Wizard Dirty Secrets - Chapter Three

Magician Jonathan Barrow has more secrets than being a world renowned magician. He is also an agent for a government organization known as Military Assisted Global Intelligence Command or M.A.G.I.C.

CHAPTER THREE

The Show Goes On

            The Atlanta Symphony Hall is a massive theatre with seating for over eighteen hundred. The facility is part of the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center built in 1968 and considered to be one of the grandest venues in the Southeastern United States. It is home to Broadway productions, the Atlanta Symphony, concerts, the Atlanta Ballet, and corporate events.  On this night, the site is filled to capacity as the venue features Jonathan Barrow. He is currently considered to be the world’s greatest magician.               His illusions are known for daring acts of magic and making the impossible…possible.   His televised show last year featured the disappearance of the Great Pyramid in Egypt before a live audience.   His feats of magic and illusion are known throughout the world.

           Jonathan takes a bow on stage in front of a full house at Symphony Hall after performing one of his great illusions.  The lights in the seating area are off, except for dimly lit safety lighting along the aisles and the perimeter of the theatre.  The stage is fully illuminated with bright down-lights and spot lights from the back of the mezzanine follow Jonathan as he approaches the front of the stage. As anyone who has been on stage under these conditions knows, it is extremely difficult to see out past the first couple of rows with the stage lights and following spots.  The audience is yelling its approval and providing a thunderous applause.  As the recognition falls silent, Jonathan stands a few feet from the edge of the stage peering out into the darkness.  In the crowd is a slender man staring up at the great magician from the front row center stage.  Jonathan looks out, makes eye contact, nods to the man in the front row then turns and walks to the center of the stage.

          “Ladies and gentlemen, we have prepared something special for you as our last illusion of the night.  The only power I profess to have is the ability to create wonder and amazement.  I am no Merlin, simply a man that God has given the talent to raise questions in our minds between illusion and reality.  Magic has been around for thousands of years.”  Jonathan walks back to the right of center stage, pauses for a moment and then continues speaking.  “The first recorded magic trick was performed by a magician by the name of Dedi.  The documented performance was given before King Cheops over three thousand years ago.  In his main trick, he took two very live chickens, one white and the other black.  He took the white chicken, grabbed the chicken by the neck, apparently breaking the head of the chicken off and handed the body to his assistant.  He then placed the head of the white chicken into a cloth sack.  He went to his other assistant holding the black chicken and did the same thing, placing the head of the black chicken into the same bag.  He reaches in bag and pulled out the head of the black chicken and walks over to his assistant holding the white chicken.  He grabs the body of the white chicken and in an instant it appears as though he has placed the head of the black chicken on the white chicken’s body and the bird is very much alive.  He throws the chicken to the ground and the  chicken with the white body and black head runs around.  He reaches in and grabs the white head from the bag, and as you can guess does the same thing to the black chicken again ending up with the chicken being very much alive.  Ladies and gentlemen, we will not be performing that trick here tonight.  It’s kind of a fowl illusion.”  The audience groans with laughter as he pauses waiting for the reaction of the crowd to subside.  “What we will be doing this evening has me playing chicken, only I’m playing with this.”

         The curtains open up very slowly and bright lights shining from behind a large device create a silhouette.  As the front lights come up and the floods from the back of the stage lower, a large platform with a massive blade attached to it is revealed. The music reaches a crescendo and the lights in the back rise up to the top of the back part of the stage and the main stage lights come up showing the full extent of the contraption.  As the volume of the music lowers, a murmur is heard throughout the audience, in anticipation of what is to happen.

          “Death is permanent, kind of like taxes.  Ladies and gentlemen, this blade is ten feet in diameter and made of solid stainless steel.  Let me demonstrate for you.”  Jonathan walks up the stairs to the top of the platform approaching the massive blade.  He picks up a large steel hammer and smacks at the blade creating a deafening ring heard throughout the theatre.  “You ask, is it real and what destruction can it do? Let’s test it.”  Jonathan descends the stairs, walking across the stage and meets a male assistant halfway across the right side of the stage. The assistant is carrying a very large watermelon which Jonathan takes from his assistant.  “Here is our test subject.”   Walking back up the stairs of the platform Jonathan places the watermelon in the center of the platform just below the saw.  He then, places two straps from the outside edges of the contraption across the watermelon and buckles the large fruit in place then stepping back.  An assistant hands him a raincoat and he puts it on.  “Those of you in the front row might want to pull your umbrellas out.  If you didn’t bring one, oh well, this could get a little messy.”

          The saw blade slowly comes down coming into contact with the watermelon, easily slicing the melon into pieces. Parts of the watermelon fly to the front of the stage almost hitting the audience members in the front row.  The blade stops and raises back to the up position.  Two assistants come out from the wings, remove the pieces and begin cleaning up.  ”Now for the fun part!  A large mirror has been placed at an angle above and behind the saw so you can see all sides.  We also have mirrors under and above the platform so you see both the top and the bottom of the platform.  We have paramedics standing by, just in case any of you might feel faint.  Not to worry, this trick works fifty percent of the time and it worked perfectly last night,” Jonathan quips.  The audience laughs as Jonathan starts walking back to the illusion turning slightly to face his guests and shaking his head almost as if to question what he is doing.

            Jonathan removes the rain coat, walks away then again turns back at the audience and smiles.  The music increases in volume and the beat of the bass is enough to shake the saw blade on the stage.  He walks up a small set of stairs to the platform and lies down on the platform  with his body horizontal to the audience.  Jonathan sits up and looks toward the audience.  “Now, most of you have probably seen magicians cut someone in half like this.   I’m throwing a bit of a twist in an old illusion.  First, I have asked a member of the Atlanta police department to assist us tonight.  Please welcome Captain Paul Davis of your Atlanta Police Department.”  Jonathan stands up and bounces down the stairs and walks toward stage right as a police officer in uniform comes from the side of the stage.  The audience applauds as the officer nears Jonathan on the stage. Jonathan shakes his hand and looks to the audience.  “Captain, we have not prearranged anything, is that correct?”

            “That’s correct sir.  And to be quite honest with you, I wish we had,” Captain Davis replies.  A roar of laughter is heard from the auditorium as Jonathan places his right hand on the shoulder of the officer as they face the front of the stage.

             “Walk this way sir.”  Jonathan glides and slides across the stage stopping to look at the officer behind him.  The police Captain is walking normally, stops, then starts gliding and sliding like Jonathan, again bringing a roar of laughter from the crowd.

            They approach the platform and both men ascend the stairs arriving at the top of the structure.  Jonathan sits as he was before with his legs stretched out before him and grabs a pair of straps near his ankles.               “Please place these leather straps around my legs, torso, arms, and neck. Secure them with padlocks you were asked to provide to which no one else has the keys.  You did bring the padlocks I assume?”, asks Jonathan.

          The Captain reaches into the pockets on each side of his dress blue coat and pull out five padlocks as he replies, “I did, and these are special locks used at one of our correctional facilities. They are made of case hardened steel and touted by the manufacturer to be unpickable.”  

Jonathan looks at the Captain with a stout glare, “Couldn’t bring some ordinary hardware store locks could you?  I have never seen these locks before is that correct?”

           “That is correct sir.”, Captain Davis replies with a grin.

          Jonathan grimaces, “Oh well, that’s show business and the show must go on.  I guess this will be a test within a test.  Let’s get on with it.”

           Jonathan lies back on the contraption and waits for the Captain to perform the task as requested.  Captain Anderson secures the straps and locks them across Jonathan’s body, then straps and locks his arms at his side.  “Thank you Captain, you can return to your seat or one further back if you prefer.”  The audience chuckles as the Captain turns toward the audience, he stops and then turns back to Jonathan strapped to the top of the platform.  Jonathan winks at Captain Davis, “I don’t hold you responsible if anything goes wrong.  Now my crew on the other hand…that’s up to them.  Thank you Captain.”  The Captain retreats down the stairs and exits stage right.  “Ladies and gentlemen, here is the twist to the illusion I was telling you about.”

            The platform begins turning and stops when Jonathan is lined up directly under the length of the saw blade. When the blade come down it will slice him in half lengthwise.  Two assistants walk up the stairs, each carrying a half of a wooden box approximately six feet long.  “My two assistants will now place a shield only twenty-four inches wide over me.  This leaves only the width of the blade, allowing only a little over eleven inches on each side for my escape.  As you can see, my size doesn’t allow me any room in the space provided.   To make it even more interesting, the height of this cover is a mere twelve inches allowing only a two inch gap between my body and the top of the box.  I will have only thirty seconds after the blade starts, in which to free myself and break out of the box.  You can see below, above, from the sides, and of course the front.  I now bring you the illusion I call Swing Blade.”

           The music crescendos and the audience becomes deathly quiet.  The assistant’s place the covers on top of Jonathan.  After securing them with additional locks, it is evident the only openings are two three inch diameter holes on each side near the locks and approximately where Jonathan’s hands would be.  There is also a slight gap between the left and right sides of the cover just slightly larger than the blade.  The blade begins to spin and when it reaches full speed, it slowly starts to drop. The whining of the electric motor is heard above the music, as the blade spins at several hundred revolutions per minute.  The falling blade gets closer and closer to the box, dropping at a steady pace.  After approximately fifteen seconds, the blade starts dropping at a more rapid pace.  The assistants rush from the sides to the back of the saw and just as they are about to get to the illusion; the blade drops completely and quickly through the box.  Sections of material cling to the blade, looking suspiciously like the same dark clothing worn by Jonathan.

            The audience gasps and a scream is heard from the side curtains.  Paramedics rush in pulling a gurney and carrying boxes.  The assistants manage to stop the saw and as it comes back up in addition to the pieces of material hanging from the blade seen earlier, there is also a dark substance on the outside border of the saw.  After the saw stops completely, the assistants open the sides of the box and peer in.  The paramedics rush to the platform.  The assistants pull the sides off and to everyone’s amazement; nothing is on the platform but the tattered clothes that were worn by Jonathan and a watermelon perfectly sliced in two, lengthwise.  The assistants turn to the paramedics and shrug their shoulders.  One assistant turns to the audience and points to the front row of the theatre.

            From the front row, the gentleman Jonathan acknowledged earlier is in view and next to him sits Jonathan in a totally different set of clothes.  Jonathan looks at the man next to him, as spotlights from each side of the stage now go to the front row. Jonathan stands and turns toward the audience. “I told you not to worry.”

            Jonathan is standing as the spotlights shine on him facing the guests in the auditorium. As the audience erupts in applause, he shakes the hand of the lady on one side of him and then turns to the man he acknowledged earlier.  As Jonathan shakes his hand the man slips an item into Jonathan’s hand.  Jonathan steps into the walkway in front of the first row of seats, takes a bow, and then turns to the left side of the theatre as the spotlights follows him back up to the stage where he takes another bow.  The audience continues their applause and he receives a standing ovation.

            “Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to thank you for coming tonight and for being such a great audience.  Magic is anywhere and everywhere, and all you have to do to believe in magic is follow your dreams.  For in magic, your dreams come true.  Thank you and good night.”  The applause in the theatre is deafening and everyone is on their feet as the curtain closes in front of Jonathan.

            Jonathan opens the curtain, steps forward, takes a bow to the front of the theater and to each side. He also waves to the crowd in the balcony.  Finally, he acknowledges his assistants who have entered from the wings turning to each side and looking as he claps his hands.   He takes one final bow, parts the curtain and disappears behind them.   He exits toward stage left  and a man meets him with a towel which he uses to wipe the sweat from his brow.  The lights on the stage come up since the show has ended, and members of his support team come from both wings of the stage to break down the illusion.  Jonathan turns around to the members of his crew, “Great show team.  Thanks for your help.”  Jonathan exits the now well-lit stage and is met by Alex, his show producer and manager, near a set of stairs.  

        “Great show Jonathan.  Wish you had told me about the locks before doing Swing Blade.  Don’t you think your agent and stage manager should know these things?  By the way,  I see we had a visitor!”  Alex comments.

         “We did,” Jonathan replies.  “As far as the locks, I had a feeling that would put you on the edge a little.”  

Alex smiles, “On edge! Don’t forget, you get sliced up like a cucumber and I’m out of a job.”  Jonathan laughs.  

    “Message from our visitor must be important to deliver it on a show night?” Alex says with a grin on his face.

Jonathan puts his hands out to show them empty.  He turns his right hand palm down and then back as he makes a fist to reveal a small crumpled up piece of paper

         He unfolds the paper and on it is written “www.wizard.com/969.”   Jonathan removes a lighter from his pocket and ignites it.  “Looks like we have a communication waiting for us.”  The lighter flame dances in the dimly light lit area near the stairs as he places the paper near the flame.  In a flash the paper and message disappear and his hand is again empty. “I’ll meet you in the motor coach later.  I need you to follow-up with the team and coordinate the packing,” Jonathan turns and exits down the stairs off the stage.

Alex calls after him, “Not a problem, I’ll get things rolling here and meet you shortly.”

Author's Note

Originally started as a screenplay and now this is my first attempt at a novel having written reference books and screenplays previously. Looking for suggestions, comments, and reviews so I can make it the best possible writing.

Reviews

[Annacate]

There he is, the main character. I love the way you introduce him. He seems like a real hero, smart and entertaining. Great magic trick, too. He does seem a little perfect. I find myself wanting him to have some flaws or self-doubts. I'm hoping your bring your readers into his mind a bit. I like him a lot, but make me like him better by showing a little of his humanity. I'll keep reading.