Aceldama [NaNoWriMo13]

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Late Noon, November 9, 2078. Xenios Entertainment Office, California, USA.

Director Pearson walked out of the elevator. He was heading to his office when his secretary called out to him.

“Director, Wheldon called you earlier while you were in the meeting,” said Eliza from her desk.

“What did he say?” asked Pearson, retracing his steps to the elevator. Wheldon had been busy, so he must have wanted to show him something if he had taken the time to call.

“Just that he had something important to tell you and that you should see him,” she responded, reading the note she had taken when Wheldon had called.

The director pressed the button for the elevator, glad when the doors opened immediately. He stepped in quickly, thanking his secretary for telling him as he did so. He selected the floor for the Computer Labs and tapped his foot anxiously. The doors opened eventually – too long for Pearson's liking – and he stepped out.

His shoes clacked on the floor as he headed to Wheldon's corner of the labs. Wheldon had requested a copy of the gaming system and the invader program in order to perform simulations. The resident genius had wanted to test his ideas before doing them on the real thing. Pearson had wholeheartedly agreed with the idea, since it did not sit well with him to do things in a slipshot manner.

It was only when he neared the isolated corner that he began to wonder whether Wheldon was even there. A trio of technicians were crowded just outside the door, chattering worriedly as they kept casting anxious glances around. Maybe he had gone for a restroom break, the director thought. Pearson cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of the employees.

“Director Pearson!” one of the employees said, worry shining in his eyes.

The director glanced at the door which he now realized was open. “Where is Wheldon? Is he in his office?”

The employee who had recognized him quickly answered. “Director, Wheldon isn't here. And his office, it's, well, you better see for yourself,” he said, gesturing for the other two employees to move away from the doorway.

Pearson frowned as he stepped closer to the doorway and stood at the threshold of the office. His expression turned to concern and worry when he saw that the floor was tidy. Too tidy. Wheldon had the unfortunate habit of scattering things on the floor of his office.

“For the floor to be this tidy, what's wrong with Wheldon?” the employee spoke up, voicing what was on Pearson's mind. 

Director Pearson turned to the employees. “Did any of you go in?” When all of them responded in the negative, he ordered, “Seal off this area. Make sure no one goes in. One of you, check other areas Wheldon might have gone. I'm going to call someone.”

The man did not even wait to see that they agreed. He turned and hurried back down where he came from. He needed to contact Fuller.

Noon, November 9, 2078. Unknown Location.

“And you decided to take this guy back here because you thought he had come up with the solution?” asked Violet, staring at the man whom she had affectionately nicknamed “boss.”

He grunted. “Yes. Wheldon is nothing to sneeze at,” he added, kicking the currently unconscious fellow.

“Do you honestly have so little faith in my abilities?” asked the girl who was named for her striking purple eyes. She deliberately walked in a circle around the man as she continued. “I don't know if I should be happy that you decided to bring him before the final phase of the plan is complete, or if I should be sad that you even thought of it in the first place.”