Day 2: 0500
Jordan Stern got up early and efficiently showered and shaved. He left his room and took the elevator to the hotel lobby. He picked up a copy of the newspaper from the table by the entrance to the restaurant and dropped 35 cents in the bowl provided.
A young woman saw him and wakled quickly over, "Table for 1?" she asked.
"There may be 5 of us," he replied, "but I'm not sure when they'll be here."
"I'll give you a large enough table, just in case."
"Thanks," he replied.
She picked up a menu and led the way across the room. Jordan tried hard to keep his eyes off her rear as they walked. She stopped at a long table near the windows. Jordan debated for a moment and chose a seat at the end of the table where he could watch the door of the restaurant and the street outside.
Jordan glanced through the menu quickly and decided what he wanted. Then he picked up the newspaper and began to scan it. The front page indicated that two factions in some tiny country were killing each other again. The sports section indicated that the Red Sox had lost AGAIN.
A story on page A3 caught his eye. It said that Rebecca Cross' house had burned down. It also said that two nameless people had escaped from the blaze without injury.
Jordan wondered who those people might be.
***
"Sometimes you are SO stupid!" Rebecca Cross yelled, "Why were you even
there?"
"Bud from the hotel called and said that some FBI guy had come by and left with a copy of a picture of you and I. I just wanted to see what they would do, so I went by your house," Ted Cross said.
"There's a big difference between seeing what would happen and burning my house down with them inside!"
"I also shot at them with a shotgun."
"You really are stupid. Did they see you?"
"I don't think so."
"I hope not, because we're going to have a very hard time completing the ritual if you are in jail."
"I understand that it was a stupid thing to do. What are we going to do about it?" Ted asked.
"Let me make a phone call," Rebecca replied walking across the room and picking up the cordless phone.
"Who are you calling?"
"The only other person who has ever done this." She dialed and the phone rang twice before being answered.
[Hello.]
"Dad, it's Becca. We've got problems. The FBI seems to be on to us."
[I was afraid that might happen.]
"You said that they wouldn't be a problem."
[No, I said that they weren't a problem. Technology has come a long way, and they have tools that they didn't have 20 years ago. When do you have to perform the next part of the ritual?]
"Tonight."
[Perform it. Tomorrow I want you to fly to Mexico City. My plane will meet you there and fly you to Argentina. Tell Ted that he's going to be my new Operations Manager for Argentina.]
"Argentina?"
[Yes. There I can gauranteed that you'll be able to complete the ritual.]
"I suppose," Rebecca sighed.
[It's far better than trying to complete the ritual in jail, pumpkin.]
"I understand. Thanks dad."
[You're welcome. I'll come visit in a week or two.]
***
Thaddeus Cross III set the phone down and frowned. His wife walked
across the room, put her arm across his shoulder, and asked, "What's
wrong, Dear?"
"The kids are having problems with the FBI. I'm going to move them to Argentina, so they can complete the ritual."
"Is there anything else you can do?"
"I can try to get the FBI to call off their dogs," he said with a slight smile. He picked up the phone and began to dial.
***
Slowly Team ZULU began to filter into the dining room. The looked
varying amounts of awake. jordan gave them a few sips of coffee before
launching in with questions.
NRPG:
Provide a brief report of last night's activities (you can really zip through it if you'd like). Then the team needs to decide what to do next. The best clue to Ted is probably his car.
I'm thinking that the bad guys get away from this one, but I'm not sure. The biggest problem is the lack of evidence linking Ted to the killing.
Either way, Thaddeus Cross III is ment as a long term adversary.
Respectfully submitted,
Alton Reich
SA-4 Jordan Stern, Team Leader ZULU
--
Alton & Elizabeth Reich [email protected] "Ani l'dodi, v'dodi li - I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" --The Song of Songs