Archive for October, 2008
tuesday Update….Cerberus Bay cont
Here it is, the second segment of episode two. Hope you enjoy it, and i apologize for it being a bit shorter.
Cerberus Bay
“I’m here because someone disagrees with you.” said the detective as he pulled a carefully folded slip of paper from the inside pocket of his suit coat.
“Please be more specific.”
“This morning we received a call from the owner of Four A Advertising, heard of it?”
“Nope.” Hades answered quickly, “Sounds like every other pathetic attempt to sound distinguished.” His voice turned from disinterested to mocking, “Three A’s just isn’t enough, let’s make it four.”
The detective scanned down the piece of paper,
“Actually the owner’s name is Adam A. Adaltan. I guess since he does advertising it sort of makes sense.”
“So he has a semi-plausible reason for sounding pathetic, do you think that’s better or worse than sounding pathetic on accident?”
The detective’s eyes remained glued on the information in front of him, “I don’t know.”
“I’m going to go with worse.”
“Anyway, he says he’s being blackmailed.”
The detective folded the paper back up and returned it to his coat pocket.
“That’s it?” questioned Hades.
“Yea, do what you need to do to get ready, that’s where we are headed.”
“What about my lawn?”
“Leave a note, let’s go.”
“Why bother.” said Hades, and he slipped through the door and headed for the passenger side of Detective Tarman’s car.
It was a short drive, shorter than Hades had expected. The main office of Four A Advertising was just off the northern jugular before the prominent highway disappeared into the dense sprawl of the commercial peninsula. It looked like a poor man’s glass building. Several stories tall with intermittent reflective windows, four large, red, slanted A’s were mounted near the top.
“You know we’re the best because of how many A’s we have in our name.”
Hades stifled a chuckle as he imagined the text appearing just below the prominently placed A’s.
Detective Tarman gave him a quizzical look but said nothing as he pulled into a parking space in a lot that was much too large for the building. Hades stepped out and glanced around in apparent disbelief. Nothing but empty spaces surrounded him. Looking toward the building, Hades held up his hand and squinted,
“I can barely make it out, I’m guessing if we push hard now we might make it there by nightfall.”
“I don’t like to park next to other cars.” answered the detective, matter of factly ignoring Hades sarcasm.
“I can see that, this must be how you stay in shape. Good plan.”
“We can leave whenever you’re done complaining.”
Hades snapped serious,
“Observing is different than complaining. None of it matters anyway, wherever you park the difference in time saved and lost boils down to seconds.”
Detective Tarman gave him a questioning look, “Why comment at all if it doesn’t matter?”
Hades shrugged as they started toward the building, “Call it research. You’re willing to give up the trivial convenience of parking closer in exchange for a better chance at protecting your vehicle. Most people are fanatically protective of their precious seconds. Tiny amounts of lost time meet with overblown reactions. Patience is a forgotten art, and your answer tells me something about you.”
“That I’m patient?”
Hades pulled open the door for the detective, “Maybe, or maybe you just substitute the common hang up of how long it takes you to get inside a building with the equally insignificant obsession over a little scratched paint.”
Detective Tarman shot him a miffed expression on his way into the lobby. Hades followed behind and became silent as their footsteps echoed off the fake marble floors on their way to the receptionist’s desk. Though his feet carried him forward, his eyes wandered. Now that it was time to talk to someone he was content to let Detective Tarman take the lead, freeing him to observe and absorb. The detective was aware of his shift in focus, and it was just as well. While Hades ability to articulate was not in question, whether or not a shred of tact would be implemented certainly was. With a steady stride, the detective came to a controlled stop in front of the receptionist and pulled out his badge.
“I’m Detective Tarman with the CBPD. I’m here to see Mr. Adaltan.”
The woman behind the counter looked up at him and smiled with robotic precision.
“He’s been expecting someone, please take the elevator to your right, top floor, turn left, follow to the end of the hall.”
“Thank you.” said the detective giving her an easy smile.
“Thank you for stopping by, have a great day.” And with that she dropped her eyes and the smile vanished as she went back to whatever it was she was doing.
The detective was used to every greeting imaginable and he shrugged it off as he marched to the elevator and pushed the arrow to go up. The door opened immediately and the detective was quick to select the third floor. Hades had somehow made his way into the elevator and the two of them stood in silence as the doors closed with a pleasant chime. A second chime signaled their arrival. The cop and the thief exited and followed the directions given by the receptionist. The hall leading to the owner’s office looked like his own personal patch of red carpet and it stopped in front of a pair of sizable wooden doors with a minuscule desk sitting outside. The desk was piled with papers with the occasional piece of office equipment squeezed in between them. On top of a prominent pile was a simple tag that read “Administrative Assistant.” The chair was empty and Detective Tarman guessed the absence of whoever sat there likely accounted for the stacks of papers. Like a field left to grow wild, he turned his focus on the double doors. They were also clearly labeled although the simple format was replaced by something that looked more like a commemorative plaque. Etched into the surface were the words
“Adam A Adaltan. Owner. Director. President and CEO.”
“At least we know we are at the right place.” Mumbled Hades as Detective Tarman knocked three times in succession.
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