Buck Vs. the Bulldog Ants
Page 45
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
Chip stood with his large hands in his pockets. The view from his office window was of a ravine behind the station and which afforded a vista of hardwoods that were busy making preparations to surrender their summer green. He changed the wall calendar to October. Last night’s federal government shutdown was expected but would only marginally disturb his responsibilities as the peacekeeper of his county. He smiled when he thought about the fretting that was now probably occurring in an emergency town council meeting. Surely the bankers and schools staffs were also now holding meetings. For Chip, there was a much larger issue, and that was how in Hades did an unimportant County Sheriff get involved in worldwide affairs? It is because the Agrapest Chemical Company resided on his turf, that’s how. If ACC moved two miles farther west it would have been Portage County’s problem. But ACC was his County’s third largest tax payer and therefore had been pampered up until last year’s mess that brought the national spotlight to this rural community. Only two locals knew that the mess of last year was still lingering and just might bring an element of danger to these serene environs. An incoming Fax woke him from his thoughts.
BANK OF GRAND CAYMAN
ATTN: RICHARD (CHIP) SHERMAHORN
REQUEST FOR FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS, CASH, BY ROBERT OPHALA, OPHALA LLC
CUSTOMER PICKUP TOMORROW
ADVISE….CELAYA AVENT, VP, BOGC
Chip held the fax at his side as he returned to gaze out the window. It was a tough decision to make and one that could backfire but it had to be done. He didn’t see any other way. He sat at his desk and picked up the phone.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Two men sat in the rental car and watched. The ACC parking area contained about one hundred vehicles of all shapes and sizes. The black Land Rover was parked by the front entrance in a reserved space. The ACC building was two stories for the most part but had one story wings attached to each end. The two story expanse facing the parking lot was an all glass façade and the men could see movement beyond the glass. Much too much openness and visibility for what the men were being paid to do. One of the men placed a mark on the county map and traced the route necessary to travel to the other mark. The men left the lot knowing it would have to be done at the other mark. It would depend on if the woman failed them which had always been deemed to be a possibility and important people were becoming impatient. The men had not been aware that an ACC security officer had been observing them and jotted down the car’s license plate numbers. The officer handed the note to Gloria at the front desk and instructed her to give it to Mr. Christianson.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Marlene opened the front door and let the animals out for recess. She returned to the TV side of the basement and sat, staring, and debating, also calculating the probable repercussions. She made up her mind, and texted; THERE IS NO NECTAR, THE BEE DOESN’T KNOW, YELLOW BIRD TO FLY AWAY. She would pack tonight and tell John that Guido was not going to be able to understand Buck, and that her C.O. needed the both of them back at work. She would leave for Virginia tomorrow. She fought back tears and resolved to take on the countenance of the soldier that she is. Yet she was saddened and couldn’t stop the flow of tears. After all, she rationalized, of the groups of people on the planet, both male and female, soldiers probably cry the most. She would miss one thing most of all…….the man, and he was the reason she was crying.
“Cassie, I can point out the whole word and I know you can too. We just have to figure out a way to get John by himself in the chamber. Help me think of a way. Let me see you do the camera thing.” Cassie sat and rose her paws to her eyes, then made several clicking sounds while rotating her head slightly with each click. Guido sat with us on the car park and cocked his head in wonderment. I thought he was probably seeing two of the strangest animals he had ever seen. I was working on a plan and thought of something I could do though it might not work. Cassie would have to do the word and camera act if my plan worked. I explained it to Cassie as the front door opened to let us back inside.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
He heard the cell phone make the sound of an incoming message. The message read; ERADICATE BOTH BIRD AND BEE.