Virtual Reality Chapter 9
Oct 03 '05
The Bottom Line The final chapter...
Please read the Prelude before you read this!
Chapter 9.
Fisher entered the MINE headquarters. She had expected no reception committee, so she wasn't disappointed by everyone's apparent lack of interest at her safe return. It was just Mendleson's way.
There is a great deal of enthusiasm among her supporters within the building, however, when she announces to them that now is the time for her to take over MINE. Recent adventures and her apparent good fortune making her bold and optimistic, perhaps a little foolhardy, she doesn't really see any potential difficulties in her endeavours.
Her winning run was, unknown to her, about to be brought to an abrupt halt. Alfred Mendleson had been watching all of her moves, and listening to them, via a monitor in the comfort of his office as she outlined her plans. Mendleson had the building bugged long ago, just in case, but none of the staff knew this. In fact, he'd been expecting this to happen for a long time, it only surprised him that it had taken so long to happen.
But he was ready for it.
In the control room of the mansion in Southampton, a communique came through from general Antreb.
The cryptic message was, "Watch the news and see what could happen to you..."
Fisher, and some of her advocates, burst into Mendleson's office. They didn't see Mendleson leave, in fact they didn't even hear the noise of the helicopter taking off from the roof.
The building blew up.
Mendleson's helicopter rocked from the force of the explosion. Looking at the remote detonating control In his hands, Mendleson felt a great wave of pleasure of his expertise in crushing the rebellion. Of course, the official reports would say arson, but his employees across the world would know... Especially those that had been secretly supporting Fisher.
Just one small detail bothered him. The explosion shouldn't have been anywhere big enough to affect the helicopter when he detonated it.
"Arson is suspected. The MeFitronix headquarters have also been blown up. Interpol are cautiously suggesting that the two bombings are connected, but further investigation will reveal..." Hansen didn't hear the rest of it, he was too busy in thought. The rest of them, all of whom had returned to the control room when Marshall called them about some announcement, were looking stunned.
They were perplexed as to how Antreb had managed both sabotages, undetected, almost simultaneously. They were in no doubt that it was Antreb's doing, although they weren't to know, and never would, that it had been accomplished via the bombs surgically implanted into Fisher and Fitzgerald's legs.
They weren't the only ones to be baffled, however. Antreb had been told by one of his operatives that the MINE building had exploded before the bomb in Fisher had even been detonated, although the bomb still detonated when it was meant to. But Antreb was determined not to let trifling details get in the way now that he had the advantage of the situation.
He sent another communique to England, telling them that he knows where his antagonists are, and that he can blow him up as easily as the headquarters of MINE and MeFitronix. He doesn't foresee the countermove, which for some reason is contended by an Australian sounding voice. Antreb convinces himself that it must be a ploy, but cannot refute the voice's reasoning.
Kershaw tells Antreb that if he tries anything, general Carson in America will just use the device to annihilate Libya. The general is still, apparently, unsure about the feasibility of the weapon existing or being used, but doesn't want to risk it. In fact, he doesn't want to risk anything at all that might offend those with the power to conceivably devastate both him and his country. He knows that he has lost.
Kershaw's simple argument is flawless.
Hansen, but more noticeably Foster and Kalashni, looked slightly crestfallen despite the excellent news that they've succeeded and that it's over. Canning, predictably, is the first to notice after the overwhelming euphoria had died down.
"Mike, Steve", after a pause, "Mikhail... What's wrong? We've won, haven't we?"
"Yes, yes of course, in simple terms anyway. But we've had to shut down our nuclear generator to prevent it from blowing up. It's Steve's brainchild, you see, so he's a bit unhappy about it dying, and Mikhail was trying desperately to help him, but they found out too late what was wrong. In fact, they only realised something was really wrong about five minutes ago, and it was only stable enough to last another two. Another nuclear conundrum for you to try and unravel now that this is over, eh Steve?", said Hansen with a half sympathetic, half mischievous look at Foster.
Foster rose out of his trance-like thoughtfulness, and nodded absently. "Hmm, I suppose so. I can't understand what went wrong. It couldn't have been..." His voice trailed off, and then came back stronger, gathering enthusiasm. "But I'll find out what it was, that's for sure! And I could use some help from a professional", he said, looking at Kalashni.
"Well, maybe", said Kalashni. He was wondering if his government's reforms would extend far enough for him to get a permit to come and work in England, legally. Not to mention what may happen to him if anyone found out about him giving away Russia's most secretly guarded nuclear secret.
Well, maybe he would just stay here then. He had certainly grown fond of the place, and Steve. He could see that he had another difficult decision before him.
Canning was the last of the three to leave. Kershaw had gone to have a proper holiday, with Alan in Quebec. The money Hansen had given each of them certainly afforded a great holiday if any of them wanted, and apparently the Australian and Canadian did. Both promised to keep in touch with Edward.
"Well", said Hansen, extending his hand, "I suppose this is goodbye. For now", he added flippantly.
Canning grimaced. "Well, maybe not for a while. I need to get over this first", he said, shaking the proffered hand. "I take it that Mikhail has chosen to stay and work with Steve, then."
"Yes. We'll have to give him a new identity, of course. This will send some shock waves through the Russian administration!"
Canning laughed, and then there was that awkward silence that always comes before a parting. Eventually, he just said "'bye", waved and got in the taxi to the railway.
When he got back, there was a mountain of mail, but for the first time in his life Canning was glad to see it consisting only of bills and anguished parents' or patients' pleading letters.
`Welcome back to the real world, Edward", he told himself, acutely feeling the bitter-sweet irony of his words.
It was probably Hemmingway would say.
It was probably something Hemmingway would say.
Edward groaned.
Alfred Mendleson reflected on the events of the past eventful week. The loss of the headquarters had been something of a financial burden, but nothing that couldn't be coped with. One of his competitors, MeFitronix, was in complete disarray and would soon vanish completely, without the woman who had held it together for so long.
He had many more plans to put into operations, plans which would expand his company beyond the reaches of most people's imagination. And plans to eradicate his troublesome sister. But she wasn't such a problem really. She had tried things before, and he'd easily overcome them. She was intelligent and charismatic, certainly, but she had no style, no subtlety, no vision. Just hate and envy. Plus she had no weaponry worth the name.
So he thought.
One more thing that needed the attention of Mendleson was the replacement of Fisher. That would be no easy task.
He had to search among the cream of the ruthless and ambitious business people around the world. The choice had to be right, had to be perfect.
But, as he had to start somewhere, just off the top of his head, there was someone who had been suggested to him.
He thought for a moment to get the name. Oh yes, that was it.
The name was Brad Kershaw.
The End.
Ah well, one day I might be able to turn this into a decent novel! Thanks to all those who’ve read the story, I hope you enjoyed it.
CaptainD
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