“Your bags are in your room and accounted for, Mr. Nurembrach.
Is there anything else I can do for you?” The bellman asks.
Dave says in a cool tone, “No. I’m fine. If I need anything
I will give the desk a call.”
The bellman bows then leaves.
Dave is in the patio garden area of the hotel. A
few hotel tenants are scattered around, quietly conversating
or enjoying a cigarette in the warm evening air. Dave absorbs
the quiet solitude and leans on a rail at the edge of the wooden deck.
Skinny footpaths wind through the well maintained foliage.
A finely crafted fountain is the centerpiece of the lower garden
area. Dave can see a man and woman sitting on the lip of
the fountain, kissing.
He considers how long it’s been since he’s had an intimate
evening with a beautiful girl without interruptions. The two
at the fountain get up and leave quickly. The boy leading the girl,
holding hands.
Dave gets the clear and razor thin phone out of
his suitcoat pocket. It looks like and oversized business
card more than a wireless phone. The screen is blank. He says,
“Agent Z. Codeword: Ceiling.”
A female computerized voice answers him through his phone speakers.
“Retina verification required for access.”
Dave brings his phone up to his right eye. A flash briefly springs
off the surface of his phone and there is
a light sound to signal that access is granted and his
phone is unlocked.
A text file marked “GS16104” waits for him, unopened. Dave looks around
briefly to see if anyone is watching him. He says, “Open file
GS16104.” The smooth text pops out of the screen of his
phone like a hologram. He reads it silently.
“Mission Data for Mission Hasrolts
Agent Z, your main objective will
continue as previously confirmed.
In twenty minutes a dark haired
woman who will introduce herself
to you as Vesla will have information
concerning a key. It is unknown what
the key accesses or the location
of the key. Vesla has the knowledge
to answer both of those questions.
Your mission is to get that
information without raising
suspicions about yourself. Once
you obtain that information you
can then part ways with Vesla.
Your next mission on obtaining
the key will be outlined in our
next message. This mission must
be completed before the same
time tomorrow: 7pm.
This message will erase itself.
Best of luck, Agent Z.
Data Control, OUT
Dave says out loud to his razor phone, “Close the message. Are there
more messages?”
His phone answered in the same female computer voice as before, “No.”
Dave says, “Lock.”
His phone reverts to it’s blank and clear dormant mode. He returns his
phone to his pocket then goes to the tiki bar inside the cove across the
deck. He orders a martini and a snack to hold him over.
The bartender asks him, “So how’re you likin’ Hawaii? Are ya here to
have a good time or you got business to attend to?”
Dave answers, “Ah, a little of both. It’s a business-pleasure vacation,
I’d say.”
The bartender says, “Don’t forget the beach concert
tonight. We will have a tent set up with kegs, liquor and
barbecue food and a small platform for the bands. It begins at
10 and goes until 3 in the morning. If you love babes
in bikinis you should go.”
Dave smiles, “I will think about it. I’m already meeting
a girl tonight. She and I will take a walk on the beach
and give this complementary hotel party a visit.”
The bartender replied, “You two’ll find it exhilarating,
the food is great as well.” He winks at Dave then
leaves his part of the counter to attend to a newcomer
at the bar.
Dave sips on his martini in silence. A light and breezy
tune plays on the PA system at a low volume. He sees a
young woman wearing a sundress and sunglasses with a small
leather purse dangling off her arm. She's coming his direction. Her
long hair touches her shoulders. She’s got on make-up and
perfume.
“You are Vesla, I take it." Dave says as he kisses her hand.
Vesla replies, “Yes, Vesla is my name. And you are Dave, right?”
Dave answers, “Yes, I am Dave.”
Vesla says, “I am told you have some paperwork of value for my company
and that you would review the details with me. Am I correct?”
Dave says, “Yes, you are correct. I wasn’t aware that
you were going to show up so soon. I haven’t even
seen my room yet. I’ll send the bellman to retrieve
the papers here in a while. Let’s get aquainted
and have a few martinis.”
Vesla says, “I would love that.”
Both Dave and Vesla go to the tiki bar together. Dave puts his
near empty martini on the counter and orders both of them a
fresh martini. Dave hands a martini to Vesla and they both take
a sip.
Dave says, “How long have you been in the business?”
Vesla replies, “A few years. Once I graduated college I was given my
job without application because my father is a shareholder in the
company. Oil isn’t what you’d say a very open sector and a lot of
the people I work with got their jobs through family members that
work there. What about you, Dave, how long have you been into oil?”
Dave replies, “Eight years. I use to work in an office on a middle
salary but then I was given the chance to do company research and
acquisitions. Pay is salary plus commissions and other bonuses. You
could say that it’s twice as good as my old office gig.” Dave tells
his fabricated tale smoothly and Vesla doesn’t appear to doubt
anything he says to her although if she knew the truth that he is
a secret agent on a mission to manipulate her then she definitely
wouldn’t continue to cooperate so well with him.
Vesla and Dave continue their conversation about oil companies and
other business related chatter for over an hour. They both drink
numerous martinis, both begin to drift into light drunkenness. Loose
in the head and buzzing, they both laugh away, fond of their time
together.
Vesla isn’t married and has no boyfriend as of now and neither does
Dave, so their attitude and enthusiasm for each other increases as the
night wears on. They are really hitting it off.
Eventually, as Dave probes Vesla for information he guides the
conversation into subject matters that relate to the proverbial
“key” that is his mission to retrieve, she reveals a little secret
to him.
Vesla says, “Well, since we’re on the subject of unbelievable
tall tales, I should have you know there is this cabin on Tabuaeran Island
where a safe was buried under the floorboards. I am told that inside
that safe is a critical machine part that when used correctly
can convert energy cheaply. I don’t know what it converts into energy
but that is what I was told about what it does. Personally, I don’t
believe it because if someone had such a valuable item or artifact
then it would be a sure thing that they would want to cash in
on the value and make themselves a fortune.”
“Anyway, the person who told me about this energy converting item
seemed to really believe that it was true and I really had no indications
that they were being disgenuine about it in their attitude or sincerity,
but you know, I was drunk like I’m getting to the point of tonight
and I didn’t realize how unbelievable their “secret” truly was
until the next day when I was sober again.”
Dave scratched his hairy chin with the palm of his hand then said,
“Tabuaeran Island? Where is that? I never heard of that island.”
Vesla replies, “Oh, it’s this charming little island in the shape
of a ring about 900 miles south of here. It’s a lagoon with a very
shallow atoll and a road that runs the length of the island. I lived
there for a time in a vacation house. It really is a paradise, you
would probably love it.”
Dave says, “And this cabin you are telling me about, did you live
in it during your vacation or was it on a different part of the island?”
Vesla replies, “Oh, yes, it was the cabin next door. My boyfriend at
the time owned several properties on Tabuaeran Island and more on other
islands, including here in Hawaii. I was in college at the time and
hadn’t yet began my work at the oil company. But no, we didn’t actually
go inside the cabin. He got on the subject of the buried safe when I
asked about his other houses. He hadn’t told of where the converter
came from, who built it or how it came to get sealed away in a safe, but
I’ll tell you what.” Vesla began to browse through her purse, unzipping
an inner pocket. She revealed a small key to Dave and said, “You see?
This was the key to that safe. My ex-boyfriend had me hold onto it
for safekeeping because he said, 'If they ever come to find it I gotta
have a secret trove to hide my key.’ To tell you the truth it all
seemed very nonsensical and I didn’t believe that this key was
truly to a safe buried underneath the floorboards of a cabin on
Tabuaeran Island, but I held onto this key anyways for the novelty
of that night and the charm of my ex-boyfriend. You know, us girls
are a sentimental bunch.”
Dave replied, “Yeah, I think I know what you’re talkin’ about.”
With a hint of cynicism in his voice. Finishing off his sixth
martini he smacked the counter sloppily with his palm and yelled,
“Bartender!”
Vesla puts her hand on Dave’s shoulder then says, “You’re getting
sorta rough, don’t you think you should hold off so we can review
the paperwork intelligently?”
Dave laughs, “Ah, don’t worry about it. By the time we get the
files all sorted out and ready I’ll be sober again. This’ll be my
final drink for the night anyways then it’s onto purified water and
rehydrating energy drinks for me. It’s a pattern I got down to a T.” Dave
winks at Vesla with a boyish smirk.
The bartender returns, saying, “Howdy partner, another martini?”
Dave says, “Nah, gimme a tall RumChata, no ice if you could kindly sir.”
The bartender replies, “One tall RumChata coming right up. And you, lovely
lady? You want to refill that martini?”
Vesla replies, “No. I’ve had enough liquor for tonight. If you could though
get me a pineapple juice that would be great.”
The bartender says, “Right on. One pineapple juice for the lovely lady.”
Dave gets a twenty out of his wallet and slides it across the bartop
then says, “Keep the change.”
“Thank you very much!” replies the bartender, stuffing the twenty into
his apron. He quickly makes the drinks to order then replaces the empty
glasses in front of Dave and Vesla. He says, “Enjoy!”
Dave and Vesla both thank him one more time and they leave the bar
together. They walk across the deck and step off onto the pathway
through the garden area.
Dave says to Vesla, “You are having a fun night, aren’t you? It isn’t
often I meet women who are this pleasurable to do business with. Would
you like to take a walk on the beach tonight, attend the barbecue and
party on the sand? I was told there would live music.”
Vesla says with a smile, “Yes, I am feeling good and having fun. A
meeting usually gets very boring and menial but tonight was totally
unexpected. A walk on the beach sounds perfect. Perhaps we’ll get
to the paperwork when we’re done with the barbecue.”
Dave says, “Alright, sounds great! I will send for the papers when
we return to the hotel. What time is it?”
Vesla looks at her watch and says, “9:37”
Dave says, “Good. The beach party is about to begin and my belly
is aching for some fresh barbecue. What about you?”
Vesla replies, “Yeah, I’m a little hungry for some barbecue myself.”
They both leave the hotel and head to the beach. On the sand they can see
the hotel beach party is already under way exactly like the bartender
described it to Dave with the low platform for the band and the tent
for the barbecue. A small crowd has gathered and the band is currently
setting up their equipment.
Dave and Vesla walk around the party and continue on getting closer to
the ocean waves. Scarcely scattered people dot the beach, many of them
in pairs, letting the sound of the waves calm their nerves and the
cooling breeze caress their sun baked skin.
Dave and Vesla say very little to each other during their walk along
the beach, content in their silence together. When the band begins to
play at the tent Vesla says to Dave, “They’re ready, let’s go get us
some barbecue.”
Dave replies, “Sure thing. My belly is gonna love that.”
It only takes them ten minutes to get to the tent. The majority of the
other hotel tenants that Dave had seen on the back patio were there,
holding plates filled with barbecue food in their hands, conversating
with each other. A small bar was next to the barbecue, serving
piña coladas and beer on keg tap. The band played soft rock and
folk music, wearing hayseed outfits that looked proper for the old
Beverly Hillbillies television show.
Dave and Vesla had a great time, eating well and dancing together and
conversating with the other hotel tenants. At around 1AM they decided
they’d had enough and went back to the hotel.
Inside the hotel on the ground floor is a diner that is open
24 hours a day. They take a table in the diner and Dave calls
room service to have a bellman retrieve his paperwork.
Vesla is a beautiful young woman and Dave is apprehensive about
having to part ways with her but he has to do what he has to do.
He smiles inside to himself that he completed two missions in one
as he squeezes the key hard in his hand under the table. He was able
to snag it out of her purse while they were dancing and she was
none-the-wiser about it.
All in all, Dave has had a long exciting day and he is beginning to
feel the effects of all that exercise and alcohol. He sits in the
diner booth across the way of Vesla with a sort of half-dislocated
worn out look to him. Vesla continues to maintain a bright and
shiny attitude with her eyes wide open and her mouth flapping.
She becomes more talkative as the night wears one, always
vibrant and colorful with her words. The tone of her voice
has a seductive quality to it with a soothing undertone. He
can’t help but feel addicted to hearing her talk.
Dave tucks the key away into his pants pocket while he waits for
the bellman to bring them the paperwork. His work is nearly done.
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