"Art of Trouble" 9

Mac locked up his repair shop and headed to his car in the parking lot. Unknown to him, Ted and Brutus watched him with calculated interest from their vantage point across the street.

When Mac drove off the two men made their move and crossed the street with determined strides. They slunk around the repair shop building to the back of the store where there was a less visible entry door. Brutus made quick work of picking the lock and gaining entry and in seconds, he’d deactivated the alarm system too.

“You go that way and I’ll go this way. We’ll see if that motorcycle is here or not,” Ted commanded Brutus before walking away.

Ten minutes later, Ted found the motorcycle he’d sabotaged under a large cloth and knew the mechanic had meant to hide it. The break lines had been repaired and from what he could see, the motorcycle was good to ride. So why hadn’t it been picked up? Something didn’t add up.

The scenarios that ran through Ted's head as possible reasons the bike had been left here weren't to his liking. If those two had found another way to continue their journey, they could have left hours ago, and he couldn’t do anything about it if they had

“Brutus, we need to leave. Now!” he yelled. A muffled sound answered but Ted couldn’t make out any words. “Where are you?” he yelled and another garbled response had him shaking his head as he headed in the direction the mumbled words had come from.

Ted found Brutus sitting at a small table in a makeshift kitchen stuffing his face with a bagel, one he’d apparently toasted and buttered too.

“Are you kidding me? Did you even look for the motorbike?” Ted asked with an annoyed glare.

Brutus swallowed and nodded his head. “Sure I did. But it wasn’t in here. Then I saw that ‘fridge over there and thought why not check it out, see if there's anything edible in it...I was hungry.”

Ted had to admit the bagel looked delicious and he was hungry too. “Any more of those?” 

Brutus grinned. “Yeah, there’s a whole pack of ‘em in there,” nodding to the small refrigerator under the counter he added, “And you’ve got a choice of cream cheese or butter.”

Ted helped himself to a bagel and the tub of cream cheese deciding they’d both be better prepared to form a new plan on a full stomach.

**

Jade and Thomas had completed their backtrack quest and rode their bicycles into the train station’s parking lot.

“I can’t believe we made it and I can’t wait to get off this bicycle,” Jade grimaced, the numbness in her legs made her unsure if she’d be able to walk.

“But we did make it and, once we're on the train, you’ll have time to put your feet up and rest,”

"That sounds like Heaven," she sighed.

Thomas smiled, “Have I told you what a great idea you had, to back track, to the last town.”

“Yes, but you can always thank me again,’ she teased with an impish grin as she got off the bike and put down the kickstand. Her legs were a little wobbly.

“Thank you again,” Thomas obliged, with sincerity, “Now, all we need to do is get the train tickets and get out of here.”

“Way ahead of you,” she nodded already walking towards the station.

Thomas martched her determined stride and caught up to her, falling  into her pace as he thought about the next part of their journey. He had liked Jade’s idea and thought doing the unexpected again might work for the next part of their journey too. 

 

Inside the station, Thomas purchased two tickets to the stop before Quebec City.

“I thought we were going to Quebec City?” Jade whispered, eyeing him with surprise as he pocketed the tickets.

Thomas ignored her question for the moment, looking up at the large clock on the station wall he knew they had to hurry to make the train.

“We’ve got five minutes to board the train. We better pick up the speed.” He grabbed her arm and they began walking fast towards the track number the ticket agent had advised them.

Jade had to double step to keep up with him and, after pedaling all those miles, she was wincing with leg cramps and winded by the time they boarded the train, making on a mere five seconds before the conductor closed the doors.

“We made it,” she said gulping in air, “Now can you tell me why we aren’t going to Quebec City? Did the buyer change the meeting place again?”

“We are going to Quebec City, the meeting hasn’t changed but I decided we should stick with your element of surprise.”

“My element of surprise?”

“Yes, we're getting off at the station before and taking a cab to the meeting place to alter our route and hopefully keep those men from tracking us.

“Interesting…it could work, unless they have lookouts waiting at every station,” she couldn’t help adding the pessimistic twist and watched his eyes narrow with concern. She hated bursting his optimistic bubble but she couldn’t rule out Trouble’s knack for interfering in even the best laid plan.

Thomas mulled over the idea of more men on their trail; it wasn’t farfetched. “I’m afraid you're right, Jade. It’s possible when we get to that station, we might have to-

“No, I’m not jumping off another train,” she said with an adamant shake of her head and crossed her arms taking a defiant stance .

Thomas chuckled, “I was going to say we might need to sneak off the station when we get there, but jumping might-”

“I’m not kidding Thomas. Not. Ever. Again.” Her eyes were glittered with stubborness.

“I understand." And he did, but in truth he wasn’t ruling anything out. He was however, hoping they wouldn’t have to make that train jumping decision. “But we don’t know what we’ll find when we get there. For now, we keep our options open and hope our plan is flawless.”

“Ah hope…you know I think I had that once, a very, long time ago,” she said with a deep sigh. Thomas shook his head at her pessimism. She gave him a wistful smile. “I’m sorry Thomas, but my reality dictates we stay primed for failure.”

Thomas didn’t like her reality. He’d love to change the lens she viewed her life through but that was a plan for after he’d completed this job. 

He tucked her arm through his and walked her through the train car. “Come on, let’s see if we can find seats with some privacy and study the paintings I sent to your superior pixilated phone.”

“Now that sounds like a flawless plan,” she teased him.

 

The train wasn’t crowded but Thomas and Jade found a private booth in the bar car. There was only one other couple at a table sharing drinks so they took a booth far enough away from them not to be overheard.

“They serve a light menu too; I can get us something to eat. What would you like?” Thomas asked. Jade pulled the menu from a small holder on the table and looked it over. She decided on a cheeseburger and a beer. 

Thomas walked over to the bar to place their order while Jade stretched her aching legs and relaxed in the booth. She looked out the large window watching the landscape whizz by, happy not to be pedaling a bicycle or holding on for dear life on the back of a motorcycle anymore. She smiled feeling cozy and warm but then Trouble sent a flash of worry into her thoughts, with a side of fear. Her smile slid into a frown considering they might have to jump off this train too.

“Do you want fries,” Thomas called out to her from his place at the bar, breaking into her troubling thoughts. She was thankful for the distraction. “Yes please, with lots of ketchup,” she replied. 

Thomas turned back to bartender and Jade stared at him as he waited for their order. He was self-assured, intelligent, well-traveled, polished and confident in his ability to successfully finish this job; she wished she knew what that felt like. Maybe with him she would, if trouble would take a nice long nap and let her have this one. “Fat chance,” she mumbled leaning her head against the window. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax, to be lulled by the tranquil sound of train wheels clacking on the rails and trying her best to imagine a life sans Trouble.

Jade resurrected that lost feeling of hope, it was way down, deep down, in the recesses of her soul but she found it. She even let it shimmer in the sunlight of possibility for a whole minute before her shoulders drooped and she was led her back to her internal negativity.

**

Bellies full of bagels and Mac’s repair shop once again locked and alarmed, Ted and Brutus sat in their rental car and made the necessary but uncomfortable call to their employer. They had the unfortunate task of telling him they had no idea how the two they’d been following had left the area.

“I’m not pleased with this update,” the gruff voice of their employer came through the car phone speakers and sent chills through the two men listening. Big and strong as they were, they still feared the ramifications of disappointing this wealthy, influential and temperamental man.

Ted cleared his throat and offered what he hoped would be an acceptable solution.

“We know they’re headed to Montreal, so we can-”

“No.”

Their employer’s voice was a whip crack cutting Ted off. Ted and Brutus both shivered at the anger they heard in that one word. Ted again swallowed his apprehension to ask, “What do you mean by no?”

A heavy sigh prefaced the response. “No, they aren’t heading to Montreal. The meeting place was changed. They’re heading to Quebec City and I suggest you get there first.”

“Right, Quebec City. We’ll leav-”

“And get your talented crew out there covering every train, bus station and airport from where you are to that destination point. Got it?”

“Yes, I’ll have my team relocated at once. And don’t worry; we’ll get that painting.”

“See that you do…I promise you won’t like the consequences if you don’t.”