Author's note:
In this piece, I have had no intention of insulting farmers, Canadians, or the French. The 'parlez-vous le dingdong' is a family joke. As well, there are 3 chapters to this story, as it was much too long to be posted as one. Ewan
Chapter One - L'agent Canadienne
Scott Tracy wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. "That's the fourth fire we've put out this month."
His colleague, Tessa Highlander, shook the collar of her shirt. "Yes, and I'm feeling it." She turned in her seat to face him. "Hey, who's brilliant idea was it to make fires incredibly hot, anyway?" She turned back. "They should be dragged into the street and shot . . ."she muttered.
Scott payed no attention. "Four power plants in a single month . . ."
Tessa shook her head, realizing that her friend was totally hooked on something. She pressed a few buttons, and a screen brightened, brandishing the face of Jeff Tracy. "Thunderbird one to base - we've managed to contain the fire. The local department says they can take it from here."
Jeff smiled. "Good work, Tess - and Scott. Now, head back to base."
Tess smiled brightly right back at him. "F. A. B.," she saluted, turning the screen off.
She turned to who she now considered her brother. "Scott, earth to Scott - we're leaving."
Scott still seemed in a trance as she waved a hand in front of his face.
"Fine, I'm driving us home," she smirked.
That got him moving p. d. q.
He grabbed the control stick, and began to fly back to Tracy Island. He kept his eye on the sky the whole time he talked to Tessa. His voice was still trance-like. "I don't think those were accidents . . ."
She shook her head. "I don't either. Four in a month is incredible enough-"
"-four of the same sort is odd . . . but four in the same month, of the same sort, in the same continent is awful strange. . ."
She nodded. "We need to tell your dad of our suspicions when we get home." She'd only started calling it "home" a few months ago.
He nodded in agreement, and then was silently occupied the rest of the way back.
Virgil heard the door open and close. His head turned as quickly as a hound dog's when his master returns home.
He smiled as he saw his girlfriend's figure fill the doorway. He got up from the piano, and kissed her.
Tessa smiled. It may have taken her a few months to realize it, but she knew she loved Virgil Tracy very much.
"How was it?" he asked her, smiling the entire time.
She smiled half-heartedly, waving a french-manicured hand in an unimportant gesture. "I promised Scott I'd let him explain when he got in."
Right on cue, Scott's section of the wall turned to reveal him.
She looked right into Virgil's sparkling eyes, smiling. She kissed his cheek, then went to meet Scott at Jeff Tracy's desk.
"Dad," Scott started, placing his hands on his father's desk, "Tessa and I would like to talk to you about these fires."
Jeff replaced the pen he was using to complete some paperwork. He glanced up at the first son his late wife had given him. "What about them?"
Tess came out from where she was standing behind Scott. She glanced over at him. "We think they're connected."
Jeff leaned back in his seat.
Scott straightened up. "There have been four fires in a single month - which would be fishy enough, but it gets worse. They're all in power plants - mostly nuclear. And, as a topper, all have happened in North America."
There was a pause. "Well . . .?" Tessa prompted.
Jeff sighed. "Unfortunately, I think you're right. I also think it's a case of sabotage, making it worse. As high as it's likely they are somehow connected, it's as equally unlikely that 4 separate power stations would malfunction enough to cause a disaster like that."
"So what do we do? We're not legally a part of North America, so we can't do much over here," Scott pointed out.
Jeff picked up the phone, which rested at the corner of his desk. "We're going to have to call in an IR special agent. I know which one we'll need for a job like this."
Tess was fascinated. "Really - who is he?"
Jeff smiled as the international phone rang. "She is a prematurely retired agent, who now gets a 6-figure retirement pension - which includes what we give her. She retired to help support her family in what they love best. They're actually quite talented, so in a way, it was a smart move."
"Great," Scott muttered, "a retired old bitty." His father half-smiled, pretending to have not heard the comment.
"What organization did she work for?" inquired Tess, who was forever wanting to learn more.
Jeff smiled as the phone picked up. "CSIS."
"Bessy! You get your heifer butt back in that barn right now, or so help me, you won't be a dairy cow much longer!" Lana came running at the cow with a 6-foot-stick she found on the ground.
Unfortunately, she tripped.
She watched the cow run back to the pasture. Her eyes narrowed. "You got lucky."
Her cousin Sandy came over to help her up. "That's the 3rd time she's run outta that barn this week, eh."
Lana nodded. "Yeah, I know. Why do cows have to be so stubborn?"
"Better than pigs."
Lana shrugged. She could barely stand either, to be frank.
Suddenly there was the sound of a song in the air. Lana stood there for a moment, trying to place where the sound was coming from.
Sandy smiled as she sang along to the music. "'She thinks my tractor's sexy, it really turns her on . . .'"
"Right! Cell phone!" exclaimed Lana, reaching into her pocket, as they walked towards the cows. "Hello?"
Sandy smiled as her cousin chewed off the person's ear. "No, actually, our refrigerator stopped working, and so now we're hooked up to the generator. But, thank you for asking." She hung up, laughing.
Sandy shook her head. "Why do you even keep that thing? All you ever get on it is practical jokes."
Lana shrugged. "Emergences. Besides, I'm used to it from my past."
Surprisingly, Kenny Chesney rang out again. Lana stared at her pocket, awestruck, before rolling her eyes and picking it up. She flipped it open. "Snake pit, we never close."
Sandy laughed, shaking her head as she smacked a cow to get out of their way. She could hear a call of "What!" from the other end of the phone.
Lana rolled her eyes. "I said, 'Snake. Pit. We never close'. As in, like, Snake Pit? Like the pit where you toss in snakes . . . who is this, anyway?"
Sandy stared at the phone as her cousin's expression turned beet red. "Oh, I'm so sorry Jeff! Nobody important ever calls me on this . . . well, no one except you, of course . . . I haven't heard from you in awhile! How's it goin', eh? How're the boys?"
Jeff laughed at her embarrassment. "Oh, we're good, what are you up to?"
Lana looked around her. "Oh, you know, just enjoying all the lovely scenery that Saskatchewan has to offer."
"Still flat I take it?"
Her tone was flat, as if to add 'duh'. "I'm at the bottom of a prehistoric lake - of course it's still flat. Anyways, I know you never call me, even if I am an agent, so what's up, eh?"
Jeff got serious. "Have you heard about these fires that have been happening in power plants? Specifically, Canadian and American power plants?"
Lana thought. "Yes . . ."
"We think they're connected."
She blinked. "Really? You mean, like, sabotage?"
"You were always quick on your feet."
"Skates, Jeff - up here, we're quick on our skates."
He smiled. "Right. The thing is, we really could use your expertise up here. We have a lot better research facilities here than where you are, if you can spare the time."
She was sceptical. "On the farm? Spare time? Jeff, you're starting to remind me of why you never call . . . I have a business running over here."
"On what?"
She sighed. "A generator."
"Exactly. You were a top CSIS agent, don't let that go to waste. Help us."
She looked at her cousin. "Jeff, I'll have to find myself a replacement . . ." Her eyes pleaded.
"Fine. But please let me know by tomorrow morning at latest . . ."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. G'bye."
She looked at her cousin. "Please-"
"Lana, we can't afford-"
She begged, "Oh, please! I haven't been on a real mission in years. I miss it. Take the cash out of my savings, just, pleeeease?"
She rolled her eyes. "I suppose Uncle Ed could take over for a month or so . . ."
Lana hugged her so hard, her eyes bulged out.
Jeff replaced the phone.
Scott just stared. "Well? Is she coming?"
Jeff smiled. "That was her reply. She is definitely coming. She'll be at London airport at 1:00 tomorrow afternoon, and Kyrano will pick her up there."
Tess was perplexed. "What is CSIS?"
"She'll let you know when she comes."
Tessa just shrugged, and went over to where Virgil was out on the balcony.
Scott watched his long-time-ex-girlfriend-turned-friend walk away. He'd been a lonely man for more than eight months now.
He turned back to his father. "I don't see why we need to bring someone else to this house. We can handle it alone. If we bring another person in this house, it will just be trouble." Scott wanted his family to be the way it used to be - no more changes. NO MORE FEMALES.
Jeff Tracy tried to reason with him. "Scott, we are not a part of North America. Or any continent for that matter. This is obviously an insider ordeal, and we need an insider to help."
"But why must she come here?"
He got up. He motioned for Scott to take a walk with him. "You see, Scott, she's an entrepreneur - in a nutshell, she runs her own family business, you might say."
"So?"
"Not all of her family knows what she did for a living. Only her cousin. She can't work in much secrecy anymore. She loved what she did, but she knew where her place in the world was, so she retired from CSIS."
"Well, what kind of business does she run? And why can't she tell her family?"
Jeff stopped. "Those aren't my stories to tell, Scott." He turned away.
Lana stepped off the private jet, and gazed at the paradise around her. She had never been to Tracy Island before - but it was beautiful.
Kyrano tried to take all of her 3 bags, but she was persistent on carrying at least one or two. When a large bag was finally surrendered, Jeff met her on the runway.
"Hello, Alana." He smiled at her, giving her a welcoming hug.
She smiled back. "Bonjour, Jeff . . . it's a pleasure to be here."
He put an arm around her shoulder, and grabbed her bag. "The kids are rather anxious to meet you."
She reluctantly surrendered her baggage. Her smile faded slightly. "Um, Jeff, the boys do realize that I'm not exactly like Penny? That I'm not a Lady or anyone . . . proper? Or anyone with any sort of manners?"
He kept smiling. "I'm sure you and the children will get along famously."
Famously being a well-chosen word.
She half-smiled. She had never actually met any of his children. Ever. She had met Lucy, but that was a long time ago, at her graduation into CSIS.
The door opened the very next moment. She shrugged Jeff's hand off her shoulder, nervously. She straightened her skirt. She gave it a disgusted look. She hated skirts. She hated pink. She hated daisies. But she especially hated skirts that had little pink daisies on them.
She looked up to see many faces. She smiled nervously. They all smiled and a few waved hello.
"Holy cow, there sure are a lot of them . . ." she uttered to herself, not even loud enough for Jeff to hear.
Better make a good impression, she thought. She put on her best "I just brushed my teeth with Crest!" smile. She tried to take out the Canadian accent in her voice. "Hello, everyone." It sounded squeaky and unnatural, so she gave it up, and decided maybe they wouldn't mind that she sounded like Bob and Doug. "I guess you already know who I am."
Scott didn't smile. "Actually, dad forgot to inform us of who was coming."
Her smiled faded slightly at his rudeness. "Okay . . . well, my name is Alana Fitzgerald, but I do not - under any circumstances - want to be called that."
Scott looked up and shook her head.
Tess smacked him without even looking at him. He cried in pain, but she continued to smile sweetly. "What would you prefer we call you?"
Lana laughed at the friendliness that was given to her automatically by Tess. "I get called Lana a lot, but that's mostly by my cousin. My nickname in highschool - and through most of my career in CSIS - was Fitzy. I really don't care which you go for."
Scott laughed at Fitzy. Tess shifted in her seat next to Virgil, and stomped on his foot with her stilettos, still smiling, still not looking at him.
Jeff pretended not to notice, since he knew his son deserved it. "Lana, these fine young people are Scott, Alan, Virgil, Tessa, Gordon, Brains, my mother and you've met Kyrano and his daughter, Tin-tin."
She knit her brow at Tessa. "Jeff, you never told me you had a daughter."
Tessa blushed furiously. "Actually, I'm not his daughter. I washed up on shore a year or so ago. I just kind of . . . stayed. And I'm quite fond of Virgil." She smiled at her boyfriend.
"Oh, that makes sense. Um, I'll try to remember names but if I call you Gordon, and you Virgil, please don't take it offensively," she said, pointing to Gordon and Virgil.
"I am Virgil."
Lana blushed.
Scott just shook his head. "You know what? I don't have time for this." He stormed off to his room.
Jeff looked at Lana apologetically. "I'm sorry, I really am. I don't know what's gotten into him . . ."
Lana waved it off. "Oh, that's okay. I've been around enough to be used to that reaction from men." She laughed. "I should probably warn you guys, though . . . I've met other agents. I'm not like your British agent. I don't have a 'Lady' title because . . . the Queen forgot. I'm a small-town girl, with very few manners."
Tess laughed. "I'm sure you can't be that bad . . ."
Fitzy laughed nervously. "Well, I better go change for dinner. Jeff, if you don't mind," she said, picking up her suitcase, "could you please show me my room?"
Scott was inside his room, cursing everything he saw.
Okay, so she wasn't an old bitty . . . but there was still time.
He absolutely hated her. Every inch of her. From her manicured nails to her oh-so-perfectly brushed dark-red hair. Her skirt . . . she acted like it was a part her. Even Lady Penelope wasn't that enthusiastic about wearing a skirt.
And the way she looked at him . . . like he was a total slob . . . a mistake in a perfect world. Her dark - almost black eyes - pierced his very soul.
He hated everything he saw in her . . . and he saw a lot . . .
And she's probably in her room changing into evening wear for dinner . . . he thought.
Lana pulled her best blue plaid flannel shirt over her sky-coloured t-shirt.
"With these jeans, I look awesome!" she smiled at herself in the mirror, wanting to give someone a high-five. She checked to make sure her sneakers matched her outfit. They were white - were being the operative word - and blended in nicely.
She grabbed her brush and began to run it through her shoulder-length brunette hair. She wondered, as she stroked it, why Scott was so cruel. Could it have been something she'd said? Something she'd done? She'd talked for all of three minutes before he stormed out.
Lana grabbed her favourite scrunchie and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. She smiled at her reflection. She picked up a pair of beaded, dangling earrings, and placed them inside the piercings that she'd had since she was five. In the second set of piercings, there were small pearls . . . she recalled how her mother had nearly died when she came home to find her daughter had gotten pierced in each ear a second time. She grinned as she did up her dainty, leather-strap watch. She lost the grin, though, as she looked at her nails.
They're disgusting, she thought, oh, well . . . it' not as though anyone's going to notice that they're dirty, chipped, and that the nail polish is peeling.
She leaned forward to make sure that her dark eyes weren't too dark.
Close enough, she groaned.
She smiled at her reflection, as she turned to go. She stopped herself. She went back to the bureau, and picked up a green collar with a small tractor charm dangling from it. Her father had given it to her, and she pretty-well only took it off to sleep.
Perfect.
She came out of her room, and walked with her hands inside her pockets. When she reached the table, everyone seemed slightly surprised.
She waved a hand. "How's she going, my trout?"
Virgil looked at her as he looked at bird crap on his windshield. He pulled out a chair for Tessa, then himself.
She laughed at herself. "It's a Canadian thing. Roughly translated it means, 'How's it goin', eh?'"
She sat down. Tessa smiled at her. "I love those earrings."
Lana smiled. "Merci."
Tessa's eyes widened. "'Mercy?' I'm so sorry if I offended you! I was just . . . you know, trying to be polite! I'm sorry! I'm useless with Canadian culture!"
Everyone - even Scott - laughed at her. Virgil leaned over, and quietly explained it all to her. Tess's face went three shades of red. She was very quiet for awhile.
Lana smiled. "I'm bilingual. Not that all Canadians are . . . but, it does come in handy when you talk to the Quebec quois."
Virgil was intrigued. "Really?"
Lana nodded. "Oui. Je parle le dingdong."
Only Jeff laughed at that one.
Scott whirled on him. "What?"
Jeff just shook his head, like he had just laughed for no reason.
Fitzy was enjoying her little game. She knew Jeff didn't know much french, but he knew enough. She acted innocent. "Jeff? Est-ce que parlez-vous le dingdong!"
Jeff smiled. "Not really."
Alan was curious. "What exactly are you asking? Are you some kind of pirate-obsessed person? Did you just enforce the code of 'parlez' on a 'dingdong'?"
Lana doubled over with laughter. She just shook her head. A small 'no' slipped out.
She straightened up, but a giggle still escaped.
Scott interrupted. "So, what's with the sudden change in wardrobe?"
"I hate skirts. This is what I normally wear."
Scott snorted. "You look like some common . . . farmer."
Lana stopped laughing. She sat down her fork. She backed away from the table, pushing in her chair. She gave Scott a tight look, and an evil eye. She faced Jeff. "I think you should further explain to your boys what I can and cannot tolerate. As for you, Scott," she said, turning in his direction, "I am a common farmer."
She stormed out of the room, much as Scot had.
Scott sat on his bed as his father gave him a sound thrashing with his tongue.
"What has gotten into you! You insulted her without even thinking!"
"How was I supposed to know what she does for a living! You didn't tell us anything!"
"You insulted farmers in general with that comment!"
"You do realize by saying that I insulted farmers, implying that I said she was ugly, you just insulted farmers!"
Jeff was livid. "Scott! Don't you take that tone with me!"
"Fine! But why is she so sensitive about being a farmer? It can't have just been the way I said she looked like a farmer."
Jeff calmed down his tone. "Scott, you don't know anything about this woman and what she's been through. Maybe next time you should think about that before you insult farmers with your stereotypes."
He walked towards the door, and opened it. "And by the way: you may be an adult now, but I can still punish you. Tessa will drive Thunderbird One for the next two weeks." He closed the door.
Scott threw a lamp at it.
"Three weeks!" his father called back.
Lana came out of her room an hour or so later. She had decided she didn't want to explain anything to them. Jeff knew, and that was enough.
For now.
She walked into the foyer . . . okay, foyer-ish room. When she saw everyone was busy with something, she pulled out a novel from her pocket, and sat on the couch, cross-legged. Everyone else had their legs in front of them, no matter what they were doing.
Brains was engaging Gordon in a heated game of chess. She could tell, looking up from her book, that it was so intense, both of them were only barely breathing.
She could see Jeff - surprise, surprise - was doing paperwork at his desk. She wondered what kind of paperwork he was doing . . .
Kyrano and Gramma were in the kitchen, from what she could see.
Scott was no where to be found, but she could hear soft cursing coming from the hall. She could see Alan and Tin-tin talking to each other on the sofa, every so often looking out, annoyed, at the balcony. Lana discreetly followed their gaze and saw Tessa and Virgil on the balcony. She quickly moved her gaze back, though. She didn't need to see that.
Lana skimmed the page in front of her. She got bored with the romance novel quite easily though, and slipped on her headphones for her discman. She was soon listening to a country CD she herself had burned. She was happy as a clown.
She flipped the page, feeling a lot more interested in her cowboy, as she heard Tessa and Virgil come in. She snuck a look, and could see that Virgil had his arm around her waist, and Tessa was blushing. She shuddered to herself, as Alan and Tin-tin headed out to the balcony.
Virgil let go of Tess's waist, and he moved towards the piano. He sat down on the bench, and began to play. Tess sat down in a chair adjacent to him.
Lana actually stopped her CD player, and took off her headphones. Virgil was a really good pianist.
He played a soft melody, then a more jazzed up one. She put the book down, shortly after Tess moved to sit on the bench next to him.
Lana smiled. She got up, though, and moved towards Jeff. "Jeff, is there anything that I can do to help with your mission? I know I wasn't supposed to start until tomorrow, but I can't wait."
Jeff looked up. "Sure . . . would you happen to know anything about how your country has electricity?"
She grinned. "That all depends where you are . . . in Ontario, nuclear . . . there's coal, as well, though . . . Alberta is very big on oil . . ."
"Sit down," Jeff grinned.
The very next day, Virgil went outside to find Scott in the pool, swimming laps. "Scott," he said, surprised.
Scott stopped, and looked up at him. "Virgil."
"Nothing . . . I just see you've stopped cursing."
"Yeah? You'd be cursing too if you were told you weren't allowed to drive your Thunderbird for three whole weeks." He laughed to himself. "I'm twenty-eight, and I've literally been grounded."
"Ha-ha. Sucks to be you." Virgil jumped in the pool, a tidal wave of water cascading over his brother.
As soon as Virgil was standing upright in the shallow end of the pool again, Scott kicked his legs out from under him, causing more water to splash the sides of the pool.
"Ah, brotherly love . . . nothing like it, is there, Tess?" came a feminine voice.
Tessa smiled, her beautiful figure framed in her violet bikini. "Nope, nothing like it, Tin-tin."
The two girls took seats on beach chairs, and began talking. Tess shot Virgil an affectionate gaze, and he gladly returned it. Scott made a puking motion with his hand.
Virgil, eyes still locked on Tess, shoved him backwards.
As Scott regained his composure, he saw that his brother had gotten out of the pool, and was escorting Tessa to a more secluded part of the beach, never taking his eyes off of her, never stopping his smile, never speaking.
"Isn't that disgusting?" Scott asked.
Tin-tin frowned. "They're in love, Scott. They've been in love for a year now. Where have you been?" She got up to leave.
Scott just stood where he was in the pool. A year? It didn't feel like a year since Tess had washed-up on his family's island. It didn't feel like 9 months since he'd broken things off with her. It seemed like only days had passed since she had finally decided on Virgil.
"Where have I been?" he asked himself.
"I don't know, Scott,"Tin-tin replied, "but I'd start realizing your situation soon if I was you. Otherwise, you're in for a wild ride . . ."
"Lana?"
Lana looked up from her novel, now almost finished. "Yes, Jeff?"
Jeff did not look at her, but preceded with typing in his computer. "I need you."
She was at his side by the time his sentence had finished. "What do you need, how do you need it, and when does it have to be done?"
He smiled at her eagerness, standing up, facing her. He gestured to the computer. "I need your expert research. I have no leads as to how to go about this; please, sit down."
She took his chair, staring at the screen, he leaned over next to her. "I figure that if we can at least get the names of all the major Canadian power plants, we can perhaps put the clues together, and find out who's behind this."
Lana started typing rapidly. "How long do I have?"
"Just have it on my desk ASAP."
"Okay . . . it will probably take only a few days, but this isn't exactly something you can place a time frame on . . ."
Jeff moved to leave. "Just let me know if you need anything."
She was still typing. "Well, I could use the co-ordinates of those fires, so I can figure out the names of which companies have been hit."
"I'll have Tess call up John for you - John is my second-eldest son, who monitors the satellite station. He's also Tess's best friend."
She smiled at him, pausing in her search. "It's always nice to have a friend."
He just smiled as a response before turning to find Tessa.
"Confound it, Williams! Can't you do anything right!"
Peter Williams scrambled to pick up the reports that had been thrown back at him. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."
He rose from his seat, looking out the back window behind him. "I've poured these months of my life into this project, and what do I get in return? Remind me, Williams, why am I so angry with you? I want it to sink in. " He turned back to him, his face as red with anger as his Armani tie.
Peter shuddered with fear. "I-international Rescue i-is onto our plan?"
He bent over and picked up the last paper, hiding under a corner of his desk. He stood up, crushing it in his palm, and dropping it to the floor again. "Exactly."
Tess was hurt. She was lonely. Why was he doing this to her?
Virgil had been acting strange. For the past nine months or so, Virgil would barely let her out of his sight; when she visited her father once a month, either he or Tin-tin would come with him, never leaving her alone with him. And, though she couldn't prove it, she was sure there had been times at night when he had slept just on the other side of her door.
But now, could it be true? He almost seemed like he was avoiding her.
Tess sat next to the piano, watching Fitzy type.
Fitzy, she thought, what a name . . .
She got up and watched out the window, seeing the boys all around the pool. Virgil glanced back up at the window, meeting her eyes and smiling. He waved, but seemed nervous. Something was on his mind, but what?
Tessa waved back, then pulled her light sweater tighter around her body. This past week he was with her a lot, but always had something on his mind. Something nagging at him. Was it her?
"I see you got somethin' on your mind, eh."
Tess turned and faced Lana. She blushed. "It's nothing, really. . ."
Lana stopped her typing, and laced her fingers on top of her desk. She cocked her head. "Really? Yeah, sure, I'll believe that the day my cow Bessy behaves . . ."
Tess smiled. "I don't expect you to understand since you've only been here for a few days, Lana . . ."
"Please, if you feel more comfortable with it, call me Fitzy."
She smiled. "Well, see, me and Virg have been together for about nine months now, and well, all of the sudden . . . he just seems . . . different."
Lana smiled, biting her lip. "S'down, Tess."
Tess sat in a chair near the desk.
"Now, what exactly has he been doing different?"
Tess seemed distracted, not meeting her eyes. "He just seems like he . . . well, he just . . . see, since we started dating we've practically never been apart. Now, he just seems like he's trying to be around his father more, and seems like he's got a lot on his mind when we are together." She looked Lana directly in her eyes. "What do you think's going on? Do you think . . . do you think he's having an affair?"
Lana burst out laughing. She stopped, though. "I'm sorry, but . . . well, honey, do you see any other women on this island he'd be interested in?"
Tessa smiled. "I guess you're right."
Lana grinned. "Tess - I know what's going on. I see it in your eyes. I've been in a few relationships in my time - believe it or not. I've seen my share of good and bad. He has a secret. One that he's trying to decide whether or not he should tell you right now. One that you shouldn't pry out of him." She turned back to her computer, and zoned back out again, as though they'd never even spoken.
Tess just stared at her. "That's it? That's all your telling me!"
Lana didn't look at her, but chuckled as Tess walked away, looking ticked-off.
"Um, Dad? Can I, uh, speak to you for a moment?" Virgil's voice was unnaturally high-pitched and nervous.
Jeff looked up from his armchair, where he'd relocated to since Lana had hijacked his desk. "Whatever about, Virgil?" He folded the newspaper he'd been reading. He knew very well what this was about, but enjoyed toying with his son.
Virgil scratched the back of his neck, a nervous habit. "Well, it, ahem, is, um, regarding my . . . finances."
Jeff placed the folded paper in his lap. "Okay, go ahead."
Virgil tried to make his voice sound rather deep and important, but it just made him sound goofy. "Well, it is a private matter, and I believe it should be discussed as such."
Jeff gestured with his hands. "Please, Virgil. We're amongst friends and family. And something as simple as your finances surely can be openly discussed in this group."
Virgil glanced for not even half a second at Tess, but she still noticed. His voice resumed the high-pitched nervousness. "Nope, nope, better discuss it in private."
Jeff got up, and tossed the paper back on the seat cushion. "Okay, let's go for a walk; that will give us the most privacy."
As soon as the door closed behind them, Tessa burst at Lana. "You see? He only did that to get away from me. He's probably breaking up with me."
Lana shook her head. She stopped typing, deciding that now was the time for a break. "Please, Tessa. I'm sure he's not breaking up with you. I see the way you look at each other. He doesn't want to do anything of the sort. He's nervous about this, though."
"Still," began Scott, the only other person in the room, "it is suspicious that he wants to talk about something so simple in private."
Lana cocked her head. "You seriously think he's actually discussing finances?"
"No, of course not. It just seems like he's talking about something simple."
Lana rolled her eyes. "You think he's talking about how his allowance isn't sufficient for his lifestyle?"
Scott got defensive. "No! And, remind me again how long you've spent in the company of me and my brothers?"
Lana stood up, her hands still on the desk. "Scott! I can see right through your brother's charade - can't you!"
"Oh, how would you know?"
She smiled, sitting down again, restarting her research. "I recall, Scott, that when I was in grade eight, one teacher told another to 'never underestimate what your students can uncover'. I am a student to your father and his organization, even if I've been in it for years."
She zoned out again, virtually unreachable.
Scott shook his head. "Unbelievable. You think you know everything about my family, just because you've spent a week or so with them. You know nothing about any of us." He left, a door slamming behind him.
Lana looked up, shaking her head in the direction he had left.
Tess looked at the floor. "There is a lot of stuff in their family you can't learn in a few days. Even in my family . . . everything is complicated."
Lana looked at her. "I know . . . there's just something about Scott . . . it's like everything he says makes me want to argue with him. I've never felt such a . . . loathing toward anyone before."
"It's him, not you. I think actually it's me. He and I don't get along, and he makes a point of hating me and every new person who comes along."
She shook her head. "Don't be foolish. I'm sure you did nothing."
Tess considered her wording for a moment, trying to decide what to say, and what to leave out. "I think Scott is just worried that another new person - a female in particular - will turn out like me."
Lana shook her head. "Excuse me? I'm sorry, but I can't put the piece of every puzzle together on Tracy Island."
Tessa sighed. "I washed up on Tracy Island little more than a year ago. As you can see, Virgil was deeply in love with me. I, however, had fallen for Scott."
Lana's face cringed. "Ooh."
"Yeah. Well, eventually Scott broke it off when he found out some disturbing stuff about my family. I was very hurt, and after awhile, I finally decided it was Virgil I loved more. At first, I didn't want to get involved with him, but I changed my mind and now I'm very happy."
"That's sweet."
"Yeah, but Scott had it in his mind I was going to be his again . . . I love Virgil. I've never met anyone like him before. I don't want anyone else."
She leaned back in her seat. "It all makes sense now . . . Scott does seem like the 'alpha-male' type."
Tess got up. "Yeah, well, I have to pack. I'll see you later."
"Pack for what?"
Tessa stopped in her door. "I'm going to see my father; I visit him one weekend a month." She shook her head, looking down. Then she looked back up, a smile on her face as she leaned against the doorframe. "It's the funniest thing; if it wasn't for him, I would still be with Scott . . . but in the same sense, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be with Virgil." She shook her head again, turning to go to her room.
Lana wondered if she would ever fully understand what went on in this household.
"Virgil, why?"
He smiled at Tessa. "Because I love you, and I want to go with you and see your father."
Tess folded a pair of pyjama bottoms, then placing them inside her bag. "Virgil, you haven't gone with me to see Dad in four months."
"I know and I miss him dearly," Virgil replied, smiling earnestly at her.
She cocked her head. "Oh, really? Then how come when I ask you to go every time you always say no?"
Virgil seemed like he'd had this all planned out. "Those were just mistakes I've made in the past. I really want to get to know your father."
"There's something you want, isn't there?"
It was Virgil's turn to look suspicious. "Now why would you think that?"
Tess gave him a look that said, "Oh, really?" as she placed a folded shirt in the bag. "Virg, you and my father don't exactly get along very well. In fact, you don't get along at all, hence the reason why you stopped coming with me."
Virgil waved his hand. "Please - your father and I are very close."
Tess laughed. "Really?"
"Yes, of course."
She made a twirling motion with her finger. "Turn around."
Virgil didn't have to be told twice. He knew the drill; he turned around.
She took a few undergarments from her dresser and placed them in her bag. "Now, what were you saying?"
He stared at the wall. "That your father and I are really close."
She laughed again, pulling more delicates from her bureau. Her voice was very questioning and perky, in a Bree Van der kamp way. "Oh, really? Then I suppose the fact that last time you two spoke alone together, his throwing a lamp at you and security having to be called in was just a gesture of good intentions?"
Virgil turned in disgust. "That was a floop! Besides, he was just in a bad mood."
Tess's eyes widened. "Virgil, he wasn't the one they had to call security on, as I remember. Now, turn around."
He paused for a moment, not turning, trying to find words. He cleared his throat. "The point is, I want to make amends with the man. I want to find a . . . a middle ground between our differences."
Tessa sighed, zipping up her duffle bag. "Fine, you win. But you better pack quick. Kyrano's flying us in-"she lifted her wrist to her face, "-15 minutes. Hurry up!"
Virgil turned and left the room. Tess soon followed, carrying her duffle bag. She dropped it when she reached her door frame. There was Virgil, with his own full, green duffle bag slug over one shoulder, his other hand in his pocket. His smile was very broad and triumphant.
Tess elbowed him, laughing, as she hauled her bag to where Kyrano waited at the door.
"I don't understand, Jeff. Why doesn't she live with her father? Or, why doesn't he live here? Why isn't she with her relatives?" Lana was extremely curious.
Jeff smiled at the plane now off distantly in the sky. "She is among relatives."
"Figuratively speaking, yes, but-"
Jeff turned away from the window. "No, she actually is with relatives here. Kyrano is her uncle."
Lana creased her forehead. "Really?"
"Yes. Though we didn't know it until she'd been here for a few months."
Lana was very confused. "I don't understand, Jeff; if Kyrano is her uncle, wouldn't she have recognized him?"
Jeff stopped. "Her story is about as complicated as yours, Lana. Are you sure you really want to know?"
Lana nodded.
Jeff sighed. "Sit down." She sat in an armchair near his desk, while he sat in his desk.
He laced his fingers together. He began from the beginning, telling of how she'd washed up, knowing almost nothing of who she was, even though she was not an amnesiac. She'd fallen for Scott and Virgil, causing much pain and tension for months, especially after she'd chosen Scott.
"Virgil was still smitten with her, though, even when his brother was dating her - without permission, I might add. However, Scott was not impressed when we discovered her father was the Hood."
Lana brought her hand to her mouth.
"Basically, the rest is dry. She met her father again just a few days before she decided Virgil was the one. It's amazing the bond they share." Jeff had gotten up, and was staring out the window. "Her father and mother had great problems in their marriage. Her father tried to kill Tessa - well, to be honest, to this day she won't actually tell us what went on. But, after all of that, she still loves him. That part always makes me feel . . . unworthy."
He turned back to face Lana. "I am amazed by Tessa. Plenty of times, she's acted like a small girl. She has played with the hearts of two of my sons. She will confess things to another that will make things even more tense and jelous. And more recently, she'll curl into a ball every time something suspicious happens. But, there must be something good in that girl, because she can forgive a man who has tried so often to kill people so close to her."
Jeff shook his head in awe, then turned to leave, signalling that the conversation had ended.
Lana just sat there for a moment, letting Tess's story sink in. Then, she moved back towards Jeff's desk, to finish up the research that she had started.