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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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2020-11-05
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The Vipers Den

Summary:

my characters latest exploit's

Work Text:

 

The Vipers Den.
by J.F. Mazzaferro

Habit is memory!  Harry would brag.

Now then, here is your first and most important step towards your trained memory!!!

You must now associate or link the association, must be as ridiculous as possible.

You must picture the item in a funny picture in your mind's eye!!!     If too logical, it will not work.

YOUR  mental picture must be as ridiculous as possible, take my word for the fact that if your association is a logical one, you will not remember it.

LINK method of memory what the link method is,  Use this method of associating ridiculous mental images with item's you want to remember.

 

 

Chapter one

Twenty-four hours had pasted since I agreed to take the case on, I didn't like the fact that so many things could go wrong.  The F.B.I. contacts protocol keeping a phone concealed  was a bad idea, Harry insisted on upgrading the FBI's protocol with the use of one of his own, an internet notebook, he could send digital action and still photo's along with voice transmissions,  what if I was recognized not being that person . The invited guest for which I had the  invitation, he  was 6'4"  I am only 5"9" what am I supposed to tell them I shrunk?   I figured out I would tell anyone who asked that I was there at the request of the invited party to protect his interests!

It all started back at Bernardo's!

The culinary arts,  On the tables at Bernardo's was breath taking,  baskets of fresh bread, along with bowl's of fresh fruit, bananas, grapes and apples.   Bernardo hired mostly ex convicts,  giving them a chance at rehabilitation, never forgetting were he came from.

The scent of the coffee brewing perked us up; the smell was so good we could almost taste it. As the festival of foods kept coming out from the kitchen at Bernardo's.

 The specialty of the day was his mark turtle soap. Bernardo came out of the kitchen rolling a cart with pots and ladles, walking from table to table dishing out generous portions.  The atmosphere at Bernardo's was very pleasant and enjoyable.  Bernardo sent over to the table an expensive bottle of wine and tipped his chef's cap to us !

Rich wanted to know what they were doing there at Bernardo's.  Melelissa answered we are here to speak with an old friend of mine from the New York City homicide division Harry Donohue.  Rich wanted to know when Harry was going to show up.  Melissa Boyle announced he is here as Rich looked towards the entrance!!  Harry's old friend Professor Walter Franklin entered he told Rich his memories of Harry's being the team captain of the chess team and the debating team.  Professor Franklin told Rich that Harry was too small for the football and to weak for the wrestling team, but in retrospect Harry's photographic memory made him the perfect coach, the youngest coach in high school history!!  His memory of the playbook.  When it came to the wrestling team his knowledge of counter wrestling techniques helped his high school win the state championship.

How Harry gave this speech about memorizing the playbook.  As he said; "In your mind's eye, picture an active bee hive, that appoints a special bee as the traffic cop!   Picture in your mind a bee wearing a football helmet with the term police on it who is directing the players, he is your quarter back.

Harry called a special session were by the use of memorization techniques he would teach them the playbook and never forget them.   By picturing each position for each player.  He started with the old statue of liberty play."     Picture the statue of liberty holding the foot ball shoulder height, through these pictures he planted in their minds, the other team is rushing the quarter back, picture one of his team mates taking the football and running with it while all the other team players targeted the quarter back.  He demanded a high degree of excellence.

If you are skeptical it was Harry who led the Chess team to a Championship against College Students.  While being present at Bernardo's Professor Walter Franklin the advisor to the F.B.I. an old and dear friend of Harry's told Rich about Harry!!!

As Bernardo announced on this amateur night, Ladies and Gentleman, Harry the great!! Harry walked on stage I want to show you now that you can start, immediately to remember as you've never remembered before, I don't believe that anyone with an untrained memory can possibly remember twenty unassociated items, in sequence, after hearing or seeing them only once!!

then over to one of the woman In the audience, she had a digital camera with twenty pictures on its memory card.

Harry looked at all twenty for five seconds then gave her back the camera.  Then he announced he was going to tell the audience all twenty items pictured on the camera in order.

He held his right hand to his temple item one, I see a RADIO.  item two, an AIRPLANE.

item three, a Lamp he went on naming all twenty items from his memory.

 The Woman looked confused, "how the hell did you do that", as she showed the twenty   pictures on the camera to the audience.  He smiled, "my mental powers of observation, "and psychic abilities.

He announced to the audience for my next trick I will need a volunteer from audience!!

The Audience went wild.   For his second trick he called on the  FBI agent who happen to be sitting out in the audience with her partner.  Melissa Boyle, while her partner Rich Marzulli was sitting watching the performance.  Harry announced, "Ladies and gentleman I am going to leave the room while, what's your name?  She answered, "Melissa,  Melissa Boyle"," while my beautiful volunteer has the audience  pick out items for which she will sent to me mental images"  After I return I will tell  you what, you my audience picked! Then I will have her leave the room and you can pick items then when she returns I will send her mental picture and she will tell you what items you selected"?

 

After Harry performed his magic tricks the audience went wild with applause, after the performance he walked over to  Melissa Boyle's table she introduced him to her partner, "Harry I want to

Introduce you to my Partner at the F.B.I. Rich Marzulli, Rich meet the

Incredible Mr.  Harry Donohue".  as the two men shook hands. Rich asked, "Tell me Harry how

Did you do it?"  Smiling Harry answered, "With mirrors of course".  Then Harry says, "A magician never reveals his trick". Professor Franklin wanted to know if Harry still had his collection of memorabilia, his winky dink T V screen cover and his captain midnight decoder ring,  with a smile on his face Harry told the Professor of course he did!

Melissa told Rich, "when we were younger, I had a crush on Harry".  she told her partner.  "Do you know exactly what that bastard did?"   Harry laughed while Rich was taking a sip of water and started to choke, coming out with, "I have no idea, what?"

She told him, "he did a disappearing act"!!   "For years I blamed myself, I figured I did

Something wrong?"     "The next time I run into Harry, he was hitting me on the back of my neck with spit balls at the police academy's graduation"!

 

Harry broke out laughing,  "you forgot to mention we were only ten years old when you had that crush".  Harry looked at Melissa and Rich, "it obvious you are not ten years old now", he smiled.

 Harry then asked Melissa, "Tell me why is the F.B.I. interested in a homicide case?"   Melissa and her partner gave each other looks,

"How did you know that's what we wanted to talk about?" Harry said with a smile on his face, "Lets just say E.S.P.".

Melissa told Harry, "We received a call from a hospital in mid town, about a man who was poisoned, he got up and left the hospital".

 "Our boss wanted us to check out this case",  "remember a case we had a couple of years back, you remember the Tylenol case".   "The company had to pull them off the shelves". "Our boss doesn't want a repeat of people dying".

She looked at Harry, "also homeland security is interested in this case, they think it could be the latest terrorist attack?"

Harry looked at them ,"what do you expect from me?"  Melissa said ,"nothing it's our boss who wants you involved, will you do it Harry?"   

"For my sake?"

Bells,  started going off in Harry's head, the last time she pulled this act Harry got beaten up like scramble eggs.   The only difference was this time he packed a 38 police special.    He agreed to do it. Harry handed Melissa a book of codes he created.

Messages pre set by numbers.

 Harry gave himself the code name Tasmanian devil. With an almost evil smirk on his face he called Melissa little red riding hood, he was thinking metaphorically to himself.

Somewhere in New York in the FBI offices an agent by the name of Walter Franklin became Harry's contact, he was sitting at a computer desk monitoring, looking for Harry's coded messages.

 

 

 

 

 Chapter two.

It start when each of us receives an invitation in the mail, to attend a reading of a will,  this reading will take place at Graves Yard island, we will spend one full week there with  no contact with the main land,  all cell phones will be confiscated at the docks were arrangements have been made to take us there.

Each  invitation stated, the fact that if you are receiving this invitation it  means that  someone of you has managed to do what the rest of you couldn't do, murder me!

To show you no good deed goes unpunished.  I have invited all of you plus my attorney's, the law  firm of leach, leach and bloodsuckers,  who has  been instructed to play an instructional video message I've pre-recorded.  This message could be worth forty million dollars to  one of you, who ever finds out who among you was responsible for my death, you will have one week before the boat will return to take you back to the mainland.

I know each one of you hated me as much as I hated you!! But, each one of you hates each other and should not trust each other, watch your backs. You will find on my island not only the guests have a motive, the servants and the attorneys. Do also. Trust no one?

One of you might get real lucky, lucky enough to leave graves yard island with forty million dollars. If you accept this challenge you will meet with my attorneys all arrangements have been made, you will depart from port at ten in the morning!

 Mr. Leach pointed to the gentleman who stood with his back turned to us. I was surprised that I had not even notice there was someone else in the room with us. I headed towards the unknown man, determined to find out what he could possible want with me.

My heart thumped frantically as I got closer. There was something vaguely familiar about him. He handed me a martini, my favorite drink. My heart stopped and my throat went dry when I heard his voice.

It was Robert Brennon himself. What was he playing? Ooooh, how I wanted to slap that smirk off his face as his eyes lighted up with triumph while watching my surprised reaction. I couldn't help but nod at his gloating achievements of fooling us all.

I smiled as the great Mr. Brennon needed my help. I couldn't believe he was giving back all the money I used to pay him off.

I bit my lower lip as I thought over my response to his question. An eager look covered his face. I inhaled deeply and nodded.

"Fine, I will help you. But I warn you this better not be a trick, Robert, or you shall pay dearly. By the way, when shall I expect the others to arrive? I would like to freshen up and give them all a warm greeting."

I narrowed my gaze on Robert while a twisted smile formed on my lips. Yes. Once I discover the weakness of each and every guest I would take them down. Mr. Brennon was no fool. We both knew we couldn't trust each other, but when we plotted together, we were invincible.

Robert E Brennon's white hair gave him that distinguished look along with the white mustache  under his nose. The finishing touches! He looked tired, tired of life. The crows feet around his eyes, plus those dark tell tale circles, a sign of his poor health. He walked around as though he was in a fog.

He stopped for a moment, then told Bella, "I am a dead man, someone poisoned me"."The doctors only gave me 7 days, 7 days to live at best". "I want to find out who did it to me, why? Before I die?" The doctors don't have an antidote to the poi sen, a heavy metal poi sen".

"This is why I need your help Bella, I made you the benefactor to my estate in my will and left you the diamond mind". "They say it's a pain full death the system will close down", He then ca lapsed!!

He told her "Bella, my doctors warned me to stay in the hospital".   "He advised Me to expect gastrointestinal problems, nausea and vomiting".

"A slow death".

"He told me",  "Heavy metal effect's the kidney, liver brain and the nerve's, causing damage before death".  "Each system closes down". "The doctors could not tell me just exactly how long do I have left before I die".  As his body convulsed, the paramedics arrived on the scene, he  refused to go with them.  He was a stubborn man and would stay that way till the day he died.

It had been Mr. Leach who called the paramedic's. Mr. Leach's real name was Edward Morgan, a medical student who Robert E Brannon hired as his attendant at least this is what Mr. Leach told everyone. Edward told Bella, The doctors only agreed to let him out of the hospital if he had a Medical attendant with him".   He went to his station wagon with the M.D. plates

And took out a wheel chair, helped Robert into it.

Then turned to Bella, He told me all about you", "I feel like I know you so well".

"He is really taken with you".   "Did you know he carries a picture of you in his?

Wallet?"  "I know he told me, he would never admit it to you".   "I'm sorry, I know

Bella  is not your real name, but he has called you by that name so long".

"That's the only name I know you by?"      "You have to see how his eyes light up whenever he talks about you"!!!

She told him,  My name is Mia Greco and I'm Italian. I am also known as the Black Widow. I've received a tempting invitation I cannot refuse. I will go see this video and discover what I must do to win this fortune. And I warn you all those that will show up too: I will do what's necessary to win. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING! Do not dare challenge me, for your death shall soon follow.

As Robert Brennon slouched down in the wheel chair, he tried to warn Bella that Edward was lying to her. He was not hired as an attendant as he lead her to believe?

He open his mouth but nothing but incoherent babble came out.

 Edward told Bella,  "just what I was afraid of, Robert had a stroke". It was eating Robert up

Alive, if looks could kill the look Robert Brennon gave Edward Morgan would have done its job.   The tears from his eyes reflected the pain he was in, sitting in utter frustration!!

He tried to warn Bella of the pending danger she was in.   He opens his mouth wide but nothing that came out made any sense.  He was frustrated, his heart pounding in his chest.

 What Robert learned about Edward Morgan, just why was the name Morgan so familiar to him?  When Morgan wheeled Robert up to Morgan's room, this is when he got his answers!!

It became clear to him.  On the night table by the bed, a wedding picture of Edwards, Mother and Father, the other one was Bella and husband number three.

The newspaper clipping of how Edward Morgan's mother committed suicide after The death of his father,  with Edward Morgan it was not about money but revenge.

Just how was he going to warn Bella?

 

 

Chapter three.

Harry left the pirates cove sea vessel walking down the gang  plank,  the placket gave notice HE WHO ENTERS HERE ABANDENT ALL HOPES , He was greeted by Mia Greco.

If that wasn't bad enough, Upon arriving on Grave Yard Island,  in Harrys , first meeting, in his first message, he described the other guest, "A female, 30 years old gorgeously attractive woman.  Italian, long midnight black hair that hung down below her knee's, blue eyes, wearing black chiffon dress showing a lot of cleavage".  DRESSED TO KILL.  Requested by code a background check?

The way Harry described her,  Melissa became very jealous! Sent him a return message, "Keep your mind on business, Harry".   Harry smiled had a devilish gleam in his eyes!!

Harry was excellent at thinking on his feet, but Melissa didn't know if that also applied on his back in the sack.   Harry compelling argument to the other guests,

Our host hired me to play a compellingly exciting game I created.  It's called hangman and  reverse hangman.

I'm going to ask you questions your answers will affected you in the game this way an answer can add a noose line in hangman, remove a line in reverse hangman  and add a line to the noose for no answer.

All the guests except for Bella gave Harry a cock-eyed look, Bella gave him a big smile.  Mr. Leach tried to exclude himself from the game, but Harry would not let him off the hook.  Harry announced, all you have to do is answer the questions honestly.   If you don't answer we will add to the noose.

My assistant as he pointed to Bella will be doing the exact same thing , to the other guests.  We will get to all of you, one at a time.  When the game is finished we will know all about you.

By your refusing to play, it is a form of self incrimination, let's just call it truth or consequences and we know what that is!!  Harry smiled.  Question one, the way I see it you all hated and have motives to want to see our host dead?  Is that the truth? If so what is it your motive?

 

Question number two, I need to know your where abouts for the last twelve days?

I will start off by telling you where I was,  I was performing down in the east village at Barnardo's establishment,  this can be checked out by the local newspapers review of my act!   Now it's your turn, see how easy it is, full disclosure verifiable.  Let's just hope you all have good alibi's?

One of the other guests became very indignant,  "who the hell do you think you are?"  Harry's  use of his confidence game smiled. "Just call me the executioner", "You get your first line for the game".  "Mr. Logan , see how easy that is".  The rest all concentrated on Harrys every word.

 

 

end part 3