As he sat watching everyone eating, he remembered the Burger King just by the barriers and decided the delay afforded him plenty of time to get some much needed food. Although he enjoyed fine dining he also was perfectly happy with a large burger meal from time to time. Tonight it would be double portions of everything. He left the train and retraced his steps towards the ticket barrier.
A train had arrived at the next platform and the passengers were tumbling off and also heading for the ticket barriers. As he neared the exit he noticed a group of men on the other side of the barriers huddled together engrossed in conversation, right in front of the Burger King. He was through the barrier as the group split apart and he immediately recognized Taylor. Then he spotted Miller.
He spun on his heels and started walking away from the group towards the underground station. Where the hell had they come from? Did they actually know he was here or were they just checking all the stations? Fortunately, others were walking in the same direction and at least partially shielding him from Taylor and Miller’s view. As he walked, he expected to hear his name called and be ordered to stop but no challenge came. He accelerated his pace. He was outnumbered and knew he couldn’t outrun them. If they saw him he was dead. Gradually the distance between him and the danger increased. He was starting to feel a sense of euphoria that he was once again going to escape their clutches.
Tom looked back in the general direction of Miller and the others. He didn’t want to join Miller and interfere with whatever he was doing. He sipped on his coffee and turned back to Melanie. With a huge sense of foreboding, he then looked back again in Miller’s general direction at the man who had just come through the ticket barrier and was now heading in his direction. He was certain it was Simpson. Why the hell hadn’t Miller seen him? They were so engrossed in conversation no one had noticed he was slipping right past them.
“Don’t turn around,” Tom cautioned Melanie, “but Simpson is walking straight towards us.”
Tom could see Melanie was fighting the urge to take a look. He half turned himself so that he wasn’t clearly visible. He held the coffee cup to his lips as Simpson came near. There was nowhere really to hide. He was bound to see them shortly.
Tom spotted the moment when Simpson realized who he was approaching. He was about fifteen feet away. The revelation caused Simpson to stop mid stride and at the same time look behind, checking no doubt on the location of Miller. Melanie could tell from Tom’s look of concern that they had been spotted and turned to face Simpson.
Tom let out an enormous shout of “Miller” that was heard by everyone on the station. People nearby immediately started to move away to avoid him.
The scream seemed to confuse Simpson for a second. He looked back and locked eyes on Miller. Then he started to run.
Tom saw him drawing the gun from inside his jacket. Melanie reacted first and threw her coffee at the approaching Simpson catching him fully on the chest. The impact made the protective top fly off and hot coffee splashed all over him. A fair amount landed on his face and caused him to swear.
He raised his gun in Melanie’s direction and it was Tom’s turn to throw his cup. His aim was true and the cup hit Simpson fully on the chin and covered him in scolding coffee.
Simpson shrieked in pain and used both arms to desperately wipe the coffee from his face.
Tom could see Miller and the others running at full speed in their direction.
Simpson turned and fired wildly in their direction, causing them to throw themselves to the ground. The atmosphere in the station suddenly changed. The public panicked at the realization of what was happening. Some dived to the floor. Others ran away screaming. A few just stood with open mouths uncertain what to do, perhaps not believing the scene unfolding before their eyes.
In the midst of the chaos, Tom watched Simpson turn back towards him and Melanie. There was a look of pure malice in his eyes and Tom was sure he would happily kill them both. Simpson raised the weapon to fire and Tom threw Melanie to the ground, covering her with his body. He heard a single shot but felt no pain. Then he heard further multiple shots. He clung tightly to Melanie until the firing stopped but didn’t look up. He heard the sound of running feet approaching.
“You know you can get into trouble for that sort of behaviour in public,” Tom heard Miller say.
“Very funny,” a very relieved Tom responded and climbed off Melanie.
Miller held out his hand and helped pull Melanie to her feet. Tom reasoned he wasn’t going to get the same assistance so scrambled to his feet without help. He felt huge relief that once again lady luck seemed to have been on their side but he didn’t think he had many lives left.
A few feet away on the ground was the bloody body of Simpson. Tom knew it could easily have been him lying there. A crowd had started to gather and the police were keeping them at bay and telling them to go on home but they were standing transfixed by the sight of the dead body on the ground.
Taylor walked up to the dead body and covered Simpson’s face with his jacket. Tom turned away. Given the circumstances, he was glad Simpson was dead. Miller and his men had had no choice but to shoot him and it was just as well for Tom and Melanie their aim had been accurate. Tom didn’t understand what had made Simpson become the man he was but he had saved Tom’s
