Page 146 of Everything That Kills Me
Jack tried once more to pick him up and Thomas cried out. “Please. Jack. Do as you’re fucking told.”
The sound of sirens grew louder. Jack gave Thomas a desperate look.
“Your gun.”
Jack put it in his hand.
“You…” Jack’s breathing was all over the place.
Thomas reached for Jack’s hand and patted it. “Been good.” Thomas smiled. “Begood. Be happy. Run. Keep running.”
“I…”
“Go.”
Jack shot him one final look, then bolted to the fire escape.
Police vehicles and an ambulance were pulling up outside. Jack ran down the stairs missing many of the treads, and sprinted into cover, following the route he’d already worked out. When he reached his car, he could hardly believe he’d not been seen. But he hadn’t.
He drove carefully until he was well away from the area, then pulled over and broke down. He hadn’t wanted to leave Thomasbut if he’d stayed, he’d have been arrested and both he and Thomas knew that wound was likely fatal. The amount of blood coming from his mouth said it all.Thomas!But he couldn’t afford to waste time grieving.
Jack got rid of his knife and the extra cartridges for the Walther. He changed his clothes in the car and disposed of them too. His countersurveillance was thorough but he was on auto-pilot and made himself continue for another two hours before he went to Greenwich. Another hour was spent wandering aimlessly before he broke into Zeph’s flat and showered.
Thomas had always told him to choose a bath over a shower. It was hard to hear someone approach if you were in the shower. But Zeph had no tub.
Thomas had told him…
Thomas…Oh fuck.
By the time he heard Zeph opening the door, he was back in control. He’d been constantly checking news bulletins but there was nothing about a shooting in Gravesend. Jack walked into Zeph’s arms and held him tight. Zeph kicked the door closed behind him.
“I think Thomas is dead,” Jack whispered.
“Oh no!” Zeph squeezed him harder. He pulled Jack into the main room, onto the couch, buried his face in his chest and hugged him. “I’m sorry about him, but I’m glad you’re all right. Are you all right?”
“Yes. Did you hear what went down?”
Zeph lifted his head. “We were only told Al-Talib was dead. No further surveillance necessary. A Georgian banker died too. Another person of interest. They think the groups killed each other. They didn’t, did they?”
“No.”
“Did you have to shoot people?”
“Yes.”
“Were you scared?”
“Not until I saw how badly Thomas was hurt.” Fear wasn’t the best response to danger. It immobilised. The best response to an immediate threat was to think of a way out and Jack had taken it. But the cost…
“You didn’t want to leave him.”
“No, but I had to.”
“Aren’t you afraid of anything?”
“At this moment? Losing you.”
Zeph chewed his lip. Jack put his finger on Zeph’s mouth and stopped him.
