powered along Central Park South, swerving through traffic to make a screeching turn on to Seventh Avenue. The road down to Times Square was relatively clear; relieved, he accelerated again. Over the rising song of the engine he heard a voice. Nina.
The phone!' he said. Grant held it up.
Eddie, Eddie!' said Nina. 'Are you there?
Yeah, I'm here. Are you okay?' They're still after us! Where are you?
He ducked across the lanes to avoid a knot of traffic. 'Seventh.'
Seventh? He knew the scathing tone; that of every single New Yorker, convinced they alone knew the best way to navigate their city. 'Why the hell are you on Seventh? Take Broadway!'
I know where I'm going!
Dude, not the time for a domestic,' Grant warned, pointing ahead. The neon glare of Times Square was approaching fast, the traffic getting thicker.
Where are you now?' Eddie asked Nina.
On Sixth, coming up to 30th.'
He remembered that if he got on Broadway south of Times Square, it intersected Sixth Avenue at Herald Square, around 34th Street. Keep going - I'll meet you!
And then what are you gonna do?
I dunno - something violent! Just stay ahead of them!'
He ignored the sarcastic 'AW from the phone, fixing on the road as the Lamborghini wailed through Times Square. Grant's face, two storeys high, watched it pass from a billboard advertising his latest movie. Cars streamed across their path on 44th Street - and beyond, he saw more flashing lights as cops from the small police station at the square's south end started their vehicles.
He speeded up, angling for a gap—
Shit!' gasped Grant as the Murcielago shot through the crosstraffic, one car's front bumper passing so close that it brushed the Lamborghini's rear corner. You said not a scratch, man, not a scratch!'
It 'll buff out,' Chase replied, the joke a cover for the shudder that ran through him as he realised just how near he had come to a crash. He shot past the little police station, then turned hard, cutting across a short section of 42nd Street to join Broadway.
Strobe lights flashed across the buildings behind as more police cars joined the chase. He swore under his breath, looking down Broadway.
Where was Nina? Where was Eddie?
The cab reached the lower end of Herald Square. Nina risked a glance up Broadway as she crossed the intersection and continued up Sixth Avenue, seeing police lights in the distance, before looking back at the nearer and much more menacing lights in the mirror. The pursuing police cars had also drawn closer, but were unable to overtake the powerful truck.
Hey, there's my store!' said Macy. Nina looked back, wondering what the hell she was talking about. You know, Macy's.' She pointed as the giant store rolled past to their left.
Just hold up the phone,' Nina snapped. Eddie, where are you now?'
I'm almost there. Where are you?
The taxi reached the 36th Street intersection, Nina checking for traffic coming from the left - to see a bright orange sports car zoom down Broadway. 'Eddie, are you in an orange car?'
Yeah, why?'
Ijust missed you! I'm going north on Sixth!'
Eddie said something, but it was drowned out by Macy's cry of, 'They're catching up!' The pickup's driver had put the hammer down, the great chromed whale-mouth of its grille looming large.
And Snakeskin was leaning out of the window again, revolver raised—
Nina hurled the cab into a desperate left turn on to 37th Street as a bullet punched through the door just above her thigh.
Eddie heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet impact over the phone. Shit!'
He had to double back - but two NYPD cruisers were moving to block Broadway ahead, despatchers alerting them to the second high-speed chase.
And there were more police cars behind him . . .
Hang on!' he shouted to Grant as he stabbed a button to deactivate the traction control -then dipped the clutch as he spun the wheel with one hand and yanked hard on the handbrake with the other
Even with four-wheel drive the Lamborghini couldn't keep
The phone!' he said. Grant held it up.
Eddie, Eddie!' said Nina. 'Are you there?
Yeah, I'm here. Are you okay?' They're still after us! Where are you?
He ducked across the lanes to avoid a knot of traffic. 'Seventh.'
Seventh? He knew the scathing tone; that of every single New Yorker, convinced they alone knew the best way to navigate their city. 'Why the hell are you on Seventh? Take Broadway!'
I know where I'm going!
Dude, not the time for a domestic,' Grant warned, pointing ahead. The neon glare of Times Square was approaching fast, the traffic getting thicker.
Where are you now?' Eddie asked Nina.
On Sixth, coming up to 30th.'
He remembered that if he got on Broadway south of Times Square, it intersected Sixth Avenue at Herald Square, around 34th Street. Keep going - I'll meet you!
And then what are you gonna do?
I dunno - something violent! Just stay ahead of them!'
He ignored the sarcastic 'AW from the phone, fixing on the road as the Lamborghini wailed through Times Square. Grant's face, two storeys high, watched it pass from a billboard advertising his latest movie. Cars streamed across their path on 44th Street - and beyond, he saw more flashing lights as cops from the small police station at the square's south end started their vehicles.
He speeded up, angling for a gap—
Shit!' gasped Grant as the Murcielago shot through the crosstraffic, one car's front bumper passing so close that it brushed the Lamborghini's rear corner. You said not a scratch, man, not a scratch!'
It 'll buff out,' Chase replied, the joke a cover for the shudder that ran through him as he realised just how near he had come to a crash. He shot past the little police station, then turned hard, cutting across a short section of 42nd Street to join Broadway.
Strobe lights flashed across the buildings behind as more police cars joined the chase. He swore under his breath, looking down Broadway.
Where was Nina? Where was Eddie?
The cab reached the lower end of Herald Square. Nina risked a glance up Broadway as she crossed the intersection and continued up Sixth Avenue, seeing police lights in the distance, before looking back at the nearer and much more menacing lights in the mirror. The pursuing police cars had also drawn closer, but were unable to overtake the powerful truck.
Hey, there's my store!' said Macy. Nina looked back, wondering what the hell she was talking about. You know, Macy's.' She pointed as the giant store rolled past to their left.
Just hold up the phone,' Nina snapped. Eddie, where are you now?'
I'm almost there. Where are you?
The taxi reached the 36th Street intersection, Nina checking for traffic coming from the left - to see a bright orange sports car zoom down Broadway. 'Eddie, are you in an orange car?'
Yeah, why?'
Ijust missed you! I'm going north on Sixth!'
Eddie said something, but it was drowned out by Macy's cry of, 'They're catching up!' The pickup's driver had put the hammer down, the great chromed whale-mouth of its grille looming large.
And Snakeskin was leaning out of the window again, revolver raised—
Nina hurled the cab into a desperate left turn on to 37th Street as a bullet punched through the door just above her thigh.
Eddie heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet impact over the phone. Shit!'
He had to double back - but two NYPD cruisers were moving to block Broadway ahead, despatchers alerting them to the second high-speed chase.
And there were more police cars behind him . . .
Hang on!' he shouted to Grant as he stabbed a button to deactivate the traction control -then dipped the clutch as he spun the wheel with one hand and yanked hard on the handbrake with the other
Even with four-wheel drive the Lamborghini couldn't keep
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