Page 32 of Belgian Betrayal

Catya turned toward the area where people milled about, waiting for their scheduled trains to arrive.

Two trains pulled into the already busy station, one after the other, and belched their passengers. The platforms filled with people exiting and boarding the trains.

Catya ducked her head. “Head for platform seven.”

Fearghas glanced at the electronic scheduling board and leaned close to Catya. “That’s going to Hamburg.”

She nodded. “Those men are following us. Let them see us board that train. If they’re determined to stay with us, they’ll get on the train as well.” She touched his arm. “Stay with me and be ready to do as I do.”

Fearghas met Atkins’s gaze over the top of Catya’s head. “You hear that?”

The other man nodded.

Rather than hide in the crowd, Catya stood tall and marched toward the train to Hamburg.

Fearghas and Atkins flanked her in case the men following decided to do more than follow.

Catya stood beside the train and checked the electronic sign indicating the train was due to leave in three minutes. She stepped onto the train.

Fearghas climbed the steps after her, and Atkins brought up the rear.

Catya led them down the aisle and chose seats near the opposite end of the car from where they’d entered and sank into one, facing the direction from which they’d entered.

Fearghas sat beside her, his gaze on the platform outside the train.

Atkins dropped onto the seat facing them. “Are they taking the bait?”

“They’re talking to each other.” Catya glanced at her watch. “Two minutes until the train leaves.”

The three men split up. Two entered the train car through the same door as Catya had.

“Time to move,” Catya said.

Before the two men cleared the interior door, Fearghas, Catya and Atkins left their seats and moved into the next car.

The third man walking alongside the train must have seen them through the windows. He broke into a jog.

Catya hurried down the aisle of the next car, glancing down at her watch. “Be ready,” she said over her shoulder.

Fearghas stayed on her heels, glancing back past Atkins to the men coming through the door behind them.

As Catya reached the far end of the car, the man outside the train entered the car behind them and met up with his two counterparts. They strode down the middle of the aisle, walking fast.

Catya stepped through the door into the middle space between the car with the men and the next car.

Fearghas and Atkins stepped through as well.

“I hope this works,” she murmured, hesitated a couple of seconds and then dove down the steps and out of the train.

Fearghas hurried after her.

Atkins leaped through the door the second before it snapped shut, and the train began to move away.

The men on board dove into the middle compartment, but the doors had closed, and the train began to pull away from the station.

Catya kept moving, heading for the platform where the train to Brussels stood, ready to leave in less than five minutes.

They arrived in time to board. The doors closed and locked immediately after Atkins.

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