Episode 6: break past airport immigration (1)

The ambulance I was driving broke through the gates of Uncle Liem’s courtyard. The siren roared, but still didn’t feel loud enough. I added to it by hitting the horn several times and shouting, leaving a dozen policemen swearing because they had to jump out of the way. I swerved the wheel, drove up to the overpass, and then the ambulance light immediately disappeared on the deserted road.

The plan to replace Auntie with Uncle Liem had so far been successful. Just barely got caught. 

Uncle Liem’s blanket moved, exposing knees to sandals. One of the police who felt suspicious tried to detain. And when he was about to check, I snapped at him immediately, trying to distract him with my ramblings about the emergency situation. The cop swallowed hard, lost focus for a few seconds — even one moment was precious to this escape plan.

The emergency stretcher was rushed into the ambulance. Four nurses and doctors climbed aboard. I shoved the ambulance driver aside, then took the wheel. The car immediately sped up, exiting as fast as possible Uncle Liem’s house. Two minutes later, I swerved the wheel again. The ambulance went straight toward the toll booth. My time was short. At most fifteen minutes before the police officers would discover what had happened. Once they found out, the chase would begin.

Right then I remembered something, took the cell phone from my pocket.

“Pick up, come on!” I hissed, impatient for two things: the dial tone and the two trucks moving in front of me. Screw driving safety! One hand held the steering wheel, the other hand the cell phone.

“Maggie, I’m sorry for waking you up so late,” I barked at once, all along pressing the horn. The two trucks in front of me were very relaxed in this fast lane. Didn’t they hear my siren?

“I don’t have time to explain, Maggie. Emergency situation. I know, of course, I know it’s two in the morning, and I’m not drunk. You pack up right away, I need you in the office right now, there’s a lot to do. Do you hear me, Maggie? Immediately, hurry up, or I will cancel your promotion from last week.”

One of my hands hung up the conversation, another immediately swerved the wheel. Damn it, turned out, there was another car moving casually in front of the two trucks I had just overtaken. The ambulance I was driving grazed the roadblock, creating a long scratch on the side.

I snorted, the ambulance then stabilized, speeding up.

My cell phone rang, it was Ram. I picked it up.

“Thomas, they know.” The voice on the other side sounded choked.

“Shit!” I exclaimed, simultaneously honking the horn. Why the heck are there so many container trucks on the toll road?!

“We tried to hold them, but they broke into the room. Where are you now? Still far from the airport?”

I cursed silently. It had only been five minutes, of course, it was still far away from the airport. The one that was near was behind me- Uncle Liem’s house.

“The good news is they don’t know where the ambulance is going. Everyone in the room agreed to say that you threatened them, then took Uncle Liem and just ran away, and didn’t know where you went. The police have begun to spread information throughout their patrol, starting to chase.”

“Tickets, Ram. What about our tickets and travel documents?” I interjected.

“One of the company staff is heading to the airport. All tickets and passports are on the way. You just had to the meeting point at the departure gate. “

“What about Auntie?”

“The irritated police commander was about to arrest Aunt Liem. They also beat several people at home. But don’t worry, they will be in trouble with dozens of articles in the criminal law if they dare to detain her. She is fine, other doctors are on their way to the house. The bad thing is the police, they look very angry.”

I sighed, at least Auntie is fine.

“You have one of the other staff call the hospitals, clinics, whatever is open twenty-four hours,” I said, remembering something.

“Eh, for what?”

“Just do it, Ram. Call as many hospitals as you can, report fake situations, say there’s an emergency all over the place, get them to send an ambulance. I want that in one minute there are a dozen ambulances roaming the streets of the city, this will trick the police who are in pursuit. My time isn’t minutes, Ram, but seconds, so hurry up!”

I turned off my cell phone. I also had to turn off the ambulance sirens so as not to attract attention, swerved to the right, and immediately took the toll road to the airport, separating from the line of container trucks heading for the shipping port. I glanced at the kilometer marker on the toll roadblock, the airport was still 20 kilometers away. I rammed the accelerator as hard as possible. With a speed of 140km / h, it would only take me eight minutes. 

For once, the toll road felt empty, leaving glowing lights on the asphalt. 

I sighed, wiping the sweat from my temples.

Just a few days ago I gave a lengthy lecture about the world’s evil and destructive financial system, but now I helped a financial crime suspect escape. Just a few minutes ago I was still registered as a good citizen, well behaved, and ever sincere in paying taxes, but now I was the brain behind a big fugitive.

I patted my forehead, thought of something, and quickly reached for the cell phone.