Chapter 42

The second I made the turn, I sped up, pulled onto the side road, came to a stop a few yards in and doused the headlights. We were out of the car and back to the main road as they made the curve and came into view.

“Tires first,” Coop said. I nodded, waited until they slowed for the second curve, and fired at the sidewall of the right front tire. Coop shot a second later, hitting the back tire. They both deflated and the car spun out, veering into the ditch at the side of the road in front of where we were standing. Coop took another shot, blowing out the passenger-side window.

We were at the car before they recovered enough to realize what had happened. Coop went around to the driver’s side, I stayed where I was, my gun aimed at the shattered window.

“Get out and put your hands above your heads,” Coop ordered. “If we don’t see them, andsee that they’re empty, we shoot.”