The Watcher

The Watcher

She was clever, to a point. Hidden in the shadow of a doorway and dressed in black pants and top, she wasn't that easy to spot from a cursory glance along the sidewalk. But she was nervous, glancing backward as well as peering forward. She had been watching from her position for over twenty minutes. Not the sign of a pro.

Down the street was the guy she was watching. He was on the opposite side in the full sun talking with a man and a woman. Like him, the other man was dressed in a lightweight suit. The woman was more casually dressed in a summer dress that finished above the knee. they hadn't spotted the woman in black watching.

But some else had, and they were approaching her from behind via a side alley. At that moment the woman down the street turned to get into a car along with both men. the doorway lady seemed uncertain what to do. Maybe turn around and fast track it back to her car. In that case she was going to walk right into the arms of the guy approaching from behind.

All this unfolded in front of me, Carter - the watcher - watching the watched.

I was positioned  prone on the roof of an unoccupied low rise office building and had a unencumbered view of all the parties involved. The woman turned and I knew she would walk right into the guy waiting in the alley a few yards behind her. I raised my weapon and took aim at him, just in front of his feet. Then I switched on the laser sight and hoped the alley was dark enough for him to see it.

Looking down the telescopic sight, I could see it was, so I walked it just in front of him and then slowly up his body. I could see he was watching it with a transfixed kinda fascination. Then reality struck and he turned and ran back down the alley from which he had come. The woman, meantime, had just reached the alley as I turned the sight off. She continued along the sidewalk until she reached her car.

I packed my gear swiftly and made my way down to ground level and my vehicle. There was no great hurry because I had attached trackers to both her car and the one just leaving down the street. I let both head off and then I pulled out onto the street and followed some way behind.

I had been handed this assignment just one week ago, leaving behind a refresher at Quantico...........