"Fringey…"
Summary: Sarah and her sisters see there's an even darker side to Dyad's little cloning-fest…
(Not sure about this one but while I await more details for "Nessun Dorma" I'll play round with this darker one and see how it goes. Afraid you'll have to consider this the Allison-Donnie-friendly corner of the OB multiverse. After all, she can't be veering toward insanity and he can't be a rat in every universe…)
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.
Part XXI…
Dyad Institute, Office of Executive Vice-President Rachel Duncan…
An annoyed Helena, finding the passwords available only getting her into personal files…
Like I want to know she's got hot pics of Paul what's-his-name, dead Beth's boyfriend. Wait…Is that brother-in-law? She eyed the image of Donnie on screen.
Why she have pics of sister Allison Hendrix's husband in personal files?
Not like ones of Paul…Nice…Sweet…Still…
What is with creepy ice sister? She like fantasizing about sisters' lovers? Very strange girl, this Rachel.
Note to self…Ask before kill…
Well, need to find more passwords. She began opening drawers…
Like pharmacy, she eyed the quantities of meds in bottles…She and Beth…What is it with them? Pill for every little problem?
"Buzz…buzz, buzz…" she grinned at the computer on her desk which indeed was buzzing…She opened the screen… "Your secretary, with an important message…" the screen box read.
The devil's hands are never idle…She pouted.
So important, what?…Hell run out of ice for ice queen?
Finally assuming frown and adjusting hair under hat to show only the frosted end hairs of her rather unfortunate (well, not many ladies like ice queen hair, not easy to find…) wig, she clicked the box. The nervous secretary from the outer office appearing…
"I say no calls. I mean modern technology kind, too." Helena, sternly.
Can not get good help in this country…
"Sorry, ma'am…But the investigators from the NSF/FDA team and the Department of Justice are demanding to see you. I guess one of them saw you come in."
"Tell them I left immediiiaaately." The secretary blinking at the accented "immediately"… "I'm going now."
"Ma'am…" she pushed the scanner round to show two grim-faced middle-aged men in dark suits. "They're here."
"We need to see you, Ms. Duncan. Right now." The shorter, grimmer-faced of the two spoke up.
The hectic life of busy executive…Helena sighed.
"Yeah, yeah…Ok, come in."
"Ma'am? I can't buzz them in, it's locked on your side." The secretary noted.
"Right, yes. Ok…Fine." Helena hunted the desk…Hmmn..She pressed several buttons…
A window blind opened…Music...Ah, Rimsky-Korsakov, "Song of India"…I love that…Good choice, dark-hearted minion of Hell ice sister…
And at last the door buzzed and released…
"Anything else, ma'am?" the secretary, anxious…
Everyone in the coffee room this morning eyeing each other, awaiting the next series of heads to hit the chopping block as the Insitute implodes…
"Ah, yes. Have a car brought round to front for me, I will drive. And take the rest of the day off, dear. I won't be needing you till tomorrow."
If tomorrow finds Hell…And dark sister…Still standing…
"Yes, ma'am…Thank you, Ms. Duncan."
Ok…She didn't say don't come back…Phew.
My God, she seems in a nice mood today. Never seen her so happy…
And what's with that hat?
The two men entered…
"Wait…!" a third calling from the outer office…Entering behind the first two…
"Ms. Duncan, sorry…" the third man, sporting a Dyad Institute badge. "You gentlemen have no business bothering Ms. Duncan, you should be reporting to me, as per our agreement."
"We need to see Ms. Duncan." The taller of the two men eyed the third…The lawyer who'd "rescued" Sarah Manning from her arrest months ago.
"We have a formal agreement with the federal governments of the US and Canada…" the lawyer began…
"It's fine." Helena put up a hand. "I'm happy to speak with these nice gentlemens…gentlemen, for a while."
"Ms. Duncan?"
"Go." She eyed the lawyer sternly. Who sighed, shaking head and left…
"Hey. Close door, please." Slight wave of right forefinger… "All will be fine…We do conference later, ok?" offhand wave…
"Yes, Ms. Duncan." Slight sigh as he closed the door, frowning at the secretary at her desk gathering her things…
"When the hell did she come in? Senior staff was supposed to stay away and leave these guys to Legal…"
"She just came in a few minutes ago, sorry…" shrug. Pressing button on computer…
"Yeah." Helena's image…
"Your car's being brought, ma'am."
"Good, have a nice day." Friendly smile, wave.
"You, too…" return smile…Closing screen…
"What's with her?" the lawyer stared. "Was she drinking or anything, did you notice?"
…..
Within Rachel's office…
"Ok, I'm very busy woman…Have seat, what's up?" Helena eyed the two.
"Ma'am, you do realize this institute is facing some very serious charges…Ethical malfeasance in the form of undocumented illegal human experimentation, rumors of financial misconduct to support this research, rumors of criminal behavior including murder and assault...The list goes on…" the shorter man eyed her from the chair he'd taken.
"…And seems to include possible kidnapping attempts?" the taller, from his.
"We sound like very bad people…" Helena sighed, adjusting the hat on her head, eyeing herself in the computer monitor, then the far wall mirror.
"This isn't a matter for humor, ma'am." The shorter grim man noted. "And we've been steadily denied access by your legal staff to your labs and your computer records and paper files. Our people must have full access, immediately."
"Drink?" she asked politely. "I see tea maker, would you like?" she pointed.
"No, thanks, ma'am." The shorter man shook head…The taller indicating some interest, quickly repressed at the shorter's glare.
"Ok…Let me know if change mind. Well…" She leaned back in her chair…Oooh, comfortable…Waving, then pointing marker from desk at the taller man… "I am firm believer that Truth is important…So, fine. You have access to everything here. Ok?" with a wave of hand, she smiled at the shorter.
"We'll need all passwords and all hard drives…And all the files…And all labs opened up, as promised…No more evasions." the shorter man insisted.
"Anything you want…" Helena waved hand again, expansively. "Is he still out in office, that nervous guy?" she looked at the frosted glass door.
"I'm sure he is…Your legal department's the only one that been only too willing to talk." the shorter man nodded.
"Lawyers." she shrugged… "What can do? Could you…Please? My secretary just left." She smiled winningly at the taller man who rose and went to the door, opening…
"Nice music, eh?" she smiled to the shorter man. "You like Rimsky-Korsakov?"
"She wants you…" the taller man called from the opened door to the lawyer, waiting nervously in the outer office, on the reception area sofa.
"Ma'am?" the lawyer entered, cautiously.
"Yes. You give nice gentlemen from governments everything they want. Full access to all…Things." Helena told him, stern look.
"Ma'am?"
"Honesty, best policy." She noted solemnly. "Go with him…He help you…Or else let me know and I speak with him." Dark look to the blinking lawyer.
"But first, give them all passwords for access to computer files…Write here so we can show them it works. You have, right?" She pointed to a pad on her desk.
"Yes, Ms. Duncan…But…That's…Ma'am, I think I should speak with you, just a moment…"
"Write." Grim tone, pushing pad. "All of them and which computers…" She eyed him as he hesitated.
"You trying to make me look like I don't keep word?" grim stare…
The lawyer nervously writing as the two others eyed the pad…
"Ah…Remind me…Which is this one, for company, not mine?" she tapped her laptop… "Personnel files, start there."
The lawyer pointed, sighing and she typed. "Ah, there…See?" she swung her computer screen round for the others to see. "Everything you need, anything you want…" nod, another expansive wave of both hands… "You can build houses on Rachel Duncan."
Old European expression…She explained… Leaning back in chair, eyeing both…
"Ok. Lets see how this goes. Ma'am? You were planning to leave shortly?" the shorter man eyed her.
"Shopping, in a few minutes…But I give you cell phone number." She smiled. Writing on another sheet of the pad and handing it to him. "You call, I deal with it. No problem."
"All right. Lets go." The shorter man urged the lawyer who shrugged helplessly as she rose to see the two men out with him.
Go…She eyed his pleading stare. "We be on side of angels now, eh?" Smile. She resuming her seat behind her desk a moment later.
"Hok…Now…Where are you, Tomas?" she eyed the screen. "Where your file, my old friend? I need to get hold of you…" she scanned the index of files. "I know you are here…You worked for them…And still do, you little devil liar in pleasing shape…"
"But first, tea nice…" she looked over at the tea maker.
….
South Bend Brook Community Hospital…
Ah…Allison thought, on Detective Bell's casual inquiry after his ex-wife's finances…Following on her return from speaking to the captain…Who'd demanded a complete and thorough report on his desk, asap.
Asap after I have Arthur review, edit, and probably write most of it, sure…
Divorced. I see…She avoided another hard glance from the lady, now perched on the edge of Art's bed, fussing a bit with his dressing, despite his instance of being "fine".
And apparently none too pleased about Beth's relationship with her hopefully at the time, ex-…Husband.
But no…No…Beth's no homewrecker. She'd never…Even after learning Paul was an utter, lousy lying…
Ok, not an utter…Sorry, Sarah…But still…
And even if Art was the only decent guy in her poor tragic life…
Gee…Almost makes me wish they had been…That way…It would be Beth here now, with such a great guy to love her, I've no doubt.
Of course no wife likes it when her husband has a close relationship with a pretty female co-worker…Take Donnie and Stephanie in his office.
Just so long as he doesn't take her…
And Art and Beth have been very close…Have to be when you're cops...Lives on the line, death at every…
"Childs?" Art eyed her… "I hope that intense concentration keeping you from listening to me has to do with the case…."
"Absolutely, dip…Uh, Art…" she caught herself in front of Mrs. Bell as he eyed her.
"You'd best get back to the station…Make out the report." He noted.
Uh…
Me…?
"I'll just hang a little longer…" she suggested. "Maybe we can brainstorm a little…"
"I'm fine, Beth…" he noted, sternly. "You can go on about your business, I'll see you later. If you like, you can send me a copy of the report before you send it in." he eyed her.
"Uh, sure…I'll do that." She nodded. Oh, yes, Lord will I do that…
"And Beth? Don't go after the suspect alone? Do we got that?"
"Right. He's so protective…" she grinned at Mrs. Bell who eyed her a bit coldly…
Geesh, lady…Just tryin' to lighten things…
"Out…" Art pointed. "But keep me in the loop!"
"You got it!" she called. "Nice to see ya again…Mrs. Bell."
"One minute!" Mrs. Bell rose, hurrying after her…Art sighing from his bed…
Uh-boy…
"Yeah? Can I…?" Allison, pausing…
"I understand from Art some of this involves you, personally…Your family?" tense tone, grim grip on arm.
"Well…I guess…He told you that?" Allison stared at the woman.
Nice outfit…I should ask Art if he knows where she shops.
Right, and she should ask Donnie where I go…They never notice, no matter how many times you drag them to your favorite stores in hopes of fixing something for a birthday or Xmas in their minds.
"We still talk…I was beginning to hope we might do more in time…" sigh… "Officer Childs? I don't want to make your job together than it is but if you're getting Art to risk his life over your own family's shit, I will be down on you like a ton of solid brick crap. You understand me, girl?" grim look. "And yes, it's still my business." Hard stare… "I don't mind that Art's so fond of you…I know you don't encourage anything…But he cares about you and I won't have him taking chances and getting hurt over anything that's not strictly police."
"Right…I understand…" Allison nodded.
"You better…'Cause I don't everything about that shooting of yours…But I know enough to know he covered for you in some way. And I will go direct to your captain if I have to…Get me?"
"Ummn…Sure…But…"
"Lets leave it at that. Take care of yourself, Officer. And keep watching Art's back." Stern look.
Lot of menace in that little lady…She watched the slender woman head back to the room.
Well, be nice if someone benefits romantically from the day's events…
Oh, Beth…She sighed…If only they'd cloned Art or Donnie, too.
'Cause Hendrix don't share either, girl.