After all these years

[robspace54]

What would Thomas Magnum be doing after all these years? Positing his retirement from Naval Intelligence, perhaps a few years ago, I thought what might draw him back to a previous life... -Rob

= = = = =

I had just returned from another book tour, the second printing of How to be a World-Class Private Investigator having finally started to pay off. My years in Naval Intelligence added to the experiences I had long ago in the Islands, and a publisher had paid notice at last. But right now, tonight, it was all about baseball. The Yankees were facing the Phillies in game five, and I was hoping that the Phillies would start to come alive. If it wasn't the Dodgers, at lest someone could try to beat the Yankees. I was sitting in front of the TV holding a cold Dusseldorf, feet up, when the phone rang and I heard a voice from long ago.

“Magnum? Is that you?” the voice had a touch of old English.

I recognized the voice in an instant. “Higgins! Wow! I’ve really glad you called. How are you? How are things on Oahu?” I asked.

“Magnum. There is something I need you to do.” Jonathan Quayle Higgins III said forcefully. “I need you to come see us. And hope I have not woken you. I was uncertain of the time in Virginia, or wherever it is you are living now”

“Now? Right now?” It was the same old Higgins. But I think I knew how to handle him. “Just drop everything? Run off to Oahu, just on your say-so? You are on Oahu, aren’t you? I am in Virginia Beach, by the way.”

“Thomas, Robin Masters has called and directed that you immediately come here.” The little man was imperious as always. “You must; as soon as possible. Robin has opened the Nest again and I expect him here tomorrow. Will you come?”

I had not heard from Higgins in five years and yet the majordomo was just the same. Although who was the same after all this time?

“Higgins? Just like that? What’s wrong?” This was more than a social call. “What’s going on?”

The English voice softened a bit. “Thomas, please. I’ll expect you day after tomorrow at the latest. Goodbye.”

The line went dead. So I put down my beer and called the airline.

[ConchRepublican]

There better be more . . .

_________________
Time has little to do with Infinity . . . and jelly donuts.

My little slice of paradise:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flemingo-Key/140998085974647?ref=hl

[Styles Bitchley]

I like it.

_________________
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

- J.Q.H.

[Danno]

Nice work, indeed... you've written their voices perfectly- the Magnum voice over too. I can see that as a teaser for sure...

_________________
Don't you ever knock?!

[robspace54]

I watched a YouTube interview (Hollywood 411?) with Tom Selleck. The interview was mostly about the 5th Jesse Stone movie. TS was asked about a Magnum movie (endless spectulation about that, of course) and he said that people would want to know what Magnum had been up to after all this time. TS also said that he imagined the Star Trek model. TV show followed by a movie, and besides "there are fans out there that know entire dialogs." They love these characters, and know them so well that any movie would have to address that (at least that's my interpretation).

Driving from the pharmacy in the rain to meet my wife for dinner last night, I wondered what Magnum had been up to. Retired from Naval Intel, finally wrote the book, watching TV, when a voice from the past intrudes. Now I too wonder what comes next?

Sometimes the muse sits on your shoulder and whispers, and you'd better listen!

[Doc Ibold]

Intriguing...

actually, rob, I wonder if it would be more than a little amusing to see if we could do a serial of this. Different installments over a period of weeks.

(And not to hijack the thread... but I wonder if it would be like if all of us got together and did a little improv). AKA.... someone starts OFF the movie, another forumite continues... using the same plot threads established by the previous author(s) and introducing new ones/continuing established ones as they go along.)

Now, realize thats easier said than done. Have to have a very stellar beginning (and this takes the cake). Plus, have to establish who writes what part... and when it'll end.

But that being said... we have a lot of people on here who have more than enough knowledge re. Magnum to get this going and create THE ULTIMATE MAGNUM MOVIE!!!!!



Idea just hit me, but I'd like to hear what everyone else thinks. I think it could be really fun and inject a really interesting new thread. Besides, if a movie never gets made, we have our own version made by us, for us!

(And... we can move it to another thread and start it up. I'm not going to step in rob's way when he wrote this great intro.)

[robspace54]

Well I did just write 600 more words. So here they are. And if another area of M-M is appropriate please port away. I was thinking how far I could go with this thing and what ideas others might have. And if no one will write a screen play... why can't we? -Rob

= = = = =

Two days later around noon, I was standing outside the Honolulu Airport Terminal waiting for a cab. I was tired, my back was aching from too-small airplane seats, I was foggy from jet lag, and was tired of eating peanuts from tiny bags. I was also $1,600 poorer. I know what you’re thinking. Why would I drop everything and fly nearly 6,000 miles just because an old friend called? Let’s put it this way.

The morning of September 12, 2001 was the last time I had talked to Higgins. I was in Naval Intel then and he had called me on the day after 9/11 to ask me one thing and to tell me another. The question was if I was alright? When I assured him that I was he then told me the other thing. What he said was that he was certain that I would do the suitable thing.

I was doing the suitable thing.

As the cab took me to Robin’s Nest, I enjoyed the ride. The sun was bright, sky blue, the trade winds were blowing, and it felt like I was home. Just like the old days. No, that was wrong. Some things could never be the same. But I had hope that they might be. I kept asking myself what Higgins and Robin Masters needed me for. There was no way to know until I got there.

The cabby let me off at the gates to Robin’s Nest forty five minutes later. Other than a new intercom and a camera perched on the wall things looked unchanged. I pushed the call button and waited. I heard two dogs barking as they raced towards the gate and it really did feel like a homecoming. Two black snouts pushed through the gate. Oh, no! They barked and then stopped at a shouted command from inside the wall.

“Higgins! It’s me, Thomas!” I shouted. Doberman Pinchers give me chill at times, even now.

I heard footsteps on the gravel drive and a slim young man limped up. Late twenties, with sandy hair and tanned skin. He carried a cane in his right hand. His gaze was steady. He stopped a few feet from the fence and looked me up and down. “You must be Magnum.” He did not look pleased to see me.

“Yeah, that’s me, Thomas Magnum. Who are you?” I was trying to be friendly. Really.

The man looked at the dogs and they looked at him. With a twitch of his cane, the dogs darted off.

“Neat trick. They must like you.” I smiled at the guy.

He pointed to my duffle. “You got a gun in that thing?”

I shook my head. “No. Just socks and underwear.”

He checked me out again, clearly not liking what he saw. “Hm. Well then, I’m Security. Come in.” The gates slid open and I stepped inside.

I looked at the guy and could see some scars on his left hand and he had a blotchy area on his neck, but otherwise looked fit. Maybe 170 lbs, about six feet tall. Big biceps. Hazel eyes. The few words he had spoken had a bit of Texas in them.

I tried to soften him up. “You from the South?”

He watched while the gates slid closed, then started to walk away. He gave me that stare again. “You don’t need to know. Come with me.”

So I followed him down the drive towards the main house. I had come all this way, and there was no Higgins in sight. It was just like the little major to needle me like this. Maybe some things were the same after all.

[J.J. Walters]

Awesome. Great story so far Rob!

I also like the idea of an "add on story".

_________________
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

[robspace54]

A few fragments of where I thought this might lead. Give me some better ideas, please! -Rob Possible scenarios:

Robin really would like to see all his old “friends” again because he is dying. Or, he wants them all to come to Oahu and then he would stage a disappearance, carefully tracking their activities as fodder for the “last” Robin masters novel. He had a major case of writer’s block in his “last” manuscript and wanted to gather info for the book.

But (plot twist) plane arrives day before TM gets there. Limo leaves airport with Robin. Robin orders them to stop. He and bodyguard Rene get out. Go into hotel (all part a planend disappearance). Driver waits, they are gone. Gives up after six hours.

Higgins calls later to find out plane has arrived. Robin and Rene are missing. He and new security guy retrace the path with the limo driver (morning of TM getting to Robin's Nest). Goes to hotel. They find Robin’s wallet stuffed into a bush. Note found – We have Robin – Will contact later.

Rene turns up at hospital having been drugged. No memory of what has happened. So WHO has nabbed Robin and why, and where is he?

p.s. Security guard's name is "Nick Christopher" from two Marines stationed at Kaneohe I met at Kailua Beach Park in October 2009.

_________________
Sometimes I get so lucky, even I don`t believe it.

[robspace54]

It has been a few days since I touched this story but my mind has been crunching a bit in the background. Should I continue this yarn? Would others like to play in this sandbox and collaborate? Prompts, paragraphs, etc would be helpful and fun!

Rob

_________________
Sometimes I get so lucky, even I don`t believe it.