Sherlock/Dr. Who

The new season of Sherlock started tonight, on PBS.  Everyone has been waiting, for what seems like a thousand years, for it to return.  Tonight’s episode was fun.  It’s a great show.

Elementary, is another program about Sherlock.  I love it.  The actors are perfect and it is very different than the PBS Sherlock.  Lucy Lu plays Watson and that is a nice change.  Both programs are excellent  and I truly enjoy them.

And what’s with Dr. Who?  A new doctor…ALREADY?  Blah.  We didn’t have this Doctor long enough to get to know him.  Well, the new Doctor looks older and small…so we shall see.

Wouldn’t it be fun to have the Doctor drop in on the PBS Sherlock?  Hmm…someone write a screenplay, please.  🙂  Sherlock meets the Time Lord…Planets and Ginormous Egos clash!  Ta da!!!!

The Target

The final chapter for THE TARGET is on B.G. Bowers blog.  You can read it at:  bgbowers  Thank you for reading our story.

The Target 16

B.G. Bowers and I are co-writing this story.  For all odd numbered chapters please go to her blog at:  bgbowers  Thank you.

 

We jumped through the tear and I grabbed the stone as I rolled to my feet.  “Why isn’t the Boss dead?  I thought I hit him in the chest, “I said, bouncing the stone on my palm.

“Kevlar?” asked Kat.

“Black magic,” said Jet.

“The Keepers wouldn’t give him the Secrets, he needed us to get them and we played right into his grubby little hands.”

“We couldn’t have known,” said Kat.  “Besides, those people needed to cross over.  We gave them a way out.”

“So Boss Man wants to live forever, does he,” I said smiling.  

“We should go Underground and see the God,” said Jet.

“Okay,” I said, holding up my hand.  “That’s NOT going to happen, EVER!  Gods’ are not beings to fool around with or track down.”

“Maybe he can help us,” said Jet hopefully.

“I CAN HELP YOU,” said a voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

“Ya know,” I said, shaking my head.  “I really hate when this stuff happens.”

“YOU ARE THE SECRET KEEPERS.  THANK YOU FOR HELPING MY PEOPLE,” said the voice.

“Did he just thank us?” whispered Kat.

I shrugged.  “Uh, can you tell us what’s going on?”

“MANY YEARS AGO I FELL IN LOVE WITH A HU….”

“We know that part,” I said quickly.  “We need to know what’s going on now, if you don’t mind.”

“MANY PEOPLE WILL COME AFTER YOU TO GET THE SECRET OF ETERNAL LIFE.  YOU MUST MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE GETS THE SECRET.  I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT.”

“How?”

“THE STONE IS MORE THAN IT SEEMS.  IT WILL DO YOUR BIDDING AND FOLLOW YOUR COMMAND.  IT GUARDS THE SECRET KEEPERS.  YOU ONLY HAVE TO HOLD IN IN YOUR HAND AND TELL IT WHAT YOU WISH AND IT WILL BE DONE,” said the voice. “THE STONE IS AN EXTENSION OF ME…OF MY WILL…TO BE USED BY YOU TO WARD OFF EVIL AND PROTECT THE SECRETS.  USE IT WISELY.”

“Cool,” I said softly, looking at the stone.  “Will it kill the Boss?”

“Hello?” said Kat, turning around.  “I think He’s gone.”

“I think I can get him back by using the stone as a cell phone, if we need him.  Until then, we have a new toy,” I smiled.  “The Boss is in for a surprise.”

“Why are we protecting the Secrets?” asked Kat. “If they are secret and dangerous why doesn’t the God destroy them?”

“Good question,” I said.  “One we should ask him next time he pops in.”

Just then a tear appeared in space and the Boss stood before them.  He was surrounded by his henchmen who were armed with automatic weapons.  “Z,” he said pleasantly.  “Kat.”

I held the stone in my hand and muttered, “Make all of the men in front of me forget why they are here”.

At once, weapons pointed toward the ground.  The Boss, looked around and held out his hands.  “What is this?” he asked.  “Who are you?  Why am I here.  Who are these men.”

“That is lovely,” said Kat dreamily.  “Really, lovely.”

“Let’s go,” said Jet.  “He’s not the only one who will be looking for us.”

“After you,” I said, tearing into space.

“Hey, wait,” called the Boss.  “How do I get home?  Where is home?”

“So cool,” I laughed, slipping the stone into my pocket.  “So very cool.”

Target 14

This is a joint writing project.  The odd numbered chapters are written by B.G. Bowers and can be found on her blog: bgbowers  Thank you.

 

“Why don’t our powers work here?” I asked angrily.

“Because we are in the Inbetween,” answered the Priest, lightly.

“Inbetween?”

“Yes, Inbetween, a place where time and space are suspended.  That is how we can live forever.”

“It’s a pocket space,” said Kat knowingly.

“Sure sounds like it,” I agreed.  “Okay, so what do we do now?” 

“You take the vow and carry the Secrets to the reality that is not here.”

“You mean go home?”

The old Priest laughed, “Yes, I suppose you see that reality as home.”

“Then what?” I pushed.

“I don’t know.”

“Wow, how helpful is that?”

“I am telling you our part,” said the old man, looking toward his gathered people.  “We cannot leave here.  We will die here, once the Secrets are in your possession.  This is what we know, no more than what I have told you.  Human beings are self destructing, that is why you appeared.”

“Kat?”

“Hey, don’t look at me, I don’t know what to do.”

“Can we leave here without taking the Secrets with us?”

“I’m not sure.  You can try,” said the Priest nodding.

“Okay,” I said.  “Lay it on us.”

“The third Secret is,” he said leaning forward, whispering in my ear.

“That’s it?”

“That is it.”

“That’s not even a secret.”

The old Priest laughed again and patted my hand.  “You will understand when you are home.  Now you must participate in the ritual.”

“No human sacrifice, or bleeding animals, right, because we won’t do that.”

“No, none of that,” snickered the Priest.  “I shall miss you and your sense of humor.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny.”

“I know,” he chuckled.  “That’s why you’re so funny.”

“Glad I amuse you, so let’s get on with it.”

“Hold our your hands and close your eyes.”

“You’re kidding, right.”

“Just do it Z.”

“Fine,” I snapped, closing my eyes and holding out my hands, as the Priest began chanting in an unknown language.  The people in the room joined in and I felt a surge of power run through my body.  And all at once I understood everything.  I saw everything.  I gasped at the beauty of it all and felt tears run down my face.  The chanting increased and so did the lessons, until the voices stilled and a small grey stone lay on my open palm.

“Z?” asked Kat, breathlessly.  “What was that?”

“I don’t know,” I said looking around the empty room.  the walls were bare, the glyphs were gone.

“It was amazing,” whispered Kat.  “I feel…”

“Awake?”

“Awake.”

“I hope they’re happy, wherever they are.”

“Me too.”

“Let’s get out of here, we have a lot to do.”

 

 

The Target 12

B.G. Bowers and I are writing this story together.  She is writing the odd numbered chapters and I am writing the even numbered chapters.  Please go to her blog: bgbowers to read  her  chapters.  Thank you.

The applause was spotty but sincere.  I looked at my sister and reached for her hand.  She put her fingers through mine and we stood next to each other and, smiling, we bowed to the audience.

“Well done,” said the ancient priest.  “Well done.  We have been waiting for you for a very long time.”

“Waiting?”

“Yes,” he said, nodding.  “The prophesy,” he coughed.  “Sisters, pale, like the two moons above, will arrive by water and set you free.”

“Uh,” I said, looking around.  “I think you have the wrong sisters.

“Free you from what?” asked Kat, pulling me toward the priest. 

“From eternal life,” he sighed wearily. 

“You want to die?” asked Kate, taken back.  “Why?”

“You are young,” he said kindly.  “Too much life can be a burden.”

“I can’t see all of you,” I said, squinting into the darkness.  “Give us light, please.”

Torches burst into flame instantly. There were at least fifty people in the space and the walls were completely covered in glyphs.  “Who or what are you?” I asked.

“We are the Keepers,” said the Priest softly.

“The Keepers of what exactly?”

“Secrets.”

Kat sighed and looked at me.  “Let’s go.  I’m tired of always saving someone’s ass and never getting any answers to our questions with out playing games.  I need a shower and some hot food.”

“I’m right behind you,”  I said, pushing her toward what looked like a hallway.

“Wait,” said the Priest loudly.

“I don’t think so,” I snapped.  “You sucked our friend through a tear in the sky.  I’m not in much of a helping mood.”

“Please.  You must break the curse,” said the Priest, pointing to the wall.  “We have kept the Secrets long enough.”

“Does this have anything to do with the Sumerian Underground.”

The Priest hung his head and folded his hands.

“Let’s go,”  I said, turning back to the tunnel.

“Ages ago a Sumerian God fell in love,” said the old Priest.  “He fell in love with a mortal, a human female.  She loved him in return.  Because of their joy, everything flourished and life was good.  People were happy,” continued the old man, fingering a talisman he held loosely in his hand.  “Then the human began to age.”

“I think I know how this ends,” I said, trying to jump ahead.

“She got old.  He loved her still, but knew that she was dying.  His priests, had been working on a way to give her eternal life so that their God would not be alone and in mourning.”

“They found a way?” I asked.

“Yes, but it was too late.”

“Bummer,” said Kat.

“Is that one of your Secrets, the elixir to Eternal Life?” I asked. 

“Yes.  It is.  But our original cultures have disappeared.  We are the only people left from that long ago time.  The Secrets were brought to us by the Sumerian God and we were told to keep them safe.  He told us that we would live as long as we Kept the Secrets.”

“But you just told us one of them, so you’ve broken your word,” I said.

“That is true but you have not left here so the Secrets are still safe.”

“I don’t like the way that sounds,” said Kate, pulling on my arm.  “The Secret to Eternal Life is what the Boss was looking for.  I’m sure of it.  That’s why he wanted us together.  You know, the sisters, the moons and things.”

“Nicely put,” I snickered.  “But I agree.”

“So, if you tell us the Secrets and we leave this place,  the responsibility will be removed from your shoulders and you can die, right?” smiled Kate.

“Yes and no.  We will die but unless the curse is broken,” said the Priest,  “our souls will be lost at the time of our deaths. That is the price for betrayal.”

“I see.  So how do we break the curse?”  I asked, already not liking where this conversation was going.

“You must agree to Keep the Secrets.”

“Not gonna happen,” Kat said.  “No way.”

“Will the curse transfer to us?” I asked.

“I do not know,” answered the Priest.

“How many Secrets are there?”

“Three.”

“Okay,”  I said, holding up my fingers.  “Eternal Life is one.  So two and three are?”

“Two explains the Universe and everything in it.   And three….,” he paused, clearly uncomfortable.

“Stop” I said.  We don’t want to know the last one.  We don’t want to live forever and we don’t want to be cursed.” I said, waving my hand at the Priest.  “How can you even ask us to do something like this?”

The old Priest looked at the people behind him.  “Help us.”

“I hate when they say that,” whispered Kat.

“Me too,” I agreed, turning my attention back to the priest.   “What else does the prophesy say?”

To be continued….

The Target 10

For all even chapters please go to B.G. Bowers blog:  bgbowers  This is a joint writing project.

I knew Kat was alive.  I would have felt it if she were no longer on this plane,” I said. “I’m hoping, since this is where he was taking me, this is where they are holding Kat.”

“He wants Underground,” said Jet.  “He needs both of you.  She is here.”

“Let’s go into this house.  I need to do something.”

“Okay,” said Jet, quickly picking the lock.

Once inside I laid out the necessary supplies.  I sealed the circle, lit the candles, and poured clear water into the goblet.  I cut my thumb and dripped three drops of blood onto a white napkin. Then I closed my eyes and sent out my  gift.

“All done?” asked Jet, happily, when I walked into the room.

“Yes.  I know where she is and she knows that I’m coming for her.  I’m going Jump to where they are holding her, so you will have to wait here.”

“Come with,” said Jet.

“No.  I can’t take you and bring her back.  I will need you to be ready to fight if I need help on the return trip.”

“Okay.”

“I’m going now,” I said, sticking weapons into my clothing wherever they would fit. “They won’t expect me this early in the day.  If I’m not back in one hour, take the boat and go.”

“Will wait for you.”

“If I’m not back in an hour, I won’t be back at all.  Just go.”

“Okay,” said Jet, nodding.  “You have good luck Z.”

“Thank you Jet, now look away.”  As he turned his body I set the spell,  slit reality with my ritual  knife, and Jumped into the next dimension.  I could see Jet standing there, looking at the wall and I hoped that he would would escape if the Jump went sour.  I took a good look around and walked through time and space into the house where my sister was being held.

“When do you think this deal is going down?” asked a large, square man sitting outside my sister’s door.

“Who knows?,” answered a tired looking woman. “I thought it would be over by now.”

I slipped into the room, and saw my sister sitting in a chair.  She looked tired and thin but nodded to me and reached through the slit to grab my hand.  Just as I caught her, the door to the room opened.  The Boss stood there, his mouth open, and the first bullet hit his chest.  I pulled my sister into the time slit and got off two more shots before I sealed the tear.

“Let’s go,” I said to Kat.  “Nice to see you again.”

Kat laughed and threw herself into my arms.  “I hope he’s dead.”

“So do I but right now I’ll take slowing him down.”  And then we heard a tear behind us.  “They’re Jumping,” I whispered, making a quick slit into the dimension next to the one we were riding.  I put my finger to my lips and pushed Kat through, then I followed her.  We landed in the building across the street where Jet stood, armed and ready to fight.

“The boat,” I said, grabbing some gear.  “Hurry.”

Kat picked up a duffel bag and Jet grabbed two.  I ran through the bushes to the dock and untied the boat.  Gunfire ensued and I saw Jet shoot the guards that had been in front of Kat’s door.  Kat leaped into the boat and Jet followed.

“Go Z,” said Kat, grabbing a rifle.  “Just go.”

We sped across the waves and I opened a Way, allowing our boat to Jump onto a placid lake surrounded by high snow covered mountains.

“Where are we?” asked Kat, looking around, her rifle sliding from her hands.

“I’m not sure,” I said.  “I didn’t take into consideration that we were together and the Jump, well, the Jump had a little more power than I expected, so….”

“You have no idea where we are, right?” asked Kat, laughing.

“Not a clue.  But look,” I said, pointing at the sky.  “Two moons.”

The Target 8

This is a joint writing project.  Please go to:  bgbowers for all odd numbered chapters.  Thank you.  We hope you enjoy reading our story as much as we enjoy writing it.

 

 

I knew the Boss was talking but all I could think about was how I was going to kill him after the job was over.   He led me to believe that my sister was alive.  He would pay for that.  I smiled, he noticed but said nothing.

“So?  What do you think about using him?”

“I’m sorry,” I said.  “Drifted off for a moment.”

“I said, should we hire Morse to go along with us on the Jump?”

“No, of course not.  It’s hard enough tearing a whole in reality without dragging more people through.  It’s just the two of us.  That’s it or find someone else.”

He nodded.  “Okay.”

“So the clue you’re looking for is supposed to lead us to the killer?”

“Yes.”

“Then what do you need your brother for?  He’s dead.  You can’t get him out and you can’t bring him back to life.”

“I have to tell him something.”

“I don’t believe you,” I said, staring at him.  “No one Jumps  just to say something to someone.  You’re lying again.”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Stop the car, ” I said loudly.  “Now.”  The car started to slow and I moved forward on the seat. “I told you not to lie to me.  STOP THIS CAR NOW OR I’LL RIP YOUR HEAD OFF,” I screamed at the driver, reaching for his neck.  The car stopped and I opened the door.   “And just so you know, Morse won’t be able to get you where you want to go.  But by all means, hire him, that way I wont have to hunt you down after I kill the person who murdered my sister.”  With that I got out of the car, slammed the door and started walking.

Ten minutes later I was sitting on a bar stool in an open air bar.  The man next to me let me borrow his cell phone and I made arrangements for transportation, a hotel and a place to pick up a chunk of change.  Things were looking up, I thought as I sipped my drink.  

“Excuse me,” said a tiny man, wearing a clean but tattered white shirt.  “I have a message for you.”

“Really?  And I just got here,” I said.  

“It’s just that, well, we saw you get out of that car and slam the door.”

“And?”

“We thought you may need some things, since you, uh, appeared to be angry.  Also, lady, you were not carrying a bag.”

“What could you possibly have that I might need?” I asked, suddenly interested.

“Weapons.”

“You know, I think you just became my new best friend,” I said smiling.

The small man bowed and his eyes lit up.  “You come with me?”

“Why not,” I said.  “What do I have to lose?”

“You have money?”

“It’s on it’s way,”  I said.

“Money is good.”

“Some people may argue that point,” I said softly.

“You a Jumper, yes?”

“What?”

“A Jumper,” he said, moving his arms up and down.  “Jump, through time.”

“Why would you think I was….”

“Aura,” smiled the man.  “Jumper.”  

What the hell, I thought.  “Yes, I’m a Jumper.”

“Good, good,” laughed the man, bowing again.  “Jumper, very good.  We have many weapons for you.  That man come back.  You need guns.”

“Do you know him?”

“Yes.  Bad man.”

“Tell me about him, friend.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

The Target 6

This is a joint writing effort.  For all odd numbered chapters please go to:  bgbowers  BG Bowers and I are writing this story together and never know where the next chapter will take us.  Thank you.

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“Before we set the ground rules, you may want to shower and change out of your bloody clothes.”

I smiled.  “I’m good, thanks.”

The Boss nodded.  “Have it your way,” he said.

“I intend to.”

“I have a copy of the manuscript.  We can study it on the way.”

“How did you find Kat?”

“It’s easy to find things when you have unlimited funds,” smiled The Boss.  “Money is god, nowadays and if one offers enough of it…well, you get my meaning.”

“What’s in the Underground that you’re so anxious to find?”

“Is that one of the conditions?”

“Yes, actually, it is.  If I’m going to help you, I have to know what you’re looking for.”

“I want to find someone who is dead.”

“Why?”

“No shock?  No sigh of disgust?”

“Who do you want to find?”

“Not important.”

“I’ll tell you what’s important,” I said.  “If you don’t tell me, we don’t find him or her.”

“I want to find my brother.”

“How did he die?  I need to know because the Sumerian’s believed that how you died determined where you went in the Underground.”

“He was murdered.”

“Okay, that helps.  This won’t be easy.  I don’t even know if it can be done,”  I said,  staring at the moaning Russian.  “He’s not coming with us, is he?”

“No.  He no longer works for me.”

“I see,” I said nodding.  “When does the plane leave?”

“As soo as we board.  There’s a helicopter on the roof waiting to take us to the airport, where we will change planes.”

“I’ll need to go to my office and get some things.”

“Let’s go,” said The Boss.

“What kind of clue are you looking for in Egypt?” I asked, throwing my papers into my case.   “I don’t recall the manuscript saying anything about Egypt.  I don’t think that’s where the entrance is.”

The information came from a reliable source,” he said, as we raced to the helicopter. ” “Duck your head and watch the blades.”

We arrived at the airport in ten minutes and hurried onto the waiting jet.  Once we settled in I said,  “I’m doing this for Kat, I want you to understand that.  When I tell you to do something, don’t ask for explanations, just do it.  Listening to me could mean the difference between life and death, do you understand?”  The Boss nodded.  “Good.  And, most importantly, have you ever jumped dimensions before?”

“I have not,” said the Boss.

“A virgin on his first jump,” I sighed.  “Not a hop but a full jump.”  I stared at him.  “Do you believe in miracles, Boss?”

“No.  I believe in power.”

“Well, power’s not going to help us now, but a miracle might,” I signed. “Do you know who I am?”

“Of course,” he grinned.  “You’re the Target.  The one who can travel through dimensions and hit the target, every time.  Am I right?”

“Call whoever has Kat and have her delivered to this address, now then back off and leave here there,” I said, scribbling the number onto a scrap of paper.  “Once I talk to her and confirm her whereabouts, I’ll do what you ask.  I don’t back out on my deals, so do it or I won’t help you.”

The Boss picked up the phone and made the call.

“Okay,” I said.  “Now here’s what we’re going to do.”

 

 

The Target 4

BG Bowers and I are writing THE TARGET together.  She is writing the odd chapters and I am writing the even numbered chapters. We have no plan for the story and do not know what the other pserson is going to write.  To read the odd numbered chapters pleas to go to:  bgbowers  Thank you.

******************************************************************************************************

“I thought the Cold War was over,” I said, trying to kick the Russian in the shin, which was difficult since I had a bag over my head.  “Where are you taking me?”

“If you keep talking I will tape your mouth closed,” he said tonelessly, pushing me forward so that
I tripped and fell down the rest of the stairs landing on the cement floor.

“Get up. I know that you’re awake,” said Mr. Congeniality, pounding down the stairs.  “I’m going to start kicking you if you don’t get up.”

“A little help, please?” I asked demurely. “I can’t SEE or use my hands.” 

He yanked my up the my arm and I realized that my shoulder had been damaged during the fall. I moaned in pain. “You’re hurting me,” I whispered.

“Pain is good. Make you strong.”

“You do realize that you’re taking me away from the manuscripts, don’t you.”

“Boss wants to talk to you.”

“This bag smells like lilac flowers,” I said. “Nice as that is, I’m starting to have trouble breathing.”

“Life is hard.”

“Could you just loosen the neck so that I could get more air? I’m getting dizzy,” I said, bumping into him.

“Fine,” he said stiffly. “Stand still.”

He tore the tape that was wound around my neck and pulled the bottom of the bag away from my skin. I gulped in the air and thanked him. That would be helpful when I was ready to make my move. “Who is your boss?”

“I’m his boss,” said a beautiful voice with a lovely accent. He must have made a face at the Russian because he told him that I had fallen down the stairs. “Undo her hands, remove the hood and wait outside, please.”

The Russian cut the ties on my wrists and pulled off the hood. I smiled, as his face came into view and head butted him as hard as I could, then I kneed him and watched him drop to the floor. I wiped the blood off my shirt and face with my hand and sat down. “What can I do for you?”

The Boss looked at the Russian, then at me and started laughing. “This might be fun,” he said.

“I really doubt that but why the manuscript? Planning on going to the Underworld the Sumerian way?”

“Yes, actually. I am.”

“You realize that the Sumerian manuscript is just a story, don’t you? You’d be better off with Dante.”

“I assure you the manuscript is true and it can be done.”

“I hate to break it to you but the Underworld doesn’t actually exist.”

“You know better than that. The Underground is on a different plane of existence and the manuscript can tell me how to get there.”

“Why do you want to go?” I asked, looking at the Russia, who began moaning and rolling back and forth on the floor. I pushed him away from me with my foot.

“It might not be healthy for you to know the reason.”

“Yes, well it might not be healthy for you to go.”

“I’m not going alone,” he said, smiling.

“Are you taking roll polly?” I asked, pushing the Russian again.”

“No, my dear. I’m taking you.”

The Target 2

BG Bowers and I are writing another tag-team story.  We do not discuss the story in anyway and have no idea where it will end up going.  She has written the first chapter, which you can read on her blog: bgbowers  This time I will be writing the even chapters.  Please join us for a bit of fun with, THE TARGET.

 

“Come with me,” said crew cut.

“Uh, you’re kidding, right?”

“Come with me,” he repeated.

“Cyborg?”

“Funny.  You have something I want.”

“You’re not the first one to say that,” I said looking around.  “Usually I get dinner first.”

“You can’t get away.”

“Look, this is really interesting but you obviously can’t communicate very well and I’m going to be late for something important…like coffee, work, doing my nails, things that matter,” I signed, backing up.

“I said, come with me,” he growled, reaching for my arm.

“What is it that I have, that you think you want?”

“A manuscript.”

“Oh, why didn’t you say so in the first place.  I work with thousands of manuscripts, so I’m assuming you can give me a hint as to which one you’re looking for.”

“The Sumerian Rite of Passage to the Underworld.”

“Oh that one.  I’ve read it,” I said, shaking my head.  “You wouldn’t like it…no vampires or werewolves.  Lots of big words in a different language.”

“You have a smart mouth.”

“Thank you,” I said, running my fingers through my short blond hair.  “I went to school and took special classes for that.  I’m happy to see that my time wasn’t wasted.”

“I don’t like you.”

“I’m shocked,” I gasped, putting my hand on my heart.  “Well, it’s been fun, but I have things to do, so have a nice day,” I said waving to the men on the roof.  

Crew cut made his move but I rounded on him and turning, hit him directly in the head with my very heave briefcase.  He staggered, then went down on one knee.  I hit him again, straightened my jacket and walked toward the beautiful building that housed the Archeological Bone and Manuscript departments.  

“Tough morning,” said the guard at the door.

I smiled.  “Did you get it all on tape.”

“Of course, Dr. Brent.  They dismantled the obvious cameras during the night but no one ever goes for the real ones.”

“Thank you Mr. Curtis. Please send the tapes to Johnson in security as soon as you can.”

“I’m already on it,” he smiled.

I dug around in my brief case and pulled out a bag of cookies.”

“For you,” I said.  Ms. Barton’s finest.”

“Thank you,” said Mr. Curtis, happily.  “I love that shop.”

“Have Johnson send me the info he gets off the tapes immediately, please.”

“Absolutely.”

The Sumerian Rite of Passage to the Underworld, I thought, getting into the elevator.  Why would anyone want to go there?