Going back to the state of New York, he searched the property Leonard lived on. It was created earlier than Mrs. Sullivan’s mansion and had been owned by a corporation ever since.
Leighland Industries, at the time, was an up and coming business whose inventions and products were all but unknown. Not unusual during an age when high tech or military products fell under research and were deemed classified.
Rumors were that more than sleeping and eating happened in and around the home and to this day, its blueprints are under wraps. Leighland eventually was no longer supported by its previous never-ending money supply.
Before its financials went south the company sold out but kept the property under ownership of a trust, and that only descendants of the company’s senior leadership and board members were entitled to use it as a residence.
As the years passed the numbers of this group dwindled and now 150 years later it’s unknown who, if anyone resides there. The mansion gets its name from its chief financial backer, Halaby, who funded its construction.
Well no one from the trust is going to utter a word about its current owner. Only a face to face will solve this mystery. He remembered how smoothly that went for him last time. Stratus glanced at his silver Cartier watch, 9:00 P.M. He hoped to finish before the caveman came to squat again.
He typed and came up with 100 results. He narrowed the search to the last five years, typed Evelyn Sullivan into a national database, coming up with zero results. Increasing the parameters to twenty years ago resulted in only one result – a schoolteacher from Montana, deceased for ten years now.
He expanded his search to all dates, specific to Pennsylvania. The search returned two results, a mother and daughter. Grabbing at anything, Stratus focused on the daughter. A puzzled look came across his face, which didn’t often occur.
Apparently, the daughter spent her last years at the psychiatric facility at the same time as the river baron’s wife. He discovered that the daughter might have led to the facilities closing over extreme testing done on her, which was exposed by a more enlightened medical community. Interesting, quite the coincidence but it didn’t point him anywhere.
Very suspicious given he had not been able to find any information on Evelyn Sullivan whatsoever. The only person left to search was Mr. Krueger and he knew his story already, college student turned millionaire.
Stratus was not sure how Krueger fit into it all, but he was overpaid for his Flash Match invention. Stratus had previously looked up Leonard’s patents, and while it was a useful tool, New Wave had clearly bought Leonard Krueger. The question was, did Krueger know this, and if he did, what had he signed up for?
Chapter 47
The Butler squinted his eyes scanning frantically into the woods, unsure of what he had seen. The low light mattered not for he had excellent vision. The Butler heard Fox Two’s call citing a Code Six situation and crept at a snail’s pace to the guard. He had no confidence in anyone but himself and certainly not for external security’s number two man.
Gunshots lead him to jog but as he approached the gate, he thought he had seen someone standing over Fox Two. Like a flash, it had disappeared into the woods. He had a mind to think it was Fox One, but he had heard earlier that Fox One was not on site. He crouched next to the body of Fox Two and checked for vitals. No sign of life.
A hostile intruder and now a body lay dead, one of their own. He was not sure what he had seen but he looked around hoping for a glimpse. The Butler found it odd that Fox One would go MIA, and then along came this Stratus person. It smelled foul and he knew he would have to paint this picture right for Mrs. Sullivan. They had a security detail to fill with one missing and one dead.
The Butler always aspired to be the number one man, and this might give him an opportunity. He hated taking orders more than anyone, let alone taking them from Mrs. Sullivan.
He figured he would let the Sullivan’s squabble, they did it enough on their own, why not give them a nudge. He was once great, and he would have that again.
He would seize the opportunity when it came along. Mr. Sullivan had sent this mystery guest, he was sure of it.
Mr. Sullivan better watch his step. If he made a mistake, the Butler would be there to capitalize. He decided to play coy and cooperative with Mrs. Sullivan. After all she had an army of data. He raised his hand and spoke into his comms.
“Mrs. Sullivan, I’m at position Twelve for Fox Two’s support. We have a situation here. I need to come to you for this, not over the radio.”
“What sort of situation are we talking about?”
“I’d rather not say, but we will need someone to cover the gate.”
“Understood, I will send someone from the rear. Hurry back, we need to get things under control. I need to know what you know.”
The Butler waited for the guard she sent and left immediately. Being outside made him anxious and could not wait to be back indoors. He felt those on the external team were not as privileged or dignified. He was not common in any way. The Butler jogged up the steps to the front entrance and closed the massive door behind him. Mrs. Sullivan materialized into view below the chandelier.
“Where are my men?” she asked. “My security net needs to protect this building at all times.”
“I’ll get to that in a minute. I need a drink and you may want one too. Oh yeah, I forgot you don’t drink,” he said with a laugh and continued walking straight through her image.
He passed through unfazed and headed to the entertainment room to pour himself some whiskey. Slightly irritated Mrs. Sullivan followed him.
“I hate waiting on anyone. Such a stupid pointless habit you’ve picked up,” she said, gliding to his side. “Does it typify male testosterone driven behavior for you?”
“It’s just a drink. Don’t be so dramatic.” He tipped whisky from a cut glass decanter into a matching glass and stared at it. “Let me start with saying we have a serious problem here.”
“Continue! I just told you I hate waiting.”
“Fox Two is dead.” He paused briefly to let it soak in. “Fox One is AWOL and someone…or something is roaming the forest. I saw it standing over Fox Two. It disappeared quick as lightning and when I got to Fox Two he was dead already, the smell of gun smoke, blood still pouring out of his wounds, his arms snapped like twigs, bent at strange angles.”
“And the Code Six, Mr. Lattamus at the gate, was he subdued at least?”
“Unfortunately, not, Mrs. Sullivan.”
“Damn it! That man will be back. It may be just as well that this Stratus finished Fox Two. The fool used my name when talking over the radio and Mr. Lattamus is, I’m sure, doing his best to research me as we speak.”
“No, Stratus didn’t finish him. It was this other…someone. I couldn’t make out who it was, but there’s only one person responsible that makes sense, and that’s Mr. Sullivan.”
Mrs. Sullivan shot him a piercing glance, visibly pissed at the accusation.
“Hear me out before you take me out for even thinking this. Mr. Sullivan has hated you being the protector over this facility since you took it over. He has been trying to regain it ever since and we are at a crucial time. Time is short for us if we don’t figure things out. Deadlines shift priorities, and chaos brings advantage to the prepared. Leonard comes in and tests our protection and brings down our system. Stratus shows up and Fox One is nowhere to be found. Stratus battles Fox Two and conveniently, he gets away right when a mysterious something prowls the forest after Fox Two is assassinated. He’s making a move on you ma’am. Think about it. Leonard’s been living on the same property. Mr. Sullivan even had you believing this e-Frond business as a motive for him attacking us.”
“Mr. Sullivan and I are on the same team. That’s absurd… plausible, yet absurd. Do you have any proof to support your claim? Because if not you’ll find yourself buried next to Fox Two.”
“Because I’m the first one to say it out loud that makes me a traitor? You’ve had the
same thought cross your mind too, I know. Who’s to say Mr. Krueger hasn’t decoded that element you’re pressing him about already? Only now he’s taken it to Mr. Sullivan and they’re developing something with it right now.”
“Because that’s impossible. The Finite resource is physically only here, it’s a book. The only other place it exists is here also, in the data center via remote access within the basement terminal only.”
“Basement terminal only huh? The one Leonard used to ‘fix’ the system?”
“Yes, but it’s up and running and the library is blocked from all incoming transmissions during a crash. It was a closed system. You’re not convincing me to stop the digging of a second grave yet.”
“Ma’am you’re being blind if you can’t connect the dots. If this is so farfetched and out of line where is Fox One in all of this. After he is asked to omit things from his report he happens to leave just before Stratus arrives and your team member is killed.”
“The next few minutes will determine your fate. Let’s give Mr. Sullivan a call right now.”
Mrs. Sullivan reached behind the counter and grabbed a handset, watching the Butler as she dialed, reading his body language. The Butler remained un-phased, confident
“Your whiskey is getting watered down.”
The Butler eyed his drink and then poured it out. “I’ve got better things to do like digging a grave.”
The Butler turned away from her with irritation and confidently walked to the door.
“Don’t let this nonsense leave your mouth!” she said. “I don’t want anyone on our team knowing one word of your paranoid theories.”
The Butler nodded his head with a sarcastic grin on his face. She would not question him any longer; he had just about enough of her commands. She better start treating him as an equal if she wanted him to keep protecting her precious library.
Chapter 48
The phone on the other end rang several times without anyone answering. Thoughts spiraled in Mrs. Sullivan mind and depending on Mr. Sullivan’s answers, she would need to act. Truth is, her “Butler’s” argument made a lot of sense but reacting without verification was negligent. And she felt Mr. Sullivan deserved the respect of prudence. Trust but verify is what she was convincing herself she was doing.
“Hello, dear,” her husband said after the tenth ring. “What a pleasant surprise. Good evening.”
“Aren’t you in a delightful mood. I hate to spoil it, but business is business and it stops for no one. First off, Fox One is AWOL. Have you had any contact with him?”
“AWOL, absolutely not, he’s right here with me. Due to certain events, I am keeping him here. He will be part of my guard and I shall send you a replacement.”
Mrs. Sullivan thought of the Butler’s theory and this turn of events supported everything he warned her about.
“Why would Fox One even come to you? I hired him onto my team?”
“No hard feelings, I hope. I know he was your top dog there, and not too hard on the eyes also.”
“Oh please, I have no interest in his kind. You don’t honestly think I’m stupid enough to believe he randomly came to you?”
“He’s not your kind yes, but for another reason. He is deadlier than thou, perhaps you want to keep that title,” Mr. Sullivan chuckled. “And to answer your question, I don’t think you’re stupid, perhaps blindly passionate though. Why he came isn’t important and I am keeping him for a special project.”
“Is he your inside man? Is that what this is all about?”
“Inside man? We’re on the same team are we not? Look dear, Fox One wasn’t AWOL. He told Fox Two of his absence. If anyone is out of line, it would be your assistant. He’s the one who drew his weapon on Fox One, causing him to fire.”
Mrs. Sullivan rolled her eyes, “That may be, and if so he was out of line. Those weren’t the only shots fired here lately and you know it…Fox Two isn’t telling anyone about Fox One’s absence. Fox Two is dead.
There was silence on the line as Mrs. Sullivan processed the information and impending reaction from her husband.
“Who is responsible?” Mr. Sullivan finally said.
Mrs. Sullivan’s brow tightened in irritation and she hopped off the barstool. “I should ask you. What have you sent to monitor me?”
“I did send you a little help from our group here. It is in no way monitoring you. It’s there to protect you.”
“So, you weren’t physically here yourself?”
“Of course not. You know that’s not possible.”
“A man named Stratus Lattamus paid us a visit and fought with Fox Two before his death. Let me guess, you know about him too?”
“He showed up at Halaby also? He’s going to be more trouble than I anticipated. The asset I have placed there will be put on high alert. Just make sure your men keep to the grounds and surrounding areas only. Anything in the forest will be met with deadly force and it won’t ask questions.”
“Yeah, I’d say it’s a little too late for that warning as Fox Two’s already dead. Don’t think because you and I share a name I’m going to stay put and sit tight. I’m going to fight. My assistant and I will deal with anything unwanted with deadly force.”
“So, dear, one question. Fox Two is a phenomenal soldier. It would take quite a force to kill him, especially in hand-to-hand combat. Was a gun involved in his death?”
Mrs. Sullivan wondered where this was leading. Yet another detail that Mr. Sullivan seemed to have pre-knowledge of. All this made her believe the Butler’s claims were correct Mr. Sullivan was involved.
“Yes, gunshot wounds and broken arms but you seem to have already known this. Explain yourself.”
“Merely an educated guess given his combat skills. You say this Stratus isn’t the killer. Fine. But the security quadruped I sent doesn’t have fire power. My pet didn’t kill your man. And if Fox Two’s arms were snapped, you’re dealing with a force outside that of human capability.”
Chapter 49
Stratus sat in his car and let his brain snake through the information he just learned. With no discernible point of attack, Stratus decided to get some sleep. He settled in his vehicle and made the best of his situation trying to get a decent night’s sleep.
When morning came, he woke early and checked on Leo’s location. Stratus was puzzled over the data. It showed Leonard had exited town and headed north but for a stretch, it contained no information. Limited GPS coordinates left a large area to cover. Frustrated with that news he knew he only had a few days until he was required to report in person on his findings.
He planned to kill two birds with one stone today. Stratus would visit Leonard’s cottage for answers. While there, he would wander the grounds and pay a visit to this mansion of industry.
He wanted to return to this Evelyn and her home, but he needed to gather more information first. He would clearly need more than twin pistols and a hunch next time he visited the mansion. Winding up dead was not on his list, and failure was not an option.
Stratus headed to Mr. Krueger’s cottage for a midmorning visit, darting across town stretching his torso, wishing he had not slept in the car. He went across the wooden bridge, emitting a clip pity clop sound and sped down through the archway. He passed through the open gate where Leonard lived, then parked near the hedge maze and got out.
He felt semi-awkward winding through the maze to the cottage uninvited. Being in his position he had gotten used to getting away with things, and in his family, entitlement was rampant. Stratus followed the curve of the maze and rounded the corner now having a view of the cottage.
A storm was moving in, the trees swayed in the wind as did a hanging pot and two hammocks. When he approached, he saw a squirrel hanging onto the porch handrail. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, his every move followed by the intent squirrel. His light knock elicited no response from inside.
This time he knocked louder and let out a, “Hello!”
Stratus heard
a light gasp of surprise on the porch and looked to the squirrel with confusion.
“Can I help you, sir?”
Stratus whipped his head in the opposite direction to see a woman sitting up in a hammock on the front porch.
“Hello. I apologize for waking you, I didn’t see you there.” Perfect it’s the woman from the hotel. I’ll get her to talk, she’ll give me something to go on.
“Creeping up on a lady while she’s sleeping is totally suspect.”
“Well it wasn’t my intention Mrs…Krueger?”
“Ha! No. I’m Sarafina. It is rude to walk the grounds and show up unannounced. I don’t believe there’s a visitor’s welcome sign or guest parking.”
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get in touch with my friend, Leonard so I figured I’d pay him a visit. What I have to tell him is quite important.”
“He’s your friend but you don’t know he’s not married? Anyhow I’ll call him if it’s important.”
“Oh, that’s okay. No need to bother him if he’s busy out of town.”
“It’s so important you came all the way over to his residence, but you don’t want me to call him? And what makes you think he’s out of town, Mr…?”
Stratus started to think this nut was going to be harder to crack than he anticipated. He figured he ease into his questioning. If she rejected him, he’d wander the grounds
“Leonard told me he’d possibly be out of town today, and the name is Stratus. Your friend Leonard is quite the inventor, such monumental success in a short time. It’s interesting that he would be staying in this small cottage. It’s my understanding he’s been here for a month or so.”
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