Who's Rusty Beck?

Flash Back

It had been months since Marianna bolted from him in Las Vegas. He kept calling her phone in hopes that she would answer and let him know she and Paloma were alright. But it had been nearly a year since she vanished without a trace.

Each night he called her phone in hopes of her answering, but she never answered. After his first message, he soon realized that Marianna wasn't dilgent about keeping her voice mail clear. He hadn't been able to leave another message since.

"You're going to drive yourself insane, Gus," His elderly employer harped on about, "Why again couldn't you file a missing persons report now, son."

"The officer, i spoke to said I had no grounds to file as I'm not their parent or guardian." It left a bitter taste in his mouth. He had shown the officers the respect, they obviously didn't deserve. He was their brother, how could the law say he had no right to file them as missing!

"You should give up, my boy." The old man sighed, " You would need a miracle to find them."

That night Gus dragged his tired and worn body up the stairs to his ratty apartment. His hope of ever seeing either of his sisters wore more on him then the hard labor he endured.As he followed through his nightly routine, Gus soon found himself starinstaring down at his sister's phone number. He struggled with the knowledge that she would again not answer. But as he was about to put his phone on the nightstand, a sensation in the pit of his stomach told him to try once more.

Picking his phone up once more he dialed the number waiting to hear his sister's voice recording."Hi," Came a male voice over the phone, "If you are looking for the girl who calls herself Alice first you are going to talk to me. Please leave your name and number and I will get back to you." Gus shot up in bed. Hope rang in his ears and heart, "My name is Gustavo Wallace -" rattled off his phone number in hope that the man from the voice mail would get back to him sooner.For the first time in months, he rested easily knowing someone was looking for him. As he searched for Marianna and Paloma.

Two days later

As he mopped the bar floor, he felt his phone go off in his pocket. He had waited for the mysterious man from the voicemail to call. But so far, it had been fruitless, the man had yet to reply. He was starting to feel the burden of hopelessness once more.

As his phone started to go off once more, it was the fourth time in a row. Annoyed, he pulled his phone out to deny the call, when he noticed that the number wasn't one he was familiar with. Tapping accept on the screen, he barked into the phone, "What!?"

"Um? Is this Gustavo Wallace?"

"Yeah, who's this?" He snapped annoyed that this person had called his phone but even more that the guy at the other end knew who he was.

"My name is Rusty Beck, but that name probably doesn't mean anything to you." Gus want to hang up on and was going to when he said, "I'm returning the message you left on Alice's voicemail two days ago. I aplogize for not returning it sooner. But there was an emergency that needed my attention."

Gus froze, "Is she alright!? What about Paloma? Is she with Mari?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wallace but due tothe cirrcumstances involve Alice, I would need confirmation that you are who you say you are."

"And how do I do that," He tried to reigh in his temper, this guy was his only chance at finding Marianna. He couldn't blow it. "Well, first how about telling me where you are, to start with."

"Baltimore, what about you?" He would only if he got some answers.

"West L.A." That hadn't been what he wanted to hear. L.A. was literally on the other side of the country from him.

"Damit," thinking quickly before he could lose his chance, "Give me a week to make arrangements and I'll be out there!" He would have to pull some extra shifts to make up the expenses but if it meant getting his sister back. So, be it!

"Umm, ok.? I could pick you up from L.A.X., if you want?"

"No, just give me the address of where to meet you and I'll be there." He snapped.

"Umm..., okay, I'll have to get back to you on that, but sure, yeah I'll see you in a week then Mr. Wallace." Before Gus could correct him, Rusty had already hung up.

Present Day L.A.

He couldn't believe how close he was to finding Marianna. But first he had to meet with Rusty Beck. He imagined him to be in his late forties-early fifties with greasy slick back hair and ponch belly. He didn't trust the image in his head. Would he want money for information on Marianna? Was it a scam? Did the guy even know where she was?

Hundreds of thoughts raced through his mind as he cleaned up in the ratty motel he rented for the night. He needed to find Marianna, that was his goal, right now.

He called for a cab and waited by the stairs for it. Having already handed over his room key. Praying he wouldn't have to come back here.

He didn't know how to prove himself to Rusty. But he knew he had to try. He had to find some way. Maybe, Rusty would give him something to work with, because he spent the last week trying to figure out a way prove who he was to Marianna.

As his cab, pulled up to the Lunch Cafe, he knew on instinct why Rusty choose this place to meet. He could see the security cameras all over. Has to be the safest place in the city, he thought losing count on how many cameras there were.

As he crossed the street he noticed the outside occupants. There was a couple eating lunch. And a man in a suit, who he assumed was Rusty Beck, that fit the image in his head with his round belly straining against the confines of his suit jacket. There were also two boys around his own age sitting at opposite tables of each other. One had gelled brown hair intent on his phone, the other had brown hair with blond highlights, he was paging through a leather bound book. The guy was dressed in a blue tee and a plaid shirt, he peaked his interest when he looked at him.

As he entered the outdoor seating area, it wasn't the man in the suit that greeted him, no. To his up most surprise, just as he was coming up to the blond's table. The guy stood up and held out his hand, "Gustavo Wallace?" Stunned he merely nodded, "Rusty Beck, thank you for coming out here to speak with me."

"Gus. Gus please." Rusty gestured for him to take the seat across from him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Brunette come to attention, and give a nod. So, he came with back up. In case things got a little hairy. Did he do a background check on him and find his arrest record? Oh, hell he was in trouble if so. Maybe clocking his step-father wasn't such a good idea.

"I don't want to make you feel awkward but before we go on I'd like to record our conversation is that okay?"

"What for?

"Legally I need your permission and to be honest I'm a journalist writing a story about your sister, i mean sisters."

"Really? Your a journalist?" He looked really young to be one but who knew, "Really?"

"And I need to be sure you are who you say you are before we go ahead." Why did that sound like a threat, he wondered.

"Ok, you can record me..."

"Okay...thank you."

"How am I suppose to prove myself to you."

"Well, I know your sister as Alice Herrera but that's not her real name, is it?"

"No, it's not. Her real name is Marianna Wallace." Gus watched Rusty's reaction to her name. He was... stunned? Why? Mari probably didn't go by that name anymore. But he looked pleased to hear the name, so maybe she told him.

"Marianna Wallace, okay." He quickly jotted down something in his notebook. "And how did you lose touch with Marianna and Paloma?"

Gus felt a chilling sensation go up his spine, "Why are you asking me that?"

"Anybody can know their names."

"Okay, fine." Gus felt his anger rising, " my father died when I was fifteen. My mother started hanging out with a terrible guy and I ran off as soon as I could joined the Army went to Afghanistan and when I got back I... I.."

"When you got back..." Rusty nudged.

" Everyone was gone! My mother, her Asshole boyfriend Greg, and my little sisters!" He chocked out., " I should have stayed and proteccted them. Marianna begged me to stay but I didn't... I understand why she is having trouble forgiving me, but please let me see her. And let me make my case." He knew he was on the edge of begging but when he saw how Rusty seemed to squirm in his seat at his request to see Marianna sent red flags up.

"Umm... some of Alice's, I mean Marianna's teeth were knocked out," He saw the heat in his eyes for Marianna's suffering, There were burn marks on her shoulders. Now how can I know, how can I be sure that you weren't the one responsible for those things!"

Gus felt his stomach start to roil, burn marks, he felt his shoulder start to ache at phantom pains that had long since faded, "Marianna tell you that was me?" Rusty didn't reply, knowing his only course of action. He pulled back the strap of his undershirt to show, his own burns. "I had cause to go! I wasn't good enough to leave my sisters behind like that but I had cause!" He heard the scrapping of a chair and from the corner of his eyes he saw the brunette nod before leave. Guess he felt Rusty was safe with me, he thought bitterly, "You satisfied now Mr. Journalist!" He knew he was being aggressive and little defensive. "Can I see Marianna and is Paloma still with her? You haven't mentioned her at all!" Panic began to simmer in his stomach.

Sighing, Rusty closed his notebook, before leaning forward, "This concludes this interview with Gustavo Wallace-" he went on stating the time, date and location. Before he slipped his phone into his pocket. "Sorry, about that, my mother would have my head if I didn't follow the proper procedures." He chuckled, "She's a stickler for the rules, any rules." He stated, "I can't say much on Paloma because she wasn't with Marianna. And from what I have deduced, Marianna didn't know where she is either. Just that she was last heard of being in L.A."

The guy's demeanor had changed drastically, after shutting off the recording. "Paloma is in L.A.? You're sure?"

"Yes, I have spent the last two months looking over Marianna's tracks from her stay at a shelter in Las Vegas to her arriving here in L.A."

"Can you take me to Marianna? I need..." he held his hand up to hold off my pleading.

"I will take you to see Marianna but first there are some people that you need to meet with before you can see her. They'll have more information on your sister then I do." With that he got up from the table and put a ten on the table. Even though they hadn't ordered. As he walked away he tossed over his shoulder, "You coming? Contrary to what my mother would say my driving is not that bad."

Gus grabbed his bag hurried after him, "You mean it!?"

"Yeah, but you won't like what they have to say."

"How can you know that?"

"Just trust me, you won't..."

The look Rusty gave him was one of pain and anguish, "okay." They stopped next to silver Audi, "Well, how can I know I can trust you?"

Rusty looked over at him before placing his notebook on top of his car. And with one hand lifted up his own shirt. It took a moment for Gus to see what Rusty was showing him. Rusty may look lean but he was toned! Then he saw them there were a few but enough to know it wasn't an accident. "How?" Rusty dropped his shirt to cover the scars that decorated his chest.

"I witnessed something. A person wanted no witnesses to,"

"But how?"

"After hitting me with a shovel to the head, he shoved me off a cliff. Left me for dead." His voice took on a deadly tone. "Or so he thought, he was sentenced to death row last year."

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't be! I'm telling you this, so you know Marianna isn't just a story for me, its personal!" He circled around the unlocking it as he went, "now are you coming or what?!" he snapped as he climbed in.

Gus didn't even hesitate. He knew what it took to bare the burden of those scars. "Thank you," he said as he climbed in.

"Don't thank me," Rusty said as he easied into traffic.