This is for Jess and Barbayat ( I hope that you find this chapter as
exciting as it is meant to be. I thought that it would be better if I
posted 17 & 18 together tomorrow so you gals get .yes a cliffy ending. Yes
I am cruel! Working on the next one now so you won't have to wait too
long.
*-*-*-*-*-*
Anthony changed his clothes and put on the tuxedo which was delivered earlier. According to the brochure that Gloria had given him earlier, the dress code was black tie. He patted his hair down, grabbed his sword and exited to join the others. Only Daniels was missing. "Where is he," scowled Vivian. "No matter, if he isn't there he isn't there. Jorge we are leaving without him."
Daniels ran out of the elevator. When he got to the group he was out of breath and panting. Triumphantly he held up a small, black, hard plastic case. "Look at what I found."
"Is that what I think it is," asked Matthews trying to take it from his grasp.
Daniels lifted it up and away from her reach. "Yes, now hands off Gloria. We don't want you to have an accident."
"Where did you get that," the female agent asked.
"Let's just say it's a gift from Heaven," retorted Daniels opening the case discretely. Inside was the gun and the two virus darts nestled safely in there foam bed. "Anthony buddy," he said slapping the Thin Man on the shoulder. "Thanks for the support this afternoon. When you said the Angels were still alive I knew you must have seen them here. Just a few flashes of my badge allowed me to find out which rooms they were in. Looks like my little sister is predictable she had it in her room."
"And it wasn't locked away," inquired Gloria.
"Well.It was in the room safe but you know how safe those are."
Anthony wondered if the others see it in Daniels eyes. They were dilated and glassy, the man was high. He could only imagine on what. He gave Daniels an awkward half smile and asked in writing for the dart gun. Too bad Daniels didn't want to give it up- "I don't think so buddy. Since the angel went AWOL I am back-up. If I have a chance I'm going to take it and kill Getty."
Anthony raised an eyebrow to him and glared at Vivian. She took a sip of the oxygen bottle on the back of her wheelchair and said, "I don't care how it gets done. I prefer the virus, that was the plan but if you kill him with the sword." she paused and shrugged the best she could.
He was getting tired of this it was his job and he was going to do it and get paid for it. Anthony closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He unsheathed his sword so quickly it couldn't be seen but the whistle of speeding through the air could be heard. The tip was pointed at Daniels throat. He held his free hand out and waited for Daniels to hand him the case. He was an assassin but this was something that he didn't trust a man strung out on drugs with.
Daniels' Adams apple bobbed up and down against the tip as he swallowed back the fear Anthony instilled in him at the moment. "Sure, whatever," Daniels said holding the case out to Anthony who slipped his three middle fingers under the handle in acceptance. Anthony put the sword away as quickly as he had withdrawn it.
Seconds later Jorge pulled up with the limousine. He assisted Vivian into to car and stowed her chair in the trunk. In the car Anthony placed the case on his lap and prepared the gun with the virus dart. "Watch where you are aiming that," complained Matthews. Anthony just glared at her. Too many people thought they were in charge on this job. As far as he was concerned although he barely liked her Vivian was the only one he had to answer to and how much he liked or didn't like her was irrelevant. He placed the gun in the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket.
It didn't take long despite the traffic around McCormick Place to get there. As the car pulled up to the red carpet Jorge got out and removed Vivian's chair and helped her in. "Anthony, do what I pay you to do. Gloria and I will be in the audience watching, Daniels here," she handed the FBI agent a phony press pass. "You are with the Tacoma Times." Daniels fumbled with the pass and it fell to the carpet. He and Anthony both reached for it at the same time. Anthony never noticed the agents hand steal the small pistol out of his pocket and slip it into his own.
"Thanks," Daniels said as Anthony handed him the pass. Then he started on his way inside.
Alex turned and saw Daniels go straight to the door show his press pass and walk inside. "The eagle has landed," she said into her molar mike.
"I see him," said Natalie in the press box, "Daniels is headed my way."
"It looks like he has a press pass," said Alex.
Vivian and Gloria passed her next. Alex could hardly believe that the woman in the wheelchair was the same woman who hired them three years earlier. Neither woman saw her and for that she was lucky. Alex scanned the crowd. "I don't see the Creepy Thin Man," she said.
"It looks like Vivian and her sister are taking seats in the audience," said Natalie from her position. "How is everything going with you Dylan?"
"Things are good back here. Getty is going over his speech. No sign of trouble yet. Alex, Anthony has to be around somewhere. Bosley, any sign."
"Just a big old sign for 'Malta: The heart of the Mediterranean', but of the bad guys? Nothing and for summer it's getting chilly out here."
*-*-*-*-*
Getty practiced his speech, "And therefore I throw my hat into the ring and am running as an independent presidential candidate for 2008. How did that sound," he asked Dylan as she came up behind him.
"That was great," she said although she had only been half listening.
Getty looked at the young woman in front of him. He had known there was something about her from the moment he had seen her. It had taken him awhile to put his finger on it but it had come to him rather quickly once they began talking. She was the spitting image of her mother although her hair was red and not the silver blonde her mother's was. He was sure she hadn't realized yet that she was his daughter although he had tried to tell her. Of course her mind was on the job of protecting him but he wanted her to know. How to tell her was the question.
Anthony found a place in box one left of the stage. He assumed that would give him a good place to take aim and eliminate the CEO of Codyne Industries. He looked at the program; he would be fine if the speeches before Getty's didn't put him to sleep. He sat back in the empty box that had been entirely rented for this project and looked around the theater. He glanced up at the press box which was on the other side of the auditorium and a blond in a dazzling red dress caught his eye. It was Natalie. He was surprised that Daniels, who he could see seated not to far from her, had not noticed but then again the man was so high he could have been hit by a bus and not have realized it.
The lights flashed slowly signaling to everyone to take their seats. The roar of the crowd died down to a low murmur and the lights dimmed for the last time. The Master of Ceremonies was Donald Trump. "Good evening ladies and Gentlemen," he began. "Welcome to the World Trade Conference Arie Crown Theater, McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois; USA, North American, Planet Earth," he chuckled at what he thought was a funny reference to "Our Town". "Tonight we are kicking off the WTC with boring activities such as the speeches by our most prominent members. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond their control our first two speakers, Ben and Jerry, are unable to be here this evening." The crowd gave a disappointed groan. "No matter," continued Mr. Trump, "we will start with Kunal Dasgupta CEO of Sony Entertainment Television. The crowd applauded loudly and the CEO of Sony took the stage.
Backstage, Getty and Dylan were still discussing his speech. "Dylan," he said softly resting his hand on her shoulder, "There is something we need to talk about before I go on stage."
"Mr. Getty. It will be fine. We are good at what we do. I seriously doubt that anyone will be able to hurt you," she said with a smile. "Natalie has Daniels, Vivian and Matthews in her sight. We aren't sure where the assassin is but we all have our eyes open for him." Then she thought to herself, "especially me."
"Dylan, Dasgupta is finishing up his speech now," whispered Natalie in her ear.
"Already," she asked.
Alex entered the theater. "I've got the Thin Man. He is in box one."
"Great," said Dylan a perfect place for him to attack from. "Okay got it. Mr. Getty you are on soon and we found the assassin. Don't worry. He won't get you."
"Dylan," Getty called out as he was being lead to the wing of the stage. "I have to tell you."
*-*-*-*-*
Out on stage the CEO of Sony was making his closing remarks, "In conclusion, with today's trends the economic forecasts will always be bright. Thank you." The audience applauded enthusiastically to the man's speech and Mr. Trump came back out and clapped Mr. Dasgupta on the back.
"Well, that was a cheery prediction for the future. Now we have a Chicagoland native, the President and CEO of Codyne Industries, and a man with the same first name as me, Donald Getty."
Getty walked out on the stage and shook Trump's hand. As he approached the podium he scanned the audience and saw his daughter, Dylan down on the floor near the bottom right corner of the stage. She nodded to him and he wished he could find away to tell her all he needed to.
Anthony in the box above Dylan's head reached into his jacket pocket for the pistol. It wasn't there. He checked again. "What the Hell?" he thought. He looked at his sword. He was pretty good if he had to throw it he could. He had done it before. He couldn't imagine where he lost the pistol though then it dawned on him. In his mind's eye he saw Daniels fumble with the press pass and they both bent for it. "Shit, he has the gun," rang though his mind.
"Dylan," called Natalie. "Daniels is on the move. I'm after him."
"Roger that Nat," she said, "I have my eye on Anthony."
"Ok you two, I'm coming from the other direction," said Alex. Too bad before she could head towards the other side of the stage Daniels came up behind her. "Shit," he said seeing her."
"Before I begin this speech," began Getty on the stage, "I want to make an announcement. This might affect what I have to say later but I need to say it. Years ago I had an affair. I won't say it was a mistake because it wasn't. I truly loved the woman and she had a baby; a lovely little girl. I was an ass and denied this child for years. It was my own foolishness. I have recently met her and I want to claim her if she will have me for her father."
Dylan looked up at the stage. The realization of what he was saying beginning to dawn on her. "Dylan Sanders is my daughter." Getty motioned at the angel standing near the stage. A spot light shown on the red-haired angel who looked up at the stage in surprise. Getty walked to the edge of it and offered her his hand. She took it in shock and walked up the small set of stairs on the side of the stage. The auditorium was flooded with applause.
Daniels attacked Alex catching her completely off guard. She went down hitting her head on the back of one of the seats in the last row and blacked out. He continued his way down the aisle to the front of the theater and pulled the dart gun out of his jacket and took aim. Natalie jumped him from the side but it was too late. The gun went off and from the Thin Man's throat erupted his first spoken word since he was a child. "No!"
*-*-*-*-*-*
Anthony changed his clothes and put on the tuxedo which was delivered earlier. According to the brochure that Gloria had given him earlier, the dress code was black tie. He patted his hair down, grabbed his sword and exited to join the others. Only Daniels was missing. "Where is he," scowled Vivian. "No matter, if he isn't there he isn't there. Jorge we are leaving without him."
Daniels ran out of the elevator. When he got to the group he was out of breath and panting. Triumphantly he held up a small, black, hard plastic case. "Look at what I found."
"Is that what I think it is," asked Matthews trying to take it from his grasp.
Daniels lifted it up and away from her reach. "Yes, now hands off Gloria. We don't want you to have an accident."
"Where did you get that," the female agent asked.
"Let's just say it's a gift from Heaven," retorted Daniels opening the case discretely. Inside was the gun and the two virus darts nestled safely in there foam bed. "Anthony buddy," he said slapping the Thin Man on the shoulder. "Thanks for the support this afternoon. When you said the Angels were still alive I knew you must have seen them here. Just a few flashes of my badge allowed me to find out which rooms they were in. Looks like my little sister is predictable she had it in her room."
"And it wasn't locked away," inquired Gloria.
"Well.It was in the room safe but you know how safe those are."
Anthony wondered if the others see it in Daniels eyes. They were dilated and glassy, the man was high. He could only imagine on what. He gave Daniels an awkward half smile and asked in writing for the dart gun. Too bad Daniels didn't want to give it up- "I don't think so buddy. Since the angel went AWOL I am back-up. If I have a chance I'm going to take it and kill Getty."
Anthony raised an eyebrow to him and glared at Vivian. She took a sip of the oxygen bottle on the back of her wheelchair and said, "I don't care how it gets done. I prefer the virus, that was the plan but if you kill him with the sword." she paused and shrugged the best she could.
He was getting tired of this it was his job and he was going to do it and get paid for it. Anthony closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He unsheathed his sword so quickly it couldn't be seen but the whistle of speeding through the air could be heard. The tip was pointed at Daniels throat. He held his free hand out and waited for Daniels to hand him the case. He was an assassin but this was something that he didn't trust a man strung out on drugs with.
Daniels' Adams apple bobbed up and down against the tip as he swallowed back the fear Anthony instilled in him at the moment. "Sure, whatever," Daniels said holding the case out to Anthony who slipped his three middle fingers under the handle in acceptance. Anthony put the sword away as quickly as he had withdrawn it.
Seconds later Jorge pulled up with the limousine. He assisted Vivian into to car and stowed her chair in the trunk. In the car Anthony placed the case on his lap and prepared the gun with the virus dart. "Watch where you are aiming that," complained Matthews. Anthony just glared at her. Too many people thought they were in charge on this job. As far as he was concerned although he barely liked her Vivian was the only one he had to answer to and how much he liked or didn't like her was irrelevant. He placed the gun in the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket.
It didn't take long despite the traffic around McCormick Place to get there. As the car pulled up to the red carpet Jorge got out and removed Vivian's chair and helped her in. "Anthony, do what I pay you to do. Gloria and I will be in the audience watching, Daniels here," she handed the FBI agent a phony press pass. "You are with the Tacoma Times." Daniels fumbled with the pass and it fell to the carpet. He and Anthony both reached for it at the same time. Anthony never noticed the agents hand steal the small pistol out of his pocket and slip it into his own.
"Thanks," Daniels said as Anthony handed him the pass. Then he started on his way inside.
Alex turned and saw Daniels go straight to the door show his press pass and walk inside. "The eagle has landed," she said into her molar mike.
"I see him," said Natalie in the press box, "Daniels is headed my way."
"It looks like he has a press pass," said Alex.
Vivian and Gloria passed her next. Alex could hardly believe that the woman in the wheelchair was the same woman who hired them three years earlier. Neither woman saw her and for that she was lucky. Alex scanned the crowd. "I don't see the Creepy Thin Man," she said.
"It looks like Vivian and her sister are taking seats in the audience," said Natalie from her position. "How is everything going with you Dylan?"
"Things are good back here. Getty is going over his speech. No sign of trouble yet. Alex, Anthony has to be around somewhere. Bosley, any sign."
"Just a big old sign for 'Malta: The heart of the Mediterranean', but of the bad guys? Nothing and for summer it's getting chilly out here."
*-*-*-*-*
Getty practiced his speech, "And therefore I throw my hat into the ring and am running as an independent presidential candidate for 2008. How did that sound," he asked Dylan as she came up behind him.
"That was great," she said although she had only been half listening.
Getty looked at the young woman in front of him. He had known there was something about her from the moment he had seen her. It had taken him awhile to put his finger on it but it had come to him rather quickly once they began talking. She was the spitting image of her mother although her hair was red and not the silver blonde her mother's was. He was sure she hadn't realized yet that she was his daughter although he had tried to tell her. Of course her mind was on the job of protecting him but he wanted her to know. How to tell her was the question.
Anthony found a place in box one left of the stage. He assumed that would give him a good place to take aim and eliminate the CEO of Codyne Industries. He looked at the program; he would be fine if the speeches before Getty's didn't put him to sleep. He sat back in the empty box that had been entirely rented for this project and looked around the theater. He glanced up at the press box which was on the other side of the auditorium and a blond in a dazzling red dress caught his eye. It was Natalie. He was surprised that Daniels, who he could see seated not to far from her, had not noticed but then again the man was so high he could have been hit by a bus and not have realized it.
The lights flashed slowly signaling to everyone to take their seats. The roar of the crowd died down to a low murmur and the lights dimmed for the last time. The Master of Ceremonies was Donald Trump. "Good evening ladies and Gentlemen," he began. "Welcome to the World Trade Conference Arie Crown Theater, McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois; USA, North American, Planet Earth," he chuckled at what he thought was a funny reference to "Our Town". "Tonight we are kicking off the WTC with boring activities such as the speeches by our most prominent members. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond their control our first two speakers, Ben and Jerry, are unable to be here this evening." The crowd gave a disappointed groan. "No matter," continued Mr. Trump, "we will start with Kunal Dasgupta CEO of Sony Entertainment Television. The crowd applauded loudly and the CEO of Sony took the stage.
Backstage, Getty and Dylan were still discussing his speech. "Dylan," he said softly resting his hand on her shoulder, "There is something we need to talk about before I go on stage."
"Mr. Getty. It will be fine. We are good at what we do. I seriously doubt that anyone will be able to hurt you," she said with a smile. "Natalie has Daniels, Vivian and Matthews in her sight. We aren't sure where the assassin is but we all have our eyes open for him." Then she thought to herself, "especially me."
"Dylan, Dasgupta is finishing up his speech now," whispered Natalie in her ear.
"Already," she asked.
Alex entered the theater. "I've got the Thin Man. He is in box one."
"Great," said Dylan a perfect place for him to attack from. "Okay got it. Mr. Getty you are on soon and we found the assassin. Don't worry. He won't get you."
"Dylan," Getty called out as he was being lead to the wing of the stage. "I have to tell you."
*-*-*-*-*
Out on stage the CEO of Sony was making his closing remarks, "In conclusion, with today's trends the economic forecasts will always be bright. Thank you." The audience applauded enthusiastically to the man's speech and Mr. Trump came back out and clapped Mr. Dasgupta on the back.
"Well, that was a cheery prediction for the future. Now we have a Chicagoland native, the President and CEO of Codyne Industries, and a man with the same first name as me, Donald Getty."
Getty walked out on the stage and shook Trump's hand. As he approached the podium he scanned the audience and saw his daughter, Dylan down on the floor near the bottom right corner of the stage. She nodded to him and he wished he could find away to tell her all he needed to.
Anthony in the box above Dylan's head reached into his jacket pocket for the pistol. It wasn't there. He checked again. "What the Hell?" he thought. He looked at his sword. He was pretty good if he had to throw it he could. He had done it before. He couldn't imagine where he lost the pistol though then it dawned on him. In his mind's eye he saw Daniels fumble with the press pass and they both bent for it. "Shit, he has the gun," rang though his mind.
"Dylan," called Natalie. "Daniels is on the move. I'm after him."
"Roger that Nat," she said, "I have my eye on Anthony."
"Ok you two, I'm coming from the other direction," said Alex. Too bad before she could head towards the other side of the stage Daniels came up behind her. "Shit," he said seeing her."
"Before I begin this speech," began Getty on the stage, "I want to make an announcement. This might affect what I have to say later but I need to say it. Years ago I had an affair. I won't say it was a mistake because it wasn't. I truly loved the woman and she had a baby; a lovely little girl. I was an ass and denied this child for years. It was my own foolishness. I have recently met her and I want to claim her if she will have me for her father."
Dylan looked up at the stage. The realization of what he was saying beginning to dawn on her. "Dylan Sanders is my daughter." Getty motioned at the angel standing near the stage. A spot light shown on the red-haired angel who looked up at the stage in surprise. Getty walked to the edge of it and offered her his hand. She took it in shock and walked up the small set of stairs on the side of the stage. The auditorium was flooded with applause.
Daniels attacked Alex catching her completely off guard. She went down hitting her head on the back of one of the seats in the last row and blacked out. He continued his way down the aisle to the front of the theater and pulled the dart gun out of his jacket and took aim. Natalie jumped him from the side but it was too late. The gun went off and from the Thin Man's throat erupted his first spoken word since he was a child. "No!"