Jackknife 25
Chapter 25 Restart
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Ken, Bill and Cray finished their meals quickly and quietly. Ken was thinking of long strategies, Cray was thinking short term tactics, and what Bill was thinking was a mystery. He was on the job., that was enough to keep him occupied.
As soon as they got up they would head for the vehicles and be back in formation. Cray knew that left him in a weak position. He felt it was his last shot to make a move.
“So, are we going to brief now or do it on the way?”
“No need for a briefing. Just follow the directions given on the way and this will be all wrapped up soon.”
Ken was wearing his plastic wolf grin, like he did when they first met. It was a little unnerving for Cray. But he charged ahead.
“And what if we get separated again? Or the Toyotas come back? I think I’ve earned the privilege of knowing a little more than a starting driver.”
“We still have a full security detail, and we’re closing in on the client’s west coast headquarters. There will be many resources close at hand. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Have you heard from your directors? I’ll want confirmation from the top that I’m getting paid in full. No more messing around with relays through the headquarters’s bureaucracy.”
“The directors’ communications are confidential. And you can trust headquarters to do their job. What are you really worried about Cray?”
“Seeing the job through to the end.”
“Then let’s get to it.”
They went to the parking lot together. Ken had obviously moved the sedan closer to Rhea. Another hint they were sticking to Cray like glue.
Cray started his walk down. Ken laughed in exasperation, rubbed his forehead with one hand and called out to Cray.
“No need for that, the Loading crew did it already.”
“Can’t be too careful.”
Cray pulled out his inspection mirror for this walk down. He wasn’t checking the usual things, but looking for tracking devices or bombs in places a lone actor could attach quickly without being noticed. He found nothing.
Coming up empty handed didn’t relieve Cray at all. There were many ways Rhea could be sabotaged. He could only check so much and he couldn’t stall any longer. It was time to drive.
They departed in order, Cray first, Ken and Bill on his tail, and headed for the on ramp. The Bitterroot Range lay straight ahead, steep slopes and winding curves on the snow covered interstate. This is where Cray should feel the most concern, but in the fully operational She Beast, it was an easy ride taken slow and careful.
Even with the late start there was no appreciable traffic and they would pass through the hills around Coeur d’Alene on the way to Spokane and the Columbia basin in a few hours. The slow points would be Spokane and the last mountain pass at Snoqualmie, the least demanding of the mountainous areas on the trip.
It was a shame to miss all the distinctly varied scenery, but the three were being passed on the job. Cray watched his escort through the rear view camera, zooming in so close he could almost lip read what they were saying. And it seemed like a lot, especially for Bill. He looked angry and gestured like he was berating Ken for something. Ken definitely looked like he was receiving a chewing out.
When it looked like the the dispute had calmed down, he placed a call. Ken answered at always.
“Escort One, go ahead.”
“Are we stopping on the way or just blasting through?”
Cray watched Ken defer to Bill and Bill motion blasting through.
“We are going to make it a one shot. Get it done and go home early.”
“Roger that.”
The last leg trip continued in radio silence. From what Cray could gather from the camera, it was quiet in his escorts’ car too. He talked more to Rhea than those two did to each other.
It was easy to imagine scenarios where animosities could develop. Cray suspected Bill, with lots of seniority, got passed over for a promotion and receives a new partner instead. His new partner is chock full of corporate charisma, smooth talking skills and looks good in a suit. Probably everything Bill doesn’t have and hates to the marrow. It would make things worse if said partner, Ken, comes off as shallow and arrogant, doesn’t appeal to people outside the corporate halls but is still competent, maybe even talented, at the job.
The whole thing sounded so much like a daytime drama Cray couldn’t continue. He was attracted to driving because it limited time with other people to very short and specific circumstances.
He wondered what it was going to be like going back to Daryl’s Delivery Service after this job was done. He could live with the monotony of no one trying to kill him by shooting him or running him down with vehicles, but going back to short and medium range deliveries didn’t hold much appeal.
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