“Yes, he was quite busy. I do apologize for his delay. I know he’s dying to file it with you.”
“He is definitely a go-getter. You’d tell me if there was any progress toward a viable regeneration or if Krueger may have unlocked anything infinite resources?”
She rolled her eyes as she said, “Of course. You would be the first to know. No surprises.”
“Well that is certainly good news. So, is he of use to us?”
“Not yet. I’ll keep you posted. I honestly don’t plan on hearing back from him. He got what he needed. I don’t think he’ll be coming back.”
“You didn’t scare him away now did you?”
“Of course not. I can’t say the same for the security teams, you know how they salivate for any action.”
“I do indeed, we pay them to protect, God forbid they use their brains at the same time. I suppose that’s why they are so malleable.”
Laughter ensued from Mrs. Sullivan, “That’s good. I’ll have to remember that one.”
“As long as the data center is up and running, and Krueger is not returning there that’s excellent,” he said. “Whatever happens, never allow him access to the central input terminal. Our data center is everything.”
“Like I said, dear, everything is now under control.”
“Fantastic! I’ll call you if I don’t see Fox One’s report shortly,” he said.
“Fine, dear…By the way, why are you keeping Krueger so close? You seem concerned with his contact with me and any contact with yourself. According to Krueger you haven’t even met with him.”
Mr. Sullivan cleared his throat, and said with mild concern and anger, “You discussed my proximity with him? My plan and my reasons are my own! This place is currently more important than the data center you protect now. You know perfectly well we can’t do this without help. If we are to succeed this time, we need an independent thinker, outside our area of influence. Krueger is of interest, but he hasn’t proven anything. When and if the time comes he will need a short leash and I want to hang it on him personally. Research and Development must propel us forward. We are approaching critical mass. We don’t need another failure. Don’t discuss my presence with Krueger again. I don’t want to have to leave you out of the equation.”
“I never said anything about letting him know your proximity to him. I only said he said you two hadn’t met.” She stood up and paced back and forth in her office, twirling a pen in her hand. “You’re not convinced of his abilities, yet you basically held his e-Frond for ransom. Independent thinkers outside of our influence won’t like leashes imposed on them. Leonard has shown that is true already, you’re going about it all wrong.”
“I know how to handle things. Leo was able to do what he did due to your involvement with him. Don’t involve yourself with him any longer. We need to be subtle from now on. Your clumsiness already cost us a shutdown. I wanted no one to know about our library and storage, even after we launch”
Unsure of what Leo knew exactly, she shrugged her shoulders and said, “I assure you that he has no knowledge of the inner workings of this facility. Every precaution has been taken.”
Mrs. Sullivan hoped, but he could not tell if she was lying. A sharp crack came over her earpiece. He had slammed something down violently. “Don’t feed me that garbage; he accessed an input terminal inside the library! Your explanation of an external security breech as the reason is nothing but finger pointing. Like I said Fox One’s report should spell out any lapses and indicate any changes needed.”
“As I said, everything’s fine dear. And I will never be out of the equation!”
Mrs. Sullivan abruptly ended the call, tore off her Bluetooth headset, and chucked it across the office. She hoped to avoid the attention of her husband; instead, she felt his grip tightening.
The last thing she wanted was to have him inspecting the Mansion. She did not want anyone to impede her progress. She exhaled loudly and plunked back down in her chair, annoyed. She reassessed the situation and a smile came across her face. No one is going to tell me how to handle things. Not anymore.
Chapter 38
With the Sullivan house in his review mirror, Leo began to think of his endeavors with New Wave. He was excited to get to work on e-Frond and wanted to get in contact with the machinist that may be able to bring his vision to physical reality.
He wanted to stop by in person and speak with him, but it was not on the way home and he did not want to drag Sarafina there in her condition. He had his number anyhow; he could always just call.
He arrived at the Bed and Breakfast, parked and made his way up the narrow hallway to their room. He knocked lightly not wanting to wake Sarafina and entered quietly shutting the door behind him. He saw the lump of blankets and quilts mounded over a silent Sarafina.
He was jealous. She was able to sleep in while he was shrouded and forced into a dungeon for his early morning activities. Leo strolled over to his bed and kicked off his shoes. As he collapsed onto the bed, he was startled by a scream and the bathroom door slamming behind him.
Sarafina now secure behind the door said, “Dang Leo you have to knock before you come in. You almost gave this girl a heart attack.”
“I almost gave you a heart attack? You’re the one who was screaming. You scared me.”
“Well hey, I wasn’t decent so sorry if I startled you. Let me get dressed so we can go.”
Sarafina toweled off, dressed, and came out to examined her severely bruised hip. “Oh my gosh this bruise is awful. But at least the shower made it feel better.
He glanced at her bruise briefly, speechless, nervous he’d be caught staring at her too long.
Sarafina smiled at his reaction, then said “So how did things go? Did it go as smooth as planned?”
“Smooth… no definitely not but I feel confident after my escape from their data vault that I won’t be going back soon.”
“Well good we both definitely need a break from that place.”
Sarafina dressed in her outfit from the day before. They gathered what little they had with them and headed out. They walked into the lobby and Leo squared away the room charge while Sarafina grabbed what little there was left in the breakfast nook. She heaped a plate with cinnamon rolls, strips of bacon and a bowl of fruit, and met up with Leo at the door. He looked over her tower of food.
“Wow you must be a little hungry there, geez. You better get scarfing that down cause that isn’t coming into my car,” Leo said seriously but with a smile.
“Relax Leo I’m not gonna dirty your Vette. We’re gonna eat at the outdoor tables and this food is for both of us. I need help eating all this yumminess,” Sarafina said as she gave an exaggerated lick of her lips and a slurping noise.
They took a seat at an open table and began to dig in. Leo’s speech was muffled by a mouthful of cinnamon roll.
“Mmmm, good choice they are so good.”
“Totally, so Leo what craziness do you have planned next? You are a magnet for chaos.”
“Well nothing crazy per se. I plan on buckling down and working on e-Frond.”
Leo pulled out his iPhone and the small, wadded paper with the coordinates for the concentrated Mimetite deposit. “So what classes did you miss? Do we need to hurry back for any of them?”
“No, today’s a bust. I’m not hobbling to classes anyhow.”
Leo took a sip of his water. He then typed in the coordinates and waited for his iPhone to pull up the location.
“Croatia?” he said quietly taking another bite?
“What?”
“Oh umm…it’s just some research I’m doing. Are you going to eat that last cinnamon roll Sara?”
Leo received no response from Sarafina and he looked up at her. She had a blank stare of disbelief.
“All right, all right, it is research. But there’s a little more to it. It’s a decoding from Mrs. Sullivan.”
“See, was that so hard? Why in the world would you decode something for
them? I thought you were done with them.”
“Well they don’t actually know I decoded it and I’ll never detangle myself. I just have this feeling I’ll become even more involved somehow.”
“Well how’s that gonna work with you being a part of New Wave?”
“I’ll have to juggle them and try to keep the Sullivan’s at arm’s length.”
“Juggling huh, is that what you’re doing with me too Leo.”
Silence followed and Sarafina froze in disbelief that she had just said that.
“No, I’m definitely not juggling you it’s more of a tight rope act I’d say.”
Leo let out a laugh. Sarafina was not certain if it was just silly banter or a more insinuating meaning but she followed on cue and let out a few chuckles of her own.
“My, that was sweet.”
“Oh, it was huh?”
“Yes. Those cinnamon rolls are gonna give me a sugar rush later.”
Leo turned red in embarrassment thinking she was referring to his comment. All that dissipated when Sarafina gave a quick wink.
“Shall we be on our way?”
“Let’s hit the road, cowboy.”
They slowly got into the car with full stomachs and bruised bodies. The drive seemed short and they relaxed with the windows down and the music cranked.
He dropped Sarafina off and she excitedly went in to change her day-old clothing. Leo headed home and parked under his living growing garage. Before heading home through the maze, Leo wanted to get his mail. He located the white mailbox embedded within the hedge.
As Leo sorted through the regular assortment of junk mail and credit card offers, one letter caught his attention. The sender was Halaby Estate and it was addressed to Leonard Krueger.
The envelope’s writing was the same calligraphy as the archway at the mansion’s entrance. Leo also observed the envelope had no stamp or metered mail markings, this indicated it had been hand delivered. Leo scanned his surroundings for the possible delivery person. He felt foolish. Why would they go through the hassle to avoid physical contact only to be found hiding in the shrubs?
Leo grabbed a pocketknife he kept in his car, sliding the blade down the envelope to open it cleanly. He was a little too quick and sloppy and cut his hand. He winced for a second, but the clean cut gave little pain only a delayed dripping of blood.
Like a shark drawn to blood Leo heard the high-pitched whine of manual transmission and looked up to see a silver Porsche approaching him, coming to a halt just a few feet away.
Chapter 39
Stratus’s stake out of Leo’s car had him feeling as if he was in the middle of an elaborate game. He saw the same brute that left from the Bed and Breakfast get into Leo’s Corvette and disappear down a dirt road, only to watch Mr. Krueger an hour later pull out of the same road. He did not know what it added up to, but it was fishy.
Stratus thought about following the dirt road but wanted to see if Leonard was going to meet any more associates along his way home. Stratus kept his distance, listening to his favorite classical music all the way to Halaby’s archway, interrupting Leonard opening his mail.
* * *
Leo watched as a man exited the Porsche dressed in a grey three-piece suit. The shade of grey nearly matched the car’s silver tone and Leo observed his neatly trimmed hair, and exquisite large faced silver watch. Leo, surprised he was finally meeting his scholarship donor, smiled back at the man. He was exactly how he pictured he might be.
“Hello, Leonard Krueger I presume?”
“Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. “
“Stratus sir, Stratus Lattamus. From Foundation Bank and Eagle Investments.”
Leo was surprised and disappointed at the man’s identity, not even noticing the man’s hand held out for a gentleman’s greeting.
“Is now not a good time, sir? I do apologize for the unannounced visit. I just believe in face to face contact when dealing with a man’s wallet.”
“You’re with my bank?” Leo asked. Reaching out his bleeding hand for acceptance, he saw the man’s subtle revulsion. He moved the letter to his injured hand and shook hands with the banker, worried his deal had not been paid with legal funding and this man was here to notify him.
“Is there some sort of issue Mr. Lattamus?”
“Not at all Mr. Krueger, I’m here on behalf of Foundation Bank to present you with investment options to protect your recent financial success.”
Leo, now relieved but not all that interested, offered to listen to the man. He waved for the man to follow him and began walking to the cottage. Leo looked down at his bleeding hand and noticed it soaking the envelope.
“Damn!”
He moved the letter back to his dry hand and carefully extracted the contents. A smear of blood had dried on the closing signature, but the rest of the letter remained clean. Leo felt rude reading as he walked but he could not wait to see what the letter said:
Dear Leonard,
It is with great regret that I haven’t been able to meet and greet you in person yet. I presume you have received my package with the key. Let me congratulate you on your academics, as well as your pending Flash Match success. I look forward to seeing what else you will create and develop.
I see a bright future ahead of you and that’s why we picked you for Mr. Halaby’s Innovation award. I love your creativity and innovations in efficiency and believe you’re important to a successful tomorrow. I hope you’ll work with us in the near future.
Let me leave you with what inspires me and, hopefully, will also inspire you one day. The only thing that concerns me is the future of the future. It will always come, we build it, but it shapes us, and we aren’t guaranteed a place within its future form.
As the philosopher Barron d’Halbach stated, “It is not the consciousness of people that determines their being but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness. If he had another sense, as his actions or his motions, augmented by a sixth, would be still more varied and much more complicated. He would believe himself still more a free agent than he does with his five senses. For want of being able to analyze, from not being competent, to decompose the complicated motion of his machine, that man believes himself a free agent.”
Leonard, you and I will shape the future. Use your sixth sense. Man is complicated, and intuition can’t be learned or taken. You and I together will guarantee a place in the future, I see this in 20/20. Behind every eye lies a mind ready to be awakened conscious or otherwise.
Sincerely,
A blood statin covered most of the signature, which he assumed was Halaby’s.
The stranger cleared his throat, “Mr. Krueger I don’t mean to interrupt, but did you lose your way? That letter must have quite the news. It is good news I hope?”
Leo broke out of his deep concentration on the letter, taking in its possibly deeper meaning than the words themselves. He turned around, having forgotten the man was even present. Stratus looked on at Leo leaning in for a peak at the letter, trying not to make his intentions completely obvious.
Leo quickly folded the letter, “It’s this way, sorry about that.”
As they rounded the corner the cottage came into view, “Well there it is, here’s home.”
Stratus squinted his eyes in confusion, “Excuse my curiosity, but if you have the mansion, why live in the cottage?”
Leo laughed. “That’s not my place. I’m living here as part of a scholarship. As for its owner, he gave me the excellent opportunity to be able to stay here. I’ll get some coffee going for both of us. Have a seat,” he pointed to the couch.
Leo assumed the man had followed him, but no response came, causing Leo to turn around. The man stood on the porch glancing in the direction of the gardens and the mansion beyond.
“Mr. Lattamus, you are coming in?”
“Of course, Mr. Krueger I do apologize.”
Stratus observed the room speaking loudly enough for Leo to hear in the kitc
hen, “Well I love what you’ve done with the place. It’s quite beautiful.”
“Thank you. Despite its size it is quite pleasant.”
The coaster caught the man’s attention. “This coaster is very nice, such precision. Where did you get it?”
Surprised at his knowledge and interest in the piece, Leo responded. “At a metalwork shop in a small town not too far from here.”
Stratus took the liberty of picking up the ball and starting it at the top of the track. The gesture seemed quite invasive and rude to Leo. The man was a guest, and hardly knew him. Leo ignored the action, and they enjoyed their coffee on the couch.
Leo thought about the man’s appearance and wondered why his bank sent someone out so fast after the deposit. “So, what brings you here? You say investments?”
“We value you as a Foundation Bank customer. We would like to see your money grow and become even more profitable. I’m here as a courtesy, and to thank you personally for trusting us with your funds. As I said, I also work investments. I thought you might want to diversify and secure your money in other places as well. Our bank is solvent but as I’m sure you’re aware FDIC is only insured for $250,000.00 and interest in current accounts such as yours is negligible. So, I’m here as a consultant to offer you more beneficial options. You’re a college student correct?”
“Yes.”
“So, if I may so bold, how did you come by such a large sum of money while taking a full schedule of classes?”
Leo thought the comment odd. It implied that he had delved into Leo’s schooling, but he dismissed the idea, figuring the man assumed given Leo’s academic scholarship.
“As you can imagine, I did not receive my recent financial status from academia. While in high school, I developed a product that very few people have heard of. This product has recently been acquired by my current employer.”
“Ah, I see. Congratulations on your achievement. Who is your current employer?”
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