American Mutant (23 page)

Having memorized the contents of the sheet, Connor willed Cummings to talk out loud about his meeting with Quenton. Cummings obliged, telling Connor about how he had requested address information from Quenton about DC Limousine Service, using the screen of the super computer delivery. Connor then had him connect with Attila and transfer the contents of his computer. Once the transfer was complete an hour later, Connor executed him by mentally blocking his breathing passages.

Karen watched Connor open his eyes and smile at her. He sat up. Barf put a paw on his leg, and Connor shook it while stroking the dog’s head. “Did you get bored?”

“Not really,” Karen answered, “but it was just as you said, nothing much happened to distinguish your mission from if you were sleeping. You were gone a long time.”

“I had Cummings transfer the contents of his computer to Attila.”

“Attila?”

“That’s the name of our super computer,” Connor explained.

Karen laughed. “You named the computer Attila? I like it. What about Cummings?”

“No need to bring him up in the conversation any longer, if you take my meaning,” Connor said.

“I can’t lie about what I don’t know?”

“Exactly,” Connor replied. “Come on, and we will go transfer all of Cummings’ accounts into Nate’s and my Swiss account. Afterwards, I’ll transfer the contents into either your computer at work, or Derek’s. What do you think?”

“I know Derek’s computer can be accessed remotely, and he has already given me the password, so just transfer the data to his computer directly.”

Connor nodded, and led the way into the room housing Attila. A voice spoke in mild modulated tone from the sound system in the room. “Hello Dave. Can I help you with anything? Mary had a little lamb.”

Karen, while startled at first, burst into laughter as she recognized the remnants of the super computer Hal in the movie
2001: A Space Odyssey.
Connor smiled and explained.

“I just wanted to give Nate a rush when he came in tomorrow.”

“This will do it.”

Connor opened a new folder and partitioned the contents of Cummings computer into it. He then transferred a copy to Quenton’s computer. After he transferred all of the money from Cummings’s accounts into his Swiss account, Connor turned to Karen, and mimicked the computer voice on AOL, “files done.”

Karen laughed again. “You are like a walking home entertainment system. I will have Derek call you tomorrow regarding Haynes. Will he be able to get into the information you transferred without you?”

“I added a cover letter with the password, and directions into the file he can find everything else at. Tell him to pay close attention to the three Senators tied closely to Cummings. They will be the key to getting Haynes in as CIA Chief.”

Karen nodded her understanding. “Come on big boy, and I will show you something else to do that you won’t need a mouse for.”

Chapter 24 DC Limousine and Danger
 

Nate was the first one to show up in the morning. He found the place already open, and Connor at the recreation room bar, drinking coffee from the professional coffee maker he had added. Connor waved, and poured a cup of coffee for Nate.

“Good morning Mutie. I see you did not have to go into the Center this morning after all.”

“Karen slept over, and I have everything transferred to Derek from Cummings’ computer. She will fill him in on our idea about Greg. I found a few names in Cummings’ files, which will probably give Quenton a route for getting Greg in. I also told Karen about the compromised guard at the entrance. She thinks we will need to leave her in place until everything else dies down.”

“Good idea,” Nate agreed. “Her sudden firing, linked with the death of old Arthur, would probably attract some unwanted attention. You didn’t run into any problems?”

“Nope, and it was easier than I had even dreamed,” Connor said.

“I should have some kryptonite stashed somewhere in case you go rogue,” Nate commented, only halfjoking.

“I am getting more and more dangerous,” Connor agreed. “You will have to learn to block your mind, so you can blow me up with a bomb like the teacher did in
Village of the Damned
.”

“Yea, that’ll work,” Nate laughed. “I guess I will just have to trust you can keep your mutant mind sane in all of this.”

“Hey, I lined us up some real business,” Connor said, changing the subject.

“Good,” Nate replied. “The faster the crew sees real money coming in, the faster they will know this ain’t Fantasy Island.”

“You may be right about that Nate,” Connor agreed. “All this stuff probably has a few of them wondering what they got themselves in to.”

“If we have time this morning I think we should go over the details of security,” Nate reminded him. “Maybe we can make a small start in reversing this trend of making the Nation’s secrets into an open book.”

“I agree,” Connor said. “We will go over the power and status of Attila, and get them used to using the proper procedures for accessing the room. I will still be expecting a call from Derek sometime this morning after he has a chance to go over the data I sent him.”

“You know I have been meaning to discuss our account with you Thomas. How do you want me to account for any withdrawals I make? We have to lead by example for the crew.”

“You mean we can’t tell them to do as we say and not as we do?” Connor laughed.

“I know it sounds funny,” Nate continued, “and you probably think we’re too old to bother with this little crap, because of the amount of money you have managed to attain.”

“No Nate, I think we will keep it all on the up and up. Attila already has our business accounting program, so we will just start a separate account for each of us. You know how to start your own company in it, so I will do mine, and you do yours. We will compare notes each month when the statement comes out, okay?”

“That will work,” Nate replied. “I just hate answering the inevitable question from these guys…”

“Yea, like do we keep track of everything we spend like we ask them to do?”

“Exactly,” Nate affirmed. “Nothing more irritating than to get those looks, and rolling eyes, from teenagers thinking we are just a couple more old hypocrites.”

Connor laughed. “This will be good practice for you in handling Nate Jr., and anymore little Johnsons in the future.”

“I think I am too old for another child,” Nate said.

“Man, when you are rich,” Connor reminded him. “You are never too old when you have money.”

“You and Claire sound alike,” Nate grimaced. “She has wanted another baby since little Nate turned two.”

“I vote with Claire,” Connor said.

“Figures,” Nate said, pushing him in the head, “but thankfully, no mutant vote counts at our house.”

They heard voices in the outer office, and Barf s greeting bark. When Nate and Connor reached the shop, the crew was already sweeping up. Nate walked over to Sammy and Luke, who looked like young Wall Street businessmen. They both wore dark, tailored suits and ties. Their shoes were mirror bright.

“You gentlemen look very professional,” Nate said admiringly. “Thomas has the gig laid out on the office computer, so why don’t we go on in and go over the details.” Nate led them into the front desk area.

Connor stayed out with the rest of the crew. He picked out the limousine for Sammy and Luke to use. Henry went over, called up the maintenance checklist off of the shop computer, and printed it out. He handed the list to Connor.

“I want all four of you to take this limo through its paces together. We want everything from the shine to the smell inside to be first class.” Connor handed Henry the list back, and watched the crew go over the limo from front to rear, using the checklist guide. When they were through Connor walked over again.

“When you have checked out a vehicle, I want two signatures, or initials, with the time and date at the bottom where you see the blanks. Whatever team signs off on a particular vehicle will be responsible for it. Learn to be fast, but thorough. All of you will do your turn at driving, so I want you to only have to concentrate on your driving when you get behind the wheel. I also want a check of the surveillance cameras and intercom before it leaves.” Connor paused.

“I don’t want to sound too stiff today with you,” he said smiling. “It’s just I’m probably more nervous about this than Luke and Sammy.”

They laughed in appreciation. Nate came back out with his drivers in tow. Connor directed them into the limo the crew had just checked out. Sammy put on the headset and started the vehicle, while Luke engaged the on board GPS tracking system, and keyed in their first pickup. Everyone else followed Nate and Connor into the back; where they made sure the cameras were functioning, and Sammy could hear them. They then adjourned to the recreation room and put the tape in. When their video and sound checked out, Connor had Sammy and Luke run through the customer relations part once more.

Connor and Nate went through the process and problems of keeping information secure. They stressed the importance of making sure every detail of every piece of information accessed in the super station remained secure. Connor had guidelines posted in the room itself, detailing information handling, and checklists. Connor explained the print ID check being installed later in the day, along with the ID cards they would be issued.

Later, after the two young men had left to pick up their charges, Nate and Connor left the other four to do the check out on the onboard systems and video with Attila. They were to come and get them if they noticed anything out of the ordinary. The two men went back out to the bar and poured coffee for themselves. Nate laughed as he watched Connor fidgeting around out of character.

“Calm down Mutie. Those boys will do just fine. You are really wired over this.”

“Hell Nate, this stuff is exciting.”

“I have one word for you Thomas: decaf.”

Connor laughed and took another sip. “I know they will be fine, and we will have completed our first surveillance mission without a hitch. I can’t believe we are actually in business.”

“By the end of the day I am going to get away from you. Being close would be like waiting for the Sun to go nova. I guess the Batman will be out cruising for action tonight.”

“I will be drained by then,” Connor sighed. “Besides, I will need to meet with Derek, after I make sure our security system gets put in today. We still need to set up appointments for tomorrow if our trial run ends successfully.”

“I will handle the bookings Thomas. Anything else on the agenda for today?” Nate asked.

“We’ll just keep up on our teaching in between times,” Connor replied. “You work the accounting end in the office, and I will stay with the maintenance end out in the shop. We’ll leave Henry with Attila.”

“Okay Captain, let’s get back to work,” Nate said, grabbing Connor’s shirt front and pulling him up.

The day went by without incident. Both customers were dropped off and served uneventfully. The surveillance tapes were checked out and erased. Nate took the time to show nuances in customer’s speech, and body motions, to show the crew how to detect anything interesting. After the ID station outside Attila was installed, Connor passed out the ID cards. They practiced entry and paper trail logging.

Nate made four more appointments for the following day, as he and Connor had decided Sammy and Luke were ready to go it alone. They assigned the watch crew, who would also send out feedback cards to customers, and work on the customer invoice database. Henry and Jeremiah were assigned shop duty. The crew of young men was almost as enthusiastic as Connor had been all day. They took turns taking calls during the day, as Nate allowed them to handle the details of scheduling under his supervision. Before long, they were booked up a week in advance, even with Nate telling Connor he could get Joseph and Henry on the road too.

Connor’s secured phone in the super station rang, which automatically signaled him out in the shop. He made his way back by Nate, who turned to watch him in time to see the secured entrance to the room open by itself as Connor walked quickly in. The door closed behind him. Jeffrey and Joseph, who Nate was teaching basic accounting principals to, had also noticed. They looked now at Nate, who was smiling and shaking his head.

“I guess for security purposes,” Jeffrey said, “we better hope there are no more guys out there like Mr. Connor.”

“Son,” Nate said without hesitation, “you will not have to worry about that. I only know of one mutant in the world and he just entered the secured room without a key.”

The two boys laughed with Nate joining them. “You really think he’s a mutant Mr. Johnson?” Joseph asked.

“Well his ass didn’t drop in from Krypton,” Nate joked to the boy’s appreciative laughter. “Let’s get back to work.”

Connor picked up the headset, and began an automatic trace on the call. He watched as the screen in front of him began to bounce around with the signal.

“Connor here.”

“Thomas,” Derek’s voice said shakily. “Karen gave me your message and I have been working on the information. Do you think both you and Nate could meet me at this address?” Quenton gave Connor an address on the outskirts of the city. “We need to meet as soon as you two can come.”

“We will lock up here, and get there in about an hour,” Connor confirmed. “Will that be okay?”

“Sure Thomas,” Quenton replied. “That would be fine, see you then.”

The line went dead, as Attila still chased the signal without luck. Connor ended it from his end. He knew he could find Derek. He rushed out of the super station, causing Nate to jump up and meet him.

“We have got to go Nate,” Connor said hurriedly. “We’ll leave the boys on their own until they want to go. Quenton’s in trouble. I don’t know what kind, but I know he is.”

“Do you know where he is?” Nate asked, following Connor.

“He gave me an address to go to, and we will head there, but I will be scouting ahead.”

Nate nodded his understanding. “We’ll take my Lincoln in case I need some tools.”

The two men grabbed their coats, and told the crew to finish up, and to hang around as long as they wanted. Barf tried to follow, but Connor motioned him back inside. With Nate behind the wheel of the Lincoln, and the address dialed into the on board GPS system, Connor leaned back and closed his eyes.

He swept up out of body, pausing until he could feel Quenton. Streaking with the speed of thought, Connor wound up in a house. Quenton sat with his head in his hands. Two men were drinking at the small bar on the other side of the house. Connor recognized the man seated in front of the bar as being one of the Senators in the information he had given Quenton.

“Derek, do not look up and give me away,” Connor projected to him as Quenton tensed, and then held still.

“I have not been able to tell you about this stuff yet,” Connor projected. “I have only had a chance to tell Karen, and that was only last night. I know we are in trouble. I want you to think the answer, as if you were silently going over a speech you wanted to memorize.”

“Thomas,” Quenton thought as he began to cry, which provoked laughter from the men at the bar. They looked at him with disgust.

“Easy buddy,” Connor soothed. “I’m here, and I will make things right. Go ahead, just like I told you.”

Quenton took a deep breath, and kept his head in his hands as he concentrated. “They have my baby Thomas. They have her wired up with explosives, and there are three dead man switches in three different locations. They think I control you and Nate, and you will both do what I order done. If I cannot get you to do what they want from now on, my daughter will be killed.”

“Okay,” Connor acknowledged, “how do you know they have your daughter?”

“I met with these two,” Quenton explained, “and the Senator gave me an envelope with a large…lock of my daughter’s hair, and a letter saying she was okay.”

“The pricks didn’t even allow you to talk to her?”

“No…Thomas, what can I do?”