Tales from the Wolf Pack – Book 2
“Full Moon Over Bluffhaven: Double-Click for Disaster”
Chapter 1 – Notice of Doom
The sunlight coming through the window, accompanied by the scent
of pine on the breeze, made me want to do anything but be stuck inside with
business. Every time a really great day
came into Bluffhaven, I just wanted to be outside enjoying it, doing something
with the kids or walking with Fuzzy in the woods, anything other than reading
mail offering me this, that, and the other thing or a bill which didn't get
referred to the accounting department.
However, when I saw the two letters on top of the stack, I knew business
was the word of the day.
The first was from the IRS, great joy they were to work with. And the other from Kendrick Enterprises. I knew what that meant, but I pulled it out
and read it anyway.
KENDRICK ENTERPRISES (507) 555-4678 Dear Mr. Slagenweit, Kendrick Enterprises would like to again, make an offer a partnership
to develop part of the complex known as The Raid for urban use. The market is prime for investors of
Condominiums and communities that incorporate commercial areas in one
central area. As Bluffhaven expands its boundaries, the Cartwright Group is
uniquely situated to benefits from the town's expansion. With pristine settings and infrastructure
mostly in place, the costs would be minimal and would also be financed with
as a partnership with Kendrick Enterprises. Our Urban Development Affairs Department would like to meet with you
at your earliest convenience to answer any questions and plot a future that
will be bright for both our companies. Please contact our UDA Manager, Charles Awaka, at 555-3057. We look forward to your call. Sincerely, Antonio S. Kendrick President & CEO Kendrick Enterprises
I almost laughed when I finished reading it. "Partnership" with Kendrick
Enterprises was a polite way of saying "take-over". While I had worked for Mr. Cartwright, he'd
told me numerous times of how Kendrick Enterprises wanted to take-over the
Cartwright Group as it was probably the only major business threat in the
area. He'd stood firm, however, not
giving them the satisfaction.
Though reading the letter also made me wonder, could the Kendricks
of Kendrick Enterprises be related to Alicia?
It was a common enough name in town, but it still made me wonder.
Yet, I made myself a promise when taking over Mr. Cartwright's
company, and that was I was going to make it my own and not allow major players
to influence me, just as Benjamin Cartwright had when he started it. I put the letter aside and opened the one
from the IRS. It made my blood run cold.
One word: AUDIT
Who was
it that decided to write that word in a red that is the color of blood mike
wondered?
Just as things were coming back together after the Festival, the
long-arm of the Government had to come sweeping in, demanding to see the
books. I knew Kane Damascus, my resident
financial guru, kept the books well in order, but the prospect of the IRS going
through them, still made me nervous.
I swiveled in my desk chair to the computer, dropped Kane an
email, letting him know the situation, put the letter in a tray for the mail
runner to take to him, and finished through the rest of the mail. Under everything was today's copy of The
Graphic. Just above the fold was a
photograph, the mayor and a tall black man shaking hands with each other. I recognized the man instantly, Quentin
Taylor. We'd gone to college together,
he'd been in computer science, and hung out once in a while. Word had been that he'd gotten in with a big
communications firm and was expanding wi-fi internet services throughout the
country. I read the accompanying article.
Dateline
-
In a
major coup for the city of
Wireless
Internet, better known as Wi-FI, will allow anyone with a wireless modem in
their computer to tap into a central network anyway in the city to transact any
business conducted by Internet today.
Transatlantic Communications founder, Quentin Taylor, has confirmed that
the deal struck with the Mayor and City Council to install the system would
bring jobs and 22nd century technology to the community. When asked about using the term 22nd century,
He also
confirmed that Bluffhaven had beat out other competing cities
Intriguing, I thought.
Quentin had always talked about making internet access available to
everyone. It pleased me to see that he
was making it a reality. Still, though,
why work on it in Bluffhaven? We were
managing pretty well, even will stuck with landline service, the only major
exception being the University, and of course in the Den, but a major world
company coming here to make wi-fi common seemed a bit fishy. Ah maybe it's just my darkened mood after the
takeover bid and the specter of the IRS.
I decided to make some time later in the week to see Quentin and catch
up.
I looked over at the clock on the bookshelf, four-thirty, Tobey ought
to be back from
I walked across the grounds, taking in the fresh air, thinking of
the letters and what to do about them, I knew what I was going to do about
Kendrick Enterprises, but the IRS audit was not something to be sneezed
at. If they truly investigated the Raid,
well, they might discover some other secrets on the grounds as well. I walked into Fang Hall's lounge, noticing
that nobody was about yet.
"Hey, how're you doing?" I asked.
I have
had better days Mike. We found Genevieve.” I walked over to hug my friend.
I embraced Tobey and as we broke apart, "Whoa, what happened?
Not to be totally insulting, but you smell like a sewer."
"Um,
that's because I was in a sewer." I said sheepishly. "Cana and I had found her and almost
convinced her to come, but then I spooked her with a side trip to the Eiffel
tower. As soon as I popped her back, she
took off. Cana tracked her across the
rooftops till he lost his footing and fell 40 ft to a dumpster and then we
picked her up again going down into the sewers.
We lasted about 12 minutes till I tried to walk across what I thought
was a shallow pool. Turns out it was
15ft deep. Talk about fetting in over my
head."
"Damn," I replied, eyes wide, "You think she'll
come?"
Sadly I
shook my head. "I honestly don't know.
I pray she does. She needs to
come off the streets. I can't believe I
screwed this one up."
I put a hand on Tobey's shoulder, smiling to reassure him,
"It'll be all right. She knows that
we're here and when she's ready she'll come."
I just meekly
accepted Mike's words. I knew things like
this happened but it was still hard.
"I had favorable conversation with the
I closed
the door and looked at myself in the mirror.
I always did like the feel of the uniforms, and I had to admit that I
looked kinda cute. But with a gloomy
feeling I stripped out of my gear and let the hot cascade scour the putrid
scent off.
Seth, perceptive boy he was, noticed the slight shadow behind my
smile and asked, "What's wrong, Sir?"
"Business issues. The
IRS is coming to audit us and I had another takeover offer from a company in
town."
"Jeeze,
Mike, a double whammy. Aren't you glad
you have the movie tonight to relax?"
"Indeed. Bums me out
to have it come on a day that started out really good.”
Seth
looked at Mike slyly. "Isn't Alicia
coming tonight?" He thought she
looked hot but he had his own squeeze to think about.
"Yes she is, which reminds me, there's something I need to
ask her."
"Oh?'
his radar going to full strength
"Not yet, buckaroo, we've only been seeing each other for a
couple of months."
Any
further conversation was halted as Tobey came out of the shower drying his
hair. He stopped short when he noticed the
looks on both guys. "What?"
"Dressing down are we?" I asked, noticing the ensemble,
sweats and a hoodie.
"Wow
Tobey you look rough" Seth chimed in.
"What
I feel rough. This is comfy for
me." The red head looked
skeptical. "Maybe you need to look
good to help improve your self image."
Mike most have agreed as we followed his beckoning into the bedroom to
find him rummaging through my t-shirts and pulling out a black form fitting t
and through it on the bed with a pair of jeans.
"Besides, we're not going to the streets. We also have another appointment,
remember? I can't have the RD looking
like a bum."
"Not when we're trying to impress people enough to come
here."
With
a faint smile I sent Seth to make sure
the sodas and the chips and the rest of the preps for movie night were ready
and shooed Mike to the living room and appeared a minute let brushing my hair
back out of my eyes and motioned him over.
Placing my hand on his shoulder, he closed his eyes and we jumped to an
alley two blocks from the pizza joint.
I guess
from the looks that we were getting, I looked pretty good. We entered just in time to hear our name
called. "Good timing as always huh
Mike?"
"As always," I replied, "How've you been, good
buddy?"
"It
has been a good week. I haven't had to
go to the High school this week and Dr. Alexander is sending us some supplies
for our special courses. I really need
to unwind tonight. How are you and
Alicia?"
"Couldn't be better," I said, smiling.
"You
do realize why I brought you with me right?"
The
glint of bedevilment in my eyes
Mike
shook a negative and I just chuckled and hand him a pizza from the counter...
and another... and another... till the poor guy was holding 10 pies stacked
past his eyes
Paying
the cashier with the company card, I lead Mike by the shoulder and as we
crossed the threshold, we were back in my apartment and I steadied him after
putting my pizzas down.
"I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that," I
said, "It feels like I'm being sucked through a straw."
"I
guess it helps that I have been doing it since I was 8. It just doesn't seem weird to me. moving some of his pizzas to my stack, we
walked down the hallway to the multi purpose room where the projector was
pointed at the screen and the kids had
moved the couches from the lounge and arranged them and blankets on the floor
and mixed in were some of our more ambulatory patients from the hospice
The
Kitchens at the resort had filled out our supply of chips, and pizza with
hogies and organic munchies for our vegetarian students.
"I better go find Alicia," I said, "Back in a
couple of minutes."
I walked next door to the
I smiled watching the interaction.
Alicia had taken up a job checking in with our residents and making sure
their needs were being addressed, but also being a person who was there for
people who didn't have families left anymore.
She'd done a wonderful job at it.
Even some of the men mentioned to me how they appreciated Miss Alicia
coming to visit.
Alicia giggled at Mrs. Sweeney's story, then noticed me, which
made her laugh even harder.
"What?" I asked.
"Oh nothing," she said, "Women talk."
She turned to Mrs. Sweeney, "It's time I have to be going
now, but I will drop in on you later in the week."
The old lady smiled, "You are always welcome any time, Miss
Alicia."
We walked back to Fang Hall, arm in arm, Alicia saying, "She
is a doll."
"I know. Everybody's
grandmother," I replied.
We walked in to find the crowd assembled and the first pizzas
being split on the floor.
After a
few minutes, every one had their food and drinks and were settling down on the
floor. I was surprised that the locusts
had left enough for people to have some more.
Nodding over to little Jessica, she closed her eyes and the lights
dimmed. With a smile to her, I hit the
play button and the opening credits of Spaceballs rolled.
We found a spot on the sofa, slightly used, but comfortable as all
get out, and I put my arm around her.
The
night was a success and suddenly I jumped at the appropriate time and shouted
"PIZZA THE HUT!" The adults
who had seen the movie before started spouting lines at the right points and
the kids were rolling.
The
deeper into the movie we got, the deeper into the movie we got! "COMB THE DESERT!" I did have a need of a towel when Mike broke
in with Dark Helmet playing with his dolls.
Of
course when the crew of the Eagle 5 got captured rescuing the princess, I got
Mike, Seth to join me jumping past the projector and yelled out "YOU
IDIOTS! You've captured their stunt
doubles!"
"I am your father's, brother's, nephew's, cousin's former
roommate," I said, in as deep a voice as I could. Hysterical giggles broke out when I replied,
"Absolutely nothing!"
Cheers and applause broke out when Joan Rivers said, "Well,
goodbye Virgin Alarm." and the final credits rolled.
"Okay
gang...Time to clean up and the food and head off for the dorms." The good natured grumbling took place as the
kids threw away the trash and headed for the access tunnel to Ember Hearth
since it was raining and the boys mosied upstairs.
As the
orderlies helped the residents back to the hospice, I saw Mike and Alicia head
out.
"See you in the morning," I said, waving, "thanks
for a good time tonight."
"Ditto," Alicia said.
I headed
back to my rack and crawled into bed.
Then a thought hit me.
Throwing
a robe and some sweat pants back on, I crept out to the commons and stole a box
of pizza and a couple hogies and a couple cans of diet soda.
I
stuffed them in the fridge back in my apartment and went back to bed. I am glad I got the diet soda. Had to watch my diet you know.
We were soaking wet when I dropped Alicia at her apartment in the
Her eyes flashed up to me, a look of both shock and terror. She replied, rather meekly, "Yes, my
father is the president. I haven't told
him about us."
"Well, not that it matters about us," I said, trying to
reassure her, "The reason why I asked is business, not personal."
She seemed to relax a moment, but that look of fright still
lingered in her eyes. She said, "I
had my reasons for not getting involved with my father's company."
"I understand."
I leaned forward and kissed her.
She held me close and drew on my assurance, then stepped into her
apartment.
As the
door closed, Alicia leaned back against it and exhaled deeply with a smile on
her face. She was hopelessly falling for
Mike.
Instead of taking a turbotube to get back to my place, I decided
to walk, despite the rain. The light
falling droplets felt good against my skin, feeling as if they might wash away
the bad of my life and leave me alone with the good things. So, Alicia was related to the Kendricks of
Kendrick Enterprises, but so what, it meant nothing. Don't start walking down that road, I chided
myself, you’ve got enough to worry about.
Once home, I dried off, feeling better, changed into a t-shirt and shorts, dropping into bed and letting sleep take me in an instant.