AZOTUSLAND chapter twenty eight

Maugham was more than shocked when he saw the staircase leading down and he looked bewildered as he passed the grey panels on the left which seemed to hum.

"Dude, you got some serious James Bondage stuff around here."

Jim laughed. "Yeah. welcome to my underground LAIR" he tried to say like Dr. Evil,. but really only Jonathan could do it right.

At the bottom of the stairs He hit the lighted panel and the room lit up.

It was a small room. that was nearly empty. There were no chairs or any furniture at all. The left wall was where the light came from through white panels inlayed with dark bamboo. The ceiling was about 20 feet high. He noticed the floor was hardwood with inlays.

"Have a seat Maug" Jim said and he went over to a panel on the far wall and opened a door and pulled out a bottle of wine, a corkscrew and a couple glasses.

"This is a little weird Jim," Maugham said.

"Maybe it is. I just need a place to be alone and have space Maug. Did you know I have a problem being around people?"

"Ha! You!? Don't fuck with me Sonny Jim," Maugham laughing.

"No I am serious," Jim said.

"Do you remember the summer of 89 not long after we met?"

"Yeah sure. You were in Atlanta most of the time, actually till Christmas because I watched your house."

"I wasn't in Atlanta Maug. I had a breakdown and when I recovered I went to a monastery in Inverness for three months to work things out."

Jim opened the bottle and poured two glasses and offered one to his friend who had stood up.

"I promise you Maug, I will tell you the whole story, but tonight is not the night. Tonight I have to tell you a different story and I have an assignment for you when I am done, so don't drink too much. I need you to leave in about an hour."

"Okay Jim. Whatever you say...I just..."

"I am sorry" Jim said as he turned around and there were tears in his eyes. "I will explain later why it has taken me so long to tell you...or let you in...or whatever. But till then, is my apology enough?"

Tears went down Jim's face and Maugham was stymied.

He put the glass down and walked over and hugged Jim. Then he looked him in the eyes and said "you are my family Jim. I'd take a bullet for you any day. It's fine."

Jim turned and wiped his face and took a swig of a fine Bordeaux then settled on the floor. and began to tell Maugham a story.

********

"I think the woman in question is named Helen," he said firmly.

"Funny, doesn't look like Troy...but this could be a fine war-room."

"Funny guy."

"Funny man."

"Anyway," Jim said sipping his wine, then taking a gulp. "I made a mistake."

"Yah think so?" Maug interrupted.

"Yah...I did. And I think she's the one been dogging me."

"Any other candidates?"

"It's not like I get out that often."

"Okay," Maugham said. "Tell me the story."

"Well it was the one night of unusual passion I told you about," Jim said. "Then she invited me to come over to her place for dinner the next week."

"You never mentioned that," Maugham said.

"No. It didn't mean anything until now. But when I got there it was weird. Strongly gated community, guards at the front gate...had to call in. When I found the place there was another patrol guy nearby."

"And this is where?"

"Tiburon," Jim said. "And you are going there tonight if you agree."

"Great, Perfect," Maugham said with a smirk.

"When I got there I expected maybe a glass of wine and some talk. That happened, but she had really decked the house out fully. It smelled like a trap."

"And you can smell such things?" Maugham asked smiling.

"Smartass. Yeah...even me. Anyway, fire roaring, catered dinner delivered from Gin-Wah...the works and wine out on the deck overlooking her private beach."

"Private beach?"

"Yes, that is how you are going to get in," said Jim.

"I'm getting in?"

"Yes. I am meeting her at Sam's in a few hours and you are gonna, er...hmnnn. well I need you to..."

"Okay, okay," sighed Maugham. "Fine."

Jim walked over to a black panel on the Northern wall and hit a switch. The door hissed open and Jim pulled it back and selected a gun for Maugham.

"You are a fucking pacifist!" Maug said.

"Yeah, but you're not."