CH 12: Expect the Unexpected
The dial tone only rang once, and that was it. The call was eagerly expected.
"Hello?"
"Hey, babe."
"Oh, Jason, thank God you're okay."
"Woah. Calm down. Take a breath. You know I won't do anything without calling you first."
"I know, babe, I know. I've just been on edge, is all."
"Well, don't be." Jason lowered his voice, "Did the money come through yet?"
Silence.
"Julie?"
"I'm here. Uh. Yeah. It's good. She came by, and dropped of the money, like she said she would."
"Good." Jason swallowed hard, "Well, then, I'll speak with you soon. There's nothing to worry about. I'll be careful."
"Please, don't do this, Jason. I'm begging you. We'll find another way."
"I'll be fine."
And with that, the call was disconnected abruptly.
- o -
Black Crown Corp. owned the entire skyscraper. Rachel's office was on the fortieth floor, and had an overview of the city that was to die for. And that's where Rachel found herself. Rachel sat in her office mindlessly, and simply stared out into the abyss. From sunrise to sunset, that was how she spent her day.
Somewhere along the lines, everything went terribly wrong. Rachel had exhausted every option available to her, except one; her contingency plan. It was not one she wanted to implement, not if she could help it, but what choice did she have? Rachel had to set aside her pride, and do what was best for her family. She was not above asking for help.
Rachel picked up the receiver, and slowly, she punched in the long distance number.
The dial tone rang, and rang, and rang.
The call was eventually picked up, like she knew it would.
"Hello?"
"It's me."
- o -
This wasn't how she imagined life would be. But yet, here she was, wallowing in a pool of misery, and this all started with mommy dearest.
Évelyne Cormier had lied, cheated, stolen, and stabbed a lot of people in the back, to get to where she is today. Along the way, she's made plenty of mistakes, and regrettably, many were illegal. Delphine was still in Nepal when she had gotten the urgent call from her mother. They haven't seen or spoken to each other in almost two years, and now suddenly, an overseas call from out of the blue? It can't be anything good. And she was right. It was one of the worst phone calls she's ever gotten.
Arthur Bell had unearthed enough evidence against Évelyne Cormier to send her to prison for the rest of her miserable life. And Delphine would've stood idly by, if not for her mother's incestuous plea, and her condition. Her mother had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease on her 65th birthday. You wouldn't know it if she didn't tell you. Her symptom-free physique certainly didn't give it away. And that's why she said yes. Delphine didn't have the heart to see her mother spend whatever time she had left behind bars in federal prison. And that was how she found herself up to her neck in drama and bullshit.
Obsession was a strong word, but it wasn't nearly strong enough to describe Arthur Bell's fixation on the Black family, particularly Rachel Duncan Black.
The main objective of her assignment was to gain access to Black Crown Corp., to collect evidence of wrongdoings, and fraudulent activities. For the past six months, Delphine has passed on hundreds upon hundreds of documentations. Practically anything she got her hands on, she passed along.
But Delphine wasn't a monster. She was simply a woman caught between a rock and a hard place. She has come to grown attached to her surrogate family; each and every one of the Blacks genuinely felt like her own extended family. And that was why she could not longer face them. She could no longer look them in the eyes, and continue with the charade. Her masquerade had long faded; her emotions and intentions were sincere.
Delphine has done every she could for her mother. But in truth, Arthur Bell was a petty man. Even after everything she's done for him, if he still went ahead and decided to press charges against her mother, at the very least, she tried. Delphine has done her part as the dutiful daughter. There was nothing more she could do, even if she wanted to.
Which was why Delphine found herself at her penthouse condo. Her mind was made: she was going to drop everything, and run. She no longer wanted to be a part of Arthur Bell's sadistic games; nor could she bring herself to hurt the Blacks anymore. It was cowardice, and shameful, on her part but it was the easiest opt out.
The elevator doors parted, and Delphine walked out.
The place was unchanged since she was last here with Cosima. It was cold, empty, and lifeless; a mirror image of her life.
"Hey."
"Jesus!" Delphine almost jumped out of her skin. "Cosima?"
There, crouched in the corner, by the elevator panel, was Cosima Niehaus Black, in the flesh.
"How did you get up here?"
"I've been in real estate development all my life. I know how to replicate a passcard. And I memorized your pin from last time."
Cosima was noticeably thinner than when she last laid eyes on her. Delphine also noticed how her eyes were red and swollen from beneath her frames. "What's wrong, Cosima?"
"Everything." Cosima banged her head back, and sighed, "I had nowhere else to go, and nobody else to turn to. And I wanted to see you, Delphine. I've missed you."
Delphine's heart simultaneously melted, and ached, at those simple words. She tossed all her previous thoughts aside, and she sat herself down next to Cosima. "I've missed you, too. Listen, Cosima, can we talk about —"
"Can we not." Cosima interjected. "I really don't feel like talking. I just want to be here, with you, like this. And nothing more."
"Okay. Whatever you want." Something about Cosima was amiss. But Delphine knew better than to push her. "We'll talk when you're ready."
"Thank you."
"Is that all the clothes you brought?" Delphine pointed at the duffle bag, "You could always borrow some of mine, if you don't mind."
Cosima unzipped the bag, and dumped out the contents. She then sorted the clothes into two distant piles. "These are mine. Those are... Kára's. I didn't have time to pack, so I just grabbed whatever I could, and left."
"We can burn her clothes in an epic bonfire later, if you're feeling up to it."
"Maybe later."
Delphine kicked the dirty pile to one side. And that's when she noticed a business card, hidden beneath the clothes. When she read the name, her eyes widened unbelievably.
"Where did you get this?!"
Cosima peeked over Delphine's shoulder. "I don't know any Arthur Bell. It must be Kára's. I must've accidentally grabbed it on my way out."
And that's when it clicked. Delphine finally pieced together the puzzle. Arthur Bell must have found something damning, enough to implicate Black Crown Corp. And now, he and Kára Lang were in collusion, all in an elaborate attempt to bring the company pubic. During the course of due diligence, the evidence will come to light, and Arthur will be right there, ready to pounce.
Arthur Bell was, indeed, a cunning bastard. It was two birds with one stone: the scandal will bury both Black Crown Corp., and the Black family. Nobody will be spared. And none will be the wiser.
Delphine had to make a decision. She could follow through with her original plan, and run from it all. Or she could tell the truth, and begin the long route to atonement — hopefully with Cosima by her side. It wasn't easy. But the tyranny had to end.
"Cosima, there's something I have to tell you. But you're not going to like it."
- o -
The lights were on, but the house was virtually empty. Only Alison and Donnie were home, but were confined to their quarters; they weren't going to be a bother.
Rachel was nowhere to be found, and that's exactly how he wanted it to be. He was traveling light. Daniel grabbed what he could, and left behind what he couldn't. But it didn't matter. Practically everything in his possession was replaceable, and that included his marriage.
Daniel didn't want it to come to did, but he was left with no choice. The threat of an IPO paralyzed him with an intense fear. Anybody in the world of commerce knew that during the course of an IPO, all your finances had to undergo a rigorous audit. The SEC's audits were notoriously difficult, and held the highest advance forensic audit standard in the world. That wasn't music to his ears. It was the enchanting tune of a Siren, ready to lure him to his watery grave. Black Crown Corp. will never pass the audit. Daniel made sure of that, with his illicit activities throughout the years.
True. Rachel might still have an ace up her sleeve, and the IPO could still be reversed, but Daniel didn't want to gamble, not with his life he didn't. He would not fare well in prison. And that's exactly where he'll find himself, if evidence of his bookmaking came to light. Daniel knew Rachel better than anyone else. There was no way in Hell she would stand by him if his blatant betrayal came to light. She would leave him in a heartbeat.
Daniel only took the basic essentials with him. It included some clothes, his passport, and $800,000 in bearer bonds he had stashed in a safety deposit box. The chartered flight was scheduled to depart in two hours. It was a one-way flight to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
The place had been wiped clean. There was just one last thing. Daniel took off his wedding band, and he placed it atop Rachel's vanity dresser.
The message could not be clearer: it was over.
- o -
Money is only as good as the people you buy with it. And if there was one thing Felix could afford, it was the best attorney the City of Toronto had to offer. He didn't just hire one criminal defense attorney; he hired a legal team of six. But it didn't matter how many ivy league graduates he hired, they still couldn't bail him out of this hellhole. They expedited his bailing hearing, but even so, four days was a long time. The suits were optimistic though; it was his first offense, and he had deep ties to the community. Felix was almost certain he'll be granted bail.
In the meantime though, Felix found himself in a remand prison. A remand prison was in-between a detention center, and an actual prison. But it still sucked, nonetheless. Everybody that passed through those doors were all lowlifes, either too poor to afford bail, or their crime was so atrocious, the judge denied their bail. The place was a cesspool. In Felix's eyes, they were all deadbeats, and prison is exactly where they belonged. But he kept that to himself. Until his bail hearing, Felix kept his eyes down, and his mouth shut. He didn't want trouble, nor was he looking for any.
But that was next to impossible, not when his face was plastered all over the six o'clock news, across all major networks. There were perks to being a member of the prominent Black family, but at this moment, Felix wanted nothing more than to distant himself from that surname. He had a target on his back. But he was determined to make it through, in spite of that. It was only four days. The worst possible thing has already happened to him: he was in jail. What can possibly happen in four days' time?
It wasn't all bad. Felix was given his very own cell, while others had to share one. It was no doubt Rachel's doing. So at the very least, he got a good night's sleep.
Come morning, an alarm bell would ring over the PA system at six o'clock, sharp. The correctional officers would then conduct a body count, and when all was in order, breakfast was served. And that was exactly where Felix found himself. The line was long, and his stomach empty. Felix queued for food along with the other inmates. When he was finally served, all that was dumped onto his tray was a slice of bread, and nothing more.
"Excuse me. I think you forgot my oats and orange juice."
The worker scowled at him, "Fuck off, you pansy faggot."
"What did you —"
"Keep the line moving!"
Felix kissed his teeth, and he swallowed his retort. He grabbed the bread, and he threw the tray behind the counter. "Go fetch, bitch."
Felix headed for the doors, when a CO stopped him dead in his tracks. "No food outside the cafeteria. You want that bread, you finish it here."
"But..."
"No buts." The CO pointed to an empty table by the corner, "Go sit, Black. Don't make me ask you again."
Under any other circumstances, Felix would've thrown a fit, but he remembered his earlier affirmation, about staying out of trouble. Besides, he really was starving. The bread wasn't much, but it'll fill him, at least, until lunchtime. Felix did as he was told like a good choir boy. As he walked past the other inmates, he could feel their eyes pierce his clothes; it was that invasive.
Felix sat with his back to the guy, and he ate his breakfast in peace.
"Hey. I know you. Felix Black, right?"
Felix kept his head down, and said nothing.
"You're fortunate, you know? At least you can afford a reputable attorney. My public defender is a joke. The guy's juggling thirty cases, simultaneously. The bastard wants me to take a plea deal, just so he could avoid a trial. Can you believe that?"
"Look, whatever this is, I'm not interested. We're not mates. I don't know you. And I don't need your life story. So, please, just stop."
"You know, you really are the asshole they say you are. People like you, born with a silver spoon, you just sail through life. You never take responsibility for your actions. And at the end of the day, when shit goes down, you don't own up to your mistakes. No. You buy your way out. Now, tell me, how is that fair?"
"Fairness is for people that can afford it."
The man threw down his plastic utensils. He was done with his meal. "You're right. Money makes the world go round. And now thanks to you, I could finally afford a proper lawyer."
And that's when Felix finally looked up. "What are you talking about?"
The man pulled out a homemade shank; it was a razor blade attached to a toothbrush.
Felix slapped the shank away. "What the fuck?!"
But instead of going after Felix, Jason used the shank on himself.
Jason stabbed himself indiscriminately; wherever the makeshift shank landed, it pierced the skin through and through. And through it all, Jason kept quiet; not even a tiny peep. When he finally stopped, the shank was protruding from his abdomen, then and only then, did Jason scream bloody murder.
"HELP! OH, GOD! HELP!" Jason pointed a bloody finger at Felix, "The motherfucker stabbed me!"
A CO tackled Felix to the floor, and clubbed him repeatedly with his baton, "Stop resisting! Hands behind your back! I said stop resisting!"
"I'm not resisting!"
When backup arrived, several correctional officers had Felix circled, and their batons lashed down, no questions asked. The fury of their strikes were evenly matched with their wild breaths.
It was four against one.
Felix did not stand a chance.
- o -
Regardless of how hard you try to stop time, time waits for no one. While Sarah's world came crashing down, the world around her continued to spin. Nothing was the same; everything has changed.
Sarah had been discharged yesterday, and already, she couldn't believe all that has happened since. Rachel was there when the doctors gave her the okay. And the first thing they did was hug it out. In the end, they were family; they only had each other. Rachel's priorities may not always be in the right place, but her heart was. And unlike their eldest sister, Sarah refused to believe Cosima betrayed them, for Kára Lang of all people. And until Cosima told her otherwise, Sarah gave her the benefit of the doubt.
Sarah may have missed the board vote that threw Black Crown Corp. into disarray, but there was no way she was missing the scheduled meeting this afternoon. When it came to Kára Lang, they'll need all the help they can get to contain her craziness, and Sarah was intent on doing just that.
But such with life, when one fire was quelled, another would arise; the drama was a never-ending vicious cycle. Since Sarah's admittance a week ago, Dr. Schultz, Kira's primary pediatrician, has blown up her phone. Under Dr. Schultz's care, Kira's anemia has improved vastly. But like the saying goes: no news is good news. And in this case, Sarah was almost certain she was not going to like what the doctor has to say.
Kira still visited Dr. Schultz every month, to be reevaluated as a precautionary measure. If nothing else, these monthly visits provided Sarah with peace of mind.
A knock sounded, and Dr. Schultz showed his ugly mug. "Hello, Ms. Black."
"Good afternoon."
"Oh." Dr. Schultz did a double-take, "What happened to your eye?"
"Tennis accident." Sarah answered annoyingly. "You called about Kira?"
"Oh. Yes. I actually called to discuss the results of her latest blood test. With the anemia treatment we have Kira on, her red blood cell count has steadily increased over the past several months."
"That's good news, right?"
"Well, that's where things start to complicate. Kira's most recent blood work left much to be desired. Her platelets have dropped, despite her dietary adjustment, and the iron-therapy we have her on. Such fluctuations are a cause for concern, because it usually points to anemia being a symptom of an underlying cause, or disease."
"So what exactly are you saying, Dr. Schultz?" Sarah asked fretfully, "Is Kira okay?"
"Kira's urine sample raised a red flag. I don't believe Kira's anemia is chronic, like we originally thought, nor is it genetic, actually."
"What is causing Kira's anemia, then?"
"Kira is suffering from chronic kidney disease. Health kidneys produce a hormone called EPO. The primary function of EPO is to instruct the body's bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. Because Kira's EPO levels are below baseline, even with aggressive iron-therapy, it's simply not enough."
Sarah heard every single word, but her mind couldn't process the information. "So what are you saying? That Kira needs to be put on dialysis?"
"No. Unfortunately, dialysis is used for lost kidney functions in people with kidney failure. Kira's kidneys aren't failing, they're unhealthy; damaged, if you will. Dialysis won't do her any good."
Sarah was at her wit's end, "So stop telling me what you can't do, and tell me what you can."
"Well, taking into consideration Kira's age and the current progression of her disease, I would strongly recommend a kidney transplant."
"A kidney transplant?!"
"Yes, Ms. Black. And then there's the issue of Kira's blood type. Only six-percent of the world population are AB Negative. Given the restrictions, I strongly recommend a familial donation. Since her father shares the same antigen as Kira, he would be the most suitable candidate."
Sarah zoned out; she heard not a single word.
"Shall I give Mr. Dierden a call, then?"
- o -
By now, word of Kára Lang's coup d'état has spread throughout the company. There were vicious rumors that the Blacks have finally lost control of the company. Many of Black Crown Corp.'s employees were paranoid. They had no idea what Kára Lang's intentions were, and they were fearful for their jobs. With the fate of the company still undecided, that's when you truly know where people's loyalty lies.
The scheduled meeting today would be the last and final step towards preparing an IPO. The application required the board's signatures, every last one of them.
The Blacks in attendance today included: Rachel, Sarah, Alison, Cosima, and Delphine. They occupied one side of the table. While Kára Lang sat on the other side, with her minion of lawyers from Pearson Specter Litt. Even Cosima, whose last vote was in support of Kára's proposal, chose to side with her family this time. Actions spoke louder than words, and Cosima's actions were worth so much more. It wasn't easy. And it took a lot of courage. But Cosima no longer wanted to be Kára's puppet. Whatever Kára Lang has planned, she would face it, come Hell or high waters, but she wasn't alone anymore, she had Delphine now.
Cosima has come to realize that the control Kára had over her, it all stemmed from a deep-seated fear, rooted in the abusive relationship they shared. That was the sort of power the abuser has over the abused. But not anymore. Cosima wasn't going to go about this alone, not anymore. There was power in numbers. And after this farce of a meeting, Cosima was going to come clean, and tell her family the truth; about everything. And once all the dirty laundry was out there in the open, it's no longer the skeleton in your closet.
Kára Lang had assaulted Cosima, twice now. She'll never forgive her for it. And she will pay. But Cosima chose to use that hurt, and that pain, as motivation to see to it that she never hurts another anymore, like she did her. She could act like a victim, and have the world throw their pities at her. Or she could stand up for herself, and end the victimization, right here, right now.
Cosima held Delphine's hand underneath the table. She was nervous. And her palm sweaty.
Delphine gave Cosima's hand a gentle squeeze, "You alright?"
"I will be, soon enough."
Lousi Litt, the third and final name partner of Pearson Specter Litt, began the meeting. "Thank you for taking the time to be here today. I'm Louis Litt, and I will act in the capacity as your legal advisor, and guide you through your IPO application."
Rachel checked her watch.
"On behalf of Black Crown Corp., I have already contacted Ernst & Young LLP, and they have agreed to take us on as clients. Their firm will be responsible for the audit analytics, and they'll also determine what the best offering price would be, and the best time to bring it to market."
Mike Ross handed Louis a folder.
"Now according to the initial proposal, you wish you be listed on the NASDAQ stock market. Is that correct?"
Kára said, "It is."
"Excellent." Louis handed Kára a confirmation letter, "The application has been filled. All that is missing is the required signatures."
Without hesitation, Kára Lang signed where indicated.
Mike passed the letter forth, "Ms. Black, if you would."
Rachel outright declined, "No."
Sarah said, "I second that."
Cosima followed, "Same."
Alison added, "I would jump in, too, but that conniving bitch stole all my shares."
Kára could not be more amused, especially by Cosima's valiant effort to oppose her. "Really, now? You're still going to put up a fight?"
"Ms. Lang is right. Those that refuse to sign, or those in absentia, we will petition the courts, and have a power of attorney sign on your behalf. So whether you choose to sign the confirmation letter or not, the outcome will be the same."
Cosima shot Kára a deadly stare. The woman was as devious as she was ingenious. It wasn't a matter of do or die; it was damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
Rachel reaffirmed, "No. You can twist our arms all you like. It's not happening."
"As you wish, Ms. Black. We'll see to it that your —"
The doors threw back with a loud bang.
Every single member of the Black family, with the exception of Delphine, recognized the intruder. Sarah, Alison, and Cosima had a bemused look on their face, that just about said it all.
"You." The woman pointed at Louis, "What's your name?"
"Louis Litt. Wait a minute, lady, who the Hell are you? This is a closed door meeting. You can't be in here."
"Mr. Litt, I have no idea what you do around here, but your services will no longer be required. You can show yourself out."
"I don't know who you are, but I don't appreciate your tone. So unless you show yourself out, I'll have security escort you out."
"I've asked you politely once. Do not make me ask you again, Mr. Litt."
"You stupid, crazy —"
"Do as she says." Rachel spoke up, "And leave us."
Kára Lang dismissed her minions with a wave of the hand. "And who might this be?"
Rachel stood up, and said, "Hello, mother."
- o -
A/N: Ask, and ye shall received. So, ask away.