Last week, you all got a chance to meet David. This week, you had to decide which character you wanted to see in a scene next. The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of Anton. So overwhelming, in fact, that you also requested that I interview him this week. If you missed the interview, go ahead and catch up here.

~~~~

“She what now?”

“There is no book club.”

I stared at the folder Anton slid across the pub table. Inside were printouts of every online forum, club, and chat in which she was involved.

The topics varied only slightly, all with one primary theme: mind control.

“Uhhh…should I be concerned that my roommate is obsessed with mind control? Please tell me she hasn’t had disappearing roommates.”

“No, no roommates.”

I scanned the documents some more while I sipped on my hefeweizen. “What’s all the CIA stuff?”

“Ah, yes. She is most obsessed with ‘secret’ CIA project. Monarch.”

I thought of the butterfly paintings on the wall. The ones that looked like they were melting. I felt my body stiffen and a slight chill.

“Monarch?”

“Yes.” Anton leaned in and smiled. “She is conspiracy theorist.”

I instantly relaxed. “Oh, so I live with a nut job.”

Anton leaned back in his chair, popping an onion ring in his mouth, and shrugged. “Maybe so. But, harmless nut job.”

I shook my head. “Anything in this folder about her obsession with Disney movies?”

“Is part of the theory.”

I flipped through the papers and made a note to Google some of this stuff when I got home. Or, if I was feeling especially daring post happy hour, I could ask Red to explain it.

“Hey, do you think you could check something else out for me?”

“Of course, kotik.”

“George, the rink owner.”

Anton paused, his hand hovering over the plate of onion rings. “Why?”

“I’m just curious.”

“About?”

“Why so many questions? You are usually happy to have an excuse to hack into things for me.”

“You do not work for him. There is no connection. So, there must be other reason.”

“I think he may have been, he may still be, involved in some bad stuff.”

“But why does this matter to you?”

There was no sense in trying to argue with Anton. I learned long ago that debates were not his thing. I didn’t want to tell him everything, but this was Anton. It couldn’t hurt to tell him about the agents. I didn’t have to tell him that it was who George was involved with that I was really interested in.

“The DEA and IRS showed up at my door the other day, asking questions about George. I’m just curious to know what was going on under my nose while I worked there.”

Anton sat staring at me for a moment. “I will look. But only for you. You should not be getting involved and sharing things that do not affect you. Boltun – nakhodka dlya shpiona.”

“What?”

“Is nothing. Just something we say.”

“Well, that’s helpful.”

“Well, you learn Russian and you will know.”

“Hey, I’ve been working on it. Some of us aren’t geniuses,” I said, throwing a balled up napkin at him.

“Yes. Good thing for me.”

We left the pub, Anton walking me the three blocks to my apartment, despite having scored a parking space just outside. I told him I could go alone, but in some ways he was very old fashioned. You wouldn’t know it to look at him, stern bearded face and dark brooding eyes, but he was the most chivalrous man I’d ever known.

“Well, as much as you don’t care for Eli, you two sure agree on not letting me go anywhere alone,” I joked.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, Eli doesn’t let me walk home alone from anywhere either.”

Anton stayed quiet and for a moment I thought I could hear him grumble.

~~~~~

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said, trying to suppress a smile.

Red’s guests were still seated in the living area, some with laptops, but most with notebooks. Papers were scattered across the coffee table, mugs of tea occupying every empty space. Before I entered the apartment, I could hear their voices chattering away. The click of the lock had immediately silenced the cacophony of conspiracy theories.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be home this soon,” Red said, sounding more civil than I expected. Maybe she had her ‘company’ manners on.

“Don’t let me stop you.”

I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. Red watched me, looking hesitant as she continued speaking.

“So, Corrine, you were talking about Metropolis?”

“Yes,” Corrine, a short woman with dishwater brown hair to her waist, replied without hesitation. “You see, they say her name came from the song ‘Radio Gaga’ and the video is full of Metropolis references.”

The group nodded and let out a collective ‘ahhh’.

“Metropolis?” I said, pulling up a stool, enjoying the flash of horror that appeared across Red’s face.

“Oh yes, it is a German sci-fi film from the 1920s. In the movie this working class woman is chosen by the elite society to give life to a robot. Tons of pop singers have alluded to the film in their music videos.”

I nodded, waiting for the connection to mind control.

The woman seated next to me leaned over and loudly whispered. “We’re discussing Lady Gaga and Monarch symbolism. It’s so obvious she is part of their larger mind control projects, it’s practically pointless discussing her.”

Corrine looked hurt. “Not everyone has been studying this as long as you, Diana.”

Diana snorted. “True. You did come to the first meeting in a leopard print skirt.”

“Let’s not attack each other ladies,” I said. “That’s what they’d want.”

Every one turned to look at me, sitting up on my stool. It took everything I had to keep a serious face.

“She’s right. I apologize, Corrine.” Diana looked at her watch. “And we’ve taken advantage of Red’s hospitality enough this evening. Should we pick up on this further next week?”

They all nodded and began gathering up their papers. Corrine looked up at me as she stuffed a stack of papers in her backpack. “You could join us if you like.”

“Thank you, Corrine.” I looked over at Red, her face for once full of color, and smiled. “I just may do that.”

~~~~~

So, what do you think of Anton and Red now? Next week, I think Kate needs to find herself in a tough situation. Throw out some scary/uncomfortable stuff folks. I know, that’s broad. Let’s hope she is up for the challenge. (Let’s hope I’m up for the challenge, too.)