When Dwight saw that Fletcher and Soren were waving to Norm, he and Jean drifted as far back into the dark of the gas station as they could while still being able to watch. Then the damn Uber drove up and after a short conversation, drove off. That meant he’d told Fletcher and Soren he was there for them and there went their ride. The two men whistled to Norm and he crossed the street to them. Dwight knew they had to move.

He led Jean to the back of the lot and followed a wall right to the street then went left. With luck the trio following them would stick to East Harmon Avenue while they headed north. He was surprised that Jean was able to keep up. Did that mean her back felt better?

No such luck. She asked to slow down, and he didn’t like the look of her. She was pale and sweating and gasping for breath with her hand trying to support her back. “Sure.” They made a couple of turns then she really had to rest and pull up the maps so they could figure out where to go. They hid in the shadow of a driveway gate while she did a search. She showed him the map. Basically, they had to go west, get to a street behind the Bally’s casino and get on the monorail. That seemed like a good plan to him and he said so.

He let her take the lead when they left the shelter of the gate. Dwight shook his head. She was just shuffling along, barely a fast walk. He felt horrible but there was nothing he could do. There was no traffic on this street which he was both grateful for and disappointed in. If a cab had happened by he could have flagged it down. There was more traffic when they hit Koval Lane. She had them cross at a break in traffic. He was hoping that would throw off Fletcher. They had to cross an empty field and he winced at every groan Jean made as she stumbled over stuff in the dark.

Finally, they hit the back street and could see the monorail station up ahead. He paid for the tickets, Jean moving very slowly up the stairs. There wasn’t a lot of luck with the train. It was going to take another five minutes for it to hit the station. He studied the map of the rail line and discussed where to get off with Jean. They really wanted to take this as far as it would go. With luck they could. He paced the platform. Maybe they should just have gone into Bally’s and caught a cab to the police station. Wouldn’t that make more sense? Or maybe that casino on Koval. It hadn’t been all that far away. He was looking down at the stairs when he jumped back. “Fletcher and Soren are downstairs.”

Dwight could see her eyes go wide. That was when the monorail rumbled into the station. They got on with everyone else on the platform. Jean moved to the center of the train and did her best to hide behind another couple as Fletcher and Soren came up the stairs and started looking into the car. He did his best to do the same at his end of the car. He hoped that splitting up would make them harder to spot. Soren saw him, just as the car doors closed and the train pulled out.

He went to Jean and sat down beside her. “I was spotted.”

She sighed.

They waited, and Dwight was encouraged when none of their pursuers were at the next station. He took the time to try and make up to Jean. It was much less about the money, now. It was more about how tough she was. Here she was, running for her life, injured. Not a single complaint. No whining. No misery. Just strong. He tried to tell her, but she still smarted from that jackass move he’d made when he’d left her. She was right, of course. Couldn’t he have been just a little kinder?

He was less than happy, though, when at the following station, Fletcher just missed catching the train. They had to make a plan. Now there would be someone at every station and there were only three left. He agreed with Jean. They were trapped. Brandon caught them at the convention center station. Dwight wanted to punch his smug face as they all rode to the Westgate station.

Could they get off without an incident? No way. When they exited, Brandon was on his side and then Damon was on Jean’s. Dwight looked around the concourse for an escape, but nothing was apparent. Then, most of the crowd dropped out to the casino and the bar, leaving them very exposed. Dwight moved closer to Jean, but he had no idea what he could do.

Brandon answered his question when he moved ahead then blocked their path. The jerk, Dwight thought. He never liked the guy back in Afghanistan anyway. Always a slimy vibe to him. But when they made them walk with them, that was the end. Damon had a gun in Jean’s side and if he could have, he’d have ripped Damon’s arm off and beaten him with it. The time to get outside seemed very short to Dwight and there, just feet away, Norm pulled up in a four-door sedan. All kinds of stupid moves went through his mind, but it was Jean who figured it out. Somehow, she’d gotten a drunk to fall into Damon and was breaking away. While Brandon was distracted, Dwight pulled away from him and ran to the nearest cab. He had to shove an older woman and her husband out of the way. That was about as rude as it gets but he had to move. Jean followed and was holding the door closed against the man and his wife while he told the driver to go.

It was a relief to pull away. Damon and Brandon ran after the car, thankfully not shooting. There was time to take a breath. He told the driver to go to the Main Street police station then settled back. They were safe.

They were on Main Street headed north and Dwight felt pretty good. In a few minutes they’d be at the cop shop and Jean could tell them everything. With luck that detective would be there too, helping them get through the red tape. That’s when they were hit from behind. His head whipped forward and the adrenaline which had been subsiding, shot through his system. He turned to look out of the rear window. Damon had a gun on the taxi driver. Time to go. He pulled Jean from the car and urged her to move.

They ran, then jogged as far as Jean could go. They rested in the dark behind some building. They’d gotten off of Main Street but Dwight was sure they weren’t safe. Jean checked the map and plotted a course for them. They had to cross a really busy street. Waiting at the light was terrifying. Brandon or Damon could show up any minute.

They were working their way west, avoiding a bus station when Brandon showed up. Dwight’s heart sank. Come on. Give us a break. He turned to face his pursuer.

Next Chapter: Chapter Twenty-One