Blinding Fear

by Roland, Bruce

  As they drove Christina provided additional background on the massive complex. Claire had assumed she’d get most of the details directly from Seok but what Christina was saying would help her with new questions for the boss himself.

  She pointed to the eight-story buildings. “The top two stories of each are reserved for VIPs and their guests. Each has two, two-bedroom, two-bath luxury apartments. Once the spaceport gets into full swing, along with other governmental and industry types, actually-paying guests will be housed there. They’ll need to be here two weeks before launch for training and acclimation, so we want them to be very comfortable and relaxed.”

  “Looks like he’s spared no expense.”

  “Yes, and it gets better. On the bottom floor of each building are two restaurants. Each will be a different kind of cuisine and generally upscale. I’ve heard they’ve been negotiating with a major, high-end steakhouse chain. Rumor has it that it’s Ruth’s Chris. Another name that’s being whispered around is Gordon Ramsey.”

  “Yea,” Claire added. “I’ve seen his reality TV shows a few times. Personally find him a bit much but love his taste in food and success as a restaurateur.”

  Christina turned down a freshly asphalted street that Claire could see from a street sign was named “Busan Avenue.”

  “Sounds like a Korean name.” Claire said as she pointed at the sign.

  “Yep. Every street here is named after a Korean city. Kay wanted to honor his home country in some way.”

  “That’s interesting. I’ve heard that his early life there was pretty horrific; that he faced a lot of persecution because of his mixed-race heritage.”

  “You’re right about his early life, but once he got into high school, things started calming down. By the time he got into college he was well respected for his intellect and achievements. He made another big decision once he got into his mid-twenties: He forgave everyone he could remember who’d abused him. He even wrote letters to some of them. He realized that to harbor such destructive feelings would doom him to a life of unresolved anger and frustration. He credits that decision as one of the keys that opened the doors for his successes as a businessman and life in general.”

  “Really!” Claire responded. “Pretty amazing! Not a whole lot of people could’ve done that, including me!” She also realized she now had a whole new line of questioning for Seok.

  As they drove down the street Claire recognized that this was what she had seen from the air and assumed to be a housing development of some kind.

  Christina continued her guided tour monologue. “These are duplex homes for the employees who live too far away to commute and decided instead to move here. Most are two-bed, two-bath but some are three-bed for employees who decided to bring spouses and kids. Some are one-bed for singles. Residents pay rent that is close to the market price for the region, which is fairly low. The company pays for everything else except TV, phone and internet.”

  Claire couldn’t help but be impressed again by the sheer scale of what Seok had done here. She did have some reservations, however. “No offense,” she quipped, “but you’re almost painting a picture of Mr. Seok being some kind of fairy godfather, benevolently looking after your every need.”

  Christina shook her head and snorted quietly. “Yea, that’s the typical reaction of most of our guests when they first arrive. But make no mistake, it’s not all peaches and cream here. Kay’s a great boss. But like many very wealthy men who’ve fought tooth and nail for everything they have, he expects nothing less from us. If we screw up or slack off in any way he’ll be right there in your face. He demands complete accountability from every one of us for everything we do or fail to do. There’ve been a few employees who were here one day and gone the next. But most of us prefer it that way. We know exactly what’s expected of us. If we blow it, we know there’ll be immediate and appropriate consequences. If we succeed, we also know we’ll be commended and rewarded accordingly. I might add that Kay has a very generous bonus program for any employee who finds a better, faster or more efficient way to accomplish any job.”

  She paused in her running commentary as she turned down another road labeled “Seoul Boulevard,” then added, “Kay has reserved a two-bed unit for you. This is it just ahead.”

  They pulled into the driveway of one of the duplexes. Claire noted it was typical of any modern home: tastefully constructed, decorated and landscaped. Christina briskly got out the cart, retrieved Claire’s bags and headed to the front door.

  Claire followed and was relieved to find the interior wonderfully cool. She slowly walked around the interior taking in the refined finishes and colors. The furniture looked sophisticated but comfortable. She’d expected a “hotel” look but was gratified the interior decorator had discriminating tastes. Again, Seok had gone to great lengths to ensure his guest’s comfort.

  Christina came out of the bedroom where she’d deposited Claire’s luggage and handed her the key. “I’m sorry you don’t have more time to freshen up but we’re supposed to be in Kay’s office in 10 minutes. One of the things he’s famous for is punctuality. Wherever he goes he insists that he be on time. His drivers and planning teams make sure that happens without fail. There’ve been instances where he’s arrived on time for important meetings but turned around and left when he was kept waiting for more than a few minutes. He expects the same of all his employees. And since I want to keep my job we’d better get a move on!”

  “Of course.” Claire replied as they headed back out the door. “I’m used to this kind of thing. Dealing with people and events in the news tends to fill my life with unpredictability. I must say, I find it refreshing to interview a very busy CEO who doesn’t keep me waiting for hours. And believe me, it’s happened on more than one occasion!”

  Chapter 22

  “You’ve got to tell me what’s going on, Ranjit!” Veena Javad yelled at her husband as he rapidly yanked a few hastily selected articles of clothing from his chest of drawers and stuffed them into a suitcase. “Since yesterday you’ve been running around like some kind of madman, buying all those camping supplies, freeze-dried foods, getting the car serviced when it’s not due. The kids are getting scared!”

  He paused for a moment from his frenetic activities long enough to turn to his wife and intently look at her. “Did you do all I asked?”

  “I don’t know....you gave me a big list.....Ranjit! What is going on!!”

  He went to the closet and pulled out a couple of heavy jackets, sweaters and bluejeans. “How many times do I have to say this? I can’t tell you! At least not now.”

  At that moment, their two children, a 10 year-old boy and 7 year-old girl, stepped into the door frame of their parents bedroom.

  “Daddy, we’ve done what you asked us to,” the boy said, a slight quaver to his voice. “We’ve put all our winter play clothes into our backpacks.”

  “That’s good, Rojan. Thanks!” he said, turning to look at his son. “Now. Are you sure you got everything Alisha will need when we go camping?”

  “Yes, I put in her boots, heavy gloves, ski parka and pants—stuff like that.”

  “Great! Now, I want both of you to go into the kitchen and take anything you can from our food cupboards and refrigerator and put all of it into shopping bags. No heavy stuff, though. No big cans or heavy boxes. And don’t worry about things in the freezer. Oh, and go down to the basement and get as many bottles of water as each of you can carry. Then put everything in the Yukon. Okay?” He forced a smile. Then said to his daughter. “Everything’s going to be fine, honey. We’re just going to spend some time in the mountains. That’s all.” He patted her cheek. “Off you go.”

  The girl stared at him for a few seconds, her eyes filled with confusion and fear, trying to understand what her father was doing. She then turned to follow her brother.

  Turning back to his wife, Ranjit asked again, “Did you get those things done?”

  “Yes. Let’s see. I cancelled our cell phone ser
vice, internet and credit cards a few days ago. I went to the bank, pulled all our money out of checking and savings and closed the accounts. I went to the....”

  “How much?

  “From the bank? A little over $11,000. It’s in the Yukon’s glove box”

  “What else?”

  “I got the extra gas cans and filled them up. I also......”

  “Did you get the ammunition?”

  “Yes, but why!? Ranjit, I’m your wife! You can tell me things! It’s okay!”

  “For both the 45 and 12 gauge?”

  “Yes. Are you in some kind of trouble?!”

  “Where is it?”

  “Where is what?!”

  “The ammunition!”

  “It’s in the car. For God’s sake, Ranjit, talk to me!!”

  He ignored her and instead reached into the back of his closet and pulled out a leather hand gun case. He unzipped it and pulled out a classic, Browning Model 1911, 45-caliber, semi-automatic handgun. He released the clip, checked to see that it was fully loaded, then slammed it back into place with his palm. Rather than putting the gun back into its case, he put it into the waistband at the small of his back. He again reached into the closet and drew out a Remington, pump-action, 12 gauge shotgun. After checking it over carefully as well he went back to packing.

  His wife watched with growing alarm, then sat down heavily on their bed. “That’s it, Ranjit! I’m not doing anything else or going anywhere until you tell me what this is all about!”

  He stopped and turned to face her, his face softening. He thought for a moment, then seemed to reach a conclusion. “Okay. I’m sorry. It is work related. But I can’t give you all the details because it’s too dangerous for you to know them. All I can tell you is that there are some things happening in this country and abroad that could create.....what should I call it.....civil unrest. We just need to get away to someplace safe for a little while until things can quiet down.”

  “‘A little while’? How long is a little while?”

  “A few weeks. Maybe a few months.”

  She stared at him in disbelief. “And just what is ‘civil unrest’ supposed to mean?”

  He took her hands. “You’re just going to have to trust me on this one, honey. You’ve heard the terms ‘need to know’ and ‘compartmentalization.’ That’s what I’ve got to invoke with you now. It’s not going to help us in the next few hours or days for you to have all the facts. Once we get away and get safe, I’ll fill you in on everything.”

  Looking into his eyes she could see he had revealed as much of the truth as he could for now. She knew enough about his job at the NSA to realize that a great deal of what he did was highly classified and could present a national security risk if exposed. “All right,” she sighed.

  “Thanks. I love you.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “Now. Did you go next door to use Fred and Louise’s landline to check on your aunt’s cabin above Cottonwood Heights?”

  “Yes. She said we can use it anytime we want. She said she’d leave the key under the flower pot near the back door. Instructions for the wind turbine and well will be on the kitchen table. Apparently, Uncle Jay keeps the place fully stocked with food and drinks so we should be good in that area for a while. The weather might be a bit dicey for the next few days, though. Apparently there’s the possibility of some snow above 6,500 feet over the next few days. The cabin’s around 7.”

  “Did you put the snow chains in the Yukon?”

  “They’re in the back with the extra gas.”

  Rojan poked his head around the bedroom door opening. “Daddy. There’s a man at the front door who wants to talk to you.”

  Ranjit’s head snapped around to look at his wife who could see the stark alarm in his eyes.

  “Who is it Rojan?” Veena asked calmly.

  “He wouldn’t say his name.”

  Ranjit pulled the 45 out from behind his back, racked a cartridge, released the safety, then returned it to his waistband. “Stay here Veena! Rojan, go get Alisha and come back here. Nobody comes out until I tell you!”

  Ranjit slowly walked down the hallway from the bedroom, carefully considering his options if his assumption about who was at the front door was correct. As he turned a corner toward the front entrance he could see he’d been right.

  Quinten Gnash stood calmly on the front stoop, hands behind his back.

  Ranjit approached his former partner with a hurriedly thrown up facade of calmness. He stopped well short of the door. He wanted to make sure there was adequate room between them in case things spun out of control. “Gnash. What can I do for you?”

  “I’ve been trying to reach you. It seems your phone’s been disconnected.”

  “Yea. Our service here is really lousy. I’m probably going to change to Verizon instead.”

  Gnash nodded in seeming agreement, then added, “Looks like you and the family are going camping. Got the Yukon all loaded up, I see. Headed to the mountains without a cell phone?”

  “We just want to get away for a while without any distractions.”

  The big man nodded again. “I suppose I can understand that—after all you and I have been through lately.” He paused. “Is your internet down too? I’ve tried sending you e-mails. I keep getting an ‘E-Mail Not Sent’ error message.”

  “Sorry. Got no idea about that one. Maybe there was something wrong at your end.” Now it was Ranjit’s turn to pause for effect. “Tell you what. Why don’t we just cut out all the frigging small talk! Just come to the point, okay!”

  “Sure. Works for me. I want you to come with me—right now! There are some loose ends we need to get wrapped up surrounding your departure from our operation.”

  “Like what? I practically signed my life away right after I saw you last!”

  “There are some more post-separation papers you need to sign the internal affairs people forgot about.”

  “Wow. They’re really getting sloppy, aren’t they? However, I’ve got plans. We’re leaving right away.”

  “There’re also some other very important documents missing from the conference room. You wouldn’t know anything about those by any chance?”

  “Not a clue.” He’d had enough! “Listen, Gnash! Maybe you’re hard of hearing or something! I’m leaving! End of discussion!”

  “I’m afraid I must insist!”

  Ranjit now realized that he had no choice but to fall back to his final option. He also realized that Gnash still had his hands behind his back. He whipped out the 45 from behind his back and leveled it at Gnash’s face. “No, I must insist! I’m not going anywhere except with my family! I want you to drop whatever you’ve got behind your back—now!”

  Gnash hardly blinked. “Don’t be stupid Javad. I can take that away from you in a heartbeat!”

  “I think you may have forgotten. Before I made the unfortunate decision to come to the NSA, I spent five years with the Salt Lake City PD. I was fully certified with the 45 and I’ve had my share of fights.”

  “You’ve got no chance. Just lay the gun down before I do something you’ll regret.”

  “This is the last time I’m going to ask. Then I’m going to put a bullet in one of your kneecaps! Now drop it!” He lowered the barrel.

  “And attract attention? I don’t think so.”

  “Nearly all our neighbors are at work or school. A single shot will go unnoticed. Do it!”

  Gnash began to lose his calm demeanor. “I’m definitely going to take pleasure in settling this score with you.” He released something from his hands. Ranjit heard, then saw the Taser clatter to the ground.

  “Kick it out to the street!”

  Gnash did so with one easy swing of his foot. The Taser skittered off the steps and down the driveway.

  “Get in the house!” Ranjit snarled, backing up, holding the gun in his right hand while waving Gnash inside with his left. He knew he had to keep at least eight feet between himself and the man who was now his mortal enemy. He had n
o doubts that if given even a tiny opening his powerful, athletic adversary would take it. After that.....he didn’t want to think about it.

  “Veena! Get in here! Now!” he screamed.

  His wife started to rush out the door of the bedroom but the children tried to follow. She pushed them back and closed the door, then walked quickly down the hall. As she came into the study where her husband had Gnash cornered she stopped in horror at what she saw. “Ranjit! What are you.......”

  “Don’t ask questions! Just go to the garage and get that big roll of duct tape.”

  She darted out of the room and returned in less than 20 seconds with the roll.

  He signaled Gnash with his gun, holding it in both hands. “Sit down in that swivel chair at the desk. Now!”

  Gnash slowly did so, never taking his eyes off Ranjit, seething with fury, waiting for any opportunity.

  “Spin around and face the wall!”

  As Gnash did Ranjit realized he had only a split second window to take his next action. Quickly stepping forward before Gnash could try to take the offense, he delivered a vicious roundhouse punch to the right side of the other man’s jaw between the chin and ear. During training at the Salt Lake PD he’d learned the technique. He knew that simply clubbing Gnash over the head with the gun might not knock him out—a carefully delivered blow to the jaw would. Although he felt as if he may have broken a finger or two, he was gratified to see his antagonist slumped down in the chair. He stepped forward and grabbed the heavily built man under the armpits before he slipped to the floor.

  “Veena! Help me hold him!”

  Together they wrestled him back to an upright position, then rapidly secured him to the chair with a multitude of duct tape wraps. Ranjit had no illusions the tape would hold such a powerful man for long, but then again they only needed a few minutes to get away.

  “Go get the kids in the car. Hurry!”