by CL Hart
Head spinning and feeling weak and disoriented, Kenzie managed to make it to her feet. Her face was flushed and she was sweating. Heather reached to wipe her forehead.
Kenzie's hand snatched Heather's arm, gripping it tightly and holding it away from her face. It was not as fast as her normal reflexes, but it was a lot faster than the vet tech was expecting. "I wasn't going to hurt you," Heather said as she looked into Kenzie s half lidded eyes.
Kenzie didn't respond, but she released Heather's arm. Heather wiped the sweat from Kenzie's brow and then touched both of her cheeks with the back of her hand. "You're still hot but I think your fever has gone down. Take it easy for a bit and I think you ll be fine." She turned away, but Kenzie reached out and took her hand.
"I'm sorry we dragged you into this," Kenzie said sincerely. Thank you. You probably saved my life."
Heather studied the woman's face. She now realized Kenzie was just the same as everyone else. "You're welcome. Do you think you can make it to your seat?"
Kenzie looked over at the station. Her body felt like lead and it seemed impossible to focus, but she had been trained to push herself beyond her limits. "One step in front of the other if I remember right." "Let's go so we can get out of here," Cori said as she moved in beside Kenzie and took her arm. Heather took the other, and the three of them headed toward the station.
The terminal was busy and few people paid any attention to the three women slowly entering through the glass doors. The building was not very old, but abuse and neglect gave it an appearance that was scruffy beyond its years. The tile floor had lost its shine beneath the thousands of footsteps that had crossed it. The overhead fluorescent lights were bright, but not bright enough to cast away the shadows in the corners. The ticket kiosk was in the corner. There was only one woman working, and she was busy talking to someone on her cell phone. Her loud grating voice carried across the hard surfaces and bounced off the dingy walls.
"I'm tellin' ya, Delilah, he's a catch. Y'all ain't gettin' any younger. That s not what I'm saying. He's good lookin' and he's employed, what mo'can y'all be..."
They moved away from the chatter and away from the other people waiting for their transport.
"How long do we have to wait?" Heather asked quietly.
"It shouldn't be long now," Cori said as she eyed the clock on the wall.
The dark SUV drove around the block a second time. The three occupants were quiet as each took in the lay of the land and all points of reference. Though it was early in the morning, the station was alive with travelers, workers, and those dropping off and picking up.
"There are a lot of people," Calvin stated as he parked the truck on the outer rim of the parking lot.
"That's probably what she's counting on," Viper commented as he looked through a set of high-powered binoculars. "I can easily take them out from here, sir."
Manuck shook his head, more in disgust than in disagreement. "And then we'll have an even bigger mess to clean up. No. We need to get them away from here. I think the best way would be to flush them out. Let them know we're here and force them out and away from the public."
Calvin turned in his seat to face Manuck. "What makes you think she'll run? Wouldn't she know that her best defense will be a public place?"
"No matter how smart the mouse, when the hunt is on, they don't always think ahead. They just concentrate on getting away." Manuck checked the time on his watch. "Where are they now?"
Viper checked his screen. "Inside the building. Without knowing the layout, that's about all I can confirm. You want me to download the floor plan, sir?"
Manuck shook his head. "I don't think that's necessary. It's not that big of a building. Viper, you stay here and we'll try to flush them out the front doors. Follow them...but for God's sake, don't shoot them here. Just follow them until you have a clean shot without a shitload of witnesses. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"Calvin, you take the side entrance that leads to the docking station where they load the buses. If you see them, let us know, and make sure they know that you've seen them. I'll go around back." He looked at both men and they nodded their understanding.
Calvin pulled out a drawer under the driver's seat, revealing a cache of small radios. He selected two and handed them over. When the radios had been checked, each man put his earpiece in and attached a tiny microphone to his lapel.
"Okay, let's finish this."
Cori nervously watched the doors. Kenzie was barely conscious her head resting on Cori's shoulder. An ominous figure approached the door and flung it open with ease. Cori's heartbeat jumped and her stomach dropped. She shot a glance at Heather, uncertain as to what the vet tech would do, but her eyes were on the clock.
"Heather," she said, her voice filled with concern.
"Huh?" Heather turned from looking at the clock and Cori motioned with a slight nod of her head until Heather saw the official looking man walking into the station.
Cori looked away, desperately hoping they wouldn't be noticed if they didn't make eye contact. "You need to get out of here," she said to Heather in a whisper.
"Not until I know you both are safe and on your way out of town."
"You're not involved in this. This is about us."
"Apparently I am. Besides that...are you sure he's looking for you?"
Just then, his radio squawked and he reached down to his hip to turn it up so he could hear the transmission. Cori's eyes followed his hand to the gun on his hip.
"Let's get out to the platform," Cori said as she nudged Kenzie. "We gotta go. Can you walk?" Kenzie could barely muster a reply. "Come on, move it, soldier," Cori commanded.
Kenzie did her best to follow, but she was just too weak and she stumbled. Heather and Cori caught her before she slipped from their grasp.
Heather looked at the sign that read LOADING PLATFORM and then to the doors beneath it. She knew they would not make it without causing a scene. She quickly looked around and came up with an alternate plan. "Washroom," she whispered to Cori.
Manuck walked into the station and paused to assess the situation. "Low income, desperate people," he muttered. Taking a bus was beneath him. If you can't afford to fly, maybe you shouldn't be traveling. To him it looked like the entire station should be condemned. It was way past its prime, with poor lighting and stark decor. Pamphlets covered one wall, advertising every possible cheap hotel and tourist attraction. In one corner, there were the two doors leading to the men's and women's washroom, and on the opposite corner was the glass ticket booth.
There were a number of people milling about: husbands, wives, children, and people who didn't seem to fit in any category beyond their gender. He quickly scrutinized everyone in sight. To his dismay, there was no sign of either of their targets.
"Negative on the inside." Manuck spoke in a low tone to the mic on his jacket. "Calvin, what does it look like outside?" He pressed his earpiece to listen to the response.
"Clear out here so far, sir, but there are a lot of buses to check."
Viper listened to their exchange, his eyes glued to the front doors. "Negative from the front doors, sir."
Manuck cursed as he headed out to the platform to help Calvin search. The smell of warm diesel fumes assaulted him as he pushed through the heavy swinging door. He spotted Calvin hopping up alongside a bus, peering through the windows. There were four buses parked at an angle in their allocated spots, all but one in the process of loading. Calvin was at the second bus in line. Manuck pointed to the first bus and Calvin signaled that it was clear, so the colonel maneuvered through the passengers and their luggage to the third bus. He scanned the windows as Calvin moved to the fourth and final bus. Within a few minutes, they met up at the platform.
"Negative," Calvin reported.
"Goddamn it!" Manuck yelled. "They can't have just disappeared. Viper?"
"Negative out here, sir."
"Check your locator. They have to be here somewhere."
Vipe
r put down his binoculars and turned the laptop so he could read the screen. He typed for a second and then ran his fingertip over the touchpad.
"She's inside the building, sir. Northeast corner."
"Back inside," Manuck said. They powered back through the swinging doors and stopped just inside the building. "Northeast?"
"Northeast," Viper repeated. "And she's not moving."
The three of them stood motionless inside the women's washroom, their backs up against the cold tile wall. Cori looked at Heather, who was checking her wristwatch. "How long have we got?"
"Just a few minutes. The stop here is only to pick up more passengers, and then it heads north."
"We can't wait in here much longer or we'll miss it." Cori stated the obvious as she turned to assess Kenzie's condition. "Kenzie...Kenzie, look at me." She snapped her fingers in front of her face. "Kenzie, come on, open your eyes. Just a few more minutes and then you can rest."
Kenzie struggled to open her eyes, but they only remained open for a moment before her head swayed and her eyes began to close.
"Kenzie, you've got to stay with us for just a bit longer. Okay? Come on," Cori pleaded as she gently tapped her cheek. "I think we should go," Heather said nervously.
Calvin looked to the northeast corner of the station. "She's in the washroom. Should we go in and get her or wait for her to come out?"
"I'm not waiting any longer." Manuck reached inside his jacket and pulled his gun from the holster on his belt, keeping it concealed beneath his jacket. Calvin did the same as they walked directly toward the women's washroom.
"I thought you didn't want to make a scene," Calvin said.
"At this point, I don't care. I just want it over with, once and for all. We'll flash our badges and drag their corpses out by their hair if we have to."
The two men didn't hesitate as they approached the door and pushed it open. One step inside and their guns were drawn, but to their disappointment the bathroom was empty.
Heather, Cori, and a barely-conscious Kenzie, emerged from the washroom just as the pending arrival of the northbound Coast Starlight train was announced. Cori looked for the uniformed police officer whose appearance had sent them scurrying to the washroom. He had his back to them, chatting with the ticket agent behind the window. The three women moved out the doors to the train platform just as a distant whistle blew.
"Perfect timing," Heather said as they made their way down the cement platform.
"I'll be happy once we're on the train and away from here." Cori held Kenzie tightly, "and she's resting on the bed in our compartment."
"Do you think they've found it yet?"
"The microchip?" Cori asked, and Heather nodded. "I don't know, maybe."
The train pulled into the Anaheim station, thankfully on time. The large, cumbersome engine slowly brought the train alongside the waiting women, and then ground to a stop. There was no one there to take tickets, or check IDs or baggage. To Cori's surprise and comfort, there was no security whatsoever. The doors just opened and people got on or got off. The woman who had sold them their tickets had told Cori which car held their sleeping compartment, and where they should wait on the platform. Cori looked up at the car number and smiled. The ticket seller had been dead on. It didn't take them long to board the train, but it was a maneuvering challenge to move down the narrow corridor.
"This is it," Cori said as she read the number next to the door.
Heather opened the door and was mildly surprised at the size of the accommodations. It measured all of six feet by eight feet, but not much more. There were two chairs against the window, a set of small beds - one above the other, and an open door leading to a very small bathroom. "Apparently you have to go out into the passageway to change your mind," Heather said in jest.
"It has a bed and its private, that's all I want. No prying eyes and no questions," Cori said as they shuffled into the room. Kenzie had not said a word since they'd left the washroom, but she let out a low moan as they lowered her to the bed. "Besides, with your name on the tickets, which were paid for in cash, we should have a smooth trip. And hopefully enough time for Kenzie to heal."
"You've got her meds and the extra bandages I gave you?"
"Yes, and thank you again."
"Just keep a close eye on her stitches and if you don't see improvement, go to a real hospital, go to a real hospital - for people."
"I can't thank you enough, Heather." Cori opened her arms and hugged the large woman.
"Just get her healthy and don't get caught. I'll be looking for a postcard or something down the road to let me know you made it out of this mess." Heather smiled and closed the door behind her.
Manuck and Calvin stood dumbfounded in the women's washroom of the San Diego bus station.
"Viper! Get me a location," Manuck snapped into his mic. "There's nobody here!" Just then, a woman attempted to enter the washroom. "We're closed," Manuck yelled as he pushed her back out the door.
"She's in the northeast corner of the building... Hang on, let me pull up the city's site and get the building plans." Viper's fingers danced over the keys.
Manuck paced the floor, waiting for the information. Calvin was new to the team, but he had enough sense to stay close to the tile wall and out of his way.
"I got it," Viper announced exuberantly. "Okay, according to what I have, she should be right against the east wall, ten feet from the back north wall."
Manuck did the calculation and his eyes stopped on the metal waste receptacle attached to the wall. Without saying a word, he strode over and smashed it loose with his foot. It clanged loudly to the floor, spilling out wads of used paper towel and other assorted garbage.
"What the hell are you doing?"
A young woman was holding open the washroom door. Dressed in a pair of blue slacks and a white blouse with a gray vest over it, she obviously worked for the bus lines, and she was mad.
"You guys can't be in here! This is the ladies restroom, and that is Greyhound property you just smashed!"
Ignoring her, Manuck leaned over and plucked something from amongst the trash.
"You're gonna have to pay for that." She pointed at the damage to the wall and to the garbage can. "Excuse me!"
"Let's go," Manuck said to Calvin, and the two men turned to leave, but the young woman refused to move.
"I'm gonna call the cops. Someone has to pay for that!"
Manuck pushed her aside. "You do that, sweetheart, and when they show up tomorrow, I can guarantee they'll care just about as much as I do." With that, the two men were out the door and gone.
"Sir?" Calvin asked as they crossed the parking lot.
Manuck opened his hand and exhibited the electronic tracer.
"Now what?" Calvin asked.
Manuck stopped outside of the SUV with his hand on the door handle. "I don't know." He sighed loudly. "But we better figure out where she is and where she's going...and we better do it fast."
Chapter 17
Only after the train pulled out of the station did Cori finally take her first deep breath in a long while. They had made it. She checked on Kenzie, lying on the bed, and then flopped down in one of the high-backed seats next to the window and watched as the stadium of the Los Angeles/Anaheim Angels slowly moved out of sight. She tried to relax, but knew it would take putting a few miles behind them for that to happen.
Restlessly rising from the chair, she opened the door into the tiny cubicle of a bathroom and turned on the light. The woman looking back at her in the mirror was a stranger. Her face was dirty and still bore the yellowish green tinge of the bruising she had received over the past week. Her honey-blonde hair was tangled and tossed, and it looked as if it had been a month since she'd washed it. Suddenly she felt grimy, and looked longingly at the showerhead hanging from the wall. There was not really a shower stall, but it looked so very inviting that she couldn't resist it.
She returned to check on Kenzie again. She seemed to be resting comfortabl
y, though her skin was still overly warm to the touch. Leaving her patient to sleep, Cori hoisted Kenzie's bag and dumped the contents onto the floor. She was looking for some of the clothing and bare necessities that they had purchased at an all-night Walmart on the drive up from San Diego. Her gaze fell on the bundles of cash and the assortment of weapons. She had known there were guns in the bag, but not what kind or how many. She let her fingers trail lightly over the black metal as she eyed the two stacks of money. That's a lot of cash, she thought. "Which is good, 'cause we're gonna need more than what I have left," she said. The train ticket, especially for a sleeping compartment, had been expensive, and the bus fare for two to Branson had been ninety-nine dollars each - two hundred dollars they no longer had.
There was a loud knock on the door and Cori jumped.
"Tickets, please," the male voice outside the door requested.
Cori hopped to her feet, grabbed the tickets from her back pocket, and then stepped toward the door. She reached for the handle, but stopped and looked back at the Colt .45 lying at the foot of Kenzie's bed. She grabbed the gun and held it in her left hand, concealing it behind the door as she opened it. A young man in a burgundy uniform stood smiling, his hand out.
"Good morning, ma'am. Tickets, please."
"Of course." Cori laid them in his hand.
"First time riding the rails?" he asked pleasantly as he flipped open the packet and pulled out the two tickets.
"Ah...yes, as a matter of fact." Cori watched him punch holes into both tickets.
"My name is Steven and I'm your train car steward. I'm here for whatever you need. The dining car is two cars up. Breakfast is at eight, lunch is at noon. They take seating for an hour before and after. Dinner service is from five until eight, and seeing as you have a sleeping compartment, your meals are included with your ticket. You just need to make reservations in the parlor car. Three cars to the back is the observation car that has a top bubble deck to enjoy some of the fabulous scenery, especially through Northern California and Oregon. The observation car also has a full bar that's open from three 'til midnight." He handed her the tickets and smiled brightly. "I'd be happy to come in and show you where everything is in your compartment and how it all works."