Incarna

43 - Give it a Rest

Bank Redemption Day - late evening (Zero Hour + ten), 11pm Sydney Australia.

“Oi you, Quollwood! You’re not welcome here, clear off!” Massimo turned toward the angry voice. He stood in the entry foyer of the Australia Club. He put his hands on his hips and shook his head in disbelief. Of all the people he had to run into tonight.

“Yeh Gidday Rama, how ya goin mate?” “It’s Mr Ramakrishna to you! I’m not your mate and your going out the door now!” The big swarthy man came towards Massimo with clear intent but Massi didn’t move!

“I’m on the public side of the foyer Rama! I’m not breaching any private mens club rules!”

“You dont have to Quollwood, after what you did to my daughter …” Massi put his hands in the air in mock disbelief. “Give it a rest Rama, it wasn’t my fault and you know it!” He shook his in disbelief, “don’t you dare go blamin’ your daughters pseudo religious beliefs on me mate!”

Ramakrishna stopped his elephant charge a half an arm length from Massimo. Just the distance so not to be legally intimidating. “How dare you declare innocence, you vile little creep. It was you put those stupid fantasies into my daughters head …”

Massimo gritted his teeth and held his response. He stepped up to the line dividing public from private space, that change in the flooring from tiles on concrete, to polished floor boards. Western Redgum, if he remembered correctly. “I write articles about Australia. People read them. Aishwarya read one of mine on ancient fertility traditions and giant monitor lizard hatching dens. I didn’t take her there. I didn’t have sex with her there, that was her husband, sue him.”

Ramakrishna went pale with rage but didn’t move, “I can’t you fuckwit, they both got killed, remember?”

“No, I don’t. I don’t follow the lives of every superstitious halfwit that thinks planetary alignment stops them from having babies! ... and then has sex in a dragons den because it’s supposed to make you fertile.” Massimo paused and drew back. “I’m sorry they died, I truly am. I’m sorry for your loss. I cannot ever, fully understand what it must be like for you!”

Massi let out a deep slow breath hoping Rama would do the same. “I walk this land with care. I go to and learn everything I can about the places I write about, but I can’t stop idiocy from happening if people ignore my warnings about how dangerous a place is!”

Rama finally let out a deep breath. “Just piss off Quollwood!”

“Sorry Rama, I’m Midnight Owl’s escort for the evening. I’ll just be here waiting for her!” 

“How can you live with yourself, you sleeze! If anything happens to her as well, you will never be found!” "Is that a threat Rama ..?” “No a promise!” Massimo just shook his head then turned and dropped himself into the nearest armchair. Rama fumed inwardly wishing every one of the ancient gods wrath on this half caste vagabond that had seduced his daughter into forsaking her culture and exploring the profanities of this land he’d had no choice growing up in. Rama turned and walked over to the nearest bouncer come security guard.

“If he as much sneezes on private club property, make an example of him!” The bouncer allowed himself a slight smile and looked over at Quollwood, sizing him up. “Yes Mr Ramakrishna, that won’t be too hard!” Rama lent in and whispered to the bouncer, “watch his leg sweep and left uppercut. He always goes for the knees and the throat when threatened!” The bouncer squinted slightly as he reassessed the potential speed and power of someone of Quollwood’s build, then nodded to his boss.

Rama turned and was about to walk back to his office when Midnight Owl came down the corridor that led from the dining hall with it’s dance floor and stage. He waved to the technician who switced off the alarm as Owl walked through the metal detector where the corridor merged into the foyer of the Australia Club.

“Hullo Rami,” she said with honest affection in her voice. Ramakrishna softened visibly when she spoke to him and he ambled over to her

“… and under that beautiful exterior I see a very exhausted young woman!” Rama spoke softly and lovingly to her about working too hard and she smiled and touched his face as she thanked him.

“Be carefu….” and Owl touched a finger to his lips and stopped him mid word. “Ashara had a beautiful voice and was a gifted dancer. We all miss her Ramie, and we all make stupid decisions, and some of those kill us.” Owl watched Rama fighting back his tears and his anger.

“You must stop blaming Massimo!” He started to speak but Owl pushed her face close to his and kissed him on the lips in public. He shut up and stepped back confused.

“Work together with him Ramie, all this fear and superstition that is spreading like a plague through Australia has to be stopped.”

Ramie began to speak but she touched a finger to his lips again. He was a big man in every sense of the word but he was a pawn to a woman who knew her own strength.

“You have the money! Massi has the knowledge! Perhaps the two of you could help work out all this Incarna stuff that is torturing our hearts so much!”

Ramakrishna frowned. He was over joyed by the interventions that had occurred around the world, with all that scum torn apart on camera. His family had money returned even though they didn’t really miss it in the first place. He rubbed his head where a slight headache was forming. “Why do you care?” he asked of Owl.

She kept her eyes on him as they filled with tears, “my brother …” was all she said and she turned and walked across the threshold to where Massimo had stood and was waiting for her.

“Take me home Massi, please just take me home!” He looked up toward Rama and for a moment their eyes clashed and then something shifted in Rama. He nodded to Quollwood who nodded back and then turned.

Rama watched them leave, Quollwood holding the door for her. She was the other daughter he’d lost, lost also to Quollwood and his quick smile and quicker wit. He watched the coat go over Owl's  shoulders and the arm go around her waist then watched her go out into the night.

His anger and rage was gone. There was just an empty blackness inside him now where his daughters should be. His wife could never fill it. His son’s where all successful men in their own right and Rama was now alone. He turned from the foyer and toward his office.

Closing the frosted glass door very carefully, he moved slowly to his desk, his mind racing. Perhaps I could use Quollwood after all. A smile escaped his lips as long forgotten plans re-emerged and coalesced around that confident young man. He could get his second daughter back, add a new son inlaw, and if Quollwood was as good as everyone said he was perhaps … Perhaps I can give Jaeger and Deepwater a run for their money after all. It was about time an Indian based corporation gave the West some decent competition.