Whisper (part 26)
Ono Draken sat at her desk and leaned back in her chair. She held the cell phone to her face in front of her mouth. A fire crackled in the corner of the room and eased a chill in the air. “The information was not recovered. They will try again. You will not interfere.”, she said. The voice on the other end squawked. Something about failure and a dead man.
Draken's voice tone began to rise and fall like an arpeggio. “I told you it wasn't part of the plan! The fool aimed a gun at him!“ More squawking and what sounded like a squeal. The chill became a freeze. “You will hold your tongue or I will have it removed! There was silence. Then the voice started up again. Slower this time and with more confidence. “I know you are concerned and I told you it will be handled. “ She swiveled in her chair and looked out the window at the giant puffy snowflakes drifting onto the lawn below. She stood up and ended the call without allowing the voice another word.
She pressed a button on her desk and summoned Zach Anderson to her office. He looked disheveled and was wearing slip on shoes. She raised an eyebrow as she surveyed his appearance. She then commanded him to bring Tomas Vocek to her office at once. Anderson agreed and left without a comment. She began pacing around her office like a lioness in a cage. After a few moments she let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Ono grabbed a nearby jade orb and hurled it across the room. It crashed with a momentous thud into an expensive Rembrandt painting. The painting was called 'Lucretia' and showed a young woman holding a knife in her hand. The woman's expression was calm and melancholy. Blood was soaking Lucretia's nightgown from a self inflicted wound. The jade orb made a deep gash in the painting and cracked up on the floor.
Tomas Vocek was playing 'Battlefield' with Mark when Zach Anderson knocked on his door. He opened the door and Zach could see a large array of collectibles, half eaten meals, and books strewn about the room. There was a tall bookcase filled with science fiction novels and comic books along the wall. There were vials of powder, half completed art experiments and various other oddities on the table. Tomas rolled over to acknowledge Anderson. Then he was killed in the game. “Sonofa bitch man. Look what you made me do.” he sat back up and started playing again. The sound of automatic gunfire and explosions filled the room.
Anderson walked over and asked him to turn it off. Vocek acquiesced more out of curiosity than anything else. “Ono Draken would like a word with you. It's about the incident at the test facility.” There was a glimmer in Vocek's eye as he said, “Oh you mean when I saved Mark's life?” Zach raised his hand, and without a word, motioned Tomas to follow. Mark sat in silence. He didn't much feel like playing anymore.
Tomas and Zach entered Ono's office. She had left the door open. It usually required a fingerprint scan or for Ono to buzz one in. Zach noticed she had changed into an evening dress. “You're dismissed.” she said to him. “Tomas you may stay here with me. I have some questions I would like to ask you.” Tomas replied, “I was enjoying a game before Zach popped in. What do you need?”
She motioned him to sit in a nearby leather chair that smelled of expensive oil and a hint of wood-smoke. “I hear you were involved in an incident where a man was killed.” she said. “I am confused as to why you didn't attempt to use a non-lethal method.” She sat up in her massive chair which was raised so she could look down across the desk. Her dress was revealing and she made a point of displaying herself. She adjusted her dress and pushed her shoulders back. She seemed like a praying mantis preening itself after a tasty meal.
“I think you know why I didn't try to disarm the man.” Vocek said. “I know you're not stupid, so I'll just say, if I hadn't; one of us would have died.” He had been lounging back in the chair with his feet crossed one ankle over the other. He sat up and straightened. Draken stood up and began a patrol around the room. Her dress constrained an abundant figure. She also expressed a kind of strength one would expect from an MMA fighter. Yet her noble features would have seemed out of place in any sporting event. Vocek couldn't quite pinpoint what it was about her. But he was starting to get excited.
Ono was gazing out the window and watching the snow fall in silence. A spirit seemed to catch her up and she turned on Vocek in a fury. She leapt over to his chair and swiveled it around to face her. “This will never happen again. Is that clear!”, she wailed. Vocek closed his eyes for a second. His hairs were standing on end. He felt a sudden surge of aggression build in his chest. He let out a breath through his nostrils. “Yes, ma'am. It won't happen again love” he said. She bent over him revealing more of herself and returned a devilish smile. “Perfect.” she said. “Now get out of my face!”. She shoved his chair and turned away to continue her window vigil.