Summertime, and the Living.....

I didn't get a chance to make an entry yesterday. We're in the middle of another heat wave (the third or fourth so far this month), and when I got home it was so hot, and Doyle called. I decided to wait and see what he had to say. This, then, might be considered a double-feature.

ONE: I was out yesterday morning, as usual. It was cooler then it has been, so I wanted to take advantage of it. After all, the humidity was due to come back strong. I'd had a good breakfast at the IHOP on Parsonage Road across from the Menlo Park Mall and decided to walk around in the mall for a while. I got bored pretty quickly.

I then drove to Metuchen to check out the library. Nothing new there, and still a little early. I took the long way around to the Inman Avenue branch of the Woodbridge Library, and intended to go from there to Rahway. The library was open, and their air conditioner was fixed so I spent a few minutes there. On my way back to the parking lot and my car, I noticed that there was a man, across the street, sitting on his front steps, painting the iron  hand railings. There was no one around.

I took out the Flasher, got into my car, rolled down the windows, and sat there a while. It was quiet. No people, no cars. Just me and the painter. I would be making a right turn to leave the parking lot, then a right onto Inman Avenue in order to get to Rahway. The painter would be on my left, the driver's side. I pulled out of the lot, made the turn, scanned the area, then ... point, press, Flash. I was at the corner making the right.

I was almost to Rahway when my cell went off. Confirmed.

TWO: Like I said, Doyle called yesterday. He picked me up in front of my place, and we drove around in his air conditioned car - definitely government issue. He looked rested - better then I'd seen him last.

"Getting some use out of the Flasher, I see."
"Trying to stay in practice. Anything new?"
"Yes and no. The 'no' first. 'No' they haven't come to an agreement on which politician to set you on, which brings us to the 'yes'. They have decided to scrap the whole of Phase 2. In fact, they've decided to postpone everything until September."
"What does that mean for me?"
"Well, Business as usual. You keep on doing exactly what you've been doing. Random Events. Until they sit down in September and come up with a whole new agenda."
"What makes you think that? That there'll be a new agenda?"
"Some things have been said by some of the People Upstairs. Not promises exactly, but I think you'll be pleased. They were happy with the Forrest Event, after all."
"You keep telling me that - you and Givings - but I don't understand what that leads up to."
"Sorry, but I can't say anything else right now. I don't have enough details. But I think it'll work out for you. By the way, we told you that the new Flasher you have is good for 3 tries before recharging. That's 3 tries within a 24 hour time period. If you keep stretching you Events out like you have, it'll just keep recharging between uses and you could probably do 1 a day indefinitely."
"Oh, I see. I meant to ask about that." I paused, but couldn't think of anything else to question. "So I just keep on doing random Events until you tell me otherwise?"
"That's about it." We were back in front of my place. "Is there any place I can drop you? Or is this good enough?"
"This'll be fine."

I got out of the car, and he drove away. It was going to be the hottest day of the year, so far. I was going to stay in.

YES.........

It's been 2 weeks since I got my "marching orders" - the change to how I should be pursuing Phase 2. A lot has happened, but none of it applicable to my task at hand.

Firstly, we've been suffering through a series of Heat Waves since July 2nd and the long Holiday Weekend for the 4th of July. Out of the 16 days so far this month, I understand that 10 of them have been above 90. Records have been set all over the tri-state area. This leads into...

Secondly, in this heat, no one goes out. I thought that finding people during the winter months was tough, but it's almost impossible to find one single person, alone, in this heat. We seem to crowd together at beaches, or jam together in car caravans to get there, or we don't leave the air-conditioned comfort of our own houses. I don't think I've seen even 1 single jogger. It's as if subconsciously we need to have someone with us in case we succumb to heat prostration. Which leads to....

Thirdly, I had a bout of dehydration, which kept me home for several days and necessitated a quick trip to the hospital for blood work and an Echo-cardiogram. Everything was fine, but I need to drink a lot more then I feel like. (Also, I had a biopsy scheduled for this week, and although I haven't gotten any of the results, I assume that no news is good news.)

So every morning I went out, usually with some errand or other to do, and although I wasn't "hunting" I did have my eyes open for any opportunity. No luck, until this morning..

I try to have a plan each day. What to do, where to go, and how to get there. This morning, I stopped for gas on Rahway Avenue, went to the Post Office there to mail some bills, and stopped at the Avenel Pathmark  on St. George's Avenue to see if they had a couple of things. They didn't.

On my way out of the store, I realized that I'd parked a little further to the right then I'd supposed. I turned in that direction, and noticed that halfway to my car, someone was sitting in theirs. I looked around. No one. I thought I felt my heart rate go up.

I took the Flasher from my back pocket, and held it by my side. I kept walking. Closer. I kept looking around. No one. She sat in the passenger seat, with the window rolled down. It looked like she was reading something.

Closer. Closer. Still no one. I lift the Flasher. Point, press, flash. I keep walking, putting the Flasher back and taking out my keys. I don't look back. No one calls out. It seems unnaturally quiet.

I get in my car, start it up, and drive past hers. She sits, slumped in the seat as if still reading. I drive on. The confirm comes in about 20 minutes. I spend the next several hours visiting libraries in Edison, Metuchen, Woodbridge, and Rahway. I get nothing. I see no one else. I don't care.

I'm back.

Back to Basics......

It's been 2 weeks since Givings met me, and filled me in on what was happening. As far as I know, the People Upstairs are still trying to figure out how to proceed. Since I wasn't moving forward, I've been enjoying my private life. There was an Engagement Party, a child's birthday, and Father's Day - which all kept me occupied for several weekends. But those are over now, and I'm faced with a lot of free time that I'm not really sure what to do with. That is, until yesterday when...
Doyle called.

We agreed to meet again by the Veteran's Memorial outside of the Main Library in Woodbridge. I drove this time, and saw him sitting on one of the benches as I walked over from the parking lot - his arms across the back and his face turned up towards the sun. Surprising. He was wearing a yellow, short-sleeved golf shirt over tan slacks - totally out of character with the button-down, suit wearer I was used to. As I got nearer, I saw that he was wearing loafers with no socks. He'd gone casual on me. But, I could also see that his face was different. He was paler then I remembered, and his flesh was slack, like he'd been sick, or lost weight.

Without moving, he said, "Nice day. Pull up a seat."

"Nice outfit."
"Thanks. I'm on vacation, or will be after we finish here."
"Couldn't Givings tell me whatever it is you want me to know? She did last time."
"Yeah, she could. But I wanted to, and after "torturing" me with 3 weeks of useless arguing, trapped in a windowless room with 6 fanatics, I deserve time off, and you deserve to know something concrete."
"Oh? Tell me."
He sat up a little straighter, and rolled his shoulders as if trying to work out some kinks.
"Here's the deal. Givings told you that the People Upstairs were very impressed with the Forrest Event, especially with how you took advantage of the situation. Very impressed. Me too. Anyway, she also told you that the second target hasn't been established. They want you to do a politician, but they can't agree on one. Apparently, the political situation in New Jersey is too volatile to meddle with right now."
"What, no one corrupt enough to take out - or not corrupt enough?"
"Not the point. They can't agree. End of discussion."
"So what happens now?"
"I'm coming to that." He stood. "Man, being locked in like that really got to me." He stretched. "I'm more of an outside kinda guy. I need to get back in shape. I look pasty and I feel bloated."
"I noticed. The pasty face, anyway. Bloating is beyond my observational skills."

He laughed, and sat back down.
"OK. Here's the deal. Givings told you that Phase 2 is on hold until they can make a decision, right? Well that's not gonna happen any time soon. besides the problem they have with deciding who to target, there are outside situations that have some demands on some of their time over the next month or so."
"What kind of demands could be more important?"
"Don't know. Don't want to know. Personal stuff, I guess, for a few of them. Whatever. The bottom line is that there won't be a continuation of Phase 2 until late August, at the earliest. I didn't think that would be a good use of your time."
"I'm flattered. What do you think I should be doing?" Since I didn't know what to do with myself, I was genuinely interested.

"You've got the new Flasher. I convinced them that you should use it."
"How? I mean, under what circumstances?"
"Back to basics. Random Events, like you did in Phase 1, only this time it'll be for real. And since the Flasher can be used up to 3 times before recharging, you may be able to stage 2 Events on the same day. What do you think?"
"Actually, it sounds pretty good. I can do that. Will I still be monitored?"
"Of course. And all the other guarantees will be in place in case you get caught, etc. Oh, and you should try to space out the Events geographically if you do more then 1 a day. You stay in practice and the Project moves forward - it's a win/win."
"All right. I can do that. Is there a number I need to stage?"
"Nope. That's the beauty of this. You're completely in charge. We're upping the price to $1,500 an Event, but the only limitation on you is the recharge time on the Flasher. You in?"
I didn't have to think about it.
"I'm in."
"Good." He stood. "I'm out of here. Givings will be in touch over the next few weeks, if necessary. Next time you see me, I'll be "Back in the Black", as we say at the office."

He chucked to himself, and walked away.
Now I had something to do for the Summer. And I knew that the People Upstairs are "6 fanatics". Knowledge is power.