Read Paycheck (2003) for Free Online Page A

was their first encounter with trouble. Their leather boots shone, brightly polished.
    ‘Open the door,’ Jennings said. ‘I want through.’
    They stared at him. Behind, the noise grew.
    ‘Open it.’ He became impatient. ‘Come on.’ He waved the pistol. ‘Open it, damn it! Do you want me to—’
    ‘We - we can’t.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘We can’t. It’s a code door. We don’t have the key. Honest, mister. They don’t let us have the key.’ They were frightened. Jennings felt fear himself now. Behind him the drumming was louder. He was trapped, caught.
    Or was he?
    Suddenly he laughed. He walked quickly up to the door. ‘Faith,’ he murmured, raising his hand. ‘That’s something you should never lose.’
    ‘What - what’s that?’
    ‘Faith in yourself. Self-confidence.’
    The door slid back as he held the code key against it. Blinding sunlight streamed in, making him blink. He held the gun steady. He was outside, at the gate. Three guards gaped in amazement at the gun. He was at the gate - and beyond lay the woods.
    ‘Get out of the way.’ Jennings fired at the metal bars of the gate. The metal burst into flame, melting, a cloud of fire rising.
    ‘Stop him!’ From behind, men came pouring, guards, out of the corridor.
    Jennings leaped through the smoking gate. The metal tore at him, searing him. He ran through the smoke, rolling and falling. He got to his feet and scurried on, into the trees.
    He was outside.
He
had not let him down. The key had worked, all right. He had tried it first on the wrong door.
    On and on he ran, sobbing for breath, pushing through the trees. Behind him the Plant and the voices fell away. He had the papers. And he was free.
    He found Kelly and gave her the film and everything he had managed to stuff into his pockets. Then he changed back to his regular clothes. Kelly drove him to the edge of Stuartsville and left him off: Jennings watched the cruiser rise up into the air, heading toward New York. Then he went into town and boarded the Intercity rocket.
    On the flight he slept, surrounded by dozing businessmen. When he awoke the rocket was settling down, landing at the huge New York spaceport.
    Jennings got off, mixing with the flow of people. Now that he was back there was the danger of being picked up by the SP again. Two security officers in their green uniforms watched him impassively as he took a taxi at the field station. The taxi swept him into downtown traffic. Jennings wiped his brow. That was close. Now, to find Kelly.
    He ate dinner at a small restaurant, sitting in the back away from the windows. When he emerged the sun was beginning to set. He walked slowly along the sidewalk, deep in thought.
    So far so good. He had got the papers and film, and he had got away. The trinkets had worked every step along the way. Without them he would have been helpless. He felt in his pocket. Two left. The serrated half poker chip, and the parcel receipt. He took the receipt out, examining it in the fading evening light.
    Suddenly he noticed something. The date on it was today’s date. He had caught up with the slip.
    He put it away, going on. What did it mean? What was it for? He shrugged. He would know, in time. And the half poker chip. What the hell was it for? No way to tell. In any case, he was certain to get through.
He
had got him by, up to now. Surely there wasn’t much left.
    He came to Kelly’s apartment house and stopped, looking up. Her light was on. She was back; her fast little cruiser had beaten the Intercity rocket. He entered the elevator and rose to her floor.
    ‘Hello,’ he said, when she opened the door.
    ‘You’re all right?’
    ‘Sure. Can I come in?’
    He went inside. Kelly closed the door behind him. ‘I’m glad to see you. The city’s swarming with SP men. Almost every block. And the patrols—’
    ‘I know. I saw a couple at the spaceport.’ Jennings sat down on the couch. ‘It’s good to be back, though.’
    ‘I was afraid they might