by David Barton
We left and made our usual trips around the local shops. They were only little. Small jewellers and clothes shops. She would always make a comment about me finding a girlfriend whenever we neared the engagement rings. She brought newspaper from the paper van that sat at the edge of the small concrete square. In the middle was a tall fountain that hadn’t been fixed since I could remember.
Small patches of grass were dotted around the area for various activities. They had recently built a skate park for youngsters to come and use. It saved them from using the city streets, causing havoc and yet they couldn’t afford to fix the fountain.
We sat down and fed some birds from the loaf my mother brought from a corner shop. We were silent but it wasn’t awkward. The sun was shining and the sound of the birds was soothing. When the whole loaf had gone she turned to me, “Well, I best head back home for tea.”
“Yeah, say hi to dad for me.”
“I will. Say hi to Harvey for me.”
“Sure.” I gave her a big smile before she pecked me on the forehead. “Same time tomorrow?”
“Actually I can’t do tomorrow. I have an engagement.”
I thought this was weird since our lunches were only ever cancelled by me. “What do you have planned?”
“Just a little get together with an old friend.”
“Oh, anyone I know?” I drop my head down but my eyes stay looking into hers.
“I don’t think so. I met her through a bridge game at the centre just down the road from the house.”
“The place for old people that need friendship? You hate that place.”
“I know but I finally gave in. I don’t see your father all that much so I thought what the hell and met some lovely ladies.”
I was shocked that she had gone down there and yet she’d done it and made some friends. “Well, good for you. I’ve always told you to head down there. Glad you finally listened.”
“It does mean I might be missing a few lunches.”
“That’s fine. As long as you’re happy.”
“Thanks sweetie.” She pulled me into a hug. Holding me tight. “I’ll phone you maybe for the next day.”
“Okay mum. Love you.”
“Love you to handsome.” She pecked me on the forehead again and then stood up from the bench. I watched her move between the crowds of birds then off towards the subway. She always took the subway even during the night. No amount of my moaning about how dangerous it is for a woman down there alone would change her mind.
My eyes moved over the groups of people around the area. Then they fell upon a big guy. He was wearing a black leather jacket and black trousers despite the hotness of the sun. It was the man from my apartment, the one that had left me the note. The superhero.
With my eyes locked on him I stepped away from the bench. Immediately followed by a ring in my ear. I jumped backwards almost being hit by a speeding bicycle. I followed the guy as he turned and yelled something at me.
Ignoring him I looked back to where the superhero had been standing. Only now he was gone. I looked around but there were too many people around. It was hopeless. There was no way I could find a single guy in all this even with him dressed so differently.
I gave up and decided to get the tram as he came past the square. Pushing through the crowd my phone started ringing out a tune. I didn’t bother looking at the screen, instead just hitting the receive button. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s Harvey.”
“Oh hey. My mum says hi.”
“You with her now?” His voice sounded happy and bouncy, almost hopeful I was going to reply with a yes.
“No she just left.”
“Oh, ok. How is she?”
“She’s good. What’s up?”
“I have some good news. Thanks to Felicity I might have a big job for you.”
“That’s great.”
“Yep, why don’t you come to the office and she can fill you in on the details.”
“Awesome. I’ll be right there.”
I caught the train. It wasn’t free like the trams but it was much quicker. I was at the newspaper office in ten minutes. Felicity was waiting for me in the reception area. She had the leather jacket on that she wore to the hospital. She must have just got back in or was planning on heading out.
She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a tight hug to say hello. “How much do you love me?”
I paused in my response. My heart skipping a beat. My mind wondering whether I should take the leap and tell her how I felt. Then her arms slipped from around me and we went back to be co-workers. “I don’t know. Harvey said something about a job?”
“Harvey didn’t tell you?” Her eyebrows crinkled in the middle.
“He told me to come in. Said you would explain it to me.”
“Oh.” The concerned look was replaced with pure happiness. A wide smile curled the corners of her lips up towards her beautiful eyes. “That’s even better. It would be my pleasure to tell you everything.” She hooked her arm around mine and guided me towards the office.
I smiled at the receptionist who just gave an evil stare. We went through the doors and into the busy office. People were working hard and rushing between theirs desks and the bank of photocopiers. Clearly they were busy getting their articles in for the new issue.
I got a smile from my friend but he didn’t get up from his desk. He looked deep in reporter mode as well. Felicity and myself walked into Harvey’s cube. He greeted us both with a nice big smile. He looked just as happy as I felt about being back in the office. “Have you told him yet?”
“Not yet.” She turned to me as she sat down on a chair. She scooted her butt to the edge of the cushion as I joined her in the other chair. “You know the phone call I received outside the hospital?”
“Yeah, something to do with a source?”
“Right. Well, his information checked out and it seems the story might be bigger than I expected.”
“Okay, so you need me to take some photos for it?”
Harvey cleared his throat, “Not exactly kid. Felicity asked if you would co-write the article with her since it’s bigger than she thought.”
“Oh wow.” I looked at Felicity. She had a big smile written over her face. “So this isn’t just a one article job then.”
She shook her head. “If I’m right about it, then it will be more than a few articles. A very big story.”
“Sounds good to me.” I was about ready to jump up and give her a massive hug.
“Also, since it’s a big job I can put you on a daily pay like before. Instead of just paying you at the end.” Harvey leant back in his big, leather chair with his fingers intertwined on his belly.
“So I sort of have my job back?” I looked at Harvey, hoping for the right answer to come out of his mouth.
“Unofficially yes. To the others out there it will just be a long freelance job. And you need to make it seem like that.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means we’ll have to meet out of the office. At yours and mine. Working closely together.” The thought of working this close with Felicity had my pulse jumping. More so than the thought of technically having my job back. “Long hours but hopefully it’ll pay off in the end.” I caught her look as those last words hit my ears.
“Sounds good to me. I’m on board.” Giving her a smile.
“That’s what I told her you would say.”
“You did.” Felicity smiled at me then turned to Harvey. “So I’ll drop some stuff off tomorrow around lunch time?”
“Actually I won’t be in the office for lunch. I have a prior engagement.” As soon as I heard the words my mind clicked and put two and two together.
I looked at him, his shifty eyes moving from Felicity to me and then back again. “What do you have planned tomorrow?”
“Nothing that interesting.” His mouth might have said the lies but his eyes were what I was concentrating on.
“Are you sure?” He
nodded. “Okay.” I carried on looking at him as he held that shifty look. Then I slowly turned to Felicity. “So when do we start?”
“Right away. I have some files for you to look over tonight to catch you up on everything.”
“Homework, my favourite thing,” I said sarcastically.
“The rest will be more fun, I promise.” Yet another smile from her. I was looking forward to this more and more.
“Okay then. Let’s get going.” I stood from the chair, opening the door and allowing Felicity through before turning to Harvey. “Have a fun lunch tomorrow.”
“I will.”
“Say hi to my mum for me.” I left him with that sentence, shutting the door before he could utter a denial. Giving him a quick smile through the glass wall.
I followed Felicity to her desk where a massive stack of files sat. I had imagined it being a small amount of homework but this pile looked like it would take me two days just to get through.
She picked them up with some kind of effort and plonked them into my arms. “I’m sorry but it’s not all in the right order. I just jumbled them together when I had the idea of inviting you onto the story.”
“Thank you for that by the way.”
“What?”
“Inviting me onto your article. Getting me the job. It means a lot.”
“It was nothing. It’ll fun working with you.” There was a twinkle in her eye. I might have imagined it but it made me feel she wasn’t just on about having fun on the article. I could only hope that I was right.
“You best head home and make a start. I’ll be round in the morning some time.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Yep.” She bopped up on her toes and back down, a cute little movement that matched her cute smile. I carried the files out of the office and decided to walk home. The bright sun matched my happy mood and it felt good against my skin as I made my way back to the apartment.
I got up to the flat, digging my key into the lock and opening my door with difficulty. I walked in, shut the door and turned. “Hey.” A gruff voice inside my apartment made me jump out of my skin. My arms flying up, scattering the files everywhere all over the floor and sofa. “Homework?”
I looked up and saw the leather jacketed man. Standing by the window. The bin bag I had used was swinging in the soft breeze. I looked at his emotionless face. “What?”
“The files?”
“Oh right.” I looked down at the mess of papers. “It was supposed to be but I think I’ll be spending all night trying to figure out what order it goes in.”
“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” He stepped closer, standing on the minimal areas of carpet not covered in paper. “I read the article you wrote. Well done.”
“Thanks.” I looked at him as he stood there, motionless. “Why do you care about me?”
He slowly shook his head. “I don’t.”
“Oh.”
“I’m just here to make sure you haven’t been killed. Something tells me it would weigh on my conscience a little.” One corner of his mouth seemed to flick up into a smirk.
“Just a little?”
“Yeah.” His emotionless voice told me it wouldn’t. “But, I feel we are in the same boat. The assassin that was here last night is involved in my investigation.”
“Investigation? Are you a cop as well?”
“Do I look like a cop to you?”
I looked at his outfit. “Actually you look more like a serial killer.” I laughed but he didn’t. Making the atmosphere very awkward. “Maybe as your alter-ego you’re a cop.”
“I wouldn’t know.” I thought it was a strange thing to say but he carried on talking before I could question it. “That assassin was hired by some very powerful people and for some reason he was sent after you.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know and frankly I don’t care.”
“So why are you here?”
“My conscience.” Then he was gone in a blink of my eyes. Leaving the cool air gently rolling into my apartment. I had met this man again and none of my questions I have were answered and they were joined by so many more.
I walked over to the window and looked out. The city was just like it had been before I saw this man. Nothing out of the ordinary. So normal and yet I knew there were super people out there with super powers. How had no one noticed?
I blinked and I was brought back to reality with a crash. My eyes dropped to all the scattered papers, knowing it would take far too long to get them all together and in the right order. But, I had to do it. Otherwise I might get kicked off the article.
I stuck the bin bag back to the window frame and started getting the papers together. I skimmed through the information as I worked.
It took me many, many hours to do it but I had managed it. All the papers were still lying on the floor but they were organised. Piles had their own categories whether it was a person, a place or a subject.
During the process of organising I had managed to take in at least ninety percent of the information and Felicity was right. If this was all true then this story was big. It involved corruption on many levels, experiments, killings, assassinations and many other illegal things and it all pointed to the Henrikson company.
The one thing these files didn’t have was the good side of the Henrikson company. It was all good having the illegal facts and stories but there was a good side to every story. Maybe Felicity had missed something.
I walked over to my computer and started researching not only the company but the man himself and his family, both distant and close. I compiled profiles on all of them and a lot more data on his company. Organising it alongside Felicity’s files with cross-referenced graphs. The coffee table was covered in piles of paperwork. Then I fell asleep on my sofa.
02/07/2014 PM
I put the last pin into the board. Stepping back I looked at the mess. The whole of my back wall was plastered with pieces of paper from files and printouts from the police servers. It looked like a blind man had plastered my wall with paper in place of patterned wallpaper. Each piece had a pin stabbed into it and a piece of string. These lines of string connected everything together.
Only I would be able to decipher it thanks to my lack of organising skills. I looked upon the web of strings. There were dummy corporations and fronts involved with this group of enemies. I still didn’t have all the names of the ladder but there was one way to get them and that was to work from the bottom rung.
I had already gotten little information from people low down. I had to move up, it would be more dangerous but the rewards would be worth the risk. I followed the strings from higher up the board, moving down. Some of the suspicious people were joined by quite a few strings but there were two that were covered in it.
One of them just seemed to be a business man. From a surveillance photo he was a skinny man. His hair was receding but he still had long curls. His features reminded me of a rat.
The other guy on the other hand seemed to be some kind recurring hired help. From the police reports he had been spotted in the general area of a lot of crimes however there was never any evidence he was involved. His mug showed me his ugly face. It reminded me of the gargoyles at the old castle just out of the city. He had a very distinctive tattoo that covered his jaw like a tribal beard.
He was the one I would talk with. He would know about crimes and various other inside information. I turned around and found his file on my desk. Each time he was arrested, he had a different, expensive lawyer each time and avoided prison time.
Scanning through the file I found his last known address from his parole officer. It was a little motel just north of the city over the Croft Bridge. I would need some kind of transport to get there and back. I didn’t feel like running there and back. God knows who would be hanging out in the forest. Especially that recently that particular forest was a regular spot for raves and parties.
I moved quickly, getting down to str
eet level with a drop from building top to concrete. I left the cracks on the floor and made my way to a more populated area. The sound of cheer and laughter filled the air as I came to the street that held all the popular nightclubs. It was the perfect place to steal a car. Most of these people would be too drunk and would get a taxi home.
I stayed in the shadows so my costume was never spotted. Keeping out the way I entered the massive multi-storey car park right in the middle of the nightclub district. Forgetting the sounds of the street and focusing on the echoes in the building. My super hearing made it easy to pin-point a couple just exiting their car.
I sped up the stairs and found them. The man was walking off to pay for parking at the machine down the other end. The woman was left inside, touching up her makeup. This would have to be fast.
Even though I could break into a car, no one deserved that. If I take the keys, I can bring the car back. I just had to get the keys first. So I waited. The man came back with the paid ticket. I watched him lean in and stick it to the windscreen.
He was joined by his partner as they came walking in my direction. My eyes followed his hand as he locked the car with the remote and pocketed them in his jeans. I flicked up my leather collar, covering the back and the sides of my head. Keeping to the shadows I waited until they came closer.
As they passed by I stumbled out, pretending to be drunk. My shoulder gently knocked the guy, my hand moving at lightning speed into his pocket. My fingers curled around the keys as I mumbled an apology and kept on walking. He something about me being rude but I didn’t care.
I didn’t bother looking back. I knew he didn’t feel my hand or the sudden lightness of his pocket. He wouldn’t notice the keys or his car missing unless he came back. Judging from how they were talking about boozing the night away, I imagine they won’t be back for the car until the morning. Perfect for me.
I slipped into the car and I was exiting the car park quickly, burning my way through the roads and out of the city. I made my way over Croft Bridge, getting caught up in some traffic before hitting the country roads near the motel.