by Doug Welch
Chapter 18
Specter of Success
I awoke to the feel of Elizabeth's bottom pressed tightly against my groin. We lay as two spoons, my nose breathing the scent of her hair.
Sometime during the night, we’d passed out from exhaustion, and during our sleep, we’d separated. I missed that feeling. My whole body felt relaxed, sensuous with the languor of the morning.
Sometime later, we climbed out of bed, grabbed some clothing, and sneaked to the bathroom. Luckily, the hallway was empty.
We joined each other in the shower. Water, soap and caressing hands made it a long shower. We finally emerged, clothed, and then went downstairs into the kitchen.
When we entered, Alex and Caesar were seated at the table. Alex eyed both of us, and then turned to Caesar.
“Caesar, honey, we have to go back up to my bedroom and practice. I want to look like that in the morning.” She pointed to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth's face blushed. Caesar had the grace to look embarrassed.
“I've got news, Alex, you've looked like that, for the last five days,” I retorted.
She grinned. “Well, the Bowman farm isn't the only secluded place in the county. You'd be surprised what a spring day, a secluded meadow full of flowers and a blanket, will do for your libido. Of course, there's the fact that my truck has plenty of room and the bed in Caesar's bedroom is very inviting.
“Alexandra!” Caesar exclaimed.
He cleared his throat. “I stopped Alex from waking you this morning. I thought you might be tired. I hope that was proper.”
“Very proper.” Elizabeth smiled. “We needed our...rest.”
Alex just grinned at both of us.
“Where's Edward?” I asked.
“He's at the computer. There seems to be something wrong with the Internet,” Caesar replied.
“Before we work on computers, I think we both could use some food.” Elizabeth said, looking at me. “Doctor's orders.”
We worked together, constantly and deliberately brushing against each other as we prepared breakfast. The most mundane tasks seemed to be filled with significance. I couldn't take my eyes from her. Each glance brought memories of her body next to mine.
We ate silently, periodically locking gazes. Finally, I whispered in her ear. “Beth, if this keeps up, I'll be dragging you up to my bedroom again.”
She sighed. “You won't have to, I'll be dragging you. You're right. We need to focus on our problems. Let's go see what's going on with the computer.”
We rose from the table, put the breakfast dishes in the sink, and went to the study.
Caesar and Alex leaned over Edward's shoulder to look at the computer screen.
“Have you found the problem with the internet connection?” I asked.
“The bastards have either trashed the antenna or cut the cable.” Alex replied.
“Caesar and I’ll go outside to check it. Did anyone see where the Shadows were?”
“Alex and I checked this morning while you were asleep,” Caesar replied. “They seem to have gone. The farm’s empty of everyone but us.”
“What? They've left? I don't like the sound of that.”
“Why? It would seem that you would be relieved to know they have given up,” Edward said. “Maybe your warning scared them off.”
“They don't give up. It worries me.”
Edward shrugged. “Perhaps the contention that you spoke of between Shadow groups is preventing them from trespassing on the property.”
“Maybe...I still don't like it. Caesar, we'll take weapons. You carry the rifle and I'll take the shotgun.”
“Where’s the laundry room? We need clean clothes.” Elizabeth asked.
“I'll show you.” Alex replied. “We'll try to find more clothes for all of you. Edward would probably fit into Dad's old clothes the only problem is Caesar. He's so huge, and he can't parade around the house naked –as much as I might like it.” She laughed.
Caesar shook his head and rolled his eyes.
We gathered the weapons, and left the house through the back door. I took a good look around the property as we walked to the barn.
Presently, Caesar spoke. “Paris, we need to talk.”
I was about to make a wise crack, when I sensed that he was serious. “About what?”
“Alexandra.”
“What about Alex?”
“Paris,” he said gently. “We both love her. Although it’s hard to believe that anyone could love her more than I, in your case, I think your love may almost be the equal of mine. I was hoping to do this properly, but as the saying goes, 'the cat is out of the bag'.”
I waited to see where he was going with this conversation.
He stood erect with his stomach in, shoulders squared and chest out, like an enlisted man reporting for duty. “Allow me the honor of asking for your sister's hand in marriage. I promise to love her for the rest of my life.”
I was unable to reply. I almost laughed, but I could see that he was very serious, and acting very British. He was also a big man.
I sobered and remembered that I had been just as serious with Edward. I thought for a moment and formulated a reply.
“You have my blessing on your union, Caesar. I only have one stipulation. Allow me the honor of asking for your sister's hand in marriage.”
He grinned. “I guess that makes us brothers-in-law twice.”
I had just acquired a brother. We had a common love. We both loved our women deeply. His love for Alex just had another dimension that I couldn’t share. I faced him squarely. I held out my hand, and said, “Friends?”
He grinned and grabbed my hand. “More than friends, brothers – double jeopardy.”
I laughed. “Now you’re really pushing it, pal.” Then I smiled. “Okay, Caesar – more than friends – brothers.” We shook hands.
We checked the cable and the antenna, and finally found the problem.
I entered the kitchen through the back door, and seeing no one, decided to go to the study. I found Edward intently reading a file on the computer.
He grinned. “Good morning, Paris. Did you have a good rest?”
A little embarrassed at the insinuation behind the greeting, I held my composure, and answered simply, “Yes sir, I slept soundly.”
His grin looked more like a smirk. “I should imagine.” He rolled his wheelchair back from the desk and rotated it. “I’ve been reading some of the files on your father's computer and I may have found something.”
My hopes rose. “Really? Anything about the missing data?”
Edward shook his head. “No, but I may have discovered where your father's research lead him. I arranged the files in chronological order, and followed his line of reasoning.”
“Does it tell us where to find the information?”
Edward pursed his lips. “No, but it may give us some insight as to what to do with it. If, or when, we do find it.”
My earlier hopes fell. “We need to discuss this, later, when everyone can be involved.”
“As you wish, by the way, where’s Caesar?”
I gestured to the hallway. “In the kitchen, he's guarding the network cable. It was just disconnected. I don't think the Shadows will try anything, but if they do, using the thermal sight, he can warn us. I need to try the Internet and down-load my email attachments.”
Edward rolled his wheelchair away from the desk. I moved the desk chair, sat down and started the browser. Luckily the internet connection worked. I rapidly downloaded files from Gordon and Tom, closed the connection, and turned off the cable modem. “You can browse the 'net if you want, Edward, but I want to limit the time we're online. They may have someone smart enough to hack us. Just turn on the satellite modem when you want to use it.”
He nodded and I rose from the desk chair to make room for him. At that moment, Alex and Elizabeth entered the study. I couldn't help it. My heart started pounding at the sight of Elizabeth. She came over to stand by my
side. Down boy, wait until tonight.
“Where's Caesar?” Alex asked.
“In the kitchen. I'll go get him,” I replied.
When I entered the kitchen, Caesar still stood guard.
He heard me and turned. “What's happening?”
“I guess we're going to have a council. The others are in the study. I came to get you.”
“Did the internet connection work?”
“Yeah, worked fine.”
He checked the safety on the rifle and propped it by the door.
I turned to walk back to the study and he followed.
We entered the study and Caesar went over to stand by Alex. I stood by Elizabeth.
“Okay, folks, pull up a seat and let’s make some plans,” I said.
Caesar sat down, and Alex immediately plopped in his lap. Caesar looked a little embarrassed, but he put his arms around her and drew her close.
Although I would have loved to have Elizabeth in my lap, she demurely pulled up a chair and sat beside me. “Later, Paris,” she whispered.
I glared at Alex and she said, “Hey. There wasn't enough room. Someone would have had to stand.”
“Yeah. Right,” I retorted. She looked smug.
“Okay. Here's the way I see it,” I said. “We have some new information that may help, if we can find what Dad hid. Therefore, I'm inclined to look for the hiding place, before we explore the new data. Any opinions?”
“Paris, we've been through the house at least twice,” Alex replied. “What makes you still think its here? Maybe he hid it elsewhere.”
I moved my head in negation. “Logic convinces me. The house is the only place safe from the Shadows. All Dad had to do was to hide it well enough from the Normals who might attempt to break in. We saw what happened to the burglar who tried that. Dad had the handguns and the shotgun for close-in work, and I imagine he slept with at least one of them. It was a damn near perfect defense. Therefore, he hid it in the house. Besides, Tom told me something last night that may lead to the place he hid it.”
Alex’s eyebrows rose. “Well? Don't pause for the dramatic effect, Paris. Out with it. What did he say?”
I leaned back in my chair and crossed my legs. “He found some words hidden in a file in the computer. Just two words. The diary.”
Alex appeared doubtful. “Mom's diary? Paris we read Mom's diary. It didn't say anything about a password.”
“Maybe the password is diary or the diary.” Caesar said. “Did your father keep a diary?”
Alex shook her head. “Not that I know of, and I spent more time with him than Paris did. But he kept a journal.”
I sighed. “We haven't found it. I imagine it’s with the other research that he hid.”
“Well,” Edward said, “it seems that we have two choices. It's either the words themselves, or something written or hidden in the diary. Where is this diary?” He asked.
“I'll get it,” Alex rose from Caesar's lap, and left the study.
In a short time, she returned clutching the diary, and resumed her seat on Caesar’s lap.
“May I see it?” Edward asked.
Alex handed the diary to him. He read the first few pages and smiled. Then he turned to the last two entries, and read intently. His smile disappeared. He leafed through the blank pages, and examined the cover and the binding. He looked up from his examination. “I imagine this may have been very painful for both of you.”
I just nodded. Alex closed her eyes, and snuggled closer to Caesar.
“May I see it too?” Elizabeth extended her hand.
Edward handed the diary to her and she read the last two pages. She remained silent for a moment.
“Your mother must have been a very brave and caring woman. – I remember. – At the time of her passing, with her last strength, she said something. Until now, I hadn't understood it. That last phrase in the diary. Those were the words she spoke.”
Alex cried softly. I wasn't far from it. The pain had been too recent.
“It's French. It means 'life-love',” Edward said. “I think we need to take a break. I could use some tea. Anyone else?”
Caesar cuddled Alex, stroking her hair. He nodded.
Elizabeth rose and, taking my hand, pulled me with her to the kitchen. She sat me down in one of the chairs and pulled my head into her bosom. She stroked my hair.
I put my arms around her waist and nestled into to her soft body. The touch helped. It calmed me. After a while, she took my head in her hands and looked intently into my eyes.
“Will you be all right?” I nodded. She leaned down and kissed me softly. “I'll start the water.”
We brought the tea set into the study.
Edward started the conversation. “As I see it, we've only two choices. Either the words, or the phrase in the diary.”
“Why do you think the phrase may be the password?” Caesar asked. “It could be anything.”
Edward chuckled. “It's a phrase I think John would have been very familiar with. You didn't see him with Jenny, I did. I've never seen two people more in love – at least, not until now.” He smiled at the group of us. “Not that I blame him. She was wonderful. I envied him.”
“We may as well try it,” I said. “It's more hope than we've had before. We've got to solve this. We're running out of time. If we find it, we can bargain. Without it, our choices become nil.”
“Okay. I'll start,” Edward said. We rose as a group and gathered around the computer. He began to key-in the user name. Suddenly I said, “Wait. I think we should read Tom's email first.”
“Why?” Edward said.
“It may contain more clues about the password,” I replied.
He shrugged. “Very well, you’ll have to find it.”
I took over the key board and opened Tom's email.
Hey Paris
I found some more data on the hard drive. It's in the attachment. But I also found something else. There is a phrase hidden in what I think is an image file. It's an old trick used to hide information in an ordinary picture. I wasn't able to recreate the image, but I was able to read the information. It reads “the diary”. Does that help?
See Yah
Tom
“Ok. I guess it’s nothing more than we already knew,” I said. “Go ahead, Edward, let's switch users.”
I returned the keyboard to his reach. He switched users, and keyed in the user name, 'shining bright'. “Ok. What do we try first?”
“We only get three shots at this,” I said, “and if we fail, this computer will trash all of the data.”
His hands poised over the keys. “So, what's first?”
I clenched my jaw. “Start with ‘the diary'.”
He keyed in the password, and hit the enter key. The computer paused for a moment.
‘Warning: Bad user name or password. Please reenter password. Computer will shut down in 60 seconds if correct password is not entered.' The backwards counting clock appeared on the screen.
My spirits sank. Edward quickly keyed in, La vie l'amour. The clock paused for a moment, and then continued to count down.
“We're toast,” Alex moaned.
I thought furiously. Everyone seemed paralyzed, watching the clock count backwards. I was feeling like my life was ticking backwards with the clock. I watched all my hopes dissolve into a few seconds of time. At once, a strange sensation invaded me. I felt something familiar, something warm. An image formed in my mind of Dad sitting at the computer.
“Key in 'life love'” I said. “Do it now.” Edward keyed 'life-love' into the space reserved for the password. “No.” I said. “Use an underscore, not a hyphen.”
He hurriedly corrected the entry, and hit the enter key with about two seconds to spare.
The clock paused. The computer seemed to hesitate for an eternity. Soon the screen cleared, and changed into a new screen. It had one file on the desktop.
Everyone exhaled at once. “We're in!” Alex shouted. We broke into spont
aneous cheers and laughter. Caesar and I gave each other a high-five. Then we all collapsed on the chairs.
“How did you know?” Edward said, curious.
“Edward, I don't think I'll ever understand it. I just knew.”
He just stared at me with an appraising look. “Well,” he said. “I don't think our task is completely done. Unless you have some idea of what this means?” He turned the screen our way. On the screen was an image of me with some of my Army buddies, sitting at a table and smiling at the camera.
“All of that – for a picture?” Elizabeth asked.
Everyone stared at the image.
“It's not just the picture,” I said. “Remember, we've gained access to the administrator account. We can use it to examine other information and remove that dangerous security program.”
“Paris, Tom set up an administrator account before. We don't need this one,” Alex said.
I had no answer for her. She was right. Why was this picture so important that it had to be protected? I thought for a moment.
“This is a picture of me and some of my Army friends. It was taken in New Orleans.”
“I think John was a devious man,” Edward said. “This picture must mean something.”
He was right. But what could it mean? I paused, thinking about New Orleans, what might be special about New Orleans? I studied the picture carefully. I remembered when it had been taken. We were sitting in one of the nightclubs on Bourbon Street, drinking beer and listening to the Jazz. It was the first time I’d ever drank...
“Voodoo!” I shouted. “That's what he meant.” I laughed.
“What?” Elizabeth exclaimed, “What the hell do you mean by ‘voodoo’? –I mean – beside the word, which we all know. How does that help us?”
“You were right Edward. Dad was a very devious man. In the picture, we’re drinking a beer that I learned to like while in New Orleans. It's called 'Blackened Voodoo'. Since the hurricane, it’s been in short supply. It just so happens that there is an ample supply of the beer in the basement. The hiding place must be behind it.”
“The wine cellar,” Alex whispered. “It must be in the wine cellar.”
We hurried to the basement. Edward insisted on accompanying the party, so Caesar and I carried him down the stairs in his wheelchair.
I led the group to the wine cellar and used the key to open it.
“It's well disguised,” Edward said. “If I hadn't had a guide, I would’ve had difficulty finding it.”
The rear of the compartment contained the cases of beer.
I entered, turned on the light, and started handing out the cases. Soon the rear of the space was free.
I faced what appeared to be a blank wall and I examined it, looking for something that would indicate an opening or that it was other than what it appeared to be.
I turned to face the expectant group.
“Sorry to disappoint, everyone, but I can't find any hidden opening. It seems that I may have been wrong.”
As we stood staring at the compartment, Edward spoke. “I have some experience in finding secrets, check the very top and bottom of the back wall, particularity in the corners.”
I shrugged and reentered the space. I checked the top and bottom as Edward had instructed, examining the corners carefully. It wasn't until I looked at the bottom right corner that I saw something that was out of place. There was a tiny hole, one that could be easily overlooked, and considered just a flaw in the molding. I described what I had found to the anxious group.
I heard Edward's voice instructing someone to get a needle or a pin, preferably something long, so I waited.
After a while, Caesar leaned into the closet, and handed me a long, sharp rod. I recognized it as a roasting skewer. I inserted the skewer in the hole and felt around. It went in a long way. I pushed the skewer in nearly its full length, and finally encountered something solid. It felt like metal.
I pushed, and heard a click. The whole back of the wall swung inward. I heard gasps behind me. Behind the wall, a light suddenly flickered on.
Reluctant to enter, I turned away and exited the wine cellar. “It seems we've found it. –I need a beer.”
I pulled one of the warm bottles of beer from the case, removed the cap and sat down on the floor.
“Is that beer any good?” Edward asked.
“I think so. Why? You want one?”
He reached out. “Yes, please.”
We sat quietly, drinking the beer, while the others crowded into the space behind the wall.
“Not bad, but I've had better,” he said.
I chuckled. “Edward, you're British. Of course you've had better. Only you folks should chill it properly.”
He shuddered and laughed. “Sacrilege!”