When The Program Fails People Die Part VI
A Sunny Alexander-Johnson And Henry James Series
My name is Sunny Alexander-Johnson, and I’m Henry James, and we’re writers for Dark Sides of the Truth magazine.
Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V
It wasn’t until ten-fifteen Tuesday morning we were all ready to go. Sitting in an available conference room, we had a last-minute conversation to do a sanity check on our plans.
Somehow, doing a sanity check now when we’ve never bothered on any other story we’ve ever done seemed just a bit ironic.
Even though Robert and Manny seemed more than willing to put this plan in play, one of us had a few reservations.
“Manny, Robert? Henry and I need to discuss something for just a bit. We’ll meet you at Henry’s car, okay?”
As Robert was about to pass us, he stopped and kissed his wife on the cheek and cupped his hands around her arms as he held her at arm’s length and stared, searching her face for a clue.
“You okay, baby? What’d the doctor say?”
“I’ll tell you a little later, okay?”
Robert nodded, then left the conference room.
“Henry, can we sit and talk for a minute?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, nothing, I think. Let’s just sit for just a sec. I need to get some things off my chest.”
“Fine by me, princess. Okay, what’s up?”
“Okay, so I need to start off by apologizing to you…”
“What the hell, Sunny? Where is this coming from?”
“Old man, will you just shut up and listen to me for a minute. God!”
After several strained seconds of silence between us, the one-way conversation continued.
“I’m apologizing because I haven’t been myself lately. And before you open your damned mouth, let me finish. I’ve been really frustrated and angry, and I think I’ve been taking it out on you. You’re my partner, and if you ever repeat this, I will punch you in the throat, but I’ve grown fond of you. Even though you do some of the most stupid shit and say the wrong things at the wrong times, I like, oh hell, I love you, you old coot.”
We just sat there in the conference room in silence studying each other, as if suddenly we were seeing one another again for the first time.
“Aren’t you going to say something?”
“Now I can talk?”
“Yes, Henry, now you can talk.”
“Princess, I know you and I have been through a lot of shit together. A lot, but I got your back Shaundrika. I’ll always back your play. You ought to know that by now.”
“I do, and I was hoping you’d say that because what I have to tell you nobody knows except the doctor’s office and me. And I want it to stay that way for now.”
“Uh, okay, Johnson you’re scaring me right now. Something wrong with the baby?”
“No, they’re fine.”
“Wait, what? What did you just say, Alexander?”
“Alexander-Johnson, remember?”
“What the hell ever. You got two buns cooking in the oven?”
“Yes. Twins. It’s too early to tell, but the doctor says she’s pretty sure it’s a boy and a girl.”
“Well, hot damn! That explains why you been eating like a pig. You’re grazing for three. Congratulations, princess.”
“Thanks, but now comes the hard part. I need you with me on this, Henry. I’m pulling myself off this story.”
“Why the hell would you want to do that?”
“Henry, this one’s way too dangerous, and I have to start thinking about, well, I need to start thinking about, well about…”
“You’re family. I get it, Shaundrika. Really I do. When are you going to tell Rick?”
“We’re going to tell him as soon as we leave this conference room. Besides, he was going to pull me out of the field next week anyway, remember?”
“Yeah, so maybe he can get your replacement in here a little earlier.”
“Temporary replacement.”
“I know, I know. I can’t get rid of you that easy. You’re like a bad rash. You just keep showing up.”
“Put a sock in it, old man, and let’s get this over with.”
When I met Robert and Manny at the car, the first thing I picked up on was Robert’s puzzled look. I knew I had to handle this quickly, or our plan was going to fall apart before it started. I just hoped Sunny would forgive me for what I was about to do.
“Before you ask little brother, your wife is sitting this one out.”
“Whoa, back up, Henry. Is she okay? If something’s wrong, I need to be with her.”
“No, Robert, you don’t. You need to be with Hermanos and me trying to figure out how Bianchi is pulling strings on trying to tap out his wife.”
“That’s bullshit, Henry. If something’s wrong, I need to be with her.”
“Get in the car Robert.”
“No.”
“Get in the damn car. Your wife is perfectly fine, and so are the twins.”
“Twins?”
“Yes, twins. Sunny just pulled herself from the story because she’s carrying twins, and this shit we’re about to try and pull off is too damned dangerous. Now get in the car before you fall down. We’re going to pick up her replacement before we head out. She told me to tell you she’ll call you later.”
As I started the car, I gazed at the rearview mirror watching as Manny snapped his seat belt buckle. Manny wasn’t the most jovial man I’d ever known, and his stern expression of concentration was a look I’d seen more times than I cared to remember.
“You okay back there, Hermanos?”
“Yes, James, just drive.”
“Twins?”
“Yes, Robert, twins, and when Sunny calls you better not rat me out, or I’ll pound your ass. You got that?”
“Twins, we’re having twins, Henry.”
I simply shook my head and steered the car out of the parking lot. Our next stop would be to pick up Sunny’s replacement. I knew him pretty well. In fact, the first time I ever met the man, the first words out of his mouth were that he wanted to be a journalist.
Well, writing stories for Dark Sides was a pretty far cry from journalism, but then hell, in my opinion, it’s a good start. Plus, the kid was pretty damn good with his hands in a fight, and he had a couple of championship belts to prove it.
I had a feeling we were going to need some juice on this, and I, for one, was glad we would have Roberto Emelio Juan De La Cruz in our corner.
Read On — When The Program Fails People Die Part VII
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