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Dealing to a Stranger A romantic, eroctic, sci-fi thriller
d. She quickly flicked on the lights and picked up the envelope. It was a thick, pastel blue, pressed linen, this guy didn?t fuck around with the small stuff even. She looked at the front, just three dots, three dashes, and three more dots. She turned it over, nothing on the back, she opened it.
Kim Remember our agreement, don?t tell a soul for your own safety . I will come for you as soon as I possibly can . I am sorry I didn?t wake you,, You looked so peaceful smiling and sleeping . I don?t do tearful departures very well . I have had enough to last me a dozen lifetimes . Try and wear the amulet as much as you can , but keep it hidden . I am going to try and shut down everything , so we can go somewhere and just be us . I grow tired of looking over my shoulder all the time for the boogiemen to come for me . I love you Kimberly Collett , I will came back as soon as I can .
? - - - ?
P.S. Shred this letter and flush the remains .
It was a very, very hard thing to tear up the letter, she didn?t want to lose anything that reminded her of him, still she stood and watched as the pieces swirled down the toilet. She then sat down and used it, feeling guilty about pottying on him, not like the other hundreds of guests cared, but she did. She showered, soaping herself wishing her hands were his, she slid lower down her body, something was wrong! She looked down, washed off the soap, turned out of the spray and looked again. Her little inch wide strip of fuzz from her last bikini wax was gone. She was as bare as the day she was born, she rubbed her hand over her pubic mons, just smooth skin, not even a nub to be found. She had had her last wax over a two weeks ago. Kim remembered from the day before she had itched slightly which was a sign for her to pull out the razor. She rubbed a hand down her leg, again just silky, smooth skin. It had to be 3 or four days since the last time she shaved her legs, now nothing but her fingers and her skin slickened by the soft-water. She finished her hair and rinsed off, she dried herself in front of the full length mirror in the bedroom, she was as bald as a baby?s butt. She glanced at her face, her eyebrows where still there, but the little peach fuzz on her face was also missing. She was as hairless as Sam had been, even the light arm hair was gone. She smiled at herself wickedly, ?Sam you little devil, scratch that, Sam you big, humongous, hunk of devil you?. She twirled around again
She found her hairbrush in the blasted remains of her purse dumped out on the bed. She sat on the bed she had woken in, working the brush through her hair. She was happy, she was so happy she bubbled happiness, he hadn?t lied to her, she was the happiest she had ever been in her life. She needed the bathroom?s blow dryer. She picked up her panties, except for poor Sam?s blood, her panties were in as worse shape as the sheets were. She stuffed them in the bottom of her purse, scooped up everything but a few of things of make-up and dumped them back inside her purse. Slipped on her jeans, she put her bra and blouse back on. Picked up her watch, ?Shit?, it was late. Now she just had two choices, rush home to change or grab something to eat before her shift started, she was hungry.
She knocked her flats off the bed, trying to step into one as she tucked in her blouse. Two light knocks came to the door, she whirled, looking at the door, scared.
?Room Service,? came from the other side.
Kim went to the door, saw a waiter waiting outside holding a tray, through the peephole. She let him in, he said good afternoon to her and quickly walked over to a table and started uncovering dishes.
?Room Service was directed to delivery this now Ma?am.?
?Sam you wonderful devil you?, Kim went over to her purse, all she could find was a five and a ten. Well, Sam had dumped well over 3500 dollars in her tip jar, she turned and tipped the waiter 10 bucks, redistributing the casino?s lost profits further.
He took the bill from her, but was looking at the wrecked bed, ?Is everything OK Ma?am??
Kim smiled wickedly at the man, ?It?s his, not mine.?
The waiter quickly fled the room.
She giggled as she wolfed down the club sandwich and some of the French fries, sipped some tea, looking happily at the three chocolate covered strawberries. She wiped her hands, gripped the setting and sent a thank you to Sam, she released and then sent another, released and then another. She pushed the amulet against her chest, she felt two flashes, a pause and two more. She was still giggling as she walked into Sam?s Town Casino and up the employee?s locker rooms.
She tried hard to look serious as she entered the lady?s locker room. She tried to sneak over to her locker to change, but Missy saw her.
?Kim! Where have you been girlfriend, I?ve tried to call your place a dozen times. I was almost ready to call the police if you hadn?t of showed up. Are you all right??
Kim didn?t say anything as she started pulling on a fresh work shirt. Missy saw the necklace.
?What?s this! Did he give you that??
Kim took the amulet out of Missy?s hand and finished pulling on her shirt. A couple of other women were eavesdropping on the conversation.
?What did the bastard do too you? I knew it, if you don?t call the cops on the prick then I will!? Missy turned and went to her locker, picking up the notepad page she had written Sam?s info on. Missy muttered, ?Fucking Bastard!?
Kim was behind her quickly, snatching the note from her hand. She grabbed Missy?s arm and pulled her into the restroom area, away from listening, busybody ears. She looked under the stall doors as she dragged Missy into a far corner. At the entrance to the last stall, she pushed open the door, crumpled the note, threw it in the toilet, hitting the flush lever with her foot.
She looked down on Missy, ?Missy, you must never mention his name or even say that you have met him, to anybody. It?s not what you think Missy. You must not tell anybody that I spent a night with him. If the wrong people find him, they will kill him, if they find out I was with him, they might try and kill me also.?
?Oh My God Kim! What has he done??
?He hasn?t done anything Missy.?
?Then why are people trying to kill him.?
?I can?t tell you that Missy, if I tell you anything about last night, then they might try and kill you to find out what you know. I?m not kidding Missy. I?m serious, dead serious.?
?Is he some drug dealer, a spy, who is he, tell me, damn it!?
?He is the most amazing man I have ever met or will ever meet in my life, and he knows things that people will kill him or whoever he knows to find out.?
?You?re serious aren?t you Kim? You?re scared that I might say something to somebody, I can see it in your eyes. You?re not scared of him, you?re scared that somebody, the wrong somebody will find out you were with him for just one night.?
?Missy, even Wayne?s not safe, he was dealing to him during my break.?
?Good God Kim, who is he??
Kim sighed thoughtfully, ?He was incredible, wonderful, I still don?t believe what happened last night, he did things to me that are impossible, he changed me Missy.?
Missy looked her friend?s face, ?You?re not kidding are you??
Kim looked back at Missy?s now semi-smiling face, ?When he comes back you?re going to need a new dealer at my table Missy. I?m going to just walk away with him. I didn?t say IF Missy, I said WHEN. Even if I have to wait for him the rest of my life, WHEN he comes, I?ll leave with him then and there.?
?God damn it! Screw Bernie, I should have fought you for him, I?m little but I know how to scrap.?
Kim leaned over and kissed the top of Missy head, then gave her best friend a huge hug, lifting her off her feet. She sat Missy back down, ?For him, I would kill, even you Missy,? she turned and walked away from her best friend?s now shocked face.
CHAPTER 15
Friday the 4th of January
?Anything else from Mr. Wonderful yet,? Missy said quietly to Kim as she came back from her break?
Kim reached into her back pocket and pulled out his postcard, handing it to Missy. Missy looked at the postcard showing the Taj Mahal. ?My, he certainly does get around, where was that last one from,? she said as she flipped the card over, just three dots, three dashes and then three more dots, nothing else but a stamp postmarked in India.
?Tokyo.?
?Still think he?s got the hots for ya babe??
Kim clutched at the amulet under her knit shirt, ?Yes Missy,? she sighed.
A man and woman came up to Kim?s table, she became all casino?s business.
3 Days Later
Kim was in her townhouse sipping coffee, half reading the paper and half watching CNN. Somebody knocked on her door, she went to answer it. Looking out the window in the door, it was just some sales guy in a suit with a briefcase. She attached the safety chain and unlocked the door, ?No thanks, I gave at the office,? she started to close the door.
?Miss Kimberly Collett, Samuel Stranger sent me.?
She almost broke the chain trying to open the door, spilling coffee all over her hand, ?Wait! Wait just a second please,? she had to close the door to unlatch the chain. She yanked the door back open, ?Sam sent you??
?Yes Miss Collett, he requested that I handle the matter personally.? He handed Kim a card, Birch, Waller and Theurer, financial accountants out of New York, N.Y. ?My name?s Robert Theurer, I have some paperwork that requires your signature. May I come in??
?Please do Mr. Theurer, watch the coffee I just spilt on the floor. You have spoken to Sam lately??
?Just last week over the phone Miss Collett. I explained that the matter could have been handed through Express Mail or FedEx and your local bank, but Mr. Stranger was quite insistent that I handle the matter personally. It is very hard to argue with Mr. Stranger, especially when he offers you roundtrip airfare for my wife and myself, first class, plus a three day suite at a casino, Sam?s Town. Have your heard of the establishment??
Kim laughed, ?Yes Mr. Theurer, a very fine place, you will enjoy your stay there I am sure.?
?Excellent Miss Collett, seems he also insisted on providing expenses and a 15,000 dollar bonus to use at the casino. At least my wife is looking forward to spending not only his bonus but as much of my money as she can.?
?Where?s your wife Mr. Theurer, and please just call me Kim??
?She?s waiting in our rental outside, this matter shouldn?t take very long.?
?Please Mr. Theurer, invite her inside. It?s cold outside and I have a fresh pot of coffee.?
?Are you sure it?s no problem Miss Collett, I mean Kim.?
?No problem at all, I?ll clean up my mess and grab a couple of cups.?
Soon all three were chatting gaily around her kitchen table, Kim was telling them about the best games to try, the ones with the lowest house odds. Mr. Theurer didn?t seem all that interested in gambling, but Debbie was happy at getting to drag her husband away from the office and out for a few days of fun.
After a few more minutes Mr. Theurer decided to get down to business, he opened his briefcase. ?Mr. Stranger does make some eccentric requests, but he is my best client. I don?t mind at all bending for his requests no matter how strange.?
?I agree with you on that Robert, I doubt you have a stranger one as a client.?
Everybody got a chuckle at Sam?s expense.
?It really is just a simple formality of an oversea account setup and funds transfer.? He pulled some files from his briefcase, then pulled some forms out of the files. He laid the first one in front of her, handing her his pen. ?This is your confirmation for the overseas, numbered account, sign here.?
Kim signed the form, he picked it up, dated the form, pulled a notary stamp out and affixed his seal and signature to the form sliding it back into a folder. He handed Kim a pastel blue envelope, and made her sign a form that she had received the envelope unopened, ?Mr. Stranger has already set the account up, this is the numerical code to access that account along with the numerical password for the account. I would suggest that you memorize and then destroy the information. One does not want the account and password for this particular account to be laying about. At the very least get a safety deposit box and store the information there.?
He pulled another form out, ?This is for the first fund transfer for 50 million dollars, US currency. Please sign here,? he said to her pointing at line with a sticky note attached where it need to be signed.
Kim tried to make her hand move to sign the document, she looked up at Mr. Theurer, he smiled back at her, her body helped her crab her name half off the line. He took the form, gave her the pink copy after he notarized, signed and dated the form primly filing his copy away in another folder. He took another from the stack.
She was so proud she didn?t wet herself, the next one was for only a measly 43 million yen. She did almost pass out when she got to the 316 million Euros after signing a 30 million dollar, US, for a currency she never hear of. The 41 million rupees were easy, she had no idea what a rupee was in US currency, she wasn?t even sure where a rupee was from, but she had heard of them. He was nice enough to explain that the 57 million gold South African Krugerrands all depended on the current market value at time of deposit. Although he did say, that at his last check, a single coin was worth around 1837, give or take a few dollars, each, US currency of course.
Kim?s body went to pure autopilot then, she signed four more forms, she just safely tucked herself in a corner of her mind and watched in awe. After a few more pleasantries, they thanked her for the coffee and left. Her body waved at them through the door?s glass, they waved back and pulled away. It fainted along with her, at least her body had sense enough to leave her coffee mug on the table.
She woke up sitting on the bench in front of her locker with Missy shaking her shoulder, she had no idea how she got to work. She hoped she drove, she then thought ?Fuck It?, I?ll just buy all the cars in parking lot, maybe then buy the casino if they bitch at her for buying the customer?s cars. Shoot let?s go ahead and pick-up the Resort Casino and throw in the Hollywood Casino for fun.?
?He?., ? she said to Missy.
Missy looked at her, ?You talked to him??
?He???,? she said again.
?He dumped you!??
?He??,?
?He wants you to run away with him??
She looked imploringly at Missy, ?He,,,,,,,,?
?I got that part Kim, Heeeee????? I need a few more words here Kimberly or this is gonna take all night.?
Kim looked at the other women looking at her and Missy, she jerked upright and physically dragged Missy from the room out onto the balcony. She looked around and waited as two guests walked past going towards the buffet.
She told Missy, in a whisper, that he had just given her over a billion dollars, maybe more, a whole lot more, she wasn?t really sure how much more. If she had bothered to check current currency exchange rates, she would have found out that she wasn?t even close.
The ladies in the locker room clearly heard Missy scream ?WHAT!? And so did most of the customers on the floor below them, the rest just heard a scream over the clinking, tinkling, or music the hundreds of slots made. Three people in the buffet did drop their plates though.
?Ssshhh Missy!? Kim looked around, most of the people had gone back to what they had been doing. Some still stared at the two ladies, maybe expecting a girl fight, those were rare and always fun to watch.
?Sam did what!? It was loud, but at least it wasn?t a scream. A head poked out of the lady?s locker room looking at the two women.
Kim pulled Missy over to the doors for a conference room, the doors were locked. Kim grabbed the few keys hanging out of Missy?s jeans pocket. Pulled them up, also pulling the key cards attached to the key ring that was in her pocket. She found the yellow, main access card and slipped it in the electric lock, pushing the door open; she dragged Missy inside the large, empty room by her arm.
Kim rounded on Missy, even locked inside the empty conference room she still whispered, ?Goddammit Missy, you can?t tell anybody this, not even your husband! If I get even one sly reference from anybody, I?ll buy this damn place and fire you. And no matter wherever you go, I?ll buy that place and fire you from there also.
?Where the hell is he getting all that money from,? Missy said quietly seeing how strange Kim was acting even in this relatively safe place to talk?
?It?s not drug money or illegal,? she whispered back, ?he had a New York accountant fly here and do the paperwork. If it were illegal he would have never made such a bold move with drug money. He said he was going to shut down all his stuff, I guess he is selling stocks or companies and the such.?
?A billion is a lot of stocks Kim.?
?They were from all over the world Missy, 300 something million Euros, 40 something million yen, 50 something million krugger-somethings, a bunch of millions in rupees, I don?t even know where those come from, and a whole lot more!?
?It?s Krugerrands, they?re South African one ounce, gold coins. Rupees are India currency, yen are Japanese.?
Kim smiled for the first time, ?Why you?re just Little Miss Information.?
Both ladies chuckled at the pun.
Kim touched her arm, ?Wait! You said rupees are from India, yen are from Japan, I got a card from each of those places.?
?Oh My God Kim! He selling off everything he has, from all around the world. He is going to come back for you. Kim, he?s coming back for you, he?s damn good looking and apparently very rich, you lucky dog. Just warn me before he gets here,? she smiled evilly at her, ?I?ll kidnap you, grab him and rock his world.?
?Yeah Missy, I thought the very same thing myself at one time. He just played with me like a cat with a toy, he didn?t even scratch, and he blew my mind. He shook me down to my toes, and not just once.? Missy saw Kim?s eyes come back from her daydream, they grabbed hers again, ?No one Missy, not a living soul, don?t even go into a graveyard and whisper to a dead one, You never met a Samuel Stranger that you can remember, Kimberly Collett got sick and had to leave on Halloween, do it for your own sake Missy, for Bernie and your kids. Can you get into the computer system and delete out his account for me Missy??
?I?ll try, if I can?t Trayce in accounting owes me a favor or 2,? Missy thought for a moment, ?I?ll tell her he died. I?ll get her to do it.?
Kim looked at her watch, ?Shit I?m late for my shift, I gotta go Missy.? Kim rushed out of the room hustling to her table.
Missy followed her out of the room wondering why she even cared about her shift. ?Shit?, buy the damn place and hire someone else to work it for her. ?The lucky dog!? She reached down the front of her shirt and pulled out the necklace her husband had given her for Christmas just a couple of weeks ago. It had a gold Krugerrand for the setting, he had warned her to be careful with it, it had cost well over 1800 dollars, and that was just for the coin. She did the math, ?God Damn?, that had to be around 10 billion just in Krugerrands, ?The Lucky Dog?. She?d wait till their shifts stopped before telling Kim that little nugget. She almost tripped getting on the escalator going down and screamed again, when the little accountant in her head said she had made an error, it wasn?t 10, but 100 billion. Oh, and that was on the extreme low side for the value of the coin, US currency of course. Missy gripped the handrails hard to keep herself from falling down the escalator, ?THE LUCKY DOG!?.
Missy tried Samuel O. Stranger this time, same results. Next she just typed Samuel Stranger, again she got back the same results. She next tried just S. O. Stranger, nothing again. She knew he was in the system, she had entered the data herself, she had given him the Sam?s Town Player?s Card. She went to the 31st of October and pulled up all the issued cards for that day, she looked down the list, no Stranger was listed having gotten a card for that day. She looked at the alphabetical list of names, wrote the number down for the lowest one on the list, then found and wrote down the highest number she could find. She did a search for all numbers issued that date from the lowest number to the highest number she had written down. There were about 120 or so entries. She followed the numbers down, paged to the next page. ?There?, the numbers skipped one forward. She wrote down what the number should be in the system, went to the access page and typed the number in. The number had not been activated, comp points zero. She shook her head, she had entered his data and comped him for a thousand dollars worth of play. He should have at least $75 dollars in casino comps. She waved and motioned to Denny the next pit boss that she was taking a five minute break, he nodded back and moved between the two pit stands so he could handle both stations. Missy grabbed the two notes she had made and cleared her computer screen, now she was growing scared.
She took her notes to accounting and found Trayce.
?Hey Tray. Got a moment??
?Sure Missy, what can I do ya for,? Trayce said?
?It?s no real problem, but a friend of mine?s husband died, She said she was getting flyers from here, it sort of reminded her about him, makes her sad. She asked me if I could do something to get us to stop sending them.?
?Sorry to hear about your friend Missy, sure I can stop them and close the account. What was his name??
?Sam Stranger.?
Trayce typed some on her machine, then typed some more. ?Do you know his full name Missy??
Missy acted like she was thinking back, ?Yeah, I think it was Samuel Oscar Stranger, something that starting with an O.? She walked around so she could watched over Trayce?s shoulder.
Trayce tried that, ?Nope Missy, could he have used a different name? If he did that, I?ll have to know the name he used. Do you know his address??
?Not off the top of my head Trayce,? she lied truthfully, she only remembered Baltimore, Maryland. But, I issued the card to him myself, I remember entering the data into the system. Wait, try this number.? Missy pulled out her notes, telling Trayce the number she had written down.
Trayce entered the number on her system, she typed some more, ?Wow, that?s really weird, never seen it do that before.?
?What,? Missy asked?
?The number shows never to have been issued, but the system skipped it for some reason. It?s programmed to issue the next number in sequential order, must be a glitch. I see numbers issued before and after, but not that number.? Trayce wrote the non-issued number on a note. ?Sorry Missy, if you could get the address, I could search that way,? she cleared her screen and pulled up the generic search screen. ?Is the address local??
Missy thought Ole Sam is covering his tracks pretty good, it scared her more, he was really serious about not existing. She reached down and took the Post It note Trayce had written the number down on, ?Oh well I tried. I?ll get the address and come back. Thanks Trayce,? she fled Trayce?s office with the non-treasure. She stopped only long enough to take a bathroom break before going back to her station. She made sure the three notes also disappeared along with the strange Mr. Stranger. She had a few more gold nuggets to share with Kim when they both got off tonight. Now she was fighting on Kim?s side.
CHAPTER 16
Missy sipped some more white wine, ?Kim, are you sure about this guy??
Kim sipped at her glass as the two sat around her table at home, she looked down at the stack of pink copies and the notes they had just made on them after searching the net. She looked at the total again shaking her head. She looked at the envelope she had left unopened, just lying on her table while she had been at work, she kicked herself mentally. They had both just came from her computer after doing a currency search on the net, then filled their wine glasses for the third time. She kicked herself again, for leaving over 150 billion dollars just ?laying about?.
?Kim??
?Sorry Missy, I was just thinking about something.?
?The strange Mr. Stranger, shit, I?d think about a man if he just gave me five thousand dollars. But over 150 billion? What in the living hell are you going to do with 150 billion dollars Kim?? Missy mused, ?Guess you could buy a small country or two. Kimmieland, make yourself the queen, if you build a casino, I get to run it.?
Kim picked up the envelope, something moved inside, she looked at the front, just ? - - - ? and nothing else, just like the postcards she got from him. She opened the envelope, pulling out a pastel blue, sheet of paper, three plastic cards fell out of the folded sheet of paper. Kim read the letter as Missy picked up the cards.
Kim Mr. Theurer is a very nice person , don?t you agree? Hope you didn?t have a stroke after his visit. I am moving as fast as I can to get back to you. Some of the things I have to do are very complicated and have to be done just right. When I come back , both of us will just walk away , together. I miss you as much as I know you miss me. Wherever I am , I know when you go to sleep , you hold me. I hope you noticed when I sleep , I hold you.
Back to business remember these numbers , they are the account?s and the password access? numbers :
5462375956836626 62656836546
Don?t freak out , they are simplicity personified. Just pick up a phone and look at the numbers for:
KimberlyLovesSam
SamLovesKim
Please don?t write that in your notebook and destroy this letter when you are done reading it .
I also sent you a late Christmas present . The three credit cards all have 3 million dollars prepaid balance , each. When we leave together , they will stay behind and the money will end up eventually going to the card?s company.. Have fun , spread the wealth , make people as happy with them as you have made me with you. I love you and will come for you as soon as I can.
?--- ?
Kim sighed.
?Well, aren?t you going to tell me what he said,? Missy asked?
Kim looked at the letter again, she carefully folded along the part about the account numbers and the coded access for them. She tore it from the letter and passed the two pieces to Missy.
?I need a potty break Missy, I think I?ll have another glass of wine, you??
Missy set down the credit cards and picked up the two parts of the letter, ?Will I need one Kim??
?Yeah,? she drained hers, ?cause I sure as hell need one after that.? She left the table to go flush the part of the letter she still held in her hand. She?d do the other two pieces as soon as Missy finished reading them.
Kim came back.
Missy said, ?Good Buddy Kim, could I borrow just a few bucks to pay off my Christmas, say a mil or two??
Both women laughed as Kim filled the two empty glasses, ?Sure ya don?t want more Missy, say a bil or two?? They both roared with laughter. Kim said around snickers, ?Good Buddy Missy, isn?t your birthday next week??
8 Days Later
The Birthday Bunny struck for the first, but not the last time. Kim ignored the beeping from her purse as Missy tried to call her for the umpteenth time today, another message went into the phone?s filling mailbox. She waited, sitting on a bench outside the front doors of Sam?s Town. The waiting was the hardest part, she could hardly sit still. She had even asked a passing couple if they had a cigarette, choking on it as the man offered her one and then lit it for her. She had felt lightheaded, so she stomped it out after the couple had walked inside, she?d never smoked before. She was happy that her presents had been delivered on time, just like they happily had promised her. She saw Missy?s car pull into the employee lot, right on time for their planned birthday lunch.
She watched as Missy almost ran to her. Kim rose as she neared her, Missy almost knocked the both of them over the bench as she jumped at Kim giving her a big hug. Missy kissed her cheek.
?Thanks Kimberly, God Bless You. Bernie almost had a moose when they dropped off the new tractor early this morning, we both almost shit ourselves when the bank guy came and said the mortgage was paid in full.? She hugged and kissed Kim?s cheek again, ?I don?t know how to thank you.?
?I do Missy,? Kim looked around seriously, ?But, I have to ask you something very important first Missy.?
?Anything Kim, what?s a matter,? now Missy also looked around even though she had no idea what she was looking for?
?Come on,? she grabbed Missy?s hand and pulled her away from the building, still looking around conspiratorially. She led Missy out into the parking lot, glancing around. They stopped out in the back part, in front of some cars, Kim leaned over and whispered quietly in Missy?s ear, ?So do you want the red one or the black one? Hope Bernie likes black that?s all they had in stock.?
Missy started to ask her what the hell she was talking about when she noticed the three new vehicles with the car lot?s stickers still plastered on the windows. A red 420 SLE Mercedes convertible, its? Buddy, a black one, and a black, Mercedes, king cab, pick-up truck.
?Tell Bernie that he is either going to have to rough it with a short bed or take his back and wait on a special order for the full sized bed. Either way, they?re all paid for, take your pick Missy.?
Missy just gawked at Kim?s smiling face.
?Well, cat got your tongue, they?re both the same except for the color, which one Miss Believing??
?This is just too much Kim,? she finally said to Kim.
?OK Missy, guess I?ll just roll down the windows and leave the keys in the ignition and try to make some car thief happy.?
?Black!?
?See,? she admonished Missy, ?that wasn?t so hard now, was it?? She reached in a pocket and pulled out three big remotes. She looked at one of the devices, pushed a button, the truck flashed its lights and tooted its horn. She pushed the remote device again, the truck told the both of them it was now locked. She grabbed Missy?s hand and dropped the remote in her palm. ?Tell Bernie not to bitch if you get something on his birthday also.? Kim tried another remote. ?Should have asked them to label the dang things,? she said when the red car?s lights and horn went off, she relocked the car. ?That one?s mine, always wanted a little red, 50,000 dollar convertible,? she slipped the remote in her jeans? pocket. ?I knew you would pick the black one,? she pushed the unlock button, then a bigger button. The remote flipped up a flat little bar with a sinuous groove carved down its? length.
?Care to go for a test drive Madam,? she snickered handing the still stunned Missy the remote. ?That?s what the guy said to me when I went on the lot, sum bitch almost had a cow when I picked and then paid for all three with a credit card.?
The wind was cold, the heater was on full blast, the radio/CD, Blaupunk, surround sound system blared loudly and they had the top down, as they flew low, down a country road doing 90. Kim let her go a couple more minutes and about 4 more miles, she lowered the volume. ?Missy dammit I?m freezing my boobs off, if you kill me, you better hope you die also or Sam will kill you for trashing his girlfriend. Slow down, pull over and put the damn top up before my boobs break off!?
Missy did, laughing happily.
They waited for the power roof to unfold and close, ?The dealership guy said you can open the top and close it at 50, but he said you should really try to slow to around 40.? She popped open the glovebox and pulled out a stack of paperwork. ?Here?s the title, the insurance is good for a year on both, here is the car?s manual, hmmm wonder what this is,? she said holding a thick envelope? Kim opened the envelope and dumped it in Missy?s lap. A thick bundle wrapped in a rubber band and two bank books fell out.
Kim picked up the two bank books, ?These are college funds for your kids Charlotte and Melvin, should get them through Harvard with money left over.? Kim dropped them back in Missy?s lap and picked up the bundle, ?I was going to just wire transfer this into your account, but I ended up getting these after I talked to a banker. One hundred $5000 dollar cashier?s checks, watch?em their blank. They are also untraceable if you cash them correctly, if you take your time the IRS will never know you have them unless they do an intense audit of all the different bank?s records. I got them from 18 different banks. Happy Birthday Missy.?
?Kim?,? Missy shook her head. ?How can I, we even try to make this up to you, I am overwhelmed.?
?Just think of it as buying your silence for Sam,?
?I would?ve done that for free, since you met Mr. Wonderful, your different. You were a pretty wonderful friend since the 1st grade, now you different. You?ve changed so much more since you met that guy. You are a brand new Kimberly, if there is anything, give you one of the kids, heck even Bernie when he pisses me off, anything I have is yours.?
Kim smiled at her best friend for well over 20 years, ?Nah Missy, keep the husband, I?m pretty sure I?m getting one myself, as for the kids, they would be crying all the time about missing their wonderful Mommy. But, there is one tiny, little thing you could help me with.?
?Just name it Kim.?
On their way back to work, at a leisurely pace, well under the speed of sound now, she did.
Tuesday the 5th of February (22 Days Later)
Kim was so happy, the amulet had flashed that morning the brightest it had for awhile, he was closer. And that was the day the Birthday Bunny first started showering the employees of Sam?s Town with its? gifts. Every employee, regardless of their job at the casino, born from the first of January till the 5th of February received a new car or truck. Two full and one almost full car hauling tractor-trailers pulled into Sam?s Town?s parking lot and started delivering brand new, fully paid for cars and trucks. Any employee not wishing to keep their older cars were paid well or had their loans paid off. The old cars were donated to needy families. A few people even tried to find out from the dealerships who the person was that had given them the gifts, so they could thank that person. The dealerships knew better than to tell anybody, speak out and your dealership wouldn?t get another order from the Birthday Bunny.
They didn?t, and had a very good year in sales, a very, very good year. They were very happy and the local charities were also happy that they could give so many needy families good used cars. All the gift cars were happily fixed, or fixed and painted and brought into as good of working order that the dealership?s mechanics could provide, it was going to be a very happy year for a lot of people.
The Birthday Bunny and her Helper Elf just acted surprised each time someone told them about their new car.
CHAPTER 17
Tuesday the 4th of June
This card was from Istanbul, Turkey. She had already called FedEx and arranged for the pick-up telling them the letter would be under her door mat and could the courier drop-off about 6 more airbills and overnight letters. She already figured Sam waited till he was leaving a place before sending the postcards. The card was from half a world away, but this morning?s flashes were the brightest ones so far, he was close, very close.
Kim took her lunch break with Missy, they took a far table in the employee?s cafeteria where they could talk without being overheard.
?If I were you Kim, I?d make him take you to all these places when you guys take off.?
?Just might do that Missy. I called his accountant yesterday and asked him some stuff. He said that it was OK to destroy the copies he gave me. That I should wait a few days call the bank to ensure the deposits were cleared, he did that himself to insure the deposits went through with no problems, after that the records were superfluous. Had to look that word up, means redundant, not needed. It scares me to have records of all those transfers around the place. He said Sam asked him to destroy his copies after ensuring the transfers went through properly. He told me to go ahead and do the same. I took everything out into the parking lot and burned it. I sort of dropped a hint about the funds seeming strange. He said that he had seen a lot of documents about companies being sold and the word out on the street was that Mr. Stranger is planning on an early retirement.?
?If you don?t mind me asking, what are you guys up to now??
?I quit trying to do the exchange rates last month, counting today?s, I?d guess well over 160 maybe 165.?
?How in the hell can you just be so casual over having 160 billion dollars. They would have to have 3 or 4 people with ropes tied to me just to keep my feet on the ground.?
?I look at it a different way, all I?ll have to do is spend 19,020 dollars and 20 cents every second, of every day, for just a year and I could spend it all. I would Missy, every penny just to have him in my arms again. That old saying about distance making the heart grow fonder is just so much total bullshit, I yearn for him Missy. I know he is close, I know he is afraid to even contact me till he is ready to run away with me, and I know I have to wait till that day. But dammit, it isn?t easy. I don?t want the money, I want Sam. I don?t care if we live under a bridge, in a box, just as long as it?s WE.?
Missy smiled around a forkful of her salad, ?Well, just give me the money when he gets here. I?ll have the limo driver stop every once in awhile and sprinkle a few dollars or coins over the side of the bridge, might even spring for a new box for you guys every few years.?
?Gee thanks Good Buddy Missy, I knew I could count on your sympathy and support.?
?No problem Mrs. Daddy Warbucks, hey wasn?t that the one Little Orphan Annie was in? How?s about you guys adopting a little, 32 year old girl, we could have one hell of a shopping spree for a year, take turns with studmuffin.?
Kim threw her napkin at Missy.
Wednesday the 3rd of July (29 days later)
The Ford Dealership happily dropped her off at her townhouse after she had given them her old car. She hoped nobody at work would wonder why the Birthday Bunny gave her a Mercedes and not being a staff member, all staff got Mercedes. At least she could drive her new car openly to work now. There was a flower delivery van in front of her door. She hurried to the delivery man, ?Where you looking for Kim Collett??
?Yes Ma?am, I left the flowers on your doorstep,? he climbed in his FTD van and drove off as she went to her door. A huge vase filled to overflowing with long stemmed, red roses and one, single, yellow one topping the middle of the arrangement. A big, silver balloon, shaped like a star, floated above the vase proclaiming to her to have ?A Happy Birthday?. She found the card, all it said was ?soon? and the coded dots and dashes.
She re-filled the vase and added the powder to keep the flowers fresher longer. She waited on Missy, Bernie and their kids. Missy had taken the day off, and it was Kim?s regular day off, Missy had promised her a wonderful birthday, it was going to be very hard topping the simple 4 lettered word printed on the flower?s card, ?SOON?.
Between getting sloppy birthday kisses from the twins and answering their questions if she really was as old as dirt like their mommy told them, she told the two parents about the vase of flowers and the card. Bernie seemed to just know that she had met a very nice man, that traveled a lot and was very, very, very rich. Kim handed up the card to Missy after having to show it to the kids. Missy showed Bernie.
?Why?d he put a distress signal on the card Kim??
Melvin had distracted her with a question of what it was like without there being dirt around.
?Sorry Bernie, what did you say??
Bernie held up the card, ?The dots and dashes, they?re old Morse code for S O S, used to be old naval code for Ship On Shoals. Now, it?s a universal code for distress. I used to work on the river, on a barge tug. We always kept our radio tuned to the emergency channel. If they could still talk they called for a Mayday, if they couldn?t they tried to transmit an S O S to call for help.?
Missy quickly cut in, ?Must be Steve?s initials, Steve Sampson. His middle one must be an O, right Kim??
Kim saw Missy?s wink, it was lost on the two five year olds, and Bernie was driving. ?Yeah, that must be it Bernie, his middle name is Osborn.?
?Creepy, but make sure and thank him again for all the wonderful gifts. Next time he?s in town I want to meet this Mr. Perfect.?
?Maybe you can take some notes from him on being a gentleman,? Missy huffed trying to derail the conversation.
?Sorry, no can do Babe, I?m Cajon, we don?t have that word in our dictionary.?
?Boy don?t I know that,? Missy noogied him in the arm, ?all you have is two words as far as I can figure out, sex and food.?
Bernie laughed loudly, ?You mean there are more words than two?? The twins had no idea what was going on, but Daddy, Mommy and ?Auntie Kim? laughed, they did too, joining the group. It was a happy birthday for everyone.
CHAPTER 18
Monday the 12th of August
Kim stopped at a pay phone with a roll of quarters, she called Mr. Theurer. They said a few pleasantries and then she asked, ?Mr. Theurer, I didn?t receive your monthly letter last week, is everything alright??
?Yes Miss Collett, I guess I should have notified you, I thought Mr. Stranger would have by now, I just saw him a few days ago. He talked quit highly about you. He gave me a substantial bonus and said he just had a few more loose ends to tie up and he was retiring for good. He thanked me for my services and then made sure that all my records were destroyed.?
?Isn?t that unusual Mr. Theurer??
?Why not at all Miss Collett, it happens quit regularly with clients that no longer wish to be bother with the hassle of managing expansive portfolios. They just shut everything down, lump it all together, even at a very modest interest rate you are looking at many hundreds of millions per year in interest. The same thing happened with another couple of my clients just a few months ago. Very nice couple, both doctors, quite a striking couple, they did more or less the very same thing Mr. Stranger did. And, it can also be a safety precaution, knowledge of the sum we have dealt with is very tempting to the wrong sort of people Miss Collett. Care should be exercised less this knowledge become known.?
?Well, I am sorry I bothered you Mr. Theurer, you have more than answered my questions. It has been a pleasure working with you, I hope we meet again.?
?I do too Miss Collett, and please accept mine and my wife?s congratulations on your impended marriage to Mr. Stranger. And please pass on my sincerest gratitude for the bonus he gave me, it was very large, I did not look at it till after he had left my office, I think Debra is out shopping for more fur coats, why she needs another is quit beyond me, after all you can only wear one at a time. But he has certainly made her quite happy, and if she is happy, then I am happy also.?
?Sam?s pretty good at making people happy. I?ll make sure and pass that on to him next time I see him, again thank you Sir.?
CHAPTER 19
Thursday the 5th of September
Last month?s had been New York City then San Francisco , this postcard was from Seattle.
Friday the 6th of September, 1 day later
Kim sat in front of her computer checking her e-mails. She answered the few from her friends, deleting the junk. The waiting was wearing her down, this morning?s amulet check had been very bright, he was just right here, and had been so for over a month. So close, yet so far. She tabbed into the search field and punched in S O S. The Google search engine said there were 3,391,226 entries, she thought that should give her a hobby while she waited. She cleared the search and entered Samuel Oscar Stranger as a fluke, wishing she could find him. The Google page quickly came back with 6 entries, she started to delete the search and go for her daily run. The first small entry note caught her eye, it said something about Space Operations Services, chairman of the board Samue before cutting off.
Kim quickly clicked on the link.
A smiling Sam stared out of her computer. The page said he was the Chairman of the Board for Space Operations Services. The page said very little about Sam. It said quite a bit about the company having 6 locations in the US and many overseas locations. Russia, India, Pakistan, Turkey, France, Great Briton, Germany, Ecuador, Japan and soon another location in China, Kim had postcards from every one of the locations stuck to her refrigerator with magnets. Space Operations Services dealt mostly with telecommunications and secure data transmission systems, it also boasted that new and exciting systems were under development that would revolutionize the current systems now in use. Sam had told her he was a communications engineer. The home office was located in Baltimore Maryland. It had a contact button for further inquiries. Kim moused to the contact page, it listed the addresses of all the locations, e-mail contacts and phone numbers. She looked at the home office in Baltimore, reached over, picked up her phone and dialed the number listed.
?Space Operation Services how may I direct your call??
?Mr. Samuel Stranger,? Kim said.
?One moment please.?
Elton John played ?Rocket Man? softly in her ear, as her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
Space Operations Services, Mr. Stranger?s office, may I help you??
?I am friend of Sam?s, I was just wondering if he was in??
?May I ask who?s calling.?
?Kimberly Collett in Tunica, Mississippi.?
?This is Tilly Levin, Mz. Collett, Mr. Stranger?s personal secretary. I?m afraid that Mr. Stranger is out of the office today Mz. Collett. May I take a message and have him contact you as soon as possible??
?Do you know when he might be returning Mz. Levin??
?He has been very busy lately, but he always promptly returns my e-mails, would you like for me to leave a message for him to contact you??
?No, I should be seeing him soon anyway, thank you Mz. Levin.?
?It really is no problem Mz. Collett, are you sure you wouldn?t like for me to leave him a message??
?No thank you Mz. Levin, I?ll wait till I see him, goodbye.? Kim hung up.
And Mz. Levin didn?t send a message to Mr. Stranger. Although she did make a noted entry of Kim?s call in her ledger.
52.6 miles away from S.O.S.?s main offices
?Did you have time to trace the number??
The other agent hit the print button and Kim?s data started spitting out of the machine.
?Best lead we?ve had on this guy. I want to know her panties? size, where she buys them and what she had for breakfast everyday for the last six months by the time I get back. I?m walking this up personally to the Boss.
Agent Utesch, related the overheard conversation to Section Chief Sowell explaining that he would have the printed transcript of the conversation on Chief Sowell?s desk within the hour along with a complete dossier on Mz. Kimberly Collett of Tunica, Mississippi. Section Chief Sowell called his Boss and explained to him. He listened to the instructions, said Yes Sir, right away Sir and replaced the receiver. ?I want a full ten man team, round the clock, put a tap on everything, she better not be able to pee unless we?re close enough to wipe, a squad of S.W.A.T. two snipers and a Blackhawk on 24 hour standby. Where the hell is Tunica, Mississippi??
?Just a few miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, Sir.?
?Drop whatever you are doing, get the briefs on her and on my desk ASAP! I think we can finally grab one of the bastards.?
?Yes Sir.?
?I wanted those other agents in Memphis yesterday, move it!?
Agent Utesch did.
2 hours 12 minutes later
Kim was flying down Highway 61 with the top down heading for work. She wondered if she did the right thing by trying to call Sam at his office.
568.1 miles away, as the crow flies
The C-135 turbo prop loaded with 22 heavily armed men took off, flying towards Memphis, Tennessee. They would be briefed on the operation, by an agent, when they arrived in Memphis.
2 hours and 44 minutes later
Kim was talking to Missy and telling her what she found out about Sam on the internet. Both sort of sighed inwards, now really knowing the all that money wasn?t tainted, but earned honestly by hard work and a very, very sharp, if alien mind. They both were pretty happy and made plans to have lunch together around 9:30 PM.
13.8 miles away, as the crow flies
The local Memphis office of the FBI was not happy having to give the NSA agents, but not being told why, 4 of their surveillance cars and two of their vans camouflaged with local company logos. They couldn?t really beef when they were told to assist with 15 more of their agents and have them on 24 hour on-call for back-up. After all, the Chief of the Department of Justice had made the request, and he was their Boss. The small, deadly army started moving towards Kim.
CHAPTER 20
Wednesday the 9th of October
Kim was giving the prepaid credit cards to Missy along with the confirmation codes for large purchases as they walked back from their lunch break. The cards where generic and were made out to a corporation call Starbright Inc. She finished by telling Missy the approximate balances left on each card as they approached the gaming area. She had woke up that morning, her daily amulet check had been the brightest she had ever seen, soon, very soon. She didn?t want the Birthday Bunny and Helper Elf to let down the few employees that hadn?t received their birthday presents. The employee parking lot looked like a huge, new car, parking lot. Some of the last employees dropped hints to everybody about what kind of car they wished they had. It had made such a difference around the casino. Everybody treated everybody with kindness that bordered on sugary sweetness. Nobody wanted to piss off the Birthday Bunny before they got their new car. Nobody but Birthday Bunny and Helper Elf knew who they really were. It didn?t matter if you were one of the trash guys, who all got Mercedes. Or the casino?s general manger, who also got a new 850 4 door Mercedes coup, or a customer, you got the super duper, royal treatment at Sam?s Town Casino. And besides, there is always next year to look forward too.
8 feet away
Agent D.J. Ivy tried to see what the women passed to each other, but an older lady had walked between them and him, he just couldn?t go up and use his sap on her. And, the remote listening device disguised as an eye glass holder, in his front pocket, didn?t work worth a damn in the casino with all the machines and the electronic noise from the machines. One of the agents had learned the hard way about carry in a weapon on the first day, the casino had embedded metal detectors in all the entrances for customer security. Two security guards had cornered the agent, he had gotten out of the mess by showing his fake FBI ID and saying he was off-duty and he was sorry for bringing in the handgun, he would return it to the trunk of his car. He now had to sit in the monitoring car in the lot, so as to not draw attention to himself on the facial recognition systems the casino overhead monitors used. At least the two RVs had arrived and the snipers and Special Weapons And Tactical team had two clear lines of fire covering the guest and employee parking lots. Everybody settled in for a nice long surveillance. The room was good, the food buffets were good and he got to gamble free. The agency gave him money to gamble with, they didn?t say he couldn?t keep the winnings he won. As long as he reported the losses and turned in the proper amount of the distributed allotment each day, he just pocketed his winnings if he had any left over. He figured he was about 850 ahead and was beginning to like playing three card stud. As a plus, the lady he watched was pretty and very easy on the eye, and she had a nice smile and a quick, witty humor. Though at some times she did seemed sort of sad. Of course that didn?t matter much to him, if ordered to do so he would kill her before her body could hit the floor. And his embedded earpiece, disguised as a hearing aide, worked just fine inside the casino.
8 minutes later, 3 feet away
?Back for more abuse tonight Dave,? Kim asked?
?I feel lucky tonight Kim, deal me some good hands this time, please.?
?Don?t I always Dave,? Kim said back to him? The waitress asked him if he wanted a drink as she passed the table, he just order his usual to her, a coke with a lime twist. Kim started to deal as he placed his bet, he always just played the minimum ante and play bets and he must be a total teetotaler, she had never heard him order anything stronger than a coke. He was cute, but he wasn?t even close to a Sam. She had seen the tattoo a couple of times on his arm, ?Dave, what?s the tat your wearing?? It looked like a curved snake with a knife sticking through it, surrounded by a sort of heart or shield shaped banner. The banner had something written on it, but she couldn?t make out what was printed there.
?Just something I got when I was younger and in the Army, Kim. Been meaning to have it removed. If I win enough money, I can afford to have it lazed off.? He really should get the Special Forces tattoo removed or start wearing long sleeved shirts, he won 20 dollars on the first hand, maybe he would really use his winnings to have it lasered off. He settled in for a nice shift, chatting with her. He just hoped he wasn?t the one that would be assigned to kill her when the time came.
Monday the 14th of October, 5 days later
Kim was not in a very happy mood since she woke up and checked her amulet that morning. It had been almost unseen in her bedroom?s filtered light. She went into the bathroom, closed the door and turned out all the lights, still the glow was very small, about the smallest she had ever seen. He was either all the way on the other side of the Earth or on the moon. Still, there was the two small flashes. She had grabbed the amulet about 5 or 6 times, his pulses of heat hadn?t come back. Sometimes they didn?t, but at least 99% of the time she got a response from him. She would try later. He had been so close just a day ago, bright flashes, now almost nothing, she was still happy for the two flashes, but she was grumpy because they were so dim, he had too be as far from her as he could get.
She decided to run off her anxiety, she pottied and then pulled off her nightie in her bedroom searching for some clean running togs.
584 meters away and watching her on closed circuit TV
?Damn nice piece of meat there Frank, if they let me do her, I might take her for a ride first. Very good looking, I like the way she shaves her pussy, bald as a baby?s ass.?
Frank really didn?t like Agent Allen Dupree, still he watched the monitor as she undressed and then started dressing for her morning?s run. ?What was that in the bathroom Allen,? he said trying to stop Allen from leering at the woman?
?Whadda ya see,? not taking his eyes off the monitor till she had pulled down her running bra, top and up her spandex shorts. ?I didn?t see nothing but dark.?
?Nothing I guess Allen, thought I saw a couple of red flashes, first time she ever used the bathroom with the lights off.?
?Our loss, but I have made copies of all the other times, let me know and I?ll burn you some, mighty fine hunk of still warm, dead meat. Let Tony know she is going to go for her jog.?
Frank did as he was instructed to by the Senior Agent on Site.
Friday the 25th of October, 11 days later
Kim had almost tried calling Sam?s office again, but she knew he wasn?t there. The amulet?s flashes were still really weak, it was like he was as far from her as he could be. Sam hadn?t sent her any pulses for over 2 weeks, or he was so far that her amulet barely responded to his, she tried to tell herself. She knew in her heart that wasn?t right, she had felt him when he was in Russia and Japan and in India. She hugged herself in one of the restroom stalls, wiping at a small tear before deciding to go back down a little early. She came out of the employee lounge, thought she saw Dave at one of the buffet tables. Kim started to wave, but he seemed to not see her and turned away. She had seen a lot of him lately, one time he had sort of half-heartily tried to ask her out on a date. She had politely fended him off by saying it was against casino policy to date customers. But, if he wanted to get a job here, it was OK for employees to date. He had told her he already had a job. He hadn?t tried to hit on her since. Not that it mattered, Sam had promised her ?soon?, and Sam had always keep his promises. She just wished soon were sooner.
13 minutes later
Kim saw him coming, she still smiled at him, but the guy gave her the creeps. She had already told Missy about him twice coming on to her. He didn?t seem to want to take no for an answer. She even told him that she had a fiancée, he had responded by asking to see her ring. She had almost flipped out the amulet to wave in his face, but she had resisted the urge to do that. Now, whenever Missy saw the guy at her table, Missy sort of made it obvious that she was listening. And Missy really didn?t need a reason to bounce someone out and ban them from Sam?s Town. He was a lousy dresser or must come here straight from his job, he sometimes wore a casual shirt, but the same brown or black wingtips and his polyester pants gave him away as a loser. And he almost always did lose as he sat across from her leering at her constantly. He must be going for the Al Pacchino ?Tony Montana? look tonight. Big collared, fake silk shirt, half-buttoned. She put on her best Sam?s Town face and welcomed him to her table. She did notice after about 45 minutes of play, when he took a free beer from the waitress he never tipped, that he had a tattoo on his right chest, just like the one her other regular Dave had.
3 feet away
?Yeah baby you are hot?, Agent Allen Dupree thought. He had already made sure that he was going to be one of the escort agents when they snatched her and her commie, government secret passing boyfriend. At least that was the reason he had been told was for the stakeout. He just might find a nice dark place on the plane ride back and do her, maybe in front of her commie boyfriend. He had only been told that it was permissible to terminate the two, with extreme prejudice, if they attempted to escape before or after capture. But to do all possible to capture the both of them alive, no orders had been issued about what conditions they needed to be in, just alive. He was going to make sure she got his private interrogation on the plane ride back to Washington, the whole damn flight if possible, and he was lead agent, his word was law. And he knew to try and keep the snatch hush-hush. Once these two were in the bag, they were never going to see the daylight again. That was of course unless the sun was up when they took a round to the back of the head and a deep plunge, weighted, to the bottom of the ocean. He wondered if he could weasel onto the boat and interrogate her some more before capping her. He would make sure the boyfriend stayed alive just long enough to watch him fuck his fiancée. Maybe even take her up the ass too and then fuck her again before killing her, then putting a bullet between his goofy eyes. He wondered what it would feel like to be cumming inside her when he put a bullet in her brain. It made him hard just thinking about doing it to her.
CHAPTER 21
Tuesday the 29th of October
Sam was right in front her. His eyes glowing a bright blue, his smile filling her heart with happiness. She reached out her arms to him and he came into them. She could feel the warm pulses of his heart beating with hers as they embraced and kissed. He slowly entered her, she moaned with delight, he seemed to have a billion hands, all rubbing, caressing, fondling. She flared in heat as his tempo slowly increased. His heart beats pulsed against hers, she squirmed in ecstasy under him as he moved quicker. His heart beat pulsed, she came as she woke up in her bed alone, in the early morning light. She pulled soaked fingers and a wet hand from between her legs as the amulet around her neck pulsed twice again. Kim wiped her wet hand on her pulled up nightie, grabbed the amulet and sent him back a response. His came back with three quick twin pulses, she sighed and leaned back holding the amulet in her hand, she didn?t feel the three, longer twin pulses a pause and three, quick twin pulses, after she had dropped the amulet on the top of her wet nightie. She thought she felt the amulet pulse at her when she showered her morning pleasure off before going out to put on her new running bodyglove. She had bought the full bodysuit when the weather started to cool some. All this missing Sam and pent up sexual energy had to be taken out somehow. That had been the third wet dream she had about Sam this month. But, all the running was doing wonders for her figure, she was in the best shape she had ever been in life. She admired herself in the mirror, slipped on some short, silk shorts for some modesty, the suit looked like it had been spray painted on her body. Maybe she?ll leave early for work, stop by the mall and get some really expensive running shoes. She had bummed one of the 5 grand cashier?s checks off Missy when she gave her the credit cards. She had walked over to the Resort and had the cashier turn it into chips, played a few games and went to another window to change it back to currency.
The amulet rubbed against her chest under the tight spandex suit, she pulled it from under her suit, she didn?t want it banging around as she ran, she took it off and placed it on the dresser. If she had worn it just 30 more seconds, she would have felt three, twin, quick pulses, a pause, three, twin slow pulses, a pause, three, twin quick pulses, but she was already outside warming herself up for the run. She thought she might even try for another mile this morning, Sam was coming SOON!
584 meters away
?Goddammit! Our runner?s out getting breakfast, you two get into cover-alls and park along her usual running route, go! I?ll leave a note for Tony, to come when he gets back. I?ll take a car and follow her in trail. Goddammit why didn?t you wake me up when she got up? Go Goddammit,? Lead Agent Allen Dupree barked at Frank and Dave!
They did.
Over half way into her morning?s run
There it was again, the same car, crossing an intersection two blocks up in the subdivision she ran beside. A girl sort of knows when someone is watching her. A smart girl, out alone, even in the daylight, should always keep her mind alert to her surroundings. A very smart girl, afraid her boyfriend might be found by the wrong people, watches everything, all the time. She picked up her pace, pushing herself harder. she pounded towards the next intersection right before the road bent around going up the backside of the subdivision. She didn?t see the car as she went by the next intersection, she turned her head left before the six foot, and wood fence cut off her view of the intersection. Two streets up the car nosed into the intersection before the fence blocked her view. She pushed up her pace more and rounded the bend, heading up the road that went along the backside of the subdivision, then by the back of her condo about a half mile away. She went up two intersections at a fast pace, her breath becoming ragged. The car was pulled into a driveway about three houses down the block. Someone sat in the driver?s seat, she couldn?t see more except that his face was turned towards her as she lost sight of the car, as its? back up lights came on right before the fence finally blocked her view. She started sprinting up the road heading for her townhouse. She couldn?t make it at this pace. She gulped at the air like a fish out of water. She saw a phone van about 50 yards away, someone was working next to a pole, she slowed some, and then to a walk as she approached the van. She gasped air as she walked by the front of the van, sweat from the run and fear poured off her, she watched over her shoulder as she approached the back of the van.
?Good morning.?
Kim turned sharply to the guy working with some cables on the ground, tools lay about on the ground, he smiled at her, he seemed familiar. Kim smiled back and managed to get out a ?morning? between breaths that slowed. The man pushed one of the closer doors to the van closed. An arm reached out of the van and pulled at the other to close it some also. She knew that arm, Dave?s tattoo gave it away.
?Is that you Dave??
Nothing happened for a second or two, then a head came around the front closed door. Dave stuck his head out, saw Kim and smiled a big smile.
?Hey Kim, what are you doing around here??
Kim?s breathing was almost normal again. She glanced back down the road, nothing. She pointed in the direction of her condo, ?I live just right over there Dave,? she smiled at him. She looked back down the road, a different car turned into the road and came towards them and passed. ?Guess I don?t feel so sorry for taking your money at the casino,? Kim said as Dave carefully stepped out of the van through the far door, then pushed it closed.
Dave gave her a questioning look.
Kim smiled at both men, ?You guys work for the damn phone company, makes my casino look like a bunch of slackers taking other peoples money according to my phone bills and DSL fees.
Everybody got a chuckle out of that.
Kim looked back down the road, still no sign of the other car. ?So, ya coming over tonight so I can take back some of my phone bill??
?Nope, can?t make it tonight Kim. I have a meeting with my boss to update him on our progress putting in the new fiber optics system. Did tell ole Frank here about this wicked dealer that thrives on taking my money.? Dave nodded at Frank, ?That?s the one I told you about Frank.?
Frank smiled at Kim, ?Dave, she doesn?t look like a money stealing troll with a big wart on her nose, looks pretty cute to me.? Frank rose, wiped his hands on the coveralls and extended it to Kim.
?Hi. My name?s Frank,? he shook Kim?s hand gently. ?He paints a different picture of you Kim.? He looked over Kim, ?I can see why, love the suit. We may just run into some problems and have to hang around longer, the view here is pretty nice.?
Kim gave him a frowning smile, ?Come on over tonight Frank, I think I?ll like taking your money as much as I like taking Dave?s.?
Everyone chuckled again.
?Well, I gotta run, I?m going shopping for some new shoes,? she snickered at her joke, she waved at both guys, they waved back as she turned and started running up the road at a leisurely pace towards her townhouse, looking at all the intersections as she passed them, nothing.
50 yards away and growing
?She seemed sort of scared at first, think Allen spooked her??
Frank answered, ?Might have, he spooks me. She acted pretty normal to us though, should we tell Allen??
?Yeah,? said Dave, ?But that guy sort of creeps me out anyway. The way he burns extra copies of her naked all the time. I mean she is going to have to go, but I think he has other plans for her before she dies. At first I didn?t want to have to be the one, but I?d much rather make it quick than to think about what Allen would do to her first.?
?Yeah,? both men watched her small, distant form turn into the condo?s parking lot, flashing an electric, silver blue with bright red shorts. ?Seems such a shame though, I don?t think she in all that deep, it?s going to guilt by association.?
?Yeah,? Dave sighed softly, ?let?s pack up and get back to the apartment, she said she was going to go shopping.?
13 minutes later
Dave saw Allen leering at the monitor as Kim finished toweling herself off in the bedroom, he pulled out a disc from the machine and inserted another one.
?She stopped by and saw me by accident, she didn?t make us, the phone cover worked good. Told her she could expect Frank to come over tonight.?
Allen didn?t take his eyes off the monitor, switching to a different pen camera to follow her back into the bathroom. He set a time marker on the player recorder and pushed the burn button. He watched as the camera swung wildly, and was blocked, it swung again and ended up pointing at half a Scope bottle and a wall. Allen switched back to the bedroom camera, making a note to tell Tony to go in as the cable repairman and readjust the cold cream jar as soon as she was verified at work.
?OK Dave, good job. Gives us a wider spread of up close agents. Let Frank take your spot tonight, you get tomorrow, I?ll take the next. Keeps Tony out of the loop, he can be our running buddy, she?s used to him being there, they have even ran together a couple of times.?
?She mentioned she was going to go shopping.?
?Hm, wonder where, maybe back to the car dealers. Don?t know why she shops so much with them, she has a brand new Mercedes? You guys mount up, you take the north road, Frank south, I?ll tail.?
?She seemed sort of scared, Frank said, when she first came up, she might have made the car.?
Kim came back out of her bathroom with the towel wrapped around her head. She went to the dresser and picked up the necklace, putting it back on.
Allen said, ?Damn, I was hoping she wouldn?t wear that today, I was going to have Tony go in and adjust the cold cream jar again, hoped we might get a chance to take a closer look at that, she never seems to take it off. Must be important.?
Still watching Kim as she started putting on her clothes, ?Tell Frank to saddle up, I?ll swap to another chase car and tell Tony to get ready to go in and adjust the jar when we verify her at work. Let?s go.?
CHAPTER 22
Monday the 30th of October
Sam was still going apeshit with his ring, he kept sending her his initials. She had finally figured out it was his code for his name last night. ? --- ? Almost every hour on the hour, she figured he was telling her he was coming for her. Still, the amulet barely pulsed when she held it, he was still very far away from her. Kim was over watching Missy?s kids as Bernie used his new tractor and just purchased combine to clear the feed corn from his fields. It was her first day off on what should have been a two day ?weekend?. She had decided to work her next regular day off for one of the other ladies, so the woman could take her youngsters out to Trick or Treat on Halloween. Charlotte was running around with her necklace on. Kim had been afraid it wouldn?t fasten around the child?s neck, but it did. I just didn?t flash. She had told little Lottie that it was a special, magic necklace that would make her grow up a pretty princess, now she couldn?t get it back from her. She didn?t worry about the child trashing the necklace, she had hung it one time while digging in a cabinet. The damn thing almost yanked her off her feet when she had tried to straighten back up. It was very pretty and very strongly designed. She chased Mel and Lottie pretending she was a dragon trying to eat the princess and being protected by her white knight, they were happy and she was happy.
586.6 yards away
Frank asked ?So, what did Allen say about Farmer John and his family??
?They found some abnormalities,? replied Dave as the two watched the house from a third of a mile away in a stand of pines. ?Seems farming pays off pretty good, mortgage paid off mid-January, new tractor, combine, two new Mercedes, a big new boat in June, two whopping big college funds for the kids. If that is normal, I?m in the wrong line of work.?
?Think they?re involved??
Dave guessed, ?Could just be gifts from the lady, best friends for life, she might have just felt like spending some of that money she got.?
?Have they found where that went to??
?No, but for 173.8 billion they are looking pretty hard. The offshore was closed down 2 months ago, and the Swiss are refusing to do a search for the funds. They say that they were given proof the money was obtained under perfectly legal conditions and for Uncle Sam to go fuck himself. State Department is still working on them, but I?d say the cagy bastard has spread it out all over the damn planet by now. Bet you 20 bucks that they still have it there and don?t want to have to give it back. They probably figured we?re going to tag the sum bitch, when we do they?ll get to keep it till we can prove to them it was illegally gotten. Which we can?t, they win either way.?
?Will we still pick them up after we bag Big Money and Snow White??
?Nope,? Dave said. ?Director Plummer said the FeeBee?s get them. He had to throw the FBI a bone for wasting all their manpower on a non-productive stake-out. Also, the orders from on high are now, wound them if you have to, but no killing, and they want them in good working order, if at all possible.?
Frank sighed, ?That?s the best piece of news, throws a monkey wrench into Allen?s plans for the woman. He was starting to scare me, the way he watches her and the recordings over and over. That?s a sicko motherfucker.?
Dave sort of half whispered even though they were the only two agents for over a mile, ?Did you see this morning?s paper??
?Just the sport?s section.?
?Try expanding your mind Frank. A poor hooker was found up on the north side. she had the living shit beat out of her. She?s in critical condition in a local hospital. She described her assailant, could have been Allen?s double, right down to the wingtip?s shoe marks the fucker left on her body. And, Allen left mad after he got the new directives last night, that?s one sicko motherfucker.?
CHAPTER 23
Thursday the 31st of October
HALLOWEEN
The amulet was distracting her from her work, she had thought about leaving it in her locker. It had even woke her up twice last night, she finally took it off and put it on her nightstand after sending back 3 squeezes to Sam. She was pretty excited, she knew he was coming for her. Sleep took a long time to take her away to him. The glow this morning was much brighter. She had checked it again before going on-shift and it was hard to tell under the lights in the restroom, but it seemed even brighter. He was coming for her.
The only bad part of the day had been when the leering man had came to her table. She was still pleasant to him, but he seemed mad at somebody, a frown between leers at her. She pulled the amulet from under her shirt when it started to pulse again and let it hang out. Most of the ladies had seen it when she changed into her uniform. Some had even asked her about it, she had told them her grandmother had willed it to her. It didn?t matter, tomorrow or the day after she would be with Sam and far from this place, she knew this in her heart.
The Leering Man now had another thing to focus on. He still seemed mad, even after he had won about 6 hands in a row. He had even doubled his bet and played the pair spot twice, winning both times. He sort of frowned at her, then leered at her, then looked at the amulet. This guy was a total nutcase. Still he drank free beer, and never tipped the waitresses. He even had to call them over, they knew he didn?t give them a penny in tips and they tried to avoid him, by mistake.
An older man came to her table, she had seen him start to walk by, and then he came back, asking her how to play. Leery snorted at him as Kim explained the rules to the nice man. After he had played three hands it was Kim?s break time. The man picked up his chips and stopped her as she left the table.
?Excuse me Miss??
?Yes Sir,? she said kindly to him.
?I hope it is no bother, and I don?t want to appear like I am intruding, but could you tell me where you got that beautiful necklace??
Kim saw the Leering Man watching the conversation. She said loudly enough for him to hear, ?It was a gift from my Grandmother.?
?I?m a retired jeweler and I have never seen such a stone, may I examine it please??
Kim was loathed to take the necklace off, but she was happy, she turned some to block Leering Man?s line of sight. ?It just a trinket Sir, really nothing, a family heirloom.?
?Please Miss, may I look at it??
Kim was kicking herself again, the one damn time she lets it out and this has to happen. ?Sure,? she said leaning over letting the man examine the necklace.
?Gorgeous,? he muttered to himself as he looked at the setting, ?exquisite.?
He might be retired, but he still had jewelry in his blood, he reached in a pocket and pulled out one of those thingies jewelers look at diamonds and the such with. He took about a minute, cupped his hand over the setting looking again. He straightened up.
?I will offer you 500 for the necklace.?
Kim leaned back up, centering the setting. ?I?m sorry Sir, it has much more sentimental value than five hundred dollars.? She was sort of disappointment, she thought it was worth at least a couple of thousand, Planet Earth Money.
He laughed softly at her, ?I?m sorry Miss, I should have said 500,000 dollars. 750 tops, er 750 thousand that is.?
Kim tried not to show her shock on her face.
The nice man went on, ?It is either the best ruby I have ever seen in my life or the best red diamond, the stone is flawless, perfect. I will give you a million dollars for it, I can have the money within a couple of days,? he sweetened his deal, ?cash.?
Kim took a small step back, ?I couldn?t possibly part with it Sir.?
He looked sadly at her, dug in a pocket and pulled out a business card, ?If you decide to sell it, please call me. I will match any offer you receive.?
Kim took his card and slid it into her back jeans pocket. ?I promise Sir, that if I do decide to sell it, I will let you purchase the necklace, OK?? Kim stuck out her hand, he shook it slowly looking at the setting.
?Could I ask you one other thing and I will not bother you again.?
?Yes Sir.?
He reached over lifted the setting off her chest, he looked at the front and then turned it over, ?How do you get it to glow like that??
Kim freaked out, she yanked the amulet out of his hand, stared at the stone like she had never seen it before, YES, She cupped her other hand around the setting, ?YES!?. It had a faint glow, it seemed to brighten some, ?OH GOD! HE?S COMING FOR HER! NOW!?.
She didn?t even bother to answer the nice man, she turned and fled fast to the employee?s locker room where she could hide and look at the stone.
She couldn?t tell good, the stall?s lights were too bright, she searched for a darker room. She finally resorted to going out into the parking lot, the quarter moon was bright, but she saw the stone brighten some, ?OH GOD, OH GOD,OHGOD!?, Sam was coming for her, NOW! She looked at her watch, she was late on her break. She turned and went back inside. Kim took off the necklace and stuffed the glowing amulet in her front jeans pocket.
112 feet and closing
Lead Agent Allen Dupree saw her coming back from the parking lot. He nodded at Agent Mark Shapely giving him a thumbs up as he passed him sitting on the first bank of machines before you could go into the lobby and out the doors. Still on the walkie-talkie, disguised as a cell phone, he gave the standby code to everybody, he could feel it in his bones. He made sure that the objective was to wait till the couple left the casino and take them down in the parking lot. He waited till he was acknowledge by all groups before flipping closed the cell and heading back to her table. He felt the phone buzz his leg, she had reentered the casino. It was just a matter of time baby and your mine. He had even called the two vans to drop their surveillance and come to the casino. He would stuff lover boy in one and stuff Snow White on the way to the airport in the other, screw directives, and he?d screw her too.
3 feet away
He didn?t know how she knew, but she knew something. He could tell, she looked up, searching the casino between hands, calling two wrong even. She was excited and so was he, your mine bitch!
11 minutes later
Agent Dupree felt the cell buzz three times, the target was sighted, he felt his dick getting hard.
The cell buzzed twice more, the target was in the casino.
16 seconds later
Agent Dupree saw the target come around a bank of machines and head towards the table. Snow White was shuffling a hand, she didn?t see him approach. He sort of ducked some, maybe trying to sneak up and surprise her. Agent Allen Dupree had a bigger surprise, for the both of them. He hit the standby code on the cell in his pocket. His other hand eased the sap he carried in the other pocket out so he could get to it easier if he needed to deviate from the takedown plan.
8 seconds later
The Big Commie Bastard took the second seat, just one away from him, Snow White had just dropped the cards into the dealing machine?s hopper, she pulled out the first three set of cards and turned back. She dropped the cards, the stunned look on her face instantly turned into a huge smile.
1 second later
Sam was smiling at her, she felt like her smile went all the way around her head, ?Miss me Kim.? He said to her?
?You can?t possibly imagine how much Sam.?
?Are you ready to go Kimberly??
?Yes Sam I am.?
?Just give me a minute, it was a long drive I need a bathroom break and then we leave, OK??
Sam looked over at the Leering Man, he stuck out his hand, ?Hi, my name is Sam.?
The Leering Man shook Sam?s hand, ?I?ll let Missy know I?m going to leave Sam, hurry back please. I don?t want to miss another second with you.?
2.5 feet away from the target
?You?re going to be missing a whole bunch of his seconds bitch, forever, but I?ll let you have some of mine.? Lead Agent on Site, Allen Dupree pressed the standby code again on the cell in his pocket with his other hand after he let go of the target?s hand.
2.5 feet away
?I?ll be right back.? Sam smiled hugely, he stood, pulled his chair in closer, leaning the back against the table. He turned from her, smiled at the Leering Man and then hammered him right in the side of his head.
Kim was still smiling as she heard the man?s skull crunch under the impact of Sam? fist over the cacophony coming from the tables and machines. The man dropped sideways off the chair and fell between two tables, almost into the pit area. Some people chuckled thinking a drunken player had fallen off his chair. The blow Sam had given the man had been a blur his fist out and then back to his side so fast. Kim had been right there, just feet away, she wasn?t even sure she saw what had just happened. Sam moved like greased lightening, he was between the tables in an instant, stepping over the man?s body. Missy had just turned, she had started to smile at Sam, then frown at one of her customers lying on the floor almost at her feet. Sam was on her fast, he tapped the side of Missy?s neck, Missy dropped like a rock, crumpling on the floor. Kim was looking down at the man on the floor in shock, his eyes were open, his head was misshapen and blood was starting to come out of his mouth and nose. Sam was on her quick, he grabbed her arm, yanking her off her step, ?Run Kim, if you love me, run.?
She did.
They cut through the pit area, Denny yelled at them to stop as he went to Missy. They went about another 12 steps when the first scream came, it was quickly followed by others. A man in front of them rose from a machine next to the stairs leading into the lobby and out to the exit, he was trying to pull something from a pocket. Sam clotheslined him, slamming him hard on his back to the ground. Sam dropped to a knee, holding the man?s body down with his fist ready to strike and kill the unconscious man. He rose quickly without striking, pulling her up the stairs. Two security guards came at them, both starting to pull their guns. Sam let go of her arm and it seemed instantly he had moved six feet between the two guards. Sam touched both, ?He?s having a heart attack.? Both guards ran towards the fallen man even after having seen Sam slam him to the ground, re-holstering their half drawn weapons. Sam grabbed Kim?s arm again and pulled her towards the door. An older man, a way younger woman came through the doors, arm in arm. Sam dragged her around the couple and out the first set of doors. He slammed open the second set of doors to the front entrance, the valet was walking around the Lexus the couple had just exited. Sam yanked the passenger door open and threw Kim inside the car. He quickly walked around, grabbed the keys out of the valet?s hand, gave it a squeeze, ?Sorry. She feels sick.? she heard him say. He slid into the open driver?s door of the car, jammed the key in and had the car moving by the time his door had slammed shut.
Something thumped the top of the car as Sam smoked the tires just barely missing two people coming around one of the posts of the entrance, the car?s engine screamed before Sam slammed it into second gear. The tires smoked the parking lot again, then again as he found third gear. They headed straight at the RV parking area and the exit there. Men started pouring out of two RV?s, armed men. Small lights flashed at them. The front windshield stared twice, then again, something whined by her head, the back window exploded as Sam whipped the wheel over and jammed the gear shift back into second gear. The car started thumping quicker, the window beside Kim also exploded, sending safety glass spraying over her and inside the car as something hit the roof behind her head. The engine screamed again as they smoked around in a tight turn throwing Kim against the door of the car. A car came out of nowhere trying to hit them, Sam dodged left, the back of their car clipped another parked vehicle, Kim was thrown against Sam?s shoulder hard, then back against the door. Pieces of safety glass flew thru the air like a deadly hailstorm. She looked back over her shoulder as the other car?s lights centered on them. Five or six more loud thumps came, and the winking lights from the men finally quit as the other car got in their line of fire. Sam headed for the main entrance with the other car in close pursuit. They had almost made it out of the parking lot when he reached over. Using his hand he pushed her hard, back against the car seat, then stomped the clutch and the brake. The car screeched to a halt, smoke pouring around it. If Sam hadn?t of held her, she would have been thrown through the windshield. His hand dropped, he slamming the gear into reverse and it was back on her chest as he accelerated going backwards pushing her again back into the seat. He jinked the car sideways some and rammed the following car with a rear quarter panel right in the middle of its grill. His hand was off her as they went back into first gear and they shot out of the parking lot, missing a passing car. They hit the concrete divider for the four lane road and were in second gear when they hit the other two lanes, fishtailing as they blew through a stop light just missing another two cars. By the time he was in 5th gear, the divided highway had went back to just four lanes, the world outside was a black blur, they rocketed down the road with the lights off gaining more speed.
Kim looked behind her, she was scared out of her mind to look forward, as the car continued to accelerate down the highway with its lights still off. ?You didn?t kill Missy too did you,? she screamed over the roar of the engine and the rush of air from the shot out windows?
?No, she?s fine? he yelled back at her. ?I just blanked her mind of anything about me.? He looked at her as the car sped down the highway, they had to be doing well over a hundred, no lights, no streetlights, just a quarter moon and a whole bunch of stars. He acted like they were out for a slow Sunday afternoon drive in the country. They shot through another red light at an empty intersection, ?One of the extra options I have installed, I was going to tell you about them as soon as I could.?
?You killed that man!?
?He was a government agent Kim, and the things he was planning to do to you were horrific, disgusting, I got a little mad. It was a trap, somehow they knew about me. Us.?
Kim yelled over the wind, looking back not seeing any lights behind them, ?Why didn?t you kill the other one??
?He was just doing his job, do you want me to tell you some of the thoughts the other one had about you? What he was planning to do to you after they had taken us into custody??
?No Sam, I don?t. I trust you Sam, I guess with my life now. What about Missy, is she going to be OK??
?She will be just fine when she wakes, should be by now. I didn?t know if there were more, too many people inside for a clear reading and I was thinking about you. And if they had started shooting inside, I didn?t want her to get hurt, so I put her to sleep. I blanked out all parts you told her about me, she won?t even remember my name, even under truth drugs or hypnosis. All she?ll remember is her best friend ran off with some mysterious rich guy wanted by the law, that you never talked to her about. Oh, I did leave the part about her needing to keep being the Birthday Bunny,? he laughed out loud. ?Cute one, beats letting all that money go to waste.?
Kim glanced up and out the shot up windshield, she cringed, ?Sam slow down, or at least turn on the lights, your going to kill us.?
?That is exactly what I am trying not to have happen to us. I see fine, another option. My eyes have been modified somewhat, that?s why the seem to glow. Just like a nocturnal animal?s, a cat or dog?s. Slightly slivered, they collect more ambient light, though you might want to put on your seatbelt in case I have to make any more evasive maneuvers.?
Kimberly buckled up, she tried to relax, she could make out the road better now that her eyes adjusted to the night, she glanced over her shoulder. There was a car?s lights behind them, but they seemed to be receding, not staying the same or coming closer. She turned back around, a couple of miles, over the emptied cotton fields, she could see traffic going north and south on Highway 61. She could just make out the red of the stop light at the intersection there. Two sets of lights turned on the access road for Sam?s Town and the other two casinos. They were coming up on the intersection fast, Sam was in the far right lane, as far over as he could get as the two sets of lights approached them quickly, side by side. They were just less than a quarter mile away when Sam seemed to jerk at the wheel.
?Hold on Kim,? he yelled at her as he started steering left. In seconds he was in the oncoming traffic lanes, straddling their center line. 300 hundred yards, one of the approaching cars hit their high beams, ?Cross you?re fingers,? he yelled as he flipped on the lights and hit the high beams on the Lexus. He managed to flick the high beams a couple of times before the vans were on them. The one on the left swerved off the road and into a ditch, falling to its? side, digging a furrow out into a picked cotton field. The other had also swerved to miss the black rocket coming at them, it also fell over and started rolling down the lanes of road they had just been in, over and over again. Sam calmly flipped the lights back off and raced towards the intersection without even taking his foot off the floored, gas pedal.
?More of them,? Kim yelled over the wind to Sam?
?Yeah, they were using their radio, I could hear them, another option,? Sam said. After a few more seconds he flipped the lights back on, slowing down for the intersection ahead. They waited for the light to change, before turning left, heading north up 61.
?At least?, Kim thought, ?he?s keeping the lights on and doing a little under 10 miles over the posted speed limit of 65?.
A couple of cars passed them, she saw some of the passengers look over at the shot up Lexus. Another came up slowly, passing them in the left lane, it was almost past when it slowed some, two guys were in the Toyota. Both the driver and the passenger gaped at the bullet riddled car. Kim smiled at the two guys and waved as they accelerated away from their car.
Sam shook his head at her, ?Looks like we are going to need a new ride.?
Kim smiled back at him, ?Hey car theft is car theft, hang the next left. I know where a whole bunch of cars are parked.?
9 minutes later
Sam finished measuring and re-sizing the 4th hole?s green flag, he had snapped the fiberglass pole like it was a matchstick. Kim stood around and watched the road that ran beside the golf course. The Grand Casino?s lights flickered from half a mile away. Sam climbed in the Lexus, adjusted the pole while holding the clutch in, propped the pole against the driver?s seat edge and the gas pedal as he leaned sideways. He eased out the clutch and let the car gather momentum down the top of a small mound on the border of the green. He rolled out of the car?s door as the darkened Lexus splashed into the water trap. It floated for a few seconds till the water level reached the shot out windows and then sank like a stone. A few bubbles popped on the surface and just a very small part of the back of the roof was still visible when it hit the bottom of the pond.
He came back to her dusting himself off, ?Should be good until the first golfers hit this hole in the morning.?
He held out his arm to her, ?M?Lady.?
?Why thank you gallant knight.?
Kim came back serious after a few minutes of strolling along the dark golf course, ?How long are they going to chase us Sam??
?Till they catch us Kim.?
?Can we ever have a moment of peace Sam??
?If we get to our island Kim, we?ll be safe there, we might have to change our identities to be able to go other places. My friends started working on that a couple of months ago, we just have to get there one way or the other. I have to get to a phone and warn them that they at least know about me. Us.?
?I told them about us Sam,? Kim said sadly. ?I called your office about a month ago. It now makes perfect sense. I started noticing that guy a little after the call there. I?m so sorry Sam, I led them to us.?
Sam rounded on her, he gave her his quirky smile, ?That would indeed explain away the US part, but it doesn?t come close to the ME part.? He took her arm and they started walking again, Sam mused, ?They had to somehow know about me to be able to setup the monitoring to catch you when you called. I wish Tilly had said you called for me, I would have came for you right then. I was also sort of tipped off when a couple of done deals with the military for satellite systems suddenly were cancelled. Then Mr. Theurer called Tilly saying people where inquiring, discreetly, about the transferred funds. I was trying to send you a warning for the last two days, I know how to track your amulet. You could have left, if you understood my warning, I would have found you.?
?I told Tilly not to leave you a message Sam.?
?Guess I can?t blame her then. Still, there has to be a connection, something had to tip them to me. I was so careful. I should have flipped over like Ccrsst and Trassaa did. I got greedy, thought it might hurt the growth of the companies, screw up our plans. Then all I could think about was you Kim.?
?What do you mean, flipped over??
?Nothing really, I should have used another identity, passed the reigns to the other person. I pressed my luck and lost. Now I have brought the bastards down on you, and they don?t know when to quit.?
Sam was quite for a few more minutes as they approached the Grand Casino?s parking garage. Kim didn?t want to bother his thinking, they left the golf course and walked the few yards into the parking garage before he spoke again.
?My friends are going to meet us in Washington, they?re there now waiting. We had a meeting set up for tomorrow night, then we all were going to fly out. I have to warn them that they know about us. We might have to scrub the meet. Bad part is that I only have about 1500 dollars, plus my company?s credit cards. My passport is in my suitcase in my car. The flight to the island will take way more than that for two people. And I am sure they are monitoring the credit card accounts. If I use them, it will draw them to the island. That?s really our only refuge.? They walked around the parking lot looking like they had forgotten where they had parked their car. ?We have to get to the airport quick before they sew it up tight. And unless I can call our emergency number and get a hold of them, we are either going to have to drive a stolen car to Washington, or chance flying on a card that might be monitored. We?ll pay cash from there and use the money to get to the west coast. We are going to need for my friends to get us clean passports and airline tickets. I had one for you with my stuff in the car. They?ll wait a couple of days thinking we might be making up for lost time. Let?s get something and stop between here and the airport, give them a call and cross our fingers.?
?I?m yours Sam, I?ll follow you to hell if we have go there.?
?I?m going to try and not let that happen either, Kim.?
CHAPTER 24
Friday the 1st of November, 12:02 AM
Their new stolen vehicle wasn?t what Kim expected, a mid-60?s, white, Ford pick-up truck. Sa