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frightened him so much that he backed away quickly enough to stumble. She didn’t want to think about it and she didn’t have time to anyway. She slipped into the back and slammed the door just as Atar emerged from the crowd. “Go,” she shouted, and her voice echoed around the small confines of the car, causing both she and the driver to wince.
    “Where, Fräulein ?”
    “Anywhere. Just move.” Her eyes locked with Atar’s as the car pulled away from the curb. She saw the frustration and anger in his eyes before the car outdistanced him. She trembled, knowing he wouldn’t give up.
    “Where are we going?”
    “I need to get out of Zurich. What’s the fastest way?”
    He cocked his head. “You could take a train from Main Station. It’s just a couple of kilometers from here.”
    “That’s fine.” Nikia couldn’t relax as the driver wove through traffic, into the heart of Central Zurich. He followed the curve of the circular street around Limmat River, which separated them from the train station. She fought the mad urge to throw herself from the back of the car and swim across the river in hopes of shaving a few minutes off her escape. It seemed to take forever for the driver to reach the west side of the station and he got in the line of cars waiting to expel their passengers at the arched entrance of the light-brown brick building. Nikia grasped her garment bag and tossed a handful of Euros onto the front seat. “I’ll get out here.” She didn’t wait for a response as she got out of the car and rushed down the sidewalk to the entrance. She spared a scant glance for the monument in front of the station but took no time to examine the statues. Nor did she pay much attention to the statues adorning the roof when she rushed inside. She skidded to a halt, trying to get her bearings.
    People milled around the station, darting in and out of various arched entryways. Several had clustered under the timetable but Nikia didn’t pause to study it. She didn’t have the luxury of choosing a specific destination. She would take whatever was available and leaving immediately because Atar couldn’t be far behind.
    She bypassed the stairs that would take her to the second level and went to the ticket counters. A harried-looking woman with a large mole above the left side of her mouth gestured her forward. She went to the window, still glancing behind her.
    “Destination?” she asked in German.
    “What’s leaving right away?”
    The woman glanced at her computer. “There’s a train leaving for Milan on Platform 21.”
    Nikia nodded. “That’s fine.” She took out her identification in the name of Nicole Desmarteau and enough Euros to cover her ticket. She drummed her fingers impatiently against the counter while the clerk processed her ticket. The woman sniffed her disapproval and seemed to be making the transaction her life’s work. Nikia snatched up the printed ticket as soon as the woman slid it through the window and darted into the crowd.
    There was a map of the train station on the back of the ticket that allowed Nikia to navigate through the crowd and arrive at Platform 21, where a large group stood, with several people streaming onto the train. She pushed between an embracing couple to board the train, taking a window seat facing the platform so she could see who was approaching.
    The train whistled just as Atar came into her view. Nikia’s breath caught in her throat and she tightened her hands around the bag draped over her lap, preparing for him to board and force her off. She was determined to scream and draw as much attention as possible but didn’t hold much hope for help from authorities. He no doubt possessed extradition papers and as soon as they realized her identity was false, the police would hand her over to him.
    Maybe luck was with her because the train eased forward. She closed her eyes, daring to hope it was too late for him to board. She opened them again quickly, knowing she had