by Matt Drabble
“Brainfreeze Milkshakes? That’s Casper Cane?” Duke said incredulously. “I’ve seen that crap advertised all over the damn place, supposed to be delicious but very bad for you.”
“Well my source tells me that Casper is the man behind both Maple Leaf and Brainfreeze.”
“You’re thinking that something’s up?” Duke asked. “You think that he’s using Brainfreeze to fatten them up and then Maple Leaf to slim them down again?” Duke said, cottoning on to Mack’s way of thinking.
“Makes sense to me.”
“Well that sounds a great story in theory Mack, but we’re not a newspaper and I’m not an investigative reporter,” Duke said confused.
“But wouldn’t you like to be Duke? Are you really happy being stuck writing crap for a shitty magazine? This could be our ticket out.”
“Our ticket?”
“You bet. You get the story behind the story and I’ll take it to the big boys and maybe we can save a little dignity,” Mack said smiling.
Duke processed the idea. She did harbor ideas of being a real journalist, one capable of writing something important and the thought was appealing. “But how would we even start?”
“That’s the easy bit. Casper runs the most exclusive health resort in the and we’re one of the world’s largest selling health and lifestyle magazines guess who he has selected to write a little fluff piece about Maple Leaf?”
“Us?”
“You bet your ass us,” Mack grinned.
----------
Duke swallowed again, what little breakfast she had managed to eat earlier rolled as the helicopter dipped nauseatingly. It was her first time on such a contraption and she had little enthusiasm for repeating the feat.
The Maple Leaf Resort and main offices were only accessible by air as the roads were completely impassable during the winter months. As the helicopter skimmed the lush green canopy of tree tops Duke risked a look below. She couldn’t help but be reminded of the sequence in “The Shining” movie where the family are winding their way through thick forest land. She shuddered at the idea of willingly trapping herself atop a mountain, even if it was just overnight.
She looked around the seating in the helicopter but didn’t recognise anyone. She had been hoping for a celebrity or two as Maple Leaf was renowned for its secrecy and discretion. The resort spa also doubled as home to Casper Cane and she still couldn’t believe that the man had not only agreed to an interview, but that he had in fact solicited one. Casper Cane owned Maple Leaf outright and was as a reclusive figure as you could hope to find.
Mack had assured her that his source was impeccable, and that his source was positive that Casper Cane was not only one of the world’s leading health and fitness gurus but that he was also the sole owner of the company that produced Brainfreeze. Brainfreeze was the latest hugely popular fast food craze. The thick and syrupy shakes were all the rage with stores springing up all over the country. She had yet to try one of their products as she was always deeply concerned with what she put into her body. The fat content and calorie count was off the charts, but somehow the drinks had been passed by the health authorities and were now sweeping the nation. Despite being condemned by doctors as deeply unhealthy, sales were growing at a rapid rate. If Mack’s source was right, then Casper Cane was responsible for one of the unhealthiest products ever unleashed on an unsuspecting public. But also at the same time he held himself up as the paragon of health and fitness through Maple Leaf.
The helicopter dipped low again and her stomach flipped over and rolled. She fought hard to avoid throwing up over the other passengers and narrowly won the fight. She risked another look outside the window and saw the ground looming up towards them. There was a path cut through the thick forest and a mass of white buildings sat in the clearing. The terracotta roofs glinted under the late day sun and snow topped the stony peaks that surround the resort. She could only see a few signs of movement around ground level which wasn’t surprising as the resort apparently operated at a lower capacity during the winter. Her first question to the pilot flying them in was to check on the weather conditions for tomorrow. She had no intention of setting foot on board if there was any chance that she might get stranded. He had smiled and told her that there had only been three occasions in the eight years that he had been flying up to Maple Leaf when the chopper had been delayed or grounded. He’d winked and raised one index finger, bending it up and down whispering “Redrum, Redrum” and she’d smiled in return knowing that it was a question that he must have been asked a lot.
The chopper set down and she released a large breath that she had been holding. There were four other people on board and she allowed them to exit first. The pilot had set down some steps in front of the door and she eventually followed on shaky legs.
The helipad was large and there were staff members busying themselves with the luggage from the helicopter. She cursed herself for her inability to take in her surroundings as the other four passengers now looked like employees rather than guests. There was no-one to greet them and they all trooped off in different directions with purpose. If she was going to make it as a reporter then she had to start paying closer attention.
A man in smart chinos and surprisingly a navy polo shirt, considering the time of year, waved her over. As she walked, however, she realised that it was unseasonably warm on the mountain top.
“Ms McHale?” The man greeted her.
“You can call me Duke,” she answered.
“Very well Ms, I mean Duke; I’m Mr. Cane’s personal assistant. My name is Jenkins and if there is anything that you need then please do not hesitate to call upon me anytime.”
She eyed up the demure man. He was smart and clean cut with a smooth babyish face and blonde hair parted neatly to the right. He looked impossibly young but she had to assume that he was older than he appeared. “Why is it so warm up here?” She asked curiously. “I was expecting to freeze my…, um I mean I was expecting it to be freezing up here,” she corrected herself, remembering her manners. She was in danger of picking up some bad behavioral habits from Mack; gruffness chief amongst them.
“There is a natural hot spring that runs beneath the mountain,” Jenkins explained. “It acts as a kind of thermal central heating and it never gets too cold up here despite the snow around us. If you’d like to come with me I’ll show you to your room so that you can freshen up before your meeting with Mr. Cane this afternoon.”
She followed Jenkins as he chatted away like a tour guide about Maple Leaf. His repertoire was straight out of the brochure and she spent her time making sure that her eyes were open as she closed her ears. Mack had wanted the story behind the story. Casper Cane may well have been expecting a fluff piece for the resort and his company, but she had other ideas. She had to try and find something to link Cane to Brainfreeze. She didn’t want to tip their hand as to her and Mack’s knowledge about Cane owning both companies, so she was going to have to get creative. She had to bring something back if she wanted to be taken seriously.
They entered one of the main buildings as Jenkins began talking about the construction of the spa. She looked around as he prattled on; she needed to get her bearings fast if she was going to detour from the main path at some point later.
They walked through a large lobby area decorated beautifully but simply. The walls were a soft magnolia and there were large windows on every side to take advantage of the spectacular mountain top views. Her memory was good and her sense of direction was better so she spent the brief time noting directional signs, Restaurant, Café, Pool, Gym, Accommodation, Staff and more importantly Private, were all stored for future reference.
Jenkins led her through some double doors labeled “Accommodation”. The corridor was long and empty. The wall to her left was lined with doors and the wall to her right was lined with glass.
“And this is you,” Jenkins finished his long spiel outside of what looked like a hotel room.
“That all sounds very inter
esting Jenkins, thank you,” she replied having no clue what he had been rambling on about for the last few minutes.
He flashed a key card past the lock on the door and it changed from red to green. He pushed the door open and she found herself staring into a hotel room that was larger than her apartment. The floor dropped down to a lower central level. The carpeting was thick and there were several doors off to the sides and even a spiral staircase that led upwards.
“Your master bedroom is up the stairs,” Jenkins pointed. “Your bags are up there. Lounge area, library, stocked kitchen, cinema, and out on the decking is a hot tub,” Jenkins said indicating to each room.
Duke stared in disbelief at the accommodation. The entire back wall was a glass window overlooking a huge drop away from the mountain. The scene was amazing and she walked out towards it. She could see the covered hot tub out through the sliding double doors and couldn’t wait to try it out. “Wow,” was all she could say.
“I hope you will be comfortable, and I’ll be back to collect you at 3 pm sharp,” Jenkins said, bowing slightly as he left.
Duke had intended on spending the next couple of hours subtlety sneaking around the corners of the resort to see just what she could find. Unfortunately she had made the mistake of “trying out” the hot tub and that was all she wrote. The only time that she emerged from the bubbling hot water was to grab a glass of perfectly chilled champagne that she found in the large Sub-Zero refrigerator in the kitchen.
She heard the door knock softly and realised with horror that it was 3 o’clock already. The whole afternoon had slipped away from her like an avalanche gaining momentum seemingly with little effort.
“Just a minute,” she called as she splashed her way out of the tub finding that her legs had gone to sleep.
The last thing that she had thought of bringing to a mountain top was a bathing suit and she hadn’t fancied the idea of using the ones provided. She ran naked up to the bedroom and quickly dressed in her finest business suit. She tied her hair back and wished for more time to appear more professional and better prepared. She slapped a little makeup on and thought that the result would have to do. She grabbed her leather bag containing her equipment and ran back down the stairs.
“Sorry about the wait,” she said to Jenkins as she opened the door.
“Not a problem,” he smiled back kindly. “We have time.”
“How many guests are there at present?” She asked as they walked.
“The last flew out this afternoon,” Jenkins replied. “This is our maintenance month. The spa is closed to the public whilst we carry out essential servicing.”
Duke couldn’t help but find the statement a little ominous. “I wasn’t aware that you closed during the winter.”
“Only every other year. The winters can be harsh up here and Mr. Cane likes for the work to be carried out in private. Our guests tend to be of an…, exclusive nature.”
“Anyone I’d know?” Duke probed.
Jenkins stopped in his tracks. “I’m afraid that our clients expect, and are afforded the utmost confidentiality. I do hope that you aren’t here under any misconceptions that this is to be any kind of a dishing the dirt interview,” he said distastefully.
“Not in the slightest Mr. Jenkins,” she said, feigning offense. “I promise you that is the last thing on our minds.” She waited for him to continue walking and hoping that she hadn’t upset the man’s seemingly delicate nature. This whole undercover reporter thing was proving to be more difficult than she’d anticipated. It was time that she got in the game.
Jenkins led her through the accommodation block and further into the building. She was concentrating hard on the directions as they turned corners with regularity and every corridor looked the same. She suddenly realised that they were walking further and further without turning. She pictured the building from the outside and thought that it couldn’t have been this long.
“Where are we now?” She asked puzzled.
“We are over our industrial base where we produce many of Maple Leaf’s products,” Jenkins answered.
“Wait a minute, over? Are you telling me that you’ve somehow hollowed out a mountain?”
“Well I wouldn’t exactly say hollowed,” Jenkins laughed. “We have cut through the landscape a little to utilize the environment. After you,” he said as he stopped outside an elevator.
Duke suddenly felt the weight of the earth pressing down on them as they began to sink lower and lower. She hadn’t considered herself to be claustrophobic by nature, but the elevator now felt like a coffin.
“Are you alright?” Jenkins asked concerned.
“I’m fine,” she bristled. “Are we going much lower?”
“Not far.”
The door pinged just then and Duke resisted the urge to run out. She stepped out onto a corridor like any other in the spa. The only difference was where the others had been lined with an open view out over the mountain side, here there was a long red metallic walkway. She walked over to the window and stared out into a dimly lit factory floor that seemed to go on forever.
“It is quite the feat of architecture and construction, is it not?” Jenkins said proudly.
“Very impressive,” she replied, thinking that she longed to see the sky again even after only about 10 minutes.
“We’re just along here,” Jenkins said leading the way.
He stopped outside of a large set of double doors. Duke noticed that there was a small CCTV camera on the ceiling. The doors buzzed quietly and swung open. She stepped forward and realised that Jenkins was standing still.
“I’ll wait for you here,” he said taking a seat.
She walked forward, unable to shake the feeling that she was entering the lair of a James Bond villain. She expected to see a bald, scarred man stroking a white cat; instead she got a hippy in cargo shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. “Mr. Cane?” She asked.
“In the flesh,” he responded with a toothy grin and she couldn’t help but smile along.
The next two hours were spent in a whirlwind of Cane’s excitement and passion for his industry. He was far from the all-conquering corporate titan that the business pages depicted him as and just as far from the many dictators that she had experienced first-hand. The health business had more than its fair share of re-born fanatics who ran their companies like they were on a personal mission from God himself. But Cane was more along the lines of a new age hippy with a dream to make the world a healthier place, one protein shake at a time. She had expected to find a sharp minded cut throat; instead she found a likable, slightly weird eccentric.
He was listed as 52 and yet he showed no signs of age. His hair was devoid of sliver streaks and was still a thick and lustrous chestnut mane that touched his shoulders. His beard was full and equally lacking of signs of age. His eyes were emerald green and sparkled with vitality. His build was solid and his waist was trim. His legs looked like a runner’s as she well recognised from her own pursuits.
They headed out from his office and he led her on a tour of the facility. He spoke quickly and rapidly changed direction. She found herself warming to him and also found it difficult to reconcile Mack’s tip with the man in front of her. Surely this was not a man capable of subterfuge and industrial fraud? Cane certainly dressed like he had no interest in money and all he seemed concerned with was the betterment of man.
“I’m not saying that we need to take away people’s right to eat whatever they want to,” he said earnestly. “Time has shown us again and again that education doesn’t work on a large enough scale. We need to provide an alternative that doesn’t sacrifice flavor and taste for nutritional value.”
“That all sounds great,” Duke replied as they walked.
“I mean look at you, you obviously take care of yourself; eat right, exercise regularly - running, I’m guessing by your build and shape,” Cane said looking her up and down. “All that effort and yet time is slipping by no matter how fast you run. Soon you’ll start ge
tting slower, your organs will wither, your skin will crack and your beauty will fade all too quickly.”
“Gee thanks, you sure know how to make a girl feel good,” she laughed.
“Life is too short and too precious for us to waste Ms McHale, but waste it we do. I believe that the average human lifespan should be significantly higher, up around 150 let’s say.”
Duke looked at him surprise.
“Maybe even pushing 200 in time,” he continued excitedly. The human body is a marvel of science that we still haven’t begun to scratch the surface of. Our potential is being currently limited only by our imagination. We can do so much more; we can be so much more.”
“And you believe that can come from protein shakes and energy bars?” She asked.
“Our main income derives from mankind’s basic need for improvement. The health industry has a fanatical but limited following. Our income streams fund our research; scientists don’t come cheap.”
The factory floor was deserted and the lights were dim. There were huge industrial machines made of shiny chrome and silver metal. They stood devoid of their power as massive mixing whisks stood idle. Gigantic tubes covered great distances, fetching and carrying.
“What is it that you do here? Is this where you produce Maple Leaf’s main products?” She asked.
“No not nearly,” he laughed. “We have facilities all across the globe. It is my own personal policy to make sure that Maple Leaf puts a job creating factory in every poor area around the world that we can manage.”
“I bet that cuts down on production costs,” she said disappointedly as she jotted her notes down.
“On the contrary,” he smiled back. “We pay excellent western standard wages wherever we plant our flag. We are about spreading and giving, not taking.”
