A Series Of Unfortunate Events Part: 24

[Nic stands only to be sent back down to the ground when his knees buckle with fear at the sight of the remains of a red Impala protruding from underneath the semi-trailer's cab half-way up the embankment ]

2012

The scenery flies past the windows as the speedometer gracefully moves its way towards one-hundred and twenty miles per hour. Carl's face is devoid of emotion, he stares bleakly out onto the road. The two-lane highway is barren. There is no traffic as the morning sun is turning the landscape a near blinding gold.

As the road bends to head due east, Carl tips down the sun visor avoiding the rising sun.
In doing so he looks up at the visor, and an odd shape in the rearview mirror catches his eye. On the horizon over the road behind him, a dark object about a mile back is lurking over the highway.

“Fuuuuuck” growls Carl as he identifies the shape as a helicopter approaching. The two-lane highway runs through a near barren portion of the landscape. Here he is an easy target if that helicopter reaches him before the road passes through a line of trees ahead where the canopy of the trees provides enough cover to interfere with the helicopter's view of his car. He looks in the rearview mirror again and sees the clearly defined shape of a USEG stealth chopper bearing down on him. The steep rake of the chopper suggest it is preparing its combat systems and Carl's car is more than likely being targeted. Unmoved by the danger he is in, Carl presses harder on the gas pedal murmuring to himself.

“I guess they don't want me alive this time”

The tachometer surges forward and the cabin of the car begins to be filled with the growl of the engine and the high-pitch whine of a supercharger surging horsepower to the wheels as Carl continues to accelerate. Again his attention is brought to the mirror as the flashing lights of a police interceptor behind him catches his eye. The unit is quickly covering ground closing the gap between the two of them. Carl must have not seen him as he passed the previous on-ramp.

Carl’s eyes finally show a reaction to situation in the mirror when they spike with a small amount of anger while he is clunking the shifter from fifth to sixth gear. Even with the sudden lurch of the car falling into sixth gear and surging forward, Carl’s gaze is unaltered.

Aboard the chopper, Sgt. Reaver Is looking down upon the two cars coursing down the road. The police interceptor cannot keep up with Carl’s anymore and the gap between the two rapidly begins to widen. Reaver turns to the pilot and gives him a nod. He then turns to PFC Daniels.

“Give him a warning”

“Yes Sir!”