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Case 26 - Rise of Dawn Part 2 >
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Keiko calmly ate her lunch as she stared across the table at Sean.  She wanted to tell him what Matt said on the phone but to do so...she worried that telling him would somehow get the information back to Matt, even through Karen, and Matt would use the contents of that file out of spite.  Sean wasn't the most reliable at keeping secrets, after all.  Or possibly Sean might become paranoid that Keiko might actually do as Matt asked to save her own skin. >
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So she said the only thing she thought she could.  "Sean,"  she whispered, her eyes steady and serious as they met his across the table, "You have to stop sleeping with Karen." >
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"I thought you got past the whole jealousy thing,"  Sean asked. >
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She gently crossed her legs and leaned forward.  She wasn't smiling at all as she spoke.  "No, Sean.  Something has gone wrong.  You have to stop." >
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Sean turned pale.  Something about her voice sent a chill down his spine.  "What do you mean, something's gone wrong?"  he asked. >
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"I can't say,"  she quickly dismissed his question.  "You must trust me." >
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"Okay."  Sean nodded slowly.  "Are you sure?  Because she's really good--" >
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"Sean, listen to me this one time,"  Keiko snapped at him.  She softened her voice then and added, "Please.  You have to trust me when I say something has gone wrong and it's not safe anymore." >
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He nodded again, this time silently, and frowned as he looked down at the table like a child who had been caught stealing and was being scolded.  "How do you know that something went wrong?"  he asked. >
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"I have connections,"  she lied.  "Some inquiries have been made.  That's all I can say.  Please, do not visit Matt's home again, and keep your distance from Karen."  She reached across the table and held his hand reassuringly to let him know she was on his side.  It was important for him to know that so he would listen.  "Please, Sean,"  she begged again. >
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Sean nodded in agreement.  "Okay,"  he said, "because you've never steered me wrong." >
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Keiko stood, and reached across the table to hug him gently.  "Thank you." >
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"Can we make love again?"  Sean asked. >
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She shrugged playfully.  "Maybe.  You'll just have to wait and see."  That cryptic teasing was enough to keep Sean hopeful and at least part of his attention on her - and hopefully keep him out of trouble. >
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"You're so cruel,"  Sean joked. >
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"Sean,"  Keiko tried to focus his attention.  She knew she should try to be in a better mood so Sean didn't suspect just how badly things had gone, but she couldn't help it.  She conditioned herself to be honest with him.  "I have some important work to do,"  she summarized. >
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The way she phrased that, in a very short, dismissive manner, left a trace of panic in Sean's eyes.  He sat back down at the table and stared at Keiko, who was still standing.  "Oh,"  he whispered, a single syllable that made it clear that the entire situation just dawned on him.  "How bad is it?"  he asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. >
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"You're still safe if you stay clear of Karen."  Keiko told him truthfully. >
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"How did you find out?"  Sean asked. >
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Keiko folded her arms and calmly replied, "It's better if you don't know.  Leave that burden to me and try to stay innocent and clean." >
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He nodded and finally stood.  "I'll get back to work then,"  he said, "try to look busy." >
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"Good idea,"  Keiko said. >
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Sean walked toward the door but then turned around again.  "What kind of important work do you have to do?" >
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"Something that will keep you safe, I hope."  Keiko smiled hopefully at the end of that sentence.  That seemed to satisfy Sean, and he smiled back and left. >
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Keiko headed straight to her bedroom and pulled out a small, sharp blade and one of her leather jackets and a pair of leather gloves.  As she started putting on those items she began planning. >
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She would sneak into Matt's office first, and then his home if necessary, to find Anthony Wilder's file.  She had to find it - otherwise Matt, upon successfully blackmailing Keiko once, might decide to use it again.  Keiko wanted never again to be forced into service for someone she didn't really care about. >
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Keiko entered the police station claiming she was visiting to see Matt.  She took a visitor pass and signed in with a false name.  Then she headed straight for Matt's office. >
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Getting from the elevator to Matt's office was difficult.  She had to get off a floor below and take the stairs up because the stairway entered via a corner of the large room with offices to the rear.  Plus the stairway door didn't seem to attract the attention of every cop in the room like the elevator did. >
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Wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket made her difficult to identify positively right away.  Thinking fast, she had also stolen a small plant from the lobby and was carrying it through the room as if it were a gift delivery.  It was a simple memory trick - most everyone who looked would remember the plant delivery but not who was carrying it. >
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Matt's office was fortunately deserted.  Or was now, since Keiko told them at the desk she was a reporter and would be waiting for him on the second floor, and no doubt the receptionist ditufully called him and sent him there.   >
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That didn't leave much time.  Keiko headed straight for the desk and began rifling through quickly.  She stopped when she noticed his keys sitting on the desk.  On the keyring was a tiny key, the kind used for safe deposit boxes.  She quickly slipped it off of the keyring and into her jacket pocket.  There was nothing resembling a password for the box, so she guessed that was elsewhere. >
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She opened the file cabinet and checked it just in case.  No password in there, but there was something else interesting.  She grabbed a folder and tucked it inside her jacket. >
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Keiko gingerly looked out of Matt's office.  She felt like the ruse she created downstairs wouldn't last, so it was far too risky for her to head straight back down.  Instead she slipped through the doorway, putting the door exactly where it was when she entered, and quickly walked into Sean's office, unannounced. >
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As she entered his office she had her eyes closed at first, almost afraid at what she'd see considering the stories he told her before.  But his office was empty.  Keiko kept the lights off and sat back in her old chair, sighing deeply.  So familiar and yet she also had a distinct feeling that she didn't belong there. >
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She looked out the window at the building across the street.  Not a very good view, but at least it was daylight.  Then she bristled as she heard Matt's voice just outside the door, and she wondered if he would come bursting in, already knowing what she was up to.  But she reminded herself again that with Sean gone and the office dark it was unlikely Matt would even try to come in, and even less likely he'd notice that one missing key right away. >
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The door did open abruptly and Keiko nearly dove beneath the desk as silently as she could.  But then as the lights went on everything came together.  It was Sean who was talking to Matt right outside the door, and it was Sean who has entered the office and switched on the lights. >
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Sean closed the office door quickly and gave Keiko a confused look as she slowly rose from behind her old desk.  "What are you doing?" >
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"I came here to visit you and when you were gone...I thought I'd wait for you."  Keiko shrugged and smiled.  "I'm glad you're here now." >
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"Why were you hiding in the dark?" >
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"I didn't feel like talking to Matt,"  she explained.  "He probably would have tossed me out." >
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"Oh.  Right."  Sean nodded in agreement.  But he still looked at her suspiciously. >
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"Okay, I'm collecting a little insurance too,"  she admitted.  "In case you're caught, Sean.  So you're going to have to trust me, and trust there's a reason I can't tell you more." >
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Sean looked down and nodded again. >
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"I have a couple more things to do."  Keiko continued in a much softer voice, as if she were coaxing Sean to understand.  "I'll see you later at home."  She then turned to leave the office, hearing that Matt wasn't outside anymore. >
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"Keiko,"  Sean called to her to get her attention.  She turned and looked at him.  "Thanks for all you're doing, even if I don't know what it is.  I know I don't deserve it." >
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"You do,"  Keiko whispered in reply.  "You saved me, Sean.  Now I must return the favor."  She slipped out of the office and clicked the door closed quietly. >
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Keiko's next stop was one that sent her adrenaline to a level it hadn't been since her days as an assassin.  She had to break into Matt's home and find the password for his safe deposit box. >
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Matt's home wasn't exactly a palace but it was far from humble.  A five room building in a somewhat affluent neighborhood with lots of glass doors and large windows and large enough to require two air conditioners.  And of course because it was hidden in trees, at the end of a long driveway from the road, it had a security system. >
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Karen was probably home, Keiko thought to herself as she approached the home from down the street where she parked.  She walked at a normal pace, but silently, so the neighbors wouldn't really pay much attention to her.  The street wasn't busy but once in a while there would be workers or visitors who would walk up to houses without suspicion. >
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Once close to the front door Keiko veered off to the side of the home.  She had to assume the security system was on, so no trying to force open windows unless they had no open sensor.  The ones around that side of the house all did. >
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Just as she guessed, the back sliding door was unlocked.  She took a chance, figuring if Karen was dumb enough to leave the door unlocked the alarm wasn't activated either.  The chance paid off, and a second later she closed the sliding door behind her and quickly and quietly skipped across the living room carpet, looking for a room with a desk. >
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The first floor was just living spaces.  She peeked into the kitchen and saw Karen in there watching a small television and making herself a late lunch or snack, so she quickly pulled back before she was seen.  She then skipped across the living room again and down to the basement. >
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The basement contained a weight room, a small laundry room, another living space...and Matt's office at home.  Keiko slipped into there quickly and pushed the door closed behind her to contain any noise.  She pried open the file cabinet with a knife and quickly began rifling through the contents, careful not to displace anything too much. >
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There was a sound of footsteps, and Keiko paused for a moment, listening to the sound.  It walked past the door to the other end of the room. >
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Bingo, she thought to herself as she resumed her work.  A bank printout reciept for the safe deposit box, dated just two days ago.  And Matt wrote the password right on it.  She took out her cell phone and copied the password into the electronic phone book and then took a photo of it before putting it back where she found it. >
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Keiko then peeked out of the office.  Karen was in the laundry room loading the dryer.  Keiko slipped out of there and up the steps like a breeze, skipping back across the living room to the sliding door. >
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The door was open. >
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An alarm went off in her mind.  She remembered Karen being downstairs, and Matt would have come in the front door.  Even Sean would have.  She spun around in time to see a shadow in the kitchen doorway...one she didn't recognize...and she dove behind the couch as quietly as she could.   >
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The shadow moved toward her...she had been seen. >
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TO BE CONTINUED >
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-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2007 by Jason Froikin, and may not be  >
--    reprinted without permission.   >
-- World Class and all characters therein are property of  >
--    Strike Two and Jason Froikin. >