The Krakow Klub Page 14

  “I always knew that you had more than your fair share of secrets, so I wasn’t all that surprised that your name wasn’t Tom. But as for this place, I’m stunned. How in the world did you come up with this kind of money?”

  John just smiled slyly in response and then knelt down to pick up little Mitch and give her a welcoming hug.

  Jim had leashed her before they left the craft, and that had displeased her immensely. How could she explore the place while tethered to sixteen feet of a retractable leash? Then, her tiny little nose suddenly quivered. An unexpected scent! Faint but distinctive. She moved her head in various directions to try to determine its source.

  Then, with a start, she realized what the scent had to be. She sniffed John’s hand suspiciously. Yes, that confirmed it. There was a dog nearby, and John had been petting the creature. How could that be? Jim’s friend had no dog, and as far as she was concerned, he didn’t need one. There was just no room for another creature around either of her two men.

  John noticed that she wasn’t her usual friendly self and placed her back on the ground. He unleashed her so that she could explore, but she took only a few steps. Her suspicious nature told her that something was amiss, and whatever it was wouldn’t be to her liking. She gave him a sulky glare and then trotted around sniffing at the nearby flowers and plants.

  John and Jim were ignoring her completely. They immersed themselves in boring conversation about the island. As they grew closer and closer to the entrance, the scent became stronger. Yes, indeed! There was another dog on the premises.

  Suddenly, a sound! The creature was racing across the soft green grass straight toward her. She was furious and stiffened noticeably without turning to look at the insolent little intruder. She could see from the corner of her eye that the creature was, heaven forbid, a black and white shih tzu. The final insult! Not only was a dog on the property, the little monster was of her kind. It was an act of treason!

  John smiled proudly at the two. “Mitch, this is Akiro. He lives here with me, and I’m quite sure that you’ll become fast friends. In fact, I have some rather romantic ideas for you both, but that can wait until later.”

  Mitch was horrified. How could she be expected to be friendly with the little pest? Akiro had started dancing around the men energetically in a pathetic attempt to get some attention. Mitch just watched his antics with contempt. Unfortunately for him, he got a little too close for comfort, and Mitch let out a deep growl to assert her authority. He stopped the infernal dancing and looked up at his master for guidance, and more likely, protection.

  Mitch gave him her most authoritarian look, and he flopped down on the grass and curled up in a position of absolute submission. She was pleased that he, at least, had a little sense. A plan began to form in her clever little mind.

  John looked down at his cowering friend and couldn’t believe his eyes. How could this be? He’d selected Akiro so carefully. He was a fearless little fellow and had seemed to own the whole island. Now, with one glaring look from Mitch, he was totally submissive and wouldn’t even look her in the eye.

  Mitch walked slowly around Akiro, staring intently at him. She stopped directly in front of him and gave him a look that said, “Don’t even think of crossing me. I can make your miserable little life very uncomfortable. I am the boss and don’t forget it for a single second.”

  The creature, this Akiro, had now acknowledged that she held the alpha position in the household. Excellent. Perhaps there was hope after all. Maybe, she could use that power to her advantage.

  She gave him a last scornful look and marched over to Jim with a look that said, “Pick me up, now!”

  John threw up his hands and muttered something about “the best-laid plans of mice and men.” Then, he added, “The best-laid plans should include dogs instead of mice.”

  Mitch looked adoringly up at Jim, and he laughed aloud. He could read her canny little mind and knew what she was up to in this little canine drama.

  “I named my new little friend Akiro after the Japanese amateur astronomer who first sighted the interstellar transporter. Akiro was extremely intelligent, well-educated, and respected by professional astronomers. I just thought that it would be a fitting name for the newest member of my household.”

  “Good choice,” Jim replied. “He certainly seems to be quite a little explorer. Somehow, I never believed that it was a coincidence that those two obscure astronomers could make such an extraordinary discovery while NASA detected nothing. Just didn’t make sense to me.”

  John laughed, “Quite an astute observation, my lad. I do think that little plan was one of my more brilliant schemes. I spent a huge amount of time and energy finding the right two people to make the discovery of the space ship. Also, setting up the timing for the discovery was an extraordinary task as well. Maxx outdid himself with that one. It was not easy for something that big and bright to not be seen by many.

  “Then, in the middle of the whole thing, I had to recruit you. Maxx had researched a lot of people before he found you, and frankly I think that he made the perfect choice. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous about bringing you on board. I had to plan and execute each step perfectly, or you’d never have bought the story.”

  “John, Mitch was the key to the whole thing as far as I was concerned. She’s an excellent judge of character, and she liked you immediately. I’ve never seen her take up with another person so quickly before. In fact, she was the cause of several of my more interesting romantic breakups. I knew that if she trusted you, then I could trust you. It was as simple as that.”

  By now, they were standing in the pathway between the villa and the guest house. John pointed it out and explained that Mitch and he would be staying there.

  Mister T took Jim’s travel bag and loped down the pathway to the guest house with the bag balanced on his humanoid fingertips. It spun around in the air just like a Harlem Globetrotter would spin a basketball.

  “Let’s go up to the house for a drink before lunch. I’ve got a surprise for you. You’ve always thought of me as a cranky old curmudgeon, but I’ve met a lovely lady who’s changed me into a relatively nice person. No comments about that, please. Her name is Julia, and she’s anxious to meet you.”

  As they walked up to the villa, Jim studied it closely and was surprised to note that the structure wasn’t more elevated. The little island was obviously just a few feet above sea level, and a major hurricane would have swept right over it leaving nothing behind but a naked sand bar if that.

  He had seen many coastal homes in hurricane areas and they had all been built using pilings or stilts to withstand storm surges, but this villa was different. It stood as if daring a storm to try and wash it away. The entire property bespoke of quiet wealth and sophistication.

  A tall woman, casually but elegantly dressed, glided out to meet them with her hand extended toward Jim. Her voice was soft and cultured.

  “Jim, at last we meet. I’m Julia. Please come into the bar area and have a seat. John tells me that you have a preference for dry martinis and that just happens to be my specialty. However, at this early hour, I for one would prefer a Bloody Mary. How about you?”

  Jim smiled and replied, “Same here, Julia. I would love a Bloody Mary.”

  She led them to the bar where they all sat down in comfortable lounge chairs.

  Julia said, “I will make you a martini this evening, but Mister T is the Bloody Mary expert around here.”

  Mister T returned from the guest house and made three of his signature Bloody Marys.

  After serving them, he sat down at the grand piano and began to play softly.

  Then he spoke. “I heard Julia playing the piano yesterday and became quite fascinated with the instrument. On Mylea, there was little interest in the arts. But, I find music to be most interesting. To me, it’s all based on mathematics. Last evening, I asked Maxxine to equip me with skills to play the device, and she very graciously obliged. Just relax and I’ll provide y
ou with some lovely background music. I can play any music that you might enjoy. Today, I’ll just entertain you with what some would call ‘piano bar music.’”

  John was speechless. How could Mister T have known how he loved piano music and that he had even considered ordering a musical robot? Now, there would be no need for that.

  They sipped their drinks, and the three of them were soon conversing like old friends. John told the story of how he had met Julia with only a few minor embellishments. He went on to describe her career as a marine archeologist that had taken her to exotic locations all over the world. He practically glowed with pride, and it was quite obvious to Jim that he cared for her a lot.

  Jim was delighted to find his friend in such a happy state. He knew that John’s life had always been interesting, and to say he was well traveled would be a gross understatement. But, somehow happiness had always eluded him until now. He seemed like a new man—energetic, smiling, and happy to be alive. Jim could not help but wonder if the right woman could do the same thing for him.

  All during their conversation, Jim had been studying Julia intently. “Julia, there’s something very familiar about you. I could almost swear that we’ve met before. Maybe in Washington?”

  “Don’t think so. Washington, DC, has never been a social hotspot for me. Can’t remember the last time that I visited there. I’ve always been busy working and doing research so I can’t imagine that I’ve met you before.”

  John interrupted. “Forget it. We all favor someone else. Just look at Mister T and me! Ha ha. I’m just happy to have the two most important people in my life together with me today. Jim, I’ve come to think of you as the son that I never had. Julia, you’ve become the center of my existence. I toast you both. Long life and happiness!”

  By now, Mitch had become quite bored with the conversation and decided to explore the villa. She padded quietly from room to room and eventually wound up in the master bedroom, where, horrors, she spied a doggie bed in the corner. It was beautifully made and probably expensive, but it wasn’t hers. It must belong to that Akiro creature. She walked over to it, extended her sharp little claws, and scratched at the soft covering tentatively. Then, she hopped onto the bed and rolled over several times to ensure that her scent would be more than apparent to the little ingrate.

  “The little monster will know that I’ve been here. He’ll certainly be aware that Miss Alpha has invaded his pitiful little territory.”

  Just then, Akiro trotted in with a jolly look on his little face. He hopped into the bed and looked hesitantly at Mitch. She reached over and, with one smooth motion, grabbed the bow in his topknot with her teeth and pulled it loose. She then turned, ambled into the bar, and laid the crumpled ribbon at Jim’s feet.

  John, recognizing the bow, reached down, picked it up, and put it in his shirt pocket.

  John looked at Jim and smiled. “I think that we’ve got a problem. Mitch is the ultimate diva. You’ve spoiled her outrageously, but that’s just fine.”

  Julia just shook her head and rolled her eyes.

  “After I got back home, I missed Mitch and decided that I needed a little companion of my own. Somehow, I had grandiose visions of the two of them becoming inseparable friends. The big joke is on me. So far, she seems to detest him, and he is certainly intimidated. I, obviously, don’t know as much about doggie psychology as I thought I did.”

  Julia laughed and touched John on the wrist. “It certainly hasn’t been love at first sight. Mitch is just letting Akiro know that she’s the alpha dog and that she’ll be the boss of all bosses. He obviously understands that and certainly won’t question her authority. Just leave them alone and they’ll work things out sooner or later.”

  Mister T rose from the piano and announced that he would serve lunch soon in the dining room.

  During the meal, Jim continued to be amazed at the changes in his friend. Julia must be a saint to bring about such a transformation. Jim smiled to himself and wistfully hoped that someday he would find such happiness himself.

  ****

  After the meal, John rose and invited Jim to tour the property with him. They walked through the veranda doors where a small vehicle awaited them.

  “We’re going to use my newly created golf cart for the first time. You’ll notice that it’s very similar to the little transport craft that we used on Mylea. I had Maxxine design and build it for me to use around the island. As you can see, it has no wheels. I can hover or travel in any direction in absolute silence. Right now, we’re limiting the altitude to a hundred feet. That’s as much as I need for now.”

  They took their seats and fastened their safety belts. John explained that he had asked Maxxine to design the bright red craft to look like something that had been built on Earth. No use in stirring up the curiosity of someone who might be visiting the island. The lack of wheels might raise an eyebrow or two, so Maxxine wondered “why bother,” but John was the boss.

  Next, John had asked Maxxine to install a simple control panel with an on/off toggle switch. She had been highly insulted at the request for such backward technology since Mylean craft utilized voice-activated commands.

  After several heated arguments, she agreed to create the primitive craft. John instructed her to install a joystick with a small trigger switch on the side. The joystick would control the direction, and the trigger the speed, of the craft. The toggle switch simply would be an off and on function. Maxxine was incredulous but followed orders.

  John was delighted with the result. He could move and hover like a bee in flight, but that brought on a safety concern.

  John realized that he could be thrown from the craft if he made a sudden turn. As a safety measure, he asked Maxxine to design a three-point seat belt system that would protect him and a passenger from being unceremoniously ejected from the craft.

  The two got into the craft, and John showed Jim how to secure the seatbelt harness.

  “I’ll be the pilot for now, but I want you to try it out later. You’ll love it. Since the joystick is between the seats, the craft can be piloted easily from either side. I was a private pilot for several years, and I’ve never lost the love of soaring above the ground.”

  Jim replied, “I always wanted to learn to fly and get a pilot’s license. But I never seemed to have the time and money together at the same time.”

  John responded, “I loved flying. A long time ago, I bought an ancient little Cessna 140. I had a pilot friend, and he taught me the basics before I had any formal flight training. I loved that little plane and every minute that I spent flying her. I could tell you endless stories of duct taping or wiring essential parts together along with several exciting close calls where I thought I would surely meet my maker at any second.

  “For example, one day, the pilot’s side door fell off just as I was revving the engine prior to taking off. That broken hinge had finally worked its way up to the top of my to-do list. I had to hop out and safety wire it back on right then and there. Ah yes, those were great days, and I miss them dearly. But, I’m also just glad to have survived them. Eventually, I knew that it was time for us to part company—a sad but inevitable day that I’ll never forget.

  “Fortunately, I now have this little jewel. Flies much like an airplane but it's much safer for me to operate.”

  They hovered just above the ground, and John explained the workings of the craft. Then, he moved the joystick backward, and they soared upward quite rapidly. They swooped and turned as John flew them back and forth over the island. It was great fun for Jim, but he shut his eyes for a moment to say a prayer of thanks that he wasn’t subject to motion sickness.

  John stopped and hovered at about fifty feet. “Over there, to your left, is the water purification system that I just had installed. It’s Mylean in design and technology. As you can see, it’s quite small and blends in remarkably well with the landscape.

  “I can process enough sea water to supply all my freshwater needs quite easily. Even better, t
he excess is re-salinated and then returned to the ocean. The whole system is extremely efficient and costs almost nothing to operate.”

  Jim was obviously impressed. “Just think of how much good you could do with that technology. Water is so scarce in many parts of the world, and I can see this system being the difference between life and death for thousands of people. With a little training, they could learn how to irrigate and raise their crops.”

  “Yes,” he replied. “I’ve thought of that, but I'm still very cautious about how much Mylean technology I can make available to Earth and the timing of that availability. A giant technological leap could be extremely disruptive to the economy. Think of all the current technology that would become instantly obsolete and worthless. Manufacturing plants would close, and thousands of jobs would be lost. Things need to evolve at their natural pace or you tempt the economic gods’ wrath.

  “For example, I’m just going to keep this little craft as my secret for now. Our world just isn’t ready to bear the shock of such advanced technology, and there certainly isn’t any current knowledge of the specific physics involved.

  “On Earth, we’re just beginning to realize the enormous potential for three-dimensional printers. Mylea has an advanced version that Maxxine used to build this little craft. Just think, no workers involved, no salaries to pay, just the initial investment for the equipment and your raw materials.

  “I see my little ship as a happy creature buzzing about without a care in the world. I’ve always tended to personalize my vehicles and give them a name, so I call this one La Cucaracha. It’s Spanish for cockroach. They’re nasty little creatures, and they run around madly all over the place. It almost takes a thermonuclear device to kill the little beasts. For some reason, the name just struck a chord with my rather unusual sense of humor.

  “But enough of that; there’s more. I’ve also replaced the electrical generation system with one of Maxxine’s creations. It’s down there on the right, and again, skillfully designed to blend into the environment. My system could supply electricity for a small city, so I’ll never utilize more than a fraction of its capabilities. One day, I might light the golf course so that I can play at night, but I’m in no rush. After all, evenings are meant for other entertainment.”