The War Gate (17 page)

“A commercial airliner? I don’t think he has the balls for that, or the brains. A plane going down in water is a scary thought though. Maybe some kind of an insurance scam? It’s obvious he does those things. We have evidence of that right here. But that would mean he… Oh, hello? Maybe a little plane, huh?”

“Maybe a corporate plane, Avy. How did your stepfather fly to business meetings? Do you remember him telling you anything about it?”

“Just that he was taking Citation, a small charter airline. Maybe Citation has something to do with the planes we found in his company inventory.”

“I’ve never heard of Citation Airlines. That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I’m sorry. I never paid much attention. He was always leaving, never telling us where he was going. In fact, I was glad to see him leave most of the time. It got to the point where I didn’t care if he ever came back home.”

“Do you remember any ‘Buck’ in the company?”

“I might have seen the name when I was visiting their website, but I can’t be sure. It would have been just another employee name. Let’s Google all of it at the library.”

They drove to the library and went straight to the desk. Abigail Folger hurried toward them from a back aisle, her face etched with concern. The large woman held a palm over the top of her bosom, panting like she was out of breath.

Abigail kept her voice low but intense. “I thought you should know that there were some strange men in here the other day asking about you two. They were from Cyberflow. They threatened to fire my son if I didn’t answer their questions. I didn’t tell them much, I swear. I would be very careful if I were you. You might even report them to the police. But please don’t say I had anything to do with it.”

There was little doubt the woman was terrified. They’d had their own run-in with the security thugs, although she didn’t tell Abigail that. Avy apologized for the scare, but added her thanks for the tip-off. She produced her card then walked straight to a computer. When she brought up the Cyberflow website, her code wouldn’t clear. Access denied. She tried again, getting the same result.

“They kicked you out of the system,” said Sebastian. “You’re more of a threat than you realize.”

She looked at him. “I was a threat the day I was born. Now what do we do?”

“Key in five-nine-nine-tango.”

She did so. It produced gibberish. Next she tried “Citation.” The website of an aircraft manufacturer came up showing different models of Cessna corporate jets.

“Gotcha,” said Avy. “It’s the model name of a jet. He has a corporate jet, a Citation jet. Now it makes sense. Oh, Sebastian, do you think we’re on to something here or are we just blowing smoke?”

“We’ve got to check it out. What if he slipped up and by a coincidence we blundered right into it? Wouldn’t you say we owe it to ourselves to see if we’re on the right track before we call it quits? Can you remember what airport he flew out of?”

“That one is easy. It was the Raleigh-Durham airport. Sometimes Mom would have to drive him there when the limo didn’t show up on time. He never wanted to leave his car in the parking area. He said it cost too much so he always got a ride both ways.”

“Heh. His extravagance, coupled with his notions on how to cut corners is asinine. The man is a loon—a dangerous one at that. We have to figure out a way to find out what’s in store for that plane. In particular, if it’s scheduled for any flights in the near future. It sure would be nice to know who will

be on it, not to mention where it’s going.”

Avy thought about that for a minute. “If I can locate where the plane is stored at the airport, maybe I can find out if there’s anyone in charge of it. Maybe a few simple questions would tell us what we need to know. I’ll have to impersonate an authority figure—someone who might make that call.”

“I’m not following how you’re going to pull that off.”

“I’m an actress. I’m no stranger to voice-over. Drake’s secretary makes all of his appointments. Her name is Linda Wu. I’ve talked to her dozens of times. She’s Drake’s filter. She’s also Chinese American, chews a lot of gum, and always talks like a thug on the phone. Not real bright. I’m sure I could mimic her voice. I remember her being there two weeks ago, so there’s no reason to think she isn’t still on his payroll.”

“Hell, yes. Give it a try.”

Avy stuffed three sticks of gum into her mouth. She found a phone inside the library. She called the airport and spoke to several people before an operator routed her to a hangar manager. A male voice answered on the other end, almost incoherent from chewing noises.

“Yap, maintenance bay. Mr. Bad Wrench speaking. What can I do for you?”

“Yah, this is Linda calling. We need to—”

“Linda who?”

“Linda Wu. Drake’s secretary. I’m calling for the boss.” She snapped the gum over her lips then made a mewing sound.

“Oh, yo, Lindeee! What’s the haps? You sound like you have a cold. How you doing?”

“It’s been a bitch. I think I’m coming down with tuberculotus or something. The big man wants to know what the fuck you’re doing with the Citation.”

“Look, we’ll have a technician on it in plenty of time. We’re waiting on a fuel injector that has to be Fed-Exed. Those things take time, you know.”

“Just double checking. You do know when it has to be ready, right?”

“It’ll be ready at the agreed upon time.”

“Let me jog your memory about the agreed upon time. I hope you got the timeframe down. No screw-ups. You better have the right day. You would be so busted if you had it wrong, dude.”

“Nothing’s changed, it’s still Tuesday morning.”

“So how long do you think these bullshit repairs will take?”

“Just a few days. Don’t worry, she’ll lift off next week. Hey, are we still on for lobster tomorrow?”

Avy blinked, missing a beat. “You’ll have to ask me again when I’m feeling better.”

“Oookaaay. So what about—”

Avy blew a small, puffy sigh when she hung up the phone. Sebastian’s face was one big question mark. “It’s a morning flight next Tuesday,” she said. “He took the bait, he thought I was her. Let’s just hope Mr. Bad Wrench doesn’t compare notes with Linda Wu over a conversation that never happened.”

“Hell, you had me convinced. That gives us time to dig. So far his notes jibe with what we’ve found.”

She nodded. “We’re onto something. I just don’t know what yet.”

“We can talk about it over a late breakfast. My treat.”

“You’re the hungriest guy I know.” She wouldn’t mind having something light, like a salad. She would have to watch her figure around him.

“What can I say? I also make food disappear.”

###

They drove downtown to a small restaurant called the Burgersaurus that had rickety chairs and tables the size of manhole lids. Everything on the menu topped at least three grand in calories. And here she thought she’d get a healthy salad. Not. But she wasn’t about to mock the restaurant or the menu, it might have been one of Sebastian’s favorite haunts. Figuring out his priorities was fast becoming one of her preoccupations. After the order came, she discovered he liked onions so she gave hers up. Another little detail she added to his “like” list.

“So,” he said between bites. “If this plane is headed for an accident of some type, we better figure out how it’s going to go down. Too bad we couldn’t get a flight plan ahead of schedule. I think they fill those out the day of the flight, along with a passenger list. I wonder who is supposed to be on that flight. Think that could be the disaster Janus is talking about?”

“All good questions.” She dabbed her chin. “I wish he would show up right now and offer us a little help.”

“That’s just it. With Janus, it’s one shove on the swing. From there on out, you pump. He told me once that to take you there would dilute the whole process—contaminate it. He said he could ‘show’ you how to get there.”

“I wonder who his higher power is,” Avy dared to ask.

“Don’t know. I’m not sure if a man who can walk straight through walls has one. Not to say he doesn’t have a higher authority. I just think he might be his own internal power balance. I’ve always thought that he doesn’t belong in this dimension, but just pops in like he’s got some kind of a visitor’s pass. I think he belongs everywhere at the same time if that’s possible. But I know his premonitions are right on.”

“How do you know that?”

“He’s led me to more than a few accident scenes where I was able to help out. One time I stopped a father from beating his daughter. I got a busted lip and a black eye in the process, but I stopped the violence. I’ll never know what might have happened to that little girl if I hadn’t appeared at that precise moment. He could have killed her. Janus led me there, like laying down a breadcrumb trail. It’s hard to explain how he works. You have to pay attention to every word he says to get the full meaning of it.”

She looked thoughtful. “It’s just hard to imagine that a man like that can share our world without being discovered.”

“Avy,” said Sebastian, pausing in mid-bite. “You’re not hard to imagine. You’re part of his essence. Janus is your father, the other half of you. It’s a pure miracle.”

She had a hard time facing that realization. It was so complex, it was almost unimaginable. Yet something had happened to her for which she had no explanation. She just wanted to be Avy Labrador—normal like everyone else. It never occurred to her that she could be abnormal.

“It’s easier to understand him if you know his origins,” said Sebastian. “The first thing I did was look him up at the library. I found some interesting stuff. Janus is the Roman god of gates, doors, beginnings, and endings. It’s said that he originated from Greek lore. He’s shown having a double face. Each face looks in opposite directions, symbolizing the past and future. He was worshiped at harvest time, while he reigned over planting, marriage, and birth.”

“Do we know about any of these miracles he’s pulled off?”

“One story relates that when the Sabines attacked the city of Rome, they attempted to climb a hill, but Janus made a hot spring erupt from the ground, driving the attackers off. After that, the gates of his temple were kept open in times of war so he could be ready to protect the city occupants. The gates remained closed in times of peace. He was worshiped as a deity—a vanguard against oppression, invasion, and injustice. January is named in his honor. That’s about the extent of what I know.”

“Fascinating. It sounds like he fits that description.” Avy saw Sebastian’s eyes directed over her shoulder. She turned in her chair. A hefty man in uniform stood behind her, clutching a takeout bag. She looked up into his face. The man’s eyes brightened. Raymond Hammersmith dithered.

Flustered for a moment, Avy pulled a chair next to her. “Chubby, what a surprise! Won’t you join us?”

“Hello, Avy.” Chubby looked at Sebastian, his face souring for a second. “Oh, no. I see you have company. I just stopped off to grab a quick breakfast. I’m on my way to work. It’s nice to see you again. I was wondering how you were getting along.”

Avy introduced Sebastian, explaining that he was a “good friend.” They engaged in some small talk. Chubby stumbled in conversation a few times after glancing at Sebastian. The tension in the air was palpable.

Chubby handed her a business card. “If you need me at any time you just call so I can come running. You see right there? That’s my home phone number. Okay?”

Avy thanked him. She watched him leave the restaurant, then turned back to Sebastian. “I think I owe you an explanation. He’s the man I told you about. Raymond, or ‘Chubby’, was a good friend of my mother’s. He spent over fourteen years with her at the Women’s Correctional Facility. He became her deathwatch guard, staying with her up until the end. He took her death very hard—it broke him up. When he saw me for the first time in Raleigh, it brought back some haunting memories for him. I went looking for him so we could talk about what happened in the past. We shared coffee at his trailer home.”

Sebastian cleared his throat. “He’s not dangerous is he?”

Avy waved it off. “It’s nothing more than a fixation. He’s sweet, just a little lost. I wouldn’t hesitate to call him if we ran into trouble. He’s loyal to my mother’s memory—even honor-bound by it.”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes.

“It’s not like that. It’s the resemblance.”

Sebastian glanced at his watch. “I hate to break this up, but I’d better get back to my babies. They need some food and sunshine. They’re probably wondering about dad right now.”

“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry. I forgot all about animals.”

They left the restaurant. Sebastian took the wheel, giving Avy a chance to unwind. She watched the scenery, grateful for the reprieve. Her mind had been unraveling one strand at a time, like cheap carpet. But when she glanced at the man beside her, she knew that at least most of those dark thoughts could be canned. Sebastian understood much of the baggage she carried. He acted the part of her sanity preserver, a life ring in the middle of the ocean—a support system she needed badly. She wondered if this was what true love was supposed to be like.

They pulled into the back alley and parked. Sebastian handed her the keys. “I sure get off driving this little purple heap. I hope you don’t mind.”

Avy didn’t mind. It felt nice to be chauffeured around town, not having to fight her way through traffic. When they stepped up to the rear theater door, Sebastian threw his arm back, halting her steps. The door creaked, ajar. The lock mechanism had been pried out off the frame. It lay in pieces on the pavement. He gave her a look that said,
break-in
. She took a few steps back. He eased the door open and peeked his head in to look around the corner. She saw his shoulders stiffen, his fists clenched.

“Whatever you do,” he said, “don’t come in here until I give you the all clear.”

“I’ll stay.” She watched him disappear inside, wishing he hadn’t ordered her to stay outside. She wasn’t completely defenseless, but she appreciated the gesture, knowing he had gone in to check the interior for thieves or burglars. She hoped that nothing of value had been disturbed or stolen. Everything Sebastian owned and loved was inside the theater.