by Gary Starta
“What couldn’t wait? Why an abduction? Why didn’t you just ask me? I’ve got a daughter…” Caron’s eyes grew wide as saucers. “Where is Miranda?”
“Safe in Chicago, I imagine. She and billions have already heard your speech.”
“Hmm. I was going to improvise as I recall...” Caron mouthed a few words of the speech. “I don’t remember delivering it.”
“We took that allowance. I can play it back to you if you like.”
“How did…you get me…to?”
“We patched together sentences using words you had already said. Video fakery made it look like all your gesturing was natural, again recreated from past footage - we even mimicked your attire. No one will know anything different. Just remember, technological ears are always listening, Caron. We want you to continue to be the globe’s spokeswoman. We just strongly suggest you encourage every technical suggestion. Even if it means harming the cat.”
“Again. Who are you? Who is we?”
The man crossed arms. “I bet you really don’t know the people behind those three-lettered acronym agencies either.” He sighed audibly and his next words were delivered with sarcasm. “But you don’t question them. You just follow their orders.” He smacked a hand into his fist. “I think you should keep asking questions, I really do – as long as they are science-based. Yes, that’s a good thing.” He chewed at his bottom lip, contemplating his own conversation. “We wholeheartedly support your efforts to advance us.” The man nodded as if in agreement with himself.
“I don’t want to harm the cat, and I will not harm the cat. I have an agreement with the lab.”
“We don’t want that either. Unless necessary. It is imperative we find out how this event happened, learn how to repeat it. And learn from it.” The man poked his head forward, gesturing with wide eyes.
“I know that people who don’t understand an ecosystem will never learn.” Caron’s blue eyes bulged from their sockets in defiance. “Do you think a world without a cat population isn’t going to pay for it? There has to be order and balance in nature. Now, I know you don’t give a rat’s ass about cats. I understand from your insinuations that an emerging technology is all you care about it. Maybe it’s all dollar signs, a power trip…” Caron waved a hand. “I don’t know. I don’t care. What I do care about is finding an answer and keeping my daughter safe.”
The man bent his knee so that his heel kicked against the wall. “You must trust this doctor to protect your girl. I don’t know if I would. He has quite a clandestine track record…” The man shook his head and raised eyebrows. “But whatever, it’s your call. As you can see, although we detained you, we did not harm you. I’d like to keep it that way, to keep science progressive. I suggest you encourage Dr. Brands to support every solution necessary to find out how the event happened and do whatever it takes to make it repeat.” The man again held outstretched hands. “That’s all.”
“What makes you think I’ll do anything but find out who you are as soon as I walk out of here?”
“You can walk out of here now.”
Caron pushed her chair back making it squeal again. She hesitated for a moment, locking her gaze with the unidentified man. “Then I will.”
The man scratched at his temple. “Your contract with the lab made this intervention necessary. I love animals too. But…” His voice trailed off and he paused for a moment. “You know since you are such a nice woman, I’ll save you some time. This building is no way, shape or form connected to me or my organization. My face has been technologically altered so it won’t come up in any database either. So, please, just try and relax during this stressful time. We will need all your brain cells functioning and focused properly.” The man smiled with a closed mouth.
“Oh, and I’ve taken the liberty to contact your daughter by email. Again, I am sorry for the interruption, but we just can’t afford to lose out on this opportunity.” Miranda wondered about this man’s reach of power. He could fake videos and emails as well as pay off limo drivers and whomever owned this warehouse. And just what amount of cash flow was needed to buy off a major broadcasting network? She was up against a formidable enemy she couldn’t take on alone.
Caron bowed her head as if she were squaring off with a wild animal. She didn’t feel submissive, she felt mad as hell; but believed playing a bluff was the best course of action for Miranda. She’d let the bastard think he had influenced her, and as she brushed by the man, she paused to gaze into his eyes. “I will cooperate. Just promise me no harm to my family.” Caron did her best to speak diminutively, shaking her head as if regretting her previous aggression. “I need to return to the lab.” She kept her head bowed, released her gaze from the man and blinked.
“Already taken care of, Mrs. Ellis. You’ll find an Uber waiting for you after you walk down that hallway” – he pointed a finger – “take a right and head out the double doors. Oh, and tracing the account used to pay the Uber won’t do much good as will any cyber forensic investigation into my video fakery. It all will be quite fruitless if not traceless because it’s all done by the very best. Any accusations you may make will only encourage the lab and the DOE to question their agreement with you. The world needs a stable spokesperson, not one who rails against shadows of the night. I would suggest: keep calm and save the cats.”
Caron fumbled with her phone as she rode along The Long Island Expressway, cursing underneath her breath as each dial to Miranda went to voicemail. Dammit! I can’t believe I don’t have Brands’s number!
“Oh, come on, Miranda. Where are you? I promise I’ll never get mad at you again.”
The Uber driver’s raised eyebrows in the rearview mirror caught Caron’s attention.
“Oh, man. I’ve heard that one before.” He smiled. “Sorry.” His fingers tapped on the wheel.
“Uh. Yeah. I am sorry to make my business your business.” Caron wanted to scream at the man but realized he was just trying to earn a living. Besides, she didn’t want an incident to end up on You’ve-Watched-It-Too. How stupid am I? Talking out loud to myself?
“Hey,” the man said with a raised finger. “Aren’t you…?”
“Yes, sir. I am. I appreciate your discretion. My work is especially important.”
“I’ll say,” the man said, tipping the visor of his cap downward. “You are a hero in my household. My daughter Amy says you’re the woman who’s is going to get Mr. Scratchy – that’s our Maine Coon – back to us, safe and sound.” He laughed but Caron swore she saw a tear glint in his pupil. “I can’t argue with the wonder and hope of a child, Mrs. Ellis.”
“I can’t either, sir. I can’t either.”
“I’ll be sure to give you a great passenger rating. Gee.” The man shook his head as if in disbelief. “Wait until I tell Amy.”
Caron swallowed with difficulty. Who am I going to tell?
Caron walked with shaky legs down the hallway after clearing Brookhaven security. The woman whose badge identified her as Tawny had congratulated her for another inspirational and comforting speech.
Yeah, I wish I was just the one who said it. She had dared to map the address of the warehouse-like building she had been brought to but didn’t think it would do much good if the blue-suited man was telling the truth about his deceit. Some freaking irony there, universe…! An honest liar!
Halfway down the hall, Tawny shouted. “Hey, I’ve notified Director Schultz that you’re on your way. Have a nice day!”
Caron turned and waved in acknowledgement. “You too.”
What kind of day is this? I guess everything’s on track as it was supposed to be by some unknown and unseen forces. Caron fiddled with her phone while she walked finding a videocast of Miranda and Earth Cat Zero. Aw. Caron’s reaction to her daughter and the cat was instantly met with regret. Whomever those bastards are they know my weak spot. If that man doesn’t work for the government, he’s going to steal whatever military advantage the DOE or DOD thinks t
hey’re going to reap. Shit! How am I ever going to get those warmongers to back down let alone make it seem plausible that I’m not discouraging the very creation of such a weapon!
Caron was certain the acceleration event was going to yield (if it hadn’t surreptitiously yielded already) some weapon the world had never known prior. It was apparent from her abduction. She just didn’t know how a blue/green cat would figure into this weaponry. I’m a physicist, not a…
Caron’s phone absorption almost resulted in a collision with a passerby heading in the opposite direction. And I yell at Miranda for the very same thing.
Her annoyance gelled into relief. “Oh, Normand. I am so sorry.”
“I didn’t expect you were coming back today.” Normand smiled while tucking his hands into his pants pockets. He looks nervous. He always looks nervous.
“Hey, I hope your speech went well.”
“It seems like you’re the only one who hasn’t seen it.”
“Well, I’ve been meandering about the tunnel. I keep hoping to find another clue. I mean, Earth Cat Zero, our Earth Cat Zero, seems to sense something down there. But silly me. I don’t have cat senses to see it.”
“Ah! Normand. You’re brilliant. Now that Earth Cat Zero can talk, we can have him poke around down there as well.”
“No one ever referred to my function as poking around. Not the least of which, Director Schultz.” Normand smiled and rocked on his heels. “Well, nice to see you again, Caron.”
As Normand resumed walking, Caron waved a hand. “Normand, I would – how would you like – to get a cup of coffee in about an hour?”
“Hmm. I guess if our cast iron stomachs haven’t railed against us yet…”
Caron blinked rapidly as her mind gravitated on the word ‘railed’. The bastard in the blue suit had used it before she departed. Her eyes began to tear.
Normand walked back to Caron, with open arms. “Hey, are you okay?”
“Just stress and worry…” Caron’s mind raced. She couldn’t tell Brookhaven what just happened unless they suspected her abduction. It was too risky. The mystery man knew his organization or country held the other upper hand because of Miranda. “I do need…I do need a friend right now.” Caron felt her cheeks blush. “I am sorry for this unprofessional behavior.” She attempted to rebound by swatting her hand into the air and forcing laughter. “Maybe my sabbatical wasn’t quite long enough.”
“I’ve been there, Caron.” Normand briefly took Caron’s hand into his. “There’s a little gourmet shop on CR 111.” Normand glanced at Caron’s phone. “Can I take it a moment?” Caron nodded. “Here’s my number, text me, and I’ll text you the link.”
“Ah, okay.” Caron smiled despite her anguish as Normand handed her phone back. Her heart raced and she couldn’t tell if it was over her recent abduction or newfound attraction to Normand. “One hour it is.”
“One hour it is.” Normand waved goodbye.
Director Schultz motioned for Caron to take a seat in front of his desk. “I didn’t think you were coming back today. By the way, nice speech.”
“Everyone seems to be drawing the same conclusion.” Caron caught herself, realizing she was speaking absently again.
“Hmm. What was that? A conclusion…?”
Caron sat tapping fingers against the side of her phone. “Oh, just nerves speaking, I guess. I still am not quite used to speaking on worldwide broadcasts.”
“Well, it doesn’t show. I’ve already watched it three times.”
“And…?” Caron hoped that maybe Schultz had caught something unusual or unnatural. His lead would determine whether she would acknowledge her detour today.
To her dismay, Schultz just smiled, adjusting his tie. “I couldn’t have hoped for a better spokesperson. I trust our agreement is going along as planned. Well, as best as it could under these circumstances.”
“You mean, my concern about Earth Cat’s welfare?” Caron’s voice wavered. It was as if she caught in a surrealistic moment and her head felt woozy. Is there where I find out Schultz is behind this? Schultz ignored her question.
“I also saw Earth Cat Zero’s first speech. Well, first human meow was more like it. Still, it seems everyone is in the best of spirits under the conditions. I am hoping Dr. Brands will reach into his black budget of tricks – if you get my drift – and pull out a miracle.”
“I am a bit concerned. I’ve tried to reach Miranda by phone. She’s not answering.”
“I could try if you like. But maybe she’s wiped after doing her video. You look pretty ragged yourself, Caron.”
Great, I look wiped. Some freaking sedative. “Oh, no thanks. I’ll wait to hear from her.” Caron fought a dry mouth to speak. “Director, just when is the next acceleration scheduled?”
Schultz glanced at a calendar. “Hopefully, in two days.”
Caron swallowed. “And this would be an acceleration without any additional calculations from electrostatic discharge or additions of foreign metals?”
“Correct. Don’t you remember our meeting this morning? We already discussed this. Cheryl and Devon are working on making those additions but will have to develop the correct equations first.” Schultz raised concerned eyebrows. “Maybe this is all taking a toll on you. Why don’t you get a good night’s sleep, and we’ll tackle this again, first thing in the morning?”
Caron nodded. Great now he’s treating me weird. I must look confused if not disturbed.
“Have a good night, Caron.” Schultz rose from his seat.
Caron again nodded, forcing herself to hold her tongue about the abduction.
I hate deceit! Now I have yet another secret. Caron blushed thinking about her clandestine coffee date with Normand.
“I am certainly not going to tell anyone about this.”
“Hmm. Not exactly going to help my self-esteem issues, Caron.” Normand hid his smile behind a cup of coffee.
“I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that with everything going on…” Caron paused. I can’t do this. I have to tell someone about this morning. And Normand does have a cute smile. Almost mischievous…
“What Caron? You trailed off.”
“Oh, I am doing that quite a bit. I apologize.”
“I thought I was the master of sticking the proverbial foot into my mouth.” He smiled again. Caron peered into his sparkling brown eyes which were filled with intensity. She would make a judgment call. Despite our positions, I think I can trust this man.
“I know it won’t look good to the director for us to be speaking outside of Brookhaven walls; but please know I am not foolish enough to disclose anything of sensitive nature to the public – or anyone – even a cat.”
“Yeah, I heard one of them can talk these days.” Caron laughed, somewhat embarrassed by her silly joke. Normand laid his hand on top of hers.
“You are amazing. I wish I had met a woman who can hold up under all this pressure…ah, yeah, great Normand, good going.” The engineer broke his gaze and stared downward at his cup. “Now I’m talking out loud.”
“It was endearing - in an off putting, awkwardly revealing - kind of way.” Caron felt free to joke with Normand. Maybe it was all the intense pressure that Normand acknowledged ‘she was under’ or maybe she was changing. She wondered if she had been able to joke with her ex like this that maybe they could have worked things out. Instead, she kept a stiff lip; never budged on arguments, never felt like there was an argument she couldn’t win.
Still, the anger was her drive, her determination and her assurance that the blue-suited man would not prevail. Despite recent changes in in quantum fields, maybe some things could remain the same.
Caron put her hand on top of Normand’s. “Normand, it’s not you who I’m worried about. Now it’s my turn to spill something…” Caron felt her lips twisting into a grimace she was certain any man wouldn’t find flattering.
Normand’s eyes still sparkled as if nothing
had changed.
“You can’t repeat this.” Caron whispered the sentence, pausing to turn off her phone and nodded toward Normand to do the same.
“Uh, Caron. If you want” – he mouthed the words ‘radio silence’ – “I think I have a place you’re going to enjoy.”
Normand tossed a twenty on the table before taking Caron’s hand into his. “Let’s go for a ride.”
Caron’s heart thumped irregularly during the ride. After what she had been through, she couldn’t trust Normand to be who he claimed he was. To make matters worse, she still hadn’t received a confirmation from Miranda.
“Don’t worry, Caron. We’ll be there soon.” It was as if Normand was attuned to her every non-vocalized sentence. She wondered why this man’s marriages had failed. He was attentive and empathetic despite his social awkwardness.
When they arrived at a construction site off Route 495 in Ronkonkoma, Caron felt somewhat relieved. At least there’s people around. But the people were all construction workers, busy at work. None of them would have heard her scream over the drilling and sawing. Parked on the side of a road, partially cordoned off with traffic signage, Caron came to a realization as to why Normand chose this place to talk.
“This is about as private as we’re going to get without being off the grid – which is nearly impossible these days.” Normand’s voice rose a pitch as he spoke loudly to compete with the electric machinery.
“I appreciate this, Normand. I should have realized turning off a phone doesn’t really mean you’re turning off your phone anymore.”
“Yeah, eyes and ears everywhere. They’ll still be able to know our location as well. But maybe it will confuse any nosy bastards as to why we are here. And just let them try to decipher what we say over this racket not to mention the poor cell service out here.”
Normand didn’t hesitate to take Caron’s hand. “I know you’re concerned about Miranda, and the cat…. But know whatever you say to me goes no further.”
