A couple familiar people so far...Cortex earlier and Stefan now...hope you enjoy it!
Matt counted before he turned around to face the man he had met months ago across the wide ocean. He stood there in jeans and a black short sleeved shirt, over a muscular frame while scrutinizing him carefully. It reminded Matt of a predator sizing up prey which irked him being every bit the alpha male.
The two men just looked at each other while the tide of the ocean moved inland, curling around Matt's shoes.
He didn't notice. The other man relaxed first and smiled, though the hardness of his eyes remained untouched.
"Matt Houston…"
Matt tilted his face.
"I don't believe I got your name…"
The man nodded.
"I'm sorry to put you at a disadvantage. I'm Stefan Kostas…"
Matt's eyes widened.
"You're…"
Stefan nodded as if expecting it. Matt had no doubt his name sparked a reaction in many people being a CEO of one of the largest pharmaceutical empires on the planet.
The man he'd met in that small town in Germany had been unassuming even as he'd exuded power. But he hadn't known much about him, except by reputation.
"We met up in Germany around Oktoberfest at that party…"
Matt remembered, and a pretty young woman, Clarissa had been his date. He'd enjoyed a short fling with her before they parted ways.
"Yes…so what brings you to this part of the world?"
After all the island wasn't a harbor for prominent business but for mercenaries and other characters who lived within the shadows.
Stefan shrugged.
"I'm on holiday. I have an estate in a small island off the coast of Venezuela. I just closed a major business deal."
"Another merger?"
Stefan paused.
"Not exactly…but just as important."
Matt digested that, knowing that the man in front of him had many companies tied up in his empire, too many to count. But Matt had spent the earlier part of his adulthood collecting companies to add to his own conglomerate until he realized he no longer wanted to compete with his father.
"So did you find what you're looking for?"
Matt looked up suddenly at Stefan who waited expectedly.
"What…you mean…"
Stefan smiled.
"That which eluded you. I assume there was a woman involved."
Matt pursed his lips.
"I'll be heading back home if that's what you're asking. I've got a business waiting for me."
"I assume you've got a personal life as well."
Matt prickled, knowing he hadn't shared that information with Stefan. Yet the man waited for him to answer.
"I know what it's like Mr. Houston…I wish I could spend more time with my own family but business…it's a major part of who I am. Fortunately I have a wife who understands…"
Matt figured like most prominent tycoons, Stefan kept that part of his life neatly segregated from his business.
"That must work well for you…"
Stefan sighed.
"Yes…there are parts of my business my wife wouldn't understand. The hours for one thing…the time away traveling to business meetings…"
Matt raised a hand.
"I assume you're not here to tell me about the arduous life of a business executive."
Stefan chuckled.
"You're perceptive Mr. Houston…"
Matt didn't shift his focus from the man's face.
"What is it?"
Stefan paused.
"I saw you talking to that man earlier. I imagine he offered you a job."
Matt didn't answer.
"You don't have to say anything. I know how he and his kind work. What did he want from you?"
Matt hedged.
"Just wanted to hire us for a job."
Stefan rubbed the back of his neck.
"He wanted you to find…a woman?"
Matt blinked his eyes and Stefan smiled, his eyes still like ice.
"I see…did he tell you why he's looking for this woman?"
Matt paused.
"I assume she has something that he wants. Isn't that usually the case?"
Stefan chuckled again.
"You might be right," he said, "but I'm looking for her too…for other reasons."
Matt narrowed his eyes.
"Oh…and you want to hire someone to bring this woman in?"
Stefan paused.
"Something like that...but it's not what you think."
C.J. flinched when Jonathon reached out to touch her. He didn't mean anything bad by it but it didn't matter. He seemed taken back.
"Hey I'm not going to hurt you. You do know that don't you?"
She bit her lip and then nodded but still kept her distance.
"It's not you…but I told you I don't have what you want. I don't have the disk."
Jonathan just stared at her and she wondered if he believed her.
"Okay then…but you have the information."
She tilted her face, studying the intent in his eyes. She knew that Jonathan wanted to avenge what had happened to her…but not just for her. He was a U.S. Marshal after all, he didn't take too kindly to any criminal thumbing his nose at him.
He wanted her help but she'd just finally decided she just wanted to live.
"Look like I said, I don't have it…and any information I have I already gave you…"
He didn't look like he believed her.
"C.J…"
She frowned.
"I'm Kelly now…isn't that right?"
"Okay…Kelly, I need whatever you have to bust up this trafficking ring," he said, "I know this…the man who held you…"
She glanced away.
"He did much more than that."
Jonathan shifted his posture.
"Okay…but we can bring him and the rest of them in…if we have the information on that disk."
She shook her head.
"I don't have it Jonathan…okay do you understand that? Because I can…"
They both heard footsteps and turned to look at Thea. Jonathan frowned at his mother.
"We were just talking…business."
Thea gave him a look.
"You take it easier on her okay? She's not better yet. Besides it's New Year's Eve and we're here to celebrate."
Both C.J. and Jonathan looked at her even if they couldn't look at each other. Then C.J. nodded at Thea.
"I'm sorry…."
Thea softened.
"Nothing to be sorry about…just want to make sure you get plenty to eat…you're still healing up."
Thea flashed a pointed look at her son.
"The doctor says you need to eat plenty of good food…especially now that you're doing ranch work okay?"
C.J. nodded.
"I'll do that…Jonathan I'm sorry I can't help you…"
She left them and Thea stared at her son, one hand on her hip.
"I can't believe you cornering her and hounding her like that. You know what she's been through…"
He stared back at his mother.
"No I don't because she won't talk about it. What did she tell you?"
Thea sighed.
"Not much but we both know what she's been through…what that man did to her…"
Jonathan paused then nodded.
"If she doesn't say anything…"
"She doesn't need to…what she needs is someone who knows her…someone she trusts."
He sighed looking down at his hands.
"That's not possible and you know why…"
"I guess I do but I don't understand it. I don't know how to help her."
He shook his head.
"It's not your place…"
She cut him off.
"Someone has to Jonathan. She's all alone here…"
"Not much I can do about that," he said, "I have to do my job. That's the best way to help her."
Thea didn't seem so sure about that.
"You know she's got family."
He didn't respond right away.
"They'd just get in the way. Complicate our case."
She rolled her eyes.
"She's not a case…she's a woman who's been through Hell….I think you should really think twice about contacting this Matt Houston."
"I can't. Besides no one can find him. It's like he dropped off the face of the earth."
She sighed.
"She needs him. What they had must have been special."
Jonathan lost patience.
"He'll just screw up everything not to mention our case. Everything has to be handled just right. You know that to get the men responsible."
She listened to him.
"What about her and what she's facing?"
Jonathan didn't answer her.