Page 16 of What Remains (John Worthy #3)

The plan was simple: drive to the hospital in Khorog, let Harvey exit with Davila and Matvey, wait until Harvey signaled the all-clear—a simple thumb’s-up emoji—and then drive away. A low-risk adventure, assuming no one knew Parviz’s van on sight.

Which is what they did. The trip took three hours and change. Harvey drove; Davila and Matvey hung in the front seat. He and Driver stretched out in the cargo bay. Driver promptly went to sleep, leaving John to brood.

About a half hour out of Khorog, Driver—who was awake and driving—said, “I didn’t expect to see you again.”

“The understatement of the century.” John let a beat slip as he debated the best opening gambit. In the end, he settled for straightforward. “Look, you said we got three hours or so before we get to where we leave the van, right?”

“Yes.” Pause. “And?”

He signed. “Don’t play pseudo-stupid. You’re thinking so hard, steam’s coming out of your ears.”

Driver didn’t crack a smile. “I’m starting to think the way you are. That this isn’t a coincidence, you and me, in the same theater of operations at the same time and going in, essentially, the same direction.”

“So, you agree our missions might dovetail?”

“I don’t know, Worthy. I think I’m waiting for the punchline, the moment this all becomes clear. So far, I don’t see it.” Driver slid him a sidelong glance. “But there’s something more pressing on your mind, something you’re dying to know. Like…why we’re both not dead.”

“Yeah, I’m kinda wondering. You asked me if I remember what happened.

Well, I do and the last I saw of you, you were making like Spiderman while half the cave was coming down.

Roni was right behind you. I still don’t understand what you were doing, why you were going that way.

But I guess it worked, since you’re here.

So how did you, well, dot-dot-dot?” He waited then said, “That was an ellipsis, by the way. My invitation for you to fill in an open-ended question.”

Driver snorted. “You always were a smart-ass.”

“And proud of it. Don’t dodge the question, Driver.”

“What do you remember?”

“You always answer a question with a question?”

“What do you think?”

John had to smile. “You’ve missed your calling. You’d make a great shrink. Trust me, I know from personal experience, from hours with therapists, and I’m not talking about Roni.”

“Point taken. But, you first, Worthy,” Driver said. “What do you remember?”

“I remember everything,” John said, “until the moment I died.”