“I think,” John said playfully, “I’ll take door two with one caveat.”
“Do tell.”
“A tour of the boat of course, what else?”
“I think we can accommodate that.”
They brought their champagne flutes together with a soft clink and drained what was left of the bubbles, after which Klementina began to show John around the vessel. Tables and chairs had just about filled whatever space the decking had to offer, and on more than one occasion John noticed subtle glances directed towards them both, glances that seemed to harbour envy. Just about every table had its own host in the process of answering questions or spruiking the benefits of the deal that was up for grabs. As best he could he studied the faces while he moved by but, after searching table after table, he was adamant that if Rebecca was here she must be mingling with crowd down below.
At the bottom of the stairs he saw that most of the diners were now on their feet, chatting away in small groups and darting back and forth between the bars that were set up inside the spacious cabin as the sound of the violin grew louder to keep up with the rising din. John studied every face that broke conversation to smile and greet Klementina, but so far the search was proving futile. Instead he marvelled at Klementina’s comfort at constant hands reaching out for a greeting and her ability to maintain the presence of someone constantly surprised by the gestures.
“We named the boat Neutrino,” she declared over her shoulder. “It’s not usually used for entertainment such as tonight though.”
“So what do you normally do with it?” John asked, still studying the surrounding faces with hope.
“Research mainly. We’ve actually got six vessels, but this is the smallest believe it or not.”
They continued the tour of cabin, which was decorated with white leather furniture along blue painted walls that displayed several expensive looking paintings. To the right of the violin player sat an ornate marble statue of a naked woman holding what appeared to be a planet in each outstretched hand. The wooden floor boards were exquisitely polished to the point that reflections appeared to dance across the surface. For just a second John was worried about leaving a mark with his shoes.
“If things go smoothly tonight,” Klementina continued, “we should raise just under half a billion dollars. Impressive isn’t it? But the money, it’s just mathematics. All of this,” she waved an arm across the guests, “is just a small piece of a very big picture. For us it is the continuation of a work in progress. For you, perhaps it is the beginning.”
“Beginning or not,” John replied, “I have to say I’m impressed. A fleet of boats, a quick half a billion in funding and perfectly cooked lobster? Whatever you’re doing seems to be working.”
“I can see a sadness in your eyes.”
John was caught off guard by her jarring statement. Where did that come from? Sure he was a little drunk and was maybe giving a little too much attention to the faces in the room, but that couldn’t warrant such a strange declaration.
“Sorry, what did you say?” he asked with obvious confusion.
“Your eyes, they seem to be hiding a strong sense of sadness. I sensed it back at the dinner table. Sadness like that usually comes from great loss.” She reached out and gently placed her hand against his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t try to dig it out. Not yet anyway.”
“Maybe I’m still a little jet lagged,” he offered.
“Hmm, maybe.”
“And let’s face it, there’s not a lot to be sad about on a night like this.”
“Did you know,” Klementina said suddenly, ending the topic as quickly as it had started, “that every second there are more than a hundred lightening strikes tearing through the atmosphere?”
“No,” John admitted, “I didn’t.”
“Uncertain things can sometimes be far more certain that we could imagine.” They stepped from the cabin into the crowd that was huddled beneath the night. “It’s been a pleasure talking with you John, but I best spend a little time with the other guests. Please, enjoy all that is on offer but by all means, don’t forget the promise you made to me.”
And with that Klementina left him to stand by the railing and watch as her long, tattooed legs carried her across to one of the tables. For John it was a case of trying to read the play for what it was. If she had something to do with the seminar then it more than likely meant he had just met his first member of the so called cult that Sebastian had told him about, and if that was the case then the only reason he could think she was happy not to take his money tonight was because she thought there was more to be had by running the long con. Why bother with one and half million when you could get it all? After all, wasn’t that how cults worked? First they slowly but surely drew you in, and then they convince you to give up everything you own. Yep, John thought, she must have thought I’m worth trying for a bigger pay day.
He looked across the water at the city lights. Considering there was no sign of Rebecca he couldn’t see the need to be on board any longer, which meant now he just wanted to get back to land. Judging by what Klementina had inferred there wouldn’t be much point in striking up conversations with the guests. Tonight was all about hungry investors and they’d have nothing valuable to offer information wise. No, if he was going to get close to his mark he’d need to delve a little deeper into those behind this strange organisation. Considering the seminar was only a couple of days away and he now had a connection with someone possibly on the inside, his chances weren’t looking so bad. At least, for the moment anyway.
He kept his vigil against the railing and did his best to let people know he wasn’t interested in any chit chat. The violin swept through minor scales and laughter rose and fell as his thoughts turned to the tattooed host. She carried an air of confidence and a disarming presence that was for damn sure, but it could just be that she was an expert at her job to draw in people to fulfil certain requirements or bolster the cult membership. The only problem was, John couldn’t imagine her telling a lie. There was something fundamentally honest about her, something in the way she’d looked up to the stars with true awe. She was beautiful as well of course, but to define her through physical traits seemed cheap and unnecessary. There was something more to her, something that lifted her above all others on board, and the brief encounter he’d enjoyed left mystery to hang in the air.
After an hour or so he was relieved to hear the boat engines splutter to life and watched as the city lights became brighter and brighter. Xavier joined him at the railing and began sprouting his sudden decision to buy a helicopter the following day, but he wasn’t really listening. When they were finally docked John wasted no time. He jumped onto the platform and made his way down the pier while sending a message to Vanessa to let her know the night had finally come to an end.
With the air still warm against his skin he found shelter beneath a palm tree lit with a series of blue and yellow lights as cars worth more than houses began to converge at the waters edge. From his vantage point he could see the disembarking investors scatter into their rides, some still clutching what was left of their champagne as though it were some kind of trophy or spoils of war.
Suddenly a flush of blood rushed his cheeks when he spotted Klementina step from the pier and begin to make her way towards a sleek silver Audi, where a woman emerged from the driver’s seat and embraced her as though she’d been out at sea for weeks. Though he couldn’t be certain, and with distance and shadows compromising his vision, the driver’s face looked startlingly familiar. Well hello there, he thought. If that wasn’t Rebecca then it was someone who sure looked a lot like her, and that meant that maybe, just maybe, the night had proved fruitful after all. It took just a few seconds for the Audi to race off into the neon night with an echo of possibilities.
When Vanessa finally arrived the traffic at the pier had all but gone. Playful questions about his night adventure came thick and fast as they weaved through the city but John wasn’t really in
the mood to talk. Becoming more certain with every passing minute that the woman he’d spotted was the reason he was so very far from home, he leaned against the window and tried to figure out his next move. By the time they pulled up at the hotel he had hardly spoken a word.
“She must’ve been some kinda woman to leave you sitting there like someone who just lost a winning lottery ticket,” Vanessa joked.
“Sorry about that,” John said truthfully, pulling himself back into the moment with a twinge of guilt. “It wasn’t exactly a normal night for me, that’s for damn sure. Money really does open doors to different worlds doesn’t it?”
“Honey, I’ll have to take your word on that one.”
“Feel like driving me around for a little treasure hunt tomorrow?” he asked, suddenly sure of what he wanted to do.
“A treasure hunt? As long as it doesn’t involve robbing banks, I’m your driver.”
Beneath the glow of the interior light John could just make out a vulnerable softness in the centre of her eyes and did his best to smile. “No banks, I promise.”
“Well then, looks like I’ll be seeing you in the morning mister police man.”
He offered a quick salute as she pulled away and then hurried up to his room, once again doing his best to avoid anybody holding a door or pushing elevator buttons for him. As soon as swiped his card and locked the door Bobbie let out a small cry by the balcony. It was a language only John could understand, and the sound seemed to reach down deep inside and soften the muscles across his chest. As for the dark corners of his mind, things were beginning to stir.
Chapter 11
The following morning he crawled his way out of sleep on sheets dripping with sweat. This time the visions had been bad, so bad that it had taken a long series of deep breaths to convince himself he was actually awake. Still, it wasn’t as if a night of hell was unexpected or anything. The bitter tasting pills couldn’t work all the time.
With the demons scurrying from the light he poured a strong coffee and decided to get straight to work. Sitting at the dining table with Bobbie by his feet he switched on the tablet and began to search. There were a good lot of hits for The Hallucigenia Project but no matter which link he accessed the screen was washed with the same message over and over again.
Page not found.
For reasons he couldn’t know somebody had gone to a good amount of trouble to shut down any digital information. Even random forums seemed to have been removed. What sort of cult, if that’s what he was dealing with, didn’t want to get their word out? When he changed his tactic and searched for anything to do with the investment dinner he’d attended there was nothing, leaving him to wonder just how the hell Sebastian had managed to arrange his attendance. All said and done though, it didn’t really matter. He still had the seminar to attend, and today he had a plan in place to dig a little deeper.
By the time he cleaned himself, messaged Vanessa and headed to the lobby, the temperature outside had already begun to soar. Small crowds swarmed around the check in desks, with sunburned faces and overloaded suitcases creating a constantly moving obstacle course that kept the staff darting in all directions. John donned a silver and black baseball cap that he’d brought from home and stepped out into the heat of the foyer, a film of sweat quickly seeping along the skin of his back. The odds of finding what he was looking for were small, but if experience had taught him anything it was that slim odds were better than no odds at all.
Caught deep in thought he almost didn’t notice Vanessa pull up against the curb. Jolted back into the moment he jumped into the cool of the cabin and grinned at the fact that she’d decided to dress casual, with denim shorts and flowery singlet giving the impression they were headed for a day at the beach.
“No uniform? Our relationship must’ve just moved to the next level.”
“Well I’ll be, he’s talking again!” Vanessa announced with jest. “Anyway, you said we were going on a treasure hunt so I thought I’d dress for the occasion.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“So then captain,” she drawled in a pirate’s accent, “where is it you’d like this ship to set sail?”
“To be honest I really don’t know,” John remarked with an adjustment of his hat. “I was thinking maybe we could snake our way through the city and when I find what I’m looking for, I’ll let you know.”
“Can’t say that sounds like the best way to find treasure. You don’t have no map with an X on it somewhere?”
“Sorry, no map.”
“Okay then,” she replied with mock disappointment, “we’ll be a snake and slither our way through the belly of the beast.”
“Perfect,” John smirked.
Into the belly they went, where the harsh morning sun left buildings glowing as though they had just been pulled from a baking oven, and traffic formed endless lines of different coloured steel that moved with spasmodic spurts of motion. It took just under an hour to reach what counted as the city’s heart, the time made bearable with the various insights Vanessa offered in relation to landmarks and areas they passed. Then they were brought to a crawl as they began to explore the deep city streets, skyscrapers reaching up into the blue filling every viewing angle as though wanting to be worshiped. But it wasn’t the architecture that interested John as he stared through the glass to study the concrete castles but what they held, and so far what they held wasn’t the bounty he was after.
“If we’re gonna be rolling through the city like this I’m gonna be needing some music,” Vanessa muttered before swiping at the control panel. Classic rock came jumping out through the speakers and somehow became the perfect soundtrack for the surroundings. John offered a thumbs up for the decision but his eyes never left the ground floors of the buildings, where homeless people shuffling along the pavement reached out with dirty, empty hands to shoppers making their way into the stores that filled street after street. As they turned another corner he saw three cop cars that had boxed in two leather clad bikers, their custom machines rumbling and groaning at the inability to move. Another turn and they were gone.
As the sun rose higher in the sky he had to begin to wonder if he had been a little too optimistic with his tactic. The city was far bigger than he he’d anticipated and for the moment all they were doing was burning fuel. Vanessa, it seemed, had a similar perception.
“I’m not sure what kind of treasure you’re gonna find crawling in the traffic like this,” she offered.
John was about to rethink how to go about things when the slim odds suddenly looked like paying off. Up ahead and across the road he spotted the sign. Unlike the surrounding shops that used every available space possible to grab the attention of anyone passing by, this one was small and understated. If they had been travelling any faster he probably would’ve missed it, but the barely moving traffic meant he could just make out the cursive silver lettering upon the black painted frame.
The Hallucigenia Project.
Now the day was beginning to show promise. He tapped a finger against the glass and turned to Vanessa.
“There,” he said with excitement, “that’s where I want to go.”
Vanessa raised her sunglasses and peered across the cars. “You looking to get new shoes?”
“No, the building beside it. Reckon you can find us a park?”
“Cause you’re such a nice guy I’m gonna pretend those words didn’t come outta that mouth,” she laughed before forcing her way across the lanes. John gripped the door handle as the car almost scraped its way ahead before lurching suddenly into a spot against the curb. Several cars slammed on their horns with frustration at the risky manoeuvre but Vanessa either didn’t hear them or chose not to. He released his hand and slowly shook his head.
“Sorry Vanessa, I should never have doubted you.”
“That’s okay honey,” she laughed, “you weren’t to know I’m a god damn magician.”
He turned his attention back to the sign. Although plenty of people we
re moving along the pavement nobody seemed to be going in or out. From his position across the road there was no way of seeing inside the window, raising the level of curiosity that had already begun to embrace him. With the sun bearing down he quickly came to the conclusion that Vanessa should tag along.
“You think it’s safe to leave the car here for a few minutes?” he asked.
“At this time of the day I guess so,” Vanessa answered after a moment of thought. “Why’s that?”
“I thought you might want to tag along.” He donned sunglasses and rolled his neck. “You ever heard of this thing called The Hallucigenia Project?”
“Can’t say I have. Sounds like a drug if you ask me.”
“You’re right, it kinda does.” The heat came rushing in as he opened the door. “Still, only one way to find out.”
“A whole city to explore and you wanna go into some danky store in the bad part of town? Can’t imagine you’ll find a souvenir let alone treasure.”
Together they waited for the slightest of break in the traffic before weaving their way across to the other side of the street, causing a beat up old cab to come screeching to a halt with horn blaring.
“Learn to drive asshole!” Vanessa yelled back over her shoulder. The sudden force in her voice caught John off guard and he couldn’t help but smile at the quaint display of aggression. A number of pedestrians shook their heads at the bravado and continued to shuffle along in the heat.
The long window of the store front was tinted so dark it offered nothing but reflections as they approached a large wooden door speckled with fading silver paint. John thought it reminded him of the cheap massage parlours he’d find himself in the middle of night when a case was spinning on its wheels, leaving him to meet in back rooms and barter with money he couldn’t afford for snippets of information from exhausted addicts, the kind that had spiralled into a nocturnal life of selling their bodies for another hot jab of the needle. With the back of his neck beginning to burn he offered Vanessa a raised eyebrow and pushed open the door.
The Hallucigenia Project Page 12