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Episode
009
“You’re charged with breaking and entering. I can plea-bargain
the charge down to taking indecent liberties with an appliance.”
“Tim was just here.” Ruwani said, as Marilyn and Victor walked
in. She stood up, the only one in the waiting room. She pulled her
shoulders in, drawing her sweater around her in the chill of the room.
“He left a few minutes ago.”
“I didn’t think he’d know where to come.” Marilyn said,
looking detached. “I guess Kim must have told him.”
“Where is Kim?” Victor asked to Ruwani.
“I don’t know.” The honey-skinned girl answered. “She came
in, but left pretty soon. Maybe she went out to get some lunch.”
“Have you had anything to eat?” Marilyn asked.
“Not since last night.” Ruwani grumbled, her stomach rumbling
as if on cue. “You guys?”
Marilyn shook her head. “I’m fine.” Victor said, looking
around. “They haven’t said anything, have they?” He asked. Ruwani
just shook her head.
Eli walked quietly amongst the trees. Underneath the dense canopy
of pine trees, he walked in a shadow, hidden from the distant sun. Dressed
in green camouflage, with a large bag slung over his shoulder, he walked
quietly, a blank expression on his face.
The branches cracked underneath his steps, but he didn’t notice.
Overhead, birds sang and game scampered about, but he didn’t notice. His
eyes were locked straight ahead. The edge of the forest was fast
approaching and the light coming in from the distant tree line was
blinding.
Eli stopped there, a few meters from the edge. He stood totally
still, taking a deep breath. He looked over his shoulder, checking to see
who and what was behind him. In the absence of movement, of any life, he
closed his eyes, looking up to the sky.
The phone rang.
Jericho pulled the drawer out, taking the cell phone from the
drawer. He looked at Phillip, who sat on the other side of his desk. He
put a finger to his mouth and opened the phone. “Yes, Eli.” He said
immediately.
“Good.” He said, nodding immediately, as Phillip watched.
“Don’t worry, Eli. We’ve talked about this time and time
again. This is for the best.”
“Don’t doubt what the Triumvirate have declared. They believe
in you, Eli. I believe in you. You can do this.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Don’t think, Eli. Just do. And keep at it until we have their
attention.” Jericho hung up the phone. He looked to Phillip and smiled.
“We’re about to make our presence known.”
“What does it always scare me when you say stuff like that?”
Phillip said, staring unimpressed at Jericho.
“You really think I should tell the police that I was at the
club?” Armand said, as he and Roland walked around the mall. The
expansive, one-story mall spread out like a hand. Filled with shops of all
sorts, it echoed with the moderate crowd through the halls.
“I think you should do what’s right.” Roland shrugged,
walking with a casual gait. “You know, that whole ‘what’s right,
fair, just, and moral thing.”
“Okay.” Armand said. He held up his hand. “The moral thing is
to tell the police.” He said, ticking off a single finger from his fist.
“Correct.” Roland said, walking next to Armand. “The
just thing is to tell the police, because otherwise I’m impeding a
police investigation or something like that.” Armand went on. “Yeah.”
Roland said, turning his head as two girls went walking by.
“The fair thing is to speak up, because too many other people
have testified against that guy, Malcolm something-ruther.”
“True.” Roland nodded, turning his head the other way as more
girls walked by.
“And the right thing is to . . .” He looked Roland. Roland,
however, had his head turned the other way, staring at two girls. The two
stopped a cookie store, one ordering. The nearer of the two looked back
down, making eye-contact with Roland. She winked at him, waving.
“Roland?” Armand demanded.
“What?!” He said, turning around. “Even if ‘right’ says
you should shut up, which is my personal opinion in regards to the
immediate moment, you got three other ones that say to talk. So talk. But
just talk to the police, not me.” Roland turned from Armand, adjusting
his plastic jacket. “Now, excuse me, I need to go turn on the
Roland-charm.”
Armand watched in disgust as Roland walked back the way they had
come, towards the cookie store.
There was a splash.
Roland came walking back, a soda cup on his head, black soda
dripping from his jacket. Armand stared at him, trying to hide his
snickering. “Not a word.” Roland said, staring at Armand. The younger
knight held up his hands, turning to follow Roland as the two walked off.
“I’m in position.” Eli said, into the cell phone. On his
stomach in the forest, he sat with the large camouflaged bag by his side.
“Sir, I’m not sure about this.” He went on, barely
whispering.
“I know, but . . .”
“I don’t mean to question them, sir. Or you. It’s just . .
.”
“I’m having second-thoughts, sir.”
“Yes, sir.” Eli said, closing the phone. He closed his eyes,
then turned to back to the opening of the forest. He put the phone into
his breast pocket, then he turned his attention back to the bag. Unzipping
it, he pulled out a long hunting rifle. Black, with a giant scope on the
top and mounting legs along the barrel, the gun was almost half as large
as Eli.
He pulled the legs out, then laid down over the bag he had carried
the gun in. He put the gun down delicately, looking out through the scope.
His vision shot through the opening of the trees, through the raining
sunlight, ending up down at the entrance of the mall as the people came
strolling out.
“I think I will talk to them.” Armand said, as he and Roland
walked out of the mall, Roland’s jacket stuffed into a plastic bag he
was carrying. Dressed now for the summer weather, the two stopped in the
center of the series of doors just beyond the food court of the mall.
“That’s probably for the best.” Roland nodded, sounding
serious. “Anything to shut you up.” As the two came to a stop, they
looked around the parking lot. “Where’d we park again?” He asked,
looking out at the parking lot that spread out before them.
“I think it was on the other side.” Armand said, looking
around.
“No, because it had these ugly orange entrance/gateway/things.”
Roland said, looking up at the dome-esque entrance. “I remember those
very clearly.”
“Who could forget?” Armand asked, looking up also. “But they
had those on the other side.”
“That’s what I meant. The other side of the mall.” Armand
defended.
“We didn’t park over there.” Roland said, as if disgusted by
the mere proposal.
“I think we did.” Armand said.
Eli checked through the scope. His vision spread out as he searched
the entrance, trying to find a target. He looked over the people,
searching them. Who would be appropriate? Who would get attention? Who
would be the best victim?
“It was over there.” Armand argued. “Do you see a beat-up old
jalopy in this parking lot? No.” He said decisively.
“That’s because your momma didn’t drive us here.” Roland
retorted angrily. “We parked in front of the food court. Trust me.”
“I’m not going to trust you.” Armand protested. “You lost a
car. How the hell do you lose three thousand whatever pounds of metal?”
“About as easily as I’ll lose your body.” Roland said,
glaring at Armand.
“You and what army?” Armand said back.
Eli moved up closer against his gun, adjusting the butt of the
stock against his shoulder. He had chosen his target. In his sight, he saw
five people. A mother, one child, two arguing college students, and an old
man.
He gripped down on the rifle, closing his hand carefully. Only the
single trigger finger remained open.
“It wasn’t here.” Armand said. “We parked on the other
side.”
BANG |