Chapter Eight: Into Action
"Why did you miss the original appointment?"
"I just forgot."
"Forgot? That's not good enough. You know that it's important for you to see us regularly."
"I'm sorry, okay? I'm here now."
"Yes, you are. Well, let's get started then. You know the procedure."
"Twice a year, for as long as I can remember. Is it really necessary?"
"You know it is, my dear. We have to keep an eye on you."
"I know. I'm important." She further let her unenthusiasm show by sitting down on the bench with a sigh. She really had forgotten the appointment. Seeing him that day had added a completely new and unexpected dimension to her life. It had helped, yet it had also made things worse. She was unlikely to ever see him again, but she couldn't get him out of her head, even when she was awake. Her dreams had been more focused on him over the past couple of nights, too. Looking at her life as a whole, he was unimportant to her now, but that obviously hadn't always been the case, though she had known that for some time, even before their encounter. Her thoughts were interrupted by the man who she had come to see.
"So, anything to tell me?" he asked.
"No. Everything's just the same," she replied, blankly. She had become good at controlling her emotions over the years. It had saved her. Her mouth set in a line. She was not weak like some of the others had been, ready to spill everything at the first opportunity. And look at what happened to them. Well, it wasn't going to happen to her. She was better than that.
In a different part of the city, Jeff was still in Central Park with Penelope.
"Well, tell me how this matter still isn't resolved," said Penelope, waiting for him to speak. Jeff thrust the AIDD printout towards her.
"Her name," he said.
"What about it?" Penelope asked. It seemed innocuous enough to her.
"Clever use of her middle and maiden names," Jeff said.
"Names? You mean…" Penelope began. Jeff nodded.
"Evans was her maiden name. Natasha and Morgan were her middle names. She's shifted one onto her surname. Natasha Morgan-Evans." he said, and bit his lip. Penelope was silent for a moment.
"That's intriguing, Jeff, but it doesn't prove that it's her," she said.
"It does to me," Jeff replied, looking directly into her eyes. She was a little alarmed by the intensity in his eyes, but did not let it show. Instead, she said,
"Okay. I'll agree with you so far as to say that there is something worth looking at here. But I am afraid that I cannot share your opinion on who this lady may or may not turn out to be."
"Well, we're not going to find out standing here," Jeff said. "Come on."
"Where are we going?" Penelope asked, almost having to run to keep up with his stride.
"To find her," Jeff said. Penelope pulled on his arm, and made him stop in his tracks.
"Now wait a moment. You're rushing off again, with no plan," she scolded. "You won't find her at this time of day anyway. We're best off going back to the hotel and thinking about this over dinner."
"I'm not hungry," Jeff replied.
"Well, I am," said Penelope. "Come, Parker is waiting with the Rolls Royce." Jeff looked down at the young blonde woman in front of him. Despite her innocent appearance, it was never a good idea to defy her.
"Very well, Penny. We'll go back to the hotel," he said, reluctantly. She said nothing, only smiled at him and took his arm.
Scott was beginning to have doubts as to whether it really had been a good idea to push his father into going to New York. He was in the middle of reading the latest update that Penelope had sent him. From what she said, all this mystery woman business was dragging Jeff further into some sort of obsession, instead of making him realise that the impossible couldn't happen. She had sent him a copy of the AIDD printout, attached to the message, and had asked for his thoughts. Scott opened the attachment, impressed like his father had been, that Penelope had managed to get hold of such information. His jaw practically hit the desk as he looked at the photograph of the woman on the screen. He then felt a wave of mixed emotions sweep over him.
"Well, they say everyone has a twin," he said to himself, trying to make sense of it all. No wonder his father had been so insistent that he'd seen his dead wife. It wasn't just a simple case of passing resemblance, more like separated twins. Except, they couldn't be twins. Some thirty years split the two women, if you believed, like Penelope, that they were two separate people. Scott studied the photograph carefully, almost frozen to the spot. He looked into the eyes of Natasha Morgan-Evans, and without really knowing why, felt a chill go down his spine.
What was the next move?
Scott was torn. Part of him wanted to draw a line under this whole affair, and leave it be. Yet he also agreed with Penelope that there was something too weird going on here, and that it was worth looking into. Someone looking exactly like his mother could be passed off as a strange coincidence, but the fact that she was using part of Lucille's name was odd. However, at the heart of it all was his father. Scott remembered too well the devastation that the death of his mother had caused all of them, but none more so than Jeff. He'd already had one breakdown in his life. Was it fair to him, to all of them, to possibly drive him towards another? Scott let out a long breath and shook his head. It was times like this that he wished that he wasn't the eldest, or like his father. Like his father. And if he were in his father's place…Scott knew that he wouldn't want to be thrown off track just yet.
Penelope couldn't help but smile to herself as she read Scott's reply to her message. She had always held faith in Scott's leadership skills as much as she did Jeff's, even if Jeff held his own doubts. She supposed that it was a natural result of being a parent. Despite inheriting a lot of her character from her own father, Penelope remembered that there were times when she had caused him a raised eyebrow or two whilst growing up. He wouldn't have been surprised at her chosen 'career' though, not at all. If anything, he'd have probably encouraged her. Penelope always held a childish vision in the back of her mind of herself and her father being secret agents together, a father and daughter team fighting against shadowy forces, like something out of a dodgy 1970's show. She let a small sigh escape. The dead were the dead, or so she had always thought until this escapade had come along. She adjusted the position of her shoulder bag. This was no time for indulging in her own memories. She was here to help Jeff find some answers. Penelope made her way down to the foyer of the hotel to meet him. He was already there, precisely punctual as always.
"Good morning, Jeff. I hope you had a good night's sleep," she greeted.
"No, not really," he replied, gruffly.
"Please don't tell me you were sat up half the night worrying," Penelope said.
"Just thinking, Penny. Not worrying," Jeff said. Penelope spotted Parker outside with the Rolls Royce.
"Parker's here. Are you ready?"
"More than ready," Jeff replied as they made their way to FAB1.
Some time later, they were moving slowly through the early morning commuter throng, Jeff trying desperately to see if he could sight the woman calling herself Natasha Morgan-Evans for a second time. As time got closer and closer to nine o'clock, Jeff began to feel his initial good feeling about the day start to disappear.
"This is impossible," he said, allowing his frustration to creep through for the first time.
"Stay calm," Penelope said, touching his arm lightly. Jeff nodded, forcing his disenchantment down inside him as he returned to scanning the crowd of people. He was sick of the sight of this street now.
"Jeff." Penelope sounded urgent.
"What is it?"
"Is that her?" she asked, pointing to someone crossing onto their side of the street a little way ahead of them.
"It is," Jeff replied, instantly recognising the woman. Penelope discreetly pressed a small button hidden on her bracelet as she and Jeff hastened their steps to catch up with Natasha, though they stayed a couple of paces behind. Penelope saw their opportunity as they approached a road that they would have to cross. She raised her hand to her nose, as if she were rubbing an itch on the tip of her nose.
"Now, Parker!" she hissed into the bracelet. At the same time, she and Jeff launched forwards, one going either side of the russet-haired lady. Surprised at the sudden presence, Natasha turned her head and happened to look straight at Jeff.
"You," she said, shocked. Penelope twisted a stone on a ring she wore.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Ms Morgan-Evans," she said into Natasha's ear, pressing the ring into the back of her hand. It released a sedative that was designed to keep the recipient conscious, but controllable. Together, they were able to make Natasha walk to the edge of the pavement without protest. At exactly the same time, Penelope's Rolls Royce arrived. With the crowd not noticing anything untoward, Jeff and Penelope bundled their prize into the back of FAB1 and were driven off through the streets of New York.