Read Online From Russia Without Love by Stephen Templin - Free Book Online Page A

“I’m going to try to outrun the train to the next street before crossing over.”
    “That’s crazy,” Sonny said. “We’re not going to beat that train!”
    Hannah and Sonny shot at the two cars following them, but the cars didn’t back off, and returned fire.
    Chris continued to gain velocity, running neck and neck with the train. “We’re going to make it!”
    “We’re not going to make it,” Sonny shouted.
    “We’re going to make it,” Chris repeated, swerving around the car in front of him in order to push farther ahead. Now he was in front of the train, but there were no roads for him to cross, and if the road ahead filled up with cars, he wouldn’t be able to maintain his headway. Then an intersection, Sepolion , came into view, which crossed the tracks over to the other side.
    Sonny changed his tune. “We’re going to make it.”
    Chris wanted more speed, but there was no more.
    We’re not going to make it .
    Lord help us, please.

6
    _______
    C hris ran off the road, and the car fishtailed as he turned right. The BMW straightened out on the road, and he barreled through a railroad-crossing barrier, breaking it off its joint. Then he crossed the tracks in front of the moving train, and he stomped the accelerator. The car wheels spun, losing traction. Hannah braced herself for a collision.
    Chris let up on the gas enough for the wheels to bite into the ground, and the car passed over the tracks.
    Michael, remaining low in the backseat, couldn’t see anything. “What? What happened?”
    “You don’t want to know,” Sonny said.
    Michael poked his head up, but Sonny shoved it back down.
    “You did it, Chris,” Hannah exclaimed. “You shook them off our tail.”
    “You southern boys really know how to haul moonshine,” Sonny said.
    Chris zigzagged through the streets before heading south on Voreiou Ipeirou . He exhaled long and hard, relieved to finally be out of the Albanians’ line of fire.
    “Why don’t the Europeans try to stop their dependency on Russia for natural gas?” Hannah asked Michael, picking their previous conversation right back up now that their six was clear.
    “Russia uses the gas money to buy politically connected companies in Europe,” Michael said, “and those companies donate to local politicians. Russia and Italy each invested five hundred million euros to fund projects in both countries.”
    “So it’s no coincidence Italy has supported Russia in Ukraine and has been opposed to sanctions against Russia,” she said.
    Sonny turned and Chris saw him wrinkle his face in the rearview mirror. “That commie gas can pay for a lot of troops and ammo to kill Ukrainians.”
    “So if you and others succeed in building the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline,” Chris said, “Azerbaijan could supply natural gas to Europe and decrease their dependency on Russia, weakening them.”
    “Exactly,” Michael said. “With sanctions against Russia for its military intervention in Ukraine and low oil prices, Russia needs the gas money now more than ever.”
    Chris tightened his grip on the wheel, his knuckles turning white. “So Russia pulls the strings behind 21D to kidnap you in an effort to stop the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline.”
    “Bastards,” Sonny muttered, watching out the back window again.
    Hannah shook her head. “Not good.”
    Chris assumed Hannah was referring to Michael’s kidnapping, but then a black Mercedes turned toward them, going the wrong way on a one-way street, set on a head-on collision course with the BMW.
    “Maybe they’re circling the area around the embassy, too,” Sonny said. “Waiting for us.”
    Foremost in Chris’s mind was surviving the impending head-on collision. He slammed the brakes and the ABS system engaged, the brake pedal pulsating under his foot as he steered away from the Mercedes. But there wasn’t enough space on the road to avoid the oncoming vehicle completely.
    “Brace for crash!” Chris called out, keeping his foot on the brakes