Knowledge – Chapter One

“Knowledge” is the novel I was working on during Nanowrimo last year. I will admit that I abandoned it for quite some time afterwards, but I have not forgotten it completely. The first draft is not done yet but I figured I would get reacquainted with the story with some editing. This is only round one of edits so it’s still pretty rough but whatever, I want to post something.

Why is he looking at me with so much gratitude? I hate when they do that, it makes it really hard to enjoy the spoils of the scam. Poor guy, all sheepish and wimpy. He wants to know when he’s going to die so he can make sure his wife is all taken care of. At least they don’t have any kids. In any case, neither of us actually know when he’s going to die, but I’ll take that secret to my own grave.

“Here you go, thank you so much, once again. I can’t believe how lucky I am that you found me! What are the odds right? From across the entire world?”

I nodded at him enthusiastically. “Yes, very fortunate. I hope you and your wife have a good life together. Good luck with everything!”  With that, I took off before any more questions could be asked. I waited until he was out of sight before finding the nearest garbage can and dropping all my ID, my sunglasses, and my baseball cap into it. I put my head down and made a beeline for my car.

“All done Nate, on to the next”

Nate gave me a sly smile in the rear-view mirror and he took off, speeding down the road at a very unnecessary pace. It mattered not, though, a speeding ticket was the last thing we were going to get in this city.

“Where’d you find that guy anyway? He was literally the perfect target. So easy.” I asked my driver, once we were in the safety of our hotel’s parking garage.

Nate chuckled darkly. “On Tinder, believe it or not. Having a daughter gives me all the knowledge necessary to pose as a young woman”

“Wait, but he wanted to know his date so he could have his wife taken care of? You found him on Tinder?”

He shrugged. “Sometimes it’s the nicest ones that are the biggest cheaters.”

I didn’t say anything. Not that I could, my lifestyle was probably worse than his right now. My betrayals even more catastrophic. But still, he hadn’t seemed like the type. At all. I guess you just never know.

After a few more moments of thought, I resolved to put the guy out of my mind completely and get focused for the next target.

“Where to next, Nate?”

“Oh, you’re going to love this one. We actually get a day off tomorrow, so feel free to enjoy the city. Don’t draw attention to yourself, of course, and only spend your cash. I can give you more if you need it. And then we catch a flight to Paris. Here’s the info on the women. Her screen name is at the top there.” Nate explained as he handed me a small white folder.

“Sweet! A day off. I wonder what there actually is to do in this city. I’ve never had the chance to look around before. And how many times have we been here, like seven?” I smiled to myself as I opened the folder and began delving into the mind and life of Ms. Deborah Allan. Middle-aged. Never married, has a much younger boyfriend of two years. Ah, and a daughter. Yes, she’s perfect. I may get a day off tomorrow, but I will have to spend tonight gaining this women’s trust.

“I don’t need the ID yet, but what’s my name this time?”

“Oh yes, I almost forgot.” Nate pulled out the book of ID’s he’d had made for me earlier this year. “This time, you’re going to be… Margie Saunders”

I scoffed. “That’s a boring name”

Nate laughed, “Shay, we’ve been over this. Boring is good. You can’t be attracting unnecessary attention to yourself and we have to make sure that no one remembers you once you’re gone. In and out.”

“I know, I know. It just gets old after a while”

Nate didn’t say anything as we arrived at our rooms for the night. “Well, here’s your key. Have a good night Shay, and good luck with your new friend”

“Thanks, Nate, but I don’t need it”

“I know you don’t.”

The truth was, I hadn’t needed luck in a long, long time. I’d mastered this craft years ago, learning from the very best since day one. I made myself a nice big pot of coffee and settled down on the bed to get started. I never really knew exactly how long this part of the process would take. I brought up all of Deborah’s social profiles in different windows and decided to use Instagram as our first point of contact. Her Facebook was completely private so that was out, and she seemed to be most active on Instagram. Plus, it was low key and really casual. It usually worked nicely.
I spent the next little while looking and reading through old posts, getting to know her as much as I could. After about 45 minutes, I sent her the first message.

“Hey, Deborah. My name is Margie and I see that you’re really interested in finding the person who has your date. That’s really great because I’ve actually been looking for you for a long time. I have your date, and I’d love to give it to you. I will be in town day after tomorrow if you’re free to meet up?”

Alright, now we wait. I leaned back and turned on the TV, but I didn’t have to flip through the mindless channels for too long because my good friend Deborah got back to my pretty quickly.

“Oh my goodness! Are you serious???? Yes! I can meet, when and where? Just name the place! Wow, this is such a huge weight off my shoulders. I assume you can prove it though yes?”

All I could do was smile, Nate really was good at his job. I am so lucky I found him all those years ago, and even more lucky that he decided to stick around. I honestly can’t even wait to see how far we can take this. I mean, this man could take over the world. This woman was the perfect target, for sure. I mean he always found perfect targets, but the super gullible ones like this lady never failed to amaze me. It was such easy money. That was the other thing. He found perfect targets that were absolute richie riches and usually willing to pay just about anything to get their date. They resent you a little bit and usually need some coaxing and reassurance that we wouldn’t get caught making the illegal deal, but they never backed out. They just needed to know. They couldn’t go without knowing.

“Excellent. I’m so happy to have made your day! Before we meet though, I do need you to know that I, unfortunately, will not provide this service for free. I will require payment. Don’t panic, there are very safe and foolproof ways to do it, I assure you we will not be found out. The thing is, my son is just so sick right now and my family cannot afford the medical bills. I do hope you understand. I’m sure we can come to a figure that is fair and reasonable for both of us”

Now, to wait again. This was always the message that was slightly risky. These people were about 99 percent predictable. It’s this one component that you just never knew for sure. Some people got really touchy when the law was involved. So far though, I’ve never had anyone turn me down, let alone turn me in. They sometimes get angry at first but they always relent because… Nate is good at his job and he finds me very desperate, very gullible, and very rich people. It’s the ultimate trifecta and it has yet to fail me. Nevertheless, there were always a few nerves that would flare up as I await the response to this message. Once again though, I did not have to wait for long.

“Oh man, this is exactly what I was afraid of!! I really can’t believe how many of you there are out there! Wanting to take advantage of this gift we’ve been given to help each other out. I understand your son is sick, but come on! You’ve really left me with no choice though, have you? Are you really not going to let me just have my date? What, is it going to cost extra to find out the time and method?? How much are you wanting exactly??”

I laughed, both in relief and amusement. Typical response, and as usual I had no reason to be worried.

“No Deborah, I’m sorry but I’m afraid I cannot give it to you for free. I understand your opinion, and you are certainly entitled to it, but this is the way it needs to be. One flat rate will be perfectly fine though. Shall we say, $100,000? And I will give you all of the information I have.”

“Fine. Where do you want to meet? You better make sure it’s somewhere quiet and discreet because if I get arrested for participating in this type of horrendous scandal, then you can expect to hear from my lawyers.”

“Not to worry Deborah, we will be fine. I have it all worked out. We’ll meet behind the Lowly Flamingo on Kennel Street. Not very highly populated but not desolate enough to look suspicious either. Please bring cash. Come at 5 pm”

“Well there really isn’t any other way to pay a crook like you, now is there? I will be there. I hope you have a horrible sleep tonight”

I laughed out loud. I’d had a lot of insults hurled at me over the years, but that was a first. Also probably one of the least eloquent ones too. Sorry Deb, but I’ll sleep like a baby tonight.

My prediction was right, I did, in fact, sleep like a baby. I woke up feeling refreshed and energized. It’s not often that I get to sleep in and not wake up to an alarm at all. I rolled over and was a little surprised to see that it was already 11:21. I guess I was pretty tired. We’d gone hard the last two weeks. 16 targets in 14 days. That might actually be a record, now that I think about it. We were getting really good at this, me and Nate. I can’t forget about the rest of our team back home too. They all did a good job. Flawless, actually. They had to be, lest we all get arrested and put away for the rest of our lives. No one could measure up to Nate though. He was my main man. The one who helped me start it all. I smiled fondly as I recalled the day I was introduced to this whole world.

“All done!” I said happily to myself as I jumped up and all but trotted to the front of the classroom to plop the test paper on Mr. Finner’s desk. I just couldn’t wait to be out of here, Raymond was waiting for me outside and we were going to take his truck down to the beach tonight. He said he was going to show me the new drug he’d found. Super safe, apparently, and the high is supposed to be absolutely amazing! Bless Becky’s heart for helping me steal the answer sheet for this test last week, because I did not want to be in this classroom any longer than I had to. Plus, my speed and efficiency would no doubt impress Mr. Finner, and I mean, he’s super cute so you can’t go wrong there, right? 

“Shay, can I speak to you outside for a moment, please? Before you go?”

And of course, the glass gave the typical “oooohhh” as if it automatically meant I was in trouble. 

“Sure Mr. Finner. I only have a few minutes though” 

“Yes, well, I only need a few minutes of your time, Shay. Not to worry. Raymond will still be waiting outside when we are done.” 

The class laughed at this, and I couldn’t help but blush and stare at my shoes for a moment, still smiling though. Mr. Finner was like that. Ever the witty one. 

“What is itMr. Finner?” I asked, only a small hint of nerves playing around in my stomach.  Becky and I had been so careful and thorough, there’s really no way he knew I’d taken the answer sheet, right? Besides, wouldn’t he have told me before the test? No, this was definitely about something else. 

“Shay. I know you stole the answer sheet for this test. And I know that’s how you were able to finish so quickly.” 

I looked right back down at my shoes, my stomach dropping all the way to the floor. Oh. He did know. Damn, Becky. We need a better plan next time.

“I’m very impressed with you” 

My head snapped up and I looked at him in shock, my jaw now taking its turn hitting the floor. 

“What” Was all I could manage. It didn’t even come out as a proper question. 

“Yes, Shay, I am impressed. I also know that this is not the first answer sheet you’ve stolen, nor are answer sheets the only thing you’ve ever stolen, and tests the only things you’ve ever cheated on at this school over the last three years. I have been watching you and Becky both, and you are both very good at what you do. I’m wondering if you’d like to join me for a longer discussion at a later date about a business venture I would like to propose to you. You may bring Becky along if you think she would be interested as well.” 

“Business?” Again, it’s all I could muster. I could not have been more confused if Mr. Finner stripped down to his underwear and changed into a penguin costume.

He chuckled lightly. “Yes, I understand your confusion. That is not what you would have expected a teacher to say upon finding out that you have been cheating on tests and other things for the last three years, is it? Well, I cannot give you any more details, but I will give you this”

I silently accepted the small business card he held out to me. “Send me an email if you would like to discuss this further, and we will arrange a time and date to meet, outside of school, of course. I would think it goes without saying, but please do not tell your parents, or anyone else for that matter. Make sure Becky knows to do the same” He laughed again “I know, also confusing. A teacher telling you to lie to both your parents and peers. Worry not, Shay. Everything will be explained and I know that you will find it to be worth your time and effort. Now, go enjoy your date with Raymond. The beach is a lovely place to be this time of year, and it’s a lovely day. Do tell good old Raymond I say hello too, would you?” 

“S-sure, Mr. Finner. I will tell him.” 

Raymond graduated three years ago and I know Mr. Finner hadn’t seen him since then. I guess he remembered him. Which would make sense. It’s Raymond that I learned my original cheating and sneaking skills from, so I can only imagine that he went to town when he was still here. I wonder if Mr. Finner watched him too? And made him the same business proposal? But then I remembered what Mr. Finner said about not telling anyone except Becky. I guess I couldn’t ask him, at least not yet. Anyway, he probably would have told me about something like this.

“Shay! Shay? Are you okay? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost. No, 10,000 ghosts. What happened? Was the answer sheet you got for the wrong test?” Raymond asked with concern as he approached me and slung his arm over my shoulder. 

“No, no it’s fine” I said with a laugh, reorganizing my face into an expression that didn’t look as utterly confused as I felt. “I was just thinking about the next test. Becky and I still have to put the finishing touches on our plan to get that answer sheet, and I guess I was just thinking really hard about it” I said with a forced laugh. The first lie. The first of many, probably. Becky and I had perfected our plan for the next steal ages ago. We were experts at this point, we didn’t even really need to spend that much time on it.

“Ok, well don’t leave it to the last minute. You know how that turns out!”

“I know Ray, you’ve only told me the story like a thousand times!” I said, rolling my eyes at him playfully. 

——

I sat up in bed still smiling at the memory. That was the beginning of something truly amazing. Good old Raymond. I do wonder what he is up to these days. I wonder if he ever found his date recipient. He was really concerned for the poor women because she was going to die so young. He always really wanted to let her know before it was too late, so she could make preparations. To either die or attempt to cheat fate, you can never really be sure which one people will choose to do these days. Everyone is different, and sometimes finding out your date makes you do something or want something that you never imagined. I do sincerely hope he found the girl. If she didn’t make any attempts to mock death, then she’s been dead for 3 years. Part of me does hope that she got herself out of it, and got a new date way into the future. It would make Raymond happy to know that her life was extended because of his efforts and concern. I laughed to myself when I remembered a story I heard a few months ago about a man who had gone to great lengths to prevent his already very gruesome death, in hopes of getting a much longer life, knowing that the new death would be even worse than his original prediction. He did it, he survived. Then his new date ended up being the next day. The very next day. No one had ever heard of that happening before. It was huge news. The whole world talked about it for months.

I finally mustered the motivation and desire to actually get out of bed. It was mostly fueled by hunger at this point. I grabbed the little information booklet that sat on the night table to see if there was anywhere to get some breakfast around here.

As I closed the door to my room, I thought briefly about seeing if Nathan wanted to join me, but dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. He had never done breakfast. 9:00 pm dinners. That’s what Nathan did. Ever the classy gentlemen. God forbid we go out for a casual meal.

After breakfast I spent the day meandering around the city, checking out all the little independent shops and grabbing snacks at various little restaurants and cafes. I liked to get the full, local experience whenever I did have the chance to actually spend time enjoying a place. This city was nice, but actually not as exciting as I thought it would be. It was nice but typical. I suppose I stopped being impressed with most cities long ago. You travel enough and see enough, even new things start to feel old. Part of me was a little disappointed that new places never truly allured me anymore. Traveling was fun but the novelty had most definitely worn off.

All of that being said, I was really looking forward to Paris tomorrow. I do hope we get to spend some time there as well, although that rarely happens twice in a row. There’s just something about Paris. It’s so romantic. Maybe it’s because this life certainly does not allow for romance or relationships of any kind, but there’s just something about it that sticks with me every time we go. Deborah sounds like a particularly salty one though, I do hope she doesn’t ruin the place for me. I might have to make up a really nasty death for her if she pisses me off too much too soon.

The thought made me laugh. I don’t know when exactly I became so jaded, but messing with people was entertaining. Deep down I knew I shouldn’t do it, but lately, I found I just couldn’t help it. It was too much fun, watching their reactions. It was all lies anyway, it’s not like that thing is actually going to happen to them. By the time they realize it, I am long gone with their money, and that’s the whole point. It’s probably one of the only ways I am even able to have some real fun these days. Sometimes Nate will play Mario Kart with me in the hotel rooms, but I think that happens about twice a month. He always beats me anyway, so it’s only mild fun. I think the fact that Nathan is good at Mario Kart is actually hilarious. He doesn’t look the part, at all. Then again, Nathan doesn’t really look any part. He’s just kind of there. He does his job. He wears a lot of black.

I arrived back at the hotel later that evening with the familiar feeling of temporary satisfaction. I felt like I had a good, fulfilling day, but really it was mediocre. I explored a city, which should make me feel very accomplished, but it doesn’t. Any good feelings I have about today will be gone in approximately two hours. It’s times like these that I wonder how one goes about finding real fulfillment in life. I seem to have forgotten how to do it. Maybe I should ask Nathan. He seems to know everything.

I laughed out loud as that last thought came to mind. Ask Nathan for soul-searching advice. As if.

“What’s so funny there, Shay?”

I jumped slightly as I realized Nathan was standing right there, just leaving his room.

“Oh nothing, just thinking. Where are you off to?” I asked as I looked over his typical all-black outfit.

“Oh, you know.” Was his dismissive reply, same as always.

I smiled. “Yeah, yeah. Have fun.”

I always act like I know what he’s talking about when he does that, but the truth is I have no idea what he does. Maybe he goes on a date, maybe he murders someone, I never know. His free time is always a secret. It’s not like I care, though. We are partners in crime and that’s it.

It’s not like I’m not a tiny bit curious though. It doesn’t make a difference to my life, but I would like to know, if for no other reason than to just solve an old mystery.

I shrugged as he disappeared into the elevator and I turned to push the door to my room open before slumping right into bed. I felt great this morning but was overcome with a depressing feeling of defeat right now.