Chapter 3: Predator's Game
Diana snooped throughout Donovan's house, first in the living room, then Sean's bedroom, and then the master bedroom. What she wanted to know about the resistance leader, she wasn't sure, but there was a certain satisfaction in prying. The bedroom closet offered little information regarding Donovan's marriage to Marjorie. Perhaps he had been too bitter from the divorce to hang onto mementos. From what Diana had gathered during Sean's earliest conversion sessions, the Donovans divorced in 1981. Sean held feelings of resentment toward his father for not being around as often as he wanted him to. Diana assumed that it was Donovan's career demands which destroyed his marriage. But who had sought the divorce?
Sean's memory bank stored a bitter child support and visitation battle. While Donovan was supposed to keep the boy every other weekend, he often stayed gone on news assignments for weeks at a time. It didn't surprise Diana to discover a shoebox of old baseball cards on the closet's top-shelf. She knew that if there was one pass time that had bonded father and son, it was going to Dodgers games. The shoebox also contained a few photographs of Donovan and Sean posing with team members, Steve Howe and Dusty Baker. There was also an autographed catcher's mitt. Diana traced her hand over the smooth, caramel-colored leather, wondering if any of these keepsakes would be valuable to Sean. She knew that the key in successful conversion was to learn the subject's vulnerabilities, and what they held dear. Diana considered planting a false memory in Sean's mind that would break any of the remaining bonds that he shared with his father. Attending the LA Dodger's games in years past would no longer be reflected upon with happy memories.
"A vehicle is approaching, commander," Diana heard in her earpiece. "It's pulling in the driveway."
"Is it him?" she asked, hefting the shoe box up onto the closet shelf.
"A female is exiting the car."
Diana's heart skipped a beat.
"What does she look—"
"It's Julie Parrish, Commander. Donovan is with her."
Diana smiled. This was better than she could've imagined. Her guess was that either Julie had come to share political information with Donovan or engage in a romantic interlude. Either would prove satisfactory to Diana. She had the tool she needed with her. It was a small round device that she promptly pulled from her pocket. She pushed a button and mounted the device to the side of Donovan's nightstand. It was the very recording device she had tried to bug Nathan Bate's office with last week.
"Do you want us to take them into custody, Commander?"
"Shh." She snapped, then whispered. "Don't make your presence known. I will contact you when I'm ready."
"But-"
"Shh." She cut him off again, and then climbed into the closet, and slid its door almost all the way shut. She ducked behind a wall inside the closet.
It wasn't long before she heard Donovan and Julie's voices.
"I can't stay the entire night," Julie said. "I'll have to leave after-"
"You can leave before sunrise, and head back to your apartment," Donovan said.
Diana couldn't help but turn her head so she could see through the gap between the sliding door and the wall she had hidden behind. She saw Donovan and Julie's embrace, then kiss. The way Human beings engaged in their mating ritual fascinated Diana. She had studied all types of videos by the so-called expert, Dr. Ruth. And here was this couple, making out in front of her. It was live and they had no idea of her presence, and she would have it all on audio. Now if she could just use that audio in her crusade against Julie's employment by Bates. Oh, to see the look on Bates' face.
Julie pulled away slightly from Donovan and said to him, "You know, when I saw Diana today, she said to tell you something the next time I see you."
"That you wanna marry me?" Donovan bent down to kiss her.
Diana watched the way their lips met tenderly, not animalistic, like some of Diana's lovers.
Julie drew away. "Not… yet."
Donovan's fingertips laced through her hair.
"What? As soon as I kill her and this stupid war ends?" He tilted Julie's head back and planted a kiss on her neck.
"Nnn-no…" She giggled.
"Diana doesn't think I should marry you?" He found her lips with his again.
Julie returned the kiss, then said in a nearly inaudible whisper, "That wasn't what she said."
"Well, I don't think we need her opinion." His hands moved to her waistline. He kissed her again.
"Can I tell you what she said?" Julie asked, her lips only an inch away from his.
He arched an eyebrow and grinned. "Whatever excites you."
Diana stopped herself from laughing.
Julie's playful smile exuded mischief. "She said that the next time I see you…" She paused, interrupted by something that was beyond Diana's vantage point… "That I should tell you she eats what she catches."
"I'll bet she does."
Diana refrained from opening the closet door further. She wanted to see.
"She wants to catch you… Mike."
"Well, you'll have to tell her I've already been caught." He chuckled.
Julie squealed and Diana was certain Donovan did something to amuse her. A tickle… maybe?
"I- I couldn't do that," Julie admitted.
"Why? Daddy Warbucks might get jealous?"
Daddy Warbucks? Diana wondered. Is that Donovan's pet name for Nathan? Who is Daddy Warbucks?
"I can't wait until the war's over," Donovan added. "Then you can invite that jerk to our wedding. I'll marry you right in front of him."
Julie giggled. "You really do have a death wish for me, don't you?"
"No, I'm just a little hurt by you telling him I ended us." He sounded annoyed.
"Well, I had to tell him something. He wouldn't keep me employed if he knew we were still seeing each other."
"Politics."
"Mike, let's not argue. That isn't why you invited me in, is it?"
"Sorry," he said, rolling her over onto her back. Diana could see them again. "Let's make a deal. You don't mention Diana while I'm making love to you. And I won't mention Nathan Bates."
"Deal." Julie enveloped him in her arms as he kissed her.
