The Einstein Pursuit

10

As he neared the entrance to the incline’s upper station, Payne passed two men in business suits who immediately grabbed his attention. They weren’t doing anything out of the ordinary, and yet he noticed a few minor details that most people would miss.

The first thing was their positioning. They were standing next to a platform that looked over the city and the river below, yet they were facing in the opposite direction. This might have been understandable if they were waiting for a bus or trying to hail a cab, but they were focused on the front of the station, not the traffic on Grandview Avenue.

Next was their posture. Both men were rigid and alert, as if they were standing at attention on guard duty. They kept their heads raised and backs straight as they subtly scanned the area — like hungry wolves looking for prey.

The last and most important thing was their clothes. Those gave the duo away. Though their linen suits were appropriate for the season, they didn’t drape as well as wool. Given his background, it was easy for Payne to spot the telltale bulges of shoulder holsters.

Both of these men were armed.

Payne’s suspicions were confirmed as he made his way to the entrance. He was close enough to overhear a snippet of their conversation. It was more than damning.

‘Is this our backup?’ the first man asked.

‘No,’ the second man replied. ‘He’s sending four guys, not one.’

‘All of this for an old man?’

Masseri was finished with the cat-and-mouse approach. He had a cadre of personnel at his disposal, and it was time to use it. Why hunt with only two pairs of dogs when he could unleash the whole pack?

He ordered four more men to the incline’s upper station. Once they arrived, the two men already in position had instructions to join Masseri in the lower station. He also put a third team on standby. They were to wait in a separate SUV — fully armed — until Masseri could give them Sahlberg’s location. Once his whereabouts were known, all three teams would spring into action. With several men in pursuit, Masseri knew it was only a matter of time before they caught up to their target.

Masseri stared at the delayed satellite feed on his phone.

He watched as the image of Sahlberg entered the upper station.

They were getting closer.

Payne burst through the station’s door like a late commuter rushing to catch his train. The first thing he saw was Darla. She had a half-terrified, half-exhilarated look on her face. Before she could react further, Payne was already standing at her ticket booth.

Her heartbeat pounded, as she wondered what else this day might bring.

‘I’m looking for my neighbor,’ Payne lied. ‘Mid eighties, wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants. He wandered away from home, and we’re worried sick. Any chance you’ve seen him?’

‘Your neighbor?’ she challenged. She looked Payne up and down. He seemed awfully familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him. ‘Um, let me think …’

Payne sensed she was stalling. ‘I know you don’t know me, but if you could just point me in the right direction, you’d be helping us out more than you know.’

Before she could respond to Payne’s plea, Sahlberg emerged from the back room. He had been watching the front entrance on the monitors. He smiled at Payne, grateful that he had finally arrived. ‘Allow me to introduce you. Darla, this is my neighbor, Jonathon.’

‘Jon is fine. Nice to meet you, Darla.’

She turned her back to Payne and focused on Sahlberg instead. ‘What’s really going on? Are you sure you’re all right?’

He patted her on her shoulder as he exited the booth. ‘I appreciate all you’ve done, my dear, but I believe we can take it from here.’

Darla shrugged and nodded.

‘To your car, then?’ Sahlberg asked Payne.

‘We can’t,’ Payne whispered. ‘First of all, I didn’t drive. Secondly, there are two men looking for you outside with four more on the way. We have to go down.’

‘There are two men waiting for me at the lower station.’

‘You’re sure?’

‘I’m positive. They followed me here from my house. I managed to hide in the back in the nick of time. Darla told them I continued down the incline, and they believed her. They took the last car.’ Sahlberg paused. ‘Jonathon, both men were armed.’

‘So are the men outside — with four more on the way. I suck at math, but I’ll take two over six any day of the week. Better odds.’

Payne reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

‘No need,’ Darla said with a smile. ‘You’re good.’

‘Thank you,’ Sahlberg replied.

Payne nodded his thanks and made a mental note to send Darla some flowers and a box of chocolates. Heck, if she could somehow keep the six men stranded up here while he dealt with matters below, he would buy her a whole candy store, but he knew that was too much to ask.

Besides, she had done enough for their cause.

Payne led Sahlberg down the small flight of stairs to the loading area, where the next car was waiting. Three doors were standing open in the oddly shaped cars.

Rather than a simple rectangle that would restrict the view of some passengers, the unique tiered design of the incline cars created three viewing areas. The cars might look a bit strange in transit — like three steps in an escalator — but the design gave all the passengers a magnificent view without the need to look past, over, or through the other riders.

Each separate tier had its own door that opened on to two rows of bench seating. These benches were on opposite walls of the compartment, so that passengers sat facing one another. Inside the car, the tiers were separated only by a small railing and a steep ledge.

Payne and Sahlberg stepped into the top compartment.

There were only three other passengers on board. A couple in their fifties sat on the bench directly below them in the middle section of the car. Across from them, a teenager had spread out on the entire bench with his back to the city. Two small cords sprouted from his ears, and he drummed furiously on his backpack as the music from his headphones buzzed faintly throughout the cabin. His eyes closed, he was oblivious to the world around him.

Sahlberg took a seat against the far wall, opposite the doorway.

Payne instinctively sat in the middle of the bench, where he could survey the entire car. Taking advantage of the moment, he pulled out his cell phone and fired off a quick text to his best friend, who was already in the city:

It meant to come fully armed, ready for battle.

Things were about to get messy.

Just before the cabin doors closed, two more passengers jumped aboard the incline — the two men Payne had passed on the street. They sat in the empty lower level, with their backs turned to the passengers above. Payne cursed his luck. So far, they hadn’t noticed Sahlberg tucked into the corner of the upper compartment, but the journey down the hill was just starting.

For the next three minutes, they would be locked together in a moving box.

With nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.