TRAVELER, SEASON TWO
EPISODE 3: THE CURRENT
Time is sort of a river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought into sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away. Marcus Aurelius
"We're almost there." Tyler's voice drifted down the chute.
"You said that ten minutes ago," Jay grumbled. "If you ever suggest something like this again-"
"Shhhh...shhh. I'm at the penthouse." There was a light scraping sound, then, "Should I go in?"
Now Tyler was asking for his advice. A bit late in the day. "We came all this way," Jay said. "What else is there to do?"
Bangs and more scrapes were followed by a whisper. "Okay, I'm in. Kitchen is dark. It sure smells good; Brenda's been cooking."
Jay inched his way to the top, where Tyler was waiting just outside the chute. Looking past him, Jay could make out the shadowy lines of appliances and cabinets. The only light was the faint gleam from a small bulb under the hood of an exhaust fan.
Tyler took hold of Jay's arm and helped him maintain his balance as he climbed out of the chute. Sighing with relief, Jay straightened his body and stretched his kinked muscles. His back, in particular, hadn't liked the cramped nature of the climb. He bent forward to stretch the muscles along his spine while Tyler poked at a foil-covered baking dish on the counter.
"Lasagne," he whimpered, "and it's still warm."
"Don't anyone move," a gruff voice barked out. Jay spun around to see a gun emerging from the darkness of the room beyond.
xxx
After turning onto a one-way street a few blocks east of the Russian consulate, Will slowed Chambers' black sedan to a near crawl. His head swivelled left then right as he searched for a place to stop. He would have preferred a parking garage, but they were all private and gated. The legal parking places on the street were occupied, so he ended up pulling into the space in front of a fire hydrant. After turning off the engine, he leaned back in the seat and cradled his right hand to his side.
He'd been running on adrenaline bursts for too long and was losing momentum fast. Each high drained already strained resources and sent him plunging into a deeper low. With the adrenaline that had fueled him through Kim's rescue washing out of his system, his reserves were hitting empty.
Then there was his wound. It was bleeding again and aching fiercely; at the very least, he needed to change the bandage.
He retrieved his pack from the floor of the backseat, then angled his weary body out of the car. The nearest streetlight was far enough away that he stood in deep shadow. The overhanging branches of a small tree provided further cover as he walked to the rear of the car and cracked open the trunk. The trussed and gagged body of Chambers was inside.
Will shook the FBI agent's shoulder but got no response. He was still deeply unconscious from the blow delivered to his head. If Chambers had been awake, Will might have been tempted to drive to a secluded location where he could question him. But now, with his own body teetering on the brink of total exhaustion, time wasn't on his side. Chambers might be out for another hour, or even two. Will wasn't sure he could stay awake for that long, let alone remain alert enough to conduct an interrogation.
After one last, regretful look at Chambers Will closed the trunk and headed west toward Park Avenue. While most of his concentration was focused on keeping his feet moving in the right direction, hovering on the edge of his awareness was a sense of profound relief.
He'd found Kim, and she was safe.
He could face Jay and Tyler without giving them further reason to despise him. He told himself that shouldn't matter, but it did.
Kate had said that Jay and Tyler had become his friends. While he'd agreed, he wasn't sure he had enough experience with friendship to know what the concept actually meant. It was difficult to be a friend when moving from fake identity to fake identity.
Eight years earlier...
"You are whom I say you are."
"But what's the matter with Jason McKenna?" the boy who would become Will Traveler asked.
"He's served his purpose." Uncle Dave tapped the California driver's license on the table. "You are now Eric Ransom. Eric has been accepted to the chemical engineering program at UC Berkeley." He passed a paper across the table. "Here's your class schedule. You'll carry a heavier than normal number of credit hours, take summer classes, and graduate in three years. Is that a problem?"
"No." Academics were never a concern. But there were a couple of boys at the Academy... He usually had lunch with them and they'd worked together on group projects. Sometimes, they referred to him as their friend. "What about the people who know me as Jason?"
"You don't need to worry about that. You'll never see them again."
After that, sensing that each new identity was a temporary one, he hadn't bothered to get involved with anyone. Until the Yale assignment. And then he'd only done it because it was part of the job: Get close to them. Gain their confidence. Be their friend.
Had he really become their friend? Or had he become so immersed in the part he couldn't delineate between reality and pretense?
xxx
Marlow's car rental included a ride home. While his salary was no doubt factored into what they'd charged her, she still tipped the driver. It was New York, after all.
Climbing the three flights of stairs to her apartment, she couldn't help but think about Borjes. He was too young, too good. It wasn't fair that he was dead and Whaley and Chambers were alive. Someday, somehow she was going to bring both of them to justice.
xxx
"Gabe!" Tyler rushed at the person emerging from the gloom. "Gabe." He wrapped his arms around his not-so-little little brother and pounded him on the back. "It's great to see you." Emotion was welling in his throat and seeping into his voice. "How are you? How's Dad?"
"I'm fine. Dad is still critical, but he's stable. They should know more tomorrow." Gabe pushed Tyler back to where he could look into his face. "What's going on? Why are they blaming you for that bombing? And why the urgency to get security for Dad?"
"We were framed. The Drexler is part of a larger conspiracy. We think Dad was shot by the same people who framed us. We... we have to be careful." Tyler spun away, unable to meet Gabriel's eyes when he wasn't revealing the entire truth. But he couldn't tell him about their father, not yet, maybe not ever. And he found he couldn't admit that the person who had framed them was someone he'd considered to be one of his best friends. He knew it was irrational, but it almost felt as if he were the one at fault, to be the type of person who could be betrayed by both his father and his good friend.
Wanting to change the subject, Tyler grabbed Jay's arm and pulled him to where Gabe was standing. "This is Jay. Jay, meet my brother."
"Uh," Jay pointed to the gun that Gabe was still clutching. "Would you mind putting that down?"
"Sorry." Gabe set the gun on the counter and held out his hand. "It's crazy that we haven't met before. Tyler's told me so much about you, I feel like I know you. And Will, of course. Where is he? I thought the three of you were going on the ultimate road trip. The next thing I know, the two of you are all over the news."
Jay glanced at Tyler before answering. "Will's around. As for the road trip, it didn't turn out exactly as planned."
"What are we doing in the dark?" Tyler asked. He switched on the overhead light and headed for the lasagne pan. It was half empty, at least according to his present mood. Two weeks ago, he might have said it was half full. "I'm glad you left some for us. Get plates."
"Stay away from the windows," Jay warned.
"We're eleven stories up."
"He's right," Gabe said. "They might be watching the place with binoculars, or even a telescope. Help yourselves, then bring your plates into the den. Those curtains were closed when I got home and I haven't gotten around to opening them."
"Brenda does that. She said the sun was damaging the upholstery, making it fade or something. Where is Brenda?"
"She left after I ate. I insisted. Her sister is having dental surgery tomorrow and Brenda was scheduled to help with the kids."
Tyler brightened. "I knew we were meant to come here today. Everything is working out in our favor." He passed a plate of lasagne to Jay, then began to fill one for himself. "Gabe, Jay's girlfriend might be in trouble for helping us. We need you to get her legal counsel."
"If it isn't too much to ask," Jay added.
"I'll take care of it," Gabe said. "Let me grab a pen and paper. While you're eating, you can tell me everything I need to know."
xxx
Will was a little more than a block from their hotel when Chambers' phone rang. He pulled it out of his back pocket and noted that the caller's ID was blocked. Flipping it open, he grunted an unintelligible, "Yes."
"Where have you been? I tried to call you earlier." Will recognized the voice. Otis Whaley. Their paths had crossed on a Hometown assignment down south. "When I couldn't reach you, I phoned Meiers and had him call off the FBI team at the penthouse. I was afraid we'd trip over each other."
Will put his hand over the phone and mumbled, "Okay."
"The Fog whelp seems to be home for the night, so I'm heading down to Canal to snoop around. I'll have Davenport and Benson keep watch here until your midnight shift shows up. Is there anything else?"
"No." Will cut the connection and put the phone away.
If Chambers knew Whaley, it made it more likely that he was involved with Hometown. While it was possible that Whaley was no longer undercover, Will didn't think it was likely. The man was a maverick, which made him a poor fit for a by-the-book operation.
No matter that he felt tired enough to sleep for a year, Will knew he had to go back to the car and hope that it and Chambers were still there. If there was even a chance that Chambers was connected to Hometown, he was too valuable a resource to simply abandon him.
Since he as so close to the hotel, Will decided to check in with Jay and Tyler and relieve their minds about Kim before going back for Chambers
xxx
Tyler set his empty plate on the side table and slumped lower in his chair. Sitting in his father's penthouse, his stomach purring after a delicious meal, he could almost talk himself into believing that the Drexler had been a dream. Almost...
"How long will you be here?" he asked his brother.
"Two weeks. If things aren't going well, I could try to get my leave extended, but that doesn't happen very often."
"It's probably just as well. I don't want you to get involved in this mess, except to help Kim."
"I'll contact the lawyer first thing in the morning," Gabe promised. "Are you sure you don't want me to call her parents? Maybe she's with them right now; and if she isn't, they'll know where she is."
Jay answered the question. "We're sure. If the FBI finds out you talked to us, they could arrest you. It's also best if no one knows who hired the lawyer, if you can work it that way. Tyler's right, you shouldn't get involved."
"But I still don't understand. You're innocent. Let me get you a lawyer. Let's get this straightened out."
"Oh, no." Tyler shook his head emphatically. "We tried that route. Dad hired someone; it didn't work out. This is more complicated than you realize."
"But I want to help." Gabe popped to his feet. "I know what I can do. I'll be right back."
"Do you think he'll keep quiet about seeing us?" Jay asked.
"Yeah. He's West Point and an Iraqi veteran. He's not going to go blabbing like some undisciplined kid."
Gabe returned with his hands full. "Here." He passed a thick wad of money to Tyler. "After you called I made a large withdrawal. I must take after mom. She always said cash in hand is the best security. You take it. I can get more tomorrow."
Tyler stood and hugged Gabe. "Thanks, little brother. I'll pay you back when this is over."
"And there's this." Gabe held out a five-by-seven-inch manila envelope. "Before I deployed, I put my cars in a climate-controlled storage facility in Harrison, just east of Newark. The keys to the facility, my individual units and the cars are inside. So's the address. If you need transport, take either one. Take both."
After standing to squeeze Gabe yet again, Tyler looked at Jay and smiled. "Didn't I tell you he was the best?"
xxx
Awakening to a crashing headache, it was emotional pain that made Chambers want to scream. "Jessie," he tried to call her name, but a bulky piece of material stuffed in his mouth muffled the cry.
He was hogtied, his body curled over itself so that his feet and hands were intertwined. He explored the best he could within the limitations of his bound hands and feet and confirmed what the smell had already suggested: he was in the trunk of a car. Probably his own car.
The last thing he remembered was a crushing blow to the head that had sent him reeling into darkness. How long ago had that been?
"Jessie," it was more a sob now.
Fuck Traveler. Fuck The Fourth Branch. The only thing he cared about was his daughter.
He'd given Traveler what he wanted, brought him to the building where Kim was being held. Assuming Traveler had found her unharmed, Jessie should be okay. Chambers had to believe that.
The branch had given him Traveler's dossier when he'd gone missing after the Drexler. Nothing in the file suggested a man who killed wantonly. Traveler had left Alex alive after she'd attacked him. Jessie hadn't done anything to Traveler; had never harmed anyone. Her only sin was that she was Chambers' daughter.
Jessie.
Using every ounce of strength he could muster, Chambers wriggled around and began to kick the corner of the trunk where the right taillight was housed. If he could kick out the light, it would be easier to attract attention. But the space was too small to access with his feet bound together. All movement was awkward, and he had to settle for battering the inside of the trunk. In the confined space the sound was almost deafening. He welcomed the clatter, and could only hope that someone would hear him and respond.
xxx
Carrying his pack so it concealed the fresh blood on his shirt, Will walked through the hotel lobby with his baseball cap pulled low over his forehead. Several guests stood in front of the bank of elevators, waiting to be whisked to their floors. He continued past them for several yards and fiddled with a soda machine until they were gone. When an empty car arrived, he hopped on it and rode to the sixth floor. Then he ducked into the stairwell and went down the two flights to their floor.
Misdirection was automatic in his line of business. You never took a direct route, never used the same route twice, and kept to random patterns as much as possible.
He hoped he had been as careful on his trip from Chambers' car to the hotel. Much of the journey was an exhausted blur. He knew where he'd been and what he'd done–the bus ride south, breaking into the closed drugstore and stocking up on pharmaceuticals-but the details were sketchy, until Whaley's call had yanked him out of the haze.
Will swiped his key through the card reader and opened the door. The darkness and silence that greeted him put him on instant alert. Jay and Tyler wouldn't be asleep this early, not with Jay waiting for word on Kim.
Pulling Chambers' gun from his pack, he edged sideways into the room. He glided forward a few feet, paused and listened carefully, then began to move again. He repeated the pattern until he'd worked his way through both rooms and baths, checking closets, showers and anywhere else large enough to hide an intruder.
When he'd determined the suite was empty, Will secured the door, turned on the lights and did a second search. This time he looked for some clue that would point him to the missing men's whereabouts. There were no notes-so much for Jay's lecture earlier–nor any scribbles that shed light on their disappearance. Next he checked the cell phones he'd purchased. One was missing; the others didn't have any incoming texts or voice mails.
He tried to call the missing phone, but it went immediately to voice mail.
There was only one place else to look. Will checked the history files on both computers, but neither offered any enlightenment. Sinking onto the sofa, he put his head into hands and cursed silently.
They could be anywhere, following a lead, searching for Kim, checking on Carlton, attempting a meeting with Tyler's brother. Well, thanks to Whaley, he knew where Gabriel Fog was. He'd start there.
Rather than take time to redress his wound, he simply slapped a second padding of gauze over the old. It took less than a minute to change his T-shirt, top it with a dark Mets sweatshirt and position the baseball cap back on his head. Next, he dumped the containers of stolen pills onto the counter by the coffee maker, sorted through them until he found what he wanted, and downed an antibiotic and a stimulant. Finally, he armed himself-gun tucked into his jeans and knife strapped to his ankle–and left the hotel.
xxx
Fresh from a quick shower and wrapped in an oversized towel, Kim inspected her small room. The bed held a stack of clothes the consulate employees had cobbled together for her use; a pot of very strong tea rested on a tray on the dresser, and a stack of magazines and an envelope sat beside a lamp on the night stand. There were thirty one-hundred dollar bills in the envelope. They'd told her that Will had left it for her.
Everyone had been kind and solicitous. A woman with impeccable English had given her a short tour, pointing out which parts of the building were off limits, before showing her to her room. The clothes had been waiting there for her. Since they all appeared to be about her size, she presumed Will had requested them during his phone call. Her guide arranged for the tea and promised her that a proper meal would be along within the hour.
If circumstances were different, she would have been thrilled to stay in the consulate and to have an opportunity to explore another culture. But it was difficult to feel anything but dismay with Jay on the run and in danger.
xxx
With her hands resting on her hips, Jess Chambers turned from side to side while studying her reflection in the full-length mirror on her closet door. It appeared to be the same reflection that had stared back at her that morning, but her perception of the image had changed.
"Amy," she said, addressing her roommate and best friend, who as sprawled on her bed, reading a book, "I made an appalling discovery today." She paused, ashamed to say the words out loud. But since becoming fast friends during their freshman year she and Amy had promised to be nothing less than truthful with each other. "I'm vain."
Jess watched Amy's reaction in the mirror. Her roommate rolled over so quickly she almost fell off the bed. "You?" Swinging her feet to the floor, she sat up and looked at Jess with an expression that suggested she was waiting for the punch line. "You're serious."
"I can't believe it myself." Jess took a last glance in the mirror before turning away.
"Come on," Amy said. "Get real. Do you think I'd have the bad taste to room with someone who was stuck on herself?"
Jess couldn't help but giggle in reply. She raised her right hand and wagged her index finger at her roommate. "It's always about you, isn't it?"
"Damn right, and that's why you can't be vain. You put up with me."
"Well, then," Jess sat on her own bed, facing her roommate, "I don't know how to explain today."
"Just tell the story."
"I was late for a meeting, in a hurry, distracted, not watching where I was going, and I ran into this guy. Or he ran into me. I'm not sure. My bag flew off my shoulder and everything fell out. With a couple of tampons scattered about, I wanted to pick the stuff up myself, but he was too fast for me. That's when it happened." The memory brought a flood of warmth to Jess's cheeks.
"What happened?"
"He gave me the bag and left. He just left. He didn't try to hit on me or exchange names or anything. He. Just. Left." Jess squirmed with discomfort. She sounded like a whiny, jilted prom queen.
Amy's face screwed up and she began to laugh, softly at first, then harder. She pulled her pillow to her chest and laughed into it.
"This is not funny," Jess said, realizing at the same time that it wasn't the profound, character-defining moment that she'd feared, either. "Well, maybe it's a little funny. But why would that be the first thought that popped into my mind? That he left without so much as looking at me?"
Bringing herself under partial control, Amy's voice was warbling a little as she replied. "Because it's what you're used to. You're drop dead gorgeous. Strangers cross the street to declare undying love."
"That only happened once," Jess said, feeling worse and worse. She hoped Amy didn't think she was fishing for compliments. "And I've never wanted that kind of attention. Maybe I'll shave my head or-"
The door to her room burst open and a disheveled figure flew through the opening. "Jessie, Jessie, is that you?"
"Yes, Dad." Instinctively, she jumped to her feet and put her arms around the wild-eyed man in the rumpled suit. "Of course, it's me. What's the matter? You look like you were caught in a tornado."
"Jessica." He hugged her for at least a full minute before releasing her. "I've been so worried. I tried to call, you didn't answer, and this..." He dug into his inner pocket and pulled out a red wallet.
"My wallet." She grabbed it and began to thumb through it. "I didn't even realize it was missing. Credit card, student ID, drivers license, money. Everything seems to be here. How did you get it?"
Her father's respiration was slowly returning to normal. "That's a long story."
"You tried to call?" Jess reached into her pack and pulled out her phone. Immediately, she could see why it hadn't rung. The battery compartment was open and empty. Had it broken open when it spilled from her bag earlier? While her Dad studied the phone, she dumped the contents of her pack onto the bed, but there was no sign of the battery. "I guess I'll have to go to the Sprint store tomorrow."
"Mr. Chambers," Amy said, "Someone bumped into Jess earlier. Her bag upended during the collision. He appeared to pick up everything before he took off, but..."
"It was an accident," Jess said, uncomfortable with what Amy was implying. "And he was helpful. He didn't take anything. I would have noticed."
Amy shook her head. "I don't think so. Your Dad's an FBI agent. He has enemies. Isn't that right, Mr. Chambers?"
Instead of answering Amy's question, her Dad put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Honey, what did this man look like?"
"He..." Jess shook her head helplessly. "I don't know. He was wearing a baseball cap. I couldn't even tell you the color of his hair."
xxx
Will had never met Davenport or Benson, but he'd heard of them. They were two punks who worked out of New York. Hometown hired them when they needed extra bodies.
As he approached the Fog penthouse Will remembered his first and only visit to the building. Carlton Fog had been standing in front of the penthouse's private elevator when the doors had opened and Will had stepped out.
"You're Traveler," Fog said in a voice laced with scorn. It was obvious that he'd made an instant evaluation of Will and found him wanting.
Will didn't care. He wasn't here to impress Fog. Sticking his hands in the pockets of his baggy hoody, he sauntered through the foyer."Nice place."
"Yes, yes, it is." Fog gestured him into a room with a spectacular view of Central Park and directed him to a chair. "You're here to talk about my son."
"Tyler," Will confirmed, in case there was any question about which son. He wasn't quite sure how Hometown had gotten Fog to cooperate in an investigation that partially centered on his son, but that wasn't his business. He was here for background information that would help him become friends with his future roommate. That was all.
Fog eased into a high-backed, upholstered chair. "Tyler is undependable, weak, a Lothario."
"What are his interests?"
"Interests? He's a playboy. Parties, drinking sprees, women. I've had to bale him out of more scrapes than I care to remember."
"Does he like sports?" Hometown's written report had mentioned the Chicago Cubs.
"He bets on them. We went skeet shootisng once when he was younger. He's lazy."
Will could tell that Carlton wasn't going to provide him with anything useful. He would just continue to vent on the inadequacies of his older son. Standing up, Will held out his hand. "Thank you for your time."
"That's all?"
"That's all."
Carlton followed him to the elevator. "I expected more," he said with a shake of his head.
So did I, Will thought to himself as he entered the car. So did I. The trip had been a complete waste of time. And maybe that's why Fog had agreed to the interview; he was stringing Hometown along, pretending to cooperate but saying nothing, probably even deliberately misleading them in an attempt to protect his son.
Walking slowly along Fifth Avenue, Will now knew that hadn't been the case. Carlton had meant every derogatory word, and he'd willingly given up his son to the ugliness that was Hometown. It was a wonder that Tyler was the honest, generous, loyal person that he was; he didn't get any of that from his father.
As Will crossed the last intersecting street before the penthouse, he spotted a man lurking near an entrance to Central Park. He was leaning against the stone wall that bordered that part of the park. It had to be one of Whaley's men. There was no other reason for someone to be there, especially at this time of night. The other hired hand should be close by.
Will continued north for two more blocks before crossing to the west side of the street. By climbing onto one of the stone benches that were strung along the foot of the wall, he was able to grab onto the top of the wall and haul himself up and over it. He'd take out the two goons, then check the penthouse. Staying close to the wall, he doubled back to the south. When he was twenty feet from the entrance he'd noted earlier, he stopped and carefully surveyed his surroundings. The man he'd spotted hadn't moved, but there was still no sign of his associate. Perhaps he was on a coffee break. Or maybe he'd gone home. Will would just have to ask the one who was here.
Will crept forward until he was almost touching the man's back. After snaking an arm around hiss neck, Will pulled him backwards, behind the wall.
Freeing his gun, he pressed it to the man's temple. "Are you Davenport or Benson?"
"Huh?" the man squeaked out.
"Davenport or Benson?" Will repeated, tightening his choke hold.
"B-Benson."
"Where's Davenport?"
"C..c...car-" he screeched.
Sleeping in a parked car, Will decided. He nudged Benson forward until they were both standing in the entry way to the park. "Which car?"
"Don't move, Traveler." The speaker was somewhere behind Will and slightly to his left. "Don't force me to shoot you."
Will knew that voice. It was the tattoo artist, Ed Carter, the man who had directed him to Martin. Benson hadn't been saying car, he'd been trying to call for Carter. So the man went by two names, Carter and Davenport. Neither was probably his real one.
"Well, Ed," Will said, "who's running your shop?"
"That's not your worry. Drop the gun," Davenport said. "They prefer you alive, but they'll take you dead."
Will let go of his gun, but kept hold of Benson. "I'll kill him," he said.
"You'd be doing me a favor. I wouldn't have to share the reward. They're offering a lot of money for your hide."
Levering his hip down, Will whipped his body to the left, intending to fling Benson into Davenport, or at least get Benson's body between them. But he'd only begun the move when something hard cracked against his skull.
He felt his body crumpling as his vision blurred in and out. By the time the world came back into focus, he found himself locked in Benson's vise-like grip. He would have fought, but Davenport had a gun jammed in his stomach.
"You just bought yourself a free tattoo," Davenport growled. He moved back several steps, then pulled a commando knife from a sheath attached to his belt. With a gun in his right hand and the blade in the other, he advanced on Will.
xxx
Shoulder to shoulder, Jay and Tyler pushed the trash bin back into place while Gabe kept watch in the hallway. "I like your brother," Jay said.
"I knew you would."
"That should do it." Jay rolled his shoulders as he straightened up. He was going to be sore in the morning. "Let's get out of here."
"Here's your jacket." Tyler grabbed up his own jacket and the pack they'd left in the basement.
Gabe led them to the door to the underground garage. "Wait here until I bring the car around, then get in as quickly as possible. I'll fuss with the lights, so it looks like that's why I stopped."
"The boy's smart," Tyler said after Gabe left.
"I hope he's smart enough to stay out of our problems." Gabriel had pleaded with them, again and again, to let him help.
"I'm more worried that Dad might hurt him. Should I warn Gabe about him?"
"Your Dad's not in a position to hurt anyone right now," Jay said. "Gabriel will be fine." He didn't add that Carleton Fog wasn't likely to sacrifice both of his sons. He needed one of them to carry on the family business. Gabe was apparently his heir designate.
"Here's the car."
After the Mercedes eased to a stop, Gabe began to run the lights through their various settings, giving Jay and Tyler plenty of time to slip into the backseat and drop to the floor. "Where to?" Gabe asked as he put the car back in gear.
Jay thought a moment before answering. "South for a few blocks, then look for a quiet spot where you can drop us off."
"I thought he could take us to-"
"No," Jay cut in. Life on the run had taught him to be cautious. "The less he knows, the safer it is for him, and for us."
xxx
Keeping his eye on the knife, Will kicked his left foot backward into Benson's knee. Benson grunted , but there was no weakening of his hold as Davenport's knife sliced through the air. Will waited until the last second then jerked his head to the left. The knife whistled by almost close enough to give him a shave. He didn't think he'd be that lucky a second time.
Letting Benson take all of his weight, Will lifted both legs off the ground and kicked out at Davenport. But the large man danced back out of reach, while Benson reacted by slamming a knee into Will's lower back.
"Oooh, you almost got me," Davenport said with mocking derision. He transferred his gun to his left hand and the knife to his right. "Too bad Hometown didn't show me your picture before you stopped by my shop the other night. I could have done a fancy design there. Maybe spelled out rogue or traitor." He walked slowly forward. "It's best if you don't move. You wouldn't want this knife to do more damage than intended."
"I'll keep him still." Benson tightened his hold until Will thought his ribs were going to crack. "Your girlfriend was tougher than you are."
"Maya! What do you know about Maya?"
"He was there," Davenport answered, "with Martin. I'm sorry I missed-"
Suddenly, a shot rang out. Davenport yelped in pain and dropped to the ground. A second bullet kicked up dirt near where he landed, sending Davenport rolling to his right, as a voice called, "Traveler, get down."
Will lashed out with every body part that could move, but Benson was like a two-ton gorilla attached to him. As Will twisted left and right, intertwined hands dug into his already throbbing abdomen. Pain doesn't kill, Will reminded himself. Grimacing, he yanked his body to the left, putting more pressure on the bullet wound but also creating a space that allowed him to wiggle his right arm free. He reached up and back, found Benson's face, stretched his fingers higher and dug them into his opponent's eye.
xxx
Crouched low in the backseat, Tyler felt the car slow down, followed by a jostling, as it eased over what he knew to be the speed bump at the opening to the garage. As Gabe swung the car left onto Fifth Avenue, Tyler heard a loud crack, a sound that had become all too familiar during the past week: gunfire.
Worried about his brother, Tyler darted his head up as Gabe hit the brakes.
"There's something going on near the entrance to the park," Gabe called. "I'm turning around."
"Wait. No. Go forward," Tyler shouted. "It's Will." He sensed Jay popping up beside him, but kept his eyes trained on the tangled figures near the stone wall. Will was locked in the arms of a much larger man. Just to their left, another man was stretched on the ground, firing a gun into the park. As Tyler watched, the man with the gun hefted himself into a half crouch, darted into the dark shadows and disappeared.
Tyler jumped out of the car before it came to a full stop. He could sense that Jay was close behind him as he raced over to Will. Before they got there, Will flipped his assailant to the side. The man staggered before regaining his balance. His face was half covered with blood that was streaming from his right eye.
Oh my god, his eye! Lasagne erupted into Tyler's throat. The man's eye appeared to be loose in the socket. As Tyler directed his gaze downward, away from the gruesome image, he saw the man's hand dart into his jacket and pull out a gun.
"Will!" Tyler flung himself forward and tackled Will to the ground.
They'd barely hit the asphalt when Will's elbow shot back and slammed into Tyler's cheek. "Let go of me," he shouted. Reeling, Tyler just managed to hang onto the fabric of Will's sweatshirt. With bullets whistling through the air, he thought they were both exactly where they should be. As Will continued to try to twist out of Tyler's grip, Jay slid in beside them. He'd gotten a gun from somewhere and was firing it with grim determination. Abruptly, Will's attacker turned tail and ran. A moment later Will jerked free. But by the time he got to his feet, both Jay and Gabe were there, and they began to herd him toward the car.
"Don't be stupid," Tyler heard Jay say. "He's long gone."
Finding himself alone, Tyler leaned to the side and retched.
Tyler thought he heard more gunfire, from somewhere deep in the park, but he was too caught up in his own misery to be sure. Then hands gripped his right shoulder and arm, holding him steady until his stomach was empty. "Tyler," Jay said, gently tugging him to his feet, "we've got to get out of here." A second later Gabe was there as well, wiping Tyler's chin with a cloth and supporting him on the other side.
As he climbed into the car Tyler saw that Will was already inside, huddled in the far corner of the back seat. His eyes were closed, and his face was a ghastly white that Tyler had never seen outside of zombie movies. Will was clutching a gun in one hand; his other hand pressed the jacket Gabe had been wearing to the side of his head. The edge of the balled jacket was crimson with blood.
As Jay scooted in after him, Tyler asked, "Will, what's going on? Why are you here?"
Will's only reply was a curt "You let him get away."
Tyler resisted an urge to grab Will's shoulders and shake sense into him. "Since he was shooting at us, that would seem to be a good thing."
Returning to the driver's seat, Gabe asked, "Is there any reason for us to stick around?"
"No," Jay and Tyler said in unison.
"Good, because I've had enough of war zones."
Will's eyes cracked open. "What does he know?"
"He happens to be my brother, and he doesn't know much, just that we're in trouble and I don't want him to get involved. Rather than refer to him in the third person–which was always considered to be rude in my circle-let me introduce you. Will, meet my kid brother Gabriel." Rubbing his hand over his sore cheek, he looked at Will with exasperation before continuing, "Gabe, this is my friend Will."
Jay leaned forward and twisted around so he was facing both Tyler and Will. "We told Gabe to drop us in a quiet neighborhood. He doesn't know anything except for Kim. He's going to hire a lawyer to represent her."
"That's not necessary," Will said. "Kim's fine; she doesn't need a lawyer. I'll tell you about it later." His eyes shuttered closed again and he slumped even lower in the seat.""Wake me when it's time to get out." And just like that, he fell asleep.
xxx
Standing on the sidewalk outside his daughter's dorm, Chambers ran a weary hand through his hair. The car he'd called for should have arrived by now, but he wasn't sorry it was late. The cool air was refreshing after the heated scene in Jessie's room.
Amy's insightful assessment had reminded Jessica that his job put him in contact with dangerous individuals. As expected, Jessie wasn't worried about herself, but she'd been frantic with worry over him, barraging him with questions in the manner of a Spanish inquisitor and not letting up until he'd answered all of them. He'd told the truth as much as possible and lied the rest of time. He'd admitted that the wallet had been used to threaten him, but hadn't told her that he'd been taken prisoner and locked in his own trunk. Nor had he shared his fear that Traveler had kidnaped her. He hadn't mentioned Will Traveler at all, or Kim Doherty, or even the Drexler, referencing national security issues as the reason he couldn't share any details.
He'd have to be careful to remember what he'd told her, so he wouldn't contradict his story at some future time. He didn't want to tarnish Jessie's image of him; she saw him as a knight in shining armor, righting wrongs and protecting the innocent. He liked to think that was what he did, but he knew that his methods wouldn't always pass the test of chivalry.
This late at night traffic was light, so when he spotted a dark car headed his way he stepped closer to the curb. The car pulled up next to him and Ron Farrell popped out of the driver's seat.
"You brought me a new phone?"
Farrell pulled one from his pocket and handed it over. "I had to fill out half a dozen forms before they'd give it to me. That's why I'm late. There are additional papers that you'll need to sign back at the office."
"I'll take care of it." Chambers opened the door to the rear seat. "I'll ride back here. Close the partition when you get in."
With the plexiglass partition assuring his privacy, Chambers placed a call to Whaley. He wanted Traveler more badly than ever, and Whaley was his best chance to find him.
Whaley had barely answered before he began his own tale of woe. "Traveler turned up outside the Fog place. Benson and Davenport had him, but someone showed up and began to shoot at them. Not only did they lose Traveler, they barely managed to escape. Davenport was grazed by a bullet, while Traveler did some serious damage to Benson's eye."
"Where were you while that was going down?"
"I was checking out the area around Canal. I called and told you I was going there. Remember?"
"You didn't tell me! I had my own run in with Traveler. He has my phone."
There was a brief silence, then, "That's how he knew about Benson and Davenport. I mentioned that I was leaving them to watch the penthouse."
"This is getting better and better. Why don't we run all of our plans by Traveler. Maybe he can tell us how we can catch him." Chambers clenched his free hand into a fist. "I have to go back to the office, but I want you and Davenport cruising the East Side. Now!"
xxx
With the plush interior of the Mercedes pampering his sore back, Jay let himself relax while Tyler used a mix of hand signals and whispers to tell Gabriel where to go. After directing him onto a side street lined with apartment buildings that had been refurbished and turned into luxury condominium complexes, Tyler gestured for him to pull into the no parking zone that abutted an intersection. Still using his hands to communicate, Tyler pointed to Will, put his fingers to his lips, and waved them out of the car. Instinctively, they all gravitated to the shadows along the side of a building.
Wind was whipping in from the East River, making the night seem even colder than it was. Dressed in only a short-sleeved shirt, Gabriel stomped his feet up and down to keep warm. "I found this as I was getting out." He passed a bottle of water to his brother. "A guy the size of your friend can't normally fling a two-hundred pound bruiser around. Where did Will pick up that trick?"
Tyler rinsed out his mouth before answering. "He's had training. It's not safe for you to know more. You've already put yourself at risk. If the men in the park saw you..."
"I don't think they did," Jay said. "The one never looked our way. The other man took off before Gabriel was anywhere near us. What worries me is what we didn't see. Who chased that first guy off? Someone was shooting at him when we got there."
Tyler shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe Will knows. We better wake him." He returned to the Mercedes, reached in, and shook Will's shoulder. "We're here."
Will climbed out of the car like someone stuck in low gear. Jay watched him as he touched his hand to the area behind his right ear, then pulled it back and studied his stained fingers.
"I think it stopped bleeding," Gabe said. "Do you want me to check?"
"No, it's fine. We have to get moving. They're going to be looking for us."
"What about Gabe?" Tyler asked. "Is it safe for him to go back to the penthouse? Those people in the park, who were they?"
"Not the FBI," Will said. "You shouldn't have gotten your brother involved." He turned to face Gabriel. "You'll need to hire more security. Don't go anywhere alone."
Gabe bristled slightly. "I can take care of myself."
"Military prep school, West Point, ranger training, Iraq." Will ticked off the items as easily as if he was reading from a printed resume. "You think you're ready for anything." On the last word, he swept out his right leg, curled it around Gabriel's left and shifted it so that Gabe had to lurch to keep his balance. "You're not."
"That's not fair. I wasn't expecting an attack."
"The people I'm talking about don't give warnings, either. They could be any man or woman you might walk past going in or out of the hospital."
Tyler reached out and touched Gabe's arm. "Do what he says, please, for me."
"Okay, okay." Gabriel enveloped Tyler in a hug. "Call me," he said. "If you need anything, please call me."
Tyler's reply was judicious. "I know I can count on you." He stood with his hand in the air as Gabriel drove away.
"Let's go," Will said. He marched off toward the corner. Tyler called him back.
"The hotel is this way," he said, pointing in the opposite direction. There was no rancor in his voice, just a sense of weary resignation, as he continued, "You know, Will, you can be real jerk. You didn't have to humiliate Gabe. He was in Iraq, battling insurgents, while you were involved in your espionage gig that pitted you against the likes of Jay and me."
"It was the quickest way to make a point."
It wasn't an apology, but at least Will had explained why he'd tripped Gabriel. Jay hoped it was something they could build on. They had to stop fighting, had to start to work together. With that in mind Jay was careful to keep impatience out of his voice as he said, "You were going to tell me about Kim."
"Kim, yes," Will said in a surprised tone that suggested he'd forgotten about her. "I told her you'd call." He reached into his pocket for a phone.
Jay had taken two years of Russian at UCLA, so he immediately recognized the language when Will began to speak. But the words spilled out too quickly for him to translate. After three exchanges with the person on the other end, Will handed the phone to Jay. "It will take a few minutes to get the phone to her."
xxx
Kim sat in the room's only chair–a narrow, padded rocker–and studied the array of food on the small, folding table that had been delivered at the same time as the meal. There was a reddish soup that she thought, at first, was borscht, the famous Russian beet soup. But a quick taste told her it was cabbage in a tomato based broth that was both sweet and sour. There was also a souffle that appeared to be lighter and fluffier than the one her mother made, and a hunk of dark bread.
As wonderful as everything looked and smelled, Kim couldn't summon any desire to eat. But not wanting to offend her hosts, who were doing their best to make her comfortable, she knew she had to try. She started with small sips of soup.
The level of soup hadn't appeared to drop when there was a short knock on her door. "Come in," she called.
A man entered, and handed her a portable phone. "For you," he said in a heavily accented voice.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Kim was bursting with anticipation as she put the phone to her ear and pressed talk. "Hello."
"Kim." The single word conveyed all the relief and love that Kim herself was feeling.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
"Now that I've heard your voice, yes. Where are you?"
"Will didn't tell you? I'm at the Russian consulate. He brought me here. He said I'd be safe; he said they owed him a favor. Can we trust him?"
"Yes. I think so."
"Did he explain anything about the Drexler or those passports?"
"Not much. I miss you."
"And I miss you." Kim pressed her lips to the phone. "I hope we won't be apart for long."
"Same here. What about your family? Do they know where you are?"
"Tell her to write them a note to let them know she's okay," Will said loud enough that Kim heard him. "No one can touch her there, but it's best if no one knows where she is."
"Did you hear that?" Jay asked.
"Yes."
"Will's signaling that I need to go. I'll be in touch when I can."
"I love you," Kim said.
"Me, too."
Kim clutched the phone to her chest before setting it aside. Talking with Jay was the emotional equivalent of a hot air balloon ride. She felt as high as the clouds and lighter than air. When she resumed eating, she found her appetite had returned. The soup couldn't have tasted better if it had been lobster bisque.
xxx
"Kim is at the Russian consulate," Will said in response to the questioning look on Tyler's face. "I worked with them during one of my Hometown assignments. She's safe there, but we should keep contact to a minimum. Jay?"
"I don't suppose I have a choice," Jay answered. "Where did you find her? At her parents' home?"
"No, the FBI was holding her," Will said, though he now believed that Hometown was the culprit. But the FBI was the simplest answer, and the one least likely to prompt more questions.
"And the incident at the park?" Tyler asked.
"I was looking for you and ran into men who were looking for us. Thanks for leaving a note." Even under the dim street lighting, Will could see that Jay's cheeks were coloring in response to his barb.
"Sorry about that," Jay said. "We were in a hurry."
"And it's not as if you weren't gone longer than we expected," Tyler added.
"I didn't want to call until I had Kim in a safe place. I didn't want you to worry."
"That was wrong," Jay said. "We're in this together. We need to be open and truthful, even when the truth might be upsetting."
"I'll work on it," Will said, another lie, but one that would hopefully end the conversation. Even the slightest whisper sent a high, mad whine pulsing through his head, the result of the collision between his skull and Davenport's gun.
Gun... The word connected to something that had been nagging at him, something to do with the fight in the park. It frustrated him that he could feel a glimmer of knowledge swimming on the edge of his awareness, but he couldn't pull it in. The more he tried to concentrate, the further away it drifted.
"We're here," Jay announced. "But, Will, there's blood on the back of your head and down your neck. I don't think you want anyone to see that."
"We'll go in the back."
"We are at the back." Tyler's voice had a worried edge to it. "That doesn't mean we won't run into someone who might find your appearance a bit ghoulish." He took hold of Will's chin, tilted it up, displayed his right hand and asked, "How many fingers?"
"Three." Will backpedaled away from Tyler's touch. "My mind was elsewhere. Jay, you're wearing a hoody. We'll switch." He sensed it was important to reassure them that he wasn't concussed, so he summoned a grin and a wink. "I promise that this Mets sweatshirt won't scar you for life, though it might sting a bit on contact."
"There are sacred topics that one shouldn't joke about," Tyler declared, "especially not today. I saw on the internet that the Cubs actually won one."
Shrugging out of his hoody, Jay asked, "Who'd they play?"
"Pittsburgh."
"Pittsburgh! I don't know if that counts as a win. The Yale women's softball team is better than the Pirates. Remember, last spring..."
Their voices faded away as Will trailed after them through the hotel's service area and up the stairs to their floor. By the time they reached the room, all of his systems were flashing red warning lights. He tumbled onto the sofa and fell asleep.
xxx
Jon Anselmo removed the high-quality earphones he'd been wearing and set them aside. He'd been eavesdropping since he'd returned to his room. He'd heard the shower, the briefest murmur of voices, then quiet. It was enough to tell him that Traveler and his friends had bedded down for the night. He planned to do the same himself very soon. But first he needed to make a phone call to the very rich Colorado real estate magnate who had hired him.
"Conrad," he said, remembering, for a change, to follow the man's wishes to use his first name instead of the sir that came more naturally to his lips.
"Jon. I wasn't expecting to hear from you this evening. I take it something has happened."
"Traveler went hunting and almost ended up the prey. I had to intervene."
"Was Traveler hurt?"
It wasn't the first question Jon had expected to hear, and he filed that away for future consideration. "A blow to the head, but it didn't seem to be serious. He was on his feet and gouging the hell out of someone while I chased off a second man."
"And the second man?"
"He got away. Once I was sure I had him on the run, I thought it more important to get back to Traveler in case he needed help, but he was gone by the time I returned. Burchell and Fog had shown up, along with Fog's brother; they had Carlton's Mercedes."
"You did exactly the right thing. We need Traveler alive."
"Yes, sir, you've mentioned that. He'll have recognized my voice and know that I helped him. Maybe that will make him more amenable to an alliance. I might try to approach him, if I can do it in a way that won't alert him to the tracer."
"What about tonight?" Conrad asked.
"It shouldn't have raised any suspicion. He didn't have my gun; that's not how I knew where they were. I overheard Burchell and Fog plan a trip to the penthouse. I was feeling a little restless, so I took a walk that way myself. Traveler will probably assume I was staking out the Fog place. It would be a plausible move for someone trying to find him."
"Good. Is there anything else,?"
"Maybe one thing. Traveler got in trouble because he didn't account for the second man. I don't expect him to be sloppy or careless. Maybe I'll overhear something tomorrow to explain his lapse."
There was a long pause before Conrad said, "All right. But Jon, I want you to call me immediately if you get that information. If you can't reach me at this number, call my cell."
"Yes, sir. Good night, sir."
Anselmo closed his phone and leaned back in the bed. Had he detected something personal in Conrad's obsession with Traveler? He'd wondered about that before, and his instincts were usually correct. Was Conrad involved in a vendetta? Was he so determined to capture him alive to exact private revenge for some wrong? If that was the case, it was something Anselmo could understand. He'd gone to work for Conrad for the very same reason. It gave him his best chance to pay back those who were responsible for the deaths of five of his Black Ops team in Pakistan.
Maybe he and Conrad were more alike than he realized. Anselmo allowed that thought to simmer as he turned out the light and slipped under the covers.
end of Episode 3