Paycheck (2003) Read Online Free PDF Page A

enough material to prove Rethrick is operating a time scoop.’
    Kelly laughed. ‘Enter the Plant? Let’s see you
find
the Plant. The SP have been looking for it for years.’
    ‘I’ve already found it.’ Jennings leaned back, lighting a cigarette. ‘I’ve located it with my trinkets. And I have four left, enough to get me inside, I think. And to get me what I want. I’ll be able to carry out enough papers and photographs to hang Rethrick. But I don’t want to hang Rethrick. I only want to bargain. That’s where you come in.’
    ‘I?’
    ‘You can be trusted not to go to the Police. I need someone I can turn the material over to. I don’t dare keep it myself. As soon as I have it I must turn it over to someone else, someone who’ll hide it where I won’t be able to find it.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘Because,’ Jennings said calmly, ‘any minute the SP may pick me up. I have no love for Rethrick, but I don’t want to scuttle it. That’s why you’ve got to help me. I’m going to turn the information over to you, to hold, while I bargain with Rethrick. Otherwise I’ll have to hold it myself. And if I have it on me—’
    He glanced at her. Kelly was staring at the floor, her face tense. Set.
    ‘Well? What do you say? Will you help me, or shall I take the chance the SP won’t pick me up with the material? Data enough to destroy Rethrick. Well? Which will it be? Do you want to see Rethrick destroyed? What’s your answer?’
    The two of them crouched, looking across the fields at the hill beyond. The hill rose up, naked and brown, burned clean of vegetation. Nothing grew on its sides. Halfway up a long steel fence twisted, topped with charged barbed wire. On the other side a guard walked slowly, a tiny figure patrolling with a rifle and helmet.
    At the top of the hill lay an enormous concrete block, a towering structure without windows or doors. Mounted guns caught the early morning sunlight, glinting in a row along the roof of the building.
    ‘So that’s the Plant,’ Kelly said softly.
    ‘That’s it. It would take an army to get up there, up that hill and over the fence. Unless they were allowed in.’ Jennings got to his feet, helping Kelly up. They walked back along the path, through the trees, to where Kelly had parked the cruiser.
    ‘Do you really think your green cloth band will get you in?’ Kelly said, sliding behind the wheel.
    ‘According to the people in the town, a truckload of laborers will be brought in to the Plant sometime this morning. The truck is unloaded at the entrance and the men examined. If everything’s in order they’re let inside the grounds, past the fence. For construction work, manual labor. At the end of the day they’re let out again and driven back to town.’
    ‘Will that get you close enough?’
    ‘I’ll be on the other side of the fence, at least.’
    ‘How will you get to the time scoop? That must be inside the building, some place.’
    Jennings brought out a small code key. ‘This will get me in. I hope. I assume it will.’
    Kelly took the key, examining it. ‘So that’s one of your trinkets. We should have taken a better look inside your little cloth bag.’
    ‘We?’
    ‘The Company. I saw several little bags of trinkets pass out, through my hands. Rethrick never said anything.’
    ‘Probably the Company assumed no one would ever want to get back inside again.’ Jennings took the code key from her. ‘Now, do you know what you’re supposed to do?’
    ‘I’m supposed to stay here with the cruiser until you get back. You’re to give me the material. Then I’m to carry it back to New York and wait for you to contact me.’
    ‘That’s right.’ Jennings studied the distant road, leading through the trees to the Plant gate. ‘I better get down there. The truck may be along any time.’
    ‘What if they decide to count the number of workers?’
    ‘I’ll have to take the chance. But I’m not worried. I’m sure
he
foresaw everything.’
    Kelly