The Art of Madness

by A. J. Mayall

  “Well it seems your lot doesn’t think about a lot of things. Respect is something I’m a bit shocked to hear you mention, considering you just publicly aired the dirty dealings of five police officers.”

  “Well, maybe if those people weren’t having an illicit affair, there wouldn’t have been anything for me to air.”

  “Who put you in charge of that decision?”

  Suzette looked worried, McGee was tired, he was angry and he was being yelled at. Having had his case brought up only made things worse. She wrote on a scrap piece of paper and held it up for him.

  Don’t be an ass!

  Phoenix looked at it and then back to the camera. He paused and smiled, that trademark grin.

  “As I said, my client gave me permission. A hardworking man, whose wife carried on a long torrid affair with former coworkers and friends. A business contract gave me permission. Now, if I may have a chance to defend myself here. On this show, I hear a lot of talk about how publicly shaming politicians who can’t keep it in their pants seems like a good thing. So, why the change of heart here?”

  McMillan stopped quiet for a second, Phoenix flaring his nostrils as he was just getting started. Suzette held the note up once more and pointed at it furiously.

  “You see, this is the sort of brash, uneducated actions we’ve come to expect from your generation. Trying to pin it on our generation for your lack of scruples.”

  “So, if your wife was cheating on you, you’d just want to sweep it under the rug?”

  “You’re missing the point, young man. These are police officers, people who actually serve their community and solve actual crimes, not some wannabe who just wants to play at it for the highest bidder. You want to make a difference, why don’t you go apply at that police department?”

  “I own and operate my own business, I work primarily with insurance companies, preventing fraud. There’s a lot more to this job than you are letting on, Mr. McMillan.”

  “I don’t think there is, Mr. McGee. You go around putting up hidden cameras for jollies, ruining lives and then plastering it online for the masses to eat up!”

  Phoenix had had enough. He leaned forward as Suzette cupped her face in her palms.

  “Can I ask why the hell your producers wanted me on your damn program, then? If you find me so utterly repulsive as a human being, I think you wouldn’t be paying me to make an appearance on your damn show.”

  McMillan sounded flabbergasted, Suzette went pale and went looking over the contract to make sure that mention of the payment didn’t go against the agreement. She shot him a death glare and then wrote again.

  No breach of contract. You got damn lucky.

  The presenter spoke up again, this time sounding enraged.

  “Don’t you go accusing me of whatever stupid ideas my producers have followed through on. I think it’s perfectly clear to our viewers that you only came on here for a quick buck, and since your services go to the highest bidder, we can infer that the courts all those years ago were right to not classify you as an Omnus or Stygus. You’re a whore, Mr. McGee. A home-wrecking whore with no dignity or thought to the lives you decimate. We’ll see what the court of popular opinion has to say about that! Next on the McMillan Report, we have someone from the same city, Rouge Mal, who’s actually doing something beneficial for his community. We’ll be interviewing co-CEO of AGI, Reginald Gemini, after these messages.”

  It took about a minute before his audio feed was cut, hearing chuckling on the other end. Suzette verified the end of the connection, and stood up, powering off the fliptop.

  “Are you out of your damn mind, McGee? You know how many people watch his show? We can’t afford that kind of bad press!”

  Phoenix stood and stormed out of the room, heading to his loft. “You’re the one who scheduled this! Don’t complain at me about it!”

  Suzette went to yell and stopped herself. “All right, listen. McGee. Listen, please! Okay, I screwed up. I thought we could ride the video for a bit!” she yelled up the stairs as he slammed the door.

  “Damn it, Suzette, look what you’ve gone and done this time,” she said to herself.

  She turned on the television, and sat at her desk, catching the end of the interview. It seemed the network was working on about a minute or so delay. The commercials started as she sat there, monitoring the accounts on her desktop. Phoenix descended the steps after a minute, silent as he grabbed his phone. He paused in the room behind her, and then hurried back and leaned on the desk. He showed her the message and stared forward.

  Good work on buttering him up, the show is about to start.

  “Okay, what does this mean, McGee?” she asked, reading the message again.

  “No clue. Lemme ask.” He texted while keeping his eyes on the screen. In the middle of an ad for insurance aimed at senior citizens, he glanced at Suzette. “I’m just cranky, this’ll pass.”

  She sipped her coffee, and looked to Phoenix when the telltale buzz of a new message sounded. He held it out to her to read.

  Prominent member close to high ups in AGI gave us the signal.

  McMillan came back on the screen. His jowled face in a permanent scowl, his grayed temples brushed back as he sat in a leather chair in front of a large desk with papers scattered about. He scrunched up his face as he peered into the screen with his dark eyes.

  “On to a better class of person from the same city as our previous guest; Mr. Reginald Gemini, co-CEO of Ahkriman-Gemini Industries recently went public about his plan to help the city of Rouge Mal by offering up his profits to assist the city. Welcome.”

  Gemini’s remarkably bland face appeared on the screen beside McMillan, smiling sheepishly.

  “Thank you for having me, Robert,” he said in an almost shy tone.

  “Firstly, let me congratulate you on being a fine example of this country’s ideals. You giving back to your city is just the sort of thing I love hearing about from the nation’s job builders.”

  The timid man smiled meekly, a slight chuckle in his throat as he formed words. “Well, we at AGI feel it is our duty to give back. Rouge Mal, being the corporate headquarters, seemed like a good place to start. I would like to take this opportunity to actually announce we have expanded the original concept to charities operating inside the city, and once we can see the success of the project, we will be moving it to other areas where AGI is located.”

  McMillan gave a slimy smirk, smacking his lips. “Well, on that, I can see where that might seem good on paper, but you also have a tendency to ship jobs overseas, don’t you?”

  Gemini sat back and looked at the camera, seeming perplexed by this turn in the conversation so soon.

  “Well, we don’t ship jobs overseas, we expand the business into new territories, bringing jobs with us. We’ve done amazing work in the Americas. I mean we have operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Haiti, Jamaica and Peru for starters. We have plans to expand into Europe and Asia, as well.”

  McMillan sat forward. “But you don’t have to give those other countries jobs hardworking Americans right now need and deserve. I mean, you’re just shipping our jobs overseas.”

  To this, Gemini sat up and leaned forward slightly, his brow furrowed. The normally overly average man had a shadow of sternness cross his gaze.

  “With all due respect, Mr. McMillan, you keep referring to me as a job creator. Are you implying that it is my responsibility to only supply jobs to America? That I shouldn’t be expanding trade? That I only reinforce our own inter-dependency on the industrial elite, instead of, as I would like it, giving everyone an even shake, worldwide?”

  “All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t be taking jobs away from your homeland is all!”

  Gemini’s countenance took on a more stern air. He steepled his fingers and rested them under his nose for a moment before breathing in deep.

  “Must I remind you that my homeland is Canada, Mr. McMillan? Maybe I should do as you say and move my US busin
ess back to Vancouver. I believe that would put…last time I checked, it was 3 million workers through subsidiary companies out of work. Is that what you’d like, Mr. McMillan?”

  “You listen here, Reggie…”

  “No I don’t think I will, Bobby-boy. In fact, I have a few things to say.” Gemini held up a phone. Phoenix and Suzette looked to each other, puzzled but intrigued, as the businessman came into his own, mid-interview.

  “Firstly, it is Reginald. Secondly, if your producers at any point cut me from the air, I have men all across the country who will send me a message to this phone. If I get the word, I will sell my stocks in Eagle News at a personal loss and pull all advertising revenue from your business.”

  McMillan was furious, his temples throbbing, a cold sweat dribbling off the veins on his brow.

  “Gemini, if you think you can just come on here and…”

  “Shut up, McMillan, the adult is speaking. Now, it seems Eagle News has hired a bully. I, personally, do not like bullies. So here’s what is going to happen. If I and people like me are in charge of jobs and who gets them, I’m taking away Robert McMillan’s job.”

  McMillan screamed at his producers to ‘cut the bastard’s feed’, that he couldn’t do this. McMillan was soon muted as Gemini continued.

  “Robert McMillan had a person before me who broke no laws, who brought a scandal to public light, and he accused this man of being a whore for doing his job and trying to make his way in our economy using today’s technology. What this detective did is a commendable action. McMillan, on the other hand, is trying to play into old outdated hatreds, old outdated beliefs and old outdated philosophies while saying that might makes right and money is the golden calf. I’m about to show him what happens when someone plays by his rules.”

  Phoenix stared at the screen, jaw slack as Gemini continued.

  “Eagle News has 48 hours to sever all ties and contracts with McMillan. He is never to be hired by Eagle News, its parent companies, or subsidiaries of itself or of said parent companies. If he is not, I will sell my 17% holdings in this company at a loss. I will also pull my advertising revenue, as stated. If, after another 48 hours, he is still not off the air, anyone who still gives ad revenue to Eagle News will find themselves in the middle of a corporate buyout. Any acquired stocks will be bought and sold for a loss I can easily absorb.”

  Phoenix and Suzette stared, motionless, as they sipped coffee. The turn of events made McMillan burst into tears on screen. His feed was soon cut with a waving American flag in its place as Gemini continued.

  “McMillan will offer an apology immediately. If he does not, I will find his address and buy the land or building he lives in. You see, I can be a bully too. I sat silently, knowing our ad revenue made a consistent return from Eagle News, but frankly, McMillan has disgusted me these last few years, attacking anyone under a certain pay grade or crucifying them for having a shade different political view. Who was once the best debater I have ever seen has become a blowhard, who shouts his way across the screens of the world.”

  He sat back with a calm smile, and silence was aired for 15 seconds before audio and video were restored. McMillan had tears streaking his face and blubbered as he looked into the camera.

  “Why, why would you do this?”

  “The same reason you went after the families of children who went missing when you got a hair across your ass that they must have had a hand in it. The same reason you curse the generations who come after you for not being up to snuff when you put them in the situation that made them what they are. The same reason you elevated five police officers and an adulterous wife higher than a hardworking man because you wanted to look good defending cops, even dirty ones.”

  “What reason is that?”

  “Because I can.”

  Gemini smiled and stood, taking off the mic and earpiece, still on camera. The mousy, shy posture returned to him as he bashfully looked away from the camera.

  “Thank you for your time, Robert. It’s been pleasant as always.”

  McMillan sat back in shock, bottom lip quivering.

  “Y…you’re welcome.”

  Gemini lowered himself back into shot and picked up the microphone. “Oh, I think you were going to issue an apology, yes?”

  “Yes. I…I am so, so sorry for any harm I have done, or ill feelings I’ve given during my broadcasts,” he muttered, unblinking, as if on autopilot. Gemini gave a perky grin and daintily set the microphone down.

  His voice was faint as he walked off set: “This went well, I’ll have to do this again.”

  In McGee Investigations, the silence as the events unfolded was broken by an alert from Phoenix’s phone. He swiped his finger over his touchscreen and read it along with Suzette.

  That. Was. Epic!

  He sat down the phone and squealed in delight, Suzette hollering soon after as they shared a high-five. They celebrated the turnabout of the bad interview by heading out for donuts.

  Reginald Gemini sat in his limousine, smiling as his driver took him back to his home in the Canyon District.

  “Mr. Gemini, how did your interview go?”

  “I had to do a bit of off-the-cuff negotiations about our ad revenue, but otherwise it went fine, Mr. Sinclair. How is your family? Doesn’t your son have a birthday coming up?”

  “That he does, sir. Thank you for remembering! Going to be thirteen.”

  “If there is anything he asks for that you have difficulty in getting, let me know.”

  The driver chuckled. He’d been through this so many times over the past few years, he knew better than to tell his boss that such generosity wasn’t required. The man simply wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.

  “I relent this time. I’ll let you know, Mr. Gemini.”

  “Do excuse me, I have a call coming in, private affairs.”

  “Understood, sir.” Sinclair grinned as he put up the soundproof courtesy screen, concentrating on the road. Gemini sat in the back, awaiting the red light to blip, the signal he was truly alone.

  “Yes. Ms. Levicia, I hope you have good news for me. You do! Oh, lovely. The Bahamas, yes. Start work immediately on funding the requests to help the city; there should be some red-flagged hardcopy charity files on my desk. Please process those first. Yes. Have Acquisitions handle any property deals ASAP. Thank you, again. See you tomorrow.”

  Reginald Gemini took in the lights of the city of Rouge Mal, ever happy to be of service to her.

  It was a few hours after the broadcast of what may have been the final show for Robert McMillan when Jack Hoffman stopped pacing around his living room. After the stress of the day, he needed to get out. He needed something good.

  The phone number, that woman he met. Suzette.

  He walked to his kitchen, peeking in the bare cupboards as he dialed it up. After a couple of rings, he heard laughter and the sound of eating.

  “Hello?” her voice called out.

  “Yes, hello. This is Jack, we met the other day. The policeman.” He scuffed his shoe a bit as he bashfully tried to start up a conversation.

  “Oh, yes, hi. Sorry, I’m out with a coworker at the moment. But we can meet later tonight, or tomorrow if that’s okay.”

  “Later tonight would be perfect, say, ten o’clock? I know this lovely bistro in the Asylum District.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Good, it gives me time to get you a gift.”

  He heard her choke a bit on the other end.

  “You don’t have to do that! Still, if you insist…” she said with a chuckle in her voice.

  “I do insist.”

  Phoenix headed back from the restroom to see Suzette on her phone, ending a call. He gulped nervously. “Please don’t tell me that was your grandmother.”

  She scowled. “If you must know, it was a man asking me on a date tonight.”

  “He does know you, right?”

  Suzette slapped him upside the head and smooshed a jelly donut in his face. “A
sshole.”

  “What? Hey, you got me onto McMillan. I think I’m allowed a few low blows for that.”

  She reached for another jelly donut but withdrew her hand. “Just be grateful about Gemini effectively pulling the plug on him, otherwise, you’d just be another guy he put through the shredder on national television.”

  “You gonna eat those?”

  “Claudia is bringing Angelique over later; these are for them. I’ll be on my date by that point.”

  “Any idea where you’re going?”

  “Just some late-night bistro in the Asylum.”

  “Tell me all the gory details?”

  “In your dreams, McGee. Okay, I’m going to head home. You go get some sleep, and in the morning, go check on the Bentons, all right?”

  “Will do.”

  A half-hour later, Phoenix was curled up in bed, holding Bouncer to his chest. He had no desire to deal with the Cloister. He wanted nothing to do but sleep, to rest after an exhausting day. Tomorrow held confrontation at the Benton household, but today, what remained of it, was for rest.

  Suzette stopped at her apartment, exhausted, but there was more to do. She had the next day off, and she planned to possibly spend it with Jack. She had made Angelique’s bed, and called Claudia to let her know she wouldn’t be in and that there would be donuts waiting for them. Angelique had a key.

  Her apartment, when she spent time there, was housed in the Sandfall District, the same apartment she had lived in for years once she moved out of her parents’ home. Rent was paid for years in advance, thanks to her frugal lifestyle. Doing taxes for the college students who lived in the building got her a sizable bonus every year, especially from those with rich parents who didn’t mind throwing extra for someone who knew their way around the tax codes. Tax time easily got her a quarter to half a year’s rent alone.

  She walked across the living room, opening the drapes to her balcony overlooking the city. Though she lived modestly, she still prided herself on living well, one of the few things she took from her upbringing in the Canyon. She smiled, listening to the hustle and bustle of the city beneath her. On reflection, she didn’t care for people, but the idea of living away from a city seemed wrong to her. A small gust of the dry, cool, desert wind shook her out of her thoughts so she could prepare for her date.