Dead Run by Sean Rodman

Author:Sean Rodman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV021000, JUV028000, JUV032180
ISBN: 9781459802476
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2012-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Viktor closes the door to his office and drops his voice so no one else can hear us. He explains the plan, makes me repeat it back to him. Hands me a set of keys. Then he reaches out one big hand. I flinch back, but he just gently pats me on the cheek. Like a proud dad.

“You did well today, Sam. A good soldier. Do the same tonight, okay? Focus. Just do what I’ve told you.”

I ride across the Columbia Street bridge as the sun is setting over the river. The traffic is easing up, so I make good time. I pull off the street in front of a copy shop and lock the bike up outside. I check the address—same as Viktor told me. Pushing open the door, I can see a wall of photocopiers and printers. And one bored clerk tapping at his cell phone, playing a game or something. At the back of the store is a wall of post-office boxes—little metal doors that you unlock with a key. Tiny safes. I scan across until I find number 401, then use the key Viktor gave me to unlock it.

Inside, there’s a beige canvas bag with an industrial zipper on top, locked with a padlock. I pull it out, surprised at how heavy the package is. There aren’t any other markings on it. Don’t get curious, I tell myself. Just do what you’re told. I stuff the package into my messenger bag and then leave. I’m pretty sure the clerk never looked up once from his game.

Back on the street, I ride down 23rd, watching a couple of big red streetcars rumble along the tracks that run through the middle of the street. The end of the streetcar line is down here somewhere. This is a part of town I don’t normally go to. Industry Row. When these big factories closed up, a lot of people lost their jobs. It was like a bomb went off and Industry Row was ground zero. I ride down the street, looking up at the empty faces of the buildings—tall towers with broken windows, graffiti on the brick walls. It’s the kind of neighborhood that you drive through but don’t stop in.

It’s takes a couple of tries before I finally find the delivery address. After I lock up across the street, I take a moment and check out the building. Twelve stories tall, an old office building. Must have been pretty impressive once upon a time. Now it just looks roughed up and stained by the weather.

I wait for a semi-trailer to pass by before I run across. It’s getting dark now, and the light above the main door is burned out. That makes it a little hard to see the buttons on the metal keypad. But it also hides me from the street. I punch in the code that Viktor made me memorize. The door unlocks with a buzz. I’m in.

I wait for the elevator in the big empty lobby.

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