Terry Neale - Jo-el

Alberton came over to me and I held him under the arm and bounced back to the cabin. Becky was sitting on the sofa, where she’d fainted. There was a glazed look across her face, this episode in her life would take time to dissipate, I hoped she would be okay. Alberton hugged his daughter, there was an obvious bond between them, it was truly encouraging to see.

“I’m sorry, Becky,” I said. She stared at me like I was a ghost or a daemon in a horror movie. She didn’t understand what had happened, I wondered how Alberton would explain it. I think in time she would look back and see it as an adventure, or that’s what I hoped.

He told her to close her eyes and he held her very close, her head in his shoulder. I bounced them to his office. I asked Sally where Maggie and Sean were.

“Above ground, in a car, heading for the airport.”

I left the two of them and went back to the hotel room in San Francisco. The maid at the cabin would be surprised, she’d left the TV on and the heating turned up and there were groceries in the kitchen.

“Let’s get some coffee,” I said to the wall. Sally appeared, grinning widely; she took my arm.

“I feel like I’ve finally taken a step in the right direction.” We were in the Hyatt coffee shop, I was Jason Lee, handsome Asian business man. Sally had accommodated my change of identity, she too was Asian, slim, with jet black hair, brown eyes, bright, red lipstick, but still the face structure of Sally. Truly beautiful. I studied her across the table and imagined the delight for so many men if their wives could do what she did. Or, was that wrong? Was I pandering to the sin of man when they noticed a beautiful woman, while their wife was on their arm. But it would work both ways, right? I could be whatever she desired. Would holographic technology end divorce? It was an interesting idea.

“I think you should have whacked the little shit.” Sally said.

“Alberton?” She nodded. I guess the personality hadn’t changed, hold the divorce laws.

“What next?” Sally asked.

“I think I need an update. I set a lot of wheels in motion yesterday.”

“Where do you want me to start?” she asked.

“Europe. Alberton said they want to meet me!”

“They do, the French, Germans, Italians, Spanish, Dutch, Belgium’s, have sent emails to the Americans requesting an introduction. Maureen Fields has sent you three messages, very apologetic, asking for a meeting with you and the Home Secretary. There’s been frantic communication between many of the European countries trying to find out if anyone knows more than and next.”

“What about the press, over there?”

“Crazy, you are the only news item, well not actually you, but the arrests in every country. Some are saying it’s a blessing from God, there’s a lot of rubbish being said.”

“Anything bad?”

“Lots. There’s crazies spouting off that it’s the work of aliens and an invasion is imminent. They say by eliminating all the bad guys we will let our guard down, it’s all a ploy to distract the police forces of the world so that the alien force can take over.”

“I guess that’ll never end? What’s the reaction outside of Europe?”

“Distrust and skepticism. The Russians are censoring news about the arrests, the Middle East hasn’t said much at all, but then many of the people arrested are radical Islamic terrorists, or supporters. China is fascinated, their Leader has contacted the American Ambassador and wants to discuss what’s happening.”

“What about the US President?”

“He wants to meet you.”

“Mr. Popular, suddenly?” Where do I start? “What happened to Cathy Vogel and Stewart Nolan?”

“They let them go. Vogel has sent you an email, said as soon as you want an on-air interview they would set it up.”

“Wow! The about-face by the CIA etc. was sudden. What happened?”

“All the pressure from Europe, mainly. You solved a lot of problems over there. The US President stepped in and asked some nasty questions, literally an hour ago, just when you were persuading Alberton’s daughter how nice Alaska was in March.” Sally laughed. “Alberton and co just had to back off.”

“So, I could have waited?” I said.

“I guess, but you didn’t know they would do such a quick about face.”

“So, what’s the market doing with all this good news?”

“Up, a lot. Dow’s up more than eight hundred points.”

“That’s good.” But I wondered for how long. “I think I should sell.”

“I can do that for you,” Sally said.

I hadn’t thought of that, Miss Hacker-in-chief. “Okay, sell half of everything in my portfolio.”

“Done,” she said

Sally sipped at her coffee. “Are you actually drinking that?” I asked.

“No, just letting it touch my lips, I can feel the edge,” she smiled and put the cup down.

“Now I have to decide what to do first? Also, how much do I tell and when do I drop the big bomb?” The waiter was hovering, he refreshed my coffee and looked at Sally’s full cup a little dismayed. I think he was about to ask if it was to her liking but decided to make himself useful elsewhere.

“Maybe you should revisit Espinosa?” Sally proffered.

“You’d like that!” She smiled, but didn’t reply. “I said twenty-four hours, didn’t I?”

“No, you said tomorrow, no precise time.” Trust Sally to have all the facts.

“Has he done anything?”

Sally shook her head and smirked, then lifted her left hand and shook it while mouthing ‘ouch’.

“Very funny, Sally. Does he have a plan? He must see the news like everybody else? Maybe he’s figured out who I am?”

“He called the local police and they are camped at his house. His idea is to have them explain to you that he’s really a good boy and an honest business man.”

My eyebrows raised, “as good a plan as any, I guess. Are they all on his payroll?” Sally nodded. “Can you prove it?”

“Sure,” she was enjoying this. “I can show a video of each of them taking money. So, lots of amputations,” she grinned.

The problem when you make a threat is you must carry it through or you might as well not bother.

“What about the Russian, is he shutting his business down?”

Again Sally shook her head and performed the same theatrical act with her left hand. I realized I’d entered the next phase of the Jo-el and Sally show and it was going to get ugly. Sitting there in the elegant surrounds of the Grand Hyatt coffee shop it was all a little distant, even though I’d become used to the instant changes in scenery from bouncing around the planet. I drank some more coffee and thought about the repercussions that my actions would have and I was sure that I couldn’t possibly imagine all the possible scenarios. I was right.

“Okay, decision time. Message the US President that I would like to meet him on Wednesday. Ask him for a time and a place. Also, message Maureen Fields to set up a meeting for Thursday, afternoon, better for my sleep needs. Tell Cathy Vogel I’d like to say a few words tonight, say, six eastern time. It’s redundant to meet with all the other leaders, they’ll have to wait. I want to see how Maggie and Sean do after their ordeal. As soon as they land text Maggie to come over for dinner tonight.” Sally’s face screwed up. “What?”

“Little problem there. Your housekeeper went in earlier and it’s a mess, a real mess, she didn’t know what to do, so she left. She called.”

“Right, Monday, cleaning day. I’d also forgotten about the raid. Shit! Show me.” My home appeared on my heads-up display, it was upsetting, every draw was emptied, every item on the floor. The garage was trashed, my bikes moved somehow and some of the parts removed, tank, exhaust pipes. Jeez! Upstairs was just as bad. I was just about to say that Alberton would have to pay to put it all right when I remembered I had twenty-three thousand dollars of his money, well the government’s money technically. I shut down the display.