My grip tightens on the door handle. The rough road beneath us giving no quarter to our suspension. Hrurim groans, shuffling about as well as he can. I eye my human friend and his legs.
"I can tear off some of the back cushions. Put them there." I point out, lingering some fingers over my knife. My leg is tense with effort, but I'm waiting for his call.
"No, no. It's fine, Ivahstar. Really. It'll be worth it..." he answers, and I'm having some doubts as to how sincere he is about it. I keep silent and nod, looking away as I do. I focus back on the map, tapping a finger on the slipway we used. It's a good one to get in with.
The big chamber with the warnings is still ahead of us. There's no way to slip out of the smugglers' route quickly or safely. Front or behind, it doesn't matter. We have a shot, provided they're not long gone.
"I really don't know if I should be speeding up or slowing down..." Hrurim says, his voice bordering on whiny and irritating. I glance his way, going back to his cramped legs. My jaw shifts, my lips straightening out as hard as an iron rod.
"We're before the chamber. Whatever it is. Keep..." I start to say and I come to a halt, not sure what to do. My mind blanks out and my heart freezes to a lethal stop. A single cough breaks me free, moving me about once again.
What do we do? If we get this wrong now, we've got no way of catching up with Heiya. We're already hinging too much on luck right now and I... Gods above.
A clawed hand rakes my face, digging five scrapes into my face. I pull the responsible arm away and bring it back for a bothersome rub. The stinging sensation spreads through my skin and I breathe. It all vanishes, almost as if it never happened at all.
"Speed up. We bank on what has taken us this far already." I tell my friend, reassuring myself with a gentle rub of my gun. Either we find Heiya or I find Gamtambo. A daughter will be in my arms. Or his corpse will soak the bottoms of my feet. All of it dripping from my knuckles!
"Going the gods-shined way." Hrurim answers, adjusting his seating and putting down on the pedal. The engine roars louder, and the ride becomes all the bumpier. Despite the issues of biology my friend finds himself dealing with, he's handling this car like a beauty. Delicate to the touch, with all the finesse needed to impress someone during a dance.
I offer my friend a reassuring nod and pat and head back to the backseats. Aiming for the ceiling, I cut my way through it with a burst of fire. Puncturing the roof clear of the car, mostly. I stand up, splitting my legs across the seat and I punch up. The panel hops and flies off, never to be seen again.
Keeping my head down, I yank out a random piece of car. I hold it up above my head, going up and up until it flies out of my hand. My face remains straight as the vibration continues to rock its way through me. I've got room to stand, room to fight.
I drop back down and get to cutting off the seat cushions. I stab them onto the bits of honey and cut metal, dulling the danger. My head pops back out, the tunnel air settling into my quills. I lean ahead, gun in an unbreakable grip.
Come on... Lights... Let me see some lights... Let me see something!
I try to keep my ears as open as they reasonably can be. I try to discern anything that sounds distant and far. I'm driving myself mad just for the one chance to see my daughter again... I need to...
"Mm?" I let out, leaning forward as far as I can go. Is that...? Yes...? Yes? Yes!
My fist smashes against the roof of the car and Hrurim answers me well. The engine growls furiously, forcing me to adjust my footing. The very tips of the tail lights come into view. We escape the dangerous turn and edge and teeter ourselves straight. Hrurim pumps out a swear and adjusts our speed to something better.
"GET ME CLOSER!" I demand of my friend, shouting with all I have and defying the physics of the tunnel. I slam my gun down, setting my eye before my sights and easing the trigger. The last car in the convoy enters my range. The barrel switches targets and I duck to avoid the oncoming glass.
"Ah, what a view!" Hrurim hisses, slamming the visor back up. I pop back to my spot and shoot for the back glass. It shatters wide open and the mobsters inside retaliate. A few aimless shots from handguns. I duck down, metal pings and rocky thunks bursting about around me.
Throwing myself into position, controlled bursts go for the flashes. More gunfire flashes. Hrurim drives us closer, lighting up the interior of the people inside. Heiya's not among them.
"THERE'S NO ROOM TO GET AROUND!" Hrurim screams at me and I growl. Taking out more mobsters, I clear the car of all but its driver. The man takes a moment to look back at me, his eyes unable to come wide open. He flinches away, not even bothering to fire back. But he still ducks down.
"RAM THEM! I NEED TO CLIMB AHEAD!" I tell my friend, the road seemingly remaining straight for some time. I've not a moment to waste. Every second I'm still here is another second where Heiya is their prisoner!
Hrurim's foot slams on the pedal and I brace. Our cars collide and I piston back and forth. Hopping up and out, I throw-slide my way to the bonnet. My arm comes up, gripping the top of the glass while I find my footing.
I keep my knees low and bent, the power of the engine unsettling more than just my physical nerves. Adrenaline warps my decision making and I throw my weapon ahead, scoring a fine goal. I repeat the feat, leaping for the car myself. My arms pull me inside, dragging me across the back until I hit the floor.
"KEEP DRIVING!" I roar at the mobster, and he pulls his piece at me. I throw myself out of the way of his awkward angle and he empties the magazine at nothing. A snarl takes my face over and I pick up my gun again. It goes to his head and I pull the trigger and heave him out of the driver's seat.
The car dares to lose control and I bully it back into order. Cavern walls scrape and gnash, sparking a chunk off of the vehicle. Hrurim's car behind bounces and I speed up. Our arrival has certainly spooked those ahead. They don't know I'm in here, though.
I pick up one of the mobster guns and fire randomly at the cavern roof. The others buy the act and I aim one shot for the front glass. It explodes outwards and comes racing back my way. I duck, letting it pass and impale cushion and corpse. The cruise control locks in and I slip on out, shooting the tail lights out again.
Double-checking my rounds, I growl in understanding. I lean forward, gripping the bonnet and throwing it up. I shoot the glass ahead of me, letting it rain out like the rest has before. The bonnet panel takes a few bullets and I kick it down. Bodies drop and the car hits the next one.
I leap in, driving my knife into the eye socket of a gangster. I force the blade up and out, shoving my gun into the next mobster. His backmouth blows out across the car and I stab the neck of the next one. The driver barely gets a word off and I pull him away, repeating the process from before.
Two cars down and still no Heiya. I don't know how many are ahead. Three of them suddenly turn and I twitch into action. The tyres screech in burning pain and the empty car flattens itself. Hrurim barely escapes the mess, and another straight road welcomes us.
Grabbing a mobster's gun, I shoot out the glass at my side and clear it off. I lean up and out, letting the automatic weapon rip through its drum. Bullets fly out carelessly, hitting everything but the bodies inside. A flash of light reveals the crew. Not one of them is her.
I aim with bloodthirsty intention and clear the car out. It spins out of control and I luck out on it smashing into a ditch. The cars ahead break apart, splitting into their lonesome. We're in the chamber. I look back at my friend and he picks his direction.
We've too many to cover and I speed up as much as I can. Getting my spike gun back into my hand, I close in on the side of one of the cars. The windows come down and mobsters spring out as if they're parts of a toy. One that comes with fiery lights.
I twist the steering, forcing my way through a partial wall of cover. Their bullets keep on coming, but not for me. I watch them and keep on watching, staring Death down in his flashing, muzzle face. A moment of peace and a mobster tries to duck in to reload.
I smash the car through thin rocks and fly out into the open, smashing right into the cars rear. We both lose control and I get things back in order. I heave my gun up, aligning the barrel with those inside. My finger presses the trigger, lightening the mobsters of blood and brains. Heiya's not here either.
A growl overtakes me, and I shoot out the rear tyres and ram it. The car continues to lose control and rolls over, throwing itself about until luck blesses me again. Sparks find fuel and a fireball erupts behind me. I keep the pedal down as far as it will go and head for the exit.
"CAN'T HUNT YOU DOWN, BUT I CAN TRAP YOU!" I roar out, getting my thoughts into the open as I aim for what I know is the exit. I kick open the door and prepare myself. A finger nudges the wheel the right way and I throw myself out. I hit the ground, rolling along it without pause as churning metal sings of certain demise.
I knock myself still and find my footing, a growl welding my jaw shut. Backing up to the wreck, Hrurim comes racing into view, his own skill with a gun forcing some mobsters off. I shoot his car, catching his attention and he drives my way, skidding to a halt. His car smacks its rear on the rock.
"OUT! WE HOLD THEM HERE!" I clarify for him, going into the back to grab my container and equipment. I toss it aside, letting the blood wasps buzz for their namesake, and I pop the boot. Hrurim comes hobbling out and arms himself, his eyes widening.
"THEY DON'T SEEM TO WANT THAT!" he explains, and we dive aside. Only the break out fails. The car that tried spirals out of control and detonates, sealing us in for good.
"Gods grant me more luck... More!" I hiss, reloading my gun with a fresh load of spikes. The remaining convoy gathers up, building up around a lorry. Mobsters rush out, guns firing in the dark, and we retaliate. I keep tabs on Hrurim's position and spread out from him. Single shot handguns, rifles, shotguns and sub-machineguns drown us in bullets. Rocks erode away and some even explode.
"OF COURSE THEY'VE GOT SURFACE-TOUCHED WEAPONS!" I hear Hrurim complain as the familiar shine of wind magic accents the flashes. One car comes apart and a deadly cross irks me with its shadow. A proper machine gun.
"KEEP DOWN, FOCUS ON THE RIGHT TARGETS!" I urge my friend, not even keeping to my advice. I can barely keep my head up for a moment. There's no way for me to find time.
"POPS! POPS!" I hear between bullets and I smile in satisfaction, taking more lives as I do so.
"Thank the gods above... All of them..." I almost whimper and cry, tears rimming my eyes as adrenaline continues to remind me of what it's like to be young. I cling to my belt, pulling out a grenade and tossing it true. It slips past some mobsters, throwing them right into their own line of fire.
Several stop, shocked by the deed and the blast. I force my way out, as does Hrurim. We scythe more of them down, reorganising our position. A wind-touched weapon whistles past, leaving a green glow to its bullet hole. Whatever that gun is meant to be, it might as well be an auto-cannon now!