The Minnesota Candidate

by Nicholas Antinozzi

  “Oh yes, but I have to put everything into context. I had to be sure that you weren’t one of them.”

  Tom rolled his eyes and slumped back into his chair. He felt bad for doing so, but he couldn’t help himself.

  “Oh, please don’t get snotty with me, Tommy. Let me explain a few things. Norma worked for Fred and Irene Munthon, Shari’s parents. Fred made his money in semiconductors, while Irene and Norma were both microbiologists. Do you see where I’m going with this?”

  “Yeah,” said Tom, “it really is a small world.”

  “Yes, it really is. But I have never been a big believer in coincidence. I believe in karma and in second opportunities to right wrongs. We don’t have a lot of time, so I want you to hear me out. Karma is knocking on your door, Tommy. If you’re going to save the world, you have to open that door.”

  Tom picked up his coffee cup and walked over to the old percolator. He had long suspected Mrs. Kindersley was losing her grip on reality, but now he felt sure of it. He poured himself a cup of coffee and returned to the table.

  “I can see that I’m losing you,” said the old woman. “Okay, enough beating around the bush. Do you know what an RFID microchip is? They’re tiny chips that companies use to implant in their products. They’re filled with information that is useful to the people on the retail end. You have heard of them, correct?”

  Tom had heard of them and he nodded his head.

  “Well, the world is obsessed with the idea of using microchips in people. You can look it up. I guess it’s all on the internet. Shari’s father, Fred, was one of the first to invent a microchip that could be implanted under the skin. Irene and Norma assisted him in the project. Oh, this was many years ago. According to Norma, Fred began experimenting with several different chips. Irene and Norma discovered a way to link them together by using the central nervous system. I never really understood all of it, but Norma did her best to explain what they were up to. Well, the CIA became involved and they called it one of those Black Ops projects. Norma was told not to breathe a word of it to anyone, but she did… and I’m sure that’s what killed her. You can see now why I had to be careful, can’t you?”

  Tom swallowed a mouthful of coffee, confused, but fascinated at the same time. “Sure,” he said, twirling his index fingers in little wheels.

  “The microchips interacted with each other. Fred Munthon began churning out human robots and the CIA couldn’t have been happier about it. You see, this was the ultimate weapon of control. Well, according to Norma, Fred and Irene were both good people and their idea was to use the chips for the good of mankind. Their plan was to design chips that worked in conjunction with our internal organs, to help our bodies identify and fight things like heart disease and cancer. In the beginning, they worked on smaller things like smoking cessation and alcoholics. By using a combination of microchips, they were able to make people stop these terrible vices, cold turkey. From there, they worked on patients with mental disorders. Norma told me that they once cured a roomful of paranoid schizophrenics in a single afternoon. The chip cocktails blocked out the voices inside their heads and as far as she knew, those voices never came back.”

  “That’s incredible.”

  “Oh, it really was. I had a cousin who had that, the poor thing.”

  “But the CIA wasn’t interested in treating people for what ailed them. According to Norma, they thought the world was already terribly overpopulated. All they were interested in was gaining control over the human mind.”

  “By using these microchips?”

  “That’s precisely what I mean. Well, you can just imagine how Fred and Irene felt about this. Norma told me that they were just sick about it. Fred continued his work, but he also had a secret project. He began working on a chip killer, a ray gun, is what Norma called it, which he supposedly finished. That was when they began to sabotage their project. Sadly, by then it was too late. Norma had her stroke and Fred and Irene died in that plane crash, just three days later.”

  “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “Oh, it gets a lot crazier, Tommy. I need you to find that ray gun. Actually, the world is depending upon you to find that ray gun.”

  Tom laughed and waved his hand at the old woman. “You almost had me,” he said. “That was a great story. I can’t wait to tell it to Shari.”

  Suddenly, Mrs. Kindersley reached across the table and she took Tom’s arm by the wrist. She gave it an impressive squeeze. “Everything I told you was the absolute truth. This is no joke, kid. Don’t you see what’s happening in the world? Haven’t you wondered why everyone is converting to Islam? The CIA is behind it, Tommy. You have to get inside Fred’s laboratory and find that ray gun. I’m not kidding, you’re our only hope.”

  “Give me a break. I don’t even know where his laboratory is.”

  The old schoolteacher gave his wrist another squeeze. “The laboratory is down under his house. Surely, you must have seen it.”

  “But I’ve never been inside that house. Shari keeps it locked up.”

  She let go of Tom’s wrist and slapped her forehead with a wrinkled hand. “I’m such an idiot, of course she hasn’t. She’s been chipped, too!”

  “Shari hasn’t been chipped. I think I’d know if she had been. I am her husband.”

  Mrs. Kindersley laughed. “You wouldn’t know it and neither would she. Do you know how they do it? They’re using the flu shots. Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if both of us have been injected with a few of them. The last chip, the really important one that ties them all together, only goes to the special ones. They don’t even know they’re getting it. People like you and I, we’ll never see that chip.”

  “Okay, let me get this straight. You want me to break into Shari’s parent’s house and find this ray gun thing. Then I’m supposed to shoot my wife with it?”

  “Oh, that’s only the beginning. You’re going to have to shoot anyone who has been infected. Don’t you see, Tommy? This is your destiny.”

  “Excuse me, but Shari won’t even let me inside that house. How am I supposed to get in there and find something that is probably hidden like a needle in a haystack? Have you ever seen the outside of that place? It’s the size of a castle.”

  “And don’t forget, the house is full of booby-traps. You’re going to have to be very careful.”

  “Oh, that’s just great. Would you like me to do anything else? Maybe I could end world hunger while I’m at it.”

  “Wouldn’t that be nice? Oh, but you won’t have time to tackle something like that, not yet, anyway. Tommy, I have some of Norma’s journals and I’m going to give them to you. She and Fred were very close. I’m pretty sure they all knew the end was near. Norma drew several maps of the inside of the laboratory. You can see where she marked the booby-traps.”

  Tom ran his hands through his thinning hair and felt as if he had just been spun in an industrial dryer. Mrs. Kindersley politely excused herself from the table. Tom watched as she shuffled out of her green kitchen. He wondered about her, knowing that she firmly believed in what she had told him, but at her advanced age, wasn’t it possibly that her mind had slipped a gear? Tom knew he had to consider this possibility.

  Then again, if what she was saying was true, the world was depending upon him. Tom could already feel the weight of that world on his back.

  She came back into the kitchen and placed a stack of leather-bound journals in front of Tom. “You can look at these when you get home. You had better not let Shari see them, they might set her off.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Don’t you see? They’re controlling her. Don’t you find it bizarre that your own wife won’t allow you into that great big house? That isn’t normal behavior, Tommy. They programmed her to keep everyone out of there. That’s another thing about the CIA, they like to do things on the cheap. That gives them more money to run guns and drugs. Oh, don’t get me started on those dirty rats. They killed my sister.”


  “You know what?” asked Tom. “I think I believe you.”

  “Well, believe this, Tommy. If they find out that you’re poking around in there, they’ll kill you, too. Just be careful.”

  The screeching of tires alerted them to Shari’s arrival. Mrs. Kindersley held up her hand and she walked over to her cupboard. She opened up one of the lower doors and she removed an empty brown paper sack. “For the notebooks,” she whispered. She then handed the bag to Tom and he slid the journals inside, crumpling up the top of the bag to make it look like he was carrying a big bag lunch.

  Shari was already pounding at the door. Tom stood up and he hugged the old woman. “I’ll do my best,” he whispered.

  “I know you will, Tommy. You have to find that ray gun, you just have to.”

  Tom met Shari at the door and she nearly fell into his arms. She was dressed entirely in black. Sobbing, he led her to the passenger side of the BMW and he helped her into the car. He then popped the trunk and put the bag inside it. She had parked in front of the smoldering remains of the new house and Tom took a final look at it as he climbed behind the wheel. “I hope that place was insured,” he said.

  “I do too,” mumbled Shari.

  Tom’s head rocked back at the revelation. “What do you mean by that?”

  “I don’t know. Oh Tom, it’s so awful. I remember Chona saying something about the contractor’s insurance running out on Friday. I was supposed to get insurance on it yesterday, but with everything going on, I forgot. Go ahead and shoot me.”

  Tom grimaced at her choice of words, but he did his best to remain calm. We’ll just call Chona and give her the news. I’m sure her policy will cover it.”

  “But Chona isn’t talking to me.”

  “I’ll talk to Sam, we’ll get it all worked out. Don’t worry about it, we still have each other.”

  Shari wiped her eyes and gave Tom a brave smile. He started up the little sports car and he pulled away from the curb. “Holy cats,” he said, “this thing has really got guts.”

  “Be careful,” said Shari. “You’ll be speeding before you know it. So, tell me something, what’s going on with that outfit you’re wearing? Were you about to go golfing? You have company, Lumpy and Steve spent the night. They ought to get a kick out of those clothes.”

  “Oh… yeah, umm… these were Henry’s clothes. Mine kind of got ruined in the fire.”

  “Oh my God, you were inside when the fire started?”

  “Yeah, I was sleeping and the next thing I knew I was out on the lawn. It was crazy.”

  “The house must have exploded. Do you know how lucky you are to be alive?”

  “Trust me,” said Tom, honestly, “I do.”

  Tom set the cruise control and did his best to keep his mind on his driving. The task proved to be impossible. While Shari relived her nightmarish morning, he nodded his head like a good husband, pretending to hear every word she said. Still, even her frenzied state, Shari caught onto his act. “So, what could I do?” she asked. “I shot your mom and dropped her into the lake.”

  Tom nodded. “Uh-huh.”

  “I had to chop Marie into pieces. She was too big to haul into the boat. You understand, right?”

  Again, Tom nodded. “You’re doggone right I do. Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

  “You’re not listening to me.”

  “Huh… what? Of course I’m listening to you.”

  “No Tom, you’re not. What are we going to do? We’re broke and we can’t live on plastic, forever.”

  “I’ll get a job.”

  “Give me a break, you majored in communications. Do you think you’re just going to run out and get a job? Are you kidding me?”

  “I’ll find something, you’ll see. We’re going to be fine, honey.”

  “I’ve given this a lot of thought. I’m going to sell the lake place.”

  “Really, do you think there’s a market for houses that size?”

  Shari narrowed her eyes. “I wasn’t talking about my parent’s house. I meant the house we’re living in. We can find an apartment in town.”

  “That’s crazy.”

  “Well, do you have any better ideas? I’d sure love to hear them.”

  “I don’t want to argue with you. Let’s wait and decide next weekend. Who knows what the market will do? Your stocks could rebound. Those things do happen.”

  “Will you quit dreaming, we’re ruined. I wish my dad was still alive, he’d know what to do.”

  Tom saw his chance and he took it. “You never talk about your parents, what were they like?”

  “I don’t want to talk about them. I never should have brought him up.”

  “You never want to talk about them. I’m your husband, honey. Why can’t you open up to me? I don’t even know what your parents did for a living.”

  “My dad was in computers and my mom was a doctor. There, are you happy? Can we talk about something else?”

  “No, I want to talk about them. What else can you tell me about your folks?”

  “Look, the memories are just too painful. How many times do I have to explain that to you? I won’t talk about them and that’s final!”

  Tom thought it was better not to push his luck. He thought about what Mrs. Kindersley had said about Shari being programmed. Nothing Shari had said had given Tom any reason to doubt the old woman. When it came to her parents, Shari was a grand master at deflecting the conversation. Now, after everything that had happened, Shari was actually angry with him for bringing them up. He looked at the back of her head as she stared out the passenger window and wondered what she was thinking.

  The rest of the ride home was made in silence. Tom drove up to the gate and he waved his card in front of the sensor. Slowly, the gate opened. He motored through the gate and around the S curves that led through the little woods. He slid the window down and stuck his left arm out, tilting his head back, hoping that Lumpy and Steve would see him behind the wheel of Shari’s sports car.

  Tom stared up at the front door of the big house and he stepped on the brake pedal. “What the heck is going on over there?”

  “Didn’t you hear anything I told you?”

  “I guess I missed the part about the chain on the door.”

  “Your mom and Marie broke into the house, yesterday. It’s a long story. I think I’ll let her tell you about it.”

  “Broke into your parent’s house? Are you kidding me?”

  “They didn’t get very far. The house caught them.”

  Tom continued driving and he pulled down to where Lumpy and Steve were lying in the grass. They were both fully dressed, but their clothes looked to be soaking wet. They were both lying on their backs and they never lifted their heads as the red BMW 760 sauntered by. This irritated Tom as he parked in the garage. He got out of the car and walked back to them. “Hey guys,” he said, “what’s goin’ on?”

  “You’re lookin’ at it,” said Lumpy.

  “We’re just chillin’,” said Steve.

  “Have you guys even gone to bed?”

  Lumpy gave him a glassy-eyed stare and then he closed his eyes. Steve simply ignored the question. He stared up at the passing clouds with what appeared to be great interest. Tom shook his head and returned to the garage. Shari was already in the house, so Tom took the opportunity to take the bag from out of the trunk. He then hid it behind some paint cans on a tall shelf.

  He walked into the house and joined Shari in the kitchen. She gave him an odd look. “You never said where you parked the Mercedes.”

  “Oh… yeah… I think it was stolen.”

  “You think it was stolen? Why don’t I believe you?”

  “I dunno,” said Tom, quickly opening the refrigerator door. He stuck his head inside and wished that Shari would change the subject.

  “Did you report it as being stolen?”

  “Umm… not yet, you know that my battery is dead on my cell phone.”

  “Uh-huh… and why c
ouldn’t you have called from that old lady’s house?”

  “What is this, twenty questions? Do you want me to call? Fine, I’ll call them right now. You know, I’ve had quite a day, too. I did just get blown out of a house and almost died, ya know. You can’t expect me to remember everything.”

  Shari jerked Tom by the neck of his plaid shirt and she slammed the refrigerator door. “If you got blown out of the house, how come you don’t have any burns? Your skin looks perfectly fine to me.”

  “I know, Shari, it was a miracle.”

  “No, I think it’s all just a bunch of bullshit. How can you stand there and lie to me? What do you take me for, an idiot? I’m an investigative journalist, you moron. I can spot a liar a mile away. I want the truth and you’d better have a damn good reason for trying to pull the wool over my eyes. Upstairs, Tom, get up to the bedroom. We’re going to have a talk.”

  Tom didn’t want to talk, but he knew he was going to have to come clean about what had happened. Sheepishly, he walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Shari followed him, berating him at every step. “I thought I could trust you… you really blew it this time, mister… my mother warned me about guys like you… how many other lies have you told me?” Each of Shari’s zingers hit home. By the time he hit the top of the stairs, his pride was at an all-time low.

  Chapter 20

  With a heavy heart, Sam finished his morning workout. He then showered and dressed in blue jeans and a clean white t-shirt. Sam tried to put Shari’s accusations behind him, but he just couldn’t do it. During his many years behind bars, the one thing he thought he could always count on was his family. They meant the world to him. He pushed the hurt aside and tried to be positive. Sam had met what seemed to be the woman of his dreams. He was falling in love with Chona. The feeling was like the night before being released from prison, except now he had it all the time. Sam knew that he should be one of the happiest men on the planet. He had a good woman, a good job, a good life; but without family, Sam felt cold and empty.

  Chona had told him about her visit with Fat Tommy, and about the argument she and Shari had gotten into. They had found the gun, but the damage had already been done. Sam seriously doubted if he could ever get over being accused of stealing it. He imagined Doris and Marie burning up the telephone wires, telling lies about him to anyone who would listen. Those thoughts threatened to drive him crazy.