Ten Years Ago
John followed Murray through the glass doors that etched in their glass, 'Robert Crawley'. He swallowed, feeling the weight of his current circumstances finally settling on him. As he cleared his throat to say he should leave Murray ushered him into a chair in front of a large desk where a man with graying hair spoke quickly on the phone.
"Yes I understand. I know there's- No, you see- I can't very well- Now listen here- You don't- Alright then I-" The man hung up the phone and rolled his eyes, "You'd think that people would be a bit more respectful of your attentions when they want something from you."
"May I assume you mean you'll be giving me the kind of respectful attention I deserve?" John pointed to himself, "Are you going to explain why you sent your man here to detain me."
"What a vocabulary you have." The gray-haired man laughed. "I'm genuinely curious how much you read while in prison."
"More than I've had time for since. Why do you care?"
"Because I have a proposition for you." The man extended his hand over the desk, "I'm Robert Crawley and I want to help you."
"Help me how?" John eyed the man's hand, refusing to take it. "How do you even know who I am?"
"Other than the papers splattered with your name on it all over the country?" John glared at the Robert so the man turned to Murray. "Could you please leave us Murray?"
Murray nodded, bowing out of the office to leave Robert and John alone. Robert waited until Murray closed the door before he spoke again.
"Murray told you that I helped get you out of prison, yes?" Robert took his hand back, "I asked him to lead with that but you never know if people actually remember every detail."
John scowled, "He mentioned it but why would you've gone to such trouble?"
"I keep myself apprised of those people to whom I owe a great deal."
"What do you owe me?"
Robert leaned forward on his desk, "Do you remember where you were when they arrested you, five years ago?"
John chewed the inside of his cheek a moment. "It's difficult to forget when you get charged with murder."
"Yes," Robert flexed his jaw, "That is very awkward."
"Are you serious?"
"No." Robert stood, "See, when you entered that alleyway you did me a good turn and now I want to do you one."
"How'd I do you a good turn?" John scoffed, "I remember every detail of what happened in that alleyway and despite the fact that your face isn't all that distinctive, I'd remember you if you were there."
"You're sure?"
"Very." John lowered his voice. "I remember every detail because I run it over in my mind every night. It never leaves me, it never fades, and I never have anything else to occupy any stray thoughts. If you'd been there I'd remember."
"Well, I'll be honest. I wasn't there personally but what you did there gave peace to my family."
"How?"
"Do you recall the man who was there?"
"The one who died in my arms?" John nodded, "I remember him. Blonde chap with a lot to say about his wife and son before he died."
"You tried to save his life?"
"He was beyond my help but I did what I could." John gave a disgruntled snort. "Apparently when you're found holding a dead man in the alleyway people are less inclined to believe your story about being an innocent bystander."
"And for that I'm deeply sorry." Robert took a breath, "That man was my son-in-law and unfortunately for you, his death hung around your neck because they couldn't find the real killer."
"What do you care?"
"I care because I know you didn't do it and I want to repay the five years you spent paying for something you didn't do."
"Unless you've got a time machine I don't see how that's possible."
"Don't let the concept of linear time blind you to what I can do for you."
"I've no idea what that would be since you've not told me what you plan to do for me."
"Help you reinvent yourself." Robert stood, walking around his desk while John watched him pace the office.
"Why would I want that?"
"The state, in their rush, to send you to prison decided that the best solution was to sweep the whole thing under the rug and pretend you never existed but see, you still exist. You're not going anywhere and you've got more than a few pounds to your name that I can help you use to become a new man, if you want to."
John leaned back in his chair, "You want me to become someone new?"
"I think, with your experiences, you could become a greater man. The key, in all this, is to forget the man you used to be and become a better person."
"And do what with it?"
"That's your choice but the offer stands."
"I've still got a plane to catch to Rome tonight."
"I know and I wouldn't dream of leaving you to miss your flight or your trip with the redoubtable Mr. Talbot."
"How'd you know Mr. Talbot?"
"I've spent more than enough time in the last five years researching you and everything about you so of course I know about him." Robert laughed, "He's quite the character."
"He won't want me missing the flight."
"Then I'll leave you with this offer," Robert extended his hand to John again, "Once you return from your little trip to Venice, which I hope goes well for you, then I'll be here waiting if you want to take me up on my offer."
"You mean the reinvention of myself?"
"That's exactly what I mean."
John pulled at the collar of his sweatshirt, "What told you I didn't kill your son-in-law? All the evidence they had said I did it but you spent five years trying to prove me innocent. Why?"
"Because it wasn't just my son you saved." Robert held his hand out to John still, "You saved me as well. Though I don't know how well you remember."
Present Day
John read through the file again, flipping the pages to make sure he left no page unturned. Rubbing at his eyes he checked the time and grumbled to himself. Talbot entered the room, smiling at him, and tapped his watch.
"I do hope you didn't forget."
"I didn't. I just don't want to go." John pushed up from the desk, tucking the folder away into a drawer, and locking it before tucking the key back on its ring. "Why'd you suggest this again?"
"Given your interest in Anna Green I thought it best to give you a chance to see her without actually having to stalk her with your investigator." Talbot held up two tuxedos. "White or black tie for the opera, I couldn't decide."
"Are you always so cheerful?"
"I have been ever since you decided to help me out all those years ago." Talbot examined the suits, "Let's take the black tie. This isn't the night for tails and I want you to look fabulous enough she wouldn't be able to take her eyes off you."
"What do you think she is to me?" John pulled his tie loose, flipping it onto the back of a chair while he unbuttoned his shirt one-handed.
"Something spectacular since you hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on her." Talbot handed over the tuxedo, taking John's discarded clothes over his arm. "Though I'm curious, with my own little research, what a charity hostess managing the boards of three different non-profits is really going to do for us."
"It's not what she'll do for us, Henry, it's what we'll do to her."
"To her?" Talbot paused, arranging the clothes more securely over his arm, "What exactly do you have I mind?"
"I intend to ruin everyone who betrayed or abandoned me."
"And what did she do to betray you?" Talbot shrugged, "You never mentioned her when you made that murder board in our cell."
"I didn't know she betrayed me until I got out of prison." John buttoned his collar down, "And now she's going to get the same as the rest of them."
"And who are the 'them' again?"
"Green, Bricker, Barrow, O'Brien…" John paused, "And now Anna."
"Not Vera?"
"Why disturb the peace our divorce bought me?"
"Why disturb the peace you have at all John?" Talbot sighed, "I don't mean to sound incredulous to your insane place but-"
"But you will?"
"You've got more money than any man I've ever heard of, you've got successful businesses and people who rely on you. Wasting your time trying to ruin these people who don't spare you a second thought… why bother?"
"Because I don't have any peace Henry. I don't sleep, I barely eat, and I find myself struggling to even breathe."
"And this is how you solve it? By destroying the lives of these people not worth your time?"
"It's all I've got Henry." John finished tying his bowtie, taking his jacket off the hanger. "It's all I've got now."
Fifteen Years Ago
John smiled at the clerk, taking his bag and hurrying out into the rain. He ducked for cover under the awnings on the street, trying to avoid soaking himself in the deluge draining from the sky. Holding his bag close to his chest he hurried around a corner, taking shelter for a moment in a doorway.
In the weak light he saw another man coming up the street. The man's coat billowed slightly and he held his attaché case over his head to protect it from the rain. They nodded briefly at one another and John noted the man's smile, warm even given the cold of the night.
John turned to go the other direction when he heard a scuffle behind him. He pivoted, dropping his bag when the crack rang through the alley. The water had him skidding over the pavement but he landed near the man in the black trench coat. He put his hands over the man's abdomen, white shirt already soaked with rain and blood. The billfold was open a few feet away, the attaché case torn and spewing papers drenched in the puddles around them.
"Hang on there mate." John tried to pull his sweatshirt over his head but the man grabbed his arm.
"Tell Mary I-" He gasped, coughing at John while John's hands slipped over the man's bloodied front. "Tell my wife that I love her. And my son, his name's George. Tell her that there's too much to say but all I've got is the love I have for them."
"Sure, sure, I'll tell them but you'll be fine." John risked a hand into his pocket, fumbling for his mobile. "I'll get the squad here and-"
"Tell Mary I love her. I'll always love her. Tell her that."
"Of course." John fumbled his fingers over the buttons. "But you'll tell her yourself and then-"
"Freeze!" John looked up, blinking against the rain, to see the police there.
"He's dying."
"I said freeze!"
John went to stand, a hand still on the man's chest, "He needs-"
The crack that went through his knee burned, like an explosion to his leg. John stumbled back, gasping at the pain, and held at his leg. Footsteps pounding over the wet pavement filled his ears while his eyes caught sight of the spilled contents of his bag. The flowers now crunched to pieces, the chocolates crushed into the rain drenched pavement, and the anniversary card disintegrating to nothing.
Present Day
John clapped with everyone else in the audience before taking the offered glasses from Talbot. He examined the distant display before turning his gaze to the other boxes. In the distant box he noted a smaller blonde woman, sitting next to a young man with dark hair, and another man with auburn hair. The woman and the younger man exchanged words, laughing a bit, before the other man glared both of them to silence.
Lowering the glasses John passed them back over to Talbot. "I've seen enough."
"Really? It's not even intermission."
"We're leaving, Henry." John stood, smiling at the attendant, and headed toward the exit. "We've got much to do."
"You always say that but," Talbot took their coats from the man at the coat room, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
"Sorry?" Both of them turned to see the young man John noted through his glasses earlier coming down the stairs. "Do I know you?"
"I don't think we called for you since we don't know you but," John shrugged, "Why'd you think we asked after you?"
"My name's Jack." He held out a hand and John shook it. "Jack Green so I'm sorry I thought you called my name. My mistake."
"Not a concern." John released his hand, "I'm John Christian and it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Well, if you're John Christian then it's my pleasure to meet you." Jack smiled, "I've wanted to meet you for a few years now but I never thought I'd be so lucky as to meet you attending the opera."
"Was there a reason you wanted to meet me?"
"I've been trying to get one of your internships for awhile now and I wanted to convince you in person."
"What makes you think meeting me would be enough?"
"I'm forward and determined, Mr. Christian." Jack shrugged, "I'm sure I could impress you if you gave me another meeting to do so."
"Don't you know, Mr. Green, that an elevator speech is only good if you can impress me in the thirty seconds it takes on the elevator?"
"But we're not in a lift, Mr. Christian." Jack smiled, "If I rode with you on the elevator in your building I guarantee you, you'd want to hire me."
"Alright then." John took his coat from Talbot. "You've got Monday at eight am, lobby of Christian Enterprises. You've got the ride from the lobby to my office to impress me."
"Do I?"
"If you want it." John leaned forward, "Are you up for a challenge, Mr. Green?"
"I am." Jack stood tall, "And it's Jack, Mr. Christian. Mr. Green is my father."
"Well, then we'll see if one day you can rise to be the man your father is." John nodded toward him. "See you Monday, Jack."
"Monday, Mr. Christian. Eight am."
"Eight am." John turned to Talbot, "Ready Henry?"
"Yes sir." Talbot winked at Jack, "Good luck to you Jack. He's not kidding you know. It'll be thirty seconds."
"I'm prepared sir."
"Good." Talbot joined John at the door, opening it for him before stepping outside and leading them to their car. John slid inside and Talbot followed, smiling to himself. "He's got ambition."
"He's made himself the means to an end. Nothing more."
"He's not part of the plan, John."
"He is now."