On the Monday morning, Nikki stood outside smoking, until she saw Tash and Kirstie arrive in Kirstie's car. As they approached her, Tash began to feel a little uncomfortable and Kirstie simply held her head high. She wasn't going to apologise to anyone for being with the woman she loved, no matter how much that might have hurt Nikki. "Have you got a minute, Tash?" Nikki asked as they moved to walk passed her. "Yes, of course," Tash said aimiably, as Kirstie walked inside. "I need your help with something," Nikki said quietly. "Not for me, for someone else." "You're not making any sense, Nikki," Tash said gently, seeing instantly that this was something very serious. "It's about Karen," Nikki continued. "Some time last week, Fenner raped her." "No!" Tash said in heartfelt rage and sympathy. "I know," Nikki agreed bitterly. "Shit, isn't it. The thing is, she's refusing to go to the police about it. I can't blame her really, what with this place. Someone like Nick Jordan would sell this story quicker than he would his own grandmother, if he thought it would get him noticed." "That's a little unfair, Nikki, even taking into account Nick's complete lack of principles," Tash said with a half smile. "Fenner needs teaching a lesson," Nikki persisted. "If Karen won't go to the police, then he'll get off scot free, and we both know that Fenner's done that far too often." "Just who knows about this?" Tash asked, thinking she could see where Nikki's thoughts were going. "Yvonne, Victoria, Mike and Meyer, I think." "Nikki," Tash said slowly. "Would I be right in thinking that you want to give Fenner a little tactical persuasion not to do this again?" "You know me too well, darling," Nikki said fondly. "Nikki, you can't just go taking the law into your own hands, purely because Jim Fenner's a wanker of the highest order!" Tash insisted vehemently. "Why the hell not?" Nikki demanded, both their voices having dropped almost to a stage whisper. "Because you might end up in far more trouble than it's worth," Tash replied angrily. "Nikki, I am not going to stand by and watch you throw your career, your freedom and possibly your life away, just because Karen isn't prepared to fight for justice." "Oh, so what do you propose I do?" Nikki asked stonily. "Just sit by, and let him get away with it?" "If that's what it takes to keep you out of harm's way, then yes!" "You know I can't do that, Tash," Nikki said with the sort of finality that Tash knew not to argue with. "Oh, and just how were you planning to do this?" "I haven't really thought that far," Nikki admitted sheepishly. "I just think a few of us ought to give him a bit of a kicking, that's all." "Oh, and that's really the right way to go about it," Tash said disgustedly. "Leave it with me," She added quietly. "I can't promise I'll come up with anything, but I'll have a think about it. You are right, in that Fenner can't simply be allowed to walk away from this. But if any revenge is to be had, it's got to be done properly."
All morning, Nikki sat staring at her computer, wholly unable to keep her mind on her work. Victoria had offered to go to court, to sit at the press bench and to take note of anything news worthy that might have happened over the weekend. "You could try putting Fenner in that category," Nikki said dully, thinking that yet again, he would get away with it. "Try not to dwell on it too much, Nikki," Victoria said gently. "There's nothing you can do." "We'll have to see about that, won't we," Nikki said, the furious determination in her voice making Victoria instantly alert. "Nikki, I know he deserves teaching a lesson, but you can't do it on your own." When Victoria had driven off with her notebook and pen, Nikki started thinking. Victoria was right, she couldn't do this on her own. Opening a new, blank document in Microsoft word, Nikki began making a list of the people who might just want Fenner to be brought off his pedastol of apparent innocence. Putting her own name at the top, she then added Tash, because although Tash wasn't wild about the idea of serving some social justice, Nikki thought she could probably be persuaded. Denny was a definite, as maybe was Shaz. Cassie, possibly, though she wasn't really the kicking the shit out of people type. The same went for Jasmine. Yvonne, now she really was a must. She might not want to get involved, because of her having been the only one Karen had trusted, but she was a possible. Mike, now he was definitely off limits. Give him an excuse to beat the crap out of Fenner, and Mike would take it too far, probably landing himself a life sentence in the process. Nick Jordan wouldn't want to get involved, because he usually preferred to be well away from the consequences of his actions, long before the shit hit the fan. Danny might want a piece of the action though. He was hot headed like herself, and loathed other men who took advantage of anyone. Before drafting an e-mail to go to the respective people on her list, Nikki thought she'd better talk it over with Yvonne first. If Yvonne didn't give her support to this endeavour, it would go tits up before it even started.
Walking up to the second floor, Nikki put her head round the door of Yvonne's office. Yvonne was on the phone, but gestured for Nikki to come in and sit down. When she put down the receiver, Yvonne came straight to the point. "This is about Fenner, isn't it." "How did you guess," Nikki said dryly. "I can see it in your face," Yvonne replied matter-of-factly. "And I think you're here to try and persuade me to help you give Fenner the biggest kicking he's ever had in his life." "Something's got to be done about him, Yvonne." "Maybe, but not by you, not by me, not by anyone, except maybe Karen herself." "this isn't like you," Nikki said, the disappointment evident in her tone. "I'm too old for this, Nikki. Settling scores isn't what I do any more. You've got absolutely no idea how much I would like to see Fenner pay for what he did to Karen, but giving him a few bruises and a couple of cracked ribs isn't the answer." "so what is, Yvonne?" Nikki demanded. "Because he can't be allowed to get away with it, time and time and time again." Yvonne put her hands to her head, this conversation having given her a headache after only five minutes. "Nikki, listen to me," She said wearily. "Twenty years ago, I was just like you. I thought I could solve anything in the world, anything that didn't quite agree with my way of thinking." "Yvonne, this isn't just a difference of opinion," Nikki interrupted vehemently. "Shut up for a minute and listen," Yvonne continued, holding up a hand. "This is Karen's fight, if she wants it to be one, not yours, not anyone's. If you give Fenner a kicking, you'll be the one getting the sack and a visit from the police, not him. You'll be the one in the centre of your own crime column, not him. Meyer would have you out of here within the hour if he thought you'd done something like that, you know he would. You're far too good at your job, Nikki, to ditch your career over a shit like Fenner, and don't for one minute think that Karen would thank you for it. You have to let this one go, Nikki, promise me." Nikki stayed quiet. "Nikki, do you want Fenner to come out of this smelling of roses?" Yvonne asked, now getting more than a little impatient with Nikki. "Because that's exactly what would happen if you gave him a bit of Nikki Wade style justice." Looking up in irritation at a knock on her door, Yvonne bade whoever it was to enter. It was Anton, his slightly cold, piercing eyes making Nikki instantly aware that he knew what they'd been talking about. "Nikki was just telling me about a possible upcoming story that might involve both crime and finance," Yvonne said, the journalist's ability to think on her feet still second nature to her. "Really," Meyer dralled, not believing her for an instant. "I do hope that what you were in fact doing, was trying to persuade our resident vigilanti here, not to do anything that might bring the paper into disrepute." "Is that all you care about?" Nikki demanded rashly. "No, not in the slightest," Anton replied, keeping his cool to perfection. "I am just as outraged at the recent events involving James Fenner as you are." "You've got a bloody funny way of showing it," Nikki said stonily. "Nikki," Yvonne warned. "I saw you this morning," Anton continued to Nikki. "Talking to Ms Vandara as she arrived for work. So, whatever you have up your sleeve for dealing with the situation, forget it, right, now." His tone was unequivocal, forbidding her from any course of action which might have occurred to her. "If justice is to be had," Anton said a little more gently. "It will be served in its own time, not ours."