by JT Kalnay
"Okay then. Keep climbing. I'll snag you another mile up,” Rick instructed.
"Another mile?" Jay moaned.
"Yeah. About a half an hour,” Rick answered.
"Alright,” Jay said reluctantly. He started back up the trail. Rick backed into the woods to wait for the new agent.
I hope he didn't see me, Rick said to himself. For everybody's health.
"I'm behind him again,” Bob Williams said into his walkie-talkie. Down below, the blonde agent copied the transmission and clicked her microphone twice as an indication she'd heard. Bob carried on up the trail. The other two agents were almost a mile behind. They copied the transmission as well.
Rick Hewlett spotted Bob Williams before Bob Williams spotted Rick Hewlett. But it was close, and could have gone either way. When Rick saw him, he recognized Bob for what he was. Rick recognized the look of a pro immediately. It was his eyes that gave him away. Rick recognized the eyes of a man who'd tracked and killed and could do so again.
"Shit,” Rick mouthed. It was time to rethink the plan. Rick waited until Bob was safely past then started quietly up the hill, thinking of ways to ditch the pro, hoping he'd get to Jay before this guy did.
An hour later Rick Hewlett pulled his friend to the side of the trail.
"Jay. Listen up. Stay on this trail another three miles, you'll come to a trail that branches off to the right, it's right after a big waterfall. Go down that trail for an hour then look for a Milky Way and these white rocks okay?”
Rick showed Jay some small rocks that he'd had in his pocket.
"Set up camp there. Start a fire, look like you're settling in. I'll figure out how to ditch our new friend during the night. Got it?" Rick asked from just off the trail. Jay could hardly see him even though he knew where to look.
"Yeah I got it,” Jay answered. Jay's enthusiasm for the plan was waning as yesterday’s blisters had reopened and new ones had formed.
"But I don't have to be happy about it. Isn't there some other way?" Jay asked hopefully.
"There might be. But I can't think of it right now. You’ve got gear and supplies for three days. He only has enough for a day hike. If you keep going you can ditch him. Hang in there buddy.”
"Maybe I ought to just find a blind corner and drop this guy?" Jay said. "Maybe find out who he is?” Jay's hand slipped to the utility knife he had purchased for the trip. There was no answer forthcoming from behind the bushes. Jay looked into the forest where Rick had been. He saw nothing.
How'd he do that? Jay wondered.
Jay hiked until he felt his legs would fall off. The straps from his pack were cutting into his shoulders. "Where the hell is that Milky Way bar?" he asked several times. Finally, just when he thought he couldn't hike another yard he saw the candy bar on the trail, the little white rocks piled on top of it. A raccoon chose that moment to come rumbling out of the dark woods to snatch up the candy. The raccoon tossed a defiant look at Jay, it was almost a challenge, but then instantly it was gone.
"Smallest bear I’ve ever seen!" Jay sat down on an old stump to think. His eyes and ears were alert for a real bear. After a good long listen Jay decided the raccoon was alone and he'd better set up camp according to Rick's plan or else he might never find him. Then where would he be? Tiredness and stiffening muscles overcame his fear. Jay carefully hung his food in a small tree about 25 yards from his base camp. He got a little fire going and cooked some hot dogs over an open flame. Ten minutes after he finished eating, Jay was sound asleep in his little tent, the fire still going.
"He's settled in for the night,” Bob said into his walkie-talkie. "He'll sleep until noon unless he burns the forest down. Bring me some food, some water and a sleeping bag. We'll meet at the waterfall at midnight.
The woman in the car down below made out the feeble transmission and added ‘batteries’ to Bob's list. Again she double clicked her mike in response.
Rick looked down at Bob Williams from the rocks in which he'd concealed himself.
He's gotta do something, Rick thought. He'd been watching the agent watch Jay for over an hour. Sooner or later he's got to get some food or water or something, Rick assured himself. He can’t stay out all night like that. He was getting impatient. It had been a long time since Rick had been in the field. He remembered a lot of his lessons, recalled his field craft. But he also realized he was 15 years older than the last time. And that he hadn’t been humping up and down hills in a long long time.
"Patience,” Rick counseled himself, "Patience.”
By midnight his waiting paid off. Rick watched the agent creep into Jay's camp where he listened to Jay's tortured snores. Bob went to the smoldering fire and quietly doused it with sand. Then he turned and left the camp, heading back the way Jay had come earlier. Rick knew he had to be going for resupply.
He was freezing and hungry and tired. There's no way he could've tracked another day without supplies. Rick congratulated himself for his patience. Rick waited five minutes to be sure before he crept into Jay's camp.
"Jay?" Rick called his friends name. No answer. "Jay?" he said again, this time shaking Jay's shoulder.
"Wha, what?" Jay asked, awakening from a nightmare about bears. "What's wrong? Where are they?” Jay stammered.
Rick settled his friend down.
"Come on. We can go somewhere safe to talk then you can come back here and sleep all day,” Rick said.
"I thought we were going to ditch them and do something together?"
"No chance.”
"Shit.”
"Yeah, shit. So come on.”
"Can't we just talk here?" Jay asked. The tiredness of the hike and the chase showed in his voice.
"No. Come on,” Rick ordered. There was no questioning the tone in his voice now. The pair headed down the trail for ten minutes until Rick abruptly veered off to the left, scrambled over a rock and was gone. Jay followed over the rock and found himself inside Rick's camp. It was a Spartan yet complete campsite. It was protected on all sides and invisible from the trail while providing a view in both directions. Jay was impressed. He was seeing something about Rick he'd didn't know.
"So what the hell is going on?" Rick asked. "What kind of shit have you got yourself in?"
"I honestly don't know,” Jay started.
"Well think about it!" Rick snapped. "We've got to know who we're up against if we're going to stand a chance.” Rick noticed Jay back a little ways away from him into the corner. He knew he'd hurt him but there was no time for being gentle.
"Stand a chance of what?" Jay asked.
"A chance of keeping you alive long enough so that we'll be able to laugh about this as old men,” Rick said. He eased his tone.
"Hey. You're already an old man,” Jay countered. The tension was broken. Even in the strain of the dangerous night, the two friends were carried back to their lighthearted days at college. Rick made some hot food and they ate quickly.
"So you really have no idea what this is all about?" Rick asked more patiently.
"Well…,” Jay started. "It could have something to do with this girl I'm seeing but really, it’s got to have something to do with the CIA. They called me just a couple of weeks ago to see if I was still interested in a job. Said they were going to make up their minds in the next few days."
"What did you tell them?"
"I told them I was pissed it had taken so long but I didn't turn them down or anything.”
"So what about the girl?" Rick asked.
"What about her?" Jay asked defensively.
"You said it might have something to do with the girl?" Rick prodded.
"Oh yeah. She's kind of, sort of, well I mean.”
"She's married?" Rick asked.
"Yeah that's it,” Jay answered.
"To who?"
"What?"
"To whom is she married?" Rick asked.
"To my boss.”
"That shouldn't be a big deal,” Rick puzzled.
"Well actually to
my boss' boss' boss' boss. Angus MacKenzie of MacKenzie Lazarus.”
"That could be a bigger deal,” Rick said. "Does he even know you're alive?" Rick asked.
Jay reddened. The memory of the golf game flushed his face. He went on reluctantly. "Actually yes. I played golf with Angus at his club a couple of weeks ago. It was an attaboy from him to me for a job well done on this system I designed, you know?" Jay explained. "Anyway, Tonia, that's her name, she played the back nine with us and then we had dinner and then I drove her home.”
"Tonia? Tonia from the baseball game Tonia?"
"Yeah.”
"Baseball Tonia is now married to the boss Tonia? Doesn't that seem a little odd to you Jay? That the random girl you meet at a random baseball game on your first day in New York later turns out to be your, your,” Rick struggled for the right word, "girlfriend? And the wife of the owner of your firm? Doesn't this strike you as just a little strange?"
"Well it did at first, but it's not as big a coincidence as it seems,” Jay explained. "You see I had one of the company's season tickets for that game, box seat you know, and she had another. She loves baseball, so it's not really that unbelievable. Also, she's a runner and I'm a runner so we kind of hit it off. We have a lot in common. She’s not in love with him anymore. And she says he’s mean to her.”
“And let me guess. You’re kind?”
“Yes as a matter of fact I am kind. You know I am kind.”
Rick sat quietly for a minute. He shuffled his feet back and forth in the dark and clucked his tongue a few times. Jay recognized Rick's thinking twitches from college and left him undisturbed. A few minutes later Rick spoke.
"Jay somehow, someway you've got yourself into some big trouble. It's probably this Tonia but you've got to be sure.”
"What do you mean sure?" Jay asked.
"Let me tell you,” Rick answered.
Rick and Jay worked out simple plans for how Jay could slip a tail, how Jay could pick up the tailer after he’d slipped him, and then how to follow that tail without them knowing he was there. Jay listened intently for ten minutes.
"Uh Rick?" Jay asked.
"Yeah.”
"How do you know all this stuff? Where did you..."
"Don't ask,” Rick cut him off sharply.
Tension started to creep back into the little cave.
“It seems like I’m up to my ears in some intrigue I know nothing about. And now my best friend is acting like some secret agent. What the hell is going on?”
"I don’t know,” Rick said more gently. “But I know I want to help you. Let’s hope it’s nothing. Just the CIA keeping tabs on their prize recruit.”
"Alright,” Jay said meekly. He felt some of the closeness and friendship between them slipping away. "Just tell me one thing.”
"What?" Rick asked.
"Were you a good guy or a bad guy?"
Rick paused. He looked at his friend. Rick harrumphed a small sound of resignation to himself. Rick motioned Jay to his feet.
"It all depends on your point of view. Come on,” Rick said. And with that he was over the rocks, out of the cave and headed back to Jay's camp. Jay had to hustle to keep up. As they neared the camp Rick slowed then stopped.
"Listen Jay. You're on your own now for a while. A man like Angus MacKenzie has a lot of friends, good guys and bad guys and guys you don't even want to know about guys. If I was you, the first thing I'd do is break it off with Tonia. Maybe the problem will just go away.”
"And if it doesn't?"
“Then it’s got to be the CIA. It can only be one or the other. Nothing else makes sense. Even though you have a Ph.D. in computer science, and even though you work at one of the biggest brokerage houses in the world, when all is said and done you’re just a programmer from the Midwest. I don’t know why anyone would care so much. So it’s gotta be either the husband or the CIA.”
“Thanks. I think,” Jay said.
"Remember this phone number,” Rick said. He gave it to Jay and a list of code words. "Call and leave a short message. Let me know where you are but don't mention your name or my name or anything specific. Use page 123 of our data structures book from grad school if you need a specific word. Just give me its line and position on the line. Don't be too clever. Simple is easiest to remember when the pressure is on,” Rick counseled.
"You really think it’s this serious?" Jay asked.
"It could be,” Rick answered.
"Rick?"
"What?"
"I'm not sure I can just break it off with Tonia."
"Why?" Rick asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"Because I love her,” Jay said.
“I know you do. And that’s what’s going to make this hurt the most. There’s a chance that she’s a plant. That they’re using her to get a hold on you. Maybe to set you up to do something that you wouldn’t do by yourself. I don’t know. But Jay, if I was going to try to get to you, to manipulate you, that’s how I’d do it. With a sweet and lovely girl who watches baseball and runs with you and loves you because you’re kind. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
Rick took Jay's hand and shook it. He held it firmly and looked Jay dead in the eyes.
"She'll love you to death man. You’ve gotta find out if it’s real. I don’t know how you can do that, but you’ve got to find out," Rick asked.
He didn't wait for an answer. He took off down the trail. Suddenly Jay felt as alone as he ever had. A man, an island, completely unto himself, yet under a microscope. He fell back into his tent. Memories of playing golf and hanging out at the Reds games with Rick came to him. Visions of Tonia on the beach at sunrise brought tears to the corners of his eyes. Jay stumbled the last few steps to sleep feeling very sorry for himself. His only friend had told him to dump the love of his life.
"For what?" Jay mumbled in weary tones. "Because her husband might be jealous? What if it's the CIA just checking up on me?" he asked himself as he drifted the last inch asleep.
His face was hot and wet with his tears. He'd never been so confused in his entire life. "It's not supposed to be like this,” Jay said in his dreams. "What the hell happened?"
"He's alone?" she asked.
"Yes,” Bob Williams answered.
"You're sure?"
"No.”
"Why not?"
"Because I'm here getting supplies for an overnight job instead of watching him. And the reason I am here getting resupplied is because you said he was just taking a day hike,” Bob Williams snipped.
"Oh,” she answered. Alone, at night, in the woods with a strange agent was not time to pick a fight, she decided.
“Sorry,” she apologized.
"Forget it,” he said. Bob Williams turned into a shadow and whispered down the trail to reacquire Jay.
She watched him disappear and wondered about the asset at the end of the trail. “Asset,” she thought to herself. He’s just a kid, and we’ve got him wound up six different ways.
Chapter
"How was vacation?" Bill Beck asked Jay Calloway.
"Wonderful. Couldn't be better,” Jay answered. Already the lying and choosing of every word was getting to Jay. He was sure that Bill could see how different he was. How guarded.
"So are you finally going to tell us where you went or what?" Bill asked.
"Mountain climbing.”
"No shit?" Bill feigned surprise.
"No shit.”
"Cool. Like Mt. Everest mountain climbing?"
"No nothing like that. Just a 6,000 foot peak in Tennessee and a 6,000 foot peak in North Carolina. Though I’d like to try some higher mountains. I might have to start climbing the stairs in this building to train. Maybe you’ll have to find a way to get me access to the stairs. Wanna train for Everest with me?”
“No,” Bill answered. “But you don’t need special access for the stairs. Your security card opens into the stairs and back onto any floor we own. They say it’s something about fire code or somethin
g.” The two men chit chatted for a few more minutes and then Jay was ready to get back to work. Anxious, actually, to bury himself in the work and hope that this would all just go away.
"So did anything exciting happen while I was away?" Jay asked. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know. The PT109 trading system could have failed miserably and cost the firm millions by now. His office could be filled with boxes with a nice pink slip on top.
"No nothing too exciting,” Bill answered. "But I do have some news that might interest you.”
"What?" Jay asked.
"Why don't we step into my office?" Bill said. Jay started to get an ominous feeling about this.
Bill usually does all of his business out in the open, why is he calling me into his office, Jay wondered. They went in and sat down.
"Hal will be joining us in about ten minutes. So before he gets here, let me explain what's happened,” Bill said. Jay's stomach started to toss, his throat dried up. I've done something wrong, Jay thought.
"Were we reorganized or something?" Jay asked.
"No nothing like that,” Bill dismissed.
Bill's voice changed from a friendly timbre to a management tone.
"Jay you've attracted a lot of attention here at MacKenzie Lazarus. I knew you'd do well from the minute I met you. But the immediacy and the scale of your successes have surprised even me. You've quickly proven yourself. At MacKenzie Lazarus we tend to promote from within, in fact we promote almost exclusively from within.”
Jay noted the word "promote.”
Maybe I'm not going to get fired, Jay realized. Maybe it's something good.
"You remember Hal from CTSG don't you?" Bill asked.
"Yeah the uptight suit you had to chill out right?"
"Right,” Bill chuckled. Bill liked the way Jay categorized people. "Hal has asked for permission to talk to you about joining his group. As much as I want to keep you here and get us all promoted and, more importantly, get us all insanely big bonuses, I think it's only fair that you have the chance to make up your own mind.”
"Bill, I don't want to change jobs, especially not into that guy's group."
"You've been welcomed and become respected here. We're very pleased with your work. But if Hal wants to talk to you, maybe you should have a listen. You understand what I'm saying?"