Welcome to the last chapter of Part D (The Phight) of my online cyber thriller, The Phisherman. Hang on - everything is about to go crazy as the adventure reaches a phinale that you won't see coming. To learn more about the story and meet the three main characters, click HERE. If you'd prefer to start at Chapter 1, click HERE. To select another chapter, click HERE.
Nick reveled in the moment as Venga raced his Maloo up the Blue Mountain range at a speed that would’ve challenged Nick’s driving skills.
‘Who’s this?’ he asked as the next catchy beat pulsated through the Maloo’s exquisite sound system. ‘They sound old school.’
‘That, my friend, is an Aussie rock classic. If you hang out at a pub over here, you’re bound to hear this played at some stage.’
‘Not bad,’ Nick mused, ‘and it’s definitely putting me in the mood for getting my hands around my hacker’s nerdy neck.’
They screamed past a small blue sign saying they had reached yet another tiny town wanting them to slow down.
‘Almost there, Nick. Only five minutes to your hacker’s hideout, if Alison’s correct.’
‘Buddy, she’s always right when it comes to the techy stuff,’ Nick responded. ‘And despite a few quirks, I reckon she’s got it together more than any other woman I know.’
Vengador gave Nick a quick, knowing smile before focusing on the next curve in the highway.
As they sped past a sign showing the speed limit was seventy kilometres per hour, Nick was delighted to see Vengador’s speedometer hovering around one hundred and thirty. And after their trip through Sydney, Nick knew the Maloo was only that slow because of the winding road they’d been forced to traverse for the last fifteen minutes.
They raced through two sets of traffic lights showing left turns for Katoomba and the famous Three Sisters. It didn’t matter that the lights were green – Vengador had already run five red lights on their chaotic sprint to Watson Way, two miles north of Katoomba.
As soon as Alison texted me the address, I knew it was where the egotistical egghead would try to bury himself. Well, I’m going to bury him alright, though he’ll suffer for a long time in the tomb I turn his body into.
The Maloo screamed past a brown sign pointing to a scenic drive as Vengador calmly said, ‘Five hundred meters.’
Nick wondered what was happening as Vengador abruptly slowed and turned off at a sign saying U TURN BAY. The satnav in the Maloo indicated it was correct, yet it didn’t look like a road entry.
Vengador veered left at a sudden three-way intersection, following a secluded road guarded on both sides by thick forest.
When the sealed road gave way to dirt and pebbles, Nick understood why the hacker had thought he could hide in such a remote location.
The silly fool thought he could beat me and my cyber-chick.
Well, not today, buddy. Not ever.
The Maloo crawled along the narrow dirt track, Vengador wincing every time a tree branch scratched his precious paintwork.
When they came to another restrictive three-way intersection, Vengador halted his wheeled beast in the middle of the path and pointed to the trail on the left.
‘That’s it, Nick – the one-way road to Watson Way. We just have to find the house at the end. I think we should leave the Maloo here and walk. If he does try to escape on wheels, the Maloo will slow him down enough for us to catch him. And this digital dick is not worth any more of my paint.’
Slowly, they made their way along the narrow path, their phone torch apps providing minimal yet sufficient light to illuminate their next few steps. They were grateful for the loud vibrating chirps of cicadas and crickets that covered the faint sound their feet made with each step.
Unexpectedly, a male quietly cleared his throat in the darkness ahead.
Nick and Vengador instantly turned their torches off.
Nick and Vengador waited for their eyes to adjust to the thick black enveloping them. It was difficult to see in the dark; the surrounding forest around blocked all light from the pre-dawn sky.
They froze at the sound of a car slowly approaching from behind. Thankfully, the odd flicker of its dimmed headlights enabled them to see the path ahead and gain valuable ground.
All thoughts of capturing the phisherman disappeared when the car reached Vengador’s Maloo. Its dimmed headlamps transformed into a blaze of light that turned the dark night into daytime as multiple doors swiftly opened and closed.
‘Their only way out is through the bush or through us,’ a deep voice asserted. ‘The chief said they’re unarmed. But these guys are ex-special forces, so they probably think we’re easy beats and will try to take us on. So heads up, lads, guns out, and use whatever force is necessary to bring these sick bastards to justice. Remember – if they escape, it might be your kids they get next.’
Nick and Vengador realized how dire their predicament was when more spotlights lit up ahead of them, illuminating the two would-be hunters like deer caught in headlights.
Another loud voice, this one ahead of them, yelled, ‘There they are.’
‘It’s a trap,’ Vengador said as he pulled Nick into the dark bush around them and moved as rapidly as he could through the dense scrub.
Nick tried to process what was happening as he followed his guide.
If Vengador is correct, Alan Watson has fooled Alison and the Australian authorities.
Unexpectedly, they stumbled out of the densely thicketed forest onto a large square of perfectly manicured lawn. It was someone’s house hidden in the bush.
Maybe it’s Alan Watson’s hideout.
Nick had no time to consider that further as the yard lit up with the owner’s motion-activated security lights.
Within seconds, two men ran around the corner of the double-storey brick house and aimed handguns at Nick and Vengador.
Multiple shots pierced the clear night as the two hunters-turned-prey sprinted back to the bush’s protective shadow.
Nick paused, then realized Vengador was no longer by his side.
‘Let’s go, Nick,’ Vengador yelled to Nick’s right.
Nick was about to run towards his friend’s voice when he heard, ‘That’s it, mate. Let’s go. We have a better chance of fighting our way out of here if we stay together.’
Nick stopped.
Realizing his friend was leading the Australians away on a wild goose chase, Nick turned and headed in the opposite direction.
Vengador knew the terrain and had the better chance of directing their pursuers away whilst making his escape. Nick was on his own.
For now. Once I’m out of here, I’ll update Ali on what’s happened so she can find where my SOB hacker is hiding.
He waited until the sporadic noises of Vengador and his pursuers fighting their way through the Australian bush faded to silence before slowly backtracking to Watson Way, aided by the bright headlights that still blazed through the darkness.
He paused in the shadows at the sight of two guards attired in black loitering around their car, their eyes intently staring into the bush around them. They stood far enough apart so a single unarmed attacker couldn’t catch both of them by surprise.
If Nick tried, by the time he’d removed one of them, the other would have the time and distance to aim his weapon and end Nick’s hunt.
Nick’s choices were simple: wait, run, or attack.
I’m no good at waiting. And I never run away.
So he did what he always did. He attacked, though he wouldn’t harm the Aussies more than was necessary – it was a line he would not cross. The two sentries before him were doing what they incorrectly believed was right, something Nick had seen too often on his missions.
Nick only needed the time and freedom to catch Alan Watson, retrieve 831, and let Langley know. Once that was accomplished, the Agency could step in and tell a form of the truth so the Aussies stopped pursuing Nick over some false charges.
Silently, Nick worked his way toward the heavyset guard on his left. From the slight differences in how the man stood and moved, Nick knew he was the more significant threat in unarmed combat. Removing him from the equation first provided Nick’s greatest chance of escaping his immediate predicament. As neither sentry would get within two steps of the forest’s cover, Nick needed to execute each step flawlessly.
That likelihood evaporated when a brittle twig crunched beneath his feet.
Both guards turned to Nick’s position, their guns ready to fire.
Nick launched himself, knowing he’d reach his target as soon as he pushed off.
The fifty-million-dollar question is: how good is the Aussie’s reaction?
The man was faster than Nick anticipated.
The gun fired from three feet away.
However, fast was not enough.
The Aussie had to be better than Nick in other ways.
He wasn’t.
Ignoring the deafening roar in his ears as the bullet sailed harmlessly over his head, Nick performed what Rugby fans call a crash tackle.
The guard never stood a chance. His knees buckled and his body slammed backward into the ground. He was helpless to stop Nick as the CIA’s deadliest field agent released his grip, pushed with his arms, and rolled in one smooth movement.
Regaining his feet, Nick dragged the stunned Australian into an upright position so Nick’s torso was protected from the second agent’s line of fire.
When Nick’s other hand appeared, it held the Aussie’s handgun.
One shot and the other agent collapsed, his right knee shattered.
‘Drop your gun,’ Nick commanded as the second agent attempted to recover from the bullet’s impact. ‘I know you don’t believe it, but we’re on the same side. This is a setup, and I will clear my name. But right now, I need you to drop your weapon and lay face down on the ground with your arms and legs spread as far apart as you can.’
Nick watched the agent working out the odds. Nick was grateful the man swiftly accepted the inevitable and tossed his handgun toward Nick, then lay down as a man-sized X.
Nick stood and gathered the second handgun as the man in his grasp started to regain consciousness.
He pointed both guns at the first agent and commanded, ‘Time to join your buddy over there.’
Nick walked over to the Aussie’s pursuit vehicle once both men lay face-down in the dirt.
When his two victims looked up, Nick pointed the guns and commanded, ‘Face down, guys.’
Satisfied they had complied, Nick jumped into the car and started it.
The engine fired immediately.
Nick revved the engine and was delighted with the throaty response.
He was reversing down the dirt track within a second.
When he reached the sealed road surface leading to freedom, he backed into a private driveway and then accelerated toward the highway.
He whooped loudly as his new ride raced toward freedom.
He didn’t see the last pursuit vehicle until just before it slammed into the driver’s door.
By then, it was too late.
Thanks for reading my online serial. I hope you enjoyed this final chapter in Part D (The Phight) enough to click the heart-shaped LIKE button below. If you have any suggestions to help make it better or you simply want to encourage me as a storyteller (either would be appreciated), please leave a comment. Other than that, time for the big phinale ...