The Nano-Thief: A Lenny D. Novel (Lenny. D. Novels Book 1) by Michael Lieberman

Author:Michael Lieberman [Lieberman, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-06-11T18:30:00+00:00

Part II

22.

Sammy didn't leave at midnight or anything like it. After he had dosed Portia with ketamine, stowed her in the trunk, called Biggie and left, it was about 5:20 a.m. He's afraid to drive south, back down Route 6. If he's been made, and Barry and the old guy got an early start, they could be headed up this way now. He doesn't think they know about Alcott's beige Taurus or that they could actually notice him in the oncoming traffic…but go north, young man, he tells himself. So he heads north for College Station.

He worries about roadblocks and checkpoints—he senses it's too early, but what if he's miscalculated and they have their shit together? He twitches when he sees flashing red and blue lights up ahead. He hits the brakes too hard and the tires squeal. He only relaxes when he comes abreast of the lights and sees it's a patrol car behind a stopped car with its hood raised. He's careful to drive the speed limit.

What's the plan? What's the plan? He grinds his teeth. He knows what the plan must be. He's working for Biggie, but there might be a little action of his own. He'll kill her maybe, kill her for the fun of it. Unless…unless what? He ransoms her for money. Too complicated and he's got Biggie to contend with. He'll kill her and dump her, he repeats. If he doesn't get caught, it could buy some time, but if Biggie finds out or the police stop him, it's game over. What do his former upstairs neighbor and his father have to trade? Nothing. What he needs is invisibility—and time to work on Professor Bessnager and NAFRA. The only way he buys time is to get rid of distractions. At last it occurs to the technogenius that Portia cannot help him. She stands between him and his mission. In short she's a distraction. Just stick to the general outline he and Biggie have worked out.

He feels stupid. How did he get himself into this, and more importantly how is he going to get out? He reverses the old Muslim saying—if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain. That's it, if the mountain won't leave Muhammad, Muhammad must leave the mountain. He'll leave the girl. The idea's a great relief. Everything else will fall in place.

He's in College Station in half an hour. Can't do anything here. It's practically his own backyard. He sees a Starbucks and thinks to drive through for sentimental reasons. Yes, they're open, but no, keep the show on the road. He has to choose between Waco (north), Huntsville (east), and Austin (west). Instinctively he chooses Austin—bigger, more mixed, the young people will give him cover. Waco's rednecky, he thinks—he's never been there, but he's sure he'll stick out. Huntsville is the edge of the Houston metroplex—too close for comfort.

He heads west. He's on the road, more or less relaxed. He's working on the logistics of his plan to leave a mountain called Portia.

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