All Change
Part 3
Manny tried a different tack. “The powers that be want you to have this ticket, Tonio.” And so do I, he added privately. “It’s the wish of higher forces than the DoD. And trust me, those guys can lumber you with anything if you make them mad. Look at me. You think I chose to work here?”
Henez looked around the office, which, although it was nice, with a stained glass door and a great view, was not exactly high class. “I wish I could, Manny, but I just can’t ride trains. It’s a childhood thing. Frankly I’m not surprised that being dead didn’t change anything. Can’t you just organise a sports car package for me?”
“Not really –“
“Why not? You’re meant to be my travel agent.”
“I’d get into a lot of trouble. Besides – ah, what the hell.” Manny launched into an explanation of how his job worked and how premium clients helped him get to go on his own journey. “And you’re a premium client. I need you to take that double-N ticket or I’m in it up to my neck.”
“Isn’t there anything you can do?”
“Not legally, no.”
“But illegally -?”
Manny groaned. Usually he hated his job, but at times, like now, he wished he had never died.
“Hey, Glottis! I’m trying to tell a story here!”
Glottis jerked awake, looking embarrassed. “Sorry Manny, I thought you’d finished.”
Manny looked hurt. “Don’t you want to know what happened to Tonio Henez?”
“I only came up to talk about your –“
“I thought you might be interested, that’s all.”
“I am interested, Manny, but your car –“
“Can it wait while I finish the story?”
“Not really, but –“
“Henez had a thing for cars too, as I remember,” Manny went on. “He begged me to get that sports car package for him until he almost sprouted himself . . . “
“I hate ships and I hate trains. What is so wrong with wanting a sports car?”
Manny knelt and fished around the bottom of his locker for his scythe. “Tonio, give me a break, please. I’m going to help you.”
“Well, can you hurry up? This ticket’s making me nervous.” Like all double-N tickets, Henez’s was attracted to him like a magnet and he was having trouble keeping it off him. To keep their cover, Manny had been forced to hand the ticket over to Henez, who was less than keen at keeping it handy.
“How long before we can make a move?”
Manny stretched down into the locker, past crumbs, shoes and piles of books. Where was it? He hardly ever put his scythe in here and now it had vanished. “You realise, if I get caught doing this, I’ll lose my job?”
“They wouldn’t do that.”
“Would I lie to you, Tonio? Aha!” Manny yanked out his scythe from the bottom of the locker. His reaper cloak was wound neatly around his stomach, under his jacket. He grabbed a handful of the sports car brochures from his desk and stuffed them into his pocket. Then he took the last message canister he had received from the mail server – just junk mail - and hid it inside his coat. Looking around for anything else that might be handy, he spotted his favourite paperweight lying on the desk and picked it up.
“What’s that for?”