Within the Brass Web.

by Brian Moon

  Chapter 6: Taking in a western.

  Lukas was furious at the news. It might not have been so bad if he hadn’t just gotten the report that a squad was still missing, but to get the report that, that idiot Hauptmann had managed to kill the boy, was more than his temper could take for one day. Of course the plan for the kidnapping itself had worked flawlessly, Lord Nemesis’ plans always did. The newspapers and radios were calling it the crime of the century and the news wires seemed oblivious to everything else going on in the world. The plan was simple enough, under the cloak of this blindness, it would give them a small window to accomplish several things. The first and most important was the movement of troops through the northern states. People flocked to New York to help search for the kidnapped Lindbergh baby. Some out of loyalty to their nation’s hero but most just desperate for the reward money. So it was easy enough to explain a thousand more men traveling in the same direction. Every law agency was focused on this event as well. Even Paragon’s police department was involved in helping their neighboring state and Lukas hadn’t needed to mention it to the mayor that this would be a good show of support. Mayor Rabinowitz had thought of it on his own, and that surprised Lukas.

  Although one of his squads was still missing the organized attacks on the Kings had been going very well. The Kings were the worst type of crime organization. No real plans, no concern for the general public. Lukas wanted to make sure they understood where in the city they were allowed, but he hoped they would simply leave the city. If they intended to stay, then they needed to understand who actually ran the city and it wasn’t the mayor or his police force. Having the Marcone family join them in this endeavor also helped to clear up a small misunderstanding on the docks. Fortunately Mr. Marcone was a reasonable man, most men are with enough money and the belief they had gotten their way. The thought of wasting time teaching the Family the same lessons he was teaching the Kings was not something he had wanted to waste resources on.

  Lastly with the Paragon Police running a skeleton force while the majority of the force raced to New York to help with the Lindbergh Kidnapping, the vandalism of a certain college professor’s office only got a cursory glance. Mr. St. John-Smythe had to except that it wasn’t going to be investigated any further. The police looked into it and were sorry that someone had turned his office upside down. With no other evidence or leads and with nothing stolen the police department wrote it up as it being caused by an upset student. Unfortunately some kids behaved like that.

  Still… Lukas was altering the kidnapping plan slightly without Lord Nemesis’ consent. When it was clear that this was no longer a useful endeavor; the boy’s body would be found. That was the least he could do. Then he would drop enough clues to see that Hauptmann took the fall for failing in this simple mission. Of course he would believe he was part of a bigger plan and that Lord Nemesis would take care of things… until the end. Lukas did smile at the thought about letting the legal system do his dirty work.

  “Are you all right Lukas?” Helena asked him as the car came to a stop in front of The Liberty. The movie house had not only been restored but the work crew also improved upon it with a new marquee sign that lit up the street with changing colors.

  “Yes, just some news I need to forget, especially when we get time together, away from the building.” Lukas forced the mental anger back down to concentrate on the beautiful woman with the long legs sitting next to him. Sure he knew from that start whose idea it was that he should date Helena but he wasn’t complaining. The only reason he hadn’t let the beautiful blond enter his mind before was the fact of whose relative she was. She wasn’t actually Lord Nemesis’ daughter, but she might have well have been. In the back of his mind he had no doubt it was Lord Nemesis’ plan that they should marry and have many children to carry on the family business. He wouldn’t put it past the old man, but he was in no hurry to make that part of the plan come to true… just yet anyway. They stepped out of the car and looked at the glowing marquee. Lukas bought their tickets and they entered to find the newly redone lobby was beautiful in its deep red velvet drapes and shinning brass fixtures.

  “Mr. Reese, Ms. Michele what a pleasure it is to have you with us tonight.” George said as he crossed over to greet them through the crowd of people milling about the lobby.

  “Good evening Mr. Zingale’ how is that sweet girl doing?” Helena asked. She always seemed to know just the right thing to say to endear people to her. Perhaps it was something that ran in the family’s blood. Lukas wondered as he watched her interact with the man.

  “She is back to work now, but I know she would love to see you. Thank you again for helping with her hospital bills. She’s working over at the concession area.”

  “It was the least we could do. Lukas would you like anything while I’m over there?”

  Lukas smiled and thought for a moment. “I’ll share what ever you get.”

  “Oh you will, will you?” she said in a seductive tone that left George feeling awkward as she walked away.

  “Mr. Reese, now that we have a moment I wanted to tell you about the man that came to see me last week. He was asking a lot of questions about the shooting.”

  “Really? Describe him…”

  “He was large, built like one of your assistants, but he had this thing… I don’t know how to describe it… like there was more to him than just being a man… It made my skin prickle like being to close to the high voltage box in the basement… if you know what I mean.”

  Lukas’ scowl hadn’t had a chance to stay away for long. “Did you see his face? What was he wearing?”

  “I’m sorry, no. A long coat, duster hat, dark glasses… He has brown hair, cut close, the little I could see.”

  “No red and blue suit? Steel mask? Anything odd about him, besides your feeling?”

  “Nothing like that, but I found this in the gutter after he had left.” George said crossing to the ticket booth and taking out a metal lump and handed it to Lukas. His scowl increased as he looked at the lump. It was comprised of several of their weapons bearings, probably the ones they had fired, but these were mashed together like they were nothing more than clay balls. It was him again.

  “Thank you George, do me a favor and don’t mention this to anyone else.”

  “Do you want to know what he asked me about or what I told him?” George had been worried about that all day, afraid he may have said something he shouldn’t have. Especially after seeing Mr. Reese’s look and hearing his tone of voice.

  “I’m sure you said nothing more than you knew. I know I can trust your judgment in things like that George. You’re a smart man.” Lukas forced the scowl back once more and forced a smile. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with a beautiful woman.”

  “Yes sir. Oh Mr Tomain is already in the private box waiting for you.”

  “Excellent, and thanks again George.”

  Lukas moved through the crowd, being a Friday night he actually didn’t know any of the faces that moved around him, and he liked that feeling. He found Helena talking to the girls that had taken a bullet and excused themselves to take their seats. A private door way with a locked entry was the only way up to the private box. It was situated between the main floor and the balcony. To actually see it you would have to be standing on the floor by the stage and look back into it. It was the private Southern United viewing area and had enough room for ten people. Just another improvement made to the theater. As Helena and Lukas entered the box two other couples were already seated. Gerald was with a young brunette with that bob cut Lukas despised. Why any woman would want a man’s hair style was beyond him. The other couple seated Lukas knew as one of the scientist from the foundry plant and his wife. They had met before at a different show.

  “Helena, Lukas, its good to see you two. This is my date Kathy Wheeler, she volunteers over at the hospital. Kathy these are my friends Lukas and Helena.” The greetings were passed around Kathy ask Helena where the lady
’s room was just as the world newsreel was starting. The three women excused themselves while the men settled in. The reel came to a part about an upcoming election in Germany where the Chancellor Hindenburg was running for another seven years. His opponent was a young man from a small political party.

  “Hey Lukas… is that the man he is backing? That scrawny man?”

  “Yes, that’s him. They’ve been sending encrypted telegraphs back and forth for weeks now. To complete the deal we actually sent him those plans for that horrible rocket suit. You remember the one that would fly around like balloon when you let go of it?”

  “Really? And they’re still talking to us? He doesn’t look like a military leader. He doesn’t even look like he can throw a punch, let alone take one. What does Lord Nemesis see in him anyways?”

  “Charisma. Charisma the likes of which you have never experienced.”

  “Charisma? Is that all? How’s he going to conquer that part of the world with charisma?”

  “He only needs to get the people to follow him, make them believe that he has the answers to all of their problems and nothing more. That man could pick up an empty bottle with you watching. Fill it with water from the faucet in the kitchen, re-cork it and sell it back to you. And you’ll believe him when he says it’s much safer than drinking the water from the same faucet. He will take them once more into a war that will span and weaken all of Europe. Whether he succeeds or not doesn’t matter.”

  “So what’s the point of helping him, if he doesn’t take control of Europe?”

  “The point is, when war breaks out, Americans will hesitate, not wanting to act, they don’t have the stomach for such things. When this happens we will start a global patriotic movement and form our own militia to stop the threat. Young men will flock to us eager to make a difference, even if their government doesn’t want to. From there, we will plant the seeds of discontent and the revolution will be over before it even starts. In case you haven’t noticed we are much more advanced than any other country in the world. All we need are the eager men to follow, to believe.”

  “So tell me Lukas, why does Nemesis always tell you how plans are meant to work?”

  Lukas laughed as the women started back up the stairs. “First he only tells me what he feels I need to know. Trust me, what he tells me are things that either I need to take care of or no longer matter in the grand scheme to things.” He looked towards the stairway to the blond coming up the steps laughing. “Second, if he trusts me enough to take out his niece then some things are just a given.”

  They all settled down as the movie South of the Rio Grande started. Lukas wasn’t too sure if the women enjoyed the western, but he certainly did.