Kaleidoscope

by Chariss K. Walker

  “Yes, it was October 1998.”

  “Ok, it shouldn’t be that difficult. Do you want to hold, or shall I call you back?”

  “I’ll hold,” I replied and reached for a pen and paper.

  “Did you say his name was Adam?” Becky asked.

  “No, I believe it was Adom.” I enunciated the name more clearly before spelling it.

  “Oh, ok. It’s right here. The man you’re looking for is named Adom Hassan Tawfik and yes, it looks like he still works for GMS at one of the subsidiary companies as a consultant-slash-owner. He lives in Canada now, Vancouver, to be exact. I’ll send the actual addresses and telephone numbers to your PDA, ok?” I heard the beep as the information streamed to the electronic device and thanked Becky, preparing to end the call, but she asked, “Want me to get you the first flight out?” and then she laughed. That was normally how she’d respond about any of my job assignments, but this wasn’t a company sponsored trip.

  “You’d do that? I mean, it’s not really company business.”

  “Oh, yeah, I’d do that. What are perks for if not to benefit the employees?” she replied, and then laughed again. “It’s right here in front of me, easy as pie. The shortest flight gets you into Vancouver around ten-fifteen tonight. Think you’ll need more than two days, Mike? I can get you on a flight out Wednesday night or Thursday morning. You decide,” she said.

  I thought about that for a few seconds and knew that what I had to say to Adom probably wouldn’t take more than a few hours if we were face to face. Even when allowing for rental cars, traffic, and airport delays, I didn’t need more than 24 hours in Vancouver. Since the flight arrived late Monday evening, I could leave the next evening.

  “If you can get me on a flight back to New York either Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning, that should work just fine.”

  “That’s not a problem. There’s a flight that leaves as early as six in the morning or as late as eleven-fifteen that night. Which one suits your fancy?” Becky asked.

  “The one that leaves on Tuesday evening around eleven sounds perfect.” I didn’t want to be there a moment longer than necessary. This was not a sightseeing trip.

  “Done!” Becky replied and laughed for the third time. She was enjoying herself using GMS’s resources for clandestine purposes, so I laughed with her. I heard a second beep as the PDA received the flight information.

  “Thanks, Becky. You’re the best!”

  I didn’t consider calling Nelson. He’d get voice mail when he called to give a choice of appointment times and would understand that it wasn’t confirmed until I returned his call. I looked over the flight schedule from New York JFK to Vancouver YVR. Becky had booked a flight out at five today. The PDA beeped one last time as she sent more information. She’d reserved a car—a Volvo S60 ready to pick up at Hertz inside the airport—and a room at the nearby Fairmont Hotel. It was an easy task for Becky to book and schedule employee itineraries; she did it all the time. I was grateful and ordered flowers delivered to her for the following Friday.

  I arrived in Vancouver at ten-fifteen, picked up the car, and went straight to the Fairmont to check-in. The front desk clerk went over a list of services and gave a detailed description of the business center with its private meeting rooms.

  The next morning, I enjoyed the breakfast buffet and had several cups of coffee while patiently waiting for the correct time to arrive at Adom’s office. It was time to find out what Adom’s role was in monitoring my life.

  “May I help you?” the receptionist asked.

  “Yes, I’d like to see Adom Hassan Tawfik right away.”

  “Let me see if he is in. May I get your name, sir?”

  “Yes, tell him that Mike Lewis is here to see him and won’t take no for an answer.”

  “Just a moment, please,” she said before walking towards a long hallway. She went around the corner to an office in the rear, so I followed her. I didn’t want Adom to make any excuses. I had to see him. The receptionist knocked softly and then opened the door.

  “Dr. Tawfik, there’s a Mike Lewis here to see you. He’s rather insistent. Shall I tell him you’re available, doctor?” she asked. Before Adom could answer, I pushed the door open a little wider and leaned against the outside doorjamb.

  “Hello Adom, long time,” I said.

  Adom looked up and smiled. He didn’t even seem surprised to see me. He hadn’t changed much; in fact, he looked just as he had all those years ago in the dry, sandy desert of Egypt. He was a little older and a lot more polished and prosperous, but otherwise the same.

  “Hello, Dr. Mike,” Adom said, “What took you so long?”

  What had taken me so long?

  “It’s all right, Amy. Dr. Mike and I have been acquainted for many years. Thank you,” he said, dismissing the receptionist. Amy left the door open and went back down the hall to her desk, carefully stepping around me. I eased inside Adom’s finely decorated office and leaned against the inside doorjamb.

  “Please, Dr. Mike, sit down.” Adom motioned to a chair in front of the massive and ornately carved wooden desk.

  “I’d rather stand. I don’t think I’ll be here long enough to get comfortable.”

  “The more appropriate question might be are you finally comfortable with your gift, Dr. Mike?” I looked at him for a lengthy time as I pondered the question. I’d never be completely comfortable with the gift, but at least I wasn’t fighting it any longer. After working with Nelson, I now accepted it. But I’d come here to talk to Adom, not ponder my ability.

  “About that gift…” I began and then paused briefly before asking bluntly, “Who did you tell about it?”

  “Dr. Mike, I know you have a lot of questions, and I’m more than happy to answer them, but here and now is not the place or time.” Adom pressed his lips together tightly, holding my gaze.

  “I came to get some answers and I’m not leaving without—”

  “You’ll get the answers you seek. But, as I said, this is not the place to speak of these things. I will satisfy your curiosity today, but we must talk somewhere else. Where are you staying?” Adom asked.

  “I’m at the Fairmont, near the airport.”

  “Excellent,” Adom responded, “they have a wonderful business center. I’ll call them now to see if we can use one of the private offices.” He picked up the phone and made the call. “Yes, ten o’clock is perfect,” he said into the telephone receiver. Adom continued to make the arrangements and then looked at me. “Please, I’ll be there ready to answer any questions you have. Is that agreeable?”

  “Yes.”

  I turned on my heel and left. Amy didn’t even look up as I exited the building. Adom was willing to talk; in fact, it appeared he’d been expecting me to arrive at his door for some time. Or, had Becky given Adom a heads-up that I was en route?

  I waited for Adom in the business center. It was a small area and very private, with a table that could be utilized as a desk and two comfortable padded armchairs sitting side by side. Nothing else could’ve fit in the room, but it wasn’t cramped or stuffy. I went inside, repositioned the chairs to face each other, and then sat down to wait. At ten o’clock sharp, Adom arrived with his right hand extended in friendship. I had hard feelings towards him and didn’t really want to take his hand, but I stood and accepted the offered gesture.

  “Where do you want to begin, Dr. Mike?” Adom asked in a friendly manner.

  “I want to know if you told anyone about my ability.”

  “There’s something you must understand, Dr. Mike. I’ve always been in the employment of GMS—since my own ability was discovered. I was 16 years old when they found me, and shortly thereafter, I went to work for them. I was trained in many areas to benefit the company, but part of the agreement I had with them was to report others who also had an ability,” Adom explained.

  “Are you saying that GMS is behind everything that’s happened recently?” I asked, trying to keep all emotion down. I’d susp
ected their involvement because all the company devices were compromised, but I was still stunned.

  “Well, let’s be clear. I don’t know what has happened recently, so I can’t attest that GMS is the responsible party. I can only tell you that I do work for them and I have for many years. I did make a report on your ability in 1998 after the pleasure of our acquaintance in Cairo,” Adom softly confirmed.

  “When you say you made a report on my ability, what did that entail?”

  “The report included the type of ability and how it works. I stated that you could see the future and that you’d accessed only a small portion of the skills since childhood. It also stated that I physically activated the gift in that brief meeting.”

  “Have they been watching me?”

  “Watching you?” Adom repeated the question in confusion. “If you mean have they been keeping eyes on you in order to know how your gift might develop over the years, then I suppose that’d be an accurate description. However, keep in mind that any watching is limited to observation of the gift, not your private life.”

  “In this case, it’s more accurate to say that they planted covert listening devices in my home, Adom,” I spat out angrily. “It’s more accurate to say that when I discovered those devices, they tried to abduct me. And finally, they sent a very lovely woman to seduce me, but she ended up dead for her troubles.” My voice couldn’t disguise the animosity and contempt I felt for whomever was responsible. Adom was visibly stunned and even his tanned complexion couldn’t hide that he paled at the disclosure.

  “Dr. Mike, I had no idea. I’m sorry to hear of these disturbing occurrences, but I had nothing to do with this,” Adom said quickly.

  “You can tell me if you believe that GMS is capable of doing these things.”

  “GMS is a conglomerate of many companies in many different fields. They have research and development operations in many locations. The geomantic division that you and I worked for in 1998 is only the tip of a very large iceberg, Dr. Mike. For all practical purposes, this division is exactly what it claims to be. Over the years, the focus of some divisions has expanded. For many years, they have observed those with paranormal abilities. That division recruited me for that purpose. However, I would never suspect them capable of doing the things you’ve just described,” Adom stated.

  “How many others have you made reports on, Adom?”

  “I’ve found six acceptable children for them over the twenty-five years in their employment.”

  “And these six children, did they have an ability, a gift?”

  “Yes, I was employed to verify those gifts. When the company became aware of children with a possible ability, they sent me to either confirm or deny its existence. I made a report about the ability, including its possible uses or advantages. If the division was interested, they approached the parents and negotiated terms to observe the child. When parents were agreeable the child was sent to a training facility,” Adom answered, “but as I said, only six of those I found were considered acceptable to the company.”

  “What type of gifts did these children have?”

  “I’m sorry; Dr. Mike, but I signed a nondisclosure agreement. I can tell you about one child that was not accepted. This little girl was from China. She was also the most unusual child I encountered. She had the ability to read photographs and objects with her toes. She could give the story behind anything her toes touched. It was most odd. But, even with this gift, she could only tell what had happened last. She could not tell or predict anything about the future. The company did not select her,” Adom explained.

  “What happened to the ones who were acceptable?”

  “The company arranged for the children to live in a facility with other children having similar gifts,” Adom said, “It’s beneficial to make daily observations. It was a mutually satisfying agreement, Dr. Mike. The parents are usually at a loss regarding a child with these unusual abilities. These children can cause disruption in their families. They are often feared in their neighborhoods. From a parents’ perspective, it’s an answered prayer, you see.”

  “Have you ever heard of an affiliate company called The Rodante Group?”

  “Yes, Dr. Mike. They are the division I mentioned that shows a keen interest in paranormal. They’re a research group based in San Francisco. In fact, it is where they take the children to live,” he replied.

  “Are they interested in me?”

  “They specialize in young children. I don’t know why they would be interested in you at this stage of your life, Dr. Mike. Unless…,” Adom’s voice trailed off as he thought about something important.

  “What?”

  “If they’ve come across another child who has the same ability, they might try to groom this child before he or she blocks the gift as you did.”

  “Another child? What other child?”

  “Why, you, of course, Dr. Mike. They discovered you years ago when you were a young child, but your parents wouldn’t allow your participation in the study. Over time, you blocked your ability and only allowed certain aspects of it to surface—this is common in most children. Without the proper training, one of two possibilities occurs,” Adom said, “If a child becomes overwhelmed by their ability, a natural defense mechanism blocks the ability to protect the child. Or, perhaps the child uses the ability without discretion and becomes a danger to themselves and others.” He paused, obviously lost in thought. “If they’ve found another child with the same ability, they probably want to compare notes, do a full report in order to compare the two of you. Your gift is very rare,” Adom continued, “In fact, you were the only one documented to have this ability.”

  I was completely and utterly blown away by Adom’s admission. It confirmed that my parents knew… they knew and decided that I should have a normal life, as normal as possible anyway. I swallowed that information in one gulp and continued to question Adom. I’d simply have to deal with that knowledge later.

  “Who else knew about my gift?”

  “I’m sure that someone has watched you throughout your entire life, Dr. Mike. Maybe someone was assigned to you during high school, but certainly in college after you were on your own and away from your parents’ watchful eyes. The company is very big on getting reports—they love annual reports. It’s probably someone still in your life, someone you trust, and someone you’re least likely to suspect. They pay very good money for those reports,” Adom added.

  I wondered who it might be—Nelson, Joe, or Sarah. Tasha lived too far away to observe me closely. It had to be one of those three.

  Holy shit! What if it was Nelson? I knew I should keep my damn mouth shut!

  “And, what about you, Adom; how much did they pay you for the initial report you made on me?”

  “They pay well, Dr. Mike,” Adom replied sheepishly.

  “Why’d you do it? Did you consider the lives that might be destroyed?”

  “First of all, I’ve never destroyed any lives. The children I discovered for the company were given a better life than what they had before. They have medical and dental treatment, good food to eat, and plenty of fresh water and clean clothes. For the most part, these children attend school and play games directed towards enhancing their particular ability. They wouldn’t have had those same opportunities in their own countries or homes. You mustn’t judge what you do not understand, Dr. Mike.

  “In Egypt, and in many other parts of the world, we don’t have the same educational advantages given in America to any and every child. We must show an aptitude in order to deserve further education. GMS offered me an opportunity that would’ve never come from any other source. I would’ve been a fool not to accept it. They educated me and trained me. I now speak twelve languages, whereas, in Egypt, I’d have been fortunate to pick up only one second language. They paid for the finest education and doctorate programs and finally relocated me here. My company is my company, although it is a subsidiary of the larger corporation. Without these advantages, I
would still be a hired laborer in Cairo working on a survey crew in the hot desert sun to the highest bidder.

  “I wouldn’t have been able to marry well or have a family of my own. So many things would’ve never happened for me, so many opportunities would’ve been lost. Don’t be angry with me for taking advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves when I was only a young boy. I beg you to consider how you would respond in the same situation,” Adom pleaded with his hands outspread in supplication.

  I knew he was right. Still, I was angry about the things that had happened. I couldn’t find fault with Adom though. He’d been very upfront and honest with his answers and explanations.

  “Let’s take a break, Dr. Mike,” Adom continued. “Perhaps a light lunch and then we’ll return to the remaining questions you have. The room is ours for as long as we require it.”

  We’d been in this small office for over two hours, and I’d fired the questions like bullets. I didn’t feel hungry, but I was extremely thirsty. I nodded agreement. We went to the hotel’s elaborate Jetside Bar, a restaurant with a stunning view through a wall of glass from floor to ceiling overlooking the North Shore Mountains and the landing runways. I ordered a Stella beer on tap and drank the entire sixteen ounces in only a few minutes. I felt better after that; it quenched the fire burning inside me for the last few weeks.

  Adom suggested that we start with an appetizer of West Coast Seafood Chowder and then decide if lunch was in order. I agreed even though I didn’t think I could eat more than the soup. While sharing a meal with the man I’d held responsible, I began to relax. Blaming Adom for the ills in my life since the gift manifested wasn’t fair. It wasn’t entirely his fault, not really. The company behind this had known about me long before Adom tapped me on the head.

  After the chowder was eaten, I noticed the waiter bring an appetizing dish to a nearby table. It was a menu selection sent over from the sports bar one level up, the GLOBE@YRV restaurant. I ordered the same dish, the Grilled BC Salmon with potato skordalia, grilled asparagus, and fennel with grapefruit butter, while Adom ordered the Queen Charlotte Islands Sablefish with chorizo lentils, salsa Verde, and tapenade. I was hungrier than imagined and the meal was delicious.