Before 24 Billion and Counting

Chapter18 Part 1 Back to Hawaii - But why?

Putting on my glasses resolved the clock image to five.

The answering machine had picked up and was talking. Ellen's melodious voice came over with a vehement edge of urgency, through a hubbub of noise.

"Charles, pick up please."

I pressed the button and a cacophony of random sounds flooded the room through the larger speakers, whilst Ellen's elegant facial features filled the screen.

"Where on earth are you Ellen?"

"Internet cafe. Don't have much time. We need you here, but now."

"Where. Why?"

"Wake up Charles, where you were before. As soon as possible."

"OK. Should I bring anything?"

"Holo camera. Don't use your office people or company credit card."

"Ohh Kayy," I said cautiously.

"You're coming?"

"Yes."

"Bye."

She cut the connection, and the screen blanked to black.

I unscrewed myself free of the tangled bedclothes, and swivelled my feet to the floor. As I started to stand I felt dizzy. Too much whisky I thought.

I sat again and hanged my head. 'Get a grip' I told myself 'Ellen, needs me which probably means Jacob and Will and maybe the whole crew at the observatory.'

The need for secrecy was puzzling. Jacob and the team had discovered something, but what could cause them to get me over to Hawaii anonymously and under cover?

I had to leave that question dangling. The problem was, how to do it?

I needed someone to organise the flight booking while I went to the studio for the holo camera, and then to ferry me from here to the airport,

That someone had to be trustworthy and not connected with this telephone. Trouble was I had too much alcohol in my system to drive my car. Taxis weren't that invisible from scrutiny. To combat crime they transmitted a GPS location every so often, and the drivers communicated with their despatch office. I could do the journey back and forth to the studio by taxi, that trip was uncontroversial.

The best person I could dig out of bed to help me was strangely enough Ward Nolan. He was no longer with the company and if he booked air tickets from his home, the connection to me wouldn't be a straight line. He couldn't do the taxi run to the airport now he was debarred from driving, but could call one from there. But how could I contact him? I knew that a tap had existed on the landline, and probably still did, and my mobile was suspect too.

I had a thought, and dug out of a bedroom drawer Beatrice's old mobile which was the same make as my own. I swapped the battery and SIM card with my phone and tried ringing the home phone. It worked. I had forgotten to cancel her account..

I rang Ward. He sleepily and somewhat irritably answered. I didn't blame him. It was still only five thirty.

"Beatrice? For God's sake I'm dreaming."

"No Ward I'm using her old phone. Wake up please."

"Oh, Charles. Jesus what do you want with me at," I heard a scrape as he turned a clock, on his bedside table, " what time is this?"

"Ward I'm very sorry but I need help. I'm in trouble, or some of my friends are. You haven't been drinking?"

I heard a background female voice protest, "Ward what's happening?"