Read Online Palm Sunday by William R. Vitanyi Jr. - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: William R. Vitanyi Jr.
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convinced that the trend identified by our profile is accurate. Do you know why?” Kayoko shook her head. “Because Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Of course that’s what people are concerned about. But now, in phase two, we’re going to change that.”
“Change what?” asked Kayoko.
“In a very short period of time, we’re going to alter the societal profile.”
Kayoko sat motionless, her eyes wide. “That was never our mandate! Identify, yes, but alter?”
“It’s the next logical step,” said Mason.
“Why wasn’t I told about this?”
“If the profile wasn’t successful, it wouldn’t have mattered. Now it does matter, and now you all know the direction we’re headed.”
Muted conversation broke out around the table. This was new territory, a dramatic shift in direction and policy. Kayoko alone sat silently. At last Mason regained everyone’s attention.
“We have a lot of work to do. The process of altering a profile won’t be easy, and of course, once the procedures have been run, we’ll have to run another profile for comparison.”
Kayoko was afraid to ask. “What exactly are these ‘procedures’?”
Mason nodded towards his boy wonder. “Norbert, the floor is yours.”
Chapter Four
After he and Bobby fled their home, Stanley drove to the only place he knew of that offered safety from the bizarre events that seemed to follow the palmtop. The small motel that they checked into was remote, yet not so far away that they could not return home on short notice. The morning after arriving they purchased some fishing gear and headed for the nearby lake.
Stanley watched his bobber dancing on the surface of the water. They had caught nothing after several hours of fishing, but he didn’t care. He wanted some time to think things through, and to plan his next move. The serene backdrop of the sparse foliage reflecting off the water soothed his nerves.
“Dad?”
“Yes, Bobby?”
“What’s going on?”
“I guess the fish aren’t hungry today.”
Bobby shifted his position to get a better look at his father. “No, I mean, why did that man want the palmtop, and why did those others want to hurt him?”
Stanley gazed intently at his son. “That’s a very good question. What do you think?”
Bobby tugged on his pole, taking up the slack as his line drifted closer. “The palmtop must be valuable.” He watched the ripples where his line entered the water. “Maybe it doesn’t belong to the first guy, and those others wanted to get it back from him.”
“Could be.” Stanley absently toyed with his line. “None of them were especially friendly.”
“No. That first guy–I don’t know his name…”
“Slocum. At least that’s what he said on the phone.”
“Yeah.” Bobby nodded. “He was, I don’t know, different. Not as scary as the others.”
“I suppose,” said Stanley. “But he did force his way into our home. With a gun.” Stanley looked over his glasses at his son.
“Yeah. That was scary.”
“You okay now?”
“Uh huh.” The boy leaned back, watching the waves lap against the shore. “Dad?”
“Yes?”
“Why don’t we just give the palm thing to the police and tell them what happened?”
Stanley didn’t answer for a moment. He had his reasons, but was it fair to burden his son with all that? “You know, Bobby, I don’t have a good answer to that one. I guess I just got so caught up in what was happening, it didn’t occur to me.”
“Don’t do it, Dad.”
“Do what?”
“Give it to the police. At least not ‘til you figure out what’s in it.”
Stanley smiled. “I’m not going to. Not yet, anyway.” He looked out over the cold water. It was far too early in the season. “Nothing’s biting today.”
“I’m kind of tired of this, Dad. Let’s go back to the motel.”
“You sure? I don’t mind staying a little longer.”
“You can work on the palmtop.”
Stanley nodded his assent, and reeled in
“Change what?” asked Kayoko.
“In a very short period of time, we’re going to alter the societal profile.”
Kayoko sat motionless, her eyes wide. “That was never our mandate! Identify, yes, but alter?”
“It’s the next logical step,” said Mason.
“Why wasn’t I told about this?”
“If the profile wasn’t successful, it wouldn’t have mattered. Now it does matter, and now you all know the direction we’re headed.”
Muted conversation broke out around the table. This was new territory, a dramatic shift in direction and policy. Kayoko alone sat silently. At last Mason regained everyone’s attention.
“We have a lot of work to do. The process of altering a profile won’t be easy, and of course, once the procedures have been run, we’ll have to run another profile for comparison.”
Kayoko was afraid to ask. “What exactly are these ‘procedures’?”
Mason nodded towards his boy wonder. “Norbert, the floor is yours.”
Chapter Four
After he and Bobby fled their home, Stanley drove to the only place he knew of that offered safety from the bizarre events that seemed to follow the palmtop. The small motel that they checked into was remote, yet not so far away that they could not return home on short notice. The morning after arriving they purchased some fishing gear and headed for the nearby lake.
Stanley watched his bobber dancing on the surface of the water. They had caught nothing after several hours of fishing, but he didn’t care. He wanted some time to think things through, and to plan his next move. The serene backdrop of the sparse foliage reflecting off the water soothed his nerves.
“Dad?”
“Yes, Bobby?”
“What’s going on?”
“I guess the fish aren’t hungry today.”
Bobby shifted his position to get a better look at his father. “No, I mean, why did that man want the palmtop, and why did those others want to hurt him?”
Stanley gazed intently at his son. “That’s a very good question. What do you think?”
Bobby tugged on his pole, taking up the slack as his line drifted closer. “The palmtop must be valuable.” He watched the ripples where his line entered the water. “Maybe it doesn’t belong to the first guy, and those others wanted to get it back from him.”
“Could be.” Stanley absently toyed with his line. “None of them were especially friendly.”
“No. That first guy–I don’t know his name…”
“Slocum. At least that’s what he said on the phone.”
“Yeah.” Bobby nodded. “He was, I don’t know, different. Not as scary as the others.”
“I suppose,” said Stanley. “But he did force his way into our home. With a gun.” Stanley looked over his glasses at his son.
“Yeah. That was scary.”
“You okay now?”
“Uh huh.” The boy leaned back, watching the waves lap against the shore. “Dad?”
“Yes?”
“Why don’t we just give the palm thing to the police and tell them what happened?”
Stanley didn’t answer for a moment. He had his reasons, but was it fair to burden his son with all that? “You know, Bobby, I don’t have a good answer to that one. I guess I just got so caught up in what was happening, it didn’t occur to me.”
“Don’t do it, Dad.”
“Do what?”
“Give it to the police. At least not ‘til you figure out what’s in it.”
Stanley smiled. “I’m not going to. Not yet, anyway.” He looked out over the cold water. It was far too early in the season. “Nothing’s biting today.”
“I’m kind of tired of this, Dad. Let’s go back to the motel.”
“You sure? I don’t mind staying a little longer.”
“You can work on the palmtop.”
Stanley nodded his assent, and reeled in
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