When Spirits Beckon

When Spirits Beckon, Part 2, Chapter 15

3 February, 3.47pm

While Barry was out of the room, Fred cradled his head in his hands.

How could he have acted so rashly? He should have continued to trust his instincts. Ezapco had never let him down before. Why did he lose faith in the one stock that he had always done well by? Why hadn't he waited till the market closed?

His thoughts were in such turmoil, with mixed emotions of anger and misery, that he didn't hear the door open.

"I've got good news and bad."

Fred looked up. "Tell me the bad news first," he muttered.

"I think you'd better hear the good news first. Ezapco closed at its record high of 78 1/2."

Fred simply stared at Barry.

"That's not all. D&S is under investigation for suspected insider trading. And I think your employers are pointing their fingers at you for the blame. After all, everyone saw and heard you forcing them at the metaphorical gunpoint to buy Ezapco stock."

Fred groaned. "Now, that wonderfully tops it all. What a crappy day it has been."

"Would you have made any money, with Ezapco's share price up?"

"Of course! I bought at 63 1/4 the day before. But, it's all going to be stuck until these investigations wind down. That could take years! I should have just died when I jumped."

"I'm finding it rather difficult to feel sorry for a man who has just made ton-loads of cash."

Fred looked back at him blankly. Then, started quivering as helpless giggles began to burst out of him. The sudden hysterical laughter was so infectious that Barry couldn't help but eventually join in.

Fred wiped away his tears. "Aaah, I needed that. First time I've laughed in a long while."

"It makes me feel a bit better too, though it doesn't change what I've done to spread the virus."

Fred looked quizzically at Barry. "How? I doubt anyone's going to put the whole of Wyoming State in quarantine just because of your news bulletin. How could they? You can't just cut off a state so easily; we're in the middle of the continent, for God's sake!"

"It would be interesting to see how they would try to pull that off. But seriously, the damage is far worse. The news broadcast has gone around the world. All the major networks picked it up and it seems mine was the only footage to actually show what happens during the attack. I thought it was good news earlier, all the 15-minute of fame, and a bigger bonus at Christmas. But now..."

"Hey, snap out of it. The virus hasn't done anything damaging so far, has it?"

"When word of this possible mode of transmission gets out, I won't be able to show my face anywhere."

"Okay, your reputation may take a hit, but you'll bounce back."

"What if things get worse? The tar and feathers could be just around the corner."

"Well, if you've got an invisible shield just like mine, I doubt they'll stick."

"How do you know?"

"Well, why don't we just test it out? Here, catch!"

Barry tried to duck the cup of coffee that had been tossed at him, but it was too late. An even bigger patch appeared over the still damp part of his shirt from his earlier encounter in the toilet.

"Hey! What's the big idea?"

"Take it easy. Look at the stain. Is it black?"

Barry frowned as he took a closer look at his white pin-striped shirt. "That doesn't mean anything. The stain may be more visible when the shirt is dry." But he took a finger, rubbed it on the wet patch then tasted it with his tongue. "You know, you may be right. I can't taste anything. There's no way to disguise the disgusting coffee taste, and it's also not sweet. Where did it all go?"