Chapter Six: Peter Fuss

Peter ambled toward the guest room opening and noticed a man coming in his direction. He recognized him at once. It was one of the airport cleaners; he had earlier seen him cleaning the area that morning. Although they had barely said anything, as he was pretty busy at the time he had come in, he saw the expression on the cleaner's face and how it suddenly changed as he drew closer. Peter wondered what he had gotten on him that could have made this janitor give him such a creepy stare. He acted casually as if he never noticed the sudden expression and walked on.

"Hey!" Peter said to him as he walked past him without asking about the look on his face. He finally advanced to the door of his lodge and walked in.

Perez sat still on the sofa with his legs crossed as Peter came in.

"How is it going, man?" he asked calmly. "You really took some time there," he said and hesitated for a moment. "That little man almost got me running," he chipped in, "but I managed to get him to leave, else he would have…"

"The janitor?!" Peter asked, interrupting and yelling at him in a confused gesture.

"Yes," Perez replied. "Did you meet him?"

"Damn you!" Peter yelled back at him. "You've screwed everything, even after my entire plea with you not to mess this up," he quarreled, fury burning in his eyes.

"I didn't…" Perez tried to say.

"You did!" Peter retorted angrily. "All you ever do is screw things up for me! I only ask your help just this once," he said, raising one finger. "But look at what I got…" he lamented and halted abruptly as his cell phone began to buzz, interrupting him from making his point.

 He knew it was a message; Jerome had earlier told him that two of the airport attendants would be keeping a close watch on him.

 He was told that the two had agreed to ten percent of the share. They could have bargained for fifteen percent, he thought, and he perceived that they were worth it because they would be the ones to wire the plane. They were also responsible for connecting the remote chip that would be used to activate the explosive through the laptop to the chest. Moreover, they would also keep an update on the latest development at the airport should anything go wrong before the flight took off.

 He paused briefly and drew out his cell phone. He scrolled through the message, and it read thus: "Don't be alarmed! Everything is being taken care of."

"Hmm!" he mumbled and heaved a sigh of relief. 'That is quick of them,' he thought, and he suddenly calmed down, turning and staring at Perez casually.

"I'm sorry," Perez said calmly, seeing the relief on Peter's face. "It won't happen again," he apologized.

"It's okay now," Peter said. "Just be careful it never happens again. You could have ruined us," he managed to point out, knowing Perez must have guessed what had just happened.

"It won't happen again," Perez replied firmly, seeing how he could have blown up the plan. Don Lucas would have stopped at nothing to have him destroyed.

 Perez sat quietly, watching Peter as he browsed through the laptop, with worried expressions written all over his face. From his experience, he could tell that Peter knew little or nothing about this whole racket. He perceived that someone must be behind this whole setup. And this person, he perceived, must be the mastermind behind the operation. However, what baffled him was who could be behind it and what the level of his brother's involvement in it was. Moreover, why would they want him to carry out their business deal, or whatever it was, on the same day as that of the bank delivery? Or could it be that they also had a plan for the money as well? He deliberated within himself. Well, if that was their plan, they had already failed, he reasoned, as he perceived that they were already one step ahead.

 Peter finished working on the laptop and turned to him. "I think it's high time you started moving," he said. "It's almost time, and soon they will be here asking for you, but I bet it will be good if you go to them first," he suggested.

"That would be better," Perez replied in concurrence, and rising to his feet, he made to leave.

"I'll give you a call in twenty or thirty minutes so I can give you instructions on the necessary procedure to be carried out on the laptop on behalf of the safety of the chest while in the air," he explained as he wrapped up the items for Perez.

 He handed over the laptop and a mini microchip to Perez, who collected them from him in return, putting the chips in his pocket and holding the laptop suitcase. He walked a couple of steps toward the door and stopped abruptly, just a couple of steps between the door and the room.

"Who are the other chaps?" he asked coldly while staring at Peter doubtfully.

 Peter gaped at him in shock; he felt a thud in his heart. He knew Perez doubted him even from the onset. However, he had agreed to help him thus far. But what could have prompted his sudden reaction? Perhaps he had given him a clue to doubt his merit. He smiled briefly and made an effort to control his anxiety.

"What are you yammering about, pal?" he asked anxiously while making an effort to gaze steadily at Perez.

"Well," Perez said, "you remember those days while we were still kids and growing up?" He asked while staring at Peter for a moment. "Back then, whenever I did something you never liked, you used to hold your peace, and when I wasn't looking your way, then you'd come from behind and give me a spank on my head," he said and frowned a little. "Well," he continued, "I feel as if you're about to give me one of those spanks again, and this time…" He said and paused briefly while gazing steadily at Peter.

"And this time," he repeated, "I feel as if it's going to be the final spanking," he added nonchalantly.

 Peter listened to him with anger and consternation. He felt pity for Perez, and he hated himself even more for agreeing to Jerome's idea in the first place.

"Oh... just another hunch again, um?" he asked while making an effort to conceal his anxiety. "Did you think I'd ever do anything to hurt you?" he asked and paused for a moment, and then continued again, "I don't know what's biting you right now. However, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop being a fuss-pot," he said.

 Perez stiffened for a moment, gazing at him steadily for a while, and finally, he nodded at him, opened the door, and walked out of the lodge, leaving Peter behind.

 Now alone, Peter felt his heart throbbing faster than usual. He knew he had to put himself together before he lost it all. However, he believed Perez used to have that intuition, and whenever he did, they were usually right. Moreover, there was nothing he could do to change it now, because he had already sold himself to the devil, and now he was compelled against his will to plot the death of his own twin brother. He rushed to the door to take a last glimpse at Perez. But to his surprise, Perez wasn't heading the right way; he was going toward the public restroom area. He tried calling at him but opted out quickly, as that might attract attention to him.

 He hurried back to where he'd hidden his stuff and pulled out the makeup case from where he had hidden it. He opened it and began wearing the disguise items. He fixed the beard and the artificial hair while using the makeup tools kit. He fixed the rubber nose and the artificial tooth; he applied some powder to smooth the makeup. And finally, he wore a medicated spectacle that gave him the appearance of a nerd. He checked the mirror to examine himself. He inspected himself briefly and swore that not even his own mother would recognize him in this disguise.

 He picked up his briefcase and walked out quickly toward the door, opening it silently and peeping out to inspect the passage leading toward the reception area first. However, something caught his attention, and that almost made him pee in his trousers in so doing.

 It was the sight of Perez, and he was just moving toward the opening passage between the guestroom area and the reception area now. He almost yelled out at him, but he held still. He noticed something different about him that didn't seem right. What could have changed his mode of movement in just a few moments was what baffled him. He waved the thought off his head and moved out of the guestroom quickly; he had a flight to catch as well.

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