The Blue Legacy

8/3/2019 The Blue Legacy

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The Blue Legacy

by

E. Thornton Goode, Jr.



PROLOGUE

What is History? Is it just a record of past events, or

could it be possible it could have premonitions for thefuture? Does History give us a legacy from which to learn?

But do we gather wisdom, taking heed from this knowledge?

ur story will address the possibility of historic legacy!



The Blue Legacy

"olonel #ohn $ason had led his company of %nion

troops into the city of &tlanta several days earlier! He was anambitious and intolerant man! He was known for his

piercing gray eyes! ne look from them could make anyone

shutter in his boots! Behind his back, many called him

'(uth) $ason, short for the slashing adjective, describing his

manner and demeanor! His unorthodo* actions supported his

enormous ego! He reali+ed the war could be a springboard

to his political future when all was said and done! When he

returned to ew -ork, stories of his campaigns would surely

boost his probability of election! He would be known as

someone who got things done, even if he went out on a limb

to accomplish it! othing was going to stand in the way of

his future!

$ason halted his men and dismounted! He walked

up to the wrought iron gates of the great house on .eachtree

/treet! He stood there several moments, stroking his dark

beard and mustache! /uddenly, his eyes took on a cra+ed

look!

0he early morning sun gave a golden glow to the

white marble of the huge "lassic (evival mansion, standing

in the middle of the city lot! &ll four sides of the s1uare,two2story structure had twelve2foot wide porches on both

levels, separating the columns from the white marble walls

of the house! 0here were eight fluted columns on each side

made of the same marble and in the High "orinthian style!

0hey supported not only the second story porch but the

ornate frie+e above them!

0he windows were large, set with diamond2shaped

beveled panes and flanked on both sides by slatted shutters,

painted a black2green! 3very window and doorway had an

elaborately carved pediment!



$ason wondered why the iron had not been taken for

the war effort, as he slowly walked up the cobblestone

carriageway to the three white granite steps, leading to the

main porch, e*tended across the entire front fa4ade of the

house! He looked out over the surrounding lawns and

gardens that only hinted at their former elegance and

splendor! His eyes took their time scanning the e*terior of

the house! oticeable wisps of smoke stain were apparent

on the graceful columns!

3ntering through the double front doors, he was in a

wide hall, and in front of him was a grand spiral staircase! &

huge 5rench crystal chandelier hung from the highly

ornamented ceiling of the second story, some twenty feet

above his head! It hung low enough such that it appeared the

curved stairway was caressing the elaborate fi*ture!

0he main floor was of marble pavers! 5luted"orinthian columns and carved pediments adorned the

entries of the parlors on either side of the hall!

&lthough stripped of its fine furnishings, the house

still retained high elegance! 0he ornamented walls, ceilings,

mantles and glinting crystal chandeliers hinted at a charm

that once was! 0he images of grand parties and people ingraceful attire flashed in his mind! /uch e*travagance only

angered him, reminding him of how difficult his childhood

had been in an orphanage!

Walking through the entry and to the left of the great

stairway, he found himself in the huge ballroom at the back

of the house! & multitude of windows filled the rear walllooking out to the rear porch and the lawns beyond! &t the

far right end of the room was the only remaining piece in the

house, the carved walnut piano! ot the typical s1uare kind,

but the newer, three2legged grand, with the bow on the right

side!



&pproaching the keyboard, he struck one of the keys!

0here was no sound! He struck it several times in

succession! /till, there was no sound! 0he reason was

obvious! &ll the strings were gone! 0his was not

uncommon! 0he strings were being used to wrap cannon, to

prevent them from cracking during long periods of use! 0he

strings had a way of strengthening the barrels when they got

hot and increased the life of the weapon! 5inding a piano

intact was a real treasure!

5inishing his silent tour, he left the great house the

same way he entered! When he returned to the gates, he

recalled why the house had not been damaged! 6ieutenant

/tevens had told him 7eneral /herman had spared it when

he burned the rest of the city! He considered it a superb

e*ample of classic architecture and didn)t want it destroyed!

6ieutenant /tevens and the other men were waiting1uietly at the gate! $ason climbed onto his horse and

looked at the house for some time! 0hen in a loud booming

voice, he yelled! 8/tevens9 Burn it9:

&t that moment, a horseman came riding up at full

gallop! He was yelling and waving his hat in the air! 8It)s

over9 It)s over9 0he war)s over9:

& great roar of jubilance rose from the troops! 0hey

danced around and threw their hats into the air!

0he trooper rode up to $ason and saluted! 8"ol!

$ason, /I(9 We have word! 0he war is over! /I(9 7eneral

6ee surrendered at &ppomatto*!: He smiled! 8We can gohome now!:

8/oldier9 0ake that smile off your face! It)s not over

till I say it)s over!: $ason stroked his beard! 8We)ll go

home when we finish showing these damn (ebels that they



truly lost!: He paused for a moment, then turned and yelled!

8/tevens9 Burn it9:

& surprised look came to /tevens) face! 8But, /ir9

0he war is over!:

$ason)s eyes riveted to /tevens)! 8&re you

disobeying the orders of a superior officer?:

/tevens lowered his eyes and begrudgingly saluted!

8o, /I(9:

80hen carry out your orders!:

8-es, /I(9: /tevens turned to the troops! 8Halsey9

#ake9 /tone9 Bishop9 "ome with me!: He dismounted and

they walked up the carriageway!

Within thirty minutes, huge billows and black smokeand flames shot from the roof and into the clear blue sky!

0he noise of the burning timbers and the cracking marble

was almost deafening! $ason reveled in the sight! & sinister

smile crossed his face! 8kay, $en9 W, we can go

home!:

0he company turned and slowly marched up.eachtree /treet, heading north and to what was left of their

own homes, families and lives! Behind them, the blackened

marble popped and crumbled in the inferno! &s the roof and

floors collapsed, the walls, chimneys and columns began to

topple, and delicate capitals and ornamentation went

crashing to the ground, shattering into many pieces! By mid2

afternoon, nothing remained but a smoldering wreck of ahouse! 0he lower walls were black crags and the irregular

perimeter of columns seemed like huge dark tree stumps!

; ; ; ; ;



0he lot was unused, in an overgrown state, until just

after the 5irst World War! 0he twenty2story 0rumbolt

Building was constructed on the property! $uch ado was

made over the building since it was one of the first major

buildings to go up after the War! During e*cavation, many

pieces of the marble architectural decoration were found and

saved! 0hey were placed in huge glass cases in the lobby, as

historic memorabilia!

; ; ; ; ;

It was mid2ctober of <==> and <@<A on that 5riday

morning! It was business as usual at the accounting firm of

0indell and Berry, located on the fifteenth floor of the

0rumbolt Building!

#im .otter was almost ready to make his morning

pick2up from the mailroom! He climbed the small stepladder

to retrieve another bo* of business envelopes from the topshelf! When he stepped back, he accidentally kicked the

radio console behind him! In doing so, he shifted the tuner

knob! 0he previous station had been playing easy listening

music throughout the office but the shift of the knob had

tuned in a news bulletin!

8-es! It seems to be located on the fifth and si*thfloors! Black smoke is billowing from windows on five!

0his is Bert (oss bringing you live coverage! Here! $any

are being evacuated from the lower floors by the fire

department! 3*cuse me, $a)am! Bert (oss! W$ news!

Do you know anything about the fire and how it started?:

8Why, not really! We heard the fire alarm andsecurity told us to leave the building! But not to use the

elevators!:

8Well! 0hank you very much! We)ll try to get more

information as soon as possible! (eturning you to our



studios! 0his is Bert (oss! W$ ninety2seven point eight

5$ news!:

8Well, folks! It seems we have a real problem down

there on .eachtree! 0his is gonna make the afternoon rush

hour a real mess! We)ll keep up the coverage as it unfolds!:

&t that, a piece of music started playing!

.eople got up from their desks and went to the

windows! &ll eyes scoured the city to see if there was any

sight of the mentioned fire!

8I have no idea where it could be!: /andra spoke up!

8I don)t see smoke anywhere out there!: /he turned and saw

#im .otter! 8#im! Did you hear anything about where the

fire is located?:

8/ure didn)t!:

0he music was interrupted! 8We take you back to

Bert (oss! Bert! What can you tell us?:

8$ike! It seems the fire has spread to the seventh

floor! 0here)s four or five engine companies here right now!

/poke with one of the firemen who said the heat is 1uite

intense on five and si*, but they)re trying to contain it!0hey)re spraying water through the broken windows on the

two floors! &nd the smoke is incredible! Will see if I can get

any more information! 0ill then, back to $ike!:

80hanks, Bert, for that update!: 0he music

continued!

Bob "larke was the District $anager and heard the

news! He stepped out of his office! 8/andra! 7ive 0om a

call and see if he knows anything!: 0hen he laughed! 8&nd

make sure it)s not us!:



8"ould I have 0om /urles) e*tension?:

8/ecurity! 0om /urles here!:

80om! 0his is /andra White with 0indell and Berry,

up here on fifteen! We heard something about a big fire and

wondered if you knew where it was?:

80here)s a fire? %p there?:

8o! o! We heard it on the radio! It)s somewhere in

the city and wanted to know where it was!:

80hank, 7od9 0hat)s all I need is a fire today! o!

Haven)t heard anything! Wait! 6et me turn on our radio and

see what is going on!: 0here was momentary silence while

0om went to get the radio turned on! &fter a while, he

returned to the phone! 8/andra! I)ve checked out several

stations and there)s nothing about a fire! What station areyou listening to?:

8It)s W$ 5$! inety2seven point eight, so they

said!:

8#ust a minute!: 0here was another pause! 8-eah!

It)s coming through loud and clear! I)ll see what I can findout! I)ll call you back! 0hanks, /andra!:

8kay, 0om! 0hanks!:

It was difficult for everyone to concentrate on work!

/omeone was always going by the windows and pausing for

a minute to look out before returning to his desk!

8I)m calling the station! 0hey can tell me where it

is!: /andra grabbed the business pages of the phone book

out of the bottom drawer of her desk! Her search proved

useless! 0here was no W$ listed! /he picked up the



phone again! 8Hello! Information! &tlanta! 0he number for

radio station W$!: /he thumped the desk with her

fingers waiting for the number! 8What? 0here is no number

listed? But I don)t understand! I)ve never heard of a radio

station without a phone number! kay! 0hank you,

operator!: /he pressed another button on the phone for an

outside line! 8/tupid phone company! /ometimes I wonder

where they get their employees, and if any of them are

competent! -es! Hello! perator! &tlanta! I want the

phone number of a radio station! It must be new since it)s

not in the phone book! -es! W$!: 0here was another

pause! 80here is no number and no W$ listed! -ou must

be kidding! 0hank you!:

8ow back to Bert on the scene! What can you tell

us now?:

80hanks, $ike! I had to move from my spot at the

$acon Building! 0he fire trucks are taking up virtually thewhole block! 0hey are evacuating the $acon Building, too,

since it)s right across the street from the fire! 0hey might

have to do some rescue from the roof of the $acon

Building!:

/andra)s eyes were filled with terror! /he was not

alone! & shock wave of panic hit the office! 3veryone ran tothe windows! Bob bolted from his office! 8Damn9 It)s got

to be us! We)re across the street from the $acon Building!:

/andra grabbed the phone! 8Hello! 0om /urles

again!: /andra was frantic! 80om9 0he fire is across the

street from the $acon Building! &re you sure we)re not on

fire?:

8/andra! 0here)s no indication in the sensing system

or on the security cameras! 0ell everybody to stay put! I)m

checking the building myself! I)m calling the fire

department, too! Don)t worry! We)ll take care of it!:



80hey said there are lots of fire trucks on the scene!:

8I don)t understand! 6arry was just outside checking

the outside of the building to see if he could see any smoke

and he saw nothing! o smoke and no fire trucks! But I)ll

check myself into this! /andra! 0here)s no fire in the

building!:

80hanks, 0om! We are really cra+y up here! Bye!:

/he looked at Bob, standing by her desk! 80om said there)s

nothing wrong! He sent one of his guys out to check and

there)s nothing! He didn)t see anything wrong with any of

the buildings along the street!:

0he radio report continued! 80he fire)s coming out

the windows on the tenth floor! I really wonder if they are

gonna be able to put it out! It)s really bad! &nd there)s a lot

of people on the floors above the fire! I have no idea howthey are going to get out! I spoke with "aptain Danny $iller

and he indicated that they found a major and unforeseen flaw

in the building that)s allowing the fire to spread more rapidly!

He could not understand how something like that could get

by the building inspector! $ike! We could have a major

follow2up story that might involve corruption and graft! But

for now, there)s the problem of getting the rest of the peopleout of the building! I see many at the windows on the floor

above the fire! "ould it be they are the pawns in some

horrible tragedy? &nd the smoke! It)s so thick, filling the

sky with blackness!:

8kay folks! 0ake the rest of the day off! 7et out of

here! &nd just in case, don)t take the elevators! 0ake thestairs!: Bob turned to /andra! 8I know we can)t be on fire!

We)d see the damn smoke! 3specially if the tenth floor was

on fire! -ou can go if you like! I)m staying here to find out

what)s what!:



8o! 0hink I)ll stay, too! 0hink you)re right!: /he

flashed a reassuring smile!

8What did the radio station tell you?:

8"an you believe it? 0here is no listing for the

station! 0hey have no phone!:

80hat)s absurd! I)ve never heard of a radio station

without a phone!: Bob went to the windows, scanning the

city! 8othing9 ot a damn thing! I)m calling the fire

department!: Bob picked up the phone! 8Hello! 0his is Bob

"larke with 0indell and Berry! We)re on the fifteenth floor

of the 0rumbolt Building and we are listening to a news

report on the radio about a big fire in a building on .eachtree

/treet! It)s supposed to be across from the $acon Building,

but W3 are across the street from the $acon Building! -ou

have no report of a fire anywhere on .eachtree! But the

report said the fire is up to the tenth floor and there areseveral fire trucks on the scene! It)s an 5$ station! W$!

kay! 0hanks! I appreciate your help!: He hung up the

phone! 80hey)re sending over a 6ieutenant $iller to check

things out! He should be here in a little while! 0hey wanted

to know what station was doing the report! 7uess they)ll

find out their phone number!:

Within minutes, 0om /urles and 6ieutenant $iller

entered the office! 8-ou must be Bob "larke! I)m Danny

$iller with the fire department! ow, what)s this about a

fire?:

0he report broke in again! 8$ike! 0he fire)s really

bad! "aptain $iller said it)s a furnace in there! Wait aminute! 6ooks like they)re breaking windows on the ninth

floor! 0hey threw chairs through them! /moke is coming

out, too! h, my 7od9 /ome are climbing out and hanging

from the framework! h, #esus9 0hey)re jumping9 h,

7od9 0hey)re jumping9:



8/omething)s really wrong here!: Danny clicked on

his talk phone! 86ieutenant $iller here! I)m on the fifteenth

floor of the 0rumbolt Building and listening to a radio report

on a major fire in town! 0here)s no fire here! 0here)s no fire

alarm out right now? Damn9 0his is weird! Is there a

"aptain $iller connected with the &5D? o $iller! kay!

We)ll try to get to the bottom of this! 0hanks! $iller out!:

He shook his head! 80here)s nothing! &nd they joked about

the "aptain $iller! /aid I)ll be up for promotion in the ne*t

couple of years and should be eligible for "aptain at that

time! ther than that, no $iller!:

0he report continued! 80he fire)s spread to the

fifteenth and si*teenth floors!:

80hat ties it!: Bob uttered! He looked around the

entire office! 80here)s no fire here!:

6ieutenant $iller scratched his head! 8It)s got to be a

hoa*! &nd the station?:

8I tried to call them! 0here is no listing and no phone

number!: /andra answered!

8ow I know something)s wrong! 3very station hasa phone!: 6ieutenant $iller rubbed his face!

#ust then, 6ieutenant $iller)s assistant arrived!: Hey,

Danny! What)s going on here?:

8Hey, /cott! /eems there is a radio report about a big

fire! But there is no evidence of a fire anywhere in the cityto match this one! 0hink we)ve got a hoa* on our hands!:

0he phone on /andra)s desk began to ring! 80indell

and Berry, /andra speaking! h, yes! #ust a minute! 0om!

It)s for you!:



80om here! -eah! -eah! kay! Interesting! 0hanks!

Bye!: He hung up the phone! 86arry called the main

security office for them to see what they could find out!

0hey could find nothing on the 5$ radio at ninety2seven

point eight, just static! thers checked their car radios and

nothing! one of the 0C stations have anything about a fire,

and you know they would be champing at the bit to be there!

0his is really bi+arre!:

0he report continued! 80he fire)s on the nineteenth

and twentieth floors! 0hey)re jumping9 0hey)re jumping9

5lames have engulfed the entire base of the building! 0here

go the windows somewhere around the twenty2eighth floor!

It)s horrible! /o many are dying! How many will die in this

tragedy? 0he fire department is helpless!:

80wenty2eight? But this building has only twenty

floors! "ould this be a story, a play?: /cott interjected!

Bob pounded his palm with his fist! 80hat)s it9 It)s

like that radio broadcast back in the thirties! 0he one in ew

-ork about the $artians invading the world that everyone

thought was real! 0hat)s got to be it! It was done as a

Halloween prank, and here it is getting close to Halloween!:

8$iller here! /eems it must be a radio drama! 3ven

the station must be fictitious! I)ll be back to the station in a

short while! $iller out!:

8Have to admit! /ure had me going there!: Bob

laughed!

8Hey! 7lad it)s not real! 0here)s nothing worse than

trying to fight a fire in a high2rise! It)s the nightmare of

every fireman!:



8I really appreciate you coming by!: Bob shook

$iller)s hand! -ou, too, 0om!: He shook 0om)s hand!

8/orry, 0om, for the confusion!:

87ot my adrenaline going!: 0om laughed!

Bob and /andra gathered their things while the report

continued! 5inally, Bob turned off the radio! 0hey got into

the elevator!

8But it was so real!: /andra broke the silence!

8-eah! It was!:

0he elevator doors opened and they headed for their

cars! 8Have a good weekend, /andra! /ee you on $onday!:

8-ou, too, Bob!:

0he event of the day in the 0rumbolt Building made

the /i* )clock ews! 8& strange radio drama took place

today in the 0rumbolt Building, totally interrupting business!

/eems the drama was about a fire, and it even had the fire

department hopping! &s of this newscast, there is no

information on what station was doing the broadcast! $aybe

it was shades of the nineteen thirty2eight $ercury 0heater broadcast, but Halloween is a few more days away! We)ll

keep you updated when this mystery unfolds!:

; ; ; ; ;

It is present day and a significant event is scheduled

for the late morning hours! 6ocal 0C and radio stations havetheir e1uipment readied to record it! 3ven helicopters have

positioned themselves for a bird)s eye view! 0he moment

finally arrives and the countdown comes to an end!



When the timer hit +ero, all eyes were fi*ed on the

0rumbolt Building! 6oud multiple 'booms) resounded down

.eachtree /treet! 0he sound subsided! 0he building gave a

1uiver and then slowly started sinking to the ground in a

great cloud of dust! ne reporter compared it to a great ship

slipping beneath the sea!

0he visual was truly awesome! #ust over two

hundred feet of brick and concrete, crashing to the ground, in

one giant dust cloud! Whistles and roars from the crowd

joined the tremendous noise! It seemed strange that it took

only seconds to demolish something that took almost two

years to construct!

$arc "arpenter packed away his video camera and

headed for the airport! 0he footage would be incorporated

into his presentation! "ompletion of the first phase of his

new concept, along with its corresponding presentation, had

to be finished in the ne*t two weeks! &t that time, the wholething would be unveiled to his wealthy client and also the

world!

He was the protg of the ew -ork firm of Burns,

0yler and $atthews! His creativity and new ideas had been

recogni+ed even in his college days! His concepts were

beyond futuristic! 0hey were innovative and visuallyspectacular! & major architectural maga+ine had crowned

him 'the ne*t 5rank 6loyd Wright, and more)! nly wealthy

architectural firms could recruit him! thers could not afford

to hire him! But $arc was not only e*tremely talented, he

was unbelievably arrogant! It was rather fitting that his first

major design would be for one of the wealthiest and most

arrogant men in the business field! 3ach in their own area of e*pertise was brilliant, but they were ruthless in their means

to stay on the top!

0here were stories about $arc)s college days and

things he did, vicious things, to other students and their work



so that his would outshine them all! &lthough there was no

real proof of his vengeance, it was known in whispers he had

done them! /trangely, he didn)t have to be that way! His

designs and ideas were revolutionary and would have stood

above the rest on their own merit! $any believed it was

because inside he was insecure and had no conscience!

/o here it was! 0wo weeks to go! &rchitectural firms

knew of the project and were an*ious to see what it was!

.aul 6ewis was president of $arc)s firm and had invited

many to see the presentation, even some members of the

competition! He was not afraid of losing $arc to another

firm, as none could meet his growing salary! $any were not

willing to deal with his self2centeredness, lack of modesty

and enormous ego! He had wondered why $arc didn)t start

his own firm, but $arc had indicated that working for others

had its advantages, too!

; ; ; ; ;

.aul and $arc waited patiently for their client at the

elevator in the reception lobby! It was the day of reckoning!

He would be there shortly! .aul had the many guests ushered

to the conference room earlier! &nyone arriving after the

designated time would not be admitted!

8I know he)s going to like it! I have no doubt!: $arc

was antsy but incredibly sure of himself! 0his project could

be a major stepping stone to his future! His move up the

ladder in the firm would be assured! He wanted to see his

name on the door and in first place!

8It)s spectacular! -ou have nothing to worry about! Iknow they say no one can please him, this will be different!

It speaks to his huge ego! -ou)ll see!:

&ll was in readiness in the conference room! 0he

video and verbal presentation would begin there, then move



to the main reception lobby, where there was a huge bo*

shape, wrapped in a cover!

8I understand he)s a real son2of2a2bitch! &nd he)s

from one of ew -ork)s old families! (ight after the "ivil

War, his great something grandfather went into politics!

/everal coup d)tats landed the family with vast fortunes!

How or what happened makes no difference! It doesn)t

change the fact he)s one of the wealthiest and influential men

alive! He)s made and broke many!: $arc recalled

information regarding their client!

.aul looked at his watch! 8Well! 0he moment of

truth is here! 6et)s go meet him!:

0hey stood several feet in front of the elevators in the

reception area! 0he large, covered bo* shape loomed up

behind them! 0he doors opened and out stepped a tall, well2

dressed man, surrounded by si* others! He had intense grayeyes that seemed to look into ones) very soul! His angular

face and his dark black beard and mustache were streaked

with touches of gray!

87ood morning! I hope the traffic wasn)t too bad!:

.aul e*tended his hand, shaking that of the man in front of

him! 8&nd this is $arc "arpenter! $arc, this is $r! 5rank$ason!:

$arc e*tended his hand to grip a stern shake! 87ood

morning, sir!:

$ason looked $arc up and down! 8Isn)t he a bit

young for this project?:

8He might be young, but he)s centuries ahead in

concept and design!: .aul smiled!



$ason gave a sly smile as he continued to stare at

$arc! 8-eah! I)ve been finding out a lot about him! /eems

he)s supposed to be the ne*t 'big thing) in architectural

design! We)ll know soon enough, won)t we?:

.aul led the group to the large conference room

where everyone was already seated! While an underling got

coffee and pastries for $ason, .aul seated him in the place

of honor so he could see the presentation without distraction

or interference! 0hen he went to the front podium! 87ood

morning, gentlemen! I hope everyone is comfortable! -ou

all know why you are here, so I would like to turn the

program over to $r! $arc "arpenter! $arc!: He gestured in

$arc)s direction, as there was pleasant applause!

87entlemen! I would like to e*plain that I will not be

standing up here in front of you for this presentation! 0he

entire thing is video with musical interludes and verbal

comments! 0he video will begin with touches of historicvalue, then conclude with the site of the project! &fterwards,

we will finish in the reception area! /o let)s begin!:

$arc pressed a button and the electric blinds covered

all the windows and the lights dimmed out! 0he program

was underway!

&t its end, there was, again, a polite applause, as the

lights came on and the blinds opened!

$ason stood, grinned and looked at $arc! 87ood

shot of the building at the end! It always ama+es me what a

few well2placed charges can do!:

80hank you, sir! ow, gentlemen, if you will go to

the reception area, I would appreciate it! We will have the

finale there!:



/hortly, all were standing around the large tall bo* in

the reception area! $omentarily, the doors closed, blinds

covered the windows and the lights dimmed out! $arc had

seen the visual several times in rehearsal, but this was the

real thing! His heart raced in e*citement! He spoke in a loud

and distinct voice! 87entlemen! I give youE: He paused

for a second and pulled the drape off the .le*iglas bo*! 80he

$ason 0ower!: He pressed another button!

Within the case, stood a fourteen foot tall model of a

<F story building! Its many spires rose like a conglomerate

of 1uart+ crystals! 0he entire model was lighted along with

the other models of buildings in the vicinity! 0he elegant

lines of the design made the tower seem taller than it really

was! /hafts of multicolored light beamed from the many

pinnacles as if broken by a hundred prisms!

0here was an audible gasp of ama+ement from the

darkness around the model, then a raucous affirmation ofsatisfaction!

$ason yelled out! 8By 7od9 Damn9 -ou)ve done it9

$y boy, you)ve done it9:

Words like 'unbelievable), 'spectacular), 'incredible)

and 'brilliant) circulated through the room!

&fter several minutes, the lights slowly returned to

normal again and the blinds opened! 0he model was visible

by the light of day!

8It)s perfect!: $ason boomed! 8It makes a

statement! & statement of all statements!: He moved closerto the case to observe the details of the model! & power

sensation went through him when he saw how it dwarfed the

surrounding structures! 8How poetic! & monument of

northern commerce standing in the capital of the /outh, it

just makes me feel terrific! &nd my office will be right up



there! n the top floor!: $ason)s ego was about to e*plode!

80hose damn (ebels! It)s not over till I say it)s over!: &

sinister mood flashed across his face! 8& toast9:

0he sound of champagne bottles opening echoed

through the room! $ason raised his glass! 80o $arc

"arpenter! & genius!:

8Here9 Here9: (esounded throughout!

8ow! 6et)s go show those (ebels whose boss!:

$ason yelled!

& loud applause filled the room and all wanted to

shake the hand of the new, soon to be famous, architect!

$arc)s ego burst! 8I)m now unstoppable! I)m on the

top and it feels good! o one can touch me! &nd my office

will be right there on the same top floor, too! (ight ne*t tothat arrogant bastard)s!: He whispered to himself then

1uietly gave a sinister laugh!

; ; ; ; ;

3ven as the backslapping was going on in ew -ork,

heavy e1uipment removed the last remains of the 0rumboltBuilding and started e*cavating for the deep underground

garage! $uch blasting had to be done to go into the granite

beneath the surface! In a few months, the site would be

ready for commencement of construction!

0he model was eventually moved from ew -ork

and put on display on the main level of the 5ive .oints$&(0& /tation, in downtown &tlanta, where the east2west

and north2south transit lines intersect! 0he model became a

local attraction!



&lthough many were glad for the new structure and

the business it would bring, many others were disappointed

that much of the contract work was being done by companies

from ew -ork, owned by $ason! nly the 'grunt) work

was contracted out to local companies! /ome even said that

many of the businesses to occupy the building were coming

from up north, bringing their employees with them, many

connected to the $ason 3mpire! But this was just hearsay!

nly time would tell!

0he early morning sun put a bright glow on the new

spring day! "onstruction started that morning with the first

concrete truck pulling up to unload! 0he sounds of electric

welding and operating cranes combined with those of the

surrounding city traffic!

&mong it all, a young man walked up .eachtree

/treet, listening to his radio! He stopped and began to turn

the selection dial! 5inally, he stopped on a station that camein loud and clear!

8Hello, &tlanta! 0his is your new 3asy 6istening

station! W$! inety2seven point eight on your 5$

dial!:

THE END

Documents

The Blue Legacy