Flight Of the Griffin
By Maddie Valasek
Life is a funny thing. Sometimes it’s good,
sometimes it’s bad, and sometimes it changes just when you think you’ve got it
figured out. It’s that last part that can really throw you or maybe it can
give you a new direction depending on how you see things. Not so long ago, I
was just some guy trying to figure out where I belong in the grand scheme of
things. To be totally honest, I wasn’t having much luck. I didn’t feel like I
fit anywhere. After twenty-six years of trying, I pretty much had given up and
just existed. I guess life had different ideas for me.
My name is Gabrielle James, but that wasn’t always the case.
Until a few months ago, I was known as Griffin James, average Joe. That’s a
little bit of information that could have gotten me killed in the not so
distant past. Now I’m not usually the type to get into trouble. About the worst
thing I do is the occasional breaking of speed limits. For the most part, I
keep a low profile and do my best to follow the rules. You could call me a
chameleon; I blend into the background quite well. I would probably still be
living a nice quiet life doing my best not to get noticed if I hadn’t tried to
be a hero that night thirteen months ago.
That night I wasn’t looking for trouble, it just happened
to be hanging out next to my car in the garage at work. It was late. I’d spent
most of the night trying to finish some artwork for the latest edition of
reptile inspired t-shirts. I finally shut the computer down and headed out of
the office a little after midnight. The only thing I was worried about was
getting something to quiet my grumbling stomach. I got a weird feeling when I
stepped out of the elevator and headed toward my car.
Normally, there was a lot of noise when I left work. Lots
of people and cars were usually moving in and out of the garage. Not that
night, the only sounds were coming from my shoes as I walked across the
concrete floor. I don’t know about you but I find silence in a normally noise
filled area creepy. My mind always starts thinking of all the scary movies I’ve
ever seen. I was wondering if the guy with the chainsaw started it before you
got too close to escape. Or did he give you a second or two warning? It’s
thoughts like that that convinced me to start learning Aikido a few years ago.
I had unconsciously picked up the pace and was almost jogging to my parking
spot when I started to hear voices.
I was relieved to hear something. I heard a woman and man
speaking to each other. I slowed my pace and tried not to listen to their
conversation. My car was just around the corner along with the sources of the
voices. I slowed myself to a normal speed. I didn’t want to look like I was
scared to be alone walking through a dimly lit nearly deserted parking garage.
Just before I turned the corner things started going bad. Whatever the people
were talking about had turned into an argument.
“OK, great,” I thought
“The boss isn’t happy with you double
crossing us,” growled a male voice.
“What he is doing is wrong and you know it,”
fired back a female voice.
Instead of standing there listening, what I should have done
is to keep walking, get in my car and drive away. That’s exactly what my brain
was telling me to do but my feet anchored themselves to the floor. I just stood
there like some bizarre cross of human and tree.
“What we are doing is none of your concern,”
said a second man, “where is the disk?”
“Fuck off. You and your boyfriend can’t
frighten me. There are a few important people who would love to know exactly
what’s going on over there.”
“You will not be allowed to make delivery to
anyone. Our superiors are getting impatient. Forget this crusade of yours. Walk
away now, before you get hurt. Give us the disk.”
“I’m not giving you the disk and I’m not
backing down, asshole,” she replied firmly.
I had heard more than I wanted to. Things
were quickly getting out of hand. My feet finally uprooted themselves. I
thought that maybe having a witness would stop whatever was happening.. They’d
have a few seconds to calm down. Hopefully long enough for me and the woman to
get in our cars and leave. I really didn’t want to get involved with whatever
they were talking about.
Unfortunately, I decided to move at the worst possible
moment. Things had gone from bad to really, really bad in about two
nanoseconds. As I stepped around the corner, the woman was thrown against her
car; I guess the guy’s patience ran out faster than his boss’. She didn’t even
blink. She had a look that said she’d been through worse and beating her
wouldn’t get them what they wanted. They didn’t seem to get the message. I
quickly jumped back around the corner. I wasn’t sure what the Hell I was doing.
The man closest to me was tall and thin. His sunken eyes
and pale face immediately brought to mind the image of a vampire. It wouldn’t
have been surprising if I saw that he had fangs and a long red and black cape.
I wondered if I the woman had any holy water or a crucifix on her. If he was
the brains, then his sidekick was certainly the brawn.
He was slightly shorter than the vampire, but almost twice
as wide. His head seemed to rise directly from his shoulders with no apparent
neck to join the two. He either spent a lot of time in a gym, used more than
his share of steroids, or maybe both. I imagined him being a linebacker who
enjoyed hurting unsuspecting quaterbacks. I had the distinct feeling that if
his boss wanted someone to suffer he would be called for the job.
They both had the officious air of ex-police or government
agents. Their legitimate careers were probably cut short with an excessive
force charge or two. My guess was that they worked as some sort of private
security officers for someone who didn’t want to get their own hands dirty.
They were thugs as far as I was concerned. Well paid thugs, but thugs
nonetheless.
I’d seen the type before. Similar ones had found it amusing
to mercilessly bully me early in high school. I wasn’t very big at the time
and being a bit of a nerd made me one of their favorite targets. I was a junior
before I started to catch up with them size wise. Add in some self-defense
classes and I could hold my own in a confrontation. I had discovered that they
didn’t like fair fights or people who weren’t afraid of them. Beatings on fellow
classmates and myself pretty much ended by the time I graduated.
“For a traitorous thief, you seem to have an over-developed
sense of morality,” stated the vampire.
“I might be a thief, but even I have my limits. No amount
of money is worth what your boss is doing.”
“That’s where you are wrong my dear,” he smiled
At some unseen signal the linebacker attacked the woman
again. After knocking her down, he kicked her hard in her ribs. There was a
sickening thud. The vampire just smiled bigger. The woman let out a small sob
but nothing else as she struggled to her feet. I was impressed by the way the
woman kept her composure and the toughness she showed. I’d probably be curled
up in a little ball crying like a baby after a kick like that. The men’s behavior
was less than impressive. Cowardly would be too nice a word for them.
“We’ve heard that you’re one tough bitch,
but Denso here loves his work. We’re just getting started. Where’s the disk?”
he demanded again.
“Uranus,” the woman laughed.
“You are certainly brave, or perhaps its
just stupidity that you continue to mock us. Denso, I believe she would like
some more.”
I couldn’t stand there and let that woman
get beaten. My brain was functioning well enough at that point for me to
realize that they may be armed. I needed a distraction. What I had in mind was
a few dozen well-armed police officers. Unfortunately, there weren’t any
around. The only thing I could find was a fire alarm and extinguisher “That’ll
have to do,” I thought. I grabbed the extinguisher and pulled the alarm. It
started ringing followed shortly by the sprinkler system. I was hoping to be
able to hold them off until security came.
“What the hell?” I heard from the vampire.
“Denso watch her.”
I heard him coming through the makeshift shower I had
created. If he had a gun, I was sure it was drawn and ready to use. I was
hoping he would be sloppy and give me a window of just a second or two. He
obligingly came walking around the corner I was hiding behind without checking
it out first. For that, he got a face full of whatever comes out of a fire
extinguisher. He dropped the gun and reached for his face. I took the lapse in
his defense and combined that with the hard metal extinguisher to put him out
of the fight for a while. I hoped I hit him just hard enough to keep him down
for a bit but not hard enough to do any permanent damage. Unlike the action
heroes in the movies, I get a little queasy at the thought of serious injuring
someone.
I considered grabbing his gun but I wasn’t
particularly comfortable with the idea. I didn’t think I’d be able to shoot
anyone so I kicked it down a nearby drain. I hoped that Mr. linebacker would
still be itching for a fight and would forego the gun for something more
personal. He didn’t disappoint me. He also made the same mistake that so many
other bullies had done so long ago. He seriously underestimated the person he
was picking on.
One on one, we were a close match. His size
and power equaled my speed and training. The longer the fight went on the more
the odds tipped in his favor. I was more of a challenge than he was expecting
though. Once he realized I was more of a danger than he thought, he focused his
full attention on me. In doing that, he forgot about the woman he was harassing.
Finding a suitably sized chunk of concrete, she caught him in the back of the
head putting him down for the count. He wouldn’t be back to the land of the
conscious for a while.
“Dammit,” I heard from the woman, “do you
have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into?”
“You’re welcome,” I replied sarcastically. I
would have thought she’d be happy for the help.
“Look, I appreciate the help but you’ve got
to get out of here right now,” she ordered as she tried to get into her car.
She was obviously in a lot of pain.
“You need to see a doctor. You probably have
a broken rib. That was one nasty kick you took.”
“I know but you’ve got to get out of here.
We don’t have time to argue, there will be more where those two came from.” The
words had barely left her mouth when I heard something whiz past my ear and
ricochet off of a cement post. The next second her windshield exploded and tire
went flat. I looked up over to see the vampire woozily making his way to his
feet. He was still feeling the effects of the fire extinguisher but was
recovering quickly. “How many guns do these guys carry?” I asked myself.
“RUN!!” she shouted. I took me a second to
get my brain in gear and start moving. “Where is your car?”
“The silver Mustang right there,” I pointed
at one of the last three cars in the lot. Fortunately it was behind a large
truck and we were able to get to relative safety. I grabbed my keys and hit
the unlock button. “Thank God for keyless entry,” I thought. Within seconds we
were inside and I had the car started.
“Go, Go. Go,” she rasped as she pointed
toward the exit. I didn’t need the direction. My self-preservation instinct
finally kicked in, about five minutes too late, in my opinion. We shot out of
the parking spot and headed toward the lower level. We had one level and two
very tight turns between us and the street. The Mustang was up to the task; it
carried us out onto the street before anyone else showed up. My mother wasn’t
too happy when I bought the car. She thought it was going to get me killed.
She knew I drove too fast and thought the car would make me drive even faster
and more reckless. She was right. I did drive faster and more reckless, but
that night it probably saved my life.
Twenty minutes later, I finally slowed down
to my normal mildly excessive pace. My heart however was still trying for a
new record. I started checking myself for holes. I was more or less
unscathed. My new female friend wasn’t in such good shape. She had fortunately
escaped any holes but had received one hell of a beating from the linebacker
Denso.
“We need to get you to a hospital,” I said
worriedly.
“Yeah, I think that would be a good idea.
What’s your name?”
“Griffin.”
“Thanks for the help, Griffin, you saved my
ass. I’m Katie”
“Your welcome, Katie, I could have done
without the fighting and bullets but the driving too fast was fun, though,” She
laughed. Then winced.
“Oh don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”
“OK, no more laughing. Where the hell are
we?” I was in such a hurry to get away from the parking garage I hadn’t paid
attention to where I was going. We ended up in a part of town I wasn’t familiar
with.
She looked out the window for a few seconds. “ I don’t know.
I haven’t been here in a long while.”
“Hang on, there’s a gas station. I need some
gas and I can find out where we are.”
“I thought guys didn’t ask for directions.”
“I’m not your typical guy.”
“I’d say not. You don’t even know me but you
helped. Not many people would have. There aren’t to many heroes that don’t wear
uniforms anymore.”
I didn’t know what to say. Hell, I didn’t
even know why I helped. I pulled into the gas station and filled the car then
ran inside to pay and get directions. The sight of sandwiches reminded me of
my empty stomach. I grabbed a few and some drinks then headed to the
register.
“Late night munchies?” the attendant asked.
“Late night dinner more like it,” I
returned.
“Nice car. Bet it runs like a bat outta
hell.”
“I gets me into and out of trouble.”
“I’ll bet. Street racin’s on the other side
of town. Industrial district I think.”
“Huh?”
“That’s what you’re lookin’ for, right?”
“Oh, no, actually where’s the nearest
hospital? My friend dropped a computer on her foot and we got lost looking for
the hospital.”
“That’s good street racin’s dangerous. I’d
hate to see that pretty car all mangled up. Woodridge is about ten minutes up
on the right. You can’t miss it. Hope your friends OK.”
“Thanks, I hope she is, too.” I said then
headed out to the car.
If I could have seen the little TV the attendant kept under
the counter I would have realized that I was in a lot more trouble than I
thought. As I drove off he turned the volume up just in time to hear “I repeat
the man and woman attacked two agents while making their escape and are
considered armed and dangerous. The male is six feet tall, thin, weighing about
160 pounds with long brown hair…
*
“Katie, we’re in luck there’s a hospital a few miles up. Thirsty?”
I asked offering her a bottle of water. She nodded and took the bottle.
“You wouldn’t happen to have grabbed
something to eat while you were in there? I haven’t had anything to eat since
breakfast yesterday and I’m starving.” She asked.
“Turkey or ham?” I returned.
“Turkey, please.”
I handed her a sandwich then started toward the hospital.
My heart had finally decided we were safe and returned to a more sedate
rhythm. My mind was busy reprimanding me for being so reckless. I was lucky I
hadn’t been killed. The good guys in movies can get away with stuff like that
but real people get killed. I really needed to quit watching so many movies.
It didn’t take long to find the hospital. I
parked the car and helped Katie to the emergency room. Our luck was still
holding, as it was a slow night. We were seen almost immediately. Katie was
sent off to get some x-rays. I decided that I couldn’t just leave her there
without any way to get home so I stuck around. She returned a short time later
confirming a broken rib and adding some bruising but nothing more serious. The
doctor gave her some painkillers and said we could leave.
I had just asked her if she wanted me to
take her home when I caught the news bulletin. I noticed Katie’s picture being
shown on screen.
“This woman known as Katie Darwin and an as
yet unknown male suspect are wanted for attacking two men and shooting at
government agents earlier this evening. Robbery was the apparent motive in the
beatings. The male suspect has been described as six feet tall with long brown
hair. Both suspects are considered armed and dangerous…”
“Damn, they must be getting impatient. I
didn’t expect this until tomorrow morning,” Katie responded.
“Wanted? I’m a wanted criminal now!” I
couldn’t believe it.
“Come on, let’s go. I’ll explain in the
car.”
“What have I gotten into here, Katie?”
“I’ll tell you in the car. Now move!”
We left the hospital in a hurry, all but running across the
parking lot towards the car. I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t know
what I had gotten into. I also didn’t know what the Hell to do or who I could
go to for help. I needed to find out as much as I could.
“Ok, now tell me what’s going on,” I
demanded.
“It’s probably not safe for you to go home.
Let’s get moving. We are going to see some friends of mine. They can help and
I’ll explain on the way.”
I didn’t have a choice but to agree. Her telling me I
couldn’t go home had me worried. Just a couple hours ago the only thing I
worried about was deciding on what to have for dinner. Now I was dropped into
the middle of something that could very well end my life. I didn’t have a
chance on my own. My only choice was to stick with Katie, at least until I
figured out exactly what I was involved in. She directed me to the interstate
and gave me an exit number.
“I’ll direct you once we get there. Do you
want the whole story or just the highlights?” asked Katie.
“I guess it’s too late to back out now. It
can’t hurt knowing exactly what I’ve gotten into.”
“I hate to tell you, but your Good Samaritan
act just got you on the wrong side of some very powerful and very dangerous
people. Have you ever heard of Infincorp?”
“Yeah, aren’t they some big government
defense contractor,” I answered.
“Ninety-nine percent of what they do is
totally legitimate. They are a leading authority on non-lethal technology.
Many government agencies use their equipment. Police, FBI, NSA, you name it.
They also have some of the most advanced combat weaponry on the planet, some
seriously sci-fi next generation stuff. It’s all done with government
funding. What they are building isn’t the problem. It’s what they are doing
with it that’s the problem.
The NSA has suspected that some of the
controlling parties have been selling that technology. More specifically, Mandrick
Jensen has been selling the U.S advantage to terrorists and our enemies. He’s
the man behind the mask, the Wizard of Oz, if you will. A few years ago he
gained total control of everything relating to Infinicorp. The general sense is
there were a lot of dirty dealings that got him there. I can say that it was
almost certainly true. He’s the kind of man that will do anything to get what
he wants. It doesn’t matter if it’s legal or not. Since then more and more
advanced weapons have ended up in the hands of the wrong people. The only
problem was that there was no evidence linking him to it.”
“OK, that tells me who we’re dealing with.
How do you fit into all this?” I asked.
“Everyone has heard of industrial
espionage. We all know it happens. What everyone doesn’t know is that the old
corporate spy is a dying breed. Today’s technology and economy is running so
fast that the spies are inefficient. Corporations can no longer afford the
time and effort of getting the right people into position. Bribery is still
used to some extent but it, too, isn’t the most reliable or quickest method.
They need everything as quickly as possible. Information is worth more than
gold these days. The newest tool for them has been around since time began. The
thief. That’s me.”
“You’re a thief? Somehow I just can’t
picture you crawling around through and air ducts in all black.”
“Oh please, you’ve seen too many movies. We
don’t do things like that here on planet earth. Yes, I’m a thief and a damn
good one at that. I was hired to do a job for Infinicorp. No, not Infinicorp,
I was hired to do a job for Mandrick Jensen. It seems that Defense Tec was on
the verge of taking a very lucrative contract away from him. He needed to know
what they had going on.
It supposed to have been a simple little
job. Go in pick up the mark and get out with no one being the wiser. I had done
similar ones a hundred times. Apparently, someone had other ideas. I was
surrounded by a dozen NSA agents as soon as I set foot in the building. Somebody
had tipped them off and they were waiting for me. I was screwed.
I can duck regular security easily. Their communication can
be disrupted and they don’t work together particularly well. The NSA is a whole
different story, especially when they know you’re coming. I slipped the agents
themselves easily enough but I had nowhere to go. They had sealed off my exits
and playing hide and seek in the building all night would have been pointless.
I couldn’t get out. That was the first and only time that has ever happened to
me. I wanted to know why in the hell there were twelve highly trained agents
there waiting for me. So I went and asked them. I was caught anyway. I was
taken to speak with Special Agent Jack Kent.
They had received the tip off from someone relatively high
in the order at Infinicorp. That someone was working with or for the NSA
investigating Mr. Mandrick J. and had turned up some interesting information
linking him to certain illegal activities. Agent Kent needed that info and the
evidence to back it up. He didn’t know exactly what it was and didn’t want to
risk the moles cover. What they needed was a way to get it out without raising
anyone’s suspicion. They needed someone that wasn’t connected to anyone,
someone who could easily get in and out of Infinicorp, someone who could be
controlled, and someone who was ultimately expendable.
I just happen to fit the bill. I was given the choice of
helping my country or spending a long time in jail. Being that I love my
freedom, I chose to give my country a hand. Besides that, I had a check to
collect. While playing around with the agents was fun I did have a job to do.
I had picked up my mark while I was playing hide and seek. All that was left
was to make delivery and take my normal fee. I did have a reputation as being
one of the best and wanted to keep it that way.”
“Whoa, wait a minute. Are you telling me that not only are
you a thief, but while trapped in a building with a dozen of Uncle Sam’s
finest, you managed to elude them and find whatever the Hell it is you went in
there to get. Then, at that point, with the stolen goods walked out and gave yourself
up? Did I miss something?”
“Not exactly. I didn’t have the mark on me. I left it
someplace I could easily get to it. I figured that after I found out why they
were trying to catch me, I could find an alternative exit. Then I could go back
and finish the job. I think it worked out quite well, thank you very much.”
“Damn, I’m in way over my head,” I realized.
“Do you want me to finish or have you heard enough?” she
asked.
“No, let me have it all.”
“I had made a decision on the way back to Infinicorp. That
was going to be my last job. I had made enough money. My conscience had been
getting to me, too. When I first started, it was fun. I liked the rush you get
when things go exactly as you planned. Hell, I liked the rush of improvising
when things didn’t go according to plan. Back then it was stealing from the
rich to give to the rich. I figured there was plenty of money to go around.
It was just a matter of who was on top at that moment.
A few years ago I found out a few companies had to shut down
because of me. The product that could have saved them was stolen by yours
truly. I began to wonder how many people had lost their jobs because of me. Tens?
Hundreds? How about thousands? I didn’t know. I didn’t like that feeling. I
remembered when my Dad was laid off when I was a kid. Things got a little rough
for us. I didn’t like being responsible for making some little girl’s life more
difficult than it had to be. I only had a few more jobs to set me for life.
All I had to do was keep doing what I was good at and not think about the
consequences.
Special Agent Kent had given me a rundown on what they
needed. They gave me the location of the mark, security details, and a window
to work in. About the only thing he told me that was useful was the location
of the mark. He may be a world-class government agent, but he would make a piss
poor thief. I had my own plans. The getting in was easy. I did have some
unfinished business to attend to. It was easy enough to get the disk. I mean,
how many of those things are lying around offices anyway. It was made easier by
the fact I knew exactly where it was going to be waiting for me. I was back
before anyone knew I had left. I concluded my business with Mr. Jensen had a
drink with him and left. The arrogant prick actually tried to get me to sleep
with him.
On my way out of the building I picked up a tail. I didn’t
think they had any suspicions about me other than just keeping tabs on me. It
happens occasionally. Usually after the first time I do a job for someone.
They seem to want to make sure I’m not going to the police or feds. It usually
lasts a day or two maybe as much as a week. If they were really concerned about
me, I wouldn’t have been allowed to leave the building. I wasn’t in the mood to
be followed, but I didn’t want them to get suspicious by dumping their
surveillance too quickly. I waited patiently then ditched him a little while
later.
I was supposed to meet with Special Agent Kent the next
day. I called him to let him know that I was being followed and I was going to
wait a few days to make sure I was clear. He wanted to meet anyway. He might
think I’m expendable, but I’d like to keep breathing for a while. He was none
too happy when I told him he has waited this long and that a few more days
wouldn’t kill him. I was taking a chance putting him off but I figured he was
willing to allow me a little leeway.
I took the next few days to relax and test out the amenities
in my hotel. I waited another three just to be sure I wasn’t being watched then
called and set up a meeting. All that was left was to hand over the disk and I
could disappear to an island in the Caribbean never to be heard from again.
That was my plan, at least.
A few hours later I was waiting in an abandoned warehouse
waiting for the fearless Special Agent Jack Kent. What is it about abandoned
warehouses and covert meetings? Is there some sort of rule in the special
agent handbook? About ten minutes later he shows up with eleven of his buddies
from the Defense Tec job. Did he really think I was that dangerous? I didn’t
know whether to be embarrassed or flattered, a few seconds later I was very
glad that he had brought them along.
I mentioned earlier that NSA agents were well trained. I
should have added well armed also. Just as all the agents had gotten out of
their cars, two men wearing full body armor emerged out of thin air. They
opened fire on the agents with some very strange weapons. I didn’t know what
they were at first. Then I realized they were non-lethals. Their intent wasn’t
to kill but to incapacitate. High tech non-lethal weapons meant Infinicorp. I
figured they were after the disk, but why face-off with the NSA? I was easily
the softer target
The initial attack left one agent unconscious and three
others dazed. The remaining eight agents had found cover and regrouped. I had
found some cover behind a very thick steel post. Special Agent Kent was busy
barking out orders. What looked to be assault rifles were unloaded and
dispersed to the remaining men. Then they went on the offensive.
The display of firepower was impressive to say the least.
Had their enemy not been wearing body armor the fight would have been extremely
lopsided and would have ended quickly. I don’t think the two armored men were
expecting that much resistance. They were well armed as well and with the body
armor it was a level playing field.
Both sides were concentrating on the other and paying no
attention to me. I took that opportunity to get the Hell out. I had made it
out of the building without any holes. With pure luck, I heard the crackle of
a radio before I stepped blindly around a corner. I was sloppy and damn lucky I
didn’t get myself caught.
“We’ve lost the woman and these agents are putting up a hell
of a fight. The exchange wasn’t made. The woman still has the disk,” I heard
coming over the radio, “We’re at a stale mate here.”
“The disk isn’t here. She must have hidden it somewhere.
Return to home. I’ll meet you there,” replied another male voice.
“They knew I had the disk. I was in serious trouble. I
backtracked the way I came and found an alternate route. I made it to my car
and got out of there as quickly as possible. I didn’t know how the firefight
had ended up.
I don’t think that Jensen ordered that attack. It’s not his
way. He’s not the type to care if a little blood gets spilled. The first
possibility was they found out about the meeting at the last second. They
didn’t know exactly what I had but didn’t want the NSA to get it in case it was
something to worry about. They either didn’t have time to wait for Jensen’s
order or couldn’t get to him in time. The fight was just to keep any exchange
from happening and to buy them time to find out what I might have gotten out
with.
That’s not likely. Jensen is the type of guy who would
insist on being notified and unless he took a trip to the moon he was somewhere
they could reach him. My guess is that whoever the inside guy is probably was
in charge of that little escapade. Whoever gave the order showed discipline and
restraint. He knew that trying to kill NSA agents was suicidal and unnecessary.
I was an easier target. He just wanted the information I had to stay with me
for a little while longer. The comment about the disk not being there was just
for cover. He could go back to his boss claim that it was hidden and I needed
to be found. It also gave me time to disappear.
That was a month ago. I’ve been dodging Jensen’s men ever
since. I’ve been able to keep half a step ahead but they are getting closer. He
must be pushing for them to get results. They nearly caught me earlier today.
They managed to track me to the hotel I was staying at. I’m not sure how they
managed that. I do take steps to maintain my anonymity. Luckily, I was out
getting ice when they showed up. TH I got back just as they were letting
themselves into my room. I wasn’t happy to see that. I am prepared for such an
event but I didn’t like having to resort to those measures. That usually means
that my time and options are running out.
I called Agent Kent and told him I was ready to deliver the
disk and we set up another meeting. I never made it to that meeting. They had
my car bugged and managed to cut me off before I could make it. I did manage to
keep from getting caught but only barely. Either I’m getting sloppy or they got
very lucky. I think it’s time for me to take that long vacation I’ve been
planning.
I was able to get in touch with Agent Kent. He knows the
situation. He tried getting me to go into protective custody but I feel safer
out on my own. Jensen has friends in high places and I didn’t think there was
anyplace Kent could take me that he wouldn’t be able to find me. Kent’s given
me a week to get the disk to him before our deal becomes null and void. All we
have to do is survive until we can get the disk to him. By the way, we’re being
followed.”
I checked my mirror but couldn’t see anything out of the
ordinary. “Where, I don’t see anything?”
“Three cars back the black sedan. He’s been rotating watch
with a SUV and a compact import.”
“How can you tell?”
“In about a minute, the sedan will either exit or pass us.
Then a SUV will take its place. The compact will trade with the SUV about five
minutes after that. They’ve been repeating that pattern for about twenty
minutes.”
The sedan passed us about a minute later. I checked back
and saw a SUV had taken its place. Five minutes later the SUV was replaced by
the compact.
“Damn, any brilliant plans?” I asked.
“Yeah, put some space between us and them. We’ve got six
miles. The cars they picked are supposed to help them blend in. They aren’t
made for speed. This pony of yours is. I’d be willing to bet that you’ve
added some horsepower and other bits to make it even more so.”
I had invested quite a bit of money in power and handling
upgrades for my Mustang. It was definitely the right car for some high-speed
antics. I knew the highway we were on pretty well. She was right. We had the
advantage.
“Make sure your seat and tray tables are in their upright
and locked positions. Be sure to securely fasten your safety belts and enjoy
your flight.” With a devilish grin, I buried my right foot. The engine came
alive with a demonic growl. The rear tires gave a tortured squeal then hooked
into the roadway. It felt like we were rear ended by a freight train. The
speedometer made a rapid ascent into hyper legal speed. Within what seemed
like seconds, it swept passed the 140 mph mark. We quickly outpaced our rivals.
All they could do was watch our rapidly diminishing taillights.
*
“Holy shit! I’ve got to get one of these,” Katie exclaimed.
“Your exit’s coming up.”
The oversized brakes easily scrubbed off the excess speed as
we returned to a more civil minded velocity. We exited and Katie directed me a
few blocks off the highway to a neon-covered building sitting at the end of a
large industrial complex. Pulling into the parking lot I realized it was one
of the more popular nightclubs near town. “What are we doing here?” I
questioned.
“I have a few friends here that can help us,” she answered.
She told me to park in the busiest part of the lot, saying
something about it being more difficult to spot a needle in a haystack than a
needle all by itself. I could see the logic in that. We found a spot not to
far away from the front door. I felt very exposed as we left the car. I’d
taken two steps toward the door when I realized Katie was headed around the
side of the building.
“Are we not going in?” I asked?
“Of course we are. We just don’t have to use the front
door,” she said coolly.
What could I say? I decided to keep quiet and follow her
lead. We came to what looked like a fire exit. She knocked, then a second
later there was an audible click and she opened the door. A huge shadow
filled the doorway.
“Hey there, Bax. Duncan or Max around?” Katie questioned.
“Damn, it’s good to see you girl. I’ve missed that pretty face
of yours. Come on in. I’ll go find the guys,” rumbled Bax.
We followed the giant inside. Baxtin Van Zandt looked like
the guy you didn’t want to meet in a dark alley. He was a muscled behemoth
that looked like he was carved out of granite. He was close to seven feet
tall and probably tipped the scales well over three hundred pounds. His
massive arms were covered in tattoos from his wrist to the ragged edge of the
sleeveless T-shirt he was wearing. I’m not exactly tiny. I stand a solid six
feet and keep myself at a trim 160 pounds. Standing next to Bax I felt
positively petite. “Help yourselves to something to drink. I’ll be back in a
minute with Duncan, Max, or both,” with that he turned and left the room we had
entered.
“That is one very big very scary guy,” I said after he left.
“Oh, Bax is a sweetheart once you get to know him. He’s a
very good person to have as a friend.”
“I’d definitely like to have him on my side at the moment.”
“Don’t worry, he is.”
The door opened and two men entered followed closely by Bax.
“Katie!” they exclaimed in unison. They were obviously very happy to see her.
They looked at me and seemed to recognize me for a second, but quickly realized
I wasn’t whom they were thinking about.
“I’m so glad to see you, kid. How long has it been?” asked
the first of the men to enter the room. He was a distinguished looking
gentleman just starting to show a little gray hair. He was probably in his
early fifties but due either to good genetics or taking care of himself he
carried his age well. He wore slacks and casual polo with the club logo
embroidered on it. He had a warm smile that only brightened the closer he got
to Katie.
“Too long, Duncan, too long,” she said as she tried to give
him a hug “You too, Max. You guys look great.” She gave Max an equally
painful hug.
Max noticed the tenderness in her ribs. “Thanks, you’re not
looking so great. If you don’t mind me saying so,” he smiled. Max was probably
about the same age as Duncan but wasn’t holding up as well as his partner. Too
many years of drinking and smoking had aged him farther but his jovial
disposition and quick smile helped to counteract the affects of those habits.
“I’ve had a few rough weeks and I need your help,” she
stated.
“You need help? This must be serious. You’ve always been
able to take care of yourself,” commented Max.
“I can’t remember you ever asking for help, kid. And you’ve
gotten into some pretty sticky situations, too. What’s the story and who’s your
friend?” added Duncan.
“Oh damn, sorry guys. This is Griffin,” she replied as a
sort of introduction. “He’s managed to save my ass twice tonight.”.
“Just once, Katie,” I quietly corrected her.
“No, it’s twice. The first time was in the garage and the
second was by choosing to not to drive some gas sipping econobox. We wouldn’t
be here right now if that Mustang of yours wasn’t so damn fast.”
She spent the next hour telling Duncan, Max, and Bax the
story she had just told me. Then added what had happened since she met up with
me. I just stayed quiet. I’m painfully shy when I get around people I don’t
know. Add in the fear of being in an out of control situation and I was more
than happy to have a few quiet minutes. I had just started to get scared about
what was going to happen when Katie finished her story.
*
Bax walked over to me and stuck his hand out, “You saved
Katie and treated her really nicely. For that, you have my respect,” he smiled
at me and I immediately felt better. I reached out and shook his hand. His
hand easily swallowed mine and I was reminded about how small and helpless I
felt at the moment. “Don’t worry. Those three will think of something to get
you out of this mess.” He motioned to Max, Duncan and Katie. He seemed to have
read my mind. “You’re going to have to take me for a ride if your car’s that
fast,” he smiled even bigger at that.
“Bax, that’s a great idea. Why don’t you take Gab, I mean Griffin
and his car to Kel’s? Get Kel to take care of the car. You and Griffin can get
to know each other a little better and Katie, Duncan and I will try and figure
out what our next course of action will be,” offered Max.
“Sure thing, Boss. Let’s get to work, Griffin,” replied Bax.
I gave Katie a questioning look and she nodded yes, so I
left with Bax. If I would have known what decisions would be made while I was
gone, I might have stayed. Once we got in the car, Bax told me we were going
to give my car a facelift. It would no doubt be recognized as it was now. I
wasn’t exactly thrilled to hear that. I’d spent the better part of five years
and a ridiculous amount of money getting it just the way I wanted it. I
couldn’t believe that I was just going to hand it over to someone I’ve never
even met and let them undo all my work. Bax again read my mind, he told me not
to worry, Kel was a total professional and he would take good care of it. I had
a feeling I could trust Bax but I was still uneasy with the whole idea.
I had been taking it pretty easy trying not to attract any
attention. “Open this thing up. Don’t worry about getting stopped; we have an
agreement with the local police. As long as we don’t attract a crowd this
street is our own personal drag,” Bax grinned.
I grinned back then dropped the hammer again. So I’m
addicted to acceleration. Arrest me. Bax and I managed to talk and obliterate
every speed limit in the area on the trip. He seemed to enjoy the ride as much
as I did. Fellow speed freaks united. It normally takes me a long time to get
comfortable enough with someone to talk freely. It took all of about ten
minutes with Bax.
“Katie wasn’t exaggerating, this thing won’t need any engine
work. Kel’s place is coming up. Better shut it down.” Bax said approvingly.
Instead of using the brakes, I downshifted and let the engine slow us down. The
net result is the same with either method but downshifting gave us the bonus of
the wonderful sound only a well-tuned Ford small block can make. The smile on Bax’s
face told me he felt exactly the same way as I did. For those of you who
haven’t had the pleasure to hear it, you don’t know what you’re missing.
Kel’s place was a small-unadorned building about thirty
minutes away from the nightclub. As we pulled in the parking lot a large door
was rolled up and we were motioned inside. A younger guy directed us to a spot
near an old well-used paint booth. I was about to shut off the engine when Bax
asked me to blip the throttle, “I just love the way a Mustang sounds.” I gave
him a little blip then killed the engine. He was all smiles as we got out to
meet Kel.
“You just never get enough do you, Bax?” chided Kel.
“Hell no. Do you?”
“Not really,” he answered. “Nice,” he said looking at my
car.
“Thanks,” was all I could say. My normal shyness had
returned.
“No problem. So, what do you need done to this beauty?” The
question was directed at Bax not me. That made me a little uneasy.
“Basic facelift I think. Wheels and paint should do for
now. Let’s try and keep it low key,” the big guy answered. Kel handed me a book
of sample colors and told me to pick one. As I looked through the book, he
talked to Bax and asked a few questions. Most were the basic what modifications
have you made type. I picked out an electric midnight blue metallic and handed
him the book.
“Nice choice. We’ll have it ready tomorrow evening. You’re ride’s
ready if you want to take it,” he told Bax.
“Of course I want it. Where are the keys?”
I handed over my keys as Kel was giving Bax his then
followed Bax out the door. There was a car waiting to take us back to the
nightclub. Bax walked over to the driver said something to him then continued
toward a Corvette parked nearby. The driver looked at me, smiled then drove
off. I guess it was Bax’s turn to show off.
“I thought you might like a ride in this
beast better than that luxo-cruiser,” he said.
“You’re right. Let’s go,” I wanted to stay
on his good side. I knew as soon as the engine roared to life that it was not
your average Corvette. “Do I even want to know what you have done to this
thing?” I asked.
“It would take me all night to list
everything. It would probably be easier to list what I haven’t changed. I will
say the one thing that really matters, twelve hundred horsepower,” he grinned.
I was impressed. I have heard of a few
thousand plus horsepower rides floating around out there, but I never really
thought I’d get to ride in one. My car is stout but nowhere near quadruple
digits. It was going to be an interesting ride. The trip back to the nightclub
took a bit less time than the trip to Kel’s. To say Bax’s car is fast, would
be like saying Michelangelo is just a painter. Being a speed freak, I could
appreciate the work and money that he had put into that car. With all the car
talk and intense sessions of acceleration, I had actually managed to forget
about the danger I was in for a little while. I was a little sad to be back at
the nightclub.
*
Katie and Max were waiting for us when we
got back to the room. Duncan had left to get some more information on our
predicament. I was really getting tired. My nights normally would have ended a
few hours ago. The fist fight and car chase didn’t help matters much. Katie
must have been too. She stretched and yawned.
“I’m getting tired. We need to get some
rest. I want to throw an idea at you then we can get some sleep. Max, Duncan,
and I think we’ve got a way to keep you alive for a while. It’s a bit strange
but I think we can make it work,” she began.
“Strange? How much stranger can things
get? I’m up for anything,” I replied.
“Good, you can agree that we need to change
the way we look. We are getting a little too recognizable for my tastes.”
“I’m with you so far. What’s so strange
about that?”
“Nothing, here comes the strange part. We
want you to dress as a woman.”
“Huh, I must be more tired than I thought.
Did you just say you wanted me to dress as a woman?”
“Yes, that’s what I said. Now, hear me out.
If people are looking for a man and woman, they won’t be looking for two
women. You’d be much safer that way. I think you could pull it off, too. You
look a lot like a friend we used to know, in fact Duncan and Max thought you
were Gabbie for a few seconds.”
“That would explain the looks they gave me when I came in.
I don’t know about this, Katie. I don’t know the first thing about being a
woman.”
“I’ll teach you. I hate to tell you this, but you aren’t
exactly Mr. Macho. You wouldn’t have to change anything too drastically or
permanently. We’d just kind of soften things up a bit. You have to admit,
that would be one Hell of a disguise.”
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not like your average
guy. I never got the macho junk most guys get into. While a lot of guys are
loud and like destroying things, I’m quiet and like to watch things grow.
Women always tell me that I’m different than the others. I don’t talk down to
them or treat them as lesser beings. They enjoy talking to me and I enjoy
talking to them. But I have never thought of myself as feminine. I just
thought I was unique. The more I thought about it the more I could see her
point. It was still a little distressing to have someone point it out.
“I see your point. Are you absolutely sure I
can pull this off without looking like a guy in drag?” I asked.
“No, not one hundred percent but I’m very
confident we can,” was her answer.
“I don’t know. My brain is on the verge of
overload. I’ve had more excitement in the last few hours than I’ve had my
whole life combined. I need a little time to get myself recalibrated. I’ll
sleep on it and decide when I wake up. If that’s OK?”
“Fair enough. We’ll decide in a few hours.
There’s a room and shower upstairs. Get cleaned up then get some rest. You
look like hell,” Katie teased
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” I replied
sarcastically.
The room upstairs was more than I had
expected. It could easily have been mistaken for a five-star hotel room. It
was fully furnished and softly lit. There was a king-sized bed covered with
many rich colored pillows and expensive linens. Next to the bed was a large
soft brown leather recliner. It reminded me of my grandfather’s favorite
chair. When I was little, I used to sit in his lap as he read the newspaper or
watched TV. That memory brought a smile to my face as I checked out the rest
of the room.
The only other door in room lead to a modest
sized bathroom. It was complete with a full-sized shower. The shower at my
place was roughly the size of a small phone booth. I hated it. I inherited
some of my mother’s claustrophobia. I didn’t panic in small confined places but
I definitely wasn’t comfortable. I took full advantage of the opportunity and
took a long hot shower.
I emerged much cleaner and feeling more
relaxed. The evening activities had finally caught up with me and I was more
tired than I had ever been. I moved some of the extra pillows onto the
recliner and climbed in bed. I was probably asleep about two seconds after my
head hit the pillow. I didn’t even turn the light out.
It was dark when I woke up a few hours
later. The morning sun had just begun to rise. Its first weak rays had turned
the window a pale gray. I thought I was home in bed and had had a bad dream.
Then I realized the window was on the wrong side of the room. The feeling of
relief I had a few seconds before vanished. It was replaced by the fear of an uncertain
future. I lay there trying not to think about what had happened. Katie’s
suggestion kept bouncing around in my head.
A few hours before, it had sounded
completely ridiculous. Why on Earth would I want to do anything like that? Strange
how a few hours sleep can change your perceptions. That morning, things seemed
different. The more I thought about it the more I wanted to do it. It almost
felt as if I had to do it. There was a voice in the back of my head whispering
to me. If I could pull it off I would be infinitely safer. I made the decision
to give it a try.
I must have fallen back asleep. Katie woke
me up a while later. This time the sun was definitely up. The curtains were
ringed in a gold light.
“What time is it?” I yawned.
“A little after seven. I was going to wake
you up earlier but you looked so cute I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I shut
off the lights and gave you another hour. There’s breakfast downstairs. I’ll
meet you down there after you get dressed,” she answered.
My stomach growled at the mention of food.
“I’ll be down in a minute.”
She nodded and left the room. I reluctantly crawled out
from under the covers and got dressed. I am not a morning person. I have the
hardest time getting out of bed. I’d taken to setting my alarm an hour early
just to get me started waking up. My body was doing it’s absolute best to stay
rooted where it was under the warm blankets. I would probably still be buried
in the covers if my stomach hadn’t been so empty. I joined Katie, Max, Duncan,
and Bax a few minutes later.
Duncan was busy relaying what he had learned while he
was gone, “They have thrown out a pretty big net. Most of the local police
have given finding you two a top priority. State offices have been alerted but
it doesn’t look like they’re giving up any manpower. There seems to be some
pressure from higher up not to look too hard.”
“That’s probably the NSA. That’s probably Kent’s
doing. I get the feeling that he’s not quite as hard-assed as he appears to
be,” Katie smiled.
“The guys in white hats aren’t going to be a
problem. The word on the streets is there’s a reward out for finding you.
They definitely want Katie alive. There’s no reward if she’s brought in dead.
I’m not sure about Griffin. It seems they’d prefer him alive but would pay if
he was not.” frowned Duncan.
“So basically you’re telling me I’m dead if
the wrong people recognize me,” I said uneasily.
“Unfortunately, yes. I think they
determined you were just a guy trying to help someone out and weren’t involved
with Katie before. That puts you on the endangered species list.”
“Katie, it’s time we got started on our
idea. Seems Griffin and you need to disappear,” stated Max.
Katie looked questioningly at me. All I could do was nod my
head yes. I didn’t trust myself to speak. My emotions were in turmoil. Fear
and anger fought with each other for top spot. Anxiety, disbelief and dread
were there in lesser amounts. For the first time since I was a child, I was on
the verge of tears.
I had long ago learned to imprison my emotions. The
fortress I had built to hold them was put under tremendous strain. I could feel
the iron bars of my will begin to bend and buckle. The pressure of too many
buried feelings began to build. The walls of my fortress began to crack. I
could almost hear the splintering wood. With great effort, I was able to gain
control of myself. I couldn’t lose control now. My very life was at stake. A
few minutes and many deep breaths later, I was feeling a bit more solid.
“Where do we start?” I asked Katie.
She thought for a second, “Let’s see what we have to work
with. Let’s go upstairs and have a look.” I followed her back up to the room I
had stayed in the previous evening. There she told me to get undressed. I
hesitated for a second then thought that I didn’t have anything she hadn’t seen
before, so I undressed. I stood there feeling very exposed, as she looked me
over.
“Not bad. I think we can definitely do this. You don’t have
a lot of body hair for a guy. Your hair is long and looks like it’s in good
shape. You have good muscle tone but you’re not bulky. That little waist is a
plus, too. Shall we get started?”
“If that means the critique is over.”
“It’s over. Go ahead and fill the tub,” she said pointing
toward the bathroom. “There’s a razor and shave gel under the sink. Shave your
legs, armpits, and any place else you wouldn’t want your girlfriend to have
hair. I’m going to get some stuff together and try and reach Jack Kent. When
you’re finished have Bax show you around. You are not going to believe this
place. It’s like an adult play land.”
I started filling the bath then went to cabinet. It was
full with everything someone might need in a bathroom. Next to the razor was a
bottle of rose scented bath oil. I figured I might as well start acting like a
woman so I added that to the bath. A few more seconds of searching netted me a
small stash of candles along with a lighter. “In for a penny in for a pound,” I
thought. I dispersed them around the tub and managed not to burn myself
lighting them.
I noticed a pair of small speakers mounted close to the
ceiling. Behind another cabinet door I found the radio/CD player. I turned it
on and started searching for something to listen to. The only thing I could
find was commercials. I switched over to CD. A cello started playing. The
notes seemed to resonate with something inside me. The sounds fit the scene I
had set perfectly. With the setting complete, I slid into the warm rose scented
water.
I spent the next half hour soaking in the tub. It was
wonderfully relaxing. I wondered why I had waited so long to try it. Was that
a taste of things to come? I was thinking about other things that women do
when I remembered I was supposed to shave. I reluctantly put my body in
motion. A little more than an hour after I got in I climbed out of the tub
with much less hair.
I pulled the tub’s plug and started to dry off. I remember
reading somewhere that it was better to pat yourself dry. I normally do the guy
thing and rub the towel roughly over me to dry off. I had been trying new
things all morning so I continued the trend. I patted myself dry and was
amazed at how much better it felt. The combination of warm soaking bath,
freshly shaved body, and pat dry left my skin feeling incredibly soft and
sensitive. I could definitely get used to that.
I found a whole new set of sensations as I was getting
dressed. The feel of my jeans against my bare legs sent chills up and down my
spine. It wasn’t necessarily all good. I found with less hair you get chilled
easier. I quickly finished getting dressed after that. Strangely, I was
looking forward to more changes.
Katie hadn’t returned by the time I finished dressing. I
went downstairs to find Bax. He had traded his heavy metal bouncer look for a
more sedate black slacks and white long sleeve button down combination. He had
his nose buried in a book and didn’t notice me as I came down. It was a little
weird to see a guy as big as Bax reading. You never see anything like that in
the movies. The book looked tiny in his huge hands.
“Whatcha reading big guy?” I asked.
His head popped up at the sound of my voice. I must have
startled him.
“Where’d you come from?” he smiled. “If you came down the
stairs you’re even lighter than you look. Those things creak loud enough to
wake the dead.”
“Just call me feather weight,” I grinned.
“I’ll call you something else if ya sneak up on me again,”
he laughed.
“OK, I’ll try and make more noise next time.”
“Speaking of calling you something else, Katie thought it
would be a good idea to start calling you by a female name. It will help keep
us from saying the wrong name at the wrong time. Any ideas on what your name
should be?”
“I don’t know. What was my female twin’s name?”
“It was Gabrielle. Most of us just called her Gabbie,
though.”
“I guess that’s as good as any other. Do you think anyone
will mind?”
“No, I think they may even like the idea. Ready for the
tour?”
“Whenever you’re not busy. I’d hate to interrupt your
reading.”
“Don’t worry about it. I was just keeping busy. Besides,
it’s about time for a break anyway.”
“Lead on then.”
I followed him through the door that he brought Max and
Duncan through the night before. We walked down a short hall to another door.
“This leads to the club. It’s kind of a secret door so to
speak. You can’t really tell it’s a door from the club side. We’re not really
going to go into the club. I just wanted to show you where this hall goes. The
room we just came from is the meeting room. It’s where Max and Duncan’s
business guests can meet and not be disturbed. The room you stayed in last
night is there for those associates that stay overnight,” Bax stated.
We returned to the meeting room to the third and final door
leading out. With a silver key, Bax unlocked the door and ushered me through.
“This side is a little harder to define. It’s strictly for
the guys and their friends. For some it’s a playground. Others view it as a
training facility. For others, it’s a school. It’s really just a place to
learn new things. A lot goes on here. Everything from gardening to weapons
training. Whatever happens to interest any of us,” He continued.
“Is the club that successful? It must cost a lot to run this
place.”
“The club does a good business but you’re right it wouldn’t
cover all this. The guys have made a good bit of money over their lifetimes.
I’ll admit that not all of it has been totally clean. We’ve fractured a law or
two along the way but now it’s mostly a law-abiding business. You don’t need
to know the details but we keep up our contacts in the less appealing side of
society.”
Bax continued to show me around. He had warm easy going
manner that put me at ease and as we talked and I found him a very interesting
person. With degrees in engineering and business, he was every bit as smart as
he was big. He was well-traveled and told great stories from those travels. I
had a feeling we would become good friends.
We wandered through a large greenhouse like room filled with
tropical plants and flowers. I felt as if I had been magically transported into
a tropical rainforest. A lot of effort had been made to make things appear as
natural as possible. The only thing that was missing was the sound of birds and
monkeys. I was reminded of my pets at home.
“Bax, I know I can’t go home but I have a few lizards that
need to be taken care of. I don’t want them to starve to death. Can I call a
friend to take care of them?” I asked worriedly.
“It isn’t a good idea to call anyone. I can have someone go
and pick them up for you. If you’d like?”
“Really? That would be wonderful,” I said with relief. He
pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. He talked to
someone for a minute then asked what needed to be picked up. I told him I had
an iguana and two bearded dragons and where to find them and the travel cases.
He relayed the information then hung up.
“Iguana, huh? I guess you should meet Moe,” he pointed to a
small waterfall in the corner of the room. I followed him to it. Basking on a
rock was a beautiful albino iguana. “Moe, meet Gabbie. Gabbie, this is Moe. He
doesn’t say much but he listens real well.”
“He’s beautiful. Is he yours?” I asked.
“Nah, I don’t know who he actually belongs to. He’s just a
friend of mine. He likes for me to come talk to him occasionally. He also
loves it when I bring grapes. I think they’re his favorite,” he smiled patting
Moe on his back.
His phone rang then. The conversation lasted about two
minutes. “I need to go take care of some club business. Why don’t you hang out
here for a bit? It’s been a while since anyone’s spent any time with Moe. I’m
sure he’d like the company. It’ll only take a few minutes. I’ll bring him some
grapes when I get back then we can continue our tour.”
“Fine by me. I could stay in this room all day. It’s like a
little piece of paradise,” I smiled.
“I’ll let Max know you like it. This is one of his hobby
rooms. He’s done most of the work in here,” with that he turned and left.