Chapter 30 - The Desert Highway
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The black armored SUV tore down Interstate 17, leaving the sprawling suburbs of Phoenix in the rearview mirror. The afternoon sun was a blistering orange orb hanging over the horizon, casting long, twisted shadows across the arid landscape.
Julian was behind the wheel, his eyes darting between the road and the rearview mirror every few seconds. I sat in the passenger seat, my tactical rifle resting across my knees. In the back, Irene held Grace tightly against her chest, humming a soft lullaby to keep the baby calm.
"Where exactly are we going?" I asked, breaking the suffocating silence in the cabin.
"Sedona," Julian replied without looking away from the road. "I have a decommissioned military bunker up in the red rocks. It's off the grid, no cell reception, no digital footprint. It's the only place they can't track us."
"Can we trust your men holding down the perimeter?" Irene asked softly from the backseat.
"My men are loyal, Irene," Julian assured her. "But right now, I don't trust the air we're breathing. The Architect's reach is terrifying. If he could get to Vance inside a federal lockup, he has resources we can barely comprehend."
Suddenly, Julian’s grip on the steering wheel tightened until his knuckles turned white. "Hold on."
I looked in the side mirror. A massive, matte-black utility truck was barreling down the highway behind us, weaving recklessly through the sparse desert traffic. It had no license plates, and its front grille was reinforced with heavy steel ramming bars.
"Are they following us?" I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs.
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"They're not just following us," Julian growled, slamming his foot down on the accelerator. The SUV lurched forward, the engine roaring in protest. "They're hunting us. Brace yourselves!"
Before I could even turn around to check on Irene, the black truck surged forward and slammed violently into our rear bumper, sending our heavy SUV careening toward the dusty shoulder of the highway.
