"There was no other way, Frank," Tom said, handing Donovan some aspirin and a glass of water
"You better start to explain right now, Tom," Donovan growled, tossing them into his mouth, "and if I don't like what I hear, Alex gets to shoot you."
"Now Frankie," Tom warned, holding up his hands.
"And Jake gets to hit you for calling me Frankie," Donovan stated.
"John Bartell." Tom started to explain.
"And that means what to me?" Donovan asked.
"Who's John Bartell?" Alex asked.
"A former coworker," Donovan replied, "again what does this have to do with me?"
"He's dead." Tom stated, handing him the file.
"One more time, Tom," Donovan sighed, tossing the file aside, "what does that have to do with me?"
"A little harsh don't ya think?" Alex commented to Donovan.
"If you knew him, you'd understand." Donovan said, placing his feet on the table.
"Someone's been taking out your old team." Tom stated, watching Donovan drop his feet and snap his head up.
"Everyone?" he slowly asked, standing up.
"We had reliable information that you were the next target," Tom explained, "that's why we got you out the way we did."
"What about Gina?" Donovan asked.
"She's been out of the field for so long, we're not sure if she's a target." Tom honestly replied, "That's why we need you to help us bring her in to keep her alive."
"Of course I'm in." Donovan replied, holding onto the chair, still a little dazed from the effects of the drug.
"Who's Gina?" Alex asked, intrigued.
"The person who helped me be the way I am." Donovan replied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harvard library 1988
Frank Donovan rubbed the bridge of his nose for the tenth time tonight. One week of school left, he thought, and his first year of Harvard would be over.
He closed the law book he was looking at and leaned back in the chair.
"I know you're there." he said.
"You have very good instinct," the woman said sitting down next to him.
"How can I help you?" Donovan asked, checking her out.
She had long black hair that was pulled back from her face. Her skin was an olive color, having him guess she was Italian. Her eyes were what caught his attention. He felt like she could see into his soul, if you believe in that sort of thing. She had an aura of mystery.
"Frank Donovan, correct?" she asked.
"Correct," Donovan replied, "and you are?"
"Gina," she introduced, "Gina Bartolini."
"Well, Gina Bartolini, how did you find out my name?" he asked, tracing a finger along her slender wrist.
"I'm afraid this isn't a social call, Mr. Donovan," she replied, moving her hand away. The touch of his finger sent shockwaves through her system.
"Oh?" he replied, a little hurt that she pulled away. "Call me Frank."
"Mr. Donovan," she smiled, handing him a piece of paper, "I'm here to invite you to a martial arts competition."
"I don't compete." he replied, looking at the invite, "So, what's the prize for the winner."
"A whole new world, Mr. Donovan," Gina replied, getting up, "a whole new world."
"Will you be there?" Donovan asked, grabbing her hand.
"Why Mr. Donovan," Gina purred, "are you hitting on me?"
"Si," Donovan replied, placing a kiss in the palm of her hand.
"Well, if you want to know, I guess you'll just have to show up." Gina shivered, taking her hand back.
"Addio" Donovan replied, watching her leave.
"You better start to explain right now, Tom," Donovan growled, tossing them into his mouth, "and if I don't like what I hear, Alex gets to shoot you."
"Now Frankie," Tom warned, holding up his hands.
"And Jake gets to hit you for calling me Frankie," Donovan stated.
"John Bartell." Tom started to explain.
"And that means what to me?" Donovan asked.
"Who's John Bartell?" Alex asked.
"A former coworker," Donovan replied, "again what does this have to do with me?"
"He's dead." Tom stated, handing him the file.
"One more time, Tom," Donovan sighed, tossing the file aside, "what does that have to do with me?"
"A little harsh don't ya think?" Alex commented to Donovan.
"If you knew him, you'd understand." Donovan said, placing his feet on the table.
"Someone's been taking out your old team." Tom stated, watching Donovan drop his feet and snap his head up.
"Everyone?" he slowly asked, standing up.
"We had reliable information that you were the next target," Tom explained, "that's why we got you out the way we did."
"What about Gina?" Donovan asked.
"She's been out of the field for so long, we're not sure if she's a target." Tom honestly replied, "That's why we need you to help us bring her in to keep her alive."
"Of course I'm in." Donovan replied, holding onto the chair, still a little dazed from the effects of the drug.
"Who's Gina?" Alex asked, intrigued.
"The person who helped me be the way I am." Donovan replied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harvard library 1988
Frank Donovan rubbed the bridge of his nose for the tenth time tonight. One week of school left, he thought, and his first year of Harvard would be over.
He closed the law book he was looking at and leaned back in the chair.
"I know you're there." he said.
"You have very good instinct," the woman said sitting down next to him.
"How can I help you?" Donovan asked, checking her out.
She had long black hair that was pulled back from her face. Her skin was an olive color, having him guess she was Italian. Her eyes were what caught his attention. He felt like she could see into his soul, if you believe in that sort of thing. She had an aura of mystery.
"Frank Donovan, correct?" she asked.
"Correct," Donovan replied, "and you are?"
"Gina," she introduced, "Gina Bartolini."
"Well, Gina Bartolini, how did you find out my name?" he asked, tracing a finger along her slender wrist.
"I'm afraid this isn't a social call, Mr. Donovan," she replied, moving her hand away. The touch of his finger sent shockwaves through her system.
"Oh?" he replied, a little hurt that she pulled away. "Call me Frank."
"Mr. Donovan," she smiled, handing him a piece of paper, "I'm here to invite you to a martial arts competition."
"I don't compete." he replied, looking at the invite, "So, what's the prize for the winner."
"A whole new world, Mr. Donovan," Gina replied, getting up, "a whole new world."
"Will you be there?" Donovan asked, grabbing her hand.
"Why Mr. Donovan," Gina purred, "are you hitting on me?"
"Si," Donovan replied, placing a kiss in the palm of her hand.
"Well, if you want to know, I guess you'll just have to show up." Gina shivered, taking her hand back.
"Addio" Donovan replied, watching her leave.
