Gateway Part Six

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Gateway Part Six - Final Part

Still a wanted criminal. It wasn’t getting any better.

“Come on Kef... It’ll be better now you’re in the city...”

A city is an easy place to disappear. An easy place to disappear if you know where to hide. Bars, offices, wherever, it didn’t matter as long as it was some sort of shelter. Just somewhere to stay for a while, relax. Clear your head, clean up, patch a few wounds.

Kef stood in the first dark doorway he found, trying to remember whether he smoked or not, what the time was and when he last ate or slept. The gun seemed more of a comfort than ever. Four bullets left. It wouldn’t be enough.

“Suspect confirmed.”

Shit, this is it, he thought. He was beginning to wish he’d stolen Argyll’s knife. A nice quiet knife. Don’t need to reload a knife. Knife isn’t much good against a gang of trained killers who have you surrounded. He couldn’t see anyone around. It must just be some sort of radio transmission he was picking up somehow. They must have found Argyll.

Perhaps they’d got Ned too. Maybe they were all dead. From what Kef knew of the Killsquads, they didn’t waste any time. Far worse than the police and Kef already knew plenty about how bad the police were, but he had no idea how many there were to a squad, or how many squads were assigned to an individual.

Kef was tired. Thoughts began to stagnate like the stale smell of rain on concrete. All images were turning slowly to grey. Kef was being swallowed by the city. He had to go, get out, and just go somewhere. He started walking. “Don’t bother looking, Kef,” he told himself. “Just don’t look, don’t get looked at.” Nothing recently had been that simple.

“Suspect fleeing. In pursuit.”

Kef was a little worried. He hadn’t realised he was running. Were these people invisible?

“TWO SIX EIGHT! HALT!”

Kef span round, but it was still a full minute before he saw anyone. Three people holding guns.

Four bullets. He’d manage, if the bullets got through the armour.

“Unless you’re inhumanly fast I wouldn’t bother.”

Shit. It’s over.

Kef threw his gun down.

Shit, shit, shit. This is going to hurt.

“Chad?”

Two flashes.