Thomas shook his head and dropped the coat on a chair in the kitchen. He tightly held the cane, examining it. It was made of black wood and an intertwined metal serpent ran the length of the cane ending with a serpent’s head at the top.
“The Rod of Asclepius,” he heard Dr. Franco say from the living room. “God of Medicine.”
The mind-reading trick at the mansion annoyed Thomas, and this guy was no different. He placed the cane over the coat and served two glasses of water as slowly as he could. He finished when he heard his grandpa enter the living room and exchange pleasantries with the Doctor.
“I’ll be in my room,” Thomas said after leaving the water on the living room table, trying to make a quick escape.
“No, no, no,” Doctor Franco said. “Don’t go, Thomas. You’ll want to hear this.”
Thomas gritted his teeth and reluctantly sat down beside Grandpa. What did these people want? They were so weird. There was something about this man that he didn’t like, the way he removed his leather gloves, fast, but with the utmost care, pulling them finger by finger, and the way he wiggled in the seat accommodating himself on the cushion.
The doctor twirled his right moustache with two fingers before looking back at grandpa.
He seemed to be a bag of nervous ticks, and Thomas just couldn’t believe he was completely sane.
The doctor flashed Thomas a quizzical look.
“I guess this is about the job?” Morgan asked.
“Yes, Morgan. I rushed back to town once Mrs. Pianova told me about your application and interview. I’ve reviewed it thoroughly, but I’m afraid that the librarian job is not for you.” The Doctor rubbed his hands mischievously and pointed at Thomas. “It’s for him!” he exclaimed. “If you want it, of course.”
Morgan and Thomas exchanged a look of surprise. “Is this some kind of joke?” Morgan said with an edge.
“Whoa! Wait. I haven’t said you’re not hired, Morgan. You are hired, but not as assistant librarian.” He moved his hands so much as he talked that he seemed to be explaining the words with gestures.
“You see, I’m in the habit of making background checks for all my future employees. For example, Morgan, you were in the Marines and received the Purple Heart, then worked in a factory and finished your C.P.A. exam, which allowed you to work in accounting for many companies until your happy retirement. You also suffer from diabetes, mild arthritis, and have a piece of shrapnel lodged in your hip, hence, the Purple Heart and your slight limp. You are seventy two years old, with a firm but also fair character and the constitution of a strong ox.”
Thomas’s mouth was agape. He was astounded at this information. He knew about the medal, but his grandfather had never said anything about a piece of shrapnel in his hip.
The Doctor continued, “You are the perfect candidate for the job of Overseer in Accounting. You will keep all the other employees in check and honest.”
“Uhm…Doctor Franco,” Morgan began, but the Doctor interrupted while enumerating with his right hand.
“Great salary, benefits, three weeks paid vacation a year, and flexible hours. With this job you can secure your and Thomas’s future.” He finished very quickly and extended a hand that Morgan gripped out of reflex.
Thomas wondered how the Doctor had learned so much about his grandfather in less than two hours. Doctor Franco had just told grandpa word-for-word the dream job he had joked about getting weeks before. In that same conversation, Thomas told his grandfather that he would look for a job in a burger joint to pay for his Tae Kwon Do classes.
The doctor turned to Thomas. “And you, Thomas,” he said, “you’re almost sixteen-years-old, intelligent, perceptive, already one grade away from earning your black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and, most importantly, you solved the Atheliol. That alone makes you a perfect candidate for the Assistant Librarian job.”
“What’s an Atheliol?” Morgan asked.
“The puzzle I told you about,” Thomas said.
“Incredibly complex,” the Doctor added. “Most people abandon it after a couple of months, but Thomas solved it in almost record time.”
“And that’s enough qualification?” Morgan shrugged.
“Way more than enough.”
The job as Assistant Librarian was something Thomas had never contemplated. It was supposed to be for his grandfather. It was probably better than flipping burgers and maybe even paid more, though.
“The position I’m offering you, Thomas, could very well be the most incredible job of your life. You’ll learn so much that your previous everyday activities will seem ordinary. The pay is also better than most other jobs for a teenager.” Again, Doctor Franco seemed to read his thoughts.
“We need to think about this,” Morgan said. He glanced at Thomas and knew that face – the furrowed brow, tight lips. Thomas was contemplating and having doubts.
“Of course! Please do,” Franco paused. “The jobs are not contingent upon you both accepting at the same time, but,” he lifted a finger, “it’s so difficult to find qualified candidates for these positions that I’d prefer that you started the same day, meaning tomorrow.”
As soon as the Doctor finished, there was a knock at the door.
The Doctor smiled. “Could you open the door, Thomas? That’s my assistant with some paperwork you’ll need to fill out.” The Doctor motioned with his hands toward the door and Thomas stood up grudgingly.
When he opened the door, an incredibly beautiful blond girl stood there carrying a leather briefcase. Her eyes were the most intense green Thomas had ever seen, and she was just a little taller than him. She was dressed in an elegant black dress and wore a beautiful necklace and bracelet to match, her shiny blond hair reached all the way over her shoulders. He was dumbstruck for a second too long.
“May I?” she asked with a smile.
Thomas recognized her voice and realized that she was the girl who’d answered his first phone call. “Yeah, sure. Come on in,” he blurted.
“This is my assistant, Tasha,” the Doctor said as they stood up to greet her. “Tasha, Morgan and Thomas Byrne.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Tasha said extending a hand which Thomas held for just another second too long.
Thomas could still feel the softness of her hand in his, and he hid it by his leg. Suddenly, he felt that it was him, not them, who was out of place.
He felt awkward, like the Sunday morning in Fullton a couple of years ago when he let out a loud burp only to turn around and find that behind him were his neighbors all prepped-up and ready to go to church.
They all sat down. Tasha pulled out two thick binders and placed them in front of Thomas and Morgan.
“Non-disclosure agreements,” Doctor Franco told them. “Guardians Inc. is a very lucrative company with interests at the forefront of technology throughout the world. We are very protective of our holdings and we like to keep our secrets from falling into the wrong hands.”
“This is a large contract,” Morgan said leafing through the binder. “I don’t sign things without reading them.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to. Keep them, read them, and if you approve, sign them. You can return the paperwork when you get your first paycheck in two weeks,” the Doctor offered. “But I still would like both of you to begin working tomorrow, and if you don’t like what you’ve read or anything about your new job, don’t sign them and you still get to keep the first check. We’ll call it a two-week testing run. Win-win for all.”
“You have a very aggressive hiring policy.” Morgan placed the binder back on the table and crossed his arms.
“I know what I need,” the Doctor said, “and I like what I see. I mean it when I say that you’re both perfect for the jobs, and I need both positions filled as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, Thomas tried to keep his eyes away from Tasha, but he was just so taken by her beauty. His eyes constantly fluttered from the binder to her face, and she didn’t make an effort to avert her gaze when their eyes met.
She was wearing makeup that emphasized her high cheekbones and glittery, green eyes, but Thomas figured that she was around his same age or maybe two years older at the most.
There might be hope for him.
Morgan placed a hand on Thomas’s arm. “You don’t have to accept if you don’t want to.”
“And you can quit anytime, Thomas. No strings attached,” the Doctor added. “I just ask that you give it a try.”
Thomas doubted that he would like to be an Assistant Librarian and the mansion and Doctor Franco just gave him the creeps. It was all just so out of place, so strangely perfect – an amazing mansion two blocks away from home with not one, but two perfect jobs, and a boss who had come out from a wedding to their house, to hire them in person. It was just a little too perfect.
He was just about to say, “No, thank you,” when he caught a glimpse of Tasha. She was biting her lower lip and interlocked her hands on her lap as if praying for him to accept.
“It’s a great place to work,” Tasha said with a jolt and immediately sat back down on the sofa. “You’ll love it.” She was too pretty, prettier than any other girl he’d ever seen. He’d always had a thing for blond girls, but Tasha was different, her skin glowed and he could swear her green eyes sparkled.
She was perfect.
Morgan gave him a soft nudge with his elbow and a little, almost imperceptible wink of the eye.
“It’s okay,” Thomas said. “I’ll try it.” He was delighted to see that Tasha smiled.
“Excellent!” The Doctor stood up with a jolt. “Since you’re out of school, Thomas, we’ll assign your schedules tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. in the mansion. You’ll have a morning shift Morgan, but I’m afraid that Thomas will probably get an afternoon shift. If that’s the case, we’ll let him do his homework in the library so you can have a couple of hours between shifts to eat lunch together.”
Thomas retrieved the Doctor’s cane, coat, and hat. Tasha gave them a courteous goodnight smile as she left the house, the Doctor staying with them a little longer.
Thomas lingered at the door and watched Tasha walk down the driveway. Bolswaithe was leaning on a dark iridescent-blue limo parked in front of the house. A little metallic Guardians Inc. logo was plastered on the passenger door.
Doctor Franco shook Morgan’s hand and leaned toward Thomas. “I don’t need to read minds to know why you took the job Thomas, and I assure you that it’s way better than flipping burgers.” He gave him a mischievous wink as he shook his hand. “You won’t regret it. Have a good night my friends!” He tipped his hat and walked out the front door. As he entered the limo, a reddish neon light lit up under the chassis.
“That’s a really weird guy, Gramps,” Thomas said as the limo drove away.
“That weird guy is your new boss, and he sure has a pretty assistant.” Morgan playfully nudged Thomas’s head. “I’m sure you taking the job has nothing to do with Tasha, right?”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Thomas blurted but it wasn’t true. He felt his cheeks get hot. Weirdness aside, he couldn’t wait to see Tasha again.
The Library
“Hello Morgan, Thomas. Please park around the fountain.” The gargoyle speaker greeted them as the garden doors opened.
Bolswaithe and two people were waiting for them at the entrance to the mansion — a short Japanese man in a crisp black suit and an old, thin lady dressed in grey.
“Morgan and Thomas Byrne,” Bolswaithe introduced them, “please meet Chief Financial Officer Hitoshi Yokoyama and Mrs. Pianova. I’ll leave you in their company.”
The short man bowed before extending a hand toward Morgan, and after doing the same with Thomas, he led Morgan into the mansion’s right hallway.
“You stay outta trouble,” Grandpa said as he disappeared around a corner.
Mrs. Pianova stared at Thomas. “Mr. Byrne,” she said rigidly. “I am Mrs. Pianova, head librarian of the mansion and your immediate superior.”
Thomas took her hand and tried to shake it, but she pulled it back immediately.
“I’m Thomas,” he said with a smile but her stern face remained unchanged. She wore a grey dress and her white hair was weaved into a tight bun. At least seven pairs of glasses hung loosely around chains from her neck — some were tinted and the crystals in others looked cut in different angles.
Thomas felt a little apprehension setting in. He’d only had to work for a woman once before in Fullton and it was one of his mother’s friends. She always received him with a warm smile and lemonade.
This lady seemed tough.
Maybe he’d rushed his decision. Maybe working for this woman would be the deal breaker. Doctor Franco had told him that he could quit anytime, but right after meeting your boss? What would grandpa say?
“Follow me,” she said, entering the mansion and taking the left hallway. “Your hours are from four to eight, Monday through Friday, additional hours, if required, will be paid as overtime. This…” she said handing him a black tag with a green stripe on a chain, “is your security pass. Wear it at all times inside the mansion. Doors will not open without it, computers will not work, and you might find yourself surrounded by mansion security if you lose it. Understand?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered as he slipped the tag over his head.
“Doctor Franco told me that you are allowed to use our library and computers to do your homework during spare time.” She turned to face him. “Research of our books and Internet is allowed only for that purpose. I regularly check logs and accessed web pages, and I’m not amused by finding games or other questionable sites. Do you understand, Mr. Byrne?”
She accentuated many of the words as she spoke and lifted her left eyebrow at the end of a question. Thomas found both things intimidating. “Yes ma’am,” he said.
“This is the reading room.” She tapped a door on the left and then turned to the door on the opposite wall. “And this is the entrance to the library. Twelfth door on the right. Remember that. Most other doors are restricted to you and I don’t want to hear reports that you’ve entered those rooms by mistake.”
The door opened to a huge room filled with bookshelves from floor to ceiling. The room was at least three hundred feet long and thirty feet high. At the front of the room was a desk with a modern computer, a printer, and a comfortable swiveled chair.
Thomas felt a current of air moving through the library. He couldn’t hear the air conditioning, but he felt a draft on his arms and hair. The temperature inside the room had dropped and he shuddered involuntarily.
“The cold helps preserve the collection,” Mrs. Pianova told him. “Humidity is also controlled. Do you have any known allergies to chemicals?”
Now that she mentioned it, Thomas perceived a faint smell of leather and a more distinct smell that he couldn’t quite place, like when entering a hospital. It was chemical, but he didn’t know what it was.
“Mr. Byrne?” she asked when he waited too long to answer.
“No, ma’am,” he said. “Not that I know of.”
“Good, this is your station,” she said pointing at the desk. “The computer already has your clearance, but to use it you need to be wearing?” She paused and lifted her eyebrow.
“The tag?” he offered.
“Correct.” She pointed at the screen. “Some days one or two people will come in, some days fifty or more, and some days you’ll get someone screaming at the top of their lungs about a life or death situation. Don’t get nervous. Just punch the information into the program and the computer will tell you which aisle to send them to. You can cross-reference any way you like, words, titles, authors or by need. You’ve used the Internet before?”
“Yes ma’am,” he said. Suddenly his head pounded and he felt overwhelmed. Was he cut out for this job? He swallowed the lump in his throat and meekly asked, “Life and death?”
“Those books will appear on this tray.” She pointed to a drawer on the right side of the desk. “All others on the aisles. Follow me.” She
walked through the middle of the hall. The bookcases were arranged alphabetically. Each had a golden letter on the sides and tags on each shelf.
As they reached the end of the hall, she stopped in front of a wooden wall etched with thick concentric circles. The circles covered a full quarter of the wall and extended all the way to the ceiling.
“Some books will not be readily available to you. If such is the case, you can contact me through the computer and I will search for the book in the library.”
It was Thomas’s time to lift an eyebrow. “Isn’t this the library?” he asked, and Mrs. Pianova adjusted the pair of glasses she was wearing.
“No, Mr. Byrne, this is your station.” She paused. “I don’t need to remind you of your Non-disclosure agreement. Do I?” she asked.
“You just did Ma’am,” Thomas answered with a playful smirk that made Mrs. Pianova purse her lips unnervingly.
“Welcome to Pervagus library Mr. Byrne,” she said pressing a panel on the wall. There was a short hum and a mechanical sound as the wall with the etched circles began to rotate, disengaging internal locks, the circles moved to the sides inside each other. The wall became a set of double doors that opened to a hall beyond what Thomas could describe as immense.
The ceiling was at least ten stories high and the bookshelves disappeared in the distance. A clear crystal floor and metal beams supported each row of shelves. Robotic arms and elevators loaded with books ran on rails above the bookshelves loading and unloading their cargo into them. Thomas had been to a football stadium before, but he was sure that this room dwarfed that.
“I don’t know how many books there are, so don’t ask,” Mrs. Pianova said as soon as the question formed in his head. “The best answer I can give you is that we probably have at least a copy of every book ever written after the year 269. Before that, well… a lot of things happened.“
The Cypher Page 4
