Daniel Ganninger - Icarus Investigations 01 - Flapjack (34 page)

-Chapter 66-

The next day started quickly.  Galveston was up before me gathering phone numbers, names, and a new little white lie for Placer to extend to the Senator.  I was immediately put in charge of food patrol while various members of the team stuck their heads in to give progress reports and to ask questions.  I managed to steal Jane away from her duties to help me locate sustenance for all of us.  She gladly obliged.

“
This is crazy,” she told me as we walked to the hotel lobby.

“
You’re telling me.  Did you ever think you’d be involved in something like this?  I mean it wasn’t exactly in your job description,” I said back to her.

“
I wouldn’t be here if you weren’t,” she said grabbing my hand as we walked to the hotel restaurant.  My heart melted at the touch.  “She really digs me”, I thought. 

We had been through so much together, mostly in spirit
.  She always had the most positive attitude about everything going on.  It made me like her even more, and it even made me want to tell her the word a new couple is scared to say.  I pushed the thought back, it was too soon.  How could I feel that “L word” this quickly?  It was too soon.  Or was it?  She glowed beautifully in the heat lamps of the morning buffet table.  To me she could be beautiful sitting under a pigeon coop, but I didn’t plan to give her that analogy.  We gathered up some greasy morning fare, muffins, hash browns, eggs, something that looked like a sausage, and a pitcher of orange juice.  I paid the attendant, placed all the food on a tray, and went back to the elevator to return upstairs.

“
So what is the deal with Elizabeth and Galveston?  Are they going to get back together?”  She asked me on the ride up the elevator.

“
I don’t know.  They are an interesting pair.  I think I see why they broke up in the first place, but I also see why they are so well suited to each other.”

“
They are both so focused on their jobs, unlike you,” she said to me.

“
Oh thanks,” I replied at the seemingly direct smack.

“
I don’t mean it like that.  It’s just; you always seem to have me in mind first, before the job.  A girl likes that sort of thing.”

“
Well, it’s good to know I’m on the right track,” I responded.  Jane gave a little laugh.  She even did that cute.  Oh boy, did I have it bad.

The elevator doors opened and we walked back to the room to find that Alex had made a hasty entrance and exit.  He was busy in the next room helping Dr. Sloan troubleshoot his idea while supplying other members of the team with information. 

Alex informed us that he had contacted all the members of the media he could.  So far he had confirmation from two TV stations, three newspapers, two magazines, eight online websites, one of which agreed to stream the feed of the presentation live, and a pair of bloggers that he knew that called themselves “The Tech Junkies”.  He had sent emails to the Associated Press, Universal Press Syndicate, and even CNN.  The message he had sent all of them had been clear and succinct, but not overly specific.

The Energy Freedom Foundation, a consortium of scientists and

citizens, is releasing a new technology that will revolutionize energy

storage and usage for all nations of the world, Playa Park Hotel,

downtown San Diego
5:00 P.M.  The Honorable Senator Edward

Eastman will be in attendance for the event. 
Please confirm for your

official press pass.  Refreshments will be served
.

I found it interesting that we even had press passes and that we would be serving snacks. 

Elizabeth and Jane had arranged
a private jet for the Senator out of Reagan airport and a chauffeured limousine from San Diego Lindbergh Field to the hotel.  Galveston had sealed the deal with the Senator when he emailed pictures of Jane and Elizabeth to Timothy Placer.  Placer sent the pictures to Eastman with the explanation that these were the women that would be his contact in San Diego for the unveiling of the Ecomax product.  Jane and Elizabeth were both dressed rather provocatively, and I noticed that Galveston must have taken them the night before. 

Getting the two women to agree to pose for these pictures may have been the toughest operation for
Galveston.  They were not pleased with being used as objects to convince the horny Senator to take a visit.  Galveston convinced them that they were performing a noble cause.  They held all the power over this Senator and could get this man to do anything they wanted.  The women were intelligent and strong and could control the situation.  Galveston performed like a professional photographer and fashion designer.  He fabricated a tasteful and provoking picture that showed the woman from head to toe, wearing the rather seductive looking clothes the women had.  The picture showed just enough leg and cleavage to send the man’s head in a tailspin. 

I was not particularly thrilled with some old fart ogling my girlfriend, but payback would be a bitch
.  Plus, the women now seemed to delight in the fact that they would be pulling this man’s strings. 

In the email that Placer sent to the Senator, Elizabeth and Jane called themselves the League for Environmental Protectionism.  It wouldn’t have mattered if they called themselves the Society of Urinal Cakes, the Senator would be on our plane once he saw these pictures. 

During the short time I had spent getting breakfast, Galveston had received an email from Morales in Brazil.  Galveston had his extra insurance.  Ecomax had a fully workable product, just in case someone dared to investigate the validity of the device.  Chase must have known Ecomax had finished the product because the FBI had already been called to the fake release of the product in San Diego and the supposed implication of Black Bear.    Everything was a go.

The pieces were coming together perfectly.  Our puppets were following the movements of their strings.  Eastman and Chase were fueled by their own level of corruption, greed, fear, and power, and we planned to expose each one of those faults.

Someone was going down tomorrow, and we all told ourselves that just one
person would walk out in handcuffs. 

We
milled the day away preparing for the next day’s events until I decided to invite Jane to the lobby bar for a nightcap.  I had some love work to do.

-Chapter 67-

Jane and I went to the lobby bar and ordered a pair of drinks.  I had a frosty beer from the tap while she chose the house chardonnay.  We sipped slowly at our drinks and talked about the day’s events.  She looked beautiful in dim lights of the bar, and I couldn’t help but stare at her lips as she talked. 

We managed to change the subject off of the previous topic and began to discuss life goals.  Jane had always wanted to be an actress.  She had dreams of a spot in a theatrical play
or Broadway show.  She had performed in a few large scale productions in San Diego;
Annie
,
Fiddler on the Roof
,
A Christmas Carol
, even some Shakespearean productions.  It was never enough to hold as a steady job, but she was living her dream.

I listened intently to her resume, and she had a pleas
ing and peaceful air about her.  She had traveled the world; ridden rapids on the Snake River in Oregon, hiked to the top of Machu Picchu in Peru, and skied in the French Alps.  She was versed in Spanish and French, which would have come in handy for us if I had known this sooner.  She was an amazing, strong, and vibrant woman.  What the hell was she doing here with me?

My mind wandered at the thought.  Why would a woman like this want to be with a man like me?  It sounded like she needed to be with a guy named Sven, who had big muscles and liked to parachute out of airplanes over the
Grand Canyon while reading Tolstoy’s
War and Peace
.  I wasn’t that type of guy.  I got jittery before a shower because of the problems steam may cause to the toilet paper.  Jane noticed my consternation.

“
What’s wrong?”  She asked politely.  “It seems like your mind is elsewhere.”

“
I’m sorry, Jane,” I said, not wanting to tell her of my lack of self-esteem.  “You were saying?”

“
No.  It’s okay.  What’s on your mind?” 

This
is always a dangerous question from a woman to a man.  Men don’t usually have anything on their minds.  We usually are thinking about some mundane thing that was unemotional and not important.  If a woman really knew what we were thinking about they would probably not want to speak to us again.  But this time was different.  I badly wanted her to know what I was thinking, but I didn’t want to appear vulnerable or wimpy.

“
I don’t want to say.  It’s silly, it’s nothing,” I stammered.

“
No, really.  I want to know,” she answered sweetly.

I garnered my courage to tell her.  It was best she see what she was getting now
rather than later. 

“
I’m,” I tried to pose the thoughts in my head.  “I’m not sure why you’re with me.”  As the words came out, I knew it wasn’t the way I wanted it said.

“
What do you mean, Roger?”  She played down her response.  I figured she knew she was talking to a crazy person.

“
It’s just I can’t understand why a woman like you, with all that you have done and experienced, would want to spend time and be with a man like me.”  That’s better, I thought.  That was a much clearer statement.

Jane looked at
me with a confused look.  Then with a shot of realization understood what I was talking about.  She smiled and reached for my hand across the table.

“
Let me tell you something Roger,” she started, holding my hand tighter.  “Those first days I came to work with you, I was down and not feeling good about my life.  Then I saw you.  You had such a confidence about you and you were nice to me.  You probably don’t remember, but you helped me that whole first day.  You told me about the best places to get lunch, the best spot to get some quiet time, even the best route from my house.  You did all this with Galveston barking at you and people running in and out of the office all day.  Then I got to talk to you on those plane rides, and spend time with you more than I have spent with a man I’ve been dating for three months.  In all that time you always made me feel like I could conquer the world.  I’ve told you things I didn’t tell my old boyfriend of four years.  Plus, you are really handsome.”

She flashed a wide smile, and I blushed like a schoolboy at the accolades.
  I was floored at the response and my lowered ego didn’t know how to handle it.  She reached her other hand under the table and touched my knee, which sent goose bumps down my leg.

“
I’ve always looked for the wrong type of man.  I don’t want a man like me.  I want a man like you.  You’re caring, trustworthy, and most importantly you’re stable, in every way.  I’ve never had that in a man.  It’s very hard to find.  I know that you can challenge me, but I know that you can just be there.  I don’t care if I do anything like I’ve done before, because I know you’ll be here and you’ll support me.”

I was amazed at her words, and even began to well up a little.  Never had a
woman as beautiful as this say such things to me.  It was a breath of fresh air.  Jane cared for me more than I had realized, and I had an enormous sense of relief.  This intelligent woman knew exactly what she wanted, and I respected that.

“
You’re amazing Jane.  You know you’ll be able to accomplish whatever you want,” I told her.

She
took her hand off mine, leaned over, and touched my cheek.

“
Thank you, Roger,” she said softly and tenderly kissed me on my lips.

The kiss sent electrical shocks through my body.  This was my moment, I thought.  This was when I would say those three tough words.

“Jane,” I started, looking deep into her eyes.  “I…”

“
Last call!”  Exclaimed the bartender as he rang a bell and switched on the overhead lights, illuminating the entire room.

“
I, I guess we have to leave,” I said dejectedly, giving the bartender a dirty look.

“
I think you’re right,” Jane replied smiling before she gave me a peck on my cheek.

I paid the tab for our two drinks, and walked hand in hand to the elevator and back to her room.

“I’d ask you in, but I know Galveston wants us bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow,” Jane told me.

“
Yeah,” I responded.  “That would be best.”  No it wouldn’t, I thought.

“
Don’t worry.  I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jane said as we exchanged one last hug and kiss.

Just as I was backing out the door, Jane grabbed me by the arm.

“Maybe we could talk some more,” she said.  My heart leapt.

“
Yeah, I think that would be okay,” I responded excitedly.  I followed Jane into her room and shut the door behind us.

A lot of finish work still needed to be done the next day, and
as bad as we all wanted to rest, it would prove to be extremely difficult.