But if he and the dog didn’t get off the train in time, it would carry them out of the station and outside into the night. Outside. Blood rushed in his ears, and he imagined his house, waiting far below with its porch light on. This seemed like his best chance of reaching it.
The clock in the middle of the concourse always ran a minute fast, and the train would leave a minute later than its scheduled time. This was standard Grand Central policy. Giving passengers that extra time relaxed them enough to make Grand Central Terminal the train station with the fewest slips and falls in the US, in spite of the smooth marble floors. Joe needed to build the time discrepancy into his schedule.
He waited the extra minute, pretending he was still surveying the vast room and the iconic ceiling. What could the guy possibly want with him? The box hadn’t contained plans for any extravagant Tesla device. While the doll had been fun to make and was fascinating to watch, it didn’t seem worth going to all this trouble for. But clearly someone else thought differently, which meant that he was missing something. After he got out of this situation, he’d have to give that more thought.
He glanced once more at the clock and said, “Heel.”
Edison stayed close to his heels as they went downstairs. The dog had understood his tone and was on guard. His yellow muzzle was raised, and his alert brown eyes roved over the people in the station. He was clearly trying to figure out who had Joe worried.
Joe tried to set himself a brisk pace, like a man who was late for a train, not like a man who was trying to outrun an assailant. He skirted the side of the room as he made his way toward Track 42 (green, blue). The man by the clock made no move to follow. He slouched against the information booth as if his train wasn’t leaving for a good long time.
Joe walked onto the platform, stepping into the heat and noise produced by a train getting ready to disembark on a hot summer evening. About forty people stood on the gray concrete, saying good-bye, getting in a last kiss, a last sip of coffee, before boarding. Nobody here seemed suspicious either.
He turned around, ready to return to the clock and go home. No need to go through with his plan. But his sigh of relief caught in his throat. The man in the jeans and the black T-shirt stood at the entrance to the platform, dark eyes scanning the crowd.
He’d followed Joe after all. That didn’t mean he had malicious intent. Lots of people waited by the clock for their trains. New York was full of dancers and martial artists and just plain graceful people who moved like this man did.
Recognizing his comforting patter as denial, Joe walked to the second to the last car and boarded at the last second. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the man jump on board a few cars behind. Joe held his breath as the doors closed, and the train pulled out.
He counted in his head as the train approached the signal. If it didn’t stop, like it usually did, he would pull the emergency brake lever. He wasn’t sure that would actually stop the train or if it would signal the driver to think about stopping the train, but it gave him something to focus on, a backup plan.
Fortunately, the train slowed where he expected it to. He counted to twenty in his head, each color flashing, then stepped to the door. He reached up and pulled open the silver hatch housing the emergency door controls. Hoping that it would actually work, he pulled the red handle down and tugged on the door handle. The door slid open halfway.
He pushed through sideways and jumped, bending his knees when he landed to take some of the impact. Hot pain shot up from his ankles, but nothing felt broken. Edison looked out at him through the half-open door as the train released its hydraulic brakes and got ready to move.
“Jump, boy!” What would he do if Edison stayed on the train? What if the guy took his dog? He should have made Edison jump out first. Joe pursed his lips together and let out a shrill whistle.
Edison jumped, landing next to him.
He pulled the dog behind the signaling tower and crouched as the train pulled away. If the man following him wasn’t looking directly at them, he’d never know they were here. Once he came up to Joe’s car, he’d know, but that would be too late.
After the train clattered away, he checked Edison’s paws and legs. The jump from the train hadn’t hurt the sturdy dog. They’d both come through it all right.
He struck out at a brisk jog. He could evade anybody down here. Nobody knew the tunnels better than he did. But he and Edison should get behind the security door as soon as they could.
His satchel banged against his hip as he ran, reminding him about the little automaton inside. This figure was the first part of the complex secret that his father had left for him. He had an idea, but he couldn’t put it into action until later that night.
Edison ran ahead of him, his bright yellow coat shining under the orange lights.
Later, the three of them were going on an adventure — Joe, Edison, and Tik-Tok.
Chapter 19
Ash was sitting in his limousine on the way to Rosa and Mariella’s apartment when he got a text: subject did not enter clock. took a train. bailed out in the tunnels.
He tightened his lips. Joe had known he was being followed, and he still had the automaton. Quantum had failed. Maybe he should see if Geezer might be more useful.
The bright lights of the city on the other side of his rain-streaked windows promised warmth and food and fun, but he chose to stay in the luxurious privacy of the car. He logged into the dark chat room where he sometimes met Geezer.
geezer: About time, ash.
He was taken aback. Geezer was usually tentative, wanting approval and recognition. He just wanted to run with the big dogs.
geezer: I know you’re here.
ash: hi
geezer: You sent that man to take the suitcase from Tesla, didn’t you?
How could Geezer know that? He must be tracking Tesla, too, but how would he make that connection?
Ash had been unable to track Tesla online, so he’d hacked his mother’s email. She’d sent her son a note saying she was running late, and he should order oysters without her. Ash guessed, correctly, that the most likely place for them to meet in Grand Central Terminal was the Oyster Bar.
Since it had two exits, he’d sent Quantum to wait by the clock on the theory that Joe would use that entrance to return home. But how could Geezer know any of that? Had he been in Grand Central and seen Quantum attack Joe?
ash:??
geezer: it’s mine. i found out about it. if you try to take it, i’ll go public, call you a thief. i want credit for this one little thing. you don’t need it. you have enough.
Ash stared at the screen for a second. How did Geezer know what he did and didn’t have? He wondered what Geezer meant by going public.
ash: don’t want ur plans dude relax
A lie, but Geezer couldn’t know that.
geezer: no such thing as coincidence
ash: paranoid much?
geezer: you’re not as young as you’re playing
Ash didn’t like the sound of that. Geezer seemed to know more than he should.
ash: whatever
geezer: let me keep what’s mine. AW AW AW
Ash left the chat room before Geezer had a chance to say anything else. Ash stared at his own initials on the screen: Alan Wright, AW. Geezer knew who he was. That could not stand.