James opened the door and looked at Lucas and Isabella. “Are you two coming?”

Lucas looked at Isabella then answered James. “I think we may be safer on foot and I think it would be safer for you if we weren’t with you. Could you stall things? Don’t drive out yet. Let us get a bit of a head start, in case people are looking for us.”

James climbed into his car. He wound the window down. “Lucas. I’m sorry.”

Lucas went over and placed his hand on James shoulder. “It’s okay, mate. Once all this is over we’ll catch up. You just be careful. Avoid her.”

“Lucas.” James’s arm was out the window. “Take this transport card that I had to buy. I won’t need it, but you might.”

Lucas nodded and took the card, then turned, grabbed Isabella’s hand and headed towards the exit door. “I could see a pathway from the window of the unit we were in. If I’m correct, this door should lead to it.”

Isabella looked up at Lucas. “Well, here we go again. And it’s about time you had a shave.”

<°)))><

She stood at the bank of letterboxes. Her men told her the number of the unit. She wondered if they checked the letterbox. This would’ve been a logical place to hide something outside of the unit. She peered in but it looked like there was nothing there. What would they’ve hidden there anyway—another copy of the recording? She was trained to think that way but would’ve been surprised if the amateurs she was dealing with would’ve gone down that path. But give credit where it’s due: the USB in the remote was smart.

Security was lax in this building. The main entrance wasn’t locked but Ava imagined the doors to the units were well secured, although deadlocks could still be picked by a professional . . . and Ava fell into that category. It would take a little longer but she couldn’t do that during daylight hours. The neighbours would be watching on their intercom screens and the police would soon be on their way. She had researched the layout of the units and knew there was a small backyard surrounded by a tall fence to stop intruders, and to block the exit of the occupants of the units. They could only leave the building through the front door.

She believed James would have opened the door if he saw her on the intercom. It’s funny how she didn’t think of him as the potato-sack man when she wanted something from him. Humans are complex beings, adjusting thought patterns as required.

She needed to focus on the unit Isabella would be in. She guessed she was home because the surveillance van was still here, even though the occupant was off with the fairies. The world was full of such sayings and she was annoyed they slipped into her head at times. Fairies don’t exist.

She knocked on the door.

If the girl was in there, she’d be frantically searching for a hiding spot. Ava knocked again. She had to take the risk. She removed a leather case from her top pocket, opened it, and selected the required tool. The deadlock wasn’t engaged so she was able to pick the lock faster than she’d anticipated.

Inside, the place was bare. No furniture and nowhere to hide. It was empty, but there were signs someone had been here recently, very recently. Something had been rinsed in the sink as water was still making its way slowly to the sink hole. Back out in the corridor, she headed past the letterboxes. A humming noise got her attention. The door to the undercover carpark was lifting.

The driver she knew.

She raised her hand. “Hi, James,” she mouthed.

She didn’t like the look on his face. She moved towards the car, removed a small magnetic GPS tracking device from her side pocket and threw it at the car. It attached itself to the car. He accelerated and nearly lost control as he turned right on to the road.

She waved him goodbye and turned and ran back to her car. He might be going to meet them.

Ava turned on her tablet device and loaded the required GPS app. A map appeared with a red light. It was blinking but not moving. Had he broken down already? She wouldn’t be surprised, as the car was an old bomb, not something she’d seen in the city before. She started her car and drove in the direction of the blinking light.

No wonder it wasn’t moving. It was now surrounded by police cars.

<°)))><

So where did Isabella and her friend get to? They were not in James’s car. Ava watched from a distance as the police cautiously opened the boot of the car. No bodies jumped out.

All she could do now was scout around. She turned down the next street and noticed a path that ran between the houses connecting the streets. She just caught a glimpse of a man and a woman as they turned off the path.

Intuition kicked in.

Them.

60 – All aboard except one

IT BECAME A GAME. The chase. A challenge. How fit could the girl be? But then it dawned on Ava. Hold your horses. Get those heightened emotions and adrenaline rush under control. What would she do with them if she caught them? Shoot them? No, she needed to talk to them in a forceful sort of way. Chasing wasn’t the right strategy, following was. There still could be links to the technology and maybe she could please her husband and have the botany discussion. Then she could eliminate.

So Ava took some deep breaths and started following them. She loved her coat. It had pockets everywhere that stored many things. She pulled out a cap covered in blonde hair and placed this on her head. The blonde pseudo-person would follow them for a little while.

She would then turn her coat inside out—from black to white, a noticeable contrast.

And then the baseball cap.

She had calmed down and now saw them in the distance. She pulled out her phone, and sent a text message for her boys to pick up the vehicle as she was going for a walk. She then opened up her map app.

She walked behind them now, heading down a main road. There were a few other pedestrians, which helped proceedings. Her targets entered some parkland. She looked at the map on her phone and worked out she could continue down the road she was on, as it connected back with the path. She just needed to pick up her pace.

She turned right into the road. It connected with the path and also led to a railway station. She was in white pseudo mode now. The entrance to the path stood out as a pedestrian crossing led to it. There was a bench up ahead, so she sat down and waited.

Maybe they stopped to smell the roses. She was patient, but her patience ran out and she decided to walk down the path just in case they went somewhere else. As she stood up, they appeared. Be patient girl. Trust your instincts.

A car came past with a trailer load of rubbish. The brief wail of a police siren sounded behind the car, signalling for the trailer to pull over. Load not covered, bald tyres, unregistered, who knew?

The couple were under a sign now. Ava could just make out the sign: one arrow pointing to the railway station and another to a rubbish transfer station. She noticed the man look back at the police car. The girl grabbed his arm and dragged him on. What was that all about?

<°)))><

“No! You’re not going to give yourself up yet. I need you.” Isabella said and snuggled up to him.

Isabella talked a lot as they walked. She couldn’t believe Lucas was so close. She wondered if she was still in control of her mind because his appearing she could barely fathom. But she supposed if one explored the logic of it all, it made sense. Her parents owned two apartments, which Gramps would’ve been aware of. Maybe he’d stayed there, because he must have had keys.

She’d stopped taking the tablets, and although some little voice kept telling her she needed them, she made the decision that she didn’t—she wanted to be in charge. She had a small battle with some pesky things jumping around what furniture there was back at the unit but she wished them away and it worked.

The walk through the park rekindled her thoughts. She realised her mind needed strengthening and renewing, like the Bible told her. And she needed to dwell on honourable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable things, to look for excellence and things worthy of praise. Now she was looking and filling her mind with such things. Things like the trees and plants on the walk through the parklands, which reminded her of Mum. Sometimes she felt guilty because her thoughts would always go to Mum but she knew Dad would understand.

And at the moment she could only see good things in her knight in shining armour. She squeezed his arm.

“Ouch!”

“I don’t think so, Lucas.” She squeezed again. “You’re a big strong lad.”

“That must have been where that car with the trailer was going: a transfer station. Most probably hadn’t covered his load properly.” Lucas pointed to the right. “I’m still not sure what I’m doing, Bella. My initial reaction was to go over to the police vehicle. But I understand we need to think things through.”

Isabella raised her eyebrow. “Transfer station? Makes me think of the technology.”

“Did you ever find the gadget?”

“Nope, I reckon the crows have got it. Oops, ravens I mean.”

“James would be impressed. Let’s hope the ravens don’t peck any buttons. Who knows where they could end up.”