Hey everyone!
This is a new and (hopefully) different story. What follows is the
prologue. As this story is in the extreme early stages I need your
feedback. Please read and review or email me at cemberl@yahoo.com.
Oh, and I promise that I haven't forgotten about "A Month as a Time Walker".I just have a little writers block on that score.
Thanks for readings ~December
*********
It was three a.m. when the phone rang. Although it was early morning, the recipient of the call wasn't awakened and wasn't annoyed. She was alert on the bed in the darkened room. She had also been expecting this call.
She reached for her cordless phone on the second ring. "Hello?"
"He got the job," a serious sounding male voice said without preamble.
"I expected as much, but confirmation is always a plus."
"So.when will you be arriving?"
"In two weeks."
"That long?" the male on the other end of the phone asked. While most people wouldn't have noticed the tone difference, the female to whom he was speaking immediately picked up on his surprise.
"Things have to be arranged," she explained. "Don't worry. Two weeks will be soon enough."
"What would you have done if he hadn't gotten the job?" the male voice asked, after a pause.
"Come anyway," the female replied. "The time is getting too close for me not to be there. You know about all the possible outcomes. The three best only happen with me in place."
"And if you don't make it?"
"I'd rather not think about that," the female said as she stared into the dark that was her room. "I doubt you would either," she added after a pause. "None of those possible futures are pretty."
There was an acknowledging silence on the other end of the phone for a moment. Then, the voice added rather cryptically, "She's not expendable to him, you know. You cannot ignore her existence."
"She's a threat to his safety. She always has been. The last time proved it."
"He needs her," the male voice argued.
"He can survive without her," the female voice countered.
"But," the male voice insisted, "we know that the best future is the one with them together." The voice sighed. "Don't take certain actions merely to clear a space for yourself."
The female's eyes narrowed, and, although the other person couldn't see the affront in her eyes, he definitely heard it in her voice. "I understand my job. I do my duty and I will protect him, not for my own gain, regardless of what it may cost me. Or, have you forgotten who I am?" she added.
"As long as we are clear," the male voice conceded.
"As crystal," the female replied, her continued annoyance well-hidden in her voice. Yet, even that annoyance melted away in the heat of a more pressing duty. "We'll close ranks soon after I get there," she instructed. Then she hung up without saying goodbye. But such a termination of the conversation was expected.
So in one country, early in the morning, a woman rose to turn on a light and begin to pack. In another country on the other side of the world, late in the afternoon, a young man took a deep breath and got back into character, pasting a smile of his face and retying an apron around his waist. It was imperative that no one knew to whom he just spoke or what about. They protected their liege in secret. The fewer who knew the truth about them, the better.
******* Two weeks later.
Airport security had become more watchful in recent times. Since 9-11, American airport security was getting closer to the European ideal, but it still had a ways to go. Nevertheless, some things did not happen anymore. At least, they weren't supposed to happen.
But, as a great many security guards and cameras noted that fall day, it did happen. Someone who hadn't gone through security suddenly appeared behind a black female calmly drinking teas at one of the gates. Of course, some of the guards thought they must be seeing things, as dark green hair wasn't natural. They would have been even more unsettled if they heard the conversation.
"It is safe for you to leave your post?" the black female asked, without turning around, as the strange woman came to a stop behind her.
"For the moment," the mysterious female replied. "You are coming because you sense the end," the woman continued. It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.
"Of this page, yes," the tea drinker confirmed. She took a sip of tea, and then, sounding remarkably like a superior officer, she inquired, "Do you know when? Or better yet, how?"
"No," the other woman replied, clearly not happy with the answer she had to give. "As you may recall, I am not the original holder of this position. There is a lot that I still cannot do, even though centuries have passed."
"Understood," the tea drinker said, still looking ahead of her. "You are dismissed."
The strange woman sighed. "You do realize that she's important. For peace, for the present, for him. You won't use this situation to put yourself in her place, will you?" With the last question, the woman almost sounded personally concerned, something that was rare for her.
The black woman still looked calmly in front of her. For the people walking by they would have thought that nothing interesting was happening. On the surface she looked unaffected by the question. However, any of the elite who knew her in all of her roles knew that she was deeply affected by that question. Her answered proved as much. "Why is everyone questioning my loyalty lately?" she asked quietly. "Do you not remember who I am and why I am what I am? Is that the kind of person who would put herself before him? If anything," she added, "I should be questioning your loyalty. You've made yourself a part of her team, and lately, you been more worried about her safety than his."
"I did not ask for this position," the green-haired woman answered.
"And I did not ask for what happened me, either," the black woman asserted. "But this conversation gets us nowhere," she added. "Just know that I know my duty and my position. It is not about me and never was.even during that brief time when it could have been."
The strange woman nodded and then turn on her heel and walked away. Just as unsettling for the security guards, the woman was not seen exiting the building. If the whole encounter were more normal, they probably would have shut down the airport and tried to find her. As it was they could only note to whom she had stopped to talk and where that person was going. And, as Japan was not a country that inspired worry in the new post 9-11 war, the situation was dropped.and just became a brief sentence in a long report that Secretary Ridge only skimmed.
**** Two days later
As he walked through the halls of the corporation, he was nervous. He knew it was a big honor and responsibility to serve as one half of this Japanese- American team and he wondered whether he could do it. Of course, to look at him, no one would know that he was nervous or what he was thinking. Although the love of his life was helping him get in touch with his emotional side, he still had an amazing poker face, which took him years to perfect. Beyond that, he privately believed that his past life as a prince helped him to carry himself with an aloof assurance that he often did not feel. Never was he so thankful for that skill as he was at that moment.
He stopped in front of the conference room door and took a deep breath, opening the door as he exhaled. Inside the room stood three people. Two of them he immediate recognized because of their position in the corporation, but one of them was a stranger. The young woman was tall, with skin the shade of peanut butter. She wore glasses and a black suit, with her brown hair framing her face and falling to her shoulders. She was smiling and nodding at something that was said to her, when his entrance was finally noticed.
"Ah, here he is. Ms. Minagawa-Smith, this is Mr. Chiba. Chiba-san, this is Minagawa-Smith-san. She is American representative in this venture."
The woman smiled and she held out her hand, "It is nice to meet you, Mr. Chiba."
He shook her out-stretched hand, "Likewise Ms. Minagawa-Smith."
She laughed. "Please, call me Jamelle. My last name is a little of a mouthful. And don't look so nervous," she said and she let go of his hand. "I'm here to protect you."
The last statement surprised him, not only because she quickly picked up on his well-hidden nervousness, but also the intense way that she declared that she was there to protect him. "Protect me?" he finally asked a few beats later.
She smiled and shrugged, "Protect you and your company from my country, to be more accurate. I love my home, but my fellow Americans are well-known for not playing fair unless they are called on the carpet. Besides, I am among a small elite that actually believes we can lead ethically all over the world.at least once we change our operating paradigm, we can. And I honestly believe that your company is part of that process; I've done my homework," she added at his surprised face.
After a few beats, he nodded.
But the young woman wasn't quite finished yet. "Mr. Takei and Mr. Hideki here mentioned that you could take me on a tour and show me where I'll be working?"
"Yes, of course," Mamoru Chiba replied. "We can go now if you would like."
"Yes, thank you," the woman smiled. And, as they walked out of the room, Mamoru had two distinct feelings. The first was that he had walked side-by- side with Ms. Jamelle Minagawa-Smith before. The second was that this was the beginning of something big, something that he didn't understand. But he put both of those feeling on the back burner, planning to return to them when he had a quiet moment to try and figure them out.
*** to be continued ****
Oh, and I promise that I haven't forgotten about "A Month as a Time Walker".I just have a little writers block on that score.
Thanks for readings ~December
*********
It was three a.m. when the phone rang. Although it was early morning, the recipient of the call wasn't awakened and wasn't annoyed. She was alert on the bed in the darkened room. She had also been expecting this call.
She reached for her cordless phone on the second ring. "Hello?"
"He got the job," a serious sounding male voice said without preamble.
"I expected as much, but confirmation is always a plus."
"So.when will you be arriving?"
"In two weeks."
"That long?" the male on the other end of the phone asked. While most people wouldn't have noticed the tone difference, the female to whom he was speaking immediately picked up on his surprise.
"Things have to be arranged," she explained. "Don't worry. Two weeks will be soon enough."
"What would you have done if he hadn't gotten the job?" the male voice asked, after a pause.
"Come anyway," the female replied. "The time is getting too close for me not to be there. You know about all the possible outcomes. The three best only happen with me in place."
"And if you don't make it?"
"I'd rather not think about that," the female said as she stared into the dark that was her room. "I doubt you would either," she added after a pause. "None of those possible futures are pretty."
There was an acknowledging silence on the other end of the phone for a moment. Then, the voice added rather cryptically, "She's not expendable to him, you know. You cannot ignore her existence."
"She's a threat to his safety. She always has been. The last time proved it."
"He needs her," the male voice argued.
"He can survive without her," the female voice countered.
"But," the male voice insisted, "we know that the best future is the one with them together." The voice sighed. "Don't take certain actions merely to clear a space for yourself."
The female's eyes narrowed, and, although the other person couldn't see the affront in her eyes, he definitely heard it in her voice. "I understand my job. I do my duty and I will protect him, not for my own gain, regardless of what it may cost me. Or, have you forgotten who I am?" she added.
"As long as we are clear," the male voice conceded.
"As crystal," the female replied, her continued annoyance well-hidden in her voice. Yet, even that annoyance melted away in the heat of a more pressing duty. "We'll close ranks soon after I get there," she instructed. Then she hung up without saying goodbye. But such a termination of the conversation was expected.
So in one country, early in the morning, a woman rose to turn on a light and begin to pack. In another country on the other side of the world, late in the afternoon, a young man took a deep breath and got back into character, pasting a smile of his face and retying an apron around his waist. It was imperative that no one knew to whom he just spoke or what about. They protected their liege in secret. The fewer who knew the truth about them, the better.
******* Two weeks later.
Airport security had become more watchful in recent times. Since 9-11, American airport security was getting closer to the European ideal, but it still had a ways to go. Nevertheless, some things did not happen anymore. At least, they weren't supposed to happen.
But, as a great many security guards and cameras noted that fall day, it did happen. Someone who hadn't gone through security suddenly appeared behind a black female calmly drinking teas at one of the gates. Of course, some of the guards thought they must be seeing things, as dark green hair wasn't natural. They would have been even more unsettled if they heard the conversation.
"It is safe for you to leave your post?" the black female asked, without turning around, as the strange woman came to a stop behind her.
"For the moment," the mysterious female replied. "You are coming because you sense the end," the woman continued. It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.
"Of this page, yes," the tea drinker confirmed. She took a sip of tea, and then, sounding remarkably like a superior officer, she inquired, "Do you know when? Or better yet, how?"
"No," the other woman replied, clearly not happy with the answer she had to give. "As you may recall, I am not the original holder of this position. There is a lot that I still cannot do, even though centuries have passed."
"Understood," the tea drinker said, still looking ahead of her. "You are dismissed."
The strange woman sighed. "You do realize that she's important. For peace, for the present, for him. You won't use this situation to put yourself in her place, will you?" With the last question, the woman almost sounded personally concerned, something that was rare for her.
The black woman still looked calmly in front of her. For the people walking by they would have thought that nothing interesting was happening. On the surface she looked unaffected by the question. However, any of the elite who knew her in all of her roles knew that she was deeply affected by that question. Her answered proved as much. "Why is everyone questioning my loyalty lately?" she asked quietly. "Do you not remember who I am and why I am what I am? Is that the kind of person who would put herself before him? If anything," she added, "I should be questioning your loyalty. You've made yourself a part of her team, and lately, you been more worried about her safety than his."
"I did not ask for this position," the green-haired woman answered.
"And I did not ask for what happened me, either," the black woman asserted. "But this conversation gets us nowhere," she added. "Just know that I know my duty and my position. It is not about me and never was.even during that brief time when it could have been."
The strange woman nodded and then turn on her heel and walked away. Just as unsettling for the security guards, the woman was not seen exiting the building. If the whole encounter were more normal, they probably would have shut down the airport and tried to find her. As it was they could only note to whom she had stopped to talk and where that person was going. And, as Japan was not a country that inspired worry in the new post 9-11 war, the situation was dropped.and just became a brief sentence in a long report that Secretary Ridge only skimmed.
**** Two days later
As he walked through the halls of the corporation, he was nervous. He knew it was a big honor and responsibility to serve as one half of this Japanese- American team and he wondered whether he could do it. Of course, to look at him, no one would know that he was nervous or what he was thinking. Although the love of his life was helping him get in touch with his emotional side, he still had an amazing poker face, which took him years to perfect. Beyond that, he privately believed that his past life as a prince helped him to carry himself with an aloof assurance that he often did not feel. Never was he so thankful for that skill as he was at that moment.
He stopped in front of the conference room door and took a deep breath, opening the door as he exhaled. Inside the room stood three people. Two of them he immediate recognized because of their position in the corporation, but one of them was a stranger. The young woman was tall, with skin the shade of peanut butter. She wore glasses and a black suit, with her brown hair framing her face and falling to her shoulders. She was smiling and nodding at something that was said to her, when his entrance was finally noticed.
"Ah, here he is. Ms. Minagawa-Smith, this is Mr. Chiba. Chiba-san, this is Minagawa-Smith-san. She is American representative in this venture."
The woman smiled and she held out her hand, "It is nice to meet you, Mr. Chiba."
He shook her out-stretched hand, "Likewise Ms. Minagawa-Smith."
She laughed. "Please, call me Jamelle. My last name is a little of a mouthful. And don't look so nervous," she said and she let go of his hand. "I'm here to protect you."
The last statement surprised him, not only because she quickly picked up on his well-hidden nervousness, but also the intense way that she declared that she was there to protect him. "Protect me?" he finally asked a few beats later.
She smiled and shrugged, "Protect you and your company from my country, to be more accurate. I love my home, but my fellow Americans are well-known for not playing fair unless they are called on the carpet. Besides, I am among a small elite that actually believes we can lead ethically all over the world.at least once we change our operating paradigm, we can. And I honestly believe that your company is part of that process; I've done my homework," she added at his surprised face.
After a few beats, he nodded.
But the young woman wasn't quite finished yet. "Mr. Takei and Mr. Hideki here mentioned that you could take me on a tour and show me where I'll be working?"
"Yes, of course," Mamoru Chiba replied. "We can go now if you would like."
"Yes, thank you," the woman smiled. And, as they walked out of the room, Mamoru had two distinct feelings. The first was that he had walked side-by- side with Ms. Jamelle Minagawa-Smith before. The second was that this was the beginning of something big, something that he didn't understand. But he put both of those feeling on the back burner, planning to return to them when he had a quiet moment to try and figure them out.
*** to be continued ****