Chapter 9 – Mr. Everhart
Sula and General Brand were waiting for them when they arrived back at The Colony. “What happened?” Sula asked.
“What do you mean, ‘what happened’?” Gizmo asked. “Mission accomplished.”
“No, the civil war is still going on. It was shortened by two years, but it is still going on. What did you do?” Sula asked.
“We changed arm bands with another baby. The real Marion Everhart is now Arturo Northam, a member of the working class.”
General Brand was sitting at his computer intently looking at his screen. Presently he looked up. “The real Marion Everhart is the leader of the resistance against the ruling class, and the real Arturo Northam is the ruling class leader.”
There was a shocked silence for a few minutes as the news sunk in.
Sula was the first to recover, “Apparently it was Mr. Everhart, Marion’s father, who was behind the civil war and not his son. That changes things. You’ll have to go back and make sure Mr. Everhart Senior is stopped. It may mean taking him out in the true sense, or it may mean preventing him from meeting his wife, and having a son.”
Marco and Gizmo exchanged a look but neither of them said anything; there was nothing to say. It appeared they would have to go back and do the job all over again. Neither of them were looking forward to that scenario.
As they both stood up and exited General Brand’s office, they headed back to Giselle. This time their walk was slower.
“I didn’t expect to see you so soon, Master,” Giselle said.
“Yeah, me either,” Gizmo replied darkly as he sank down into the pilot’s chair.
“Where are we going now, Sir?”
“We have to go back and do the job right this time,” Marco said.
“Oh. That explains the tone of voice. How may I be of service, Sir?”
Looking at Marco, Gizmo said, “We need to go back to Mr. Everhart, Senior’s childhood. Can you do that?”
“Of course, Sir. Plotting the course now.”
“Can you tell me when Mr. Everhart, Senior first met his wife? Or when they were married?” Gizmo asked.
“Checking. Mr. Everhart married his childhood sweetheart at the age of nineteen, Sir.”
“What? You mean they’ve known each other all their lives?”
“It appears they lived across the street from each other,” Giselle said.
“Oh crap,” Gizmo said. “I guess we can’t stop them from meeting. Now what?” he asked looking at Marco.
“Can we prevent the marriage?” Marco asked.
“He would just marry someone else and have another son. I only see one option. Giselle, let’s go,” Gizmo said.
“Your wish is my command, Sir,” Giselle said brightly.
“I’m really not in the mood Giselle. Just do it,” Gizmo said.
§§§
“Landing now, Sir.”
“I think we should just sit and wait and observe,” Gizmo said. “Maybe we will see something we can use. Giselle, can you eavesdrop on conversations?”
“You should know that Sir, you programmed me with extraordinary hearing abilities.”
“We have never tested your hearing capabilities or the range though. Can you hear conversations inside the houses? How close do you have to be to hear what they are saying?”
“I can hear voices inside the Everhart house, but I cannot detect the young Everhart. Wait. Wait. A female voice just said young Nevel is expected home soon.”
“So we wait,” Marco said.
“Can you hear voices inside the house across the street, Giselle?” Gizmo asked.
“Of course, Sir. They are discussing the wedding at the ‘Our Lady of Everlasting Love’ cathedral in two weeks.”
“Two weeks?” Gizmo asked. “We can’t just sit here and wait for two weeks. And I don’t see any way to stop the wedding. Our focus has to be on young Nevel. If we kidnap the wife, he will just marry someone else. What about if we kidnap him?”
“And take him where?” Marco asked. “Just eject him in open space?”
“Well, there’s a thought. And it would solve our problems, but if he just disappeared wouldn’t there be a search for him?”
“You got anything better?”
§§§
The seaside city of Lavaria was gearing up for the big event also. Young Nevel Everhart was one of the most eligible bachelors in the city. With his good looks and his family’s money, he was considered quite a catch.
His father owned the largest, and only, mining and mineral processing factory in the area and young Nevel was set to inherit it all. Since they had tapped into one of the biggest orion deposits ever found on the planet, they couldn’t mine it fast enough. They were raking in the money faster than they could spend it.
Young Nevel’s future was set for him. His father was having a big house built for him on top of a mountain overlooking the sea. Nevel and Gala had been there many times to make sure the construction and interior decorations were up to their discriminating tastes. The house would be complete just in time for the wedding.
Every florist shop in town was busy ordering the mass of flowers for the floral arrangements at both the cathedral and the bride and grooms house. Since nearly all the social A-lister’s had been invited, it was taking three catering companies working together to prepare the food required for the wedding guests.
It had every indication of being the event of the century. The upcoming wedding was on everyone’s lips as they went about their daily business. The excitement was almost palatable and seemed to be building with each passing day.
§§§
“Giselle, let’s jump ahead to the day before the wedding. This is going to be painful just sitting here for two weeks waiting for this wedding to happen,” Gizmo said.
“Done Sir.”
Nothing appeared different except the Intergalactic date displayed on Giselle’s instrument panel had changed. Gizmo had no idea what they were going to do but was sure something would come up.
“Giselle, can you determine if young Nevel is at home?” Gizmo asked.
“He is Sir, but is just getting ready to leave. He said he was going to go up to the new house to make sure everything would be ready for them after the wedding.”
Just then the front door opened and young Nevel headed for his car in the garage. As he backed out and slowly turned the car around on the cushion of air, Gizmo was frantically trying to figure out a plan of action. Time was getting very short and action was needed soon. What to do? What to do?
Quickly Gizmo said, “Giselle follow him.”
He and Marco exchanged a look, but no words were spoken.
“Is this what you meant by playing it by ear?” Marco asked.
“Something like that.”
Young Nevel was driving slow on the city streets, but on the outskirts of town when the traffic started to thin out, he quickly picked up speed. Giselle accelerated to keep pace with him. Nevel had elected to drive up the coast road to the mountain top house since it was a beautiful day with the large pink sun spanning the whole horizon. He always enjoyed this view.
The coast road wound around the edge of the mountain as it overlooked the view out over the water. His late model car floating inches off the ground took the turns smoothly as he sped up the mountain. He had been up and down this road many times and knew every turn so he felt comfortable stealing a look out over the water from time to time, but most of his focus was on the road ahead.
Suddenly Gizmo had an idea. “Giselle, get in front of him and lower yourself to his level. I want you to face him but keep pace with him. On my mark, I want you to lower your cloaking shield briefly. Got it?”
“Yes Master.”
When Giselle was in place, in front of Nevel and going backward to match his speed, Gizmo was closely watching him. The next time Nevel turned away to look at the view, Gizmo shouted “Now” to
Giselle. Giselle instantly lowered her cloaking shield making her visible to the oncoming vehicle.
When Nevel turned back to look at the road, all he saw was what he determined to be an oncoming vehicle he was about to crash into. Without thinking he swung the wheel hard left, away from the mountain, to avoid a collision. His car instantly went through the guard rail and over the side of the cliff. Giselle rose up over the cliff just in time to see Nevel’s car crash on the rocks below.
Marco was speechless and Gizmo felt sick to his stomach.
“Let’s go back to The Colony Giselle,” a shaken Gizmo said.
§§§