Midnight Blue: A Time of Deceit

CHAPTER 1

Amanda Kline waited in line at the grocery store behind a man who mumbled as he counted out his money. A worn overcoat covered his six-foot frame. A scruffy beard and a hat with earflaps hid a clear view of his face. Every time he moved a wave of ode de garbage wafted by her.

Patience running thin, she leaned on her cart. It rolled forward and nudged him. He turned and his knitted brows flashed a look that indicated he was not pleased.

Easy lady, he whispered.

He was taking too much time and she wanted him gone. Sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.

The cashier smiled. Mister, you’re three cents short.

The man dug deep into his pockets, trying to find the money the cashier wanted. Amanda opened her purse and retrieved three pennies. She stretched around her cart to hand them to the cashier. The man grunted a thank you. For a moment, their eyes locked, spooking her. His eyes looked familiar, and it made her uncomfortable. The man gave her one more glance and moved away from the checkout line and out the door.

Finally, I can get out of here. She bagged her groceries to hasten her escape. Why do I always wait until Friday after work to do this?

She quickly scanned her debit card and reached for the receipt. Going through the exit door, she realized she hadn’t requested the cash she needed for the weekend. Turning, she went back into the store to the ATM machine. Good no line. It wasn’t until she approached the ATM machine she noticed it was out of order. Great, something else to add to my long day.

She then went to the Customer Service Counter and back into another line. Well, at least I don’t have to stand behind that dirty man.

The line moved quickly and Amanda finally was able to ask for her cash. The clerk scanned her check card and counted out the currency. Holding the cash in one hand, the clerk pulled the transaction receipt, and with one swift motion handed both to Amanda.

Amanda's steps quickened as she left the store. Before she could reach the curb, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. Startled, she turned to find the unkempt man standing behind her.

Just because I gave you three cents, doesn’t mean I'll give you more money.

It's not money I want.

A chill ran between her shoulder blades. That voice; it can’t be, no I’m wishing. She moved in the direction of her car. Before she could reach it, the man maneuvered in front of her and stopped her advance.

This time the man used a different voice. Don't you recognize me Amanda?

Amanda knew the voice but the picture was wrong. Is this a joke? Leave me alone.

No, this isn't a joke; it's me, Sam. Look hard Amanda.

Sam... Sam?

Yes, a bit worn, but it's me.

A man passing by slowed and stared. She smiled warmly and nodded to the man signaling nothing was wrong. She pulled her long blonde hair to one side, and retied the loosened Hermès scarf that complemented her navy blue linen suit. She struggled to keep her sky blue eyes from tearing.

Her heart clamped tight in her chest as her brain worked hard to associate this man with the Sam Haley she had known. After the initial shock, her memories of Sam rushed in. She couldn't believe the man standing before her was Sam; yet the resemblance was more than uncanny.

No, Sam could never look like this. She hadn't seen him for almost a year. As she recovered from her fright at his shabby appearance, anger started to build inside her.

Like her life flashing before her eyes, she remembered the last day she had seen him and the mixed emotions she had felt on that day. Something deep down told her Sam hadn't just walked out of World Tech Communications.

Both worked at the headquarters located in Rockville, Maryland. Scarletto, World Tech's President, had inferred Sam's leaving was a mutual decision. He told her Sam had become a risk the company no longer wanted to assume. He wouldn't elaborate, only said, it was a need to know situation and she didn't need to know.

The one thing she did know that day was that Sam couldn't be a risk to the company or the project. Scarletto dismissed her attempt to argue in Sam's behalf. Because of their history together, she felt betrayed and disappointed that he had left without a word. On the surface, she accepted Scarletto’s story. It was too painful for her to believe otherwise.

She felt strange about Sam's abrupt exodus, and it didn’t take long for the rumors to start. The most disturbing tale was that he had quit and walked out after an argument with Scarletto. She thought it odd he hadn't taken his personal items, especially the photo of his sister.

She’d mentioned the photo to Scarletto and he told her Sam said he didn’t give a ‘flying fig’ and departed in a fit of anger. This didn’t sound like the Sam she knew; but everyone has limits.

Had the rumor been true, security would have escorted Sam and his belongs out of the building. She knew the day-to-day check-in and checkout was tighter than any airport security. Despite this, Sam had managed to slip away.

Meeting him this way flooded her mind with old questions. He had not only left World Tech, he had left her too. So why rock the boat and ask questions now? She still had her dream job. No need to dwell on the past; it was over.

Or was it?

Not many weeks after his disappearance, she heard the company had hired a private investigator to look for him. This rumor struck a chord with her until the P.I. questioned her about Sam’s whereabouts. The first time she didn’t think anything of it, except the P.I. looked like a shady character, and the questions she was being asked didn’t make much sense. The P.I. came back twice and Amanda was relieved when the questioning finally stopped.

Now, here was Sam, standing in front of her. He touched her shoulder and brought her back to the present. She jumped.

I'm sorry I frightened you. Please let me explain. What I am about to tell you makes me sound like I've gone mad, I’m on drugs, or both. The truth is the people I thought I could trust I couldn’t, especially Scarletto.

Anger gripped Amanda. She wanted to scream, Get away from me! Instead, trying hard not to show her feelings, she fumbled in her purse for her keys, moved toward her car and pushed on the remote to unlock it. She heard the distinct click of the door unlocking and reached out to pull on the door handle.

Sam placed his hand on hers. She was still hurt that he had left without as much as one word to her and she was too stubborn to think of anything except her feelings. She had stopped caring about what happened to him months ago.

He wasted no more time. I know there is something wrong with Midnight Blue.

You are... nuts! she shot back. What does that program have to do with your leaving?

When was the last time you actually looked at any code in the program?

I don’t have to Sam; that's why I have coders like you. Now let go. I'm going to give you a choice. I can scream, which will draw the attention of everyone in this shopping center. Or, I'll give you a head start, one just long enough for me to get to my cell phone and call the police.

Sam released her. Fine. I understand how you feel and what you must be thinking. All I want is for you to give me forty-eight hours and a chance to change your mind. Dig into Midnight Blue’s code and see what Duncan has done to it.

Why should I? Duncan didn't have to do any coding. Everything was ready to test when he came on board.

He held out a key. Please. After you look at it, take this key and go down the freight elevator to the sub-basement. This key will unlock the backside of the elevator. Follow the hallway down to the power plant room. There's a circuit breaker panel behind generator number two. The panel is hard to see if you don't know it's there. Be careful of the wiring. Tucked out of sight on the right, you will find a waterproof valise. It contains information that explains Duncan's changes in the code.

On the verge of angry tears, her voice quivered. Let me re-phrase what I just said. Why should I believe you?

Look, if what is in there doesn't change your mind, you can report you saw me. If what you read turns your world upside down, meet me Sunday night. Dress shabby so you don't stand out, and don’t worry, I'll see to it that you'll be safe.

I don’t know if I can do this Sam.

Sam’s eyes pleaded, Yes, you can.

Amanda's anger started to dissolve. Let me think on it, okay?

"Absolutely. I want you to be sure. One more thing, if you do decide to meet me, tell no one. When I hinted about some of the information – well -- you see where my questions got me. I hate living like this, but it's saving my butt. Nobody takes a bum seriously, and I'm sure no one the company has hired to find me suspects me being right under their noses.

I’ll give you all weekend to weigh whether or not you want to meet me. I know I'm asking a lot. If I had any other way to retrieve the valise, believe me, I would have used it. The last thing I want is to have you involved. If you do decide to meet me, be cautious. You don't want to end up living like this, or even worse, dead. Will you give me the forty-eight hours?

Amanda was ashamed of her self-centeredness. Deep down she had never believed Sam would disappear without a word to her. Not if he could help it. Her own selfish ambition had made her turn a blind eye. She knew him better than anyone. At one time, he had been her best friend.

For a moment, she closed her eyes as thoughts of the past brought all her questions to the present. So many times she had imagined them meeting. But not like this. She looked deep into Sam’s eyes. How could you have just left me without a word Sam, not even a note?

All the hurt and anger she felt came out of her mouth full force. How could you have just left me? You didn't trust me enough to help you then, why now. Or do I mean something to you now that you have a use for me?

That's not fair, and you know that's not true. What I am asking you to do may cost you your job, maybe even your life.

The sadness in his eyes touched her heart. Okay Sam. I don't have to think about it. I guess I owe us that much. I just hope I'm not taking a stupid risk that will cost me my job. Self-centeredness once more crept in. You know how hard I’ve worked to get to where I am today.

I do know. When you see the information in the valise, you'll know what to look for in the code. You can tell Duncan you're doing a spot inspection. When was the last time you looked at any of the modules in the program?

Too long ago. I only look at the results of the test runs.

Let's just hope you haven't gotten technically unwooly. This was his way of saying use it or lose it.

Have I lost my technical edge? Amanda wondered.

You may be Duncan's boss, but he thinks you’re an idiot. He knows you haven't looked at deep code for over a year. Let that work to your advantage. He can't suspect what you are looking for.

Sam took a step back. You probably will have regrets about today, but at this moment, you can't even imagine what kind. I bet the encryption game we used to play when we coded together will make finding the changes easier. He looked around before he passed her written directions of where to meet him. She slipped the paper into her purse as he pretended to pocket money.

Deep down she knew Sam could be trusted. He had always been there for her, always putting her first. Pangs of guilt hit her hard as she realized she had never been there for him. Even when he was her only competition for top honors at M.I.T., he put her first. Then and many times before, she had put him last.

***

The weekend nights didn’t go well. Sleep escaped her. What Sam had proposed scared her. She always played it safe at work and couldn’t imagine how to get to the evidence Sam said he had stashed away. There were cameras everywhere. How can I possibly avoid all those cameras? There are just too many and I know someone will catch me.

She decided she would meet with Sam, but would not attempt to get to the valise. Not until she talked to him again.

As the evening hour grew late, she started to dress for the meeting. The garb she put together would make her a top of the list candidate for a What Not to Wear show. She didn't mind getting a little dirty, but dabbing on something to make her smelly was where she drew the line.

How on earth can I look dirty enough to blend in with street people? Their dirt is old and crusty. Geez, I don’t think I can make my body look crusty dirty. Maybe I can get away with a few smudges.

She examined some old jeans and an old shirt she'd used for a painting project. They passed inspection for the tattered look. Maybe a bit of rubbed in potting soil will take care of the dirty look.

She brushed out her silky blonde hair, pulled it back, secured it into a ponytail, then loosely pinned it into a bun. Concerned the dirt would clog the pores of her porcelain like complexion, she decided to clean and double moisturize before she applied it.

Next, she went out to her balcony and unhooked one of the hanging plants and sat it on the patio table. She scooped out a handful of the soil, enough to accomplish a grungy look. The dirt packed under her fingernails, making them feel tight and uncomfortable, as if they were being pried loose from her fingers. Carrying the soil into the bathroom, she leaned over the sink and rubbed it onto her forehead, nose, and cheeks. Not quite my idea of putting on makeup.

She stepped into her bathtub and rubbed the soil onto her shirt and jeans. Climbing out of the tub, she looked into the mirror and decided to add a bit more dirt to her face. She turned off the bathroom lights and in the night-light dimness was satisfied with what she saw. Her dirty hands and face would pass the homeless grunge test. She chuckled as she spoke, Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the dirtiest of them all?

It was nearing time to meet Sam. She smiled and again spoke to the mirror, Okay buddy, here I come.

Forgetting to concentrate on the present and the risk she was taking, she let her mind drift back to a time when she had almost let her feelings for Sam show. She didn’t want those feelings to come back. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t stifle them. Okay, focus. I can reminisce later.

***

The cloud cover refused to let the stars and moon light the night, making this part of town unusually dark. Ahead she could barely see the outline of the bridge. The shadows under it played with her imagination, giving rise to an edgy fear. Okay, Sam, you said I would be safe, so I know I will.

She realized too late where his directions had led her. She never imagined she would end up anywhere near D.C.'s 14th Street Bridge. It disturbed her that Sam had picked this spot. He knew she hated even crossing this bridge. Just thinking about it made her palms sweat.

She slowed the car to a crawl and stopped on the east side under the bridge. In the dark, she couldn't see the repairs that had been made after the crash of Air Florida's flight 90. In the daylight, the repairs were a glaring reminder. A childhood friend had lost her parents on that flight. It saddened her to think of it now.

She didn’t see Sam or anyone else. She double-checked to make sure the car locks had engaged, turned off the engine, and settled back to wait for him. She was five minutes early. Midnight was the golden hour and she trusted he would be there.

The fog on the ground and the darkness felt like something out of a Jack the Ripper movie. She didn’t scare easily, but her grasp on the steering wheel made her knuckles hurt. She didn’t feel safe. Sam had told her where to park, but she decided on a better place. She could see where she was supposed to be, so Sam should be able to see her.

The longer she waited the more nervous she became. To ease the tension, she turned the radio on low and closed her eyes to listen to the soft music. The midnight hour came and went. Had something gone wrong?

A tap on the window startled her. A man held up what appeared to be a badge of the D.C. Police Department. He wasn’t in uniform, but did have a police department badge.

The man said to her, You need to get out of the car.

Something felt wrong. Let me see your identification first. The man flashed the badge again, not giving her a chance to see. The hair on the back of her neck prickled when her eyes met his.

He put the badge back in his pocket and tapped on her window. You need to get out of the car... now.

As she pulled the keys out of the ignition, she held the sharpest and longest key between her fingers, making sure the ring end lay firmly on her palm. She made a fist around it before she unlocked the door. Her eyes never left his as she reached for the door handle and pulled. The door opened, she extended her foot to make contact with the pavement.

She should have saved her energy. The man grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the car. Even with his harsh handling, her eyes stayed locked on his. He was tall and bent down, pulling her toward him. He grabbed the hair on the back of her head and jerked her head backward.

She managed to turn to away from him, and then quickly turned back, taking aim at her intended target. Fear gave her the strength she needed. She forced the key into its target, the soft tissue of the man's eye. He fell to the ground screaming.

Out of nowhere, a gang of street people fell upon him. It looked like out of the water human piranhas with pieces of clothing and parts of the man flying everywhere. Suddenly, as quickly as they had appeared, the street people vanished. The man's lifeless body lay motionless in a spreading pool of blood.

In a panic, Amanda pulled on the door handle of her car. Sam stopped her. When she realized who he was, she jumped into his arms. She was relieved to see him, dirt, smell, and all.

It was Sam's turn to be angry. Amanda, just once why couldn't you do as I asked. I didn't want you to be a sitting target.

Sam, why did they kill him? You said I would be safe.

I tried to get to you before he did. My friends thought they were protecting me by protecting you. I said you would be safe, and you are. I know Scarletto hired people to find me. I was afraid someone might follow you, and I was right. He was one of Scarletto’s hired thugs. I’m sorry I got you involved in this Amanda, but I need the proof in that valise. I have no other way to get it. Did you bring it with you? I'm convinced our nation is in grave danger. We have enemies that want us dead and they are just waiting to strike.

No Sam, I didn't. I wanted to talk to you first. What are we going to do now? Scarletto will know someone is on to him when this guy’s body is found.

The body won’t be found. Sam raised his arm and waved. Out of the shadows, the gang scurried forward, scooped up the body, the bits and pieces of clothing scraps, and disappeared.

What about the blood? There’s so much blood!

That will be gone soon; nothing will be left. It's not too late to change your mind. You can go home now. I just ask you don’t report this right away. I’ve put you at risk, and I had no right to do that. I’m sorry I got you involved.

She believed Sam and knew something terrible must be about to happen. Her comfortable life, as she knew it, no longer mattered. Despite the risk, she had to help him.

Sam turned to walk away and she called out to him, Wait! He turned and faced her.

Oh Sam, I’m such an ostrich, maybe even a bit of a donkey’s rear end. I do trust you, and I’ll try to help. Scarletto can’t know this guy is gone. Can you find a way to keep the body from being found until I have a chance to get the valise?

You can be sure that will be taken care of. Unfortunately, I think we'll see more of these underworld types. I have a feeling Scarletto has many associates of this ilk on his payroll.

One more sweep of the area and Sam decided no other person had followed Amanda. He opened her car door and guided her back into the driver's seat, went to the other side, and settled in next to her. They spent the next hour talking about how she could retrieve the documents in the valise. Sam knew World Tech from bottom to top and assured her that he knew of no security cameras on the sub-basement floors. All she had to do was to get to the right floor without being seen. Sam reminded her of the archive file with the building blueprints. Since she had clearance for the data servers, she could retrieve the information.

Sam knew Amanda was badly shaken. He needed to give her time to absorb what had just happened. Reluctantly, he got out of