2000 Mile, Full Circle (Part 1)

Previously: We are watching you

4:14 AM, Twin Tower Communication Building


I've been on the move and off the grid for sometimes, while at the moment my brain still couldn't fully comprehend how I was able to end up where I begun.

This will be a long story to tell...

Just after receiving the warning that day, all I can think of was start running. But against all urge to do so I retained my composure, that is precisely what they want. My friend may have been foolish enough to act in haste with fear so that it caused his demised. Clearly he panicked and tried to contact me in an unsecured line -- it is against all what we were trained for.

I took the day's work instead and act normally, painfully normal and dull. I even manage to do overtime work. Whoever is watching me during that moment would have been baffled by my reaction -- misinformation and misdirection is an effective defense.

When I got home, I had the urge to pack and scram. Then I realized that I'm being watched and I have just lead them straight to my lair. It's clearly a bad move -- but making it obvious I made a mistake would make it disastrous. The acting normal at the office may have worked and given the watchers enough to doubt if I was the correct target; or else I would have not made it home at all alive. I'll have to play along as not to hasten their actions against me.

Still I wouldn't give then time to figure out I'm bluffing and catch me, I started to pack discreetly. First thing on my list is to the pack the evidence, surely they will try to acquire my laptop which I often use but not much evidence will be found there; maybe they can match the laptop's MAC address with their trace logs but its still a deniable evidence. I kept everything on a separate external disk drive, easy to hide, carry and destroy if needed. Then I packed a few pieces of clothes and cash; all cramped into a slim pack back. Carrying too much will give away my acting performance and not to mention it will be cumbersome too carry more than the important -- it will just slow me down. Finally, after packing I readied to sleep; I will need all the energy I need for tomorrow.

A few hours later, the first rays of the sun lighted the sky I started my escape. Surely this move will alert who ever is staking-out my home at that moment; I'm not known to go for work that early. So I grabbed my orange jacket and headed out to play cat and mouse.

The first move in any chase is to take away the opponent's advantage -- their speed. I must force them to chase me on foot. After exiting the door of my house I briskly walk southward, as I took a quick glance back and I saw an gray SUV parked on the opposite side of the road where my house lies. So far they have not started the chase thinking that they have the full advantage with a vehicle. I picked up the pace to make it more obvious that I'm aware their presence and I heard the engine starts and the SUV moved with headlights off -- they are trying to be discreet. Still they seemed to be not in a hurry to chase me since clearly they can catch up to me anytime since I'm on foot -- which is good.

I sprinted and turned right on the corner of the road then jumped in the freshly dug pavement, I knew it was there -- an on going road reconstruction project on the area for the last 2 days has broken up the pavement into large sharp blocks ready to be hauled by trucks, but for for now it made the road totally inaccessible for any vehicle. A perfect blockade against the chasers -- you see; information in power.

I'm already about to turn left on the next block when I heard the SUV stopped abruptly at the first corner have I turn on to, they must have been surprised by the construction blocking their way. I didn't look back, I sprinted harder and turned left going towards the market area where the Jeepney's often pass.

It's time to get the advantage, as I saw the first Jeepney passing, I grabbed the handles near its rear entrance. The driver wasn't bothered, its all too common to catch a ride that way in this country. After regaining my balance I proceeded to take a seat and took off my orange jacket to blend in with the other passengers. It's precisely what the jacket is for, present them with a clear visible marker then take it away -- work like seeing a disappearing magic act.

Now the chaser's will need to double back around towards a exit 4 blocks away to catch up and they won't even be able to drive by the same street I'm on since that exit has the traffic flowing in one way and away from the road in on. Still even if they manage to catch up with the Jeepney after a few more blocks, I would be long long gone off it and have taken another Jeepney towards the opposite route.

This is the the start of my 2000 mile run, but little do i know that I'll be running in full circle.

To be continued in part 2.