80 miles outside Seattle, Washington
"Are you kidding me, Max? Alec continued, "You would have known if you were being tailed."
"You heard me Alec, I think I was being tailed. I was climbing onto the roof of the train, and I thought I saw this guy following me."
"Roof of a train? Yeah, that's a real low profile move, Max."
"Oh, shut up already. Didn't I start this conversation by saying I'd done something stupid? Are you going to help me or not?"
"Why are you asking me anyway?" Alec paused. "I get it. Communication with Sebastian might have been compromised, since that's probably how they started tailing you. And, you don't want to lead them back to Logan and Eva if they don't already know you're back in Seattle."
"That's just great," he continued, "Other brothers and sisters remember old song lyrics and cereal commercials from their childhood, and we have this."
"Alec, I need you to tell Logan and Eva to get to the safe house. Tell Logan about the Steelhead mission, okay? He'll know what to do. Give Sebastian a call too. I'll call you back in an hour."
Now, that she was back in Seattle, Max desperately wanted to see Logan and Eva. She hung up the payphone and walked quickly toward the cluster of stores around the corner. She had left the safe house that morning with the laptop and a few things stashed in her bag. Now, she trolled the store, picking up a wig, some sunglasses, and a change of clothes. Walking by the appliances section, she glanced up at the bank of televisions just as the familiar red, white and blue logo flashed on the screen.
"Police tonight are surveying a grisly scene. It appears that death may have finally caught up with the elusive Eyes Only."
The camera panned across a narrow alley. Someone had spray painted the red, white and blue stripes down the length of it. In the center, two eyes stared out. Except, where the other eye should have been, lay something else. At first glance, it looked strange. It didn't look like the outline of a body.
"So far, no one is claiming responsibility for the attack," the broadcaster's voice continued.
It was a wheelchair. The chair had been tipped on its side. A covered body lay sprawled next to it. Even from the vantage point of the camera's view, Max could see that the walls and the chair were riddled with bullet holes. The spreading pool of blood mingled with the wet paint around the body.
"If we are to believe this execution-style murder, it appears that Eyes Only, the controversial figure who crusaded against corruption and crime, may have been confined to a wheelchair. Based on the condition of the body, definitive identification of the man believed to be Eyes Only may have to wait for forensic examination.
Max's world closed in. All the sounds around her fell away, except her wildly beating heart. For a moment, all she could think was, "Logan hates that phrase 'confined to a wheelchair.'" Logan. That couldn't be Logan. He was too careful. He planned for every contingency.
Max wheeled around and headed out the door. Pulling out her cell phone, she started to dial Alec's number.
"But what about Eva?" she thought. She couldn't chance leading anyone back to Eva. Tossing the phone the trash, ran to find another pay phone.
Alec picked up on the first ring.
"I thought you were going to give me an hour," he began.
"Alec, turn on your T.V.," Max choked out.
Max heard the sound of Alec rummaging with around for the remote. Then, the T.V. came one. Alec was silent for a moment. Then, Max heard him breathe in sharply.
"Max," Alec said evenly, "I tried to call Logan at all his numbers. No one is answering. Eva isn't at the preschool either. Sebastian isn't answering either. Where are you Max? I'll come and get you."
"No. I'll meet you at Sebastian's," barked Max, "keep trying Logan."
Her instructions to Alec came out like orders. But even switching to combat mode didn't quell the panic that was rising in her chest.