Hank Scheer - Fade to Blue

FADE TO

BLUE

HANK SCHEER

Vista, California USA

Copyright 2023 by Hank Scheer

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book. For information, address Top Reads Publishing Subsidiary Rights Department, 1035 E. Vista Way, Suite 205, Vista, CA 92084, USA.

First Edition

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Cover design, book layout and typography: Teri Rider & Associates

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023901319

ISBN: 978-1-970107-34-0 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-970107-35-7 (ebook)

Authors note:
This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents in this book are either the product of the authors imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

dedication

To Leslie Schwartz

Author. Mentor. Friend. Leslie provided valuable edits and insight. Most important, she convinced meafter much debatethat Sarah should not become a victim of her own creation midway through the book.

preface

I had no desire to write a novel and had never written anything of substanceunless you count my annual Christmas cards.

In 1998, I was working as a system repairman at the USS-POSCO steel mill in Pittsburg, California. One evening, a coworker and I were in the break room. She said, Hey, lets write a short story. I reluctantly agreed.

While bandying about some ideas, I remembered that the KM-CAL line had stopped running because a computer that controls line speed and torque had lost its memory and crashed. I said, How about this: An evil scientist creates a drug that erases a persons memory.

She decided it would be too difficult for us to write the story together and encouraged me to continue without her. After some hesitation, I jotted down a few ideas.

On January 19, 2023almost a quarter century after being prodded into writing a short storyI finished Fade to Blue .

chapter one

O nce again, the pain was too great. Sarah broke her tride and staggered to a halt. She bent over and grasped unsteady knees as her lungs fought for oxygen. Shed stopped smoking just eight months ago and knew it would take time to cleanse the effect of 40,000 cigarettes and regain her stamina. Still, she cursed in frustration that her thirty-two-year-old body couldnt run the entire shoreline of San Gregorio Beach before surrendering.

Sarah remained hunched over for some time, her auburn braids hanging down and moving gently in the breeze. She listened to the crashing of four-foot breakers and watched the foam of spent Pacific waves surge forward and touch the tips of her running shoes before receding.

Lovely morning.

She jerked her head around and saw an older, well-dressed man standing ten feet behind her.

Yeah, it is, she said before returning her gaze to the sand.

Weve been lucky. All this sun and no rain.

Yup.

Im curious. Do you run every day or just when the weather is pleasant?

Sarah rolled her eyes and exhaled derisively.

You probably take this view for granted. Where Im from, few people will see an ocean in their lifetime.

She detected an accent and realized he was just a friendly tourist. Breaking an apologetic smile, she turned to face the stranger and was momentarily blinded by the sun. She squinted and observed him while shading her eyes with her right hand. Had she been standing more erect, she would have appeared to be saluting him.

He was a man of average height with a solid build and a full head of dark hair combed back. He wore a charcoal-gray suit and a white turtleneck and was holding a gold-colored shopping bag. Sarah figured him to be about sixty years old. European. And definitely out of place on San Gregorio Beach.

Where are you from? she asked.

A little town in northern Slovakia. But now I live in Paris.

Lucky you.

Oh, no. Lucky you, he said. You get to live in California. Although, I must say, everything here is rather expensive.

So you noticed.

Speaking of expensive, may I show you something I purchased? he asked, spreading the handles of his Neiman Marcus shopping bag.

Sarah hesitated, then shrugged her shoulders and ambled five steps up to dry sand. She peered into his bag and saw two boxes and a silver-plated handgun with a silencer attached to its barrel. She cocked her head and gave the man an icy stare. Is that supposed to be a joke?

Im afraid not. The gun is real. And its loaded. And Im quite proficient with it. So please do as I say. I need

Are you threatening me?

Sarah. A chill ran up her spine. I wont harm you. I just need some information.

How do you know my name?

Ill explain everything. But first, youre going to accompany me to those rocks, he said, nodding toward the north end of the beach.

She noticed a young man walking nearby. He was wearing khaki shorts, a tank top that accentuated his muscular upper body, and sunglasses. She bolted over to him and grabbed his shoulders. Help me. That guy has a gun. He threatened me.

The young man scoffed. You mean that dude in the suit?

Yes. Can you call the police?

Thats not necessary. He just wants some information. But if you run or scream, hell blow your fucking head off.

Sarah felt a hand touch her arm and gasped. She whipped around and faced the stranger again.

Relax, Sarah. Were not going to hurt you.

Is everything under control? came a womans voice from inside his suit jacket.

I believe so. You and your team just stay put.

Sarah scanned the sparsely populated beach: sunbathers, a family enjoying a picnic lunch, a man reading a book, three teenagers tossing a Frisbee, a woman doing yoga, a couple walking the shoreline with a puppy in tow.

As you can see, Im not working alone. Some of the people on this beach are assisting me. Unfortunately, you dont know who is and who isnt. And to tell you the truth, Im not entirely sure either.

Sarah continued to scrutinize the beachgoers.

Now, listen carefully. Youre going to walk with me to those rocks. Do not scream, run, or draw attention to yourself in any way. Is that clear?

She took a deep breath. Look, I dont know who you are or whats going on here. But its not funny.

Youre right; its not funny. Now come with me. Unless you want to die.

chapter two

P anic gripped Sarah as she accompanied the man to his designated spot. With every step, she felt herself sinking deeper into a morass. Overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness and resigned to her fate, she reluctantly kept pace with him. Stride for stride. Like a condemned prisoner walking to her execution.

They reached the north end of the beach, and the man sat on a sandstone rock formation. He put down his shopping bag and motioned for her to sit next to him. She complied.

He remained silent for an unbearably long ten seconds before speaking. This did not go as planned. Do you remember those religious canvassers who came to your house this morning?

Sarah stared ahead and said nothing.

They were members of my team. Unfortunately, you wouldnt open the door. But then you came to this lovely beach, so we decided to do the intervention here. I think it went quite well.

She suddenly ached to smash his face, and it took every ounce of self-control to keep from delivering an Empi Uchi an elbow strike shed perfected while earning her black belt. Instead, she vowed that someday shed watch this oh-so-cultured gentleman being marched out of a courtroom in shackles and an orange jumpsuit. For now, that image would offer solace.