​     Adam followed the associate through a series of corridors. Apparently, this facility had been carved out of the hard rock of Pete's Peak itself. Powerful machines boring into the mountain had created these halls, certainly. Adam heard running water, as if an underground stream ran right through the facility. After a few minutes, they arrived at their destination. The associate indicated a door. "Through here, sir." 

     "Aren't you coming?" 

     "I have other duties."

​     Adam went through the door expecting anything. What he found was a huge, warm dining hall center pieced by a dining table overflowing with food.

​     And, on the other side of the table, Gideon Goldbody sat. 

​     Goldbody, himself, wore a long, intricately patterned golden robe. He was already eating. 

     "I've had a busy day," he said. "I find that I am famished."

     "Maybe you should cut back, get in a little more me time."

     "After today, perhaps I shall. Please sit down. You look exhausted."

​     "Do I?"

​     "Well, no, as a matter of fact, you don't. You look like you just stepped out of shower after a three hour nap. You are a remarkable man, Mr. Forwarder. I would have thought...I mean, after all you've...anyway. Please sit. Eat."

​     Adam sat on the other side of the table away from Gideon. "Thank you, no. I couldn't touch a thing."

​     "You can't imagine that I plan to poison you. Believe me, if I wanted you dead or doped, you'd be..."

     "I understand that. Really, though, I'm not hungry. If you have something to drink, however..." 

     "You're thirsty." 

     "For a drink, yes." 

     Goldbody chuckled. "You are such an unpredictable man, Mr. Forwarder. And stubborn. I so love those qualities about you." He took a pear off a pile of fruit and took a large, crunching bite out of it. "But, seriously, have something to eat. Have one of those blood sausages. They're delicious."

      "Really, I'm not eating anything. A drink would..." 

      "Okay! Okay!" The door opened then, and two robots wheeled into the room. They were, easily, three times the size of either Adam or Gideon. They took their place on either side of where Adam sat. One of them also held a tray, and on this tray sat a filled martini glass with an olive inside. 

     "A Sahara Martini," Goldbody explained. "First coat the inside of the martini glass with vermouth. Then fill the glass with gin. Another spritz of vermouth on top so that, as the alcohol in the gin rises to the surface, it carries with it the essence of the vermouth. Wonderful"

     "I'm certain." Adam sniffed the glass, waited several seconds as if in deep contemplation about something, then sniffed it again. Only after that ritual did he upend the glass, draining its contents in a single gulp. Then, 

​     "Another," he said.

     "In a minute. First let's..." 

​     "No no. I'd like another drink, please. Just like the last one."

​     "In a moment, I said. Really, Mr. Forwarder, you are the most..."

     "Another drink, please." 

​     "Fine!" Goldbody nodded towards one of the robots. "See to it." 

     The robot bowed before leaving the room. He returned a moment later with another tray and another drink that looked identical to the first one. Adam did the sniffing test with this one as well. Only this one he didn't drink. This one he emptied into a potted cactus plant.

     "Now, you see," he said, "that one had some kind of chemical in it. I'm not sure it was poison per se, I'm not sure what its properties were, Claudia could tell me if I really needed to know, but it's not anything I'd put in my body, and now I'm really not going to eat anything."

     "Mr. Forwarder, you are one of the most extraordinary..."

     "Another drink, please, and this one without any additives. The first one I drank was just great. Make another one like that one."

     Goldbody didn't even bother to argue this time. Adam didn't gulp this one down, but instead took one, small sip. He intended to savor this one. "Perfect."

     "Are you sure you won't have anything to eat then?" Goldbody asked one last time.

     "Really, I'm sorry, but I couldn't eat a thing."

​     "Okay, then." Goldbody took one last bite of the chicken wing he held, then tossed the rest away like it disturbed him. He'd looked forward to having one last meal with Adam Forwarder, and now...He pushed himself away from the table. "Let's proceed, then."  

CONTINUE