WriterFreak001:
Upon viewing my FFN statistics for this story, viewership is lessening, and reviews have plummeted. This saddens me greatly because I have people asking me to update more chapters, but when I do update the chapters, I do not receive a lot of feedback, and it makes me wonder if this story is even worth my time anymore. The story went from having almost 2,000 views per chapter to less than 500, and that's frustrating. Am I doing something wrong with this story? Are people losing interest? If so, TELL ME what seems boring or what you don't like. I can't improve if I don't know why this story isn't so well received anymore. :(
Anyway, in case you didn't know, I uploaded the third chapter of "Model Behavior." Here's the next chapter of Poaching. Hopefully this one has a better response. :/
Title | Poaching
Fandom | Scorpion (CBS)
Description | Post-Deception. Post-Mind Games. A month has passed since the ending of Mind Games, and just when the members of Team Scorpion think they're going to be able to relax between they're usual cases, a multi-billionaire – Richard Elia – sees what Scorpion, more importantly, Walter O'Brien, is capable of and wants to recruit the team leader for his Think Tank. When Walter turns him down the first time, Elia becomes more persistent, using Walter's taste for technology to his advantage. And when his briberies do not work, Richard Elia may consider resorting to dirty methods to poach Walter away from Scorpion. With a baby on the way, will Walter be able to thwart Elia's plans, or will he consider working for Elia in order to protect his family and friends from the megalomaniac's ploys? And IF he decides to leave Scorpion and follow Elia, will his decision have a price on his marriage? Find out!
Rating| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.
POV | Limited Third Person
Disclaimer | While CBS owns Scorpion, I am the owner of this masterpiece.
Claimer | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something should be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!
Poaching
Masterminds of Deceit Vol. 3
Written by WriterFreak001
Chapter 24
~ SCORPION ~
"Where're you going?" Paige mumbled in her sleep as she turned slightly to find Walter, who was already showered and dressed for the day, walking towards her with his briefcase in hand. He hovered over her before answering her question and gently kissed her lips. Paige, though barely awake, didn't protest as her husband slowly kissed her, and when he carefully pulled away, she, more lucid, asked her question again. "Walter," Paige fluttered her eyes and grabbed his hand, "Where are you going?"
Walter knew he shouldn't keep the truth from her so he knelt down in front of his wife and softly touched her cheek. "I'm going to see Elia." Paige frowned, but Walter didn't give her time to respond. "I'm not going to see him because of his meeting; I'm going to see him and tell him the deal is off. And then I'm going to come home to you, and we're going to face whatever Elia has in store for us together. I promise."
Paige lightly touched his hand and kissed his palm. "Why don't you just… call him?"
"Calling him would make me seem cowardly; I'd rather see him face to face and personally let him know I mean business." Walter quietly replied before leaning in to kiss his wife again. "I promise, Paige, I'm not going to attend that meeting; that's why I'm leaving so early. I want to be home before the meeting even begins."
Paige inhaled a deep breath and nodded. "Okay…. Be careful, Walter."
"You know me," he snorted, "I always am."
"Not funny," Paige rolled her eyes. "I mean it, Walter." She leaned forward and cupped his cheeks before pulling him into a deep, desperate kiss. "Come back to me safely, okay?"
"If it makes you feel any better," Walter muttered before giving her another gentle kiss, "I'm not going there alone. Cabe is going with me; he knows about my deal with Elia, and I figured it was better to be safe than sorry."
She smiled a little bit. "That does make me feel a little better."
"Just go back to sleep, love." Walter whispered against her lips. "I'll be home when you wake up, I promise."
"You better be," Paige grumbled between kisses as she mindlessly threaded her fingers through Walter's curly hair. "Otherwise," she spoke the moment his lips popped off of hers, "you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight."
"A fate worse than death," the genius mumbled as he leaned down to kiss her again.
"And don't you forget it," Paige uttered as she jabbed him in the chest before gently pushing him away from her. "Go," she pointed towards the door, "If you want to be home by the next time I wake up, then you better leave."
"Right," Walter muttered as he scratched the back of his head. "I'll… I'll see you when I get back."
He started for the door when Paige quietly called his name. "Walter?"
He spun around as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Yeah?"
"I love you," she smiled softly.
Walter grinned slowly and squeezed her hand twice. "I love you too, Paige."
~ SCORPION ~
"I don't like this," Cabe muttered as he pulled the SUV into the parking lot. "I don't like this one bit."
"Neither do I, but I promised Paige I wouldn't collaborate with him." Walter replied as he unbuckled his seatbelt, "and terminating the pact is the only way to keep that promise. I don't want to lose my family, and Paige made it very clear: if I continue collaborating with Elia, she is going to take Ralph and Léana and leave. I don't want that."
"I understand, son, but… perhaps it might not be a bad thing if Paige, Ralph and Léana went away for a while; especially, if Elia attempts to follow through with his threats." Cabe said after both of them climbed out of the car and started heading for Elia's HQ. "That way, they would be safe."
Walter shoved his right hand into his pocket as he mindlessly swung his briefcase as he walked and looked at Cabe. "And that's an option she and I are going to explore if necessary, but I want us to make that decision together; I don't want to wake up one day and find them gone when I could have prevented it."
"But," Cabe frowned as he took off his aviators, "if you anger Elia in anyway, you and Paige will have to prepare yourselves for the worst. You and I both know you shouldn't have made the deal with Elia in the first place, but now that you have, it might be smarter to stick with it instead of double-crossing him."
"He double-crossed me first," Walter retorted. "I strictly told him we would collaborate on a virtual basis, but he didn't want to abide by my terms. If anything," Walter bit his lip and glanced at the double glass doors ahead of them, "Elia brought this upon himself."
"Just… be cautious, son." Cabe quietly said as he touched Walter's shoulder gently. "We don't know what kind of resources Elia has, and we definitely don't want to find out."
"Don't worry, Cabe." Walter smirked. "I have a contingency plan."
"And what would that be?"
"If it's needed," Walter lowered his voice as the stepped inside the headquarters, "you'll know."
~ SCORPION ~
Ever since Walter left for Elia's office, Paige had an unsettling feeling in her stomach. She wasn't sure why, but something big was coming, and it made her worry even more for her husband's safety. Shortly after Walter and Cabe had left the garage, Léana started crying, and for the past half hour, Paige had been trying to calm her baby girl down, but she only screamed louder.
"It's okay, baby," Paige mumbled as she rocked Léana in her arms, "Mommy's here. Just tell me what's wrong, my sweet baby girl. Tell Mommy why you're crying."
"Mom," Ralph suddenly appeared in the doorway and yawned as he rubbed his eyes, "Is Léana okay?"
Paige, not wanting to worry her son, nodded. "Yeah. She's just tired probably. Sometimes babies cry for no reason so I wouldn't worry just yet."
Ralph yawned an "okay" before looking around the room. "Where's Dad? He usually isn't up this early."
"He had some business to attend to," Paige replied swiftly. "He'll be home within the hour or so. There was just something he needed to do, and it required his attention immediately."
"I hope everything is all right," Ralph muttered stoically as he stretched his back and popped his shoulders.
"Me too, Ralph," Paige inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly through her nose as she pressed her lips against the top of Léana's head. "Me too."
~ SCORPION ~
"I certainly didn't expect to see you this early in the morning, Walter," Richard Elia chuckled as Walter and Cabe approached him in his office. "Are you that excited for our meeting in a few hours?"
"That's the thing, Elia," Walter said as he crossed his arms and angled himself towards the tech mogul while Cabe stood a few feet behind the genius in case he was needed. "I'm not going to your meeting."
Richard Elia frowned. "Oh? Is that so?"
"Yes. It is." Walter nodded with confidence. "The pact we made is over, and I don't want you to contact me ever again, and if I find you threatening my wife ever again, I will end you and your company, and your life, as you know it, will cease to exist." Walter leaned towards Richard Elia and whispered, "If you cross me, I will go after you, damn the consequences."
Richard folded his arms in front of him. "You do realize you could fail, and anything that happens as a result of your stupidity will be your fault."
"That is why I have a contingency plan," Walter smirked as Cabe took a step closer to hear the men talking.
"Oh?" Richard lifted his eyebrows. "And what would that be?"
"What you want, more than anything," Walter pointed to his temple, "is my mind. I don't know about you, but I'm prepared to destroy the one thing you covet should you continue to pursue it."
Cabe's eyes widened. "Just what the hell are you talking about, O'Brien?"
"Richard knows," Walter replied stoically as his deep brown eyes pierced through Elia's. "Don't you, Elia?"
"You wouldn't dare," he frowned and clenched his fists.
"I would if it means protecting my family," Walter replied swiftly as he opened his briefcase and revealed a handgun. He pulled it out carefully and then pressed it against his temple. "So, Elia, what will it be?"
"Walter!" Cabe shouted, "Put that damn thing away!"
"Not until Richard promises to stay away from my family!" Walter exclaimed as he cocked the gun. "Going once! Going tw—!"
"Are you kidding me?" Richard laughed. "I bet that gun isn't even loaded with bullets."
Walter instantly removed the gun from his temple and aimed it at a trash can before firing, causing Elia to jump. "Oh, it's loaded all right." He cocked the gun again and placed it back against his temple and said calmly, "I'm not afraid to die so… which will it be, Elia?"
The billionaire stayed silent.
"Three."
"Don't do this, Walter," Cabe warned him through gritted teeth.
"Two."
"Walter! I SAID DON'T DO THIS!"
"On–"
"Okay! Okay!" Richard threw his hands up into the air. "You have yourself a deal! I won't go after your family! I promise! Just put that gun away!"
"Do I have your word?!"
"Yes!" Elia exclaimed. "Yes, you have my word!"
Walter smirked with triumph. "I'd knew you'd understand." He aimed the gun at the same trash can and pulled the trigger once more, causing the tech mogul to jump again. "Now that that's settled, Cabe and I are going to leave, and you are never to contact me or my family again. If I find out you've violated my privacy again, I won't hesitate to end your life as well as mine."
Without another word, Walter placed his gun back into his briefcase and led Cabe out of the facility as Richard Elia gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "This isn't over, O'Brien. Not by a long shot."
…
"You weren't really going to shoot yourself, were you?" Cabe cocked an eyebrow as he pulled the SUV out of the parking lot and merged onto the highway.
"Oh, God. Of course not," Walter shook his head violently. "I wouldn't dare end my life and leave Paige, Ralph and Léana alone to deal with him. Elia, however, doesn't need to know that, though."
Cabe smirked. "Damn. Now I know why you didn't tell me about your contingency plan. You even had me fooled. I'm guessing most of those bullets were blanks?"
"Yup," Walter chuckled as he tossed his briefcase behind him. "But," Walter's smile faded, "Don't tell Paige how I convinced Elia to stay away from us. She'll freak."
Cabe laughed lowly. "Be sure to hide that gun, by the way. When your daughter is old enough, you don't want her accidentally stumbling upon it."
"Oh, don't worry. I keep it under lock and key at all times." Walter reassured the agent. "I caught Ralph with it once when Paige was out shopping. Ralph had dismantled it and was studying its mechanics when I found him, and though I promised not to tell Paige, I had him go to his room while I pieced it back together. Since that little incident, I've been locking it up."
"Well, I'm glad Ralph didn't hurt himself." Cabe chuckled as he turned right. "Now, if Paige ever finds out, you'll be in for a fate worse than death."
Walter suddenly blanched and glanced at the time. 8:17 AM. Oh crap. Paige usually woke up around 8:30 in the morning. "Cabe. You need to step on it; I gotta get home by 8:30."
"Impossible. We're still 20 minutes out!"
"I don't care! Use your siren if you have to; I need to be home before Paige wakes up!"
"Why?"
"Just drive!"
Cabe rolled his eyes and shook his head as he turned on his sirens before grumbling, "You owe me, kid."
~ SCORPION ~
"Mom," Ralph popped into Léana's bedroom for a fourth time since his sister started crying and frowned, "I think you should take Léana to the hospital. She should have stopped crying by now."
Paige inhaled a deep breath and nodded as she kissed her daughter's forehead. She suddenly frowned. "I think she's running a fever…. Her forehead feels way too warm."
"All the more reason to take her to the hospital. Go ahead and go. I'll try to reach Dad and let him know." Ralph said calmly as Paige pushed her hair back.
"Okay. Yeah. Just… I need to get dressed." Paige gently placed Léana into Ralph's arms and instructed him to sit in the rocking chair. "I'll be right back."
Ralph nodded. "Okay. Hurry."
~ SCORPION ~
Meanwhile…
Richard Elia ended up cancelling his meeting, claiming he had important business to attend to. Shortly after Walter and Cabe had left, he dug his hand into the trashcan and found the two bullets which were both still intact. He then went to his office and called for his bodyguard.
"Did you need something, sir?"
"Yes, Andy," Richard nodded. "How would you like me to double your salary for the next two months?"
"I'm listening," Andy crossed his big, burly arms and leaned towards the tech mogul. "What do you need me to do, boss?"
Richard Elia smirked and opened up his hand, "I'm going to need you to beat me up and then try shooting me with these bullets. No questions asked."
~ SCORPION ~
WriterFreak001:
And the plot thickens! :)
(I struggled with this chapter, but I'm pretty satisfied.)
Let me know what you think and PLEASE review!