The Beginning: When Harv Met Vera

[yvanleterrible]

Leterrible awoke to the sound of snoring. There was darkness but he could see someone seated in the corner of the tiny room. That’s where the snoring originated from. It was a short man sprawled on a chair, cross-armed with head bent towards chest. The huge Panama hat on the man’s head prevented Leterrible from seeing the stranger’s face.

Bladder calling, Leterrible moved to rise and search for amenities but soon realized his left wrist was chained to the cot he was on. Feeling the handcuffs rang an alarm in his mind that told him to remain silent until he could figure out how to get away. The room was too dark to give him any clue as where he was, no window but a faint light emanating from under the door on the right wall.

Night light in Cuba meant official business. Prison? Secret police quarters? No, it couldn’t be, there would be bars in that doorway. Remembering vividly the moments before falling to sleep told him he was in hospital... under guard? Why? But that stench?
Yes he was in hospital. Cuba was third world, there was poorness everywhere. This is why he had come here in the second place. Rich people from liberated countries where slavery had been banned came here to have a taste of power over mean-less human beings, recreating fantasies of monarchy; true terrorism in his mind. Disgusting. One day there will be freedom from this disparage. Leterrible had strong feelings that communism was about to launch relief on Cuba, that’s why he spent time spreading leaflets around the island. But who was he kidding, most people here could not read and the only communication medium around was word of mouth.

His thoughts soon veered to the main reason he was here. Not that stupid poker game he’d been paid to blow up but to search for clues about the disappearance of his wife.

Twenty five odd years earlier, Carole being pregnant again after giving birth to Cat their lovely daughter felt distraught at the bad times the family were living in at the time. Leterrible’s fledgling woodworking business was based on a mix of fantasy furniture creation and exotic, expensive material manufacturing processes. Nothing suited to the economic reality of Québec then. No jobs, no contracts, no money, period.

As her health was progressively dwindling, the couple decided that for the baby’s sake she had to take action and find relief somehow. Her rich sister was leaving for a two month cruise in the southern Islands and suggested that Carole should come with her. Reluctantly, the couple agreed to temporarily part... If only they’d known what was to happen!

Leterrible, as those memories came, still felt anger at the misfortune, seething rage giving purpose to his search, again and again.
It was deemed that the cruise liner had disappeared after twenty-two days at sea, with no clue to the position as where it could have been but a region called The Bermuda Triangle, and a storm, a hurricane strong enough to displace time...

[pshrynk]

That thumping sound you hear is my head on the keyboard...

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

That thumping sound you hear is my head on the keyboard...

never lose sight of where you are going; the plot, the plot - your kingdom for the plot ....


!

[badgoodDeb]

(BTW - really cute lil puppy, pshrynk!) (today's avatar, that is)

[GeoffC]

(it worked before)


"knock knock"

[Verencat]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

(it worked before)


"knock knock"

Let's try this:

HEY! YOU! GET UP AND START WRITING RIGHT NOW!!!!!

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

(it worked before)


"knock knock"

"Who's Online"?

[GeoffC]

mmmmm

must be a deadline issue here .....

[pshrynk]

Sorry for the long delays, but we went to a new scheme for scheduling that knocks out all the no-shows from my schedule, so I don't have all the free time I once had to write. The story will be completed, soon, I hope.

[yvanleterrible]

Fear not, I am concocting an installment!...

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Fear not, I am concocting an installment!...

[DixieGal]

Due to being blind for the past half year, I am completely lost on the series. Never reallyt finished the Panama adventure. But now I'm home all the time and can read them in large zoom on the compute, so I plan on getting all caught up.

Same goes for the adventures of that Pearl swilling Red and his faithful canine sidekick.

And Hugo and Lefty.

Uhm, my TBR list is suddenly growiing again....

[yvanleterrible]

Again, Leterrible awoke to the protest from his bladder. He had to calm it. He thought. “If this place was a hospital then there should be a... yes! “He could barely make out the shape of a bedpan on the night table. Rapidly he made for it but dropped the dang thing on the concrete floor. BLANG BADANG DANG!!!The snoring from the figure in the corner stopped abruptly with a sharp snort. The man slowly sat up, regained his bearings and slowly stood to reach for the light switch on the wall.

Leterrible roared: “Can’t a man do his dooty in peace?”

The stranger cleared his throat, looked in his direction, paused as to wake up and said: “So you’re still alive you old coot!”

Now who in this world would ever dare to straight out insult Leterrible in such a cavalier manner? That stranger was standing in front of the light on the corner table so he still could not make out his identity... though the voice sounded slightly familiar!

The stranger continued: “You, my old foe have a lot of questions to answer to! Like what are you bloody doing in Cuba?”

Startled, Leterrible did not know what to say.

“... And what’s this business with the poker table and chairs you had delivered here, this is quite a ways from Québec if I might add!”
“And what is it that scared you out of consciousness anyway?” He said in a sarcastic tone.

“Who are you?” replied Leterrible.

The stranger slowly retreated to the wall and flipped the second switch, the one to the overhead incandescent lights; he slowly pulled off his hat, raised his head and said: “You happy now?”

“What! Nable, you bloody idiot, what are you doing... you left the shop without surveillance, you irresponsible worm? Who’s taking care of it now? Why did you come here... who..?”

Leterrible was as red as a beet, breathing hard, and half choking in his breath as he kept vociferating.

Nable held up his hand to quiet the old man and said: “My name is not Nable...”

Leterrible just shut up like no one ever did him do.

“My name is Wally Dee Elke. I’m a special agent with the RCMP and I’ve been assigned to infiltrate your shop to find out about your ties to known communists...”

There was a long silence.

“Well! ... Answer! ... Cat got your tongue?”

And by the way Cat is taking care of the shop, whatever the poor state you’ve left it in. She’s hired people, contacted real clients and is doing better than you ever did...”

Leterrible suddenly felt ashamed. He’d always felt his daughter to be just a kid and never thought that she could be his equal and better. But it wasn’t the moment to discuss this. His bladder made sure of it. So he reached to the floor for the bedpan and took it, raised it for Nable/Elke to see and said:

“Do you mind, I’d really need a little privacy and... could you undo this cuff?”

He rattled it. Elke, feeling mistrustful, did not move. Leterrible grinned, went red in the face and farted; just to let him know that his need was serious. Immediately Elke reached to his pocket to find the key, but thought better than reaching next to him, threw the key on the cot and started to leave the room.

“I’ll be in the hallway. Just holler when you’re done, it’s the only thing you ever did anyway!” he snorted sarcastically.

“Alllllellllluuuuiiiiiaaaaa....Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!! !!!!!!”

Prayer done Leterrible tidied up and sat back down to ponder on his options. Nable was an RCMP agent! He just couldn’t believe that. Thinking back he still couldn’t find any indication that Nable could be an agent although he did notice that funny accent he took for Newfie, but that was normal n Québec.

Suddenly, at that moment the air crackled and buzzed and a human image appeared in front of the cot...

[GeoffC]

[Verencat]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

“My name is Wally Dee Elke. I’m a special agent with the RCMP and I’ve been assigned to infiltrate your shop to find out about your ties to known communists...”

YAY for WDE!