MED: Minor Extremely Dangerous (The Stone Chronicles: Book 2)

Chapter 1

Kabul, Afghanistan: August 3rd 2015. 1635 Hours (Kabul Time).

Emily

"Stone, what's going on?"

My head smacked against the side of the jeep as I gripped at the handle bar on the door, "Well, we're going almost 145 kilometers per hour on a dirt road, and Rider can't drive worth shit."

"It doesn't help that I'm chasing people with guns while being chased by people with more guns!"

"Oh yeah, and while we're on the subject, our information sucks."

"What do you mean?" M asked, as clueless as ever.

I flinched as the guys behind us shot our bumper a couple times, "I mean our information said there would be two gunmen with the drive. You didn't mention we were gonna get shot at by another vehicle with two more of them!"

"There's nothing in our information that suggests that there should even be more than one vehicle!" Q countered through the comms.

Alex rolled his eyes, "Well obviously your information's wrong!"

The men behind us let off another few rounds, but I recognized something in the way they sounded. I turned and looked at the guns the men behind us were using, then faced forward and compared them to the ones being used by our targets. I frowned, "M, let me make sure I've got this right. The drive was stolen from our embassy by suspected rouge Chinese agents, correct?"

"That's what our intel says."

I rolled my eyes, "There's nothing wrong with the intel. The targets are carrying T91s: standard assault rifles in China. The people chasing us are using AK-47s. We're being chased by the bloody Taliban!"

Alex shook his head, "Just kill me now."

"How the hell did you get the Taliban on you?!"

I snorted, "That is a good question, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Alex added, "Why don't I just pull over and ask? I'm sure they'll be more than cooperative."

"Hang on a minute." Q said, "Let me see if I can find you an escape route."

"That drive has our security protocols on it." I countered, "We can't afford to lose it. I can handle this."

As I reached into the back, M questioned, "Stone, you're in the middle of a very complicated car chase. What the hell are you planning?"

"Sorry M, but I really hate having people in my ear when I'm in a high stakes shootout. Alex'll keep you posted."

"Emily-" I turned off my comms and grabbed my L85A2 out of its case in the back.

"Did you seriously just turn that off?" Alex yelled, "I don't wanna talk to him!"

"Yeah? Well, neither do I," I slapped him on the arm, "And I've got the gun."

Alex ground his teeth, "Meloballistic bastard."

"Douche-canoe!" I replied, "Try to drive straight if you can. It's hard enough trying to shoot in a moving car."

"I make no promises." He said as we took a sharp turn around a corner to keep in pursuit.

"I really hate you."

"Feeling's mutual."

I turned and rested my hands on the back of my seat as I aimed the rifle towards the Taliban's humvee. I steadied my aim towards the left tire and slowed my breathing. My heart rate slowed and I let out a long breath before I finally pulled the trigger.

And of course, Alex decided to jerk the wheel at that precise moment, and I missed. Figures. But then, something magical happened.

Their bloody engine blew up.

Red-orange flames and smoke as black as the night erupted from the car's hood. They began to swerve back and forth across the road until eventually the driver pulled over, unable to see past the roaring blaze.

I sunk back in my seat, "I don't even know if that was my bullet, but I'm taking credit for it."

"You missed the tire." Alex pointed out.

"Because you ignored me and swerved as I pulled the trigger."

He smirked, "You're welcome."

"I am so gonna shoot you."

"I'm surprised you haven't already."

"Can you at least try to keep steady this time?" I begged, "The targets are a bit more important."

"What's the magic word?" He sang.

I pointed the rifle at him, "Gun."

"I was looking for a please, but that works too."

I chuckled and aimed through our long-since-shot-out windshield towards the back left tire of our targets' jeep. I repeated my pre-shot ritual, then pulled the trigger.

There was no jerk this time. The bullet hit its target with perfect accuracy, and the rubber gave way and flattened. The vehicle continued to run, so I aimed again and shot out the other back tire.

The targets' car slowed, then stopped on the side of the road. Alex turned and pulled over beside them. Two heads leaned out the side of the car, followed by two barrels.

"Duck." I commanded.

We went down just in time. The two gunmen began to empty their rifles into the car. Bullets flew everywhere, but I remained calm, loading a PPK and tossing it to Alex before pulling one of my own. "They're gonna empty. When the shooting stops, we move. Rouge agents, so no survivors."

"Are you sure?" Alex asked.

"This is how we do things." I answered, "You should know by now."

Seconds later, it was silent. I nodded to Alex, and we bursts from the car, each firing a shot towards the armed targets. They both dropped, and the rifles fell out of their hands. We moved towards the vehicle, Alex on the left and I on the right.

Suddenly, I was met with nothing but pain and blood in my left arm as I ducked out of the way of another agent armed with a knife. I sent a kick towards his stomach and he stumbled back, but quickly recovered and sliced towards my neck.

I ducked and spun, kicking his legs out from under him. He hit the ground with a thump and I scrambled to reach for the gun I'd dropped when he jumped me. I was jerked back and away from it when he grabbed my left ankle. I used my right foot to kick him in the face until he instinctively let go. I jumped for the gun.

He was still on his knees, about to stand when I put two bullets in his head. He dropped instantly, the knife clattering out of his hand and settling next to my foot. I scrambled to my feet and did a quick sweep of the area before I heard Alex confirm, "It's clear. They're all dead."

I nodded and holstered the gun, "The drive?"

Alex was rummaging through a bag in the backseat of their jeep. He smiled and pulled out a small black drive, "Drive recovered. Mission accomplished."

I breathed a sigh of much needed relief, then said, "By the way," I smirked. "I'm a bitch, not a bastard."

Author's Note

Hola. How are you?

Let me know what y'all thought of the first chapter. Votes, comments, and follows are greatly appreciated.

A tribute to 8th grade:
Friend prank caller: "What is the color of the night?"
Mia: "PUUUURRRPAALL!"
Brooke: "ORANGE!"
Me: "I'm pretty sure it's black."
Blaze: "Excuse me, it is midnight blue."

Have a good day lovelies.

~ Maddie