Kit Piper was curled up in a ball of pain next to his desk in his improvised office. He'd lost everything. Absolutely everything. And as soon as the guys learned what he had done with their money, he'd soon be put in jail or worse. What was he gonna do?
The communications screen beeped. It had been beeping at regular intervals for half an hour now, the telephone also ringing endlessly. Kit knew who it must have been: Dr. Henry Quantos, who must've noticed what he'd done. Kit had sent Shirley off for the day to do some much-needed shopping in Puerta Mibela, and nobody was around to answer the telephone in the office. Kit wasn't about to answer it himself -- he had no idea what he was going to say if he did.
***
56 Oakwood Ave, the 13th floor:
Grissom's phone rang. Looking at it, he recognized the number: Dr. Quantos, calling from Canada.
"Hullo, Doc!" Grissom said. "How're things in wild northlands of Canada? Snow much?"
"Actually, no," Henry Quantos answered. "It rarely snows here in the greater Vancouver area, and this winter has been very mild and sometimes warm. We've gotten a lot of rain, but no snow at all. The local ski mountains haven't been having very good business at all, I'm afraid. Vancouver's mild winter weather might score a point against her for hosting the Winter Olympics in 2010."
"Ah..." Grissom replied, not knowing how to respond to the answer of a question he hadn't asked. "So... how can I help you?"
"Sorry," Quantos replied, laughing. "So many people seem to hold the misconception that Canada only has one climate zone from the east coast to the west coast, as if there wouldn't be any variations in a country as large as mine. Sometimes I get a little bit defensive when people assume we're all living in igloos up here or something. Anyways, to get back to the point, I've been trying to get ahold of Kit. Have you seen him around, by any chance?"
"No, no, not since this morning, at least," Grissom said. "Though he did seem a bit under the weather. Anything the matter?"
"Well... well, yes, there is. Something with the MBL's funds."
"Oh, right, right... Kit mentioned something about the company losing control of, uh... BountyLand Foods, was it?"
"Right," replied Dr. Quantos. "That may be part of it... but... Ah, but I should speak with Kit personally about it. Must be some kind of a mistake with the numbers or something. Only problem is -- I haven't been able to reach Kit all afternoon. He's probably just out on a business lunch or something, but his cellphone doesn't seem to be on, either. Uh... if you have a moment to spare, could you get in touch with him for me? I really need to speak with him. It's very urgent."
"Will do, Doc," said Grissom. "Anything else?"
"No, that should be everything... thanks, Grissom," replied Henry. "Talk to you later."
"Right then. Bye."
Charley walked up to Grissom. "So what's up?" she asked him, wiping grease from her fingers.
"Oh, that was Dr. Quantos -- looks like he's trying to get in touch with Kit, but he hasn't had any luck so far."
"Anything I can do?"
"Uhhh... yes, yes," Grissom said as he pondered the situation. "Would you mind finishing up the work here with the security sensors? Doc said his business with Kit was urgent. I should probably go find him."
"No problem," replied Charley. "You can look over my work later, I guess."
