Damascus Road Read Online Free PDF Page B

across the
street, through the window of the coffee shop. I started for the door and
tossed my cup into the trash. Two points. Isaac was at my heels.
    “He’s making a very special announcement,” Isaac said.
    “So am I,” I replied.
    A small crowd of people had gathered outside the campaign
office. I could hear them murmuring from across the street. Some of them held
shoulder-mounted camera equipment. TV cameras. I scanned the street and saw the
vans parked nearby, logos plastered across the sides of vans, broadcast
antennas erupting from roofs. Something was going on.
    “What’s going on?” I asked, not bothering to look back.
    “Senator Marlowe’s security team has been directed to keep
you away from him today.”
    “By whom?” I asked. I leveled a glare at Isaac that made him
squirm.
    “By me,” he said. “The news broke about the
scripture-quoting vigilante who subdued three alleged robbers…”
    “Nothing alleged about it,” I replied.
    “Having you show up here today, wouldn’t be ideal,” Isaac
went on.
    “Not ideal?” I asked.
    Before Isaac could respond, I walked into traffic. The funny
thing about being in a car accident is that there’s a bit of gun shyness that
goes along with it. You can’t shake the sound of shrieking metal in your ears.
Your bones still rattle from the impact. I didn’t have any of those feelings. I
couldn’t explain why not, except that things were different.
    I stepped into the road. I didn’t hear the honks or the
screech of tires. It was as if I had a path across the street made for me. A
parting of the Red Sea of traffic. I could feel the vehicles move around me,
front and back, but I did not flinch. Once I reached the other side of the
road, I looked back and saw Isaac Carter across the street, cars flowing
between us. His mouth was open, unable to speak. I had no explanation to give
and turned away.
    The crowd of media was thick and impenetrable. I did not want
to be lost in the crowd the first time I saw my father after all these years. I
would not be the lone voice calling from the crowd, begging for his attention.
I would be more than that to him.
    I found a gap between two buildings adjoining his campaign
headquarters and followed the narrow gap. A fence blocked my way, but I climbed
it, dropping easily onto the other side.
    The rear of the buildings opened onto an alleyway, lined
with dumpsters, trash cans and garages. I found the back of the campaign headquarters
and let myself in. All eyes were focused on the front of the house. I could see
tables, folding chairs, banners and...
    The Secret Service agent appeared from my peripheral vision.
He wore sunglasses and a dark suit, an earpiece clung to his ear. He held
something up his right sleeve.
    “May I help you?” he asked. His tone said otherwise. More
like, you don’t belong here. Or don’t let the door hit you in the ass.
    “I’m here for the General,” I said.
    “The General?” A smile played over his lips. He thought I
was a loon.
    “Two Star General Ellis Marlowe,” I said and jabbed a finger
toward the front of the house. A second agent was approaching.
    “Oh, the Senator…” he said, clear now. He looked and saw his
partner approaching quickly. “I’m afraid you can’t…”
    The agent tried to grab my forearm, but I pulled away. It
was all the provocation he needed. I heard his collapsible ASP baton drop into
his hand and snap open with a sharp thump. He swung the baton in a short arc
aimed in a cross-body strike. I knew the move well and ducked under it. His
partner was not so lucky and took the blow to the gut. He folded in half. I
pushed the dazed partner into the armed agent, bulldozing the two together,
mashing them into the wall. I jumped back and pulled the adjoining door closed
between us. I snapped the lock shut a second before the door was assaulted with
pounding hands and kicking feet, shouts of anger and vicious curses.
    My window of time was short. I turned and