Florida’s plan was simple.
Since Lola was deliberately drawing a horde of enemies toward First Street, they had no choice but to support her the best way they could. And fortunately for them, they had one major advantage—the abandoned town itself.
Judging by Lola’s speed and the reckless direction she was taking, her route was obvious.
Taking advantage of that, Florida split the group and ordered them to occupy the buildings near the bar and along the connecting streets. Windows, rooftops, half-collapsed balconies—anything that gave them elevation and cover beca a firing position.
The mont Lola’s vehicle tore past the bar, bullets rained down on the rcenaries hot on her tail.
The first few vehicles didn’t even have ti to react.
One truck swerved too sharply and flipped onto its side, skidding across the asphalt in a shower of sparks. The second the closest pursuer to Lola’s vehicle went down, everything beca easier. Fortunately, they had already looted the rcenaries they took down earlier after seizing control of the bar. Rifles, ammunition, radios—everything they needed was already in their hands.
Within monts, a pile of wreckage began to form in the wide street. Crumpled vehicles stacked against one another, creating an impromptu barricade that completely blocked the road.
But as expected, not all of the rcenaries were caught in the trap.
Several of them managed to avoid the wreckage entirely by making sharp turns, swerving down side streets, or crashing through abandoned storefronts to escape the kill zone.
Soon enough, the main road was clear of enemies—save for the twisted pile of tal blocking the path forward.
"This one’s working!" one of the Bellemonte n shouted.
Several people paused and turned toward him just as he yanked a rcenary out of the driver’s seat and tossed the man aside without hesitation. He jumped into the vehicle, slamd the door shut, and twisted the ignition.
The engine coughed a few tis before it roared to life.
anwhile, others rushed toward the vehicle, while a few more continued combing through the wreckage to see which trucks were still operable. They had already helped Lola thin out the rcenaries chasing her—but it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.
If they wanted to truly support her, they had to catch up.
That was why they were gambling everything on finding a working vehicle. If they failed, they’d have to go on foot—and their chances of reaching Lola in ti would be slimr than a thread.
"This one’s working too!" another voice shouted.
The engine of a second truck roared to life, its sound echoing down the empty street. "Hop in!"
The Bellemonte man in the first vehicle glanced at the second truck. Those climbing into it looked back at him.
They exchanged a single nod.
Then both vehicles revved forward, speeding off in the sa direction Lola had gone.
Thankfully, Ransom still had the tablet Long had spared earlier. With it, they knew exactly where Lola was—and more importantly, where she was heading. Not to ntion the radios they looted from the rcenaries.
There was no ti to waste.
*****
At the sa ti, Lola narrowed her eyes as she drove at maximum speed through the district.
The narrow streets didn’t slow her down. If anything, they only encouraged her recklessness. She ramd through the walls of abandoned houses without hesitation, bursting through crumbling brick and rotten wood to carve her own path. Dust and debris exploded behind her as she erged onto new streets, leaving chaos in her wake.
I’ve got to turn back, she thought grimly. These guys are good.
Jarvis hadn’t sent amateurs. Despite the ambush on First Street and the chaos she had caused, the rcenary group hadn’t even been cut in half.
Now, I have to return to First Street and hope those guys are still there.
She couldn’t keep running forever.
The fuel gauge was creeping dangerously low, and the damage to her vehicle was starting to add up. If she wanted to survive, she had to thin the numbers further.
Going back to First Street would allow her allies to create another barricade. Another pile of wreckage.
The problem was... she knew the rcenaries were deliberately preventing her from doing exactly that.
CLANG!
Her ear twitched as a shot rang out and struck the side of the vehicle. Lola clicked her tongue, briefly glancing at the shattered remains of her rear-view mirror.
BANG!
She twisted the steering wheel sharply, barely dodging the second shot. She didn’t know how close it ca—but she knew exactly what they were aiming for.
Her tires.
So far, they hadn’t succeeded... yet. But Lola knew better than to assu that luck would last.
She had to do sothing.
A glint flickered across her eyes as her features hardened. At that point, there was only one thing she could do to end the chase.
A loud screech rang across the district, followed by continuous gunfire behind. This ti, bullets struck her windshield and the back of her seat. Thankfully, the seats were thick and modified to protect the occupants from this exact situation.
Keeping her eyes ahead, she saw smoke and headlights from all the paths she could take. Every route was compromised.
Lola was surrounded.
The rcenaries had spread out, taking alternate roads and cutting her off from multiple angles. So had already blocked exits entirely, waiting in ambush.
After all, she had been tearing through houses and establishnts indiscriminately. She could erge anywhere—and they had made sure they were ready.
As Lola neared the end of the road, she slid her eyes to the corner.
She clenched her teeth and made a sharp turn, crashing straight through the door of another old house. The vehicle burst through the interior, shattering walls and furniture, before smashing out the far side and skidding onto another street.
The mont she cleared the exit, she slamd on the brakes.
The tires screeched painfully, leaving marks on the ground. Smoke rose from them, barely swept away by the soft night breeze. Her vehicle ca to a stop, creating a thick cloud that concealed it.
On both sides of the road, rcenary vehicles had already ford a blockade. One side was heavier, reinforced with more trucks and n. The other was lighter, but still lethal. n stood behind their vehicles for cover, weapons aid at the thick fog her vehicle created.
"Stand by," ca a voice on the radio, making everyone listen without responding.
Every rcenary kept their eyes fixed on the fog, fingers hovering just shy of the trigger. They knew exactly who they were dealing with, and they weren’t about to repeat the mistakes of those who had crossed her years ago.
Besides, they had already lost many comrades. Including those she burned in Gigante—enough reason not to lower their guard. So they waited patiently.
"She’s got nowhere else to go now," one man muttered, eyes sharp on the thinning smoke. "Shoot her if she does sothing stupid, but don’t kill her."
The others didn’t answer, but they understood the order. She had to be taken alive. With her alone and far from her allies, their chances were high.
Slowly, the smoke thinned, and they saw a figure was still seated in the driver’s seat.
Everyone tensed, hands ready to fire the mont she moved... until she raised her hand.
"Don’t shoot!" ca a shout from the thinning fog. "I... surrender!"
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