“Mother, let’s ignore the fact that I’m almost forty and now considered a disabled veteran,” Jordan said over the phone as he waited for his luggage. “I’ll have a better chance of finding a girl and giving you grandchildren if I’m not living with you and dad.”
That comment stopped his mother’s worry for a few moments. After living with his parents while going through physical therapy for several months, Jordan Thompson was going stir crazy. His mother loved to hover a little too much. That was fine when he was a child, but as a grown man it could get tiring.
“I have an apartment already, mom,” Jordan sighed. “You remember my friend, Nero Owens, right? Yeah, him. That’s right, he became cop. Well, he’s retired now and manages an apartment complex. He said I could stay there. I’ll have you send the rest of my stuff once I get settled. He said he might even have a part time job I could work.”
After a few more minutes, Jordan was finally able to get his mother to hang up. During the entire conversation he was able to pick up both of his suitcases from the luggage carousel. He paused as he made sure his cybernetic right hand was gripping the luggage handle properly. Nero had assured him that the job did not require feeling in both hands.
Jordan was actually a little curious as to what exactly the job was. Nero was a little cryptic in explaining. Not like Jordan really cared what exactly he did. All he wanted to do was see the sun everyday. You could see the sun on the moon, but it really was not the same as looking at the star through the planet’s atmosphere.
Of course, it was just his luck that it was overcast. Still, the smell of rain was wonderful. Jordan happily took his time heading to the long term parking garage. He half expected to see a layer of dust on his car, but it looked about the same. Not that he could remember it exactly. Too many pain killers combined with Nero’s driving could confuse anyone’s memory.
“Excuse me, sirs,” a voice called out. “Agent Michaels. Did you see anyone getting chased on this level?”
Jordan, and the young man about to get into his own car, turned around. A man gasping for breath was holding out a federal agent badge. The agent looked like he knew he was only half way through a marathon. Both Jordan and the young man shook their head and Agent Michaels sighed. The agent looked around hopelessly when the passenger hopped out of the young man’s car.
“Tech,” Agent Michaels said with relief. “Agent Driver started chasing and was last on this level. Do you know where he is now?”
The teenager paused and then closed his eyes. Jordan raised an eyebrow as he tried to figure out how a kid could possibly know where a federal agent was when his partner did not even know. After a few moments Tech cocked his head and started signing something.
“He says he can’t isolate any sounds of pursuit, yet,” the young man translated. “So, he was actually telling the truth. My nephew is a freelance agent. My name’s Carmine, by the way.”
Jordan had to admit that he was surprised when the young man said nephew. Carmine looked like he could be Tech’s older brother instead. The agent nodded and looked expectantly at Tech for any news about his partner. Tech cocked his head again and then started signing very excitedly.
“That direction,” Carmine said, pointing toward the stairwell. “Should be by in a minute. Act natural I suppose.”
Jordan found himself trying to watch discreetly as he pretended to be wholly absorbed into putting away his luggage. Carmine made Tech get back into the car and pop the trunk while Agent Michaels ducked down between the cars on the other side of the aisle. The man being pursed actually tripped before even reaching them and Agent Michaels had to dash out to keep the man from getting back up. Agent Driver was grinning, as if giving pursuit was the highlight of his day.
“I didn’t do it and I don’t know anything,” the now handcuffed man cried out.
“A truth and a lie,” Carmine said quietly.
No comments:
Post a Comment