P.C. stepped from the depths of the coach, followed by Merle. The dragon’s wings buzzed softly as he hovered over the robot’s shoulder. Merle snorted in wonder as he took in the sheer scope of the new water treatment plant. “I had no idea this place was so huge,” he said.
“I… did,” said P.C. Merle ignored his companion, lost in the wonder of the surrounding activity.
“Hello there,” called a man from the top of the stairs, “right this way, fellers.” The man waved to the new arrivals.
Crossing in front of P.C., Merle licked his finger and used the spittle to wipe a smudge of dirt from P.C.’s cheek. “I told you to make yourself presentable.”
“I… don’t… care,” admitted the robot, his eyes flashing a sullen red.
“You’d better behave,” warned Merle. “This is a paying gig. If you screw this up, Garrett will never let us hear the end of it.
The man that greeted them wore a business suit and waved a clipboard at the pair as they neared the top of the stairs. “Mr. P.C.,” he said excitedly. “I can’t believe it’s really you. I caught your bout with Stoneman. Your tactics were marvelous, sheer cunning. I will put in a good word with the board members. Though I am certain they are well aware of your status as a Deep Cove celebrity.” P.C. marched past the man without so much as a sideways glance. Pushing the glass doors open, he entered the building.
“Uh, thank you,” said Merle. “Mr. P.C. here isn’t much for conversation.”
The man cleared his throat and hurried after the robot. “The interviews are taking place in the main boardroom, but the execs are running a little behind at the moment.” Before he could comment further, a woman appeared at the end of the corridor.
Merle’s forward momentum halted, and his wing speed doubled in excitement. “Azilda?” he breathed.
Azilda wore a blue dress, and her dark auburn hair was cut short accentuating her stunning features. The woman glided down the hall to meet them. “Merle!” She giggled in pleasure. Arriving at the pair, her crooked smile disarmed Merle as she leaned in and waited for the dragon to kiss her cheek. “Metal mouth,” she said haughtily and smacked P.C. on the arm. “Father told me you and Garrett went back to that cave to get this thing.” She shook her head in disdain and Merle felt himself warming to her. “And where is my Garrett?” she asked.
“Azilda,” stammered Merle again, “but what are you doing here?”
“I prefer Azi, now,” she replied innocently. She stroked his cheek with a finger. “Didn’t Garrett tell you I was coming to Deep Cove? Where is he?” She ran to the glass doors, her eyes sweeping the construction site below. At last, she turned back to Merle, a pouty look crossing her face.
“Uh, he couldn’t make it,” said Merle tentatively. “In fact, he went off on some hunting trip with Willie and will be gone for several weeks.”
“Oh,” said the woman with a hurt look. “It’s just that I thought he would want to see me.”
“I’m sure he does want to see you, Azilda…I mean Azi,” corrected Merle, “but how could he know you would be here?”
“I sent him a letter,” she said. The woman frowned and turned from Merle. “I was afraid he might still be angry.”
“No, I don’t think he’s angry,” he said in an effort to console her. “It’s just that Willie was in rough shape when he showed up, a few days back. Garrett accepted the invitation without thinking it through. You know Garrett; he’s always trying to make things right with everyone else.”
“Of course, that’s it,” she agreed with a smile. The woman latched onto Merle’s hand and turned to the man in the suit. “Mr. Kane is the plant manager here. He has been a wonderful addition to our corporation.” Mr. Kane blushed deeply. “Mr. Kane, will you take P.C. in to see those stuffy suits. Merle and I have much to discuss.” At the man’s nod she grinned. “Come along, Merle, you must see all the wonderful things this plant is going to offer the people of Deep Cove.”
Merle stared at the woman in front of him. She had matured into a radiant beauty since last he’d seen her, all those years ago. “You look stunning,” he mumbled, still shocked by her sudden arrival.
“Thank you,” she giggled and spun in a tight circle for him. Her dress twirled around her and he caught the smell of her perfume.
“That’s a beautiful necklace,” he remarked, taking in the alternating orange and green beads encircling the hollow of her neck.
“I know,” she breathed, leaning in so he could have a closer look. “I wore it in honour of you. They’re your colors.” She beamed at him, her eyes bright. “Come along, Merle.” She began to pull him down the hall.
“Maybe I should stay with him,” Merle argued weakly, with a thumb jerk at P.C. “His social skills are lacking on the best of days.”
Azi giggled and pulled the dragon forward. “Nonsense Merle, I put a good word in with my fiancé and P.C. is a shoe in. He’d have to do something pretty stupid to mess this up.”
* * * *
Azi and Merle had not gone far down the first corridor, when they arrived at a closed entrance leading into an office section. The doors were made of glass and edged in bronze, and they did not budge when Merle tried to open them for his friend. Azi laughed to see the little dragon come up short when the doors did not give.
“It’s locked,” she said with a grin. “Because of sensitive data, and dangerous materials, only certain people have access to the various wings of the plant.”
“Ah,” said Merle knowingly, “swipe passes. They implemented something like this at the library. Not only does it keep track of all the books you need to return, but it won’t let you leave until you’ve talked to the head librarian about your overdue charges.”
Azi laughed and playfully poked Merle in the belly. “I don’t recall you reading much other than ‘Dragon Monthly’.
“I’ve gone back to school. I figured we could save a little cash by signing out available textbooks. I’m going to be a lawyer!” he finished proudly.
“Oooooooooh,” groaned Azi teasingly. “I suppose with your dragon abilities you will be charging a lot.”
Merle broke into laughter and hugged the woman. “I’ve missed your quick wit, kiddo. Garrett can be pretty boring, at times.” Azi nodded, but looked a little sad at the mention of the man’s name. “Hey that reminds me of a joke,” said the dragon, in an effort to lift her mood. “We spend a good portion of our class sharing the lawyer jokes we’ve heard. What do you call a lawyer up to his chin in cement?”
“A shortage of cement,” supplied Azi, and both of them giggled. “Senior isn’t fond of lawyers, one bit. He says they are a necessary evil, though.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” replied Merle.
Azi pointed to a box above the door and a tiny red light. “You were wrong about the swipe passes though. This is something newer. It uses voice recognition to allow you entry into the secured areas of the plant. You have to say ‘Security,’ and then your first and last name. Go ahead and try it.”
“I don’t have a last name,” replied Merle. “Remember, my kind prefer nicknames.”
“Oh, that’s right!” exclaimed Azi. “Like Baz and Ruffio,” she smiled, remembering the dragon and his nephew they had once traveled with, when she was a teenager. “I wonder how the old Furnace is doing?”
“Probably feeling like a million bucks, if he’s still guarding the chalice.”
“I bet you’re right,” agreed Azi. She nodded at the blinking red light. “It doesn’t matter, anyway, because last name or not, you are not on the list to access these offices.” She cleared her throat and in an even voice said “Security, Azi Willigins.” The red light turned green, and an audible click confirmed the release of the lock. She pulled the door open and kicked a wooden door stop underneath to hold it there. She motioned for Merle to fly through.
“Won’t that compromise your sensitive data?” he asked with a chuckle.
“No, silly,” she replied. “Those guys are brin
ging that desk into Alex Junior’s office. They already know to close the door behind them.” She pointed down the hall to where two large brutes were grunting with the extreme effort of lifting the most expensive looking desk Merle had ever laid eyes on.
“Do you have access to all of the areas of the plant?” asked Merle, hurrying through the open door.
“Being Alex’s fiancé does have its perks,” she admitted with a wink, “though I’d say it’s more like eighty percent access. Senior and the security team are the only ones with one hundred percent access.” They started off down the hallway. “What’s the difference between a lawyer and a bed?” she asked abruptly.
“Hmmm, I don’t know” admitted Merle.
“You take your shoes off before jumping on the bed!” They both laughed.
“I’m going to have to remember that one, for next class,” conceded Merle.
“It’s one of Senior’s favorites,” she returned brightly.
Despite his initial concerns, Merle soon lost himself within the maze of hallways and office buildings that the new site offered. Azi led her friend throughout a variety of locations for close to an hour. She explained in great detail each of the sections they visited. Her knowledge of the plant and its operations astounded the little dragon.
Coming at last to a balcony that overlooked the ocean below, Azi pointed down the sheer cliff to a point at which two outlet shafts extended over the water. “The cleaned water runs back into the ocean here,” said Azi.
“It’s very impressive,” acknowledged Merle, with a quick look over the balcony at the two hundred foot drop to the rocks below. “And you and your fiancé own the whole plant?”
“My fiancé and his father are business partners,” said Azi. “They own several companies, and this is just the latest in a long list of investments. Senior is willing to gamble that indoor plumbing is the way of the future. In fact, you could say he’s flushed with the idea.” Azi giggled to herself, but the scope of her humor was beyond Merle.
“This is a one of a kind plant?”
“The first of many Alex and his father have planned.”
“Maybe you can tell me about these commercials for the G.V. you are interviewing for. I have to admit Mr. Kane was a little vague when he explained it, the other day.”
“Oh, sure thing,” agreed Azi. “It’s simple enough. A lot of folk don’t agree with the idea of putting the treated water back into the ocean. ‘Who wants to eat fish swimming in that?’ seems to be the general consensus. Alex Senior thinks that if we do a series of informative bits on how the plant operates and the benefits the plant will bring to the populace, the people will buy into the idea once they are better informed.”
“I guess it can’t hurt,” agreed Merle. “I understand more, now that you have taken the time to show me how it works. I’m not saying I want to eat the fish, but I do feel a little better about it.”
Azi grinned. “Father sent me newspaper clippings about P.C. and his arena victories, so I thought I would put in a good word with the executives. P.C. fights for the people. That’s what I read anyway. It got me thinking, a lot of people trust in him, perhaps that can be used to our advantage.”
“There’s one thing I don’t understand though,” said Merle, scratching at his forehead. “You and your fiancé live down near the old border wall in Gateway, don’t you? I mean, we’ve known for some time the plant was being built here in Deep Cove, but wouldn’t it have been more convenient to build closer to home?”
Azi nodded. “Alex’s father was originally from Deep Cove. They needed a coastal town for their plans, and Deep Cove seemed like the obvious selection for him.” She shrugged and leaned back against the railing, the coastal breeze ruffling her hair. “When you have as much money as Alex Senior, and no conscience, nothing or no one can stand in your way, not even common sense.”
Merle grinned in agreement. “I’ve met a few like that myself,” he admitted. “I don’t want to be rude, but perhaps we should be getting back?”
“Oh yes, of course,” agreed Azi, covering her mouth in embarrassment. “I’m sorry; I got so excited about showing off the plant. Of course you want to check in on P.C.”
Merle giggled. “It’s okay, Azi. It is indeed exciting, but what you said about common sense rings a little too close to home. P.C. can be quite a handful.”
As they walked, the pair talked about old times, reminiscing about the adventures they’d had when Azi and Garrett were younger. This time, Azi led them back to the conference room via a direct route. It was only a matter of minutes before they were interrupted by a loud commotion coming from within the boardroom. Rushing to the door, Azi forced her way inside. Merle was close behind.
Inside the meeting room, all was disorder. The boardroom table was smashed in two, board execs huddled against the wall hugging each other, and at the heart of the commotion, P.C. was tousling with three men. The robot was struggling to remain seated on an old man, bar of soap in hand. Mr. Kane had discarded his clipboard and was pulling on the robot’s leg in an effort to dislodge him from his victim. A third, dark haired man, brought a steel chair down on P.C.’s head. The blow did little to dissuade the robot, and the bar of soap was inserted into the old man’s mouth.
“P.C.!” screamed Merle. “Input command: stand down.” The robot continued swirling his soap.
“P.C. input command: do as you’re told,” yelled Azi frantically. The robot ceased all commotion. With muscles bulging, the man with the chair brought it down on P.C.’s cranium for good measure. He dropped his chair and kicked the robot from atop its victim.
To Merle’s mortification, Azi rushed to the tan skinned man with the dark hair and latched onto his arm. “Alex,” she shrieked, “What in God’s name has happened?”
The man turned to her, his handsome features quivering. “This thing attacked father,” he replied angrily. Bending down, he offered his hand to the white haired oldster. Merle cringed when he realized the old man’s left sleeve was pinned to the top of his shirt in the absence of his arm.
“I want this cretin melted down for scrap,” screamed the old man, digging at his mouth. He popped his teeth out and rubbed furiously at the chunks of soap stuck in the crevices. “No one attacks Alex Potty and gets away with it. Have this golem removed immediately!”
P.C.’s eyes flashed a dangerous purple, and Merle flitted in beside his ward. “P.C. input command: go home.” The robot stood and headed for the doorway. He said nothing as he made his way past the quivering mass of execs. Turning to the white haired oldster, Merle wrung his hands desperately. “I am so sorry,” he began. “There is no excuse for his behavior. It’s just that he is not fond of the term golem. Sometimes, he flies off the handle…”
“Who the hell are you?” screamed the old man.
“This is Merle, an old friend of mine,” intervened Azi. “Garrett and Merle own that golem.”
“I’ll sue the scales off your behind!” ranted the old man. He waved a finger under Merle’s nose. “No one makes a fool out of me.” He stomped off toward the exit.
“Father, wait,” called the younger Alex, chasing after his dad.
Both Alex’s stopped inside the doorway as Senior angrily punched the air in the direction of a lunch trolley parked against the inner wall. “And another thing,” he ranted to his son, “I want that caterer brought to my office, straightaway. Who authorized those crab cakes on the menu? Are you trying to kill me? You know I am allergic to seafood, boy.” He shook his head angrily. “Ever since that god-damned Bellicose Island.”
Junior swallowed noisily. “I’ll take care of it, Dad.”
Merle watched the two Alex’s leave. “Garrett is going to kill me,” he whined. Whirling to face Mr. Kane, the dragon grimaced. “Oh, Mr. Kane, your suit is ruined. I’m so sorry! I thought we had him all cleaned up.” The little dragon pawed at the man’s sleeve, trying in vain to remove the powdery yellow streaks splashed across the man’s expensive outfit.
> “That stuff gets everywhere,” said Azi, “especially in the lower levels. Don’t worry about Mr. Kane, he has a whole closet full of nice suits.”
“Yes, indeed,” agreed Kane. “I think I shall retrieve a fresh jacket this minute.”
Azi rubbed the little dragon’s back reassuringly. “No real harm done, Merle,” she said, glancing after Mr. Kane. “The old man probably brought this on himself. He’s rude to everyone.” She guided Merle to the boardroom door. “Maybe you should go and check on P.C? I’ll talk to my fiancé. If we give Dad a few hours to cool off, I’m sure this whole thing will blow over.
“I hope so,” agreed Merle outwardly, but on the inside he remained unconvinced.
* * * *
Merle lay sprawled on the sofa, a fuzzy blanket pulled up to his chin. It was dark in the apartment, a single lantern glowing softly on the kitchen table behind him. The dragon’s eyes were glued to the G.V. as he watched his favorite court show. Without looking over, he reached for the bowl of popcorn beside him. He cried out when his finger jabbed into the rock hard surface of Frank’s hoof. “Hey, quit eating all my popcorn!” he squealed. Sucking his finger, he glared at the immense minotaur beside him. “I think I sprained my finger.”
Frank was scrunched into the loveseat beside his friend, his massive frame spilling over the side and back of the uncomfortable furniture. The minotaur dipped his head, his large horns raking the air. His beady eyes were filled with irritation as he removed his hoof from the popcorn bowl. “I told you we should have done this at my place,” he rumbled. “I have better furniture and a whole pantry full of popcorn. At least then I could have my own blanky.” He yanked on the corner of Merle’s coverlet for emphasis, and the dragon hissed at him.
“Would you guys be quiet?” came a whining voice from beside the couch. I’m about to find out who de murderers is.” Merle peeked over the arm of the sofa to where Vic lay on his side, on the floor, watching the G.V.. The little dragon turned back to Frank and the pair shared a knowing look. The murderer in question had been disclosed within the first five minutes of the show.
Something Stinks in Deep Cove (The Vellian Books Book 4) Page 4