Duskwood: Unrecognisable

Part 15

"What? Now!?" my sleep was interrupted by Jake. He was trying to speak in a hushed voice on the phone as to not wake me, but he couldn't hold back on his distress any longer. "Yeah, I know the situation is shit, but no, you don't get paid until after we collect. That's the deal. That's always been the deal," he stressed. "Central fucking station? Could you have chosen a more exposed location? If I had wanted convenience, I would've told you to fucking deliver it to me directly. No, leave it. I'll get it, but if anything goes wrong, you're not getting another fucking cent from me. If you even think about crossing us, I will rip your system apart and leave you to the vultures." Jake tossed his phone on the table angrily.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes groggily, "Jake? What's wrong?"

"Sorry, to have woken you, but we need to leave now. That asshole has already made the drop without telling me," he shook his head, then slammed his hands on the table. "We need to get it before some idiot finds it first."

"So we get it and come back?" I questioned.

"Given that he's chosen the worst possible location for a drop, I doubt we'll be able to get out without notice. I expect we will have to make an immediate run for the border," he explained as he closed up his laptop. "We leave in 10. Pack everything. We won't be back."

Hastily, I climbed out of bed and started to get changed into my clothes when I noticed my new phone on the bedside table. I picked it up on turned it on. Jake had given it my old lock screen. Curiously, I entered my PIN and sure enough the phone unlocked. I smiled, but immediately locked it again and shoved it into my back pocket. Now was not the time to be playing with it.

I finished getting dressed and saw Jake's hoodie that I slept in on the bed. Rather than wearing my jacket, I decided to wear it instead. As soon as I pulled it over my head, I noticed Jake staring at me.

"Oh, did you mind?" I questioned.

"No, not at all," he shook his head. "It looks good on you."

I blushed as he went back to packing up his things. I grabbed my jacket and the extra clothing and shoved them into Jake's clothes bag. It was quite full, but I managed to get it to fit.

"Hey, eat this," Jake said as he pulled out the containers from the fridge. "It's cold, but I don't know when we'll be able to eat food again."

Jake scooped up some of the leftovers with a clean spoon and then practically shoved it into my mouth before I could react. I nodded and he slipped the spoon out of my mouth and began shovelling the food into his mouth. He glanced at me and gestured questioningly to see if I wanted more. I opened my mouth and he fed me the next spoonful. He continued to alternate between the two of us until the container was empty. Then we each finished getting ready.

"All right, are you ready?" Jake asked as he slung the backpack containing his laptop over his shoulders.

I nodded as I lifted the clothes bag and my handbag, "Yup, let's go."

"Ok, it's early, no one will likely see us exiting. I will drop the key into the drop box at the front. I normally try to avoid walking the streets during daylight, but as it is unavoidable, please keep your hood up and your head down. Don't look at any cameras. If you can see a camera lens, then they can see you. I will walk in front, try to stay 10 meters behind - no more, no less. And walk where I walk. If I jump any barricades, you are to jump the same barricades," he explained as he pulled his hood up.

"Wait, why 10 meters?" I frowned.

"If we travel too close together, people are more likely to notice us," he answered.

"You've done this before. With someone else I mean," I pointed out.

"Yeah, a long time ago. A story for another time, maybe," he glanced away. "We'll ride the express to Central, collect the documents, then get on the train for the border."