Scene 42

Park in Rural North Carolina

The rendezvous site was in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina, a small park outside of a small town. I had Michael pull the van over to the side of the road. Ms. Hawk and Julie jumped out.

“It’s about one mile that way,” Mike told them.

As they slipped into the trees, Michael continued down the road to the park.

When we reached the park, a car was pulled off to the side and two men were standing there. Both of the men were wearing suits of a deep burgundy color and dark glasses. They flagged us down as we approached.

When Michael stopped the van, one of the men came to the driver’s window. “Whoever is going into the park should get out now. The others will wait here.”

As I stepped out of the van, the other man saw the tarp on the floor where we had covered Greg’s body. “What’s that?” he asked.

“Our casualty,” I answered. “We couldn’t just leave him beside the road now, could we?”

“Okay, you can proceed.”

I turned to Diane. “Take care of him,” I said, indicating David.

I walked down the road. As part of the arrangement, only minimal people from each side were to attend the meeting. I really didn’t expect either side to follow that agreement though, which is why I had sent the two ladies through the woods. They would be our backup.

I had walked about half a mile when I spotted three people ahead of us, two women and a man. Ms. Raven was one of the women. She was seated on a bench just off the road with her hands behind her, probably handcuffed.

The woman beside her was definitely Anna’s double, although she wore her hair in a much more business-like style. Both she and the man were wearing burgundy suits as well, although Anna’s had a skirt instead of slacks.

The man held his hand up to stop me. He looked to be in his early twenties, probably new to the Bureau. He slowly opened his jacket to show me the handgun he had holstered there.

I smiled and shook my head. I pulled on the strap over my shoulder, which caused the assault rifle behind my back to swing forward.

“Mine’s bigger than yours,” I said to him.

I saw his eyes widen a bit behind the glasses.

I heard the woman laugh behind him. “If you two boys are through comparing your toys, maybe we can get started. John, bring him here.”

I looked at the young man again. He was more clean-cut, but it was definitely the man I knew as Clockwork John on my world.

As John led me forward, I nodded to Ms. Raven. “Are you okay?” I asked.

“A little embarrassed at being caught,” she replied, “but I’m fine.”

“I told you she would be okay,” Anna said to me. “I assume you are Mr. Dove?”

“That’s right, Anna,” I replied. I had intentionally used her name to gauge her reaction.

Her eyes did widen a bit in surprise, but her voice betrayed little. “Well,” she said, “You obviously know who I am.”

“I did a little research,” I lied.

“That makes no difference.” She examined me intently. “You really do look so much like the man we executed a year ago. Yet, you are very much alive. How do you explain that?”

“It’s nothing you need to be concerned about.”

“Oh, but I do so hate to leave a mystery unsolved. Just as mysterious is how your friend here,” she gestured to Ms. Raven, “can be in two places at once. I checked; she is definitely still in her cell in New York, yet here she is as well.”

“And I guess you’ll just have to be frustrated, because I’m not going to explain it to you.”

“Mr. Dove, I had hoped you would cooperate and answer my questions. I suppose I will have to take you in and interrogate you. That’s not very pleasant you know.”

“So I have heard, but I’m not going anywhere with you. I plan to take my friend here and walk away.” I glanced at Ms. Raven and quickly winked.

“Really, Mr. Dove, you do realize that I have people all through these woods? I know how you operate, so I have vehicles positioned at all the entrances to this park to intercept the reinforcements you called. You’ll be quite alone here.”

Good, I thought, that means that most of her forces would be tied up looking for reinforcements that weren’t coming. “Of course,” I said, “I expected that. Still, we are going to walk away.”

“Oh no, I need only signal and you will be shot where you stand. I suggest you put down your weapon and surrender now.”

I again glanced over to Ms. Raven. She nodded slightly. Good, she was ready.

I smiled and looked back to Anna. “Tell me,” I said to her. “Do you know what slip-knot means?”

She looked at me in confusion. “What are you talking about? What does that have to do with anything?”

“That’s what I thought. I guess you’re about to find out.”

She continued to look at me in confusion.

My gaze shifted to Ms. Raven.

“Go,” I said.