Mortal Desire (10 page)

‘Help me Henry ... help me ... ’ He was shaking, weakened at the realization of what he just said.

Lust ... mother had talked about it ...

I removed my glove and placed my hand on his shoulder. ‘I can help you Elliot. I can help you right now if you wish,’ I said. I drove my amnis through his clothing to his skin to enter his electrical system, calming him and opening his mind to my guidance.

He nodded his head, and I entered floor thirteen into the elevator buttons.

Mr. Milani, another interesting case for you to satisfy your desires... Mr. Bellini, juiciness supreme - you will be satisfied with this one..

Mr. Milani was sitting behind his desk when I knocked on his partially opened office door. He looked at sealed containers, and attached a microchip to them. He opened a wall safe, placed the containers inside, closed it, and placed a picture back over the area to conceal the location of the safe.

He cleared his throat. ‘Come in,’ he called in a modulated voice. The moment he caught sight of me his face lit up in affection. ‘Mr. O’Connell, for what do I owe this pleasure?’ he asked, knowing very well that I had a special delivery for him.

‘Mr. Milani, I would like to introduce Mr. Elliot McEwan to you. He is going through a difficult time at the moment, and I suggested to him that you may be able to help him,’ I informed. I watched Elliot Collin’s face and body language as I spoke to gauge his reception to Mr. Milani.

At once Mr. Milani reached forward and took Mr. Collin’s hands in his own. ‘You are very welcome here Mr. McEwan. My ears, eyes and heart are open to help you on your quest. Please take a seat. And Mr. O’Connell, can I get you a cup of tea or coffee if you are going to wait?’

‘Thank-you but no, Mr. Milani. I must get back to work. Perhaps another time I will be able to share coffee with you,’ I replied. I nodded my head, indicating that I understood the cue to leave. I proffered my hand to Mr. McEwan. ‘I wish you all the best Mr. McEwan. I will be back to pick you up once you have finished with Mr. Milani. You are in very good hands here.’

As I walked through to the reception desks, the smell of alcohol wafted out of Mr. Bellini’s office. I continued on my way to my elevator, where I headed down to ground floor again.

Albert still sat there, in his fine black hat, polished black shoes, black and white newspaper, legs crossed.

I smiled to myself as I saw him waiting there with the patience of a saint. He obviously did not know the precise time that something was going to happen because then he would have turned up just prior to the event in question.

He tapped his foot three times on the polished marble floor again.

‘Godere guardandolo lavorare Albert?’ I mind communicated with him.

He lowered his paper and looked at me straight in the eye—deadpan. Obviously he was not enjoying watching me work!

I lowered my head and chuckled to myself before the doors closed, and I was transported to the seventh floor as my destiny.

Mr. Wilson entered Elevator Thirteen as soon as the doors opened. He closed my doors and held its position outside of the seventh floor.

‘Good day Mr. Wilson,’ I said and nodded my head in polite respect to my boss.

‘Mr. O’Connell. It has come to the Elevator Operation Department’s attention that you have stopped Elevator Thirteen mid-travels on quite a few occasions as of late. Is there a problem that we need to be aware of?’ he asked and raised both eyebrows at me.

It was a question that contained a double meaning. Underneath the kind words of concern he was in fact conveying to me that the department was watching my movements.

‘No sir, there is no problem. My number one priority is to keep residents and clients happy. I like to stop the elevator if they are in need of a deeper conversation where I can help them, if at all possible. Our people are our business,’ I explained in a professional manner, attempting to sound genuine in a persuasive manner.

Mr. Wilson narrowed his eyes at me and studied my face. He paused uncomfortably before he replied. ‘Very well Mr. O’Connell. You are correct. Our people are our business. Thank-you.’

He released the elevator doors, stepped out and vanished into his office.

Satisfied that I had held my own, I closed the doors and descended to the ground floor again.

I did not expect to see Albert standing by the vast glass window when the doors opened. He tapped his feet three times then stopped, three times then stopped, three times then turned to face me. His walk was slow but determined when he made his way towards Elevator Thirteen. He stood to the side and looked at his watch before his eyes averted to the left to the three men that had entered the foyer.

The three immortals…

Tap, tap, tap. The staccato of Albert’s shoe sounded on the marble floor.

I responded with my own three shoe taps, clenched my fists and stiffened my back, waiting for the inevitable to occur.

So this was the reason that Albert came to my place of work today.

The three immortals stared straight at me; their eyes pinned to mine when they approached in a slow fluent motion. They nodded once and entered the elevator.

Albert followed them in. He kept his eyes hooded after looking me in the eye as he brushed past me.

They stood, leaning against the handrail opposite me. Albert was to my right, like a referee of a game. Except … this was no game.

‘Good morning sirs. Which floor can I take you to?’ I asked in a civil voice and pulled my blue energy inside of me as Albert had taught me to do. By the subtle position of Albert’s lips, he had done the same.

‘We hear that the viewing platform is quite spectacular … Henry,’ spoke the middle immortal focusing his eyes on my name badge.

‘Yes, quite,’ I answered. I looked at them through my honey-brown contact lenses that would offer me protection in the short term. I pressed number thirty-nine, and the doors closed to allow our ascent up to the floor with the panoramic view of the city.

‘And you sir,’ I turned to Albert. ‘Which floor is it that you would like to pursue?’

‘Thirty-nine also. It appears that it is a popular destination today!’ he responded.

The immortal on Albert’s right turned to him, lowered his head and looked into Albert’s eyes. He tapped the hand of the middle immortal who also turned, and so it spread to the third immortal.

Essentially, their attention had been taken away from me and was now directed at Albert. My Protector. My Guide. My friend. My confidante. I loved him as my own father.

I shifted awkwardly onto my other foot as the silence in the elevator became foreboding. Danger was lurking, and negative energies collided in an aggressive manner in the concealed space.

I looked from Albert to the three immortals and back again, waiting for an attack of some sort.

‘Did your mothers never tell you not to stare boys? It is just simply plainly rude!’ Albert blasted an unexpected verbal assault on them.

At once they retracted their attention from him.

‘And, if you are going to enjoy the view, I suggest you change your attitude, open your mind and appreciate what you will see. You act as if life is a curse and not a blessing! Do you not realize how many people would love to be able to walk, talk and breathe as easily as you do!’

The three immortals remained silent, but returned their gaze to the ugly old man who rode the elevator car with them.

Albert stood with his eyes closed and a disgusted look upon his face, feigning that his feelings had been deeply hurt. They could not see his immortality so easily now.

I chuckled to myself. I was watching the master at work. He was good—very good.

The doors opened at the viewing platform. Albert indicated for the three immortals to exit before him. But they didn’t, and Albert was growing impatient. ‘Obviously your mothers did not teach you to obey directions of those older than you. Now get out of here and enjoy the view that you came to see!’ he asserted with an agitated voice.

Two of the immortals smirked as they looked down. Perhaps it was their age. I wondered how old they were.

The doors closed and I was summoned to the second floor. I was involuntarily removed from the highly volatile situation that was unfolding between Albert and the three immortals. He was outnumbered and I felt helpless. I overrode the elevator computer and returned to the thirty-ninth floor and held the elevator there with the doors open. I would not leave my Protector when I knew that trouble was imminent.

Albert wandered about the viewing platform under the guise of a tourist. But I knew that he wasn’t there to admire the 360 degree view of the city, he was there to monitor the movements of the three immortals. He would go where they would go until they were off the radar and we, or should I say I, was safe. That is why he was here on the Earth with me; to ensure my survival and safe passage back to the spiritual realm, however long it took.

Within a short amount of time the unwelcome passengers were back in the elevator car with me, plus Albert as well.

‘Sirs, I hope that you enjoyed the view. Are you headed back to the ground floor, or do you have business elsewhere in the
building?’ I asked in my professional Elevator Operator voice.

‘Yes. I believe we are headed to the ground floor … Henry …’ replied the dominant immortal.

As the car descended smoothly, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose. He was scenting our type.

He clenched his fists and shook them before he opened his eyes. He narrowed them at me first, and then Albert. ‘I thought I could smell you the other day … Henry …’ His voice was thick and threatening.

I froze momentarily. My first instinct was to look at Albert, but I did not. I came to the realization that if one of us had to die, I wanted it to be me. I was the cause of this confrontation. I should be the one to take the consequences, not Albert.

The immortal took a step closer to me and closed the gap between us. I sucked my blue energy deeper into my human body. I was sure that it was one hundred percent undetectable.

I would not attack the immortal first. I had been taught to attack only in self-defence. But then technically, if one knew that an attack was forthcoming, wouldn’t a surprise planned offensive be in defence?

In complete contrast to expectations, I straightened my back and placed my hands behind me. I squared my shoulders in a gesture that told them that I was not afraid of them, and that I would not use aggression against them.

Albert leaned between us and pushed the stop button on the elevator panel.

Damn!

Now we were frozen mid-shaft. There was no escape.

The outcome would be either a traumatic and gruesome battle to the death, plastering blood, guts and body parts piled up in the elevator pod to decompose and rot, rendering Elevator Thirteen toxic for years to come. Or, it could end amicably.

Personally, I preferred the second option.

Albert returned to his position in the elevator and threw his trilby hat in the centre of the floor before he cleared his throat.

The dominant immortal retreated back to his side of the elevator, but did not lean against the rail as the other two did.

‘Delivered or created?’ Albert asked the three immortals.

They looked at each other as if Albert was speaking a different language.

‘There is a difference—delivered or created?’ he asked again with annoyance and impatience in his voice. ‘Were you, a mortal human before becoming attacked and forced into immortality?’ he rephrased and articulated in slow speech to help the understanding of the three immortals.

‘Yes,’ they responded in unison.

‘Why do you seek Henry?’

‘He is the first immortal that we have scented in our one hundred and fifty years. Now we have two! You are in our territory, which immediately makes you our enemy. Are there more of you here?’

‘We have no idea. We adhere faithfully to the rule of immortals—hurt no being! Do minimal damage only in self-defence, so as not to draw attention to your kind. You are aware that you have accountability to your kind are you not?’

The middle-sized immortal spoke next. ‘We wander the Earth lost. We do not belong anywhere. We seek out other immortals of our kind to find our place.’

‘And you seek them in an aggressive manner? I suggest that you find a secluded place to live without fear of your identity being exposed. Hurt no humans. Live alongside them in peace. A time will come when you will be released from your immortality. But you have to have great patience and wait until that time comes. And it will come. Find those things about the world that you enjoy, and focus on them. Enjoy your existence, watching how the world changes as time continues. Watch history unfold before your very eyes. Grow wisdom in your being, and help others when you can so that you can be prepared for when your immortality ceases to exist. And it will cease one day …’

Albert held up his ring to their faces so that they would not miss the symbol emblazoned in sterling silver that adorned his fourth finger. The three immortal eyes widened in recognition of the ancient symbol—the Adinkra symbol
Gye Nyame
. At once they lowered their heads in realization of the message from traditional wisdom.