The first cow-catcher hit the median wrong.
Its front wheels dropped into the gully and the driver tried to power out. However, all he managed to do was spin a trench into gravel.
The second learned from the first and rallied earlier, but Zubair stole a sliver of his future by nudging the truck half a foot right so the man corrected again and again until he over-steered himself into the ditch.
The third kept his head, bounced across, and came in hot for their rear quarter.
"Behind," Elias said, and Alexei had his hand out before the word reached Zubair's ear.
The flatbed riflemen had found their range; one bullet shaved a curl of paint from the door. The cow-catcher reached for their bumper like a hungry mouth.
Sera lifted her hand.
It was nothing, just a small movement, an old habit of a woman trying to get someone's attention without calling out for them.
Luci went still, his ears high as he seemed to vibrate with excitement.
