Pop Travel Page 25

  Hasan pushed the receive button and the dock door unlocked.

  Blake swooshed the door open and flung his knife inside. It struck the chair, embedding itself into the padding as it vibrated back and forth and made a few sparks.

  “What’d ya do that for? You damaged my ten-million-dollar machine! Are you insane?” Hasan yelled.

  “Where is she?” Blake yelled back and retrieved his weapon.

  Hasan shrugged.

  “Beats me. I guess I put in the wrong code.”

  Walnut Grove, GA

  7:45 a.m., Saturday, July 27

  “Sorry to show up so early, Mrs. Nertz, but it’s kind of an emergency.” Miki stood in the doorway speaking to Jared’s mother, a middle-aged woman in a faded housecoat and worn, pink, fuzzy slippers.

  “Oh, I’ve been up taking care of my cat, Mr. Whiskers here. He’s had a very bad hairball problem. Haven’t you, Mr. Whiskers?” She cooed as she petted the big orange powder puff in her arms.

  The cat hacked in response.

  “I see. Well, do you think I could go down?” Miki asked.

  “Sure. He should get up and do some chores around here, anyway.” Mrs. Nertz took a step back and opened the door wider for Miki. “Jared! Wake up! Miki’s here!” she hollered into the house.

  “Thank you.”

  Jared lived in his mother’s basement. After failing at several random jobs, he decided to be a professional gamer and hacker, his true callings. Not much money in that. Legally. And Miki gave her best effort to keep him legal, mostly by limiting his time with his friends. She allowed him to do minor hacking, for games and fun stuff, but told him if he got caught she’d dump him.

  Miki hated going down to the basement. It looked like a discarded disaster relief effort. And every time she came over, the filth had expanded. The piles of clothes, wrappers, and pizza boxes had multiplied. She couldn’t imagine what kind of sludge monster was incubating underneath it all. One of these days, we are bringing shovels down here and… Eeww! What is that smell! She held her nose as she tiptoed down the stairs.

  “Hey, baby,” Jared mumbled from a lump in the middle of the room, possibly the couch.

  When she reached the floor, she flipped on the lights and flinched.

  “This is the last time I’m coming down here,” she said. Again.

  “Aww. Come on. It ain’t that bad, is it?” As he sat up, a soda can and a game controller slid off him, landing on a potato chip bag with a crunch.

  Miki shut her eyes and shuddered.

  “Come over here. I need your help,” she said from the base of the stairs, not daring to step any farther, squelching the urge to run back up. At least the area by his compucenter was fairly decent. Through the filth, she could make out a path leading to his chair.

  “Oh. You need me?” Jared scratched his head as he stood and sloshed through the muck to get to her. She held the chair out for him and he sat down. Grimacing, she didn’t know which smelled worse, the garbage or her boyfriend.

  “Here,” she said and presented the drive she’d found on Cooper.

  “What’s that?” he asked. He woke up his CC and took the drive. After looking it over as if he could read it telepathically, he inserted it with a shrug. “Where’d you get it?”

  “I’ll tell you in a minute,” she answered.

  As the video played, their eyes locked onto the imager. Miki’s mouth hung open.

  “Whoa,” Jared breathed.

  “No wonder Cooper is in trouble.”

  “Big trouble.” Jared shook his head. “You got this from Cooper? He knows the Creator? Holy…”

  Miki explained what happened earlier that morning.

  “And the Feds have him. At least I can help him now.” The guilt sat on her shoulders and she couldn’t shrug it off. She had to do something.

  “How can we help? No one will listen to us. Anyone could make a video like this. They might think the Creator is an actor. It’s not even very good quality.”

  “I don’t know.” Then she remembered something. “Find your QV.”

  “Uhh.”

  “Think hard.”

  “Can’t you call it to make it ring?”

  “No! It has the tracer, remember?”

  “Ohh.” He got up to search for it. “Hey, why don’t we call Dawson?”

  “What? No way!” Miki detested politicians, especially Cooper’s brother. Such a two-faced goodie two-shoes. He made her skin crawl.

  “He’s connected. He could help. People would listen to him.” Jared adored the guy.

  “Ugh! I don’t want to drag him into this. Besides, he’s all the way up in Michigan. Not to mention, I have to go to the wedding. Maybe we can just give it to the police.” But she knew that wouldn’t be a good idea. They’d scramble around and probably end up passing it back off to the Feds anyway.

  “Miki, get serious. Ah, here it is.” Jared held up his QV. “Give me his number. I’ll call.”

  “Give me that QV!” she shouted. He tilted his head at her like a puppy, then shrugged and tossed it to her. Miki ripped off the back cover and pulled out the bug. Jared shuffled over through the mess and she handed him the pieces. He stared at the components with his eyes bugged, then gave her a goofy grin.

  “Awesome!”

  “Destroy it.”

  “Call him.”

  “Fine.” She found Dawson’s number.

  “Wait! Hang up!”

  “Why?”

  “What if they are watching him, too? We need a safe line. Here I’ll find one.” He jumped over a few things to get back to his seat. When he found one, he presented it to her. He could be so smart when he wanted to be.

  “There. A clean, untraceable line.”

  “Wow. Good thinking, sweetie. But you’re right. If they’re watching him, how do we ask him to help us?”

  They thought a minute.

  Jared snapped his fingers.

  “I know. My mom can do it!”

  Miki and Jared went upstairs and explained the plan to his mother. She agreed to do it. Miki wrote a short script with a code for her to read. After she practiced a few times, they called Dawson. Miki and Jared hid behind the imager, out of sight of the webcam.

  “I have to leave a message,” Mrs. Nertz said.

  FBI – Atlanta Division

  8:15 a.m., Saturday, July 27

  s we speak, Hasan, Geri, and Blake are at the plantation initiating the implementation of the new safety procedures. We expect a smooth transition without any disruption of service to the public,” Ed said, concluding his report to Vivienne.

  “Wonderful, Ed. I knew everything would work out.” Vivienne put on a pleased smile. “The evidence has been destroyed? And the nuisance detective?”

  “Yes,” he lied. Blake should have the evidence and have taken care of poor Geri by now. After reviewing her footage, Ed had been very disappointed in her lapse in judgment, jeopardizing their whole project.

  “Excellent.” Vivienne sat back in her cushy leather chair strumming her fingers together. “I must say, Ed, this has turned out much better than expected. That detective brought a surprisingly positive outcome.”

  “Yes. It will be a relief not to worry about any more ‘disappearances’,” Ed said. But the cost crept dangerously close to him. He hated losing an agent with such potential.

  “Of course. Some of those families were hard to convince.” Vivienne looked off to the side, remembering. She snapped back to Ed. “But that’s all behind us now. There’s still a long road of renovation ahead. I won’t keep you any longer. You may go and carry out the rest of the details. Keep up the good work and inform me of your progress.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Ed answered and gave her a nod. They disconnected. He had recorded their entire conversation. With the looming possibility things could get ugly, he wasn’t about to go down alone.

  His QV vibrated again. Nate had called several times during his meeting with Vivienne.

  “What is it,
Nate?”

  “Sir! You have to go to Mr. Taylor’s office immediately!”

  “What? Why?” Being in charge of the Qnet, Ed knew all there was to know about everything. He had done nothing to draw the attention of the head of the Atlanta FBI office, Axel Taylor, the only other person who had the potential to ruin Ed’s life if he found out about the cover-up. No one higher in Georgia. Ed dreaded a summons to “the Penthouse.”

  “It’s Geri! She popped in here a few minutes ago and went straight up to see him!” Nate’s face was flushed and sweaty.

  “Oh, shit!” Ed rushed out of his office to catch the elevator.

  Cooper fluttered his eyes and oriented himself, shaking his head. Cuffed and cramped in the little Econ Car, he assumed the two men on either side of him were FBI agents. The last thing he remembered was… Miki! He tried to reach up and rub his head where the pot had crashed on it but the cuffs and close proximity kept him from getting very far. He slumped back down.

  “Good morning, sunshine,” the older agent said with a cruel chuckle. “Look who’s awake.”

  “Let me guess. I won a free trip to Hawaii,” Cooper said.

  “You won a trip somewhere all right. Let’s go,” said the younger one as the car pulled into a spot.

  The agents escorted Cooper through the security station scanners and onto the elevator. The older agent got a message in his earpiece and pushed the button for the twenty-fifth floor.

  “All the way to the top, eh? I must be important,” Cooper said.

  They ignored him. Stiffs.

  When they stepped out into the small, dull lobby, they saw another man waiting. In a chair against the wall, he sat hunched over, with his elbows on his knees and his hands interlocked on the back of his head, mumbling to himself. When the guy heard the group come off the elevator, he looked up and gave Cooper a double take, then shook his head and lowered it again.

  The live receptionist told Cooper and his agent friends to go in. She seemed alive, anyway. The guy who had been waiting gave her a pained expression, like he was being forced to sit on a tack. She just smiled at him.

  When the trio entered the large, bright office, Cooper saw Geri with one leg up on the corner of a massive desk, laughing with an older gentleman. Cooper wrinkled his forehead until she turned to him and gave him a warm smile.

  “Hey, Cooper,” she greeted.

  “Hi, Geri. Fancy meetin’ you all here,” he said, mocking her accent, which he missed now that it was gone.

  She lowered her chin and looked up at him with a playful pout.

  “Take those cuffs off, boys. They aren’t necessary,” ordered the gentleman. His accent was genuine. An honest to goodness good ol’ boy with clean-cut, white hair, a crisp, white shirt with a red tie, and gray suit pants. “Thank you. You can wait outside, fellas,” he said and the agents left.

  Cooper rubbed his wrists. He wanted to demand the truth, but waited for the man in charge to speak first.

  The gentleman walked over to Cooper.

  “Hello, Mr. Cooper. I’m Axel Taylor, head of the Atlanta Bureau. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He shook Cooper’s hand and with a firm grip.

  “The pleasure is mine. Thank you for having me,” he said with a trace of sarcasm. Against my will.

  Mr. Taylor nodded.

  “I’ve heard so much about you from Geri, here. I hope it’s all true.”

  “Like what?”

  “Now, don’t be modest, Mr. Cooper. You’ve uncovered the scandal of the century! The mystery of the disappearing celebrities, solved!” Mr. Taylor put his hands in the air, displaying the imaginary headline.

  “Is that so?”

  “Come, my boy. This is big news. Did you tell the world yet?”

  “I never got the chance. My secretary laid me out.” Cooper touched his head. What a lump. Thanks, Miki.

  Geri laughed.

  “Sounds like quite a girl. I’ll have to meet her. So where’s the drive?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. It was gone when I came to.” He looked at her, wondering why she didn’t have the two copies he gave her.

  She gave him a silent shush with her eyes.

  Mr. Taylor touched his desk.

  “Ms. Wiley, would you send Agent Hammill in, please?”

  “Certainly, sir.”

  The older agent came in.

  “Agent Hammill, did you go through Mr. Cooper’s belongings?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Did you find anything?”

  “No, sir. He was clean.”

  “Thank you, Agent Hammill. That will be all,” said Mr. Taylor, dismissing the agent with a swish of his hand. When the agent left, he turned to Geri. “This poses a bit of a problem, Geri.”

  “I know.” She looked at Cooper with a hint of worry in her eyes. He shrugged at her.

  “Why don’t you two have a seat.” He tapped his desk again. “Ms. Wiley, you can send Ed in now.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Novi, MI

  8:30 a.m., Saturday, July 27

  “Owwwooooo!”

  “Honey, go let the dog out,” Chelsea mumbled and nudged her husband.

  “He can wait,” Dawson murmured back and rolled over.

  “Ow, ow, oowwwoooorr!”

  Chelsea lifted her side of the covers to get up.

  “I’m going. I’m going,” Dawson said. He slowly lowered his legs to the floor and rubbed his face. He would never sleep past 9:00 a.m. again. Throwing on some sweatpants, he shuffled down to the kitchen.

  “Hey, Louie,” he said and rubbed the dog’s head. The two-year-old beagle shook all over, wildly wagging his tail. Dawson had to smile as he let the dog out the back door into the fenced yard.

  On the counter, he noticed his QV had a few messages. He had come home early from his whirlwind of campaigning the day before. Three cities in two days.

  Skimming over who left messages, he lingered on the face of a strange woman. She looked vaguely familiar. When he played her message, she sounded choppy, with long pauses and emphasis in odd places. Too confusing to comprehend the first time, he played it twice.

  “Hello, Representative… Cooper. My name is… Es-ther… Ol-esky. I hate to… trouble you but… your brother gave me your number. He said you could… help me with my son. He is on the run and has… popped up to Detroit. He… is innocent and I have… evidence to prove it. I work at… Joe’s but I’ll be on break at… 11:00 a.m… I hope you can… help me. Please call me back at 555-1234.”

  Dawson wrote down the words the lady stressed on the noteplate by the fridge and pieced together a covert message. Is this about Cooper? Why would he…? Then he remembered his last conversation with him and figured it out. He erased the message and scribbled a quick note for Chelsea. After letting the dog in, he jumped into his car, leaving his QV on the counter.

  Devising a plan while he drove, he sped to a nearby friend’s house.

  Mowing the lawn, his friend cut the motor when he saw Dawson.

  “Dawson? What’s up?”

  “Hey, Ken. Sorry to bother you on a Saturday morning. Can I borrow your QV? It’s an emergency.”

  “Of course. Come on in,” Ken said, becoming more alert at Dawson’s urgency.

  Dawson called the airport where he had a small private plane and had them get it ready for him.

  He thanked his confused friend and headed for the Oakland Southwest Airport.

  When he arrived, he wrote up a flight plan with his destination, Monroe-Walton County Airport, just outside Walnut Grove. Before he left, he also made arrangements for a car to be waiting when he arrived.

  Cooper, what have you gotten yourself into? Dawson wondered as he completed his checklist and got ready to take off.

  FBI – Atlanta Division

  9:15 a.m., Saturday, July 27

  “That is preposterous!” Ed exclaimed. “I have no idea what they are talking about. I just discovered the Creator’s disappearance this morning. Mr. Saffioti said th
ey found him and brought him back safely. One of our agents is with him for added security, at their request.”

  Cooper grinned and shook his head at Ed. What a crock!

  Geri spoke up.

  “Are you kidding me? I brought him back!”

  “Really? You weren’t assigned to the Creator. How did you even know he had escaped?” Ed asked.

  “Escaped? Was he a prisoner?” Cooper asked.

  “Whoa, there. Just hold on now. Let’s start from the beginning, shall we?” Mr. Taylor held up his hands between them.

  “You should start with Pop Travel International.” Cooper stared at Ed. So this was Geri’s boss. The guy who wanted him dead.

  “Or with the missing travelers,” Geri added.

  “That’s ludicrous! What connection do those have to do with each other? Unless you have some evidence?” Ed looked from Geri to Cooper.

  “I have to agree with Ed, Geri,” Mr. Taylor said.

  “Then why am I here?” Cooper asked. “Why did my secretary knock me out and turn me in to you guys?”

  “I could easily explain everything, but it looks like Ed is not going to back me up. I don’t think we need to detain Mr. Cooper any longer, as far as I’m concerned,” Geri said.

  “Ed? Why is Mr. Cooper here?” Mr. Taylor tilted his head toward Ed.

  All eyes focused on Ed and he cleared his throat.

  This oughta be good.

  “A routine surveillance a few days ago alerted our quarknet monitors that Mr. Cooper might have a reason to kidnap the Creator. Mr. Cooper had done extensive research on the Creator and Beasley Hills Plantation. Then he managed to get into the party yesterday,” Ed said.

  This guy is quick on his feet. Unless he had this backup story in his pocket just in case. Nah.

  “How does this sound, Geri?” Mr. Taylor asked.

  “I’m with him so far.” She crossed her arms as she listened to the rest.

  Ed glared at her. She glared back.

  “Geri was assigned to get close to Mr. Cooper and find out what his intentions were. When we lost track of Mr. Cooper and Geri at the party, we contacted his secretary and asked her to help us bring him in for questioning. Knocking him out was of her own devices.”