by Gary Starta
He drummed his fingers on the armchair. Helena eyed the moving fingers as a play toy and swiped a paw. He could only think of Kate as a big cat in that moment, playfully swiping a clawed hand at him as if he were just a toy. Was that all he had been to her? Was she really playing Lou Ann or was there some part of Kate where Lou Ann actually existed? He recalled the tears in her eyes before she left the bar. Maybe she did feel for him. But what motivation was behind the deceit? Why was she hell bent on destroying his group? Just who the hell was Kate working for?
He tapped keys on his tablet and perused job boards. Maybe his dream of starting a non-profit business was also an illusion. He followed a few links and posted his resume as instructed. Helena mewled. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Daddy’s going to find a way to keep bringing home the Fancy Feast for you.”
The phone rang interrupting Timothy from his dark chore and he answered immediately enjoying the excuse for a break.
“Hey, Tim, I have some news for you.”
“Well, I have some news for you.”
“Why don’t we meet at Alisha’s for lunch?”
*
The first day of class always made Lori’s stomach rumble with butterflies. It was no different this day, although it had been a decade since she attended school.
“Welcome, all.” Chao-Zing raised her hands, palms open.
It was freak luck she had caught an ad for free astronomy classes on Lifestream last night and even odder the professor from Organized Dissonance was the teacher.
A student with curly blondish hair nudged her in the arm. “Hey, nice to meet you; I’m glad you could attend. “I’m George.”
Lori reached awkwardly for his hand. “I’m Lori. This is so weird. I know the professor. But what I can’t understand is why she’s teaching for free.”
“She lost her job yesterday. But one of her students is allowing her to use this warehouse for her classes until it’s leased.”
“Oh.” Lori’s eyes widened. “She’s the teacher in the video. I hadn’t put two and two together. Last night was a turbulent day for me.”
“I can relate.” George laughed. “Well, I’m glad you can attend.”
“Sure, I don’t have a job.” She felt a sting of embarrassment so she added. “But I have an interview for a waitressing gig later.”
George smiled and fiddled with his tablet. “Thank god for higher education.”
A hand rose in the aisle of seats ahead.
“I really appreciate the free classes and am interested in learning how our feelings affect the cosmos. But I’m also concerned about the threat of an X-flare you had mentioned.” George whispered to Lori that the red-haired woman was from Chao-Zing’s university class as were most of the attendees.
“I would have thought a lot more people would have taken advantage of this.” Lori brushed a lock of hair from her eyes.
Chao-Zing paused to stare at her. “I know this is an informal setting but I still demand respect and courtesy from all.”
Lori nodded. “I’m sorry.”
Chao-Zing smiled. “I will let it go this time because I recognize you from Organized Dissonance. That means you probably have a pretty good head on your shoulders.”
The class laughed for a moment and then Chao-Zing proceeded to explain the dangers of a geomagnetic storm.
“A Sudden Ionospheric Disturbance or SID could render communication systems useless because flares modify the upper layers of our atmosphere when they hit it. The more powerful the X-flare, the more chances for disruption of not only satellite communication but ground communication as well. It is imperative we keep abreast of these storms.”
The red-haired girl raised her hand again and Chao-Zing nodded for her to proceed.
“But what good is monitoring. How can we prevent it?”
“That’s a good question. We might not be able to prevent it. But we can prepare by stocking food and water along with batteries if we should lose power.”
The red-haired girl persisted. “But if we all impact the sun, couldn’t we influence the storm?”
Chao-Zing scratched her cheek. “I believe so but it I can’t prove it. It’s why I couldn’t teach for the university any longer. They would rather threaten the safety of all by dismissing sound theories instead of educating their students that we can affect the universe via the Bohm effect. Yes, I do believe we have a good chance of affecting the storm. But we would need a concerted, concentrated effort. Unfortunately, the masses are conditioned to reject such notions.”
As Chao-Zing continued to mull over the problem, Lori’s spied a student arriving late for the class from the corner of her eye.
No. It couldn’t be. What the hell is she doing here?
Lori rose from her seat without hesitation and pointed.
“Just what the hell are you doing here?”
“I could ask the same thing. I am a student of Professor Zheng’s.”
Lori seethed, observing her former partner in crime tell a bald faced lie.
“This woman is not a student. She’s a thief.”
Lori descended steps to confront Sarah Lemmings, aka Sheri Scott.
Chao-Zing screamed, “That will be enough.”
But Lori was supercharged with adrenaline at the sight of the woman who nearly threw away what was left of her life.
“So Sarah, what did you steal today?” Lori proceeded to close the distance between them and by the time Sarah/Sheri could answer, she had shoved a right hand into her shoulder. Sarah shoved back.
“What the fuck?” Sarah screamed. “I have as much right to be here as you do.”
“At least I’ve changed. I’m not leading a life of crime.”
The girls bickered for a moment while the students watched with rapt attention.
Chao-Zing moved in between the woman, shoving both apart with spread hands.
“That’ll be enough. Sheri is right. She has every right to be here, no matter what she’s done, or who she really is.”
Lori inhaled to curb her rage. Although she still wanted to punch Sarah in the nose, she was quite interested in what the professor was insinuating.
“Yes, I’ll bet the class would be interested in who you really are.”
“No, Lori,” Chao-Zing interrupted, “I’m more interested who has sent you here than who you are,” she said to Sheri. “Sheri, would you care to share with the class just who you’re working for and why?”
Sheri’s face turned crimson.
Lori snickered. There’s nowhere to run now, bitch.
*
Kate raised her voice to be heard over the lunch crowd at Alisha’s.
“Hayes has no right to interfere with citizens. Timothy has done nothing wrong. He’s a peaceful man who wants to help others.”
“I see.” Jim Parsons nodded while snapping a breadstick in two.
“I know you have access to some pretty funky high tech stuff, Jim.” Kate played with a strand of her hair. “Are you willing to use those puppies for good purpose?”
Kate observed Parson’s face. A scowl was threatening to turn into a grin. Flattery might get her everywhere. She had read Parson’s character upon their first meeting. He was a loner starved for recognition of his technical prowess. He probably would cream his jeans over praise for a job well done more than he would from the attention of a hot blonde but Kate would bet on her life that Jim Parsons desired both of these prizes at the end of the day when he lay alone in his cold bed.
“I can make it worth your while.” Kate smiled, sipping her soda through a straw and keeping her eyes glued to his while she drank.
“I don’t know. Even if I wanted to help, I could get caught.”
“I have faith in your initiative, Jim. Couldn’t you disable a few gadgets temporarily?”
She watched Parsons’s ears burn red. Either he was excited at the prospect of espionage turned against the intelligent gatherers or miffed by the way she referred to his tech as gadgets. Probably the latter ca
used the reaction.
“I’ll have to think about it.” Jim crunched on a breadstick.
“You mean you’ll have to work out a plan?”
“Something like that, well, I’ve got to go.”
As Parsons exited, Timothy and Kevin approached the waitress.
“Two please.” Timothy’s eyes wandered from Parsons’s to Kate’s.
Bagged! Shit, I shouldn’t have watched Parsons leaving. What a dumb rookie mistake!
“So Kate,” Timothy said, approaching her table, “you work pretty fast.”
“It’s not what you think. He’s going to help me to right things. I promise.”
“Okay, anything you say, Lou Ann,” Kevin mocked.
Kate threw money on top of the check and scurried for an exit. Becoming Lou Ann really made her feel like a rat. And now she was a rat caught in a maze.
Chapter Nineteen
“I am sorry I’ll have to cut today’s class short today but I promise a makeup tomorrow. In the meantime, study the Bohm effect.”
The class groaned at Chao-Zing’s announcement and the professor assumed it was more about missing the drama between ‘Sheri’ and Lori than the mechanics of the universe. Could they really behave in any other manner, weaned on wave after wave of reality TV?
Sarah paced in front of Chao-Zing’s desk, actually it was an old-style school cafeteria lunchroom table, the kind with the shiny off-white gleam and it reflected the girl’s anger and embarrassment as well as any mirror.
“Now, Ms. Whoever You Are, you’re going to tell me why you suddenly appeared in my classroom. And you’re also going to tell me how the hell the university admitted you.”
Sarah adjusted the strap on her backpack. She wore it awkwardly as though she never encountered a book before, whether it was strapped to her back or placed in front of her nose.
Chao-Zing rapped knuckles on the table. “I’m waiting. I’m also interested in your briefing. It is clear to me now that you were just repeating facts. Who would coach you to do such a dastardly thing?”
“Yeah, bitch, the professor’s waiting.” Lori scowled and pushed herself away from the table as if to approach Sarah.
“That’s enough, Lori. I’ve got my suspicions about you too.”
“Why? What did I do?” Lori begged, half raised from her seat.
“You associated with this woman. That’s enough to raise the needle on my bullshit meter.” Chao-Zing pointed for Lori to stay seated.
“You’re not my professor.” Sarah grumbled. “I don’t owe you answers.”
“Really, do you want me to dig for them on my own? I promise it won’t go well for someone who pretends to be someone else.” Chao-Zing pointed to the other empty seat before her desk. “Sit down, young lady.”
Sarah complied but with deliberation. “I know things about Lori, Professor Zheng. All I’m saying is that if I go down, she goes down as well. And for the record, my name is Sarah.”
Chao-Zing buried her face in her hands for a moment. “What is this world coming to? Why and how would the university allow such a transgression?”
“Watch it with the big words, Professor Zheng, Sarah passed high school by the skin of her teeth.” Lori folded her arms across her chest and flashed a sly smile.
Sarah scowled at Lori before turning her attention to Chao-Zing. “The university had nothing to do with it. I had a phony ID manufactured with phony parents, address and school history. It’s funny you decided to defy the university with your video because they are kind of asleep at the wheel. I mean, from what I was told, they probably hated how you interjected astrology into your courses, but they were probably more afraid of drawing attention to that fact by dismissing you.”
“I find nothing funny about this,” Chao-Zing responded. “I do find the universe works in funny ways however.”
Lori interrupted. “So how much were you paid?”
“Hah. Are you jealous that I found an income?” Sarah leered.
Chao-Zing banged the table with her fist. “I don’t care about payoffs. I want the name of the person who corrupted you!”
“I don’t know his name. Do you really think he would give me one?” Sarah smiled with disdain. “Lady, you really don’t know much about how the universe really works, which again is pretty funny since you believe planet positions explain behaviour and actions.”
“I know how you operate.” Chao-Zing stared at Sarah. “I know you feed into a negative stream of energy and operate accordingly. Your life doesn’t have to follow that path.”
“What? Are you trying to cut me a deal? I don’t need any deals because you’re not a detective. And if you do try to screw me over, I can retaliate. This class you’re holding here is pretty fishy. It’s not sanctioned.”
Lori sighed. “The professor is not trying to cut you a deal. She’s trying to help you. You’re too blind to see it. I tried to warn you but you blew me off as well. You’ve always got to be in charge. But look at you now. You’re just a puppet for whoever coerced you.”
Now Sarah banged a fist on the table. “I wasn’t coerced. I was threatened. You know, about the…” Sarah cocked her head sideways at Lori.
“I wouldn’t have given in.” Lori balled a fist. “Besides, how the hell would he know what you’ve done?”
Chao-Zing watched the two women eyebrows raised.
“They have cameras and recording devices everywhere. And if that’s not enough they monitor all conversations over your phone and laptop. They’ve got something on each and every one of us.”
“Okay, so that’s their game, a broad-based power trip.” Chao-Zing balled her fists. “But why is my curriculum a threat?” Chao-Zing paused for a moment, staring straight ahead, as if she were trying to answer the question herself. She recalled Timothy recounting how the police had arrived to investigate their sunrise gathering a few Saturdays back. The police had told Timothy he had every right to gather in a peaceful manner. “I still don’t understand. The police had no problem with our group. I mean, wouldn’t Organized Dissonance be a group of interest?”
Lori nodded. Sarah watched her with disdain and curiosity.
“I don’t want to come off like some kind of conspiracy nut. Come on, Sarah, help me out here. We’re all under their scrutiny and in time this man who pays you will turn on you as well.” Chao-Zing smiled with sad eyes.
“I am in between a rock and a hard place but I’ll give you his company’s name if you promise not to rat me out.” Sarah’s eyes held fear.
“Of course, Sarah, I don’t want to harm you. In fact, I want you to go back to this man and continue your spy mission. Perhaps we can learn more.” Chao-Zing folded her hands together.
“Okay, it’s Harris & Rosenburg. I don’t really know anymore and I don’t see how knowing this will help you.”
Chao-Zing laughed sarcastically. “I don’t know either. I thought we lived in a country where this isn’t supposed to happen. But someday maybe my mind can reason why I lost my career to a corporation.”
“They’re not done with you yet, Professor Zheng.” Sarah smiled with contempt. “These classes you’re holding pose an even bigger threat to them. This bastard believes you’ll gain a following. I suspect the man you call Timothy is also amassing followers.”
Lori interrupted. “Sarah’s is right, this time. The police may not seem to care right now but soon they’ll be taking orders from corporations who work for the government.”
“Lori, it seems you’re not telling me everything. I can’t place how you fit into this troublesome puzzle but it doesn’t seem it was by coincidence.”
Lori traded worried glances with Sarah. At that instant, Chao-Zing connected dots. These two women had broken into Timothy’s home. Sarah had said she had something on Lori. Perhaps sophisticated surveillance equipment was used to blackmail Sarah. But she couldn’t fathom why Lori wasn’t being blackmailed as well. Was Lori acting out of free will? Meaning, was she trying to make amends with Timothy and
maybe the universe for that matter by leaving a life of crime behind? The conundrum made her stomach flip. She didn’t want to contact authorities on either of the women but Timothy had a right to know who had invaded his home. It would be up to Timothy to decide the girl’s fate. She pulled her cell from her purse and dialled.
“Who the hell are you calling?” Sarah cried.
“Don’t worry.” Chao-Zing raised a palmed hand. “It’s not your employer.”
*
Timothy arrived in ten minutes, out of breath and with unkempt hair. Before he spoke, he raised a hand. “Just what is going on?”
“Do you want to tell Timothy, or should I?” Chao-Zing traded glances with the women.
Lori choked on her words. “I wanted to tell you, Timothy. I really was going to. But I was waiting for the right time.”
Timothy arched his back and placed both his hands on top of his head. “Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me?”
“It was wrong and I’m sorry. I can’t speak for Sarah. But I admit to everything.”
Sarah groaned. “You stupid bitch, they have no evidence. And what are you admitting to?” Her voice raised an octave.
“Don’t try to be coy, Sarah. They have video evidence of us. You just admitted as much.”
“Yeah, maybe they do. But this schmuck doesn’t.”
Lori leapt at Sarah and placed both hands around her neck. “Take it back. Timothy is an honourable and good man. Take it back. Take it back, you bitch!”
Chao-Zing and Timothy worked in tandem to pry Lori off of Sarah.
Lori’s chest was heaving and she seemed to drown in a current of wailing sobs. In that instant, Timothy realized the woman’s confession was heartfelt. Just who the hell was this other woman? He stared at the woman long and hard while Lori continued to sob.
Timothy turned to Chao-Zing. “Do you know who this woman is?”
“It’s more about who she was pretending to be.”
Timothy’s face drained of all colour. He felt woozy and placed a hand on the table for purchase. Lori reached for his sleeve but Timothy flinched.