Targeting the Telomeres, A Thriller

by R. N. Shapiro

  “Let’s use the lobby computer instead.”

  “Fine. How are you planning on getting back out?”

  “Same way we got in.”

  “That sounds too easy.”

  They both take a sip of their drinks. Liza lays straight back from the concrete stool and submerges her torso and head in the pool to cool off. As she sits back up and wrings out her hair, Ryan watches and hopes for another encounter with her later.

  “A toast.” He holds his plastic cup toward her.

  “To the Chinese version of capitalism,” she responds, pressing her drink to his and leaning in for a deep kiss.

  Chapter 74

  Doppelganger

  Heather Lasting’s daily existence mainly consisted of competently handling her administrative assistant job at a Manhattan bond trading firm, dealing with type-A traders, without going off the deep end. But her daily routine was turned upside-down about a month after the Hemispheres crash. With Amanda Michaels’ photo splashed over the cover of so many magazines and newspapers, it wasn’t long before the similarities between her and the famous survivor started being noticed. It began when Heather hit a nightclub with her friends and the bouncers and other patrons mistook her for Amanda.

  “Ms. Michaels, thanks for coming. Folks, let her and her friends through. Right this way, please.”

  When she and her two girlfriends left an hour later, there were several paparazzi snapping photos as they walked down the sidewalk. The pictures were published online the next morning and in the New York Gazette, the first of several Amanda Michaels sightings in Manhattan. But a week or so later the truth came out: it was Heather Lasting, Amanda’s doppelgänger.

  At Sunset Cafe, where Heather and her co-workers sometimes headed for lunch, patrons would lean in and provide encouragement.

  “I believe in you, Amanda."

  “So glad you bounced back.”

  “I love your charity page on Facebook.”

  A graduate of NYU, Heather was three years older than Amanda, but that never mattered, the resemblance was uncanny. Heather kept her hair in the same style as Amanda’s because, why not? May as well enjoy her few minutes of fame.

  David suggested a Doppelgänger rendezvous for charity. They could appear together on one of the local talk shows in DC. The idea started to grow on her. David mentioned the plan to Solarez, who was concerned about Amanda’s security, but didn’t say “no.” He told David as long as he was provided all the details no less than seven days in advance, he would make sure Amanda was safe.

  However, all of this negotiating had taken place before Ron Michaels vanished. And in light of that, Solarez wanted to veto what he had previously approved. He called Andy Michaels and asked him to break the news to Amanda, but Andy was having none of it.

  “This is a big fundraiser for Broken Halo. We’ve spent all the promotional money, or nearly all of it. There’s no evidence that Amanda’s at risk. You’re having her tailed 24/7, right?”

  “Right, but in light of your brother’s disappearance, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  Confident he had inside information about Ron that Solarez didn’t, Andy again refused to tell Amanda or cancel the fundraiser. Ultimately, Solarez caved. He increased Amanda’s detail from two to four agents and told them to escort Amanda to the TV studio, the Washingtonian Hotel, and back to Crossroads.

  Naturally, the production staff of Daytime DC knew this was a prime opportunity to get picked up by network news, so their staff reached out to Heather and offered to pay for her flight to Washington, where she and Amanda would appear on their local afternoon talk show. Amanda also wanted Heather to appear with her that night at a fundraising dance to benefit her Broken Halo rehab facility and Healing Heroes, the charity that had featured her at their annual Kennedy Center event the first year after the crash.

  The producers asked Amanda and Heather to wear matching black skirts, white blouses, and black pumps. The network would provide hair, makeup, and matching purses from a local boutique to make the women look as much alike as possible.

  Amanda publicized the fundraising party through social media on the charity FB page, Instagram, and word spread, including to everyone who currently attended or recently graduated from Middleburg Academy. With social media and the students alone, the party tickets sold out days before the show even aired, and including charitable sponsorships, donations were expected to hit $75,000.00.

  Amanda texted Heather in advance and offered to pay for her hotel room for the weekend so she could enjoy the party and do some sightseeing. Heather graciously accepted and decided she would fly in early Friday morning before their appearance that afternoon and fly back to New York on Sunday. Heather was both excited and anxious about meeting Amanda before the show.

  While Amanda knew many MA alumni were attending, she had no idea that Jonathan and Amber would attend, much less Charlyne, Iris, and several other high school friends, until David told her it was going to be like a high school reunion when they talked on the phone the day before the event.

  After the countdown from the production assistant, Amanda and Heather walk hand-in-hand onto the stage and stand in front of the couches beside the show’s host, Rachel McKnight.

  "Okay ladies and gentlemen, all of you who think the young lady on your left is Amanda Michaels, please raise your hands.”

  About half of the 100 or so studio audience hands go up.

  "I assume the rest of you think the young lady on the right is the real Amanda Michaels?" Heads nod and hands raise in the audience as the TV camera pans across the studio. The host asks Heather and Amanda to walk off the stage and come back. She repeats the exercise and the audience is split 50/50 again. The real Amanda Michaels is revealed, and the conversation between the three women on the stage becomes fun and spontaneous. Heather tells her funniest stories of mistaken identity in Manhattan and sheepishly admits she enjoys “being Amanda.”

  "I think we’re sisters from different mothers!" Amanda says.

  “I can’t imagine what she went through, with the crash and all,” Heather admits, “but I told Amanda I'd like to try being her now for a few days to see if I could pull it off."

  “You could easily be me, Heather, but I couldn’t fake being a bond trading assistant, even for five minutes,” Amanda laughs.

  McKnight then adopts a more serious visage. “I need to ask you about your memory, Amanda. Has any of it returned from before the crash?”

  “Unfortunately no, although I’m continuing to work with a professional.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that. One more thing, I read an article online recently by Lorainne Townley of the Washington Inquisitor. It seems to be getting a lot of buzz right now, and it suggests that—”

  “That I have magical powers? Or does this one that say I’m an alien?” Amanda finishes her question, and loud laughter from the live audience erupts.

  “Did you receive any experimental treatments from your late father, as Lorainne suggests in her article?” McKnight looks down at some notes on her desk, lifts the notes up to be accurate. “She says her sources claim he gave you experimental treatments for your cell telomeres, and that it may delay the natural aging processes.”

  Amanda laughs, but inside she’s ready to explode. How could this information have gotten in the hands of a reporter? “Rachel, I told you I don’t have any memory from before the crash and I don’t know anything about any kind of treatment on my cells, but, really, I wouldn’t mind staying right here in my 20’s.””

  Amanda, Heather and Rachel all laugh and gesticulate together.

  “Stay right there, we’ll be back after these messages.” McKnight tells the television audience before the live cameras cut away.

  For the charity event in Georgetown, Amanda and Heather agree to remain dressed alike for the first hour so visitors can have photos taken with them for a fee, which will raise money for Healing Heroes. They both plan to change for the rest of the festivities. The
party will feature a popular DJ known for providing solid dance music.

  “Heather, I want to prank some of the staff at Broken Halo. Would you help me pull it off?” Amanda asks her before they leave the TV studio.

  “How so?”

  “I’ll have a limo service waiting at the hotel to take me back to Crossroads on Saturday morning. What if you—”

  “Get in the limo instead and see how long I can keep people fooled?”

  “Yes! I’ll show up an hour or so later at the farm and you can head back to D.C. after we punk the staff.”

  “That’ll be fun! When do you want me to head out in the morning?”

  “Let’s say about 11:00. We’ll wanna sleep in before we head back. I’ll buzz your room and have the limo service all arranged. Not a word to anyone, got it?”

  “Not a word.”

  Amanda never mentions the “limo service” is being provided by four FBI agents.

  Chapter 75

  Just Dance

  With the photo shoots over, both Heather and Amanda stand in front of the mirror in Amanda's hotel room on the ninth floor, high above the ballroom where the dance has started. While Amanda touches up her makeup, Heather pulls a piece of candy out of her bag.

  "Wanna gummy bear?"

  "No thanks, I'm not into candy."

  "You sure? My friend gave me a bunch of them. They’re pot gummy bears."

  "I've never had one before. Is it strong?”

  "Nah, not if you just do one. C’mon, it’ll be fun.” Heather pops a raspberry one into her mouth, then unwraps the other and hands it to Amanda, who stares at it.

  "I'm not sure…"

  Heather doesn't press her, she just reaches inside her little bag for her mascara and starts touching up her makeup. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Amanda pop the edible in her mouth.

  "You won't notice it for at least a half hour, maybe an hour.”

  "I may need it by then. My old boyfriend from high school is going to be here with his new girlfriend, who we both graduated with.”

  "That sounds awkward."

  "Everybody says Jonathan and I were inseparable before the crash, but I don't remember any of it. Can you imagine having no memory of a guy you were once joined at the hip with?"

  "I've only had one or two binges where I don't remember what happened. I can't imagine losing all of my memories. Who's the girl he's with now?"

  "One of my teammates from soccer. She made her move on him after everything happened, which at the time didn’t bother me since I didn’t have any feelings for him. But we hooked up again not too long ago.”

  “No way. Didn’t you feel bad, I mean for the other girl?”

  “Not really,” Amanda says, applying some lip liner. “I mean, he was mine before he was hers."

  Heather sprays a little perfume as Amanda notices a text on her cell phone.

  When are you guys coming? This place is packed.

  It's from David. He sends another one before she can respond.

  Half of our class is here, including Jonathan and Amber. Hurry up!

  Amanda texts him back.

  Be down in 5.

  "That was David, another friend from high school. He was one of Jonathan's best friends and he just told me Jonathan's here."

  Heather has music playing through her phone. A few songs are by the Chainsmokers, up-tempo electro pop. She starts dancing and Amanda joins her. Then Heather stops and takes a few sips from her wine glass.

  "Thank you so much for inviting me to do this, I’m really having a good time."

  "I'm glad you came down. It’s been fun for me too, and it’s helped me take my mind off some stuff that’s been going on."

  "Like what?”

  "I feel like I can trust you. I have a baby brother who’s been kidnapped, and I have no idea where he is.”

  "Oh my God! Kidnapped?"

  “I just found out a few days ago. I can’t tell you anything else.”

  “The cops are trying to find him, right? Why didn’t you cancel this?"

  "The FBI, they’re looking for him. But no, I would never cancel, and I can’t let on anything happened either. Please, you can't breathe a word about this to anyone, not even that I have a baby brother. Let's go down and dance. Are you ready?"

  “You poor thing. How can you even think about partying?”

  “It’s keeping me from obsessing about finding him, for a few hours anyway.”

  Amanda drinks the rest of her wine and puts the glass down on the dresser near the TV. A minute later, they're getting off the elevator on the ballroom level.

  Together they enter the ballroom, passing the table where the ticket-takers sit. Two attractive women in their 20s smile at them as they pass, and a photographer at the door snaps another picture of them. Once inside, Amanda sees David talking to Adam and Taylor, two other guys who graduated in Amanda’s class. They greet Amanda and she introduces them to Heather.

  "Here's my twin sister, Heather. She came down from New York," Amanda shouts as the DJ’s sound system pumps out the bass.

  Taylor says, "Yeah, we saw you two before when everyone was taking pictures. Nice to meet you, Heather."

  Amanda scans the throng of attendees until she spies Jonathan standing on the edge of the dance floor. She figures the blonde next to him with her back to her must be Amber. At that moment, Jonathan sees her too, so she turns back toward David and the other guys. The music pulsates and the lights on the stage project blue and red shades across the room.

  "Don't Let Me Down" by the Chainsmokers and Daya begins playing and Amanda grabs Heather's hand and starts dragging her toward the dance floor.

  "Don't ya know, I'm losing my mind about now!" Amanda yells at her, feeling the pot kicking in.

  "You're just playing, right?"

  "Of course! It's just a line in the song.”

  As they dance, David joins them with Adam and Taylor. The entire room is a sea of bodies moving in hypnotic motion to the song, and the vibration of the bass pulses through Amanda's body like seismic waves. When the song ends, the DJ kicks right into Calvin Harris’ "This Is What You Came For.”

  Across the room, Amanda sees her uncle and his girlfriend standing at a high-top table not far from the packed dance floor. She breaks away from the group and makes a beeline in their direction. Becca sees her and walks toward her with open arms.

  "What a great dress, you look fantastic!" They embrace.

  "Thanks so much Becca. I’m glad you're here."

  Uncle Andy stands and hugs her. She notices her other uncle and aunt, the Simons, as well.

  “Aunt Barb! Haven’t seen you in so long.”

  They hug briefly. Amanda still bristles when she remembers Aunt Barb is the one who signed the papers that landed her in the psych ward after Kent’s death.

  Amanda doubles up on the B.S. as she shakes her uncle’s hand, “Uncle Steve, missed you too.”

  "This is quite the fundraising event, what a great idea. I saw Heather a little earlier, you guys truly are twins!" Uncle Steve says.

  “She's so much fun, I've enjoyed getting to know her."

  Amanda notices David, Jonathan, Amber, and Charlyne all chatting and having a drink together.

  She pulls Andy aside for a moment, “I need to tell you something. It’s pretty important.”

  “Okay, go ahead.”

  “I may have a lead on getting Justin back.”

  Amanda only has the detailed plan from Ryan, not an actual lead, but it could result in them locating Justin. And it’s a good way to clue her uncle in so hopefully he won’t be completely shocked if she disappears for a few days.

  “Tell me more.”

  “Not a lot to tell yet, just a lead.”

  “Did you call Solarez?”

  “No, not yet. Hey, I gotta go talk to some of my old school friends."

  “Sure, keep me posted as you get more info.”

  Amanda heads for ex-classmates.

  "Charlyne,
I'm so glad you're here. Amber, nice to see you," Amanda lies. "Hi Jonathan.”

  She gives him a partial hug, knowing Amber is watching her carefully. They all engage in conversation about the charity and how everyone has been doing over the summer. Amanda whispers with Charlyne for a minute or two. She’s feeling mischievous and leans over to ask Jonathan if he would like to dance. He takes a quick look over at Amber, who is talking to Charlyne, before they head to the dance floor, where Jonathan wedges his way into the middle, holding Amanda’s hand to guide her.

  Amanda wonders how long it will take Amber to figure out they are on the dance floor together. She and Jonathan begin dancing, and she sees Heather not far away, dancing with both Adam and Taylor. She looks back at Jonathan, whose stare sears through her, making her body tingle. Impulsively, Amanda kisses him, and he instinctively encircles her in his arms, both knowing many of their friends have seen this PDA. They put a little distance between themselves and continue dancing.

  Almost immediately, Amber appears between them and faces Amanda.

  "A mind is a terrible thing to waste, unless it's yours, bitch," Amber sneers, just loud enough for Amanda to hear, then turns back to dance with Jonathan as if nothing had happened.

  Amanda decides to find Heather and get back to being happy. As they laugh and dance, one song segues into another and they lose track of time.

  At about 11:15 p.m., Amanda says goodbye to David, Uncle Andy, Becca, and everyone else she sees in the immediate area, explaining she is totally exhausted and going to head to her room. She finds Heather before she heads to the elevators.

  “Remember, be ready at 11:00 tomorrow morning to head to Crossroads. I’ll show up shortly after you do.”