Free THE BROTHERHOOD by Steve Jovanoski Page A

meeting mysterious men: what did it all mean? Aazim needed to know what was going on.
    He opened the glove compartment and took out the stun gun. He squeezed the trigger and an electric current zapped across the two rods; it was still charged. He drove straight to a hardware store and bought gaffer tape. His phone rang: it was Rami. Aazim didn’t answer. Instead, he sent Rami another SMS message, telling him to leave his car behind and to catch the midday train from the local station to the city. Aazim was calculating on his pursuers being more discreet this time and leaving a bit of distance between them.
    Aazim drove to the train station to ensure Rami did as he was told. He watched as Rami and his two companions boarded the city train, separating themselves by two carriages, obviously in case Aazim saw them and was scared off. They left their cars behind, just as he hoped. He had about thirty minutes to get to Flinders Street train station before they did. He needed a busy intersection and the one in front of this station was one of the busiest in Melbourne, intersecting main roads. He was slowed down by a few red traffic lights on the way but eventually made it there in time. According to the train itinerary they were due to arrive in ten minutes.
    He sent Rami another message, instructing him to get off at Flinders Street station. He waited in a taxi zone as close as possible to the traffic lights on the lower end of the station’s main entrance. From his vantage point, he had a view of the whole intersection.
    The city was bustling with life: people on their lunch breaks, buskers, preachers, performers. He was at the city’s pulsing heart. Tourists took snapshots of St Paul’s Cathedral, and across the road high school students were being led by their teachers to Federation Square, chatting and giggling along the way. He couldn’t stay where he was for too long – cabbies were giving him dirty looks as they drove past and pointed to the Taxis Only sign. And it was only a matter of time before parking inspectors showed up.
    It was well past the train’s arrival time and there was still no sign of Rami. Aazim wondered if the signal hadn’t reached him while he was in the underground loop, so he sent him another one, with additional instructions to turn right in front of the station stairs just before the traffic lights. There was a large pedestrian crossing where hundreds of people traversed every couple of minutes. No way could they spot him in all that confusion.
    Suddenly Rami appeared, cautiously walking down the station steps and stopping on the corner of the intersection. His two escorts emerged from the entrance, shuffling about and trying to look inconspicuous. As soon as the traffic lights turned green Aazim stepped on the accelerator, cutting off another car and narrowly missing it. The furious driver beeped the horn and hurled profanities at him. Aazim reached the other side where Rami was, the tyres screeching as he came to a sudden halt, and pushed the passenger door open.
    ‘Get in, quickly!’
    Rami looked at him in surprise. ‘I thought you were on foot.’
    ‘Hurry up, there are cars behind me!’ True enough, he was blocking the same driver he’d cut off.
    Rami gave a quick glance over his shoulder and half hesitated before getting in. As he sped off, Aazim watched in the rear-vision mirror as the bearded pursuers ran hopelessly after them. Adrenaline rushed through his body and he felt himself grinning.
    ‘Slow down, Aazim! What’s your hurry?’ Forgetting himself, Rami turned around again and looked back.
    ‘Relax. We’ll just go somewhere we can talk.’
    Rami nervously clipped on his seatbelt. ‘What’s with all the secrecy, Az? You haven’t been at work and you haven’t answered my calls. What’s going on?
    ‘I’ve been busy running around,’ Aazim replied coolly and stared at the road.
    Neither spoke another word as Aazim drove out of the city and onto the freeway. He passed