COLD RECKONING

The Hunters

The mountains stretched endlessly before them, a labyrinth of stone and snow.

Rice drove while Eliana navigated, the old Citroën wheezing through the winding passes. They'd been on the road for six hours, stopping only once to refuel at a tiny village where no one looked twice at the dusty car and its quiet passengers. Sophie had spent most of the journey asleep, her small body curled in the back seat.

The road had narrowed to a single lane, barely wide enough for two cars to pass. On one side, a sheer cliff rose toward the sky. On the other, a drop of hundreds of meters fell away into a valley of pine and mist. It was treacherous driving, but Rice handled it with the same calm precision he'd applied to a hundred other dangerous situations.

"Turn here," Eliana said, pointing to a barely visible track that branched off the main road. "This leads to the old smuggling routes. They'll take us into Spain without crossing any major checkpoints."

Rice turned the wheel, guiding the car onto the rough track. The suspension groaned, and Sophie stirred in the back seat.

"Are we there yet?" she asked sleepily.

"Not yet, baby. Go back to sleep."

She nodded, her eyes already closing. Rice watched her in the rearview mirror for a moment, then returned his attention to the road.

The track wound through dense forest, the trees pressing close on either side. The snow was thinner here, the ground more mud than ice. Rice drove slowly, carefully, avoiding the deeper ruts that could trap the wheels.

"We'll reach the Spanish border in about three hours," Eliana said. "After that, it's open road to Portugal."

Rice nodded. "And the hunters?"

"Still searching the cities. Henri's information was good—they're focused on Lyon and Toulouse. They haven't started searching the mountains yet."

"Yet being the key word."

Eliana didn't argue. They both knew it was only a matter of time before the search expanded into the rural areas. The bounty was too high for the hunters to ignore any possibility.

The forest thinned, and the track emerged onto a high plateau. The view was spectacular—snow-covered peaks stretching in every direction, the sky a brilliant blue above. Rice stopped the car for a moment, letting the engine idle.

"Look, Sophie," he said. "Look at the mountains."

Sophie sat up, rubbing her eyes. She stared out the window, her face filling with wonder. "They're so big, Daddy."

"Bigger than anything," Rice agreed. "And we're going to cross them. Just like the people who lived here hundreds of years ago."

Sophie smiled. "Were they running from bad people too?"

Rice's heart ached. "Some of them. But most were just looking for a better life."

"Like us."

"Like us."

He put the car back in gear and drove on. The plateau gave way to another descent, the road twisting through rocky outcroppings and frozen streams. Eliana guided him with quiet confidence, her knowledge of these mountains impressive.

"You've been here before," Rice said.

"Many times. During my MI6 days, we used these routes to move assets across the border. They're forgotten now, mostly. Only the locals remember them."

"And the smugglers."

Eliana smiled slightly. "They never forget."

The afternoon wore on, the sun arcing across the sky. Sophie fell asleep again, lulled by the motion of the car. Rice drove in silence, his mind alert but calm. For the first time in weeks, he felt something approaching peace.

Then he saw it.

A vehicle behind them, far down the track. A dark shape moving through the trees.

"Eliana."

She turned, her eyes sharp. "I see it."

"How long has it been there?"

"I don't know. A few minutes, maybe." Her voice was tight. "They're following us."

Rice's jaw clenched. He pressed the accelerator, the old Citroën lurching forward. The track was rough, the car bouncing over rocks and ruts. Sophie woke with a start, her eyes wide.

"Daddy? What's happening?"

"Nothing, baby. Just hold on tight."

The vehicle behind them was gaining—a black SUV, much newer and faster than their ancient Citroën. Rice pushed the car harder, but the engine whined in protest.

"We can't outrun them," Eliana said. "Not on this road."

Rice looked around, his mind racing. The track ahead curved sharply, hugging the mountainside. He remembered the map Henri had shown them—there was a fork ahead, one branch leading to a dead end, the other to a narrow bridge across a ravine.

"The bridge," he said. "How far?"

"Two kilometers. Maybe less."

Rice nodded. "When we reach it, I want you to take Sophie and run. I'll hold them off."

Eliana started to protest, but Rice cut her off. "I'm not asking, Eliana. Sophie comes first. You know the routes. Get her to safety."

Eliana's jaw tightened, but she nodded. "And you?"

"I'll catch up. I always do."

The SUV was closer now, close enough that Rice could see the shapes of men inside. They were armed—he caught the glint of metal through the windshield.

"Hold on!" Rice shouted.

He yanked the wheel hard, sending the Citroën into a controlled skid around the curve. The tires screamed, the car fishtailing dangerously close to the edge. Sophie cried out, and Eliana grabbed her, pulling her close.

The bridge appeared ahead—a narrow stone structure, barely wide enough for a single vehicle. Rice pressed the accelerator, the car surging forward. The SUV was right behind them now, its engine roaring.

"Go!" Rice shouted.

He slammed the brakes, and the Citroën skidded to a stop just before the bridge. Eliana was already moving, pulling Sophie from the back seat. They ran, disappearing into the trees on the other side.

Rice grabbed the rifle from the floor and stepped out of the car. The SUV had stopped fifty meters back, its occupants piling out. Four men, all armed, all moving with professional precision.

Rice raised the rifle and fired.

The first shot caught the lead man in the chest, throwing him backward. The others scattered, returning fire. Bullets slammed into the Citroën, shattering windows, tearing through metal. Rice dove behind the car, using the engine block for cover.

He fired again, the rifle bucking against his shoulder. Another man went down, clutching his leg. The remaining two advanced, their weapons blazing.

Rice ejected the empty magazine and slammed in a fresh one. He'd counted his ammunition carefully—three mags left, thirty rounds total. Enough for this fight, if he was smart.

He fired in short bursts, forcing the attackers to take cover. One of them ducked behind a rock, the other behind a fallen tree. Rice waited, his breath steady, his finger on the trigger.

The man behind the rock made a mistake. He leaned out too far, and Rice put a bullet through his skull. The fourth man broke and ran, sprinting back toward the SUV.

Rice shot him in the back.

The gunfire faded, leaving only the sound of the wind and the distant cry of a bird. Rice stood, his ears ringing, his heart pounding. Four bodies lay on the track, their blood staining the snow.

He didn't stay to count them. He turned and ran across the bridge, following Eliana's footprints into the forest.

The hunt wasn't over. It would never be over. But for now, they were still alive.

---

The ambush was repelled, but the hunters were still out there. With the car destroyed and the enemy closing in, could Rice reach Eliana and Sophie before the next wave arrived?