As with Professor Bierce, Maynard’s research was his life. Although needless to say, he and Professor Bierce didn’t share the same views, as the Professor was of the notion that Maynard’s fundamental views bordered on unethical ideal’s. Although to look at him would never give that away. Generally speaking, Maynard looked like a man of good character, if one were to judge him by the way he carried himself, or by way of looks. A bit stately in his speech and manner, he was bald, standing about medium height, and wore a goatee. And except for a scar beneath his left eye due to an accident while conducting an experiment, he had unusually good skin. For the most part his face usually wore a pleasant expression, with a straight nose, and well defined jawline, and deep chocolate brown eyes that gleamed with intelligence. Although depending on his mood, that gleam could turn cold. And there was something in his voice, though not to deep, that carried a sinister tone to it at times. All in all, Joseph Maynard bore a handsome face. And to look at him, he was not a man one would imagine to border on devious, and unethical ideals.
5
The phone call
After driving a good distance Dale turned into an ally, and parked behind a row of older buildings before making a phone call.
“Put it in the glove,” Dale said, as Ronda held the gun loosely in her hands. Relieved that she didn’t have to use it she opened the glove compartment, and carefully placed the gun inside, and sat quietly as Dale grabbed his phone from his pocket and dialed. He waited.
“Hancock memorial, how may I direct your call?”
“Nurses station, 5th floor please” he said abruptly.
“Your name please?”
“Bierce .”
“Thank you Mr. Bierce, one moment while I transfer your call.”
After two short rings someone picked up.
“Mr. Bierce!”
Recognizing the voice belonging to nurse Jones, the desk nurse, he asked,
“How is my father?”
“As well as can be expected. His recovery has been slow, but he’s getting there, considering the severity of his illness when he arrived. You should know he’s been complaining of dizzy spells. Although there’s nothing in his medical record to indicate something’s wrong, but not to worry, it’s not uncommon. But to be sure, Dr. Philips is running a few tests to try and determine the cause. We’re waiting for the results from the lab.
“Thank’s for informing me.“ Dale replied patiently, yet anxious to talk to the Professor.
“By the way Mr. Bierce, I’m sorry to hear what happened. How frightening. Thank goodness no body from “Raai labs” was killed or seriously injured”
“Yes.” Dale said, relieved to hear it. “It’s been a very trying experience”
“If your hoping to speak to your father by the way, you should know he was given a sedative earlier.
“And why would he need to be sedated?”
“Well you see Mr. Bierce when the police left him after questioning, he grabbed his cloths, and headed towards the elevator ready to leave. The nurses tried to redirect him to to his room, but he went into a frenzy insisting that he was needed at “Raai labs.”
“That doesn’t sound like him at all.”
“Oh no, I should say not. We were all stunned. He was absolutely livid. Of course I suppose under the circumstances it’s understandable. And his medication may have had some influence of course. Anyway, Dr. Philip’s had to administer a sedative before he could reason with him, and assure him that as soon as we hear from you we’d let him know. He’ll be so relieved to know you’re okay.”
“Is he able to talk?” Dale asked.
“Well he’s sleeping at the moment, but if it’s urgent I can have his aid wake him up.”
“Yes, will you do that.”
“Well of course Mr. Bierce. I do hope everything is okay.”
“Yes everything’s fine, it’s just that I’ll be very busy for the next few day’s, and I don’t know how soon I’ll be able to talk to him again.”
“Of course,” she said, “what with all that’s happened. Now if you’ll hold, an aid will be with him shortly to assist him with the call.”
The aid continued pressing the button on the remote as the bed raised slowly, to a forty five degree angle.
“That’s fine Carla thank you.” Professor Bierce said, as the aid then placed the remote at his side. When the phone rang she picked up, and handed him the receiver before stepping out
“Dale?” He said anxiously, his voice low.
“Yes father,” Dale began, “listen, I’ve just learned Maynard’s aware of the data chip. And it seems Cummings is under the impression that you’ve agreed to hand it over to him.”
“Listen to me Dale, I know what’s going on” Professor Bierce said. His eyelids heavy, and still groggy from the sedative. “Dale, you must listen to me.” he stammered. “You don’t have much time before Maynard has his men searching for you. They may even be doing so as we speak.” he said, slowly. “Did Ronda make it out okay?”
“Yes, she’s fine.” Dale replied.
“You need to find her. Go to her apartment. I don’t know how your going to convince her, but you have to get her out of the city.”
“She’s with me now. We were together when it all started, along with Cummings.
“Take her to the beach house son. You must go to the beach house, do you understand? Don’t let them find her, whatever happens Dale, you must keep her from Maynard.” Professor Bierce said, as he tried to sit up straight. “Cummings! He got away then?”
“Yes, as far as I know.” Dale replied quickly, and confused. “I don’t understand father, what does Maynard want with Ronda? She has nothing to do with the data chip.” Hearing her name, Ronda listened as she tried to make out what was being said on the other line.
“You have to tell me whats going on.” Dale insisted.
“There’s no time to explain now Dale,” the professor said abruptly, “you must leave as soon as possible. There’ll be someone to meet you, when you get there.” he said, feeling himself grow tired, and his breath short.
“Listen Dale, watch out for Cummings, he can’t be tr—” stopping short, he began coughing, unable to catch his breath. Returning to the room, the aid took the receiver.
“I’m sorry sir, but your father’s exhausted, and he’s becoming distressed. I’m afraid I’ll have to end the call.
“Let him know I’ll be in touch.” Dale said before putting the phone down. He sat quietly for a moment, thinking.
Ronda looked at Dale, somehow knowing their next move.
“Where are we going?” she asked curiously, knowing it wasn’t home.
“According to my father, someplace where you’ll be safe.”
“What?” she exclaimed, “As much as I appreciate the gesture of protection, I believe the concern is better aimed towards you, and your father. After all, Maynard isn’t after me. Now if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you’ll just drop me off at my apartment now before you go on your way. And don’t worry my lips are sealed. As far as anyone’s concerned the last time I saw you was around lunchtime, just before everything took place. And I’ve never heard of the data chip, or Maynard for that matter.”
“Look,” Dale said, “I’ve thought about it. And he may be on to something. You know “Raai Labs,” like the back of your hand, next to Cummings. In my book, you’d be a candidate for knowing where they can locate what they’re after. And though you may very well know nothing, it seems my father is concerned for your safety, and he’s only taking precautions to ensure your not harmed by Maynard, and his thugs.” Again, she remembered the promise Professor Bierce made to her father, and tried to understand his concern.
“We won’t have to worry about anyone finding us there. The beach house is secluded and unoccupied. It has been for years.”
It didn’t take a second for Ronda to figure out the beach house, wherever it may be, is where she was headed.
6
The ride (reminiscing)
To Ronda’s bewilderment as the day unfolded, it proved to be anything but boring. As everything that happened so far seemed totally out of her control. And she hated the feeling of not having control, especially when it came to her own life. It was quiet for a good twenty minutes or so into the drive till Ronda spoke.
“So who owns this beach house?”
“It’s my fathers house.” he replied.
“The Professor? A vacation home I assume?”
“At one time, yes, but we haven’t really been to the beach house in years.”
“I suppose as busy as you are where would you find the time. Of course if I owned a house on the beach, I think I’d make it a point to spend as much time there as I could, just to get away from the city.
“It’s a long story.”
“Apparently I suddenly have some extra time on my hands. I’m all ears if your willing to share.” She said, looking for a distraction from what was happening.
“Well you see, he had the house built when my brother Jimmy, and I were boys”
“Your brother, I didn’t realize you had a brother. This is the first time I’ve heard any mention of him. I don’t believe I’ve ever even heard your father speak of him.”
“Yes, well, that would make sense, since he’s been dead for about twenty five years now.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I just— I just naturally assumed he was living.”
“Don’t apologize Ronda, of course you couldn’t have known.”
“He died very young.” she said.
“Yes he did. It was due to an accident.”
“I’m truly sorry to hear that.”
“Well,” Dale continued, “we’d spend summers there at the beach house, or when mother decided father had been working to many long hours and days on his research and needed a break. Well not unlike a lot children, we didn’t always listen to our parents when they told us not to do something. In fact Jimmy more often than not, managed to do the opposite of what he was told. Obviously a rebel. And he, being older than I by two years, I looked up to him and would follow suit. For instance we were told to stay away from the cliffs, and we’d go anyway. We’d run out and see what creepy crawly things we could find under the rock’s or buried in the sand, and we’d collect anything that washed ashore. Of course we’d end up tossing most of it aside or throwing it back into the water.”
“Never found anything worth keeping?”
“Sure we did. We had buckets full. One summer we even found an injured seagull. She was just sitting on the rocks. She didn’t budge. So Jimmy scooped her up in the net, and wrapped her in a towel, and we took her home to father.”
Ronda smiled, and found it difficult to envision Dale Bierce a young boy, as she tried to focus on what he was saying to avoid thinking about the day, and the fact that rather than going home to her apartment, she was on her way to a beach house miles away, running from a man she had never heard of until today. And all over something she knew nothing about
“…after Jimmy and I begged and pleaded he caved and said we could keep her and care for her till she was better. Then we’d have to let her go.”
“What happened?”
Well, we were actually very prudent in our care for her. And regardless of the fact that she was female, according to father anyway, for some reason, we named her spike. Needless to say we became quite attached to spike. So much so that when she was better, and we had to give her up and let her go, we refused. It took mom convincing father that the responsibility of a pet would be good for us, that we got to keep her. But of course, when it was time to return to the city, well — something inside of us knew she had to be free— so that’s what we did. We set her free, and watched as she flew away.
“Obviously the best thing to do,” Ronda said, “I don’t think she would have felt free, otherwise.”
“Well it was the following summer, one particular day when we were told to stay out of the water or the ocean would take us away and we’d turn into fish. My parents way of scaring us just enough that we’d take heed. Of course we knew they only wanted us to be careful or we’d get hurt. Well as it turned out, the morning started out great. But by mid morning the air became cold and the sky overcast as it did some days unexpectedly, even in the summer. So we did what we’d usually do on days like that. We’d stay in and read comics, or watch T.v. which became pretty boring after a while. And of course father was too busy to engage us in games, or help us erect a tower with a building set. So being the little rebel that he was —well, I can still hear Jimmy say, “I can watch out for myself.” Dale mimicked in an indignant tone.” Ronda smiled.
“So we put on our rain gear, and while mother napped and father was in the middle of one of his long phone conversations with someone from the lab, we walked out to the farthest cliffs some ways from the house. Farther than we’d gone before. We managed to find the path that led down to the bottom, and when we made it, I remember wanting to turn back and go home. But of course Jimmy wanted to hang around the water and see what he could find washed ashore from the ocean. Well to make a long story short, the rip took him into the ocean that day.”
Ronda gasped quietly, as her hand flung over her mouth.
“The water was cold and icy, and naturally there was no way he could swim his way back against the currents.”
What did you do?”
“I sat there on the cold rocks calling to him. All I could do was sit there. I couldn’t even run for help, or cry. I just kept hoping that he would pop his head up out of the water any minute, and swim back so we could go home.”
“You were in shock.”
“Yes.” Dale said. “I remember it became very cold, and the wind got slightly stronger and it began to rain heavily. And I don’t remember it happening of course, but I passed out on the rocks, where a search party found me late that evening. Needless to say they didn’t find Jim. His fate was sealed the moment his feet touched the water that morning. They found his body washed ashore the following day.”
“So tragic” Ronda said, in a low solemn tone, tears welling up in her eyes. Silently she wondered how Dale managed to show no emotion when he spoke of it.
“Mother cried for days. It was after his death that she refused to ever set foot in the beach house again. She was never the same after Jim’s death. She went into a deep depression for a while, and over time she just learned how to live with the pain a mother endures when she loses a child I suppose. She passed away two years later of throat cancer. My father and I were at her side when she passed. I don’t recall much about it. But I do remember her last words.”
“What were they?” Ronda asked curiously.
“Watch out for Jimmy, you know he never listens.” Dale turned his head away and stared out the window, as Ronda thought she saw tears in his eyes.
“Please, go on.”
“Well, there’s not much more to say really. Except she was an incredible women. Before Jimmy died she would say of all the places she’s been the one place she loved the most was the beach house. She said it was a sanctuary, “It’s the most peaceful place in the world.” she’d say. I believe she was her happiest when we had that time together, the three of us.”
Ronda watched him silently as he spoke, and thought how his words must have been true for him also. “Although children don’t always recognize a happy time when they’re in it. In fact that’s true for adults too.” she thought. “People don’t generally think about happiness till they’re aware that they’re not.” she thought, as her mind wandered.
“Do you go there at all anymore?”
“No, I’ve never had any reason to return there. But hey, if she loved it, I’m sure you won’t find it such a bad place to hide out.” Suddenly, he was sorry he had said that, not wanting to bring her attention back to Maynard. It became quiet again.
Close to a hundred and fifty miles, to the beach house along the Atlantic ocean. It was a long enough drive from t
he city and for the meantime, Ronda was glad to pass the time learning more than what little she had known about her Boss. While Dale drove, and carefully watched the rear view mirror from time to time for anything suspicious, she thought about what he had told her. “How strange,” she thought, “working so close to someone and not knowing the least thing about them.” Realising neither of them have ever spoken about themselves and their personal lives. As her mind wandered she thought back on her day and how it began. As usual, there was nothing out of the ordinary, except for Mr. Cummings of course. Again she tried to remember, where she had seen him before today. She was certain she knew him from somewhere. She thought hard, and suddenly it became clearer, and she remembered.
“The lobby!” she thought to herself. When she was leaving to go home about a week ago. She remembered how he seemed particularly nervous then too. She remembered waiting for a cab and when she pushed the large glass door open to see if it had arrived, and she stepped back in, she turned and glanced a look at a man standing near the exit that leads to the garage. She was under the impression that he was waiting for someone. “Could he have been waiting for me?” she wondered. She shuddered at the thought. “And he knew my name. How did he know my name?” She asked herself. Suddenly she remembered the underground parking lot to her apartment building. He was standing in front of a red car. “It was him,” she said to herself, “I’m sure of it, and the fact that he was wearing a bow tie is a dead give away.” Suddenly, the overwhelming feeling of being stalked washed over her. “Why?” she asked herself. “What could he want with me?” She looked at Dale, his hand quietly tapped the steering wheel as he continued to carefully watch the mirror’s.
“Who is this Mr. Cummings” she asked.
Dale turned towards her quickly for a second, and back at the road again,
“My fathers business lawyer.” he replied.
“Then I wouldn’t be wrong in assuming he’s visited “Raai labs” many times before.” she asked.
Ronda Page 4