by Edward Shawn
The plaza was quiet. Some diners entered a Chinese restaurant and a car was parking in front of the convenience store. Taking a sip, James waited for Danny’s unmistakable Mustang to arrive.
Driving past the plaza, a black SUV slowed down, then turned and entered the parking lot. Recognizing it immediately, James went into the shop, headed straight to the back and sat down facing the rear wall.
A thumping sound grew steadily louder, the music from Cooper’s truck announcing his arrival. James stared at the wall, headlights from a vehicle pulling up bathing it in a white glow. He had hoped they weren’t coming in here, but his luck hadn’t served him well. The music ceased replaced seconds later by car doors slamming shut.
The commotion of reckless youth entered noisily into the sandwich shop. His palms moistening as he sat holding his coffee cup, James continued looking at the wall in hopes of remaining unnoticed. Considering he was the only customer inside the shop other than Cooper and his buddies, how long could he really expect that to last?
Through the babble of voices trying to figure out their orders, he heard Cooper speak up over the others. “I’ll be right back.”
The sound of heavy footfalls approached James from behind.
“Want me to order for you?” a girl asked.
The voice was familiar but James had other issues to deal with before trying to connect a face to that voice.
“Is this seat taken?” Cooper inquired before sitting across the table from him. “It is now.” He grinned as if he said something funny.
They stared at one another, neither speaking right away. James waited for Cooper to launch into his tirade of wanting his money, but it didn’t seem to be coming. “Look Coop, I need a few more days–”
“Few more days for what?”
“To get some money together,” James said. Confused by Cooper’s attitude, he gazed at the rough looking young man staring unwaveringly at him.
“That’s really awesome of ya, pal...but we’re good now.” Cooper paused. “You look surprised, Jimmy,” he said with a smirk. “Well, believe it. You and me are square, so let’s forget about the past, okay? Great. See ya later.” He got up from the table but then sat back down. James thought their business had concluded. He didn’t know what else they could have to discuss.
“I heard about what happened to you. People are talking–sayin’ ya almost died and stuff.” He leaned in closer as if they were sharing a closely guarded secret. “Is it true? Did ya almost get eaten by a bear?”
James shrugged. “I guess you could say that.”
“Dude! You are so lucky to be sittin’ here right now, you know that? My old man’s run into a bear in the woods, but he was armed, and still he was scared and probably messed himself.” Cooper grinned at his own humor. “Good thing he can shoot straight. Bears are big and fast...but I guess you’re faster.”
“What can I say,” James said. “Guess I am lucky.”
“You sure are.” Cooper’s smile brightened, his eyes widening a little. “Maybe it’s time to put that luck to use. Care to place a wager?”
“No! No, I wouldn’t. I don’t want to owe you money ever again.”
Cooper laughed. “Okay, okay, I get it. But when you’re ready to conduct business again, I’m your man.”
James shook his head. As usual, Cooper didn’t listen all that well.
Standing up, he towered over James. “Ya know, I would’ve hated to come after you–to have to chase you around to get my money. You wouldn’t have been as lucky dealin’ with me as you were with the bear,” he said, raising a thumb towards his chest. “You should thank your little friend.”
“I’ll thank him,” James muttered to himself since Cooper was already walking away to rejoin his friends by the order counter. Turning around, he wasn’t surprised to find Sarah mingling with Cooper’s entourage. Their eyes met, then James looked past her and out the bay window; a second vehicle was parking in front of the shop.
Tossing his coffee cup into the trash, James headed towards the entrance. No one said anything as he walked by, although Sarah did smile at him while Cooper was placing his order. She seemed to have something to say, but James ignored her as he walked out the door.
The Mustang’s engine rumbled as the two friends exchanged a glance through the windshield.
“Is that Cooper?” Danny asked as James climbed in and settled into the seat. “What, he’s not hassling you again, is he?”
“Now why would he be doing that?” Glaring at Danny, he knew his tone betrayed him but he couldn’t help it. His friend meant well by paying off his debt but it still aggravated him.
Danny looked away. “Umm...because of the money?”
“Yeah, you’d think so. Funny thing is, it turns out I don’t owe him–that it’s all been taken care of. Once again, he’s open for business.”
“Well, don’t start up with him.” Checking his mirrors, Danny backed out of the parking spot.
His annoyance with his well-meaning friend evaporated as thoughts of his mother entered his mind. “I won’t. I’m done with Cooper, I promise.”
Danny guided the car out of the lot and onto the darkened streets of Charmington. “So? What happened?” he asked.
“My parents got into it again. Mom got really upset and left.”
“Oh, man, that just sucks.”
“And then my dad shoved me. He’s a drunk and I hate him.”
Danny turned right at a traffic light, then drove along a straight road with a steady incline. The street was well lit by high arching streetlights and a number of long driveways stretched back from the road. The homes grew in size the higher up the hill they went, the road eventually leveling out and connecting with a street to form a three-way stop.
Turning left, Danny navigated through the neighborhood with familiarity. “I guess you wanna stay at my place.”
“Yeah, I do. I’m not going home, not tonight.” James drew in a deep, shuddering breath. “Thanks, Danny. Thanks for everything.”
“Hey, what are best friends for? Isn’t that how the saying goes?”
“Something like that.” Even though they hadn’t discussed his debt being settled, James already resolved the issue. With his life slowly turning upside-down, having Cooper taken care of was one less thing for him to worry about.
The Mustang turned onto a circular cul-de-sac. There were only two properties on this dead-end road, each brightly lit and surrounded by abundant landscape. Danny guided his car towards the property on the left. Numerous ground-lights and mounted spotlights illuminated the small-scale mansion and the large, lush front lawn.
The sides of the driveway were lined with high barriers of prickly bushes. Danny drove up, then stopped in front of an iron-spiked gate barring their path. Lowering his window, he pulled out his wallet and waved it in front of the scanner. The gate retracted granting access to the back of the upscale home.
Danny followed the paving around to the rear of the property. Parking in front of the left door of a three car garage, he switched off the engine, then looked over at the silver Mercedes M-Class SUV he parked next to. “Head on up to the guesthouse,” he said. “I’ll be right back. You hungry?”
“Yeah, I am.” James hadn’t noticed, but now that he’d been asked, he could do with something to eat. The pizza slices he ate for dinner felt like a long time ago.
Danny took off at a sprint towards the main house leaving James to make his way to the guesthouse deeper within the Tai property. Stepping onto a faded, red brick footpath lit by evenly spaced yard lights sticking out of the ground, the brick pathway originated by the garage and crossed over the well-manicured grass until coming to an end near the front door of the secluded guesthouse.
Following the path, James spotted the dimly lit structure almost hidden within a cluster of trees. Entering the grove, he heard rustling from above. James looked up but it was too dark to see if anything lurked in the treetops. It was more than likely his imagination anyway. Appr
oaching the guesthouse, sensor lights activated casting light onto the door and windows.
Glancing back at the main house, he saw Danny by the back door. Mrs. Tai held it open and was handing over another container to add to what her son already carried.
His phone hummed and James took it out while watching Danny jog along the pathway with a number of plastic bags in his hands. Seeing the number, he quickly answered it. “Mom? Mom, are you okay?
“I’m fine, James.”
He was relieved to hear her voice.
“But I won’t be home for a couple of days.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m at a friend’s place.”
“Oh, okay. I’m not home either. I’m at Danny’s place.”
“Good. It will give your father some time to be alone. Let’s see how much he enjoys it.”
“Mom, what’s happening? Are things getting worse between you and Dad?” James had to wait a moment for an answer.
“Honey, we’ll talk about it later. The phone isn’t the best place to have this conversation. Have fun at Danny’s and try not to worry. I love you, my prince.”
“Love you too, Mom.” James dropped his phone into his pocket as Danny arrived. “What’s with all the bags?”
Danny rolled his eyes. “It’s my mom. She wants to make sure we have enough to eat and restock the fridge in there.”
James smiled. “Tell her I said thanks.”
Passing the bags to James, Danny produced a key and unlocked the front door. “C’mon, let’s get inside.”
14
Jeremiah stared at the turquoise and silver flask stored within a domed glass case. Propping his elbows on the countertop, he entwined his fingers and pondered upon the merging process he was about to witness. He looked forward to seeing the end result, but before they could begin, he had to wait on Sandra as well as his head of security. The process couldn’t begin until they arrived.
Dr. Lee busied himself inside the lab. Several projects needed his attention and with no one other than Jeremiah around, there was plenty of work to do. Since Jeremiah insisted the labs be cleared of staff not involved in the procedure, the doctor excused everyone for the night. Security, however, remained at their post.
The doctor darted between projects. Checking an instrument reading at one workstation, he then peered through a microscope at another. Sweat glistening his forehead, he dabbed it away with a handkerchief.
Dr. Lee had been fully briefed on what to do. Jeremiah needed him for the procedure, but the risk would be taken on by someone else. He had yet to decide who that might be. “Steven,” Jeremiah said, “you seem a little nervous.”
“Not at all, not at all. I’m just extremely busy.”
“I expect Sandra to return shortly. You’re absolutely clear on what you have to do?”
“Yes. There’s nothing to it from what you’ve told me.”
Jeremiah watched the doctor tend to his work. “You have the medallion?” he asked, pushing his chair from the counter.
“Yes, it’s...” The doctor patted the pockets of his lab coat. “It’s in the safe. I’ll be right back,” he said before heading to his office adjoining the lab.
Jeremiah nodded and waited patiently for Dr. Lee’s return. He appreciated the doctor’s many contributions and unwavering dedication to his estate. Nevertheless, in developing their relationship over the years, Jeremiah came to realize that, though he was extremely adept in the world of science, the doctor sometimes overlooked a minor detail here or there. Keeping a tally of the countless number of facts, figures and computations careening ceaselessly around in his mind, he could be forgiven for being a little absent-minded at times.
Receiving a text message, Jeremiah exited the lab. Sandra had returned and was on her way to meet him.
His head of security was also due to arrive soon. Carl Sanchez, former Navy Seal and ex-soldier of fortune, held the position for the last five years. Jeremiah found the man to be highly competent at his job. He considered Sanchez one of his best assets and routinely assigned him to handle important issues that made use of his real talents.
Carl’s role in the merging process was vital. He would oversee the unsealing of the bottle while providing security during the proceedings. Although confident everything would go according to plan, Jeremiah considered it foolhardy not to take precautions. The instructions he received were simple enough, but in case something went awry, Carl would shut things down and clean things up where needed.
This wasn’t the first time his organization ventured into realms lying outside what others considered normal. Being well aware the laws of nature and science seldom applied when dealing with the unknown, he expected the inner circle of his estate to approach these moments with the utmost caution.
The door into the corridor of labs opened and a black dog wandered through followed by Sandra holding its leash. A fully grown Labrador retriever, the dog sniffed the floor, then gazed down the hall at Jeremiah.
Beckoning Sandra over, Jeremiah saw Dr. Lee stroll into the lab and hold up the medallion.
“We’re set to begin,” he said as Sandra joined him. The dog sniffed Jeremiah’s shoes before looking up at him, its pink tongue hanging partially from its mouth.
Jeremiah gazed at the dog. “Take it into the lab,” he instructed.
Sandra pressed a button on the wall and opened the lab door. She nodded at Dr. Lee as she entered his domain, but the dog seemed reluctant to follow. Tugging on the leash, she gently persuaded the animal inside.
Jeremiah walked down the hall and into the lobby. Approaching the security booth, he looked over the two men stationed inside. “I need one of you for a few minutes. Decide quickly.”
One of the guards stepped forward. “How can I help, sir?”
Nodding at the volunteer, he dismissed the remaining guard. “You can take a break,” Jeremiah said. “Return when Dr. Lee summons you.”
The guard left the station, exited the lobby and proceeded to the upper floor. Before the door shut behind him, Carl stepped through the closing gap.
“You’re timing is precise, as usual.” Jeremiah shook Carl’s hand. “I sent that guard on break,” he informed his department head. “We have...what’s your name, son?”
The security guard stood at attention. “Alvarez, sir!”
“We have Alvarez to carry out the unsealing,” Jeremiah said. “The less people around, the fewer questions there are regarding what’s about to occur.”
Carl nodded. “I understand. Did you hear that, Alvarez? Follow your instructions and ask no questions. Am I clear?”
“Yessir!”
Sharply dressed in a black, tailor-made Italian suit and wearing a white dress shirt with a burgundy tie, Carl looked as if he just stepped off a fashion show runway. Coupled with his movie star handsomeness, he certainly wouldn’t have looked out of place parading up and down the catwalks of Milan.
Leaving the lobby, Jeremiah strolled down the corridor. “A little overdressed, aren’t we?”
“I’m coming straight from a meeting,” Carl said as he and Alvarez fell in behind him.
“Regarding?”
“I’m looking at integrating U.A.V’s into the estate’s security.”
“Drones? Good idea.”
“I think so too. Having eyes in the sky would be a valuable tool in the overall security of the grounds.”
“I agree. The technology has made huge advances over the last few years. Keep me apprised,” Jeremiah said. “We may have other uses for them besides security.
Jeremiah gazed into the lab. Sandra leaned against a counter, the dog lying at her feet on the cold tiled floor. It looked up at him for a moment, then turned and stared at Dr. Lee jotting things onto a notepad.
“Wait here.” Pushing the button to trigger the door, Jeremiah stepped inside but remained by the entrance. “Let’s get started, Steven.” He then looked at Sandra. “You’re done here. I’ll see you at the morning briefing.”
Dr. Lee crossed the lab and accepted the leash from Sandra. The dog started barking as she walked away. It strained against the leash as Jeremiah followed her out.
“You sure you don’t need me?” she asked.
“I am.”
“Then enjoy the rest of your evening, gents. And please, try not to hurt the dog,” Sandra said before walking towards the lobby.
Jeremiah couldn’t tell if she meant it or not. She never showed any softness outside of her dealings with him. He didn’t think the process would hurt the dog but was only moments away from finding out. He signaled the doctor to begin.
Dr. Lee looped his end of the leash through the handles of a large metal cabinet bolted into the wall. Tying it off, he approached the glass case containing the flask. The dog continued barking and started growling as well.
Jeremiah nodded at Carl who turned to the young man standing behind him. “Alvarez, join the doctor,” he said. “Follow his instructions precisely.”
“Yes, sir. I will, sir.”
Jeremiah pressed the door release button for Alvarez. The guard stepped into the lab, the door sealing shut behind him as he joined Dr. Lee by the glass case.
“If anything goes wrong, you have my permission to clean up the mess,” Jeremiah said, confident Carl understood his meaning.
Dr. Lee spoke to Alvarez who nodded his head confirming he comprehended the doctor’s words. Patting the young man on the shoulder, the doctor opened the glass case.
The dog barked incessantly while straining against the leash. Jeremiah wondered if it could sense its life was about to change in one way or another.
Putting on blue disposable gloves, Alvarez waited for Dr. Lee to exit the lab. Picking up the flask, he pulled out the stopper, then placed it and the flask down on the countertop. The dog whimpered as it paced in front of the cabinet it was attached to. Leaving the lab, Alvarez joined the others staring at the scene unfolding before them.
A red glow shot out through the opening of the flask. Hovering in the lab, it expanded before exploding into dozens of crimson pinpricks of light. The red dots zigzagged in every direction, ricocheting off every surface they came into contact with.