The Gauntlet Assassin (7 page)

Paul popped out of his chair, excited to show off his sleeker stomach. “Of course.”

He followed Camille to her workspace, enjoying the view of her lush butt, but wondering about what her personal visit meant. In the past, she would have simply sent him a message and he would have dealt with her issue remotely. A little burst of joy filled his heart as he realized that Camille coming into his office for such a small thing meant she wanted to spend time with him. He couldn’t wait to get his new nose. As soon as he had the first half of the money, he would schedule his procedure. He’d already visited the Surgical Arts Center for a consultation.

As he checked her login access path, Camille stood close by and he could feel her presence like a warm caress. After a moment, she said, “Thaddeus Morton is speaking at the Hyatt Regency next Thursday night to raise money for Transitions. Will you be there?”

Paul turned, surprised. “I hadn’t planned to attend. Why?” He rarely participated in social events because he was embarrassed to always go alone.

Camille shrugged. “I knew you were involved with the charity and thought you might be interested.”

Was she hinting that he ask her to go? Had she noticed his weight loss? Paul’s nerves jumped with uncertainty. If he asked and she said no, he’d die of shame. If she wanted to be his date and he didn’t ask, he’d kill himself for being so cowardly. “I am interested. I love the work Transitions does with older foster kids. Were you planning to attend?” Paul watched her face carefully, desperate to get a read from her.

“The ticket is too expensive for me.” She smiled warmly, her big blue eyes pulling him in. “I thought if you were going, you might mention me to the employment commissioner.”

Paul worked up his courage. “I’d love to take you as my guest.” He could hardly afford one ticket, let alone two, but she was worth it.

Camille’s eyes registered a hint of surprise. “I’d like that too, Paul, but I’ve already made other plans.” She smiled again and touched his shoulder. “We can meet for a drink in the lounge before the banquet.”

Paul’s heart fluttered at her touch, then lurched at her offer. “I’d love to. Should we meet at six?”

“Six-thirty would work better for me.”

That would only give them half an hour. “Okay. Six-thirty at the Hyatt Regency lounge next Thursday.” Paul resisted the urge to say,
It’s a date
.

Emboldened by his earlier success with Camille, Paul got off the bus and strode toward Garfield Park. He’d picked this location because it was small enough for him to keep watch over and had easy access to the bus line. The day was warmer and he noticed a few joggers in addition to a small homeless camp in the park. Perfect.

He entered a restroom at a nearby fast-food restaurant and moved quickly into one of the stalls. The urinal smell was intense and Paul held his breath while he pulled off his slacks and shirt and stuffed them into his backpack. The near public nudity unnerved him, and he quickly pulled on the athletic pants and t-shirt, an outfit he’d never worn in public before. He dug into the bottom of the backpack for the wig and wig cap. The white nylon wig cap went on easily. He’d already tightened the clips on the wig to fit his head and had practiced putting on both pieces several times. As he turned the artificial hair in his hands to find the center, someone rushed into the restroom and slammed open the other stall door. Paul jumped at the sound and dropped the wig in the toilet.
Damn!
He fished it out in a flash, but not before the ends got wet. Oh dear God, how could he put that on his head now?

It’s only water,
he told himself. And it wouldn’t actually touch his head. Cringing, he pulled on the wig, straightened it as best he could for the moment, and checked his iCom: 5:46 p.m. He still had plenty of time. He secured his thin, fake mustache in place, picked up his backpack, and stepped out of the stall. After studying himself in the mirror to make sure everything looked right, he headed out into the fading evening sun. The wind had picked up and weather reports warned of possible tornadoes from the temperature shifts.

Paul jogged to the park and saw that a few more people were passing through. Good. He wanted to be one of a small crowd. He’d made a trip to the area before contacting Rathmore and scoped out his vantage point—a picnic table from which he could observe the rendezvous bench to his left. Paul stood near the table and stretched the way he’d seen runners do. He was a little early and hoped Rathmore would be too. He was glad to be conducting his mission in the fall, despite the unpredictable weather. Had it been July, they would have had to meet indoors.

After six long minutes of stretching, jogging in place, and keeping an eye on the darkening sky, Paul saw a tall Caucasian man with a gray crew cut approach the bench. He wore a dark blue suit and carried a briefcase, along with a white paper bag. Paul had instructed Rathmore to bring the cash in a plain sack. His thinking was that if the container looked valuable, someone might grab it before he got there. A small paper bag would likely be ignored. Either way, Paul intended to move in and take possession as soon as Rathmore was far enough away that he wouldn’t be able to double back and confront him.

The man in the blue suit sat on the bench at exactly six o’clock. He took out a Dock and began to read. After two minutes, he abruptly slipped the tablet into his briefcase and stood, as though he suddenly remembered he had to be somewhere. The white bag stayed on the seat. As Rathmore walked away, Paul pulled on his backpack and started across the grass toward the bench, about a hundred feet away.

At fifty feet from the bag—his lifeline to a better future—a young man with a dog zoomed up the path on his skateboard. The unleashed Boxer slowed as the pair passed the bench, then turned and trotted toward the sack. The dog sniffed the bag, then grabbed it with his teeth.

No!
Heart hammering, Paul sprinted toward the bench, watching in horror as the Boxer trotted off with the cash.

Paul pushed harder, arms pumping, his thick untrained legs weak from the exertion. The dog picked up speed as it ran after its owner, who was still unaware of the distraction. The wind tugged at his wig, but Paul didn’t slow down or grab for it. He kept pumping his arms and legs, working them harder than he had since he’d run from bullies in junior high.
Ten thousand dollars!
He had to catch that Boxer.

“Put it down!” Paul yelled, desperate to get the dog or the young man’s attention. The skateboarder slowed and turned. He saw the bag in the dog’s mouth and put his foot out to stop. As the Boxer caught up to its owner, the young man reached down to take the sack. Paul sprinted up and grabbed it from the dog’s mouth, tearing the bag a little as he pulled.

“That’s mine.” The words were barely audible as he sucked in rapid gulping breaths. Pain searing his lungs and legs, Paul turned and jogged away with the bag.

“Sorry,” the young man called out behind him. Paul kept moving, grateful the Boxer hadn’t put up a fight. He would have hated to strike an innocent dog to free the bag.

He ran for the sidewalk, wanting desperately to look in the sack, which had been stapled shut. Even more, he wanted to get as far away from this near disaster as he could.

He caught a bus at the corner of South Carolina and 3rd Street and hurried to a seat in the back, next to an older woman who looked displeased to see him take up the space. He slipped off the backpack as he sat down and crammed the paper sack inside. The scent of burger and fries wafted from the paper. The idiot had used his empty dinner sack. No wonder the dog had grabbed it. Paul let out a small nervous laugh. That had been so close, so nearly ruinous. What if the Boxer had torn open the sack? What would he have done? Paul couldn’t bear to think about it. He had the money and Rathmore had no idea who he was. That was all that mattered.

Paul’s heart skittered. Did he really have ten grand in his possession? His fingers itched to tear open the bag, which seemed like the right weight for a stack of bills. But the bus was nearly full and the woman next to him seemed like the type to snoop, so he waited

He exited a few blocks from his apartment complex and entered a crowded McDonald’s, where he headed straight for the bathroom. In the stall, he yanked out the white sack and ripped open the top. Inside were three stacks of gorgeous green bills.
Yes!
He’d pulled it off. Nearly dizzy with excitement, Paul shoved the bag to the bottom of his backpack. He would count the cash when he got home. He’d stomached all he could of public bathrooms for one day. He pulled off his wig and mustache and changed back into his wrinkled work clothes, shedding his new alter ego.

Being Paul the frumpy programmer again was simultaneously a relief and a letdown. Still, he left the warm greasy air of the restaurant feeling successful and strode into the wind toward home. On the way, he remembered he still had to arrange to have Janel Roberts fired. A few ideas came to mind, but they all made his stomach churn.

Chapter 8

Mon., May 8, 12:58 p.m.

As Lara entered the arena, the cool air made goose bumps pop up on her arms. She’d changed into a snug-fitting, water-repellent bodysuit that wouldn’t keep her warm unless she was moving. She knew from watching the contest in previous years that the huge indoor space was divided into areas with different configurations and had a hallway around the perimeter. From the front section, all she could see was a portion of the gray twenty-foot walls, constructed of a plastic-metal blend that resembled concrete. The windowless space looked like a giant underground bunker, lit up with metal halide lamps and cameras mounted everywhere.

Kirsten came in behind her and they took their spots on the large red Xs marked on the floor. The first dividing wall, about thirty feet away, had a wide set of metal stairs leading to a platform halfway up. A door in the middle of the wall had no obvious handle she could see. Lara assumed it was electronically operated. Was it controlled by the viewers?

The director hustled into the room, carrying her oversized microphone. Minda Walters wore a black skirt, knee-high boots, and a pastel pullover. Her assistant and co-host, Serena Panjib, was a step behind, followed by two men with shoulder cameras.

Minda stood in front of the contestants and spoke to the audience. “For viewers just tuning in, welcome to the Third Annual Gauntlet, sponsored by AmGo, makers of the Dock and iCom and a host of other technology that connects us to each other. Today we begin the first phase of the competition, the Challenge.”

The director stepped toward Kirsten. “One of our first two contestants in the 2023 Gauntlet is twenty-four-year-old Kirsten Dornberg, a graduate physical education student, competing for the state of Florida. Welcome, Kirsten. What have you been doing to prepare for the competition?”

Kirsten leaned toward the cameras, showing off her cleavage in a low-cut bodysuit. “I’ve been training at a military base, running obstacles courses, and swimming for an hour a day.”

They’d been coached to give short responses at this point, having been interviewed already in the lobby. Lara thought about her own training at the National Guard center in Salem, where they’d enhanced their courses just for her. The state had given her what little support it could afford.

Minda walked toward Lara. “Our second contestant is forty-two-year-old Lara Evans, ex-police officer and paramedic, competing for the state of Oregon. Welcome, Lara.” A wicked smile played on Minda’s lips. “The pundits are betting heavily against you in this first event. How do you plan to overcome the odds?”

Lara had steeled herself for this kind of bullshit. “I hope to be faster, smarter, and more aggressive than my competitor.”

Minda stepped back and spoke to the viewers. “It’s time to cast your first vote. Who do you think will win this round of the Challenge?”

Lara tried not to think about the millions of people watching. Her body hummed with adrenaline, eager to run and sweat and work her muscles. She glanced around the room, looking for something that would open the door. A variety of objects—plastic rings, spiked weapons, and a big red ball—lined the floor, but the ten-foot heavy black pole caught her eye.

Minda made her final pre-start speech. “As the commissioner mentioned, this first phase involves teamwork. To reach the competition area, the contestants must work together to open the door at the top of the stairs. They have only three minutes to do so. If they fail to open the door in time, neither will earn any points for entire Challenge, but the winner will advance anyway.” She looked at Kirsten, then at Lara. “Are you ready?”

They both nodded and Minda walked between them toward the door. “Let the games begin.”

Kirsten charged forward, but Lara yelled, “Wait. We need a key.” It was a guess, but she trusted her instincts. The teamwork probably involved carrying the key up the stairs together, which meant it was something heavy or awkward, like the long pole.

Her competitor turned back. “What key?” Kirsten glanced around, looking skeptical.

“I think it’s the pole.” Lara was already moving toward it. “It’s the only thing that requires two people.”

Kirsten ran to the other end, and Lara was grateful she didn’t argue. They squatted and lifted together, and Lara was surprised by the weight. On the other end, Kirsten grunted with the effort. They started forward, parallel to each other with pole in front, struggling with the awkwardness.

“Up on the right shoulder,” Lara shouted. “Like a construction worker would carry it. I’ll take the lead.” Lara swung her end out front as she called out directions. Kirsten hung back and together they heaved the pole onto their right shoulders, staggering for a moment under its weight. “Let’s go.” Lara charged forward, bearing more of the weight on her shorter body.

As soon as her foot hit the metal stairs, they began to move.
Crap!
“It’s an escalator,” she called back. “And it’s going in the wrong direction. Don’t run me over.”

But it was too late. Kirsten had charged forward, moving faster on the level floor than Lara was on the stairs. Kirsten’s momentum knocked Lara to her knees, but the pole kept moving forward while her partner came to a stop. Shoulder searing with pain, Lara struggled to stand on the moving stairs. Suddenly, the escalator stopped. The viewers had voted to give them a break, and the behind-the-scene engineers had complied.