by J.R. Bowles
CHAPTER 39
Bernie shivered and got up to check the rooms thermostat. Seventy that was comfortable, he told himself. He glanced over at Zolar, who was sprawled out on the couch, still sleeping.
Let him sleep, he thought, he wished he could sleep but he couldn’t seem to make his mind rest. He was tired but he was worried. That last opening had been awful. He was nauseous and had called room service for some milk and crackers to help settle his stomach.
Why hadn’t they heard from Jackie?
He told himself, he shouldn’t worry so much about her but he couldn’t help it. He had grown attached to her. Attached, was that the word? It was more like love but he didn’t want to admit it. What would his mother think of a white bread girl? After all they had experienced together it was no wonder the bond had developed so rapidly.
There was a knock at the door and Bernie answered it.
The room service boy delivered his milk and crackers and gave him the morning paper. Bernie glanced at his watch, it was almost three a.m., he hadn’t realized how early the first edition was printed. Bernie thanked him and gave him a tip but as he was ready to close the door, the elevator opened and a large group of people got off. Being from New York, Bernie had learned not to stare directly at people to find out what was going on but had developed the fine art of quick glance observation with a brief flick of the eye.
With his short glance before he shut the door Bernie didn't ascertain very much nor was he able to see the entire group of people but he did feel that something was familiar with the group. Although they were silent, to silent to have been partying, he felt something was strange about them.
He sat down to his milk and crackers and began reading the paper in hopes it would take his mind away from his worries. As he skimmed the paper he came to an ad, a very unusual add:
Each night at midnight I have Joined with you and now it's time for us to meet. I will be in front of Macy's at twelve noon today. I think you will know me.
He read and reread it. Was it possible? Was it one of the other centers? His heart began to beat rapidly. He thought for a moment, four centers already had opened so that meant there were only three left. He and Zolar and one other. Was it possible this was from the other person?
Or could it be a lure from the Avatar. He still wondered how Jackie had met this Avatar. She had gone to her ship and then the phone call they had received before her center opened was the last they heard. It had been short and even at the time he had the impression she wasn't alone. She seemed to be stifling her conversation, so he hadn't pressed her to where she was. He wished he had, damn him to hell, he sure wished he had. Zolar had kept assuring him that she was okay but since he hadn't heard from her, he was afraid she had been kidnapped again.
Maybe he should go to Macy's today and see. Could he recognize another center? He was sure Zolar could but he didn't want to tell him. If it wasn't the center but was the people who took Jackie maybe they would take him too and he didn't want to jeopardize Zolar.
At first he had thought the black man who had taken Jackie before had taken her again but after the last center opened several hours ago he knew it wasn't. That opening had been the black man, Jamal.
It was strange that after each person was used he knew their name, but only their first name as if their name was part of the key to the opening. Perhaps it was the vibration of the sound of their name that caused it.
Bernie shook his head as if to get rid of the thought. God, I'm starting to talk like Zolar, he accused himself.
Yes now he knew their names, Billy had been the first, the Solar Plexus, the giver of life. Then there was Morgan, the sex center that was procreation. His sweet Jackie, the third. It had been so obvious, she was in to communication. They should have realized she would be the Throat Center. Then the one that just happen Jamal the spleen, the destructive force.
He laughed, he hoped the N double A, C, P, didn't find out, they would say that Jamal had been type cast. He had to get some rest he was beginning to get punchy and he had a lot to do today. He would go to the meeting unless he heard from Jackie first.
After Jackie's center opened he realized which center he would be. He was definitely going to have a long day, because he would be the next one. He would be the Heart Center. It was so obvious, Jackie was communications it was obvious that he would be the Heart Center.
He smiled neither Jackie nor Zolar had asked him what type of work he did. The subject just never came up. He knew what Jackie did for a living but he didn't know about Zolar. He wondered.
He didn't want to ask Zolar now because then Zolar would ask him what he did. He wasn't ashamed of what he did and his mother love to brag to all her friends and was always trying to fix him up with a ‘nice Jewish girl.’
He could just here his mother telling some woman, “Honey, you got to meet my son the doctor,” and then she would pause for effect and smile “he's a heart specialist.”
He stared at the ad again. It would be at noon and in public. That should be safe, thirty four street was always crowded. Well anyway, he thought, at least it wasn't close to the witching hour.