So...Here we are..the start of another LTM tale...This one will not have as much fluffiness in it - sorry to all 'fluffy' lovers but I liked the idea so......let me know what you think.......
Disclaimer as Norm…
FRESH HOPE
It had been a little over six months since he had seen her, nearly two since he had had any contact at all.
At first she had rang him, her voice so happy, so positive.
Then the phone calls stopped.
Orders she had told him, but they could still email, and she did, still all hope and joy, but Loker – who had taken over her role in written content analyse, had seemed uncertain of them, a little 'off' he had said, but couldn't pinpoint what.
Then came the last email, it had to be the last for a while, she wrote, - orders- she had included a picture of the scan, and a promise that as soon as she could she would let him know how it all turned out, that she was safe, and happy.
He remembered yet again the run up…
xXx
Foster had been getting more and more argumentative.
Everyone noticed it – but no-one had pulled her on it – except Cal.
"Wot exactly is your problem lately Foster? As far as you are concerned not one person in this group can put a foot right with you recently"
"My PROBLEM' as you so politely put it Cal, is that I am sick of being the idiot who cleans up everyone's mess round here. Can't be bothered to use spell check on your reports – that's ok Foster will clean it up. Forgot to ring someone back – no problem, Foster can take their call and calm them down – running out of supplies…Well Foster always knows how to sweetalk the supplier into a special delivery… I am sick of it Cal!"
"But why now? It's always been like that, why are you getting so pissed off about it now? And why get so pissed off, if you'd have just sat down and talked to me about it, when could get it sorted – we still can – an inter company email blaming and shaming the worst offenders, threaten to dock wages everytime a sin is re committed – they will fall into line quick enuf"
"Dock wages! You would be going home broke at the end of each month"
With that she had thrown his latest billing figures down in front of him and stormed out. He looked down and saw the red crossing outs and snide comments all over the documents.
He decided to leave it for a while. Watch her more closely and see if he could work out what was making so angsty.
One day though, after he had spent 15 minutes calming a sobbing Heidi – Heidi – unflappable, totally efficient, caring Heidi! He decided enough was enough and strode into her office.
"Time to talk Gill – don't even bother to tell me there's nothing wrong – now you can scream and shout, throw things, threaten me – whatever…but before we leave this office you ARE going to tell me what the hell is causing this complete change of personality"
To his surprise she looked at him and her eyes filled with tears, she started trembling.
Pulling her from behind the barrier of her desk, he sat her down on the couch and put his arm round her.
"Gillian – for Christ's sake – what is going on with you?"
"I'm happy"
"Happy! – bloody strange way of communicating it! ..OK..What are you 'happy' about?"
"I…I'm Pregnant"
"WOT! – How..who – sorry, give me a minute here, I'm just a bit lost"
"Listen to me Cal – no interrupting" He just nodded and fixed his eyes on her.
"A while ago I found out about this clinic. It specialised in problems like mine..and had tried all the other routes and tests. They claimed to have radical new ways of helping. Well of course I was sceptical, but I looked into it. I spent a month researching this place, the doctors, previous patients – the lot. I couldn't find anything amiss so I arranged an interview. I spoke to the founder for more than an hour and couldn't detect a single lie, not a hint of doubt in his methods. So I signed up for the treatment. I had to take a course of injections…They have been making me ..well..the way I have been – They said it could have that effect. Three weeks ago I chose a sperm donor and ..well the normal routine was carried out. I just found out..I'm pregnant Cal. It's taken."
He wasn't sure what to say, how to react, of all the things he thought might be the reason behind her anger – this was not ever in the running.
"You think I'm stupid don't you? Desperate …gullible even…"
"No, no, no luv..it's not that, it's ..well a it of a shock I suppose. But I'm happy for you – really. Have they said what happens now, I mean is that it? ..are you on your own now?"
"Oh No! They deal with everything – right up to and a while after the birth. That's something I needed to talk to you about. I'm going to need to take some time off – well a lot of time really. They have a special clinic that you go to once the pregnancy has been confirmed. Everything now has to be stress free – Complete relaxation, and special diets and things"
"You mean you have to go there NOW! For the whole 8/9 months? Sounds a bit like the old fashioned method of 'confinement' to me"
"In a way it is, but there is so much more involved, and yes – I need to get there as soon as possible. Cal – I have to do this. So far they have got everything right – and if there is a chance, maybe my only chance, to have a baby – then I am going to do everything they tell me to"
"Well, yes of course you do Gill, but..are you absolutely sure about this clinic place? Maybe the team should check it out a bit more before you go"
"No – I told you..I've done all the checking that can be done – I'm going Cal – and I'm leaving tomorrow! Once I've settled you can come and visit me, it's not a prison you know…Please don't make me feel bad about this Cal"
"Do you need a lift tomorrow – to – wherever..Do you have an address for this place- contact numbers?"
"It's all in this file Cal, and they arrange all the transport so I'm fine thanks"
xXx
That had been then.
Yes there had been phone calls, and emails, but the visits had been vigorously discouraged.
Her counsellor had decided that the job, and him, was the cause of a lot of her stress so they had advised Cal not to visit, and Gill had agreed with them.
Up till now he had kept this as secret as possible, as per Gills request – Loker had known because needed his help with the emails, but now he decided to call the team together. He sent out the email.
"All sounds real 'iffy' to me" Ben wasn't looking best pleased
"But Foster says she did all the checking, and she is very thorough. I can't imagine she would stay if she felt something wasn't right – and she is pregnant, the scan shows it" Rias tried to sound convincing.
"That Scan could be anyone, so could the original pregnancy test for that matter…and maybe she can't get away" Ben pointed out the obvious.
"Right you lot – I want everything there is on this bloody clinic, and I mean everything! Ben, I need you to get me access to financials, theirs and Gills"
"On it- I don't like the feel of this Cal – I think we should book flights to this place in…Switzerland ..as soon as we can"
"Not yet – You have no jurisdiction there, and if they decide to just shut the door on us and say she doesn't want to talk to us, as it stands at the moment there will be noting we can do about it….I'm gonna talk to Zoe, see if there is anything we can do on the legal side, but any dirt we can get on this place will help, so lets get on with it"
He put in a call to Zoe and then faxed over everything he had to date.
xXx
All other cases were either passed over to other members of staff or put on hold. Cal put out a directive than no further cases would be taken until further notice.
Every contact, computer system, analysis were used to investigate The 'New Hope' Clinic over the next couple of days.
It was late in the evening and a group meeting was being held.
"Reynolds?" Cal barked out the single word.
"It's not good – The clinic gets many LARGE donations all the year, all anonymous but coinciding with new Patients come on board. Fosters private accounts are severely depleted – again large amounts being withdrawn only starting when she went to Switzerland. – and - she has just sold her apartment!"
There were general gasps and head shaking.
"Torres?"
"I've tracked down some of the families of other woman that went to the clinic. Most refused to talk to me, those that would really wouldn't give me anything, a lot of fear, pain, they were all hiding something for sure"
"What about the women themselves tho, and why only some of the familes?"
"In each case, the 'woman' was unavailable. A lot of the families are not in this Country, they come from all over – England, France, Russia, India…"
"That stacks up with the 'donations' - worldwide" Ben chipped in.
"Shit this just gets better and better – Loker, talk to me"
"It's not good. I have been trawling the internet, found a couple of threads about this – place- a type of clinic that lures its victims from women, preferably not in a current relationship but some couples- all rich –who have been told that they can't conceive. The 'conspiracy theorists' claim that once the women get drawn into this 'New Hope' they never leave. The general consensus is that they keep them in some sort of 'cult' in one or more of the many properties they have all over the world"
"We gotta go to Switzerland Lightman. It's the only address we have for Foster, so why have to at least start there."
Cal was just about to remind Ben of the legal restrictions when the door opened and Zoe appeared looking smug.
"I spoke to her mother, she is just as worried as you all are. I got her to sign a statement saying that she didn't believe her daughter was quite 'of sound mind' when she went off to this place. A few friendly doctors signed off an agreement with her. That allowed under a 'duty of care' argument, for her to given temporary power of attorney over her daughter. This will last until the doctors that signed it have been given a chance to speak to her and re evaluate their decision. Gillian's mother, has passed - signed the responsibility over to you – Cal. So – go to Switzerland, you have the legal right to demand to see her now, if you get any problems – ring me"
"Zo…Thanx."
"Just remember I didn't do all this for you, or dear Gillian. Emily is very upset by all this – I am doing this for her – Goodnight everyone"
