Ethan Justice: Origins

13: Saturday 24th September, 23:00

I SEE THE agents edging towards the girl from either side. She is half my age. Their backs are to the wall as they casually creep ever closer. To a casual onlooker they are stationary. All this time they've been following a girl hardly out of school? Wilson moves with the ease of a much lighter man. Perhaps I underestimated him. The girl is a real looker. Her dark brown hair shines and follows her gaze as she twists her head from side to side. If I didn't have Sasha, I might be interested. The two giants of men are only feet away and still she is clueless. Why do I itch to call out to her? Instead I take a few pictures with my mobile phone.

Johnson is on the girl, pulling her away from the wall. He is strong, very strong. Wilson's hand clasps around her mouth from behind with a cloth and she is out. They keep her upright from either side as they walk her back towards the car park. Nobody notices that her head bobs like her neck is snapped.

I notice her coat and my heart hammers against my rib cage. The black coat is a man's and is far too big for her build. It could easily contain the briefcase beneath. Why else wear an oversized coat? And surely the agents would not risk an open manoeuvre unless the incentive was known. I am convinced. My time has come and I am prepared. I grab a Marlboro Red and suck on it greedily as I follow the agents. I take up position behind a station pillar. It gives me perfect sight and cover. I dip into my raincoat pocket and feel for the detonator. My hands are shaking.

*

With the briefcase returned to the left luggage office, John Smith ran the length of every platform, peering into train upon train. Breathing heavily, he headed to the car park. Where was she? He didn't think for a second that she'd had a change of heart. If she'd wanted to leave him with the money that she still held, then he'd already given her every opportunity. He wouldn't have blamed her and a part of him might have been relieved that she was safe from further harm. He surprised himself with the strength of feeling he was experiencing over her disappearance. After only one day - and a night - she had become the most important person in his life. He had to find her.

*

Savannah awoke to the pungent smell of leather. Her head pounded like a hangover sent from Hell. She opened her eyes to find herself in the back of an expensive-looking car. Without alerting her two captors in the front to her awakened state, she grabbed at the release handle to her right and kicked the door. It wouldn't budge an inch.

"Let me out of here!"

The aroma from the hide upholstery seeped into her nostrils causing her saliva glands to over produce, bringing on an acutely nauseous sensation. An overhead light lit up the dark interior of the car.

She imagined that John would not be too impressed at her discovery of the two men she had been told to look out for. The truth was that they had found her, although how two such large creatures, complete in navy blue coats, had surprised her was a mystery. Her back had been to the large glass window of the left luggage office and she hadn't dropped her guard for a second. An instant later, the two men were on her and a hand lined with a sweet-smelling cloth was forced against her mouth and nose. How long ago was that? John would be miffed. One simple job and she had blown it. She gave the door another kick.

"Don't kick the car," said Mr Tall, who sat in the driver's seat with his head facing forward. "It lacks the raw power of the old sixty-nine Boss Ford Mustang, but it has a refined quality that calms me."

"What are you talking about?" Savannah kicked the door again. "Let me out of here. I've done nothing wrong."

"The car is soundproofed and blacked out, Miss Jones. Nobody can hear or see you."

"This is kidnapping."

"Don't be frightened, Savannah. We need your help and in return I'm sure that we can help you," said Mr Short from the passenger seat. "If you'll allow us to talk I'm sure that we'll all be the best of friends."