Million Dollar Gift

by Ian Somers

  ‘If Paolo scores one more he will be declared winner.’

  ‘I can count,’ I grunted. ‘Start the game!’

  Again the ball was dropped onto the table and the duel continued. I knew I could control the ball with my mind, the problem was the speed at which it was travelling. I had to try and predict its path. It was the only way to stop Paolo scoring again.

  Paolo banged the ball with all his strength – I knocked it away before it crossed the goal-line. Again and again and again he tried, but I found that I could almost see where the ball would end up. After a minute or so the game seemed simple to me. I eventually struck the ball and sent it into my opponent’s goal.

  ‘Two goals to one,’ the professor announced. He dropped the ball again and the battle raged on.

  ‘Two goals all,’ he said when I had again gotten the better of Paolo. ‘The player who scores next will be deemed the victor.’

  ‘Let’s go,’ I said, staring across the table. I smiled at Paolo who was absolutely fuming. ‘This is getting boring.’

  The ball dropped and we gave it everything we had. I blocked his every attempt to score; I could see where the ball would land before it was hit. But Paolo could too; I knew he had some sort of special gift. The rally lasted for over four minutes, which in foosball terms is like four years. I could tell Foster was getting a headache from trying to follow the ball, it was moving around so fast that the human eye could not trace it properly. On it went until there was a loud bang. Paolo had tired and I’d finally defeated him.

  ‘No!’ Paolo screamed. ‘How could he beat me? No one could ever beat me!’

  I raised my arms and sang, ‘Champiole, champiole, olé, olé, olé!’

  ‘Take a break, Bentley,’ Foster said. ‘You deserve it and congratulations, you’re the world’s latest millionaire.’

  ‘Oh, I like the sound of that!’

  ‘I thought you would. I’ll be back in a few moments. Paolo, you may leave us.’

  ‘Whatever!’ Paolo moaned, and he kicked the table. ‘Another time, Bentley!’

  ‘Ciao, Paolo.’ I gave him a little wave before he left.

  ‘So, this is the end?’ I asked the professor.

  ‘It would seem that way. You must excuse me, Ross, I have a phone call to make. I’ll be back soon.’

  All online and telephone conversations involving Golding Scientific staff are recorded and documented by Golding Scientific Security Division under the direction of Derek Shaw. The following discussion took place on the morning of 3 July. 11.16am - 11.22am and was remotely monitored by staff member Alan Dowd.

  TRANSCRIPT No. 181,399 (Black Flag)

  Note to security director: I have flagged this phone conversation under the Golding Scientific Security Division Act of 2004, Section 52, reference A-001, ‘Any employee of Golding Scientific who openly threatens Paul Golding or endangers the corporation is subject for removal by Golding Scientific Security Division’.

  (Investigation closed: Professor Mark Foster)

  TRANSCRIPT No. 181,399:

  Golding: I would say that was proof that he is a Precog, wouldn’t you, Foster?

  Foster: I would say so, but his psychokinesis is his most powerful asset.

  Golding: Indeed. Is he as tired as he was yesterday?

  Foster: No, he’s showing no sign of fatigue.

  Golding: Good. He’s got quite the temper, hasn’t he?

  Foster: It’s terrifying.

  Golding: ‘Terrific’ is the more appropriate word. I think we should give him a day or two to relax and to think about how he’ll spend his fortune before we introduce him to the violence test.

  Foster: The violence test?

  Golding: Yes. It’s designed to damage the subject psychologically. Permanently so.

  Foster: And how would you do that?

  Golding: It’s quite simple actually and there are two purposes of the test: first, to remove any inhibitions about using the gift on other people. Second, to make the subject naturally violent and able to instantly tap into negative energy.

  Foster: Explain the test, Golding.

  Golding: We find someone who Bentley is attached to … a family member or perhaps a girlfriend, if he has one. Then we a send one of our special teams to … make them disappear. We wait a few weeks, allow the subject’s anger to rise then we present him with a patsy. We tell the subject that a particular person is responsible for murdering his loved one and allow nature to take its course. Basically, we let Bentley kill an innocent man and after that he’ll be a right nasty piece of work. And we tell him that we’re the only ones who can protect him from the law, so he does what we tell him.

  Foster: That is the most disgusting and immoral thing I’ve ever heard. How could you even consider something like this?

  Golding: Immoral, but effective. It does work.

  Foster: You’ve done this before?

  Golding: Yes, Shaw devised the test and carried it out.

  Foster: On who?

  Golding: On Marianne of course … how else do you think we made her so violent?

  Foster: I’ll not be a part of this! You people need to be stopped. Leave the boy be! If you follow through with this, I’ll go to the press.

  Golding: I open the door for you, Foster, and you slam it in my face. I expected more from you. I’m removing you … from the testing process. Shaw is waiting for you outside the hall. He wants to have a word with you face to face.

  I’d waited in the hall for over an hour and was getting bored. I was just about to ask if I could leave when the main door opened. I’d been expecting Foster, but it was someone I hadn’t seen before. He had a shaved head and was wearing a grey suit; he strode across the hall in a very confident manner. As he got closer I saw there was a horrific scar running from his chin, through his lips and across his right cheek to above his ear.

  ‘My name is Shaw,’ he said as he shook my hand and smiled. He noticed me staring at the scars on his face and head, but he didn’t get offended by my curiosity. ‘Don’t let these fool you, I’m actually a nice guy.’

  ‘How did it happen?’ I asked, examining the most horrendous of the cuts on his face.

  ‘I was a … gamekeeper of sorts in a previous life. One of the animals went crazy one night and did this.’ He ran his hand over face. ‘Ghastly, isn’t it?’

  ‘What sort of animal could do that?’

  ‘A really nasty one. But let’s forget that for the moment.’ He revealed an envelope and offered it to me. ‘I have here some documents containing the details of your new bank account.’

  ‘Bank account?’

  ‘I set it up for you, and the balance will blow your mind, I’m sure.’

  ‘The testing is over then?’

  ‘It is. But you know, Ross, there’s a lot more money where this came from. You should set yourself up here in London and I could probably sort you out with a part-time role in one of our companies. A handy job with a very handsome wage.’

  ‘Sounds interesting.’

  ‘It will be really interesting, believe me. But let’s not talk business right now! You need a few days off to enjoy yourself.’

  ‘I was thinking the exact same thing. I wish I’d been dealing with you the whole time instead of Foster.’

  ‘You won’t have to deal with him again, I promise.’

  I reached out and took the envelope. I opened it and took two pages from it. One was the usual bank details, with a debit card attached, and the other was printed balance with £629,000.00 written at the bottom. The sterling equivalent of a million dollars! I looked back at Shaw and smiled. ‘Thank you. I was starting to think you people were all monsters.’

  ‘Not at all!’ Shaw laughed and clapped me on the shoulder. ‘We’re the good guys.’

  ‘I can see that. Where is Foster anyway?’

  ‘Oh … he’s tied up somewhere.’

  ‘Hope you don’t mean literally.’

  ‘Of course not.’

  CHAPTE
R ELEVEN -

  Danger Everywhere

  I used a land-line in the reception area to ring Dad before returning to my room. The old man congratulated me, but seemed more concerned with getting me home safely. I assured him that I’d be back within a couple of days and told him not to be worrying so much. It seemed to put his mind at ease – I suppose he imagined me relaxing in a four-star hotel and being waited on hand and foot. I spent the rest of the afternoon near the window in my room, watching for any sign of the stranger, but he didn’t show up. I thought long and hard about the warning I was given and about who could possibly be a threat to me.

  Why would anyone want to harm me? After all, I didn’t pose any danger to anybody that I could think of. My time at the Golding Plaza was growing tedious, and a little disturbing. If the prize money hadn’t been so substantial I would have already bailed out of there.

  My thoughts were interrupted by a tap on the door. I opened it to find Shaw standing in the hallway, smiling pleasantly. Well, as pleasantly as he could considering the scar on his face, which made him look rather sinister.

  ‘Hey, Kiddo. Has your new financial status sunk in yet?’

  ‘Not quite. It might once I get to spend a little of it.’

  ‘You should go out shopping,’ Shaw suggested as he entered the room. ‘Victor and Tsuyoshi are waiting at your car in the underground. They’re all yours for as long as you want them. They will bring you anywhere you want.’

  ‘Victor and Tsuyoshi?’

  ‘Tsuyoshi is your driver, Japanese fellow with long hair. Victor is your bodyguard, the grumpy guy who’s been following you around for the last few days.’

  ‘So that’s his name.’

  ‘He was under orders not to talk to you. He’s a good man and he’ll take you wherever you want to go.’ Shaw grabbed one of my hoodies from the back of a chair and passed it to me. ‘Come on,’ he said, ‘you need to get some fresh air; you’ve been cooped up in this room too long.’

  ‘You’re right. There are a few things I need to get anyway.’

  ‘Take this.’ Shaw offered a huge wad of cash. ‘A little spending money for you.’

  ‘I can’t take it, Mr Shaw. You’ve already given me a million dollars today.’

  ‘Mr Golding gave you the million; this is from me, personally. You’ve had a few rough days and I feel bad about it. Come on, take it, humour me.’

  ‘If you insist.’ I reached out took the roll of notes. ‘But you really shouldn’t.’

  ‘Ross, this is only pocket change in the world that you’ve just stepped into. You’ve got some powerful friends now and money will never be an issue for you again. Come on, I’ll walk you down.’

  The black BMW was running as we entered the underground car park, Victor and Tsuyoshi were sitting in the front and the rear door was hanging open, as if they were expecting me. I paused before I got in; the competition was over and I didn’t want to start my new life like this, I wanted to be the free spirit that I’d always aspired to be.

  ‘Listen, Mr Shaw, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’d rather go out without the car and the guards. It’s just not my style, you know.’

  Shaw didn’t seem offended, but he was determined at the same time. ‘I’d prefer if you used the car for the next day or so. There’s still people from the press hanging around and I don’t want them talking to you. And you’ve had a busy morning and it might catch up with you. I’d like Victor to be there if it does. Do it for me, Ross. I worry.’

  ‘You don’t seem like the worrying type, but I probably wouldn’t be able to find a skateboard shop on my own anyway!’

  ‘Is that the only place you’re going?’

  ‘No, I wanna get some credit for my phone and I’d like to buy a laptop too.’

  ‘Okay. Hey, give me your number, just so I contact you if I have to.’

  I gave him my phone number then climbed into the back of the car. Before I shut the door Shaw leaned in and said, ‘I’ll be in the restaurant having dinner at about seven, would you like to join me?’

  ‘Sounds good to me.’

  ‘Great, we’ll get us a couple of steaks. My shout.’

  ‘Thanks again.’

  ‘My pleasure. Okay, Tsuyoshi, take Mr Bentley wherever he wants to go.’

  It took over an hour to find a place to buy a quality board, and it took even longer for me to choose which one I wanted. I eventually emerged from the store with two that I liked. I was tempted to use one to escape Victor and Tsuyoshi, but I didn’t want to let Shaw down, and the warnings from the stranger were still preying on my mind. We went from there to a nearby electrical store were I bought a modest laptop. Then we made our way back to the Golding Plaza, but stopped along the way at a convenience store so I could get some phone credit. Victor accompanied me inside despite my protests.

  ‘I don’t need a babysitter, you know,’ I said when we got inside. ‘I’m not a—’

  An overhead light fell from the ceiling without warning and bounced off Victor’s head. I wheeled around to see my bodyguard falling face-first to the floor. He was out cold and people rushed to him to loosen his collar, to inspect his injured head or just to gawk.

  When everyone’s attention was focused on the unconscious man, I felt a hand grasping me and pulling me away from the crowd. It was the stranger from the hotel and he was a lot taller and crazier-looking than I’d first thought. He towered above everyone in the store and had to stoop to look me in the eye. ‘You did not heed my warning.’

  ‘What are you doing?’ I snapped. ‘You’re a crazy bast—’

  ‘Shut it!’ the stranger hissed. His voice was deep and I figured his accent was French. ‘I told you to get away from the hotel!’

  ‘I am away from the hotel.’

  ‘Don’t be a wise guy. You know what I mean.’

  ‘Who are you to tell me what to do?’ I looked at the crowd surrounding Victor. ‘Did you do that?’

  ‘No,’ the stranger rolled his eyes, ‘it was just a strange coincidence.’

  ‘You know, you remind me of someone.’

  ‘I’m not messing around. You have to get free of those people before it’s too late.’

  ‘I’m free to leave whenever I want.’

  ‘Oh, you’re free but there just happens to be an armed guard accompanying you everywhere you go …’

  ‘That’s so the press don’t get to me. Listen, I can walk away if I want, Shaw told me so.’

  ‘Shaw? Derek Shaw?’

  ‘I never caught his first name.’

  ‘Lots of scars?’

  ‘That’s him.’

  ‘Don’t let him poison your mind, boy! He’s as dangerous as they come.’

  ‘Don’t call me boy and Shaw just happens to be a really nice guy!’

  ‘He’s a murderer. You have to leave.’

  ‘I’ll be heading back home soon enough’

  ‘I don’t mean you should book a flight home. You have to disappear.’

  ‘Disappear? Why would I do that? When I do decide to leave I assure you I won’t be doing a disappearing act, I’ll be going back home.’

  ‘They won’t simply let you leave. You have a true gift, they will never let you out of their grasp now that they’ve found you. They’ve been searching for someone like you for years. Why do you think they had that contest? Why spend millions on it? Do you think a man like Golding would give away millions because he’s feeling charitable?’

  ‘They can’t stop me if I want to leave.’

  ‘They have their ways.’

  ‘You said I was in danger. In danger from who exactly?’

  ‘The people around you but also…’ The stranger suddenly shoved me aside and left through the rear door of the store. I turned to see Tsuyoshi pulling open the front door and stepping inside. He looked down at Victor, then at the ceiling, then narrowed his eyes at me.

  ‘Er… I didn’t do that,’ I told him. ‘Seriously, it wasn’t me.’

  ‘You’re
a little shit!’ Victor moaned as we drove away from the store. He was sitting in the front seat holding a towel to his bloodied head. ‘What’d you do that for?’

  ‘I didn’t. I swear I didn’t do it. You should sue that place. You could have been seriously injured.’

  ‘I am seriously injured!’

  ‘I wouldn’t say it’s fatal.’

  ‘It was you, I know it was. I’ve never done nothing to you. Just doing my job and I get a cracked skull for my trouble.’ He looked over his shoulder and scowled at me. ‘Nasty piece of work you are.’

  ‘I didn’t do it. Why would I?’

  ‘I’m sure you had some childish reason.’

  ‘Oh, stop being such a baby. It’s only a bump on the head.’

  ‘I’ll bump you!’

  ‘You’re not supposed to be talking to me, remember?’

  ‘You’re not supposed to be dropping lights on people!’

  ‘I told you it wasn’t me!’

  The bickering continued until we reached the hotel car park and once we got there I quickly left the car and made my way back to the room.

  I felt so confused. Who was I supposed to trust? On one hand I had Shaw who had just made me a rich man, and was nicer to me than anyone had ever been, but he felt wrong somehow. On the other hand there was this crazed Frenchman with the same gift as me, who was telling me that I was in danger, but wouldn’t say why.

  I spent two hours trying to figure out what to do and who to trust, but couldn’t come to a decision.

  It was almost 7pm and I reckoned it’d be wise to have dinner with Shaw, so he wouldn’t think anything was going on. When we finished having our meal I would either escape to somewhere far away from everything or book a flight back home. But first I wanted to try Gemma’s phone again. I needed to hear a friendly voice.

  All online and telephone conversations involving Golding Scientific staff are recorded and documented by Golding Scientific Security Division under the direction of Derek Shaw. The following discussion took place on the evening of 3 July. 6.46pm - 6.54pmand was remotely monitored by staff member Jason Moore.