Chapter 31

Alon quickly realised what had happened and sank down in his seat. He hit the central locking and all the doors locked. He was hyperventilating and felt dizzy. The man outside was waving a scanner over the door trying to unlock it, but it was not working. This car did not have coded locks. Alon shut his eyes.

"Start the car!"

Alon opened his eyes. He was hearing a voice but there was nobody else there. He wished hard that someone would com to his rescue.

"Start the car!"

Alon knew the voice. It was his father's. There was no time for an internal spiritual debate about whether it was a real voice, or his imagination. So Alon pressed the start button. Dovid had the key card in his pocket, so he must have been close enough for it to activate the controls. Alon pressed the start button and the engine sprang to life. The man outside was now trying to kick through the window.

"Drive!" said the voice.

Now Alon did not think to question it. He dragged himself across to the driver's side, and pulled the lever into drive. He pressed the accelerator. The car leapt to life. Very quickly, however, Alon realised he could not take his foot off the accelerator. His legs were too weak and the braces too strong. He was lucky it was a straight road, as he had gone almost a kilometre at about 60 kph before he grabbed his leg with his hands and pulled it off the accelerator. He coasted to a halt. He managed to attract the attention of a passer by, and asked them to call the police, before passing out.

---

"Alon! Wake up!"

Alon groaned.

"Come on!"

Alon opened his eyes. He narrowed them to focus, and saw Dovid standing over him. He groaned and rubbed his temples. "Where am I?"

"At the police station," said Dovid. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Alon sat up. "How long have we been here?"

"An hour."
"What happened? Are you all right?"

Dovid had a bruise going from his chin to his ears across both cheeks. "I'll be fine. It's a five-alarm headache, though."

Alon smiled weakly, and nodded. "Are we going home?"
Dovid sighed. "They don't know what to do with you, Alon. I mean, with us."
"What do you mean?"
"The man who attacked us today was a known associate of an international criminal organisation. Now they think that the man who shot Paul was also involved with it. I'm not going to lie to you, Alon. They're after us."
Alon nodded, and looked solemn. "What do we do?"
"Like I say, they're looking for a place for us to go, to be safe. God willing, it will all be well."

Alon hung his head.

"So what do we do now?"

"We wait. We can't leave the police station for the moment. Who knows what connections these people have."

Unfortunately for the pair, the safest place in the station was the detention cells, and that is where the two were forced to spend the night.

---

Alon prayed hard that night. He himself was not afraid of dying. He had come so close to it now that it did not hold much fear for him, and although he tried to stamp it down, there was a part of him that did wish for it all to end. He had lost so much and so many that he had loved, and his belief in heaven made him want to join them. He had always been sure that there was justice in the world. Of course, bad things happen to good people, and it is always a great shame when it happens. But bad things were happening now to good people because of their association with him. He prayed again. He did not want to bring harm or trouble to anyone else. He prayed hard for the rapid return of his strength. At least then he might not need to have people around him all the time.

The more Alon thought about it the more despondent he became. He did possess the knowledge these people were after, but he could not give it to them. If it were to fall in to the wrong hands, there could be global disaster. Terrorist organisations might use the technology. He felt heavily the burden of responsibility for it. And at the same time he so desperately wanted to be rid of it. The wails from the drunks and criminals protesting their innocence in the neighbouring cells did little for his constitution.

---

It was decided that the best thing to do would be to travel to Northern Canada. The remote location would make it very difficult for somebody to locate them easily. A location was to be decided.

"Churchill!" said Alon.

"What?" asked the police officer.

"Churchill, Manitoba."
"I know where Churchill is."
"I have some friends there. My friend Adrian lives there and his father is a marine biologist."
The police officer look confused. But Churchill was remote, and they really did not have any better ideas. "Okay," she said. She started fumbling on the desk for pen and paper.

"I am sure I can find the details. Have you a secure phone?" asked Dovid.

He was pointed in the right direction and started trying to contact Matthew Bissett.

---

It was all arranged. It was decided that the monorail would be the best way to get there. They did not keep records of passenger details, so they could travel inconspicuously. Even better, Dovid could help Alon on to a train easily, while it was a little more complicated for planes or helijets. There were no trains until the next day, but the police found a computer, and Alon happily spent time on it while they waited, and spent another night in the cells. Alon could now hardly sleep for the excitement. He was to see Adrian again, and God knows, he needed a friend.

They boarded a train for Winnipeg, and then another to Churchill. The journey took all day, and relatively little was said. Alon had put his troubles on hold for the excitement of seeing Adrian. They only began to talk about three hours from Churchill.

"I told Matthew about Paul."

"Oh!" said Alon. He had not thought to even try to call him. "Is he okay?"
"He's pretty upset, but he understands."

Alon nodded. He sensed there was more, worse news to come.

"I can't stay with you in Churchill, Alon."

Alon stared, wide eyed. "What?"
"I have a family too, I need to get back to them. And I have work to do."
Alon said nothing. Of course, he did not expect Dovid to sacrifice his world for him, nor had he really expected him to stay, but it was a bit of a shock.

"I understand," said Alon.

"There's another reason," said Dovid. "Whoever wants what you have wants it badly. They may never stop trying to find you. I am another link in the chain. So you are better off away from me."
Alon nodded and smiled thinly.
"Besides, it's freezing up here!" said Dovid, trying to lighten the mood. He could see the tears in Alon's eyes. "You like these folks, and they like you. You can nearly walk on your own now, too. You can get back to normal up here."

"I know. Thank you." Alon offered his hand and the rabbi shook it. He smiled and turned to look out of the window.

A steward came down the aisle. He was dressed in a white jacket and bow tie. Alon watched him. It was at that moment he realised that they were now the only people in the carriage. He heard a loud crack, and was aware that the train was slowing. Out of the window, he could see the train speeding away. The car had been separated from the train.