear Land Rover had just passed. The flames and thick choking smoke reached high into the cold black sky. The bonfire on wheels crashed to a halt on the kerb, the burning old rust bucket blocking any escape for Tartarus’ mercenaries.
The results were as predicted: the drivers of the respective vehicles panicked. Both threw their cars into reverse, their tyres screeching as they frantically backed up. Almost instantly, their rear tyres blew out. The rear SUV braked, the front vehicle didn’t, crashing into it. The move also pushed both vehicles over the next spike strip, taking out all of the tyres.
Nash, Sophia, Paul, Eva and Hawk surrounded the Land Rovers, aiming carbines at the windows. Each stood with steely cold expressions. In the space of a few minutes they had incapacitated the breaching team and now held the second team at bay.
Nash yelled at the crashed vehicles. “Stand down! No one needs to get hurt today. You will all be unharmed. This is your one chance. Stand down, now!”
They had the advantage, the firepower and the tactics and, more importantly for Nash, not a single life had been lost yet. Everyone held their breath. He stole a glance at Sophia. Her face was ice-cold determination and he didn’t think he’d ever seen her look more beautiful.
“Nash…”
Harry’s voice interrupted in his earpiece. He ignored it.
From inside the first SUV a voice shouted, “Fuck your offer!”
Sophia shouted back, “Is that a no?”
“Nash…” Harry repeated.
Whispering to Sophia, but on the open comms channel, Nash asked, “They’re cornered. What are they holding on for?”
“I know,” Harry replied, exasperated. “Nash, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. There’s another Land Rover en route. It’s not fucking around, they’re motoring.”
Sophia nudged him with her elbow. “Cavendish.”
“Why do you say that?”
She frowned. “Let the first two teams get their hands bloodied and he comes in to confirm the kill and hide the evidence. It fits his MO.”
The woman has a point.
“They’ve hit the village limit and…” Harry hesitated. “What the hell?”
Nash pushed the earpiece further into his ear. “What is it?”
“There’s another car,” Harry said, “a sports car of some description…”
Bishop cut in. “A Ferrari LaFerrari if I’m not mistaken. It—woah, it just smashed through the barricade at the northern entry point. The driver’s a maniac on a mission, wherever he’s going.”
Nash highly suspected where the car was headed, and who was at the wheel. “Looks like the gang’s all here.”
They hadn’t exactly planned for this eventuality, but Nash knew his team was up for the challenge. Right now, he had more pressing matters.
Stepping forward, he pointed his carbine skyward. Sophia joined him, but her weapon wasn’t as non-threatening. Eva, Paul and Hawk held firm, aiming their weapons at the rear SUV.
Nash shouted, “Will you stand down? No one needs to get hurt today.”
For the longest time, no reply came from the SUVs. Nash hoped to hell that meant Tartarus knew they’d been outmanoeuvred. He wanted them to surrender peacefully.
They did not.
