All The Way
Chapter 41
Boston, Massachusetts
The two Mayan brothers, Augustin and Ascension, and their rustic attire seemed strangely out of place in contrast to the two sleek fencers dressed in black and white who lunged and retreated in a battle of skill, daring and power in the large game room. The brothers watched the small man dressed in black quickly defend against a decisive sabre blow, then with lightning speed whirled, sliced and clipped the arm of his opponent.
In a flash the man in white ripped off his meshed mask and shouted, "What the hell!"
Strutting proudly, whipping his sabre right and left, the man in black chuckled behind his mask. "My dear, Astor, you move too slowly!"
His opponent stood easily six foot four, narrow hips, muscular torso, with piercing brown eyes, and thick curly hair. Elegantly the man in black removed his mask and smiled at his youthful protégé who angrily examined the cut in the arm of his formfitting jacket.
Growing impatient, Augustin stepped forward carrying the large wooden crate, and stopped near the fencers.
"Senor Blair," Augustin began, "we have the remains you requested."
Blair, the man in black, cut short the examination of his protégé's cut jacket, gently slapped the young man on the cheek, and turned his attention to the brothers.
"Augustin and Ascension, you have the package as we agreed, how splendid!"
Ascension nervously watched his older brother place the wooden crate on a nearby table and started the process of opening it. The protégé took their weapons, placed them to the side and joined his master.
Looking behind him, Blair realized his protégé had not been properly introduced. "Please forgive me gentlemen, the young man dressed in white, is a protégé of mine, Astor Feola. Astor this is Augustin and Ascension, Richard Carter's assistants."
Astor easily towered over the brothers and merely nodded his acknowledgement.
The brothers both nodded and warily looked over the muscular build of their new acquaintance, noting how the formfitting jacket bulged with the protective plastron, a form of under-armor that further enhanced his powerful build.
Howard Blair smoothed down his moustache, cautiously watching the brothers from the corner of his eye as he waited for the box to open.
During their ride in the taxi the brothers had discussed the wooden crate in their care. Carter's death had been a blow to them, they liked the cheeky American…...and the Senora Doctor... the Senora had been kind to them and they were relieved to learn she had not been harmed. They agreed they would not tell Blair how Carter had disappeared into the ceiling of the village and would remain there for long periods of time. The remains, the three skulls and assorted bones would be delivered without explanation. Both agreed; they did not trust the little man with the thin moustache. After watching him lunge, thrust, whirl and cut his much larger opponent, they knew their instincts were correct. Howard Blair was crafty and would just as easily whirl and cut them if the need should arise.
Blair's eyes widened as the lid was removed and the bones revealed. Immediately the bones began to tell their story to his observant eyes...eyes that had seen enough. Brusquely he slid the lid over the remains and turned to the brothers.
"You have done well, my friends, and now for your reward."
The man in black snapped his fingers and gestured to Astor Feola, who immediately left the room. The brothers became alert and anxious as they watched the large man walk through the game room with its assortment of weapons and mannequins. The room reminded them of ceremonial torture chambers in their own culture, rooms where people prayed for a speedy death.
Blair's slender fingers trailed over the lid, then paused.
"Oh, yes, I have a question," Blair began, "Dr. Carter had a close companion, a Senora Doctor, a Doctor Hoffman, did he not?"
Augustin shrugged his shoulders and remained silent, but it was the younger brother, Ascension, who made the mistake of nervously shifting his eyes to his brother. Immediately the man in black noticed his nervousness…..his deception… and pounced.
"So Ascension, you know the Senora Doctor! Tell me, did she examine the bones in this box?"
The young Mayan shrugged his shoulders and remained silent, hoping he could imitate the nonchalance of his older sibling and avoid the question, but it was too late, Feola was returning. Blair took the envelope from his protégé, then snapped his fingers and gestured.
Obediently the large man in white walked to a table and lifted a sheet. Beneath the cover, rows of tufted darts were neatly aligned. Slipping on a pair of surgical gloves, Astor removed the seal on a glass vial, took the metal point and dipped it in the dark liquid covering the point. Allowing the tip to drip and dry, he then picked up a sleek black pipe, inserted the dart in the end, stepped aside, brought the pipe to his lips, aimed, then with a loud whoosh, the dart shot into the chest of a jelled mannequin near the wall.
Blair smiled. "Astor has many talents. He's grown quite proficient with blow guns and curare."
Astor flashed the pair a boyish grin, and quickly prepared another dart, brought the pipe to his lips and sent the projectile flying to the chest of the mannequin.
"One tree curare," Astor proudly announced.
Blair waved the thick envelope and motioned to the anxious brothers, his eyes homing in on the weak link, Ascension. "Astor, these young men know about one tree curare, they know that if the curare is extremely potent a monkey will only be able to jump to one tree before falling to the jungle floor. They know about the Amazon's flying death. You know about flying death, don't you Ascension?"
The young brother nodded his head and swallowed hard. "Yes, I know the Senora Doctor."
The man in black smiled. "I'm so glad you remembered, Ascension. Now tell me, did she examine the bones you delivered?"
The young man nodded.
"Did the Senora Doctor and Dr. Carter work closely together, perhaps even…...sharing secrets?"
Again, the young man nodded.
"Do you know where I might find the Senora Doctor?"
Ascension looked nervously at his brother and replied, "She's still in New Mexico. She's staying at Maestro Osmond's, I think."
The older man nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Ascension. Now I believe you're waiting for your reward." Blair handed Augustin the envelope filled with cash, and watched the older brother anxiously glance through the bills, slip it in his shirt pocket then turned to leave.
Blair, the proper host, slipped by their side and walked with them to the entrance to the game room.
"You have completed your assignment admirably!" Blair complimented as he slipped by them and paused at the door. "I do have one more question though. The Yucatan expedition, didn't you both travel and assist Dr. Carter?"
Eagerly Ascension nodded his head in hopes by quickly answering Blair's questions it would hastened their departure to the airport.
"Well, that's certainly good to know!" Blair reaffirmed and heard the whoosh. Augustin's startled eyes grew wide, his fingers feebly grabbing the dart in his neck, slowly falling against the wall and sliding to the floor. Swiftly, Blair sprung forward and grabbed Ascension's throat in his hand, pinning him to the wall. The young boy frantically clawed at his throat, feeling the strong fingers pressing his larynx, shutting down his ability to breathe.
Softly, Blair leaned forward and kissed the young man's cheek and whispered in his ear. "Did you really think I would let you leave?"
~~~tbc~~~