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Mackenzie boarded the bus, walking straight to her bunk. She settled herself on the soft mattress and opened the canvas briefcase she was carrying. Carefully, Mackenzie lifted out a compact, laptop computer. A modem and attachments followed. In the bottom of the case, along with a small printing unit, was a black velvet bag. She cautiously loosened the drawstring, and peered inside. She sighed in relief. It was all there. A grand of cash in twenties. Mackenzie’s eyes closed and she leaned back against the wall. A tear escaped her tightly closed lids, and ran down her cheek. She was in this now. Whether she wanted to be or not, the game had begun.
*****
The tour bus pulled into a rest stop. Shouts of excitement filled the large vehicle, and Mackenzie’s was among them. They had all been cooped up in close quarters for six hours, non-stop. The opportunity to get out and stretch was a welcome reprieve. AJ and Nick bounded off the bus, followed by Brian and his ever present basketball. Kevin and Howie trailed after them, while Denise, Mackenzie, and Randy brought up the rear. John stayed aboard for a cat-nap. “You’ve got 40 minutes!” Denise called, “After that we’ve got to be on the road again.” The boys all started in on a game of ball, while Denise once again pulled out her cell phone. Randy leaned against the bus, keeping a careful eye on everything.
Mackenzie turned her face to the sun, and felt it’s warm rays invading her body to the core. She sighed in contentment. A large oak tree provided shade, just to the left of the rousing game. Sinking to her knees, she sat back and leaned against the tree. Mackenzie opened her sketch book to a fresh page, and pulled a charcoal pencil from her pocket. The ability to sketch, to draw life in action, was Mackenzie’s hidden talent. She was shy about sharing her abilities with anyone, so instead, she chose to sketch when no one else was around. Mackenzie figured it would be safe, since the boys were all occupied. With deft strokes, she began to draw the first thing that came to mind. A pair of soulful eyes emerged on the paper before her. Mackenzie kept scrawling, lost in her own world, until a shadow was cast over her page. Her head jerked up, and she met the same pair of eyes she had been sketching. He smiled warmly. “This seat taken?”
“No, help yourself.” she said softly. Howie sat down next to her.
“May I see what you were drawing?”
“Um......it’s kind of......it’s not very good...they’re just doodles....” she stuttered, and before she could stop him, he reached out and picked up the closed book. She watched his fingers as he turned back the cover. A laughing Nick and Brian stared at him from the page. It was a moment frozen in time. Howie was captivated. He turned the page again. AJ, looking slyly out the corner of his eye. Mackenzie had drawn AJ with his mouth quirked, a mischievous expression on his face. Next, was a profile of Kevin; after that, a picture of himself. He was sleeping, his mouth set in a small smile.
“It must have been a good dream.” Mackenzie’s voice came softly from beside him. He turned to her with serious eyes.
“It was.” Their gaze held, and Mackenzie felt her heart beat faster. He licked his lips, and said earnestly, “I’d hardly call these ‘doodles’. They’re...well....something more. You see more than the outer shell people display. Your drawings reflect that.” Mackenzie felt her cheeks heat.
“I just draw what I see at that instant.” she replied. Howie looked at her for a moment, nodded, and turned back to the sketch book. He slowly turned it’s pages, looking at each of the pictures. The fact that the majority of them were of himself, did not escape his notice. Finally, he came to the one of his eyes. “Is this the picture you were working on?” he asked. She nodded. “How did you know what to draw, if I was playing ball?”
“Well.....memory, I guess.” Mackenzie responded, her voice so weak, that Howie could hardly hear her. There was an uncomfortable silence.
“Do you know where our next stop is?” Howie questioned. Mackenzie thought for a moment, then responded,
“I think it’s Dallas, Texas.”
“Oh.” Another tense silence followed. “Look, do you maybe...want to go to dinner or something - you know, when we get to Dallas?” Howie asked in a rush. Mackenzie’s eyes widened, and her head whipped around to face him. He made himself look her in the eye, and felt a flush creep into his cheeks. Slowly, a smile dawned on her lips.
“I’d like that. I’d like that very much.” The two relaxed and leaned back against the tree, content to be in one another’s presence. Neither let any other words escape from their mouths.
*****
Mackenzie sat in one of the very back rows, on the floor level of the venue. Her laptop computer was propped up on her knees, her eyes glued to the screen. She double-clicked on a web site that advertised a nursery company. The main web page came up on her screen, showing pictures of hanging baskets of flowers, pots of various plants, and containers of herbs. Then Mackenzie spotted it. A small icon, in the lower left hand corner of the site. Without hesitating, she clicked on it. A small dialogue box appeared. It read “New Leaf Enterprises. Password required. Please identify user name.” Mackenzie cursed softly. She didn’t have a user name, let alone a password. She had no idea how to over-ride this check point system. A frown wrinkled her forehead, as she continued to stare at the computer screen. A faint ringing came from her backpack. Quickly, irritatedly, Mackenzie pulled out the cell phone that Denise had given her the day before and answered.
“Mackenzie Ross?”
“Who wants to know?” she replied, her heart picking up pace.
“A friend.....a very special one.”
“Friend?”
“I have something you want. I know something you need to know.” the man’s voice said. Mackenzie remained silent. The man sighed. “ Trust me.”
“I don’t trust anyone.”
“Your father trusted me for twenty years.”
“How do you know who my father is?” she snapped.
“It’s up to you. You can either take it or leave it. Meet me at the West Dallas Mall, in an hour. Go to the latte stand on the north side of the food court. Order a double shot, hazel nut latte, tall.”
“Give me a name.” Mackenzie demanded. The man paused.
“Dragon.” he said swiftly, just before the line went dead.
*****
“Hey there.” at the sound of the familiar voice, Mackenzie looked up with a smile.
“Hey yourself, AJ.”
He grinned and plopped in the seat next to her. AJ propped his feet up on the chair in front of him.
“New computer?” he inquired.
“Yeah....” Mackenzie thought fast and added, “I got to keep it from my last job. It was a perk.”
“That’s cool. What did you do?”
“I was a.... a book keeper.”
“Oh.......Do you have a boyfriend?” he asked suddenly. Mackenzie’s eyes darted to his face, and narrowed.
“Why do you ask?”
“Uh, no reason....” he replied uncomfortably.
“AJ......” she warned. He sighed, and finally met her gaze.
“It’s just.....I want to know cuz....well.....I know someone who’d like to know.” he explained. She laughed,
“Yeah, sure you do.”
“No, really. It’s not me, I swear, but it’s someone close to me.” his response silenced Mackenzie.
“Micki....”, he continued softly. She turned her eyes to his serious ones. “Please....I probably shouldn’t say anything... but ... well.... Howie really likes you. He cares for you, and I don’t want to see him get hurt.” After a moment of awkwardness, Mackenzie finally brought herself to respond.
“AJ.... There’s no one. There hasn’t been anyone for a long time.” AJ sighed in relief at this announcement.
“Do you think there’s someone now?”
“I honestly don’t know yet.”
“Don’t you like Howie?” he asked.
“Of course I like Howie. He’s..... different. He seems to genuinely care about me.”
“That’s because he does.”
“He’s so kind. He has a wonderful smile...and his eyes are so.....” Mackenzie trailed off. She glanced over at AJ, only to find him giving her a goofy grin. “AJ!” she exclaimed, slapping his arm. This only made him smirk more like the Cheshire cat. “Arggg!” she cried, amid AJ’s laughter. “I have to get going. Tell Donna I ran to the West Dallas Mall for a second, ok? She shouldn’t mind, since the everything’s set up already.” Mackenzie called over her shoulder. AJ, still chuckling to himself, watched her retreating back, until she disappeared out of site.
*****
Mackenzie walked up to the friendly man behind the latte cart.
“I’ll take a double shot hazel nut latte, tall.” she said. The man peered at her.
“Do you read mythical books?” he asked.
“Yes.....” she responded apprehensively.
“What’s the scariest creature you ever read about? Did it breathe fire?” he inquired, all the while scrutinizing her.
“I read a story about a Dragon, once. But this one didn’t breathe fire. It was a friend.” The man nodded. Suddenly, someone was at her elbow. Mackenzie jumped at the close proximity of the tall, broad-shouldered man. He placed his hand on her arm, and steered her away from the espresso cart. He motioned for her to take a seat at a small table with two chairs. Mackenzie sat, and he placed a latte in front of her. She hesitated.
“Drink without fear.” he murmured softly. She brought her eyes up to meet his. They said nothing, and sat starring at one another. Finally, the man broke the silence.
“You look like your mother, but you have your father’s eyes.” Mackenzie’s eyes narrowed at this comment. The man chuckled, “And your eyes appraise me the exact way that his used to.”
“Forgive my skepticism, but what do you want?” she asked. The man sobered.
“It’s what you want. It’s what you need.” Mackenzie didn’t say anything, so he continued, “You’ve been a very curious young lady, haven’t you?” he inquired. “Marty told me when you started contacting him about six months ago. He said you called from all over the world. London one day, and Naples the next. Followed by Philledelphia, Miami, and Boise. It didn’t take much guessing to figure out what you were after.”
“You know Marty?” she questioned. He raised his eyebrows.
“Yes. You usually catch on so fast, I am surprised that you didn’t recognize me.” The man cleared his throat, then said softly with an Australian accent, “Good ‘ay mate! How’s my little pumpkin?” Mackenzie gasped when she heard his voice.
“Uncle Louis?”
The man laughed softly, “Yes, though not a real uncle. You always used to call me that-it was your father’s idea. It was a convenient way to explain my presence.”
“Why were you always with my father? You two and Marty were as close as brothers could be. It’s no wonder I believed you were.”
“I was your father’s Dragon.”
“What do you mean? Dragon?” she asked in puzzlement.
“In other words, his hacker. I could-and still can- break any code in the country. Tell me the data bank you want me to hack into, and I could do it. If it was information you wanted, I could get it for you. They called me the Dragon, because I could burn my way through any barrier computer nerds could put up.” Mackenzie smiled at the note of pride in his voice.
“Uncle Louis...er....Lou?” he nodded his approval for her new name for him, “I only have a few more minutes.....What it is you have for me that I need?”
“Impatient aren’t you? Ah, well. Here.” Lou handed her a slip of paper. Mackenzie unfolded it.
Black Widow
C10294
The note read. Mackenzie looked at Lou questioningly. “It’s your user name and password.” he explained. “I figured you’d have found the nursery site by now. Marty told me about that tip you got from the man in London four months ago. I also figured you’d have a better idea of what was going on, if you could actually get into the protected site. Security is pretty heavy, so be careful. I trust you have plenty of common sense.”
“Lou.....Thank you.” Mackenzie said softly.
“If you need me, I’ll be at this number.” he replied, pushing another slip of paper across the table to her. She glanced down, picked it up, and raised her head to say good bye. He was gone.
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