THE OXYGEN RUN
Chapter I: The Storm and the Code 3
The rain over the metropolitan grid fell in thick, blinding curtains, turning the multi-lane expressway into a black mirror streaked with brake lights and neon glare. Tires hissed against the flooded asphalt, kicking up rooster tails of mist that swallowed whole cars in white vapor.
Inside patrol cruiser 204, Officer Nolan gripped the steering wheel, his eyes scanning through the frantic sweep of the windshield wipers. Beside him sat his partner, Officer Rachel Parker, monitoring the radar and radio chatter.
A sudden blast of high-revving exhaust tore through the ambient sound of the storm.
A black Harley-Davidson cruiser rocketed past the cruiser’s passenger side, slicing through standing water at well over eighty miles per hour. The rider had no regard for the slick road conditions or the red signals up ahead.
"We got a reckless speeder blowing past Elm Avenue," Nolan barked, hitting the siren switch and engaging the overhead light bar. Flashes of strobing crimson and electric blue instantly illuminated the sheets of downpour.
Nolan floored the accelerator, the cruiser’s engine roaring in pursuit. "Look at him—he’s weaving through heavy traffic like a madman. One wrong tap on that rear brake and he’s sliding under an eighteen-wheeler."
"He’s not slowing down!" Rachel said, bracing herself against the dashboard as Nolan swerved around a line of crawling sedans.