Johnnie Oh ACT I Part One

Dr. Maxwell Plume was aquitted of charges related to the death of several people who had consumed his popular energy drink Toro Rojo. The President, under pressure from several powerful lobbying groups, has contacted Winston Mills of the powerful xyz organization to stem Dr. Plume's rapidly growing empire.  Click here to view the previous episode.

Johnnie Oh parked the shiny red Ford GT at the far west corner of the parking lot. The nearest vehicle was a hundred feet away. The fact that there were plenty of open spaces closer to the entrance of the WCN Building didn’t matter. Why give anyone a chance to dent his new toy when he was more than healthy enough to walk the rest of the way? He strutted into the lobby of the WCN Building and flashed his ID card in the direction of the middle-aged security guard who lazily waved him through. He took an elevator to the 24^th floor. He smiled at a beautiful red head that was getting on as he got off. “Damn!” he thought to himself. He resisted the urge to turn around and check her out. Getting caught in the act of sneaking a peek was, he considered, a bad move. “Or was it?” he wondered as the doors swished shut behind him. Moments later, he was standing in front of the door leading to the office of Winston Mills. He pressed the small green intercom button. “WCN, may I help you?”

“Hey you!”

“Oh, Johnnie!” she replied, excitement in her voice. A buzzer sounded and Johnnie Oh pulled the door open. He stepped into the plush foyer and was greeted by Julie Pearl, Winn’s young, pretty receptionist. She jumped into his arms and he spun her like a small child. He thought of her not quite as a daughter but as a kid sister, an adopted one at that. She thought of him as a stepbrother, or perhaps a distant cousin, or maybe the guy you call “Uncle” who really isn’t.

“It’s good to see you,” she said handing him an envelope. “Winn’s in his office. I’ll buzz you in.” “Let’s do lunch,” he suggested. “Great!” she replied. “My relief will be here at…” Julie looked at her watch. “…11:45. Is that O.K.?” “That’ll work,” he replied. “Heart-breaker!” Johnnie thought to himself as he watched her squiggle her way back to her desk. Julie Pearl was a knockout! All she ever wore was skirts, spandex or tight shorts, anything to show off her long, athletic legs, and her perfect …waist.

The door leading to the office of Winn Mills swung gently open. Johnnie Oh walked in and stopped several feet short of the huge mahogany desk behind which sat the dapperly attired Winn Mills.

Johnnie stood at parade rest, the envelope behind his back. He cleared his throat.

Winn’s eyes lit up the minute he saw Johnnie. He sprang from behind his desk to greet him with a hug. He released him and took a step back to admire his protégé, his best agent and, he thought, with great emotion, his best friend.

"Thank God you’re alive, man!" he said.

“Knock on wood,” replied Johnnie.

“You’re looking good old man,” Johnnie continued with good humor.

“Who you calling old, you cocky bastard?” replied Winn. “Let me get you a drink.”

Winn headed across the room to the bar. Johnnie dropped the envelope on the desk before following him.

"Did you look in the envelope?" Winn asked as he poured drinks.

"No," Johnnie Oh replied. He handed Johnnie Oh his drink. "Cheers” he said raising his glass. Johnnie Oh nodded his head while raising his glass. “Cheers,” he replied. He sipped the ice cold Stoly.

"The explosion!” Winn exclaimed excitedly. “It was all over cable, the news!" He unconsciously stroked the back of his bald head, smoothing the few remaining slick black hairs, as he walked back to the huge tinted window opening to a stunning panorama of the city’s Upper East Side. He gazed out the window for a moment before turning toward Johnnie. “It reminded me so much of that day with your…father.” Johnnie Oh’s intense gray eyes shot daggers into Winn’s damp, slightly blood shot orbs.

“I’m sorry, Johnnie,” he said softly. Johnnie Oh relaxed a bit. He held no animosity toward Winn. The man had been like a father to him, in some ways more so than his natural father.

“Don’t be sorry,” Johnnie Oh replied.

Johnnie Oh turned away. He was facing the paneled wall adjacent to the window. The rich Mahogany paneling was awash in the light of the midday sun. Slowly, a thick gray cloud drifted in and settled in the path of the sunlight, obscuring the details of the wall.

Then, a stiff breeze pushed the stubborn cloud just enough to allow a ray of sunlight to shine upon a portion of the wall that he hadn’t noticed before. Here, bathed in golden sunshine, an ornate gilded frame rested upon an ornate marble shelf that had been skillfully adjoined to the rich mahogany paneling. The frame contained a photograph.

His eyes went wide as he recognized the photograph of his mother. He held it in his hands and gazed upon her countenance longingly. Emotions, long held prisoner in the steel cage of his mind, began to stir. He beat them back but a single determined tear struggled mightily and finally succeeded at escaping from the corner of his damaged left eye.

He watched as it fell to the carpet where it was quickly absorbed by the rich fibers.

“Enough of that,” he thought as he composed himself.

He replaced the picture on the mantel and turned toward Winn. “I haven’t seen that picture in years,” he said. He focused his gaze on Winn. This time it was softer, less threatening.

“Where’d you get that picture, Winn?” he asked with a silly grin on his face. In light of Johnnie’s new mood, Winn felt it safe to tell him the truth. "It was in the safe. One of the few things that wasn’t destroyed by the blast,” he said. “I was saving it for you but we thought you were killed. Thank God you survived. There’s a bunch of bad guys out there waiting to be caught by the world famous Johnnie Oh!” Winn glanced briefly at the envelope on his desk. “I was gonna give this job to Mervyn,” he started, “Mervyn’s good, but now with you back, well, there’s nobody better for this job.”

Winn sat behind his desk. “Please, sit,” he said. Johnnie Oh took a seat across from him.

"Despite Dr. Plume’s celebrity and the popularity of Toro Rojo, the President believes he represents a threat to mankind," Winn said. "Based on what?” Johnnie Oh asked.

Winn watched silently as Johnnie flipped through the remaining photographs, news clippings and assorted scraps of paper.

“Is mankind really threatened because some guy invented some stupid energy drink?” Johnnie Oh asked.

"We are being well compensated to do a job - not to judge," Winn Mills explained. He was briefly overcome by a wave of nausea. He wasn’t sure if it was Johnnie Oh’s question, the vodka splashing around his empty stomach, or both. Johnnie Oh never questioned the moral aspects of any job. If Winn gave the green light then there had to be a good reason to execute the plan. Did the explosion that robbed Johnnie Oh of sight in one eye make him more introspective?

"So, you’re on board?" Winn Mills asked. He was growing impatient. He needed an Alka-Seltzer and a dry salami sandwich on white. Johnnie Oh noticed his discomfort. "I’m on board." Johnnie Oh replied. They got up to meet in the center of the office. Winn offered his hand, which Johnnie accepted. “You know,” Johnnie said, as he pumped Winn’s hand like an old fashioned water pump, “there’s no proof that he’s done anything illegal.” Winn grasped Johnnie by the shoulders and shook him gently. “Sometimes,” he said as earnestly as he could, “you have to step in and protect people who are unable or unwilling to protect themselves." He took a business card out of his pocket and held it out to Johnnie Oh.

“I was saving this in case you get cold feet.” A look of surprise crossed Johnnie Oh's face. The card was embossed with the raised seal of the Office of the President of the United States of America.

“Cold feet?” Johnnie Oh scoffed as he snatched the card from Winn. "Is this really his private number?" he asked. "Direct line," Winn replied.

“I’m not playing robot on this one. I’ll follow orders, but I think I’ve earned the right to question them, “Johnnie Oh said.” Perhaps," Winn replied. "Just remember you’ll be working with a team of people who haven’t earned that right. Last thing we need is the lunatics running the asylum.” "Don’t worry," Johnnie said. "I’ll keep my bad attitude between just you and me." "Good idea," Winn said. Johnnie gathered his belongings and went out.

“Be careful Johnnie," Winn called. “The last thing you want is to wake up dead.” Johnnie looked back and winked before pulling the door shut.

This excerpt from Johnnie Oh and the Scarlet Portent was inspired by Death in the Afternoon by Ernest Hemingway

to be continued...

Please visit my blog:  Learn to Write Articles, Essays, and Other Stuff

Thanks!