“Peter Reese.”
“Sign here.”
The clerk shoved a clipboard with a pen attached in my face.
“Do you have any food, beverages or sharp items on your person?”
“No, ma’am,” I answered feebly. I finished signing the clipboard.
“You’re all set. Visiting hours are over at 8:00 P.M. Approach the door and wait for me to buzz you in,” she said dryly.
I moved to the door as instructed and waited. The loud buzzer sounded, and I pulled the large metal door. I walked inside and approached the community area. Several patients were gathered there, most of them playing board games or staring at the television sets mounted on the walls. I spotted my father, Peter Reese among them, in his usual spot toward the front of the room.
I took a deep breath as I drew near. It had been almost a year since I’d been out to see him. I hated coming to this place, and my memories of him didn’t make it any easier.
I pulled out a chair next to him and sat down.
“Hello, dad.”
He didn’t respond, but I didn’t really expect him to. He continued to stare blankly at the TV monitor in front of him. That seemed to be all he could do after the nervous breakdown and subsequent stroke he suffered two years back. He hadn’t spoken a word in two full years. He was now only able to sit there and wait for someone else to feed and clothe him, day in and day out. But, I didn’t need him to speak; I just needed him to listen.
“I’m sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve came out to see you. I’ve hated you for so long because you weren’t there for me. You were so self-absorbed with your own grief that you never thought to consider how I was feeling. She was my mother too, and I loved her just as much as you did. You disappeared into a bottle while your son still needed you.”
I looked into his face and eyes, but didn’t see any sign that he’d heard a word I’d said. It didn’t matter; I needed to get it off my chest.
“I’m here today because I want you to know that I forgive you. I understand now how you must have felt and how hard it was to let go. I want you to know that I’m OK. I have actually found my birth mother, and she is alive and well.”
The last part was a stretch, but I decided to go with it.
“I want to thank you for raising me and providing a good home and solid environment. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without you.”
I stood and took his hand in my own.
“I just wanted you to know this in case it was the last time we ever saw each other,” I said. I wanted to add the part about having to go save the world from aliens, but didn’t want the orderlies to overhear and place me in my own padded room.
I turned to leave and released his hand, but I was surprised by the fact that I couldn’t. His hand closed over mine, and he squeezed it tightly. It was a definite sign that he’d heard my words and something to take faith in for his recovery. I was overjoyed. I looked into his face and saw the same emotionless stare, but a lone tear ran along his left cheekbone. I reached down and hugged him.
“I promise, if all goes well tonight, I will be back to see you. I love you, dad.”
I left the facility with a smile on my face, a tremendous weight lifted from my heart.
Chapter 64
We packed everything we needed and said our goodbyes. Saying farewell to people I’d only met just days before was harder than I thought.
I shook Robert’s hand firmly.
“You take care of yourself, Charlie.”
“I will.”
Then, Ms. Parkman was next. She motioned for me to bend down and hugged me dearly, planting a gentle kiss on my cheek. Afterwards, she took my hands and squeezed them firmly with her wrinkled and frail own.
“Be strong. And when things get tough, remember what matters most to you.”
I had no idea at the time what she meant, but I would find out soon enough.
Arthur approached me next, his fingers locked behind his back as he tugged on his pipe. He extended his hand, and I took it. He gripped my hand tightly and pulled me closer to him.
“You be careful out there. For both your sakes,” he said. He motioned to Kara who immediately looked away. “She’s pretty upset about something, but I know my daughter.” He looked me square in the face. “She really cares about you. I’m sure you two will figure it all out in time.
I nodded, unsure of what to say in response.
“Good luck,” he said and released my hand, giving me a slap on the back.
We departed the mansion in a somewhat somber mood. We were all equally nervous, but didn’t want each other to know. Freddy tried humor to lighten the mood.
“Hey Charlie, did you see me getting cozy with the science geek? She was totally into me. I even thought for a second there she might cry when we were leaving. I finally got her calmed down when I told her big daddy will be back soon.”
I smiled as we pulled out of the driveway. The night air was chilly, but the sky was clear; I could easily make out the Big Dipper through my window. I had a love for constellations. It was amazing to me how the stars formed to make complex designs of animals or objects. Kara was the driver this time around, and I felt much safer with her already than I ever did with the maniacal Nick behind the wheel.
I sat quietly next to her in the passenger seat of the van. Freddy and Nick argued back and forth in the rear about whether Brooke was truly interested in Freddy, so I took the distraction as an opportunity to talk to Kara.
“Look, I’m really sorry for what happened earlier.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I blame myself. I put my feelings out there too soon and you weren’t ready for it.”
She stared out the windshield and slowed the van as the estate security guard on duty raised the gate.
“That’s not it. I am ready. I’ve been waiting my whole life to feel this way. And I know I feel something special with you. But, I can’t dismiss how I feel about Allison either.”
“What do you think this is, Charlie?” Kara’s voice had become strained, and I could feel the waves of pain and frustration emanating from her. “Do you think this is a reality show? This is real life where people have real feelings, not some staged act to boost ratings.”
That one stung, especially because I hate reality TV. The one show based in Jersey really made my skin crawl.
“I already knew about you and her. I saw you out by the pool that night.”
I gulped hard.
“I admit, I was jealous at first. But I hoped that because of what we share it would make you forget about her,” Kara continued. “That was a very teenage way of thinking. I should have known better than that. I don’t know what we do about our current situation, but I won’t stand in your way. If you love her, then you should be with her.”
My heart sank.
“I truly wish I didn’t feel this way, Kara. These feelings I have for you are real, I know that. And I don’t know how we move forward from this, but I don’t want it to stand in the way of the friendship we’ve developed. If we had met in some other time, in some other place, my love would undoubtedly be yours. But right now, it belongs to Allison.”
I could feel the van accelerate as we moved through the city streets. Her foot grew steadily heavier to match her heavy heart. I knew what I said had hurt, but it needed to be done. She needed to know. There was no way I could string her along when I was already in love with someone else. The anguish I felt when speaking the words killed me inside.
She wiped absently at her face to catch an errant tear that had breached the confines of her eyelid and streamed down her cheek, but it was quickly followed by another. And another. I turned and stared out the window at the endless buildings that whisked by. I couldn’t bear to watch; each tear was like the pounding of a wooden stake through my chest.
Maybe that’s what I deserved. How could I hurt such an innocent flower? She only wanted the same thing I was looking for. Only, I couldn’t let go of Allison.
Chapter 65
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“We’re here,” said Kara, easing the van to a stop. We were adjacent to the rear of a department store of some kind.
“Over there is where we will enter.” Kara pointed to a manhole cover about ten yards away. I scanned the area to make sure their entry would be undetected.
“Awesome,” griped Nick as he grabbed the door handle and slid the rear door open, jumping out onto the street.
“OK,” I said, checking my watch. “I have twenty ‘til.”
Kara checked her watch and nodded. “We’ll see you in fifteen.”
We both exited the van. Freddy climbed from the back and slid into the passenger seat. As Kara turned to walk away, I grabbed her arm.
“You be careful,” I said, staring keenly at her. We locked eyes for a moment, and time seemed to stand still.
“You too,” she replied finally and pulled away. I watched her for a second, and then hopped back in the van. I had to keep my mind clear for what was to happen next.
I pulled the van around the corner to the front of the department store and could see the entrance to the hotel a few yards away. It was a massively tall building with bellhops and valets out front busily shuffling about. Some were parking exotic cars I’d only fantasized about; others were assisting guests with their luggage. I parked the van across the street and switched the engine off.
“Are you ready?” I asked, looking over at Freddy.
“I’m ready.” He patted his jacket where a pistol Robert had given him lay hidden underneath. “Let’s go.”
We got out of the van and marveled at the hotel. I had to tilt my head back as far as I could to finally get a glimpse of the top floor. It seemed to be lost in the eternal sea of stars above. I wasn’t afraid of heights, but I wasn’t particularly fond of them either. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I remembered Vicktor’s words. I trembled at the thought of going up there to meet him again. But, I wouldn’t be alone. All my friends would soon be with me, and I was just as dependent of them as they were of me. And assuming everything went according to plan, we would hopefully escape with our lives.
We waited for a passing motorist, who seemed to be doing a bit of sightseeing himself as he strayed across the yellow line and barely missed side-swiping the van, not to mention us. I don’t know if it was the two door Maserati coupe convertible that commanded his attention or the pretty blonde with legs for days that exited the car in front of the hotel.
After the wayward driver passed, we headed for the entrance. My shoes felt like cement blocks as each step closer consumed me with doom. I had to stay focused though. I reigned in my runaway nerves and took a deep breath as we approached the lobby doors. An elderly, rather somber looking gentleman was standing there, silent and motionless like the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace. His outfit even looked similar to theirs with the jacket a deep red color and four inch sleeve cuffs decoratively wrapped in gold piping. I could instinctively sense Freddy about to unleash a verbal barrage and wisely cut him off at the path.
“Save it,” I whispered out the corner of my mouth.
As we reached the entrance, the doorman sprang to action like a wind-up toy with a cheery smile and a jovial handshake for the both of us.
“Welcome to the Gateway Plaza Hotel,” he greeted us and opened the door.
“Thank you,” I said graciously, returning the salutation and entering the hotel lobby.
If I thought the mansion was extravagant, then the Gateway Plaza Hotel was the pinnacle of style. A large waterfall stood at the center of the lobby, which was adorned with black marble tiled floors. There were large structural columns and lavish luxury everywhere.
I looked around warily, my pulse rate steadily increasing. I tried to focus on anyone who appeared out of place, like the guy reading the morning paper in the bar area at 7:45 at night, or the woman on her laptop in the corner, who seemed more interested in everyone else in the room.
“Let’s go,” I said quietly to Freddy. “Try to stay calm. They already know we’re here. We are being watched.”
Chapter 66
We walked over to the elevator, and I pressed the button. I turned around and checked our six again as we waited for the elevator to descend, catching the newspaper guy touching his ear and whispering. Surprised as he noticed me staring directly at him, he tried to play it off casually by running a hand through his hair and returning to his reading.
The elevator chimed, and we entered. As soon as the doors closed, I reached into my jacket and quickly removed the electronic device Brooke had given me earlier. Our success depended greatly on it.
“Do you think it will work?” asked Freddy.
“It better because there really is no plan B,” I replied as I placed the device over the control box. Its purpose was to allow us to stop the elevator while giving the impression that we were still in motion.
“There, it’s in place.” I pressed the button for the third floor. “We have very little time, so I hope they are ready.”
The elevator shook slightly before ascending. Another light shudder moments later signaled we had reached our destination. Freddy and I both pressed our bodies on either side of the elevator as the doors slowly opened. I was fairly certain the coast would be clear, but I didn’t want to take any chances. I stuck my head out slowly and peered into the deserted hallway.
“Where are they?” I checked my watch as panic began to set in. A door to one of the rooms opened, and a rather gleeful family of four, complete with a cute little blonde with pigtails and her chunky, freckle-faced older brother, filed out, headed for the elevator. Just as they were about to cross the threshold, Freddy threw up his hand.
“Stop! Trust me, you don’t want this elevator. I highly recommend the stairs. Looks like someone could use the exercise anyway,” he said, eyeing the pudgy boy. His shirt was way too small, exposing the lower part of his belly that flopped over the much too large athletic shorts he wore.
The father stopped short and scoffed, corralling his family to him.
“How dare you!” he remarked in a much perturbed manner. “Management will hear of this!” he said, shaking a defiant fist at us as they hurriedly turned and headed for the stairs.
“Sure, sure,” said Freddy with an amused smile on his face.
“You have no shame do you?”
“Should I?” he asked. He feigned ignorance then flashed a sly grin.
Just then, a rustling sound could be heard down the hallway, and one of the overhead tiles from the ceiling fell to the floor. Kara dropped through the hole, followed by Nick.
“Hurry!” I pleaded, waving my arm furiously.
As soon as they were inside, Freddy put the elevator in motion once more.
“Everything go OK?”
“Please don’t ask,” Nick groaned and then fake-gagged. “I’m gonna need bleach therapy for weeks after being in that sewer.”
We all laughed.
“I feel your pain,” Freddy sympathized.
“How did things go on your end,” Kara asked. She leaned back against the wall across from me.
“So far so good. There were a couple of spotters in the lobby, so they are well aware I’m here. We need to be very precise with the next move. Freddy stop us on the nineteenth floor.”
Freddy obligingly pressed the button and stepped back.
“Nick, you ready?”
“You bet,” he said with an eager grin. “I’m ready to dish out a little payback. Besides, I miss my buddy Michael, even if he is sullen and broody most of the time.”
“Now remember,” I said firmly, “we are not here to try our luck against the full might of the Chirac. You only need to locate Michael and Allison, and then create a diversion so Kara can free them. Don’t forget that. Stick to the plan.”
“I got it,” he said with an exaggerated tone. “Take the stairwell up to the twentieth floor, find Michael and Allison, and lead the guards away so the princess here can do her thing. Piece of cake.”
 
; Kara fumed.
“For once in your life, can you be serious and not such an arrogant prick? People’s lives are dependent on you. Do you understand the magnitude of the situation yet?”
Nick fell silent as Kara’s words struck home. “I understand,” he said quietly. “I’ll be right back.” He darted through the door and up the stairwell in a blur of green and blue from the jacket he wore.
I turned to Kara.
“Be careful and don’t take any unnecessary risks. If you need my help, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.”
“We will be fine, I’m sure,” she said, stepping off the elevator. “You take care of yourself, Charlie.” She flashed a cute smile. “You too, Freddy.”
“Yeah…th—thanks Kara. Same to you,” Freddy stammered in response.
Kara turned and walked toward the stairwell to wait for Nick. I watched after her as I pressed the button for the top floor and the doors begin to slowly close, before finally obstructing my view. I closed my eyes and silently prayed she would be safe, and that I would see her again.
Chapter 67
Freddy whistled through clenched teeth as the elevator jerked into motion.
“Man, I’d give anything for a piece of that action. She’s definitely one I would take home to mom.”
I didn’t respond, rubbing my palms together and feeling the small beads of sweat. My muscles tensed, and there was no denying my nerves were on full alert. I ran my hands along the legs of my jeans and tried to calm myself as we approached the top floor.
The elevator finally came to a stop, and the audible ding signaled that we had reached our destination. It reminded me of the old clock tower in a spaghetti western signifying high noon.
“Let’s go,” I said as the doors slid open.
Freddy followed, and I searched for access to the stairwell that would lead to the roof. I quickened the pace. We continued on past a merry young couple who’d obviously consumed more than their fair share of drinks; they stumbled and leaned on each other while laughing hysterically. Freddy wrinkled his nose in disgust.
“Whew!” he shrieked, waving his hand furiously in front of his nose. “Alcohol is supposed to be taken internally, you know!” he yelled after them.
I smiled politely as we passed a waiter delivering room service to an elderly couple next. Finally, I found the access door to the roof and tried the handle.