Space & Time

Chapter 31 - New Alliances

Back on the streets of Paris, Alexei was getting weary from the chase. He had felt sure

by now his mom and dad had lost his trail. He stepped into a small convenience shop to grab a

bottle of water and a candy bar. His body was rebelling against his intense effort to escape and

was starting to shut down. He needed some fresh calories to keep going. Walking up and down

the aisles, he found the candy bar section, Snickers Bar that would do the trick. Alex set his two

items on the counter to checkout and the clerk looked at him wearily.

"Isn't it a little late for a jog?" The clerk said, noticing Alex's sweat soaked shirt and his

panting.

Alex ignored the question, just wanting to leave, "How much do I owe you?" he asked

the clerk politely.

"You look Russian son, are you Russian?"

This conversation was not going the way Alexei had hoped for. "Look sir, I am kinda

tired and would like to just pay for these and leave." Alex was now tapping his foot nervously.

"Well I‟ll tell you what. My two boys went to the Ukraine a few years ago to help push

you people back over the border where you belong. My oldest was blown in half by one of your

bouncing landmines. My youngest, he is in the back of my shop in a wheel chair, never to walk

again. I think you came into the wrong store, are your parents outside?"

Alex stood for a moment, then he looked toward the door, if he sprinted hard, he could

make it out. Suddenly he heard the click of the lock engaging on the exit door.

"Electronic lock son, you are in for a long night..." The shop owner said as his son

wheeled up into the store from the back, looking at Alexei with a scowl on his face.

Alexei knew he needed to act now or he could be doomed. In one quick motion, he let

the backpack slide down from his shoulder to his hand and with all of his body weight he swung

the pack of crystals hard at the shop owner‟s face. The swift motion caught the man off-guard as

he was whacked directly in the face by the heavy bag, causing him to buckle over to regain his

footing.

Alex knew it was a hard hit as soon as the bag made contact. Next, he reached over the

counter and searched for the button the man hit to lock the door, frantically trying to find it to

unlock the door. Success, he pressed hard and heard the lock unlatch.

The son was wheeling over to him now and Alex kicked over the magazine stand beside

him to impede the disabled boy's progress. Time to go Alex thought. As he was turning to run,

he felt a strong hand reach up from behind the counter and grab hold of his wrist. He grabbed a

pen off the counter and stabbed the hand as hard as he could with his free left hand.

The man let go as he screamed in pain and Alex bolted out the door.

He was on the run again, this time though at least he had a candy bar and a bottle of water

to keep him going but no time to think about why he was attacked just for looking different.