Dead by Tomorrow - Part Four

Part Four

         Brady stood in the bus terminal, ticket in hand as he double checked the schedule. He had used what little cash he had left to purchase a ticket to Las Vegas. He had tossed his wallet, burned his Drivers License and ATM card. He needed to stay off the grid. The Feds would be monitoring electronic transactions, looking for a clue to as where he was. He was taking a chance getting on the bus, they would be checking the stations and airports, if they wanted him that badly. If they weren't that interested in him, then he would be free and clear.
         Brady knew a guy in Vegas that could get him work, no questions asked. He was a  former Army Buddy that now did freelance security at some of the smaller casinos. Once there, Brady could pick up small jobs here and there, until they started asking to many questions, then it would be time to move on again.
         Brady sat on a small bench where he had a good view of the door. The sun was almost to the horizon and cast long shadows out in the depot area. He surveyed his surroundings taking in the faces and body language of the other people that milled around. He saw nothing out of place, no suspicious movements, no hastily diverted glances. He turned his head and looked at the doorway from the ticket area, and saw nothing of note. Maybe he was in the clear, he thought. As he relaxed a little.
         That when he spotted it. The guy almost made it to the next pillar before Brady caught a glimpse of him. He may be wrong about his hunch, but Brady decided he would be better safe than sorry. He rose off the bench, and casually moved towards the vending machines on the opposite end of the terminal. If there was one there was more. He tried to appear as though he was unaware of being watched. He reached the vending machine, fumbling for change in his pocket as his eyes scanned the reflection of the terminal area behind him. He counted 3 tails, possibly a fourth. He pulled a few quarters from his pocket and deposited them into the machine, selecting a can of Pepsi. He reached down and took the can then stood and walked out into the depot area of the terminal. This would tell him if he was truly being followed. He walked past the front of a bus loading up with passengers, then picked up his pace when he was sheltered temporarily from view. He ran to the front of another bus the cut back down its left side, dropping to the ground just in front of the double rear wheels. He looked back the direction he had just come. He counted four pairs of shoes,moving too rapidly to be boarding passengers. He waited until they got closer then slid under the bus, out of view, should they look down
between the buses. His hiding spot was temporary, he knew they would start checking underneath the buses soon, if they hadn't already.
         Keeping track of where the shoes were, he waited a couple had run off a different direction and the other 2 had turned away from him. He rolled from under one bus to under the next bus back towards the terminal area, pausing to check the feet again. He rolled once more out from underneath and stood, walking quickly down the side. He stopped at the edge and peered around the corner, looking for the agent that was working that side. He had his back to Brady as he moved down the line of the buses. Brady watched him for a second, noting his search pattern. The agent would step to the edge of the bus, his back to Brady, and then gun in hand, would step around the corner. His peripheral vision would catch Brady if he moved, so he waited until the Agent got to the next bus then Brady moved across the front and down the side of the next Bus. Moving to the rear he looked around the corner again. There was an Agent coming towards him. Brady knew that this time, it was inevitable. He would have to face this Agent.
         Brady waited until the Agent just about rounded the corner and he lept at him from a crouch, knocking the the Agents arms up and away, and prevented the pistol from going off in his face. The shoot echoed in the terminal and people began to scream. The Agent had accidentally pulled the trigger when he got startled by Brady, and that had also alerted the other agents. Brady still had the advantage of surprise and quickly disarmed the agent, and after a stunning punch to the stomach, tossed the pistol away under one of the buses. The agent recovered a little from his stomach blow and took a swing at Brady. Brady saw it coming and dropped to crouch, extended his left leg out and spun, sweeping the Agents legs out from under him. The Agent fell hard knocking his head against the side of the bus. He was dazed and Brady knew he had only seconds before the other Agents arrived. He stepped over the fallen agent and started down the line of buses crossing in front of them. Another Agent stepped into his view, gun leveled squarely at his chest. Brady didn't stop but ducked to one side as he got within striking range. The Agent didn't fire, telling Brady that they were under orders. He could use this to his advantage.
         Brady came in at the Agent's right side, even as the Agent moved to face him. He managed to grasp the Agent's pistol arm, preventing him from turning to much. This left the Agent's entire right side open to attack. Brady managed to land his left knee just below the Agent's ribs. As the Agent doubled over, Brady twisted his right arm, forcing him to release the pistol. Brady grabbed it and tossed it away just as the other two Agents ran up, pistols out.
         Brady still grasping the Agent's arm looked around quickly for an escape route. The buses were to far away to duck behind. The Agents didn't say a word. They didn't have to. Brady knew his running was over.