AZOTUSLAND chapter Forty One

Jim came into the Ops around 5:45 and Maugham was already at the computers. The long cloth room divider hid, no doubt, a very sleepy Martine.

Jim started to make a comment in a whisper when Martine spoke up from behind the curtain. "I'll be there in time."

Jim smiled at Maug who smiled back, then frowned.

"That's a weird series," he said.

"Yeah, well what's your impression?"

"Same as it has always been, she is always a step ahead and she knows you pretty well. But there has to be a mole because if she came herself you would recognize her, or I would...I think...whoever she is."

"Yes, I figure the same," Jim said. "Any ideas who?"

"Someone who needs money or has some reason to hate you."

"Ted?"

"Maybe," Maugham said scratching his stubble. "Got no love for you, you heathen dog." Then Maugham laughed thinking about Jim's collection down below.

Well, I am sending Jonathan down to Deek's today for some equipment so you can sweep the place."

"Why don't you send Jacob with him," Maugham said.

*******

Jim gave Jonathan instructions, then around 11 a.m. hunted down Jacob and asked if he could give Jonathan a lift down to Deeks and back.

Jonathan and Jacob sauntered into the large electronics store and took a look around. Finally they asked for Deek who came to the counter from the back. He squinted through thick glasses and Jonathan thought he was definitely trying to look like Wilford Brimley. As Jacob started to talk with him, Jonathan spied another off looking fellow in the store. He was short, had yellow warp-around sunglasses and looked pretty scruffy and unshaved.

It was Robin Williams, he was sure. His idol was in the store.

Jonathan was unsure what to do. He didn't want to bother the man. Obviously he meant to be somewhat incognito and he was, after all, just a private citizen deserving of space and respect.

But it was his idol, and Jonathan could do almost as many voice impersonations as Williams could. He decided to pretend he worked there and just do an old Winter's routine and she if Mr. Williams would pick up on it.

"Welcome to Deeks!" he said in his best Elwood P. Suggins voice. Williams looked up suspiciously at the younger man. "We've featured electronics Har...oh geeez..." he looked around rolling his eyes, "...well every since I lost my wife Hermina in a flash flood in Oklahoma...sad sad. Then I lost my radio, my car my dawg and my,"

"Picture of the missus!" Williams did in the same voice.

"But," Jonathan sad sadly standing in front of a bank of radios, "We're fresh out of electronics today," and they both shuffled their feet and looked around pretending to be confused.

"You got any fish?" Williams asked.

"No. Pigeons!"

"You're going to fly aren't you, you old rascal!" Williams chirped.

"Oh no, not me! Maudie's in the back and well, it's Maynard...and he's about ready,"

"How many roles of scotch tape you use?" Williams said grinning.

"Seven hundred and forty-seven," Jonathan said. "He's taped-up real good and those pigeons aren't going anyhere except up!"

"Hmnnn.." Williams said. "A human 747...and you say Maudie's out back?"

Jonathan turned around and put on his reading glasses and turned back. "Well my my my aren't yooo a purty-picture young man!" he squawked as Maudie Frickert. "And nice glasses too! You look like Bono with jaundice!"

"Thanks, that was great," Williams said. "You do stand-up kid?"

"Nope," Jonathan said. "I can't remember lines, I just have to improv."

"But you just did both," Williams said.

"Oh yeah, if I hear it over and over on a record, then I can."

"Yeah....like do the toaster...know that bit?"

Jonathan did a short few lines and Williams beemed.

"Look son, here is what you do...."

********

Back at the cafe the Rev. Tanka was wheezing and going over notes for the daily radio broadcast. Maurice seemed preoccupied.

Sex was sitting alone, most of the time. It was almost time to pick up Lucille and Antoine. She had written some notes in her journal and wanted to get them into her computer and up on her blog later in the afternoon.

When Jacob and Jonathan got back they hiked up to the Big Room. Jonathan had missed his sandwich but there were enough people still around. He leapt up on stage and did both parts from the conversation with Williams. Then took a bow to light applause.

Jacob took the equipment over to Jim who took it up to Ops for Maugham.

After that Jim went to the Bunkhouse and saw that Delphia was still laying in his bed. She was reading his copy of Beauchner's Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC and she looked at him quizzically.

He laid down next to her tired and not sure of anything.

"I have a night job Delphia," he said. "I'm a theologian of sorts" he said. "Just not like any you have heard of. I suppose Beauchner is one of the closest to what I do."

"Yeah, he's funny and smart," she said smiling. "But what do you mean by theologian?"

"Well you know what an anthropologist is, right?"

"They study humanity and culture."

"Exactly," he said. "Well theologians like myself study God and culture...or that was our initial mission before we went horribly off track with dead religion."

"So you study God?"

"In a manner," he said.

"Could have fooled me," she said smiling, then she kissed him on the forehead.

"Thanks Brother," he said.

"Hey!" she objected.

"You know what 'Delphia' means in Greek?" He asked. "It's a form of 'adelphos'....brother."

"Oh...I had heard something like that," she said. "But I'm not like any brother you know...brother! Now hold me and take your nap!" she ordered.

********

Maugham swept the grounds that afternoon with the equipment from Deeks. He found three listening devices and three small cameras.

He left them where they were for now, but jumped into the Mustang and cruised the neighborhood. He past an old red van about two blocks away but it looked abandoned. When he came back by it was still there and he noticed a tire was flat.

That evening Maugham removed the devices and their tiny batteries. He resisted the temptation to address them before gutting them. He reported the vagrant red van and was told a notice would be placed on it and then it would be removed in 72 hours.

At 3 a.m. there was a large explosion in the parking lot of the Azotus. By the time Jim, Maugham, Martine, and Manfred got to the lot the Mustang was in pieces all over the ground and in flames. Maugham called 911 and they heard sirens soon in the distance. Jim sat down on the step as nothing seemed in danger beyond the car.

Manfred was beside himself. "This is very VERY bad Sahib!!" he cried out again and again waving his hands.

"HOW cans I bring the car a round when there is no CAR to brings around!!?"

"It's okay Manfred," Jim said. "I'm insured."

"Oh Very bad Sahib!! Surely this is the dance of Shiva!"