by James Hudson
“I think he could be dangerous,” George said in a calm voice.
“You think so?”
“Yeah. Lock the doors! And if I were you, I’d hit the gas!”
But they stopped at the traffic lights.
The bald man quickly approached the black cab. “Open the door, you coward!” he cried out.
“Are you talking to me?” the driver squeezed his fists tight. He was Asian. Probably from Pakistan. George could see that he was ready to start fighting.
“Go! Forget about him!” George screamed.
But the bald man managed to break the side window. The cars behind honked their horns.
The light turned green.
The driver pressed the accelerator to the floor and turned to the left. Now they were on the highway. George sighed with relief.
“What did he want, sir?” the driver asked nervously.
“How do I know?” George shrugged. “Just a criminal.”
“Nobody had ever attacked my car!”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything.”
They drove into a long tunnel.
George extracted the wallet and opened it. Thousands of dollars. He took out two thousand bucks and handed it to the driver.
“Take it, mate! Don’t say a word to the police or your employer.”
“Wow!” the driver exclaimed. “Dollars? Not the British pounds?”
“Don’t worry. No counterfeit.”
“All right. Thank you, sir!” the driver broke into a wide smile. “You’re… very kind! I can get you to Scotland!”
“No, thank you!” George grinned. “I need to go to a quiet hotel somewhere in the suburbs. I need some rest. Do you know a place where we could go?”
“Of course, sir! We could go to the place where your colleagues from the skyscraper enjoy—”
“Oh, no! Not this one!” George exclaimed. “A completely different place with no traders, investors, or businessmen.”
“Got you, sir!”
The tunnel was endless. Yellow lights seemed anxious. George wanted to break the awkward silence and asked to turn on soothing music. Arabian chillout started playing out of speakers.
“Thank you again, sir! My wife will buy new clothes for the kids. I’ve got three kids. And I’ll buy Christmas gifts for them… Little cars, soft toys… What a day!”
Finally, they left the tunnel and turned right. The traffic became denser, the streets narrowed.
“Hey, man! Where are we going? Why did you leave the highway?” George asked.
“Towards the center, sir!”
“Why? I told you to leave town!”
I wanna buy some presents for my kids!”
“Are you kidding me?” George got angry. “You can do it after hours. Turn around!”
“No, sir… Actually, I lied to you. I just want to solve one problem. I thought it would be easier to do it in the center.”
“What problem?”
“A car is chasing us since we left the skyscraper.”
“And you didn’t tell me?” George roared. He looked in the rear-view mirror. A black BMW 5-series was following hard after them. George couldn’t see who was inside the car. But he was sure the guys were after him.
“I thought it would be easier to lose the tail in the center. They would be afraid to beat us among the people and traffic—”
“Shut up!” George barked. “Slam the brakes!”
“Why? Sir, you’re frightening me!”
“Hit the brake pedal as hard as you can!” George shouted. “I’ll pay for the damage!”
“Sir, I think we’d better call the police,” the driver said calmly.
“Oh, yeah… Park at the curb, call the police, and start waiting for them. And those thugs will be waiting too! Do as I said!”
The driver obeyed. But the London cab was an old sluggish vehicle. When the driver hit the brake, the BMW swerved aside and instantly drew level with the cab. George knew what would happen next. And he wasn’t mistaken when he saw the side window of the BMW started sliding down.
“Get down!” George cried.
But it was too late. Three shots thundered. Both side windows of the cab broke into smithereens. George felt his head and neck were covered with broken glass. The driver squeaked, and the black cab went into an uncontrollable spin. Then George heard a terrible clatter. He bounced up in his seat, but the fastened seat belt kept him firmly. The cab hit the garbage container and stopped. As the speed was low, the cab wasn’t damaged badly.
George drew both pistols out of his pockets and started waiting. He didn’t raise his head. If they open the door, I’ll shoot them, he thought. His palms broke out into a sweat.
Then he heard the police sirens behind him.
“Stop the car now!” the policeman ordered through the megaphone.
The BMW peeled out, and in a second, a police siren howled. Three police cars dashed past the cab.
George glanced at the driver. He was shot in the temple. George sighed. He had no time for sorrow. He quickly got out of the cab and saw several pedestrians who were running toward him. Another police siren howled far away.
“Sir, are you all right? I remembered the license plate of the BMW!” some guy approached him.
“Thanks, tell it to the police! I’m in a great hurry! Cheers, mate!” George broke into a run.
11. Nowhere to hide
They will find me. They gave up last time because of the cops. That means they are criminals. And nothing won’t stop them from doing their job. But what do they need? Just money? To hunt for me just for 250 grand? Well… for some people, it’s a lot of money... But… Walter Schmidt was ready to pay a million to the system administrator Jason just for my phonebook. No… They sent that young guy to get the documents and probably the flash drive. I must read them through…
George glanced at the folder he was holding on his knees. After George left the taxicab, he ran two blocks until he saw a big clothing store. He dressed like a rapper, having bought an acid-green hoodie, baggy pants, white sneakers, and a black backpack. The clothes didn’t fit him right. But George was glad that he couldn’t be recognized by his enemies. Also, he bought big, ridiculous glasses. After that, George visited a hair salon and had his hair cut. Then he popped into the electronic store. The metal detector clicked loudly when George walked in. The security guards asked him to show what was inside the backpack. George said he’d bought a steam iron, and left the backpack with weapons in a luggage locker. He bought a laptop in one minute, having amazed a shop assistant. George gave up the idea of purchasing a cell phone. He was afraid of being tracked.
After all this, George asked the shop assistant to order him a taxi. Ten minutes later, a black van Mercedes Vito drove up to the store. George hopped in and told the driver to get him to a quiet suburban hotel not too far from London. The driver asked no questions. Obviously, he didn’t like George’s odd outfit.
The van was very comfortable. George would indulge in a nap if he wasn’t so hungry.
Soon, the driver pulled into the gas station. While he was fueling the tank, George visited the convenience store. He bought three big chocolate bars, cookies, nuts, a bag of potato chips, and a huge cup of cappuccino. It was energy-dense food – the best choice to eat on the run.
Sweet coffee comforted him. Everything will be fine, he thought, looking at the young woman cashier. She was glued to her cell phone. George thought whether or not he should chat with her. He was sure that any woman could distract his mind from his problems.
But when he glanced at the TV screen over her head, he forgot about anything.
“A taxi driver was killed in the center of London a couple of hours ago. The police found the witnesses who said that they’d had a conversation with the man who’d actually taken that cab.”
George saw the familiar Chinese couple on the screen. The girl quickly said, “He was very strange. He asked us to call a taxi for him. But then he tried to harass me. Right in front of
the skyscraper! I wanted to call the police. But he ran in the middle of the street and stopped the cab. Then he’s gone.”
“You’re a fucking liar!” George shouted. “I didn’t try to rape you!”
The young woman cashier behind the counter frowned.
“Sorry! I’m… I’m an actor. I’m rehearsing a play!” George exclaimed.
Probably, his odd outfit made the girl believe him. She nodded and smiled. George sighed with relief.
“The criminal was driving a black BMW 530Xi, chasing the cab. You can see the license plate on the screen. The car managed to escape from the police. The police are looking for the passenger of the cab—”
George rose to his feet and quickly walked outside.
“Sir, you forgot your backpack!” the cashier exclaimed.
“Oh, yeah… Thanks!”
Twenty minutes later, the Mercedes Vito pulled over at a double-story hotel. A cheap inn where nobody would search for George. People who stayed at such places would hardly be traders and investors. Also, George believed that his new outfit would disguise him from being recognized.
“Your passport and your credit card, sir!”
“Cash?”
“Yes, we accept cash. Your passport, sir!” the hotel receptionist stared at George suspiciously. Obviously, he didn’t like his clothes too.
“But I’m a British citizen,” George said slowly.
“I believe you,” the young man nodded. “But you haven’t booked the room. How do we know that you’re not a foreigner?”
“My accent,” George snarled.
“No, we need to see your ID, sir,” the young man frowned.
“All right, I’ll be back in a minute. It’s in the car,” George muttered and went outside.
Of course, they won’t let me in. He chuckled. I’ve got almost 250 grand in my pocket. But they won’t let me in!
The taxi had already gone away. It started drizzling.
I won’t be able to buy a car either. Even being dead, I’m not free. Being ‘dead,’ I’m even less free than I could be, being alive!
He read a plate on the doors, Check-in hours: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. If you’re planning to check-in during non-working hours, please warn the reception of your arrival.
“Great! I’ll have to wait for several hours!”
George quickly crossed the road and headed for the park. He found a bench. It was wet, but it was better than cold grass. He sat and extracted chips and chocolate.
He could discern the entrance to the hotel through the foliage.
Apparently, the double-story house used to be a family house, he thought. It was designed for a young couple with children, dogs, cats, and fishes.
But something happened. Did they get divorced? Or they lost their jobs and couldn’t pay off the mortgage? Anyway, now it’s over. It’s the hotel now. Cheap and crappy.
He noticed that two cars were parked there. But there were two empty parking spaces. If only someone comes till midnight, I’ll have a chance to sneak in.
At 9:30 p.m., when George ate everything he had, he finally saw a car drive up to the hotel. George darted off toward the inn. The older man parked his Citroen and got out. He moved slowly and didn’t even turn his head when George, having approached, greeted him, “Good evening, sir!”
The older man, probably deaf, walked to the entrance door and opened it with the key. The suspicious receptionist must’ve hit the sack already, George thought. He seized the closing door and slowly followed the older man within touching distance. The older man came up to his room and opened it. George started climbing to the upper floor. The total darkness swallowed him. The wooden steps were slippery and creaky. George remembered the sparkling marble floor in the skyscraper. Sneaking like a rat, I must hide from the thugs who actually hide from the police. I don’t know why I should be afraid of the police. He grinned. On the subconscious level, I’m trying to avoid the police and the law. What actually stops me from going to the police right now? I could tell them that I was poisoned, tell everyone that I’m alive, find my home, start a new family… Oh, jeez… This seems so… impossible! And I can’t explain why. He sighed. I must admit it’s just cool to live in the shadow, to fly under the radar, and to feel danger. If I’d been a woman, I would’ve already left the country, asked for political asylum, would be as still as a mouse. Live life full of fear… what nonsense!
George swore silently, having stumbled upon something. He stamped his foot, and the lights went on. Sound sensor! Great!
There were three doors on the floor. One of the rooms was obviously occupied. But two rooms were probably empty. George slowly turned one of the handles and pushed the door. Locked! But another door yielded. George instantly walked inside.
The first thing he did was take a hot shower. It was a pure delight. George lost track of time, standing under the streams of hot water. He could think of nothing but sweet sleep. He remembered the letter of the woman which he’d read in the skyscraper. She’s in India, sleeping at the curb or in the box… Probably, hungry and thirsty. And I’m here… I feel I must help her. What if the only hope she has that I’ll bring her back to normal life? Shit! My laptop! I forgot it in the park behind the bench!
Suddenly, he heard that the door clattered, and someone walked in. Fortunately, George had all his stuff with him. He drew his pistols and applied his ear to the keyhole.
12. Alleviation
“Wow! Somebody’s in the bathroom!”
“You’re kidding!”
“No!”
“Let me see!”
George heard a scratch at the door. A woman with long nails.
“Forget about him… come here!” the male voice was impatient. And he was obviously drunk.
George burst the door open.
“Wow! I must be hallucinating,” the middle-aged man muttered, barely standing on his feet. “I can see a naked man!”
A gorgeous woman of thirty laughed, looking at naked George with a gun pointed at them. She was wearing a short blue dress with black stockings and black shoes. But what George liked most of all that she had wonderful chubby cheeks. He lowered his gun and laughed too.
The drunk man flopped onto the floor.
“Come here, lady! I want you now!” he barked.
“Yeah, yeah, one moment! Just close your eyes and let me undress you,” the woman winked at him.
The man did what he was told and fell asleep instantly.
“At last,” the woman breathed a sigh of relief. “Men are unbearable when they are drunk. But they are great being clean, fresh, and naked.”
She smiled with a sparkle in her eyes and came close to George.
“Stop! Listen to me… I’ll give one thousand, and you’ll just leave, OK? And get him away,” George pointed at the snorting man.
She pursed her lips. “No, I came here to have fun!”
“Two thousand!” George said coldly.
She grinned. “Look, I appreciate you are ready to pay me a lot of money, but I have my own principles. If I take the money, I’ll do my best.”
George smiled. “That means that you won’t just leave me?”
“Yes, I won’t leave you without money. But once you pay me, I’ll have to work.”
“Cul-de-sac!” George chuckled.
“Are you a man or what?” she squinted her eyes. “By the way, I’m one of the best girls in London!”
“I believe you,” George nodded and started putting on his clothes.
She raised her eyebrows. “Are you really… What is that?” she pointed at his acid-green hoodie and burst out laughing. “You look ridiculous!”
“I know,” George nodded calmly.
“But this is absolutely not your style!” she exclaimed. “I bet you usually wear expensive suits, don’t you?”
George winced. “I used to wear it. But now I’m tired.”
She slowly put her hands on his shoulders.
“If you give up, the audience will be upset,�
�� she said in a serious tone.
“What audience? What the hell are you talking about?” he asked angrily.
“The audience is God, angels – everybody who’s watching us.”
George licked his lips, staring at her chubby cheeks. They were amazing – yummy and pink.
“You’re strong… Strong enough not to give up!” she exclaimed.
George went pale. “Who are you? You don’t know me!”
“I’ve seen you naked! I’ve seen enough. I’m a whore, remember?” She smiled, but her eyes became sad. “Promise me you won’t give up whatever happens in your life. We need a man like you.”
George was stunned. He stared at her, fascinated, bewitched.
“But what if I… have to kill people?” he asked quickly.
“Maybe God wants you to do that,” she said and bit her lower lip. She had wonderful pearly white teeth.
“This is awful what’re saying!” George exclaimed. “God can’t be evil!”
“Useless words don’t make us happier,” she whispered, taking off his green hoodie.
A second later, he stripped off all her clothes, grabbed her by the waist, and dragged her in the shower booth. She didn’t resist when he washed off her make up. Then they both naked and wet, hopped out of the bathroom, stepped over the snorting man, and fell onto the bed.
In an hour, they were lying on their backs, listening to the rain outside.
“You know I didn’t expect you would be such an animal,” she said, smiling.
George grinned but stayed silent.
“A lot of evil surrounds you. Am I right?”
George didn’t respond again.
“I think you need a cover story. If you can’t trust people, you can tell a beautiful story about yourself,” she said, stroking his chest.
George raised his eyebrows.
“Why do you think I need to tell a lie?” he asked. “Being real, am I boring?”
“Just stay confident, and you can tell everything you need. People will believe you.”
“How much do I owe you?” he asked quickly.
“One hundred,” she replied.
“If I give you two hundred, will you drag him away?” George pointed at the sleeping man.