Chapter 2 One-way ticket

The Chevrolet sped down the highway. Carl kept his eyes glued to the road, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.

Suddenly, three black Cadillac Escalades swerved across the lanes. They moved in a tight, military-style Pincer formation, boxing the Chevrolet in and forcing it toward the shoulder.

Carl panicked. He slammed his foot on the brake pedal.

The tires screamed against the asphalt. The smell of burning rubber filled the cabin. Aubree's body jerked forward from the massive momentum, but her core muscles locked instantly. She stabilized herself in the seat before her hands even touched the leather.

The middle Escalade parked diagonally, completely blocking their path.

The heavy door was kicked open. Kareem Hopkins stepped out. He wore a custom-tailored charcoal suit. His jaw was clenched so tight the muscles ticked beneath his skin.

Six massive bodyguards poured out of the other vehicles. They wore tactical earpieces. They surrounded the Chevrolet in seconds.

Kareem marched to the rear window. He slammed his open palm against the glass.

Aubree pressed the button. The window rolled down smoothly. She stared at the face that mirrored her own, feeling absolutely nothing.

Kareem reached into his suit jacket. He pulled out a thick white envelope and threw it violently through the window. It hit Aubree's thigh and spilled open.

A one-way first-class ticket to South America slid out. Beneath it lay a trust fund check. One million dollars.

"Take the money and get the hell out of New York," Kareem spat. His voice shook with raw hatred. "Don't you ever pollute my family's air again."

Aubree didn't look at the check. She reached for the door handle and shoved the door open with brutal force.

The heavy metal edge slammed into Kareem's hip. He stumbled backward, his expensive shoes scraping awkwardly against the pavement.

Aubree stepped out of the car. Her worn combat boot planted firmly onto the million-dollar check, grinding the signature into the dirt.

Kareem's face flushed dark red. He tugged violently at his silk tie.

"Throw her in the trunk and dump her at the airport," Kareem barked at the guards.

The closest bodyguard, a man with a jagged scar across his cheek, lunged forward. His massive hand reached for Aubree's shoulder.

Aubree dropped her shoulder half an inch. The man's hand grasped empty air.

In the same fluid motion, her hand shot up. She clamped her fingers around the bodyguard's wrist joint. She pivoted her hips, engaging her entire core in a flawless CQC maneuver, and twisted sharply.

A loud, wet crack echoed over the highway noise.

The scarred man dropped to his knees, screaming. His wrist bent at a grotesque, unnatural angle.

The second guard pulled a steel tactical baton from his belt. He swung it in a vicious arc aimed straight at her skull.

Aubree ducked. The steel baton smashed into the Chevrolet's side mirror, shattering the glass into a hundred pieces.

Before the guard could recover his balance, Aubree launched a devastating side kick. The heel of her boot connected perfectly with the side of his knee.

The joint inverted with a sickening pop. The man collapsed, clutching his ruined leg, his face pale with shock.

The remaining four guards froze for a fraction of a second, then rushed her all at once.

Aubree moved like a ghost. She slipped inside their guard. Her strikes were surgical. A rigid palm strike to a throat. A sharp elbow to a solar plexus. A precise heel stomp to an instep.

It took exactly nine seconds.

Six highly trained men lay groaning and bleeding on the asphalt.

Kareem stood frozen. His eyes were wide, the pupils dilated in absolute terror. His chest heaved. He couldn't process the violence he had just witnessed. This was supposed to be his weak, pathetic sister. The girl they had thrown away like garbage seven years ago. But the woman standing before him moved like a military-grade weapon. He stared at her as if she were a complete stranger, a monster wearing Aubree's face. What the hell happened to her out there? The thought screamed in his mind, mingling with his rising panic.

Aubree stepped over a groaning guard. She walked slowly toward Kareem.

Kareem tried to step back, but his legs refused to work.

Aubree reached out. Her cold fingers brushed against his chest. She grabbed his crooked silk tie and yanked it straight.

"Now, it's time for you to step aside." Aubree whispered.