-1Title: Obsession
Author: 1st endeavor
Disclaimer: See Prologue
A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who is reading this story and also send a special thanks to all of you who have taken the time to review it.
Sun-Tzu The Art of War
If you know only yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.
Chapter 3:.
Wayne Johnson tapped his pencil nervously on the edge of his desk. Normally he wouldn't have undertaken a job like this, after all, he had his own successful operations. He had stayed under the Fed's radar by making it look like he was only involved in the small stuff but that was just a cover. He really dealt in the high-end robberies and he was so skilled at it that he had become quite wealthy. His reputation had grown among the right people and yet he had still been able to keep a low profile with the law.
Usually, he went with his gut feelings before he took a new job, but this time the substantial payoff had made it worth the risk. Doubts had been plaguing him lately however and he had started questioning his decision in accepting this job.
Wayne had met his client for the first time six months ago in a little bar just across the border in Tecate, Mexico. Bashere had flaunted his wealth and it was lucky for him that he had brought along protection or some of the locals would have relieved him of some of his more expensive items. Then again, if they had taken the time to look the man in the eyes, they would probably have reconsidered trying anything at all. Hell…one look in those eyes and he was having second thoughts himself, but it was already too late for him. He knew for a fact, that if he had said no to the plan, Bashere would have shot him without even blinking an eye. For the first time in his thirty-year career Johnson knew that he was in over his head but it was too late for him to back out now.
Still, it was going to be the biggest challenge of his career and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes.
It was Monday and he had two more days to review the plans with his men and make certain that everyone knew what to do. It was time to get Stage 1 underway. The door opened and as his men entered the room he spread out the blueprints and maps of their target area. There would be no second chances, anyone caught would be killed before any information could be given to the authorities. Of course, he left this part out of his instructions, there was no need to make anyone nervous.
When he was satisfied that everyone knew what to do he let them go. As he watched them leave he picked up his cell phone and hit the speed dial. No one answered, he just left a pre-arranged signal.
Stage 1 was now in play and he returned to his desk to began preparations for the next phase of the operation. This "project" was scheduled to begin on Friday and it was a totally different operation than the one they were about to start. Puzzled, he ran his fingers through his beard. He just couldn't figure out what this guy was up to.
In all of the years that he had been in business he had never come across an operation on this scale.
Johnson studied his instructions again and shook his head ruefully thinking to himself.
"The FBI wouldn't see this one coming and by the time they figured it out, his client would be long gone Hell, he just might retire himself after this one."
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Professor Charles Edward Eppes sighed and locked his office door. Child prodigy, tenured professor and at age thirty he had achieved more in those short years than many men in his profession had achieved in a lifetime. Yet tonight, even though he looked younger than his age, he felt as if he were much , much older.
Glancing at his watch brought out another sigh as he tugged his bag up higher on his shoulder and slowly trudged down the vacant hallway.
"Seven-thirty already." he thought, "where did the time go?" Another thought caused him to halt his steps. "Time….I wonder how that would fit into my Cognitive Emergence Theory." Several minutes passed before he realized that he had stopped completely. His stomached growled reminding him that he had missed dinner once again and he resumed his steps through the now silent Math building.
The students at Calsci were madly cramming for their upcoming finals which accounted for the silence that surrounded him and it was also the reason that he was leaving so late tonight. Five of his students had requested a little extra time with him to go over a few equations and he couldn't refuse. It was that spark of understanding in their eyes that set his heart soaring. When the student finally understood the equation that he was explaining and he could see it in their eyes, to him, it was like fireworks going off on the Fourth of July; it was what he lived for.
Charlie pushed open the door and welcomed the warm evening air but as he walked along the sidewalk an uneasy feeling began to override his fatigue. Goosebumps were rising on his arms and he hastened his steps. Glancing first in one direction and then in another, he narrowed his eyes as he peered into the shadows among the bushes and trees that were scattered along the walkway.
The last of the sunlight faded away and the street lights lit up as he approached his car and hit the remote button. Quickly opening the door he slid his bag from his shoulder and placed it on the seat. He didn't get in the car right away though, instead he stood by the open door and turned slowly in a full circle letting his eyes drift over the windows in the surrounding buildings but he saw nothing that could explain his sudden apprehension.
Muttering to himself that his feeling was just a by-product of fatigue, he got into his car and was soon heading for home.
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Henri Bashere closed his cell phone after listening to Johnson's signal. Right on schedule, just as he had planned. This was going to be a costly operation but one that was well worth it. If all went as expected … and it would… his business would have the potential to more than triple once he had the help of a certain mathematician.
Henri never left anything to chance. He never went into any operation without fully researching every aspect of it himself. Bashere was the ultimate multi-step thinker and was a follower of Sun-Tzu. The one and only time that he had not followed through on his own research had almost resulted in his own death and had cost him a valuable acquisition. That was not going to happen this time.
He watched as the Professor headed for his car and barely got out of view when the young man suddenly turned around as if he was searching for something. As the professor turned to gaze at another building , Bashere raised his camera up to his eyes and focused his telescopic lens back on his target.
" Ah, there you are my young friend and you look so tired tonight. I think it's time you took a vacation and I have the perfect place for us to go." he whispered in a voice that was thick with excitement. "Step 1 my friend is in play, we are moving forward " and humming softly to himself he began to snap the pictures.
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The following morning had been just as hectic for the young professor and he was looking forward to lunch. He was just finishing up with his class and answering a few last minute questions for the upcoming final when he noticed a strange man in the hallway outside of his office. Although slightly distracted he re-focused his attention back on the student and once again explained the proper way to calculate a particular equation. Twelve o'clock finally rolled around and as he dismissed his class he noticed that the man was no longer standing in the corridor.
Charlie locked his office door and joined the steady stream of people in the hallways. As he walked he kept an eye out for the stranger and although he never spotted the man again he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The feeling was unsettling and he quickened his pace to the cafeteria and found Larry waiting for him by the door.
"There you are Charles." the older man greeted him as people continued to pass them by on their way inside. They followed the crowd and took their place in line for the food.
"It would appear that everyone is eating on campus today. " The older man observed as he perused the crowded room.
"Where's Amita?" the younger man asked as they filled their trays.
"She's saving an outside table for us and she told me to tell you that she would like to have a salad and an unsweetened iced tea.. Oh, and don't forget the lemon."
"Lemon." Charlie grinned as he said the word at the same time as his friend.
Larry returned his grin and soon they were outside and scanning the area for Amita.
Charlie spotted her first. "There she is Larry….the table at the end of the deck." he pointed to the table and they made their way through the crowded area.
Amita greeted Charlie with a light kiss as she helped remove the food from the trays.
"I'm famished." she said eagerly reaching for her salad fork.
"Me too." the younger man agreed as he unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite.
"I must agree with you both." the older professor commented. "Ah, sweet sustenance."
Charlie ate and talked with his friends but toward the end of the meal that feeling of being watched returned and his eyes drifted from them to the surrounding people. Once he thought he spotted the man in the hallway but when he looked back, the man was no longer there.
"Charlie, what's wrong?
Amita and Larry had noticed his distraction and he turned back to find both of them staring at him worriedly.
"Ah….nothing." he shrugged, "It's probably nothing."
"Charles, what is going on?"
He hesitated a moment before speaking. "I don't know…it's just that last night and today," he paused with a slight shrug of his shoulders. " I sorta got the feeling that someone was watching me. I'm probably just being paranoid."
Amita and Larry shared a concerned look. This had happened once before and the two of them had laughed it off until someone had actually tried to kill Charlie. They were not about to take this lightly.
Amita grabbed his hand. "Charlie, did you tell Don?"
"Well….no…I mean, I haven't actually seen anyone….it's just a feeling."
Larry was just as adamant. "You should call him right now before anyone has a chance to do anything."
"I don't really have any proof but if Don comes over tonight, I'll mention it to him." A sudden thought brought a grin to his face and he caught Amita's eye.
"Did I tell you that he and Robin are dating again?"
She shook her head and returned his grin but remarked. "Don't try and change the subject Charlie. Promise me that you will tell him how you feel."
Charlie sighed. "Okay, I promise."
The young professor glanced at his watch and began gathering up the lunch trays and garbage. "I've got to get going, I have another class in fifteen minutes."
"Oh, dear, where did the time go?' Professor Fleinhart muttered as the three of them made a hasty departure.