Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 15:26:02 +1300 From: Arthur Subject: Left of Center part 3 LEFT OF CENTER Part Three By Arthur. Sitting back against the cabin of the chopper, Jay could feel the vibrations of the machine through his overtaxed body. Manuel, still across his lap, had not moved after the hurried entry into the cabin. The throbbing in his head matched that of the rotors above as he felt the exhaustion of the last two days trying to take over his senses. Jay tightened his grip on Manuels small, half naked body as the chopper flew at tree height to get them to safety. The change in the landscape as they flew towards the escape plane that awaited them at a small private airstrip, was a welcome relief to the barren rock covered ridges they had left behind amid the death and destruction of another completed mission. His thoughts began to wander to what he would do with the young boy now held tightly in his arms, the faint feeling of nausea from the wound on his temple, making it difficult to concentrate and get things in his mind into order. All Jay knew was that he was not going to give up Manuel at this stage of his life. It was already decided, in his own mind, that this was the last time, from here on in he was going to try to settle well away from anything to do with "The Company". A small movement and pressing against his chest of the dark head he held, made Jay look down again at the slight figure of Manuel. His eyes roved over the thin chest with their small nubs and followed the almost abs down to the top of the worn smudged white pants. His eyes stared blindly at a spot somewhere close to where Manuels groin would be and a flash of desire sped through his thoughts. "Not now, time for that later,...maybe." Jay sighed again and let his eyes close a little to rest, the chopper droned on and the vibrations almost lulled Jay into a welcoming state of sleep. The sudden pitch of the motor startled Jay back into full consciousness, with a glance through the plexiglass window, he saw the small airstrip below them as the chopper began to slowly go into a hover, and then with little pause drop like a stone towards the ground close beside the waiting Cessana 402. The twin props of the Cessana whirled in anticipation of the soon to be take off. Jay shrugged Manuel a little higher into his arms and made ready to disembark from the side of the chopper and make a quick run for the plane. Manuel let his eyes open to look up at Jay and then with the smile of someone who knew he was safe, settled back on Jay's chest. Once the chopper was on the ground, Jay jumped out and without another word made the run to the waiting plane, the co-pilot standing in the small door to hold it open for him. As soon as the two passengers were inside the plane, the door slammed closed and it began to taxi along the grass strip to take off position. The scream of the twin engines on the Cessana and the sudden push against the back of the seat, told Jay they were at last on the final leg to safety. Once they had reached the optimum height for the small Cessana, Jay settled back to relax, Manuel was still on his lap with his head on his shoulder and his thin legs stretched over the seat beside them. Jay could feel all the tension begin to leave his over stressed body as the Cessana flew further and further away from the country that had been the final stage in his old life style, now all he had to do was get Taylor to realise it was over. An hour later the dropping of the Cessana brought Jay back to the here and now, with a glance through the window he saw they were making their descent towards "The Companies" private hanger. Jay could feel and smell the staleness of his sweat soaked clothes and body, the odour, while a little rank, was pure man smell. The crustiness of the dried blood that ran down the side of his face from his temple made him feel as though a plaster cast had been slapped on the side of his head. When the small plane had landed, Jay tried to get to his feet but a feeling of dizziness overtook him and he slumped back into the seat, Manuel still asleep in his arms. Jay looked up as the pilot turned towards him. "You ok, Jay?" "Don't feel to good." "Wait there." The pilot spoke quickly into his mic and then sent the co-pilot to open the door. "Stay there Jay, I've got an ambulance coming over from "The Companies" aid station." Jay relaxed back into the seat as he waited. It took only minutes for the private ambulance to pull up alongside the plane and with deft quick movements Jay was helped down to the waiting stretcher. He refused to let the ambulance personnel take Manuel from him, prefering that they struggled to get them both on the same stretcher and wheeled into the back of the waiting vehicle. The driver spoke to Jay over his shoulder as he drove towards the far off gates. "The boss, says to take you to our hospital direct, ok with you?" "Sure, can you get them to have someone ready to help Manuel, he's been shot and is not the best just yet, he needs attention right away." "He your friend?" "Yeah, a very special friend, I want him looked after before they look at me, got that?" There was almost an underlying threat in Jay's voice as he spoke the words. "No problems, Taylors going to meet us there, so you can make sure the boy gets well looked after." Jay grunted and then lay his head back on the pillow, Manuel still craddled on the narrow stretcher beside him, Jay's arm protectively around the thin shoulders. Fifteen minutes later and the ambulance was backing up to the doors of the private hospital, then, with a rattle of the door handle, Jay was looking at the heavy jowled and slightly sweaty face of Taylor. Taylor was one of those men that nobody took any notice of, overweight, rumpled suit, small piggy like yes that hid a very astute mind and a coldness that few could match. It was often said in "The Company" that, when Taylor smiled, someone died. He was a very ruthless man when it was called for and his ability to disappear into the background when in the company of a crowd lead others to discount this pudgey little man as of no account. Taylor's soft mild voice spoke to Jay as the doors opened fully. "Shit Jay, what the hell happened to you, and who the fucks that?" "This is Manuel, he comes with me, get him inside and someone onto him now, Taylor." Taylor made a signal behind his back as the stretcher was pulled from the vehicle and a woman, who could be mistaken for a grandmother, quickly appeared and with a sigh and a caring look, took Manuel out of Jay's numbed arms. "Take good care of him." Taylors voice answered Jays instruction. "I'll see to it personally Jay, now lets get you inside, you look as though you need a damned good rest and some patching up of your own." "Ok, Taylor, but we have to talk." "Later Jay, later." Jay was rushed through the reception area and into a small surgery, the last thing he remembered was the needle as it pierced his upper arm and then, blackness. A glimmer of light forced its way through Jays closed eyes, a rustling beside the bed made him push his eyelids open. The matronly figure of the nurse that had taken Manuel was moving around the room as she placed Jays cleaned and ironed clothes in the narrow wardrobe. At the first stirring of Jay she looked around and as she saw Jay's eyes open the strange look on her face disappeared and was replaced with a caring soft smile. "So, you're awake at last." The dryness in Jay's throat made his voice a little hoarse and he realised he was very thirsty. "How long? where's Manuel, is he ok?" "I...." The sentence was unfinished as Taylor's voice came from the doorway. "Thank you nurse, I'll take it from here. So you're awake at last, you've been out of it for two days." "Two days?" "Yep, they knocked you out to make sure you could have a good rest and let that crease in your head have a chance to heal a bit." "Where is Manuel, how is he?" "I've taken care of him for you Jay, everything will be ok. Look we have another job for you to do, you've got three weeks to heal and I would normally give you more time but this one is vital." "No, Taylor, this was my last assignment, I've decided to call it quits while I'm still standing, besides I want to look after Manuel. He's had a hell of a life up till now and he's got no one left in his family to care for him. It's what I want to do Taylor, it's what I have to do." "Jay, you knew right from the start that this work was vital to the countries safety and security, you just can't up and quit when you feel like it." "It's not up for negotiation Taylor, I'm bloody Fourty for christs sake, there's others can do the job just as well." "True Jay, but none of them can handle anything like that cannon of yours and this job needs to be done from a long way off. Look Jay, if it will make it any easier for you, I promise, you take this one and you can retire straight afterwards." "But what about Manuel?" "You don't need to worry about the boy, I've done everything to look after him." "I want to see him." "Later Jay, he needs to rest in peace. Now get yourself better and then we can talk all this over Later." "Taylor?" "Yes?" "There is no, 'later', I've made my mind up, that was the last time, it's finished." "We'll talk later Jay, rest now." Jay had known Taylor for nearly twenty years, he didn't know what it was but something was not quite kosher in his words. Jay lay back against the pillows and dropped off into a disturbed sleep, the memory of Manuel's small frame being held close to his chest giving him a feeling of rightness in his decision to call it quits and to hell with Taylors pleadings. A thin slash of afternoon sun light coming through the half closed venetion blinds, forced Jay to open his eyes. The sterile smell of disinfectant and the faint trace of the soap they had bathed him with, filled his nostrils as he shifted his lean body under the crisp sheets. "Manuel! got to get up and see him." Jay struggled to get his legs over the side of the bed and then with unsteady steps, made his way to the closed door of the wardrobe. He took out his clothes and almost revelled in the clean smell of them as he pulled on his briefs and vest to be followed shortly after by a freshly ironed shirt and slacks. As he pulled the slacks up he felt the rustle of paper in the rear pocket but could not remember putting anything there. With a shrug of his shoulders he finished dressing and made a mental note to look at the paper after he had seen to Manuel. Jay stepped out into the corridor and tried to work out where his boy would be, then with another shrug of his shoulders, headed to where he could see a nurses station at the far end. The same elderly nurse was seated at the desk as Jay approached. "Where's Manuel, what room is he in?" The nurse looked up startled at the voice so close to her, Jay had a way of moving noiselessly without trying, the look on the face of the nurse was not unusual in it's self but the flash of fear and then sorrow made Jay's senses twitch. "Where is he?" "I...I.." Taylors soft voice behind him statled Jay. "I'm sorry Jay, we couldn't save him, he was undernourished and his heart gave out on the operating table. We tried everything we could to save him but he was just to weak from blood loss and the strain of bringing him out." Jay tried to keep his feet as the white corridor swayed about him. 'Manuel, gone..but why...he was ok...he knew he was ok.' He had seen bullet wounds before and knew when one was fatal and when one was not. "Wha..." The whiteness around him swayed again and all he saw was the floor rushing up to meet him. Jay woke to the night time darkness in his room, he was still fully clothed and lay on top of the bed, a feeling of loss and hopelessness moved through his body as he heard the words again. "he's gone" Jay turned over on his side and as he did he felt the crumpling of the note in his pocket. With disinterested fingers he pulled the note from his slacks and opened it. The words were blurred by the tears falling from his eyes and he had to sharply shake his head to clear his misting vision. Something in the words caught his eye and with a determination he thought he couldn't have, he reread the small handwriting. Something froze inside Jays stomach as he read the letter again and again, trying to make sense out of the words. With a low growl he pushed the letter back into his slacks and forced his body up from the bed. In his head Jay made a decision. "Ok Taylor, one more job for "The Company"." Jay walked unnoticed out of the Hospital, his years of cladenstine work gave him an invisibility when he wanted it and he wanted it this time. Once outside on the street a hailed a passing cab and gave directions to the driver. The cab pulled up outside his apartment and Jay made his way to the door with heavy determined steps. Inside Jay spent little time getting what he needed and then went to the underground garage and got his car out. An hour later Jay sat watching the sun rise over the city as he waited for the time to pass. The silence in the car matched the calmness he was feeling at his decision to do one more job. The letter was still crumpled in his pocket and his thoughts ambled over all his years of work and stress for "The Company". The heat of the sun coming through the windshield of the car, told Jay it was midmorning, the sounds of the city traffic now making themselves heard through his thoughts. Jay glanced at his wrist watch. "11.30, time to go." Jay started the car and turned it towards the center of the city, the traffic was its ususal chaotic self as he manouvred deftly through it towards the tall office block of the Sun Alliance Insurance building. Jay could feel the searing heat of the midday sun on his shoulders as he looked down at the cell phone beside him, with a small grimace he punched in the code and waited while the dial tone buzzed. A soft smooth voice answered the ring. "Yes?" "Taylor, it's me." "Jay, where the fuck are you?" "Had to get out to do some thinking." "Where are you now?" "In the city." "You Ok?" "Sure, just wanted to let you know I decided to take one last job." "Hey thats great Jay, I knew you would see reason, when do you want to do it?" "Now." "Now, are you sure, you might need a little more time to recover." "No Taylor, now is fine." "OK, well let me tell you who it is and where he is to be found." "I already know Taylor." "You do?...." "Yep." "Who?...." Jay squeezed the trigger on the Garrand as he watched through the scope as the 12mm slug tore through the glass and caused a large red mushroom to appear in the forehead of the man sitting in his black leather chair, his feet up on the window sill as he looked out over the city. Jays voice hissed out as he got to his feet, leaving the Garrand laying on the rooftop as he moved towards the door of the lift. "You." As he decended in the lift, Jay looked over the letter one more time, it was a womans handwriting. "That horrible little man killed your boy with an empty syringe causing an embolism in his blood. I'm truly sorry, he was a nice young boy and should have been allowed to live his life in peace." Nobody noticed the man with tears running down his cheeks and a grimace of justifiable anger on his face as he left the lift in the busy building, nobody that is except for a shimmering golden face with raven hair that sat in his minds eye. END: