The Hitman's Last Job(36)

“I told you already I’ll be back. Now please……” his eyes were pleading with her desperately.
“Fine….” and she slumped onto a metal bench that was somehow even less comfortable than the bus seats that she still ached from.


She watched as Carl disappeared into the crowd and out the station into the city center. If she wasn’t sure she would have guessed that he was ditching her, that he was trying to run away and leave her behind. After all how well did she know him? They’d only met four days ago. She nibbled on a nail and kept her eyes fixed on the distance. Every second she waited the more she was certain he wasn’t coming back.

“Fuck,” she mumbled into her sleeve. “He’s not coming back,” and tears came to her eyes. “Oh God please….. Come back,”


And the reality of the situation hit her. She was alone and lost in a strange city and the only person she trusted and who her entire life depended on, had disappeared into the city. She felt like a lost child as she swung her legs from the bench. What would happen if he never came back? A thousand scenarios ran through her head in a panicked sequence. He was the one with the money. All she had were the clothes on her back and what she held in her pockets. She twisted her fingers into the tight jeans pocket on her thigh. She had one stick of gum left and she placed into her mouth, her last worldly possession. Fiddling with the wrapper in her hand she crumpled it a dozen different ways as she tried to expel nervous energy. When that didn’t work she threw it to the ground and it accidentally hit an old lady on the shin.

“How rude, how very rude,” the old woman had a dried, shrunken face like a gnarly weasel and she glared with hatred at Anna.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t see you there,”
“Tsk….” the old lady rolled her eyes. “Kids,”


And Anna was confused at that last remark. She wasn’t a kid at all! Although the more she waited the more she felt someone at the bus station could take her into an office and talk through a microphone. They’d report her as a missing child and her parents would run into the office to collect her.

But of course there were no happy endings or simple procedures for a lost adult. The best case scenario would be if someone kind took pity on her. Her eyes were still fixed in the distance. She was looking out for Carl’s tall stature and blonde hair and she longed to see his buzz cut through the crowd. But it didn’t come.

~

Carl’s thoughts were focused and laser sharp as he ran from the bus station with his eyes on the lookout for a payphone. There was one close by but as he approached he saw the booth was occupied by a homeless man yelling into the receiver while knocking back a forty of beer. Jogging round the block he saw another one but yet again it was taken too, this time by a teenage girl who was in tears.

“Please God just give me a break!” Carl angered.


And his prayer was answered, because as he jogged a few yards up the street he finally found one available. He crammed his bag and briefcase into the booth and fished in his pockets for loose change. He pushed the coins into the machine and prayed that the guy’s number hadn’t changed. To his delight it answered on the third ring.

“Hello?”
“Yuh… Chuck? Dude, it’s Carl. You know Carl Reiner?” he asked with his fingers crossed behind his back.
“Holy shit dude! Carl! My God, how are ya buddy?”
“Well good. I mean no, not good. Actually things are rough,”
“Damn man, that don’t sound great,”
“Yeah… well it’s not. And I’m so sorry to ask but… you think you can help me out? I seriously wouldn’t’ ask if it wasn’t a proper emergency,”
“Well sure! I mean… I owe you a lot buddy,”
“Aaw man, thank you so much! You have no idea what this means to me,”
“Save your words pal. Just get your ass here and old uncle Chuck here will take care of ya,” he chuckled.
“Sweet, thanks,”
“So where are ya? Chicago still?”
“Actually I’m right here in San Antonio, at the bus station,”
“You’re kidding right? Holy Hell I’ll be right there! You still rockin’ that buzz cut?”
“I sure am,” Carl laughed as his money ran out and he hung up.


Now that his plan was in action, he had a spring in his step and he could finally tell Anna that things were gonna be ok. That they’d be in Mexico and on their way to safety in only a matter of hours but as he ran back into the station - he saw she was gone.


CHAPTER 21

John Reiner’s back was aching tremendously as he shuffled in the driver’s seat. He couldn’t believe that a man of his age in his condition was driving this far, but he wasn’t your average guy. Braking at a stop light he shifted in his seat again to try and eliminate the pain but it was no use, it only seemed to make it worse.

Changing gear though was more painful as he leaned down, stretching his broken ribs. Every few hours he’d pull open his shirt to inspect his injuries and it always looked steadily more grotesque. His side was now covered in a mottled purple that got more inflamed and angrier with each passing mile.

Soon though he’d be south of the border and that either meant he’d have Carl back or he’d have some place to rest and recover. Hopefully he’d have both those things, but he tried to stay realistic. The light turned green and he pulled away. As he approached St Louis he couldn’t help but notice a giant scorch mark in the road and he wondered what caused it. Probably just some car torched by vandals, he thought as he carried on moving.