CHAPTER 117

TOMMY UNDERSTOOD THAT JUST running away would not be possible, as the van was too slow for that. He then decided to counterattack him using the weight of the car. He waited until Benedetti pulled up alongside him and threw the vehicle at him. The passenger car was unable to respond and succumbed to the greater weight, being thrown onto the sidewalk, jolting, scraping against walls.

Benedetti, however, had the advantage of being able to move more easily, because of the type of car he was in. He turned the steering wheel to the left and soon got back on the road, going to the other side of the van. The crashing game began again.

Indignant, Tommy didn't think twice, pressed his opponent against the sidewalk again, but he was quick and braked, backing up before he was thrown off the avenue again. Taking advantage of Benedetti being behind him, Tommy slammed on the brakes, in an unexpected trap for Benedetti.

Seeing the rear of the van growing rapidly in front of him, Benedetti tried to brake, but lost control of the car and ended up spinning and stopping. The van turned onto a random street, almost colliding with other vehicles that were passing by.

TOMMY THOUGHT ONCE AGAIN that he would get rid of Carl Benedetti, but was surprised to see him appear again, roaring, either for revenge or some explanation, but approaching voraciously.

Looking ahead, Tommy noticed that a building on the left was undergoing maintenance on its facade and had the sidewalk completely covered in scaffolding, something common to see in that part of the city. Very smart, he kept the car in the right lane while Benedetti caught up with him. When he realized that the sedan was next to him, he waited patiently until they were close to the structure.

When he felt able to do so, in a risky manner, he turned the van as far as he could towards him, dragging him into the scaffolding frame without mercy. The two cars moved forward, the van holding the sedan on the sidewalk, which in turn swept away the metal tubes of the scaffolding, in an immense destruction that brought down floors of that renovation structure. Like a tower collapsing, the pieces of steel fell on themselves and on the asphalt, echoing a shrill chorus of distress in everyone traveling with Tommy who could not see what was happening.

With the impacts on the renovation structure, Benedetti's car was damaged and was completely stopped by the airbags that inflated around him, finding himself unable to move for a moment.

Tommy continued for a few more meters, knocking down as many stakes and structures as were in front of him, until the inertia of the heavy vehicle was compensated and he could brake safely.

— Get out quickly! — shouted Gregory Evans.

Everyone quickly got out of the car, still confused and very distressed, after the agent's order. Tommy, however, was trapped in his seat and could not open the doors, due to the metal tubes that crossed the van's cabin.

— Is everything okay, honey? — Katherine asked, already in tears.

— Yes, yes — she replied. — I just can't open this damn thing!

Floyd remained focused on protecting the President. He looked around and thought about what he could do to get him out of that danger zone. He noticed that there were people walking near them, very scared by the pursuit of the vehicles, and he waited to see their reaction when they came across the President, because he didn't know if they would be affected by the previous attack.

Tommy looked in the rearview mirror and could see Carl Benedetti already awake from the impact he had suffered, trying to get rid of all that inflatable paraphernalia that surrounded him. He also saw, as he tried to free himself from his arrest, the two agents who were helping Floyd Kenagan surrounding the sedan where Carl was, ready to shoot at any moment, if necessary. He then feared for the life of his former friend and, even though he was still trapped in the van, he shouted to them:

— Hey! Don't waste time, get out of here! — Take the President to a safer place!

Floyd noticed that some people were showing strange reactions when they saw the President. He heard Gregory shouting for them to get out of there as quickly as possible.

That was what he had to do!

Seeing that strangers were approaching, he called Kenan:

— Sir, let's go! Come on!

— Should we use our weapons, sir? — asked one of the agents, regarding the people who were approaching.

— No — he replied. — Don't waste too much, we don't have enough ammunition to waste. We don't know what's ahead... Let's get out of here now!

The three men ran towards another street, taking Kenan under their protection, to look for a way out. Katherine remained close to the van, trying to help her husband, but not knowing what to do. She wasn't the type of person for those situations.

Tommy worried about what Benedetti would do. He didn't know to what extent he had lost his mind. He didn't want to risk leaving Katherine exposed to the delusions of his former friend. It was better for her to go with the others. Seeing her through the bars, he shouted:

— Go with them, Katy!

Quick!

— No, love! I'll help you! Let me just... pull, this... here! — she said as she tried unsuccessfully to free him from her trap. She pulled with all her strength, while trying to hold back the tears that insisted on falling, until she felt her husband's hand grab her wrist, while saying to her:

— I'll manage, I'll catch up with you, just go! Staying here is worse for you, trust me!

Still hesitant to agree with him, she ended up going.

Tommy, seeing that he wouldn't be able to open any of the doors, had the idea of ​​jumping through the windshield, taking advantage of the fact that it was already broken. With the butt of his gun, he hit the remains of the glass that prevented him from getting out, until a larger crack opened, big enough for him to get through. He fought against the bars stuck on all sides, until he made a wider path, jumping and getting out through the wreckage. When he got up, Benedetti was already in front of him, staring at him. They both pulled out their guns and pointed them at each other's faces, unlocking them and staring at each other.

— I knew you were a difficult old man, but for God's sake, you've completely lost your mind! — Tommy said.

— I lost it many years ago... why do you think it was now? — Tommy laughed, looking at the old man with his usual rebellious contempt.

— All this happening and you want to come after me. I'd say that age is already taking its toll on your sanity, but even so, I know that your aim remains the same as always. Why haven't you killed me yet?

— Because I want to give myself a chance — the old man replied resolutely.

— You know I would never betray you...

— Sometimes you have to doubt your strongest certainties to know if they work.

— Did it work for you?

— Well, if it failed, I would be dead from your bullets by now, right? — Tommy sighed sadly, his gaze dropping to the ground as he thought, but the gun remained in the same position.

— I couldn't save him, he sought it out for himself. You know that! And Katherine needed me...

— I don't disagree with you, kid, Tony was a marked card a long time ago...

— And Katy is the reason I keep playing...

Tommy lowered his gun and smiled at Benedetti, putting it away and extending his right hand. The old man spent some time in his own thoughts, snorted, as if letting something out of him, and then lowered his revolver, responding to the handshake. Not counting on it, he pulled Tommy with a certain brutality and hugged him, saying:

— Life is ironic, it makes us doubt the people who matter most to us.

The most emphatic expression Tommy felt capable of showing was a few pats on the back of his old friend, who nevertheless understood what that meant.

— Come with me, you would be of great help now. — Tommy said, smiling from the corner of his mouth.

The old man grumbled softly, while scratching his head lightly.

— Tony is alive, he's in a hospital right now. I need to find him.

Tommy's eyes widened at the news and he put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

— About your promise to Francesco, maybe you haven't failed yet…

His words gave a different meaning to the old man's grumpy look. Without saying goodbye, they turned in opposite directions and each went their own way. Both certain of their friendship.

TOMMY RAN AS MUCH AS HE COULD to catch up with Katherine and the others. He turned the corner and came face to face with some people getting off at the subway entrance. The remaining people in that area who didn't have vehicles were trying to leave any way they could, and the only remaining option was the underground. Buses and taxis no longer ran there, and perhaps not anywhere else either; an evacuation order seemed to have been given to anyone who could hear.

As he approached the strangers, he noticed that some of them were quite tense, and he could see no sign of Katy and the others along the track. They had probably gone underground. His logic was in shock. If the group wanted to keep the President safe, that meant getting him away from any strange presence.

What kind of escape would lead someone to the subway tracks?