Part 11 (1/2)
Getting in couldn't have been any easier if they'd used his celebrity status to gain easier access. Mo and Ross walked directly to the front of the line of conventioneers waiting to get in and then the female security guard, who seemed to know Mo, ushered them forward. A ticket or pa.s.s was unnecessary. At a door that read ”Security Personnel Only”, Mo barely paused before entering.
Inside, the guard glanced in their direction.
”Hi, Mo,” the guard greeted and then turned his gaze back to the bank of television monitors, each of which displayed an area of the enormous building and its grounds. Most monitors showed the throng of costumed people crowding the main halls.
The only other occupant was a young man, in a blue dress s.h.i.+rt and khakis, typing on a computer keyboard at a desk in the corner of the room.
When he spotted them, the young man jumped up before moving toward them with a smile. ”What are you doing here?” He grabbed Mo and pulled into a hug.
Ross appraised the stranger as he would if he were casting an actor for a part. The young man was tall, tan and muscular. He had short brown hair and green eyes that sparkled. This man could easily be cast as a male model or professional athlete.
”Hola, Leo.” Mo kissed him on the cheek.
Ross had an instant dislike for the stranger who seemed so friendly with Mo.
”How's my baby brother today?” She pulled away and then smiled back at Leo.
Baby brother? Ross liked him better already.
”I'm here to get a favor from my favorite sibling,” Mo said, lightly punching Leo in the arm.
”I'm your only sibling,” Leo replied.
”A mere technicality.” Mo laughed. ”We're trying to find someone in this horde.” She motioned to the monitors. ”You know Clarence from the agency?”
”Yeah. Squirrelly guy. And who's he?” Leo asked, looking at Ross. Sudden recognition struck. ”Hey, you're-”
Ross felt himself inhale and stiffen for the blow.
”Ross Grant.”
He exhaled in pleased relief.
Leo held out his hand and then Ross clasped it in a firm shake.
”Yes, that's right,” Ross said.
”I thought your portrayal of that doctor battling drug addiction in High Medicine was inspiring.”
Mo's expression was pricelessly surprised.
”Thank you,” Ross said with what he knew must be a sillysmile. ”It's very refres.h.i.+ng to have someone mention any of my work apart from the Stephen Dagger character.”
Leo grinned. ”Oh. The Stephen Dagger character. I remember a certain poster...” He looked archly at Mo who glared in return.
Her expression said ”Don't you dare.”
Ross wondered what she didn't want her brother to say?
Mo knew she would have to kill her brother if he kept this up. He could tell she was squirming and he thought her discomfort was oh so funny. Leo knew very well that Mo wouldn't want Ross hearing about the Stephen Dagger poster she once had. No doubt, if he wanted to, Leo could phrase the disclosure of the information for Mo's maximum discomfort.
With a gleam in his eye, Leo opened his mouth.
”Dammit.” The old guard at the monitors swore and stood up. ”Those animal characters in the j.a.panese anime room are at it again. They seem to think this is some kind of plushy convention.” The guard grabbed a walkie-talkie from the desk. He marched toward the door and then threw it open. ”And those temporary guys we hired are on break again. Great. Just great. This is the fifth time today that I've had to break up a furry orgy,” he groused.
”Go ahead,” Leo said. ”I'll keep an eye on the monitors.”
”Stupid fur b.a.l.l.s,” the guard muttered as he pulled the door shut behind him.
”Where were we? Oh yes, I was reminiscing about the Stephen Dagger poster,” Leo said. ”I remember seeing that poster-”
”Never mind that. We need to find Clarence,” Mo interrupted. ”He probably arrived about an hour ago.”
Leo allowed himself to be diverted. Mo knew she was going to hear about this later. He would claim she owed him big time.
”It shouldn't be hard to find him if he's here.” Leo returned to his computer to sit down. A few keystrokes later, he brought up a digital image of the line of conventioneers at the entrance to the center. At the front of the line was a Freddie Kruger look-a-like. Behind him stood a wookie. And behind him was...son of a buscuit!
”Is that a live image?” Mo asked.
Leo nodded.
”Why? What do you see?” Ross asked coming closer. ”Is it Clarence?”
”No. It's nothing,” Mo answered, waving at Leo to continue running the cameras.
A click of the mouse and the images moved to fast rewind. The line of conventioneers moved backward. Should she tell Ross she'd seen Milton waiting to get in? No. Such a revelation would open a whole new set of issues. She would just have to make sure they avoided the reporter.
Leo glanced over his shoulder. ”Are you Mo's boyfriend?”
”No,” Mo shouted. Lowering her voice, she said, ”He's not my boyfriend.”
”Lover?”
”Leo. Shut the duck up.”
Peering over Leo's shoulder, Mo scanned the crowd. After a few seconds she spotted what she was looking for. ”Stop.”
Leo clicked the mouse and the image froze.
”There he is.” Mo pointed to the screen. Between Dracula and a Vulcan stood Clarence in his Stephen Dagger costume. The outfit consisted of a body hugging black s.h.i.+rt tucked into tight black leather pants. On his feet were black biker-type leather boots. Clarence had even styled his hair like the super spy. The black shoulder length hair had been slicked back, except for the front bang, which fell in a curl on his forehead. Signature Dagger.
Now that he was wearing the garb, and with that hairstyle, Clarence did have a decent resemblance to Ross acting as Stephen Dagger. Of course, the gawky and lank Clarence didn't have the muscular build to fill out the clothing the way Ross would have.
”Whoa. That's a really big gun he's got there,” Leo observed.
Clarence did indeed have a replica of the trademark super spy gun tucked in a holster at his side.