WARNING: PART TWO INCLUDES MATURE MATERIAL (E.G., FOUL LANGUAGE, PROSTITUTION, RAPE, AND MURDER).

Jaye Michael

PART TWO: CONVOLUTION

Chapter Eighteen: Partial Peroration

God is subtle, but He is not malicious.
– Albert Einstein
At any rate, I am convinced that He does not play dice.
– Albert Einstein

OCTOBER 17, 3:00 A.M., LOWER MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

The cavernous room–it used to be the central work area of an armory–was filled with creaking beds. Every now and then a shape, covered in the thin, worn material the shelter used for blankets would move. Usually, with each move there was a brief interruption in the melody of snores. In the more brightly lit bathroom area, several men were whispering. “Jock has been here three days and they’ve been keeping him away from the others because he’s supposed to be sick.”

“But I saw him up and eating like a pig. They gave him thirds. He didn’t even have to wait in line or sit through those damned services like the rest of us.”

“Yeah, and to be here three days he’s got to have some valuables on him. They expect us to pay if we stay more than one day. He wouldn’t stash them somewhere else where he couldn’t check on them.”

“Then we’re agreed, first a bit of fun, then we grab his goods, and then we do him.” No one disagreed. They took position in the bathroom and waited. He’d be there shortly. He always was around this time.

Suddenly hands grabbed Jock’s arms and feet. Duct tape was roughly forced over his mouth before he could even think about screaming. His clothes were ripped open.

“Hey, guess what? Old Jock here is a girl.” Everyone paused to look.

“Yeah, and she ain’t that old looking neither.”

“I’m first.” Money or other valuables forgotten, the largest man said as he unzipped his pants. Even in the dim light, you could see a vicious smile on his face as he started to rape the helpless human being before him.

The horror continued and continued; abated only for brief moments as one rapist left and another replaced him.

OCTOBER 17, 6:00 P.M., UNDERGROUND RESEARCH FACILITY, LOCATION DELETED CONSISTENT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT

“Report!” Captain Schultz was on the speakerphone with Lieutenant Roegler.

“Three prostitutes have been taken into custody. I expect Corporal Lee to arrive at the complex with them around noon tomorrow. Unfortunately, it appears that there might have been a fourth based upon the number of unmade beds.”

“You don’t sound very positive.”

“No sir. The ‘ladies’ are not talking but there were four beds slept in, and someone, apparently a woman, bailed them out on the sixteenth.”

“Good work Lieutenant. Assume a fourth and alert the locals of the symptoms to watch for in case they’ve infected anyone else. You can use the same cover story we used in New York City. Dismissed!”

After hanging up the telephone, the Captain rubbed his eyes for a moment and then reached for the intercom. “Sergeant, come in here please. I’d like an update on our items from New York City.”

“Yes sir.” A moment later Sergeant Challer entered, closed the door, and saluted.

Captain Schultz looked up. “Report.”

“Yes sir. The six ‘items’ from Queens will be transferred to us from Walter Reed Hospital tomorrow. That CDC lady has been less than cooperative. We should have had them here yesterday at the latest.”

“And the Congressman?”

“That’s been really difficult, sir. As you know, he was transferred to Walter Reed before we could intervene. Dr. Isaacs has had real problems there. Congressman Goldman’s father is there constantly and, short of instructions from the Pentagon, his physicians are not going to permit his, or by now I guess I should say her, movement. The only good news here is we’ve been able to invoke national security so they have not shared what’s happening to the Congressman with anyone else.”

“What’s being done to keep Goldman’s father quiet?”

“Not a lot, sir. He’s a very powerful man. We’ve got people there to arrest him if he leaves or tries to talk to someone outside the hospital, but he will be difficult.”

OCTOBER 17, 6:40 P.M. WABC TV EYEWITNESS NEWS, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

“Today an unknown woman’s body was found stabbed several times at the St. Joseph’s Shelter on Houston Street. Police report she had been robbed and raped, possibly repeatedly. The Mayor has expressed his concern and while noting that this was not a city run shelter has announced new security measures for those shelters the city does run. He also...”

OCTOBER 18, 10:00 A.M., DR. STERNLICHT’S APARTMENT, ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY

Two men got out of the nondescript black car. Each wore a loose fitting black suit with a couple of unusual bulges. They also each appeared to have a rather large hearing aid with a wire running down into their suits. They were not smiling.

One man approached the front door to Dr. Sternlicht’s house and the other trotted towards the back. After waiting a minute for the second man to position himself, the first man rang the doorbell. When there was no answer, he rang again and then knocked on the front door. After another minute, he knocked louder. Still no answer.

“No answer Mr. Brown. I am entering the house.” He spoke into a pin stuck in his lapel.

“Yes, sir. On three?”

“Right. One. Two. Three.” Two doors were smashed in. The men quickly searched through the house without finding Dr. Sternlicht. They did find that the refrigerator and freezer had been emptied out into the garbage can beside the street and the answering machine had been turned off. In the bathroom, some of the toiletries were missing. Still there was aftershave, some dandruff shampoo, a mustache trimmer and some hair pomade.

“Call it in.”

“Right. You can bet the Captain is NOT going to like this.”

OCTOBER 18, 11:20 A.M., BERGEN MALL, PARAMUS, NEW JERSEY

“Is that all, sir?” the sales woman asked the impeccably dressed man with the shiny black hair.

“Yes, quite certain that will be all,” was the haughty response.

“Okay, sir; just let me ring you up.

“One white turtleneck, sleeveless sweater top, medium, twelve dollars and ninety nine cents.

“One black silk pantsuit, medium, one hundred and twenty nine dollars and ninety nine cents.

“One pair black patent leather flats, size ten, seventy nine dollars and ninety five cents.

“One full-length flannel nightgown, medium, nineteen dollars and ninety five cents.

“One package of three panties, medium, four dollars and ninety five cents.

“One black patent leather purse, forty five dollars even.

“One white sports bra, medium, fourteen dollars and ninety nine cents.

“Two packages of sheer black knee-highs, three dollars and ninety five cents each.

“One red travel umbrella, fourteen dollars and ninety nine cents.

“One floral traveler’s makeup case, twenty nine dollars and ninety five cents.

“One extra fluffy pink flannel bathrobe, thirty nine dollars and ninety nine cents.

“One floral suitcase, forty nine dollars even.

“One thin line black briefcase, seventy nine dollars and ninety nine cents.

“One black strap lady’s watch, one hundred twenty four dollars and ninety five cents.

“One eighteen inch, white gold, fine link necklace with matching bracelet, two hundred forty nine dollars and ninety five cents.

“And one shoulder length blond wig, ninety nine dollars and ninety five cents.

“That comes to one thousand and four dollars and fifty four cents plus eighty dollars and thirty six cents for the tax man,” she smiled briefly, but the smile faltered under his icy stare. “That’s one thousand and eighty four dollars and ninety cents total sir. Will that be cash or charge?”

“Cash.” Without changing expression, he pulled out eleven one hundred dollar bills.

OCTOBER 18, 4:50 P.M., ST. IVES HOTEL, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

The taxicab pulled up to the main entrance. The doorman opened the rear passenger door and an impeccably dressed man with shiny black hair exited. The taxi driver popped the trunk without even getting out and the doorman signaled for a bellboy who trotted up pushing a luggage cart. He pulled two large black suitcases out of the trunk while the shiny black haired man watched. The doorman held the door into the hotel lobby for the man and the bellboy who followed.

“Reservation for Mr. Hoyden Tiresias.”

“Yes, sir. May I have your credit card please?”

“No. I’ll pay cash.”

“Er. Yes, sir. Then may I have a driver’s license? I need to have a positive identification and home address.”

“No, you need to have a deposit. In this envelope is forty-five thousand dollars which will cover all expenses for the suite and meals for the next week plus a more than sufficient additional amount to cover any likely damage.”

The desk clerk looked positively distressed. “Excuse me sir. I’ll need to check with the manger.” He bolted for the office door before the shiny haired man could even offer his consent. About five minutes later he returned, and with almost perfect aplomb continued. “Those arrangements will be totally satisfactory sir. If I may have the envelope, I’ll count it in front of you and then place it in our safe.”

“Fine.” Once the desk clerk completed the task, the shiny haired man continued. “For the next three days I will be in my room. I do not wish any maid service or other interruptions. I will call for meals from room service, but the meals are to be left outside the door. At any time of the day or night, a woman may be entering and leaving the room. She is my publishing agent and I intend to give her my second key. You are to treat her as if she were me. If these instructions are followed, you may add a 25% tip to the total cost of my two-week stay. If they are not followed, there will be no tip. Are these instructions clear?”

“Yes, sir.” The clerk gulped and nodded.

“Then I’d like to be shown to my suite please.”

SENIOR AUTHOR’S NOTE: The following information is unsubstantiated, derived solely from the self report of the interviewee. As it is consistent with later events, it is included here.

OCTOBER 18, 7:30 P.M., BURGER BOY’S RESTAURANT, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

There I was, alone, broke, only the clothes on my body, probably being sought by the police, and I was a man in a beautiful woman’s body. I sat there trying to figure out what to do before whatever the hell that other personality was that seemed to be lurking in the background. Yea, I knew it was there. It was weird, like I’d go on vacation and she’d take over. I’d know what was happening, and sometimes I could even influence her a little bit, but most of the time I was just along for the ride.

Anyway, there I was sitting at a table in a coffee shop and thinking how hopeless it was. Oh yeah, I knew about the others being arrested because I saw the cop cars as I was coming back to the motel with some donuts and coffee. I saw the cops take them away.

I knew it couldn’t be the solicitation charges and they hadn’t had enough awake time since then to get into anymore trouble so it seemed like a really good guess that it was because of whatever had changed me and the others. I figured they must be afraid we were still catching.

The answer was obvious. Tonight I would go away and let her be in control. Tomorrow I would be looking for a very hungry physician to see if I could make us both rich enough to do whatever we wanted.

OCTOBER 18, 8:30 P.M., UNDERGROUND RESEARCH FACILITY, LOCATION DELETED CONSISTENT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT

“Sir, Lieutenant Roegler forwarded this. He thought you should see it.” Sergeant Challer handed Captain Schultz a document and stood waiting at parade rest.

“It’s that good that you’re waiting for my response?”

“The Lieutenant requested it, sir.”

“Very well.” He began to read.

“A Coroner’s Preliminary Report and a Birth Certificate?” Sergeant Challer remained noncommittal and the Captain looked back down at the papers in from of him. “Death Certificate. Name: Jackie “Jock” Murtaugh. Sex: Female. Estimated Age: twenty-two. Date and Time of Death: seven-twenty-one A.M., February 2. Cause of Death: Multiple Stab Wounds.

“Okay and now the Birth Certificate. Name: Jack “Jock” Murtaugh. Sex: Male. Date of Birth: February 2–the old coot was sixty eight years old.” He stopped and thought for a second.

“I gather he thinks that this is the same person and that the sex change is not the result of our less than efficient bureaucracy in the form of the proverbial clerical error.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And from the fact that you are still waiting patiently I gather there is more.”

“Yes, sir. The body was also raped. Multiple times.”

Captain Schultz sighed deeply. “So, in other words, we probably have an unknown number of people, people who are living on the underbelly of society and are almost impossible to track, that may be infected. Additionally, the number of these people who are contaminated and running around doing who knows what is greater than one but probably smaller than the number of people on a football team.”

“Yes sir.”

“Sergeant I think you should check out retirement benefits for everyone on the team.”

“Yes sir.”

“But first tell Lieutenant Roegler to find those people and fast.”