Orphans Beloved: "Beth Rhymes With Death…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

(Note-We'll see how this goes. Art gets an unexpected visit, creating unexpected complications.)

Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…

Part VIII…

Northern Canada…

Muffled sounds as if from a large man, gagged and bound, from the small shed on an abandoned-for-the- season hunting lodge.

"Don't worry…" Helena, opening door, and sticking head back in, to eye the bound and gagged ex-sergeant. "Place is warm enough so you won't freeze and big soldier boy like you should be free in a few hours. There is lodge you can call from or at least get water and food, should you not wish to contact your superiors after this little…What is word? Fiasco? Try the smoked deer meat, is delicious. And thanks you for behaving self, I and babies appreciates it. Take care, Mark-brother. And start ask questions, you will need answers sooner than you think. Is more to life than Queen and Country, you know? Bye." She beamed, friendly wave, pausing at his earnest, muffled cry. "That is sweet. Well, I wills be careful, don't worry. I have no desire to die just now. You take care, too." She closed door and headed off, down a snow-filled private road and onto the somewhat less snow-covered minor highway, munching a bit at her dried deer meat in hand as she trudged.

"Sestra Rachel, you are lucky girl that I am in redemptive mode…I will settle for answers when we meet." she noted to herself, pausing to look at compass. Ah, good…South and east it is…

Though Paul…I think for good of many…Sestras…Is time he goes away, for good. Sorry to end your corporate romance, Rachel. But he would betray you too, in end so is undeserved favor to you, too.

Mama, I know…I have pledged. Since you came to me in the darkness, forgiving your angry lost daughter. Giving her strength to flee evil fish ones who would hurt your grandbabies and your Helena. I am trying, Mama. But, he is danger, clear and present… Well, we will see.

Now what story to tell any kind, not military, person offering ride to pregnant girl stranded here…? She glanced down the highway…Nothing yet. Well…

Evil British military kidnapped me and I escaped sounds a bit insane…Though some here might believe the British and their Canada Conservatives capable of it.

"Hunting accident?" No, would have to have husband or boyfriend or girlfriend victim dead or bleeding to death…Nice person would want to help.

"Plane crash?" Same problems…

"Escaping my maniac boyfriend…Paul Dierden…? 'Hi, I'm Beth Childs, Toronto cop…Detective…My boyfriend went all crazy and I had to kill…er, flee from him.'" Hmmn… "He got all psycho…I think he hates that I got pregnant…He's in love with my twin sestra…Sister, Rachel…And, oh…I think she was in on a plot to kill me up here. You have to help me get away, I know he's looking for me."

That could work…She beamed, then resumed earnestly frightened expression. "But, oh, you mustn't try to call the police…Then Paul might find me…Call my partner at the Toronto Met Police, Art Bell…" she tried her best Beth. Hmmn…

I be liking this, yes…She smiled. Picturing a Paul returned in civilian guise to hunt her under arrest in Toronto for attempted murder of his pregnant girlfriend. Who'd had to fake her own death to escape the maniac and his bitch from hell. Her own twisted psychotic twin…

"Ok…Sarah makes fun of my Beth, gotta try and get it right. 'Oh, help! I'm Detective Beth Childs…My boyfriend just found and tried to kill me after he found out I and his baby wasn't…Weren't… dead.'"

Better…More with the flat, nasal…Like Sarah's Beth…

Oh, Sarah will love this…She grinned to herself…

Mama…Is only little lie to get home safe…And mostly true, really…In way.

And I will make the nice apologies to Arthur for using my Beth again, high-minded look.

…..

"Your car is here, Ms. Duncan." The young nurse, at the hospital room door, called to Beth, in suit, waiting with bag.

"Very good, thanks. And thanks for all your help while I've been here." Beth smiled, the nurse smiling back, nodding.

Careful, don't overdo it…Rachel seems the distant and frosty type, Beth told herself.

Now, home sweet home…And to see if I can get through…On God knows how many levels…To Art. Or maybe, Ally?

Somehow I don't think I'd have much luck trying my sister Miss Manning. She looked at the buzzing phone she'd pulled.

"Yes, hello Marion." She told the phone. "Yes, just heading out now. No, no need…I'm fine. I'd like to go home and get myself together. I appreciate that, Marion. Thanks, I'd enjoy a night out in a day or so."

I would…Especially with Duncan's likely hefty bank account despite her termination/retirement/layoff…Though I can't see a night with Marion Bowles as a fun girls' night out.

"…Oh, no. I'll be fine as to that…Though of course I will be eager to get back to work, at whatever they'll let me do."

Anything that gives me access to whatever I need to bring you people down…Beth thought.

"Well, I've got to go. I'm sure they need the room. Uh, yes…Ta…" she hung up.

Ta? People actually say that?

Marion closing her phone…

Rachel Duncan, calmly accepting her demotion, dismissing thought of vengeance, making jokes…That aren't cruel and vicious jibes at people she despises or wishes to bring down?...Who'd've thought a pencil in the eye could be so good for one's character?

Though of course far too suspicious to accept…Clearly my charge is regrouping and preparing for a counterstrike asap.

And given Ferdinand's little warning note…I'd best be taking my monitoring job seriously.

….

"I'm so sorry to hear about Dr. Nealon…" Ferdinand, at his new office in the Dyad Institute, greeted Nealon's former secretary. "It's a tragic loss. But I am so happy you've agreed to take me on. I promise you'll find me a reasonable fellow."

"Well, you being my new monitor…" the woman, shyly. "It does make sense…"

"Of course…" he nodded. "But please don't think that I'll be intrusive in any way. My role there will simply be to see you're remaining healthy and there are no problems cropping up for you. In fact we should both do our best to forget that aspect of our relationship as much as we can…You know it's important you are as unaffected by my presence as possible."

"Yes…Well, I guess I should get settled in, Mr. Ferdinand. I'll get my things and move in."

"Absolutely." He beamed. "And sorry to indulge in a stereotypically sexist/elitist cliché the first day out, but once you're all set, I'd love some coffee." Grin.

"Right away, sir." She returned smile, hurrying out, closing door at his smiling nod.

"Ferdinand here…" he addressed his phone. "Yes, I've settled in here and you can tell the board Dr. Nealon did his duty as expected. No problems on that score. And Rachel Duncan was surprisingly good about her situation. She'll be monitored carefully of course. I've stressed the need to avoid further incidents to Ms. Bowles and I myself will also lend a hand in seeing Rachel does not again become a problem. You can be sure any action necessary will be taken. The Manning situation? Well, for now, quite stable, thanks to Marion…I will be inserting myself there as well, shortly. Absolutely…Everything will be done to ensure that she accepts the new situation. I think the prospects for convincing her it's in her and her family's best interests to maintain things in the current state are excellent. Yes, of course…Any options necessary to safeguard the project as a whole. But remember that Ms. Manning is also our link to Castor and to Helena. Yes, I will take every opportunity to exploit that. I think Sarah will agree it's also in her best interests to help us there. She has a great deal to lose now, after all, as do we and I think I can work with her. Oh, yes. You and the board can rest assured I will allow nothing to compromise the project further."

….