under cover goose on the Titanic

Part 18 - 'Armless

Friday evening, Licia, Miguel and I were in Miguel's basement working on our technology project, a hydraulic elevator. We used two plastic syringes connected by a piece of tubing mounted on a frame made from a cardboard box. We spent more time arguing than actually making it but after the fourth prototype and the consumption of about fifty sticks of hot melt glue, we got it to work.

While Licia was putting the finishing touches to the elevator platform, Miguel picked up her cell phone and started checking out the available ring tones.

Licia and I left the finished project at Miguel's place and walked home. We were on rue Sumac street when I spotted a Canada goose nibbling at a small patch of still green grass growing in a sheltered spot at the side of the church.

'Dunc, what are you doing here?' I asked.

'Surveillance,' Dunc honked happily. 'Ah've been following a bowler hat all day and my pectorals are pooped out with all the zigzagging. Yeh wouldna happen to have a wee dram of scotch wi' yeh? Ah could use a wee stimulant.'

'Do we look like kids who drink whiskey? Licia asked.

'A bowler hat?' I asked. 'That sounds like Kozak.'

'Well, he's just gone into the Happy Log Rollers' Eatery,' Dunc told us.

'Licia,' I said, 'Kozak knows me but he's never seen you. Would you slip into the restaurant and see if he's with someone?'

She gave me her cell phone. 'Okay, but call Oscar Kilo.'

I thought she meant Onderdonk and but then I found OK in the cell's contact list and clicked on that. Miguel answered.

Dunc stayed by the church munching grass while I waited until Miguel arrived. Licia came out minutes later. 'He's talking to a big guy with funny glasses. Does that sound like Murga?'

Dunc said he would be too conspicuous inside the restaurant so we left him pecking at the grass and slipped inside. The tables were arranged in high-backed booths and the place was almost empty. We could hear two voices, one unmistakably Kozak's, coming from the corner booth. We slid into the next booth as the waiter delivered a pizza to our table.

'I had only enough money for a small one,' Licia whispered.

I grabbed a slice. 'You are a true friend, Licia. Thanks.' We ate with relish as we eavesdropped.

'Zdat teufelhund, Onderdonk, blocked zder nexus,' Murga was grumbling. 'Ziff, got avay.'

'I warned you,' Kozak coughed. 'Zat windholes software would collapsed ze Zloffgart field!'

'No!' Murga snapped. 'Toktakunov vould not permit. Now, you vill find out vot happened to Erik Bragg.' 'He voz not at vurk since Friday. He must haf been curtailed by Herr Doktor Zhang.'

'CURTAILED!' Kozak squeaked. 'You mean he is . . . ?'

'Ya. Extirpated. Rubbed-out,' Murga said pleasantly. 'Blown-avay . . . no mo' problemo.'

'But, I am not a detective!' Kozak whined. 'And you promised I could go 'ome after I found Ziff.'

'Zo? I already told you vee are shtuck here until Toktakunov can link viz Doctor Zhang's nexus. It is crude engineering but it vill haf to do.'

I whispered to Licia, 'Do you think Dr Ah-um is back yet? He should hear this.'

She pulled out her cell phone but Murga heaved himself out of the booth and lumbered from the restaurant like some great bear. He had pulled the hood of his parka over his head and a scarf covered the lower part of his face so all I could see was the black slit covering his eyes. Luckily, he didn't look in our direction. We watched through the restaurant window as he got into a black SUV and drove off without looking back. A pair of eyes watched me from the rear window. I could have sworn the eyes were framed by tusks.