The Passwords: Part 2

Part 2

Brian did not arrive in San Francisco until late that evening. He rented a car at Avis and then got a room at the nearby Marriott. He wanted to rest up before his drive north in the morning. Again, he was oblivious to the men following him.

The next morning, Brian had some black tea and a plain bagel before heading out for the day. His destination was only about thirty miles north, but felt the traffic would delay him some.

Luckily, the traffic was not too bad and by the time he reached California Highway 1, it was relatively calm.

The closer Brian got to his destination, the more he relied on his printed directions. He knew that reclusive, local residents sometimes tore down the signs. They were certainly a community that valued their privacy.

Brian finally located the small community of Bolinas and then followed the street map to where he believed was indicated by the clues in Roger’s letter. While driving slowly down the street, he found the specific numbered house as well. If he had solved the enigma of the letter correctly, this should be the location of the cache. Brian parked in front of the house, scanning the yard and building.

Rocky and his partner, who had arrived in San Francisco an hour after midnight, had begun following Brian that morning. When they saw Brian park, they drove slowly past him, noting the number of the house. In this well-off residential area, there were few places to park that would not be noticeable. They did not want any attention so they continued on, seeking an inconspicuous place to park.

While his partner sought a parking spot, Rocky called his employer and updated him.

His employer replied, “That coincides with the information recently pulled from his computer. 157 Dogwood Road, Bolinas. We have not yet found any connection to the Primary or any reason why the Secondary would suddenly fly off to that location. But it is likely the location of the cache. The Primary must have taken precautions and provided the Secondary directions sometime prior to his demise.”

“Should we move in?” asked Rocky.

“No, we want to be sure that is the correct place. Continue to follow him for now. This might only be a waypoint on a longer journey. But if he returns to his hotel, take him then. Just do not lose him.”

“Understood.” Rocky knew the consequences for failure. And he would do absolutely anything to avoid that dire fate.
*************************************

Brian’s eyes fixated on the flagpole to the left of the house, the top bearing a small metal eagle, its wings outspread. The American flag blew in the light breeze. Nothing else in the front yard seemed of any interest to Brian.

Brian exited his vehicle and walked over to the flagpole. He scanned it from top to bottom and did not see anything out of place. So he knelt on the ground and began to dig at the base of the pole, pushing aside the dirt. He dug only for a few minutes before hitting a piece of plastic. He dug around the plastic and soon uncovered a small Ziploc bag containing two keys and a small strip of paper with six numbers on it. He had been correct!

Excited, Brian went to the front door of the spacious home, taking the keys and paper out of the plastic bag. He needed both keys to open the three locks on the sturdy door. Upon opening the door, he saw a keypad on the opposite wall. He quickly went to the keypad, input the numbers on the strip of paper, and deactivated the alarm.

The interior of the home was very nice, tastefully decorated though a bit eclectic. Most of the walls were covered by pictures and posters of various sports, such as boxing posters and football photographs. Brian wandered through the house, seeking the next clue in his quest. He passed through the living room, kitchen, and dining room, finding nothing of interest.

It was in the study that he found what he sought. A bullfighting poster showing a famous toreador waving a red cape before an irate bull.

Brian looked at the bull and noted that its horns pointed to the left, toward a wall covered by a tall bookcase. He spent quite some time searching for secret buttons or levers on or around the bookcase but found none. In the end, he chose to remove all of the books, a large collection of encyclopedias and reference works.

Once all of the books were stacked in numerous piles upon the floor, Brian was able to push the empty bookcase aside. Behind it he then saw a small safe with a key panel. He now needed to input the proper passwords to open the safe. If he input the wrong one, something very bad might happen. He went back over the last line of the puzzle.

“You must then offer the proper words to appease the devil or you will end up as if you were a sacrificial victim placed as an offering to some dark beast.”

Would he get only a single chance to input the proper passwords? Or would it be lenient and allow him at least a couple of attempts? If he failed, what would be the consequences? Was the safe wired to explosives?

Brian had to assume that he only had a single chance. He could not count on any leniency. He had to be very careful with inputting the passwords. He could not even afford to misspell any word. But what were those passwords?

Brian began to analyze the clues once again.

To Be Continued...