The Genie's Lamp Job
It was a busy day at the Annex. The Librarians were researching the latest clipping. Something was fishy about a travel company in Portland Oregon.
"This travel company literally takes the child's travel wish and the families get to travel all expenses paid. Nothing seems very dangerous about this. Just seems nice. "Eve explained as she observed the clipping.
"What's the problem with sending sick kids on Safaris?" Ezekiel questioned.
"The problem is when the family can't get back to home. They are stuck in the country. For weeks." Cassandra answered.
"What's the name of the travel company?" Jenkins asked.
"Jinn travel. Owned by G. Jamar, It's logo it looks like the magic Lamp. What does a Magic Lamp have anything to do with travel?" Eve answered.
"Oh No!" Jenkins exclaimed.
"What?" Everyone asked.
"The genie's lamp?" Jenkins responded
"I thought you said it was never the Genie's lamp" Eve interrupted.
"In every other time it's never the Genie's lamp, but in this instant it is. Well it is very dangerous. G hasn't had a master for years. All of those uncounted wishes makes him give the most specific wish. Down to the right lettering. Imagine wishing for a sandwich, someone can actually become a sandwich. It causes chaos. He doesn't mean to cause trouble but he needs to have a master. There must be someone else pulling the strings. "Jenkins grumbled.
"It says here that there is a Robert Bear, the CFO of the company. He moved up very quickly and now has a giant bank account. Recently Bear also obtained a very old oil lamp" Cassandra responded.
"Why does a small travel company need a CFO?" Jake questioned.
"He's the one holding G's leash." Eve replied.
"When G finds out he is hurting kids. We will have more problems than specific wishes. G is very powerful. Powerful enough to rearrange the continent and put Alaska anywhere he wants." Jenkins observed.
"How do we solve this. "Jake asked.
"Oi, one of the customers is meeting with some bloke at the Bridgeport Brew pub, I'll just go and listen in and see if I can talk to them." Ezekiel piped up.
"How do you know that?" Cassandra asked.
"I hacked the website's comment section. There are a lot of people upset because apparently this company sends people on an expensive trip for their kids all expensive paid. But then all the trips go sideways. The people get detained or even arrested. They call this company, who then brings them back but then again they have to pay more than the trip cost. All bailing out fees, passports fee, everything adds up to much more than what the trip would been originally worth. The family has to pay for it. One customer gets contacted by this other company via chat section and tells them to meet them at the Bridgeport brew pub. I'll go over and see if I can ascertain if we can get some information."
"Why are you going?" Jake asks.
"Hello master thief!" Ezekiel shouts as he sauntered out to the back door.
Bridgeport Brew Pub, Later that day.
Parker walked into the pub, where Eliot Spencer was interviewing the new client. Since Nate and Sophie left, they had decided that Eliot would handle the onset interview with clients. She would listen in and she always trusted his judgment. She observed all their regulars, except for one young man with dark hair in the back corner. Something was off about this young man. But she couldn't put her finger on it right away. She sat down and listened to the client talk about how she and her family booked a trip to china to see pandas for their 10 year old daughter. The daughter who was sick only had a week of approved doctor time off. They then got accused of smuggling a panda home with them. They got detained in China for 3 weeks, then had to pay Jinn Travel Company more money for the return home and then they had to pay an insurance fee for restarting her child's treatments. Her family was tapped out. Eliot accepted. He promised they would bring Jinn Company to justice.
"Hey Babe you seem distracted." Alec Hardison's voice rang in her ear.
"Hardison you see that guy in the back. Something is off about him?" Parker asked.
"Babe not everyone is out get us." Hardison responded
"I mean it, he seems too relaxed. Please just run a facial" Parker insisted.
"Alright, Alright, Nag nag nag. Okay it's coming up. Woah nice call Babe. Apparently he is a master thief. Ezekiel Jones mean anything to you?" Hardison asked
"Yeah, he is the one who Archie recruited him to replace me. He broke my wrist once for fleeing from a lift." Parker responded.
"He broke your wrist? Babe you need help?" Hardison's voice echoed in her ear as she got up from the table. Eliot had returned to the kitchen.
"I've got it Hardison. Besides he's a shrimp." Parker whispered back. She slipped out her ear bud.
"Hey I know you from somewhere don't I" Parker asked as she sat down across from Ezekiel
"No I'm sure you got that wrong." Ezekiel responded smoothly.
"No you are Ezekiel Jones. You worked with Archie. Right" Parker laid all the cards on the table
"And you would be Parker. How's your wrist?" Ezekiel smiled as he took a swig of his beer.
Behind the younger thief's head, she saw her team mates appear out of nowhere. They sat at the table behind the Ezekiel's.
"That your hitter and hacker behind me mate?" Ezekiel questioned.
"One question for you. Why are you here?" Parker's eyes connected with Hardison's and Eliot's she shook her head no. She could handle this.
"I'm here for the same reason you are. To help people. And I might actually save the world." Ezekiel responded.
"Save the world from what man?" Hardison who was sitting right behind Ezekiel. Eliot across the table from Hardison.
"Magic. Who are you?" Ezekiel who didn't miss a beat asked as he turned in his seat be face to face with Hardison.
"Her boyfriend. Mate" Hardison snapped.
"And you must be a Stone huh?" Ezekiel asked of Eliot. Eliot froze. Then lunged at Ezekiel. Eliot grabbed the younger thief by the neck and slammed him against wall.
"What do you know about Stone? Huh Tell me. What about Stone" Eliot growled.
"Easy Mate. Nothing happened to him. I work with him. Even saved his life a couple of times. Be careful." Ezekiel said.
"Who are you?" Eliot asked.
"Hey, not that it's important but I'm Ezekiel Jones." Ezekiel responded. "Parker call of your dog."
"Eliot let him go" Parker requested.
Eliot reluctantly let him down. Hardison stayed close.
"What did you mean when you said magic?" Parker asked after watching the exchange.
"Dude whose Stone?" Hardison quietly asked Eliot.
"Never mind" Eliot said.
"Hey if I'm in trouble I get one phone call right?" Ezekiel asked.
"Dude we aren't the cops. But sure you can have a phone call?" Hardison grabbed his cell phone and handed it to Ezekiel.
"Actually do you have a land line because you know cells aren't very secure?" Ezekiel pressed.
"Oh course we have a land line. Right this way." Hardison grabbed the young thief by the collar of his shirt.
"You know you could be nicer to me since I'm going to save your life?" Ezekiel said
"Yeah, just be glad Eliot over there didn't break your pretty face." Hardison shoved Ezekiel toward the antique landline phone.
Ezekiel dialed up the annex and stayed on the phone until Jenkins came on the line.
Parker breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Eliot. He looked like he saw a ghost. She had only seen that look once before. When he got that phone call that told them there would be a bio hazard terrorist attack. That was a horrible day. Elliot had gotten shot twice and she almost caught the Spanish flu. But now as she looked at her friend she felt that fear again. He had seen a ghost. Something or Someone that Ezekiel Jones had said caused her friend who was more like a brother go ghostly white. Ezekiel Jones was dangerous to have around and not because he was a flight case.
