17-04-2019, 02:01 PM
A Little Night Music Ch. 18
"Storm the Master Marathon, I'll fly through.
By flash and thunderfire, I'll survive.
(I'll survive, I'll survive, I'll survive, I'll survive.)
Then I'll defy the Laws of Nature and come out alive!
Then I'll get you!"
-Queen, "The Seven Seas of Rhye"
By noon, the media was reporting that Contessa Helena de San Finzione's condition had changed from "Serious" to "Fair." The donor liver had gone on to someone who needed it, and she was expected to recover in time. The man who'd received the organ, which had been on standby in case she'd needed it, made local newspapers as "The Man with A Liver Fit For A Contessa."
Images played of the Candlelight Vigil outside the hospital the night before. Followed by video of Contessa Maria starting to address the nation before hearing of the bomb and telling them that she had better things to do than address them.
Helena smiled at her and turned off the television, her only company now that she'd sent Julie Equals back to the castle. The morphine was still flowing through her system, but she was lucid now, which she needed to be for this meeting. The two Ultimados standing guard outside her door saluted Generalissimo Hernando Ramirez; coming down the hall with the Prefect of security officer and the Minister of Intelligence. Ramirez returned the salute and instructed them to guard the end of the hall for the moment.
She stuffed Propappou's smoking jacket under the blanket before they entered. Ramirez asked how Helena was feeling.
"Doped up enough to enjoy daytime TV, but not so much that we can't talk now."
Once the door closed behind them, the Minister of Intelligence took a device from his pocket and walked around the room, checking it. He declared the room free of listening devices or cameras, and La Contessa nodded.
The three men gave their reports. Ramirez shared the information that Allaine had gathered as well. Helena took it all in, sharing her own thoughts; omitting that they'd come to her in what she was choosing to call "a dream," for the moment.
"Your friend is pretty astute, Ramirez. Whoever is behind all of this is throwing us a bone here. We have no choice but to follow his bread crumb trail; he knows we can't and won't stop looking for him. With the 'Jimenez was a crazy stalker' story, we get the media off our backs while we do it."
"So, we go with the lie?" asked the Prefect.
"It's that," Helena responded. "Or talk to cameras about what's taking so long on 'Day 178 of The Hunt for The Real Mastermind.'"
The Prefect nodded.
"I shall have my men smash up some alarm clocks, borrow some demo charges from SWAT. That should be enough to sell the bomb story."
"I like your anti-science literature idea, too, Ramirez," Helena mused. "Ooh! Make it Anti-Vaxxers! Fucking smug pricks, endangering children." La Contessa composed herself. "Now, I'm afraid the other matters we have to discuss are above your clearance, Martin. I'll leave you to your evidence-planting."
The Prefect saluted and left. As a precaution, the Minister swept the room again.
"Now," La Contessa said, turning to Ramirez. "Miguel and his people are all right?"
"Si, Contessa. They had retreated to a safe distance before the explosion."
"That's a relief. As soon as they're able to, I need them to get back to the project. It's more important now than ever that we know the truth about Springheel."
"What about the Morgan angle," the Minister of Intelligence asked. "Should we have the wife and children detained?"
"No," Helen replied. "When I can travel, I'd like a word with them. Put them under discreet protective surveillance, though. This guy plays with innocent lives. And he thinks he's clever. If we move too quickly, he might get spooked and burn the trail, and them with it. Going with his cover story will make it seem like we're admitting he's too clever for us. It'll buy us some time while he gloats, or whacks off, or composes his taunting letter, or whatever he'll do to celebrate. I certainly can't do anything overt until my friends leave."
"If Springheel means this much to him, he will certainly try again." Ramirez commented.
"Yes, this won't be the end of it," Helena asserted. "He attacked me to prevent me from looking into Springheel. To kill me before I consulted experts about it. The attack on the Ministry afterwards means one of two things: Either he knows it's NOT real and didn't want them finding out, or he knows it IS real and didn't want them finding out. If he didn't intend to kill me, he certainly intended to pique my interest. In that, he has succeeded."
* * *
"Storm the Master Marathon, I'll fly through.
By flash and thunderfire, I'll survive.
(I'll survive, I'll survive, I'll survive, I'll survive.)
Then I'll defy the Laws of Nature and come out alive!
Then I'll get you!"
-Queen, "The Seven Seas of Rhye"
By noon, the media was reporting that Contessa Helena de San Finzione's condition had changed from "Serious" to "Fair." The donor liver had gone on to someone who needed it, and she was expected to recover in time. The man who'd received the organ, which had been on standby in case she'd needed it, made local newspapers as "The Man with A Liver Fit For A Contessa."
Images played of the Candlelight Vigil outside the hospital the night before. Followed by video of Contessa Maria starting to address the nation before hearing of the bomb and telling them that she had better things to do than address them.
Helena smiled at her and turned off the television, her only company now that she'd sent Julie Equals back to the castle. The morphine was still flowing through her system, but she was lucid now, which she needed to be for this meeting. The two Ultimados standing guard outside her door saluted Generalissimo Hernando Ramirez; coming down the hall with the Prefect of security officer and the Minister of Intelligence. Ramirez returned the salute and instructed them to guard the end of the hall for the moment.
She stuffed Propappou's smoking jacket under the blanket before they entered. Ramirez asked how Helena was feeling.
"Doped up enough to enjoy daytime TV, but not so much that we can't talk now."
Once the door closed behind them, the Minister of Intelligence took a device from his pocket and walked around the room, checking it. He declared the room free of listening devices or cameras, and La Contessa nodded.
The three men gave their reports. Ramirez shared the information that Allaine had gathered as well. Helena took it all in, sharing her own thoughts; omitting that they'd come to her in what she was choosing to call "a dream," for the moment.
"Your friend is pretty astute, Ramirez. Whoever is behind all of this is throwing us a bone here. We have no choice but to follow his bread crumb trail; he knows we can't and won't stop looking for him. With the 'Jimenez was a crazy stalker' story, we get the media off our backs while we do it."
"So, we go with the lie?" asked the Prefect.
"It's that," Helena responded. "Or talk to cameras about what's taking so long on 'Day 178 of The Hunt for The Real Mastermind.'"
The Prefect nodded.
"I shall have my men smash up some alarm clocks, borrow some demo charges from SWAT. That should be enough to sell the bomb story."
"I like your anti-science literature idea, too, Ramirez," Helena mused. "Ooh! Make it Anti-Vaxxers! Fucking smug pricks, endangering children." La Contessa composed herself. "Now, I'm afraid the other matters we have to discuss are above your clearance, Martin. I'll leave you to your evidence-planting."
The Prefect saluted and left. As a precaution, the Minister swept the room again.
"Now," La Contessa said, turning to Ramirez. "Miguel and his people are all right?"
"Si, Contessa. They had retreated to a safe distance before the explosion."
"That's a relief. As soon as they're able to, I need them to get back to the project. It's more important now than ever that we know the truth about Springheel."
"What about the Morgan angle," the Minister of Intelligence asked. "Should we have the wife and children detained?"
"No," Helen replied. "When I can travel, I'd like a word with them. Put them under discreet protective surveillance, though. This guy plays with innocent lives. And he thinks he's clever. If we move too quickly, he might get spooked and burn the trail, and them with it. Going with his cover story will make it seem like we're admitting he's too clever for us. It'll buy us some time while he gloats, or whacks off, or composes his taunting letter, or whatever he'll do to celebrate. I certainly can't do anything overt until my friends leave."
"If Springheel means this much to him, he will certainly try again." Ramirez commented.
"Yes, this won't be the end of it," Helena asserted. "He attacked me to prevent me from looking into Springheel. To kill me before I consulted experts about it. The attack on the Ministry afterwards means one of two things: Either he knows it's NOT real and didn't want them finding out, or he knows it IS real and didn't want them finding out. If he didn't intend to kill me, he certainly intended to pique my interest. In that, he has succeeded."
* * *
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