December 2, 2009
8:06 P. M.
Products for Patriots recreational facility, Portland, Oregon
“Une autre grève! Who’s your daddy, enfant!”
“Ugh… you are.”
Sherry Sears, having worn a sweater over a long dress in a rare day away from meetings, came upon a strange sight as she entered into the private five lane bowling alley at the massive complex that was our company headquarters.
That of me and my father bowling. “What are you two doing here?”
“Teaching ce garcon what it really means to lose. Isn’t that right, mon ami?”
“Yes, because a game between a level two and a level five FTM is such a fair competition.”
That Pierre had put four strikes in a row so far while I had managed one spare at most was evidence enough for that. Coming forward, Sherry took a seat right when I stood up, the pins resetting as I went to grab a ball.
“That explains why he’s here. Why are you though, dad?”
“Well, I haven’t bowled since your mother died… and I imagine she’ll want to do so in Heaven. I guess now’s the time to get back into the habit.”
The three pins I barely knocked down meant I had a lot to do.
“I never knew Sylvester bowled.”
“She would do it every Friday for about two hours once she moved here. Turned on some classical music and tortured our employees one by one. She said I’d fire anyone who didn’t play at least once a year with her.”
“Did you?”
“No one ever took the chance.” I replied, my second round earning me another two pins. Half the field is good, right?
I moved to take my seat, Pierre rubbing his fingerless shooting gloves together as he waited for the pins to stack. Ignoring his obvious advantage, I looked to the girl and asked
“So. What brings you here?”
“Eugene met with me today. One problem solved, another one for you to tackle. Want to listen or read it for yourself?”
“Better tell us both.” Pierre answered, just before another strike. “Bébé will probably make me help him again.”
“All I had you do is hold a gun to Eugene until he signed the contract.”
“Which is more than you could do. We went shooting about an hour after his match; bébé can’t even hold a gun straight. He’s better at bowling than he is at shooting.”
I rolled my eyes, standing and stretching my arms out as the ball retriever vomited another chance for me to make a fool of myself. Sighing, I settled for at least taking my father down with me as I said
“Could be worst. At least I know the difference between a man and a woman.”
Pierre, in the process of lighting a smoke now that he had practically guaranteed his win, actually dropped the cigarette to the floor as he stammered “Seth! Don’t you-”
“We’re coming out of the gun range and we see this kid come in with short hair, earrings, short shorts and a tank top. Really skinny, nothing to really attract a man’s eye… until Pierre, the so called ‘roi de la romance’ says he has a thing for goths and goes up to the stranger to get their number.
“Pierre’s really putting it on hard, until a minute into the conversation the person says ‘Dude. I’m a dude. I’m into chicks, not creeps like you.’
“To make it worst, Pierre had been moving his hand behind the goth to squeeze their butt as part of his plan. He touched it right when the man told him who he was; I’d never seen a Frenchman get sucker punched so quickly into a conversation during my life!”
It would have been better if I actually performed my next swing with some degree of skill. A gutter ball was my reward for heroism, my father laughing it up when it should have been I that mocked him. Sherry herself was indifferent, disappointed in us both as she watched me come back in defeat, clearing her throat as she returned to the matter at hand.
“Well… I’ll keep him away from Akioo then. Anyway, we need to discuss your next opponent; you have three days this time, time you might need to get the job done.”
“Another technician who stepped on your toes?”
“Worst. A rival I need to buy out.”
Holding her hand out, a blue flame swallowed it whole before a paper folder appeared in it, the woman tossing it my way as I starred at her glowing eyes. Shame I’d never be able to replicate such feats of power; it’d be useful to be a demigod, if only for a while.
“Pierre. I lost. Sherry’s taking over for me.”
“That so? Ma copine, I won’t go easy on you just because you’re of the better sex.” Pierre announced, taking his turn as he rubbed his hands once more. Sherry’s eyes should have returned to normal by now, but they continued to glow with an odd mixture of red and blue, somehow keeping themselves from turning purple.
“Good word choice, because we girls are anything but fair.”
Just as Pierre had let go of his bowling ball, what felt like a gust of wind went through the room as the ball was knocked off course, hitting a mere four pins down instead of all ten of them after a forced swerve. Turning in his boot, his own eye now glowing, the delighted vampire rubbed his hands once more as he announced
“Oh, this is how this game is really meant to be played! You might win yet, mon cheri.”
“Hmph. Let’s see if it’s even a competition.”
Once again, the show would go on without me as I turned to my papers.
“Tyler Dunham. CEO of Fab Flags, the now leading flag manufacturing company in the USA. While I’d normally avoid worrying about such industries, I didn’t learn until two weeks ago that the reason Gary invested so heavily in becoming the number 1 supplier was because nanomachines loaded flags serve as the best spying equipment in the world. No one suspects a flag of anything but honor… or maybe this is why the Middle East insists on burning them.
“The point remains that I’m going to lose our contract to the CIA if Tyler doesn’t commit to selling out. Since I can’t hide him underground, I need you to get creative in how you get him to jump ship; if he suspects I forced his hand in any way, I’ll have a PR nightmare about crushing the so called rising star of the nation.
“That means no violence against him, though it might be a good idea to target a few of his properties. Point is, study him out and put the pressure on. Make the offer during your game as a friendly gesture when you beat him, and we’ll be in prime position to increase profits and stay on Saren’s good side for at least a few years more. Good luck, and try not to kill anyone.”
I was already making plans when Sherry made her first strike. It wouldn’t be the last.
Times of Peace: Volume 1 of the side adventures to The Mercenary's Salvation Page 56
