She caught his eye in the rearview mirror. Had she hid behind the van quick enough? Had he really caught a good look of her? On the other hand, had it only been a glance? Questions she really didn't know the answer to but asked herself anyway. She struggled to hold in her breath before he finally pulled out of the parking space on his way to work no doubt. She smiled pulling out a PDA and upon activating it opened up a tracking program with a satellite linkup to keep track of the magnetic tracker now attached to the underside of his rear bumper.
Even though she had people to do this kind of thing for her now, she enjoyed going it on her own every once and a while. Especially the jobs that dealt with people who had once been a part of her old life. They were either old enemies or friends from long past.
It was always a dangerous thing when she smiled. It meant things were going her way. When she got her own way people got hurt and people died. She slid into her dark blue custom-built Garcia Original. Anthony Garcia, himself, the world’s foremost car designer, had designed it. After war had swept the world, Garcia's design company began producing cars that were for the most part affordable for the world’s populace. Being as his passion had always been innovative design. he continued both design and build cars that were often custom built for private clients ranging from presidents to simple car loving millionaires wanting a taste of more than average.
Her car, outfitted with not only the latest in car performance parts but also a specially designed engine, which if examined by authorities, was illegal in most countries. Beyond performance the car was outfitted with a satellite link-up system connected to a computer system allowing her PDA to hook into it., Anywhere in the world she had net access as well as a video phone, all used through a touch screen located in the center console next to the steering wheel.
She loaded her PDA into the hub beside her and the car computer screen on the console lit up so she was able to watch as her current target drove on unaware. After shrinking the screen she was watching him on, she pulled open a call link-up screen and dialed up Kevin. Kevin was her assistant, more than that he was her second in command. Anything she needed done he either did it with his own two hands or overlooked the job personally. He had a history of being the only hacker still alive. He was also still, hunted by the United States, Russia and Japan for hacking, theft of information, alteration of information and in the cases of Russia and the United States, he crashed their major defense networks and was able to steal millions without breaking a sweat. In the case of Japan, it was not necessary to disable their computers. They were simply not a major threat to both the missions carried out, or to the 'corporation', as he liked to think of it.
His face appeared on the screen almost as soon as she had punched up his number. She shook her head as she saw his face. It held a look that belied a readiness and a waiting to perform whatever it was required of him Not bothering to hide a bit of smugness, he waited for her request. She looked into the lenses of the camera as her fingers flew across a retractable keyboard positioned just above her lap.
"I need you to find every scrap of information on this man. I am uploading both an image of him as well as a license plate number. I want to know everything, from what apartment he lives in, to place of work, to where he has taken a piss on the side of the road. Time duration, the last fifteen years. Once you have this information send it to my PDA. Besides this slight errand how are the other arrangements coming along regarding our other ventures?"
His smugness gone replaced by concentration as he focused on what she knew to be one of his other computer screens.
"Two days they will be complete boss, and if you give me three hours I will have the information you have just requested. As far as the other project I have it completed, when would you like to have our men carry out orders?"
"As soon as I get back we will complete stage one. Are you sure the men are ready? I worry about Squek and Marcus. They have proven themselves but they are so fresh. I am concerned that they don’t have the necessary experience to complete the jobs we have set forth for them. What are your thoughts?"
"I have both William and Percy on top of that. They have spent several days in training. I believe they will be fine. Are there any other concerns?"
"No. That will be all for now, thank you Kevin. And, please, be careful yourself. You would be a hard man to replace. I spent so much effort, time and money not to mention man power keeping you out of the hands of those that wish you to work for them, and the not so friendly countries that wish of nothing less than your head."
"As always I will be the ghost in their networks, have no fear boss," he said with an almost impish grin, "I’m untouchable."
With that, his screen went dark. Upon closing the call screen, the tracking screen enlarged once more. Noticing it had stopped moving she winked at the blinking dot, "Gotcha."
She started her car up and pulled out of the garage, closing the gap between her and her target. She unleashed a bark of laughter. After fifteen years, their reunion was far overdue.
As he drove along he could not help but wonder if what he had seen in the mirror had been just his eyes playing tricks on him or his past finally coming back to haunt him. Shaking his head, he reached into the center console and pulled out the bottle of aspirin. Taking two and chewing them as he closed and put the bottle away, he pulled into the city Hospital back lot and eased into his usual spot. As he pulled in, he noticed a man standing near the back entrance.
The man was wearing a jet-black suit, a brimmed hat that blocked the lamp light from revealing all of his face, except for his mouth. The man was large, stood just taller than the door next to him. You could tell he was waiting for someone, or something. He had been waiting a while because the cigar he was smoking was almost gone.
Breathing hard, he pulled out his Smith & Weston and checked the ammo cartridge. Reloading the gun and re-holstering it, he pulls two more cartridges out of the glove compartment and puts them into his jacket pocket. Sighing he stepped out of the car. As he pocketed the keys he thought to himself that there is no way its a coincidence that he catches a glimpse of his sister and a man he has never seen before shows up at his work in the same night. Life had finally caught up with him, but this time he was ready for it and he would be damned if he would let his life be torn apart again. If it came down to it, he would die before he let her die again, especially after God had seen fit to give him a second chance.
As he walked towards the door the man in the suit dropped the cigar on the ground, grinding it with his heel, he stepped forward off the wall stopping a few steps away from the door. The man then put his hands in his pockets and smiled.
"I have been waiting for you a long time Michael." The man said as he approached.
"Who the hell are you? I haven’t so much as uttered that name for ten years, there shouldn’t be any way you, or anyone should be aware of my name being anything but Josh, the simple Coroner. If you are here for any reason other than ... “
Josh started to go on but the man tilted his head up so Josh could see his face.
"Boy you have hidden and run for more time than I thought possible. Gone so far off the radar that it took me eight years to find you based off the information I had. I’ll be damned if you won’t stop to hear what I have to say after all the work I put into finding you.
It is about your sister, and yes before you ask, I found her and while she is in good health, she is far from fine. Your sister is about to start the biggest cu in modern history. Don’t ask me how I know I just do. But before she does, she wants to settle some old business with you. Now while I haven't spoken to her personally, I can't tell you how I know what I do. When it comes right down to it, it doesn't matter. What matters is what you are going to do with this information.
Hundreds possibly thousands will die if it happens the way she plans, and I haven’t the means to stop her, not anymore. Here is the address of a friend of mine. He will help you, but only if you decide to proceed. This is goodbye, possibly for the last time but perhaps if you live through the next forty-eight hours we will meet again."
As the man said this, he handed Josh a card with nothing but an address on it and began to walk away.
"So that’s it, after twenty years I get a card and information that my sister has become a monster? You bastard! Perhaps before going to 'handle’ my sister I should just kill you. You let her die. You could have saved us. You caused my sister to become the way she is, if I can even believe a single word coming out of your bastard mouth, PETER! "
Josh stayed where he was. He did not trust himself to move, doing everything in his power not to simply pull out his gun and empty it into the devil of a man who dared to call himself his Father!
"You long since ceased to be my son. I brought you up to the point where you could survive on your own, and then I left. I was needed elsewhere for things that were more important. The only reason I came to warn you of her, was because I think you can stop her. Nevertheless, be ready. As you do not know where she is, she knows exactly where you are. Do you know they call her?
Good luck boy. Remember, if you mess up we won't be around to say what should have been done differently. She has turned into a tenacious person; and, luckily for me, she blames you. You can try to kill me if you want, with that relic of a gun you keep strapped to the small of your back, but mark my words it will be the last thing you ever do. She will be here in three minutes and you are late for work. Enjoy the night, for if it’s your last than it will be the death of us all."
He spoke these last few words without turning around and walked out of the parking lot as if he did not have a care in the world. Bastard.
Shaking with rage Josh walked up to the hospitals back door and let himself in. He calmed slowly as he walked towards the morgue. His mind reeling with questions. How could he believe this man? Although he resembled Peter, could it really be him? After so long, not so much as a 'how you been?’ he just launches into this bullshit about me being basically the planet's last hope. Granted, I now believe I really did glimpse Mariah. How could I know her intentions? Seeing both sister and father alive, I now must choose to kill her or let countless die.
"I refuse to believe his lies!" Joshua said to himself, letting his heart rate slow back to normal. "If she really is coming here tonight than we will just have to see what the truth really is." He put on a smile and walked through the double doors of the city morgue.