Storming the Kingdom (14 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY - TWO

Four Days Ago
Late Afternoon

H
awk entered the room to applause, a few gasps, and a number of pleasantly surprised smiles. Scanning the room, he recognized some of the people he had met over the time he had been involved with Christmas Dreams, and he was truly humbled by their excitement at his arrival. He took his spot near the back of the shop in front of a large painting of a Renaissance man, which dominated the room. Mindful of the security risk of being in public too long, Hawk immediately launched into some words of greeting, began to thank them for the work they were doing with sick children and their families, and offered them an encouraging word as they continued to press forward and develop their themed attraction for these very special kids.

“All of our lives are a story. The pages are packed with the memories we collect over a lifetime.” He paused, remembering the families they worked with. “No matter how long or short that lifetime might be. And the memories we create, they are gifts we leave behind when we are gone. They become part of our legacy, and our stories continue in the lives of those we love, those who travel our journey with us, and those who will hear our stories in the days ahead. The challenge for all of us is to make sure that each day the story of our lives is one worth telling, one worth living, and one worth sharing.” Again he paused, smiled at his audience, and added, “You are helping to create brand-new chapters of joy—memories that will last forever.”

The crowd of people watched as Hawk paced a bit in front of them and continued his informal chat. “If we think about the stories that represent our lives, we begin to understand that to really make sense of the story, details are essential. Here at Disney, we pay great attention to the details. If you have been a fan of Disney for very long, you realize that the hidden details, the things others don’t always take the time to notice, are loaded with meaning and can tell a story within a story. I want to encourage you to pay attention to the details. In those details, you might just discover the hidden meaning you need to make your own story come alive and be more meaningful.

“I wanted to meet you here in Bonjour! Village Gifts to illustrate what I am talking about.” He pointed at the painting behind him. “Some of you probably noticed this very large painting of a Renaissance man on the wall. I know you’ve been listening to me ramble, but I would imagine that at least a couple of you might have been thinking, ‘I wonder who that is a painting of.’ After all, we are at Walt Disney World, this is the Magic Kingdom, and we are standing in gift shop nestled in a provincial French village, Belle’s hometown, right out of an animated feature. Certainly the guy in the painting is there for a reason, right?”

Nods throughout the group let Hawk know that some had indeed wondered about who the man in the painting was. Giving them a second to take in the painting, Hawk also took a long look at it, then turned back to face them.

“Let me introduce you to Phil Holmes. When this painting was commissioned, he was the president of the Magic Kingdom with the Walt Disney Company. So Phil was painted in period costume and given a place of honor here in the shop when Fantasyland was expanded. But if you know your Disney history, you’ll remember that at the time, the New Fantasyland was our largest expansion ever. It was a huge deal, and the way it changed the Magic Kingdom was unprecedented. Phil was in charge of the Magic Kingdom, so it was fitting that he be honored with this tribute painting for his leadership.

“It’s a nice touch, a nice way to honor him…but take some time to really look at the painting. This is not just a painting of a man—it also connects you to his life and can unlock secrets that some might never know. Let me show you.”

Hawk pointed to a ring on the man’s hand in the picture. “You will notice the ring has the number forty on it. The reason is because Phil was a cast member on opening day of the Magic Kingdom. At the time of the painting, his last five-year milestone with the company had been forty years, so the ring has a forty on it to commemorate that. On the shelf in the painting above his shoulder, you see a Donald Duck statue. That is the award we give to cast members on their forty-year recognition. It is a replica of his forty-year service award. Over his other shoulder, you will see a large swatch of what looks like wallpaper. If it looks familiar, it should…it’s a piece of wallpaper from the Haunted Mansion, where Phil worked when he started and the park opened.

“Look at the table in front of Phil. The things there represent milestones during his time here in the Magic Kingdom.” Hawk pointed at each one as he mentioned it. “There’s a magic lamp representing the Aladdin ride, an apple for the closed Snow White Scary Adventures attraction but also the new Seven Dwarfs coaster, and the peanuts have a lot of symbolism for the expansion where the original Dumbo ride was closed, but Storybook Circus, including the Double Dumbo attraction, was created. A park map lays open on the right side, showing Mickey’s Toontown Fair in the corner—a lot of people visited that area over the years.” Then Hawk stopped and pointed back up toward the Donald Duck statue. “If you examine the picture really closely, you’ll notice the blue book on the shelf below the statue is titled
Terre de Fantasme
, which, translated, means something close to ‘land of fantasy.’ Where you are standing, where this expansion has happened, and all of it…a part of Phil Holmes’s life. So as you can see, this isn’t merely a tribute painting featuring Phil, this is a tribute to his life. It tells his story as it relates to his work in the company here…and if you can figure out what the hidden clues mean, then Phil’s story comes alive and you know something or a lot of things about him that others could easily miss. His story has impacted your life. You have gotten the chance to enjoy the things his work has helped to create.”

He stepped back and looked toward the painting. “So the details in the painting have helped to make his story come alive. The details matter and so pay attention to the details in your own life, in the lives of others, and definitely…let me encourage you to pay attention to the details as you care for families and create an escape for them to come and visit. And I promise, we will help you do that well. Strive for perfection, settle for excellence, and people will always remember what you are trying to say to them.”

Hawk nodded to the group, indicating he was finished. They applauded and many thank-yous rang out over the appreciative applause. One person raised a hand and asked, “Is there any hidden meaning in what he’s writing?”

Hawk raised an eyebrow and looked back toward the painting. He leaned in and looked closely and really couldn’t decipher any hidden meaning or order to what was there. Turning back, he said with a huge grin, “I didn’t say I was going to answer any questions.”

Everyone, including Hawk, laughed. “I don’t know. If there is hidden meaning in what is there, then I don’t know it. But if you find it or figure something out, let me know…around here, you never can tell.” More laughter followed. The crowd was relaxed, they were thrilled Hawk had made an appearance, and he was having a good time as well. “I like the way you’re thinking; that is exactly what I was talking about. Even in the detail of what someone is writing, you can find insight into something far bigger and more complicated.” He allowed his voice to trail off, and he again looked back at the painting. This time it was more than a glance; he was studying it, and he held the stare longer than he had planned. The room grew silent as the audience tried to figure out what he was seeing or doing.

Juliette, realizing he was not doing this for the sake of his presentation, moved next to him and whispered, “What are you doing?”

Hawk snapped back to the moment, turned, and once again thanked the crowd for coming and listening to him, and he promised to do whatever he could to help Christmas Dreams continue in the days ahead. To more applause and words of thanks along with wishes to keep safe, he exited through the main door of the building and immediately was taken across the walkway and backstage into the cast member only area.

As the security team relaxed and spread out, Juliette waited for Hawk to tell her what he was doing.

“It dawned on me as I was answering the question. I know how to find what I think were Walt Disney’s last words.”

“Really?”

“Yes, sort of…Farren would know that I knew a lot of Disney history and that what I didn’t know, I could research. But when you look for Walt’s final words, the truth is…anyone who heard them or knew them has never told anyone. They were private and they were no one else’s business. So for years, there were rumors about Walt’s last words…not his spoken words to be sure, but his written words.”

“So the clue is not really about his final words but what most people believe are his final words?” Juliette asked as she rubbed her hands together.

“His final written words,” Hawk restated.

“And do you know them?”

“I do.” He smiled at her. “Again, it’s just rumor and old tales that people have created. But Walt probably was in his office for the last time about a month before he passed away. He never returned to his office after he got sick, and it was closed up and became sort of a shrine. It was left untouched for years. An archivist was finally chosen, I think around 1970 or so. His name was Dave Smith, and he was supposed to go through and catalogue everything. That is when the Disney Archives became officially established and part of the company.”

“And?” Juliette rolled her hands in a whirring motion.

“So, based on the things Walt worked on that last day in the office, there were a number of things he seemed to be doing. But on his desk, they found some notes he was making, and over the years, the story emerged that the final two words he had written were
Kurt Russell
…even the actor himself confirmed the story on national television.”

“So they aren’t really Walt’s last words?” Juliette frowned slightly, getting lost trying to follow Hawk’s thinking.

“Exactly…but when I was answering the question a few minutes ago and was talking about how the details in what we write can tell us something bigger and more complicated, it dawned on me. The words
Kurt Russell
were Walt’s ‘famous’ last words. Not his actual ones.”

“And you know where to find these actual last words?” Juliette asked as her frown morphed into a hopeful smile.

“Yes, I do.” Hawk was now smiling and began to move through the backstage areas to take the long way back toward his apartment. “They’re in Walt Disney’s office over in the One Man’s Dream attraction in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.”

“Are you getting ready to charge over there right now?” Juliette stopped to get his complete attention.

“Sure, let’s go.”

“Think about this for a minute.” Juliette pointed at him. “You are a target for some very bad people. Every single time you get around others, you are probably putting them at risk. But you keep plunging headlong into whatever you feel like doing next.” She sighed. “You have got to show a little restraint…if not for yourself, for everyone else.”

Hawk knew she was right. His sense of urgency for figuring out the puzzle and somehow finding whatever he could that might get his friends and himself out of danger caused him to be much more reckless than he should be.

“I’ll wait until the studios close for the night,” he told her.

“Good, I’ll take that as a win,” Juliette said to him. Hawk waited. There was more coming. Over the years, he knew she’d gained an understanding that he was relentless and would stop at nothing to figure out this mystery. As always, he was impressed that she had figured out how to play the one card in her deck that could make him a bit more cautious: his concern for others. “Meanwhile, I’m going to notify Al Gann and Mitch Renner about the little note you were given earlier. You remember,
I’m watching…and waiting
?”

“I remember,” Hawk said. Yet as he said it, he realized that in the excitement of unraveling another clue, he had momentarily forgotten. Juliette had managed to anchor him again to the present with a reminder of how dangerous his world had become as of late. He had convinced himself that Kiran was back and involved, but she was not alone. Once again there was a group of people who had decided there was something he had that was worth sacrificing human life over. But what could it be? He still had no idea.

Of course, that was exactly what he had been told…
you don’t know what have
. And the assassin in the hospital had told him,
you have solved your last mystery…your usefulness to us is over…we are done waiting for you to help us
. If those things were true, his time was running out. He had to find whatever it was and find it fast.

It was the only way to protect those closest to him.

CHAPTER TWENTY - THREE

Four Days Ago
Late Night

A
rmed with the kingdom key Farren Rales had given him, four silver bars containing quotes from Walt Disney, a memorized pass code, an electronic tablet, and a MagicBand strapped to his wrist, Grayson Hawkes moved silently through the nearly deserted streets of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. His mind was burning from his conversation with Juliette earlier in the day. He knew he had to figure out the latest quest he had been sent on, but he also had to protect those he loved. The only way to do that was to do what he had to do alone. If he was the target, then let anyone who wanted to stop him come after him. Hopefully that would keep everyone else safe. If he gave everyone close to him only limited information, then they would no longer be targets.

The more he thought about it, the more resolute he became that this was the best plan. Yet, he doubted it would really prevent his enemies from doing whatever they could to stop him, and that included hurting those close to him. But it was the best plan he had, so he would go with it. That brought him to the studios alone. In the Magic Kingdom, he had been able to get to the Utilidors via the secret passage from his apartment to the bunker. From the command bunker he had crossed Town Square underground and used the secret stairwell in the Town Square Theater. He’d then accessed a stairway into the tunnel system through the theater. Having been able to do that without alerting the security detail at his apartment, he was certain that anyone who would care to notice would think he was tucked safely away in his apartment for the night. It was a complicated path to get out of the Magic Kingdom, but it was the only way he could think of to do so without having security with him.

The tunnel system of the Magic Kingdom brought him to a cast member exit that opened up into a parking area, and with a quick stop, he managed to grab a car reserved for cast use only. Steering the white compact car out of the lot, he began traveling toward Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Within minutes, he found himself in steadily moving but heavy traffic. This was the time of night the theme parks were closing, and guests were filling up the roadways headed toward their resort hotels, lodging off property, or home. He had decided to use the main entrance of the Studios instead of the back gates. One reason was that it was unexpected; the other was that it was a far more difficult way in. If anyone was watching or following, this was the unexpected, more complicated route into the park. So far, so good…he was now out of his car, walking on the streets of the studios, and if anyone had paid any undue attention to him, he hadn’t noticed.

Veering off Hollywood Boulevard, he headed into the animation courtyard, cut behind the Studio Store, and entered Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream through the theater at the exit of the attraction. Allowing the doors to click shut behind him, he stood in the quietness of the room. A few years ago, he had hidden in this very place and made the first discoveries Farren Rales had left for him to find. That seemed like a lifetime ago, but once again, he felt his heart pounding with anticipation about what was going to happen next. Using an access door that opened into a hallway behind the exhibits, he traveled the pathway he had used many times before. For Hawk, the centerpiece of this attraction built in tribute to the life and times of Walt Disney was the office. A replica of his office in California on the day he passed away, this recreation was loaded with Disney treasures. While most guests would take the walking tour and become fascinated with old photographs, Walt’s elementary-school desk, models of attractions, video clips, and sound bites…Hawk would always end up at the office. It was one of the places where he felt most connected to Walt. That is how he knew the Kurt Russell detail was inside the office.

Opening the wooden door, he stepped inside. Immediately in front of him was the massive glass window guests would look through to see inside the office. Hawk stepped behind Walt’s desk and saw the stack of papers on top of it. Clearly written in red grease pen, a favorite of Walt’s to use, the name…
Kirt Russell
. Hawk reread the name; he had never noticed that Walt had misspelled the actor’s name until just this moment. But he clearly had done so. The page he was studying was a typewritten page titled, “TV Projects in Production: Ready for Production or Possible for Escalation and Story.” It was a list of possible live-action productions the studio was working on. At the very bottom of the page, Walt had made the following notes, each written on a separate line:

Ron Miller—2.

Way Down Cellar—2.

Kirt Russell—3.

CIA—Mobley

These were words that it is generally believed Walt jotted down on the last day he ever worked in his office. The famous words were
Kirt Russell
, as most people would know instantly who that was. The other names carried little meaning to most people who might look at them.

A soft
ding
reminded Hawk that before he had entered, he had powered up the electronic tablet. Once again, there was another update and the golden key icon was waiting for him to activate it. Sitting down in Walt’s desk chair, he placed the tablet on the desk, used his kingdom key as an overlay on the electronic key, and waited. The video window opened, he tapped it to activate it, and the screen filled with the face of Farren Rales. He was standing in front of the desk in this very office. He smiled as he spoke.

“Great work, Hawk. I knew you would make it here to Walt’s office. I wanted to go a bit ‘old school’ with my last clue, just in case anyone figured out how to chase us electronically. I knew that would break the string of clues, and well, since you were looking for something Walt had written…which you obviously have found…I thought I would handwrite a clue for you also. You have been in this office more times than I can count. I am sure you have studied the things on the desk. They are pretty much just as they were the last time Walt sat at it. Probably where you are sitting right now.”

Hawk shifted slightly in the desk chair. He knew he was watching Farren on a recorded message and the assumption was an easy one to make. But still the fact that he made it was a little unnerving to the CCA. On the video, Rales moved behind the desk, where Hawk was now, and pointed out some things that Hawk could see not only on video but in front of him. Rales seemed to be randomly taking inventory.

“On the desk, there are copies of the magazine
The Disney World
, a company magazine highlighting details of what was happening in the world of Disney. These other papers were all things Walt had read and was working on. Here is a note from September 8, 1966, “to discuss with Card Walker and others” about the “Progress Report on the Disney World Project” and the page you are looking for, “TV Projects In Production: Ready for Production or Possible for Escalation and Story.”

Rales picked up the page and held it in front of him. Hawk saw it on the screen and then glanced at the actual paper in front of him. Looking back toward the screen, he saw that Rales was pointing out what he had noticed earlier.

“Ron Miller—2. Way Down Cellar—2. Kirt Russell—3. CIA—Mobley…Let’s figure out what this means. Ron Miller was Walt’s son-in-law. He also worked for the studio and was a producer on live-action films. Walt was trying to really help him develop his skills in that role. A little more than a year later, in January 1968, after Walt was gone, the Disney television show offered a two-part live action story titled
Way Down Cellar
, just as Walt indicated on this paper.
”

Rales now smiled and allowed his mind to drift back to the story. “
You probably have never seen it. But during a pickup football game, three young boys go searching for their ball after a bad pass and find an entrance to a secret tunnel hidden in the ruins of a burned-out church.
” Rales whispered, “
Secret tunnels, a church, and a search… hmmm…sounds like your life, doesn’t it?
” Rales laughed at himself. “
Walt was probably working on casting for the project. He was really just jotting notes to himself so he could remember, and he got in a hurry and misspelled Russell’s first name. But of all the notes he jotted down, these were the most famous of his last words. So that was why I gave you the clue, and of course, here you are.
”

Hawk gently reached his hand across the desk and touched the paper that Rales was referring to. Walt had written those words on his last day in the office. Now here they were, and like all things, there was a story behind why they were written. There was always something to discover in the details.

“Hawk, once Walt created Mickey, nothing was ever the same. Travel through time in Hollywood until you get to the end. When you’ve seen Mickey grow, you’ll find something you must know.
” Rales stopped speaking, nodded, and then ended the video with a grin as he said, “S
ee ya real soon
.”

The screen went blank and the entire attraction was plunged into blackness. The only light was the glow from the screen of the pad in Hawk’s hand. In the dark, it eerily illuminated the desk. The screen was giving him a choice to view the video again or delete it. He quickly hit delete, and the screen went black, but a glow from the tablet’s being turned off threw out a faint amount of light.

Hawk had an idea. He hit the power button, and the tablet powered down, taking all the sources of light out of the office. It was so dark, the blackness smothered him. The lights inside the office set piece had gone out at the same time the lights on the other side of the glass had gone out. A power failure could have occurred, but even the emergency lights had not come on. Since that had not occurred, this blackout was something else. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Just like the electronic pad, the much smaller touch screen threw some light so he could see his immediate surroundings. He thought about calling someone to ask why the power was out but then realized if he did that, it would let people know where he was, and he had been trying to avoid others this evening. Instead, he checked the apps on his phone and found one with the symbol of a flashlight on it. He tapped it and the LED light began shining from the back of the phone.

“Gotta love these smart phones.” Hawk smiled at his makeshift flashlight.

The light was surprisingly bright. It threw enough light to illuminate where he was walking and enough that he could see details and navigate through the darkened attraction. He walked to the window, carefully angling the beam so it didn’t reflect back into his eyes, and placed the phone against the glass. It threw a soft white glow into the area where guests would usually stand. Out of the corner of his eye, Hawk thought he saw something move in the shadows of the viewing area. He slid his phone flat along the glass to his right, toward the direction where he thought he’d seen motion.

Standing with his phone pressed against the glass, he leaned as close as he could and peered out into the eerily lit area. He saw nothing. He pulled his phone away and turned back toward the door of the office.
Smash!
Something hit the glass behind him, causing him to jump away from the unexpected noise. He spun quickly to look back through the window, his heart thundering in his chest. He squinted his eyes in an attempt to somehow increase his ability to see in the dark. He saw nothing. He then turned the light toward the window, and it reflected off it, blinding him.

Hawk could not see, but he knew there was someone in the guest side of the attraction. Whoever had tried to scare him and get his attention had been successful. He assumed the person also was the cause of the total blackout. He needed to get out of there. Momentarily, he paused at Walt’s desk. Heading toward the door of Walt’s office, he used his flashlight app, then promptly shut it off. The light would give away his position, and right now he didn’t think that was wise.

Opening the door, he stepped into the backstage hallway. He could move to his right and exit the backstage area near the theater where he had entered. If he moved to his left, he would wind through the backstage area toward the main entrance of the attraction. He chose to go left.

The absence of all light created a darkness in which simple things became a chore. Using his hands as a buffer, Hawk felt his way along the walls and knew that eventually he would get to the exit. There was an intersection of backstage halls ahead of him. He had traveled the path in the light often enough to know that he needed to stay to his left to get out. Moving at a snail’s pace and occasionally stopping to listen for the sounds of anyone else in the hallway with him, he found the intersection and continued to his left. If his mental timer was accurate, the exit couldn’t be far away. Finding the door, he felt for the handle, grabbed it, and released the door. Slowly swinging it open, he discovered it was just as dark on the attraction side as it was backstage.

A brilliant flash of light pushed back the inkiness for a moment. Hawk tried to shield his eyes, but he reacted too late. His next blink was filled with the flash of the light again, and he was blinded as the room sank back into darkness again. Out of the black, a pair of hands grabbed him and jerked him through the door into the attraction area. The attacker lifted him off the ground, but Hawk twisted and tumbled free.