“You got a plan for when we get there?” asks Josh.
“Not really,” I say. “Figured I’ll try to stop the kids from getting blown up. That’s about as far as I got.”
“A good a place as any to start.”
I look out the window as Josh threads through the traffic as fast as he can. Wallis and Johnson are just ahead of us. The same SWAT team that apprehended me earlier will be on site by the time we get there. I imagine Agent Chambers is en route behind us as well.
I sit back and close my eyes, trying to push everything else aside in my mind, so I can focus on what I’m walking into.
Who the hell is The Shark? And what have I done to piss them off so much?
6
Josh is a pretty good driver and seems to know exactly where he’s going despite, as far as I’m aware, having never been to San Francisco before. He’s very reliable and frighteningly resourceful, which is why he’s been by my side in some capacity for over half my life.
We turned right on Fell Street after leaving the Field Office and followed it until we merged on JFK Drive. We’ve been lucky so far that we’ve not hit any major traffic. We follow the road round and turn onto Kazar Drive. I look out the window and watch the skyline of the city flash past me. Under any other circumstances, I’d probably enjoy seeing more of the place, but right now, there’s no time for sight-seeing.
“It’s good to see you, Josh,” I say, looking over at him as he drives.
And it really is. I’ve seen him twice in the last twelve months. I speak to him probably fifteen times a day, but when you’re out and about in the world on your own, the solitude does get you down from time to time. I’ve always enjoyed the lifestyle of moving around from place to place, remaining anonymous and seeing the world. But every once in a while, it’s nice to have some company.
He smiles as he focuses on navigating the slow but steadily moving traffic.
“You too, man,” he says. “Shame it’s under these circumstances though. Can you please just have a normal contract for once?”
“Hey, you’re the one who finds me these jobs, remember?”
“Don’t start blaming the logistics — things only ever seem to turn to shit when you arrive in town. I’m just saying…”
“It’s not my fault bad people tend not to wanna roll over and die willingly with no fuss!”
We both laugh. That’s another reason we work so well together. We understand that, regardless of how enormous the task at hand is, it’s always best to approach it instinctively. Don’t think about it — do it. It’s too easy to over-think things, which inevitably leads to indecisiveness and hesitation. And those things can cost you your life. To an outsider, it might look like I don’t care, or that I’m not taking things seriously. But in reality, I’m simply keeping detached so I can rely on my instincts.
Believe me; I’m taking the current predicament very seriously indeed.
“I don’t think this is Clara,” says Josh. “The voice is too masculine, even through the distortion. And from what we know of her, this isn’t her style. She wouldn’t have the patience or subtly to pull something like this off.”
“No, I know. I think that was wishful thinking on my part,” I say, regretfully. “But it’s definitely someone who knows the truth about what happened in Heaven’s Valley.”
“I think most people know what happened though. You almost created a second Grand Canyon in the middle of the desert…”
“Very true. But if you’re right about the Pellaggio reference, this has gotta be someone who knows I was responsible for wiping out his organization, which was a separate thing entirely. Even the news reports at the time said it was likely a gang-related hit carried about by a large group of people.”
“GlobaTech?” he offers.
“They certainly have the resources. But what’s their angle? We’re on pretty good terms with them last I checked.”
“Maybe they’re pissed that you blew that military compound into a billion pieces?”
“I think they would have conveyed their displeasure before now. This sounds too… I dunno, too personal.”
We fall silent again and I re-focus on the immediate issue. I’m not sure what to expect when we get to this Academy, and I must admit I’m feeling a little out of my depth. I try to picture how it would go down. I imagine the bus will be parked up in an inconspicuous way. Will The Shark be there? My instinct says he won’t be, but he’ll be watching from a safe distance. From speaking with him earlier, he seems to have a good idea of where the FBI are up to with the investigation, which immediately says to me that he can either see them himself, or he has an inside man. Neither possibility bares thinking about.
Assuming he won’t be on site, how is he keeping the kids on the bus? They must know they’re in danger, surely? I figure it won’t be much fun for him if he can’t see people afraid.
I have no idea how to actually stop this asshole, either. I still haven’t worked out why he’s doing all this just to get to me.
I hate not knowing everything…
“Trying to figure it all out?” asks Josh, breaking my train of thought as well as the silence.
“Just trying to prepare for what we’re walking into here, yeah.”
“I don’t think anything can help with that. This is painfully new territory for the both of us.”
I look ahead and can see Wallis and Johnson a few cars in front of us. I wonder how far behind us Agent Chambers is…
Grace Chambers.
I like her. She definitely doesn’t take any crap from anyone, and is undeniably in charge. But she has a kindness about her at the same time.
We turn right on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. I check the clock again. We’ve got just under ten minutes before the deadline is up, but we’re almost there now. After another quarter-mile, we turn right on Music Concourse Drive and follow the road as it doglegs to the right, bringing us to the main entrance of the California Academy of Sciences. The building is one of the largest natural history museums in the world and looks impressive as we approach.
I sigh heavily as I look around. Why am I even here? Things like this are the FBI’s show for God’s sake, what use am I going to be? I've just pretty much admitted to a room full of agents that I’m the assassin they all think I am… what’s to stop them arresting me the moment all this is over?
Assuming I don’t get blown up or shot first.
Shit.
“We’re here,” says Josh, pulling up on the side of the road opposite the main entrance. The scene is complete and total chaos, and despite my efforts on the way here, I now realize nothing could’ve prepared me for what I’m about to walk into.
The local SWAT team must’ve been here for at least fifteen minutes or so, given how organized they are. There’s a yellow school bus parked at an impromptu angle in the middle of the road, on the crossing right outside the main doors to the Academy. The area around the bus is cordoned off in roughly a hundred meter radius. All around, police, SWAT guys, reporters and onlookers are standing and staring at it with a mixture of shock and uncertainty and regret. A chopper’s hovering overhead. I can’t see any markings, but it’s more likely to be the police than the media.
As we get out of the Winnebago and walk toward the scene, I’m able to catch a glimpse inside the bus. It’s full of schoolchildren, just like The Shark told us. They look terrified. I can see them crying and screaming, although I can’t hear them from where we’re standing.
So they are fully aware of the danger…
Agents Wallis and Johnson have parked across the road and are talking to someone who looks in charge at the scene. Johnson looks over and sees us approaching. He taps Wallis on his arm and they both walk over to us.