Unlocking the Kingdom Page 4

  Today, Juliette paced briskly across the main floor of the offices created for Hawk in the Bay Lake Towers at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, with an intensity that grew with each stride. This was prime Disney real estate. Hawk felt the office was overkill and tried to avoid going there as often as possible. He preferred being out in the resort. Although built as a part of the Disney Vacation Club, one of the multi-floor suites on the top floor of the resort had been converted for the new leader of the Disney Company at Juliette’s insistence. She had worked with him long enough to know he hated to be trapped in an office and did his best to avoid meetings. She had tried to help him understand that he would need to have a place to work besides his apartment in the Magic Kingdom. Eventually she had gotten her way.

  When business needed to be done, he got there . . . usually. But right now he was late, and she was starting to boil. Nancy worked in the massive downstairs portion of the office which included a waiting room, a dining area, balcony, and a spectacular view of the Magic Kingdom. The actual private office Hawk used was upstairs, and that portion of the suite featured a huge conference room which had the same view of the theme park as downstairs. Juliette stormed across the waiting area that featured art created by Disney Imagineers, some models of familiar sites within the Walt Disney World Resort, and a wall featuring some of the pictures, magazine covers, and articles written about the new CCA at Disney.

  She could feel herself growing tenser by the moment, so she slowed her pace and began reading some of the displays on the wall. The cover of Time featured the headline there is a new king in the kingdom with a picture of Hawk, clad in his usual faded jeans and sporting a slightly too long mop of tousled hair, grinning in front of Cinderella Castle. People magazine featured a picture with the headline when you wish upon a rising star. Entertainment Weekly placed Hawk in a picture next to Mickey Mouse on a cover that read, where did he come from . . . and where will he take them? Money magazine showed a smiling Grayson Hawkes dressed in a tuxedo, which he had resisted wearing, with the phrase a hawk takes flight and the mouse soars, and Leadership Journal showed a split cover of Walt Disney and Grayson Hawkes with the words work will win when wishing won’t! Each of these features had been carefully set up to help create the image of Grayson Hawkes that had become known to the world.

  She had made sure that each investigative article had been able to dig only to a certain level and Hawk’s secrets were always preserved. Sometimes the demands of protecting him were overwhelming.

  Juliette pointed to his picture on the cover of Leadership Journal, Hawk’s personal favorite, and spoke to Nancy.

  “I’ll bet he doesn’t even remember who is going to be here this afternoon.” She shook her head. “He’s probably out somewhere on some great adventure and has no clue how important this week is.”

  “You’re probably right,” Nancy softly responded. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get the chance to remind him of the appointment. I haven’t seen him yet today.”

  “It’s not your fault, Nancy.” Juliette smiled. “This is just a big deal, and I’m a little nervous for him.” The truth was, she was so anxious she could barely eat. She had told him how crucial this was going to be. “And for some reason, he’s not even answering his cell phone.”

  “I know you’re nervous, dear.” Nancy responded back in the hushed tone of a kindly grandmother. “Are Tim and the kids doing well?”

  “They’re great!” Juliette bubbled, realizing that Nancy was shifting the subject to a non-stressful topic. “Tim is loving his work in Imagineering, and the kids are fantastic.”

  Juliette Keaton had known Grayson Hawkes for a number of years. She had served alongside him as a minister on staff of the Celebration Community Church. Months ago, when Hawk had been given the key to the kingdom, it not only changed his life, but it also changed the lives of his closest friends. Tim and Juliette Keaton were some of those friends. Tim had worked in Disney animation years before, but after Hawk became the head of the company, he went to work for Imagineering and was working on one of the most ambitious projects ever within the company. Juliette had been offered a role in Imagineering but had turned it down and instead accepted the role of Executive Press Relations. Officially, she had been in charge of working alongside Farren Rales as the company began introducing its new chief creative architect to the world. She now made sure the brand, the spin, and the corporate working of the company not only stayed on message, but that the message was heard. Unofficially, she would explain to most that her job hadn’t changed since her days on the church staff; she still had to take care of Hawk, Shep, and Jonathan—which, some days, was like raising children.

  She spun on her heel and walked toward the window overlooking the Magic Kingdom. The phone was constantly ringing in the background, and she listened as Nancy answered questions, relayed information, and took care of business for Hawk. Juliette wondered if the risk they were about to take was going to be worth it. The eyes of the world had been watching as Hawk took the leadership reins of the company, and there were questions about where he had come from, how he had managed to get the job, and whether he was qualified to do it. She had not anticipated how difficult it would be to provide enough information to keep the hunger of the media world satisfied. The event she’d planned next, destined to begin with a meeting this afternoon, was either brilliant or would become a cataclysmic disaster. No matter the result, it was her responsibility. She felt nauseated. Finally she turned, as the phone fell momentarily silent, and she looked back toward the smiling face behind the desk.

  “Nancy, how long ago did Hawk go to meet Reginald?”

  “It was before I got here. I got a call from security telling me where they were.”

  “That was hours ago.” Juliette glanced at her watch. “He should have at least checked in by now.”

  “He usually does.” Nancy nodded.

  “I’m going to call Reginald.” Juliette punched her phone and paced back and forth as she waited for the call to connect. “Reginald, hi, this is Juliette . . . Fine, thanks. Sorry to bother you, but I’m trying to track down Hawk, and I understand he is with you . . .” She narrowed her eyes and cut them back toward Nancy, who got up from behind her desk and headed toward her. “Please do that and call me back.”

  Juliette hit the end button on her phone and slowly shook her head.

  “What is it? Is something wrong?” Nancy asked.

  “Hawk left Reginald an hour ago. He was going back to his apartment to change. He doesn’t have a cell phone—it got trashed this morning in the water at Pirates.”

  “What was he doing in the water at Pirates of the Caribbean?”

  “I’m not sure.” She raised an eyebrow. “This is Hawk we’re talking about. He was with Reginald at the Haunted Mansion, and that’s where they parted ways. He should have been here by now.”

  Her head began to hammer, as stress pounded a beat just above her eyes. Dueling instincts formed the source of her pain. Her instinct to worry battled her instinct that Hawk was simply making up a new agenda, one he hadn’t bothered to tell anyone about. Normally that wouldn’t have been a big deal, but today, it was a deal breaker.

  “Maybe something happened. He could still be at his apartment.”

  “Maybe.” Juliette looked toward the door. “Perhaps he’s just running late. I’ll head that way to take a look. Call me if you hear from him, please.”

  “Of course I will.”

  Juliette rechecked her watch. They had a crucial meeting scheduled a few hours from now. She and Hawk had to go over what they had agreed to. He had to sign off on it, and she had to make sure he understood exactly what they were getting into. If he didn’t, it would escalate into a disaster that would impact his influence, the company’s stockholders, and the public’s view of him as a leader.

  Placing her hand on the door, she paused before opening it. Inhaling deeply, she looked back over her shoulder toward Nancy. “And tell him I’m going to wring his neck i
f he misses his appointment.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  * * *

  GRAYSON HAWKES STARED INTO the smiling rubber face of President Jimmy Carter. The suited man wearing the mask leaned in, until their faces were inches apart. Hawk squinted, peering into the mask’s eye holes. In the darkness, his captor’s eyes were emotionless black orbs.

  “Who are you?” Hawk kept his eyes riveted on the expressionless face.

  “I’m surprised you don’t recognize me,” the muffled voice behind the mask answered. Straightening up, the figure moved around the chair, and with the wave of a hand, dismissed his three assistants. They disappeared among the presidents. Slowly circling, he returned to face Hawk. “I am President Jimmy Carter, of course. Whom else would you expect in the Hall of Presidents?”

  “OK.” Hawk sighed deeply. “I’ll play along. What do you want, Mr. President?”

  “I just wanted to speak to the chief creative architect of the Disney Company.”

  “You could have made an appointment.”

  “Really?” The muffled voice raised its tone. “Somehow I don’t think I would have been given a place in your busy schedule. Between your posing for magazine covers, appearing on television, and playing in the theme parks, you don’t have much time for anything else.”

  “Is that what this is about? You wanted an appointment to see me and you didn’t get one?” Hawk had been trying to recognize the voice behind the mask, but because it was muted, it did not sound familiar.

  “No, this is not about an appointment to see you.” Again the president leaned in. “Your ego really does know no limits, doesn’t it? This is about what you have been doing to this company, to the Disney brand, and about your trying to be something you are not.”

  “I appreciate your concern, but I think the company is doing pretty well, and I am learning how to do my new job.” Hawk leaned closer to the rubberized face. Straining against his restraints and lowering his voice, he continued. “So why don’t you take off your mask so I can thank you face-toface for your concern?”

  The suited president straightened up, creating space between himself and his captive. Tilting his head as if measuring what to say, he suddenly unleashed a backhanded slap against Hawk’s face. The blow came out of the darkness and surprised Hawk. The sting of the slap danced across his cheek like needles marching over his skin. Recovering from the strike, he again locked eyes with the dark orbs behind the mask and then slowly smiled.

  “Is that what you really wanted to do?” Hawk calmly spoke through his smile. “If that made you feel better, you can let me loose, and we can move on with our day. If you have something else you want to say, then you better go on and say it. I’m listening.”

  “Ah, that sense of humor you have. It was one of the things that made you a good preacher.” Pointing a finger at Hawk, he continued, “That is what you need to go back to doing. Go back to your pulpit, crack jokes, tell people about God, and get out of this company.”

  Hawk tried to process where this encounter was going. His captor knew enough about his background to know of his preaching at Celebration Community Church. He believed in using humor to illustrate the truths he would try to share. But that didn’t help narrow down the man’s identity. Hawk’s shift from pastor to chief creative architect had been well documented. The attention the church had received on this journey had been beneficial, and the ministry had exploded with all the media attention.

  Hawk’s friend Jonathan Carlson had taken over the day-to-day administration of the church itself. Hawk still managed to preach in at least one service each weekend but was free from the everyday responsibilities at the church. Jonathan also was on the payroll of the company, where he served as a project consultant in Imagineering. People who followed Jesus had full-time occupations in being followers. The way they paid for those occupations was by working in various vocations. In the case of his staff at the church in Celebration, he had made sure they all had jobs within the Disney Company. This helped the church financially, to be sure, but it also allowed Hawk to surround himself with a set of Warriors of the Kingdom, a term that Farren Rales had introduced him to. Jonathan Carlson, Shep Albert, and Juliette Keaton were like his family, and they served as friends, counselors, and consultants to the chief creative architect.

  “Look, if you just want to hear me preach, then you can hear me this weekend . . .”

  “I don’t care about your preaching.” The suited figure paced. “I care that you don’t ruin this organization. Your fifteen minutes of fame are over. I

  want you to step down and turn over control to someone else.”

  “Who would that be? You?”

  “No, not me.” The figure stopped pacing. “But there are others better equipped to lead and understand what needs to be done so much more than you do . . . preacher.”

  “Well, it isn’t that easy.” Hawk kept the smile on his face. “I didn’t just decide to start doing what I am doing now. I was . . . selected to do this.”

  “I know how you were selected. You were given a key.” Once again, the masked figure drew closer to Hawk as he growled. “That key is what gave you the authority, the power, and the control of Disney. Whoever has the key has the key to the kingdom.”

  Hawk’s mind raced, replaying the last eighteen months. This person, whoever he was, knew about the key from Farren Rales. But how much did he really know? The key was not merely a key to open locks; it had been a key to unlock a mystery with many layers. When Hawk unraveled that mystery months before, there were those who tried to stop him. They had also wanted the key, although they didn’t understand what it was or meant. He had always known there was a network of conspirators who wanted this key. He had been warned about them. Now they were resurfacing, and one of them was behind the mask.

  “If you just want a key, then let me loose, and I’ll go get it for you.”

  “Somehow I don’t believe you. That would be the right thing to do, the best thing to do, but you are too stubborn for that. I am hoping you will understand why it is important to give up the key.” The man circled the chair. “You probably have noticed a few problems in the Magic Kingdom today. The unexpected pirate attack was just a little warning for you. Four different attractions were shut down today because pirates took over. You may have the key, but I can control the kingdom.”

  Whoever Hawk was dealing with had been able to get access to attractions and areas that were accessible only by those who knew their way around the resort and had freedom to move behind the scenes. He knew that Reginald would figure out how the pirate audio-animatronics had been repositioned eventually; but if this person was able to create the pirate attack, what else might he be capable of doing?

  “Like I said . . .” Hawk laced his voice with diplomacy. “I will give you a key if you let me loose.”

  “Now a preacher should not lie like that.” The masked president leaned in, and the musty smell of the mask wafted past Hawk’s nose. “I know you won’t just give up the key so easily. You will have to be convinced that it is the only alternative you have.”

  His captor had done exactly what Hawk had hoped he would do. Earlier, as Hawk had strained to lean forward, he had measured how far he could actually move.

  In a thunderous rush of motion, Hawk threw himself forward against the restraints. His forehead connected with the forehead of the mask in a thudding head-butt that sent the suited figure tumbling backward. Falling between Presidents Lincoln and Washington, the man crashed on his back and did not move for a moment.

  Hawk twisted violently, trying to free himself, but the bonds were too tight and he could not find any give. Slowly the masked figure rose. Reaching up to adjust the presidential mask, the suited man groggily began making his way back toward his captive. He wobbled but did not get close enough for Hawk to unleash another assault.

  “I should have known you would be unreasonable.” The man spoke as he struggled to adjust the mask Hawk had knocked askew. “Since y
ou are so good at solving puzzles and mysteries, here is the way we are going to do this. In this building there are two lanterns hung in the window in tribute to Paul Revere. Remember this little poem . . . ‘One if by land, two if by sea, put out the lights and give us the key. . . .’ When you are ready to give up the key, turn out the lights in the window and wait right here. Until then, whatever happens . . . whatever happens . . . is your fault!”

  Again, Hawk felt a backhanded strike against his face. The blow splattered a wave of numbness across his jaw. When he swung his head back to where the masked president had stood, he was gone. Twisting his head side to side, he saw no one. He was now alone, strapped to a chair, sitting in the dark, surrounded by animatronic presidents.

  One if by land, two if by sea, put out the lights and give us the key.

  When you stand in Liberty Square, you can look at the second-floor window of the Hall of Presidents building and see two glowing lanterns. It is a detail many would miss except those familiar with and fascinated by the detail the designers placed in theme parks. The masked man knew Hawk was not only familiar with those details but had used that knowledge to solve a mystery. That concerned Hawk more than he wanted to admit.

  This adversary knew much more about him and the key than Hawk liked. The man had threatened Hawk, and the events of the morning had created havoc in the park. With growing concern, Hawk wondered how far these enemies—and they were a group, because the man had said give us the key—would go to accomplish their goal.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  * * *

  HELEN REED AND MARCUS HOLMES MOVED their group of students across Liberty Square toward the Hall of Presidents. The American Story was one of the Disney Youth Education Service offerings, as it shared the rich history of the United States of America by highlighting the sights and attractions of Liberty Square. Excellent teachers and historians, Helen and Marcus kept the students on this field-trip program enthralled, as they brought the heritage of the past into the present. Leaving the Liberty Bell, they usually concluded their day with a special onstage visit at the Hall of Presidents with the students, before they allowed the group to view the entire presentation during the first show of the day with the rest of the theme park guests.