Eli slouched in a chair opposite Dontae with his back to the door, a dark brown suit expertly paired with a lavender button-up shirt and dark purple tie. Of all of them, Eli was the most creative with his wardrobe and it always worked for him, especially since he was the ‘burliest’ of the bunch. The contrast of his intimidating presence to his straight-from-the magazines style was impactful. “They’re running ten minutes late.”
“What? Why didn’t you text me so I could stop stressing out.”
Dontae set down the pen he’d been holding. “Because this is the third meeting you’ve been late to in two weeks and I didn’t want to chance you pulling that shit again.”
“Oh, fuck you all,” Darik laughed.
Nathaniel asked, “Have the dream again?”
“No, thank God.”
“Okay, let’s go.” Dontae rose from his desk, and together they headed out of the office toward the stairs.
Eli asked, “Whose turn is it to open the door when they get here?”
“I don’t remember,” Nathaniel muttered, which meant only one thing.
“It’s yours,” Dontae dryly informed him.
“I know, I know,” Nathaniel sighed. “But let’s talk about the game plan first.”
A sound brought them to an abrupt halt, Dontae’s hand on the staircase door handle. They cocked their ears.
Eli rubbed the short shave on his head. “They’re here.”
Darik shrugged. “This isn’t our first hunt. Go get ‘em.”
Nathaniel left for the reception area, muttering, “I hate having to explain why we don’t have a receptionist.”
The others grinned and Dontae led the way up the stairs. He opened the door revealing a single conference room that took up the entire second story. The walls that spanned the length of the room were floor-to-ceiling windows. On the farthest end was a projection screen cut into a pale grey frame. Centered in the room was an enormous table surrounded by comfortable high-backed, black chairs. Warm, recessed lighting lit the space, achieved by laying yellow glass over energy-efficient bulbs.
Darik walked to the refrigerator with a glass door, all contents viewable like you’d see in a convenience store. Inside were cold-pressed juices, white wine and bottled water. All the chemicals in soda don’t mix well with a wolf’s primal DNA so they didn’t stock the stuff.
“White or Red?” He waved a hand between the fridge and wine cabinet beside it, a modern glass-fronted armoire stocked with very expensive bottles of Red Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, and Cabernet.
As each took a chair Eli and Dontae answered in unison, “Both.”
In no time, Darik had four bottles set on the table beside elegant long-stemmed glasses. The door opened and in walked a disappointing group, not one woman among them. Four men in lackluster suits filed in and shook hands with Darik then Eli then Dontae, as Nathaniel shut the door, smiled and asked with confidence, “Shall we begin?”
Darik walked to the projector screen and faced his audience.
Dontae pointed to the 3D glasses sitting in front of each chair. “Gentlemen, you’ll need these.” The men mumbled surprise and put them on. The oldest one was in his seventies and had not seen a 3D movie before. He muttered something about looking ridiculous, a statement everyone ignored.
From his seat, Eli hit a shiny silver button on the panel embedded in the table before him, causing the lights to dim and the blinds to shut out the overcast sky. Nathaniel typed into a tablet and seconds later a virtual 3D model of a fifteen-story building appeared. It turned slowly around giving them every angle, every nook. The men were quiet, impressed with the hologram-like display.
Ever the performer, Darik explained, “These panels you see on the sides atop floors thirteen through eighteen aren’t cosmetic. They’re solar panels.
A younger suit with prescription glasses underneath the 3D ones, grumbled, “You can’t have a thirteenth floor. It’s bad luck.”
The werewolves tried very hard not to throttle the superstitious numb-nut. They held their tongues, a flicker of tension in their necks betraying them, but the humans didn’t notice since the 3D rooftop with walking, exercise path and patio seating, currently had them rapt.
Dontae smiled. “We’ll go from twelve to fourteen, of course. That was a slip of the tongue.”
Darik returned to the more important subject. “These panels not only look sleek and unlike anything you’ve seen before, they’re designed to trap and store the Sun’s energy for longer periods of time, even pulling from the UV rays through heavy cloud cover.”
Nathaniel’s voice rose and the men turned in their chairs to look at him. “Even if we’ve had weeks of rain, these panels will be working hard to keep your business up and running when others have fallen dark. With sunny days, you’ll gain about ten days of backup electricity, with cloud cover, four or five. But it’s more than they’ll have.”
“Your other clients will have the same technology,” the suit with double glasses said.
Dontae nodded once. “And the city will be better for it.”
The humans turned back to Darik. He stepped in front of the image. It danced on his body and face as he continued, “As with all of our designs, we use recycled materials, energy saving lights with warm covers that set a comfortable tone, like the ones you see above you in our ceiling.” They all looked up, and Eli hit a dimmer switch to make the lights brighten and fade again. Darik directed them back to the rotating image. “Because we want to show as much respect to our planet and Mother Nature as we can, we use stone, wood and other materials the earth gives us, with restraint and respect. Our paints are bio-safe, with natural dyes and ingredients.”
“It does sound expensive,” the brown-haired man admitted as he tapped on the table with the side of his thumb.
Dontae explained, “Companies who leave a smaller footprint are helped in their endeavors.”
The seventy-year-old leaned back and ungracefully removed his 3D glasses. The projector was turned off. Wine was poured. Darik sat down and joined them while the unspoken question of whether or not this was ‘a go’ or not floated around their heads.
The dark-haired man asked, “How long would it take you to tear down the existing building, were we to move forward?”
With a glass of Old Ghost Lodi Zinfandel in hand, Nathaniel answered, “Our guys will have it cleared away safely within a week of our start date, which will be after we get the okay from the city. That will take some time.” He used the word ‘will’ instead of ‘could’ to sway them into feeling the deal was already in motion, a sales technique they’d all read about.
In appreciation of the wine the young suit with glasses smacked his lips. “Well, why wait? Tell the courts we’re sorry later.”
Eli leaned in with a wink, “My wife’s a lawyer. Trust me, you don’t want to do anything you have to apologize for.” Loud chuckles and knowing nods from all around.
Dontae’s deep vibrato quieted the room. “So…gentlemen?”
The humans exchanged silent conversations through weighted glances. “We need to discuss it further, on our own.”
Darik started chuckling. Everyone turned to see what was so funny. He raised an eyebrow. “No. You really don’t.”
Wine glasses froze midair.
The seventy year old pursed already thin lips. “And…why is that?”
Darik ignored the looks of his packmates as he walked to pull another bottle of red from the elegant cabinet. As he ambled over, he explained, “Because we don’t need this job as much as you need us. When it comes to green design, we’re the top in our field with connections the other firms simply don’t have. Our reputation is excellent and from what I hear, you need a boost in ratings from your stockholders.” He corked a bottle and let it make as loud a pop as wine can make. “Or am I wrong?”
Eli coughed and looked at Dontae to say something, but it was Nathaniel whose smooth voice rose to calm the room because Dontae had an irrepressibly amused smil
e on his lips.
“Darik has pointed to the elephant in the room and called it out. And he’s right, although his manner is rather flippant considering all you’ve been going through in the press.” Nate held the elder man’s eyes. “The publicity alone is worth our cost. You’ll be able to shout to the world that you helped improve our environment.”
Dontae’s tone implied the scandal was ridiculous. “You’d think a hooker-cocaine-divorce scandal wouldn’t get more than a line on page five in modern days like ours, but the public still loves a bloodbath, don’t they?”
Darik poured himself a fresh glass. “A clean slate is what you came here for, isn’t it?”
“While we know you really do care about the world,” Eli smiled, “Going green will also be beautifully distracting icing on an already much-eaten cake.”
The seventy-year old regarded the architects with a keen eye. He picked up the glass he’d set down when Darik had begun to insult him, and took a slow sip. He made the room wait several suspenseful moments before announcing with a calm that showed how many years he’d dealt with both life and business, “We’re in.”
Glasses were raised immediately. The job would take a couple of years to complete and over that time they’d have a lot of time to argue. Now was the time to toast and to drink.
Darik leaned back and smiled.
If only my father could see me now.
Chapter Five
The buzzer from Room 321 had been quiet for a long time. Too long. With her eyes on the room, Talia rose from the desk and headed to check on Doris Williams.
Janet called over, “Is that old bitty at it again?”
“Why don’t you crawl back under the house,” Talia shot back.
Lacking a witty enough response, Janet just sneered.
As she walked into the room, Talia’s heart exploded. Paler than a sheet of paper, Doris stared lifeless into the distance. Talia pulled back the hospital gown and started pounding on Doris’s frail chest, screaming loud enough the entire third floor could hear, “JANET! GET A DOCTOR! CODE BLUE! CODE BLUE!” Her eyes darted to the monitor. It was off, the plug lying on the floor.
“Come on Mrs. Williams! Don’t you die on me!” Talia leaned down to blow into quiet lungs as Janet ran in with a defibrillator machine. Bitch or no bitch, when shit hit the fan, Janet was ready. She charged the machine while Talia pounded an artificial heartbeat into Doris’s chest, performing C.P.R. at urgent intervals.
“Ready!” Janet shouted.
Talia reached for the paddles and waited for the go-ahead.
“Clear!”
Doris’s body jumped off the bed then collapsed in a lifeless heap.
“Come on, Doris!” Talia shouted. “Ready?”
“Almost charged. Okay, CLEAR!”
Talia released the electronic pulse again, the paddles glued to Doris by extreme voltage. Again her body jerked off the bed, collapsing as the pulse released her. “Plug in the monitor!”
“Okay, as soon as…Clear!!!”
Janet leapt to the outlet, grabbing the plug from the floor and jamming it in. She ran back and looked at the machine. “CLEAR!” She whispered hoarsely, “Goddammit, ya old bitch, wake up!”
The paddles ignited Doris a final time. The thin flat line on the monitor bounced. Talia started laughing with relief. “She heard you!”
The two nurses grinned through maniacal chuckles as Doris Eleanor Williams opened her eyes and blinked at the ceiling. “I saw a light.”
Talia’s laughter stopped. “What? Really? You saw one?”
Doris nodded and tears fell. “Why did you bring me back?” Crepe hands climbed up to cover her sobs.
Doctors rushed into the room. Talia backed into the wall while they asked questions, questions she couldn’t answer as she stared at the old woman whose heart was broken. It was Janet who told the doctors what happened, glancing only once to Talia as the younger nurse left the room, staring at nothing, her steps slow. She wished Jonas was there, but he was off on Mondays.
Walking to the nurse’s station, she stumbled behind the counter and sat down, her eyes on the Room 321. Soon she saw four doctors filing out, followed by Janet. The elder nurse split off from the group and headed toward her.
“Don’t,” Talia mumbled.
Janet threw up her hands. “I wasn’t going to say anything.” She sat down in a chair and pretended to futz around with paperwork. Then she turned and said with the weight of one who doesn’t want to talk but has to, because it’s the right thing to do, “You did your job just as good as the doctors would have. You did your job in there. Don’t blame yourself for doing your job.”
Janet was still stiff and her bun was too tight on her head, but her eyes held respect in them for once.
“Thank you, Janet.”
The normally surly nurse nodded and went back to fake working.
For a long time Talia stared at Room 321. Finally she couldn’t stand it anymore. She rose up, compelled by a need to know.
Doris lay quietly on the bed, the tears now gone. She stared at the cold ceiling. Talia walked to her bedside, pushing back the privacy curtain a little, just for something to do. There was no one sharing the room. They were alone.
With her tone quiet and careful, Talia asked, “Why did you say that?”
“I don’t have anyone anymore, that’s why! My husband left me eighteen years ago. My children have moved to get as far away from me as possible. I messed up as a mother, and now they want nothing to do with me.”
“I’m sure that’s not…”
Her hand rose a little off the blanket. “I know what I did. You want the truth, or you want lies?”
“The truth.” Talia lowered her head. “I’m listening.”
“You go through life not really aware how much what you do impacts everyone and everything. People are what are most important. People.” Her eyes drifted away. “I want to call it a night. Maybe there’s something on the other side. Maybe I can start again.”
“I’m sorry, but if you’re on my watch I have to save you.”
Doris looked defeated. “I unplugged that damn thing, but I forgot to do it when you weren’t here. You’re the only one who cares.”
“Have you ever thought of…” With patience and sincerity, she picked up Doris’s hand. “I mean…why don’t you call your children and tell them you’re sorry?”
Doris snorted, “Those ungrateful eggheads? Are you kidding?”
Talia frowned and gave the hand a squeeze. “Mrs. Williams, if you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.”
She laid the hand back down, patted it, and headed for the door.
Chapter Six
“Aw, come on!” Darik groaned as he and his packmates left the restaurant.
“You already talked us into a night with the guys.” Nathaniel headed for the waiting limo, his driver Nigel standing at the ready, holding open his employer’s door.
Eli smacked him on the back. “I want to get back to my wife.”
Darik yelled after him. “Don’t forget, Eli, you were the one who made me promise to stay single. With you! You Judas.”
A chuckle came back.
“Don’t look at me,” Dontae growled through a smile. “I’ve got a lovely little thing who waxes EVERYTHING, waiting for me and none too patiently.”
Darik shoved his hands in his pockets. “It’s only ten o’clock and we landed a big job today!”
“We land big jobs all the time. The last three out of four meetings have–”
“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Darik scratched his short beard. “I almost miss the hungry days.”
Dontae flipped around. “Well, I don’t. We worked for this, and we’re here now. Why don’t you go see a movie?”
Darik blinked at the sidewalk, the quiet hum of New York behind his thoughts. Seeing movies by himself was how he’d normally spend alone time. He loved it. His packmates didn’t have the love for cinema he had. But t
hose trips to the theater were by choice, not because everyone else had something better to do.
“The latest shows start in a half hour. I’d have to rush. That takes the fun out of it. Don’t’ worry. I’m sure I’ll find something interesting to keep me occupied.” He straightened his shoulders.
Dontae cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t you have any women you can call?”
Darik looked up at the skyscrapers glittering above them. “Not really anymore. Got bored. Let the last one go a week ago.” Not wanting to talk anymore about it, he gave Dontae a good smack on the shoulder and headed up the street.
Behind him, his oldest friend shouted, “Go get yourself laid. You’ll feel better.”
Darik spun around and walked backwards. “I’ll feel better when I meet my mate. Now leave me alone.” To the amused passersby on the sidewalk, he laughed, “But you should take his advice!”
Dontae flashed a grin. “The whole world should take my advice. But the world is full of idiots.” He headed off to a woman Darik would never meet.
The restaurant they’d celebrated at was in Chelsea, so Darik walked down 8th Ave. passing 26th, 25th and 24th until after awhile he found himself standing before Bow Tie Cinemas despite what he’d told Dontae.
Staring at the sign that stretched down the austere, Art Deco building, he tapped his foot, then walked inside to look at the movie times. He was right. The next showing was at 10:20 P.M. That was in two minutes. Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy. He glanced over to the poster and seriously considered what to do. She was hilarious, no doubt, and he could use a laugh. He walked up to pay for a ticket but as he reached for his wallet, a very loud, drunk couple announced, “Two for Spy! God, I can’t wait to see this.” “I know! She is so funny!” They were so loud and obnoxious. His jaw clenched and he stepped away, changing his mind at the last second.
Werewolves of New York: Darik Page 3