Mr Hook's Big Black Box

Dwayne Carlisle: Finding Hope

It was just me and Monty in the house once Ferrari left. She was remarkably easy to get on with, even a social outcast like me felt right at home. I didn't want to leave her alone here, even though we were pretty sure it would be the guys at college that the CIA came after first. So we made a little small talk, and played a few video games on the big TV in the lounge. Of course, I won every time it came to something that depended on pure reflexes, but my skills were honed towards fighting games and shooters more than party games, so she got her fair share of points and pies, and we both had a laugh.

The big TV got me thinking about how well off her parents were, and that made me think about other things. I asked about her Daddy, about his sword. She said he'd inherited it, from a grandfather who'd gone over to Japan as an entrepreneur shortly after the second world war; investing in their reconstruction efforts. He did well, and came back a rich man, with an old sword as a souvenir from someone he'd helped out. It was an heirloom, passed from one family to another because an old man's actual sons had died. It was made of gold, she said, not just gilded. But for some reason it was perfectly balanced, an ornamental weapon made by a real swordsmith, and it was kept sharp even though the edge would disappear instantly if it was ever used to hit anything. It was an anomaly, unlike anything else in its era, and that only increased its value. Grandfather had built up his business, making a small fortune, just so he could afford to insure and secure the thing.

"Wow," I gasped. I'd never known Monty's family tree had such interesting roots. As she opened up, I guessed there was some friction there as well. Mother liked to make conspicuous displays of wealth to her upper-class-wannabe friends, but the money almost all came from Daddy's side of the family, and he was the one working to maintain their lifestyle. He was well off, and liked to make sure his family had the best of everything, but he didn't like spending money just to prove he had it. From the words Monty chose I quickly guessed that was why she didn't talk about her family so much.

"Can I take a look at that sword?" I asked, mostly just wanting to change the topic onto something where Monty could be her normal bubbly self without having to hide her being upset about whatever bad memories thinking about family could bring. "I mean, I saw it before when we were in the safe moving the Box, but I didn't really have time to take a good look at it. It sounds incredible!"

"Sure," she grinned and leapt up from her seat, "I should check on the Box anyway."

It took the safe a few minutes to open after Monty keyed in the code and presented her hand and eye. She used some of the time to explain that the lock didn't actually need all three. There was a backup, she said, in case she or her Daddy got a scar that might stop the palm reader from recognising them, or similar. It was a backup code, that only Daddy knew, to override the rest of the safe's checks. Just in case, she repeated, in case something went wrong. She wasn't normally so excited about objects, so I was surprised to see her so animated. I wondered if she might be rambling for my benefit, because she'd seen I was interested in the technology before, or if she was just talking to avoid a tense silence.

Then we stepped inside, and I could inspect the magnificent sword. I wasn't a fighter, and I wasn't going to pick it up, but I knew enough about the properties of metals to see that this thing had been made by someone who really knew their craft. It was set with jewels, some of them quite large, but all inlaid in ways that wouldn't stop the blade slicing through its intended target. I couldn't judge the balance of the weapon, which Monty said was the really exceptional characteristic, but I loved it. It was beautiful, and I could see why a little girl might have been willing to study kendo just so she could have a chance at holding such an incredible and unique item.

"Help me."

I turned in surprise. At first I was worried that Monty needed me, and that I wouldn't be able to do whatever was needed. But her mouth wasn't open, and she didn't look to be having any trouble.