Fortunes Obsession (32 page)

    Peter and Dara sat in the upper deck of the tour bus and headed for the space museum.

They looked around the complex and felt a little foolish.  Just what were they going to accomplish anyway? 

     “ You know,” said Peter,” I wonder if we weren’t really stupid to do this.

I really don’t know what to do first.”   “ First, said Dara, we’re going to have a great time and soak up all of the knowledge we can get.  We haven’t been here before and it’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit.  We’ll keep our eyes peeled and if we don’t see anything important, c’est la vie.”  Peter put his arm around her and tousled her hair.  “ You’re right, let’s just have a good time.”

     The bus stopped at the space museum and Peter and Dara went from mini theater to mini theater, enjoying dramatizations of different space flights.  Finally , they entered into the large museum complex, wandering from exhibit to exhibit.   After walking and watching for about twenty minutes, Peter stopped dead in his tracks.  “ Jesus,” he said.

Dara looked at him, “ What’s the matter,” she said.  Peter had turned ash white.  Don’t look around but I would swear that the security guard with the grey mustache is the guy in the picture with Fahd.”  They casually reversed direction and Dara said.  “ I think you’re delusional, how in the world would you recognize him  anyway?”

“ Well, it sounds crazy but I’m very observant when it comes to my photos.  The guy had a weird slope to his forehead.  I’ve never seen anyone with a forehead like that.  I can’t explain it but that’s him.”

     She looked at the guard again and then looked at Peter.  “ Okay, suppose it is him. What in the world would he be doing here as a security guard.  Give it a rest, Peter, your theory is outrageous.  You’re starting to see terrorists everywhere.”

     He walked past the guard again very surreptitiously.  “ I don’t know, Dara, maybe you’re right but I’ve still never seen a forehead like that.  I keep shaving him in my imagination and I can’t get it out of my mind that it’s him.”           

     Anxiety crept into her countenance.  “ Peter, this is madness.  You’ve been shot, I’ve almost been killed.  Can’t we just leave this be.  After all, it’s not like the FBI is not on the case.  Believe me, it’s in good hands.”

    He put his hand on her cheek and spoke gently. “ Honey, you’ve got to understand. This thing that I started, I discovered, it’s been like an obsession with me.  Especially after what these bastards have done to both of us.  I can’t explain......it’s...it’s like my duty.  I know that I sound crazy but I think we’re so close.”

     “ Okay,but at least get to a phone and call the FBI.”

Peter nodded and took her hand and headed for a pay phone.

 Millard and Clark were sitting in the temporary case headquarters in Cocoa Beach, drinking coffee and discussing the case, when the phone rang.

     Millard looked angry as he held the phone to his ear.  “ God damn it Fortune.  I told you to keep the hell out of this case, didn’t I?  I told you to go on with your life and butt out.  Now I find you on the cape sticking your fucking nose into our business again. What the hell is it that you want now?”

     Peter, on the other end, felt the anger welling up in him.  He related what he had seen to Millard.

     “ You expect me to believe that a Cape security officer, wearing a grey handlebar mustache is identifiable to you as the man in your photo?   Now that you’ve told me this cock and bull story, I’m obligated to follow it up but do me a favor.  Drive to Orlando immediately and catch a flight home before you get yourself and that beautiful girl killed.”

     Peter thought of several retorts to Millard, whom he thought was being rude and unappreciative but instead, hung up the phone.

     Millard was enraged.  “ The stupid son of a bitch hung up on me.  He’s going to get himself killed and you know who’s going to be the villain?  Me, that’s who.  The agent in charge.”

     He picked up the phone and dialed the chief of security at the cape.  When the lengthy phone call was finished, he looked ashen as he spoke to Clark.  “ They don’t have any security officer who matches Fortune’s description.  Page Larry and let’s hope he answers quick.  Security has already been alerted and they are on their way to the building.”

 Collins couldn’t help but notice the handsome young couple that seemed to be following him around and staring at him.  He could feel the sweat on the back of his neck.  He decided on the spur of the moment to abort this phase without calling his masters.

He quickened his step and turned several corners until he was satisfied he had lost the couple and proceeded to a spot where he had a gym bag stashed.  He took the bag to a nearby men’s room and went into a booth.  He removed an electric razor, battery operated and proceeded, after hanging a small mirror on the coat hook, to shave  his moustache.   He then changed to a pair of shorts and a tee shirt.  He stuffed the security uniform in the gym bag and after carefully looking in all directions, exited the booth and stuffed the bag in the bottom of a large trash receptacle, replacing the trash on top of the bag.  On his eyes, he slipped a pair of wrap around sunglasses and exited into the exhibition area.   He spotted the young couple, who appeared to be frantically looking for something.  He decided to walk right into their line of vision and test his new disguise instantly.   He slowly approached them and the man didn’t even look at him, while the girl gave him a fleeting glance.

     Larry Yamashita and Ruth Halloran , dressed as security guards, entered the building and found Peter and Dara.  Yamashita, always polite addressed Peter.  “ Alright, we’re going to assume that you are right and that this guard is Collins.  Please try to tell us the last place you saw him.”  Peter shook his head. “ Well, I went to call Mr. Millard and suddenly he was gone.  We’ve been looking for him ever since.”

    Yamashita, looked at Halloran and addressed no one in particular.  “ I would assume that since you are not trained in surveillance, that Collins spotted you and made a quick getaway.   Security has been alerted and anyone in a security uniform, will be stopped and interrogated.  My theory though is that he is no longer in a security uniform and no longer has the  mustache.”

     He turned to Halloran. “ Ruth, will you call the Chief and have him send us enough men to scour this building?  We may find some clues to where he went.”

     Directly outside the building is a bus stop.  No ticket is necessary to get back to the main parking lot.  It is assumed that since you got out there, you have already paid for the tour.

     Collins waited on the line trying to look as unobtrusive as possible.  It was a long line and a bus had not yet arrived.   He noticed that security cars were arriving from every direction.  He realized that he had guessed right and been compromised.  He was nervous and for the first time in weeks, felt the desire for a drink.  He put his hands out in front of him and saw that they were visibly trembling.   He seriously considered turning himself in and plea bargaining a lesser sentence but the few weeks in the prison of the terrorist headquarters made him know that he could never tolerate jail.   Getting out of here and getting out of the country was his best bet.

     Peter and Dara joined the crowd of people waiting for the bus and entered after the arrival of the large vehicle.  By the time they boarded, there was only standing room left.

As they inched up the aisle of the bus, Peter caught a glimpse of a clean shaven man with the same sloping forehead.  As he looked more carefully, he saw the man in his photo, the photo that had started this whole bizarre affair.  When they reached the rear of the bus, he whispered of his finding to Dara.  He could see the anger flash in her eyes.  “ Leave it alone Peter, please!  The FBI knows what it’s doing.  Let them take care of it for Christ’s sake. I’m getting sick over this.”  Peter shook his head.  “ I can’t. I’ve got to follow through on this.”  With that, he took out his cell phone and dialed Clark’s number, which he had long ago committed to memory.

                        *************************************************

     Collins contemplated his fate as he sat in a seat on the bus, on it”s way to the main parking lot.  He was going a little crazy.  He imagined that he saw the same young couple that he thought was following him around, get on the bus.  He was definitely jumpy.  Although he had been dry for quite some time , he felt the desire for a drink gnaw at his stomach.  He broke into a cold sweat as the bus arrived at the main parking area.  He had no idea how he would get out of this place.  He had abandoned the security car he had been driving and was strictly on his own.  He had very little money on his person but did have a small caliber pistol, fully loaded, tucked in a small holster jammed into the back of his shorts and covered by the tee shirt that hung outside his pants.  

                     *******************************************

Peter had arranged withClark to wait for him outside the ticket booths.   Dara was in a state of great anger and stared straight ahead, a look of disgust on her pretty face.  The two of them were soon soaked with sweat in the Florida heat and exchanged nary a word as they waited for the agents. 

                        *********************************************

   Collins stood there contemplating his next move.  At the same time, he saw the young man looking at him from time to time as if to keep him in his sights.  He decided to experiment to see if this young couple was really following him.  He started to walk away, very slowly, sighting the couple in the glass window that formed the wall of the building.  Sure enough, the young man started to walk in his direction, with the young woman shouting at him angrily.  He thought carefully of his options.   He could take them hostage but to what advantage?  He could kidnap them and kill them but he knew he wasn’t capable of that.  He could give himself up to them but who were they?  They might have been sent by Bey to watch him for all he knew.  He did know that he was in a mess with no discernible way out.  He had taken the money, he had helped Bey and his group and was definitely an accessoryor worse to what was already a treasonous crime. He thought of another option. He could put the gun in his mouth and end it all.  He had screwed up his life beyond repair and he knew it.  He had let the insult of not becoming an astronaut make him betray his country, his conscience and his long forgotten ideals.  He turned and faced the young man.

“ Why are you following me?”, he said and the man looked at him with a look of surprise.

He could see the young woman behind the man turn pale and look frightened.

     Peter looked at him with a look of determination.  “ Because we know who you are and we know what you’ve done and in case you have any ideas, the FBI is here and ready to arrest you.”

     Collins could feel the gun in his belt and for a brief moment contemplated pulling it out ,

but instead, put his hands out, palms up in a gesture of frustration.

     “ Look, I don’t know exactly who you are, but I’m ready to give myself up.  Honestly, I’m disgusted with myself.  It’s almost a relief.  I’ll go quietly .”  He put his hands out to be cuffed and Peter confessed that he was not a law enforcement officer.  At that point, Peter thought that he should talk to one of the security officers that were liberally sprinkled around the area, but he was afraid that they might be more phony security guards and decided to wait for Clark.  The man looked at Peter and looked glassy eyed and disoriented.

“ Look, I know you don’t believe me, but I’ll be right back.  I just have to get a drink.”

Peter was in a quandary.  The only way he could restrain this man was with his bare hands, and he knew that would attract attention.  “ I’ll go with you”, he said.  Dara reacted incredulously.  “ Are you crazy?  You’re going with him?  Don’t you know this is a trick?”

While the argued, the man walked away, searching for the bar and Peter ran after him.

Dara stood there, seething, not knowing where to turn or what to do.  She decided to keep her eye on where they were going and alert the agents when they arrived.

Collins carried the double vodka to a table and bade Peter to sit with him.  “ I want to know who you are.  If you are going to kill me, I want you to know I have a gun and I will fight you to the death”.

“ I’m just an ordinary guy, helping out the FBI.  They will be here any minute if you really want to give yourself up.”

“ I do”, said Collins,” But first I must tell you that I want to give you the location of explosive charges that have been placed at the landing site.”

Peter shook his head. “ I’m not the guy you want to give that to.  Why don’t you wait for the federal agents?”

“ You don’t understand.  They will be looking for me.  When they find me, they will kill me.  They will find me even if the feds take me into custody.  I am going to give you the locations and then I am going to run.”

“ I’m not going to let you do that”, Peter said.

At that point he could feel the barrel of Collin’s gun poking at him under the table

“ Do you have something to write with?”

“Yes”, Peter said and pulled out his pen and a small note pad.