Chapter 50

That evening, no one in the family rested very well. Brenda and Maria were exhausted, and after a thirty-minute conversation with Hawk they lounged in the Jacuzzi for a few minutes before heading to bed. Unfortunately, they hadn’t sufficient time to unwind, and, while their bodies were ready for sleep, their minds weren’t.

Jason and Andy sat on the cabin’s front porch and just held each other until the wee hours of the morning. Regrettably, while their bodies were in close contact their minds were many miles apart. Jason worried how Vasquez was accepting their explanation of the people at the Renaissance Inn while he was mentally planning the coming operation in Mexico. Andy, on the other hand, was worrying about Jason and praying she wouldn’t end up a widow before her wedding. Neither lines of thought were conducive to a sound sleep, even when they finally went to bed.

In Palo Alto Hawk was in too much pain to sleep very much. He had some heavy-duty pills he could take, but he rebelled against surrendering any control of his body to medication. Instead, he used a Motrin to reduce the inflammation and take the edge off the pain.

Another source of his discomfort was he had to sleep on his back while using the ice-packs on his face. Finally, somewhere about two a.m. he got out of bed and went to sleep in a reclining chair.

The next morning started out early for Dan Cashman and Julian Sanchez. They’d a 6:30 a.m. breakfast meeting with Alyson Rogers from the bank and C. M. Bateman. Mr Bateman was the receiver assigned by the bankruptcy judge, and was acting as West Coast Wire’s manager until the bankruptcy was discharged by the court.

Dan and Julian arrived first at the motel’s restaurant, and were drinking coffee when the others arrived. Alyson made the introductions, and the two joined the pair already at the table. After everyone placed their orders, C. M. announced, “I had a conference call last night with the judge and several of the major creditors. Based upon the deal Alyson explained to us the court hearing should just be a formality. The problem is it’ll be a minimum of forty-five days before the hearing can be scheduled and the notices sent out to the creditors.”

“Can we take over the operation in the meantime?” asked Dan.

“Technically, no, but I can follow your directions, as long as it’s not to the detriment of the other creditors. I’d even agree to you placing someone on site to advise me how you’d want various things handled.”

“What about talking to the employees and the major customers? Can we assure them the company will soon be stable under new ownership and a fresh influx of capital? Also, can we order new equipment and have it installed prior to our actually taking control?”

“I don’t see a problem, though I’d recommend leasing any new equipment, if possible. That way if things turn sour the equipment won’t be entangled in the bankruptcy proceedings.”

“So we set up another company to purchase the equipment and lease it to West Coast Wire?”

“Exactly. As long as the leasing rates are reasonable I won’t have any problems approving them.”

“Then, as soon as we finish let’s go share the good news with the company’s employees.”

A short time later, another breakfast meeting was occurring at the Renaissance Inn, San Diego. Included were Brenda and Maria, Ken, Joel, Michael, Lee Marten, his fiancée Dawn Baker, and the two Bright Feather brothers. “Joel, how we doing from a security point of view?” asked Maria.

“Basically, I don’t have anything to complain about. Your people have been as cooperative as anyone could expect, and the prospective employees haven’t been a factor, at this point. I do have some reservations about the couple that came in last night.”

“How’s that?” asked Brenda.

“I’m not sure I can put my finger on it, but there’s something different. Part of it may be that they are a little older, but I don’t think that’s the real issue.”

“Can you quietly check them out for us?” requested Maria.

“Sure.” Joel then added, as he laid a stapled report on the table, “I also have a report regarding Mark Angry Bear.”

“Excellent. I’ll read the full report later, but can you give us a summary?”

“No problem, Maria. Angry Bear was pretty factual in his statements, though there was much he left out. I think he was mistreated, but he didn’t help the issue, and his angry attitude pushed away others who might have helped. A good example of this is the problem with his dissertation topic. The adviser who first approved his topic left the school to take a better position at Georgia Tech, and Angry Bear didn’t contact his new adviser until he turned in the rough draft of the project. I’ll admit the new adviser should’ve sought him out after the personnel change, but rather than actual prejudice Mark just fell through a bureaucratic crack. Unfortunately, the problem degenerated when Mark blew his top and started making threats. At that point any willingness to help him vanished. Since then he’s been in an academic purgatory, too good to let go, and too much of an embarrassment to the school to unleash upon the world.”

“Good report, Joel. Any suggestions?”

“The only suggestion I can make would be to obtain a mediator who was a respected member of the Indian community. If he can review the facts without bias and pull both sides together I think Mister Angry Bear could probably be defending his thesis within six months. Of course, I’d also suggest a name change for Mark, as he takes Angry Bear too much to heart.”

“Volatile?” asked Ken.

“Like nitro on a hot afternoon. If his attitude and drive can be channeled this guy could be an awesome employee; otherwise, he’s trouble with a capital ‘T.’ Also, Joaquin was correct about one thing, this guy could write ‘the book’ on ceramics, and I’m not talking about pottery. That’s the main reason Cal-Tech doesn’t just drop him.”

As that discussion faded Michael asked, “Maria, has anyone heard from Hawk? My wife and I are enjoying the break together, but she says it feels funny making love to this face.”

Brenda chuckled, and responded, “Michael, tell her I’ve no problem with making love with that face, but it’s the body it’s attached to that’s important. Anyway, Maria and I talked to him last night. His face was still pretty sore and swollen, but it was getting better. He’s hoping to get here this afternoon, and I’m pretty sure he wants to address the candidates when he arrives.”

“That will be good,” responded Ken. “These candidates need a face they can rally around and have faith in, and while Maria and Brenda’s faces are pleasing to look at, these people know they aren’t the real power behind this company. Seeing another Indian as their leader will help, and though Michael wears the face, Hawk has the passion to convince them this will be a worthwhile venture.”

“Ken, it sounds like you’re a believer.”

“Brenda, I am, if you’ll have me.”

Maria said, “Ken, consider yourself having been hired Sunday night.”

“Thanks.” Then he asked, “Will I have to pigment my skin with berries and wear a feather in my hair?” At this, everyone laughed and Lee Marten threw a crumpled napkin at him.

As the laughter died down, Maria tapped her juice glass with a fork. “Gang, I have to say this breakfast has been good, but we have a lot of work to do this morning. In addition, we’ve at least twenty new people arriving today, so we need to get busy.”

In Palo Alto Hawk awoke early. The sun was just cresting the mountains behind him as he stood on the balcony and stared out across the Stanford campus. There were a few joggers fading in and out of the morning fog, but for the most part everything looked almost deserted. Looking down Palm to the oval he saw the computer science building on the right. That building had been his second ‘home’ for several years. As his gaze shifted to the left he saw the main Quad and beyond that was ‘the knoll, ‘ where he’d had his first taste of disappointment. Even though he was much younger than his classmates he’d always gotten along well with the ‘Greeks’ at Auburn. Unfortunately, none of the fraternities at Stanford wanted any part of ‘the kid.’ Again moving his view further to the left Hawk looked past the corner of Stanford Stadium and saw the twelve-story Blackwelder Tower. It was here, in a fifth floor room meant for two, where John Grayson had lived his entire time at Stanford. Looking down and to the right Hawk could almost make out the area known as ‘the Oasis.’ It was at one of their gatherings Hawk had met Justin Adams, and though Justin was the older of the two they were kindred souls who helped keep each other sane. Or as sane as possible considering they were both brilliant, years younger than those around them, and were seemingly the butt of every practical joke pulled on that end of campus. It was Justin who had made certain discoveries, and who correctly predicted there would be major repercussions. Because of Justin’s paranoia the two had a very public ‘falling out, ‘ yet privately they continued as best of friends. Thus, it was John to whom Justin had gone to for financial assistance, and it was John to whom Justin had entrusted the details of his secrets. And when Justin was killed a little over a year later no one suspected John Grayson of having the key information needed to decipher the equipment and material the killers had stolen. Of course, it didn’t hurt that by the time Justin was killed John was in Atlanta working on his Accounting degree.

Hawk’s reminiscing of the good times the pair had was interrupted by a sound behind him. Turning toward the sound he saw Bill and Sergeant Kellogg exiting their room. “Good morning, said Hawk. “Did you sleep well?”

Bill answered, “I don’t know about the Sergeant here, but I slept pretty well.”

Sergeant Kellogg added, “My biggest problem is my body isn’t used to this kind of luxury. If anything, I was too comfortable.

“Hawk, do you want to go downstairs for breakfast?”

“Bill, I think I want to stay in the room this morning and ice down my face again. Why don’t the two of you go down, and I’ll just order something from room service.”

“We can do that,” Bill responded, “but it might be better if I stayed here until your breakfast came. Your face is beginning to turn colors and it might make someone think you were hurt and call the police.”

“Bill, that’s the second time you’ve foreseen a problem I missed. Thank you. Let me look at the menu and then you can order for me.”

“Sir,” interjected the gunnery sergeant, “shouldn’t I stay with you as security?”

“Sergeant, I seriously doubt we’ll have a problem here in the hotel.”

“That may be so, but I was entrusted with your care, and I take my job seriously.”

“Hawk, the sergeant’s right. Why don’t we all just order from room service? I don’t mind eating up here, and it’ll severely minimize our exposure to public scrutiny.”

“Then order me two eggs over light with hash browns smothered in onions, multigrain toast, and four strips of bacon. While you’re doing that I’ll get the ice-packs on my face.”

Admiral Frank Burke looked across the breakfast table at the tired and weathered old man holding tightly to the much younger woman sitting on his lap. In some ways the couple reminded him of his and his wife’s relationship, a May-December romance that involved real love, not a lust for money or a desire to be envied by other men. While he stared at them he was suddenly faced with the reality this old man was his daughter Kimberly’s only hope. That truth was almost more than he could take. That thought of Kim led him to countless memories which seemed to flash in his mind like one of those kaleidoscope montages often shown on TV, flashing a quick summary of someone’s career or a sequence of events. Those thoughts were disrupted when the old man asked, “Frank, have you given any thought about your future? You have to know after your daughter is rescued Vasquez will be coming after you with a vengeance.”

Embarrassed he hadn’t thought along these lines the admiral replied, “Honestly, I’ve been so concerned about Kim, I haven’t thought about it. Jason, I don’t know what to do. Since my wife died Kim is all that mattered. You probably know she came late in our marriage, and I’m old enough to be her grandfather.”

“I kind of figured that. Were you considerably older than your wife?”

“Yes, and though many thought she was a ‘trophy’ wife we were very much in love. Five years ago when they found the lump in her breast I was patrolling for pirates near the Maldives. Not wanting to make a big deal of it she didn’t tell the Navy. Thus, when I returned to the states four months later she was waiting on my return to let go. Two weeks later Kim and I buried her in her home town of Charleston, West Virginia.”

“That had to be hard,” responded a tearful White Dove.

“Andy, you’ve no idea, and though the Navy has been great in accommodating my situation, life since then has been even harder.”

“So, back to my original question, what are your plans?”

“Jason, I don’t have any. Do you have a suggestion?”

“Yes, if the navy will help.”

“And that is?”

“First, don’t acknowledge her rescue, but only your loss. If you play the grieving father who requests sea duty it might throw them off, at least for a while. If Kim took on a new identity and stayed with those who could protect her it’s likely the two of you could be reunited within a year. Especially if you had an unfortunate accident or a fatal heart attack while you were at sea. If it was done correctly there would be little for Vasquez to use to try to trace you, and even less of a reason to even try.”

“And where do you recommend she stay?”

“My granddaughter and her husband are part of a ranch just south of Phoenix. It’d be a good place for her to hide, and she could even attend college if she desired.”

“Jason, that sounds like a workable plan, but won’t they resent her just showing up, and what about security.”

“Frank,” Andy interjected, “Maria and Hawk will not have a problem with it, and they aren’t much older than she is. As for security, for reasons that can’t be discussed they’re surrounded by some of the best security available.”

“And what will I do when I’m dead?”

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The Hawk and the Chipmunk

Mike Lowe aka The Scot

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