Albert drove his Prius south on Interstate 5 amongst the numerous aggressive drivers.
"So Albert, tell me about yourself," Britney asked and was curious about this stranger.
"Well, I'm an Architect, well, I should say that I used to be an Architect. I got fired a little while ago," said Albert ashamed of his past behavior.
"Why?"
Albert's eyes welled up a little. "My wife was killed in a car accident a few months ago, and I couldn't face life without her. So I drank heavily, and lost interest in life completely," he said.
Britney noticed Albert while a few tears ran down his cheek. "I'm sorry to hear about her, but you need to let her go. Move on with your life."
"I know," he replied while he wiped away a few tears.
"You're a handsome man, and there are tons of beautiful women who would love to have you," she said with a warm smile.
"Thank you," he replied.
"Well, enough of that, it would really help if you would tell me who your acquaintance was that turned you onto me," she said curiously.
"I really can't do that," he said, knowing she would think he was nuts if he stated that his wife, an Angel, was talking to him from the laptop.
"But Kirby, Grant or some other UAS thugs could come after your friend," she said with concern in her voice.
"Believe me, that could never happen."
"How do you know that?" she asked curiously.
"I really can't tell you, but trust me, this person can't be touched."
"This person must be in a great hiding place."
"The best," he replied with a smile while he thought about Ginger being up in heaven.
Albert yawned, and Britney noticed.
"Want me to drive so you can get some rest?" she offered.
"That would be nice. I didn't sleep a wink last night."
He looked at his gas gauge. "We might as well fill up then you can drive," he said.
Albert continued to drive south on Interstate 5 and eventually got off Exit 471 in Stockton.
He drove down the exit and turned west on West Charter Way.
He drove a little way down that road and saw a Valero gas station at the Country Marketplace.
He pulled in there and drove up to the gas pumps.
He stopped at a pump, and they both got out.
"I'll get some drinks and snacks," she said. Then took a few steps toward the store doors and stopped when she remembered something. "Are you allergic to peanut butter?" she asked while she turned around.
"No, I love peanut butter," he replied.
"Great," she said, then headed to the store.
Without thinking, again, he removed his gas credit card. He started to swipe in the reader then remembered what happened back in San Francisco.
"Britney, come back," he called out.
She turned around and rushed back to the car, thinking something was wrong. "What?"
"I can't use my credit card since UAS is probably looking for any locations where it pops up," he told her.
"How much cash do you have?" she asked.
Albert opened up his wallet. "Sixty dollars," he said.
She opened up her purse and looked inside. "I have eighty," she said then she thought for a few seconds. "Would forty cover it?" she asked.
"With the mileage this car gets, it should," he replied.
"I'll put in forty then we can fill up when we get closer to Vegas," she said.
She walked back to the store.
Albert waited by the pump and watched her walk to the store. He suddenly felt guilty and turned his eyes off her backside.
Britney walked inside the store.
She walked around and went down the aisles and grabbed a bag of Lays potato chips, a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, a box of plastic knives, and a bag of Chips Ahoy cookies.
She walked to another aisle and grabbed two big bags of beef jerky. She walked to the drinks area and grabbed a large bottle of water.
She had this strange feeling that she'll need more, so she grabbed five more bottles.
She walked to the counter, and it was a juggling act with her arms full of her groceries. Two customers waited in line, and she got at the rear.
Behind the counter on the back wall was a small TV that was hooked up to cable. This allowed the female clerks to stay up-to-date with her favorite soap operas.
The old guy at the counter paid for his six-pack of Budweiser and left.
A woman approached the counter and purchased a pack of Marlboro's. She left.
Britney walked up and set her items on the counter. "Forty dollars at the pump with the blue Prius," Britney said.
The clerk walked over and turned on Albert's pump. "Go ahead pump four," she said into the microphone then she walked back to the counter and started to ring up Britney's items.
While the clerk rang up the items on the cash register, breaking news interrupted the soap opera on the TV.
Britney curiously glanced over at the TV.
An old man around seventy years old walked up behind Britney. He glanced at the TV while he waited.
"We have breaking news. The FBI is searching for Albert Taylor and FBI Agent Britney Cooper. They're wanted for the murder of Wendy Grove. Miss Grove was found dead in her apartment back in March from an apparent drug overdose. But police have evidence that supports Albert Taylor killed Wendy over her being pregnant with his child. Evidence also suggests that Britney Cooper aided Taylor in the murder. An attempt to arrest the pair at the wax museum at the Fisherman's Wharf earlier today failed, and they escaped. Both are considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. They were seen driving a blue Prius with California U75 NH1 license plate and believed to be heading to Los Angeles or Las Vegas. Please call FBI Agent Frank Foley of the San Francisco office if they're spotted," a female reporter said while she stood outside the entrance of the wax museum by the Fisherman's Wharf.
Britney looked shocked while she glanced at the TV and saw Albert and her driver's license pictures.
The clerk was too busy tallying Britney's items to notice the TV.
Britney got very nervous and silently prayed that the news flash would go away. It did, and she sighed a sigh of relief.
"That will be sixty-eight seventy-three," the clerk told Britney.
Britney opened up her purse and removed seventy dollars. He handed it to the clerk, and it seemed like an eternity for the clerk to give her the change and then bagged up the items.
Britney shoved her change in her purse, grabbed the items. She made quick eye contact with the old man who stood in line behind her.
She quickly rushed out of the store.
The old man behind her curiously watched Britney and had an odd feeling about her. He quickly placed his six-pack of Miller beer on the counter. His eyes widened when it dawned on him. "I'll be right back," he told the clerk in a panic then rushed over to the door.
Albert was still pumping gas while Britney rushed up to his car in a panic.
"We need to get the hell out of here!" she cried out while she quickly opened the driver's door, dropped the bag in the back seat then promptly sat in the driver's seat.
Albert looked concerned while he put the nozzle back in the pump.
He rushed over and got in the passenger seat.
Britney got behind the wheel. She started up the car.
The old man watched from outside the store while Britney drove away. He quickly opened up his cell phone and made a 911 phone call.
"What the hell is wrong?" Albert asked while she pulled onto Fresno Avenue.
Britney saw the old man on his cell phone by the doors of the store, and she knew he was calling the police. "We were on the news. They say that we killed Wendy Grove and that she was pregnant with your child," he told Albert while she stopped at the light for West Charter Way.
"Wait? She was pregnant with my child? That's just a bald-faced lie. I never met Wendy," Albert cried out.
Britney glanced back at the gas station and saw that old man rush toward West Charter Way with his cell phone to his ear while they waited for the green arrow.
"It's probably made up by UAS to get society pissed to increase the chances they'll turn us in when spotted," she replied while she got the green arrow and turned back on West Charter Way and headed back towards Interstate 5.
"I also believe someone in the store spotted me and he's calling the police at this moment," she replied while she glanced in her rearview mirror for a police car. She looked relieved when she didn't notice one.
"This doesn't surprise me at all. UAS is an evil company," Albert said and looked upset when he glanced down at the laptop bag on the passenger floorboard. Why did I listen to you? He thought to himself while he glanced at the laptop.
Britney drove past the ramp for southbound Interstate 5.
"You missed the ramp for the Interstate," he said while he looked at her.
"We can't use that road as it might have the Highway Patrol crawling all over the place looking for us there," she said while she continued east on West Charter Way.
"Maybe we should quit and hide down in Mexico. I mean, who cares if President Barrow gets popped," Albert said while he looked worried.
"I care. I'm a Federal Agent and cannot allow this to continue. Besides, even if we were able to hide, they'll eventually track us down and kill us. People like that never leave loose ends live forever, especially ones that can talk," Britney replied then was in deep thought while she tried to think how they could save their butts.
It was quiet in the Prius while they both pondered their dilemma.
Then she saw another blue Prius five cars in front of them pull into the Centro Mart parking lot. Her eyes lit up with an idea. "Do you have some screwdrivers in your trunk by chance?" she asked him.
"Sure, in my emergency road kit, Why?" Albert replied.
"You'll find out," she said then pulled the Prius into the parking lot.
Albert looked a little dumbfounded as to what she was scheming.
Britney parked close to the other blue Prius.
"What are you doing?" he asked her curiously.
"Something to buy us a little more time," she replied while she watched while the old woman driver, named, Alice, got out of the other Prius.
Britney waited. "Get your screwdrivers out. We're going to swap license plates," she told Albert then the lady walked toward the store.
"Swap plates? I'm not following," he replied.
"We're swapping license plates with another Prius," she replied while she pointed at the other blue Prius parked two spots to his right. It took a few seconds for her plan to dawn on him.
"Ah, that will slow the police down after discovering out she's not you."
"By tons of years," said Brittney.
Albert chuckled and liked the idea then looked concerned. "Will they shoot her first?"
"The California Highway Patrol or Stockton Police won't. Tell' detain her and soon figure out we swapped plates. It's the only way to buy us some more time."
"Okay, I guess we don't have a choice."
"Where's the lever to open up the rear hatch," said Brittney while she looked around the car.
Without thinking, he leaned over her lap and opened up the rear hatch. It dawned on him that he was staring at her crotch. He turned a little red with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry," he said while he sat straight up.
"That's okay, just get those screwdrivers," she replied then opened her door and got outside.
Albert got out of his car and rushed back to the rear of his car.
He reached inside the back of his car, opened up his emergency kit, and removed two screwdrivers. Britney grabbed a screwdriver and rushed over to the old lady's Prius.
She started to remove her license plate.
Albert started to remove his license plate.
Five minutes later, they had the plates swapped on the two Prius.
Brittney got back behind the wheel of Albert's car.
She drove out of the parking lot and headed down Martin Luther King Blvd.
"Do you know where you're going?" he asked.
"Look in my purse for my cell phone. Then go to the Google map app and see if you can find a way to Vegas from here," she told him.
Albert reached down and grabbed her purse. He opened it up and removed her cell phone.
He turned it on, and within a few seconds, he opened up the Google app and found Stockton, California.
He found Martin Luther King Blvd. It took a few minutes, but he found a path to Vegas.
"Turn down east Mariposa road, the left on Farmington road," he said while he continued to look at the Google map. "Keep on Farmington road for many miles then we'll go through Angel's Camp and then it's a long drive through the mountains until our next road," he added.
"Just keep being my navigator," she replied.
"You got it," he replied, then looked down at the laptop bag and was homesick for talking with Ginger. But he glanced over at Britney. He enjoyed his time with her even though they were now fugitives on the run trying to save the President's life.
Back at the UAS office in San Francisco, Kirby and Grant drank scotch while they waited for any word on the whereabouts of Albert and Britney.
Kirby and Grant both paced around the room while they sipped their scotch.
After five minutes of pacing, Grant's cell phone rang he quickly opened it up and looked at the viewfinder. "Yes, Frank," he answered.
Kirby stopped pacing and anxiously waited.
"We got a call from a man in Stockton claiming he spotted Britney and Taylor's Prius at a gas station just off Interstate five in Stockton. He claims they headed back toward the Interstate," Frank told him from the cell phone.
"Was Taylor with her?" Grant asked.
"The man stated the other guy in the Prius matched the description of Taylor," Frank replied.
"Great. Have the Highway Patrol search that Interstate and beef up the media exposure," Grant instructed.
"In work and I'll let you know as soon as they're arrested," Frank replied then disconnected his end of the call.
"Good news I hope," Kirby said while he sipped his scotch.
"Our two were spotted at a gas station west of Interstate five in Stockton. A witness claims they headed back in the direction of the Interstate," Grant told him then sipped his scotch.
"I do believe our high risk will soon be eliminated," Kirby said while he walked up to Grant.
They clanked their glasses as a little celebration of a potential victory.