Batukhan cursed the storm. He found it a brutal reminder of the hole in his heart that just wouldn't heal.
The rain was relentless, going on for hours. And each new assault on the massive floor to ceiling windows of his office brought him from the concentration he was fighting to maintain. Concentration he desperately needed tonight.
Bat tried again to lose himself in the quarterly business reports for his business, Khan Engineering. The report was vital. One that needed absorption and study so he could report to his Board of Directors, then the department heads. It worked. Well, it worked for a few minutes anyway. And then there was another wave of rain. Another burst of wind. Another stir of painful memories he didn't want.
It had been raining the night of the accident two years ago. Violent weather, violent consequences. The connection wasn't logical, but it was there regardless. Bat considered it a new battle to fight, and win.
Eventually.
That's why the blinds remained open. One way or another, he would conquer this particular demon just as he had conquered all the others in his life. The beeping of his intercom echoed through the office seconds before he heard the voice of his secretary, Paula Anderson. "Sorry to interrupt you, boss, but there's someone here to see you ."
Batukhan automatically checked the antique clock on the polished-stone-and-mahogany mantel. It was just after eight-thirty. Not late, but since the estate wasn't exactly on the beaten path, it was hardly the hour for an unexpected guest. And an unwanted one. Bat didn't have to know the person's identity to know that. Anyone was unwanted at this point. He was not in the visitors kind of mood.
"It is Tyler Johnson," Paula said, with a bit of concern. "He says it is important."
That captured Batukhan's attention. He tossed the reports aside and reached for the security feed on his computer and zoomed in on the wrought iron gate that blocked the large oaken doors to his home. Even through the thick gray rain and dusky light he had no trouble seeing the blue car parked in the drive. Or the large framed man staring at the intercom and security camera, apparently waiting for Paula to open the gate for his visit. Even though Bat knew his name as well as his own, he'd yet to meet Tyler Johnson, the man he'd spoken to and corresponded with too many times to count. That didn't mean he wanted their first meeting to happen tonight. There was something about his ashen face and shell-shocked stare that had him reconsidering to let the man inside. He looked upset. And his shoulder length brown hair was plastered to his head and cheeks. He'd obviously had a run in with the rain and he didn't look any more pleased with the precipitation than Bat was. "What does he want?" Batukhan asked Paula. "He said it was personal. That he urgently needed to speak to you." Of course it was personal. It couldn't be anything but. He'd been paid, so Bat had to wonder if there were old scores to settle and all of that. And the urgent part' Well that was expected too. Things always seemed urgent to a man like Tyler. This little visit was no doubt about Singapore. Maybe there were more problems than he'd heard about. Maybe there was another frivolous lawsuit against the part of the company he was over, another wrong that could only be righted with tons of cash. Either way, it couldn't be good. "Maybe he's here to kill me," Batukhan mumbled under his breath. And it wasn't a joke. A thought like that should normally have elicited fear or at least a feeling of dread, but it had been a long while since he'd felt fear. That could happen to a when a man lost everything: a woman that he'd loved and was carrying their child. There was literally nothing left for him to fear, or lose. What he had dreaded the most had already come to pass. "Open the gate," Bat said into the communication system. "Show him to my office."
At least Tyler would be some form of distraction from the storm. Sad but true. He preferred to face a possible homicidal assassin, than to deal with the blasted responses of the weather. "Paula, do a quick scan of his body for weapons and a background check. Passports, travel, rentals, the works," Bat added, because, while the distraction would be welcomed, he preferred to be informed. Especially if Mr. Johnson had come with murder on his mind. "I haven't kept tabs on him or his family in quite some time." "Sure, Boss." Batukhan watched as the Iron Gate opened and Tyler immediately stepped in toward the oak doors leading into his home. "Tyler Andrew Johnson," Paula said through the intercom. One of his servants opened the front door and escorted the man inside. "He is thirty-two, lives in San Francisco. A police record for petty crimes was tried and acquitted for murder. He started working for the San Fran office five years ago and travelling to Singapore as well as Greece recently." Nothing new, he'd already known those details. "And news of his family?" Bat asked as he gave the security feed another adjustment to watch Tyler's walk through the foyer and to the large, spiraling staircases that lead to the upper floor and his office. Unlike other visitors, not once did he stop or even glance at the surroundings. He kept his attention on the man leading him toward the office almost like a zombie. Or so he thought. Bat zoomed the camera in on Tyler's face. Definitely not zombie-like. He was determined. Which meant his theory on him being there to kill him might not be so far off the mark.
"A baby, four months ago," Paula continued. "A son named Ryan Anthony."
Interesting. "Save further details for later," Bat said as he straightened his tie right before his servant knocked on the office door. It was showtime. "Should I monitor this visit?" Paula asked. Monitoring meant keeping an eye on the security systems and be ready should Tyler go ballistic. "No, I expect this won't take long." And in a louder voice he instructed Tyler to enter.
The door opened slowly, and even though there was no eerie creaking sound from the hinges, the room suddenly seemed to take the ambiance of a horror movie in which the rain and wind battered the windows and a mountain of a man being illuminated by flashes of lightning walked toward him, slowly, then stopped for a formal bow. "Mister Johnson." Bat returned his bow. "Sir, I am sorry to have come to you unannounced, but you must hear." Tyler said quickly. "Three are dead, Sir. One as close as two weeks ago."
The rain was relentless, going on for hours. And each new assault on the massive floor to ceiling windows of his office brought him from the concentration he was fighting to maintain. Concentration he desperately needed tonight.
Bat tried again to lose himself in the quarterly business reports for his business, Khan Engineering. The report was vital. One that needed absorption and study so he could report to his Board of Directors, then the department heads. It worked. Well, it worked for a few minutes anyway. And then there was another wave of rain. Another burst of wind. Another stir of painful memories he didn't want.
It had been raining the night of the accident two years ago. Violent weather, violent consequences. The connection wasn't logical, but it was there regardless. Bat considered it a new battle to fight, and win.
Eventually.
That's why the blinds remained open. One way or another, he would conquer this particular demon just as he had conquered all the others in his life. The beeping of his intercom echoed through the office seconds before he heard the voice of his secretary, Paula Anderson. "Sorry to interrupt you, boss, but there's someone here to see you ."
Batukhan automatically checked the antique clock on the polished-stone-and-mahogany mantel. It was just after eight-thirty. Not late, but since the estate wasn't exactly on the beaten path, it was hardly the hour for an unexpected guest. And an unwanted one. Bat didn't have to know the person's identity to know that. Anyone was unwanted at this point. He was not in the visitors kind of mood.
"It is Tyler Johnson," Paula said, with a bit of concern. "He says it is important."
That captured Batukhan's attention. He tossed the reports aside and reached for the security feed on his computer and zoomed in on the wrought iron gate that blocked the large oaken doors to his home. Even through the thick gray rain and dusky light he had no trouble seeing the blue car parked in the drive. Or the large framed man staring at the intercom and security camera, apparently waiting for Paula to open the gate for his visit. Even though Bat knew his name as well as his own, he'd yet to meet Tyler Johnson, the man he'd spoken to and corresponded with too many times to count. That didn't mean he wanted their first meeting to happen tonight. There was something about his ashen face and shell-shocked stare that had him reconsidering to let the man inside. He looked upset. And his shoulder length brown hair was plastered to his head and cheeks. He'd obviously had a run in with the rain and he didn't look any more pleased with the precipitation than Bat was. "What does he want?" Batukhan asked Paula. "He said it was personal. That he urgently needed to speak to you." Of course it was personal. It couldn't be anything but. He'd been paid, so Bat had to wonder if there were old scores to settle and all of that. And the urgent part' Well that was expected too. Things always seemed urgent to a man like Tyler. This little visit was no doubt about Singapore. Maybe there were more problems than he'd heard about. Maybe there was another frivolous lawsuit against the part of the company he was over, another wrong that could only be righted with tons of cash. Either way, it couldn't be good. "Maybe he's here to kill me," Batukhan mumbled under his breath. And it wasn't a joke. A thought like that should normally have elicited fear or at least a feeling of dread, but it had been a long while since he'd felt fear. That could happen to a when a man lost everything: a woman that he'd loved and was carrying their child. There was literally nothing left for him to fear, or lose. What he had dreaded the most had already come to pass. "Open the gate," Bat said into the communication system. "Show him to my office."
At least Tyler would be some form of distraction from the storm. Sad but true. He preferred to face a possible homicidal assassin, than to deal with the blasted responses of the weather. "Paula, do a quick scan of his body for weapons and a background check. Passports, travel, rentals, the works," Bat added, because, while the distraction would be welcomed, he preferred to be informed. Especially if Mr. Johnson had come with murder on his mind. "I haven't kept tabs on him or his family in quite some time." "Sure, Boss." Batukhan watched as the Iron Gate opened and Tyler immediately stepped in toward the oak doors leading into his home. "Tyler Andrew Johnson," Paula said through the intercom. One of his servants opened the front door and escorted the man inside. "He is thirty-two, lives in San Francisco. A police record for petty crimes was tried and acquitted for murder. He started working for the San Fran office five years ago and travelling to Singapore as well as Greece recently." Nothing new, he'd already known those details. "And news of his family?" Bat asked as he gave the security feed another adjustment to watch Tyler's walk through the foyer and to the large, spiraling staircases that lead to the upper floor and his office. Unlike other visitors, not once did he stop or even glance at the surroundings. He kept his attention on the man leading him toward the office almost like a zombie. Or so he thought. Bat zoomed the camera in on Tyler's face. Definitely not zombie-like. He was determined. Which meant his theory on him being there to kill him might not be so far off the mark.
"A baby, four months ago," Paula continued. "A son named Ryan Anthony."
Interesting. "Save further details for later," Bat said as he straightened his tie right before his servant knocked on the office door. It was showtime. "Should I monitor this visit?" Paula asked. Monitoring meant keeping an eye on the security systems and be ready should Tyler go ballistic. "No, I expect this won't take long." And in a louder voice he instructed Tyler to enter.
The door opened slowly, and even though there was no eerie creaking sound from the hinges, the room suddenly seemed to take the ambiance of a horror movie in which the rain and wind battered the windows and a mountain of a man being illuminated by flashes of lightning walked toward him, slowly, then stopped for a formal bow. "Mister Johnson." Bat returned his bow. "Sir, I am sorry to have come to you unannounced, but you must hear." Tyler said quickly. "Three are dead, Sir. One as close as two weeks ago."