Mad Rooster Marketing

Chapter 2 (Claire) - The Meeting with Robert

All the buildings at the side of the railway track must be connected through these endless underground tunnels. When we finally arrive in front of a heavy iron door, we have gone down at least two levels.

The fact that Robert has a hidden underground office is nothing short of creepy. And luring me down here. How stupid can you be? I'm surprised that no one has killed him yet.

'Oh, Claire bear, I have something that could help Simon in my secret safe. We could go there in the evening after everyone has left. Then we can be all alone.'

Does he really think that someone would fall for that?

'How many virgins have you sacrificed here?'

Robert's laughter sounds forced. 'Don't worry, I'm not some crazy axe murderer, and you clearly are not a virgin.'

Robert perfects the axe murderer act with a stinking grin that shows that his teeth are not only yellow but also have some black spots on them. I answer by playing clueless and worried. He sees my hesitation, and it seems to be exactly the reaction he is looking for. Almost like he is studying me to see how deep into the danger he can goad me into wandering. Like he is tempting me to willingly become part of something sinister, something that we both know is wrong and possibly deathly.

The door gives a tortured squeal as it opens.

'What do you think about that sofa over there on the left? I have always thought that comfort is the key that makes the magic happen.'

I peek carefully inside and see the massive sofa. 'So, this is where you sleep all day.' I give a short girlish giggle.

'It is not really meant for sleeping.'

I almost start to laugh and have to spend some time swallowing and staring at my toes. Hopefully, Robert interprets it to mean that I'm too terrified to move.

We both try to get into the secret room at the same time and get squashed together in the doorway. I would like to meet the idiot who came up with the idea of making clothes smell clean without washing them. The mixture of sweat, grime and chemicals is nauseating. I step inside the office just to get further away from Robert. He asks me to sit down and seals the door by turning the heavy wheel clockwise multiple rounds. He locks the wheel with a padlock and a chain before sitting next to me on the sofa.

'Your move,' his eyes seem to say.

'You said that you had something here that could help Simon.'

'Simon? Oh yes, Simon! I did say something like that, didn't I.'

I wait for him to continue, but other than enjoying the weird little situation he has created, he does absolutely nothing. The fake smile still hides his lips, but it can't cover his cold and calculating eyes. I decide to wait in silence. The air-conditioning hisses faintly. We spend a couple of minutes just staring at each other, but not in the good way.

'You know, Claire. I just decided that you really are something special. I know exactly why Simon chose to marry you. Together we could achieve great things. I could be your guide to an amazing new future.'

'What makes you think it was him who chose me?'

Curiously, my answer makes genuine amusement conquer his face, if only for a moment. It is quickly replaced by lust and greed.

'First things first, I'm afraid. What do you know about Rebecca DaSilva and Mad Rooster Marketing?'

'The place is a pile of cow dung and she is the source of it,' I answer without thinking. 'What has she done to you?'

Something flashes behind his eyes. He quickly reassumes the leering smile, but the damage has already been done. I decide to toy with him a bit.

'But she has done something to you, hasn't she...Oh yes, she has. Interesting. I have been wondering what made her stop coming. What did she do?'

'The real work we do here is not universally popular. Some people come here just to cause trouble and—'

'So, what is the real work we do here? It has something to do with this very room, doesn't it? It does! This is just getting better and better. What—'

Robert jumps away from me as if I had burst into flames. The heat I'm putting him under must be intense because he protects his face with his hands. He is the worst spy in the world. I didn't know that the MI5 was this desperate. So, they also are investigating Mad Rooster Marketing, not that it's surprising.

'About Simon... let me just get some papers from the safe.'

He lifts the painting down from the wall revealing a safe hidden behind it. That must be the worst hiding place you can imagine. To make matters worse, he mumbles the combination as he spins the dial: 32...24...16. I barely have time to close my gaping mouth before he turns around.

'Are you showing that neat little safe to everyone you have lured down here?'

'There needs to be no secrets between us if we are going to be working closely together and even less if we are not. When you see what's here, you will understand why.'

Robert gives me a fat blue document envelope. I scan the contents quickly. 'Simon's court documents. How about that. You do know that I'm a lawyer? I filed the request for disclosure the day he was arrested, and we have these exact same documents at our flat.'

'You would never be able to get this version, and when you see what's in it, you will understand why.'

I stare at the folder in my hand for a while.

'I'm sorry, but I can't let you take them away from here. I'm not supposed to show them to everyone, you see. We both can get into serious trouble. You can give them back to me, and I'll see if I can forget showing them to you, or you can take a closer look right here and now. You can then decide whether I'm in a unique position to help you with your...umm... pressures.'

Even without Robert's fumbling threats, it would be easy to decide what to do. Robert moves closer to me. I can smell his unwashed teeth. He wipes his running nose with the side of his hand and dries it to the side of my tight. Unbelievably disgusting.

I push him away. 'Do you mind?'

'I see that you have not gotten to the really good part yet. It starts from page 27.'

With Robert literally breathing down my neck, I turn the page and start reading. Unsurprisingly, it tells that the evidence against Simon is fabricated. There is no mention of Overlord Community, and the name of Mr Taylor has been redacted. Robert has been doing his own investigations and has written 'Mr Taylor' by hand in the margin, underlined it three times, drawn a circle around it, and coloured a thick exclamation mark next to it.

'Is this some kind of a sick joke?'

'I can assure you that it is no joke. You have no idea what your dear husband has gotten himself mixed up with. I got a feeling that it goes even higher than Mr Taylor.'

I look around Robert's secret office. 'This has to be to the sorriest excuse of trying—'

'It is genuine, believe me. I shouldn't really be telling you this, but I'm a real-life James Bond.'

'Anybody could have found out that he was investigating Mr Taylor's campaign funding.'

Robert arched his eyebrows. 'Mrs McCullum, like I said, you have no idea what your dear husband got you all mixed up with. I'm probably the only one who can help you and your daughter.'

That is not true at all, but trying to get MI5's support is what Florence instructed me to do. They can't go through official channels because Overlord Community seems to have spread their rot everywhere.

I look at the folder in my hand for a while before lowering it slowly to the floor. Robert slides closer.

'Just to be clear, this is just a one-time thing, and half an hour is the most I can spare.'