Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2015 09:00:38 +0000 (UTC)
From: z119z 2000 <z119z2000@yahoo.com>
Subject: White Nosie Part 10

White Noise, Part 10 of 10

z119z

© the author 2015

Comments are appreciated. Please send them to z119z2000@yahoo.com. Thanks.


Chapter 19

"Hi, I'm back. I hope you're hungry. I got two pizzas. I'm starving. Let's
eat. Hey, what's with you two? You look so serious." Jeff set the boxes
down on the table and flipped open the lids. The smell of pizza filled the
room.

Without preamble, Michael said, "Matt knows, Jeff. I've told him everything
about Sandman."

"Don't worry, Jeff," said Matt. He walked over to Jeff and put an arm
across Jeff's shoulders and pulled him close. " I'll see that you're
protected. It's a clear case of undue influence. You're as much a victim as
these units Michael has been telling me about. With your testimony, we'll
be able to put Foster away for the rest of his life."

"Put Foster away? What do you mean? If anyone needs to be punished, it's
me." Jeff ducked out of Matt's embrace. He picked up one of the pizza boxes
and held it before Matt. "Here. Take some. Eat it before it gets cold."

"Jeff, you've got to help the police. It's your only chance to be free of
Kenneth."

"Michael, what are you saying? I'm not Kenneth's slave. Come on, let's sit
down and eat. You must be starving."

"You don't seem to understand what I'm saying, Jeff. Matt's going to help
us. We'll finally be free of Kenneth."

"Michael, OK, OK. We'll talk about this. But first let's eat and then we'll
talk. I promise. Here have a slice."

"This tastes funny," Michael looked askance at the slice in his hand.

"Probably an anchovy," suggested Jeff.

"No, it tasted like I bit into a peppercorn." Michael took another bite and
chewed it thoughtfully. "Must have been my imagination. It tastes fine
now."

*****

"Yes, Director?"

"We've been following your nephew, Kenneth. He left the River Towers at
around 4:00 this afternoon and took a cab to that warehouse of his. About
45 minutes later, he left in his van, with his two helpers. One of them was
dressed like a bike messenger. Your nephew parked near your store, and the
helper dressed like a messenger took a manila envelope inside about 5:30. A
minute or so later, the woman who works for you and then the messenger came
out of the store. Your nephew waited inside the van for 10 minutes or so
and then made a phone call. Your assistant Jeff opened the door of the
shop, and your nephew and the two helpers went inside. A short time later,
the lead helper came out again and drove off in the van. We didn't have
enough men on the scene to follow him. So we let him go and concentrated on
your nephew. We could tell that Jeff and your nephew weren't in the front
of the shop, and one of my men had the bright idea to see if there was a
back entrance to the shop."

"There is. How long was Scott in the shop? He's rather jealous of Jeff. He
thinks I favor Jeff. This is not good, Director."

"Our man discovered the van parked in the alleyway behind the shop. He
contacted the other two men. One man watched the front and the third man
ran around the block to the other end of the alley. Unfortunately there was
no way for the two men in the alley to get close enough to hear or see what
your nephew was doing without being discovered. A few minutes after they
found the alleyway and got in position, Scott and Jeff and the other two
were getting ready to leave. Scott was inside the shop with Jeff for about
30 minutes. They drove off in the van, and my men followed. The van stopped
at a pizza place, and Jeff went in. He came out a few minutes later with
two boxes of pizza. Then the van drove to an address that we subsequently
ascertained is Jeff's apartment."

"Then what happened?"

"Jeff got out alone and walked into the building carrying the pizzas. We
assume he went to his apartment. The rest of them waited in the van for
about fifteen minutes. Your nephew got a phone call a few minutes ago. We
could see him through the front window of the van talking on a cell
phone. He just now got out of the van and went into the building."

"Alone?"

"Yes, his two assistants are still in the van."

"I'm going over there. Instruct your men to wait for me. They should enter
the apartment only if they suspect Scott is harming Jeff and Michael or if
he tries to take them away in his van. I'll be there in about half an
hour."

*****

Jeff had been disgusting enough, but Michael and this policeman were even
worse. One couldn't always choose one's test subjects, but really he was
going to have to insist to Uncle Kenneth that he needed subjects that met
rigid and strict criteria. No more rats harvested from the streets. Scott
giggled. The city would be better off without these three. Dad was always
stressing that everyone had a civic duty to improve the appearance of the
world. Well, Dad would be right behind him in this endeavor. The appearance
of the city would be much improved after he had finished with these three.
He should have done Michael in when he had had the chance. Instead he had
relied on Philip to take care of him. And Philip had proved to be a weak
vessel.  He had had hopes for Philip, but the boy was too squeamish to
follow through. He was sadly lacking in moral fiber. Moral fiber—that
was another of Dad's campaigns. Dad would be so proud to see how much moral
fiber his younger son had. William Vee didn't even come close in the fiber
department. Probably thought fiber was something you got by eating bran
flakes.

And the policeman. Had Jeff actually had sex with this oaf? The man had to
be six-six and a yard wide across the shoulders. Ridiculously narrow
through the hips, and his thighs and butt strained the fabric of his
pants. Overdeveloped moron. Not a gentleman. If he was going to be so
large, at least he could have his clothes tailored. He would never find
ready-to-wear that fit. Well, Jeff must like the dark, Mediterranean
type. And all that hair, so riotously curly. Michael had dark hair too.

All three of them were docile now. The drug had seen to that. But the place
smelled like pizza. A disgusting food. All that garlic and tomatoes and
cheese. And anchovies. They ought to be banned. The smell was making him
quite nauseous. And they had a cat too. A real cat, not one of his clean
manimals. He had to get out of there quickly. But first he had to make a
phone call.

*

"Uncle Kenneth?"

"Scott, how's my favorite nephew?"

"I'm fine, Uncle Kenneth. Where are you now?"

"I've just left my office on Canal Street. I'm in my car. Where are you?"

"Uncle Kenneth, I've uncovered a plot."

"A plot? What sort of a plot?"

"It's Jeff and that Michael of his. They've been conspiring with the police
against you. They've even been having sex with one of them, an inspector."

"Is the inspector named Dell'uomo."

"I don't know. A big, ugly guy. Jeff called him Matt."

"Yes, that's Dell'uomo. How did you find all of this out, Scott?"

"I've known for some time that Jeff was plotting something, Uncle. Tonight
I gave him some of the drug, and he confessed everything to me. Then I
tricked Michael and this Matt into taking some of the drug. I have all
three of them under control, Uncle."

"Where are you now, Scott?"

"I'm at Jeff's place, Uncle. But I can't stay here. It smells, and they
have a cat. It's so small. They have so much stuff. There's no room to
breathe here, Uncle. I have to get out of here soon. I'm going to take them
to my place."

"The River Towers?"

"No, my loft. There's more room there."

"Scott, wait for me at Jeff's. I will be there in just a few minutes. I'll
help you move the three of them. If they have only just been drugged, they
could be too much for one person to handle. Open a window. Get some fresh
air. That will help you, Scottie. Uncle Kenneth will be there soon. You'll
do that for me, won't you, Scottie?"

"Yes, Uncle Kenneth, but please hurry. I don't like this place."

"Just open the window and keep talking to me. Have you got the window open?
Good. Now take deep breaths and just be calm. I'll be there soon."

*

His brain wasn't working right, Matt decided. He could think that he wanted
to move, he could form the motions in his mind, but his muscles weren't
getting the message. He had to protect Jeff and Michael from this strange
man who had come in. But he felt so tired, and it was so easy to do what
the man said and just sit still, but the man was going to hurt Jeff and
Michael and he had to protect them. The man was talking on the phone to
someone. He was going to take them somewhere. Matt knew that if this man
told him to move, his body would obey. He had to prevent the man from
taking them away. Now the man was opening the window and leaning out. If he
could only stand up, if he could just gain control of his legs and his arms
and move. It would only take a second to cross to the window. He had to
protect Jeff and Michael. He was so much bigger than this man, it would be
easy to subdue him. He was so tired. His mind wasn't working. He had to
concentrate. Concentrate on moving.

*

"Scott, what was that noise?  Scott? Scott, are you all right?"

*

"Director, this is Kenneth Foster. I was talking with my nephew Scott
Foster inside my assistant's apartment. I heard a strange noise, and my
nephew is no longer speaking. Get your men in there and control the
situation. They will need to be quiet so that the neighbors aren't
disturbed. I'll be there in about five minutes."

*****

"Is this how you found them?"

"No, Sir, we've been trying to bring the little guy around. He was lying on
the floor by the window when we came him. He appears to have been knocked
out by the big guy. When we got here, the big guy was lying on top of
him. The big guy was out of it too, but as far as we can tell there's no
physical damage to him, other than a small cut on his face, but that must
have happened when he fell. He seems to be drugged, Sir. He keeps
struggling to move. We told him to get up and all he could do was roll over
off the other guy. We carried the small guy over to that couch so that we
could administer first aid."

"How did he knock him out? I don't see any weapon." Kenneth Foster pointed
to Dell'uomo and his nephew to make it clear whom he was talking about. He
intentionally did not identify the people in the room. The less the team of
agents knew, the less they would have to be made to forget.

"I'm just guessing, but if I had to do it, Sir, I would ball my fists
together like this and bring them down on the back of the other person's
neck. Given the difference in size and height, it wouldn't have been
difficult for the big guy to knock the other one out."

"What about the other two?"

"When we came in, they were sitting at that table with the same vacant
looks on their faces. It looks like they just finished a pizza. They
haven't moved since we arrived. Do you know these guys?"

"Yes, but you don't need to know their names. I'll take care of these
three. It's this man I'm concerned about." Kenneth Foster pointed to his
nephew. "He has been doing some work for the agency that brought him into
contact with these three. He is not well. I'm afraid he has been taking
some medications that have affected his mind and caused him to become
paranoid. I don't know why he became suspicious of the others, but he
called me a short time ago and ranted on about a conspiracy. It's all in
his mind. Are you in contact with the director?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Please call him and tell him that we need to transfer this man to a safe
facility. He will explain to you what needs to be done. I will take care of
the others. They have been given a drug that I developed for the agency. I
know how to deal with it. For the moment, however, it would be best if you
and your man removed this man and transported him to the site the director
arranges."

"I will have to check with the director first, Sir."

"Yes, of course. Tell him that I will call him after I have dealt with
these three."

"Should I call medical backup, Sir? We have a team standing by. They could
help you with these men."

"No, that will not be necessary. They are in no danger. The drug will wear
off shortly. Right now it is imperative to remove this man and get him
medical treatment in a safe facility. The director will give you your
orders."

* "Matt, how are you feeling?" Kenneth Foster leaned over Dell'uomo. Of the
three, he was the only one even partially conscious.

"Yunishtz."

"Yunishtz?"

"U . . . nits. You musht shtop."

"Matt, everything is being taken care of. You don't have to worry about
anything right now. You can relax. You have done your job by protecting
Jeff and Michael. Why don't you just sleep for a while? Remember how we
talked about hypnosis in my office and you watched the red light?"

"Mmmm, 's nice."

"Yes, it was nice. Just close your eyes for a moment and think of that red
light. Remember how it grew brighter and then dimmer, brighter and
dimmer. And how you felt so peaceful as you watched it. Brighter and then
dimmer. You feel so relaxed, so at peace, so calm. You want to go to sleep
for hours. You feel so tired. That's right, Just close your eyes. Your eyes
are so heavy. Your whole body is so heavy. Just relax. Sleep. Just sleep
deeply."

*

"Michael, Matt is sleeping on your bed. You are going to get up from the
table and walk into your bedroom and lie down on the bed with
Matt. Good. Very good, Michael. Now lie down. Just relax. Sleep,
Michael. You remember all of our talks from years ago, Michael. Remember
how you used to sleep when I told you to. How you would relax so
completely. So deeply. You feel that wave of relaxation slowly moving down
your body. Relaxing you completely. Totally. Just sleep, Michael. You and
Matt will sleep until I awaken you."

* "Jeff, how are you feeling?"

"Dizzy."

"What happened?"

"A bike messenger delivered a package, one of those padded manila
envelopes, addressed to me at the shop. According to the delivery slip, you
sent it. Inside the envelope was a wet towel. There was a funny smell. It
made me feel dizzy. Then I got a phone call telling me to open the front
door. I didn't want to, but I couldn't stop myself. And then that man was
in the shop. He put the towel over my mouth and made me breathe deeply
several times. After that, I don't remember what happened very well. I know
he talked to me and made me buy some pizzas to bring back here for Michael
and Matt to eat. He put something on the pizzas. I was supposed to make
them eat. But they didn't want to eat. They wanted to talk. I had to trick
them into eating."

"What did they want to talk about?"

"Michael told Matt everything about Sandman, about the units. Michael wants
me to quit, and Matt says that he will arrange for me to testify against
you so that you can be put away."

"I see. Well, you won't do that."

"No, Kenneth. I would never do that."

"I know I can trust you, Jeff. Now, I want you to lie down on the
couch. You have had a hard day. You deserve a good sleep. You will be
oblivious to everything that happens until I awaken you. Do you
understand?"

"Yes, Kenneth."

"I will take care of you, Jeff. Just sleep for a while and I will take care
of everything."

*

Kenneth Foster let the three men sleep. He had to decide what to do. Jeff
was no problem. His loyalty was beyond question, but Michael and Matt had
to be dealt with. He had been too complacent about Michael. He had left it
to Jeff to see that Michael remained well trained, but obviously Jeff had
grown so enamored of Michael that he had neglected to reinforce Michael's
training. So should he remove Michael or reinforce his training? Michael
already had received a preliminary dose of the drug. If he gave him a few
more drops, Michael would cease to be a problem ever again. It would be
easy enough to convince Jeff to forget Michael and move on. But, he had to
admit, Michael did stellar work on the financial side. Given the sensitive
nature of his business, he needed someone he could trust. It would be a
nuisance to train someone else up to Michael's level. And removing Michael
would mean that he would have no one to take care of the finances until he
found a replacement. Michael also kept Jeff happy and satisfied sexually
and apparently emotionally. As for Dell'uomo, he couldn't just remove a
policeman. Not at this point. Maybe in a few years, when he had achieved
Stage 4 penetration with the drug he could make people disappear without
worry, but that wasn't possible—yet. Meanwhile it wouldn't hurt to have
control over a police lieutenant, especially the lieutenant in charge of
homicide. If Scott could be believed, Jeff and Michael had already forged
some sort of relationship with Dell'uomo. He could build on that.

Both Michael and Dell'uomo were still under the influence of the
drug. Their minds would be easy to influence. Foster headed back into the
bedroom.

*

Across the street Scott Foster's van cooled along with the night air. The
two manimals sat quietly, oblivious to everything happening around
them. They had been forgotten. They would sit there for almost 36 hours,
until a neighbor noticed that the same man who had been waiting motionless
in the driver's seat when he had returned home the night before was still
sitting there the next morning. The patrolmen who answered the call didn't
know what to make of them. They were quite docile, however, and did not
resist being taken away to the hospital.


*****

"Where have you guys been?" Lieutenant Dell'uomo looked up from the report
he was reading when Susan Trent knocked on his door. Samuels was standing
behind her, with a huge grin on his face. Dell'uomo was familiar with that
grin. It meant that Samuel either had just gotten laid or was about to get
laid. He knew the feeling. If he were prone to grinning after great sex,
his mouth would be splitting open at the corners after last night with Jeff
and Michael.

"Just following up a lead, Matt. A loose end," said Trent.

"Find anything?"

"What we found is a health club. It's a great place run by this fantastic
guy named Joe. You ought to check it out—the Midtown Health Club over on
Silver south of Delancy."

"Maybe I will. I need to get more exercise."

"Now that the Spier case has been cleared, what do we do now, Matt?"

"There's still the Campbell murder. I still think the husband's good for
that one."


 Epilogue: Stage 4

Death Announced The Chronicle, July 18, 2017

A spokesperson for the family of Senator William Foster IV announced the
death on July 12 of Scott Foster, 36, the younger son of Senator Foster and
the late Elizabeth Coutrell Foster, following a brief illness. Burial was
at the family's mausoleum in Westport. Prior to his illness, Scott Foster
had been employed as a researcher for the Department of the Treasury. The
White House issued a statement of condolences to the family and noted
"Scott Foster's upholding of his family's long tradition of service to the
nation."  Senator Foster is widely rumored to be considering a run for the
presidency in 2020. His office declined to comment on what effect, if any,
his son's death might have on the Senator's plans.

Channel 7 Nightly News October 6, 2017

"Lanning, in Barlow county, is famous for the many ancient trees that make
this community a desired home for commuters. But the peace and serenity of
this sylvan paradise was shattered earlier this year when flocks of noisy
starlings invaded the town and began roosting in the trees. Residents
complained of the noise and the mess, but to no avail. Conventional methods
of discouraging the birds did not work. Lanning, however, has found a
unique solution to its problems, thanks to a company called Sandman
Enterprises. Here with the story is our own Jill Potter."

"Thank you, Marsha. Behind me is the town square of Lanning. Until two
weeks ago, the many oaks you can see here were filled every night with
thousands of starlings."

[Cut to a picture of a middle-aged man; the label "Winston Heald, mayor"
appears at the bottom of the screen.]

"The noise was unbelievable. And the sidewalks were so covered with bird
droppings that no one wanted to walk on them. Our downtown businesses were
suffering because no one would shop here. Plus, any car parked in the area
quickly became fouled. The birds were even beginning to attack pets and
small children."

The camera cut back to the reporter. "With the help of a small research
company named Sandman Enterprises, Lanning was able to get rid of the pesky
birds. This is white noise machine. As you can hear, it produces a steady
stream of sound, rather like a hair dryer running. It is used to prevent
others from overhearing conversations or to drown out streets noise and
help people sleep. Sandman modified this basic unit and installed them on
light poles around Lanning. Within days, all the birds had flown away."

[Cut to a picture of a young woman in the parking lot of a supermarket
holding a baby in one arm; she stands before the open rear door of an SUV;
a shopping cart filled with groceries rests against the rear bumper of the
car; the label "Melissa Henderson, Lanning resident" appears on the
screen.]

"It was a miracle. Every day for months we were woken up by these
birds. Sean here couldn't sleep for all the noise. Then they install these
machines all over town, and the next morning all the birds are gone."

The reporter smiles at the baby and then turns to the camera. "It's been
two months since Lanning got rid of its birds, but it has decided to
continue using the machines. Does it have any plans to remove the white
noise machines? Here with the answer to that question is Lanning's chief of
police, Ron Williams."

"We've found that all of us are sleeping better with the white noise
machines. The sound is very restful. I can't tell you what a difference it
makes to get a good night's sleep. We even think that it's cut down on
crime. We don't get nearly as many calls as we used to."

"There you have it, Marsha. One town's problems solved by technology. This
is Jill Potter, reporting live from Lanning."

"Thank you, Jill. I'm definitely going to look into buying one of those
machines. Wouldn't it be nice not to be awakened at 5:00 in the morning by
garbage trucks? Now here's Ted with the weather and an update on the best
places to see fall foliage. What have you got in store for us, Ted? Another
glorious weekend?"


Military Re-enlistments Up The Chronicle, February 23, 2018

The Department of Defense announced today that military re-enlistments are
running 90 percent overall. "We are experiencing close to 100 percent
re-enlistments among combat-ready personnel," said Alicia White,
spokesperson for the Defense Department. "Even personnel who qualify for
full retirement are opting to continue in the services. We are even having
to turn down many who are no longer physically capable of serving."  White
attributed the increase in re-enlistments to improvements in the military's
benefit package as well as to the military's new "Defend the Homeland"
initiatives. The controversial program of what critics have labeled
"indoctrination" and proponents call "patriotism building" has clearly
"paid off in better morale throughout the military," said White. "The proof
is that our fighting man and women want to continue to serve our country."

Changes at Foster Enterprises The Chronicle, August 14, 2019

In a move that caught observers by surprise, Foster Enterprises announced
the resignation of William Foster V as its president and CEO and the
appointment of another member of the Foster family, Kenneth Foster, as its
new head. "Vee," as he is known to his associates, said that he was
stepping down to help with his father's presidential campaign. "Even if he
were not my father, I would want to participate in his election. This
country needs my father's bold thinking and his plans to restore greatness
to our country. And I am confident that my cousin Kenneth Foster will
continue the aggressive posture that has made Foster Enterprises a leading
force in the American economy."  Kenneth Foster, who is head of Sandman
Enterprises, said that he would take up his new position
immediately. Sandman Enterprises has attracted much attention lately for
its new environmental white noise machines and their possible
crime-reduction role in what has been dubbed the "Lanning effect" after the
town in which crime rates dropped precipitously after it installed the
machines.  Jeff Ange, vice-president for product development and customer
relations at Sandman, will replace Kenneth Foster as head of Sandman.

Foster in a Landslide The Chronicle, November 4, 2020

William Foster IV has coasted to an easy win in the presidential
elections. Returns from 95 percent of precincts show Senator Foster winning
80 percent of the popular vote and 100 percent of the votes in the
electoral college. Although he began as the underdog, trailing his
then-opponent Margaret Rollings by as much as 45 points, Foster surged
ahead after the first presidential debate when Rollings burst into tears
and confessed that she thought Foster would make a better
president. Rollings's resignation a week later and the elevation of
vice-presidential candidate Joseph Townes to the top spot did nothing to
revive the flagging fortunes of their party. Townes conceded the election a
minute after the polls closed on the West Coast. In his victory statement,
Foster pledged to restore greatness and decency to the nation. . . .

Foster Enterprises Reports Rise in Earnings The Chronicle, January 7, 2022

Foster Enterprises today announced an increase in earnings for last year of
15 percent over the previous year. The increase was attributed to the
runaway success of Foster's new soft drink, Red Dragon. Propelled by an
aggressive marketing campaign featuring former head of the NYPD Homicide
Squad, Matt Dell'uomo, sales of the new drink, which was introduced only in
February 2021, quickly outpaced those for all other soft drinks
combined. . . .

Congress Adjourns The Chronicle, April 15, 2022

In what historians are labeling a first in modern times, Congress adjourned
today after a record three-and-a-half-month session. Not since the early
days of the republic has Congress finished its business and packed up so
quickly. Congressional leaders said that they had no plans to reconvene
before next January. With hardly a dissenting voice, the members passed all
of President Foster's programs and the budget. "I'm looking forward to
going trout fishing," remarked Senate Majority Leader Robert Morse. "You
all come join me. We've got great trout streams, and you won't find
friendlier people anywhere." . . .

Foster Enterprises Introduces New Food Supplement The Chronicle, May 2,
2023

Foster Enterprises' Food Division today announced that it had received FDA
approval to begin selling its new food supplement, Fostrix. "It's a
breakthrough," said Foster Research Director Giles Ames. "It's cheap,
incredibly nutritious, tasteless. It can be added to any food. It promises
to help relieve malnutrition and hunger worldwide."  Foster plans to begin
adding Fostrix to its line of food products immediately. . . . Sales of
Foster stock rose on expectations of increased earnings.

Entertainment News, October 10, 2025

"I'm here this morning with the stars of Foster Entertainment's new
mega-hit City Streets, Matt Dell'uomo, Susan Trent, and Robert
Samuels. Good morning, guys."

"Thank you, Eric, we're happy to be here."

"Now as most viewers know by now, all three of you were homicide
cops. Matt, do you feel that your experience helps your performance on City
Streets?"

"Absolutely. I think our viewers can sense the authenticity we bring to the
portrayals of our characters."

"Susan, women throughout the country are praising the sense of strength you
bring to the character of Lieutenant Alpins. What's your secret?"

"Well, part of it is physical, Eric. We all work out with this wonderful
trainer, Joe, and we've all bulked up. I was surprised when I first saw
myself on screen and realized how imposing I had become physically. Of
course, I've worked with Matt for many years, and next to him I'm petite. I
think I had grown used to the idea that I was smaller because I was
comparing myself to him."

"So are you saying that Matt is intimidating?"

"Nah, he's a pussycat. But I learned from him how to use your sheer
physicality to intimidate suspects."

"You said that part of it is physical. What else is there?"

"Well, the other part is mental preparation. While we were still on the
police force, we came in contact with motivational trainer Jeff Ange in
connection with one of our cases. He's helped all three of us develop the
self-confidence to tackle acting."

"Robert, critics have noted, and I am quoting, that the `vibrant
masculinity and robust charm that Samuels bring to the character of
Sergeant O'Deigh misleads the bad guys into underestimating his
intelligence and intuitive understanding of the criminal mind.' Do you
think that is a fair assessment?"

"I don't know if it is fair, but I'm not going to reject the
compliment. O'Deigh is really the comic relief on the program and the
plodder—he's the one who uncovers the more boring details that help
solve the crime but aren't really sexy."

"Now you are trying to mislead us into underestimating you, Robert. Your
fans have noted your physical assets."

"Well, that's my one complaint about the series. Once people started
commenting on what you call my assets, the producers decided to dress me in
these painfully tight pants. They literally sew me into them. They're so
tight I can barely move, and the writers have to figure out reasons why I'm
not wearing a suit coat when Matt and Susan are. It's getting so that I
dread seeing the direction `O'Deigh removes his coat and turns his back to
the camera' in our scripts."

"And you feel that you have more to offer?"

"Much more, Eric. I do have a face and other body parts."

"The face and the other body parts have been noticed as well, Robert. Now
Matt, you play the role of the brooding Captain Donatello in the
series. The role is not unlike the job you had as a homicide inspector. Do
you ever regret quitting your day job?"

"Not at all. We saw a lot of terrible things as homicide detectives. What
some monsters will do to human beings—well, I still have nightmares
about it occasionally. Would I want to return to the old days, before the
environmental white noise controls? No, I don't think any cop would. Sure,
it meant that a lot of cops became superfluous, but if I had to choose
between playing a cop on a TV series set forty years ago and investigating
murders for real, then, well, there's no choice at all. Pretend beats
reality every day."

"I think most of our viewers also recognize you from the ads that
introduced Red Dragon. How did that get started?"

"It was just an accident. I was visiting a friend who works in the Foster
Building, and the man who was putting together the ad campaign noticed me
and asked me to try out."

"Do you still drink Red Dragon?"

"Doesn't everyone?"

*****

The view from the CEO's office on the top floor of the Foster Building
looked west across the Hudson. Nothing interfered with Kenneth Foster's
gaze toward the horizon. Foster Enterprises was running much better now
that it was under his control. Profits were up substantially. The employees
were happy and more productive than ever. The company was expanding in new
directions.

He thought, not for the first time, that he had pulled off the greatest
feat of social engineering in history. Every poll showed that people were
happier, more content with their jobs and lives. Crime had practically
disappeared. The environment was much cleaner. His cousin had run for
re-election unopposed. Of course, there had been casualties along the
way. But no one was arguing with the results. But, then, there weren't any
dissenters from the new order left. And now it was spreading throughout the
world, thanks to the Fostrix dietary supplement and Red Dragon drinks and
the environmental white noise machines. So much white noise—not just
from the machines but from the news and television and movies, sports, the
gossip machines, everything combining to keep people from wondering why
they were so content and compliant.

*****

Matt and Jeff lie on their sides in bed in their usual positions to the
right and left of Michael. Matt likes to put his head on Michael's chest
and sleep with Michael's arm around his shoulders and his left hand lying
on Michael's stomach, the fingers interlaced with those on Jeff's right
hand. Given the difference in size, it isn't easy for Michael to hug Matt
closely. But he does the best he can. Any discomfort he has to endure for
Matt's and Jeff's sake is worth it. They are both so great to be
with. Matt's much happier now, and Jeff—well, Jeff's wonderful. Plus
their jobs are as great as their love life. They owe everything to Kenneth
Foster. Nothing would be the same without him.