A Perfect Player -C6

CHAPTER 6

Claire trudged towards me.

“Are you all right?” Claire asked.

“Yes I think so.” I replied.

I was wordless and I had no reason why. All I was thinking this was not that easy. It should be complicated. My dad had back up for Jasper. I wondered for a long time. This is not going to end. Claire saw my arms were bleeding and this freaked her out. She cried for help from Ethan.

“What’s wrong?” Ethan asked.

“We got to bandage Max.’s arms and send him to a hospital.” Claire explained.
Without hesitation, they did first aid to me. I gave instruction to the people in airport that everything would go as normal now. I didn’t give Ethan a chance to send me to the hospital as I decided to took a fight back New York. Ethan tried to stop me but go in vain. I lied on the comfortable chair thinking how I should deal with my dad when I reached there. Something was amiss but I can’t figure out what is it.

“Mr McGuire, Jasper was dead.” The secretary told my dad.

My dad was very delirious about it and he knew that he got to choose between his son and money. Definitely he chose money. No words could express the secret agony of my soul. I reached New York at 6pm. My arms were not bleeding at the moment and I was pretty satisfied about it. I had not devised a plan yet. I decided to go to the eminent hotel to take a rest. My tiredness knew no bound for sure. I dosed off in minute time. I walked right into my dream world again. This was the perfect time that I saw Liz. She was the one I wanted to whisper into her ears the most.

“Max, do you really know what you are doing? All you do were the killings here and there. I can see that you are in a total confusion. You got to think twice before you do anything. This is the reason why you needed me to.” Liz left after she finished her words.

I was awakened by the venerable alarm clock. I went to the bathroom to take a swift bath. I got changed into a white T-shirt with a loose black jacket over it and wearing a black pant. I gave Mr Ethan a call.

“Ethan, I’m back in New York. Don’t worry; I won’t disintegrate your plan. I’m fine. All you have to do now is to protect the kids over there. I’ll be working for my dad with your undercover there. I’ll assist you in busting my dad’s ‘businesses. I’m doing it my way with or without your acquiescence. I promise that I’ll do a good job out of it’s.” I opined gravely.

“I’ll do my job but you just have to be careful. You have to know that you are the daffiest person I ever met in my whole life. It’s a pity that you are not working for us. I got to wish you all the best I bet. I’ll be coming back to New York in three days time. You hold on in the meantime. Advice is that lines are not always secure. I love the fountain too.” Ethan wished me.

With that, I hung up with him. I still had to think of the first sentence to begin the moment I met up with my dad. While pondering with my thoughts, I looked at the gay flowers that rioted in the garden from my window. I was once again prepared. I took a cab to my dad’s office. The office was like usual so brimming. I took the polished elevator up to floor forty-two. I stepped up of the lift and gated to my dad’s office. I turned the round golden doorknob and stepped right into my dad’s office without even knocking.

“You are the one that caused Jasper’s death. God damn it, he’s my good friend. I came back not to yell at you because I’m not the old Max anymore.” I blared at my dad as I slammed the door hard behind me.

“Well, I’m sorry that Jasper was dead. I’m pretty surprised that you are here. Do you have any idea that Liz gave me an empty diskette?” My dad asked.

“I thought that was the real one. Don’t you dare to raise the issue up again as I had not forgiven you that you had killed Liz. You know I loved her but yet you killed her. I came back after a long vacation.” I lied firmly.

“Well, actually I thought you have the diskette and had planned to send my men to get you but you came back explaining everything to me. I’m gratified that you are back because I need you right now.” My dad confided in me.

I just gave him a recreant smile and went out of his office.

“I’ll be right at home if you need me.” I replied.

I knew by now he would sure send his men to tail me like my own shadow or even had cameras and bugs around my house. Well I’m prepared for all these kinds of stuffs. My dad forgot that I was once a profession killer too. I wondered how Claire is now. I missed her a lot and I got to admit it.

“Where is Max, Ethan you got to tell me his whereabouts?” Claire persisted.

“He’s fine back home. I promise you that you could see him in three days time. Meanwhile stay away from the window.” Ethan assured Claire.

Well I was not worried that Claire would fell for Ethan because safety of her was much more overwhelming. However I still pondering the contradiction of myself moving on with life when Liz was away from this world forever. My dad instructed his men to drive me home. I was pretty calm about that but somehow I got to put up a good show in front of them. It was a typical bad guy story playing being spied. Between the father’s and Liz relationship, I was more bonded to Liz but now that she was dead really brought a great impact in my life. They drove me home in no time and were patrolling in my house like a damn dog. I went into my room in no time to avoid conversation with them. My mobile phone rang just when I sat on my soft bed.

“This was the flower shop; I was calling to ask you to pick up your flower you ordered today in the floral shop. I was sorry but can you also bring another credit card as I the card seemed to be expired. So when are you free to take your flowers?” A familiar sweet female voice said.
I could simply recognise the person was Claire.

“Well I how about tonight as I knew your shop closed at 9.30pm and I hope I won’t get lost in finding the shop like last time and I hope I won’t get wet this time.” I hinted Claire.

“Sure just remember to bring along your other credit card.” Claire reminded.

I was pretty delighted that Claire was here and I was sure Ethan too was here. Well in another sense I felt a sense of pernicious things was going to happen. Well I was keeping my finger close. I took a swift bath and got changed into a simple blue T-shirt and a pair of sandy brown Bermudas. I was thankful to see that Thor was still around. However I knew the jeopardy which I was in and how I might complicate stuff when Claire got involved with me. I didn’t want the history to repeat itself. That was the dominant reason why I had to remain as villain as possible to Claire.

I told the bodyguards sent by my dad that I was going town to pick up a bouquet of flowers. With that, I walked out of the house hopping into my jeep and drove to the floral shop near the fountain in town. I was assured that at the back of my jeep there would be men sent by my dad to spy on me. I could not be fallible, as it would connect to the death of other people. I took a pen and slipped it into the pockets of my Bermudas. I reached the floral shop. I stalled my car along the driveway. I marched into the floral shop as if I was really intending to pick up my bouquet of flowers.

Claire was the shop assistant and Ethan was the customer. Claire was definitely delighted to see me but I didn’t show any return of delightment. I just pick the bouquet of ocean blue roses and walked up to Claire.

“Here my new credit card, you can try to see if it works.” I hinted Claire.

She was disappointed I didn’t show any concern to her. I could see that from her eyes that told me she had untold misery from the way I treated her. I had no option but deep in my heart I knew I cared for her. I write on a tissue paper telling how I had proceeded and crushed the paper and threw it in the bin. I signalled Ethan using eye contact to pick the crushed tissue paper. I took the bouquet of blue roses and hopped back into my jeep and drove back home. In my mind, there’s always a scheme on what’s going to happen next and how should I react to it.

The next imperative thing I had to do is to gather all the softcopies evidences which could determine he was the main ringmaster to the drug smuggling, money laundering, cold blooded murder and all other illegal activities which you could ever name it. This time round he was not going to escape from the majestic law. I would be the one turning him in and be on the cold witness chair testifying against him.

I walked to the once familiar kitchen; I opened the white and vast refrigerator just to seek for the food which I could cook just like a stray cat seeking food from the garbage can in the back alley. I took the piece of raw red fresh beef meat and intended to cook steak for dinner tonight. I used the familiar utensils I once used to cook and eat my scrumptious dinner I cooked. I even did my own washing of the utensils. I walked up to the bar and took a red wine out to have a drink. I poured the red wine into a classy clear wine glass. I swirl my wine glass a little to evolve the aroma of the red wine. I took a sniff at the great red wine before taking a sip and slowly tasting the unique taste of red wine and slowly gulp down into my throat to enjoy the taste of the red wine entirely. I was an excellent wine drinker as well as appreciator. Wine reminds me of Liz a little as when she was still very well alive we often drank and taste different wines from all bars and restaurants.

I believed my dad’s people were outside observing every move I was having now. Their presence did not affected me much. I was enjoying the pleasure which was a painstaking to my dad’s people. I headed to the soundless study room where I used to study when I was in high school which I would look at the school magazine if I had the time. Jasper used to sit at the bright striking orange comfy couch and had a palaver with me whenever he was free. The death of Liz was a changing point of my life.

The most abhor thing I had to do was to pull the trigger of the shot gun which led the bullet to blow through my one and only best friend’s brain. This was the reality I had to face and the guilt is tormenting me every day like a ghost which kept haunting me. I was switching on the laptop in the study room. I was awaiting for my dad’s call to spy on me. I was feeling so pretentious at a moment in the room all by myself with walls surrounded me. My laptop was switched on and it took me quite a long time before I plucked up the courage to scroll to the folder where I used to keep record of every little detail of what was happening in my life every day. It has been so long since I last updated the detail of myself at the day when Liz was shot dead by my inhuman dad. Somehow in this day I still put the blame onto myself although in the right path of facing the reality it might not be my fault. I began to put down in words by racing across the keyboard.

15th June 2000
I am back in this cold materialistic country, New York. Few hours back, I had a cowboy gun shooting which include a life and death game with Jasper. I won the game. It was a gruelling decision for me to make to kill him in one shot or just injure him but the solution come up as a final instinct of human reaction to duck from enemy’s pistol bullet and reacting using self defence by shooting back at him. Guilt never stopped a single day to torment me making me feel remorseful about Liz and Jasper’s death. I had to move on in bringing my dad’s down to face with the jury. I finally realised I treated Claire as Liz replacement which was unfair to her and I decided to break up with her thoroughly. Ethan is my only partner here to know I was working for him. I did not mind facing the stake where dad would turn on my laptop and read it. It did not matter anyway as I was tired of concealing and lying in my whole entire life. I wish Claire would understand the plight I am in. I was not expecting for her forgiveness. I think Ethan and her made a pretty compatible match honesty.
Max

As I signed off in my laptop and locked all the system to be in the hidden file and lock with all the password, the house phone was ringing. It is predictable that it might be from my dad.

“Max, I was thinking to give you a call to see how you were doing as since it had been a long time since you ran off away from New York and now you were back? I was wondering how were you adapting? I was sorry to call you at such an odd hour. I was concern about you.” My dad began.

“Well I was adapting pretty well back here it was just the sleeping hours I could not adapt. I was still up playing computer games. Thanks dad, for the concern. I was thinking it was rather late. We shall continue with the conversation tomorrow morning then.” I ended the conversation in a short huff.

Dad was a pretty grave and straight forward person which I did not even have to spend time entertaining. It was rather asinine to lie to dad that I had forgiven him for murdering my dearest girlfriend. I rather let things go by nature. I was intending to sneak into dad’s office in two days time as I guessed he was a very predictable person who might asked his only son to do the laundering of black market money which was my usual task in my past days.

I would have to establish the closest relationship with dad to gain his entrustment to the whole firm he was holding which was kind of cliché like a movie you caught in the cinema near you. I got onto my comfy waterbed trying to catch a forty winks. I dreamed of the very fatal night when Liz was coldly shot dead by my dad lying in a pool of blood. I woke up instantly from the nightmare which I had been dreaming for the past few months. The remorsefulness was flowing in my whole body killing me gradually.

I guessed this dream would never come to an end just the Shakespeare story of Macbeth’s wife killing the king and had an imaginary blood stain on her hands which was caused by her conscience. I snagged my white shirt off the hook on the back of the door and headed toward the bathroom. I turned on one of the stainless steel taps slowly letting small gush of water to flow out from the shower head. A chill ran swiftly up my back causing the nape of my neck to tinkle by the cold water, I turned the other slowly stainless steel tap slowly trying to make the water warmer with the warm water. Steam derived from warm water from the shower head fogged the stainless steel taps and the entire bathroom increasingly. I was feeling more refresh with a clear mind after the shower. I was well-dressed with my purely white cotton shirt and black business suit. I got onto my jeep to set off to office to work.

Cool morning breeze brushed through my face as I drove my jeep at hundred meters per hour. I had no doubt that I was being followed. I reached the office in ten minutes time. I parked my jeep in the car park. I took the swift high technology elevator up to twenty-five storey where my dad’s office was. I zapped in my card to enter into the office and enter into my room. I switched on my computer instantly. I walked to my dad’s room and have no surprise he was there.

“You are early, my son. Have you taken your breakfast? Do you want to join me for breakfast?”
My dad greeted me.

“It would be my pleasure to join you for breakfast.” I lied as I sat down on the chair to eat my breakfast.
It would be almost a perfect breakfast but the only thing was it was the person you were having breakfast with was not right. I was having lightly scrambled eggs, toast, crisp bacon and a glass of orange juice for breakfast. I was sated after this delectable breakfast.

“How’s the breakfast, son? It has really been a long time since we had breakfast at the same table together.” My dad interrupted.

“The breakfast is fantastic just like before. It definitely replenished my energy to start work at the beginning of the day. Thanks for inviting me to join you for breakfast.” I replied instantly.

“Glad to hear you enjoy the breakfast. I had an assignment for you to do. Well I knew you were weary for killing people for me. I had assigned you with a simple social interacting job with the associates of other firm to clinch a deal with them regarding on the legal trade of investment on the surface but the real deal is on the drugs. I am the main supplier to their firm. This deal is definitely critical to us as they are suggesting to give us ten million dollars if the deal is successful.” My dad instructed.

“Where is the deal held? Thank you for being so understanding to my plight.” I asked.

“The deal is going to take place in the renowned restaurant of the Swiss Hotel at noon. The person who is having the talk with you is Ethan working from the Dicken’s Associates. You have all my best wishes to you, son. I hope we can open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the good news when you are back.” My dad added.

I just gave him a confident smile back in reply. I was thinking the person I was going to meet whether it would be Ethan from the FBI. I got a strong perception he was the one. I would give him a thumb up for deceiving my dad. I was packing the documents in my backpack getting ready to set off to Swiss Hotel. I took the usual elevator down to car park where I stalled my jeep. I drove to the hotel anticipating of the person I was going to meet up with. It took me a mere half an hour drive to the hotel. I went straight to the restaurant. The service from this restaurant was beyond the normal standard of other restaurants’ services. It was perfectly pleasant. The mood for the restaurant was definitely right saturated with jazz and slow new age music. The ambience matched the food varieties that were being served perfectly.

“What would you like to have?” The waiter asked politely in the most refined way.

“I think I would just like to have a glass of orange Grande. I would give my order when my friend arrived. Thank you.” I replied.

Time was slipping past as I was awaiting for the client. The waiter served my glass of orange Grande. I was sipping the glass of orange Grande through the black bendable straw. The orange juice quenched my thirst instantly especially at this point of time when the weather was sweltering hot.

“You must be Max. I am Ethan from Dicken’s Associates. Sorry I was late. Traffic was pretty chaotic and heavy at the bridge.” Ethan began.

“Hi, you are not late. I was early. Traffic was predictable busy.” I responded as I raised my head to look at him and giving him a smile back.
I signalled the waiter to take our order. We were given with the menu. We browse the menu instantly.

“I would like to have the Smoked steak and a cup brewed Irish coffee.” Ethan gave his order of the menu.

“I think I would have the smoked Salmon and a glass of red wine. Thank you.” I gave my order.
Ethan signalled me to be quiet while he took out his watch and clicked it trying to tap for any tapped system being placed over here. He also took out a lighter and that lighter had a way to block off all waves of sound where people might try to tap over our conversation.

“Well that was pretty prepared. Remind me to give you an award next time.” I spoke.

“How have you been? Be careful, well the transaction we were going to have today was part of the evidence we were trying to create against your dad. You looked very tired, my friend. I treat you more like a friend rather from the work partner. Take care of yourself pal.” Ethan replied.

“Well thank you for treating me as a friend. I appreciated that a lot really. The transaction was not going to be easy as my dad was the one going to pull through the bank and do the laundering himself. I was just going to make business contract with you today. The goods will be delivered to you in three days time by another man. I would be tapping on the transaction of the money laundering of the bank soon. I needed time more to gain his trust. I just could not get to sleep as my past was haunting me till now. My dad was a very cautious person and I believed he might be checking on your firm sooner than you can expect. I need you to sign here on the contract over here. It was procedure and this was how it was being done.” I added.

“I have faith in you but do remember you life is as important as this assignment. I have to go, keep in touch.” Ethan shook my hands in giving a wrong sense as we signed a deal.
We headed separate ways. I drove back to the office thinking of a way to tap onto the file. There was these think as identical identity. I was thinking maybe Ethan could help me. I was delighted of my plan and at the same fear for possibility of my plan failing. In life everything can happen in a second of time, everything is possible. The only thing we could do is to accept the unexpected. I reached the office soon and passed the contract to my dad’s secretary. I headed to my office room and sat on the black polished arm chair and took a look to the breath taking view out of the clear white panel. I was beginning to enjoy the view when the knocking of my office door began.

“Come in,” I responded.

“Well son, it was a good deal you had clenched. Am I disturbing you?” my dad began.

“It was a good deal indeed. Nope you are not disturbing me, I was just looking at the view outside.” I lied.

“Glad to hear that, well I need you to do the banking of the system for me. I trusted you, do not betray my trust, Max. Get it done by tomorrow morning. Here is the key and authorisation card.” My dad passed me the stuff as he walked out of the room.
I took the card and key and put it in my right hand pocket. In my heart I was thinking the time was perfect great opportunity.

‘Sorry dad,’ was the only thing I could have been thinking in my mind.

I clicked the button of my watch and send signal to Ethan to meet me in the bank asking him to be there earlier than I would be.