The National Mall, Washington D.C. 2014
"Hello Stewart."
"Hello McGinnis."
"You know Stewart, that no one leaves the Committee just like that."
"Are you making threats McGinnis? I always thought we were such good friends."
"You know I make no threats Stewart, I only state facts. We all know too much- a confidentially agreement doesn't cut it. Besides, what else would you do?"
"The Pulse has opened many doors for profit McGinnis, we all know this- I guess I am just too greedy. You think I might get a late night visit from one of Deck's kids?"
"Perhaps. You know, accidents happen…"
"Yes they do, but for your sake, and
the Committee's, none better happen to me."
"And what makes
you so special Stewart? You honestly think you can blackmail the
Committee? If what we know gets out, you will be dead like the rest
of us."
"See, that's were your wrong McGinnis. See, I have squirreled away a very telling last will and testament. Don't try to find it, I know all our tricks, not even one of Deck's will find them all, yes, them all, as in multiple copies. There is this wonderful clause in the will-if I die, for any circumstance in the next 20 years, it will get shipped to the major news outlets with a nice letter of introduction."
" You wouldn't dare, would you Stewart?"
"I am not a stupid man McGinnis. I need an incentive to keep the Committee off my back. Just hope I don't get Cancer or die in a car crash or something before 2034. As for me, I think the world of private enterprise calls me. I'll likely never see you again McGinnis. I sure was a pleasure to work with all of you. Give everyone my regards, will you?"
Langford Prison, Washington State, 2020.
Jimmy Higgins' mother always knew her son would end up in prison. He had been trouble from the day he began to walk and by sixteen he was in a gang. The last few years had been great, working as muscle for Gerhardt Bronck, until his attempt to eliminate Eyes Only went south. Now Higgins found himself in prison on a long list of charges, not even counting the Federal ones.
"Higgins, you got visitors", called out his guard.
"I am not expecting anyone!"
"Well, he says its important, a Mr. Ladano, Joseph Ladano"
'What the hell was going on', Higgins thought. Joe Ladano was one of the most important underground 'import-export' guys out there. Men like Bronck met with Ladano, not small fries like Higgins. He didn't like this at all, but how could he say no to Joe Ladano?
"Ok, I will meet with him"
Jimmy Higgins sat quietly behind the glass, sweating bullets, waiting for one of the most important criminals in the whole west coast to meet with him. Soon enough, a large, dark man with a thick mustache sat across from him. He had never met Joe Ladano before, but he had to assume this was he. With Ladano was another man, tall, thin, losing his dark blond hair which now had hints of gray, a hard and cold expression on his face, his dark brown eyes burning a hole into Jimmy's soul, or at least that is what it felt like.
"Mr. Higgins, I would like to introduce myself. I am Joseph Ladano. This is Mr. Stewart, and I have some questions for you about the night Bronck died."
"Mr. Stewart, THE Mr. Stewart?" This was insane- Mr. Stewart was the sort of criminal boss one only heard spoken of in silent whispers- a guy who knew a guy maybe had worked for his lieutenant, or something. Could this really be him?
"Yes"
Shit. What on earth were two criminal lords of the highest order doing asking questions of him? Jimmy felt like he was going to throw up. He better do what these guys wanted, because otherwise, he was dead.
" I will tell you everything you want to know."
"Good, Jimmy, very good. Now, I have heard a lot of things about the night Bronck died. He was a close working associate, and we miss him greatly. But some of the stories we have heard don't make much sense. I want you Jimmy to tell us exactly what happened. Tell us everything, and even if you think it is a bit fantastic, tell us. I want to know every single detail. Remember your promise Jimmy."
So Jimmy told them two men what had gone on that day-how they had set up Detective Sung and then captured this guy, Logan Cale, who claimed to be Eyes Only, but wasn't. How they thought they had tracked Eyes Only down, but then the men sent to kill him never checked in, and how, just when Bronck decided to grease Cale and Sung, this girl had attacked them and saved the two men, and presumably, killed Bronck and stopped the shipment from leaving.
"Are you sure it was a girl, Jimmy?" asked Ladano.
" Yes, it was strange. She moved fast, too fast in fact. I was trying to get her when she went into this area full of crates, and all I could ever see was shadows, or blurs of motion. Then I felt this vice on my neck, and the world went black. I swear she had to be 17 or 18 maybe, and small too."
Then Mr. Stewart spoke for the first time. "Thank you for everything you have told me and my associate today, Mr. Higgins. I will make sure that there is no trial, OK? Everything will be taken care off."
Damn- finally, luck was on his side! "Thank you so much Mr. Stewart. I am in your debt forever" said Jimmy.
"Don't worry Jimmy, don't worry about that at all." Said Mr. Stewart.
Jimmy's story fit with those of the other men present there that Ladano had spoken with. This whole business about the girl made no sense to him, but Mr. Stewart seemed to believe it for some reason. Well, it wasn't his place to question the situation.
"Joe, make sure Higgins is dead by the end of tomorrow. He knows too much, and he has seen me."
"Sure Mr. Stewart. I know the new Warden. Accidents happen all the time." Joe had to smile. Poor Jimmy would never know what happened to him.
"Good. When you get back, you will find an envelope in your office. I want you to move on those instructions immediately. I also want you in my Portland office tomorrow at 5pm. We will be meeting with O'Hare. Understand?"
"Sure Boss. Will do. See you tomorrow"
Portland, Oregon.
Joe Ladano entered Mr. Stewart's office five minutes early. Tom O'Hare was already there. This had to be serious. Thomas O'Hare was one of the biggest arms dealers in the world- he had some legitimate businesses that served mostly as a front for his far more profitable black market dealings. The Pulse had been a bonanza for men like O'Hare, willing to take risks. Ladano had only previously met with O'Hare twice.
"How are you Tom?"
"I am good. Glad to be back in the States- Shanghai is a madhouse this time of year. You know what this is about? I got some pretty wild instructions before coming here"
"I know it is about Bronck's death, and I myself have some strange instructions, but beyond that, I don't know."
"Good morning gentlemen, glad to see you are both on time, as always." Mr. Stewart was wearing his usual Thursday suit, black silk, very expensive, but with an awful green tie. Ladano hated that tie.
"Lets get down to business, shall we? I know that before meeting I made some requests of both of you. How have things gone?"
O'Hare was the first to speak up. "Well, what you asked for was pretty hard to smuggle into the country but it is now in Seattle and ready."
Mr. Stewart was pleased, and said so. "So Joe, what about you?"
"Well, I have started getting this ready, but Boss, this is far too conspicuous. If I do things like you asked, everyone in Seattle will get the idea something big is going on. Should we not tone down things a little?"
"Actually Joe, I want everyone to know what is going on. This is the honey that will attract the insects, insects like Eyes Only."
" You aren't really going to go after him are you Boss?" asked Ladano. "Look what happened to Bronck when he tried. It might be too dangerous."
Mr. Stewart smirked, a rare occurrence for sure. "Joe, you know very well that I am no Gerhardt Bronck. Besides, unlike Bronck, I have some idea of what Eyes Only has that makes him so dangerous, and I plan to use this knowledge to my advantage. I want you to follow my instructions to the letter and get everything ready. This is of critical importance Joe and I don't whish to be disappointed. Do you understand?"
Ladano shifted a bit uncomfortably in his chair and said yes.
"Well good, now if you don't mind, you have business in Seattle to take care of, and I need some private time with O'Hare. I will speak with you on Saturday. Bye." 'Wow, this was certainly important', though Ladano, 'he usually never says bye.'
Tom O'Hare watched as Ladano left the office. Finally, he could discuss what was really going on with Mr. Stewart.
"So, Stewart, what really is going on? This Eyes Only character is small potatoes. I can't see you really getting bothered by him."
"I am not Tom," replied Stewart. "I am very interested though in what Eyes Only has. I am sure he has an X series working for him."
"You really think he has Manticore tech with him?" That was a real shock. Manticore tech was a nightmare to get a hold of. How did some moron like Eyes Only do it? Maybe there was more to this guy than Tom had thought.
" From the descriptions of what happened the night Bronck died, I am sure it was an X series that killed him and rescued the two Eyes Only informants. If my guess is correct, we are talking about one of the rogue X5's."
"Well, no kidding Bronck is dead. But I would never have imagined a do-gooder nerd like Eyes Only getting mixed up with an X series. I mean, that is some serious stuff there. Those things are deadly. Honestly, it makes no sense to me." It really made no sense to Tom. He had seen pictures of what those "kids" could do and it was not pretty, especially once they had stopped being kids and begun to look like adults. How could this 'Eyes Only' have even gotten an X series to do his bidding?
"I am as mystified by this as you are, Tom, but I am not about to throw away a golden opportunity. Manticore has been looking for these rogues now for eleven years, and yet it will be me to catch one of these things in the field. Think about what I could do with it in my arsenal - getting rid of problem individuals will be made so simple. I don't know how this 'Eyes Only' character got his hands on the rogue, but he has no idea of their potential, and I will not allow him to waste it on making my business dealings more difficult. Trust me Tom, by the end of this, that X5 will be mine."