Chapter 1 - The Evidence
Nadia had been driving for hours when she was stopped at the entrance to the city.
Police officer Borel, known for his brutal behavior, approached her window as if he was already waiting for an excuse to get angry.
Nadia handed him her driver's license.
He observed her, pretended to sigh, then smashed it in two in front of her.
"Damn it, you'll ask for another one," he said, laughing.
Nadia clenched her jaw.
"You just committed a serious offense."
"So call whoever you want."
Her laughter echoed in the quiet space of the car.
For a brief moment, Nadia closed her eyes, as if to calm down.
Then she leaned toward the glove compartment and opened it.
Borel fell silent.
Inside, he first noticed a phone plugged in, screen lit up.
Then a USB key attached to a label bearing only one word: EVIDENCE.
Nadia took the key in her hands.
"Can you see that?"
The police officer tried to regain his composure.
"So what?"
She replied with a steady, unyielding voice.
"It contains the videos from the last four checkpoints where you asked for money to avoid a fine."
Borel's colleague suddenly turned around.
"What?"
Nadia also pulled out a notebook with several dates written in it.
"I was just waiting to see if you would go back to me."
Borel no longer laughed.
His hand instinctively dropped to the heavy leather holster resting at his hip.
Nadia did not flinch, keeping her eyes locked directly on his sweating face.
The rookie officer stepped closer to the window, his eyes darting between the USB drive and his superior.
"Borel, is she telling the truth?" the young cop asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Borel turned and shoved the rookie backward with a violent thrust of his arm.
"Shut up and secure the perimeter, rookie," he barked, his face turning crimson with rage.
Borel lunged through the open car window, his thick fingers grasping for the glowing USB drive.
Nadia was faster.
She slammed her foot onto the gas pedal while simultaneously shifting the car into reverse.
The sudden momentum threw Borel off balance, sending him crashing onto the wet asphalt.
Tires squealed as Nadia spun the steering wheel, turning her vehicle back toward the open highway.
She heard the sharp, unmistakable crack of a gunshot echoing through the night air.
Her side mirror shattered into a dozen pieces, raining glass across the dark pavement.
Nadia kept her foot pressed firmly to the floor, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.
She needed to find a secure Wi-Fi connection to upload the files before Borel called for backup.
Just as the city lights began to fade in her rearview mirror, her dashboard suddenly lit up with a blaring red warning.
May you like
Her engine sputtered, choking on fuel, and the steering wheel locked completely in her hands.
A sleek black SUV had just rammed into her rear bumper out of nowhere.
