Shades of Grey: Book Two of the Alexis Stanton Chronicles

by Phelps, J. C.

  “Alright, I’ll take care of it.” I spent some time talking with Dad and then went off to find Mom.

  She was in the garage cutting up perfectly good pieces of wood just as I thought she would be. I stood there for a while before she noticed me. She couldn’t hear me over the saw and I wasn’t so sure I wanted to startle her while she was playing with sharp blades.

  “Hi, Sweetie. Did you just get back?” My mom had sawdust hanging from her hair.

  “About an hour ago,” I said as I went to hug her hello. “I was wondering if you and Dad would come for dinner some time soon?”

  “Sure, I won’t have to cook for him then. What are we having?” We went through menu options and finally decided on something simple. I had our company meeting that afternoon and didn’t know what was going on so I couldn’t set an exact date for dinner, but I still wanted the invitation our there.

  I got swept up in telling Mom what I’d been doing and it seemed like no time had passed when I realized White hadn’t set a specific time for the meeting. I said my goodbyes and hurried back to the guesthouse.

  I stepped inside and called the office to speak with White. I was to be back at the office in an hour. This gave me a little more time on my hands than I had expected, so I decided to call Colin.

  Colin and I had been best friends since we were small. Our parents knew each other and my dad had helped Colin with his naval career. We were the type of friends that could go without seeing or talking to each other for years and pick up right where we left off and not be uncomfortable. Colin told me how he had been doing the same old thing so we talked mainly about what I had been doing for the past three months. I lost track of time while Colin and I were catching up and before I knew it, I had less than half an hour before the meeting. I quickly hung up and raced to my car.

  Thanks to Brown and my driving lessons, I was back at the office in time. I had to speed the entire distance, but I made it. I was proud of my new found driving ability and it was fun to use it in a real life situation. I was just lucky to have not passed any cops on the way to the office.

  Gabriella was in the front office and greeted me with, “They are just waiting on you Hun. You better get in there,” she gestured to the closed office door.

  I walked into the office and the subdued conversations stopped. It made me feel uncomfortable. I thought of apologizing, but I wasn’t late yet. Instead I took a seat on the couch next to Mr. Black. He nodded hello and our attention diverted to White who was now clearing his throat.

  “The first order of business this afternoon is about a job offer,” White began. “Yesterday I received a call from a large company that believes one of their employees is embezzling. It would be a job for you, Ms. Grey. They believe the guy to be hacking into their system and transferring funds, but he’s covering his tracks well enough that they can’t prove anything. I have confidence you can handle this one.” I nodded my agreement.

  “As of tomorrow you will be working for K&G Systems as a network administrator. You are to be at their offices by 7:00 AM. John Keffler, the owner of the company, believes he knows who is stealing from them, but has no proof. That’s where you come in. As an administrator you will have access to everyone’s computers and you are to retrieve the proof that they need to prosecute this guy.”

  White went on to explain that the company manufactured microchips for the government. The company was cutting edge according to White and they made good money, but the suspected employee was skimming much more than they could afford. He gave me a slip of paper with directions to my new office and told me to report directly to John Keffler as soon as I got there.

  “Next, I was contacted today by Victor Strom.” This was what I wanted to hear about. I had spent the majority of the day wondering about Strom’s appearance. Now I was about to find out.

  “He would like us to contact Penumbra for him.” There were some murmurs in the small crowd.

  Vocabulary had always been one of my best subjects so immediately I knew that penumbra meant incomplete or partial shadow. I was confused but intrigued. I’d heard that word used as a name before, but couldn’t remember where.

  “Excuse me. Who is Penumbra?” I interrupted.

  “Rumor is that Penumbra is a Russian defector and a spy. For the last thirty years he’s been a legend in the sniper/assassin field around the world. It’s not clear if he works for a particular government or if he is an assassin for hire. The overall assumption is that he works for whoever has the right dollar amount. He always leaves a “calling card” or sends one on ahead to warn the target. It’s said that he gives his targets a running head start because he likes the challenge. His identity is unknown. I don’t know how we would contact him.” Mr. Blue directed this last statement toward White.

  “Oh, yeah. I have heard of him, but I thought he was fictional. Is there really a Penumbra? I always thought it might be a group of assassins that use the same name?” I added.

  “It’s a secret we don’t know and should not know,” Green interjected. “Unless, of course we want to take him on as a partner.”

  I listened to the men discuss Penumbra and the possible reasons Strom would want to contact him. There was only one reason they could come up with. Eventually they came to the conclusion to investigate Strom. Blue and Green were given the task of digging up information on Strom to see if there were any past ties with him and Penumbra. Everyone else was given a small task to do as well. I was to find out as much information about Penumbra as I could without crossing certain lines. Because of the calling card, Penumbra’s career was well documented and I should be able to verify his full career in a short period of time. His calling card, like the black spot in Treasure Island, meant certain death. A person just didn’t know when or where, but they did know how. Penumbra always shot his victims through the head with a mercury tipped bullet to assure the job was done right.

  “Now that we’ve got that settled, let’s move on,” White concluded the Penumbra subject

  “Now to the final order of business,” he took a long look around the room. “I am going to step down from my duties. I would like Red to take over.”

  The air in the room became thick with questions. The men were all talking at once. Finally White spoke again.

  “I’m not leaving the company,” he said in answer to someone’s question. “I just need a break. I would like to go out into the field, but if any of you have a problem with that, then I am going to take a leave of absence for at least sixty days.”

  Again you could feel the emotion in the room, but it had changed from one of alarm to one of relief.

  “Of course you can go back into the field,” Red replied. “But why do you want to do this?”

  “It’s been a bit monotonous around here since The Lion job and I need a break from office work.”

  What was now referred to as “The Lion job” had only transpired a few months before I had gone off with Mr. Brown. We had contracted a job from someone in the government, probably my father. The job was to acquire a well-known terrorist that went by the name The Lion. We did our job with only a few minor inconveniences. I killed my first, and hopefully my last, man on that mission. That’s something I don’t like to think about so normally I don’t. My father, Robert S. Stanton, had been kidnapped as a result and White and Associates came to the rescue.

  “Alright then,” Mr. Red interrupted my thoughts. “If we are going to find out why Strom wants to contact Penumbra we had better get down to business.”

  “We all have our jobs,” White added.

  “Yes, but I have another suggestion,” Mr. Red said. “I imagine we have a very good source right here in front of us.”

  “I agree,” Mr. Brown replied and they both looked directly at me.

  “What?! I don’t know anything.” I objected.

  “We know that, but I would almost bet my life that Admiral Stanton knows everything we need to know,” Red added.

  My father, Admiral
Robert S. Stanton, had a job that I didn’t know much about. He didn’t share that kind of information with me. When I first came to White and Associates I knew my dad had some affiliation with the Navy, but had retired some time before. I always fantasized about him being a spy of some kind, but that seemed to be more reality now than fantasy. He is considered a civilian, however, I know he isn’t.

  “So, do you just want me to go home and say, ‘Hey Dad… who’s Penumbra and do you know who Mr. Strom might want to knock off?’”

  “No, of course not. I think the best thing would be for you to let him know the subject came up somewhere and you are just curious. I sincerely doubt he’s going to come right out and tell you, but he may give you some hints, or leads. I’m not saying he even knows how to contact Penumbra, but the odds are in favor of it.”

  “I think it’s got merit,” Mr. Blue put in.

  “If I have to lie to him, I can’t. I really have trouble with it, besides, my dad always catches me or turns things around to where I tell him more than I get out of him.”

  “I can coach you on what to say. This is my field after all…” Mr. Red went on to explain what I needed to say to get my father to open up. What he was saying wasn’t making me believe him though. I knew my dad wouldn’t go for most of it. Then came the punch line.

  “The main thing is you need to get him to come to your house for this meeting.” I could tell something was coming, something that I would not like.

  “Why my house?” He could only be talking about the guesthouse on my parent’s eighty-acre estate. It was nice enough, but I couldn’t think why it would be so important to talk over there. Then it hit me like a truck.

  “You still haven’t taken the camera’s out of my place?” I leveled my question at White.

  “I haven’t had the time… besides you haven’t even been there,” Mr. White tried to explain it away.

  “They should have been out of there a long time ago.” Mr. Black’s tone was ominous. I was a bit surprised that he was taking my side in this. The cameras were put into the guesthouse when I first started with White and Associates to monitor me; make sure I was who I said I was or I wasn’t trying anything funny, that kind of thing. At least that was the explanation I got at the time. My father even knew about them and thought nothing of them. I was furious! I liked my privacy and to know that I still had none bothered me terribly. I sometimes felt White had put them in there just to watch me. There was an unspoken attraction between us. At least I know I am attracted to White and he gave me the impression, at times, he felt the same. His intentions were hard to decipher, it could be a sick form of voyeurism.

  “I know, I just haven’t thought about it,” there was shame in his voice.

  “This could give us a great opportunity to get Admiral Stanton’s reactions while they talk about it. We could be back here at the office and we would be able to interpret the body language and hear the words.” Red wasn’t making this any better for me.

  “I can see your point. But after this is over, they come out.” Mr. Black had put his foot down.

  “Of course.”

  “You’re damn right, of course!” I was on the rampage but still had enough presence of mind to stop there. What I really wanted to do was punch both Red and White right in the nose, but I knew that would get me nowhere, except maybe give me a little satisfaction. I dealt with it when I thought there was good reason for them to be spying on me, but now White had absolutely no reason; at least no reason that I was not going to object to.

  “I’m sorry, I should have taken them out long ago,” there was genuine remorse in his voice, which helped to ease my mind some. “I don’t think this is going to get us anywhere though. It’s a waste of time,” White said to Red.

  “How do you know it’s a waste of time? It’s worth a try,” Red answered him.

  “I don’t know, I just think it’s a waste of time and we could be working on it from a different angle,” his voice was firm.

  Black interrupted, “I think the cameras still being in Grey’s place is unacceptable, however, Red’s idea has some merit. Why are you so against it?”

  “I just have a feeling it’s a waste of time. However, if you want to go through with it, then go right ahead.”

  I had hoped White’s argument would have been believed and that would have ended it. I was uncomfortable with the idea of asking my father questions under the watchful eyes of White & Associates and voiced my opinion when White gave up his attempt. I didn’t change any minds either. I considered refusing, but had to admit to myself that Red’s idea was viable. Internally, I decided I wouldn’t ask any questions of my father that I felt uncomfortable with.

  We spent a small amount of time planning our subterfuge of my father. I had already invited my parents to dinner and Red said that would be a good time to put the plan in motion.

  After the meeting Mr. White offered to help Red become more familiar with the job so the two of them stayed behind. Mr. Black invited Mr. Brown and me to his place for dinner, mentioning something about catching up. I hadn’t noticed how quickly the time had passed and the reference to dinner made my stomach lurch to attention.

  The three of us got on the elevator and Brown pushed the 9th floor button. I already knew that White lived in the building, but he lived on the 8th floor. I turned to Mr. Black and said, “Do you live in the building too?”

  He gave me a smirk. Black rarely smiled, but his smirk was given quite freely.

  “Actually, we all live in the building,” Mr. Brown interjected.

  I looked in his direction and said, “That would explain why everyone usually reaches the office in record time.”

  Both Brown and Black thought that was funny and it definitely did lighten the mood as we stepped from the elevator into Black’s apartment.

  The first thing I noticed was the layout was the same as Mr. White’s apartment. There were the same three steps down into the main living room and two extra rooms and a bathroom to one side and the kitchen was the same step-up kitchen.

  I had expected a dark and very masculine feel to Mr. Black’s home, but it was almost the opposite. He had plants everywhere and they were still alive.

  I haven’t been in many bachelors’ apartments, but I have heard that plants and bachelors don’t do well together. Mr. Black certainly didn’t fit that stereotype. His apartment was borderline jungle.

  Other than the flora, the apartment was definitely that of a man’s. It was cluttered with various items, such as a couple of scuba tanks leaned against one wall with a couple of backpacks and ropes. There were no pictures or posters on the walls because there really wasn’t room for them with the hanging plants and several bookcases lining the empty spaces.

  The three of us trooped toward the kitchen area and sat around the bar. Black told us that he wasn’t in the mood to cook, so we could have something delivered. He made the call for the food and then came back to sit with Mr. Brown and me.

  “So, how did things go?” he asked Mr. Brown.

  “Not too bad. She really is a quick learner, with most things.” Mr. Brown looked at me and smiled.

  We sat and talked about the past three months until our food arrived. The small talk continued and shortly after dinner Mr. Brown said he’d better head home. What was it, a whole floor away, maybe two? I knew I should go home and get some sleep also because I had a job in the morning, but I decided to stay a little while longer.

  As Mr. Brown was walking out the door, I was asking Mr. Black about his plants. I had always thought plants were wonderful, but what Mr. Black lacked in the bachelor department for plants, I more than made up for it. I pity any plant that I get a hold of.

  Mr. Black gave me a tour of all of his plants and gave a small explanation of each. He was growing fruit, vegetables and herbs and of course, he had some in there just for show.

  Mr. Black didn’t talk unless he had something important to say and he’d been talking in full sentences for all the
while that I had been back. He rarely made small talk, so the talk about the plants ended rather quickly.

  He questioned me more thoroughly about my time I had spent with Mr. Brown. I think he was watching out for me, making sure everything was as Mr. Brown had said it was. Then he continued by talking about White stepping down.

  “Did you follow all of the politics down there today?” he asked.

  “I think so,” I said, not sure exactly what he meant.

  “Good. I understand that White may be overwhelmed and want a break, but that’s not his style. I think there is something else going on here but I don’t know what it is yet.”

  “I’m not following you. You think it’s unusual that White would want to get back into the field or take a vacation?”

  “I have my suspicions. I think he might be doing this just to get back out into the field because it’s been a long time since he’s been on a job. Then again, like I said before, it’s not his style. It’s not like him to pass up an opportunity like your cameras. I suppose I’m just seeing things that aren’t there,” he paused, then added, “If you happen to hear or see anything abnormal would you let me know about it?”

  “Of course.” I had thought White’s attempt at keeping us from spying on my father was out of character, and now I knew I wasn’t the only one.

  I left Black in his apartment and drove home to the guesthouse. During the relatively short drive home, the thought of the cameras never left my mind and I became progressively angry as I drew nearer. When I walked in I looked around to where I remembered the cameras were and repeated something that I had done so many months ago, except I didn’t stop with just one camera. I systematically gave each and every one of them the finger. Then I stomped off to my bedroom and slammed the door.