Pawns and Players
Chapter Two
Word Count:
2,228
Rating/Disclaimer/Summary:
Same as chapter 1, really
Author's Note:
So this takes the episode "Clash of the Titans" as episode two of the second season. It doesn't really make much sense if it's not the second episode, and it fit with the phone call I wanted to set up my next bit of behind the scenes plot.

There is a real plot coming that diverges from the episodes, but the first part is setting up what happened behind what was shown on tv and what was really motivating a lot of it.

And I loved the episode where Oz tells Melanie she's family, and I really wanted that to show and be a part of this, but I have some real doubts about getting anyone on this show right.


Chapter Two

The battle for the office was a carefully constructed multi-pronged plan, and it went down rather perfectly. Oz had learned quickly that he could count on Cameron to play his part, even when he had no idea what part he was playing. Locking him in the office with Veronica was rather a stoke of genius, though Cash was far from forgiven for the ass grab.

Still, it worked. Oz got what he wanted, more or less, since he disliked having to use his private office full time, but the others had what they needed, and that was important.

He couldn't protect his team if he couldn't keep them, and none of them would have stayed for through what she was doing to them. He knew that none of them could survive that kind of environment. Contra had been against that sort of thing from the beginning, and he didn't intend to lose that part of it any more than he was willing to lose the company or his people.

His phone rang, and he answered it without looking at it, still enjoying his cigar.

"You know that will kill you, Ferris," Deacon said. "Fortunately, it will take years, so I'll still get that pleasure first."

"Ah, Deacon. Always amusing to hear from you."

"I doubt it," Deacon said. "How much have you been scrambling lately? Did you really bankrupt yourself to keep that money from me? You're the one that's funny. You've already lost. No money. No company. You've even lost one of your best people. What happened to Armstrong?"

"I think he quit. There were these Brazilian triplets... Josh was never that big on monogamy, so... it kind of suited him."

"You used to be a better liar."

Oz forced a smile. "No, Deacon. That was you. You actually gave a convincing impression of a human being once. I've never forgotten it. Really, that kind of talent belongs on the big screen... except, of course, you're a sociopath, so that won't ever happen."

"You haven't won anything, Ferris. Maybe I can't destroy your company. Maybe you saved Armstrong, but there are still plenty of people I can harm. In fact, I know exactly which one should be first. After all, he's the newest one, and that makes him perfect."

"Of course it does," Oz agreed, making a note to get some extra surveillance on Cameron just in case. He knew Deacon was lying about his target. That was such an obvious trick he was insulted the man had tried.

"Tell me," Deacon said. "You consider yourself a bit of a... father figure, don't you? How would it feel if you were... a grandfather?"

"I'm not expecting to live that long. Or are you already admitting you failed?"

"Oh, I never said you'd live to see your grandchild. You won't."

"Why are you playing these games? If you want me, come after me. You know I won't let you get to any of my people."

"I want to watch you try. And I want to watch you fail. Because you will fail. First I'll take that hacker of yours, and then I think I'll get your gadget man... who will be left? It's not like I even need to take care of your mechanic."

No, Oz had done that. Dutch was not a favorite, but minimum security prison kept him safe enough, and he seemed to be enjoying himself there by all accounts. It was insane, but then so was Dutch.

"I wonder what plan you'll have this time. I did enjoy the one for your office. Masterful work. Some of your best stuff and no one even knew they were being conned. Still, it won't be enough. Oh, and do try and get some sleep tonight. I would hate to think of you missing your beauty rest over me."

"You think I'm going to stay up all night worrying about which one of my people is leaking you information?" Oz asked. "Why don't you wonder if I'm letting them show you exactly what I want you to see?"

The call ended, and Oz allowed himself a small smile. It wasn't much of a victory, but he'd take it. It was only going to get worse from here.


"We need to talk."

Melanie started, grimacing when she saw Oz. She knew better than this, though he did seem to come and go less out of his secret rooms now that Veronica and her blonde pet were here. God, she hated both of them. They'd managed to ruin everything good about the office even after Oz had given up his office to keep things the way they were.

It wasn't the same. No Josh. No Dutch. Two extras that had no business being here, even if the company had been sold.

"Oz, if this is about me and Cameron, I've got that handled. You don't need to stage an intervention again," she told him, thinking of the team building exercise. It was just a cuddle, nothing Oz needed to fix. She didn't want to know how he would. It actually scared her. "Really."

Oz shook his head. "It's not about that. I'm afraid I need you to disappear."

"What?" Melanie almost found herself looking for one of Cash's inventions that would make her invisible for a job or something. Maybe it was a suit or camera trick. Some kind of tech, and while Oz might think she should test it, she wouldn't. "No. I really don't have time for your jokes right now. Or your games."

Oz looked at her in that way that actually was scary because he meant whatever this was. "No jokes. No games."

"Okay, it's working. I wouldn't admit this to anyone else, Oz, but you're scaring me," Melanie told him. She swallowed. "What is going on?"

"I'm not broke."

"They towed your car, and you sold Contra. I'd say you're broke."

Oz shook his head. "I'm not broke. That was what I told Cameron and let him tell the rest of you to get you on board with selling to Contra."

Shit. She should have known. "Damn it, Oz. If you just wanted money—"

"It isn't about the money," Oz told her. He turned away, and she wasn't sure if this was another manipulation or not. It was so hard to tell with Oz, and somehow she still trusted him every time. "You need to disappear, go completely off the grid, cut off all contact with everyone you know here. No phone calls, no emails, no social media. Nothing traceable."

"Oz, what are you talking about?"

"It won't surprise you to hear that I'm not perfect."

"No, you?"

He gave her a look, and she stopped trying to tease him. "I made enemies on my way to making Contra. You know that."

She did. Security could be a dangerous business, but that was half the reason she liked it. That, and it gave her a good use for her skills. "Oz, if this is some story to teach me a lesson about how feelings matter or how they get in the way or—"

"I didn't sell Contra because I'm broke. I sold it to stop a hostile takeover," Oz said. "And when I say hostile, I don't mean just in the sense of stock market fixes and forced unemployment."

"Oh, god. Is this why Josh 'quit?'"

Oz flinched. That was either one hell of a manipulation or it was real, and that was almost terrifying coming from Oz. "Yes."

"Oz—"

"You have to go off the grid. You can. I know you can. You're good at what you do."

"No. I am staying here. I don't care. This is some joke or test, and you got me. I'm scared. The fear was real, but I'm done with this game, okay? I've got to go talk to Cameron, and then I have a job I should be doing and—"

"I don't loop my ys."

She frowned, needing a moment to process that shift. "I know you don't. I should have known back when I got the first postcard, but I wanted to believe in him."

"I don't loop my ys," Oz repeated, and she just stared at him. "You know what that means."

"We're family."

"Exactly." Oz put his hands on her arms, looking at her with such concern she shivered. This couldn't be real, but it felt very real. "You are like a daughter to me. I am proud of you. Don't ever forget that."

"I haven't."

"The things this man would do to you are... well, barbaric is a tame way of putting it," Oz said, moving a hand to her cheek. "I won't let him hurt you, but that means you have to go. No contact. Not with anyone at Contra. Especially not me. Though—Cameron. No. Just... don't. If you value his life, don't."

"Oz, I swear, if this is a joke—"

"You'd kill me. Or at least, you'd try to. It's cute that you still think you can," he said with a slight smile. "No joke. Mel, you have to go. This man... he made a threat. He said it was about Cameron, that he's planning to make a move against him, but he's not. He's after you."

"Wait. You're not going to do anything about the threat to Cameron?"

"He asked me what I'd do if I had grandchildren," Oz said, and Melanie only needed to look at his face to understand the implications of that. "I don't want to send you away. I was hoping I wouldn't have to, but I blocked him from getting Contra by selling to OCP, I sent Josh into hiding, and I won the office war with Veronica. I even nailed the Frohman account. He's angry, and he will take that out on you. That is why you have to go."

She nodded. "Okay."

"And you have to push Cameron away."

"What?" Melanie shook her head. For all that she'd been fighting with the Brit and Cash kept claiming she was jealous, there was nothing going on with her and Cameron. They were friends. That was it. Okay, he was in love with her, but that didn't mean she had to push him away. "No."

"If I'm right and he's targeting you, you not only need a reason to go that is not me warning you away but you also need to make it so that Cameron won't look for you. He cares about you. More than he should, some might say, but that's how it is. You break his heart, and this bastard who's taunting me will leave him alone. He's into watching people suffer. You'd be saving Cameron in the off chance that I'm wrong about this."

Melanie didn't want to accept any of this. "And what happens when he can't get me or Cameron? He goes after Cash? You can't let him do that, either."

"I'm not. I have a plan."

"What, to piss this guy off so badly he comes after you directly?" Melanie asked, and then she swore. "Damn it, that is your plan, isn't it?"

"Pretty much. Once he sees he can't let me be free to protect any of you, he will come after me directly instead of trying for you. That, or he'll take out half of the city to get you, but I'm hoping I can make him angry enough to avoid the nuclear bomb and just go straight for his original target."

"That's insane."

"So is he. That's what makes it almost a perfect plan."

She sighed. "I don't want to go. I don't like this. I want to stay and fight, not run."

"I will need your help later, trust me."

Melanie shook her head. "That's a little hard right now. I know you're not telling me everything, and I don't like this plan—if it's even your real plan."

"I can take care of myself," Oz told her. "It's the rest of you I'm worried about. And if you tell anyone I said that—"

"I know. You'll kill me," she said, laughing even as she choked up a bit. "I'm going to miss you. I didn't say that, but I am."

Oz pulled her into his arms and held on tight, never once trying to put her in a sleep hold. She didn't know what she'd do if this went wrong, if his plan didn't work. She couldn't lose any of them, either. As weird as Contra was, it was family, the boys like brothers at the very least, and while her father had taught her everything she knew, Oz was the man who'd been like a father to her in the ways that really mattered.

"I really hate this."

"It's temporary."

"It had better be."

"Would I lie to you?"

"Yes."

Oz laughed, and she held on tighter, knowing she wouldn't get this moment again, not for a long time, if ever, since neither of them were big huggers and they'd never show this kind of affection in the office where anyone might see. When she left for good, it wouldn't be with hugs.

"I meant what I said. I'm proud of you."

"Stop it. If you make me cry, I really will kill you."

"Again, it's cute that you still think you can."