There Must Be a Mistake Ch. 08

She nearly jumped out of her skin. "You cock sucking son of a bitch, don't you ever scare me like that again."

"I believe that's $30."

She jammed her foot down hard on his instep.

Gray howled like an injured wolf. As he calmed down, he looked at her with death in his eyes.

"Miss Luck, we are going shopping for the best running shoes made. No, we are going to buy four pair of the best running shoes made, because you are going to wear them out quickly. You are going to die running by my side. You are going to vomit like no one has ever vomited before, but I am not going to let up on you. You are going to run, until you think running is the only way to move. You are going to wish you had never met me. In the winter when there is so much snow on the ground and you cannot run outside, there will be a treadmill for you to run on. I will be on the treadmill next to you keeping pace. Hours and hours on end you will be on the treadmill. Then we will go to work on our spacecraft. After we finished working on the spacecraft we will go back on our treadmill and run for hours more. You will love running, and running, and running."

"DADDY HELP ME!"

"Daughter, if you remember correctly I told you never to hit that man ever again. I believe you hit him. I think he is rewarding you properly for the insult against his person."

"You also said you were going to treat me like I was a new baby for the 17 years you missed helping me grow up. Make-believe I am a baby, protect me from him."

"You did not seem to need protection from him last night. You cannot have it both ways young lady."

"I hate myself, I really do. I really hate myself."

"Everyone to the phones, Rod gets here at noon with the NDA's. Delicious wanted to read them over to make sure nothing was left out. Eight eyes are better than two, so all of us may as well read them."

************

I was wrong; again, I was off the phone, after speaking with four CEOs in 15 minutes. They all wanted more information from me, but I said no. It was a yes or no proposition and they all said yes without reservation. They would all be in town Tuesday evening to make sure the weather did not delay them.

I went to Jennifer to see how she was doing, and as I expected, the idiot from NASA was causing a problem. Jennifer kept her cool and said to him, "You have no expertise in the area of radio transmissions. We need the top three experts in the area. You have wasted 29 minutes and 20 seconds of your allotted time. You now have 30 seconds remaining starting now to say yes or no, or your place will be given to another corporation. You now have 25 seconds, 15 seconds, five seconds goodbye.

"Alright you win, I thought you were bluffing.

"The next time Dr. Even Luck offers you the opportunity to watch one of his marvelous inventions come to life and you try this shit again, you will be out of a job. He has more friends in Congress then you do."

I kissed Jennifer's head. "You have some pair of balls Madam."

"Dr. Luck, you of all people should know I do not have balls."

"You are correct. I am thoroughly familiar with that area of your body, and I would have noticed by now if testicles were any place in sight. Has anyone else caused the problem?"

"You are correct about your friend at Department of Defense. He not only hates you now, he wants to put you in a submarine, and fire you out of a torpedo tube. He has four services and you are only allowing him three people. He said he is going to go out of his mind."

"Call him back and tell him he can send four."

Jennifer laughed. "He will probably want to kiss you on all four cheeks."

"Tell him he can't do that anymore, I'm married."

"He wouldn't believe that unless he saw the marriage certificate."

"Send him a copy of it, and the wedding photo. He still won't believe it. Who do you have left?"

"Harold Chase."

"Be very nice to him. Tell him we are calling Patti Valentino and Dycke Schneider to witness to test also. Maybe that will help him make up his mind to attend."

In less than an hour 14 of the 15 phone calls were made, and acknowledged affirmatively. I couldn't imagine why Delicious was still on the phone so I went to check on her. There she was lying on her bed laughing hysterically, while she was talking to Laura Valentino.

"Go away dad, Patti is coming with Laura, and her son or daughter. They are fighting over that slot now."

"Tell Patti she can bring them both. There is no sense starting a family feud. Did you make your other phone calls?"

"Yes dad, everyone's coming. Now go away please, I think Laura and I are going to be great friends."

"Please don't tell me she's a pain in the ass like you."

"No one is quite like me dad. Just look at my parents and you could guess that for yourself."

***********

I shook my head as I left her room knowing this was going to be a very long day. I still had much more work to do. I called the police commissioner in Denver and asked him for every off-duty police officer who wanted to work next Wednesday at $300 per hour, portal to portal. They had to wear full body armor and carry long-range rifles as well as their regular sidearms. I give him Rod's phone number, and I needed a head count by Monday.

I called our local sheriff and gave him the same opportunity for his off-duty officers. Since our police force is very small he answered yes for all six men who were off-duty that day.

My final phone call was to Dunbar Security. I wanted an armored car to carry my invention to the site, and another as a decoy. I told them I only wanted a driver, and he was to wear very specific clothing. I told them what I was worried about and to make sure the drivers were volunteers. Each driver had to be unmarried, with no dependents, and if possible, no living parents. He or she was going to be paid $100,000 for this trip, because of the feeling I had in my gut. They were to be told of my fears, in advance of making their decision. This was to be held in the strictest confidence.

The word was now out that this test was happening. My competitor's might not be happy with me moving up the test date. This was a multibillion-dollar prize. I knew it, and if I knew it, they knew it. If they were close enough to finding the same answer I did, they would stop at nothing to delay, or destroy my equipment. I was leaving nothing to chance.

Then my life was nearly destroyed; by a woman.

"You didn't invite me Even. WHY?"

I recognized her voice instantly, and I wanted to kick myself. How could I possibly have forgotten to invite her?

"I thought you would be too busy with your children to want to fly all the way here from Milan for the demonstration. I know you have close ties with Dycke Schneider and Patti Valentino. I thought they would keep you apprised of the situation."

"Nice try Even; how are they supposed to do that when they have to sign a NDA?"

"Do you know everything about everything that goes on in this world Celeste?"

"Did you call the chairman the Boeing today? That's funny so did I. He just happened to mention this little test that is happening next Wednesday. He was sure I was going to be there. I am invited, right Even?"

"Yes you are, and to show you how sorry I am for forgetting to invite you, I will let in on something brand-new. We are having our first meeting on tonight. A total of 13 people will know about it, and five live in my home. All the scientist will be sworn to absolute secrecy, under penalty of castration. If you can stay an extra day we will sit you down and explain everything that we are going to do, and how we intend to do it."

"This sounds very hush-hush, I like it. You should let Patti, Dycke, and Harold stay also."

"Did you speak to them already?"

"Of course I did."

"What did you do, have the girls dial the phones for you?"

"No, all my friends are on speed dial. I may have to take you off speed dial, because I'm wondering if you are still a friend."

"I have always told you in advance of the things that are coming down the line from me Celeste, so you could get in on the ground floor."

"Okay I will keep you on speed dial for now. Don't ever leave me out of the loop again Even."

"I would be out of my mind to do that Celeste."

"I have always thought you were out of your mind Even, that's why you are so brilliant. I will see you next Wednesday."

"Thank you for not killing me Celeste, because I just got married."

"I'm sorry I must've heard you wrong. Did you say you just got harried?"

"No Celeste, I just got MARRIED."

"The Doctor Even Luck I know doesn't speak to a woman. He looks at the floor and runs away. What happened to you in Alaska that changed you?"

"I met Jennifer on the way up to Alaska. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. She fell in love with me at the same time. It was magic."

"I think that's wonderful Even. It is exactly what happened with Philip and me. I made it more dramatic by running away, but it was still love at first sight."

"I think my romance was more dramatic than yours. I had the pilot of my aircraft back into some trees just before we crashed. I built a rickshaw out of the wreckage of the plane, and walked 40 miles to the first house I saw to get help. When Jennifer opened that door there was no doubt in my mind we were destined to be together forever. I bought her a ring and proposed to her in a Wendy's, with her son standing beside me. If she didn't say yes, I would have kidnapped her, and lived in the forest with both of them, until she changed her mind."

"Even you are such a romantic. Couldn't you find someplace better to propose to her?"

"Her son, Gordon, wanted Wendy's for dinner. The ring was in my pocket, so why wait. I also have a daughter I never knew I had until a few days ago. I thought she was my niece. The lawyers in Maine, who were closing up my sister's affairs, found Divines' her diary. They called my lawyer here in Colorado. I have a 17-year-old daughter, and I didn't know. My sister never told me."

"You and your sister had a baby together?"

"It's not like that Celeste; when you get here I will explain it to you."

"You couldn't keep me away from this test with an armored tank division after that statement. I will fly in with my husband on Tuesday."

"Why don't you bring the dwarf with you?"

"If Antonia heard you call her that you would be dead."

"What did I say, I don't remember saying anything."

"Did I tell you I was taping this conversation?"

"Did I tell you this is not the real Even Luck, but his evil twin 'Bad Luck'."

"Even that was funny 11 years ago, it is no longer funny."

"I still like that joke. You made a fortune on all my patented ideas Celeste, because you always know what is about to happen before it happens. You have been first in line for everything, since we met at MIT."

"Yes I do. You are still making money from them, thanks my lawyers, and ME."

"We have a wonderful symbiotic relationship Celeste. Let's keep it working as it has in the past. I believe Tuesday I'm going to rattle your teeth."

"You know you can't do this to me Even. You have to give me a hint at what is going on in the brain of yours."

"All I'm going to tell you, and only you, is this idea is truly out of this world."

"Will I be able to make money from it?"

"Do you remember what you told me when we first met: To make money, you have to spend money. If you're willing to do that, I can guarantee you about 300 to 400 patents in the next five years. We have a 10-year timeline for completion of our new project. Everything we are going to do is cutting edge science. When we succeed, everyone is going to be clamoring to get a piece of what we know. Your holdings will start with the T instead of a B. You will be the richest person on the planet, and not by a little bit Celeste."

"Sometimes science is a bottomless pit."

"Every dollar I have is going into this project. Every dollar I make from the project I am displaying and patenting Wednesday will be going into it also. If you want in, you have to open your checkbook. More importantly, some of your businesses, and those of Dycke Schneider could be vital to the secrecy and success of our project."

"Even this project sounds like it is almost as fun as sex."

"Being new to the marvels of sex, I can only say I love it as much as I love science."

"I will see you next Wednesday Even; congratulations on your marriage."

34. LUNCH

Rod walked into the house carrying a box with the proposed nondisclosure agreements in it.

"Where is Gordon?"

"He is still at my house running around the backyard with my kids. He was having so much fun, I decided to leave him there. I will bring him back for dinner."

He handed the NDA's to each of us sitting at the table and we began going through it item by item. Gray, and Delicious each asked pertinent questions as he went through each item, and he explained how the law pertained to them. When he was through, everyone was satisfied.

"Delicious, you are not going to hit me with a chair or something?"

"I would love to Rod, but it would get both of us in trouble."

"I know I would get in trouble with Rosalynn, who would you be in trouble with?"

She twitched her head towards Gray, and said, "Him."

"It's not possible. Gray has you hogtied already?"

"Don't start with me Rod. It's been a lousy day so far, and you will only make it worse."

Rod looked at me and said, "Isn't love grand?"

He heard a chair scraping the floor and knew Delicious was getting ready to attack.

Just as suddenly he heard the word, "SIT."

He looked and saw Delicious sitting in her chair, with her hands folded in her lap, fuming.

"Remember Gray I have not written up our contract yet, and when I do you will be very sorry you did this to me."

"Baby all I have to say to you is one word. I want you to remember it every day for the next 10 years 'RUN.' For every insult you place upon me, you will put your running shoes on, and we will 'RUN.' I have been running since I was five years old, and I have the medals and trophies to prove it. You will love the outdoors. You will love the sound of your feet hitting the pavement. You will love the sound of your breakfast hitting the pavement as we pass the 10-mile mark on our way to the end of a marathon. I will not leave you behind, you will finish every step of the 26 miles 400 yards. If it takes you two days to finish it, you will have run every step."

"DADDY!" Delicious sprung out of her seat, ran up the stairs, into their bedroom, and slammed the door closed behind her.

"Gray, I think you scared the crap out of my daughter."

"I believe it was you who told me to confuse her Even. I believe I'm succeeding."

"Gray I want you to call 'Executive Air' for an 1 AM Departure Friday morning to Reagan National for two people. Give them your name and the second person will be named later. The aircraft is to wait for you to bring you back. If they need two flight crews to do it, tell them to do it. If anyone asks the reason for your trip, you're going to NASA headquarters for a meeting. If anyone checks, you will check out perfectly."

"Rod I want my invention patented, Friday morning, as soon as the office opens. I have a feeling deep in my bones someone is going to try something evil Wednesday and I want to protect myself against them. I want you two gone and back before anyone notices anything is out of the ordinary. I will pick you up at the airport, with Delicious. You can buy my baby her running shoes as soon as you get back. I will come home with Rod. I do not want to be in the car with you two. It will be freezing in the car, and the air conditioner will not be turned on."

"I like the last part of your statement Even, but who do you think is going to do the nasty stuff?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure Shelby is looking into it. Do not tell my daughter what is happening, until the last minute please. She will demand to go with you. She is not going if I have to tie her to your bed."

"That is a good idea Even. She tends to be a little dramatic at times."

"Gray I think you should go upstairs now and play nice with my little girl."

"I like playing nice with your little girl."

"No tales out of school please, her father could get upset with you."

Gray knocked on his door and without asking walked in.

"Who gave you permission to walk into this room?"

"I don't need your permission to walk into my room."

"I can change that in a hurry."

"May I ask you something?"

"Yes you may, before I kick your ass out of here."

"First we both know you can't kick my ass anywhere. Second are you the young woman that said the word, "ANYTHING."

"Why don't you just shoot me and get it over with. I said that word in a moment of weakness, in a moment of hope. I'll go into town buy a gun, and put it in your hand. I will hold it against my head and pull the fucking trigger for you."

"If that's what you really feel like, and what you really want, I'll leave for Houston this evening, and you will never have to see me again." He turned, closed the door, and started walking towards the steps."

She threw the pillow at the door as he closed it. "You wouldn't do that to me. You wouldn't leave me. You love me as much as I love you."

He didn't answer, he walked down stairs and went outside for a breath of air.

Seconds later delicious flew down the stairs after him. "Dad where is he?"

"Considering what I heard you tell him, anywhere away from you is where he would want to be. Someone in this house has got to learn to grow up in a hurry or she is going to lose everything she ever wanted. That is if she ever really wanted it in the first place."

"What do you want from me; dad? I told him this is the first time I have fallen in love. I told him I didn't know how to control myself with a man. Everything with me has always been on the offense; attack, attack, attack. That's what mom taught me. That's how I defended myself from being hurt.

It hasn't been four months since mom died and my whole world has been turned upside down. I've been allowed to think for myself, do for myself, and even dream for myself. I've never been allowed to do those things before. It's like being released from prison. Every day you were told what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.

Now you can do anything you want to do, anytime you want to do it, or you can put it off until tomorrow if you want to. I don't want him to leave dad; should I beg him to stay."

"Rod do you want to play gin or poker?"

"I was hoping we could play a game of hearts."

"You two deserve each other. You're both dimwits."

Jennifer opened the front door carrying wine for this evening's meal. She bumped into Delicious and asked, "Why is Gray running like a bandit trying to escape from the police Delicious? What did you do?"

"Why is it me? Why couldn't it have been him?"

"Would you like a list, or the short answer."

"How short is the short answer?"

"One sentence long."

"Go ahead, I'm ready."

"I am a woman, and I see guilt ridden all over your face."

"God dammit."

"That will be $10 please."

Delicious was about to scream her response, when Jennifer placed her hand over her mouth.

"Don't you humor them, or make my son and a richer than he's going to be. Go upstairs, change your clothes, put sneakers on, and go running after Gray."

"But..."

"Move your ass, now."

"That will be $10 Jennifer."

"You are not getting laid tonight."

"I'll put the money in the pretzel jar for you."

"I think that's a wonderful idea."

A few moments later, Delicious ran out the front door, wearing her pink shorts, crop top, and sneakers. She knew most people started running clockwise, so she started running counterclockwise in hopes she would see Gray coming from the opposite direction.