Disclaimer: see chapter one

AN: Muchos Gracias to my awesome and wonderful beta, Little Miss Bump for picking up on all the missing commas and strange phrases. In answer to your question, as much as I'd like to stay in bed and type, I've gotta study for exams. It's that time of year again. So the most honest answer I'll type is "I'll play it by ear", and try and type when I can.

Thanks again for all the reviews. My apologies for not being able to reply to all of them, but they were all greatly appreciated.

Chapter Seven

To: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

From: Seb Freelancer (cameraman_hotshotphotos. com)

Subject: Your last email

--

I see you're stooping so low as to talk to me again. Knew you couldn't stay away from me for that long.

And what kind of a cockamamie question is that? Do I know anyone at the NY Editor? Of course I don't know anyone at the NY Editor. That's why I'm a FREELANCE photographer. God, you're an idiot at times.

John, I hope you're not doing anything I wouldn't do under my name. All I wanted you to do was walk the idiotic dog and feed those canaries or cats or whatever wacky pet my batty old aunt has.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT screw this up for me.

Seb.


To: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

From: Seb Freelancer (cameraman_hotshotphotos. com)

Subject: Wait, I forgot,

--

There is one chick who knows me; Ginny something or other. She's exceedingly bovine and equine. You're not going out with her, are you?

Seb.


To: Scott Tracy (flyboy101_fms. com)

From: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

Subject: Panic!

--

Haven't emailed you in a while, Scott, so here's the low down.

Jade and some of her reporter friends want to meet me in tonight at LaNooshe. I, somewhat prematurely, agreed to go, without checking if Freelancer knew anyone who worked at NY Editor. I fired off an email asking him that question and he replied that he did know someone there.

What do I do now? If I go, I'm bound to get found out. If I don't go, Jade'll get suspicious and I'll get found out anyway.

So, big brother of mine, any words of fraternal wisdom you feel like sharing with a desperate younger sibling?

Please, Scott, I really need your advice.

John.


To: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

From: Scott Tracy (flyboy101_fms. com)

Subject: Words of fraternal wisdom

--

I'm going to say what I've said right from the beginning. Just tell her. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

Scott.


To: Scott Tracy (flyboy101_fms. com)

From: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

Subject: Just tell her

--

And what will that do? Aside from complicate a potentially complex relationship.

Not everyone can have a perfect life like you, Scott. Us mere mortals tend to make serious errors in judgement and we are stuck with the repercussions afterwards.

Your fraternal words weren't really all that great or wise.

John.


To: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

From: Scott Tracy (flyboy101_fms. com)

Subject: And what will that do?

--

You'll feel a lot better if you tell the brunette. Trust me on this one, John. You will feel better once you tell the truth and get past all the nasty insults she'll throw your way.

Scott.

PS. I do make mistakes, John. In fact, I've made so many, I'm not counting them anymore.


To: Scott Tracy (flyboy101_fms. com)

From: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

Subject: You'll feel better

--

Au contraire. I'll feel worse.

Did you hear about the sinkhole on 88th? I'm going to go look at it now. You know how much I love catastrophes.

Fraternally yours,

John.


To: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

From: Jade Mackenzie (jmackenzie_nyeditor. com)

Subject: A great big hole in the ground

--

You know you want to come see the sinkhole with me, Lara. It's right outside the Journal. You know, only our biggest rival in the journalism and publishing industry. Just a little incentive to get you there.

Jade


To: Jade Mackenzie (jmackenzie_nyeditor. com)

From: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

Subject: The sinkhole

--

Are you high or just plain stupid? I'm not going to stare at a hole in the ground. Not even if it is right outside the Journal. You know I can't stand being in a five-hundred metre radius of those guys.

If you're that desperate for company, take Dee with you. She'll go anywhere where there are large clusters of people in uniform.

Lara


To: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

From: Jade Mackenzie (jmackenzie_nyeditor. com)

Subject: Fine

--

Maybe I will take Dee with me. In fact, we'll go right now.

Cover for me, will you? I can't afford any more HR reprimands.

Jade


To: Chris Thompson (cthompson_nyeditor. com)

Mira Faln (mfaln_nyeditor. com)

Deeanne Howell (dhowell_nyeditor. com)

Jim Gabrowski (jgabrowski_nyeditor. com)

Ginny Jorgensen (gjorgensen_nyeditor. com)

Michael Smith (msmith_nyeditor. com)

Angie So (aso_nyeditor. com)

Elizabeth Strang (estrange_nyeditor. com)

Greg Sanchez (gsanchez_nyeditor. com)

From: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

Subject: The event of the year

--

All right, guys, you've heard the hype from Jade. It's time to see if he really lives up to our expectations.

The place is LaNooshe. The time is twenty hundred hours – 8 pm, in case you didn't get it. Be there, or you won't know what we're talking about by the water cooler tomorrow.

Lara.


To: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

From: Deeanne Howell (dhowell_nyeditor. com)

Subject: I met him!

--

You lazy thing! If you had bothered going to the sinkhole, you would have finally met the man Jade's been talking about for the past two weeks.

But then, some of us are just too busy for sinkholes, aren't we?

Dee ;-P


To: Deeanne Howell (dhowell_nyeditor. com)

From: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

Subject: You met him?!

--

Spill it, you little weasel.


To: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

From: Deeanne Howell (dhowell_nyeditor. com)

Subject: What'll you give me?

--

You fiery spirited gal, you.


To: Deeanne Howell (dhowell_nyeditor. com)

From: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov. com)

Subject: I have to review

--

The new curry house on Madison Street tomorrow, and I'll take you if you tell me all about your encounter with Seb Freelancer.

PUH-lease tell me.

Lara


To: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

From: Deeanne Howell (dhowell_nyeditor. com)

Subject: Oh, all right,

--

You've twisted my arm. You sure know how to drive a hard bargain, Sadlinsokov.

Picture this, if you will:

The scene – it is the middle of 88th Street. There is a six foot deep hole in the middle of the street. Buildings surround the hole on either side, as did police barricades, orange cones, bulldozers, a crane and the vat load of the hottest police and construction workers this little computer programmer has ever seen.

The heat is oppressive. The noise of idle chatter is deafening.

It's like the proverbial hellhole had opened up in the heart of our wonderful city.

And then I see it. The look on Little Miss Mackenzie's face, which was already giddy with joy because of the spectacle before us, morphs into a look of sheer delight.

My eyes travel in the direction of her dazzled gaze. And I see him.

An Apollo.

A luminescent Adonis.

I thought the Tracy boys were pretty good looking, especially the blond ones, but this guy can give John Tracy a run for his money.

I am not exaggerating. He was standing behind one of those barricades, dressed in baggy jeans and a pale blue shirt. The following dialogue ensues:

Little Miss Mackenzie: "John! John! Over here!"

She strides over towards him, me following a few steps behind. Upon reaching this creature she calls John, for reasons unknown to me, Little Miss Mackenzie retreats back into her star-struck voice.

Little Miss Mackenzie: "I didn't think I'd see you again until tonight! What are you doing here? Are you taking pictures of the hole?

Seb 'John' Freelancer: "Umm… sure."

Little Miss Mackenzie: "Where's you camera?"

Seb 'John' Freelancer: Oh. I… umm… I forgot it.

Hmmmm. He's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, is he? Until, he changes tack.

Seb 'John' Freelancer: "Actually, I've already taken the shot I need. I'm here because… well, you know how I love a disaster.

Little Miss Mackenzie: "Do I ever! Here, meet my friend Dee."

Friend Dee shakes hands with Apollo/Adonis. She vows to never wash right hand again.

Seb 'John' Freelancer: "Nice to meet you."

Friend Dee: "Oh no, the pleasure's all mine."

Little Miss Mackenzie: "It was great seeing you here."

Seb 'John' Freelancer: (looks surprised) "You're leaving so soon?"

Little Miss Mackenzie: "Yes. My boss will go crazy if he finds out I'm not at work. Something about me being copy-edit material instead of a journalist."

Seb 'John' Freelancer: (gives her a quick peck on the cheek) "Well, I won't hold you up here. See you tonight."

I know! Such a smooth operator. I guess some of the rumours about him are true, then.

Little Miss Mackenzie: "Oh, by the way, Ginny says she can't wait to see you again.

The poor man looks positively terrified at the mention of that.

Seb 'John' Freelancer: "Oh… that's just… great."

Exit Little Miss Mackenzie. Exit Friend Dee. When I glance over, I notice Seb 'John' Freelancer has disappeared – a remarkable feat, considering the only building that was left on his side of the hole was the Journal.

But he can't have gone in there. Those bloodsucking demons would have sucked his soul right out of his well-built body.

Anyway, that's all. After all that typing, I fully expect to see you at LaNooshe at eight. And don't be late. I know you have trouble with punctuality.

Dee xxx


To: Scott Tracy (flyboy101_fms. com)

From: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

Subject: Arrrgh!

--

You know how I was visiting the sinkhole, Scott? You know who I bumped into?

Jade and a friend.

Would you like to know what she said to me?

I'm sure you would, but even if you don't, I'm going to tell you anyway.

She told me that Ginny couldn't wait to see me.

Who is Ginny? And what have 'I' supposedly done to have such an impact on the poor girl?

Now, I get where you were coming from. Methinks this can only end badly. No good can come out of this situation now.

Could you just put a bullet through my brain? Because I don't think I can do this.

John.


To: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

From: Scott Tracy (flyboy101_fms. com)

Subject: I hate to say I told you so…

--

But, I told you so.

Honestly John, for a man who has an IQ that will let him join Mensa, you sure have been stupid over the past couple of weeks.

The only thing I can do now is echo Dad's favourite saying: you've made your bed, now you'll have to lie in it.

Oh, and I can hope that for your sake, things work out well. Good luck, buddy. You're going to need it.

Scott.


To: Scott Tracy (flyboy101_fms. com)

From: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

Subject: You were right

--

As usual. I hate it when you're right and I'm wrong.

Apparently your luck wasn't enough. Jade found out. It ended badly.

Now she won't accept my calls, return my emails or even see me in person.

My life is over.

John.


To: John Tracy (spacecase_fms. com)

From: Scott Tracy (flyboy101_fms. com)

Subject: Your life is NOT over

--

You are just being melodramatic, John. You'll get over it. Just how, exactly, did the brunette find out, anyway?

Scott.


To: Jade Mackenzie (jmackenzie_nyeditor. com)

From: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

Subject: Just calm down,

--

Jade, I know you're upset over this. I would be too, but you need to calm down. You're angry, and your anger is making you irrational.

Just think about what you do before you do it. That's all I'm asking you to do.

Lara.


To: Lara Sadlinsokov (lsadlinsokov_nyeditor. com)

From: Jade Mackenzie (jmackenzie_nyeditor. com)

Subject: Calm down?

--

He is not going to get away with this.

No-one manipulates and humiliates Jade Mackenzie and gets away with it.

No-one.

Not even John Tracy.