INTERFERENCE (A Short Novel)

IV. The Lair

IV. The Lair

            After a twenty-minute cab ride through the 7:30 PM Friday traffic, Jeremy reached the Cliffhanger: Gewgaws and Gizmos, a small glass-fronted shop owned by one of Jeremy’s old buddies, Clifford Crae.

            “Hey, Cliff,” Jeremy said with a goofy smile as he entered Clifford’s sanctuary: the Cliffhanger.

            “Hey Jer,” says a voice behind a computer monitor. It’s Cliff, not even looking up.

            “What are you doing?” Jeremy asked.

            “I’m trying to reach LVL 165 today. I’m still in 103. Damn recharging stats,” Cliff replied, still not looking up.

            “You’re still playing online games? Damn, Cliff. You’re fucking thirty-one.”

            Cliff finally looked away from his computer, his expression grim. “Jer, it’s either this or porn. And porn is boring. This game is fantastic.”

            “Swell, Cliff. I brought you doughnuts.”

            “Nah, man. I’m on a diet.”

            “It’s Honey-glazed.”

            “Oh, thanks.”

            “Now Cliff. Pause the game and check on this,” Jeremy said, holding out the alleged ghost-phone.

            “One does not simply pause an online game!” Cliff bellowed theatrically.

            Jeremy sighed as he sat on the store’s waiting couch.

            Twenty minutes later, Cliff closed the store, two hours earlier than usual.

            “Sorry for bothering you Cliff. And, you see, you don’t have to close the store early. I can man the counter.”

            “’S okay. There aren’t much customers during these hours anyway. Especially now that it’s Friday.” Cliff key-locked the register. “I hired a kid to watch over here during MWF’s: noon to closing time. Bastard didn’t show up today,” Cliff said, shaking his head.

            The Cliffhanger: Gewgaws and Gizmos started as a pawnshop. Now, it is a 12-hour pawnshop/repair shop/electronics store full of computer parts, computer accessories, cellphones and cellphone accessories, gaming paraphernalia, watches, clocks, motorcycle decals, mechanical parts, electrical stuff, tons of hardware and all other things that are within Clifford’s field of interest – the world of machinery.

            Cliff masticated the last piece of the honey-glazed. He stuffed the doughnut box down the trash bin with a recycle-sign sticker on it – Cliff’s approximation of a real life Recycle Bin.

            Cliff signaled Jeremy to follow as he swung open the door to the store’s backroom. Jeremy cautiously stepped in after Cliff.

            “O-HO, Cliff. Your lair has turned into a Cybertron!” Jeremy exclaimed.

            “My assistant said this is a jungle,” Cliff shrugged.

            “No, man. This is fantastic. Last time I saw it it’s just a room full of junk and wires. Now this place looks like a mad scientist’s basement lab.”