CHAPTER 17

There was no great surprise that he got an answer. John had not really felt like wasting his international minutes on a bad bet so, he stacked the deck in his favor and Carol was not very happy about it either. John was also glad she did not just hang up when she heard his voice. Instead, she told John, “I thought ducking you at the embassy dinner was enough of a hint.”

John had figured that his ex-wife would say as much and he was ready for that, “well, you know Carol, you weren’t the one I was really looking for.”

Her answer kind of surprised him, “and if your little slime ridden mole was good enough to have gotten you this number then I would have expected that they were good enough to tell you that Amanda was not there.”

“Course not Carol,” John replied, “you left her in New York. I kind of figured that your spooks were better than mine. You had to know I was back.”

That actually caused the woman to snicker as she replied, “what makes you think that my daughter…”

“Our daughter,” John replied.

“Fine,” Carol corrected herself and she was not so amused as she finished her thought, “our daughter, was ever in New York?”

That actually told John a lot more than Carol was saying. It was also a lot more satisfying than pissing her off. It also made John wonder if Carol even realized how much she had just told him. Then he realized something else, she was still on the line. Maybe she was just taunting him and finding amusement in it? After all, Carol had to know that if Amanda was where she insinuated, then John could do very little about it. After a moment he had to figure that was why. There was no way she really wanted to have a prolonged conversation.

John decided to pursue another line of questioning since he was presented with the opportunity, “you do realize that she has another family and might want to see them?”

The answer made it apparent that Carol had thought about this, “and I feel very sorry for Jeanette. What you have never realized John, what has been the cause of all the problems between us, is that this is for your benefit, Jeanette’s benefit, and most of all OUR daughters benefit.”

“Here we go again,” John grunted into the phone, “your family is more important than mine. I kind of got that back when we first got married. I just never figured on it being an issue because, oh wait a minute, let me remember right, YOU said it wouldn’t.”

Carol snapped right back with equal furry, “here we go again is right. This is the same argument that we started almost two years ago. It’s the same argument that comes up every single time we try and talk. Why do you think I avoided you when I was in London?”

“It’s the same argument because we never finished it Carol,” John had to reel himself in after that. He was quickly going from firm to blind rage.

This emotional shift was not missed on the opposite side of the Atlantic, “I have a meeting a John. Good bye.” She disconnected.

John wanted to take the cell phone and throw it against a wall. After looking at it for a second that is exactly what he did. It was a cheap burner that he had a friend encode to give a false number. That was the only way that Carol would ever pick up and it worked. Now that she had, the phone was useless, so, why not smash it against a brick wall?

Harry Watkins came wandering out, of the empty flat, just in time to see pieces of the phone scatter in the debris of the alley. He took a second to figure out that he was just going to ignore it and then he asked John, “you ready to get back to work now? We have got to get this all fixed before the first. I heard tell that old man Linden has renters moving in.”

That made John go from blind rage to almost wanting to laugh. The quick attitude shift confused Harry a little so John had to explain, “I just spent so much time over there, I forgot about the whole month thing.”

“Yeah?” Now Harry chuckled, “your Mum told me a little bit about all that, least ways, what you told her. Guess I never thought to ask. What’s it like?”

How did you answer that? John had been asked more times than he could count and he had yet to figure out how to answer it. He had finally decided on what was basically a non answer, “I guess the phrase ‘a whole other world’ takes on a lot of new meaning these days.”

That made Harry laugh. It had made everybody else laugh too. John followed the man back in the building and they got back to work on replacing the old copper pipes with brand new plastic ones. As they worked, Harry talked, “I’m a sight glad you decided to take me up on this job.”

“Truth be known Harry,” John replied, “it almost seemed like some kind of cosmic destiny thing.”

Again, the large man with the thinning blond hair laughed, “well I’m glad of it. I mean your Mum thinks I’m doing her a favor.” He considered his statement and then added, “and I’d consider it a favor if you kept it that way. Truth is, as of late, I’ve had a devil of a time keeping help.”

That made John laugh as he tossed some more pipes out into the living room floor where they would later load them up and sell them as scrap. It was dirty work and that was why John laughed when he sarcastically replied, “can’t imagine that Harry. Such a lovely benefits package and all.”

Harry came crawling back out from under the stairs and said, “naa Jack, I’m serious. You can’t turn on the telly without hearing about all these great new opportunities.”

John was almost disinterested as he replied, “with us being at the cross roads of two realities, I guess that’s true.”

“No guessing too it,” Harry said as he started counting up copper, “I know it’s true. The reason is all around you. Linden had this flat up for rent for, how long was it? Maybe two or three years? Truth of it was he could never get anyone in here cause he wanted too goddamn much, greedy bastard. He didn’t care though, he’s got money.”

John started rolling out pipes and sorting them by length, “I assume you got a point Harry?”

“Now,” Harry went on, “suddenly he’s got no problem renting it. Got to figure there’s a lot more Linden’s out there with a lot more flats for rent. Suddenly people got that kind of cash laying about. Suddenly people like me got more work because of that.”

“I guess that’s good news,” again, John could care less.

“Yeah, sort of,” Harry replied, “only how is it I’m supposed to get all that work done when all my perspective help is running off and fighting to get new jobs so they can work with some pointed ear freak from another world?”

That did stop John from working for a second. Now, Harry really did have his attention. He looked at the man and told him, “hadn’t thought about it like that. I guess you got a point.”

Harry blew the entire situation off as something he could do nothing about and, again, John figured the guy had a point. Harry might not understand everything going on these days, and for that matter, neither did John, yet, Harry had more than enough common sense to know how all of this was effecting him. John had figured that the existence of the Dell would stimulate the economy. Every talking head on television had been saying that. Just like with all those pundits, John had never really considered what that meant. Too him, right now, all it seemed to mean was that his destiny was to be a plumber.

Then John finished work for the day. Harry had already locked up the flat and was driving off when John spotted his shadow. John had already realized someone was still watching him and figured, if it was not that German then, it would have to be someone working for his ex-wife. Now the guy had quite literally come out of the shadows and was standing in plain view, just across the street, in front of a pricey looking sports car.

John walked up to the guy and eyed the vehicle with more than a little curiosity. He then asked, “so Spivey, where did you steal it from? I am assuming you drove it here cause you’re not likely to find anyone on this row who can afford a car like this.”

Spivey chuckled, “I left it in open view. Figured you’d get the message.”

“What message?” John replied with just a tad hint of agitation, “that I’m being watched? I already knew that Spivey. Only question I got is, which crew are you working for?”

“I’m working for the crew,” Spivey chose his words carefully, “that is making sure than none of the other interested parties are watching you at this moment.”

John put his hands up, “I’m out of it Spivey. All I’m interested in, right now, is…”

“Seeing your daughter,” Spivey finished the sentence for him. When John did not reply, Spivey opened the door to his car and invited John in the other side, “might be able to help you with that. Come on, let’s go get a pint.”

Once they were sitting in a local pub, that John had never been too before, and one that Spivey had obviously randomly picked, John asked the guy, “MI-6? I kind of always had you pegged for turning spook.”

“Not exactly,” Spivey replied. “I’m a Major now and I am still in the army, if that tells you anything.”

John snorted, almost in his beer, and made sure it was highly contemptuous when he did, “doesn’t tell me much of anything, course, I’m sure that’s exactly how you wanted it.” After finishing a pull of his beer he told Spivey, “and I’m not here for the free round. You said you could help with my daughter. I guess I’m just curious as to what the price for that is.”

“I am afraid John,” Spivey replied, “it’s not as simple as all that.” That translated into, “the price was pretty high” or, at least, that was how John was hearing it. That was also pretty much what he had expected to hear. What he did not expect was what Spivey said next, “by now I’m sure you have figured out that Carol’s family is powerful enough to prevent you from seeing her through any legal channels.”

“If you know that much,” John quickly replied, “then I’m pretty sure you’ve figured out that getting to her by any illegal means is even less of an option.”

Again, Spivey surprised John with his next statement, “the question you really haven’t asked yourself is, is it right?”

John blinked and then asked, “is what right?”

“The situation,” Spivey came back with, “the fact that they have that much power?”

John snorted a laugh and was not very impressed, “I was an operator Spivey, like you used to be. You know better than to ask a question like that. The world is what it is. We play by those rules and not some bullshit ideal of the way things ought to be.”

Again, Spivey picked his words very carefully, “the way things ought to be, as you so aptly put it, is made up of people doing what they think is right. It doesn’t just happen John. You of all people should know that.”

“Fine,” replied John blowing the guy off, “whatever you think Spivey. As long as you’re the one buying the rounds, I’ll go with it. None of it helps me get to my kid.”

“John,” Spivey became a bit more reflective, “you’re trying to solve one symptom of a problem. I’m trying to fix the problem that ultimately resolves your situation.”

“Want to know the truth Spivey,” John told him seriously but with a hint of humor, “you sound like one them sign waiving protestors who like to go out in the street and throw rocks at other sign waving protestors.”

“Maybe,” Spivey replied, “only those idiots do it because it’s fun. They also don’t have any means in which to achieve their ends. I don’t think there is anything fun about any of this and I do have the means to achieve my goals.”

John had known this guy for a long time. He knew what kind of man he was and, more important, he knew that Spivey wasn’t kidding. John looked the man in the eye and was very serious when he said, “now you’re sounding kind of dangerous.”

Once again, Spivey jumped the track with his line of thought. The guy had always been pretty good at it and, John had to figure, it was probably why he was the one sitting across the table right now. Spivey shifted gears and tone as he said, “I’m not as dangerous as some, John. I’m certainly not as dangerous as your ex-wife. The question you should be asking is, do you really know who her family is? Maybe even, what her family is?”

John was not impressed with the side step, “I know it doesn’t mean much of anything. I know they have money. I know they have titles but, what the hell good does that do them in this day and age?”

“Indeed,” Spivey replied, “and do those same titles mean anything in Feyland?”

Again, John blew the guy off, “if you mean that they’re ass deep in bed with the elves, a three year old could figure that one out. They sure didn’t make it any kind of secret with me. Hell, Carol single handedly runs their media campaign in America. Course I know that.”

Spivey leaned forward and his eyes narrowed and repeated John’s statement, “what good does it do them in this day and age? You may not have thought of that question until I brought it up. I assure you John, it’s the question that is most on their minds.”

“So what,” John finished off his beer after that. He then stood up and prepared to leave as he slapped Spivey on the shoulder and told him, “it’s been fun reliving the old days Spivey. Now go fuck yourself.”

Before John could take another step Spivey said, “it’s why you can’t see your daughter.”

John stopped in his tracks. He looked back at the man who was studying him intently. John repaid the compliment and then asked, “what’s that supposed to mean?”

Spivey didn’t blink, “you know damn well what it means.”

Now John walked back up to the table, “I know who they are. Who do you think they are?”

Even if John was not sitting, Spivey knew he had his interest now. He became a bit more relaxed and said, “let’s just say they’ve been dealing with our Fey friends for a lot longer than they are willing to admit.”

Was that really it? John rolled his eyes and said, “tell me something else I already know.”

Spivey was almost contemptuous as he replied, “oh, trust me John, you don’t know this.”