“So I’m going to pass the lunar material on directly to a cosmonaut?”
“That’s the plan. Now that you have it in your possession, I should be getting the full details soon.”
“Are you thinking of having Chris join me?”
“What do you think?”
“I think it’s a bad idea. He would have eyes on me the whole time.”
“You’re probably right. But if I assign him to the mission, he might wonder why he isn’t going.”
“I’m sure you’ll come up with something.”
15
A BAD MAN
The metal shopping cart was positioned perfectly up against the station wagon, ensuring it wasn’t going anywhere. Overhead, thick dark clouds had developed, blocking the hot August sun and giving promise of an early afternoon thunderstorm. In an effort to beat the first raindrops, Anne quickly loaded the last few paper bags of groceries into her car’s backseat. Peter was sitting in the cart intently studying his new box of cereal. After the last bag was in, Anne tried to take the box, but Peter stubbornly pulled it away, not wanting to give it up.
Smiling at her four-year-old, Anne realized she needed to be more persuasive. Possibly if she treated him like a helper, he would relinquish it. “Tell you what Peter, how about you help Mommy and you put your cereal in the car.” That seemed to do the trick. Holding on to the box, the boy raised his free arm, looking for assistance out of the cart. Anne reached in, feeling every ounce of the boy’s forty-pound weight as she lifted him. “You are not getting any lighter, young man.” She gently set her son down on the asphalt before pointing toward the backseat. “Now put the cereal inside the car.”
Peter hesitated for a moment.
Anne gave her son a stern look. “Peter.”
The boy abandoned the fight and turned to put the box inside. Anne pushed the cart over to the front of the car before walking back. Peter had set the box on the seat in such a way that he could keep looking at it. Anne tenderly moved her son to the side and picked up the box, placing it in one of the bags. When she closed the door she was shocked to see a pair of arms suddenly trap her against the car. She turned and was surprised to see Chris Riddick, standing inches from her, his arms strategically placed to prevent her from escaping. She kept her composure as she asked coldly, “Can I help you, Chris?”
Chris had an intense stare. “I thought we had a deal.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You promised me you weren’t going to tell Tom about what happened at my place.”
Feeling uncomfortable, Anne pressed an arm against his, signaling she wanted to get free from his entrapment, but Chris wouldn’t budge. She responded strongly, “I didn’t tell Tom anything.”
“You know that was an innocent pass. I was only trying to comfort you. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Anne put her hands on Chris’s chest and attempted to push. But nothing happened. She was getting nervous. “Chris, let me go.”
“You know I caught your husband doing something illegal. I can end his career. Even have him put in jail.”
Having no idea what the man was talking about, Anne questioned if it was even true. She looked Chris directly in the eye. “What are you saying? Are you threatening me?”
“Not exactly, but you can guarantee it will stay a secret.” Chris moved in dangerously close. His breath feathered her lips. “You are so beautiful.”
Turning her face away, Anne pushed back hard against Chris’s chest, trying to break free. “Let me go, Chris.”
Peter cried out, “Let Mommy go.”
Anne saw Peter pulling on Chris’s pants. Chris easily kicked his leg free from the little boy’s grasp. Anne angrily looked up to see a sinister look in Chris’s eyes. He looked determined to kiss her. She had no choice but to attack the man, and she knew exactly where. She took a hold of his shirt with both hands, allowing her to put all of her weight on one foot. She lifted the other, and with all of her might, powered her knee as hard as she could into Chris’s crotch, pulling on his shirt for maximum effect.
Bull’s-eye. Chris instantly dropped his arms as he let out a loud groan, doubling over in pain. Hearing the man cry out brought a sense of satisfaction to Anne as she hurriedly grabbed Peter and tossed him onto the front seat of the car before jumping behind the wheel. She quickly locked the door. Starting up the car, she looked out her window to see Chris still bent over. You deserved that, you bastard.
Anne sped out of the parking lot. When she stopped at a red light, her hands were trembling.
“Are you okay, Mommy?”
Looking over to her little protector, Anne said lovingly, “I am, thanks to you, Son.”
A big smile appeared on Peter’s face.
Placing a hand gently on his leg, Anne squeezed. “You were very brave back there.”
“Was that a bad man, Mommy?”
“Yes, Son. That was a very bad man.”
“WE HAVE A PROBLEM.”
Tom looked across Dick’s desk with concern. “What’s that?”
“I called in Chris earlier today to tell him he would be part of the joint mission with the Soviets. Though he was excited, I was surprised when he still told me about the lunar sample you had.”
Tom couldn’t believe his supposed “friend” had already broken his promise. “Why in the world did he do that?”
“Good question. Maybe he was afraid the canister might be discovered and he could be connected, or he just has issues with you.”
“What did you say?”
“I was caught off guard. I didn’t know what to say. However, the less I said, the more he rambled on. I eventually told him thanks for informing me and to keep it a secret until I was able to look into it.”
Tom started shaking his head. “We can’t trust the guy. Here you offer him an assignment, which proves I’ve talked with you, and he still shoots off his mouth. You’re right. We do have a problem.”
“Well, I think I’ve figured out how to solve it.”
“How?”
“We will…”
Suddenly Dick was cut off by a voice coming out of the desk intercom. “Mr. Stanton, Chris Riddick is here to see you.”
Tom opened his mouth in protest.
Dick put a hand up signaling Tom to sit tight while he pressed the talk button. “Send him in.”
After Dick released the button, Tom wondered what his boss was up to. “Did you request him to your office?”
“I did, but I didn’t expect him so soon.”
“What are we going to say?”
“Don’t worry, just follow my lead.”
A knock sounded on the door before Riddick opened it. He entered with his usual cocky expression. Once he noticed Tom, Chris hesitated for a moment, looking as if he had seen a ghost.
Dick pointed to the chair. “Welcome, Chris, please close the door and have a seat.”
After slowly shutting the door, Chris narrowed his eyes at Dick as he lowered himself into the chair.
Tom just smiled. He couldn’t imagine what was going through the man’s head.
“Chris, I called you here to discuss the LRL canister you saw in Tom’s possession.”
Tom had no idea where Dick was going and saw by Riddick’s uneasy reaction, neither did he.