Frank entered the big house behind the woman called Allison with much apprehension. It was absolutely immense. He couldn't imagine how much money it must of cost to build. They went up four flights of stairs and down a long hallway. At the door which led into a room at the end, Allison stopped, and Frank was quickly surrounded by the three guards who had been tailing him. He could hear voice coming from inside.
"Married, one kid named Joe," came a man's voice. They were talking about him! Frank leaned closer, keeping one eye on Allison and hoping she wouldn't notice, but she two was listening hard, a questioning look on her face.
"Then he probably won't convert, will he?" A woman's voice asked, full and melodic. Frank snorted a bit in his head. Like there was any possibility of that!
"No, I doubt it," The man answered. It seemed he had done his research.
"I can honestly say I don't know what to do right now, Ned. Well, give him the run of the place and a job as a dock worker and you and I can put our heads together." Well, a dock worker might give him some to figure out what was going on here. He did wonder what was so special about him that had Ned and this woman so confused.
"Then you're not mad?" That one really got Frank.
"What is there to be mad about?" The woman said. There was a moment of silence and Allison raised her hand to knock, when the woman's voice came again. Allison dropped her hand. "Except maybe not giving me a kiss when you came in the door...I am mightily steamed about that." Now wasn't that interesting? Ned and this woman apparently had a relationship. If Frank could twist that...if Ned really wasn't Joe and just looked like him.
"I'll just have to make that up, won't I?" There was silence again, but this time Frank was pretty sure they were kissing. Allison made no move to knock, she too was patiently waiting for more words, or maybe giving her superiors a bit of 'private' time.
After a few minutes, they were rewarded. Ned spoke again. " Mel, when I was away I bought you something." Frank listened closely and again wondered who this Mel might be.
" Melanie, will you marry me?" Allison's jaw dropped and Frank too was stunned. This was unexpected. Frank wondered what kind of woman this woman was if she had stolen his brother's heart, if that was his brother. Maybe he was brainwashed...
There was a shriek and Melanie suddenly shouted, "Yes! I had hoped, but never imagined..." At this point Allison made a face and knocked loudly on the door. Frank wondered about this. She didn't seem to like the proceedings very well, because that certainly wasn't a polite time to knock. Now was a time for privacy.
From the room there came sounds of a hurried pick up, and then Melanie's voice came out, loudly, saying, "Come in."
Frank entered a large oaken office. At the end, a large window provided a breath taking view of the island and in the space between there lay two desks an several bookshelves and file cabinets. Melanie sat at the desk to the left, and Frank was surprised by how distinguished this rather plain redheaded woman appeared. To her right, Ned stood, studying Allison with a strange look on his face.
And then Frank saw Allison's face. It had faded from confusion to outrage. She was within three paces of the desk when she began, "Here's your prisoner, Ned Brenden! I see now why you wanted me to take him, you who always says business comes before pleasure. Well let me be the first to offer my congratulations!" She thrust the keys back at him and headed back towards the door.
At the threshold, she paused, "If I have your leave, Melanie," she said stiffly.
Melanie, who had been watching her employee with mild interest, raised her eyebrows. "No," she said," I don't think you have my leave. There is much you don't understand, and if you leave in a fit of temper a grudge will form and you might never overcome it. No, everything needs to be set aright now."
If Allison was upset by this change of plans she didn't show it. She simply turned around and took a seat in one of the chairs facing the desk. Ned swung around the desk and took a seat in the chair next to her, but she didn't meet his eyes, taking the moment to motion Frank's guards away.
Two iron arms grabbed his elbows, pulling him away from the scene he was dying to hear. This would explain much. As they stepped into the hall, Melanie called after them, "Take him to the usual rooms. I'll be down to sort everything out sometime today. Don't do anything until I get there."
The door swung shut on the silence in the room. They were obviously waiting for Frank to be out of earshot before they began. The three guards led Frank down four staircases into what appeared to be a nicely accommodated cell block. Each 'cell' was like a mini bedroom, equipped with books, a toilet and a sink, shaving supplies and soap. The door locked, however, and was made of heavy one way glass, so that while the soldiers could look in, Frank would not have to see them. They released his shackles and left him on the bed, locking the door and leaving him alone to his own thoughts.
Ned, Melanie, and Allison sat in the office for three hours, discussing what Ned had revealed to them, and explaining their decision to marry. The blond girl didn't mind the fact that Ned had a hidden past, after all, everybody did in their own right, but she really objected to the marriage.
"It's just that you've kept it away from everything except when you are together," she said. "Scarcely anyone but those you are close to know of it and then you announced you are getting married, well, it's a real shock."
Neither Melanie nor Ned was fooled by that. Both of them knew the real reason she objected: Allison was in love with Ned. Melanie had known for several years and had told Ned, and both had worked to soften the blow. Obviously, it hadn't been enough. However, Allison was sated enough for them to work pragmatically on the problem Frank presented.
Ned said, "He's my brother, spy though he might be. I can't cause my parents to loose another son. Perhaps we can discuss everything openly with him, not the real plans, but the idea and my story, and get him to promise to not say anything when we let him go. Besides, there's Callie and little Joe. I can't do that."
Melanie shook her head sadly. "No, Ned, that can't be. You know the rules, and you can't let emotions run. We must give him the fair trial like you and Allison had, and let him decide. You don't have to be involved, this is my decision."
Biting his lip, Ned said softly, not even believing himself, "No. There must be a better way."
When both women again told him the brutal truth, he buried his head in his hands, and hurried out of the room, muttering incoherently.
Melanie looked at Allison once he had gone, and said gently, "I'm sorry, Allison. I know you love him, but some things can't be. Take the month off, relax a bit. Both you and Ned have some major barriers to overcome and I think that healing time away from one another is best."
The head of Intelligence sighed deeply and shook Melanie's hand. If she couldn't marry Ned, then Melanie, at least, was acceptable as a replacement. Then she too left the room to have a good cry.
A/N: Sorry about posting chapter 13 twice. I don't know what happened to my other chapter, but anyway here it is! And because I messed up I'll post 15 tonight too so you're all in for a treat. Conclusion to be posted tomorrow!