Tristan closed and locked the door once he saw Emily’s car disappear around the block.  He sighed, torn between complete contentedness and restless anticipation for what he’d do the rest of the night.  There was plenty he needed to catch up on, but he couldn’t seem to focus his thoughts on anything other than Emily.  He stood with his back against the door, trying to make a mental list of things that he needed to take care of, but the ringing of the telephone jolted him out of what had quickly become another daydream starring Emily.  He was one hundred and forty-five years old, why did he feel like a fifteen year old boy?

Tristan: “Hello?”

James: “You need to get over here right away.”

Tristan: “Why, what’s wrong?”

James: “It’s Stone.”

Tristan felt a red-hot flash of anger that momentarily blinded him.

Tristan: “What happened?”

James: “Remember Jason Rowland?”
Tristan: “Rowland?  The money guy we got after Daryl left?”
James: “After Daryl mysteriously disappeared, you mean.”

Tristan: “I thought he took a job in Germany.”

James: “So did I, but no one has any record of him ever arriving in Germany.”

Tristan: “James, that was four years ago.  Maybe he just didn’t want to work for us anymore and wanted to get out of it.”

James: “That would make sense, except that there is a record of him leaving for Germany, just not getting there.  But the worst thing?  Jason Rowland is on Stone’s payroll.”

Tristan: “James, for all intents and purposes, we were on Stone’s payroll.”

James: “We were.  He still is.”

Tristan: “What are you saying?”

James: “I’m saying everything’s a mess.”

Tristan: “How bad?”
James: “Pretty bad, but I’m hoping it’s not unfixable.  I just need you to get over here right away.”

Tristan: “And do what?  You know I’m no good at money.”

James: “Right, right.  You’ve learned to speak six languages, but the universal language of math has eluded you.  It’s eluded me too.  But you are somewhat skilled at keeping me from going into a blind, whacko panic, so would you just get over here please?”

Tristan: “I’m on my way; I just need to shower first.  And James, I don’t have a problem with math.  It’s just that the financial world is an ever-changing equation where the most minute of variables can have extraordinary effects on the final—”

Tristan: “Hello?  James?  Are you there?”