Matt, who was now filming behind the bar, turned and caught the remote in his free hand. He played along with Kyle’s game, holding the remote in front of the camera lens where he could view it more clearly. ‘Some music might be nice.’ He pressed the button that he thought activated the stereo system. When the wall of television screens were activated, their combined broadcasts melding into one loud crescendo of noise, Matt lowered the camera to take a closer look at the control panel in his hand and accidentally pressed a button in the process. ‘Whoops!’
As the bar Matt was standing behind swung back round into the wall, Zoe and Kyle rushed to his assistance.
‘Press the red button, Matt,’ Kyle shouted through the wall over the din of the television sets.
‘It’s all dark in here,’ Matt yelled back. ‘I can’t see anything.’
Loud heavy metal music now began belting out from the radio. Zoe freaked, holding her hands over her ears to block it out. Kyle, on the other hand, nodded his head up and down in time with the music, rather well disposed towards the selection.
‘Well, that’s fixed up the music,’ he commented loudly to Zoe, who glared at him in quiet disapproval. ‘You’d better try another button.’ Kyle raised his voice considerably to offer advice to Matt on the other side of the wall.
As Kyle awaited the next development, he strolled over to look at several glass display boxes containing models of various projects Nivok Industries had in development. One held a raw nugget of gold the size of a fist. Others contained shopping malls, hotels, resorts, casinos, and one even resembled a space station.
He moved to inspect the futuristic-looking model, when his attention was diverted to a picture hanging on the wall behind it.
The photograph was of a waterfall cascading into a large pool of brilliant blue water nestled amidst a lush forest. Kyle found it strangely familiar. ‘Where is this?’ he questioned Zoe, who was following him around to make sure he didn’t touch anything else.
‘Far north Queensland,’ she shouted in his ear. The noise level in the room was now equivalent to a rock concert.
‘I’ve never been there.’ Kyle frowned, trying to figure out this odd affiliation he felt for the photograph’s subject matter.
‘Neither have I,’ Zoe remarked. The song on the radio, although very loud, had a good vibe, which dulled her annoyance as it induced her to bop to the beat. ‘I suppose I should go and check it out before I sell it,’ she boasted casually.
‘This is the five million dollar property?’
Kyle turned so abruptly, he startled Zoe. ‘Well, yes …’
He took a step away from her, as if repulsed by Zoe’s bragging. ‘How could you sell a place of such beauty to Nivok Industries?’
The tone in Kyle’s voice was meant to make Zoe feel ashamed, and it did. To her, Kyle’s adverse reaction seemed to indicate an unexpected depth in his character; he had a soft spot for nature. This, coupled with Kyle’s dark and distant demeanour, began to make him that much more interesting in Zoe’s eyes.
She was not to know that this was a game Kyle played with anyone he decided deserved a kick up the arse. One of Kyle’s useless talents was the ability to read people and push their buttons as required. This also made it twice as hard for anyone to get a rise out of him; but then in Kyle’s eyes, he himself could do no wrong. ‘So, what has Uncle Jim got planned for this piece of paradise … a car park perhaps?’ Kyle mocked her complacency. ‘And how convenient, hey.’ He motioned to the waterfall. ‘A ready-made car wash.’
Zoe took offence at the cutting assumptions. Her uncle had given and given to her over the years, and had never once asked for anything in return. This land was her uncle’s only stated desire that she could fulfil to repay some of what she felt she owed him.
‘I have my reasons,’ Zoe impressed on Kyle, ‘and I don’t feel the need to explain them to you.’
‘Don’t worry.’ Kyle’s mouth curved into a cocky grin. ‘I don’t expect you to be able to justify to me what you haven’t fully justified to yourself yet.’
Zoe should have been furious, but the accuracy of his statement stunned her speechless.
Kyle, who had been expecting a slap in the face, was stoked to discover he had, in fact, amazed the young heiress.
‘What in hell’s name is going on in here?’
Kyle and Zoe turned to look at James Nivok as he stormed towards his desk to offload his briefcase and portable PC. Another man who, in Kyle’s opinion, looked rather like a hired thug, accompanied Nivok into the room. ‘Shut that racket off!’ Nivok roared, making sure he made himself heard.
Zoe and Kyle looked at each other, unable to comply with Nivok’s demand, when the room suddenly fell silent. As the problem resolved itself, Kyle smiled. Zoe, however, was not smiling.
She gave Kyle the foulest glare possible before approaching her uncle. ‘I’m so sorry, uncle —’
‘I don’t want to hear it right now, thank you.’
Her uncle served her an ‘I am most displeased’ look. Zoe knew it was time to take her leave. ‘Can I get either of you a coffee? Tea?’
‘Nothing, thank you, Zoe.’
Zoe glanced at her uncle’s rather large bodyguard, Ivan, who was still lingering by the door. He shook his head, and she was out of there.
Nivok was almost amused as he watched Kyle meander towards the office door after Zoe. With a glance in Ivan’s direction, Nivok had Kyle hauled back by the overalls for a little chat.
Kyle saw the confrontation as fated, so he surrendered without a fight.
‘Do you work for me?’ Nivok took a seat in his soft leather desk chair.
‘Yes, sir, I do,’ Kyle replied in a loud cheery fashion.
‘Good.’ Nivok relaxed back into the chair’s comfy confines. ‘You’re fired. Be out of the building in five minutes.’
‘Thank you, sir.’ Kyle slapped his hands together, very pleased by this turn of events, and moved quickly to make good his exit by the said time.
As Kyle had not given him the expected response, Nivok had to be suspicious. ‘And I’d advise you to stay away from my niece in future … or my associate here will make it his business to see that you do.’
‘Hey,’ Kyle delayed his departure to assure them both, ‘no problem, what-so-ever.’ He closed the door on his way out.
No sooner was Kyle out of Nivok’s office, than he broke into a little victory dance. ‘Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!’ He fell to his knees and looked to the ceiling. ‘Thank you, God.’ That’s when he noticed Zoe standing over him, hands on hips.
‘Did I miss something?’
‘I got fired, and I wasn’t even trying!’ He sprang back to his feet.
‘And this is surprising?’ Zoe scoffed.
‘Back on the dole, no eighteen percent non-payment period … yes!’ Kyle started up his little dance again, and Zoe rolled her eyes.
‘Well, ace, when you’re done congratulating yourself, you might want to consider how much shit I’m going to be in tomorrow. And what about Matt? He’s still stuck behind the bar, you realise?’
‘Ah!’ Kyle raised his eyebrows. ‘Not for long.’ He began stripping off his filthy overalls.
Zoe was a little taken aback until she realised Kyle wore a T-shirt and jeans underneath his uniform, both of which fitted his muscular physique rather well in her opinion.
Kyle discarded the overalls into the large rickety bin and motioned Zoe after him as he headed out into the corridor that led to the elevators.
More worried than curious, Zoe pursued him.
Never one to forego an opportunity, Matt saw his predicament as the perfect chance to do a bit of spying. He felt around underneath the underside of the bar top and found a switch. I sure hope this is the bar light and not the alarm. Matt closed his eyes in silent prayer as he flicked the switch on. When no loud siren was forthcoming, Matt ventured to open his eyes. A thin band of ultraviolet light trimmed the bar top, and although its glow was rather intense
it gave off only a minimal amount of light. Still, it was enough to see by. Matt switched his camera’s audio function to record and backed its in-built mike up against the wall.
‘I don’t care what happened.’ Nivok sounded very annoyed. ‘Burke could really make things difficult for us. Which is why I wanted him in our custody! In jail, he may as well be under police protection. Or worse, if the police bother to go back over their case files, they’ll discover that he was wanted for questioning in regard to several incidents. If he talks to anyone, or gets anywhere near my niece, I’ll have a real situation on my hands. I don’t need that history disturbed right now.’
‘What do you want me to do?’
Ear pressed hard to the wall, Matt was speculating as to who Nivok had in the office with him, when he noticed a miniature bottle of bourbon sitting on the shelf before him. Don’t mind if I do. He cracked the cap as silently as possible and gulped down the contents in a couple of swigs.
‘Find out if the policeman Burke hit is pressing charges,’ Nivok instructed, with a good serve of uneasiness in his voice. ‘And if so, when they plan to release him. After twenty years be damned if —’
The fire alarm startled Matt and the empty bottle fell out of his hand and smashed all over the bar top. Matt bit his lip, sure that he’d be busted.
‘Oh, for Christ’s sake! What is going on here tonight?’ Matt heard someone picking up the phone and dialling. ‘Where’s security, goddamn it? Come on.’
As Matt heard the office door slam closed, he breathed a sigh of relief and gave a thumbs up. ‘Kyle, you total legend!’ He took the remote in hand and pressed the red button. The bar swung around and Matt escaped into the office. He pressed the button, returning the bar to where it sat flush with the wall, and placed the remote back on the coffee table where they’d found it. He strode from the office with his camera, closing the door behind him.
‘I can’t believe you did that.’ Zoe dragged hard on the cigarette Kyle had supplied her with in the wake of their little stunt.
‘Settle, petal.’ Kyle puffed away on a cigarette of his own. ‘There’s no harm done.’ His focus shifted to the foyer as Matt emerged from the elevator and came dashing out the front doors and down the stairs to join them.
‘I can’t believe you did that!’ Matt gave Kyle a high five. ‘Legendary, man … thanks.’
Zoe, thinking their behaviour childish, decided to put things in perspective. ‘I fail to see what you’re thanking him for, considering he’s the one who got us into trouble in the first place.’
Matt, realising how much strife they had caused Zoe, moved to apologise, but Kyle butted in first.
‘Oh, come on! You’re not going to tell me you actually believed we had to clean your uncle’s office?’ Kyle argued. ‘Admit it, you were bored and we seemed like mild entertainment value for a while. Your uncle isn’t going to punish you for tonight’s little episode. You don’t even know the meaning of the word punishment.’
‘All right,’ Matt pulled Kyle back, ‘that’s enough soul searching for one evening. Why don’t you go get the car?’ He handed Kyle the car keys and sent him on his way.
Zoe stared at Kyle as he departed; he was, without doubt, the bitterest individual of her own age that she’d ever met.
‘He had a rough childhood,’ Matt explained.
Zoe half laughed, half scoffed as she considered her own youth. ‘He’s not the only one.’
‘No, Zoe, I mean extraordinarily tough. The kind of upbringing that most of us couldn’t conceive of, let alone live through.’
This was the first time Zoe had ever seen Matt being dead serious. ‘So that gives him the right to treat everyone else like shit, does it?’
Matt conceded she had a fair point. ‘Look, I’m not defending his behaviour, but it’s easy to love and be compassionate and understanding once you’ve experienced those emotions yourself, but if abuse is all you’ve ever known …?’ Matt shrugged, hoping she’d understand. ‘He’s a really good guy once you get to know him. Hey, why don’t you come have a drink with us?’
Zoe backed up, a bit apprehensive of the idea. ‘No, I —’
‘Please.’ Matt put on a pleading face. ‘I want to ask you a few questions, anyhow. Like … who was the dude in the office with your uncle?’
‘My uncle’s bodyguard. Why?’
Matt was hesitant to be entirely open, and sidestepped the issue. ‘You don’t strike me as the kind of woman who’d rather bury her head in the sand than stir up trouble.’
Now Zoe was even more curious. ‘And you’d be right. But I’m not one to jump to conclusions either.’
As Kyle drove up in Matt’s wreck of a car, Matt turned to Zoe to beseech her: ‘Please come for a drink. I really think we should talk.’
She looked at Kyle waiting in the car, then back to Matt. ‘Do you have a leash for him?’
‘You don’t need protection from Kyle,’ Matt assured her with a smile. ‘He likes you, I can tell. Come on.’ He beckoned her to follow.
‘Jesus … I’d sure hate to be in his bad books,’ Zoe muttered under her breath. Every rational instinct she had told her not to go, yet her feet seemed to assume independent control as they descended the stairs after Matt. ‘I’ll follow you in my car,’ she said, and Matt gave her a thumbs up and a wide smile of appreciation.
With a couple of drinks in hand, they found themselves a quiet corner in the beer garden and Matt set the camera up to replay his recording. It was a relief to find the tape of Nivok’s conversation was audible, just.
‘What?’ said Kyle, once it was over. ‘That’s it?’
Matt nodded. ‘Who’s this Burke fellow, I wonder? What could he have on your uncle that would cause him so much concern?’
Zoe had gone kind of pale. ‘Timothy Burke was the name of the man who tried to approach me at the Nivok seminar last night.’
‘Approach you? Ha!’ Kyle lit a smoke. ‘The police are calling it assault, despite the fact he never got anywhere near you.’
‘I don’t have anything to do with that.’ Zoe grew tired of having to justify herself. ‘You heard the recording. Burke punched out the arresting officer. He’s the one charging Burke with assault, not me.’
‘So that’s why your uncle instructed Ivan to find out when the police are going to release Burke,’ Matt intervened.
‘I suppose.’ Zoe didn’t know what to make of it. She felt uncomfortable snooping into her uncle’s private affairs with a couple of complete strangers. Still, she had to admit that the malign tone of James Nivok’s voice on Matt’s recording revealed a side of her uncle that Zoe had never before encountered.
‘Maybe,’ Kyle sat forward to offer his viewpoint, ‘Burke got himself arrested on purpose, to escape your uncle’s crony.’
‘A possibility.’ Matt nodded. ‘But just before the alarm goes off, Nivok says something about twenty years.’ Matt rewound the tape to play the last bit, and they all hunched around the video camera to hear.
Find out if the policeman Burke hit is pressing charges. And if so, when they plan to release him. After twenty years be damned if —
As the alarm sounded, Matt switched off the tape. ‘How long has this piece of land been tied up in your father’s will?’
‘Twenty years,’ Kyle and Zoe responded in unison.
‘Coincidence?’ queried Matt. ‘Would it be pushing the friendship to ask how your parents died?’
His big baby blues didn’t appease Zoe this time — he was treading on hallowed ground.
‘Yes, it would.’ Zoe stood up. She really didn’t want to go there. ‘Look Matt, I know you’re excited about your new camera and you’ve told me of your media aspirations —’
‘You have?’ Kyle looked at his friend, surprised that Matt hadn’t mentioned it to him before today. Matt gave a vaguely apologetic shrug and Kyle realised that his friend’s crush on the young heiress was more serious than previously imagined: she was at the root of this ‘bettering himself’
business.
‘I know you’re on the hunt for a big story, but my uncle is one of the most successful businessmen in the world, and his company’s affairs are closely monitored. I’m sure he’s not involved in anything that is as shady as you hope.’
Kyle smirked at her words, having another swig of his drink. ‘I don’t know why you’re bothering to tell her any of this. How do you know she won’t tell Uncle Jim what you’ve been up to?’
Zoe wasn’t going to give Kyle the satisfaction of making her angry, and taking a deep breath, she managed to maintain her cool. ‘I have no intention of mentioning this to him,’ she assured Matt. ‘Whose fault is it that you were in there in the first place?’ Zoe raised her brow questioningly then turned to address Kyle. ‘Chances are, we won’t meet again, so let me say this …’
Kyle leaned back in his seat, amused that she would even waste her breath. ‘Well, let’s hear it,’ he mumbled.
‘If you persist in hauling that huge cross with you throughout life, sooner or later it’s going to crush you. How do you expect to experience the future, if you’re still living in the past?’
Kyle was a little disconcerted by her advice. He’d expected an ear bashing about how rude and conceited he was. He gave Matt an accusing glare, figuring he must have given her some insight.
‘I didn’t say anything,’ Matt lied. He knew Kyle hated anyone knowing about his past. As it was, Kyle only ever confided in Matt during a drunken stupor or a bad trip.
Zoe threw her handbag strap over her shoulder. ‘You’re venting your anger on others,’ she told Kyle. ‘Me, in this instance, while I’m quite sure I’m not the one you’re really mad at.’
‘Well, thank you for that lovely diagnosis, doctor.’ Kyle tipped his drink to her. ‘If I need a shrink, I’ll call you.’
‘Please don’t.’ She forced a smile, which became more sincere as she turned to Matt. ‘I’ll be seeing you.’ She kissed his cheek. ‘Thanks for the drink … and the entertainment.’ Zoe glanced at Kyle, turned and departed.