X Element

It was all supposed to be so simple. They say a man who loves a good story is one who can appreciate it for what it is. A man who can understand it's mysteries, laugh at its comedies, ponder on its lessons and savour the very fibre of what makes it memorable. Be it the truth in it, the power it holds, the creativity or even the mere absurdity of it. However, when Danny Essen thinks about the story that brought him to where he is, sometimes he laughs, sometimes he cries. It really depends on his mood. But most times he just shakes his head and wonders how everything that's happened seems to bear an uncanny resemblance to one of those stories that make you laugh at the absurdity with no part of your mind ever considering the possibility that it would, or could ever happen. His life was supposed to be so simple, it's not like that was too much to ask. Clad in the Gentleman's armour of an evening attire that cost something in the range of what you'd spend on your electric bill for a year, he thinks about his story once more and today, it makes him laugh. A soft giggle. This makes the bartender look at him with a raised eyebrow. They are alone in the bar at the birth of a night. Just 9pm, and one of the newest bars in the city houses only three people on a Friday night. A feat that, I'm sure you'd guess, involved the writing of checks and quick negotiations. Soft music plays in the background. Daniel doesn't particularly enjoy it, but Avour; the bartender seems to be content with it and he has not the heart to ask him to change it. The only other sound in the bar is the sequential, thud, thud, thud of darts hitting a dart board, and the occasional yawn of a man tired of playing with himself. "This grows boring", Vincent Drew, Danny's best friend for as long as he cares to think back, remarks. "I agree", Danny replies, "Drinking the same bottle of vintage off world whiskey does seem to lose its appeal at the second bottle" "I was talking about the darts" Vincent threw again and this time...like all the others, not excluding a single one, it was a bullseye. Vincent was a handsome man, he knew it, Danny knew it, and most importantly, the ladies knew it. If this were to be a typical Friday night, Danny estimated that Vincent would've scored a dozen chicks in the time it took him to decide on a brand of wine he wanted. Danny himself wasn't much of a looker, but he believed he could rock a suit any day. Standing at somewhere along the upper limit of five feet, hair line that tethered at the dangerous edge of receding, brown eyes that weren't striking, but you wouldn't miss at your second look. Danny stretched and took in the view of the empty club again. Then finally said. "Avour, do you happen to have anything in the tune of John Legend?" The bartender squeezed his face. "I can't say I care too much for Earth Alpha relics, but I'll see what I can find". He dried his hands and disappeared to the phantom space that bartenders go when they're not at the counter. "I don't know how you manage to keep track of songs literally thousands of years old", Vincent walked over to him and helped himself to a glass. " They're not 'thousands' of years old. And besides, I can't possibly be the only one with any culture or desire to connect with my roots" Vincent smiled just as John Legend's 'All of me' began playing gently on the speakers. Danny shut his eyes took a breath and savoured it. "Simply exquisite, you just can't find this kind of passion anywhere else these days....not with all these uncultivated dupes glow-tattooing themselves, screaming at microphones and calling it music", he took another sip, " and the worst part?, they actually sell". He scoffed in genuine disbelief then set down the glass. Avour came to resume his former position, cleaning a piece of something that physically could not be any cleaner. "Will we be retiring soon?", Avour asked in his French accent that Danny always found amusing. Nine hundred years on a planet that recognized no country borders, courtesy of a unitary world federation wasn't enough for people to loose their accent. "Probably Avour, I feel a bit tired" The bartender nodded like he was past his limit of being surprised at the extravagant antics of a multi millionaire and vanished back into that mystical place. "I want to help him you know", Danny said in a low voice. "You say that about everyone you meet, Danny. You believe everyone has a problem that you can solve. That isn't always the case" "The first part is most times true though. And I try my best at the second". Vincent placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. " Avour will be fine, hopefully. Either way you can't do anything about it." Danny was silent this time, which Vincent knew, most times meant his words were acknowledged and being considered. The tall handsome man cleared his throat and spoke in a lower, cautious tone. "What about the other thing?" "What other thing", Danny was compelled to take another sip. " You mean with Beth?, well, she hates my guts for now, but I'm sure she'll come around, she can't possibly stay mad at me forever.....I hope not at least". Vincent looked at his friend quietly and held the stare. "Oh", Danny nodded "You mean that thing", he looked away and drained his cup. "It's fine". Vincent was silent "Well, what do you want me to say, I get the occasional migraine, but hey, who doesn't. It's nothing a little aspirin plus can't fix. I haven't used it in a while and I don't plan to....so I'm good" "You wouldn't use it, even say.....at the board meeting" Danny's lips began to form a 'no' but then hesitated for a moment before finally settling for a "maybe". "You know how it is Vince...those guys are animals. They'll eat you raw without a thought for an ounce of the element, no matter how much you warn them, how much you explain that its technically still government property and the government just gives us a bit here and there and says 'oh hey do some tests on this ounce....but do it far away from any residential area just in case it....you know, blows up in your face'. And its simple enough for me....I like simple things....but the others: Murcello, Jordan, Pierce oh especially Pierce..they want to really focus on the under-the-table black market deals. Its profitable....always has been, but what they don't seem to get is that it's dangerous on more than one level. I've seen the minute data we collected on it Vincent. Half of the staff on assignments regarding the Element have quit in the last month. Even the janitors are beginning to leave. They're scared. And the board just wants to throw it out there." "And the whole point of your monologue is?" "I'll try my best to keep it low, but no promises. Besides, that wasn't a monologue. You should hear me try to convince myself I'm not crazy." They shared a laugh at that. "Apologies gentlemen", the voice came from the entrance. Both men turned their necks in unison like a pair of break dancers. Standing before them was a woman, but that could've easily been guessed by the soft calm voice of airline attendants. She had short dark hair pulled back, a small pretty face that had mastered the art of the predatory smile. Slim, but not thin, average height and a briefcase. There was silence for a moment, then Danny turned to Vincent and said "I don't remember calling for entertainment, did you—”. Vincent jabbed Danny in the ribs and shook his head. "Forgive my friend", he said, " but this is a private session, so if you wouldn't mind" "Daniel Essen and Vincent Tanner", she said in the calm, collected tone of a teacher introducing herself to her pupils. "No need for apologies", she strolled forward like it was what she wanted to do and that was more than enough reason, "I wouldn't be here had I not been well versed on the characters I was meant to meet" Danny cleared his throat "Excuse me, but I wasn't aware that I was meant to be meeting anyone". She ignored him and took a seat, placing the briefcase gently down beside her. Just then Avour reappeared, he noticed her but didn't seem the least surprised (his capacity for such having been exhausted earlier). Danny did notice him straighten up a bit, adjusting his composure. "And what would the lady like" "A glass of water will be nice Avour, thank you" "Okay, that's enough", Danny stepped forward, " I think we've been patient enough with you.....Miss?" "Linday. Call me Linday. I'm with the government" "So what, I pay my taxes and you can't prove otherwise.....can you?" "I'm not with that department Mr. Essen. My assignment is of a more, delicate nature" "Define 'delicate'", Vincent offered. She looked intently at them and said," Avour could you excuse us?" Danny was too bewildered to object. Besides a part of him wanted to see where this all was headed. Avour nodded and left. She watched him disappear, waited a few more seconds, then turned to them. "Simply put, I'm here on somewhat of a recruiting assignment. The federation needs you. Your federation needs you." "This must be some kind of joke right?", Danny said, with little conviction. " Did Flan put you up to this. That bastard." "We are aware of your 'under the table' dealings with micro portions of the element that the government loans to you for study" "You can't prove a damn thing" "We couldn't care less. The people your company sell to would sooner blow themselves to hell than actually upgrade their threat status with it, no, see, we are concerned with the element falling in the hands of real threats". She produced her briefcase and placed it on the table before them, tapped on it twice but didn't open it. " If you have any doubts of my seriousness, I'm sure this will erase it" Danny and Vincent eyed the briefcase warily, neither moving for it. "Why us?", his voice was calculated, wary, but calculated. "Well, because the government is aware of your special skills." She turned her gaze to Danny. Her stare intent, burning. She cracked a smile. "We've been keeping an eye on you, studying you Mr. Essen. You'll find everything you need in the briefcase". She stood, adjusted her hair and began for the exit. Danny just stood there and looked, dumbfounded. If this was a joke, it was an expensive one, if it was a prank, it was damn elaborate. She turned back halfway and said. "Oh and, needless to say, I'm going to need you gentlemen to be tight lipped about our little arrangement. Spill anything to the press and we'll deny to the bone. Then proceed to do some spilling of our own. I assure you, we are not above that" "We have no agreement". Vincent said. Linday laughed softly, remnants of a British accent coming to the surface, " Oh gentlemen, you better hope we do". The two men watched her leave. When she was gone, Danny turned to the briefcase and frowned. "Well, I guess its pretty clear what we have to do" "Don't say fake our own d—" "Fake our own deaths" Danny gulped down a cup. "Apart from the perpetual impracticality of that idea, I doubt It'll solve our problem. They know too much already, there's no telling what they can't find out" Danny was silent, deep in thought, the way he always was before a tricky move in a game of chess. Questions were running through his mind in all directions but one was the obvious king "How did they find out?", he asked no one in particular. Then took another gulp "I was careful, I know I was" "Enough of that now" Vincent moved the briefcase over to him. It was midnight black, smooth, looked expensive. He would know. The kind they used to transport diamonds....or bombs to avoid suspicion. "Question now is what do we do with this" Danny looked from the corner of his eye "Oh, I'm not touching that thing. Ever heard of Pandora's box?" "Again with the relics". Vincent moved to open it but then stopped abruptly, suddenly unsure. " Tell you what, I'll play you for it". At this Danny laughed, a loud hearty laugh. "Might as well tell me to take it with me now". " Well, you owe me" "For what?", he asked incredulously. "Beth's birthday....remember", he raised an eyebrow. Danny stared at him for a moment. "You sly bastard, that is so unfair. Taking advantage of a man in a tight spot. You should be real proud of yourself you know" Vincent was laughing now, "What can I say, I learnt from the best", he said pointing at his friend with two fingers in a make shift gun. "Fine I'll take it", Danny finished his drink. "And I don't care what anybody says, Earth Alpha wine is the best".