Chapter 3
"Getting on White's good side, are we boo?" OC said from the door jam, having heard the conversation between White and herself.
"I don't think anyone can get on his good side- he's only nice when he wants something." Despite my harsh comment, I knew there was goofy smile on my face.
Shaking her head, OC smiled knowingly. "Company policy, no inter-employee dating."
"And you're telling this because?" I said, fighting to sound annoyed but knew I was failing utterly.
"No reason," OC said with mock-innocence and shrugged.
"Whatever. Let's do lunch."
****
Feeling close to bursting after lunch out, I clutched my stomach while sliding into my office chair. Taking a few minute breather, I turned to my computer to look at the downloaded hover drone footage when White appeared at my door. Unannounced and without knocking.
"Gueneva- my office. Now."
"Yes, s-"
My office phone rang and I picked-up. "Max."
"Hey Max- Francesca. Listen, White's on his way to see you."
Gritting my teeth against an angry retort, I replied with a 'thanks' before hanging up. Looking up to apologize to White for the interruption, I found him gone.
Can't be good.
****
"Can you explain this?"
My eyes, glued to the blank wall behind White's desk, turned towards the folder that was slapped down onto the desk.
Reaching for it with a steady hand, I opened it to find the history of my search engine.
"Sir?"
"The barcode tattoo searches, Gueneva," White growled. "How did you know about the barcode?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," I decided playing dumb would be best, as my eyes shifted to stare directly at the bare wall in front of me again.
"I want you to tell me how, and where, you learned that Karen Stickland had a barcode on her neck!"
Stunned, I could not respond. Karen? Transgenic? Was Stickland transgenic, sent from Manticore to retrieve me? My mind screamed.
White sighed. "Sit down, Gueneva, this isn't an interrogation."
I complied.
"Mr. Stickland informed me under the strictest of confidents, that his daughter had a barcode of her neck and that she was- special."
"A transgenic, sir?" I took a risk in mentioning transgenic in front of my boss, but I desperately needed to know what was going on, and if my cover was blown.
"Yes, a transgenic," White replied slowly. "You realize that breaking into the basement files to research Stickland and his daughter can result in a dismissal?"
Basement files? "It won't happen again, sir."
"See that it doesn't," White dismissed me.
****
"What you wanting to do? Wallpaper the walls with these?" OC asked, returning from a night out from Crash.
Glancing up from the files carpeting the floor, I saw a soaking OC. "I'll get a towel."
"Thanks boo."
Tossing OC the towel, praying the files would stay dry. "I just found out that the search engine at the firm isn't complete- there's still thousands of un-registered files in the basement."
"White will skin your ass if he knew you'd taken all these," OC said, wringing her hair out as she took a closer look at a couple of the files. "Barcode tattoos? What you looking this up for?"
Making a blind leap through the air, I grabbed the file from OC's hand and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Yuh- you might get them wet."
"Ri-ight." OC gave me a strange look. "I'm just going to get some dry clothes on. You want some help with these? Or will I get them wet?"
I glanced up from the barcode tattoo folder expecting to find a face framed with sarcasm and anger. Instead I found a friend looking down at me with understanding- she knew there was a secret in me and didn't care.
Feeling a strange sensation in my throat, I was unable to speak for a few moments.
"You can help."
"That's my girl."
****
"Sketchy was worried about you, said you agreed to be at Crash tonight," OC said as she yawned and tossed a folder to the side.
Biting my lip, I cringed. "I completely forgot."
"So I said he could stop over later to check-up on you."
"Tonight?"
"That a problem?"
"I don't need anyone to check-up on me," I said gruffly, but could not stop a small smile from forming, inside feeling all tingly that Sketchy even cared I was a no-shower.
OC raised an eyebrow because, as if by clockwork, there was knock on the door and Sketchy stumbled in.
"Max, where were you?" Sketchy asked, slumping onto the couch.
Opening my mouth to apologize, I heard Sketchy issue a snore- he had fallen asleep.
"Puh-lease say I don't have to cope with the smell of this ass-wipe all night," OC complained as she picked up another folder.
"I heard that," Sketchy said in his sleep.
Rolling her eyes, OC ignored him.
****
"Matt," I startled him by addressing Stickland by his first name. "I know your daughter's transgenic. I know you and your wife adopted her. I know that you've been funding Manticore."
I watched as Stickland jumped a mile high.
"And I know about the abuse charges pressed against you." I added, wondering if I wanted to hand Karen back to an abusive father. "Now I need to know what was in that case you handed over."
Stickland began to sweat. "Some important information."
"What kind of information?" I growled. Twenty questions. I hate twenty questions!
"Some very, uh, delicate information that C- Renfro has been trying to, er, buy."
So there's a Mr. C in all this, then? I thought, sucking up on Stickland's irritating stuttering. Wondering how much further I could get out this stupid donkey, I continued to prod. "How long have Mr. C- I mean, Renfro been negotiating over this sensitive information?" I took a leap in guessing C was a man, but got the reaction I wanted- Stickland spilt his ice tea over my 'mistake'.
"My god, you know!" Stickland cried. "He and Renfro want the information! One of them has her, and I don't know whom. What am I going to do?"
It was like pulling teeth, I thought and considered how to continue. "It wasn't hard getting the information on them," I said, purposely being vague. "Now what I need from you is to tell me, is what these people would want with your daughter."
Mr. Stickland, shoving the ice tea aside, went for his whiskey. Hands shaking, he splashed the amber liquid everywhere but the glass.
Scare tactics were great for making people talk- but they could also create a deer in the headlights scenario. So I changed my angle of attack. "Why don't we just start with Mr. C's real name."
Stickland responded without any prodding. "That man- you don't want to mess with him. He's got people in high places." Stickland demonstrated this fact my waving his whiskey glass above his head and spilling its contents. "He sent me my wife's heart in a box when I lied to him.
"And now he's after my daughter!"
Unsure if I could get anything out of this breaking man, I pressed for his name a final time.
"Cale. Logan Cale."
A/N: Well, I'm hoping that that will be the hardest chapter I have to write now that I've got this whole kidnapping thingy worked out- finally. And I'm apologizing here and now for bringing Lowman *cough*-excuse me- Logan into this. But I thought he'd have the biggest impact as a bad guy.
A/N/N: Should I drop the bomb and tell you who out of three candidates I've chosen (White's gone into the candidacy now too)? Or should I just leave you hanging?
I think I'll just leave you hanging and hope I'm not hanging myself in the process here. I'll just sweet-talk my reviewers into being nice to me then:
Ashley: Oh, I'm sure I'll be able to wiggle them both into the plot. It'll all depend who looks more sexier wiggling (Wanna help me judge? It'll be fun)
Chronos: Well, I think- well, hope- this story will be different from all the other ones. Just hang in there till the next chapter to find out!
Mohico- lol. I love the accent (reminds me of home), but you're just going to have to wait till the next update for me to tell you what I'm going to put you through *grins evilly*
Gamegirl- yeah, I think the sixth floor blondes will definitely have his name of them when Alec shows up. So you gonna be in line with them to see first hand that cheeky smile of his?
X5989- Mysterious pairing? That has a kind of ring to it. So do your ideas. So it's a date then- the next chapter will be the grand revealing of the 'mysterious pairing'.
JG- yeah, the fun they could have is going through my head are making me laugh. I think, no matter what I'm revealing in my next update, Alec and Max will have some fun arguing.
Erin- I'll see what I can do to keep you happy:)
Jamie's Spawn- god, the eye candy! Heaven, here I come! I just hoped it's not tarnished by involving Logan in all this, but the 'innocent bystander' approach does have its appeal. Oh, btw- combo man is MINE, but I'll be kind to leave you Logan :p (that's just a bribe to ensure you don't leak the final pairing until my update!)
Astra- good to know the humor's there- thought it might be a bit dry without our wise-ass friend Alec.
"Getting on White's good side, are we boo?" OC said from the door jam, having heard the conversation between White and herself.
"I don't think anyone can get on his good side- he's only nice when he wants something." Despite my harsh comment, I knew there was goofy smile on my face.
Shaking her head, OC smiled knowingly. "Company policy, no inter-employee dating."
"And you're telling this because?" I said, fighting to sound annoyed but knew I was failing utterly.
"No reason," OC said with mock-innocence and shrugged.
"Whatever. Let's do lunch."
****
Feeling close to bursting after lunch out, I clutched my stomach while sliding into my office chair. Taking a few minute breather, I turned to my computer to look at the downloaded hover drone footage when White appeared at my door. Unannounced and without knocking.
"Gueneva- my office. Now."
"Yes, s-"
My office phone rang and I picked-up. "Max."
"Hey Max- Francesca. Listen, White's on his way to see you."
Gritting my teeth against an angry retort, I replied with a 'thanks' before hanging up. Looking up to apologize to White for the interruption, I found him gone.
Can't be good.
****
"Can you explain this?"
My eyes, glued to the blank wall behind White's desk, turned towards the folder that was slapped down onto the desk.
Reaching for it with a steady hand, I opened it to find the history of my search engine.
"Sir?"
"The barcode tattoo searches, Gueneva," White growled. "How did you know about the barcode?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," I decided playing dumb would be best, as my eyes shifted to stare directly at the bare wall in front of me again.
"I want you to tell me how, and where, you learned that Karen Stickland had a barcode on her neck!"
Stunned, I could not respond. Karen? Transgenic? Was Stickland transgenic, sent from Manticore to retrieve me? My mind screamed.
White sighed. "Sit down, Gueneva, this isn't an interrogation."
I complied.
"Mr. Stickland informed me under the strictest of confidents, that his daughter had a barcode of her neck and that she was- special."
"A transgenic, sir?" I took a risk in mentioning transgenic in front of my boss, but I desperately needed to know what was going on, and if my cover was blown.
"Yes, a transgenic," White replied slowly. "You realize that breaking into the basement files to research Stickland and his daughter can result in a dismissal?"
Basement files? "It won't happen again, sir."
"See that it doesn't," White dismissed me.
****
"What you wanting to do? Wallpaper the walls with these?" OC asked, returning from a night out from Crash.
Glancing up from the files carpeting the floor, I saw a soaking OC. "I'll get a towel."
"Thanks boo."
Tossing OC the towel, praying the files would stay dry. "I just found out that the search engine at the firm isn't complete- there's still thousands of un-registered files in the basement."
"White will skin your ass if he knew you'd taken all these," OC said, wringing her hair out as she took a closer look at a couple of the files. "Barcode tattoos? What you looking this up for?"
Making a blind leap through the air, I grabbed the file from OC's hand and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Yuh- you might get them wet."
"Ri-ight." OC gave me a strange look. "I'm just going to get some dry clothes on. You want some help with these? Or will I get them wet?"
I glanced up from the barcode tattoo folder expecting to find a face framed with sarcasm and anger. Instead I found a friend looking down at me with understanding- she knew there was a secret in me and didn't care.
Feeling a strange sensation in my throat, I was unable to speak for a few moments.
"You can help."
"That's my girl."
****
"Sketchy was worried about you, said you agreed to be at Crash tonight," OC said as she yawned and tossed a folder to the side.
Biting my lip, I cringed. "I completely forgot."
"So I said he could stop over later to check-up on you."
"Tonight?"
"That a problem?"
"I don't need anyone to check-up on me," I said gruffly, but could not stop a small smile from forming, inside feeling all tingly that Sketchy even cared I was a no-shower.
OC raised an eyebrow because, as if by clockwork, there was knock on the door and Sketchy stumbled in.
"Max, where were you?" Sketchy asked, slumping onto the couch.
Opening my mouth to apologize, I heard Sketchy issue a snore- he had fallen asleep.
"Puh-lease say I don't have to cope with the smell of this ass-wipe all night," OC complained as she picked up another folder.
"I heard that," Sketchy said in his sleep.
Rolling her eyes, OC ignored him.
****
"Matt," I startled him by addressing Stickland by his first name. "I know your daughter's transgenic. I know you and your wife adopted her. I know that you've been funding Manticore."
I watched as Stickland jumped a mile high.
"And I know about the abuse charges pressed against you." I added, wondering if I wanted to hand Karen back to an abusive father. "Now I need to know what was in that case you handed over."
Stickland began to sweat. "Some important information."
"What kind of information?" I growled. Twenty questions. I hate twenty questions!
"Some very, uh, delicate information that C- Renfro has been trying to, er, buy."
So there's a Mr. C in all this, then? I thought, sucking up on Stickland's irritating stuttering. Wondering how much further I could get out this stupid donkey, I continued to prod. "How long have Mr. C- I mean, Renfro been negotiating over this sensitive information?" I took a leap in guessing C was a man, but got the reaction I wanted- Stickland spilt his ice tea over my 'mistake'.
"My god, you know!" Stickland cried. "He and Renfro want the information! One of them has her, and I don't know whom. What am I going to do?"
It was like pulling teeth, I thought and considered how to continue. "It wasn't hard getting the information on them," I said, purposely being vague. "Now what I need from you is to tell me, is what these people would want with your daughter."
Mr. Stickland, shoving the ice tea aside, went for his whiskey. Hands shaking, he splashed the amber liquid everywhere but the glass.
Scare tactics were great for making people talk- but they could also create a deer in the headlights scenario. So I changed my angle of attack. "Why don't we just start with Mr. C's real name."
Stickland responded without any prodding. "That man- you don't want to mess with him. He's got people in high places." Stickland demonstrated this fact my waving his whiskey glass above his head and spilling its contents. "He sent me my wife's heart in a box when I lied to him.
"And now he's after my daughter!"
Unsure if I could get anything out of this breaking man, I pressed for his name a final time.
"Cale. Logan Cale."
A/N: Well, I'm hoping that that will be the hardest chapter I have to write now that I've got this whole kidnapping thingy worked out- finally. And I'm apologizing here and now for bringing Lowman *cough*-excuse me- Logan into this. But I thought he'd have the biggest impact as a bad guy.
A/N/N: Should I drop the bomb and tell you who out of three candidates I've chosen (White's gone into the candidacy now too)? Or should I just leave you hanging?
I think I'll just leave you hanging and hope I'm not hanging myself in the process here. I'll just sweet-talk my reviewers into being nice to me then:
Ashley: Oh, I'm sure I'll be able to wiggle them both into the plot. It'll all depend who looks more sexier wiggling (Wanna help me judge? It'll be fun)
Chronos: Well, I think- well, hope- this story will be different from all the other ones. Just hang in there till the next chapter to find out!
Mohico- lol. I love the accent (reminds me of home), but you're just going to have to wait till the next update for me to tell you what I'm going to put you through *grins evilly*
Gamegirl- yeah, I think the sixth floor blondes will definitely have his name of them when Alec shows up. So you gonna be in line with them to see first hand that cheeky smile of his?
X5989- Mysterious pairing? That has a kind of ring to it. So do your ideas. So it's a date then- the next chapter will be the grand revealing of the 'mysterious pairing'.
JG- yeah, the fun they could have is going through my head are making me laugh. I think, no matter what I'm revealing in my next update, Alec and Max will have some fun arguing.
Erin- I'll see what I can do to keep you happy:)
Jamie's Spawn- god, the eye candy! Heaven, here I come! I just hoped it's not tarnished by involving Logan in all this, but the 'innocent bystander' approach does have its appeal. Oh, btw- combo man is MINE, but I'll be kind to leave you Logan :p (that's just a bribe to ensure you don't leak the final pairing until my update!)
Astra- good to know the humor's there- thought it might be a bit dry without our wise-ass friend Alec.
