A/N: so here is the next chapter. I think you guys will really like this one. I just wanted to say I have all of this story planned; it's just a matter of finding the time to write it in-between all my priorities in my personal life. I'm getting to these chapters as quickly as I can.
Can you guys please review, I don't care if it's negative and positive I just want to know what people think.
Keep in mind this story takes place in 2004.
Without further ado
"the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
~Edmund Burke
Chapter 8: Larney Zhang
Over looker's Pov
Flashback Vlad Co. 1989
Vlad Masters sat at his pristine mahogany desk, sipping his scotch and overlooking the city from his large window as he did most evenings before going home to make sure his son got to bed. He stood up from his desk and moved closer to the window, relishing that he had the tallest building in the city.
These were the quiet moments Vlad relished in. He was at peace. If only his father could see him now, he thought. He hoped the bastard was rotting in hell. Flashes of his childhood ran rapidly through his mind, sometimes Vlad would flinch still remembering his father's cruel hands. These hands that drove his mother to an early grave.
His father's hands that counted his money. His father's hands that ran his sister away. These hands that left him all alone. His father's hands that shaped and molded the man he became. His father's hands that drank scotch, the same way he did. His father's hands took what once was a sweet innocent little boy, who his father made a monster out of. His father's hands that were far too much like his own.
There were certain truths this world held, and there were certain sins you couldn't escape, the sins of the father perhaps being the hardest of all.
Still, if his father taught him anything, it was that the world is a cold and cruel and ruthless place, and if you want to survive, you can neither be sweet nor innocent. If you're going to take the world by storm, you must be just as ruthless as the world. If you want to be God, then sacrifices must be made.
A knock sounded at Vlad's door, and he briefly wondered who could be disturbing his musings. "come in", Vlad called, and he walked back over to his desk chair and took a seat. A young black kid, about 16 years old walked into the room. His name was Demaryius Banks.
"Mr. masters, can we talk for a moment?" said the kid. Vlad raised an eyebrow intrigued on what his low-level employee could possibly want. "sure, my boy, what is it?" Vlad said with the fakest smile he could muster. The truth was he could give less of a damn what the boy wanted.
He, like all of Vlad's employees were very expendable. "I appreciate you doing me a solid, getting my sentence reduced to time served and giving me a job here, but Mr. Masters, I can't do the things you're asking me to do." Said Demaryius. He was a good kid from Queens. He just got wrapped up with the wrong crowd and landed himself in juvenile hall.
Vlad had made it a habit of pulling strings and getting kids out of juvenile early and employing them to do his dirty deeds. But Demaryius just didn't have the stomach for it. But of course, if Vlad just let him go Scott free, he'd lose his power.
His employees needed to fear him. They needed to know that if they get out of line, they're dead. If he let this one kid go, people would think he was going soft. Vlad couldn't have that, not for anything. There was a bat next to his desk, and he grabbed it, gripping it tight.
"if you want out fine, but you have to pay the price. If you survive it, then I guess you're out." Vlad said, standing up slowly but with power. His face broke out into a creepy smile, which seemed even scarier in the darkened room. Vlad enjoyed things like this. He was a true sadist. He began to make his way toward the frightened 16-year-old who made no move to run because he knew he wouldn't get far, and even if he did, Vlad would find him.
He knew his only way out, his only way back to Larney was to take this beating and go home. He could take the beating and go home to her. He mentally prepared himself for the inevitable swing of the hard-wooden bat.
"Father, what are you doing?" came the voice of 10-year-old Joe Master's. He was confused and slightly frightened, never before had he seen his father act this way. Vlad dropped the bat and hit the floor with a resounding thud. His father's face darkened further. He simply said, "go," as Joe puffed his chest out and said, "no father, you won't hurt him. It isn't right." Said the young boy. Even though Joe was scared of his father for the first time in his life. He knew right from wrong, and he wouldn't stand idly by and let an innocent man be harmed.
Vlad scoffed and looked at Demaryius, who was extremely close to shitting his pants. "Mr. Banks go. You wanted your leave now take it while you can", Said Vlad, his eyes alight with malice. Without another word or even a second thought, Demaryius Banks ran out of there as fast as his legs to carry him, leaving young joe master's alone with his father.
"I'm going to teach you a lesson son, a lesson you won't soon forget. It never pays to be selfless." His father snarled as a terrified Joe Masters learned the true depravity of his father in the most horrid way possible.
New York Times Present Day (2004)
A 31-year-old Chinese American woman named Larney Zhang-Banks waltzed into the paper, demanding to see Sam Manson. As soon as word got to Danny and Sam, not a couple of minutes later found the trio in the conference room.
"so what do you have to tell us, Mrs. Zhang?" said Sam, concern lacing her voice. She could tell the woman had been startled by some unsettling news. She admired her bravery in coming to the press instead of hiding it away In her own head.
"it's Zhang-Banks, but please call me Larney." The woman said with a smile. She sipped at her tea she had been given, her eyes darted nervously around the room. She had a husband and two small children to think about after all she couldn't very well go and get herself killed.
"it's okay, Larney. I know you're nervous, but you can tell us." Sam coaxed. She knew this was big. If Larney clammed up now, the story was null and void she had to get it out of her. "alright, but you can't mention mine or my husband's name in any of this. We have small children at home, we own the ice cream shop over on Madison and 52nd, we're just your normal American family living the American dream. At least we were until three nights ago. What my husband told me, I can't keep to myself. How can I raise my children knowing there's such evil in the world and not doing a thing to stop it. I don't know what's wrong with me. A hero complex a bleeding heart take your pick, but I can't sleep unless I know this is off my chest…" the woman said, rambling on and on.
Danny and Sam were beginning to wonder if this woman actually had a story or if she just wanted to tell her life story. They got crackpots in there all the time claiming to have the story of the century, and more often than not, it was a steaming hot load of bullshit, but this seemed different. Whatever it was, she was so nervous to tell it had to be significant.
"Larney, we really have a busy day, and I understand you're worried about your family's safety, but we assure you we will handle this with digression, but please, if you have something for us, spill." Said Sam trying to sound as coaxing as possible, but it just wasn't her strong suit. She was called "Bulldog Manson" for a reason.
Every fiber in her being was itching for this story.
"my husband is a good man and a great father, but when we were kids, we were at the same foster home, for the time being, when we'd get separated we'd just run away to be together. One of the times, he was trying to find his way back to me, and he got mixed up with the wrong crowd. Long story short, he had to go to juvy. Vlad got him out and employed him, but what I didn't know until three nights ago what Vlad wants his employees to do, no not wants expects them to do. Any way Mar, that's what I call him, Mar, he refused…" Larney said, still rambling but now finally telling useful information.
"… the thing is Vlad wanted him to kidnap kids, the kind nobody would miss, kids like us. He wanted him to kidnap kids in the system and bring them to Vlad. He didn't really know what Vlad wanted with em, but it's not like he's daddy Warbucks or something. And that's not all Mar said he wasn't the only one. Vlad got other guys out of juvy and employed them. That way, when they reach adulthood, their records are expunged, and he looks like he had upstanding citizens working for him." Larney finished in what seemed like one breath. She was so nervous she couldn't stand it. Here she was a humble ice cream parlor owner going up against one of the world's most powerful men.
She was terrified. She briefly thought about the burden her husband had to carry all those years holding onto this secret. It pained her to think about it. It was Danny's turn to speak, "Did your husband say what he plans to do with these kids?" Danny asked, almost not wanted to know the answer.
"he said that he wasn't sure, but he knew they weren't killing them. He had heard tale of a secret floor where he'd keep them, his best guess was he had some sort of mad scientist experimenting on them. Who really knows for sure? Just do something with this information I'm risking everything for please." Larney finished, as she downed the rest of her now lukewarm tea.
"we will don't worry." Said Sam, a fire lit in her eyes. Her heart broke for those kids, and whoever or whatever else Vlad was experimenting on. The problem was Sam now had way more questions than answers. What was he doing with the kids? How many did he have? What was the purpose of all this? What was he trying to achieve?
She knew one person who knew, and she knew despite everything there was still good in him. Perhaps if she could get through to him, maybe if she'd tried instead of distancing herself from him… none of that mattered now. She knew exactly what she had to do.
As Larney gathered up her things, she made a silent apology that Danny forgives her for the lie she was about to tell, but she knew he would never approve of what she was about to do. She knew desperate times called for despite measures, and Vlad crossed a line when he went after kids.
As Larney walked out of the conference room and towards the elevator, Sam turned to Danny and welled up crocodile tears in her eyes. "I'm really sorry, Danny, but I need to take a personal day." She said to her partner, who looked at her with shock and confusion. "what but Sam, there's a big story here." Danny said he was concerned about his partner.
"no, you don't get it, there isn't I believe Larney but think about it, we can't print anything she said without proof. We're never going to get the proof, and Vlad is always one step ahead. I just I need a break. I'm sorry." Sam whined, really laying on the theatrics. Danny needed to believe that she was going to be curled up in her bed with Ben and Jerry's for the rest of the day.
Because she feared if he knew what she was really about to do. She feared she may never be forgiven.
About 30 minutes later found Sam parking in front of Joe and Paulina's condo. She hoped Paulina wasn't there because she doubted Joe would admit anything in front of her. She got inside the elevator that led to their door, and once at the said door, she knocked. She inwardly laughed at herself. She was as nervous as Larney was.
Soon Joe answered the door. He was shocked, to say the very least. "Sam, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Joe said, almost sarcastically. He wasn't expecting the company least of all his high school girlfriend, or one of them anyway. "We need to talk," said Sam as she all but pushed her way into his and Paulina's apartment.
"What are you doing here, Sam?" Joe said, dropping any and all formalities and settling for annoyance. He wondered where the hell she got off showing up at his home after all of these years. Sam had her own form of indignation, no better yet downright anger. If any of what Larney was saying was true.
That he had been manipulating kids into doing his father's dirty work and kidnapping and experimenting on other kids, she had a fury in her that was unparalleled. If there was one thing Sam wouldn't stand for, it was anyone hurting kids.
She had to know. She had dumped him all those years ago because she saw depravity in his eyes that reminded her far too much of his father, but never could she have imagined the true extent. In some ways, she blamed herself. Should she have stood by him, tried to help him? For a moment, she even felt bad for Paulina, despite the fact the two never got along, she knew Paulina was in the dark about her boyfriend's dealings.
She also knew the girl didn't deserve to be left in the dark about anything. This whole thing was just a big mess. This was the last place she wanted to be. She felt like an outlander in their home. She felt unwanted and unwelcome, she'd much rather be at the times, a place she knew so well, a place where people she cared about genuinely all but resided.
Still, she had to confront Joe about Larney's allegations. She had to get this out of him. "I'm only going to ask this once Joe, are you hurting kids?" the woman gritted out sternly. Shock washed over Joe's face as he stumbled into a bar stool at his kitchen island.
What was he to say? Sam always saw right through him. He knew that better than anyone. It was why he had fallen for her in the first place. Joe had chosen to go down a dark path long ago, and it really wasn't something he could go back on. He had rarely felt guilt for the things he'd done. In his mind, he had justified it by saying that it was his father's bidding and that his father would win anyway, so why not be on the winning side.
But lately, ever since Crystal had roughed Sam up, he had been questioning that decision. He had been so conflicted. I mean, even he didn't know what Vlad's endgame was, let alone who his mother was, though that was entirely different. He had done terrible things in his father's name, not that it had earned him a bout of trust when it came to his father's dealings. So why why did he do all these horrible things, and how the hell was he going to explain it to Sam.
He didn't think he could handle it if she looked at him as if he were a monster despite everything. Some part of him still loved her. Not in the way he once had, but she was his first love, and a piece of his heart would always belong to her. If she of all people saw him as a monster, how would he look at himself in the mirror?
He knew she was awaiting an answer, he had to give her one. Instead, he got up in silence and poured himself a glass of scotch far too much like his father for Sam's liking, but she ignored it. After taking several swigs, he said back down, eyes wild. There cast a look on his face that screamed of fear, but just as quickly as it came, it went Joe knew how he was going to slither his way out of this one. One of the many lessons his father "taught" him if you can't lie, there is nothing like a good old fashioned red herring.
Joe's eyes watered as he began to speak, and Sam paused, taken aback. Even way back when, when they were together, she had never seen this side of Joe.
"When I was a boy, my father he'd work all day and I'd see him at night he'd tuck me in and tell me a story. I could smell the scotch on his breath. One day I wanted to see where he worked, so I took the train down to Vlad co. When I got to his office, he held a bat and was about to beat a man to death. I like a fool stopped him. The guy ran, and after he left, my father took his fist and drilled the first of many lessons into me. That it never pays to be selfless. That day the little boy inside of me died. This is what is left, Sam. The monster that I try so hard to hide. I tell myself I do what I do because of him. Out of fear or out of loyalty that you can't escape the sins of the father, but the truth is. I don't know why I do terrible things. Maybe it's just because of how empty I am inside, because without being Joe Masters. The Joe Masters, who does whatever his father asks. I don't know who the hell I am." Joe finished as tears poured down his eyes. He downed the rest of his glass of scotch.
His hands were shaking, and he got up to pour another glass. Sam was shell shocked. She didn't know what she expected to find when she came here. She didn't know if she expected flat out denial or the runaround, but this. She never could have imagined.
She never could have imagined how deep the chaos ran in Joe's own mind. The pain he had been forced to endure for years. The trauma and the brainwashing did by his father. Even if Joe did do terrible things, as crazy as it sounded, she still believed in him.
She knew she had to say something. But what? She took the time to find the words. She approached the crying, shaking buzzed mess that was Joe.
"Joe listen to me. You don't have to be this. You don't have to feel empty. I've been there. Pushing people away, never letting anyone close, especially after we went wrong. I got drunk a lot. I pushed people away a lot. I was trying to fill a hole, I guess. A hole that my drunk mother and philandering father were too self-absorbed to fill. But one day I knew, I knew that I had two choices. I could wallow in my pain and become like my parents or fight for the life I want. I could fight for the life I know I deserve. You can too Joe. You can stop him. You can help me stop him. Children are being hurt the way we were hurt, Joe. We can fight for them." Sam said as she tried to grab the glass from Joe's hand. He yanked it back. He wasn't ready to stop drinking.
He damn sure wasn't ready for jail. He looked up at Sam, eyes wild, and said, "And what happens to me then?" Sam took a step back, seeing far too much of his father in him. A sudden chill ran down her spine. This side of him terrified her. "Joe, what are you saying?" Sam said, trying not to let her fear show. Joe's look darkened further.
"You're right Sam, I have guilt somewhere in this broken heart of mine, but I'm not going to jail. I'm not losing everything because of the sins of my father." Joe said his voice gruff and cold as ice.
Sam's heart broke for Joe, but simultaneously she was filled with rage. On the one hand Joe, never really had a chance, being raised by someone like Vlad, but on the other, he subjected innocent kids to unimaginable pain. Sam knew Joe was caught between a rock and a hard place and never more apparent than in the present moment was Joe's confliction.
Sam didn't know what to do. She wanted to get through to Joe, but she didn't know how. She had what she needed Joe's confirmation. He all but admitted the things that Larney's husband had accused the Masters of. But knowing something was true and proving it to be were two entirely different matters.
"I'm sorry, Joe," Sam said, taking Joe aback. Joe replied almost at a whisper as he drank some more of his scotch. "For what, Sam?" Sam smiled sadly and simply said. "I abandoned you when you needed me, I could have saved you from this." She said softly as she lifted her delicate hand to grace his cheek.
He leaned into the embrace. He memorized her fingers there. "Oh, Sam, no one could have saved me from this. I never really had a chance." He said no malice in his voice, but his tone was downcast. A few more tears slipped from his eyes. Sam even let a few stubborn tears from hers as the two ex-lovers and old friends relished at this moment between them. Sam's heart broke for Joe. This was the first time she really thought about it, but when she took Vlad down, Joe would go down by default.
Sometimes she hated her job. Joe's words rung in her ears. Somehow she knew they were true. Who was Joe supposed to become, being raised by a sadist like Vlad? Sam thought it best to take her leave. She had gotten what she came for though now she wished she hadn't.
Some part of her wished Joe lived in another world. She wished he lived in a world where Vlad wasn't his father, and he had a sweet, doting mother who raised him to be a sweet boy, and he and Paulina could live happily ever after.
That world didn't exist, Joe lived in a cruel world, and he had to play the hand he'd been dealt. But oh what a vile hand it was.
"Goodbye, Joe," Sam said as tears spewed from her eyes. She knew there was good in him, but she couldn't wait around to find it. Not while innocent kids were at stake. She loved Joe, some part of her always would, but he left her no choice. She had to take him down.
Though Joe Masters wasn't going down without a fight.
After a quick call to his father's informant at the times, Joe knew precisely who had visited Sam and her partner that morning. Of course, the name Larney Zhang meant nothing to Joe on the surface anyway. Upon delving further into her life and past, he deduced that she was married to one Demaryius Banks. The same man that he stopped his father from killing all those years ago.
He had done a good deed, and it came right back to not him in the ass. The pieces of the puzzle all came together in a clear picture. Demaryius had told his now-wife about his, and his father's dealings and Larney had gone straight to the press.
Of course, she didn't have proof, but if you shout something loud enough, someone is bound to hear you. The last thing Joe needed was for this to get into people's heads. It could lead to his and his father's undoing, and Joe learned long ago he had to protect himself at all costs.
So that's why he found himself riding in a limo to a humble ice cream shop to have a chat with the man who owed him his life.
Soon Joe found himself wandering into the shop. A young girl was working there, she couldn't have been more than 16. Joe walked up to the counter and said, "I'd like to speak to the owner, I'm an old friend of his." Joe said to the girl in a business-like manner. The girl simply nodded and went to the back to get her boss.
The ice cream parlor did good business, but this time of the evening, they were near closing, so it was the perfect time to have a conversation because it was doubtful any customers would be coming in.
When Demaryius walked out, he was extremely taken aback, to say the very least. Joe Masters was the absolute last person he expected to find in his mom and pop little ice cream shop. He knew it could only mean one thing: that Ice cream was the last thing on his mind.
The two just stared at each other for a bit, Demaryius was extremely nervous, and Joe was purposely intimidating. Finally, Demaryius decided to say something.
"Mr. Masters, what can I do for you?" Said the man with a smile trying to lighten the mood. It was at this that Joe finally spoke. "Well, for one, you can tell that pretty little wife of yours to stop talking to reporters," Joe said somewhat obliquely. Which, in many ways, was worse if he had been outright stern or intimating.
The ambiguity made it seem as if he couldn't tell if Joe was threatening his wife or making a friendly suggestion. Joe seemed eerily calm, which made Demaryius all the more nervous. Flashbacks ran through his head of that night all those years ago. The way his father had been so calm then the next, he had been facing the worst beating of his life.
But Joe had been his savior. How could it be possible that such a sweet innocent child could grow up to be capable of threatening someone's wife and mother?
Demaryius was terrified, to say the least. He instantly regretted saying anything to his wife. He should have known she couldn't keep it to herself as he had asked. She was a fighter born and bred, and he should have known she wouldn't take this lying down.
Now he had inadvertently brought the demons from his past right into his happy home. He had to do something, say something to fix this. Perhaps if he just denied it all?
"Look, Joe, I don't know anything about any reporters." The man said, shaking his voice almost a plea. Joe's eyes darkened. He didn't like nor have the time for games.
"Listen to me, Banks, I saved your life. I made sure you lived to see 15 glorious years. In which you were able to finish school, marry your high school sweetheart, and have her pop out, two beautiful children. It was I who allowed you to have all of this and let me assure you just in case you were sorely mistaken, you will lose everything before I do. If you don't tell your wife to shut that whole in her face, I swear to God I will… except I won't be so nice about it." Told Joe a madness in his eyes, both men knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill Larney Zhang.
A fire was lit under Demaryius, he didn't care who Joe Masters was. No one came to his place of business and threatened his wife. All traces of fear were gone from his mind. No one threatened his family. "Look here you smug son of a Bitch, if you even have a dream about laying a hand on my wife you won't have to worry about losing everything. I don't care how powerful you are, I will find a way to kill you." Finished Demaryius, a dangerous look in his eye.
Joe did the last thing the man before him expected. He threw his head back and laughed. He laughed maniacally. He thought it was genuinely hilarious that this man before him felt he had a shot in hell at protecting his wife.
After his laughter died down Joe looked Demaryius straight in the eye and said. "oh, please give me a break. You were a coward 15 years ago, and you're a coward now. Even if you had an ounce of fight in you. You wouldn't dare go against my father and I. We're the same you and I. We thrive on self-preservation you ran out and let me take your beating because it allowed you to live. You didn't go after my father and I because it allowed you to live. You'll do terrible things if it means you get to see another sunrise. It is called human nature, a survival instinct. You have it, and so do I, but there's another thing called the law of the jungle. Such a law means that billionaire philanthropists will always win over humble ice cream parlor owners." Joe said with a victorious smirk.
Demaryius ran through his head, for a rebuttal anything at all. However, he had nothing. Joe was right. He was a survivor; if he was backed up against the wall, he would find a way to survive no matter what he had to do. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't selfless. He wouldn't die for anyone. Still, when it came to Larney, he wished he was. He wished he had what it took to protect her and his kids from the evil in this world.
But alas people were who they were, Demaryius Banks was no hero, and his wife knew that. However, she was. She, too, was a fighter and somewhere in him. He knew she would be just fine.
"I may not be a hero, maybe I am the same coward I was 15 years ago, but my wife is resilient, and if she has it in her head to take you and your old man down, you better start praying because she will." Demaryius finished finding the words.
For 15 years, he'd lived in fear. He'd slept with one eye open and always looked over his shoulder, waiting for the day that the Masters would come for him. He didn't want to live that way anymore. He had found his fight, and he trusted his wife to be smart about things.
Joe realized his tactics were wrong. He didn't want to have to kill Larney. This was supposed to be a warning, but if Larney wouldn't back off, what was he to do? The guilt he hadn't felt in so long washed over him.
Perhaps he was still pulling himself together from the conversation he had with Sam earlier. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He could almost hear her voice in his head.
"I don't want to kill her, I just I … I don't know what I want." Joe said this time defeated. Everything he thought he knew was thrown out the window. He always told himself the things he did, he did them because his father asked him to. Yet here he was threatening a man's wife on his own accord.
For the first time, he truly realized how lost he was. He was so empty and he was trying to fill a hole just like Sam said. How had things gone so wrong? He didn't even recognize himself anymore. He realized he had been lying to himself.
He had been telling himself the easy thing to justify his terrible actions. Maybe some part of him wanted to make others suffer in the way he had. Then he realized he honestly didn't know what he wanted.
He had been playing this role for so long he had lost any semblance of that little boy all those years ago. While Demaryius had lived in cowardice, he had lost himself completely.
He needed to get out of there now. He felt as if he was suffocating. He needed to think. If he did something, he needed to be sure. He turned around and left the shop without another word.
Leaving a perplexed man behind in his own shop.
As Joe got back in his limo and road back to his and Paulina's home, he thought about sins. He thought about the sins committed against him and those he committed against others. He wondered how he could ever escape the monster he's become and if he could ever be rid of the burden his father placed upon him.
He knew his father wanted to be God, but right now, he didn't feel like God or even the son of a God. He felt like a man, a man who had never felt so small.
a/n: so I hoped you all liked that chapter. I know it was a little different. Danny and Sam were hardly in it, but bear with me this chapter has a purpose, and it's essential to the plot. For all my Danny and Sam will they won't they fans, don't despair we will get back to that plot, but just go with the flow.