The two men tucked in, making their bodies form along the lines of the bike. It kept there profile small and wind resistance at a minimum. Campy swerved from one side to the other of the road with the Belgian tight on his wheel. They were on a slight climb but when they reached the top and began the downhill, the bullets stopped. Girlymann knew it wouldn't be long before they got in vehicles to chase them down with guns blazing.
Girlymann looked ahead, the road descended into a forest but soon ahead he could see the pavement end and become dirt. Campy took a quick look at his directions, memorizing when to turn left and right, which fork to take and once he was sure, put the paper back and gripped his bars just in time to feel the De Rosa shake under him when the tires left the pavement.
Soon they were in the forest. It felt better to have the company of trees and their broad limbs shading the road. It gave them security in their flight, and they sped on their bikes as fast as fast could on a bumpy dirt road that shook the bikes so bad their teeth rattled. Campy knew the next turn was soon and from what he could tell they would need to gear up for a climb.
He took the turn and yelled, "Standing."
The Belgian knew what to do and got out of saddle with Campy. Good thing too, because it was an eighteen percent climb, short but a real kicker. The two men reached the summit to find it only went down a short while before another steep climb came up.
How many more were there? Could the Belgian hold on and keep climbing after all they've been through? Campy knew their foe would be coming along soon. If they caught them here, in these rollers, they were sitting ducks.
"Kick it Belgian. We gotta make some time between them and us."
"It's too late Campy. Look."
Campy took a quick look behind them and could see one of the cars at the top of the first hill before it sank out of sight.
"Shit."
Just then, in front of them at the bottom of the gully was running water, Campy hit it and bounced off a rock, he managed to keep the bike up and power up the the other side. His bike slipped in the dirt and he lost some momentum but made it up and over. The Belgian hanging tight behind him. After another climb they came to a glen and the road smoothed out but they also lost the cover of the trees.
The two hightailed it as fast as they could toward the tree cover on the other side of the glen when a dip in the road brought them to a patch of mud where a small pond must have formed from recent rains. Campy veered quickly to the side and forced his legs to pump out the energy he needed to keep the wheels from sinking. He quickly mapped what looked like the driest section and went for it.
With sweat beading on his brow, he grunted and charged until his back wheel hit traction and they were on the other side. Within seconds they were back in the woods feeling safe until they heard a noise from above.
To be continued.....
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