Episode 5

Underground Pursuit... Plan for Unfinished Business... Announcement. Pot Stirred...  

Voice Actors: Tara Kempton, Melissa Jones, James Rand, Daniel Sorrick, CJ Cinco, Josh Mihal, and Matthew Abergel. 

Written, Narrated, and Produced by Mark Johnston
www.constellationaudio.biz 

Photo Credit: Seth Steward 

Music by Mark Johnston

Transcript

SPEAKER_07 0:19

Constellation Audio proudly presents. Brevity by Mark Johnston.

SPEAKER_08 0:40

Episode five.

SPEAKER_01 0:52

Fuck, who are those guys? Who? Red tracksuit and Peaky Blinder back there. They've been following us since we left the tower.

SPEAKER_08 1:01

As the girls move down the long staircase into the metro station, the two stalking thugs continue their pursuit. To Coral's frustration, there is a jam of lunchtime commuters clogging up the turnstiles ahead. Fortunately for the fleeing women, they use the underground often enough to have prepaid passes, allowing them access through the much faster queue. As they scan their phones across the sensor and lurch through the gate, Coral looks back once more to see the off-beat creeps pushing past the horde of travelers and leaping over the metro threshold. A portly security guard shouts after the men, but sadly it's far too late. The goons are nearly upon them. Coral and Jem dash down the lengthy platform to catch the eastbound line. Looking back once more, Coral cheerfully witnesses a nimble security officer forcefully tackle the man in the ugly tracksuit, leaving just one predator still on the hunt. With the 1215 departure about to leave, the two friends race to get aboard. Seconds before reaching the open door to the closest car, Coral stumbles and falls to the unforgiving ground. Jem, who misses the fall, has already boarded the train just before the doors clenched shut. And the electric moving billboard departs on its journey. Frantically, Coral pushes herself back up and sprints toward another platform with the waiting carriage. She no longer cares where it takes her, as long as it's away from here and the tenacious prowler galloping behind her. The footsteps from his large brown boots are growing louder, thundering throughout the tunnel. Coral wishes dearly that she had her longboard with her. She could smoke this clown in no time on these smooth asphalt surfaces. Once reaching the next platform, she leaps through the open doors, praying that it will leave immediately. When it sadly doesn't, Coral quickly begins moving up the train through the stuffy and cramped interior. She's certain that her follower must have made it on as well, leaving her no choice but to try and find a place to hide. Pushing her way through the crowded car, she pulls herself forward on each vertical pole to assist in her escape. The tram she is aboard has now departed, leaving the 14th Avenue station and rumbling through the cavernous underground. As the end of the second car approaches, Coral turns around and sees the dusty bowler hat bobbing up and down through the mass of travelers. Now within the third carriage, Coral is puzzled to see that, minus one sleeping homeless lady, the car is completely empty. When the smell of vomit hits her nose, she instantly realizes why. While racing through the odorous open car, the train takes a sudden sharp turn and she loses her balance again, plunging to the filthy subway floor. As soon as she pops back up, there is a stern hand gripping her by the elbow.

SPEAKER_00 4:15

Gotcha! What do you want? I want that painting. The expensive one.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

What painting? Does it look like I have a fucking painting?

SPEAKER_00 4:25

I don't know. Dribblers said to wait for two punk rock chicks outside the tower. Lift some fancy painting off them.

SPEAKER_08 4:32

Now you're gonna take the Before he can finish his sentence, Coral Judo throws him over her hip to the rumbling floor of the train. Directly into the putrid puddle of vomit. The train reaches its next station and the doors mercifully creak open. As fast as she can, Coral runs directly across the new station platform and boards the train about to depart in the opposite direction. She watches through the window as the resilient gangster limps across the terrace to follow her in his now puke-stained vest. He steps onto the train and searches for her frantically. Coral hears the signal that the doors are about to close, waits until the very last second, and squeezes out through the doors back out onto the platform ledge. The train slowly begins rumbling to life. She looks into the window and sees the angry assailant mouthing curse words at her through the glass as the subway whisks him away. Back into the dark abyss of the tunnel. They were his first call upon leaving the tower.

SPEAKER_04 6:17

What's good, my guy? You sounded tense on the phone.

SPEAKER_06 6:21

Just left my dad's office. He had to fund his new trophy at me. Said I should just accept that I don't have talent like that.

SPEAKER_03 6:29

Oh shit. That's kinda hilarious, dude. But also fucked up for sure.

SPEAKER_05 6:34

Your dad doesn't strike me as the fantastical hybrid creature type.

SPEAKER_06 6:38

He doesn't give a damn about the art. The price he paid is all that matters. Dumbass frog looks so ridiculous in his showroom. He lay the union man pitch on you again? Not this time. He must know that I would never consider working for him. I'm nothing like them. I don't belong there.

SPEAKER_04 6:56

No one can blame you, dude. Especially after what happened with your mom. Without a word, Christian shoots his friend a stern glance. Sorry, sorry.

SPEAKER_05 7:06

Shouldn't have brought it up. When are you just gonna tell your dad, man? It's gonna feel so good. He's sweetening the pot for you.

SPEAKER_06 7:14

I've been considering it, but no. It's not time yet. We have work to do. He deserves whatever humiliation we can dish out. So what's the plan? There's a big gala happening in two days where he's gonna receive some kind of honor, and you bet your ass he's bringing the concrete frog along to show it off. We have to take it out. Just like we should have before they got to it.

SPEAKER_05 7:37

You're not worried about security? That sounds a lot harder than our usual sneak up in the middle of the night and paint back over a routine.

SPEAKER_06 7:43

There will be security, for sure. But it's at the old boat launch by the harbor, which works to our advantage. It's an old brick building that's been refurbished for events, but camera should be minimal. Cool, cool, cool. And so we kamikaze it with spray paint or what? No, no. I've got a better idea. If I know my dad, he'll insist on a couple of things that we can use against him. For starters, I'm certain there will be a curtain or covering for the painting so he can have his big reveal. We have to get to the slab before the curtain is pulled. So when the reveal happens, there's just a large cover-up on the concrete? That's an option. But I've got a different idea. The other thing I could count on is that Ruben Arshimbeau would never have his name attached to an event that wasn't catered by some big time fancy award-winning chef. I'm gonna call his office to tell them I'm attending, and I'll fix some kind of food restriction so I can see the menu. I have a feeling there will be something there we can use.

SPEAKER_03 8:42

Yes, let's pasta sauce that thing.

SPEAKER_06 8:45

Not exactly. Do you guys think you can get yourselves onto the serving staff? It's crucial to the mission. I think we can figure something out. Excellent. We also need an escape plan. I'm gonna go scout out a spot to stash my bike outside the venue. I think it's best if you guys stay under cover as long as possible and slip out with the crew. Word, we got you, brother.

SPEAKER_04 9:07

But why do you need a fast escape? You can stay undercover too, right? If we take care of it behind the curtain?

SPEAKER_06 9:13

If it goes down the way I think it will, I'm gonna need heaven and hell to get the fuck out of there.

SPEAKER_08 9:50

Next, she looks around to get her bearings. She was only on the puke train for one stop, but had no idea which direction it was going.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

I can't believe I've got random thugs chasing me around the city now.

SPEAKER_08 10:04

After recognizing a few businesses, she has a good idea of where she's at. The salon that Gage works out of is not far from here. She decides to go see if he's there. Maybe he can help her lay low for a bit in case that kooky cosplayer comes back this way. After a two-block walk, Coral finds her friend's business and walks in as he's applying flattened tinfoil into a client's hair.

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Coral? Your hair is a sweaty mess! Did we have an appointment today?

SPEAKER_01 10:35

No, it's a ridiculously long story. Would it be possible for me to just lay back in one of those sink stations for a little while? I need a moment.

SPEAKER_02 10:45

Yeah, of course. Give me a second. This client is gonna need an hour or so for the color to process. Do you want to get some lunch?

SPEAKER_01 10:52

Oh my gosh, yes. Thank you.

SPEAKER_08 11:02

After filling Gage in on all the events from Cafe Elixir until now, Coral takes the last sip of her heavenly miso soup.

SPEAKER_02 11:11

What the hell? A million dollars? Coral, you need to sell that thing like yesterday.

SPEAKER_01 11:17

It's not that simple. I feel like I'm a part of the statement now. Like I have a role to play. That painting found me for a reason, and I'm not gonna be the sucker that pedals it off. Besides, what am I gonna do with that money? I don't need it.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

I don't know. Maybe you could like give it to charity or something?

SPEAKER_01 11:36

Yeah, I know. I want to. But something is telling me that there's a bigger move to make. I can be patient. I don't think the price will go down anytime soon. You should have seen how desperate that guy was to buy it.

SPEAKER_02 11:50

Yeah, and you should be careful. Ruben Archambeau is a mobster. Everyone knows that.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

Really?

SPEAKER_02 11:56

Yes, he's got all of the bricklayers, steel framers, crane operators, and the rest well under his control. They collude to rip off the state contracts by drawing out deadlines and strong arming city council members. Don't you follow Charcoal Chariot on Mosaic? No? What's that? It's a never mind, just check it out for yourself. Coral. He's even got most of the police department working for him. It's all part of the rub. He greases their wheels and they look the other way. Rumor has it that his army of debris removal trucks and whatnot are moving drugs all throughout the city. The guy is a full-blown Cajun Kingpin.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

He's a dick, too. Told me I should take the money and buy punk records with it.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

Well, there's one thing I agree with him on. So what about those guys chasing you and Jim in the subway? Where did they come from?

SPEAKER_01 12:51

Jim was being too loud about our business at the bar. Someone must have overheard. I don't think they know where I live or work, but I imagine they'll still be looking for us. And you say that you threw him off of you yourself? Gage, you do know I'm a judo brown belt, right? That gym by my place that I've been going to for years. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:13

I guess I thought it was just a hobby. Good for you. Alright, I gotta get back to my client. You wanna hang at the salon a little longer?

SPEAKER_01 13:21

No, I think it's safe to make my way back home now. I'll take the rest of my sushi to go. Thanks, Gage.

SPEAKER_02 13:26

By the way, you're paying, Miss, I don't care about money.

SPEAKER_08 13:49

As Christian returns to his loft and plops into his favorite chair, there is something else still on his mind. His father had mentioned something earlier that day about having a lead on another Dioptase. There was only one other street painting that was taken before he could erase it, and that one sold to a buyer in Europe. He was pretty sure that it was still in Budapest, and that his dad wouldn't fuss over that one, which leaves only his little baby brevity, the cafe painting.

SPEAKER_06 14:21

Perhaps it's time to execute the next step of the experiment.

SPEAKER_08 14:25

Christian reaches for his phone and opens up the Diopte's mosaic account. He takes a moment to collect his words, then spends 15 seconds typing on the glass. Once satisfied with the message, he presses send.

SPEAKER_06 14:41

That'll be sure to stir the pot.

SPEAKER_04 15:14

CJ Cinco, Josh Myhol, and Matthew Aberzelling