A/N Hello, my darlings, I've returned with an update for you. I am very sorry for the long wait and I hope you shall continue to read and review.
Thanks to all Reviewers!!!
Dedication: to last chapter's reviewers: kungfukitty2006, LizMary96, Miss Fenway, Cherlyann Rivers, whitetigers, and Lmary.
Disclaimer: An-Jelly-Ca owns none of the characters described herein.
"Come with me, Hardy." Jim ordered opening the door to the room where Callie and Frank were being held. "The boss wants to see you."
Frank scowled but got to his feet exchanging a worried glance with Callie before following Jim out the door and down the hallway toward Marion's office. Jim knocked on the door when they arrived and waited until Marion's voice said 'enter,' before he opened the door and shoved Frank inside before closing the door behind him and taking up his post outside the door.
"Ah, Franklin, how good of you to come." Marion said mildly as though they were merely having a pleasant conversation.
"Because I had so much choice in the matter." Frank responded bitingly.
"That was a bit rude, Franklin, you know how I feel about rudeness." Marion responded coolly. Frank had to hold back the urge to roll his eyes at the absurd notion that he should be polite to his kidnapper. Instead he settled for asking Marion what he wanted.
"Why did you call me here?"
"Tsk, tsk, so impatient." Marion said mockingly. "However, I will get to the point, it has come to my attention that you may be planning to undermine my attack…that my dear, Franklin, would be most unfortunate." Marion paused for effect. "You see I happen to have a couple more pieces of leverage as it were…" With that he took out a remote control and turned on the television in the back corner of his office. "Watch."
Frank watched and he was not at all pleased by what he saw. He observed Vanessa and Phil being led down the hall by Todd toward some unknown rooms in the complex.
"You see Frank, it often pays to be holding all the cards in certain situations, so this how this is going to work out. I have laid the groundwork for framing Vanessa and Phil as planning this attack, I have created links between them and a rival organization, if this attack is prematurely stopped the blame will fall to them and I will be long gone." The terrorist said with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
"How do I know you just won't turn around and blame them even if the attack goes through?" Frank questioned cynically suppressing his shock.
"Basically, because my organization wants the credit for hurting the United States, at the same time if the attack fails and we are blamed it will limit our ability to launch a successful attack." Marion replied. "Furthermore, I decided it will be much, much to risky to have you and Miss Shaw alone at the site of the main bomb, therefore you will be in the bomb shelter underneath the main bomb, on hand in case anything fails but still safe from the explosions. Whereas Miss Shaw will be with me, at headquarters, if the attack fails I will kill her, do not doubt it. If it is a success I will not harm one hair on her pretty little head, in fact I will even release her before we exit the country. You of course will be coming with me to headline our computer divisions outside the U.S."
Frank thought quickly. Marion had pretty much shot all his plans to hell, and there was no way he was going to be able to allow all of those innocent people to die, at the same time he couldn't risk Callie's life nor Vanessa's and Phil's freedom. His only hope was to somehow break Callie, Vanessa and Phil out tonight so that they would be safe. He could then use his time on the computer when he was supposed to be transferring their accounts to banks overseas to send evidence of the true wrongdoers to the correct authorities. Callie would also be able to testify to the innocence of their friends. Frank could then interfere with the main bomb and sure he would probably end up dead but at least his friends and the thousands of innocent people would be spared. He would take the trade-off any day and it looked like he was going to have to. He only hoped that Joe would be able to function without him this time.
"You promise you'll let her go?" Frank said as though he planned to go along with the plan.
"Of course." Marion replied. "You need to finish transferring the accounts, correct?" He asked.
"Yes." Frank replied.
"Alright, I will have Jim take you there now." Marion picked up his office phone and spoke rapidly into it presumably to Jim because moments later said employee opened the door and grabbed Frank roughly by the arm leading him to the computer room.
A/N Review please. Updates will begin to come faster as school is ending in two weeks. Also, as you can probably tell Frank is going to be in some major trouble…