Reaching for the Moon by ThePekingNoodle

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Chapter 12:  Deus Ex Machina

Nathan calls on Logan to keep his promise…

When Logan returned from his meeting several hours later, Ashley was gone. Bling had returned from his errand and then left for the day. Logan went straight to his computers, intending to load the disk that had been the object of his afternoon trip. When he pulled out his chair, the Express letter that he had forgotten earlier was sitting on its seat. Bling must have retrieved it from the floor and placed it where he knew Logan wouldn't miss seeing it.

Swearing at himself for allowing Ashley to distract him earlier, and hoping that the letter hadn't been all that critical, Logan picked it up and ripped it open. A sealed envelope fell out of the package into his hands.  There was a single word written on the front in a handwriting he was intimately familiar with. "Nathan," he breathed to himself as he ripped open the letter.

Logan, my son,

If you receive this letter you will already know that I am dead. I have taken precautions in getting this to you, in order to make sure it cannot be traced or followed. The people who are after me are extremely dangerous, and I do not want them coming after you. Five years ago you made a promise to me. One we have never spoken of since. The time has now come for you to make good on that promise.

If they have gotten to me, it means that Linetta is in grave danger. For it is her they are really after. I have hidden her away from them in a place I do not think they will think to look but time is of the essence. You must get to her and take her with you to Seattle. No one must know who she is - the name Linetta Guevara must be forgotten completely. It must be as if she never existed.  I have established an identity for Maxine Felina, an heiress from Europe, and that is the name she must now use.

To aid in the deception I have settled a large trust fund on Linetta in her new identity. The fund is in excess of $100 million and it will eventually go to her husband. No one will connect the wealthy European heiress with Nathan Guevara, especially since few even knew I had a daughter. I know this is a great thing I ask of you, but my daughter must be protected by any means necessary and you my son will not hesitate to do so, I know.

My plan has the virtue of hiding Linetta in plain sight. Secrecy and dark places can be discovered. Those who deal in those things will not think that I would place her openly in a place such as Seattle, which is so close to Idaho. That will be her greatest protection. Linetta still knows little of her background and she knows nothing of this plan. I have sent you more information on where she comes from under separate cover. I will leave it to you to tell her what you think is best about her past,  and about how you will protect her.

As to where you may find her. If you think hard you will know.

I have faith in you, my son and I know you will not fail me. Please destroy this letter after you have read it - is for your eyes only and it must not fall into the wrong hands. That would be deadly for both Linetta and you.

Nathan

On a more personal note, I have sent you my first edition of Edgar Allen Poe's short stories as I know you are a fan. When you read them think of me. You have made me proud of you Logan; you are truly the son Annette and I never had. 

Logan set the letter down as he tried to absorb its contents. He remembered back a month, to his shock and grief when word had come that Nathan's corporate jet had crashed in the Rockies on a trip back from the east coast. There had been no survivors. Both Nathan and Annette had been on the jet as well as several Guevara executives and their wives. Since the crash Logan had been attempting to locate Max, but his efforts had met with little success.  It had been almost as if she never existed. Now he knew why. Nathan had arranged it that way.

But now he had to find her; that was clear. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Bling, I need you to come over here tonight. Can you make it? Great." While he waited for Bling he turned to his computer and typed in the commands that would pull up the information he had gathered on Nathan Guevara and Guevara Industries.

 * * * *

Bling looked up from the letter Logan had given to him to read. "Talk about complications, Logan. What are you going to do?"

Logan laughed harshly, "What can I do, Bling? I gave him my word, and I always keep my word." His voice softened, "Besides, Nathan helped me when no one else would, when the world was collapsing around me. I owe it to him to help his daughter."

"Yeah but man, you aren't exactly in the safest position yourself. There are plenty of people gunning for Eyes Only. This could be putting this girl from the frying pan into the fire. If your friend knew what you really are I doubt he would have asked you to do this."

"Bling, he knew. Read that last sentence. The letter is for my eyes only. Nathan never used words to mean only one thing. That's his way of telling me he knew, and he still expected me to keep my promise."

"So you're really going to bring this girl to Seattle?"

"Nathan's plan makes sense. No one will expect his daughter to be out in the open that way. They'll be thinking he hid her away, somewhere far from Idaho. I've looked over the documentation he created for her background and it's as good as anything I could have done myself. I'm done with Ashley so the timing is good. Max can take her place with me, at least in public. Everyone knows I only escort the beautiful but dumb ones, so that will give her some additional cover. At least until I can figure out a long term plan."

Bling shook his head. "So why'd you call me over?"

"I need you to man the Informant Net for a few days while I go and get her. There's some stuff going down that I can't afford to miss."

"You know where she is?"

"I think I do. The clue is in his postscript. Nathan knew I was no particular fan of Poe but he also knew I'd know what he meant by it."

"I'll bite – what did he mean?"

"Read The Purloined Letter and you'll know." Logan tossed a small volume at Bling. "I'm out of here tonight. Hold down the fort and expect me back in a few days. Do me a favor while I'm gone – get her set up with the necessary identity papers. The information is in a file on my computer." He hand Bling a photograph, "Here's a fairly recent picture."

Logan picked up an overnight case that was sitting by the door, and slung it over his shoulder. In his other hand he held his laptop case. Bling just shook his head as he watched him head out the door.  Then he looked down at the picture he held in his hand and he let out a whistle. A picture of a raven haired beauty dressed in a formal gown looked back at him. "Not only rich but beautiful. Logan I think you're going to have your hands full," he chuckled to himself.

End of Chapter Twelve…TBC…