Barb was in her office, slowly twirling in the new chair that Don had provided three days ago. She had never asked for it, but it showed up one morning in her office waiting for her when she had made it in by half past eight. The team didn’t call in a ‘missing person’ with the cops anymore. She had only one call when she missed nine in the morning.
She asked Don about it and he told her that everyone could tell she was working a lot of hours. She asked how, thinking maybe someone was watching for her and his reply surprised her.
“It’s your hair.” Don said.
“My hair?” Barb was confused, “What’s wrong with my hair.”
Don looked to his best analyst, “It’s thinning Barb. You’re so focused on this that you are losing weight and not eating right.”
Barb had left work early that day and promptly went to a hair dresser to give her a cut that would work with her unsatisfactory hair and then went to an Italian restaurant. Because, what the hell? If she was underweight there couldn’t possibly be a better solution to that than the carbs a nice pasta dish would give her.
She had two servings of lasagna that night and almost a complete bottle of wine. She called a taxi, then went home and crashed.
She woke up fuzzy-headed the next morning at half-past six. She stepped on her bathroom scales and resolved to get some exercise later and start eating a little better. She was almost ten pounds down. No wonder everything she wore was so damn loose.
While not a good method of losing weight, it did allow her to indulge in a few treats over the next few days. Hell, even the donuts hadn’t hurt her, apparently.
Now, she stopped twirling her chair in the one direction and spun the other way, circling back again. She had figured that since she couldn’t identify the source of the request for the report, she was going to leave out a few important, key pieces of information.
Like the company’s name, for one. Along with the main characters. Oh, she would leave enough in to make sure that the data showed a large organization with power and influence. But she wasn’t going to give them her complete findings at this time. They wanted a report, they would get a report. It was actually a pretty damning report.
But it would be an incomplete report.
She figured the requestor would have two options. Accept that no one could figure out who was behind the attacks, or ask her to continue. At that time, she was going to beg off and tell them she had done her best work.
Satisfied that she had a good plan, she got to work compiling the relevant research to provide Don. She always kept her data compartmentalized and safe. She loaded information onto a USB drive and pulled her top drawer out. Behind the drawer was enough space for about ten little thumb drives and so far, she had four hidden there. She now added a fifth. For good measure, she made a duplicate and decided to drop it off. She wasn’t sure who she would give it too, yet.
She hoped she could trust somebody. Don would be a natural choice but she had decided not to get him involved. He would feel obligated to protect her, which was nice, but all he would do is get in trouble and she liked him too much for that.
It would be nice, she mused, if she had her own super-secret government agent that was a hundred years’ old who she could trust. But even she rather doubted that particular conclusion in her report.
Because, she thought, what was the chance of that being real?
QBS Polarus, Mediterranean
Frank and Dan were sitting in the meeting room listening to Gabrielle over the speaker, “So, that’s about the end of it. We got out when the machine guns started, left a present or two and we are regrouping. I need a location for that bitch and I want John to join us.”
Dan asked, “No Eric?”
“Could we have him?” She asked.
When Dan shrugged, he realized it wasn’t likely she was going to see that. “I don’t see why not. It’s only going to be for one Op and we can have the Guardians step in if Bethany Anne is going to do something where she needs protection. The biggest piece is making sure she doesn’t come along for the ride.”
Frank grumped, “If you take BA, there goes all the fun.”
“Funny you should say that,” Gabrielle said. “That’s what Darryl says about John.”
Frank asked, “Really?” He reached over for one of his notebooks, “Why is that?”
“Oh no you don’t!” Gabrielle said. “I’m not adding to your stories old man.”
“Says the lady who is…”
“If you want to live to the century mark, I wouldn’t say another word.”
Dan burst out laughing and Frank grinned, “Well, I’m young enough to be your son!”
“Hell” Gabrielle said, “Damn near the whole male population is but about one, two… Well, those guys are dead. Maybe one or two I’m not sure about. Call it five men aren’t young enough to be my sons. But, I can tell you none are.”
Dan was amused. Gabrielle was much more open on this call than she had been before. He wondered just what had happened so far on this assignment.
Frank said, “Ok, no ‘dirt’ on John this time. But I did get Tabitha’s ok to ask you about your trip with her.”
“Fine, that works for me. When you write about me make sure I’m pretty!”
Frank looked over at Dan who silently mouthed, ‘women!’
“I don’t think that is going to be a problem, Gabrielle.” Frank answered.
“See that it isn’t. Anyway, back on topic. When do you think you can get me some idea of where that bitch is?”
Frank answered, “Not sure. The satellites from Team BMW to track Etheric fluctuations have been through testing with Bethany Anne and seem to work ok. TOM’s ship is in the process of moving them to your side of the planet. I’ll do more research on this little special flower of yours to see what I can uncover.”
“Wait! What did you say?” She interrupted.
“I would do more research.” He answered.
“No, I heard that, what did you call her? A special flower?” Gabrielle said.
“Yes, why?” Frank replied.
“That reminds me of my Dad saying something. Is he around?” She asked.
Dan nodded and stood up.
Frank spoke, “Dan is going to go get him. Why do you think ‘Special Flower’ is important?”
“Not sure. I just remember that Stephen would laugh at Michael from time to time because there was a Vampire in Asia who had a name he couldn’t remember or pronounce easily, he never bothered to try and remember her name.”
“It was ‘Sunshine’.” Stephen said as he entered the room ahead of Dan.
“Hi Dad!”
“Hello Gabrielle. I understand that you are peeved with someone?”
“Yeah, a bitch tried to kill my guys and her people called them four letter words.”
“Dicks?” Stephen asked.
“Humans.” Gabrielle said, the smile in her voice coming through the phone.
“Perish the thought!” Stephen replied.
“That was my thinking as well.” Gabrielle asserted.
“Even if it is five letters?” Stephen asked.
“Semantics.” She replied
“Indeed,” Stephen said. Then asked, “Why is Sunshine on your radar?”
“Just trying to remember what her real name is.” She answered.
“It is Kamiko Kana.” Stephen replied.
“Why in the hell is that so hard for Michael to remember?”
“Because she is the daughter of someone he doesn’t want to remember. Michael knows the names; he just prefers not to say so.”
“Are we dealing with yet another one of his mistakes?”
“I don’t know if that is true or not. However, remember that you might have more issues to deal with if they weren’t all dead.”
“Well, actually Richard and Samuel are still alive. I’ll deal with those two later, though.” Her upbeat tone sobered when she mentioned the two Vampires.
Stephen nodded.
He knew the history between the three of them. At one time, they were very close. “Please leave them alive.”
“Why?”
Stephen replied, “Bethany Anne is making requests for Vampire guards at the base in Colorado. Maybe you could let them work their dastardly deeds off?”
“Don’t you go and support their antics!” She growled.
“I merely mentioned that Bethany Anne, your Queen, wants to recruit Vampires, Gabrielle.”
“Fine! But I’m still going to kick their asses.”
“Understood. It that all?”
“Why, is there a hot date for you?”
“No, but I have a conference call with the European Pack Council in five minutes.”
“Sorry, yes that’s it, and thank you.”
“Your welcome.” Stephen said goodbye to Dan and Frank and stepped back out of the conference room.
“So, can I have my men?” She asked.
Dan replied, “Young lady…”
She interrupted Dan, “See! That’s how you get in my good graces, Frank.”
“If you interrupt me again, Gabrielle, I not only won’t send John and Eric, but you will be recalled.” Dan’s voice was firm.
Dan waited a second, but received no additional comments. “Very well. When we have a target, we will plan the op and get you the people.”
“Alright, I understand. If you guys don’t need us, I’ll drop off.” She replied.
“Nope, that works. Talk later.”
They said their good-byes and dropped the line.
---
Two hours later, Frank was still up working, trying to track down anything on this Vampire. Whether it was in his archives from back in D.C. or on the web. His spiders were crawling the dark web, but he didn’t expect to get many hits.
He looked over at his phone and sighed. He reached over, opened up the contacts and then hit Michael’s number.
Michael picked up on the second ring. “Hello Frank.”
Frank answered, “Hello Michael, do you have a minute?”
“If I hadn’t had a minute, I would have allowed your call to go to voicemail. I’m well aware that many are still very hesitant to speak to me. Therefore, I’m sure that whatever is causing you to seek me out, it isn’t to discuss the weather.”
Frank wasn’t sure how to respond to Michael. Everything that Michael had said was very true. He had hesitated to call Michael himself. Out of everyone, it was probably only Bethany Anne who would just pick up the phone and call him.
“Frank?” Michael asked.
“Sorry Michael,” Frank finally responded. “I was just caught off guard by your statement. You know, in all honesty I’ve never thought about how lonely your life must be at times.”
There was a sigh on the phone, “That is probably the biggest issue, Frank. As you age, it is difficult to keep going when friends and loved ones age and pass away.”
Frank made a spur-of-the-moment decision, “Michael, are you doing anything for the next couple of hours?”
“No, why?”
“Because I’m going to come see you.”
This time, is was Michael who was surprised.
It took Frank ten minutes to get Dan’s approval to get a Pod and start on his way to Argentina. At the moment, he felt even more alive than he had in the last couple of years. He was hurtling through space with the world splayed out beneath him. Half in darkness, half in light, it was beautiful. Frank was content, he was paying back a friendship debt he owed Michael for decades.
As the Pod came down in Michael’s backyard, Frank could see the back door open and Tabitha streaking out with Michael sedately following behind her. Tabitha’s smile could just about reach both ears, he thought.
When the Pod touched down, he reached up to unlatch the doors and they opened. Tabitha reached in to help pull him out, “Hey pops!”
Frank looked at the younger woman, “Pops? Who are you calling ‘pops’? I’m a healthy looking young thirties I’ll have you know.”
She waved a hand, “Pshaw! You could pass for an older twenty-something if you would stop wearing clothes that are as awesome as unicorns puking rainbows on the head of baby dragons. And for God’s sake, stop tucking in your shirt!” Tabitha came up and started ripping his tucked in shirt out of his pants. “Nothing says old like a tucked in shirt!”
“Nothing says sexual attack more,” Frank countered, “than a young and attractive woman ripping my clothes off in a backyard at night!”
“In your dreams! It isn’t a sexual attack, call it emergency fashion services.” She stepped back and eyed him, “Oh yeah. Let me take you out on the town, I’ll get you laid.”
Frank was poleaxed! He looked over to Michael who was standing back behind Tabitha. Frank had such a look of ‘help me’, on his face, that it caused Michael to chuckle.
Tabitha patted him on the chest, “Don’t worry, I’m sure your younger body will be thinking about this and I’ll have you taking me up on my offer in no time. Anyway, gotta go!” She stepped around Frank and turned to sit down in the Pod. She looked around in confusion, then asked, “Um, now what?”
Frank turned and realized that Tabitha hadn’t been excited to see him, she must have been able to get permission to go up in a Pod. He smiled, “Buckle in. There is a small pouch if you get sick on the right side. If you mess it up, you clean it up.” He made sure she had the seatbelt on correctly. “Pay attention to the instructions on the screen. Wipe to turn the screen on or off. Use the Mic in the top right to request anything and don’t be out too late!” He showed her how to open and close the doors.
She said “Ok Pops!” at the last second before she closed the door. A couple of seconds later, the Pod smoothly rose up fifteen feet, then rocketed up and disappeared.
Frank was looking where the Pod had disappeared, “That will always be cool.”
Michael walked up and stood next to him, “Would you care for dinner, or just drinks?”
Frank turned and held out his hand, “What kind of wine do you have?”
Michael smiled and shook his hand then turned to walk into the house, “I’m sure some of the best in the world. I’ve not tried to drink too much of Anton’s cellar yet.”
“Well,” Frank said following Michael. “Since it was shit he caused that you and I were cleaning up most of the time, I feel like the little unlamented bastard owes me.”
Michael chuckled as they went in the house.
CHAPTER NINE
TQB Base, Colorado – USA
Marcus was in his office, contentedly working on calculations. His laptop was plugged into two monitors with one of them devoted to his chats with both TOM and ADAM.
He was in scientist heaven.
TKG08 WE WILL BUILD Rel 01 Page 11