The Case of the Mad Scientist

Chapter 7: Meeting with the Company

Although I am usually not fond of early morning hours, a nine sharp I was walking into the office building at the address given me. It was a plain office building, four stories, housing a dozen or so small businesses. Suite 3B had a sign on the door reading “Brooks Financial Investments,” which I didn’t believe at all. In the few dealings I had with anything like the CIA, the first rule you learned was that things were never as they seemed, and everyone lies.

I was led to a small conference room. Apparently I was the last one to arrive because everyone looked up at me when I entered, and the man standing at the end of the table cleared his throat and said, “Now we can begin.”

“First, I’ll introduce you all. I am Calvin Grudge. I am a section chief with the CIA. Going around the table, this is Blaze Lane, a field agent.”

The dame he nodded to looked like one of the sorority chicks I worked with a while ago: very pretty, filled out her blouse nicely, long black hair, and the softest blue eyes. Didn’t look like she had much in the way of smarts, but with a body like that, who cares?

“This is Stella Walters, whom many of you may have seen on TV or in one of her shows. She is a professional escape artist.”

This one was a really eye-grabber. Long golden blonde hair, an oval face with bright blue eyes and very kissable lips. The body would have looked good in any centerfold. So this was the body I was to guard. This was going to be a fun case, I figured. I smiled at her. Her lips twisted in what might have been the beginning of smile. Which was for the better. If her full smile was as sexy as the rest of her, it probably would have melted every man in the room.

“And her assistant, Tara.”

That one was not a real match for Blaze or Stella, but still I wouldn’t have kicked her out of bed. Unless we needed more room on the floor. She had red hair, a really cute turned up nose, and sort of looked like Kathy Wilson, the girl next door that I had a crush on in the seventh grade.

“This is Sled Speed, a private investigator who will be providing security on this case.”

I looked around and noticed that there were three gorgeous dames and only one man: little old me. I smiled at them all. This was going to be a fun case.

is a CIA operation and everything I tell you is classified. You are to repeat nothing of what you

at each

DNA research, and who has gone missing. He left the

to press a button on a remote control, and the face of a man appeared on the screen behind him. It was your typical scientist: older, wearing glasses, unkempt gray hair, and a confused look in his eyes, as if he

Age 56, PhD from University of Illinois, one of the foremost researchers in the field of DNA coding.

and all proceeds will go to earthquake and

if Dr. Sorren took off on his own or if some other

get them done. Much of Miss Walters’ props have already been delivered to Japan. The four of you will fly commercial

a rundown on Dr. Sorren.

paused to pass

close contact with us back here. Any questions?” He looked around. I had a few, but held back. “Very good then. You have twelve days to insert into the country, find the doctor and bring him back. Or at least his research notes. His work is more valuable than he is. In fact…” he looked around, but seemed to be mostly directing

bastard if we can’t get him back. And since I was the “muscle”, that would be my job. Well, it

Nice show, I had to admit. That Blaze girl and Stella wore very short skirts and really, I

I went up to this Calvin fellow. What kind of parents would give a man the name Calvin? I opened my trench coat so he could see Wilma, my trusty little .50 caliber Desert Eagle automatic, in her shoulder holster. “Will I have any trouble getting this into Japan?” I asked

“No, not really. Keep it in your luggage on the commercial flight. Once you’re on the military flight, you won’t have to go through Japanese customs.

with a slight shake of his head, added, “But once in Japan, you had better keep a low profile. Don’t fire that cannon

him. Then I asked another thing that was on my mind. “Isn’t that Blaze

recent missions. We have the