"Walt Disney World reservations, this is Noah. What I can help?
"Hello, I'm looking for Information Service," I say to the super-animated voice on the other end of the line, watching Charlie squint in the Florida sun.
"I'll connect you to the switchboard and they'll talk to you from there," Noah says in a tone genetically engineered for customer service.
-I think it is a great idea. Thanks," I say, giving her a thumbs up in Charlie and Gillian's direction. But the gesture does not serve to reassure them. Circling me by the phone booth across the street from the library, they both nervously check the apple over their shoulders, not quite convinced I can do it. However, great companies are still great companies. When they communicate to me through the switchboard it is already an internal call to the Disney corporation. We have already lost our test once.
I have no intention of that happening again.
"This is Erinn, how can I help you?" the switchboard operator asks.
"Erinn, I'm looking for the IS group that handles the intranet for Disney members.
"I'll see if we can find that information for you," she says, speaking in the regal "we" of the Disney corporation. As she puts me on hold, the song When You Wish Upon a Star plays through the earpiece.
"Sir, I'll put Steven on the Support Center —the operator finally announces to me—. If the communication were to be interrupted, the extension is 2538.
I grit my teeth and wait for the music to stop.
"This is Steven," a deep voice says. He looks like a young guy; maybe Charlie's age. Perfect.
"Please tell me it's the right place," I implore in her ear.
"I'm sorry... can I help you?" - She asks.
"Is it Matthew?" I say, panic filling my voice.
"No, I'm Steven.
"Steve what?"
—Steven Ballizer. At the Support Center.
"This doesn't make any sense," I say, butting with my eyes closed. Matthew told me that he would be there, but when I tried to reach her, the presentation was already gone.
"What presentation?"
"I'm a dead man..." I tell him. They'll eat me like an appetizer...
"What presentation?" He repeats, ready to come to my aid. It is the Disney formation. You can't help it.
"He doesn't get it," I say. I have a fifteen people sitting in a conference room, all of them waiting to see first hand our new online subscription system. But when I go to download it from our intranet, the whole presentation is gone. Nothing. It's not there! And now everyone has their eyes on me, the lawyers, the creatives, the accounting guys...
"Listen, you have to calm down...
"... and Arthur Stoughton, who sits at the head of the table, his face red as a tomato."
He just needs to drop like al
I neglect the name of the boss. I learned that from Tanner Drew.
"Did you tell me he was on the intranet?" Steven asks anxiously. Any idea where he might be?
I read him the exact address where the Duckworth account was stored. I can hear young Steven Balizer hammering away at his keyboard. It only takes one minion to meet them all...we're in the same boat.
"I'm so sorry," he finally stammers. He is no longer there.
"Don't... don't say that!" I implore, thankful we're in an outside phone booth. He has to be! I just saw it!
I've already checked twice...
"We're talking about Arthur Stoughton!" If I don't get that presentation back…" I breathe heavily through my nose, trying to sound like he's about to burst into tears. There has to be some way to retrieve that information. Where do you keep the backups?
It's a bluff, but not that risky. Every sixty minutes, the bank's computer systems automatically record a backup to protect information from viruses, power failures and the like. A company the size of Disney has to do the same.
"In the DISC building… in the North Service Area," he says without even spending a second thinking about it. That's where they keep all the old stuff.
"Forget the old stuff, I need what was there only three hours ago!"
At the other end of the line there is a brief pause.
"All I can think of at the moment are the tapes in the DACS.
I hate tech jargon.
"What tapes?"
"Data tapes, the tapes we use for backups. Since the DACS makes a copy every night, it's the best place I can think of where what you're looking for should be.
"And where is that DACS?"
"In the tunnels.
"The tunnels?" -asked.
"You know, the tunnels," he says, almost surprised-. Those below the Mag Realm…" He trails off, and there's another pause. This time it is longer. What department did you say he worked in? he finally asks.
"Disney Online," I reply immediately.
"What division?" He clearly challenges me. As background sound I can hear how he handles the keyboard.
I have no answer for that.
"What did you say your name was?" -Add.
That is the sign. Abandon ship. I hang up the receiver.
-What did he said? Charlie asks.
Do you have backups? Gillian adds.
I ignore both questions and look up at the blinding sun in a sky without
a single cloud I have to squint to see it. A few minutes past two. Time is running out. But I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. The tapes don't show reality, they show the reality that Duckworth invented...and that Gallo had access to.
"Let's get out of here," I say. -Where to? Gillian asks. -It's far? Charlie adds. It depends on the speed at which
Let's go," he replied as I started running towards the car. How long does it take to get to Disney World?
-That? Rooster asked. Holding the cell phone between his shoulder and ear, he and DeSanctis zipped down I-95. You're sure?
"Why would I lie to you?" asked his partner at the other end of the line.
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
"Hey, I told you I was sorry.
"Don't fuck with me that you're sorry," Gallo retorted. Did you really think we wouldn't see you? what could you
slip away without us getting a good look at you?
"I wasn't sneaking off anywhere. We were just reacting as fast as we could. We managed to get it together casually in about six hours, and once I had it, you were gone.
"Even so, he should have called.
"Will you please stop the guilty mother routine?" his partner pleaded. He said you've been through this…once Oliver and Charlie found what was on that remote, we better put the fire out. After all whatever happened, the last thing we need is to get burned over a loose end.
"He should have called me anyway, especially when he's sitting comfortably on his ass in New York.
"No, no, no... he's not there anymore." He left on a flight first thing in the morning.
-Really? Gallo asked as the Florida Interstate Freeway whizzed past her window. So he's close?
"As close as it can be." But if he makes you feel better, the Next time we will send to a Hallmark. "Actually, they should send it to DeSanctis. It is him who they smashed his head.
-Yes, Im sorry...
"I sure did," said Gallo.
coldly. Turning to DeSanctis, he pointed to the sign for the Florida Turnpike.
-You're sure? DeSanctis whispered, and Gallo nodded.
"Listen, I have to hurry. These days I am in high demand.
Rooster rolled his eyes.
"So you're sure they're headed to Disney World?" he asked.
"That's where the backups are," she replied. And the only place left where Oliver and Charlie can still prove what really happened.
Gallo gripped the phone tightly as she thought about those tapes.
"I still don't get why we don't just turn the pins on them now and save ourselves a headache."
"Because contrary to what the macho portion of your brain says, torturing them is not the way to get to the money."
—And what is the way you propose? "We'll find out soon," he said.
Gillian as her voice dropped to a whisper. A few hours to be exact.