Disclaimer: I do not own the characters they belong to the wonderful people of Lost Girl, Showcase, Prodigy, et al.
A half hour later Lauren arrived at the facility wearing a black skirt suit that gave her the powerful presence that she would need for her meeting with the board of benefactors as well as her press conference. She had decided to hold an emergency meeting with the board so they could discuss Sherri's position and her decision to dismantle it. When she arrived on the floor that housed the conference room she saw that Kay was sitting in one of the chairs and she stated, "Postpone the press conference." Kay nodded in understanding then Lauren asked, "Is everyone in there?"
"Yes Dr. Lewis and they are a little uneasy. Except Councilman Michelson." Kay told her with an uncomfortable look on her face.
Lauren took a deep breath then walked into the conference room. This meeting was going to be a tense one because of a number of factors but she knew that the board was going to jump to conclusions the moment she walked into the room. They were all terrified that she was killing off members of the board. Except Greg. He looked overconfident as usual. As Lauren made her way up to the head of the table Darryl asked, "Did you kill off Sherri?"
Lauren got to her seat and gave him a pointed look, "Why would I have killed her off Darryl? Do I have a motive for killing her off? Because I can't think of one."
The man stared her down with a hardened look and Lauren returned his look with a smirk. She now knew that Sherri hadn't acted alone. Lauren took a deep breath then addressed the rest of the board, "I am not filling Sherri's position."
"And why not?" Victoria asked and Lauren could hear the challenging undertones in her voice.
Lauren sat down in her chair and stated, "We already have a new member on the board and also in the coming months the board will be going through some changes."
Everyone, except Greg, had an anxious look on their face and one of the men wondered, "And what changes will be coming to the board?"
Lauren grinned as she replied, "I'd hate to spoil the surprise but I guess it's better to tell you now than for you all to be blindsided. The board of benefactors will cease to exist." She paused for dramatic effect then explained, "This partnership with Dennis Technologic Ventures is giving the facility access to funds from a business that encompasses the innovative spirit that I want it to be known for."
There was an outcry of protests and Greg shouted, "You can't fucking do this. You just placed me on this board and now you want to get rid of it? Bull shit."
Lauren looked at Greg and got a sexy smirk on her face as she said, "Oh Gregory you have nothing to worry about. Ms. Dennis and I want to maintain a relationship with you."
Greg got a smug smile on his face as he leaned back in his chair, "I'm certain you fine ladies would like to maintain connections with me."
Lauren continued to smile at him even though she was currently thinking of all the ways that she could have him murdered. Andrew stood up and yelled, "You can't fucking do this Lauren. We have all invested a tremendous amount of money to make sure that this facility started up successfully. Your father promised us profits from this hospital as well as acknowledgement in projects that gained success."
Lauren clasped her hands in front of her then rested them on the table before saying, "All projects that had been started with the funds that were contributed by any current benefactors have either been terminated or moved to other research facilities." She smiled, "So ladies and gentleman you have no current interests here. Also as the founder of this medical facility as well as having the majority hold of it, thanks to my father's holdings, any changes in regards to the board essentially come down to me." Lauren looked around the table and those sitting around it had looks of disdain and anger on their faces. "I will have my lawyers draw up the paperwork that formally dissolve all of your ties with the foundation and the facility but as of now the board of benefactors makes no more decisions concerning this facility." With nothing further to discuss Lauren stood up as she said, "Meeting adjourned."
She began to leave the conference room and instead of taking her normal path on the left hand side of the table she walked down the right hand side of it then when she walked by Greg she let her finger tips trail over his shoulders before she bent down to whisper in his ear, "Join me in my office for a drink won't you Greg?"
As she stood up Greg turned in his chair and looked at her, "Why I most certainly will." The two of them left the conference room and as they waited for the elevator Greg stood behind Lauren then moved closer to her. She heard him inhale through his nose and she had to fight the urge to elbow him in the gut. Greg placed his hands on Lauren's shoulders and murmured, "You smell delicious. What I would give to have a taste of your forbidden fruits."
The elevator arrived and as they got on it Lauren remarked, "Isn't that what casted Adam and Eve out of Eden?"
Greg chuckled and as he moved her hair to the side he said, "It was but in this case it will be like a return to Eden." He ran his hands across her shoulders and down her arms. Lauren balled her hands into a fist. She just had to pretend for a little while longer then she would be rid of Greg and his slimeball ways.
The elevator stopped on the top floor of the building and as the two of them walked by Kay's desk Lauren told her assistant, "Make sure we aren't bothered."
Kay got a perplexed look on her face as she stammered, "Oh-Um-Okay."
Lauren knew the young woman was confused because anytime she would request not to be bothered while another person was with her that other person was normally female and the sexual tension between Lauren and her conquest was palpable. The fortunate thing about this current situation was the fact that nothing sexually would be happening. Lauren and Greg walked into her office and Greg let out a low whistle before saying, "Damn you got a nice setup here." He sat down on the couch that was setup in the small sitting area of her office, "Now why did you bring me up here Lauren?"
Lauren walked over to her desk and she unlocked the bottom drawer as she told him, "I thought we could talk about the arrangement Bo and I have decided to create in order for you to remain on the board of benefactors."
Greg chuckled then remarked, "The two of you are creating deals?" He laughed, "I'm surprised considering the last time the two of you were in a room together she looked like she wanted to shoot you on the spot."
Lauren unlocked the lock box that was in her bottom drawer then pulled out the vial that held the clear liquid that would rid Lauren of the man who was the bane of her existence. She got up from her desk then walked over to the drink cart and began to pour them both drinks as she replied, "It takes a little persuasion in the right from and anyone can see things your way. I'm certain you know that Greg."
Lauren poured the clear compound in one of the empty glasses and as she was pouring brandy into it she heard Greg say behind her, "Certain brands of persuasion don't work for everyone." She felt his hand grasp her ass through the skirt that she was wearing and he whispered in her ear, "But it appears that a direct approach is the only thing that will work for some people."
That was the finally straw. Showing a great deal of restraint Lauren moved away from him then offered his drink to him, "Well those people don't have time for bullshit games."
Greg smiled and took the glass from her then held it up saying, "Well in that case let's cut through the bullshit."
Lauren raised her glass and said, "Yes why don't we." They both took a drink from their glasses and Lauren watched Greg as he drank the brown liquid. It wouldn't be a long wait. There would be a moment where he would notice something was wrong then he would have a series of seizures that would result in his death. A wicked smile came across Lauren's face as Greg dropped down to his knees and the glass dropped from his hand. She walked over to him then bent down and grabbed a handful of his hair. He might not understand what she was saying but he was still conscious, "I am so glad to be rid of a pissant like you. You were nothing but a slimeball that has extorted money from the organisation for a long time. My father wasn't able to get rid of you but today I am finishing what he started." She let go of his hair and he dropped down onto the floor as she stood above him. "Save me a seat in hell asshole."
Lauren rushed over to her phone and she called Kay's desk making sure that there was a slight panic to her voice as she said, "Kay get someone from neurology up here and the on-call ER resident. Greg seems to be having a seizure."
Kay told her okay and hung up with her right away so she could call the doctors. Lauren picked up her glass and took a drink from it as she stood over Greg's convulsing body.
Bo was on a conference call with the president of her development and special projects department and a contractor that was based in the city about the renovations to the building that was going to house her company. She was on the line in a formal capacity and hadn't said much. She trusted Maggie to make the right decisions so that the renovations were to her liking. While she was on the phone Bo was doing a number of other things and she had the TV playing but it was on mute. She had glanced up at the TV and saw that Lauren was on the screen and underneath it the caption read: Tragedy Strikes Prominent Medical Facility. Bo unmated the TV and said, "Maggie I'm certain you can handle the rest of this call I have to go." Maggie told her okay and Bo hung up with her then focused on the live broadcast.
"From what I could assess Councilman Michelson's death was a complication from an epileptic seizure. It could be quite possible that he suffered small seizures throughout his life but showed no outward symptoms." Lauren took a pause and the remorseful look on her face deepened. If Bo didn't know differently she almost would have thought it was genuine, "Councilman Michelson was a pillar in this city and he will be missed tremendously." Lauren said to the reporters that were gathered at the front of the medical and research facility.
Off screen a reporter shouted, "Dr. Lewis, the councilman's death comes right after former senator Sherri Appleton's body was found behind the nightclub owned by Dyson Thornwood and a few days after former Mayor Barstow's murder, both members of your board of benefactors, do you think someone, or an extremist group, has a vendetta against your facility and the research that you are conducting?"
Bo watched as Lauren got an offended look on her face before commenting, "Firstly those deaths have no correlation with Councilman Michelson's death. Secondly I can assure you that if anyone has a vendetta against the facility it is a personal one because all research conducted here is kept secure until we release it to the FDA." Lauren then got an annoyed look on her face, "Also a vendetta? Let me be clear that vendetta is not the word that we should be using here. This city is notorious for its horrendous crime rate. It is only through the work that myself and others have done that we have been able to show that this city can be known for something else other than its crime. It is because of this that my facility has partnered with Dennis Technologic and I assure you, and everyone else in this city, that Ms. Dennis is committed to making sure that this city is turned around. In any case there is no vendetta and only a growing concern for lowering the crime element. I must get going. Excuse me."
Lauren turned around and headed back inside the medical facility. As the announcer was going through the highlights of Lauren's press conference Bo began to think about a number of things. Lauren had publicly announced their partnership so she was now linked with the facility no matter what. There was live news footage of it. But Bo began to think about what Lauren had told her at the beginning of the day about how she had planned to get rid of the board of benefactors to where it only consisted of them. Bo picked up the glass of water that she had sitting on the table and took a drink from it. Lauren was a ruthless killer. She had admitted to such a thing when she was recounting her past to Bo. But aside from the numerous threats to her own life Lauren hadn't really tried to kill her except for the time that she had held a knife to her throat. And to be honest Bo had done more damage to Lauren than Lauren had done to her. Bo was beginning to think that Lauren wasn't capable of murdering someone. Bo shook her head. Lauren was done with her so she didn't want to think about her anymore. She went back to finalising the final steps that would start the construction for the building along with some projects that were awaiting her approval.
Almost two hours later Bo was deep into her work when she heard the doorbell ring. She got a confused look on her face as she wondered who it could be. Then she remembered that there was a mobster looking to kill her because of her association with Lauren. Bo almost laughed as she realised how ridiculous her life had become. She got up and walked over to the entryway and as she was reaching for the door she hesitated for a moment. The thought that something had happened to the guards that Lauren had placed on her made her think that the woman's cousin was on the other side of the door. Luckily she didn't get the chance to answer it because of the guards that were inside her suite stopped her and said, "Don't answer that. Are you stupid?"
Bo glared at the man and countered, "I'm certain you've must have mistaken me for yourself."
She heard Lauren shout through the door, "You're both idiots now let me in."
Bo got a surprised look on her face considering the way things had gone between her and Lauren earlier. The man opened the door and Lauren walked in and said, "Get Rick and go see Mitch. Tell him I'll be calling him after Bo and I have dinner."
"We're having dinner?" Bo asked walking back into the sitting room of the living room.
Lauren motioned her head and waited until the two men left then after she closed the door she told Bo, "I came to ask you out to dinner."
Bo looked up at Lauren as she walked down the stairs that led into the sitting room, "I wasn't expecting to see you after you left earlier. What are you doing here?"
Lauren moved some of Bo's paperwork then after she sat down she sighed, "I had a complicated day at work which was further complicated by some more bull shit. And I-" Lauren sighed she had never allowed herself to be vulnerable with people and she never had anyone that knew about the other part of her life that. Lauren sighed then remarked, "I just wanted to see if you wanted to go to dinner."
Bo looked at Lauren and she could see that she was uncomfortable but at the same time she looked hesitant. Bo moved her laptop and asked, "I don't go to dinner with people who have threatened my life or who have kidnapped me." She snapped her fingers, "Oh and let's not forget to mention the fact that you manipulated me into involving my company with the mob."
Lauren smiled and looked at Bo, "Oh now that's just old shit at this point. You forgot that I choked you this morning because you pissed me off."
Bo held up a finger and smiled, "Ah let's not forget that." She grinned then asked, "How is your neck by the way?"
Lauren chuckled and told her, "A little cover-up hid the redness but it will heal." She reached for Bo's hand and Bo let her take it before asking, "So do you want to go to dinner Bo? We'll go to a restaurant and I'll pay for an overly expensive meal with wine then I'll say something that'll piss you off then you'll say something to piss me off which will lead to us having very hot sex in the back of a limo or car."
Bo let go of Lauren's hand then asked, "Why do we have to get pissed at each other?"
Lauren leaned over and smiled, "Because we're two very dominant women who both want control but eventually Bo you'll see if you let go and let me be in charge you can be a very well taken care of woman."
Bo scoffed and got up from the couch, "I don't need to be taken care of Lauren. Did you forget that I'm a billionaire with numerous business ventures around the world?" Bo wanted a drink but instead she walked over to the other side of the sitting area and sat down, "Also getting involved with you is stupid. Let me ask you a question Lauren…." Lauren raised an eyebrow and Bo continued, "Greg Michelson? How'd he really die? Or Sherri Appleton for that matter? What about that other guy that was murdered earlier this week?" Lauren began to scowl at Bo but she continued, "Or how about you telling me about that meeting where you sprained your hand? Tell me about your operation. Tell me everything Lauren. Tell me everything that you have yet to tell me."
Lauren wanted this night to go a different way with Bo. She had plan to have dinner with Bo and actually try to wine and dine her and do it all without getting pissed off at Bo or having Bo piss her off. But that was short-lived thanks to Bo and her stupid need to know everything. Lauren got up and commented, "God you're so fucking stupid. So. Fucking. Stupid." She went up the two stairs that led up to the main area of the living room then headed over to the bar. Her voice rose as she asked, "Do you know how fucking easy you could have it? I could do wonders for your company. I could do wonders for you." Lauren began to make herself a drink after she pulled the stopper out of the decanter she gestured, "Bo we could have the most perfect setup together but you have to ask fucking questions." She poured some whiskey into a tumbler as she continued, "Why do you feel the need to ask so many fucking questions? How many times do I have to tell you that the less you know the better off you will be?"
Bo got up and argued, "The reason why I ask so many questions is because you haven't told me anything. Since the first time we've met you have done nothing but lie to me. You told me you were a whore but that was a lie. You lied to get me involved with your organisation. And now you only tell me the barest of detail." Bo walked over to Lauren and told her, "Nothing about that says perfect setup. In fact that sounds like you deluding yourself into thinking that it could be a perfect setup because you care about me and you don't know how to deal with those feelings."
Lauren glared at Bo and put down her glass and said, "I don't know why I bothered. I thought I would try a different approach and I guess I was only kidding myself. Whatever Bo. Have a good night."
Bo watched as Lauren began to walk away from her. As much as she called Lauren out on her bullshit there was one thing she had come to realise since that morning. She cared for Lauren too. Despite all the lies, threats, and the choking incident. Maybe it was Stockholm syndrome or maybe it was the fact that she was just as equally fucked up as Lauren was but either way if she was going to be stuck with Lauren then Lauren was going to be stuck with her too. Bo chased after her and she grabbed her arm saying, "No. No. You don't get to fucking leave. You're going to fucking start telling me shit Lauren. If you want this perfect setup then you are going to have to start talking to me."
Lauren looked into Bo's eyes. There was no way she was going to tell Bo anything. The organisation was family business and Bo wasn't family. She was personal and business but not family. Lauren jerked her arm away from Bo and snapped, "I don't have to tell you a damn thing. The answers that you are looking for you cannot have. It's family business and you are not family."
Bo scoffed then retorted, "Yet you can have me involved in every other aspect but except for telling me information. This is such bull shit."
Lauren shook her head and she pushed Bo away then shouted, "You want to know everything Bo? Are you fucking sure that you want to know everything?"
"Yes tell me every fucking thing."Bo yelled, "Then maybe for once I might actually believe you." She shot back. Her eyes boring into Lauren's.
Lauren stood there seething. If Bo wanted to know the truth then she would give her the truth but first she was going to have to do something first. Lauren crossed her arms over her chest then stated, "You have to marry me. That's the only way you can get your fucking answers."
Bo gawked at Lauren then she began to laugh. There was no fucking way Lauren was serious. Bo caught her breath then said, "You're not serious. I don't believe you."
Lauren let out a short laugh then smiled, "That's what it takes Bo. You want answers to questions that involve the organisation which is a family operation at its core. In fact there have been no new members to the organisation for what I want to say ten years. That's how closed off we are and the only way out is death." Lauren leaned in closer to Bo and smiled, "So Bo if you want to know everything then you're going to have to marry me."
Bo saw the serious look in Lauren's eyes and she got angry. There was no way she was going to marry this woman. Hell there was no way she was marrying anyone for that matter. Bo rolled her eyes and told her, "Just go Lauren. I've got work I need to do and I'm through with your games."
Lauren chuckled and she gave Bo a soft kiss before murmuring, "Not a game Bo. This is the price that you have to pay to get the truth." Bo glared at Lauren as she made her way to the front door. Just as Lauren opened the door she shouted over her shoulder, "Have a good night Bo."
Lauren walked out of the suite and the door closed behind her. Bo didn't know what to think about Lauren's proposition. Between the number of times Lauren had lied to her, Bo had a hard time deciding if this was the real or not. She went back into the sitting area after she got a drink and as she went back to work Lauren's question resonated in her head. Something about Lauren's proposal made her think that the woman had been serious.
Lauren had left instructions with the men guarding Bo that she wasn't to have any visitors. She had been serious when she had told Bo that in order for her to give her any information they would have to be married. It was one thing to give her vague details but to give her specific details would require a bit more of a commitment from Bo and that commitment was marriage. It protected Lauren and it would tie Bo to her until she deemed it was appropriate. Which was most likely never. It was a business arrangement but at the same time Lauren decided it wouldn't be a bad one. She was attracted to Bo and she cared about her so it wasn't like it was a death sentence. Lauren was walking out of the hotel when her cell phone began to ring. She motioned to the valet that she wanted her car and answered the call, "Yeah?"
"We've started picking up Dyson's top sellers." Mitch told her.
She smiled and watched as her black Range Rover pulled up in front of her. She climbed inside of it and asked, "You get any information from them?"
Mitch chuckled then told her, "Not much that we didn't know. But it seems Dyson might be spooked by you."
Lauren navigated her SUV away from the hotel and chuckled, "Of course he is. I'm smarter than he is and I know more about the organisation than he does. Dyson doesn't stand a chance and he's scared. At some point I'm going to make my move on him but I want to secure everything with the Velez brothers first."
"Oh about that..." Mitch exclaimed before telling her, "I talked to Rocco and I was able to talk him up for you. You know letting him know that he, Hugo, and Vincent had been in business for a number of years and that if things had gone differently you would be running the show."
"Okay..."
Mitch got to the point, "We talked about you and I told him it would be really stupid to continue to associate with Dyson. I brought up his recent troubles along with his past ones and it made Rocco think and he wants to deal with you. But he wants to test you out first and schedule a meet."
A slow smile came across Lauren's face as she repeated, "A meet." She hit the steering wheel then shouted, "Fucking yes I will schedule a meet. Make it as soon as possible."
Mitch laughed then told her, "All right I'll give Rocco a call and see when he wants to meet you. There is another thing."
Lauren shook her head and muttered, "Of course there is." She sighed before asking, "What is it?"
Mitch cleared his through then took a deep breath before telling her, "They want to meet the person you have selected to fix their border crossing issues."
That put a damper on the excitement that Lauren was feeling and she scowled, "Why? My organisation is providing them a service. They don't need to know the inner workings of it."
Mitch hesitated a bit then explained, "They want to make sure this person won't turn on you or them. It's a security measure."
Lauren focused on her driving as she thought about what to do. She needed the Velez cartel as suppliers, or until she found better ones, but the fact that they wanted to meet Bo meant something else and she didn't trust them. No matter how long the organisation and the cartel had been doing business together. "I want to talk to Rocco."
Mitch sucked air in through his teeth and said, "I'm not so sure about that Lauren. He's old school and he believes a woman should be-"
"Finish that sentence and I'll show you what a woman can really do." Lauren threatened before demanding, "Get me his number Mitch and I will talk to him."
Mitch sighed then told her, "Okay. I'll get it to you."
Lauren took a deep breath then said, "The man that we have on Dyson has nothing to report?"
Mitch cleared his throat then told her, "No he hasn't. Seems to be doing the same thing that he's always done. Booze, women, and ranting about you. He's been trying to get the club open but the samples the health department has shows some strain of staph that hazardous. Or so that's how the report said."
Lauren chuckled then told him, "Good. Let's get another business of his shut down. I'm thinking the restaurant next."
Mitch agreed and remarked, "Sounds good. You want me to contact Sean?"
"No don't worry about it." She pulled into the underground garage for her building then told him, "I will take care of it."
Lauren was getting out of the car when she saw a figure come from the back of the car and she wasn't able to register who it was because there was blow to her head that caused her to fall to the ground. She heard a chuckle before the person said, "Dyson's offering close to five million dollars for your head but I think I can get more for you if I kept you alive."
Lauren felt another blow to her head and she was beginning to lose consciousness but before she did she heard a gunshot ring out. She closed her eyes and her final thoughts were of how she failed her father and uncle and how Dyson had won.
I come back from Dragon Con and Lauren gets a blow to the head. There is no relation between the two. But things will be happening now. We're getting near the end of this 1st half of The Path Taken so it's all going downhill from here. Just kidding. Maybe.
