The older transit officer withdrew a document from his trouser pocket, unfolded it and held it at arm's length from his eyes. He flicked his gaze from the document to Jay. Not very subtle. The younger one grabbed his partner's shoulder and motioned for him to move to the next carriage. They went through the doors and stopped immediately on the other side. Both looked back through the glass partitions toward Jay. Apparently, the partition made them invisible.
Jay didn't feel threatened; it was common knowledge that transit officers wielded little power over the public. They even had difficulties issuing fare-evasion fines as offenders weren't required to produce identification. Jay recalled reading somewhere that most fines were issued to fictitious persons. No wonder the job attracted types like the two trying to use covert surveillance techniques from the next carriage.
The voice over the train speakers announced that they were approaching Carseldine station. Only one more stop at Bald Hills before Strathpine. It was now a matter of time. Jay knew the transit officers would be calling the police, he could see the younger one with the mobile phone at his ear. He didn't need these two relaying updates to the authorities. As the train pulled into Carseldine, Jay moved to the exit.
The train stopped and the door locks released. Jay hit the platform and started at a quick pace toward the front of the train. He was glad the train only had three carriages.
The younger transit officer's head poked out of the doors of the next carriage. He pulled it back inside when he saw Jay approaching. Jay found it hard not to laugh at their comedy act.
Beside the doors to the front carriage, Jay stopped and pretended to tie up a shoelace. He glanced back. As predicted, the two officers had left their carriage and were ambling towards him. Jay heard the announcement he was waiting for: Doors closing. Please stand clear. As the hydraulics began to force the doors closed, Jay leapt straight into the carriage as they closed a whisker behind him. He moved to the window and waved to the transit officers, who stood frozen to the platform. As the train rolled out, the younger one began running toward the carriage Jay had entered. The older one turned toward the back of the train and raised his hands, an obvious signal to the train guard. The train slowed and pulled up before the end of the platform. Shit, Jay thought. Time for plan B.
The younger officer worked the doorhandle back and forth until the locks were released. He climbed into the carriage next to Jay and said, 'You're getting off here.'
'Why?'
'Because I said you're getting off here.'
'My ticket says I've got a fare to Strathpine and that's where I intend to go. So unless you have a legal reason for refusing my service then I suggest you piss off.'
'You can't talk to me like that. I know who you are.'
Jay lowered his voice. 'Then you also know what I'm capable of.'
The younger officer backed off the carriage and retreated to the middle of the platform. Jay knew the train wasn't going anywhere soon when he noticed the older officer talking to the train guard. Time was fast becoming a precious commodity. He noticed the handful of passengers looking at him. Seemed the ruckus was more intriguing than their magazines and Harry Potter books. Even headphones were removed to eavesdrop on the conversation. Jay made his decision.
'Everybody out of the train.' Nobody moved. Jay retrieved the pistol and held it toward the floor, so the passengers could see it but not be overly alarmed as he wasn't pointing it at anyone. It didn't work and mayhem ensued. Women screamed and half the men hit the floor. The other couple of men looked on as if weighing up whether to rush Jay. They soon hit the floor too after Jay shook his head to ward off their heroics.
'Get off the floor and get out of the train, and make sure you tell the rest of them in the other two carriages.' A pause and then a mad rush for the door, with the men the quickest to exit. So much for chivalry.
Jay waited until the carriage was clear then stepped off the train and noted the transit officers and guard glued to the platform, the officers talking on their mobile phones. Jay waved the pistol in their direction. 'Guard, I need you to check to make sure all the passengers are off the train.'
He didn't argue or hesitate. His weathered face indicated enough experience not to cause Jay any trouble.
'You two,' Jay waved the pistol toward the transit officers, 'throw your phones this way.' They hesitated and Jay waved the pistol again. The older one threw his first and then the younger one obliged. Jay kicked both phones into the gap between the platform and the train. 'Now I suggest you two go and make yourself useful and calm down the passengers.' Most of them had left the platform and were watching on from the carpark.
Behind Jay, the door of the driver's cab flew open. He spun around as the grey-haired driver stepped onto the platform. 'What's the prob...' He noticed the pistol.
'Let's not panic here,' Jay said. 'I just want you to take me a couple more stops then I'm out of your hair and on my way.'
The driver nodded. The hold-up procedures for the rail operator should be commended, Jay thought.
The guard ambled back up the platform to join them. 'Train's clear,' he said.
Jay turned his attention to the driver. 'I need you to get back in the cab and open the door that links this first carriage to your cabin.' He looked back to the guard. 'Thanks for clearing the train but we don't need you for the journey.'
'I don't mean to sound out of line, mister. But you see I'm responsible for this train so I'd like to stay on board with your permission. I'd be happy to sit where you tell me.'
Jay was starting to like this train crew. 'Fine, but no heroics.'
The three of them climbed back into the train. The driver opened the inner door to the cabin as requested. He edged the train forward and slowly built up speed toward the next stop.
The flashing lights of police vehicles darted amongst the rail corridor trees as they approached Bald Hills station. At least a dozen officers lined the platform, weapons at the ready. Obviously they wanted Jay off the train before he reached his destination. Jay grinned. How did the police expect to stop a train? It wasn't as if they could lay road spikes to blow the tyres. The train driver looked over his shoulder to Jay.
'Just ignore them, give them a wave even. Whatever you do, we're not stopping.'
The driver smiled and faced the front. He seemed unperturbed and even appeared to be enjoying the experience, waving to the police as they passed each two-man group. Jay watched the heads of the police officers and their weapons pivot in unison as the train flew by. He looked back through the carriage and noted the train guard standing at the doors also waving to the police.
They were fast approaching a bend that appeared to provide cover from view of the next station and the one just passed. 'I want you to slow to walking speed just before that bend.'
'Sure,' the driver replied.
'And I need your wallet.'
The driver turned his head and said, 'You seem reasonable enough, but I need that money to feed my kids.'
'I don't want your money.' Jay held his hand out and the driver reluctantly handed over his wallet.
As they slowed to a crawl, Jay took out the driver's licence and read aloud his home address. He replaced the licence and handed the wallet back. 'I don't make threats, just promises,' he said. 'I need you to do exactly what I say.'
'As long as it doesn't involve crashing my train.'
'It doesn't. I want you to pull up now.'
With a moan from the brakes, the train came to a stop just before the bend.
Jay continued. 'Open the doors. I'm getting out here. I want you to keep driving this train to the end of the line. No stopping and no communications. OK?'
The driver shrugged. 'No problems.'
Jay dug into his pocket and pulled out his ticket. 'Although we didn't make it to my stop, I wouldn't want to risk a fine for fare-evasion.' He handed the ticket to the driver, who took it with a grin.
The jump onto the tracks reminded him why he'd had to give up rugby as his knees buckled with the impact. The train slowly pulled away as he moved for the cover of long grass under a vehicle overpass. He looked around to get his bearings. From the direction he had travelled, dairy cattle grazed a large section of land on either side of the tracks; ahead of him toward the next station was an industrial estate.
He withdrew his phone and called the Director of NSIS. 'Change of plan,' he said.