Tangled Web
By Sarah & Lanie
Chapter 14
August 23, 1999
Cory Mansion
3:30 PM
Carl sat in the living room paging through a photo album. The images were all familiar faces that brought back a barrage of feelings. The photographs of Ryan particularly tugged at Carl. Bittersweet love vied with the anger of loss within him. Although his memory of events was still disjointed and unclear, Carl's feelings were the same. He ran a finger across one of the photos of Ryan and murmured, "Dear boy, you were taken from us far too soon. That is one thing I shall never forget… nor forgive."
Carl heard the front door open and looked up from the album. Seeing Alli enter the house, he closed the album and set it on the table. Alli seemed preoccupied by something. As she headed for the stairs, Carl greeted her. "Hello, Alli. How was school today?"
Alli turned from the stairs and walked into the living room. Her backpack was slung across one shoulder. With a distracted smile she said, "Hi Carl. School was ok, I guess."
"Well that's not exactly a definitive report now is it?" Carl said, then patted the couch cushion next to him. "Why don't you sit down and tell me about it?"
Alli sat down heavily on the couch and allowed her book bag to slip off her shoulder to land on the floor. "You know that I decided to take drama class this year."
"Yes. You were excited about it as I recall. Isn't your friend in the class with you?"
Alli nodded. "Jen is taking it with me, but there's someone else in the class I know too." At Carl's inquiring glance, Alli sighed and a slight blush colored her cheeks. "Sean McKinnon transferred into class today."
A light of comprehension entered Carl's eyes. "I see. And you're concerned about this for some reason?"
Alli fidgeted a bit. "Well, yeah. I mean, I don't exactly know what I'm doing and…"
Carl took her hand and squeezed it gently. "And you wish to make a good impression on young Mr. McKinnon, right?"
Alli's blush deepened and she looked away. After a moment, she continued, "It's just a lot harder with Sean there. I don't want to look like a total doof in front of him, but I don't think I can avoid it, especially considering what play we're doing."
"Which play has your instructor selected?" Carl asked.
Alli looked at Carl with apprehension. "We're doing Shakespeare."
Carl clapped his hands together happily. "Ah, the great bard himself! You're in for a treat, my girl."
"'Treat' isn't the word I'd use. 'Disaster' is more what I have in mind."
"Absolutely not. I think you'll discover that you enjoy it immensely. So which work will you be performing? One of the great tragedies like Romeo and Juliet or something from the lighter side such as The Taming of the Shrew?"
Alli opened her bag and took out a paperback book. As she handed it to Carl, she said, "This is the one we're doing."
Carl took the book and smiled. "Much Ado About Nothing. An excellent choice, one of the classic comedies."
Alli gave Carl a dubious glance. "That's a comedy? Can you tell me where the funny parts are? I read some of it in study hall today and couldn't make heads or tails of it. All those 'hath's and 'wherefore's are confusing."
Carl smiled comfortingly and replied, "I realize the old English is a bit difficult to grasp in places but I can help you with it, if you'd like. Once you get past the language, I think you'll see that Shakespeare isn't all that foreign to you."
Alli was hesitant to believe Carl's assessment. "I don't know about that. It might as well be written in Greek for how much I understood it. What's it about anyway?"
"It is a tale of love found, then lost, then found again. The story of a man consumed by ambition and hatred who seeks to destroy the happiness of those around him through misdirection and betrayal."
Alli gave a humorless, ironic laugh. "Well I can certainly relate to that, but how am I going to get a good part if I can't understand the words?"
Carl smiled. "Allow me to be your tutor. We can read through the play together and I will explain anything you have trouble understanding. Would you like that?"
Alli smiled gratefully and replied, "That would be awesome! Thanks… but do you have time to do it? I know you and Gram are working on trying to get your memory back. I don't want to cause you any hassle."
"It would be my pleasure, dear girl. Helping you appreciate the bard will give me great enjoyment, I assure you."
"Excellent!" Alli said, bouncing on the couch with excitement. "I really want to do a good job in this class… for the grade."
Carl nodded with a slight smile, fully aware of Alli's other, unspoken motive. "Shall we get started then?"
Alli nodded and sat forward, eagerly anticipating the lesson.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
August 24, 1999
David's Townhouse
8:00 AM
David sat on the ground next to the station at the railroad tracks. The sound of a train whistle howled in the distance. He took another long drink out of the bottle in his hand. It had been full less than an hour ago. Now, there was a quarter-inch of the liquor remaining in the bottom. David pulled the bottle away from his lips and swallowed. As the single-malt Scotch burned a path to his stomach, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He studied the bottle, the last of his reserves. It would be a very long time before he would enjoy such fine liquor again, if he ever did.
From inside the train station, the strains of "Have A Holly, Jolly Christmas" assaulted David's ears. Annoyed by the sappy, upbeat music, David unsteadily pushed himself to his feet and stumbled along the tracks away from the building. Countless yards down the tracks, he came across a boulder in a grove of trees. Pausing to make sure that he could no longer hear the music, he nodded with satisfaction and dropped down onto the boulder.
David was certain that he'd bruised his backside with his clumsy seating but was too numb to care. He took another swig of alcohol and thought about his situation. The Feds had issued an arrest warrant for him. It was only a matter of time before they caught up to him and sent him to jail. The only reason he was free now was that one of his few remaining friends had found out about the warrant and had warned him about it.
David tipped back the bottle and drained the remaining Scotch. He had no money and nowhere to run. It was over. His future stretched before him as a bleak wasteland of misery. David looked up as the ground under his feet vibrated. He saw the bright headlight of an approaching train. As if in a trance, David stood and walked to the edge of the tracks. It would be so easy to just walk out there, have a brief moment of pain, and then sink into oblivion. Much easier than dealing with the mess that he'd made of his life.
The bottle slipped from David's grasp and hit the metal track, shattering on impact. He stared at the glass shards a moment, then stepped up onto the tracks and turned to face the racing locomotive. It had to be traveling at a speed of at least sixty-five miles per hour. As the light came ever closer, David stood and braced himself. The train's whistle blew loudly, announcing its approach to the nearby station. It wouldn't be long now. David clenched his fists at his sides and closed his eyes, awaiting the collision that would shatter him.
Suddenly, David felt a swirl of air and then… nothing. How could he have gotten so lucky? He'd felt no pain at all. Opening his eyes slowly, David was shocked to find himself standing next to the train tracks again. He felt all along his body for injuries or some indication that he was dead. Nothing. With puzzlement, he stared at the train as it raced into the darkness. "What the… how on earth…?"
David turned at the sound of a rustling in the bushes behind him. A man stood cloaked in the darkness. David could make out nothing of him except a vague outline in the deep shadows. "Who the hell are you?" David slurred out indignantly.
A deep voice echoed out from the darkness. "Apparently, I'm your savior, Mr. Halliday."
Hearing the man use his name knocked David for a loop. "How do you know my name?" The answer made its way to him through the fog of alcohol clouding his brain. "You're one of the Feds, aren't you? This is just perfect! Can't you people even let me end this my way? Can't I have one decision in my own life that's mine anymore?"
"I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else, Mr. Halliday. I'm not here to take you to prison. I'm here to save you."
David rubbed his forehead, feeling the onset of a splitting headache. "Look pal, I don't know who you are or what you want, but I don't need saving. What I need is a miracle. So unless you have one up your sleeve why don't you just butt out and leave me alone."
The man took a step closer before replying. "Actually, I am here to offer you what you so desperately need. I'm about to offer you a chance to start over, to do something important with your life rather than wasting it by becoming a railroad speed bump. You're going to help me, David."
David gave a shout of mocking laughter. "If you think that I'm in any position to help you then you must be more desperate than I am. That being the case, I feel sorry for you, buddy. 'Cause believe me, I wouldn't wish a life worse than mine on anyone."
The man stepped to the edge of the shadows and reached into his pocket. "I do need you, Mr. Halliday. We are in the unique position of being exactly what the other person needs. It's a mutually beneficial situation."
David narrowed his eyes. He could see the vague outline of the man's features now that he'd moved closer. He couldn't make out any details but in the faint glow of the moonlight, he saw that the man suffered some type of facial deformity. The shape of his face in the darkness was definitely not normal. David felt a stirring of something inside himself that he couldn't readily identify. "What do you want from me?" he asked warily.
The man snapped open a pocket watch. David listened to the chiming music emanating from the watch and felt an inexplicable lightness come over his senses. When the man spoke again, his voice sounded strangely soothing. "I want you to let yourself go, David. You need to step back for a time, to let things rest in someone else's hands for awhile. You need to relax, to rest. Don't you feel how badly you need a break from this world? What a relief it would be to let someone else take over?"
David's eyes felt heavy. He stared at the watch as he tried to keep his eyes open. "A relief," he muttered robotically. "Yes, I need break. But how?"
David heard the man step forward but his eyes remained immovably focused on the watch. He wanted to look up but he couldn't. David felt a hand rest firmly on his shoulder. Then, the deep, hypnotic voice spoke again. "Put yourself into my hands. You must simply let yourself go…"
The man reached over and placed the open pocket watch into David's hand. David continued to stare fixedly at it. Suddenly, David felt a strange pressure building just behind his eyes. As the force increased, it became incredibly painful and David mentally fell back away from it. David saw his own hand snap the watch closed and put it in his pocket, even though he hadn't decided on that action himself.
David's eyes raised to the man in front of him. His vision was altered, as though he was looking through his own eyes from the end of a long, dark tunnel. He saw the body before him slump to the ground. As he watched with fearful fascination, the deformities on the face melted away. Then he felt himself falling further away from his own eyes as the tunnel got longer and longer, until the world outside him disappeared.
Panic began to overtake David. In his mind's eye, David saw himself standing in a space of nothingness. Through the blackness, a figure approached. When it came close enough that he could see its face, David fell back a step in shock. It was like looking into a funhouse mirror. The face was his face, but deformed and scarred. The figure stopped a few steps away and smiled coldly. David heard his own voice echoing with trepidation. "Who are you? What have you done to me?"
"My name is Jordan Stark, Mr. Halliday, and as I said earlier, I came to save you. But my motives are not entirely unselfish. You see I need you to assist me, to help me obtain what I've been seeking for a very long time. You will be the tool I use to gain back what was lost to me ages ago."
"Tool? I don't think so, pal. This isn't what I signed up for so why don't you just go on your way and I'll go mine."
The face before him snarled. "It's far too late for second thoughts, David. I'm here now, and I'm staying. Besides, what do you have left to fight for? You have no money, no family, and no friends. You were seconds away from having no life until I stepped in. You've made a complete disaster of your life, so now, you're going to let someone else take charge. Me."
David shook his head vehemently. "No way. I won't let you do this to me."
Stark laughed malevolently. "Your protestations are futile, David. You see, I've already done it." With that, Stark shoved David hard. David could feel himself flying backward into the darkness. He cried out but his own voice faded out into silence as the world went completely black…
Cindy went into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. When Winston had let her in, he'd said that David was still sleeping. She had been surprised to hear that information, but she'd come in anyway and sent the butler on an errand. Cindy wanted to be alone with David when he woke up. The fact that he'd slept in led her to believe he might be sick. A little smile curved Cindy's lips. Who better to take care of a man when he's sick than an experienced nurse? Cindy thought to herself.
Suddenly, he heard David screaming "No!" in a terrible voice. She put the coffee cup on the counter and rushed into David's room. He was thrashing around in the bed like a wild man. Cindy ran over to the bed and shook him. "David! David, wake up!"
David's eyes flew open as he shot up in the bed. His breath shuddered out of him like he'd just run a mile at top speed. Cindy smoothed a strand of sweat-dampened hair off his forehead and said, "Are you alright?"
David finally got his breathing under control. His heart rate slowed as he assured himself of where he was. "I am now. Thank you."
Cindy didn't believe that David was feeling better, despite his reassurance. He was fully awake now but the dream seemed to have him rattled. "That must have been one heck of a nightmare."
David looked Cindy in the eyes and slowly shook his head. "I don't think it was a dream. It felt more like a…"
Cindy studied his face with concern. When he didn't finish, she prompted, "More like a what?"
David glanced away for a second, then met her eyes again. "A memory," he replied uneasily.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" Cindy asked.
David considered talking to her about it but decided against it. He wasn't sure himself what the vision meant, so he didn't want to concern Cindy with it. "Not right now. I -"
David was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. "Do you want me to get that?" Cindy asked. David nodded and Cindy grabbed the receiver. "Hello, David Halliday's residence."
"Hello, this is Nelson Price from The Polaris Group. May I speak to Mr. Halliday please?"
Cindy had grabbed a note pad and scribbled "Nelson Price - Polaris - Talk?" on it. David shook his head "no", so Cindy said, "I'm sorry but Mr. Halliday isn't available at the moment. Can you tell me what this call is about?"
"I'm calling regarding a business proposition. Would Mr. Halliday be available to speak to me this afternoon?"
Cindy quickly jotted the question on the pad. David looked at it with curiosity then nodded. He took the pencil and wrote "Here - 2PM".
"I checked Mr. Halliday's schedule. Are you available to meet at two o'clock?… Good, here's the address." Cindy gave Mr. Price directions to the townhouse and hung up the phone. She glanced over at David and asked, "What do you think that was all about?"
David shook his head and said, "I haven't the foggiest idea. But I must admit that I'm intrigued. Well, since I have a meeting scheduled at two I need to get going." David threw off the covers and strode over to his bureau. As he was pulling out some clean clothes, Cindy stared admiringly at him. "That's funny, I had you pegged as the silk pajamas type," she quipped.
David looked down at his tee shirt and boxer shorts then shot Cindy a glance over his shoulder. "Actually, I usually don't wear this much to bed. I'll see you downstairs in twenty minutes."
David strode into the master bath and shut the door. Cindy gave a low whistle and fanned a hand in front of her face. "Just my luck he made an exception last night." Cindy sighed and went back down to the kitchen to finish her coffee.
Twenty minutes later, Cindy was sitting on the sofa paging through a file when she heard David coming down the stairs. She put the file down and turned to see him walking into the room buttoning the cuffs on a gray shirt. A pair of casual black trousers and loafers completed his attire. "Well this is a different look for you. I don't remember ever seeing you without a tie."
David looked at her and briefly smiled as he crossed the room toward his desk. "Where I'm going, a suit isn't appropriate."
"I thought you wanted to work on the Tanquir project this morning?"
David unlocked a drawer in the desk and pulled out a leather case. "I did, but after the dream or whatever it was, I have to do something else first." David opened the case and reached into it. From where Cindy was sitting, she couldn't see what was in the box. "I need to work some things out and this is the best way I know how." David said as he held up an object.
Cindy shot to her feet in front of the couch. She held out a hand and pointed. "What are you doing with that?"
David glanced over at her and replied, "What's the problem? It's not like you've never seen a gun before."
Cindy's eyes were wide with surprise. "Well I've never seen you with a gun before. And what exactly do you plan to 'work out' with it anyway?"
David pulled the clip out of the semi-automatic handgun and wiped it with an oiled rag from the kit. He smiled at Cindy's obvious anxiety and said, "Relax, Cindy. I'm not preparing for a murderous rampage if that's what you're thinking. I'm going to the shooting range for awhile, that's all."
"The shooting range? Why?"
David finished cleaning the gun and returned it to the small case. He picked the case up by the handle and walked over to Cindy. "I go there when I need to clear my head. Having a single goal to concentrate on helps me remove the distractions."
Cindy glanced at the case before meeting David's eyes again. "I guess I never thought of you as a pistol packing kind of guy."
David's lips quirked up on one side. "What is it they say? 'Old habits die hard'."
Cindy was taken aback by that comment. " 'Old habits'? Don't tell me you used to be a cop."
David laughed at Cindy's appalled expression. "Well… not exactly," he replied with a mysterious smile. Cindy started to ask another question but David placed a finger against her lips. "You can ask me questions when I get back. Right now, I need to go work out a few frustrations."
Cindy smiled slyly and slipped her arms around David's waist. "There are other ways to work out frustrations you know," she purred as she slid her hands into the back pockets of David's slacks. "It can't be completely satisfying to go shooting off your gun… all alone."
David raised a brow at her. "Really? And what do you suggest instead?"
Cindy looked at him through her lashes. "Something a little less solitary with a lot more… friction." Cindy leaned against him and stood on her toes to whisper in his ear. "If you catch my drift."
Cindy leaned back and David's eyes locked with hers. As they moved towards each other, they heard the doorknob rattling. David glared at the door and grumbled, "Who the hell can that be?"
Cindy sighed and reluctantly pulled her hands out of David's pockets. "It's probably Winnie. I sent him on an errand." Cindy walked over and opened the door. The butler smiled gratefully and said, "Thank you." He'd been struggling to turn the knob with the fistfuls of plastic grocery bags he was carrying. Winston walked into the kitchen and David went to stand next to Cindy at the door. "What did you have him do? Buy out the entire grocery store?"
"When Winnie told me you overslept, I thought you were sick. I sent him out to pick up a few things."
David laughed. "A few things? Cindy, that man just walked in here with enough provisions for a town of flood victims."
Cindy rolled her eyes. "Oh please, don't exaggerate."
David chucked her under the chin. "I'm not criticizing. I think it's sweet that you went to such extremes when you thought I might be sick. I suppose we can always donate the supplies to the Red Cross." Cindy started to reply but David stopped her with a quick kiss. "Hold down the fort. I'll be back in an hour. If you help Winston out, the two of you may even have all those things put away by the time I get back."
David made a quick exit. Cindy chuckled softly and shook her head as she closed the door. As she strode toward the kitchen, she called out, "Ok Winnie, let's get this stuff put away before the boss comes back and shoots us for insubordination."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
August 24, 1999
Foster Park
12:45 PM
Tess took the last bite of her apple and threw the core into the brown bag she held. She chewed and scanned the park for Cameron as she'd been doing the entire lunch hour. Tess sighed when she didn't see him come running around the corner of the path. They had no meeting scheduled, but Tess knew that Cameron often came to this park for lunch. She'd been hoping to run into him "accidentally" but it appeared that it wasn't in the cards.
Tess stood up from the bench and walked over to a trash barrel. She tossed the bag in and decided to spend the remainder of her lunch break walking through the park. A soft breeze was rustling through the leaves on the trees. Tess tried to appreciate the warm summer afternoon but she was too preoccupied to truly enjoy it. The impending dinner with Emmanuel Logan was weighing heavily on her mind. It had been ever since he'd called her office that morning to officially set a time for their "date".
Tess rubbed her hands up and down her arms to ward off the chill brought on by the thought of being alone with Logan. He was dangerous, if not downright evil. Tess was no fool - She realized what a risk she was taking by being alone with him, especially since she wasn't telling the team about it. But she knew that they'd never allow her to go in, even with them providing backup. She had no choice but to do this alone and worry about their reactions after she'd already done what she had to do.
That didn't mean she had to like the idea of spending an evening alone with an infamous crime boss. After agreeing to go to Logan's house on Thursday night, Tess had suddenly been assailed by doubts. That was the reason she'd been hoping to run into Cameron in the park. No matter how confrontational they acted with each other, Cameron was always the one that Tess turned to when she needed support. He knew her better than anyone else did. Tess knew that he'd sense she needed a confidence boost and would provide it. Even when Cameron didn't know why she was upset, he always instinctively knew exactly what to say.
Tess stopped walking when she heard Matthew's voice. "Hello, Matt Cory speaking." Though he was obviously answering a cell phone call, Tess couldn't see him from where she was standing. She figured he must be around the next bend in the path. She started to move forward but froze when she heard the next thing he said. "Sorry, I can't get back for a while yet. I'm having lunch with a very special lady and I can't disappoint her."
Tess knew that she had no right to feel territorial about Matt, but a surge of jealousy rushed through her anyway. Who was this "very special lady" he was seeing? Tess's thoughts drifted back to her meeting with Matt's ex-wife at the club. Lila had been far more interested than an "ex" should be in what was happening between Tess and Matt. Telling herself that she was being irrational did no good. Tess had built up a full head of steam thinking about Matt with another woman. She charged around the corner, fully intending to vent her anger at him. What she saw made her stop short.
Matt was resting on his back with his arms stretched above his head. In his hands was a child. As Tess watched in silence, Matt lowered the baby closer to him, then popped her back up in the air. The baby squealed with happy laugher. Tess smiled as she watched Matt play with his daughter. He was obviously a loving and devoted father.
As if sensing someone watching them, Matt turned his head. As he sat up and placed Jasmine in his lap, he said, "Tess. I didn't expect to see you here. Can you join us for a few minutes?"
Tess hesitated, then took a seat on the blanket next to Matt. "This is your daughter, isn't it?"
Matt gazed with loving pride down at his child, then back up at Tess. "That's right. You two haven't met yet have you? Tess, I'd like to introduce you to Jasmine Cory. Jasmine, this beautiful lady is Tess Richardson."
Tess ducked her head to look at Jasmine and playfully shook the baby's hand. "It's nice to make your acquaintance, Jasmine." Jasmine looked up at Tess with confusion at the odd gesture, then giggled and waved her arms.
Matt smiled. "I think she wants you to hold her."
Tess leaned back and shook her head. Her eyes were wide with apprehension. "No, really. I don't have much experience with babies… well, none actually."
"They aren't that complicated, Tess. I'm sure you can handle it," Matt replied with laughter in his tone. Tess was still staring at Jasmine like the baby would bite her if given half a chance. Matt couldn't help finding amusement in the fact that Tess's "I can handle anything" attitude had been obliterated by the thought of holding his daughter.
Jasmine took the decision out of their hands. She started squirming so Matt laid her down on the blanket. She immediately crawled over to Tess and started playing with one of the buttons on her suit jacket. Tess watched Jasmine warily for a minute but soon found herself smiling down at the baby. "Do you like that button?"
Matt smiled and commented, "She likes things that are metallic looking. Every time I take out my keys she tries to grab them."
Tess smiled wider and spoke directly to the little girl. "Now you tell daddy that he has it all wrong. You don't want those keys because they're metal. You're just a smart, independent woman who wants freedom of movement."
"Right. And I suppose that she tries to take the whisk away from Helen because she wants to cook a seven course meal?"
Tess gave Jasmine a "serious" look and said, "I want you to promise me that you'll ignore daddy when he makes chauvinistic comments like that. He doesn't mean it, he just doesn't know any better." Tess looked over at Matt with teasing laughter twinkling in her eyes.
They were still laughing when Lila rounded the corner in the path and spotted them. Seeing that woman with Matthew and her child angered Lila. She walked over and stared down at the three of them with her arms crossed over her chest. "Well, isn't this cozy," she said sarcastically.
Matt looked up and saw the angry expression on Lila's face. He wasn't sure what had upset her. "Hello, Lila. Is it that time already?"
"Yes, it is" Lila snapped. "May I speak to you for a moment… in private?" Lila glared pointedly in Tess's direction.
Matt glanced over at Tess. She now seemed perfectly at ease with the child. "Tess, can you watch Jasmine for a minute? I need to speak to Lila. We'll be right over there if you need us."
Tess glanced between the two of them and said, "Sure. We'll be fine, won't we, Jasmine?"
Matt and Lila walked several yards away where they could see the pair on the picnic blanket but not be heard by them. Matt looked at Lila's furious expression and asked, "What's wrong, Lila?"
"What's wrong? Oh, nothin' except the fact that when you asked if you could have a lunch date with Jasmine I didn't realize you meant it would be a date. Why is that woman with our daughter? Don't I get a say in who spends time with our child?"
"Whoa, Lila, slow down. First off, it was just the two of us until a few minutes ago. Tess didn't come with us. She happened to be walking by and I asked her to sit down for a minute. Secondly, why do you have a problem with Tess being around Jasmine? She works with me at Cory and I can assure you she's trustworthy."
Lila had calmed down slightly now that she knew it had been a chance meeting and not a planned one as she'd assumed. Still, she was suspicious of Tess and she saw no reason to hide her feelings from Matt. "You may think she's trustworthy but I have a bad feeling about this Tess. She's up to somethin', Matt. I know it."
Matt thought back to the night that he'd followed Tess to the docks. He still had suspicions about what she'd actually been doing that night. "What makes you say that?"
Lila sighed. "It's an instinct, Matt. I know the signs first hand - That woman is hidin' somethin'."
Matt put his hands on Lila's shoulders. "I realize you're just trying to protect Jasmine, but trust me, Tess would never hurt her. I know her well enough to assure you of that." Matt pulled away and continued, "I'll go pack up Jasmine's things so you can take her home."
Lila watched as Matt jogged over to the blanket and began putting Jasmine's toys into her travel bag. "I'm not worried about Tess hurting Jasmine, Matt. I'm worried about her hurting you," she muttered to herself before following Matt to collect her daughter.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
August 24, 1999
David's Townhouse
2:00 PM
David was looking through the information on The Polaris Group that he'd had Cindy gather from the internet when the doorbell rang. He closed the folder and put it in a desk drawer before standing up and heading for the door. He'd sent Winston home for the day so he could meet with Nelson Price in complete privacy.
David opened the door and quickly studied the man. He was fairly nondescript: Average height, black hair, glasses, but the eyes were interesting. David noted the intelligence in the man's gaze. Though Price was purposely trying to appear ineffectual, David got the impression that he was quite formidable. Although it wasn't his style, David admired the tactic on its merits.
Mr. Price held out his hand and said, "Good to see you again, Mr. Halliday. I don't believe we were formally introduced at the board meeting. I'm Nelson Price from The Polaris Group."
David shook his hand. "David Halliday. It's nice to see you again, Mr. Price, although I'm not sure why you asked to see me."
Nelson smiled affably and replied, "I appreciate you fitting me into your schedule on such short notice. When your assistant gave me directions, I didn't realize she was sending me to your home rather than your business address."
Sidestepping the question about why he's here. That's interesting, David mused silently. He stepped back from the door and gestured for Mr. Price to enter. As the man walked into the townhouse, David said, "Actually, it's both. I don't have office space in Bay City so I do my work here."
David led Nelson down a hallway to his study. Instead of sitting behind his desk, David took one of the pair of leather wingback chairs in front of it while Mr. Price sat in the other. "So, Mr. Price, my assistant told me that you have some sort of business proposition for me."
Price opened his briefcase and pulled out a bound file. As he handed it to David, he replied, "Polaris is looking to increase our holdings in Cory Enterprises. We'd like to buy out your shares as well as your part ownership in the magazine, Brava. All the details are in there."
David opened the folder and quickly scanned the offer. His eyes widened slightly when he read the figures. He looked back up at Nelson Price. The man's face was expressionless. Instead of directly addressing the offer, David shut the report and said, "Why are you making this offer to me?"
"As I told you, Polaris is seeking expanded ownership in Cory Enterprises. Our research has led us to believe that you are one of the stockholders who would be willing to part with Cory shares."
David raised a brow at that revelation. He suddenly realized why Mr. Price had come to him. The conclusion he'd drawn both amused and irritated David, but he decided to play along. "That being the case, why are you offering a price per share that's forty percent above market value? If you think I'm so eager to be bought out, why such an attractive offer?"
Nelson Price smiled blandly, but David detected the intelligent gleam in the man's eyes again. "We've also been informed of what a savvy business man you are, Mr. Halliday. You certainly see the growth potential in Cory the same as we do. Plus, Brava is one of the most profitable aspects of the business at the moment. Polaris wouldn't expect you to dismiss the future earnings you'd anticipate receiving without ample compensation."
David nodded as if accepting the explanation on face value. "Well I must admit, it's a very attractive offer. I'll look it over and get back to you with my decision."
David and Nelson both stood. Once David had escorted him back to the door, Mr. Price turned and handed him a business card. "Please call me when you're ready to sign the agreement. Good day to you, Mr. Halliday."
David closed the door and stared down at the business card. He tucked it inside the proposal folder and grabbed his keys off the side table. It's time I do a little 'research' of my own, David thought as he walked out the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
August 24, 1999
Sinclair Investigations
4:30 PM
Gary typed some notes from a pad into the computer file in front of him. He cursed under his breath and hit the backspace key several times. Now that business was picking up, he and Cameron really needed to discuss hiring a data entry person.
As he typed, Gary suddenly heard a ringing noise coming from Cameron's desk. He looked up and saw his brother's cell phone sitting there. Cameron was out running another of his seemingly endless errands and must have accidentally left it behind.
Gary stood up and walked over to the desk. He stared at the phone for a minute and considered picking it up. Cameron was so secretive these days that Gary didn't think his brother would ever tell him the truth voluntarily. Maybe Gary could discover something by answering the phone. Pushing aside the slight guilt he felt for invading Cameron's privacy, Gary snatched up the phone and pressed the button. He gave a mumbled greeting, hoping to be mistaken for Cameron.
"Mav? What took you so long to pick up? Oh, never mind. I really need to talk to you. Can you meet me at my place in an hour?"
Although he hadn't heard her voice on the phone before and couldn't be certain, Gary thought he recognized Tess Richardson's voice on the other end of the line. The greeting had him puzzled though. "Who is this?" Gary demanded sharply.
There was dead silence on the other end of the line, then a flighty sounding giggle. "Oopsie! Wrong number, sorry."
Gary stared at the phone after the line went dead. It could just have been a wrong number. But the length of the silence before his question had been answered convinced Gary that wasn't the case. Hoping he had enough time before Cameron came back, Gary put Cameron's phone down and went back to his own desk. He quickly located the number he was looking for and dialed. "Hi Pat, it's Gary. I need a big favor right away… Can you trace a number for me? The call came into a cell phone about a minute ago… Great, the number called was 555-0227… Yeah, this area code. Call me at my office when you have the trace… Don't worry, I'll wait here 'til you call back. Thanks a million."
Gary hung up the phone and waited impatiently. Fifteen minutes later, his phone rang. Gary snatched the receiver quickly, "What have you got?… Ok. Thanks, Pat … You too. Bye." Gary slowly put the receiver back in the cradle and puzzled over the information he'd just received. "A pay phone in Foster Park… What the hell are you up to, Cam?"
Suddenly, the office door opened and Cameron walked in. He nodded to Gary in greeting and sat behind his desk. "Did Amanda call while I was out?"
"No, but you did receive a call on your cell phone… Mav."
Cameron swore internally and hoped Gary hadn't seen his reaction to the name. " 'Mav'? I don't understand-"
"I answered your phone for you," Gary interrupted. His eyes locked on Cameron's looking for a sign of guilt or recognition of the name. "The woman on the line apparently thought I was you and said, 'Mav, I need to talk to you'. That's a cute nickname, Cam. Did you come up with that or did she?"
Cameron faced the glittering anger and suspicion in his brother's eyes with outward unflinching steadiness. Inside, he was cursing Devlin for her carelessness and himself for forgetting the damned phone in the first place. "I don't know who or what you're talking about, Gary. It must have been a wrong number."
Gary shoved his chair back and stood stiffly. "You know, that's funny. She said the exact same thing. You want to know something else? I didn't believe her, and I don't believe you."
Cameron stood up as well. "Gary…" he said with equal parts entreaty and irritation.
Gary held up a hand to stop Cameron, then waved it in a disgusted gesture. "Please, not now. I'm not in the mood to hear another denial. I thought that we finally had all the secrets out in the open. I believed you when you swore that there would be no more lies. I was convinced that I could trust you to tell me the truth, no matter what. Obviously, I was wrong." Disappointment and sadness abruptly overpowered Gary's anger. "When you're ready to tell me the truth, I'll listen. Until then, save us both the trouble of making up any more stories." With that, Gary strode out of the office and shut the door behind him.
Cameron's eyes flinched closed at the sound of the door shutting. The imagery represented by it was not lost on him. He had been forced to shut Gary out, now Gary was shutting him out too. Cameron turned and slammed his fist down on the desk in frustration. This job and the lies it was forcing him to tell were destroying his life… and he was powerless to do anything about it.
Cameron grabbed his cell phone and quickly dialed.
"Hello?"
"Nice going, Dev. My brother just laid into me for that little call you made."
Tess sighed. "He didn't buy the 'wrong number' routine, huh?"
"Not even close. He's more suspicious than ever. Thanks a lot!"
"Wait a minute, Mav! How was I supposed to know that your brother was going to pick up your phone? I thought you always had it on you."
Cameron sighed and rubbed his forehead wearily. It wasn't fair to take his anger out on Tess. He was as much to blame as she was for this fiasco. "I had to run out for a minute and I forgot it. Sorry I snapped at you. Why did you call?"
Tess didn't answer at first. She'd had a moment of doubt about her meeting with Logan and had decided to tell Cameron about it. But now that she'd thought it over, she knew that telling him wasn't an option. He'd never allow her to go into Logan's house alone, even wired and with him as backup. No, she couldn't take the chance that Cameron would stop her. She had to do this alone. "I wanted to find out if you had anything new on the case. I'm supposed to contact Kane tonight with a status report."
Cameron didn't believe that Tess was telling him everything. He could always hear it in her voice when she was holding something back from him. "I don't have anything more than I did the last time we talked. I would have called you if I did. Are you sure there isn't another reason you called? You sound… tense."
Tess laughed humorlessly. "Tense? Of course, I'm tense! Kane's putting pressure on us about getting something concrete on Logan. Grant Harrison is apparently alive and kicking and out for revenge. Not to mention that I have to work day in and day out with… with a bunch of people who think I'm some business whiz. What's not to be tense about?"
Cameron suspected that working with Matt was the biggest contributor to the tension that he was sensing from Tess. "Ok, if you're sure there's nothing else. But you know that you can always talk to me, right?"
"I know that, Mav," Tess said with sincere gratitude. "I've always known that I could count on you. Even on that first day when you gave me the brush off, remember?"
Cameron chuckled slightly at the memory. "I was just a dumb kid. What did I know?" They concluded the conversation and Cameron hung up the phone. Gary had made a snide comment about who had given him the nickname "Mav". If his brother only knew…
May, 1988
McAlester Air Force Base
Ten miles west of Quantico, VA
Cameron sat at the table staring straight ahead. Several of the other "recruits" were chatting with each other while they waited for the meeting to start. Cameron had no interest in socializing. He doubted that he had a thing in common with any of these people. Based on the tidbits of conversations he was picking up, the other candidates in the room had been selected from a variety of backgrounds. He'd be willing to wager serious money that he was the only one there who'd been plucked from a prison cell.
The door to the room opened and a man walked in carrying a pile of large envelopes. Sensing that this was the man in charge, everyone took their seats and waited quietly. Cameron glanced over to see who was sitting next to him. His eyes encountered a strikingly beautiful woman with red hair bound into a French twist. As if sensing his perusal, the woman's head turned toward Cameron. Her wide blue-green eyes locked with his. After a moment, she smiled slightly. Cameron didn't smile back. He turned his eyes back forward as though he hadn't seen her at all.
The man at the front of the room called them all to attention. "Welcome everyone. To start, I'd like to congratulate you all for being selected for this training. You are an elite group of people and I'm certain that each of you will make an important contribution to the safety of your fellow citizens. My name is Scout and I'll be your instructor.
"First off, I'm sure you've probably guessed that 'Scout' isn't my given name. I won't be using any name other than that during this course for a specific reason." Scout laid out the envelopes on top of a table at the front of the room as he continued speaking. "Each of these envelopes has one of your names on the front of it. Please come forward one at a time and pick up the one belonging to you."
Once all the envelopes had been retrieved, Scout said, "Go ahead and open them." Cameron ripped open the end and poured the contents out on the table. Inside was some type of badge and a booklet with a plain white cover. He flipped open the cover of the booklet and read the title page: "Operative Initial Training Manual - Rules of Conduct and Engagement". He put the manual down and picked up the laminated badge. It was an identification card with his picture on it and the word "Maverick" written underneath.
"You will be given time to read the manual later," Scout said once the initial commotion of tearing paper had died down. "For now, please clip your identification badges on and I'll explain their purpose. Each of you has been given a code name, what is referred to in military terms as a 'call sign'. The purpose of these names is not to indicate a fraternity type of allegiance. It's much more serious than that."
Scout looked at each of them in turn to ensure that they were comprehending the gravity of what he was saying. "Before you signed your agreements with the Bureau, Kane explained to each of you what taking this assignment meant. The missions you will be handling are deep undercover. During these missions, you are forbidden to contact anyone who knows you outside of the agency. Even when you aren't on assignment, your connection to this agency is completely confidential. You cannot tell anyone what you do or where you go. This secrecy is critical not only to the interests of national security but also your own personal safety and the safety of those who know you. If anyone ever discovers the true nature of what you do, that person's life would be in immediate and tremendous danger.
"For that reason, as well as others, you have been given a new identity which is indicated by the name on your badge. You need to leave the person you are in the outside world at the door when you come here. For the duration of training, you are to use only the names on those badges. You need to learn to respond to your call sign the same as you would to your real name. On assignment, your fellow team members will use your code name when they speak to you. It helps ensure the confidentiality of the agents' identities, for your protection as well as that of the Bureau."
Scout paused a moment and walked around the table. He leaned against the edge of it and loosely folded his arms. "Over the next few months, you will all get to know each other very well. The secrets you're being expected to keep will generate a sense of intimacy with those few people who share it with you. I can tell you from my own experience that living up to the Bureau's terms is not a simple task. To have to look directly into the faces of the people who know you the best and lie to them is not easy, but it's critical that you learn how to do it. Your psychological profiles indicate that you are capable of dealing with the stress. You are all qualified to face this challenge - It's my job to help you hone your raw talents into the skills required to be successful agents."
Scout stood straight and walked back behind the table. He picked up some bound folders and began handing them out. "That being said, let's get started…"
Cameron pulled himself back to the present. He glanced at the clock. Amanda had a late meeting so she wouldn't be home for an hour at least. Instead of having dinner without her, Cameron decided to work for a little longer, then go surprise her at the office. They could use a romantic dinner for just the two of them.
Cameron turned to his computer and did an internet search on Emmanuel Logan. He didn't expect to find anything new, but some background might help him get inside Logan's mind. Years of experience had taught him that the best way to neutralize the enemy was to find their weakness, penetrate that weakness, and use it to destroy them from within. Logan seemed invincible on the surface, but with the right clue, they could break this case wide open.
Cameron scanned through the various links that came up. There were a few business-related articles, all about his "legitimate" ventures. But most of the features he found were society pieces. Logan attending one gala function after another, always with a beautiful young woman on his arm. Cameron's brow furrowed as he studied the pictures accompanying the write-ups. Some of the women were nameless escorts, others were famous actresses or models, but it was never the same woman twice. "It seems you're quite the player, Mr. Logan. I wonder if you've ever had anyone 'play' you?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
August 24, 1999
Cory Enterprises
6:30 PM
Amanda walked down the hall toward her office. It had been a long meeting and she was ready to go home and relax. She had been strategizing with Matt and her mother about the Polaris situation. They were all concerned about the intentions behind the group's offers to Cory's major stockholders. Tess was following up with Mr. Price, but she hadn't been able to meet with him yet. The idea of a hostile takeover put Amanda's nerves on edge. It didn't seem like her life was ever normal. At times, she thought she'd give just about anything for a little boredom.
Amanda opened the door to her office. She reached for the light switch before realizing that the lights were already on. She was certain that she'd turned them off when she'd left for the conference room. Amanda glanced over at her high-backed desk chair and saw that it was turned toward the windows facing away from her. She smiled to herself, realizing Cameron had waited there for her. "The meeting lasted longer than I thought it would. I hope you haven't been waiting long."
As the chair spun around to face her, the smile dropped from Amanda's lips. "No need to worry. I haven't been here all that long. I waited for your secretary to leave before making myself at home."
Amanda glared at David. "How dare you come into my office uninvited? What are you doing here?"
David leaned back in the chair and insolently propped his feet on top of Amanda's desk. "Come now, Mrs. Sinclair. I'm sure that if you think about it for a minute or two you'll realize why I'm here."
Amanda walked forward and dropped the folders she was carrying on a chair. "What's going on here? Is this some sort of game?"
David sat back in the chair abruptly and his feet fell off the desk to the floor. Amanda's words reverberated inside his head and a strange sense of déjà vu came over him. In his mind, he could hear a voice answering, "No. I've never cared much for games." The voice was hauntingly familiar. David mentally reached for the memory of where he'd heard that voice before.
Amanda studied David's bewildered expression. His eyes were staring off into nowhere and his face had gone pale. For a split second, Amanda felt concerned for him. Then she remembered whom she was dealing with. "David!" His gaze snapped back to hers, but Amanda had the impression that he still wasn't really listening to her. "You have a hell of a lot of nerve, David. You break into my office and when I ask for an explanation you act like you don't hear me."
David quickly composed himself. He smiled slightly and gave Amanda a chiding look. "Now who's playing games, Amanda? Or did you actually think I wouldn't figure out your little ruse?"
"Ruse?" Amanda repeated disdainfully. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"No?" David replied with a raised brow. He tossed the proposal from The Polaris Group on the far side of the desk. Amanda instinctively reached out to grab it as it slid off the edge. "Maybe that will jog your memory."
Once Amanda spied the Polaris logo on the cover, she knew what she'd find inside. She opened the folder and scanned the proposal quickly, then tossed the folder back at David. "What makes you think I had anything to do with this offer?"
David scoffed at what he perceived to be an evasion. "Let's not be coy, Mrs. Sinclair. The timing of this proposal is just a bit too convenient to be a coincidence. Since I'm not allowing your husband to coerce me into staying out of the business anymore, you decided to have someone buy me out." David stood up and rounded the desk. He stopped in front of Amanda and placed his hands on his hips. "I am curious about one thing though. What was it that you offered the mystery man behind Polaris to convince him to do your bidding?" David's feigned speculative expression slid into a sly smile. "Then again, maybe it's not so hard to figure out after all."
Amanda's eyes widened with outrage. She sputtered slightly at the insulting insinuation. "I… H-how dare you!.."
"I'm not the daring one here," David quipped. "You're the one with the insanely jealous husband. Maybe someone should warn 'Mr. Polaris' exactly what he's letting himself in for here."
Amanda made a furious slashing motion with her hand. "That's enough, David! I don't have to listen to this! Just get out!"
"Certainly. I've said what I came to say." David turned and headed for the door. When he reached it, he snapped his fingers and turned back. "I almost forgot. When you speak to your friends at Polaris, you can tell them I'm still thinking about their offer. Have a good evening, Mrs. Sinclair."
Amanda waited until the door shut behind David, then counted to thirty. Hoping he was out of earshot, she gave a growl of frustration. She heard the office door open behind her and snarled, "What do you want now?" before spinning around.
Cameron stood in the open doorway with a look of surprise on his face. "Have a bad day?" he inquired with concern.
Amanda sighed with relief and gave him a feeble smile. "It just got a lot better," she said as she strode towards him with open arms.
Cameron folded Amanda into his arms and gently rubbed her back. "Do you want to tell me about it?"
Amanda leaned back in his arms. " 'It' just left my office a minute ago. I'm surprised you didn't run into him in the hallway."
Cameron knew that look on his wife's face too well not to realize whom she was referring to. "Halliday," he said with undisguised loathing. "What did he want this time?"
Amanda rolled her eyes. "What does he ever want but to make my life miserable? You remember that company I was telling you about, The Polaris Group?"
Cameron nodded. "They're the ones making offers to buy Cory stock, right?"
"Yes. Well apparently, they have approached David with an offer for both his shares and his stake in Brava. He took great delight in telling me about it."
"Did he say whether he was going to sell or not?"
Amanda shook her head and walked behind her desk to grab her briefcase and purse. "If he's decided, he didn't let me in on it. He says he's still considering it." Amanda slid her purse strap up on her shoulder and then gave a short laugh. "I don't know whether I should hope that he sells or not. If David sells his stock then Polaris is once step closer to having a controlling interest in Cory. If he doesn't sell…"
"Then you have to keep dealing with him." Cameron finished for her as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I know you're not sure about these Polaris people but as far as I'm concerned anything that gets David out of our lives is nothing but good."
Amanda smiled slightly and walked back over to where Cameron stood. "Enough talk about David. Let's go home."
Cameron slid his arm around Amanda's waist and leaned down to place a kiss on her neck. "I'm home right now. Wherever you are is home to me." Amanda turned her mouth up to meet Cameron's in a long, soft kiss. They left the office with their arms around each other's waists, leaning on each other in every way.
When I lose the will to
win
I just reach for you and I can reach the sky again
I can do anything
'Cause your love is so amazing
'Cause your love inspires me
And when I need a friend
You're always on my side
Giving me faith, taking me through the night
For a shield from the
storm
For a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm
I turn to you
For the strength to be strong
For the will to carry on
For everything you do
For everything that's true
I turn to you
For the arms to be my
shelter through all the rain
For truth that will never change
For someone to lean on
For a heart I can rely on through anything
For the one who I can run to
I turn to you…
Author's Note: There is no such place as McAlester Air Force Base in the state of Virginia (at least not in the public record). The name and location are a fictional creation for this story. The song quoted in this chapter is "I Turn To You", recorded by Christina Aguilera on her self-titled album. Click on the hyperlinked title to listen to a Real media clip from the song.