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16.12% The Dominus Blade / Chapter 5: Episode Five

Chapter 5: Episode Five

Place: United States

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Time: January 10th, Present Day

 Vincent arrived at his hotel, unpacked his suitcase, unpacked his laptop, and began his search. He had access to databases that most professional investigators did not have, and only a few knew about. Locating information on his "Potentials" list was fairly straightforward. He had scoured the list he had received from the Chamberlain. The information provided was first initials and last names only. He saw that all the names had the same birth date, and the times of birth were within minutes of each other. He began to distill the other pieces of information into this search and narrowed the list down to ten. He had located all ten and had visited nine of the ten and now he was in Atlanta, Georgia to seek the tenth name on his list. K. Van Dermeer and as he began typing in the information, with the birth date and time, only one K. Van Dermeer was highlighted.

 He keyed in what he was able to find in one database and typed in everything he had to find an address. On the browser maps, he found the street and examined the duplex apartment street image. There were two automobiles parked there. He found the license plates and plugged them into the department of motor vehicles database, where he found one SUV registered to Katherine E. Van Dermeer, aged 27, and the other to Taylor R. Ballard, aged 33. In another database, he found the duplex was leased in her name, and she was an elementary school teacher. Since Vincent was not concerned with Ballard he only did a cursory search on the man. They were currently living together. This piece of information did concern him. The Potential needed to be unattached. The next day would be Thursday, a regular workday for both the Potential and the man. "Time to do a bit of snooping," Vincent murmured to himself. "Let's see what I can find out about you, Katherine."

Place: United States

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Time: January 11th, Present Day

 In the morning, Katherine was up dressed and having breakfast when the front door opened, and she heard Taylor's voice in the hall. He dropped his leather briefcase on the back of the couch and walked into the kitchen where she was finishing her cup of coffee. "You haven't bothered answering my text messages – what are you trying to do – torture me?"

 "I don't know what you're talking about," Katherine said flatly. "I haven't heard anything from you since you asked for the Florida hotel information."

 Taylor raked his hand through his hair in frustration and stood in the middle of the kitchen glaring at Katherine. Finally, he threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! Fine! I take it that's all my stuff in those storage bins up front?"

 "Yes," she answered. "Most of it."

 "I'll come and pick them up this weekend." He told her and turned away to leave.

 "You can take them today," Katherine said. "I'll put them out and you can get them today. And while you're at it you can put your keys to the place in the mail slot. You don't need them anymore."

 Taylor's face turned several shades of pink and rather than say anything else, he turned and stalked out. He grabbed up his leather case, knocking the stack of catalogs off the narrow sofa table. He glared at the scattered catalogs on the floor and stalked out, slamming the front door as he did. 

 Vincent was parked in his rental car. It was a generic-looking sedan that blended well into the rest of the other automobiles parked along the street. He had his cup of coffee and was within view of the duplex. He saw the man come out and hurry to his car. Vincent raised his binoculars in time to see the man coming out of the house looking extremely agitated. He had a soft leather briefcase clenched in one hand. He opened the driver's door and slung the case into the passenger side, then threw himself into the car and slammed the door. He backed out, thumping noisily over the edge of the curb as the back bumper scraped over the cement, and then sped off. Vincent lowered his binoculars and took another sip of coffee. Fifteen minutes later the door of the duplex opened, and a woman stepped out. Vincent put his coffee cup into the cup holder in the center console and sat forward. She had a large plastic storage bin in her arms, and she plunked it down on the front porch. 

 She appeared with another bin, she sat it on top of the first one. Vincent felt it even before he raised his binoculars to take his first close look at Katherine. She disappeared just inside the door then stepped out closing and locking her front door. He raised his binoculars as she walked down the front steps toward her red SUV. He felt his breath punched out of his lungs and he lowered the binoculars. This was the one! This was the Potential he had been tasked to find! She got in the SUV and started the engine. She sat there for a minute. Vincent peered through the binoculars again, she was sitting there not moving. As he watched, she reached for her phone. She was texting something. 

 All your stuff is waiting on the porch. Come and get it now. Drop the keys in the mail slot. Do not contact me again.

 Then she put her phone away and sat there gripping the steering wheel then she raised her head and began to cry. Vincent did not hear it but as he watched through the lens of the binoculars he felt her rage and sadness as keenly as if it were his own! After a few more minutes, the reverse lights flashed on the SUV and the vehicle backed slowly out of the driveway and drove off in the opposite direction from the man had gone. 

 Vincent's heart was pounding in his chest as the woman drove past him, wiping tears from her eyes. As the SUV turned the corner and out of sight, his heart rate began to slow. He put his binoculars in the passenger seat and was reaching for the ignition button when the man in the car returned. He swung his car into the drive and skidded to a halt. He got out and stormed up to the porch of the duplex. Vincent raised the binoculars to his eyes and watched as the man pulled two keys from his keyring and shoved them through the mail slot. He turned and picked up both storage bins and carried them to his car. He put one bin in the back seat and the other in the trunk of the car. Then he threw himself into the car, slammed the door, reversed out of the drive quickly, and drove off once again. Vincent hated him! Already this "Potential" had keyed into his psyche. He smiled grimly, "Good riddance to you!" he murmured to himself. He finished his coffee and then started his car and pulled away. He decided he would return tomorrow afternoon and introduce himself.

January 12th 

Time: 5:30pm 

 On Friday afternoon, Katherine Elena Van Dermeer was late coming home. Vincent was parked once again across the street and down a bit so he could observe what was going on. She slowly walked to the house, unlocked the door, and went inside. Vincent decided to go up and try to engage her in a conversation. He drove up into the driveway and parked behind the red SUV. He walked up to the door and knocked. He stood out in the raw cold for a few minutes then he knocked again. The sound of a slide bolt and a turn lock sounded. The door opened and a pair of deep blue eyes glared at him over a chain lock. "May I help you?"

 Vincent looked into the crack of the door curiously, "I would like to talk to you about an opportunity ---," 

 "Not interested!" came the terse reply and the door slammed. Vincent stood there. He knocked again. The door opened a crack and this time the nozzle of a pepper spray can was pointed in his direction.

 "Ms. Van Dermeer, I ---,"

 "If you don't get off my porch right now --- I'm calling the police! I told you I was not interested! Now please, go away!" The door slammed and this time the sound of a slide bolt reached him. 

 "Ms. Van Dermeer, please just hear me out!"

 There was no answer. Vincent stood there a moment longer and then started to turn away, but he stopped and took his business card from his inner coat pocket and slipped it into the mail slot in the door. He laid his hand on the door and bowed his head briefly, "Please, know me, Katherine!" He whispered to her. "Please open yourself to your power!" 

 When nothing happened, he turned and walked down to his car and got in. He had been thwarted! But he was not defeated. 

 Katherine had been looking at him through her peephole. She had not heard everything he had said but she felt something in her head crack and the pounding headache began behind her eyes and spread out over the top of her head! She backed away from the door and felt intense nausea rush her to the front bathroom. She had dry heaves and felt clammy as she took a hand towel and pressed it to her face. She slowly made it to her bedroom and eased down, laying her head on the pillows. She rolled up in the comforter and willed herself to sleep. 

 When he got back to his hotel room, Vincent began writing his report. Then he began to search for Katherine's email address and phone number. If she would not speak to him face to face, then his only alternative was to try email and phone messages. All of which she could ignore, but maybe one would get through to her. 

 He discovered she had several regular places she frequented. One was the grocery store where she did her shopping. She visited a large gym three days a week during the winter months, worked with a personal trainer two days a week, and went on the third day to a spin class, and aerobics. He thought he might be able to catch her coming out of the gym and speak to her there, but as hostile as she was toward him, she would likely have him arrested or worse; utilize that can of pepper spray on him!


next chapter

Chapter 6: Episode Six

Place: United States

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Time: January 25th, Present Day

 He contacted his father two weeks later. He had followed Katherine around always at a safe distance. So far, he had found no good way to make contact with his Potential. He did know that he was becoming more and more connected to her. When she was upset, he could feel it! When she was dreaming, he would wake up terrified! 

 Finally, he opened the secure video link to his father and placed his passcode in when prompted and waited. His father came opened the link and Vincent looked at his father where he sat behind his desk with the computer camera focused on his father's face. "I am getting nowhere! She will not speak to me. She will not stop and listen to what I have to say. I don't know what else I can do."

 "You know for certain she is the Potential you are looking for?" Martine Thys asked.

 "Yes," Vincent replied. "I know for certain - she is the Potential." 

 Martine leaned back in his desk chair, and it creaked slightly under him as he rocked back and forth thoughtfully. Then he sat forward. "Well, you know she isn't going to pick up and leave. She is too responsible for that. So, go and investigate the last two names on your list and let the matter rest for the moment. She needs a little time to adjust emotionally to her recent breakup with her man. From your report, it was not pleasant."

 "No, and something else is happening to her. She is being disturbed by dreams, and the more she suppresses her powers the more pain she puts herself in. I can feel it!" Vincent declared, "But I do not know what to do about it. I would like to --," Vincent started but he stopped and shook his head to dismiss what he was thinking. "I'll do as you suggest. I'll check the other two on my list and report back what I have discovered." 

 "Good," Martine said, "Go back over your entire list, Vincent. Make certain that this is your Potential, you can do that without getting yourself arrested."

 Vincent grinned at his father, "I will papa! I hope to see you soon!"

Place: Yuma, Arizona - Potential, Jacob Albright 

Location: Desert Hills Golf Course

Time: August 12th 

 Vincent strolled through the clubhouse and was stopped by the maître de. He was a man of middle age dressed in a clubhouse dark suit jacket and khaki trousers. "Good afternoon! Do you have a reservation?"

 "Thys, Vincent Thys," Vincent said, and he spelled his last name as the maître de frowned in confusion then as he found the name he nodded. He picked up a menu and signaled to the pool of waitstaff. Immediately a young girl glided over. "Lisa, show Mr. Thys to the upper deck."

 Lisa smiled a brilliant perfect smile, "This way if you please."

 Vincent returned an equally brilliant perfect smile and followed the young woman up to the wide bank of steps to the upper floor of the clubhouse. There was a panoramic view of the golf course with groups of tables set for two and four diners. Lisa led Vincent to a table in the center of the panoramic view. Vincent seated himself and he glanced around. Most of the diners were downstairs and the few that were upstairs looked most likely to be bankers or investment brokers with wealthy clients. "Would you like something from the bar?" Lisa asked.

 "No, thank you," Vincent replied, his attention was drawn to a small group of golf carts just pulling into the drive from the fairway. Lisa looked out and pointed at a man who was speaking to his caddy and divesting himself of his gloves and hat. 

 "There's Jacob Albright," Lisa announced with a grin. "I'll send him up when he comes in from the locker room."

 "Then I will have a glass of tonic water with lots of crushed ice," Vincent replied. The heat of Arizona in August was extreme from his last stop in Portland, Oregon. That potential had not even triggered any spark in Vincent. He had been a pleasant enough man, but there was nothing to indicate any power. They had parted company on good terms and Vincent had even been gifted a wood-turned writing pen made of mahogany wood. Leonard Cobb was a millwright and in his free time, built puzzle boxes and other wooden items from lathe-turned bowls to writing instruments made from exotic and fine woods. 

 Lisa went off and Vincent felt his phone vibrate against his ribcage. He pulled the smartphone and pressed his thumb to the screen to unlock it. It was a text message from his father, Martine. "Renault and Lucas have returned with their Potential searches. Where are you in the search?"

 Vincent quickly typed a response to his father. "Currently in Yuma, Arizona. There is no doubt that the woman in Atlanta, Georgia is the one. I will collect all my information and make my report."

 There was no reply. Vincent put his phone back in the inner pocket of his suit jacket and looked up to see Jacob Albright heading toward him. There was nothing to indicate that this man held any potential other than he was a very good golf player. He was a semi-pro and had won several championships in the last few years. Vincent stood and shook Albright's hand and gave him a warm smile. "Mr. Albright, I'm glad you agreed to meet me today."

 "Well," Albright drawled as he sat down across from Vincent, "I will hear you out, but I have to tell you now that I'm not prepared to leave the circuit when I'm tearing up the links!"

 "I understand," Vincent replied. "I've read the articles, and you're doing well. If I know anything from the statistics, you're heading to the Masters."

 Albright grinned happily. "Then you're client won't be mad if I decline."

 "No, not at all," Vincent said. "Shall we have lunch, and you can tell me your plans."

 Albright was only too willing to talk golf with Vincent. In fact, by the time they were having their coffee and dessert, Vincent was liking Albright more, but he was not potential material. 

 They parted company and Vincent headed back to the airport on the flight home, he prepared the information he had on the woman in Atlanta, Georgia, and was certain she was the Potential.


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