Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Phiny is waiting at the café for what seems like a lifetime.  Finally Christy shows up.  “Hey Phiny sorry I am late. My flight was delayed last night and I slept in a little too long this morning.”  The ladies hug and greet each other.

“It’s ok,” Phiny replies.  “I just had an extra cup of coffee.”  Christy looks at Phiny.

“Are you ok?  You don’t look well.” 

“I am fine just didn’t sleep well last night.”  The truth was she hadn’t slept in over 36 hours but she wasn’t going to say that.

“You should have called and canceled so you could get some rest.  Still trying to get use to your new life, huh?”  Christy says with a smile.

“Yes, I guess that’s it.  Strange having someone there all the time and we still have a lot of other things going on.”  Phiny tried to stop before she said too much.  As tired as she was she didn’t want to slip up.

After Christy and Phiny ordered, Christy continues the conversation in a direction that makes Phiny uneasy.  “So I heard on the news this morning that the head of DMC is missing.  Isn’t that where Donavan works?”

Phiny immediately becomes alert as the red flags in her head go up.  “Yes it is but he left this yesterday on an assignment and I don’t watch the news that much.  I talked to him this morning and he didn’t say anything about it.  What have you heard?”

Christy sips her coffee, “well, they just said that he was missing and the authorities suspect foul play.  Said they are also unsure about the whereabouts of his family.  Phiny, I can’t believe you haven’t heard about this.”

As the waiter serves the food, Phiny collects her thoughts before answering.  “Like I said, I don’ watch the news that much and I have been really busy unpacking things at the house.  So, you were telling me the other day on the plane that you were seeing someone.  Tell me more about him.”  Phiny was hoping to change the subject.  It only seemed to slow Christy up for a moment.

“Oh, I found out he was cheating on me while I was on trips, so I broke it off.  Have you talked to Donavan today?  Is he ok?  The news said other employees may be in danger.”

Phiny is getting skeptical of Christy’s continued questions.  “He is fine, I talked to him this morning and he sent me an email just before I left to come here.  He’ll be coming home sometime tonight.  Christy, why must we talk about this?  I am very tired.  Isn’t there a more exciting topic?”  Phiny was trying desperately to change the subject.

Just then Christy’s cell phone rang.  “Excuse me Phiny.  I need to take this.”  Christy stepped away where Phiny couldn’t hear.  Phiny could see her through the window and noticed that Christy kept looking back at her while she talked.  Christy hung up and walked back her way.  “Good news.  That was the airline.  My flight has been changed and I have an extra hour.  So we can relax and enjoy our lunch.”

Just then a man carrying a laptop computer sits at the table next to them.  He opens the screen and begins watching the news.  Phiny and Christy both hear the headline.  ‘DMC headquarters building exploded this morning just after the start of business.  It is believed that more than 100 employees were inside.  It is not known how many have died or wounded or the cause of the explosion.  Authorities tell us there was a loud explosion just before the building erupted in flames.  The fire continues to burn as rescue workers race to get the fire under control.  All of this came just hours after DMC President Alvin Lawrence was reported missing and the whereabouts of his wife and children are unknown.’  The man closes the computer as the waiter brings his coffee.

“Oh my gosh Phiny!  You better call Donavan!  I can’t believe this,” Christy says shocked by the news.

Phiny is a little shocked by the update but tries to stay calm and keep her guard up.  Something just doesn’t seem right.  “Christy, Donavan is fine.  I told you he is on a business trip.  I am sure he has heard the news.  He’ll be fine.”

Christy seems surprised at Phiny’s calmness.  “Phiny, I’d be out of my mind right now.  How are you so calm?”

Just then the gentleman with the computer gets up and leaves.  As he does, he and Christy make eye contact and Christy smiles at him.  Phiny watches him leave and then turns to Christy.  “Do you know that man?  You smiled at him.”

Christy laughs, “No not at all.  He looked at me and smiled so I smiled back.  Just being friendly.  You sure you don’t want to call Donavan?”

Phiny thinks for a minute.  “That man looked familiar.”  She pauses, “Maybe I will call Donavan.  I’ll be right back.”  Phiny gets up and is gone before Christy can react.  She turns the corner where she can still see Christy but Christy can’t see her.  Luckily Phiny was able to get a good picture of the man with computer from under the table without anyone noticing.  As it runs through the system, Phiny decides to call Michael.

Just as the secure connection was made, the man’s picture got a match.  Phiny looked at it shocked.  “Michael, are you seeing this?”

Michael signs, “Yes Phiny, unfortunately I can.  Do you think Christy is working with him?”

“I can only suspect she is.  It’s too much of a coincidence.  She’s been trying to get information from me all morning.  She’s been asking questions about Donavan and the news.  What do you want me to do?”

Michael is silent but Phiny can hear him typing on the computer.  Finally he answers, “Go back to the table and tell her you talked to Donavan and he is fine.  He knows about what you heard on the news and is on his way home.  Then the two of you will be heading out of town until things calm down.  Tell her you need to go so you can get packed and be back to meet Donavan as soon as he lands so you can leave.  Go out the terminal and get in off duty cab number 2537.  He will make sure you aren’t followed back to the safe house.  Donavan will have the rest.”

Phiny tells Michael she understands and the call ends.

Phiny returns to the table and tells Christy exactly what Michael said.  Christy seems shocked and a little flustered by Phiny’s whirlwind departure.  Phiny tells her bye and that she will call her later and heads out.  Christy immediately picks up her phone and dials.

As Phiny rushes out the terminal door, a man bumps into her.  “Oh I’m sorry ma’am.  Please forgive me.”

Phiny just rushes on by and jumps into cab 2537.  As the driver pulls away from the curb he says, “You know he was waiting for you.”  As Phiny looks out the back window, she sees the man who bumped into her getting into a cab. 

“Who was waiting for me?”  Phiny turns and leans on the back of the front seat.

“The man at the door, who is now trying to follow us.”

Phiny turns and looks out the back.  “Why was he waiting?”

“Michael said they might try something,” the driver says.  “Carefully take your jacket off and place it in the seat next to you.  Don’t let your hands or anything else touch the outside of it.”

Phiny does what the driver says.  “Now, hold on a minute while I lose him.”  The driver speeds up and begins to weave in and out of traffic.  He runs a red light and makes a sharp left turn.  “Ok Phiny, two blocks ahead I am going to make a right turn into a parking garage and pull up next to a silver sedan.  Get out, leave your jacket and get into the back of the sedan.”

Just then the driver makes the hard right.  “Let’s go.”  Phiny jumps out and gets into the sedan.  The driver jumps up front and takes off.  Phiny sees another man get into the cab and just sit there.  Phiny leans up on the seat.  “What’s going on?”

The driver looks at her in the rear view mirror.  “Michael said they would probably have someone plant a GPS tracker on you as you came out.  That’s what the man who ran into you at the door did. I saw him put his hand on your arm.  I suspect he put it on the sleeve of your jacket.  Michael has this second car waiting in case we were followed.  They will follow the cab since your jacket is in the back seat.  The other driver is going to drive them to the other side of town so we have time to get to the safe house and get the others.”  Just then the driver turned and smiled at her.  Phiny was relieved to see it was Timothy driving.

Timothy pulled the car into the garage of the safe house.  “Come on.  We don’t have much time,” he yelled at Phiny.  They hurried to the cellar where Donavan filled them in on the plan.  Everyone prepared their things for the trip.  Everyone seemed on edge.  They all knew just how important this trip really was. 

Dorothy left the house first.  She had a cab waiting out front.  She checked the street as she got in.  “Airport please.”  The driver sped off.

A few minutes later, Cole and Phiny left in the car that Timothy had driven Phiny in.  Not far behind them, so Cole and Phiny could keep an eye on them was Timothy driving the Lawrence family in a large SUV.  As they drove, Timothy went over the plan again with the family and also reminded them, unless absolutely necessary to pretend they didn’t know Donavan, Phiny, Dorothy or himself.  Jeremiah was holding the youngest daughter, Laura.  He looked like a natural father.  Laura seemed to really like him, which made things look more natural as well.

Everyone kept a close eye and tension grew as they pulled into the airport terminal.  Security was extremely tight.  This was going to be harder then they thought.