The Mission

THE MISSION

“What part of “NO” didn’t you understand? I’m going to say this one more time. You are not, I repeat, NOT, under any circumstances to come to my home at 4900 Belleview Drive this evening at 11:00 P.M. Is that perfectly clear?”

“Who do you think you are, my father? Ordering me around like that. I mean, I may be your employee and all, and maybe on the job you can tell me what to do, but on my own time I can do what I want, and if I want to come to your house tonight at 11:00 P.M. at 4900 Belleview Drive, then I will. And if you don’t like it, when I get there, you can throw me out, or arrest me, or whatever you do to people who don’t do exactly what you say. Or to people you don’t like.” And the tears began to fall from Jane’s lovely, soft, oversized black eyes.

“Oh no you don’t! You get out of here with those crocodile tears. You just take them and go find someone else to manipulate with that “poor me” act. I may have bought it once, but not again. Now get out of here. I’ve got a party to prepare for.” And with that he turned his back on the prettiest agent he’d ever employed and failed to see the sinister smile play on Jane’s lips as she made her way to the door, just as Jane missed the devious glee in his eyes. The bait was in place, the trap was set and now he only had to notify the other players. He eagerly picked up his private encrypted cell phone, “Tango? Ready to dance? Strike up the band!”



The drive from the office was a blur for Jane. For months she had been trying to finagle an invitation to the home of her new boss. She knew that once there, she could find the missing key to the puzzle she’d been trying to solve for as long as she could remember. It wasn’t chance that had led her to the Amorphus office in search of employment. Nor was it chance that she had precisely the skills the company needed at this particular moment. Everything was in place and Jane was ready to party. She picked up her cell and placed a call. “I’m in,” was all she said.



The house was the biggest on Belleview Drive. It was truly a mansion, said to have 1,000 doors, no more than two leading to or from a single room. The house was set back from the road and couldn’t exactly be seen until you had passed through a thick band of old growth white pine. Jane drove her Corolla through the trees and began to have second thoughts when it appeared that there were no lights on in the house. Those doubts deepened when she didn’t see other cars in the drive. “Oh well,” she thought. “I only need about 5 minutes in his office and I’ll be out of here. If others aren’t around, maybe it’ll be easier. I’ll be able to find the office without interference.” She parked the car and walked the perimeter of the house. She felt oddly out of place crouching under window sills and scooting behind ornamental bushes in her black sequined evening gown, but one did what one had to do.

She approached a wide veranda and not seeing a living soul inside, she went to the French doors. They were unlocked and led to a large lounge. The only light in the room came from fireplaces at opposite ends of the long hall. Food filled a long table running the length of the room. A single door was located on the opposing wall and Jane moved carefully toward it. She was concerned with the lack of human activity in the house, but she was committed to her mission and determined to see it through. She exited the lounge into a hallway that turned at right angles and led to another door that entered another room. “If there are truly 1,000 doors in this house, this could take longer than I thought.”

As Jane entered each room, she first determined if it was an office and then locating an exit, she paid little attention to the contents. “Too quick,” said unseen eyes. “She’s moving too fast to see what’s there.”

Open and close. Open and close. In one door, out another. Door after door. Jane moved stealthily, unseen, she thought. She didn’t pause long enough to realize how strange this whole setup was, or even to realize that she was being set up. “Find the key” was her mantra. Speed was her mode. Thought could wait till later.

And finally she entered a room with a desk. “This is it,” she felt. “At last,” she said aloud and was surprised at the sound of her voice. Her voice echoed in the room empty of all but a desk and on the desk a handwritten note, penned carefully with the flourishes of a hand that prided itself on precision and beauty.

“Congratulations,

“You are to be commended for your perseverance, speed and goal orientation. However, in attaining your goal you have failed to make the most of your trip. In each of the rooms through which you have come, a treasure was yours for the taking. You only needed to stop long enough to see what was there.

“As it is, you have found nothing but another goal, another mission. And that, I’m afraid, is the way your life will be until you stop long enough to see where you are. If I were truly your father, I would long ago have attempted to point out the beauty of each moment you have in this life.

“Now, on your way out, please stop and listen to the music, do a little dance, peruse the poetry and for God’s sake, no, for your own sake, have a bite to eat before you leave.

“Infinitely Yours”

Jane turned to the door and was almost afraid to open it. She stood before it, took a deep breath and cautiously turned the handle of the largest door she had ever seen.