Book 4: 3rd World Products, Inc.

by Ed Howdershelt

"Yes, Ed,” said Steph. “May I ask what you intend to do with that record?"

  I shrugged. “Well, I'll put it with all the others, I guess. When the pile seems big enough I'll try to find a use for them. Funny, isn't it? When some people freak out, they wind up getting pissed off, too."

  Hefting the bottle in her hand, Karen stared angrily at me for a moment, but she evidently elected not to waste the beer after all. She took a long sip and seemed to gather herself for a few moments, then set her beer down, stood up, and held onto the back of her seat as she took a deep breath, then walked around her seat.

  "Stay in the front half of the flitter,” I said.

  "Why?"

  "You could trip on something."

  "I don't see anything back there."

  "Trust me on this one."

  Being too much of a lady to say “Fuck you” or give me the finger, she settled for simply allowing me another of her ladylike glares before turning away and walking very deliberately toward the back of the flitter.

  "Mills, wait a minute."

  She ignored me. Two steps later something stopped her left foot cold and she almost pitched forward to the deck. Hopping to regain her balance, she screeched hissingly and knelt to caress her toes.

  "Told ya,” I said.

  "Shut-up!” she hissed. “Oh just please shut up! Damn!"

  I looked at Steph and asked, “Broken or just banged?"

  "Banged, not broken."

  "Good. It's still just a learning experience and not a lawsuit. Hey, Mills, how about coming back up front now?"

  Without letting go of her toes, she yelled, “What the hell's back here to trip over?"

  "Come on back up front."

  "No!” she yelled, looking around almost frantically. She gestured with her right hand in a broad arc and said, “I don't see a damned thing! I want to know what..."

  The back of her wildly swinging hand hit the pile hard enough to dislodge something heavy that clunked when it fell to the deck. Karen forgot about her toes and gaspingly pulled her hand back to clutch it to her middle as she made all the usual noises of agony and shock.

  "God-dammit!" she screamed, "What..? Oh, Gawd, that hurts! What the hell..?"

  "I tried to tell you not to go back there, ma'am."

  Ignoring me completely, Karen groped forward cautiously, stubbing her fingers lightly against something she couldn't see. She groped some more, then pulled a small handful of gold chain off the invisible pile. As it left the field, the chain became visible and Karen sucked in a deep breath.

  "Oh, my God..!” she muttered.

  "Well, hell, Steph. May as well let her see it all."

  Steph nodded and the treasure pile suddenly became visible as I got up to go back there. Mills stared bug-eyed at the treasure—her toes and hand apparently forgotten—until I knelt in front of her, blocking her view. Her eyes met mine. I reached to pick up a gold bar and put it in her good hand.

  The moment I let go of the bar it dragged her hand quickly to the floor. Too quickly, from the sound of the impact.

  "Ow!” said Karen, then, “Oh my God..! It's ... It's real!"

  I nodded. “Yup. This stuff belongs to Steph."

  She looked up in surprise and snapped, “What?"

  Thumbing at Steph, I said, “It's hers. Treasure hunting is her hobby."

  "Her..?” She turned to look at Steph. “Your hobby?"

  Plucking the gold bar out of her hand, I placed it back on the pile with a firm ‘clunk'. Mills looked at me again and I reached to help her to her feet.

  Standing by the pile and staring at it for some moments, she said nothing. One of the coins rose to hang suspended before her and she reached to take it and study it carefully, then flipped it over.

  "If you like it,” said Steph, “You may have it."

  Mills didn't look up from the coin as she said, “Thank you, but dare I ask why you'd want to give me one of your gold coins, Stephanie?"

  Steph rose from her seat and approached us with a questioning expression.

  "Dr. Mills,” she said, “Give me a good reason for not giving you a coin."

  Karen met Steph's gaze and said, “I've done nothing to deserve it."

  Shaking her head, Steph said, “That's not quite good enough. Nothing was asked of you, Dr. Mills."

  Holding the coin toward Steph, Mills said, “I don't have a good reason, then. I just don't feel right about taking a solid gold coin for nothing."

  Steph said, “That was reason enough."

  The coin lifted from Karen's hand and floated back to the pile, then the pile disappeared behind another concealment field. Steph also disappeared and reappeared in her former seat.

  Mills glanced at Steph, then at me.

  "I didn't mean to upset her,” she whispered. “I just didn't feel right about taking that coin. Can you understand that?"

  I shrugged and whispered back, “Sure. There are a lot of things I haven't done for the same reason. Just didn't feel right about it.” With a grin, I added, “A few of ‘em even involved money."

  "This isn't funny, damn it."

  "Didn't say it was. On the other hand, you're the only one who thinks there's a problem.” Dropping my voice to an even lower whispered tone, I asked, “Steph? Care to comment on that? Are you at all upset?"

  Steph spoke conversationally. “No, Ed, I'm not upset."

  In a shrieking whisper, Karen said, “Oh, my God, she heard us!"

  I nodded. “Hell, yes, she heard us, Mills. Steph can hear molecules move. She said there's no problem. She accepted your reason. For that matter, so did I. Let's go sit down and finish our beers."

  Returning to my seat, I asked, “What's next on the jukebox, Steph?"

  A heavy beat replaced the banjos and guitars as she started the new song.

  "That's 'Get This Party Started', by Pink,” I said, “It rocks even without a mix. You should be a DJ, ma'am."

  With mock shock, she asked, “And give up my job as a chauffeur?"

  I feigned embarrassment. “Um. Yes. Good point. Sorry."

  "As you should be, sir. As you should be."

  Mills came to stand by her seat and look at us for a moment, then she said, “I really didn't mean to upset you, Steph."

  Steph flashed her a grin and said, “Don't worry. If I was upset, you'd know it."

  That remark earned her a surprised look from me as well as Mills.

  Through my implant, Steph asked, “Was that a fitting response? I borrowed it from a somewhat similar circumstance in a movie."

  I glanced at Karen as she rather self-consciously sat down and reached for her beer, then I nodded and whispered, “It seemed to work for her, too."

  Steph stuck with dance music the rest of the way to Florida. As we descended I saw a car turn onto Commodore Avenue and slow down as it neared my house.

  "That's Myra,” said Steph.

  "I didn't really think she'd call ahead,” I said.

  "Who's Myra?” asked Karen.

  "An NSA snoop. They sent Myra to make contact. If I introduce you as a girlfriend, play along."

  "What?"

  "Just kidding. She is with the NSA, though, and they don't know about Stephanie's gold, so let's keep it that way."

  The car pulled onto the swale in front of my house and shut down, then Myra got out and went to ring the doorbell.

  "Steph,” I said, “Hover above the porch and I'll jump off. Lower me to a spot about three feet behind her and I'll say hello to Miss Myra."

  With a grin, Steph positioned us and I stepped off the deck. Steph's field grabbed me and let me down quietly, then I conversationally said, “Hi, there."

  Myra screeched and backed against the screen door with a hand diving into her purse. Before she could get the pistol out and leveled at me, I field-snatched it from her hand and suspended it above the doorway.

  "It's just me, Myra. You were supposed to call ahead."

  "Jesus, Ed! You scared the hell out of me! I could have s
hot you! Where the hell did you come from?"

  Fielding the gun within her reach, I said, “Steph wouldn't have let you shoot me, ma'am. We just got back and saw you arrive. What's the occasion?"

  The flitter settled into the driveway as Myra took her gun back and said, “I was just ... Who's that?"

  "Her name's Karen. Why are you here tonight, Myra?"

  Myra's eyes returned to me as she put her gun back into her purse.

  "I came to see someone in the area. I was in the neighborhood."

  Through my implant Steph said, “Myra's readings say that's not completely true and she just activated a listening device inside her purse."

  I nodded over my shoulder to Steph as she, Mills, and Tiger approached.

  "Karen, meet Myra. Myra, meet Karen. Now that you're introduced, let's go inside."

  Unlocking the door, I said, “I'm gonna get the Sunday paper off the lawn before someone walks off with it. Go on in, ladies. Drinks are in the fridge. Back in a minute."

  Tiger and Elkor hopped off the flitter and wandered toward the door through the sand and grass of what I laughingly call my front yard, stopping along the way so that Tiger could investigate something.

  Keying my implant as I passed the oaks in my front yard, I said, “Steph, we'll leave Myra's transmitter active. Contact Linda and tell her to think of a reason to call me in about five minutes. Could be we have a golden opportunity, here."

  "What kind of opportunity, Ed?"

  "Maybe Myra can come along and observe Karen's flitter training. Suggest the idea to Linda when you talk to her. I'll play it her way when she calls me."

  "Okay, Ed."

  I picked up the paper and a few bits of trash that had blown into the yard, then headed back to the house by way of the trash cans. Once inside the house, I rinsed my hands and dried them, then made myself a cup of coffee as Myra made herself a whiskey sour and made a gin and tonic for Karen.

  "You don't want a drink?” asked Myra.

  "I'm in a coffee mood,” I said. “Karen and I managed maybe half a beer each on the way here."

  "A beer? Where were you?” She raised an eyebrow at me and asked, “On a date? Do your other ladies know about her?"

  "Other ladies?” asked Karen.

  "Not yet, they don't,” I said, “And it wasn't a date. Steph's teaching her to fly a flitter. Getting here from Carrington was only a third of the trip. Now she has to get us to DC and then back to Carrington. Night training."

  Myra nodded. “I've done it. My dad taught me to fly in our Cessna. Is it about the same in a flitter?"

  I grinned. “Simpler controls. Higher, faster. That's all."

  The front door opened and Tiger and Elkor ambled in, then the door closed behind them as they headed for the living room.

  Steph popped into the kitchen and said, “Linda wants to speak to you, Ed."

  "Thanks, milady. Public or private?"

  By way of an answer she put up a field screen. Linda's face appeared and the screen moved in front of me as I headed for the sofa chair in the living room.

  "Hi, Linda, what's up?"

  Myra followed and gave Karen her drink as she sat down on the couch next to her.

  "Ed,” said Linda, “I just called...” She feigned surprise as she asked, “Is that Myra? What's she doing there?"

  "She was in the neighborhood and dropped by.” With a grin at Myra, I added, “Or so she says."

  Through my implant, Steph said, “Myra just pushed a listening device between the couch cushions. I'm also informing Linda of her action."

  Linda seemed thoughtful for a moment, then said, “I see. Well, as I was about to say, I just called to congratulate Dr. Mills. That was good flying on range six today. She caught on very quickly. Is Dr. Mills available?"

  I shifted the screen so that Linda's view could include Karen as she said, “I'm right here, Ms. Baines. I heard what you said. Thank you."

  "You're welcome. I'm glad you're having such an easy time of it. Many don't. Ed, how high were you during the first leg of the trip?"

  "All the way up, Linda. One hundred miles. Karen's coming along pretty fast."

  Myra felt compelled to touch the field screen. Her fingers passed through it and she pulled her hand back when Linda's eyes followed her hand's motion.

  "Sorry,” she said. “It just looks so real."

  Linda said, “They're real enough or we couldn't use them. Myra, your people want to know about Ed's flitter. I want to get this out of the way and move on. How would you feel about joining them for the remainder of Karen's training? She should be finished by Wednesday."

  "I ... Uh, I'd love to, but I'd have to call in on that."

  "Then do so, please."

  "Now? Tonight?"

  I said, “We leave for DC in a few minutes."

  Myra grabbed her purse and pretended to root through it, then headed for the front door.

  "My cell is still in the car,” she said, “Give me a minute, okay? I may have to argue a little to get a 'go' on this."

  A moment later the door closed behind her. Mills started to say something and I hand-signaled her to silence, then held open an imaginary jacket, pointed to an imaginary pocket, and mouthed the word 'cell'. Mills nodded.

  "Well,” said Linda, “I guess the idea appealed to her."

  "Guess so,” I said. “She ran out to call home fast enough."

  Karen asked, “Why would she have to argue with anyone about going?"

  Linda said, “She won't. That was just an excuse for privacy. Ed, give her a good ride. Max parameters and scare the pants off her. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you lose your shadow named Myra."

  "Well, gee, lady, she's kinda cute and all ... Can't we string her along a little?"

  "Would Selena and Toni go for that, Ed?"

  "Um. No, probably not. Thanks for reminding me, of course."

  "Oh, you're quite welcome, of course. Watch him, Dr. Mills. If you have to slap him, I'll probably be very understanding about it."

  "Thank you, Ms. Baines. Who are Selena and Toni?"

  "Friends of his. Myra's met them. Ask her or Steph. Ed, don't hold back. Myra gets our best flight parameters, and if she wants to take pictures, let her take them anywhere except indoors here at Carrington. Stan can visit in person for that info."

  "Roger that. No indoors."

  The front door opened and Myra came in. She went straight to the couch, took a big gulp of her drink, and said, “I can't believe it. They're letting me go with you."

  "Why the amazement?” I asked. “It's your job, isn't it?"

  She shook her head. “I'm not field qualified anymore. I haven't been outside an office for years. I thought they might try to hand this to someone else."

  Chapter Thirty

  I shrugged as I said, “Myra, there's nobody else here to hand it to and we're about to get underway. They'd have half an hour or so to get someone to our touchdown point in DC, and they could probably do that, but why bother?"

  Turning to face the screen again, I said, “Linda, this may be a waste of time, you know. Brass hats have a tendency to ignore answers they don't want to hear. Why do these guys give a damn about our non-issue flits?"

  Playing along, Linda said, “They'll believe or they won't. If they don't, they can damned well come see me after tonight. They came at you—and thereby us—by devious means, Ed, and I don't like that one damned bit. If you or your friends have any future troubles at all that don't seem absolutely natural in origin, I'll want to know about them instantly."

  She looked to one side and nodded, then said, “Well, the Navy just arrived, so I'll let you people get underway. See you tomorrow, everybody. My office, nine. Myra, check in at the guest quarters when you get here. They'll be expecting you and anything not in your jump kit is available in the morning."

  Karen asked, “Jump kit?"

  "Yeah,” I said. “All good spooks have jump kits. Clothes, toothbrush, ID, money, extra ammo, secret a
gent stuff. They never leave home without it."

  Arching an eyebrow at me, she said rather pointedly, “Myra doesn't seem to have anything with her but her purse."

  "She has a jump kit. They all do."

  When Karen looked at Myra, she received a grinning shrug and a nod and Myra said, “It's in the trunk of my car."

  "Okay then,” I said, “Saddle up, ladies. Tiger, you're on your own. Hold the fort."

  Steph translated, but Tiger had heard it before. He finished answering before she'd finished translating. I patted him, then he trotted into the kitchen.

  As they stood up, Myra looked at Karen and asked, “You're a doctor? Of what?"

  "Medicine,” said Karen with a grin. “The only real kind of doctor there is."

  Myra laughed and said, “One of my brothers would argue that. He's a psychiatrist."

  Karen laughed, too, as they headed for the door with Steph. I grabbed my coffee mug and locked the door behind us, then followed. Myra detoured to her car and came back with a small suitcase.

  As Karen took the pilot's seat, Myra sat down on her left and Stephanie sat on her right. I took a seat to Myra's left and Karen glanced knowingly at me before she spoke.

  "Stephanie,” said Mills, “Would you please take us to the Washington, DC offices of 3rd World products?"

  "Certainly, Dr. Mills,” said Steph, and the flitter launched almost straight up at over six hundred miles per hour, evoking the expected response from Myra.

  As Myra's fingers dug into her seat and her eyes widened in fear, a very small sound came from her that could only be called a keening noise.

  Just above 10,000 feet, Steph again took us hypersonic as we arced even higher on a northerly course that took us cornerwise across Florida and up the US east coast a few miles beyond the shoreline.

  Mills did her best not to react to our flight as Myra did. She rather deliberately forced her fingers to release her seat and placed her hands in her lap.

  With a glance to make sure Myra wasn't looking her direction, Karen took a quiet deep breath and let it out slowly, then leaned forward somewhat to look around Myra at me.

  I grinned at her and sipped my coffee. She managed a return grin and turned to look at Steph, who smiled and nodded slightly.

  Myra was coming out of her terror, and with a quick glance over the side and above, she asked, “How ... Uh ... How high up are we?"