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He rose. He could hear more sirens. Someone had finally called it in, because they were getting louder. The responders were heading this way. The homeless guy was now dancing around the bonfire yelling about wanting some “damn s’mores.”
Robie said, “And why is that significant?”
She glanced at the destroyed bus. “What? Are you stupid?”
He gave up the search for his gun and came over to her.
Robie said, “You need to go to the police. They can protect you.”
“Yeah, right.”
“You don’t think they can?”
“If I were you I’d get out of here.”
Robie said, “There’s no one left alive on that bus to tell the cops what happened.”
“What do you think happened?” she asked.
“Over thirty people just lost their lives on that bus, including a guy who was trying to kill you.”
“That’s your theory. Where’s your proof?”
“The proof is in that bus. Some of it. The rest is in your head, presumably.”
“Again, your theory.”
She turned and st
arted to walk off.
Robie watched her for a few moments. “You can’t do this alone, you know,” he said. “You’ve already screwed up, or got ratted out.”
She turned back. “What do you mean?” For the first time she sounded interested in what he had to say.
“They already followed you to the bus or they were waiting for you. If the latter, you were set up. They had advance intel. Knew the bus, the time, everything. So either you screwed up and let them follow you, somehow, or else someone you trusted turned on you. It’s either one or it’s the other.”
She looked over his shoulder at the burning mass of metal and flesh.
He asked, “How did you spot the guy on the bus? Looked to me like he had a clean kill angle.”
“Reflection in my window. Tinted glass, overhead light inside, dark outside equals a mirror. Simple science.”
“You were reading a book.”
“I was pretending to read a book. I saw the guy sit down behind me. He passed by three empty rows. Made me think, you know? Plus I saw him get on. He was doing his best not to let me see him.”
“So you would’ve recognized him?”
“Maybe.”
“I was behind you too.”
“Too far behind to do you any good.”
“So you spotted me too?”
She shrugged. “You just get used to checking stuff out.”
“So he followed you to the bus. Did he chase you? I see the dirt on your hands and knees. Looks like you took a tumble before you got to the bus.”
She looked down at her knees but didn’t answer him.
Robie said, “But you still can’t do this alone.”
“Yeah, you already said that. So what do you suggest?”
“If you won’t go to the police, you can come with me.”
She took a step back. “You? Where?”
“Somewhere safer than here.”
She eyed him coolly. “Why don’t you stay and talk to the cops?”
He stared at her and listened to the sirens drawing uncomfortably close.
She said, “Did it have something to do with that gun and your being on that bus at this hour?” She eyed him more closely. “You don’t look the type, you know?”
“Meaning?”
“You don’t look like you have to ride in a crappy bus in the middle of the night to get to New York. And neither did the guy who was sitting behind me. That was his other mistake. You have to dress for the part.”
“You want to go it alone, go. I’m sure you’ll be able to hold them off for a few more hours. But then it’ll all be over for you.”
She looked once more over his shoulder at the burning mass.
“I didn’t want anybody else to die,” she said.
“Anybody else? Who else has died?”
Robie had the feeling that she wanted to dissolve into tears, but she said, “Who are you?”
“Someone who stumbled onto something and doesn’t want to leave it.”
“I don’t trust you or anyone else.”
“I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t either.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Someplace safe, like I said.”
“I’m not sure there is such a place,” she said in a voice that, for the first time, sounded like a kid’s. Scared.
“Me either,” said Robie.
CHAPTER
17
ROBIE DIDN’T JUST have an escape plan in case something went wrong on one of his missions. He had a safe house too. Now, with someone else in tow, he had opted for Plan C.
Unfortunately, Plan C was already getting complicated.
Robie’s gaze swept the end of the alley. He’d put his goggles on. It was only a glimpse, but he clung to it, because he knew it was important: reflected light off a gun scope.
He removed the goggles, slipped back into shadows, looked down at the girl.
“What’s your name?”
“Why?”
“Just something to call you. It doesn’t have to be your real one,” he added.
She hesitated. “Julie.”
“Okay, Julie. You can call me Will.”
“Is that your real name?”
“Is Julie your real name?”
She fell silent, looked past him, out into the darkness. They had covered about ten blocks, so far in fact that the sound of the sirens had receded. She had not committed to go with him. They had silently agreed to leave the scene of the explosion by simply turning and walking away together.
Robie could visualize the activity surrounding the bus. The first responders would be trying to determine what had caused the explosion. Faulty gas tank? Or terrorist attack? But then he concentrated on that glimpse.
“There’s someone out there,” he told Julie in a low voice.
“Where?” she asked.
Robie pointed over his shoulder even as his gaze was running over her. “Any chance you have a tracking device on you? Because I’m good at getting away, and that was pretty fast to catch up to us.”
“Maybe they’re better than you.”
“Let’s hope not. Tracking device? How about your cell? I didn’t notice one in your pocket. But do you have one? And is your GPS chip enabled?”
“I don’t have a cell phone,” she replied.
“Don’t all kids have cell phones?”
“I guess not,” she said stiffly. “And I’m not a kid.”
“How old are you?”
“How old are you?”
“Forty.”
“That’s really old.”
“Trust me, I’m feeling it. How old?”
She hesitated again. “Can I lie?” she asked. “Like with my name?”
