87's POV. A very brief scene, in the car towards the hotel.
162340RJUN17
87 was driving fast. Even though it looked like they had managed to lose the tail, he didn't want to take any risk and so was not heading to his hotel but kept changing direction to confuse the possible chasers. He was trying to ignore the bewildering fact that Johanna was sitting in the passenger seat, just a couple of inches from him.
Stop. Breathe. Focus.
They had found them too easily when they had escaped from the roof.
"Johanna"
"Jo" she said, mechanically
"Jo, you need to throw your phone"
She took it from her bag, and looked at it for a second. 87 expected some complaints, he was ready to insist and even to take it from her, but she opened the window and let it fall on the road.
"Your beeper too"
In the same, unemotional way, she took it and threw it.
But that was not enough, so he added: "They must have put a tracker on you. In the glove compartment there's a detector. Pass it on your clothes."
She obeyed. She started from the feet and went up. The detector beeped when she passed it over her watch. She moved as if to remove it but he stopped her
"That's mine. Leave it"
She looked at him for a moment, then nodded. She hadn't changed expression since he'd shot that man in front of her. She looked totally blank, as if empty.
What is she thinking?
She kept on searching and found another tracker in the back pocket of her jeans. She removed it and threw it out then closed the window.
"You should try to take off some of the blood from your face"
She seemed momentarily startled, as if she hadn't realized that the operative's blood – and brain – was still on her. She took out some wipes from her bag, opened the sun visor and looking in the mirror, removed the blood from her face, hair and neck. There was as big stain of blood on her white vest, the one she had decided to wear under the blue shirt to cover her cleavage. Without hesitation Jo took off her shirt and vest – remaining in her bra – opened the window again, threw out the vest and put back on the shirt on which the blood stains were less evident.
They arrived at the hotel in 18 minutes. He parked the car and then directed Jo to the entrance. A group of tourists were checking out, crowding the hall, and placing their baggage in a corner for the porters to load on the coach. 87 spotted a girl whose size matched Johanna's and, walking casually next to the porters' corner, picked up the suitcase she had just left.
He then reached Jo who was waiting for him at the lift. He didn't need to check them in, one of the privileges of paying the highest rate. They could sleep undetected. Or so he hoped.