Within the Brass Web.

by Brian Moon

  Chapter 10: April Fools.

  Gallo’s Restaurant was always busy during the lunch crowed but never crowded, at least not when you had a standing table waiting for you. The light sparkled of the river as it passed in the canals of Founders Falls. Helena enjoyed a salad while Lukas had the house special. Although he had wanted the hot pastrami on rye, he thought better of it for his date’s sake, not that he expected to kiss Helena, but if there was a remote possibility he didn’t want it to be with pastrami breath.

  “So what has my uncle been up to these last few weeks?” Helena asked between bites of spinach salad.

  “What do you mean? You see him more than I do.” Lukas said as casual as he could. He didn’t want his frustration spilling over into his lunch.

  “Well not really. Last month he went on about some new research he came across. Ever since then he hasn’t been coming up to the penthouse for more than a meal, to bathe, and fresh clothes. He and his poor assistants have been working almost night and day in his private research lab.”

  “Oh, so that’s where he’s been. I didn’t think I saw him in his office area.”

  “I’m really worried about him. He shouldn’t be pushing himself at his age. I know he loves all that science stuff and every new discovery is like Christmas morning for him, but he needs to take better care of himself.”

  “I would agree with you, except I don’t think his brain works that way. I really think if he wasn’t doing what he does, it would be the death of him. He enjoys his tinkering, and every once in awhile he comes up with something truly amazing. If he would patent and publish his ideas he could easily be the next Galileo.”

  “Well if he doesn’t let me shave him soon, he’ll at least look the part.” She smiled softly. Her red lipstick just seemed to hold Lukas’ attention. A static charge ran up his spine, maybe his ears had picked up the sound and was acting on it before his brain registered what it was.

  “Everyone get down!” He yelled. His voice carried the commanding tone of a general, loud and forceful. He stood flipping his table on its side and pulled the stunned Helena down behind him, just as the first sounds of gunfire shattered the glass windows. Five seconds may not seem long, but when bullets are flying over your head it can be an eternity. As quickly as it had started the silence followed. Lukas stood up and looked around. There were a lot of injured people, but none looked serious. He turned to help Helena to her feet and felt horrible to see her salad had stained her light blue satin top.

  “You do realize that this is the second time someone has shot up an establishment when we have gone out together… Do you think it’s a sign?”

  “A sign of what? That we shouldn’t be dating?” He asked slightly confused as to her thought process.

  “Oh of course not, I was merely thinking maybe we should be ordering in. Perhaps we should give that a try tonight and see if any bullets are involved. Let’s say seven o’clock at your place?” She smiled seductively and brushed off another piece of stray lettuce.

  “I think maybe your right, we should try staying in and seeing if anyone shoots at us.” Her statement had surprised him, in a good way but he had to force himself back to the moment. “Stay here while I have the car brought around.” He said to her then quickly grabbed his coat and headed for the door. The doorframe itself was pretty shot up and he found it easier just to step through the broken remains of the glass door than to mess with opening it. He wasn’t out side two seconds when the Silver-Arrow pulled up to the curb and the driver along with Anthony, his personal body guard for the day, stepped out of the car and came up to him.

  “I’m sorry boss, we saw them coming but they beat us back here.” Anthony said.

  “Who are they?” He asked but already knew the answer.

  “It was the Kings again, sir. They didn’t bother using a different car either. The back side was still filled with holes from our first encounter.”

  Lukas swore under his breath. “They are getting way to bold. We would never shoot up a business… at least with everyday people inside. How I wish someone could just put an end to one of their leaders, to send a clear message that we have had enough. I hate dealing with cowards, if they want a battle then challenge me in the open… this… this…” he gestured to the ruined restaurant, “…has got to stop.”

  He stepped back in and gestured for Helena to come and then placed a ten-dollar bill in the waitress’ hand and told her to keep the change.

  The driver opened the door for them as Anthony got into the front seat. A thoughtful look was on his face and that was very unusual for the large man who always had a joke at the ready. The Silver-Arrow moved through lunchtime traffic easy enough and crossed over the canal bridges and onto a coastal road.

  “Can we go through City Park? I’d like to see how that new hotel is developing. They say it’ll be nicer than any five star hotel in Europe.” Helena asked seeing the country road they took would bring them along the east side of the park.

  “Sure we can… driver you heard the lady, to the yet to be completed Paragon Hotel.” He said. In his mind he wondered what the third big problem would be today. They always came in threes and he was just waiting for the shoe to drop. The loop around the park was altered slightly to accommodate the construction going on. They had started the hotel on a raised platform, so just leaving the hotel meant an unobstructed view of the park and lake across from it. Beyond the lake and the distant trees rose the skeleton towers of distant skyscrapers. It would be an impressive view when those were done. They turned up the hill heading towards those skeletons when Lukas found his number three headed straight for them. A flat bed truck with a with a canvass tarp covering the back came racing down hill with flames licking the canvass and wood. The driver yelled for them to hold on as he slipped, swerved and turned the car to lessen the impact of the collision. The seconds after the crash ticked by as the flames of the truck roared beside them. The car once again had taken quiet a beating, but it wasn’t impervious. Lukas was just about to get them out of the car and away from the fire when his door was yanked off and disappeared into the lake with a distant splash.

  “If you’re alright, you need to get out… now!” Came the deep voice. A red and blue covered arm reached in the missing door and pulled him and then everyone else free of the car. They staggered down hill into the grassy field around the west side of the lake, away from the flames. When the heat of the flames had lessened they turned to watch. The man they called the Statesman, was busy trying to free the trapped truck driver. What ever was under the tarp burned fiercely and a new heat wave forced them to step back further. The Silver-Arrow was wedged against the driver’s side of the truck. With the flames growing with every second, Lukas watched in horror, as the Statesman started hammering and ripping his car apart, one piece at a time and flung the metal aside like discarded wood scraps. People cheered as the Statesman freed the trapped driver and got him to safety. Moments later the truck erupted and the flames poured onto and into the car beside it. Within minutes both vehicles where nothing more than piles of melted metal.

  “That figures…” was all Lukas said realizing that the April Fool had struck with a vengeance and he was his one and only target today.