The Einstein Pursuit

16

Because of the gunfire and the smoke that was oozing from the lower station, 911 operators notified the police department, the fire department and the city ambulance division. All three groups of emergency responders converged on the scene to find a scarred historic landmark, a bloodstained SUV, a sedan carrying enough firepower to outfit a small army, several gunshot victims, and a mutilated body lying dead in the street. The three primary witnesses were a muscular man who was missing a sleeve, an elderly Swede who was struggling to catch his breath, and a ‘drunk’ guy who kept slurring his words.

Needless to say, traffic was backed up for miles.

While Jones and Sahlberg were treated in the back of an ambulance, Payne took charge of things, as he often did. He identified himself as the CEO of Payne Industries and explained that Sahlberg, a former colleague of his father’s, had called him earlier. They were heading to Station Square for a drink or two — taking the incline into the city in case they overindulged — when the gunmen in the cable car sidetracked their plans.

Payne had noticed them — and their weapons — outside of the upper station, and the way they had sized him up had raised his suspicions. As the CEO of one of the most profitable corporations in the nation, he knew he was a potential target for kidnappers, and as a former commando, he also knew there were foreign entities that had placed a bounty on his head. When the men jumped aboard the cable car at the last possible second, ensuring that he had no time to escape, he knew he had to act fast. He admitted to being the aggressor, but he made it clear that he had only used his fists until he found himself trapped in the lower station.

For his part, Jones could offer even less. After convincing the police that a sobriety test wasn’t necessary, he told them that he had received an urgent text from Payne asking for his assistance. He had known Payne for most of his adult life, ever since they were both assigned to the MANIACs. There was little, if anything, that took precedent over his friendship with Payne, and he had left the dentist’s chair in the middle of a procedure and hurried to the incline. He had arrived just as the man crossing the street opened fire. Seeing no other alternative, he had made the split-second decision to counter the attack with the only weapon he had at his disposal: his Escalade. The man’s death had been an unfortunate result, but it had been unavoidable.

Even though Sahlberg had actually instigated the entire mess (albeit unintentionally), he was the one who got off the easiest. The police simply asked him to confirm Payne’s story that he had made contact earlier that day, and that they had agreed to meet at the Monongahela Incline. After assuring them that he had never seen any of the attackers before that day, Sahlberg was free to go. In the eyes of the police, his participation was little more than bad timing. Had his call not been placed on the same day as the assault on Payne, he would never have been involved in the ordeal. Apart from making sure he had survived the tear gas and the firefight unscathed, the police had no further need for him. He was only a footnote in their investigation.

Sahlberg had played the role of the innocent victim to perfection.

In any other city, Payne and Jones would have been brought to the local police station for questioning, but there was little chance of that happening in Pittsburgh. Because of his respect for the profession, Payne made sure that his company provided continuous contributions to Pittsburgh’s law enforcement community, and he put pressure on other titans of industry to do the same. Jones’s contributions were on a smaller scale and often under the table, but they were appreciated nonetheless. He regularly hired off-duty police officers and recent retirees for odd jobs at his private investigation firm, and he always paid well for their experience.

Over the years, the duo’s combined efforts had not only saved countless lives by outfitting the men and women of the police force and the fire department with the latest life-saving equipment; they had also helped those who couldn’t make their mortgage payments or afford holidays or presents.

Gotham might have Batman and Robin.

Pittsburgh had Payne and Jones.

The irony of the situation — at least with regard to how the duo was perceived — was that their roles should have been reversed. Payne was the more reserved of the two. If anyone would prefer to stand in the shadows and do his good deeds anonymously, it was Payne. Jones, on the other hand, was much more flamboyant. He gladly embraced the public spotlight, so much so that Payne was often forced to reel him in.

Yet somehow their friendship thrived.

Jones watched from his seat on the curb as Payne shook hands and said some final goodbyes, then headed to the ambulance where Sahlberg was resting. Three hours had passed, and the Novocain had fully worn off. In one way that was a bad thing, because his bottom lip was throbbing despite the ice pack he had used to control the swelling. To make matters worse, he was starving. He had asked several cops if they had any donuts, but all he got were dirty looks. Probably because he couldn’t pronounce ‘donuts’.

A minute later, Payne and Sahlberg made their way to where he was sitting. Until that moment, he hadn’t actually met the Swede. He stood as Payne introduced them.

‘DJ, this is Dr Mattias Sahlberg. He used to work with my father.’

‘Pleased to meet you, sir. I’m David Jones. I used to work with Jon, back when he was young.’

Sahlberg shook his hand and said hello.

Jones quickly turned his attention to Payne. ‘Listen, I can’t wait to hear about your dad and the good doctor, and I really can’t wait to hear why I just killed someone with my Cadillac, but right now, let’s focus on what’s most important. Can we get something to eat? I’m starving, and if I know you, you’re starving too.’

Payne laughed.

No one knew him better than Jones.