Angel of the Lord Novel by Jose R. Leveriza Part 24

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Angel of the Lord Novel by Jose R. Leveriza Part 24

(For the previous episodes please scroll down to the older posts)

Bader kicked the security guard sprawled on the steps as the latter tried to grapple Bader’s legs. He fired once into the watchman’s chest when the poor bloke tried to draw his pistol as he rolled over like a log. The women shrieked in horror. Pandemonium ensued as everybody fled in all directions.

To discourage would be heroes and troublesome meddlers Bader squeezed off two more warning shots in the air then broke in a hasty run for the gates. Another uniformed security agent came sliding forward from the idled leviathan and fired at Bader from a genuflecting position. Bader ducked instinctively behind the rotating turnstiles.

Bader quickly surfaced and propped his aim on top of the electronic reader. The guard was an easy target out in the open hallway. Two well placed shots from Bader’s Glock pistol downed him backwards to the floor. Bader slid over the pinwheel and rested a bit with his back pressed to the steel gate. He checked if the coast is clear then headed to the right corridor where the front caboose was.

Bader deduced rightly that the electric commuter was immobilized from the darkened lights and the locked doors. He didn’t think he could break into the front cabin to commander the controls and hold hostage the engineer. Stragglers in the crowd caught in the corridor with Bader raised up their hands and cowered in the sides to let him breeze past. A third uniformed security with an ashen face laid his weapon in slow motion to the floor to clearly signal his capitulation to Bader who let him live and waved him to the side with his gun.

With no other way to turn, Bader ran forward to the middle of the tracks in the open air above the buzz of the street below. He bowed his head in fear of the hanging cables. He kept his gaze on steel plates running the length of the tracks marked with a warning in red, “Danger High Voltage.” He launched on a steeplechase cadence and held it unerringly as he plowed forward with urgency to build the biggest distance between him and Jason Burke.

Midway, the usual rubberneck retinue swarmed around Jason Burke and slowed his progress under the cavernous alcove. The bright side was they made Jason Burke a difficult target because of their crisscrossing. The other downside was that they gave away his location and announced his approach with loud rabble rousing.

Jason Burke worried that the unruly groupies dogging his every step would open him up like a sitting duck ready to be waylaid. The upside was the motley crew carried on like a pack of sniffing hounds which could telegraph back in an instant thru their cantankerous frenzy the sighting of elusive prey.

The pesky street urchins clung to Jason Burke like barnacles and tugged at his arm and clothing with star struck agitation. Their giggles and screeching chatter made the otherwise unflappable covert operative squirm and try to wedge his way with outstretched forearms serving as outriggers to clear the path ahead.

The whole coterie gasped in alarm and stepped back momentarily when Jason Burke pulled out his gun to begin his ascent on the sharply angled staircase leading up to the Pedro Gil Station. Like a cheering section egging on a competitor with reassuring catcalls, the bystanders crowed almost in unison,” he’s not up there; your quarry is running on ahead on the empty tracks!”

Jason Burke felt grateful for the unsolicited tip but played it safe and hugged the wall closely with his gun aimed forward leading the foray. He dashed and leaped over the tills in one swift motion while keeping a sharp eye for possible resistance, friendly or hostile. He stayed low according to the de rigueur of training manuals and traveled on nimble feet all along darting closely to the safety of the walls.

The panicked horde scooting nervously the reverse way tipped him off where Bader must be headed. He picked up the loose firearm abandoned by the wasted guard on the floor and tucked it in his waistband. He didn’t really want it because it could be a nuisance when he had to sprint with gusto. But thought he should get it out of the way lest shuffling feet trip over it and trigger a misfire.

Jason Burke ducked forward to the edge of the platform and caught his momentum with his right shoulder flushed against the last pillar that led to the tracks beyond in the open air. He waved back to the train engineer in the canopy of the stalled train who smiled ruefully and watched Jason’s every move while talking on a handheld radio.

A fast diminishing figure in the distance was rushing to make a clean getaway. But where in the world could Bader be headed? Jason Burke thought to follow suit and plunge right in onto the empty tracks in the blistering heat. But first he flipped on his phone and beeped Richard.

“He’s out there in the open Richard hopping like a rabbit over the high voltage rods.”

“Yup, I see him. Buzzard’s fit as a fireman. His legs are not missing a beat.”

“Think he’ll head all the way to the next stop?”

“Why not, he’s chugging along like a real locomotive plus that’s the only place with a convenient descent to street level.”

“I’m going in after him Richard. Keep me posted what gives.”

“Don’t get your ass toasted rookie.”

Jason Burke took off in a repeating rhythm of hops, skips, and jumps as he jogged with unbroken sequence over the railway gaps. The searing heat gave him a scorching welcome aboard. The humidity invaded into his nostrils and ears. The hazy diesel fumes enveloped his hunched form with a cloak of smog.

Lobo Vol 6 Co-Starring RYAN EIGENMANN