|
Dump Miner
- Chapter Eighteen
Bishop Lamb adjusts mariA's records.
The Bishop returns to the facility and immediately makes arrangements to conceal the records of the father of mariA's child. Bishop Lamb calls the lab technician into his office.
Bishop Lamb:
Bill, how long have you worked in the lab?
Bill:
For about five years now. I enjoy the opportunity to be employed by Americo.
Bishop Lamb:
What if I told you that you could retire, oh, let’s say in a week.
Bill:
How could I do that?
Bishop Lamb:
I need you to change some information for me in the main database.
Bill:
Your holiness, that is a big deal, morally and ethically.
Bishop Lamb:
But can you do it? That is the question.
Bill:
If you’re asking if it’s possible to change the files, the answer is yes, but it is not permanent.
Bishop Lamb:
Why?
Bill:
The records would need to be refreshed, say if the there was a change in Reaganship.
Bishop Lamb:
Go on.
Bill:
It is highly unlikely, but since the death of the Reagan Walker’s son, if something where to happen to the Reagan Walker, a new Reagan would need to be elected and a DNA refresh would be called for to find the closet heir within seven degrees of separation.
Bishop Lamb:
Yes, right, that is correct.
Bill:
But what are the odds of that happening? Nobody would probably find out.
Bishop Lamb:
My child, what if I told you that I can make it that you never have to work again.
Bill:
I am listening.
Bishop Lamb:
I have a Grand Cayman bank account with roughly six million dollars in it. If you do this you can have it. I am not going to need it where I am going.
Bill:
Six million, I could buy a house. What do you need done?
Bishop Lamb:
I need you to change the results of the DNA test for the dump miner mariA.
Bill:
That’s it?
Bishop Lamb:
Yes.
Bill:
Who is the lucky father of the child?
Bishop Lamb:
There was a miner that was taken from us about a month back, he had a name like, ferret, or…
Bill:
weaseL?
Bishop Lamb:
Yes, weaseL, that’s him, make it look like he is the father.
Bill:
Can I ask why?
Bishop Lamb:
No. When it is done I will release the funds to your account. You can leave now.
Bill leaves the Bishop’s office and returns to the lab to start on his task. Soon after Bill exits, Bishop Lamb receives a phone call from the Reagan.
Reagan Walker:
Bishop Lamb.
Bishop Lamb:
The honorable Reagan Walker.
Reagan Walker:
Arrangements have been made. They are waiting for you in France. Did you cover your end?
Bishop Lamb:
Yes, the new father is a dead miner.
Reagan Walker:
I don’t want to know who it is. There is no way that this can be tracked back to me?
Bishop Lamb:
Not in your lifetime.
Reagan Walker:
I will have a car pick you up to bring you to the airport; tickets will be waiting. And don’t ever contact me again.
Reagan Walker hangs up. On the Bishops B.I.B.L.E., there comes a message. An electronic voice from his computer announces “You have mail.” The Bishop taps the face of the tablet and it is an e-mail from HEAVEN letting him know of his arrangements. The Bishop quickly scrambles to call the lab to see if the job is done, another lab technician answers the line.
Bishop Lamb:
Bill?
Ted:
Your holiness, this is Ted.
Bishop Lamb:
Well, find Technician Bill!
Ted finds Bill in another part of the lab, just as Bill hits the delete button. Bill is startled.
Bill:
Hey, Ted. What can I do for you?
Ted:
What are you doing?
Bill:
Ah, routine maintenance. What do you want?
Ted:
The Bishop is trying to get a hold of you.
Bill:
Thanks.
Bill calls the Bishop while Ted hangs around and tries to find out what is happening.
Bishop Lamb:
This is Bishop Lamb
Bill notices that Ted is within hearing distance, he lowers the phone and stares at Ted for a second before speaking.
Bill:
Ted, I’m talking to the Bishop, get out of here.
Ted leaves the room suspiciously eyeing Bill. Bill just smiles and waits for the door to shut behind Ted before he continues his conversation.
Bill:
You called for me, your holiness.
Bishop Lamb:
Did you complete your task?
Bill:
Almost.
Bishop Lamb:
Almost is not good enough.
Bill hits the delete button one more time:
Yes, it is done riiiiiight…now.
Bishop Lamb:
Then like we agreed.
Bishop Lamb strikes some keys on his B.I.B.L.E. A green light flashes three times.
Bishop Lamb:
Almost done. Do you know of a quite place where we could meet? I will give you the account information then. Where shall I meet you?
Bill:
The incinerator. I can meet you at the incinerator.
Bishop Lamb:
I will be there in fifteen minutes. Make sure no one follows you.
Bill hangs up the phone and turns to finish his job. Ted returns.
Ted:
What the hell is going on? Why are you and the Bishop speaking in code, and what the hell are you doing with the records? You are screwing with our jobs. What where you doing?
Bill:
Fuck you man, I don’t need this shit.
Bill turns off his machine.
Bill:
I am out of here.
Ted:
What?
Bill:
I have to meet the Bishop; later days buddy.
Bill exits and Ted just stands there with his jaw open.
Bill walks down a long hallway to the incinerator room and waits for Bishop Lamb to arrive. Bill waits patiently, standing in front of a gothic pit of fire deep in the floor of the ground that is the facility’s incinerator. The incinerator is an open pit with hot lava-like matter swirling in its belly. Sweat drips from Bills head. Carts carrying waste run along a track and dump unusable waste into the pit. Small puffs of smoke emerge with each cart that is emptied. The Bishop enters and approaches him.
Bishop Lamb:
Did you take care of the matter?
Bill:
Just as you requested.
Bishop Lamb:
And nobody witnessed this act?
Bill:
Nobody is the wiser.
Bishop Lamb:
Good. Then as we agreed, I would move the funds into an account, they should be available for you tonight.
Bill:
About that.
Bishop Lamb:
About what?
Bill:
If this is so important, then maybe I should…
Bishop Lamb:
You should what?
Bill:
Get more. Surely you have a few more dollars stashed away that you can spare. Six million will barely cover the cost of a small cottage.
Bishop Lamb walks closer to him. The heat of the incinerator is now making them both sweat.
Bishop Lamb:
You do not think my offer is generous enough?
Bill:
I am just saying…
Bishop Lamb:
You are going to extort a man of my stature?
Bishop Lamb slowly advances towards Bill. A nervous Bill backs up, not noticing the conveyor belt behind him that brings the carts to the incinerator.
Bill:
I am just saying that…
With those words, Bishop Lamb lunges at Bill and pushes him into a cart. Bill sloshes around in the toxic muck that is being delivered to the pit. Bill struggles to get out of the cart but cannot get a foothold in the toxic goop that fills the cart. The more Bill struggles, the more he keeps slipping back in.
Bill (choking in the sludge):
Help me!
Bishop Lamb just watches. As Bill gets closer to the pit, he starts to scream, the heat of the incinerator is intense and his body starts to cook before he reaches the end. Bill finally stops screaming and his hair bursts into flames, then his skin starts to melt, the cart finally comes to the slide and dumps his burning body and the boiling waste into the pit and the fires below, the fires consume him quickly. No sound is heard, no crackle of his body, nothing, Bill has been eaten by the fires of the facility. Bishop Lamb stands back and takes a deep breath.
Bishop Lamb:
Forgive me, father, for I have sinned. All better. It is too hot in here and the smell, how do they stand it.
Bishop Lamb retreats from the room.
|
