Chương 56: Book 3 - Chapter 3 C

Grandpa joined me on the roof after it had been disassembled and reassembled on the northwest corner of the roof.

"Well, the contractor certainly hid it well. From the street, it's not even visible. I'm sure the people at OneOK across the street can see it, but it just looks like a big antenna. Are those supports strong enough?" Grandpa asked me.

"They're strong enough," I told him.

"It's a four-sided pyramid structure. Each of those four legs marks the corner of a fifty-foot square, anchoring it perfectly. It's steel, strong enough to hold a car, let alone the spinner. It stands thirty-five feet above the roof right now—it's now the highest point on the building."

"I see. And the fuel? I don't see any big tanks up here."

"Basic propane canisters. The kind used for gas barbecue grills. The hose runs straight up one of the support legs—totally concealed. The big spinner that makes the whole thing work is on a three-by-three platform right at the top of the pyramid."

"Why is it way over here on the northwest corner? I thought you wanted it higher, above the elevator rooms."

"I did, but the big red 'Mayo' sign was in the way. We can't move or block that. This spot, on the northwest corner, is the farthest from the lounge. The nice thing is, Dad and I used the construction crew being up here as cover. We disguised the work by adding the planter box garden."

"A garden? For your Mom?" he asked.

"It's a surprise for her birthday, so don't mention it. Three-foot high boxes, four by eight feet each. We snuck as many as we could safely fit onto the roof of the bar." The contractor walked up a big grin on his face.

"We're going to do the quick test now. We'll start the motor for the spinner, then the propane and automatic lighter."

"Just remember keep it quick and short. We aren't running it full, we aren't allowed until the night of the grand reopening." I looked at Grandpa, who's grin matched the contractors.

"I hope it goes even higher than the quarry test when we open." The test went perfect, a tiny fourteen foot tornado before it was shut down in preparation for the big night. The last Monday in May Grandpa loaned me the money for the finalized merger. Jennifer had made it happen. It was just under $10 million and I bought slightly more than twenty-five percent of the two companies, becoming a shareholder of the new merged company. We schedule a formal meeting to pick a CEO for June 20th in Tulsa.

On the second to last day of May we got an important delivery.

"Come on Mom! Grandma's going to beat you to the packages!" I shouted.

"I'm coming! Wait for me!" she shouted as she hurried to the elevator where I was holding it open. Grandma had a smug look on her face, having made it there first. I let the doors close and hit the button for the lobby.

"Why are we rushing?" Mom asked.

"The front desk signs for everything."

"It's the fire tornadoes! They are here!" Grandma excitedly told her. The front desk had signed for the five big boxes. We each grabbed one to open. I held out one of the small tabletop versions.

"That is just perfect!" Grandma said looking at it.

"What does it run on?" I flipped the glass and steel box upside down and popped open the battery compartment.

"9 volt batteries and bio-ethanol."

"What's that?" Grandma asked.

"200 proof booze, Grandma." Mom successfully pulled out one of the much larger ones from the box.

"This is really big. Where is it going?"

"There should be three. One for each corner of the building along the sidewalk." She tapped the glass.

"Is this safe?" Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"It's double walled glass. No one will get burned by touching it. We'll bring them in at closing and chain them up to the building when they run."

"It's much bigger than I expected," Grandma said, comparing it to the little one she was holding from the box she opened.

"It's six feet tall. A propane canister fuels it, since it's outside. I should have ordered more. It would be nice to put these out on the roof deck at the bar upstairs." Mom and Grandma looked at each other an nodded. We would definitely be getting some for the roof deck.

"How many did we get?" Mom asked.

"Should be twenty-five in each of two smaller boxes."

"That's not enough," Grandma said.

"I know, but it's what we have. More are coming. I did order a thousand like Mom suggested."

"Well lets get it running," Mom said. I'm excited to see it work." We got everything set up, and eagerly awaited the grand opening. June 1st, a Saturday, people started arriving early. Grandpa had strategically sent out invitations for a complimentary weekend to celebrate the hotel's grand opening, ensuring a full house. We were fully booked, a testament to the success of our opening strategy.

This would be a massive test of our staff's capabilities, but Megan Stoop was on hand to direct operations and ensure smooth service. She would shine this weekend, as would her staff. The pool and spa weren't complete, though their tile walls were up, and the gift shop displayed posters of the artwork, both framed and unframed. We made sure to offer tours, and guests responded with awe as their eyes unfocused, revealing the captivating details of my artwork.

Throughout Saturday and Sunday, we offered a half-price promotion on all ground-level restaurants to entice guests to experience our culinary offerings. We had considered a dumbwaiter for the rooftop lounge, but ultimately decided against it, prioritizing the exceptional dining experience offered by our main restaurants. We made a small exception: a select list of appetizers from the room service menu could be delivered to the lounge, exclusively for hotel guests or residents.

Grandpa got worried when a storm blew in at about 7pm. It brought a light shower and some strong gusting winds, posing a potential threat to our outdoor plans.

"Don't worry Grandpa. The storm will pass in time," I assured him. With rain gone, but with the clouds darkening the night further, at 9pm, we confidently ignited the rooftop tornado. We had limited the rooftop lounge access to hotel guests yet it was packed with people eager to witness the tornado themselves. They had seen the smaller ones throughout the day and were looking forward to the event. The cloud cover was perfect.

The sky was a deep dark canvas and as we lit the tornado the clouds brilliantly reflected the light, illuminating the entire sky around the hotel. It was fearsome, as the swirling flames reached into the sky. Yet people remained utterly captivated, unable to tear their eyes away. It clearly triggered that deep human instinct for fire watching. The tornado itself soared about 300 feet high but the darkness of the night made it visible for miles.

The Tulsa airport received several calls from pilots, some warning of a building fire downtown, others simply asking for details about the extraordinary sight. My friend and reporter for the Oklahoman, Jake Morrow, stood beside me, mesmerized by the sheer spectacle.

"Kind of explains why the Egyptians let the Israelites camp a whole day on the edge of the Red Sea," I told him.

"Yeah, I wouldn't try to go through that if it was blocking my path," he agreed, gesturing towards the fiery column. Shifting the conversation, I asked him, "Are you enjoying the hotel?"

"Yeah, I brought my girlfriend. She's loving the hotel and that dining room. The food is absolutely, stunningly good."

"Too many restaurants try to make their food fancy, sacrificing flavor or satisfying portions, but we won't do that here," I told him.

"Yeah, I'm feeling full, but only because I just couldn't stop myself from finishing everything."

"Have you been to see the swimming pool artwork?" I asked him.

"No, is it any good?" he asked.

"I made it so I hope so. Have you seen the Magic Eye posters in the gift shop?"

"No, I haven't been to the gift shop."

"You did notice the murals next to the elevators, right?"

"No, I thought it was just a colorful design."

"You'll be surprised then. Just sign up to take a scheduled tour so you can learn to appreciate it."

"I'll do that, John. I appreciate the invite. It's always nice to get out of Oklahoma City to do a story."

"Happy to have you anytime we have important news. Just remember to mention the hotel," I told him. He laughed, then went silent as he continued to stare at the towering flame. Grandpa seemed to be everywhere that weekend, his constant presence a sign of his deep concern that everything would be perfect. Eventually, the hotel manager and Megan cornered him, reassuring him that everything was going exceptionally well and that he needed to relax.

Megan then suggested he go down to the Spa for a soak in the private hot tub, which was usable despite being unfinished and not yet open to the public. He accepted the suggestion and invited Grandma to join him. By Monday, the grand opening festivities had concluded, and we were back to serving regular guests. The family found the constant hubbub exhausting and began using the basement entrance for arrivals and departures to avoid hotel guests and staff in the lobby.

Mom adored the garden, which Dad, Mattie and I had unveiled as a special birthday present for her. The exterior stairs, leading to this private garden space, were behind a locked gate accessible only to the family. Soon, the chef was eagerly begging her for access to her incredibly fresh herbs, which enhanced the hotel's culinary creations. Meanwhile, I continued writing papers for publication, delving into superconductivity and graphene's material strengths and electrical properties.