Episode 13: Invitation to Terror

Episode 13: Invitation to Terror
by Toni Walker

"I believe I've come up with an idea of how to get everyone together... including the elusive Paul Cooper." Asia Mott was dressed in a severe maroon suit that screamed corporate. Her hair was picture perfect, not one strand out of place. Everything about her was very well put together, at least, that was the image she wanted to portray.


Asia sat the prospectus in front of Braxton McKenna. As far as WayneCorp went, Braxton was the be-all and end-all. He made the ultimate decisions.


Braxton didn't completely trust his son, Wayne to always see his side of the issues at hand. Today would be no different, he was sure. His son believed the L300 was a weapon being sold to the government through slightly shady channels. But what he didn't know was that Braxton was selling it to the leader of a drug cartel, Antonio Santos. And these people didn't take no for an answer. They were tired of waiting for their product. They didn't understand that the final sequence to complete the ultimate pulse weapon was in the hands of a woman who had no idea what she was in the middle of.


Braxton studied the prospectus. A party on Paragon Island, and everyone was invited. "Brilliant, Asia. Truly brilliant." He closed the folder and folded his hands together.
Tomorrow he would have the sequence and be rid of his pesky complications all at the same time.


The CEO chuckled. "Maybe we should rename it Terror Island? Because before we're done, we're going to make them all wish they were never born."

***

Adam Lear stood outside of Braxton's office listening at the door using a device he had obtained during his tenure as a special agent in charge of witness relocation.


"Terror Island? Damn," he muttered. He knew he was going to have to find a way to get himself invited to this shindig. But that might be a problem considering Braxton didn't trust him as much as he used to. And he was sure he had Asia to blame for that. Interfering bitch.


His security clearance hadn't changed, but he was no longer included in the key pow-wows like before.


He listened intently hoping to discover exactly what those two were up to.
Asia hung up a phone and her heels clipped toward the center of the room where Braxton's desk sat.


"I believe our men have found them, sir."


Adam was sure Asia looked like the cat that ate the canary. She was both excited and impressed with herself. She worked hard to maintain that shiny corporate image. Everything about her was flawless, planned to the Nth degree, but flawless none the less.


Asia laid a schematic in front of father McKenna. The map was plotted with various intel her men had gathered.


"A man fitting Paul Cooper's description was seen leaving a doctor's office downtown. We tracked him to a single apartment over a hardware store."


"Do we know if the L300 scrambled his brain, or is he still fundamentally himself?" Braxton donned a pair of reading glasses and peered at the small text.


"We aren't certain, sir. But I will have that looked into, if you would like."


"Good. Good. If Paul Cooper is walking around with the sequence dancing around in his head, then I want him brought to me."


"Right away, Mr. McKenna."


Adam didn't like this development at all. If they had discovered the place he'd hidden Cooper, then Joy Sinclair's location could be all but compromised. He quickly grabbed his things and exited the building, dialing on his cell phone as he entered his Mustang.


"Hey, it's me. They're onto us. Get Joy somewhere safe. I'm heading on over to Paul's. Trouble is on the way," Adam said.


"Do you want me to call Karen?," Erik Winters asked. The three of them had been working to keep Paul and Joy safe for nearly two years.


"No, I'll do it. I don't think she's going to be too happy about this new development."


"Damn, Adam. Neither am I," Erik muttered. "As soon as I hang up, I'm setting the house a blaze and high tailing it to the alternate location."


"Will do. See you there if I don't encounter trouble."

***

Outside Charlie's cabin an hour later
The hooded figure came closer to Cole Dalton, but the gun he held didn't waver. The closer the person came, the easier it was to tell it was a woman. Under the black velvet hood was a beautiful woman of color. It took Cole a moment to realize she was Wayne's right hand man, Asia Mott.


He held the gun to his side. "You scared the living shit out of me. Damn woman."
Asia came up to Cole and placed her well manicured hand to the side of his face. "Such language from such a handsome man.


Cole held her hand there for a moment longer than he needed and then pulled it away. "What's the matter? Wayne afraid I won't get Charlie there in one piece?"
"Oh, nothing like that Cole. I just watch out for Wayne's interests as well as those of Wayne's father, Braxton McKenna."


Charlie Cooper couldn't contain herself much longer. What were these people doing here and what was she talking about?


"Wait a minute! Wait a gosh darn minute. Get Charlie where? Am I going somewhere?"


Asia pulled out a square silver envelope and handed it to Charlie. "Mr. Braxton McKenna and his son would like to invite you to his private island for a very special party."


Charlie's eyes lit up. She loved parties. She and Paul used to attend WayneCorp parties all the time.


Cole eyed Asia suspiciously. What was she up to?


He watched Charlie open the invitation. It was written in a beautiful script, probably handmade and probably a real pain in the ass to get made on such short notice. Braxton McKenna was like that. When he wanted something, he wanted it immediately, if not faster.


"I hope my sudden appearance didn't frighten you considering your ... current circumstances." Asia watched as Charlie glanced over her shoulder.


"No, no, I'm fine. But Jaxx, he thinks I should stay here and stay out of the fight. But.. it looks like it's over now, so all is well, I guess."


Cole positioned himself like a wall between Asia and Charlie. "Wayne is frightened for your safety." He looked toward the after effects of the fight between Jaxx and Karen and the hoodlums. "For obvious reasons. Someone wants to do you harm, Charlie. And Wayne thinks that you would be safer if you stayed at the McKenna mansion."


"He's right," Asia added. "The mansion has state-of-the-art security so nothing like this would happen again."


"Oh..., okay. Just let me tell Jaxx..."


"No!" Asia said suddenly. "Let me tell Mr. Sinclair. I'm sure he would agree that staying with Wayne is the best thing to do."


Charlie shrugged and exited the Jeep. Before she followed Cole toward his car parked down the street, she reached back in and grabbed her mysterious puzzle box.


"Can't leave this behind," Charlie said with a smile.


"You coming, Mott?" Cole yelled back.


"Not right now, Mr. Dalton. I have a few more invitations to deliver."


The smile that crossed her face as Cole helped Charlie into his car was down right evil incarnate.

***

"What in the hell is going on in this town?"


Jaxx Sinclair was tired of walking into wall after wall. When he tried to find out information about Joy's accident, he hit a wall. When he tried to help Charlie, he hit another wall. This town had too many damn walls and it was beginning to look down right suspicious.


"I'm sure she's perfectly fine. She probably got scared and went into the house..." Karen said, glancing into the darkened windows of the cabin.


"But I told her to stay out here!"


"And the hospital also told her to stay overnight, but she's still here, isn't she? Even though she's a sweet girl, Charlie doesn't always do what she's told."


"I'm beginning to notice that."


Karen Chamberlain glanced into the car looking for any clue when she found a square silver envelope with her named written in a beautiful script on the front. There was also one for Jaxx.


While Jaxx checked the back yard for signs of Charlie, Karen opened her invitation.
Dear Karen and Paul, the letter began. Karen held the card to her breast. Damn! Someone knew Paul was alive?


She slammed the door of the Jeep so hard it dislodged the the silver envelope with Jaxx's name. The invitation fell into a crevice between the gear shift and the seat. Only a corner of it was visible to the naked eye.


When Jaxx returned from the backyard, not only was Charlie no where to be found, but Karen was now gone as well.


"What in the hell?" Jaxx shook his head and walked over to the deputies. Maybe coming back to this town had been a bigger mistake than he realized.