The Arcturus Man

by John Strauchs

  “…may be gadget guru and millionaire, Jared Siemels, according to a suicide note found at the scene by an off-duty nurse. The contents of the note are being withheld by the authorities. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. An anonymous source confirmed that the note was unsigned. An attorney familiar with Siemels contacted the Boston Police Department and will be arriving at the morgue at Mass General this evening to make a positive identification.”

  “Wonderful. Wonderful,” chanted Sami. The suicide note was a surprise. Jenny bolted up, straining at her chain to get closer to the small TV. Tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn’t speak. She could believe what she was hearing.

  The newscast continued.

  “…Tatyana Lipova. My name is Tatyana Lipova. I am a nurse at Tufts Medical Center. I was walking home through the Common and I saw this man pull a gun from his coat. I was about to run for cover when he immediately put it to his head and fired. I have never seen such a thing. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Such a young man. Why would he do such a horrid thing?”

  “What kind of gun did he have.”

  “It was a big gun. Mostly black I think.”

  “You found a suicide note.”

  “Yes, my goodness. I was looking for a handkerchief or something I could use to stop the bleeding. He had a terrible head wound. The note was in his pocket.”

  “What did the note say, Ms. Lipova.”

  “My goodness, the police said that I wasn’t allowed to say.”

  “We understand. And can you…”

  Sami turned down the volume. Jenny was curled up again, sobbing.

  “YOU MONSTER. You made him do this.”

  Sami walked over to the bed and slapped her. Her lip was bleeding again. Sami was upset. The suicide note was troubling. He had to consider the possibility there would be some kind of trick but Tatyana assured him that there was no question that he was dead. He had no pulse. Jared was finally dead.

  Sami fell asleep in his chair right after the 11 o’clock news. An almost empty vodka bottle was cradled in his lap. It was basically the same information as in the earlier broadcast. Jenny was silently sobbing all evening. She couldn’t bear the thought that Jared was gone. She felt remorse for not being more honest with him. She did love him. She loved him so much. Her chest ached more than she could bear. The sadness drained her of all energy. She knew that she was going to be killed soon. How old was he? He was fat and old. Could she fight back? She thought he must be in his seventies and perhaps his eighties. But then again, he didn’t carry himself like an old man. He was like a bull. He smelled horribly. He fondled her, but she hadn’t been raped. The pig hadn’t even tried. The humiliation of being naked in front of him had worn off. Now Jenny was just cold.

  She thought about the time she and Krissy ran into Sami outside of Krissy’s apartment. He could have kidnapped Krissy. Jared would have done the same if it was Krissy. She was glad that Sami took her and not Krissy. Krissy wasn’t as strong as her. Krissy couldn’t survive this. She could. And Krissy was going to be a mother soon. Jenny vowed to herself to survive…somehow.

  He took all of the sheets and blankets. She glanced at Sami. He was snoring hard. He wore a very heavy dark grey wool L.L. Bean shirt. It made him look like a walrus. She quietly pulled the mattress pad up and wrapped it around her as best she could. The dog chain made it difficult, but it was better than it was. She thought about the temperature. It was summer but she guessed it was in the fifties. They were pretty far north. There was no heat in the camper. The pig was probably used to this. She was so cold. She huddled up to preserve body heat. She closed her eyes. She didn’t want to die. She thought about how he might do it. She didn’t want to think about that but she couldn’t help it. It kept coming up in her thoughts. She shuddered as much from grief and fear as from the cold. She hoped her death would be quick.

  It was midnight and the sky was clearing. Moonlight suddenly streamed in through the tattered curtain on the small window above her bed. It was beautiful and calming. She didn’t intend to fall asleep, but she was up all night last night and now the second night was approaching. Emotional fatigue takes a heavier toll than does hard labor. She nodded off.

  Jenny dreamt of being at the private little lake that she and Jared enjoyed so much. She saw a mother loon carrying her chicks on her back. The bright July moon was shimmering across the water. The pines and birches swayed in the night breeze forming dark shadows against a darker sky. It was cold. It shouldn’t be this cold at the lake in July, but still, it was all so beautiful. Jared had his hand in her hair and was teasing a few blond strands with his fingers.

  “I love you with all my heart, Jenny,” said Jared.

  “I love you too, darling.” said Jenny.

  “PRETTY LADY,” said Jared.

  Jenny smiles, but Jared’s voice suddenly becomes deep and raspy. She glances

  back at him and Jared slowly changes into a Jared who is short and fat. He’s Jared but now he’s so hideous. He smells horribly. She pulls away from him in disgust. She wants to run from him. Jared lunges forward and grabs her ankle as she jumps to her feet. She runs and she runs, dragging Jared behind her. Suddenly her clothes are gone. She can’t break free. Her movements are slower and slower. She drags him with her into the lake. The cold water revives her but his hold on her foot is unyielding. Now is has both of her ankles in his grasp. He pulls her down into the water. It is so black and it is so cold. She can’t stop trembling. She can feel each bubble of air leave her mouth as water rushes into her lungs. She tries to hold her breath but her lungs are burning. He pulls her down, down into the frigid water. Her blond hair is floating around her face, blinding her. She turns her face up to the surface of the water as she is slipping deeper and deeper. She looks down and sees nothing but black…nothing but the spinning void. She feels dizzy. If she could only break free from Jared’s hold. She looks up. She can see the moonlight bouncing on the ripples at the surface. She is drowning.

  Suddenly, two strong feminine hands pull her from the water. old. She didn’t understand what was happening but it is so clear now. saved her. Her grandmother stands her up in front of the fireplace. She is nine years Her grandmother She is naked but

  wrapped in a very large, fluffy cotton towel. The rug beneath her feet has been warmed by the fire. Her strength is coming back to her. Her grandmother is drying her hair with another towel. Mormor is humming a Swedish nursery song. She hugs Jenny and whispers in her ear.

  “You are such a good girl, my child,” whispers Mormor.

  “I love you Mormor,” says Jenny.

  “Do not worry my little one. Do not worry. God takes special care of sweet

  children like my Jenny. God will watch over you,” says Mormor. She hums again. “I love you Mormor and I love God,” says little Jenny. “I love God very much.” Little Jenny glances at the large bay window in their living room. The sun is

  coming up. It is early morning. It is a wonderful warm morning.

  “Wake up Pretty Lady,” says Sami. He pokes hard into her side with a stubby

  finger. “WAKE UP. WE GO NOW.”

  Jenny is shaken awake. For a moment she panics.

  “MORMOR,” she yells out.

  Sami yanks hard on the dog chain, pulling her half off the bed.

  “What you talk? GET UP.”

  He throws a pile of dirty work clothes on the floor at her feet. The reality of the

  moment sinks in.

  “Put clothes on,” says Sami.

  He drags her off the bed with the chain. Her ankles are bleeding. “Put clothes on NOW,” says Sami.

  “OK, I will. I can’t get dressed with the chain on,” says Jenny.

  Sami kneels down and opens the padlocks on each foot.

  “Dress.”

  Jenny pulled on the heavy overalls. They were rank and grease stained, but at

  least she was clothed. She put on a heavy red wool shirt that bristled against her skin.
r />   These were men’s clothes. They felt scratchy on her bare skin.

  “Shoes.” He threw shoes at her that were many sizes too large.

  “It OK. We not walk much,” said Sami.

  “Do you have socks?” asked Jenny. “The shoes hurt.”

  Sami slapped her across her face, knocking her down to the floor. He jerked her

  up again by her hair. He hit her again. Her lips were bruised and bleeding. She made no

  sound.

  “PUT ON SHOES. WE LEAVE NOW.”

  He chained her feet again, taking care to wrap the dog chain tightly around both

  of her feet well above the shoes. It was tighter than before. She could only take half

  strides as she stood and attempted a few steps.

  “We not walk much.”

  She hated to ask, but it was becoming painful. She braced for another slap. “Can I use the bathroom?” asked Jenny.

  “Yes. Use bathroom. There!” He pointed. “No windows. Keep door open.” She was startled by that command.

  “Go. Sami not look. Sami not interested in dirty thing. GO. GO. Not make truck

  dirty. GO. GO.”

  Jenny opened the door into the small bathroom. She kept the door open, but only

  a few inches. He didn’t say anything. Good.

  The bathroom was filthy and smelled of urine and feces. There were dark yellow

  stains all over the toilet seat. Her hands were free so she could manage using the commode. She didn’t want the stream to hit the water. She slid forward as much as possible

  so she would make the least amount of noise. She couldn’t see him, so he couldn’t see her. That helped, but he could hear her. She used this rare moment of privacy to search the small room for a weapon…anything that she could use against him. There was nothing. Her heart sank. She was being taken somewhere to be killed and she was defenseless. There was a filthy water glass. She could break it and use one of the shards as a weapon. No. He would hear that. She looked around again. She was frantic. Nothing

  would work as a weapon.

  There was no toilet tissue. She pulled her clothes back on and shuffled back into

  the kitchen. He pulled a stocking cap on her head and poked her blond hair up into the

  cap. She didn’t look like a woman from a distance. She supposed that was what he

  wanted.

  Using the end of the long chain as a leash, he led her out of the cabin to a black

  Land Rover parked behind RV. It had a very large bass boat strapped to the roof and a

  red tarp was draped under the boat. When had he switched vehicles? She couldn’t remember if she had dozed off. The last day…or was it two days…it was all a blur. Sami opened the passenger side door of the Land Rover.

  “IN,” said Sami.

  The step was higher than her stride would allow. Her chained feet wouldn’t allow

  her to climb. Sami grabbed her roughly by the crotch and heaved her up into the seat.

  He was very strong. That was troubling to Jenny. He didn’t act like an old man. She

  couldn’t count on him being an old man. She had hoped he would be feeble. He wasn’t.

  He slammed the door shut but the red tarp was caught in the door. He jammed the part of

  the tarp that was hanging down back under the boat and slammed the door shut again.

  This time it closed.

  She only heard a few cars all night. There had been two, maybe three. She wasn’t

  sure. Now there was another car. She heard a hum from tires with heavy treads. She

  glanced to her side and saw a very large pickup coming down the road. Should she run

  for it? It might be her last chance. She edged her hand slowly toward the door handle. “Do not be clever Pretty Lady,” said Sami. He pushed a large knife into her side

  until she was certain that the sharp tip had broken skin. She gasped.

  Sami smiled and waved to the truck as it roared past the cabin. After the truck

  was well out of sight, he pulled out and headed north.

  Jenny knew that she was being driven to her execution. Jared couldn’t save her.

  Jared was dead. He could do so many amazing…almost superhuman…things, but he

  couldn’t rise from the dead. She began to quietly sob again. She was frightened. She was so frightened. How would he kill her? It wouldn’t be a quick death. It would be a

  horrible death.

  No one could save sweet young Jenny. She was so frightened.

  Washington, D.C. – Main Justice

  John Anderson was pacing the floor in tight spiraling circles. His tie was loosened around his neck and his shirt collar was unbuttoned. His expensive Hickey Freeman jacket was on the sofa, hanging down to the floor. He had his thumbs hooked into his red suspenders. Reisinger noted the change. He had a habit of paying attention to small details. It was an occupational asset. He had never seen John so disheveled. It was evident that JC was becoming a major liability.

  “Nice suit John. A little tight around the collar?” asked Reisinger. “I don’t appreciate the sarcasm Franklin,” said Anderson.

  Reisinger lit a cigarette.

  “You know you can’t smoke in here,” said Anderson.

  “So what did Sharon Stone say John…Oh yea…so arrest me for smoking,” said

  Reisinger. He flicked an ash into the white rug.

  “You’re in the clear…so far. They don’t even know of your involvement with

  Siemels. I’m the one on the hot seat,” said Anderson.

  “I understand. We’ll work something out.”

  “What are we going to work out? What? Exactly what do I tell Weller or Obama?

  I don’t like being summoned to the White House like a dog being called by its master. I

  don’t like it,” said Anderson.

  “You tell him that you had no idea that Siemels was going to kill himself. That

  might even be the truth. You knew about the kidnapping of his lady friend, but your subordinates failed to brief immediately about suicide. You were involved in making sure

  that the Bureau was doing everything it could to find the girl.”

  “That won’t wash. They know that I’ve been dogging Siemels for the past two

  years. Weller even knew something about my feelings about Siemels being some kind of

  hideous Soviet genetic experiment. Where did they get that information?” “Beats me,” said Reisinger.

  “Obama is a good Christian. He has to feel the same way about Siemels. Only

  God can create man. When we start tampering with genetics we are working for Satan.” “I would keep this stuff to yourself, John. You don’t want to sound like some

  kind of religious nut case. I suggest that…..” Anderson ignored the comment and talked

  over him.

  “…and furthermore, there are five special agents who submitted reports about the

  suicide. They had surveillance on the site. Who is going to believe that the FBI would

  fail to brief a Deputy Attorney General, particularly when they know I had an interest in

  Siemels.”

  “Deny. Deny. Deny. That is the way it works inside the Beltway, John.” “YOU FOOL,” yelled Anderson.

  “Now its name calling. That’s not helping.”

  “What I don’t understand is why they’re so interested in this human abomination.”

  “What I was told was that Weller got it directly from Obama. Siemels had some

  kind of invention that could remotely detect explosives, weapons and other kinds of contraband. The President was convinced it was vital to national security and might even

  save his legacy. Obama is furious that the FBI sat around and allowed Siemels to blow

  his brains out. Evidently the secret died with Siemels. If Obama is furious, you can count

  on Weller being volcanic,” said Reisinger.

  “And what ab
out this Special Agent Cabet. Why didn’t I know that he knew

  Siemels…that they were evidently friends? Damn it Franklin. The Bureau is supposed

  to be working for ME.”

  “YOU IDIOT! You’re the one who told ME about Cabet. He’s the one who sent

  you that PeopleSoft memo that you ignored,” yelled Reisinger.

  “AND YOU NEVER INFORMED ME THAT ABOUT THIS PATENT THING

  AND THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY IMPORTANT. I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL GARBAGE,” yelled Anderson. He pounded the desk with his hand. It left a wet mark on the

  glass top. His hands and brow were moist.

  “I DID TELL YOU, DAMN IT. You’re so hot-headed. I knew you’d blow your

  top, just like you’re doing now. We are watching Cabet now,” said Reisinger. He lit

  another cigarette. This time Anderson said nothing. He walked over to the credenza and

  took out an ash tray and put it on the coffee table in front of Reisinger.

  “How are we doing on finding the girl? Are you talking with the RCMP?” asked

  Anderson.

  “I’m stalling until the girl is dead. Trust me. It’s much better that way. She is

  probably dead now so we’ll pick it up a bit.”

  “I’m not a happy camper, Franklin. Not at all. Siemels certainly deserved elimination but not an innocent woman. You should have been doing everything you could to

  find her…alive.”

  “I can’t figure you out sometimes John. That’s water over the dam. What we

  should really be concerned about is Sami Zhidov. The case officer handling him is almost certain that Sami went into Canada. Now that Rubio Matos…you know, Sami’s hit

  man…the Colombian…is out of the picture, our people think that Sami is the one who

  kidnapped the girl and used her to force Siemels to commit suicide. Cabet confirmed it in

  his report.”

  “Are the Russians insane? This will put us both in a federal penitentiary if he’s

  caught,” said Anderson.

  “Something is terribly wrong. Someone’s been flipped,” said Reisinger. “Sami is

  too stupid so it could be Penkovskiy. We’re trying to sort it out but someone over there

  has his own agenda and his working against us. The only good news is that making sure