“It’s not much of a story.” Looking at Fergus’ “broken” arm Clyde said, “But maybe you should sit down,” He gestured to the long wrap around sofa and gently helped Fergus get settled with his “injury”. After Fergus sat down, and theatrically winced a bit as he adjusted his broken arm, Clyde reached over and pulled a lever that popped up a leg rest for his feet.
Easing back into the soft leather cushions Fergus sighed, “Thank you. That’s really quite nice. Ummm, perhaps there’s a little something to drink over there in the corner?”
Clyde lumbered over and got several bottles of cold water out of the fridge behind the bar and brought them back for the group. He placed them on the table in front of the sectional and handed the last one to Fergus.
“Again, my weary thanks,” said Fergus. “Er, possibly a little nibble by any chance?”
Returning to the work area behind the bar after knocking over the end barstool Clyde popped a few snacks in the micro and waited for the bell to ding. Tressa held her breath as he brought a tray of mini pizzas toward the table. He managed to navigate the short distance without veering off course into the wall and set them gently down where anyone could reach them.
“Okay. Ready?” He asked. The trio nodded. Looking at Tressa he went on, “You know we got blown up, right?” She tilted her head at him and frowned. “Hey, I wasn’t sure if you knew. You got bonked pretty hard, I think. Anyway, after we got blown up Mason here pulled some junk off me and I saw a bunch of the security guys coming toward us. I figured that if I led them away it might give you a chance to get away from Colonel Zeigler.”
“Zimmer,” said Mason. “Colonel Zimmer.” He plucked his third mini pizza off the tray and picked up his second bottle of water.
“Yeah. That’s what I meant. I ran as fast as I could without leaving them behind but not letting them catch me either. Eventually they gave up, but I thought by then you three had plenty of time to get away. After that I had to dodge a few security patrols. I wasn’t sure if they had my description or not so I hid my face. I figured if they were looking for a guy with blue eyes and I didn’t look directly at anybody I might get away with it. And I did.”
Tressa could tell that Fergus was getting ready to explain to Clyde the more obvious description the Colonel’s security teams were probably using so she spoke up, “Forget it, Fergus. You won’t make any progress.”
Clyde continued, “I pretty much knew my best bet was to get back here and that’s what I did. Since then I’ve been hanging out and waiting on you guys to come get on an Elevator.”
Tressa asked, “What is this place?”
Clyde replied, “This is the relaxation and recreation area for the Cleaniks.”
Before he could go on Mason interrupted him, “What about the break room we passed getting here? And who are the Cleaniks?”
Clyde smiled, “You passed a decoy room on the way in. That’s for regular people to see. It keeps them from digging too deep into what the Cleaniks are holding on to. Not many people know this but there is a silent fraternity around the world of all the people who clean buildings. No one pays any attention to who buffs the floor, or who washes the handrails or who takes out the trash, but it all happens. Those people refer to themselves as the Cleaniks and they have several small, unmistakable signals they give off and if you’re friendly with them and learn the signals you can get into places like this.”
“But how did all this get here? I mean all this? In Alaska?”
“You saw all the boxes and crates out there on the loading dock, right? Sometimes a label falls off or the box is damaged. Sometimes the person who orders something changes their mind and returns it. Maybe a person thinks something is broke and throws it out. Sooner or later all those things end up in the “trash”. Guess where it goes from there? The Cleaniks get it. All the good stuff ends up in places like this. Every city, every town and every large building has one. This Elevator Station has been here over 300 years. This is just the stuff they left in this building. There are two complete bedrooms just down the hall. I’ve been sleeping in a four poster canopy bed for the past week. Almost every door you’ve passed in your life that’s marked ‘Janitor Only’ has a room like this somewhere behind it.”
Tressa noticed that Fergus had fallen asleep and his mini pizza had gone unattended long enough that Mason felt comfortable lifting it out of his open hand and finishing it off.
Clyde got up and took aim at one of the pool balls. “The security around here has been crazy. They’re checking everyone closely and have videos of all four of us from some security cameras at the power plant. I didn’t know how fat I looked from behind in that wedding gown. I guess it was a good thing you made me get rid of it.”
The room was quiet for a minute as they all considered their situation. Mason asked a question that he and Tressa and Fergus had been discussing for the past week. “Why would Zimmer be going around blowing up the power plants? He’s making money by working for Perpetual Power, why put them out of business?”
“I think I may have figured that out,” said Tressa. Poking him awake, she said, “Fergus, you told us that several people at the party were on the Board of Directors for Perpetual. I think the Colonel was hoping to have them be killed in the blast and try to get the position of Chairman of the Board for himself after their deaths.”
“That is quite a sound reasoning, Tressa,” Fergus said with a twinkle in his eye. “I think you may have hit on it exactly.”
“But why blow up the other plants?” Clyde wondered aloud.
“If he is in charge of the Board of Directors and he controls the source of the power for recharging the power cubes wouldn’t it make sense that he would want to cut down the supply of power so he can raise the price?” Tressa suggested.
Mason followed her thinking and added, “He would also make it harder for someone to take his place if he only has one or two power plants to secure.”
“That’s right,” said Tressa. “I think that’s exactly what he’s up to.”
“Well, how are we going to get on an Elevator then?” said Mason. “We can’t just wait here forever. The Colonel is probably already planning his next move. How can we leave with the power plant destroyed?”
Clyde cleared his throat, “The Space Elevators as well as the rest of Nome was switched over to rechargeable power cubes right after the explosion. And as far as getting out of here, well, I worked out that part a week ago. The Cleaniks are willing to help us.”
Chapter 18
The little band of fugitives found themselves loaded tightly into a wooden container and ready to be carted onto Space Elevator 2 for a jump to Munich. The Alaskan Cleaniks had put together an impressive travelling container for them. On the outside the crate looked like a waist high, 15 foot long box that was labeled ‘Coffee Beans – Product of Rio Branca, Brasilia’ in large block lettering. Below that stencil another one read ‘This End Up’ with an arrow and ‘Do Not Stack’. There was also a strange mark that reminded Tressa of a blended question mark and an ‘equal’ sign. Clyde had told her quietly that was a design the Cleaniks in Munich would recognize. They’d be pulled aside into a quiet place to unload.
The box was cleverly made with plenty of soft cushioning for them to sit or lie down on. They could all sit upright, except for Clyde who had claimed one entire side for himself. There was even a false top with a layer of thin bags of coffee beans in the event someone decided to investigate. One lower front corner had a hidden compartment with a supply of loose beans and it was designed to drop a few of them several times an hour to complete the illusion of a box stuffed full of coffee beans.
Inside it was a little stuffy but a silent electric fan drew in fresh air from some hidden vents. Tressa enjoyed the wonderful smell of the coffee beans and wished the drink tasted as good as the beans smelled. She was also glad they all had eaten a large breakfast otherwise the delicious aroma might have made her famished.
The previous night Clyde had
introduced them to the local Cleanik hierarchy. Tom and Donald, the two highest ranking Cleaniks, outlined the plan. The group would be loaded into the coffee crate and shipped to Munich. A message would be inserted into the manifest of the shipment that the receiving Cleaniks would recognize and they would make sure to transport the crate to a safe place where Tressa, Fergus, Mason and Clyde could climb out and continue their quest to stop Colonel Zimmer.
Tressa had asked Tom, “Why are you helping us so much? This must be a terrible risk to you.”
Tom smiled at her and replied, “Colonel Zimmer has always voted to demand more, and pay us less than any other Board member of Perpetual. He’s stingy and cheap, and wants it all for himself. Sometimes he goes out of his way to insult any Cleanik he runs across because of the type of work we do. He doesn’t understand that without us he’d be up to him armpits in trash. The chance of seeing him off the Board is more than enough reason for us to help. Anything more than that would be icing on the cake.”
The bedrooms Clyde had told them about were beautifully appointed and spacious. Tressa could hardly believe all this existed just a few feet away from one of the busiest Elevator stations in the world. The soundproofing of the room made her feel like she was at home sleeping on her own bed. As she fell asleep she had drowsy visions of Colonel Zimmer begging her for mercy as she unveiled his evil plot to the world.
~
Under the watchful eyes of security teams the crate was gently loaded into the Space Elevator and everyone in the hidden group held their breath. They waited expectantly for the doors to close and the flashing light to be seen through the air vent. When they finally saw a blinking yellow reflection on the ceiling of their secret compartment they knew the hard part was over. Fergus whispered to Tressa, “It’s fortunate that all the elevators in Alaska are working so that we can go directly to Munich from here. If we were stuck back in New Omaha we’d have to make several hops to get to Munich if we didn’t come through here.
Several minutes after the doors closed they clicked open in SEW-MUN, Space Elevator Waypoint - Munich. There were a few tense moments as the riding passengers unloaded and then a security team started looking through the freight items. Two of them climbed over boxes and picked up bags as a third man held a clipboard and checked items off. With a few loose coffee beans being crunched under his boots, the head security guard examined the lettering on the coffee crate and checked it off his list.
A rolling cart was wheeled into the Elevator and the crate hoisted up onto it. After bumping over the threshold the fugitives could discern themselves being pulled down a wide hallway with open bays on either side. Workers were piling and stacking newly arrived freight and getting ready to ship other items out. Passing through the shipping area the box was pulled around a corner and placed in a dark room. They heard a door close and then lights were turned on illuminating a service garage for what must have been the town trolley system of Munich. The secret locks were opened and the top lifted off their secret compartment. Everyone enjoyed a good stretch as they stood up and climbed out of the box.
Clyde lifted everyone out of the box then simply stepped over the side himself. “That was way better than the jewelry case,” he noted. “I think I may have to get something like this for the marketplace.”
“What do we do now?” Mason asked the room. “Everyone is looking for us and we can’t just walk into Colonel Zimmer’s office and demand he give us his plans for global power domination.”
Fergus suggested they find a quiet place out of sight to discuss what they should do. A local Cleanik pointed them to a service doorway that lead out to the street behind SEW-MUN. From there they followed Clyde’s nose to a small bakery that had some tables in the rear of the shop. After ordering a snack they all settled in a booth in the back. Fergus and Mason on one side and Tressa jammed against the wall as Clyde tried to sit straight, sideways and backward all at the same time. Fighting for a little room Tressa jammed her elbow into his side, but he was too busy wolfing down a ham and cheese croissant to notice.
“I believe I may have a solution that would solve our present predicament,” said Fergus. “As you know, Zimmer has said publicly that he does not believe that I am involved in any plot to blow up the power plants. I also believe that he knows using you three as scapegoats is pretty thin. Not many people would buy into that story if it hangs around too long. Here is what I propose. I will go to the Colonel’s office and-”
“You can’t do that,” exclaimed Tressa, cutting him off. “You don’t know what he’ll do to you.”
“I assure you, my dear, I am quite safe. I have had years of experience dealing with people like Colonel Zimmer as I have travelled around the planet. I am more than capable of matching wits with him.
“As I was saying, I will go to his office and lay out the following facts for him,
“First, there is no evidence that that you were involved in the explosion at the plant other than simply being present.
“Second, all of us were there at his invitation not through some illicit means of entry.
“Third, the more the story is examined no one will believe that two young storytellers from Top Peake suddenly burst onto the Global Power scene and decided to blow up their plants. In fact, we can verify that you were in Top Peake during the first two bombings.
“And fourth, well, I don’t have a fourth right now but those three should be pretty convincing. I think I can get him to remove you as suspects and then we can continue on our own journey.”
Clyde was finishing up the remains of Tressa’s meal as he wiped his mouth and said, “What do you want us to do while you’re doing all that?”
“I would suggest you find someplace where you can lie low and stay out of trouble,” replied Fergus.
“Okey-dokey. Laying low and finding good spots to hide are my specialty,” Clyde replied. Twisting and turning to get out of the booth he put his weight on the tabletop and broke it off its support. Gently placing it against the wall he blushed and said, “Whoops.”
Chapter 19
The foursome found an inexpensive hotel that had some rooms available for the night so they checked in. Fergus and Mason put their baggage into a room adjoining Clyde’s and Tressa had her own space across the hallway. Letting them know he would come back for them, Fergus left to go and start negotiations with Colonel Zimmer at the Power plant.
The three friends decided to spend the afternoon in different ways. Mason stayed in his own room and got out a journal. He wanted to make some notes about their trip for his story at the Fall Festival when they returned. Clyde just wanted to take a nap and Tressa decided to go up to the roof for a workout. She enjoyed having the warm summer sun on her face after spending a few days in Alaska. Stretching and warming up she went through a series of exercises designed to strengthen her core and develop flexibility. As she did this she noticed the rough exterior of the building next door. It rose above their hotel another 20 stories and the sun reflected off the windows all the way to the top making it look like each room had a spotlight shining out of it.
The stone used to face the building had been set a long time ago. The edges were never finished to a smooth surface and the joint lines between stones had mortar missing in some spots and it was cracked in others. All the little divots and bumps on it reminded Tressa of the rock face behind her home. On a whim she went to the parapet and leaned over. The alleyway between the hotel and the next-door building was just a few feet wide and she could touch the other building as she leaned way over.
Deciding to give it a try she jumped onto the top of the roof edge wall and leaned out grasping for a handhold on the other building. Next she found a small edge where her foot could grip. Lifting her weight off the hotel roof she started to ascend the outside of the building next door. Carefully, she sought to find places her fingertips could hold on to until her legs could move up. She had long ago mastered working with three points of contact at all times. She tried to find tha
t balance where her legs carried the majority of her weight and her hands found the path upward. Eventually, she reached the rooftop and pulled herself over. She leaned back, took a deep breath and looked back down toward her hotel. She was shocked to find a figure was on the side of the building below her and climbing up toward where she stood.
Amazed, she stared and couldn’t make up her mind whether to run or watch. As he drew closer she could see it was a boy who looked a year or two older than her. His long body was stretched out on the face of the wall like a spider. In a few minutes he was just fifteen feet below the top of his climb. As he clung to the wall he took a moment to look around him at the view, then looking up he shocked her further by saying, “Hello, Tressa!”
Tressa stepped back from the edge as the boy emerged over the side of the building. He took his time and stood up slowly wiping his hands together. When he finally looked at her she noticed his deep blue eyes. They appeared for a fleeting moment to almost be violet and she thought he must have some improved genes inside him somewhere.
With a funny little bow and flourish of his hand he announced, “I am Antonio Ferdinand DellaGotti. My friends call me Ant. I am very pleased to finally meet you at last.” With that he stood up and put his hand out in a relaxed way that let Tressa know he was not a threat to her. She instinctively trusted him, and after being away from home for so long felt like she was in the company of Yvette or her mom.
She lightly shook his hand, but timidly asked, “How do you know my name?”
“That is a very, very long story. And, unfortunately, not a completely happy one. Before we get into all that I have a question for you. How much do you trust your friends in the hotel next door?” Antonio asked.
Tressa didn’t hesitate for a moment. “I trust them completely. We’ve almost died together.”
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