Chapter 6: Rufus Humphrey Affair
Title taken from 'Thomas Crown Affair' 1999 movie, check it out Pierce Bosman and René Russo are great!
So thanks to all for the reviews we're gonna have a classic UES chapter now!
SO Enjoy!
Song inspired: Run
Sorry for the delay I have just so much homework and all now.but I'll try to update soon too!
if you're reading do review!
They told you that the sky might fall,
they said you might lose it all,
So I learned my lesson,
Turned my blessing,
Looked into the side
And said Run,Run,Run!!
Previously on Takeaway...
Lily turned to Rufus then while they tried to drag her away. "I didn't do it, Rufus, help me and call Charles!"
Rufus screamed."I know and I will! Don't worry Lily we're gonna save you!"
Rufus stood there , on his absorbing the scenario still in his mind. Thinking.
What the hell is happening and who is doing this to Lily?
But mostly thinking
How will he save her?
This is certainly not how he imagined their supposed 9th anniversary will go.
Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf-Bass were cooing over their twins, Andrew and Audrey Bass.
Serena and Dan were with Harvey Specter and Bruce finalising the details of their divorce.
Eric Van der Woodsen had just won his case.
Jenny Humphrey had finished her masterpiece.
Scott Rosson had just closed the deal with Jack Weller.
Nate Archibald had just sobered up.
When all their iPhones' beeped signaling a notification.
When all saw it,that they had been added to a WhatsApp group called "Lily". And the opening message, the color from their, all of their faces drained.
Message was by Rufus.
Rufus: Scold me later for the lack of enthusiasm of the GRP title,we have a situation,Lily has been arrested for the murder of Bart, I'm still on my jet,will reach in two hours,until then all of you go to the CIA head quarters , and handle the situation and get some info. I'll try my best from here.
All of them left the message on seen and left for Milan.
Rufus was in the middle of his investor virtual Google Meet.
"Of course there's a change in our plan. Look."
He brings up a background of a Monet hanging up in one of his gallery.
"What is this?" Rufus asked them, hands clasped.
"A Monet." Brandon said
"Exactly! You know it, I know it but the guy who brought his girlfriend on a date, has no idea about Art, doesn't."
He said, snapping his fingers at 'Exactly'.
"This is why we're evolving now. And we ,Rosewood are the first who's gonna do it first and I assure you the rest will follow. Rosewood in collaboration with Tesla Technology Inc. is introducing this."
Now the Monet behind gets attached to a blue tech tablet displaying info about the Monet,his painting and the Monet's significance.
"How's this an advantage?" asks George the cheapo one.
"Thank you George I was about to-"
Just then Rufus sees an incoming call from Chuck.
"A moment please."
Rufus picks up.
"Chuck, I know why you're calling but I'm in the middle of an important investor meeting, it will be over in two minutes, please be on hold."
Chuck nods and replies "OK, I'm waiting."
Rufus resumes his Meet.
"So yeah, where were we? Yes. OK. So we have an advantage as this tab is not just a tab. It is a security product . You see we're gonna advertise this as a tab but see here."
Rufus zooms the tab pic and there's two wires connected to the picture.
"These wires are security, if someone touches the painting it gives shock of 240 volts. It is dangerous but necessary, coz I don't want any Thomas Crown thinking he can steal it easily. And here's the bigger advantage, even if the electricityis cut the tab still maintain some power in its battery and still gives shocks."
"But what if I child does it accidentally?" Jake asks.
"That's a very important thing right? Another thing, an AI is also involved which continuously scans its environment for weapons and scans people."
"We are truly impressed Rufus,you may go forward with this." Says Duke the head of investors.
"Thanks guys, you'll love it." Then Rufus disconnects the call and Chuck is back.
"Hello, I'm back Chuck." Rufus announces.
"Yes Rufus thank you, now onto the important thing." Chuck says with a serious tone.
"I know I know, Lily, so you know, I know everyone knows Bart's death was unsolved and declared an accident." Rufus says with some hand gestures.
"Yes, but not the truth." Chuck says with disappointment.
"Yes that,let's not go on record with that it can be hacked or recorded." Rufus says with concern.
"You're right. But Lily can't be blamed for that she's innocent." Chuck says with sadness.
"Yes,I have a guy in CIA figuring out why she's been arrested even tho she has an alibi."
"Yes about that. The anonymous tipper who got Lily arrested is also a witness to the incident claiming Lily was notat that event, instead she left from there hurriedly." Chuck says with anger.
"Damn it! But she wasn't even there or attended it. She was at some spa or something."
"About that too. That place got closed and the people who saw Lily there are not even answering to us. Someone is not letting them."
Rufus runs his hand through his hair and sighs.
"Why,why,why,why her and why now and not 6 years ago."
"We don't know Rufus I'm trying my hardest here to know who the hell is pressing charges other than State and who the fuck is this anonymous tipper. "
Rufus closes his eyes and slumps his head back on the couch.
"You and me both.You and me both, Chuck."
"I'm this close to going-"
"That's worse. Lily will kill me, literally,to allow you that. She doesn't want you near it."
"But-"
"No Chuck, I know I haven't been that close to you, but I know Lily, she probablywill die of thinking you went to do that for her and will berate herself for the rest of her life."
"You're right. I hate that you're right."
"Let's focus on one thing at a time,you do your best to find a way out and I'll keep an eye on the tipper."
"Thanks,Rufus take care. And Thank you."
"It's Lily. I would do anything."
"I shouldn't say this but you are the only thing makes her smile and is loyal to her and was the best of all men to her."
"Thanks, I guess."
"And I'm sorry for doing it to Jenny--"
"Chuck, she did that to herself, she is't some AI, she had her free will and had consent it's both of yours fault. And what's happened, had happened, let's not keep it in our way for other things."
Chuck sighed with relief and smiled "Thank you Rufus, it means so much to me."
"It's fine, now please keep digging and till I'm there, keep Milan standing with Dan, Nate and Serena there."
Chuck chuckles."Yeah, sure. I'm already there with Blair."
"Oh yeah, and congratulations too."
"Thanks, see you soon."
With that the call ends.
Nate, Dan and Serena were there at the Milan, pacing through all the possible solutions to get Lily out.
Coz cold blooded murder meant dead penalty.
And they so did not wanted that. So for the time being they had a truce to keep peace and differences aside.
Blair had just put to sleep to Henry,Andrew and Audrey in Eric's old room.
Then the elevator rang.
It revealed Eric.
"Hey Serena, I came as soon as I saw the message. Oh, Nate and Dan, hey there."
Serena almost ran to Eric and they hugged each other.
Serena started to cry and Eric shushed her.
"Hey now, we'll get her out, I'm a lawyer,I'll do my darn best."
"You better." Chuck comes from behind after finishing the conversation with Rufus.
"Chuck." Eric flashed him a grin.
"Hey little brother." Chuck smiled.
Eric came and they shook hands and then hugged.
"Hey Congo on being a father twice,now thrice too."
"Thanks,we'll discuss it later."
Eric meets up with Nate and Dan.
Dead silence then,all thinking of solutions.
Eric then sits on the couch by the stairs.
Serena with Nate on the bar stool.
Dan on with Eric.
And Chuck and Blair oppositeto them with Chuck's arm draped around Blair.
"How did this happen, I mean it was declared an accident." Eric questioned.
"It was, till some anonymous witness came and said they saw Lily at the event and rushing quite fast out of it." Blair answered.
"But mom never attended it." Serena quirked up.
"Yes, true, she was at this spa center. But it's closed and the workers who saw her there aren't picking up my phone. Someone's not letting them or had payed them off." Chuck answered.
"So, someone's out for her after 6 years?" Dan inquired.
"That's right, Humphrey. Someone who has vendetta and grudges against Lily."
Serena now rubs her head.
"That's a lottttt of people mom has pissed off."
"Let's do it. Let's make a list of who she has pissed the most. That way we can narrow it down." Blair says with her eyes sparkled. It had been along time since she had schemed and she was itching to.
Chuck chuckles at her expression.
Dan and Nate give each other dirty looks but nod.
Serena and Eric look at each other and nod.
"Let's do it. It's better than nothing." Serena says clapping her hand.
Lily was exhausted.
As soon as they had her arrested they shoved her in a police car and drove to the airport and then immediately put her in the CIA plane.
It was like she was a prisoner of war.
Or worst treated like a Guantanamo terrorist.
Except she wasn't.
She shouldn't have married that Basshole, in the first place.
She should have run away with Rufus. Should have toured with him and had a wild time.
Most of all, she shouldn't have gone back to him.
This wouldn't have happened to her then. And then she would have been celebrating her 9th anniversary peacefully on some island or country in Europe or Southern America with Rufus.
After the plane rides,she was back in NY.
Immediately, paparazzi was there taking snapshots and throwing questions to her.
But she was safely taken to the CIA headquarters in the near the World Trade Center.
Where she was now.
Handcuffed to a table.
Then, by a miracle,Harvey Specter arrived.
Rufus send him here she thought
She smiled thinking about him.
"Hi there, Lily I'm here to get you out and about this mess sent by -"
"Rufus, I know."
"Yes true, now onto the case tell me everything and I warn you, don't lie. No one's recording us, I assure you."
Harvey said with his serious tone.
Lily nodded and gulped and started narrating him the night.
As soon as the jet landed, Rufus didn't care about his luggage, just took his phone and charger and stormed from there.
His chaperone was standing there with the keys to his Kawasaki Ninja bike.
It was rush hour and he wanted to reach and help ASAP.
He took the keys and the helmet, thanked the guy and took off.
Speeding at 45 mph, didn't caring if he got a ticket, he arrived at Milan Condonium.
There was the paparazzi, awaiting for him.
Vanya was there too, for accompanying him.
Vanya took his helmet and pushed him pass through.
Many questions were fired on him
"Are you and Lily Rhodes back together?"
"Are you cheating on Lily with Sarah?"
"Are you the two the ones forcing Serena and Dan to separate so you can be together?"
He ignored each and every of them till one last that send his blood boiling.
"So she killed Bart to have the money all to her and maybe you helped and got money too and started Rosewood?"
He threw a punch to the guy who asked that, not worrying if he gets sued.
"Lily is very much innocent and she has an alibi and that witness is a liar and as for my involvement and my career I don't own you all anything. Dare say anyone, and I mean anyone say she's a killer or not innocent I'll will come for you and not leave you till you're penniless!"
With that the crowd goes quiet,seeing an angry Rufus which none have seen before, always thought he is a calm one.
Rufus turns his back on the crowd and makes his wayin the lobby to the elevator.
"Huh,Both Klaus' with a 'K' and 'C'?" Nate asks Serena
"Nah, they don't got what it takes for revenge and they ended on good terms." Eric answers
"What about Rufus? He has pretty much leverage andhurt from my mother from the 80s to present."
Serena queries.
"Dad loves Lily. He wouldn't." Dad defends his father.
"He could. He has power now and maybe wants to sabotage her." Serena retorts.
"Serena,he would never." Chuck too says.
Then as if on que Rufus arrives.
"So what do we have so far?" Rufus questions.
But Serena doesn't back down.
She replies. "We are breaking down the list of people mom has pissed of in all these years."
She then gestures to the whiteboard with all her major exs name,some UES women,some LA women and many more.
Rufus furrows his eyesbrows when he says his name too.
"Why's my-"
Serena interrupts."Your name there? Well, you are the person my mother has hurt the most,and you may have a vendetta now that you have power."
Rufus is speechless.
"What? Cat got your tongue?"
She perks.
"Serena don't do this." Eric warns her.
Rufus then recovers.
"No,no,no, let her.OK you got me. I'm doing this to Lily, fine what next will you do. Hand me to CIA where I have sent my lawyer, Harvey Specter to handle her case and get her out. Where I have a inner source providing us info on her status of the case and trying to find the tipper.Or maybe your mother will come for me now and kill me now." Rufus replies keeping his hands on his waist and his face is now red with anger.
Serena didn't know.
She is now the speechless one.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" Rufus throws her own words back to her.
Serena crosses her arms.
"You know what, you have doubt on me, OK, I'll pull myself out, with all my resources."
Rufus starts to walk out but Chuck comes in between and doesn't let him.
"Rufus please don't, she's just paranoid, forgive her." Chuck says and gives Serena a death glare.
Rufus gives Serena a glare too and stays.
Serena sighs. "I'm sorry Rufus, it's just I'm not thinking straight."
Nate comes from behind and rubs her back.
Dan looks the other way and scoffs.
"It's fine, Serena just don't do that again. I'm doing nothing but all to get her out. We can't turn on each other in times like this. We are a family." Rufus says with a neutralexpression.
"So, what next?" Rufus asks.
"We have our Klauses,Some exs and Dad." Eric replies.
"We are missing some people." Dan says.
Blair retorts."Trust me Humphrey, we have got them all."
"No you haven't, Dan's right."
Nate says.
"You forgot the nemesis." Rufus says.
"Who?" Blair asks.
"The lover Ben, Stephen and Lola." Dan says.
Serena slumps on the couch with her head on the couch.
These past lovers are always a stab in the back and half sisters. LOL.
"Ben's a good guy, mom took all responsibility for her actions. Stephan was her ex and she did decline his proposal for me but he's too much for this drama. As for Lola, she could do it."
"We got our suspect. Then let's pay her a visit." Blair says.
"No, you're staying, Chuck, Nate and I are gonna handle this. Rufus, Dan and Eric will help you." Serena says.
With that Chuck,Nate and Serena depart for Lola's apartment in Greenwich Village.
Meanwhile,
Rufus, Blair, Dan and Eric sort more of the people.
Total becomes 17.
Klauses,7 UES women,Major 4 exs, and now family Carol,Lola,William and well let's not forget the bitch Ivy.
Dan goes out as he gets a call from his publisher as he is facing some issues with his story.
"I have a feeling of Anne Archibald."
Eric declares.
"Nah, she's already been humiliated enough for a lifetime by Nate's dad."
Blair says.
"Who's Julien Cohen?" Eric asks.
Rufus makes a face.
"Def not her."
Blair now is amused "You know her?"
"Let's just say, I dated her for a week but she was too cuckoo." Rufus says with an uncomfortable tone.
"OK stop right there." Eric says with disgust.
Blair rolls her eyes and Eric gets himself some orange juice.
Rufus stares at the three family names with his hand on his chin.
Getting a very gut feeling with the three.
Rufus then asks. "Eric, by any means do you know when's Carol getting out?"
Eric sips on his juice and answers."I can make a few calls and find out if you want."
Rufus looks at him. "Do it please."
Eric takes out his iPhone and goes in an another room to make some calls.
Blair then questions. "Are you thinking,what I'm thinking, Mr. Humphrey."
Rufus amusingly replies."That Carol is taking her revenge? Maybe I mean she's had a grudge with Lily since, well forever. And Blair, please call me, Rufus."
Blair nods.
Chuck, Nate and Serena arrive at Alabama CoLiving Apartments on 15 E 11th St, Greenwich Village, not too fancy for an actoress.
They get to the 7th floor and knock on 7004, Charlotte Rhodes apartment.
They received a distant 'coming!'.
Yes, they were definitely at the right residence.
A Victoria's Secret shirt and shorts wearing exhausted Lola opens the door, seeing them here, quite shocked.
She scans their faces.
"Serena, Nate and Chuck? What the hell are you doing here?"
Serena without an invitation gets inside,Chuck and Nate follow her.
Serena scans the apartment and its decor.
"Well, I thought since you're not visiting, I should pay one."
Lola irritatedly says."Not required, we maybe be half sisters by blood, but doesn't mean I like you."
Serena turns around. "I'm glad we're on the same page."
Lola crosses her arms and glares at her.
"You're not here for that,but are you?"
Nate now answers. "We are not. We are here for another reason."
Lola smiles and walks past Serena to sit on the couch nearby.
"Oh, I know, for Lily, that bitch got what she deserved after what she did to my mother."
Chuck now steps forward. "Well, so you're admitting you're the one behind this?"
Lola chuckles." Me? No. I'm far more busy to do something like this."
Nate now interrogates."But you know who's doing this?"
Lola smiles at Nate and answers smugly.
"Yes, a little but I'm not telling you shit about it. Your mother did horrible things to me and now she's getting the punishment for it."
"Don't you dare tell us, or we will--"
Serena shouts.
"Or what? You'll kill me like your mother did to Bart Bass. Go on and try I'm not afraid. Like they say, like mother like daughter." Lola retorts.
Nate holds Serena back from lunging on Lola.
Chuck now takes the lead.
"How much will it take?" He says and take out his checkbook and his Parker pen.
Lola scoffs. "It's not about money, it's about getting what she deserves,Chuck."
Chuck repeats."How much?"
Lola smirks.
Eric returns after making some calls with a serious expression.
Rufus and Blair turn to him.
"We got bad news, Rufus." Eric says with a worried tone.
"Eric, just tell us." Blair encourages him.
Eric gulps his throat.
"Carol is suppose to be on parol from next week. "
Rufus smacks his forehead.
Chuck, Serena and Nate return to find Rufus, Blair and Eric onto a serious discussion.
"Can we revoke it?"
Rufus quirks.
"No, as long as she's clean and on good behavior, there's nothing we can do." Eric replies.
Serena then interrupts.
"What's going on?"
Blair replies. "We know who's doing this. It's Carol."
Nate chuckles and retorts. "You've got it wrong. It's William. Lola told us."
Eric then perks up."She did? Just like that?"
Chuck replies."No,but with a little motivation, she did."
Rufus questions."Money?"
Chuck answers with a uptight 'Yup'.
Serena sits down on the couch with Nate.
Chuck and Blair go check on the kids.
Dan, Rufus and Eric sit down too.
"So, we have got Will and Carol?" Nate questions.
"Pretty much."
Rufus answers.
Lily had just finished her story.
Harvey then inquires."So,he slipped right?"
"If you could call it that." Lily says.
"It's a bit complicated for you Lily, your alibis are not responding to the CIA."
Harvey says.
"I didn't do it Harvey."
"I know but Chuck and Blair did."
"No, you can't do that, you can't put it on Charles or Blair. It's better me than them."
Harvey spoke up then."There's no way out then. If they don't have a witnesses respond by tomorrow, they'll charge you."
Lily rubs her head, a migraine emerging.
"But still, I'll do my best to get you out. You have my word." Harvey encouraged her.
Lily smiles at him.
"God only knows why Rufus does this for me."
Harvey smiles."Becuase, he still loves you and won't let anything happen to you."
Lily's smile broaden.
"I just hope I get out of here and not let him go again."
Harvey now brings his hand on hers and squeezes.
"You will. I promise."
Rufus then gets a call from his inner source.
He excused himself.
And the source has got him a lot of sources.
He then thanks the guy and comes out and everyone looks at him.
"I got the anonymous tipper." He says with a sigh.
"You do? Who is it?" Chuck questions
"Is it Carol?" Dan asks
"Is it Dad?" Eric inquires.
"Worse of all. It's Ivy teamed up with William and Carol." Rufus answers and slumps on the couch.
All of them scoff.
Rufus then. "It's war now guys. And we don't negotiate with terrorists. Especially the ones from Florida." He says repeating Lily's words.
Everyone nods.
Serena agrees and repeats Rufus' words.
"It's war."
Everyone then meets each other's glance and silently agree.
"Van der Woodsen-Bass-Humphrey is back! Archibald too!"
Eric jokes to lighten the mood.
Everyone laughs.
yup that's it I'm leaving with a cliffhanger.
again as always.sorry for not updating sooner.
Please leave some love and what you think is going to happen.
coz you will not see what's coming next.
Stay tuned and get vaccinated!