Terry Neale - Jo-el

“Tell me what happened?”

“Yerchenkov explained what happened. You’ve stirred up a hornets’ nest with the criminal classes, Jo-el. You’re not their most popular person, right now. They wonder how far you intend to go.”

“I’m planning to wipe them out.”

“That would be the thousands of people you want me to whack?”

“Actually no, but put them on your list.”

Sally grinned. “I think I like where you’re going, Jo-el.”

“So, what are they planning to do about me?”

“What do you think?” She smirked.

I threw up my hands, “come on Sally, I need to hear this.”

“Kill you! What else?”

I mean, what did I expect? I just hadn’t focused on the repercussions. Plus, I hadn’t got started yet, anyway. I sat back into the soft cushions, arching my head back and pondered the cornice on the ceiling. Very elegant. But I did have to reckon with these assholes. I had made some nasty enemies and in the next few weeks, I’d be making a hell of a lot more. But what could they do? I was invincible, wasn’t I? That thought drained quickly from my mind as I remembered how quickly the American authorities had found out who I really was. I had no idea how many people new my true identity and Sally could only know if they talked about it. Damn, so that meant that Sean and Maggie were likely to be their targets. I wondered if they’d figure out my weaknesses. It didn’t matter, I just had to assume they would.

“They’ll go after Sean and Maggie!” I said to Sally.

“Eventually, yes. But they don’t know your identity yet, Jo-el.”

“Who does know?”

“I’ve only found four so far and the only one who would definitely reveal it, is General Kale.”

“Problem is Sally, if the bad guys find out that there’s someone out there who knows my identity, they’ll go after them anyway. They are not safe.”

“So, we should take them off the map.”

“Where do you get this stuff, Sally?”

“I’ve seen a lot of movies, Jo-el, I’m a big fan of Clint and De Niro. ‘You talking to me?’” Sally laughed and pointed a hand at me, shaped like a pistol. But I wasn’t happy. I had to protect Sean and Maggie. Nothing could happen to them. “It’s time to meet the clean-up crew.”

“Okay, but Sally, Sean and Maggie, if they get within a hundred miles I want to know. Right?”

“Sure, Jo-el, I’m your man, well you know what I mean.” She laughed again, she worried me.

I nursed a single malt scotch at the Italian restaurant waiting for Maggie. The Russian was on my mind and it doesn’t hurt to change things up from time to time. The restaurant was modern, known for its eclectic Italian dishes, small potions but exquisite. For a Monday it was busy, most tables already full. I was seated in a booth, surrounded by etched glass, that was ample for two people and cozy for four. I had decided to keep quiet for the time being about my Alta-ego with Maggie, the less she knew the less, hopefully, she would worry. Once the world was a safer place, I’d confess.

I saw her enter the restaurant and speak to the hostess. She was wearing designer jeans and a dark green sweater, her hair looked ruffled, her face intense. She found me but there was no joy on her face as she marched to my table.

“What the fuck is going on, Dad?” she hadn’t even sat down. No ‘kiss-hello’ or ‘how are you doing?’ I was taken off guard. She slid into the seat opposite and waved at the waitress, who was close by, “vodka martini” she barked with a wave of her hand. She flashed her driver’s license at the girl, who left without giving it a glance.

“It’s not her fault, sweetie,” I said.

Maggie froze and glared at me, “no, it’s yours, isn’t it?”

Oh crap! what on earth does she know? I took a larger than normal swig of my beverage and delighted in the burn in my throat.

“What do you know, Maggie?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

“That’s the problem really, nothing. But I know something. I mean why the fuck would Sean and I be whisked off to fucking CIA headquarters without a damn word. Have you any idea how scared I was? I shook the whole bloody way there.” Her drink came, she took a deep gulp.

“Maybe a little quieter, sweetie,” I looked around the table, but no one seemed to be paying us any attention.

Maggie leaned forward, then stopped what was on her lips, she sat back again and viewed me up and down. Then she gulped another mouthful of her vodka martini. “It’s you!” she blurted out, her eyes widened with her mother’s sparkle. She looked a lot like Mary, reminded me of the time when Mary and I dated in Ireland. It made my heart sing just looking at her, allowing me to reminisce. “You’re him!” she now searched around the restaurant to see if anybody was listening. “You’re that freak, Jo-el, or whatever he calls himself.”

I was shocked. How could she recognize me so easily? What do I tell her now? I hated lying and telling my daughter an untruth was simply abhorrent to me.

I nodded, but kept my face straight.

Maggie sat back in her chair and emptied the cocktail, ungracefully. She searched for the waitress to order another.

“You’re different,” she said, “you look younger, leaner, more hair. How did you do that?”

I bowed my head. “I’m sorry, sweetie, truly I am. I wouldn’t wish on you and Sean what happened. They just wanted me. They weren’t going to hurt you.”

“They put us in a cage, Dad. Bars on every side, bars on the fucking ceiling for Christ-sake. It was like being Hannibal Lecter. I couldn’t believe it. The toilet was a hole in the ground, I had to go in front of Sean, it was disgusting.” I could see tears well up in her eyes. I reached out with my hand to touch her, but she pulled away.

“It was a mistake, Maggie. They were wrong about me, they’ve changed their minds, it won’t happen again. I’ll protect you.”

“Where were you, then, why didn’t you stop them if you’re so damn powerful?”

“It was too dangerous for you and Sean.” I left it at that.

Maggie’s second drink arrived and I ordered another. She had calmed down somewhat and was sipping her drink, now. She was examining me; she didn’t know if the man across the table from her was her father or a freak. The quiet interlude between us was healing the rift, I could see excitement come into her eyes. She was turning over various scenarios in her mind. Her father was Jo-el. Everybody on the planet wanted to meet him and here he was facing me. I was related to him, I had access to this weird being.

“How?” she asked.

“It’s a long story, Maggie.”

“Can you tell me?” She glanced around the crowded restaurant.

“It might be better if we were alone.”

Now she had changed, no more the father who had caused her so much fright and humiliation. Now the most famous individual of the moment. Her anticipation put a red glow on her cheeks, there was suddenly mischief in her mannerism. Her father was something special and she had him to herself. It was like meeting a pop superstar. Our waitress came and we ordered. I told her we could talk about it later.

“Have you spoken to Sean?” I asked.

“No, well, we did text a couple of times.”

“Is he okay?”

“Same as me, I guess, but I don’t think he suspects who you are.”

“Why not, you must have spoken on the way back?”

“Hardly, it was seeing you, Dad. You’re different.”

“I need to see him.”

She nodded.

“I’m staying at the Grand Hyatt.” She stopped eating and looked up.

“Why?”

“They trashed the house.”

“Damn! Right, I should have guessed. What are you doing?”