His next meeting point was at a shut down factory in the sideways of the city. With the GPS route he got immediately from Riley, Mac decided to walk there. Going with taxi would have been faster of course, but he couldn't bring himself to stop one at the heavily trafficked road.
Not as a killer.
As he walked with fast pace on the side walk he felt like being at the spotlight. He felt like a stranger between citizens, wearing all black. He felt like a alien that has "killer" written all over his face. Mac could have sworn the people were actually avoiding him in a wide circle, like he had some kind of a disease. But it was just his imagination. But he couldn't bring himself to see the facts. The facts he was trained for all his life to make out. The facts he orientated his life to.
Mac felt a stone falling from his heart as he turned in a dark sideway. It was empty, no people in sight. So he decided to let his guard down for a moment. Just for the short distance till the next crossing. He never felt so tense in his life.
He felt like laughing about himself. He always thought last time was heavy. He always thought being kidnapped was heavy. He always thought getting caught up in a combat was heavy. He always thought defusing a bomb was heavy.
Now it all felt like joke. All his heavy moments in the past felt like a better joke in comparison to this right now.
He speeded up as his eyes reached his watch. The way was longer than he thought, maybe he wouldn't get there in time.
You're behind me, right Jack?
Jack was behind him – well, not exactly behind him.
Riley had sent him the coordinates of Mac's next meeting point, so Jack had packed his sniper rifle in his bag quickly. Taking 2 or 3 steps at once he had rushed down the stairs in a hurry to get to his van.
"I got a perfect spot for you", he heard Riley on his ear piece. With this a new mail popped up on his phone. "Got it", he copied.
Even though it was a short distance to the spot he decided not to go there directly. Jack knew that Mac was observed from somewhere and it would have just been suspicious if a black van would have gone the direct same way and ended up at his target location at the same time with Mac. So Jack tried to make it look like coincidence.
At a red light he needed to stop. Jack drummed nervously on the steering wheel. It was right before rush hour and he didn't want to get stuck in traffic. Not with Mac being on his own, meeting some dubious guy in an abandoned factory in a dark sideway.
He wouldn't make it.
Two minutes till the meeting and Mac was still almost half a mile away.
For a second he thought of running a bit, but it was to suspicious. And it was not in his understanding of his role. Murdoc would never run for a job. Still he tried to speed up without looking to stressed.
The last seconds were running down – he was too late. Again his mouth felt way too dry. This wasn't working out the way he wanted. What should he do.
"I'm not making it", he panted, making it look like he was talking to himself. But of course it was an important information for his team. And Mac wanted advise what to do now.
Right at this moment a little ahead a car door opened. It was a black limousine, expensive looking. But no one emerged from the car.
Mac slowed his walk. Tense he made his way to the car. He tried not to survey it as obviously as possible, but he somehow got the feeling, the car was meant to be for him.
Right as he got in line with the dark door frame, he heard a voice. "Get in."
Mac stopped in his tracks. He looked left and right as if he would check if there is somebody else who is called for, but it was just farce. He knew it was an order for him.
But how was he supposed to tell his team he was not going to the factory anymore?
"Get in."
Mac was ripped from his thoughts. He recognized he must not have reacted at all for the driver's liking. Basically he was just standing next to the car.
Mac surveyed his surroundings one last time. With one hand he pulled his cap deeper in his face. A last heavy breathe. Then he entered the car – where ever it was bringing him.