The Eternity Project

21



Ethan walked not directly toward the photographer, but out to one flank as, across the street, Lopez did the same in a mirror-reflection of his movements.

The chances that the hooded figure was the same person who had been watching them at the warehouse on the docks was remote, but, if it was the same person, then Ethan very badly wanted to know who the hell he was. If the CIA was still on their tail, then they would probably have to flee the city, and Ethan wasn’t quite ready to do that yet after what they had learned from Major Greene.

Ethan turned slightly as he moved behind the photographer, maybe twenty yards away on their right. Through the crowds, he saw Lopez mirroring his movements, starting to close in on their target.

And then, quite suddenly, the mark bolted.

The man leaped away from the post and launched into a full-blown sprint, dashing across the street away from Ethan and Lopez. Ethan raced in pursuit, headed south toward City Hall Park. Ethan saw the figure tuck his camera away into his jacket as he ran and then suddenly break away with a terrific burst of speed.

‘He’s headed for the park!’ Lopez shouted.

Ethan dodged between startled pedestrians as he dashed down Park Row toward City Hall Park. The runner switched direction and dashed across Chambers Street, through the fully flowing traffic, a sea of flashing headlights.

Ethan sprinted hard as he watched the lithe figure vault across the hood of a taxi that screeched to a halt as angry voices bellowed. Ethan dashed around the taxi and through a flock of tourists that scattered out of his way.

He caught sight of Lopez running to his right, cutting into the park to intercept their quarry should he try to hide in the trees. Ethan could see the Brooklyn Bridge City Hall and other major buildings tucked away within the park as he ran.

The fleeing figure cut hard right and dashed down a pathway that led between the trees, the City Hall and the Tweed Courthouse, the low light and growing shadows concealing his movements. Lopez dashed out just in front of Ethan, agile but not quite fast enough to catch the fleeing figure ahead of them. Whoever it was, he was in supreme physical condition and with a long enough stride to outpace even Lopez.

The figure cut left and vanished into the shadowy trees. Ethan cursed mentally as he immediately dodged left on an intercept course where he thought the figure might be, then vaulted over a fence and into the trees.


Lopez hurdled the same fence further down and vanished into the darkness as Ethan slowed and tried to get control of his breathing. He glanced up at the sky above, now a flawless dark blue beyond the blackened morass of the trees. Winter had not yet robbed the branches of all their leaves, making the small park an ideal shelter in the fading light.

Ethan paused for a moment. He could hear the traffic and the pedestrians on the crammed roads and sidewalk, could see streetlights winking beyond the trees, but he could hear no sound of running. Smart move. He knew that the figure could simply change direction unobserved to re-join the crowds and escape.

Crouched slightly as he was, and searching desperately for some sign of their quarry, Ethan turned and saw Lopez silhouetted against the glow of the streetlights and traffic nearby. Ethan knew that their quarry had not yet escaped – not enough time to make it across to the main street opposite, Broadway.

Ethan moved parallel to Lopez through the darkness, trying to sweep through the trees and prevent the figure from doubling back on them. A parking lot ahead on the edge of the park led to a smaller park beyond, and he knew that if the figure got that far, they’d never catch him.

Ethan looked across at Lopez, his vision improving in the darkness as he began to pick out foliage and individual paths through the trees. Lopez was covering the area between himself and Broadway as Ethan focused on the trees between himself and the center of the park ahead, where a large fountain stood, the sound of trickling water just audible over the traffic.

Ethan looked up as he rounded a large tree.

Something dashed out in front of him and, as he opened his mouth to warn Lopez, a blinding flare of light blazed into his eyes as a camera flashed. In an instant, the world turned black as he threw one hand up to protect his eyes and reached out for the figure in front of him.

An iron-hard forearm smashed his hand aside and a heavy knee plowed into the side of Ethan’s thigh as the figure rushed past him. He staggered sideways, blinded and off-balance as Lopez crashed through the trees toward him.

‘Where’d he go?’ she yelled.

Ethan pointed frantically behind him, toward the noise from Broadway, his eyes filled with sparkling blobs and whorls of color. He blinked as he heard Lopez run away from him, into the trees, and blindly fumbled after her, but he already knew that it was too late. The flare from the camera’s flash had totally ruined his night vision. He stumbled his way to the edge of the park alongside the fountain and looked left and right, but both the mysterious figure and Lopez had vanished.

It was several minutes before Lopez jogged back to him and shook her head.

‘Not a chance,’ she said. ‘He made the crowds before I could get anywhere near. He’s long gone.’

Ethan shook his head in frustration. ‘Who the hell is that guy?’

‘Judging by the camera, they’re press,’ Lopez said. ‘Although, I don’t ever remember chasing anybody that fast from the media. They were running like their ass was on fire.’

Ethan nodded. Even encumbered by the heavy jacket and the camera, he’d given both Lopez and himself the slip.

‘Don’t know what the big interest in us is,’ Ethan said, ‘but I don’t like it. CIA could have hired private investigators to look around for us.’

Lopez didn’t look convinced. ‘Doesn’t make sense, they’ve got offices here in the city. They wouldn’t outsource something as important as this.’

‘As important as us?’ Ethan grinned. ‘Now you’re putting us on a pedestal.’

‘Just sayin’,’ Lopez replied. ‘They’ve got their pants all twisted about us but I’d have thought they’d keep everything under wraps.’

Ethan turned as Donovan approached them, Neville Jackson alongside. Both of them looked as though they’d jogged across to the park, their breathing ragged.

‘You want to tell us what that was all about?’ Donovan asked.

‘Bail-runner,’ Lopez replied before Ethan could even formulate a response, ‘recognized him and decided to give chase.’

Donovan eyed Lopez suspiciously. ‘You recognized a bail-runner from thirty yards across the street in a hooded top with a camera stuck to their face?’

‘It was the clothes,’ Ethan replied for Lopez, ‘the boots and the posture. Couldn’t be sure, though, so we moved in for a closer look. Once they bolted, we gave chase. We could do with seeing any traffic camera footage there might be from outside the courthouse, maybe try to identify them.’

Donovan watched them both for a long moment. Ethan could almost see the chief’s mind working things over before he spoke again.

‘Best you give up the name of this supposed bail-runner,’ he said finally. ‘They’ve come a long way to be here from Illinois, but I’m sure Chicago’s finest would love us to pick them up and ship them back to Cook County.’

Lopez snorted a laugh.

‘Sure, and give up two thousand bucks? No way, skipper, that dude belongs to us.’

‘Then there’s nothing I can do for you,’ Donovan replied. ‘If you don’t play ball, then why should I?’

‘What’s up?’ Lopez murmured. ‘Don’t want two bondsmen busting perps on your turf ?’

Donovan’s jaw hardened slightly. ‘The DIA might want you two hanging around, but I don’t like outside influences, especially bail bondsmen looking to make a quick buck out of our work. You’re here to assist with this investigation, not chase two-bit bail-jumpers, understood?’

Ethan leveled Donovan with a dispassionate gaze.

‘That individual was present at the crime scene at Hell Gate. They may know something, maybe even have evidence.’

‘A long shot,’ Donovan insisted, then glanced across the park. ‘I don’t know what you two are really up to, but I’d hate to have to arrest you both for obstructing police business, if you see what I mean?’

Ethan chuckled bitterly but did not dignify Donovan with a response.

Donovan turned silently away and strode across the square with Jackson.

‘Who pulled his chain?’ Lopez wondered out loud.

‘Who cares?’ Ethan asked. ‘And where the hell is Jarvis? We could have done with the vehicle support.’

‘He had business in town, something about arranging a meeting with somebody?’ Lopez replied.

Ethan turned and started walking. ‘Come on, let’s get back to the apartment. There’s nothing more we can do here.’

Ethan’s cellphone trilled in his pocket and he answered it, listening for several moments before shutting it off and looking at Lopez.

‘Change of plan,’ he said. ‘The medical examiner’s completed the autopsy on the two bodies from the warehouse at Hell Gate.’