Patsy Murray

by Douglas E Roff

  “I’ll think it over.”

  “I’ll be up early. If you want my help, I’ll come along. If not, I’ll go with Octavio and Bella. And by the way, I’ll need a gun.”

  “You’ll only hurt yourself.”

  “I grew up in rural Pennsylvania where everyone has a gun. I’m a lifetime member of the NRA and was a former Junior Olympian in competitions. I’ll challenge anyone to a contest any time. And, Mr. Moneybags, keep your fucking money. I don’t need it or you.”

  Patsy walked into her room and locked the door.

  Alana said, “She was a Junior Olympian and Pennsylvania State Champion in her age group. It’s here online. Maybe we should hear her out.”

  Everyone was quiet.

  Octavio said, “I think we should all calm down and listen to the lady. If she can help, we need to swallow our pride and accept it. I don’t want to die because you guys don’t like her.”

  The silence was deafening. They all went to their rooms joylessly and fell asleep.

  In the morning, Adam made breakfast and asked Patsy to come along if she was still inclined. “I was out of line last night. I apologize. If you can help, and want to, then I accept your offer. We all do.”

  “Apology accepted from you. If any of those women disrespect me again, I’ll fucking shoot them. Understood?”

  “I’ll pass the info along.”

  Patsy walked over to where Bella and Octavio were sitting having coffee and a bagel. “Mind if I hang out with you? Seems chilly everywhere else.”

  “Have a seat,” said Octavio. “Tell us more about growing up in rural Pennsylvania. You must have won a lot of trophies. I saw your bio on Wiki. Impressive. Dad must have been proud.”

  “My Dad was an asshole who wanted a son and got a daughter instead. He never let me forget it. I could have gotten a Gold Medal at the Olympics, and he would have asked why I didn’t get two. My Mom was an even bigger asshole than my Dad.

  Bella and Octavio were taken aback. They were somewhat shocked into silence.

  “But I like you guys,” Patsy said cheerfully. “You seem nice and normal.”

  “I could say the same about you,” said Octavio. “Bella and I admire strong women who speak their minds and can defend themselves.”

  “That’s nice of you to say, but really, I’m neither nice or normal. In reality, I’m angry and selfish. Don’t let the smile fool you. I have red hair for a reason.”

  Chapter 14

  The group boarded the charter that Alana had arranged in Oceanside, California. The private jet had flown down from Portland, would pick up its passengers in the town north of San Diego, then fly to Seattle to drop off Octavio and Bella. There, the couple would make arrangements for their children to remain with their paternal grandparents and extended family then fly to meet the rest of the group at a designated location. The rest of the passengers, including Patsy, would then travel unannounced to Cadiz, Spain, deplane, use false papers to clear Custom and Immigration, then travel by luxury yacht to the Greek Island that Adam had purchased the previous year.

  Alana checked the construction progress of the Island facilities on Adam’s computer and found the home modules had been railed into place, locked down and all electrical, water and sewer connections finalized. Down the gently sloping hill, another crew had finished excavating the bedrock of the Island and creating eighty thousand square foot underground facility that would house Adam’s labs, accommodations for occasional visitors and security personnel such as Octavio, Bella, and the Paz Twins. He also had built a ramp for a high-speed powerboat and a floating dock for a yacht. The yacht, however, would be more permanently moored in a covered garage in a port on Crete but they would occasionally use it for provisioning and moving around.

  Alana assured Adam that all was ready and in place, including, kitchen, food, stores, tools, and electronics. Every minute detail that Adam had planned was already on the Island, though much still had to be assembled, connected, reconfigured or tested. Freshwater was stored in huge underground cisterns and electricity derived from multiple sources. Desalinization as well as collecting electricity and fresh water from the atmosphere was also in place as were collection tarps to capture rainwater. Backup generators were stored in the underground facility as were fuel, vacuum sealed dry food ingredients and canned goods able to remain edible for years.

  The adventure had begun, and Adam’s tech women all wanted an explanation of how this excavation had been carried out so extensively without using current methods such as blasting and heavy equipment. He promised a full and detailed explanation once they got to the Island; everyone except Patsy, Bella, Octavio, and the Twins knew their final destination, and it would remain that way indefinitely.

  The witches four and Alana all knew, not because of Adam, but because Alana had broken into his “foolproof security”; such intrusions were encouraged by Adam when targeting others. He was less sanguine about such break-ins when it was his private information. It didn’t matter, the ladies were perfectly welcome and entitled to know all his secrets.

  The charter jet was wheels up when Hecate the Immortal St. James appeared unannounced, surprising no one except Patsy. She sat next to Adam, her husband, and put their five children in the back of the plane and gave them each an uninhabited solar system to play with. It was their favorite game. Adam promised his kids to visit soon, but daddy had work to do with Mommy. As Immortals themselves, they shrugged it off and started their game.

  Patsy asked who the woman and children were, how they got on a plane that was thirty thousand feet up, and what her business was with Adam. She seemed different, nor wholly material, but Adam dismissed her questions and told her to mind her own business and start explaining what her plan was.

  “Is she involved?”

  “You let me worry about that. Focus on this breakthrough you supposedly had. While we’re still over the continental US, you can convince me. Otherwise, we’ll let you off at the nearest airport that can land this jet. If so, I advise you to keep the money I gave you and move somewhere safe.”

  “Thanks for the advice,” said Patsy. “Now, I will explain this to you and if I ask a question, answer it honestly. Agreed?”

  Hecate said, “Agreed. If I’m asked, of course.”

  Adam said, “Hecate, let the woman talk and let us answer. And yes, we are all agreed.”

  Hecate raised her hand as if she was still in elementary school.

  Adam said, “Yes Hecate. You have a question?”

  “No, a comment. Listen to what she has to say. Be truthful; her plan is incredible and brilliant.”

  Hecate turned to Patsy and said, “My name is Hecate, and I am totally on board with this idea of yours. Don’t worry about Adam; he still has feelings for you. The others too, but not the good kind. I’ll be on your team. Go ahead.”

  “You can’t possibly know what I’m thinking.”

  “Sure I can. And I do. I’ll help explain if you want. Start with that ‘why do they do what they do thing’ you thought of. It’s easier for them to understand than the technical stuff you want to tell them. You’re very smart and brave; no need to prove what everyone already knows. Right?”

  “I guess. Who are you again?”

  “I’m his love slave and sex toy. Now, go!”

  Patsy said, “OK, let’s start with why do you do what you do? Strip off all the BS and get to the core. I mean I know you love what you do but there’s an even more basic reason, and it’s the same for all of us.”

  Beata said, “It’s fulfilling. It’s important. We love our work and what it can do for mankind. It’s practical.”

  “Why not be a painter?”

  “Doesn’t pay, it doesn’t make our world safer. It’s frivolous.”

  “Many would disagree,” said Patsy. “Did any of you finish college? Besides Adam? Take anything that wasn’t science, math, and tech?”

  They looked at each other. “No, when
Adam left, we dropped out and went to work with him. We were making a lot of money already with him, so what was the point? More college would have been a waste of time.”

  “Maybe being an educated, well rounded human being? A curious soul who loves the wonders of the world and all of humanity. Not just a keyboard with bits and bytes. I’m guessing, no philosophy, no history, poly sci?”

  “Waste of time. Soft stuff. Irrelevant.”

  “You agree, Adam?”

  “No, but move along. This is just the predicate for you to prove whatever you want to say, that contrary to money, you’re smarter than we are. We’re high priced one-act ponies. I’ll concede the point.”

  Hecate said, “Not her point at all. Some knowledge teaches you critical thinking, beyond the narrow confines of just what you like or think is important. We all have opinions on that.”

  Adam shot his wife darts of death. “Thank you, dear. Patsy, move on.”

  “My point is that we all try to balance what we’d like to do with the need to pay the bills. You guys do amazing stuff and get paid a lot of Benjamins. Other people are not as fortunate. My world, for example, would be considered too dry and too academic for most bright minds; we don’t earn a lot. The bright lads and lasses want to go to Wall Street and get rich. Money over happiness, or confusing money with happiness; even worse. But we’re not stupid or useless as you all fucking think. All of you, even you Adam, think my colleagues and I are a quaint waste of time. But there are some, not that many, for whom what I do is interesting and important. For some, it could be life-altering. But that’s a tiny number. More people today than ever before, however, are interested in knowing their roots. There are companies, like the one I work for in Philly, that eke out a living as a niche business for rich and important people.”

  “Used to work for,” said Beata. “You don’t work there anymore. I checked.”

  “You know, I can stop right now, you can drop me in Dallas, and you’ll all be dead soon. So, stow the attitude and shut the fuck up.”

  “Your work is meaningless. It’s Swiss chocolates; if it all went away, no one would even notice, much less care.”

  “OK. Drop me off. You’re on your own now.”

  Hecate said, “You really should sit there and shut up, Beata. That goes for the rest of you and you too Adam. All of you computer types and doctors have one thing in common; arrogance and disrespect for others Try listening and learning for once. Lose electricity, and you’d be foraging in the wild with some brutish alpha males making you into a sex toy. Try to remember that. You have no idea how much trouble you’re in and how easy it will be to kill you when they have what they want from you. I can’t interfere. This is a mortal matter. Besides, Patsy worked this out, not me.”

  “We apologize. Please stay and continue,” said Adam. “We are all very sorry.”

  “Fucking bullshit and a lie. Saying it doesn’t make it true. I’m outta here a soon as you are up to speed.”

  “Once you get to the Island, you can’t leave.”

  “I have a nine-millimeter Glock that says I can.” She drew it and pointed it at his head.

  “Listen to him, Patsy,” Hecate said, “Working together and staying together are still in your own best interest. You even said that. Besides, Octavio, Bella and the Twins will help you. They like you a lot, and they don’t care for these women one bit. Adam can annoy them too when he starts acting like Beata.”

  “How did you know …”

  “Never mind how I know anything for the moment. Lower your weapon, please. And the rest of you, shut up and let Patsy speak.

  Adam said, “Hecate, not another word. Please.”

  “Grouch. I love you, husband, but you’re a jerk a lot of times. You’re not as smart as you think you are, you’re rash and prone to mistakes in matters of judgment.”

  “You can always tend to our children in the back if you interrupt, but I’d rather you stayed here with me. You’re still indentured to me.”

  “OK. But if they aggravate Patsy again, I’m going to do something mean to these friends of yours. There are times I don’t like them at all. They make fun of me and are mean to our kids.”

  Hecate turned to the women, “Be nice. Last warning.”

  The ladies knew what Hecate could do if angered and did not want to fuck with her, so they decided to sit in their seats quietly.

  Patsy continued.

  “If you compared all the income in the entire world derived from genealogy and compared it just to your company alone, what would be the difference?”

  “I have no idea. Anyone?”

  They all said no. Adam was getting impatient with this kind of “know it all” discussion.

  “Why not, big fucking brains? Thought you were so fucking smart? It might surprise you but your company, Mindwerks, makes more money in one year than all genealogists in the world combined. By far.”

  “So?”

  “Genealogy doesn't pay because it isn’t as commercially useful as what you do, and we are unable to charge very much due to competition. You have some biggish companies out there that do a kind of retail genealogy, not in depth though, and not very sophisticated work. Mostly use public records. Mostly to satisfy the demand for some to know more about their roots and some go to geneticists for those kinds of answers as an alternative. My point is nobody is getting rich doing genealogy, except for the occasional professor who writes a book. The big companies who advertise are more tech companies who compile data, not hardcore historians and genealogists.”

  “OK.”

  “Well, how much is the Society paying you for this project? Mindwerks, the witches and Alana?”

  “One hundred seventy-five million, plus expenses and additions.”

  “And for what? New genealogy? Hooking up to your mainframe?”

  “No. Find who stole their data, get it back and fix the leak if one exists. Probably involves designing a new hardware system, software that is better, faster, more reliable and cutting edge.”

  “And you don’t find it odd that one tiny organization can pay that freight?”

  “Never thought of it.”

  “What’s in the contract that stands out to you?”

  “We can’t look at the data, copy it or use it.”

  “So …?”

  “I’m lost. I still don’t get where you’re going.”

  “Of course, you don’t, big fucking brain. You’re not a professional genealogist. Their genealogical data isn’t worth what you’re charging, so their secret output must be. But if it’s just a family tree, it can’t be worth much. It just isn’t that important. Unless …”

  “I’ll bite. Unless what?”

  “Unless their output is illegal or is being used to do something illegal. Then it might be very, very valuable. I confirmed they aren’t getting government money and have no endowments. I checked. But they had massive amounts of cash coming out of Swiss accounts to Swiss accounts and funneled and hidden away quickly to multiple offshore banks in Panama, the Caymans and the like. For what? To find out who you were related to a hundred years ago? No. But who you’re related to today, maybe.”

  “Any ideas what they’re doing?”

  “Sure. Rumors of something criminal and shady but totally under the radar, very secret and low profile have been rife about them for decades. If you don’t know where to look, or for what, you’ll never discover the truth. No one would ever even suspect what they’re doing. But it involves fraud, murder, kidnapping, intimidation, corruption and a whole lot more. And they earn billions in unreported income every year and appear to be legal in every way.”

  “How does this relate to me?”

  “Two things. I think you and Misti Alarcon are targets and they think they need you, but not Misti, to get their shit back. It’s proof of massive illegality.”

  “I guess.”

  “No guess. And when you get their shit back for them, they’
re probably going to kill you and your girlfriends. Mindwerks will collapse without you, and they’ll keep doing what they’re doing. These ladies will be working for big-box retailers fixing old computers.”

  She paused to let her conjecture sink in.

  “If I’m correct, you, Misti and your father are likely candidates to inherit a fortune from some source that you don’t even know about. This explains everything that has happened and explains why what Misti told you in Barrows is, in fact, true. Your family doesn’t know why, but I do. Killing Carlos Alarcon served as a warning and got rid of an heir. Now only Misti stands in their way, and she’s running scared. I don’t give a shit. But I bet you still do.”

  Patsy paused.

  “You have got to get to them before they get to you. Simple as that.”

  “You can prove this?”

  “Most of it. Did it in three hours. Personal best. Some additional proof we need your ladies to do like hacking and snooping, especially Alana from what I understand. We need data, and we need the Society’s Digital Library. I understand that’s air-gapped; might be a problem.”

  Adam said, “Not as much as you think. Their console in the vault connects to their workstations wirelessly. I think we can steal everything and get the missing data back too.”

  “We need all their financial records, and I’m not sure where all that stuff is. Kalindra might be able to help with that. I told you. Call her. She and her hubby might be in danger too. They didn’t get to me so that she might be next. And she knew where you were. But I’m too dumb, too lame to help all of you important fucks. If she gets hurt, that’s on you.”

  “That’s why they went after you last night. They wanted to know if I’m Adam St. James. I checked into the Clinic under an assumed name and used subsidiaries to buy my condo and pay my bills. Pretty hard to connect any of this to me. Still,” he said, “you should thank the ladies for getting Octavio, Bella and the Twins to San Diego. They saved your life.”