HUMAN

Chapter 44 - Flames

Vincent fought for traction as the tires barely gripped the asphalt. The inferno that he navigated was a double-edged sword - while the heat warmed the road, improving tire grip, the turbo struggled from the dense air, reducing power in acceleration and maintaining a consistent speed that Vincent needed.

Inside the cabin, Vincent was fighting two battles in his head. His focus dialed onto the road, taking the shortest route possible. Cutting corners when he could, and turning the curved road as straight as possible in his desperate attempt to reach Pennie.

But Sol was still stuck in his mind.

He drove by his vehicle wrecked beside the ditch. Trying to reach him in these mountains weren't an option. Even Anna struggled to pinpoint Pennie's exact location through the thick terrain.

Sol will be alright. Vincent knew that slippery bastard long enough to trust he'd find a way out of trouble. Always something up his sleeve. A way with his words, and a path already mapped out before he stepped into the crossfire.

Experience had taught Sol that.

Vincent knew him enough. Yet, doubt lingered in his mind. The crash was too much of a surprise. Even when Vincent rounded the corner to see Sol's car in a crumbled state, the whole thing felt off. There was no rhyme or reason for that suddenly happening.

Leo will know. If not, Frank definitely would. Vincent left that wreck behind. He had enough faith that something good would come out of this operation. Sol had to be a part of that.

His handle tighten on the wheel as he catches himself overcorrecting, the car skidding slightly and not in a way that Vincent liked - almost enough to send him into a spin. Cursing under his breath, he exhaled sharply and steadied himself.

Beads of sweat crawled down his face. The heat burnt his skin. His hand found the stick shift, and he downshifted as a hard right came into view before looking into his rearview mirror to see a burning branch falling just behind him.

Vincent's grip tightened around the wheel as he drove deeper into the forest. His heartbeat hammered against his ribs, the sound of the engine howling over the scorching blew through the ventilation system.

The burning mountain had swallowed him whole. The smoke creating a dense fog, he could feel the response of the car becoming sluggish. His tires were almost worn out, and the turbo is struggling to maintain consistent power.

Then, through the haze, he saw another wreckage - a field of chaos. Shattered glass and twisted steel littered the road. Flipped vehicles - some torn apart unnaturally for a car crash, others overturned like tin cans.

And then a flash deeper in the fog. A gunshot.

Sharp, percussive pops echoed through the night, bursts of light flashing from behind one of the wrecked SIU vehicles.

Vincent's foot slammed the brakes, he grabbed the silver shield and jumped out of the car. His eyes locked onto the source of the gunfire - Leo, crouched behind an overturned vehicle, exchanging rounds with SIU soldiers pinned down ahead.

Beside him, Pennie lay sprawled against the scorched pavement, her breathing ragged. Blood seeped through her lower abdomen, staining her fur in thick, crimson blotches. Leo had one knee on the ground using his free hand to apply pressure to her wound, while his other hand kept the trigger finger tight, sending shots toward the opposition.

The bear was speaking in a foreign language as he fired his shots and kept pressure on the wound.

"Leo!" The bear's head snapped toward Vincent. "No! Vincent, get down-"