A Book - Alexie (nonfiction book recommendations txt) 📗

neighbor went to see if he wanted to get lunch when he discovered Stanley was absent. Upon returning home his friend went to visit Stanley to see what had happened. Stanley didn't answer his door or the call to his wave phone. This was so unlike him. Lucky for his friend he had the entry code from the last time he'd watched over Stanley's place while he was away on family business, or at least that's what Stanley had told him. He punched in the code, hoping Stanley hadn't changed it, and entered the apartment. There he found Stanley lying in bed. He tried to wake him. All the shaking in the world wouldn't get Stanley to move, Stanley was totally unresponsive. He called for emergence response. When the responders arrived he was shocked to hear them pronounce Stanley dead. Immediately they whisked the body off to the morgue for cremation, leaving his friend in a daze. He called off of work and reported Stanley's death to their boss.

When the emergency responders reached the morgue the mortician was waiting for them. “Take him to Dr. Zarrious.” The responders knew what that meant. With out a word they drove to the warehouse district to their designated drop point to find Zarrious's men waiting to off load the body. The responders had no idea that Stanley really wasn't dead, but only in a drug induced coma. As they left the warehouse the driver asked his co-worker what he though the doctor was doing with all these dead bodies. The co-worker had obviously been thinking about this arrangement for some time. “I think he's developing some medicine to help keep the rest of us from dying like the people we drop off.” That sounded plausible to the driver. No more questions were asked again.

****

Greeg had been given the secret to a certain drug for his work. Every time he had a call to “take care of someone” he'd prepare the drug for delivery. All it took was a little contact with flesh and within a couple of hours the victim was down and out for at least 2 to 3 days, they appeared dead for all intensive purposes. All Greeg needed to do was to wipe it on his barrier cloth when he visited people at home. Most people didn't bother waring the cloth in their homes but visitors would, out of respect for the people living there. All Greeg needed to do was bump into the victim once, rubbing the drug onto their skin. Simple. Once absorbed anyone else touching the individual would have no ill effects. Thus no evidence. It was a perfect crime.

Since Kaymore's arrival Greeg didn't have to deal with taking out people anymore in the old fashioned sense. It kind of made him feel respectable. No more messes, no more need to cover his tracks, No need to make sure his body did not leave behind anything that could be traced back to him. The last thing he needed was to become a murder suspect. That would ruin his reputation not to mention he'd probably be the next guy to be 'taken care of.'

Now was the time for collection of test subjects. He had to be careful not to draw suspicion to the people he gathered. This way no one could draw any parallels to something sinister, like a serial killer. He made his choices, when it was his choice, by region of the compound, as it had to be random. Then the individuals emotional make up. The loners were the easiest targets as no one missed them. The sickly and old were the next best targets, though unfavorable as test subjects, as no one found their deaths suspicious either. Actually the sickly ones made the sectors sigh in relief. The other people felt they wouldn't have to worry that the sickly person would be able to infect them with anything anymore. Then there were his assigned targets. His boss always seemed to have an endless supply of potential test subjects lined up for him.

Tonight was his choice and he was in need of a little personal release. So his preference now was looking for something frail and pretty. Something easy to control and have his desires fulfilled. He'd just entered a night club to find several ladies that fit that description. The noise of the music was so loud people were almost yelling to be heard next to their companions. The lights flickering along with the music's beat was meant to enhance the experience of the club and the intoxicants located there in.

'Now comes the fun part, separating my victim from the herd.' thought Greeg to himself. He ordered his favorite beverage, much like himself, nondescript, a beer. Found himself a table where he could survey his potential victims and the entrance. He was always aware of his surroundings and those that occupied that space. He'd learned a long time ago to watch his own back and that meant watching the door.

He reminded himself 'One never knows who's going to walk in with the intent of killing you while your looking to kill someone else.' He'd once not known this detail in his youth in his career of choice when he was almost killed by the friend of his victim while on the hunt. The friend had been surveying Greeg's attention to his friend and made an excuse to leave. Never intending to leave permanently the friend quietly re-entered the club behind Greeg's back and preceded to beat Greeg to an inch of his life before being pulled off by the authorities.

It wasn't long before Greeg narrowed down 2 potential victims from the herd. One was having a fight with her male companion that appeared to be a break up and the other sat alone without any companions looking sad and dejected. This made her even prettier to Greeg, a helpless lonely girl looking for companionship.

The couple seemed to be escalating their fight and taking their argument elsewhere. That left one lonely girl as a victim for Greeg. Perfect timing for him to put on his charm and start his hunt.

****

Professor Moore could not find her secretary anywhere. Then she remembered the time, everyone had gone home hours ago for the evening. She'd just have to get her package from the archives herself.

The archives were located in the basement of one of the official government buildings, It was a beautiful steel and glass structure that was several stories tall. The archives were located in the sub basement in the building. As quickly as possible she made her way to the department where her package was filed away till it was sent for. No one was around. The doors were unlocked and the lights still on. She called out “Hello...anyone there?” No answer. She waited a little and called again as she walked around the counter that separated the sterile looking waiting area from the archives themselves. Still no answer.

She walked to the computer station to see that it was still active. She searched the display and found the appropriate application. Archive retrieval. She typed in her name and the location of her package was displayed. Before leaving the station she deleted her name and exited out of the application, she didn't want anyone to know she'd been there, just in case what she was doing was wrong in anyway.
'How could it be wrong, the package is mine after all.' she thought as she located the package, tucked it into her bag and left the department.

****

Anton struggled with his private investigation into the unsettling matter of Mr. Bank's death. The information he'd gotten from the night before still pecked at the back of his mind. Something wasn't right. Cassie's friend's reaction to her story for one and the fact of the found missing package that shouldn't have been found so easily. Where to start, how to go about investigating without drawing suspicion?

Activating the wave phone at his desk he decided to call in his first favor. His friend Bobby who was the security guard at the archive building. The wave was answered in short order by Bobby himself.

“Hey Anton, what's new?” answered Bobby recognizing Anton right off.

“Same old here, you know nothing much happens around here.” chided Anton. “Bobby, I'm trying to tie up some lose ends on that missing package from the archives.”

“Didn't you hear? The package was found by the new girl. Seems it was here all the time and old Banks was just too dumb to notice it.” Bobby interrupted.

“Oh, really. I hadn't heard that.” lied Anton. “I was just hoping to have a look at the security footage to see if I could find anything.”

“I don't see why you'd need to now that the package was found.” replied Bobby.

“Call it a hunch. I went through the archives with Mr. Banks and that package was nowhere to be found. I've got a feeling that that package wasn't misfiled by Banks and was missing. That who ever took it came back and misfiled it for the new girl to find.”

“Dang Anton, never thought of it that way. Are you sure? Your not just being overly suspicious?” asked Bobby.

“No, not really, but, do me the favor and keep this just between the two of us. I've got a bad feeling about this and I really don't need anyone breathing down my neck about it, okay?”

“Sure thing. So where do you want the footage sent to?”

“Send it here. I don't want anything to seem out of place officially speaking.” answered Anton.

“Consider it done, just wave me the time frame you want to examine and I'll package it up for you.”

“Thanks Bobby, I'll wave it to you in just a few.” With that said Anton disconnected the call and proceeded to send Bobby the wave of the time frame of the packages original drop off and the day Cassie told of her finding it. 'that should about cover everything with the missing package' though Anton, 'now to look into Mr. Bank's untimely death.


II

Awareness

Cassie was eager to catch Anton again for some private time. After work she stopped off at one of the Deli's close to home and picked up dinner for both of them. 'This will be a nice little surprise.' thought Cassie as she rung the bell at Anton's apartment. There was no answer. She rang again. Still no answer. “He must be working late. Well, if he's not here then I'll go there and surprise him.”

With that thought she took the quickest route to Anton's office. Entering the foyer she noticed that only a few people were still at work. One took notice of her and approached the front desk. “Can I help you?” asked the pleasant looking man behind the desk.

“I'm looking for Anton, I'm trying to surprise him with dinner, and he wasn't home so I...”

The gentleman held up a hand and nodded he understood as he walked to the small gateway that separated the waiting room from the offices. Cassie didn't need to explain anymore. This man had been around enough to know when a potential girlfriend of an agent was stopping in. He held the gateway open for her to pass through with out having to touch anything. Then he pointed down a long hall just behind the entry and said “last door on the right.” he then smiled at Cassie's blush and went about his work.

Cassie walked down the hall, trying to compose herself, to