PREVIOUSLY: After witnessing KHAOS, New Direction's group of opponents that was put together by Micheal Baxter's brother, Rick, win their Sectionals, Rory finds himself in hot water. His situation had now changed which meant he was in deep trouble. How can he get out of this? Will Artie be able to help? Is it time for Artie to come clean?
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And now the continuation:
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CHAPTER 52 - FINDING RORY
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Even though things had been hectic before and after the New Directions performed, Michael Baxter, remembered that call that he had received just before the New Directions were due to perform. He knew the answer to the question, put to him by the stranger, even though everything around him was very hectic.
The person he had asked about was Rory Flanagan, who joined the group in it's 3rd year after defections by some females to the Trouble Tones. Even after they returned, Rory stayed with the group. He only stayed one year.
But something about the caller, and the question, screamed trouble to Michael, and after being pushed to think, it rammed it home that something was up. If someone was asking about Rory Flanagan he must have been involved in something dangerous. Michael felt had he said Rory's name, then some how Rory, would be in even worse trouble than he was in already. The question was, was it to do with the New Directions? Did it involve their opponents in Western Europe? If so, someone in the New Directions had probably put him up to it. He had to find out who, because he had two days before the caller would ring back.
So while the New Directions were boarding the bus to get back to their Training Center, Michael was on the phone to his 2 I.C. back at base. Dan Steele, and asked him to see if there was any evidence of contact between any of the New Directions from their base, and left it in his hands.
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Sunday came, and those New Directions who decided to take up the offer of a week away from the Training Center, had left, leaving only Artie, Kitty, Mike, Sam, Santana, and Brittany as the ones not to go any where during the week's break. Michael was hoping those that had left had no been involved.
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It was getting late in the day on the Sunday, when Dan came to him. He had a lap top.
"Come in," said Michael who was in his office "Do you have anything to report?"
"I've checked all communications going in and out," started Dan "Like you asked, but nothing came up."
"Crap," said Michael "That means Mr Flanagan is in some sort of trouble by himself."
"But that doesn't mean that some communications did not come from here," replied Dan
"How so?" asked Michael
"Someone can clean up their own tracks which I think in this case has happened. He/she needs to know how to do it!"
"So are you saying that means you have something?"
"It looks that way," said Dan turning his lap top around to face Michael "A few months ago I have Mr Abrams on tap in the games room, 3 times on 3 different mornings at 2 a.m. talking to someone or some people on Skype. I'm pretty sure. He then finishes and proceeds to wipe the evidence."
Michael watched the evidence of Artie doing his thing. He felt that Artie did this knowing that he might eventually get caught but his plans were so far into fruition that it would be too late to halt them.
"As far as I could tell," continued Dan "He spoke to 3 different people."
"Good work," smiled Michael "I'm very appreciative of the job you did."
"It's okay," replied Dan "Is there anything else you need?"
"Just be on standby, I may need you to do a few things."
"Sure."
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Artie was in the cafeteria having tea with Kitty, Sam, Mike, Santana and Brittany all at one table.
Artie kept checking his phone every few minutes. He thought no one was watching, but Kitty had noticed all day, and she had, had enough.
She quietly leaned in to him after having enough "What's going on Artie? You've been checking your phone all day today! What's so important?"
Artie turned to Kitty "It's nothing babe. I'm just anxious about everyone being away after being together for 3 or 4 whole months."
"Geez," replied Kitty "It's going to be a long week if you're going to keep doing that!"
"I'll try to stop it."
"Please do."
"Oh look," said Brittany "Mr Baxter's here. We haven't seen him since everyone left this morning."
Michael had walked into the cafeteria holding Dean's laptop. He walked up to the table and grabbed a chair, and placed it in the vacant side beside Artie.
"Hey Mr Baxter," smiled Brittany
"Hi Miss Pearce,"
"I though you would have gone back to Texas, before the big week next week we start prepping for Regionals?" asked Brittany
"I've given Mr Schuster a few days off to be able to come up with fresh ideas for set lists for Regionals. We're meeting Wednesday."
"Sweet," replied Brittany.
Michael looked at Artie "Mr Abrams is there anything you would like to tell me?"
Everyone at the table quickly looked at Artie, Artie noticed the looks, and looked weirdly at Michael
"Nope."
"Are you sure?"
"Very! Excuse me."
Artie quickly turned and wheeled himself towards the door. Michael stood up and turned around.
"Then I take it none of us should be worried about a call I received last night about someone asking about if there had been an Irishman who had been involved in the past with the New Directions? So much so I had the distinct feeling someone is in trouble?"
This made Artie stop dead in his tracks, and bowed his head.
"That description sounds like Rory Flanagan," said Santana
"He was the leprechaun who stayed with me," smiled Brittany
"Brit, leprechauns are not that tall," said Sam "I thought we solved that all those years ago?"
"Oh yeah that's right," laughed Brittany
Kitty got up "Artie what's going on? Does this have anything to do with what we've just discussed? You've been looking at your phone all day long. Are you expecting Rory to call you or text you?"
Artie still had his head down. He knew he was being. He had also put Rory into danger without any back up.
"Text," replied Artie
"When?" asked Michael
"He's over due to text in?"
"By how long?"
"Since last night!"
"Is he undercover?" asked Mike
Artie shook his head.
"If you don't tell us where Mr Abrams is," replied Michael "The longer it is he will be in trouble."
"Did you tell the caller the truth?" asked Artie
"I promised that he could call me back on Monday, so really Mr Flanagan, has a few hours more in order to be safe," said Michael
"Rory's resourceful," replied Artie "The fact that we haven't hear anything means he's gone to ground."
"Since how long have you been planning this?" asked Kitty
"I only put it into action when we found out about our former foes going to Western Europe."
"Foes? Action?" said Kitty "Who are you?"
"Someone who is concerned for our future," said Artie turning his wheel chair around to face everyone
"Yea, you're so concerned," started Santana "That you put someone else's life in danger!"
"When do you think it gets past the point to ask for help?" asked Kitty "Especially from someone who loves you."
Everyone looked at Kitty. She used the word love. She never used the word love. Maybe she grown up after all.
"I'm sorry," replied Artie looking at Kitty
"Where abouts in Western Europe is Rory?" asked Michael
"London, England,"
"Okay I received that call just after 7 last night," thought Michael "London is 5 hours ahead. So it must have been after midnight it was there."
"When was the last time you spoke with Rory?"asked Sam
"A few months ago, after we discussed what he needed to do!" replied Artie
Michael sighed "Okay I think we need to do a full debrief on everything you know Mr Abrams. Meet me in my office in 15 minutes."
"Can we all be apart of the debrief?" asked Santana "As Rory was one of us."
Michael knew saying no wasn't an option. Maybe extra minds could help.
"Fine," said Michael "I think a better place to meet is the choir room. 15 minutes. And Mr Abrams you need to tell us everything and not hold anything back."
"I understand."
Michael headed out of the cafeteria. Artie looked at Kitty, she looked pissed off, and she too walked straight out of the room.
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LONDON, ENGLAND
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At exactly the same time, balaclava men were walking through Rory's house in London. They were the same men as Rory had come home to the night before. There was no sign of Rory.
Their head leader got on the phone.
"Yea it's me... No sign of O'Carroll... It's like he hasn't been here all day... Sure we can check the neighborhood... Okay... bye."
Their leader put the phone away.
"Let's go check the neighborhood. Take your balaclava's off."
The men took off their balaclavas, and then left the house.
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Rory was held up in his 2nd house and had barricaded himself into a small area in the house that no one could find. He had his lap top with him, and had set up an email ready to send to Artie. It was coded as he had remembered being told that Brittany was good with numbers after she went to M.I.T so he hoped that she was where Artie was.
He wasn't sure if he should send the email, as he knew the moment he sent it, it could show up coming from where he sent it, and if the people who were looking for him then he would be found out fast. But he needed to take the plunge, and he had to push send. So he did.
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LIMA, OHIO
Artie, Sam, Mike, Santana and Brittany walked into0 the Choir room, Michael was already there with his 2nd in command Dan Steele.
"Have a seat guys, except Mr Abrams, you need to tell us everything you can about the situation with Mr Flanagan."
Artie nodded and wheeled himself to the middle of the room. Kitty walked into the room, and walked angrily to where the others were sitting. Artie took a deep breath and looked at everyone.
"I felt when we found out about the group that was purposely put together just to come across us should we get to the Worlds, I thought they would have the advantage of already knowing about us, and as we all know most of them would know how to play mind games with us.
"So on behalf of the rest of us, I thought that the best thing to do was gather evidence to see what were going to be up against, and be prepared for it."
"In a way," started Michael "That's against the rules. That's spying on the opposition."
"What about representing another nation with a group choc full of Americans and not even 1 local? Is that fair on every other team competing? After all that competition is called the World Champions of Show Choir. We played fairly getting there. They did not."
"Hear hear," said Santana "Well said."
Michael pondered that comment for a second "You've got a point. But you're on the border line. So how did Mr Flanagan get involved?"
"I knew he lived in Ireland and that he had contacts throughout the U.K. and he would be able to find the team through them. So I asked him for a huge favor and he said that he would do it for me. He said he would contact me when he had finished. Sectionals was yesterday for the U.K. as well, so he must have managed to get in with the team and get some much needed information. I'm hoping he would go to ground."
"What were you hoping to get?" asked Michael
"Photos and video footage of the group."
"And how would he get that for you?"
"By email. He was going to upload it to his home computer in Ireland, and then get back to Ireland and send it to me. That was the plan."
Michael looked over at Dan.
"We may need to get a private plane sorted to travel to the U.K."
"Yes sir" said Dan "When for?"
"A.S.A.P. I may need you to get to London to help with the search."
Sam stuck up his hand.
"No Mr. Evans it'll be too dangerous to let any of you go to London, it'll just look suspicious."
"Drat!" said Sam putting his hand down
"Hold on," said Brittany "There maybe safety in numbers."
"Oh here we go," started Kitty "The numbers girl is coming up with a plan."
"Shut it Wilde," said Santana
"What do you mean Miss Pearce?" asked Michael
"Rory's stuck in England, right? Needed to lay low so he can get back to Ireland to send stuff through to Artie?"
"I'm with you so far."
"What if eyes are centered else where on different kind of people."
"How do you mean?"
"What if certain obsessive people would be wondering what New Directions members would be doing heading throughout Europe... let's say for photo sessions. Would they think that we would be looking for Rory in Europe? Making them turn their attention off of Rory so he could get to Ireland, do his stuff, and then get back here for safety?"
"Surely they would know we're trying to do that?" asked Kitty
"It would take them a while to discover that out."
"That could work," said Michael "We may need to so call in some more numbers. We may need Mr and Mrs Hudson, Mr Hummel, and Mr Anderson back here. Mr Puckerman, Miss Fabray and Miss Cohen-Chang are too busy as it is."
"Mercedes needs to stay at her Health Retreat," said Sam
"And there is no way Finn would let Rache3l go flying to Europe if there was danger involved," said Santana
Suddenly Artie's phone beeped. He looked at it.
"Hey I just got an email from Rory."
"What does it say?" asked Michael
"I'm checking it now," said Artie looking at the email on his phone "That's weird!"
"What is?" asked Kitty
"It's all in numbers."
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The email looked like this: (see if YOU can figure it out before you read on:)
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16 12 5 1 1 12 16
19 20 21 3 11 9 14 12 15 14 4 15 4
1 20 15 7 5 20 8 15 13 5
8 1 22 5 1 16 1 3 1 20 15 19 3 14 4
1 15 18 20 8 5 20 9 1 14 7
2 21 20 16 12 5 14 20 25 15 6 5 25 5 19 12 15 15 11 9 1 4
16 12 5 1 1 22 9 19 5 15 14 14 5 24 20 19 20 5 16
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"Are you sure?" asked Michael "It might be a mistake?"
"No it doesn't look like a mistake," replied Artie looking at Brittany
"It sounds like a coded numbered message," said Brittany standing up and walking over to Artie
Artie showed Brittany the email "Yes it's a coded email with numbers."
"You're good at numbers," remembered Michael "How long can it take you to decode?"
"Not long, give me a few minutes."
Brittany walked over to a corner of the Choir Room. It took her a few minutes to sort out the code.
"Got it," said Brittany walking back to the Center of the Choir Room.
"By all means Miss Pearce, let's hear what it has to say?" asked Michael
"It says: 'Please Help, Stuck in London, Need to get home, have a package to send. Safe for the time being. But plenty of eyes looking ahead. Please advise on next step."
"At least we know he's safe, for now?" said Artie
"Can you get a message back to him, Miss Pearce?" asked Michael
"Sure," replied Brittany "What would you like to say?"
Michael though for a moment "Diverting all traffic away from you as soon as we can. Friends have photos time to take you planned Trip. Contact you A.S.A.P."
"Okay, I'll get that sorted now." said Brittany
Michael looked across at Dean "Get a hold of Mr Hudson, Mr Hummel, Mr Anderson, and Mr Jake Puckerman, and ask them to come back here. A.S.A.P."
"Yes sir," said Dean grabbing his phone, and walking out of the room
"First thing tomorrow morning you guys are going to be sent to Europe for photo sessions. Now if no one wants to take the risk, then they don't have to go. Please let me know now?"
Everyone was silent. Kitty rolled her eyes.
"Ready to be sent," said Brittany
"Send it," said Michaelk
Brittany pushed a button on the phone, and gave it back to Artie. She then went and sat back down next to Santana.
"I have contacts who I can set photo sessions for across Europe. I think groups of three would be best. I'll organize it all tonight, and we go first thing in the morning. For now I want you all to get some rest."
"It sounds like we're in a spy novel," said Santana
"Don't treat it as such Miss Lopez," said Michael "This has serious consequences for us all if Mr Flanagan gets caught by the other side. This may seem like fun but I'm cleaning up Mr Abrams mess."
"Sorry, I apologize," said Santana
"That's okay Miss Lopez, I know everyone's excited. I just need everyone to focus on the reality of the situation. It's very serious."
Michael headed for the door and stopped "Mr. Abrams if you hear anything I want to know A.S.A.P. Got that?"
"Yes sir," replied Artie
Michael kept on walking, everyone else just started chatting amongst themselves.
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LONDON, ENGLAND
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Rory received the email back, and decoded it. He was happy that help was on it's way.
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LIMA, OHIO
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A few hours late, Finn, Rachel, Blaine, Kurt and Jake had all returned to the Training Center, and they were all informed of the situation. Rachel wanted to go, but as predicted, Finn said no.
The plan was: Kitty and Artie were to go to Spain. Finn, Brittany, and Jake were to go to Italy. Santana, Mike, and Sam were to go to France. And Kurt, and Blaine were to go to Scotland. All would participate in photo shoots, and would hopefully have some prying eyes taken off of London.
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Also Michael called his eldest brother Jack, knowing that Rick was also with him, but not letting it know that he knew that Rick was there.
"Jack speak," came Jack's voice on the phone
"Hey Jack, it's Michael."
"Hey Mike, congratulations on the New Directions winning their Sectionals! I haven't had a chance to speak with you."
"I understand," smiled Michael "I thought I would take the bulls by the horns so to speak, and get the team to do photo sessions in Europe over the next couple of days. In preparation for the Worlds. Just to get the New Directions names out there, in a preemptive strike."
"That sounds like a good plan," replied Jack
Jack had put the call on speaker as Rick was having a meeting with him at the time. Rick's ears pricked up when he overheard the conversation.
"That isn't against the rules?" asked Michael
"When are you promoting them?"
"As soon as they win the Northern Hemisphere's Section. Should they win."
"Then there's nothing suggesting you can't prep for them as long as you don't advertise before you actually get to the Worlds."
"Thanks Jack. Is there any word on how Rick's team went?"
"Yea they won too," replied Jack looking at Rick who shook his head to say that he didn't want to talk
"That's great. The next time you see him, can you say congratulations from me?"
"Sure, I'll pass that on." When are you due back in Texas?"
"Give me a week, I just want to see the New Directions relaxed once they get back from their photo sessions, and then see them start prepping for Regionals."
"Okay," said Jack watching Rick get up and head towards the door "Next week you'll be focused again."
"Yes brother," smiled Micahel
"Okay," said Jack "I'll speak to you later."
"Sure," said Michael and he hung up
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Rick was outside Jack's office, he was on his phone.
"His this is Rick... You're not going to believe what I found out? The New Directio0ns are going to be in Europe tomorrow doing future photo shoots for the Worlds, but I'm pretty sure it's a front to try and find O'Carroll... Yes... Yes... I'll find out where they are going and send you their details... The ball is in your court... Got it?... Good... Bye."
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Can the New Directions get to Rory first before the opposition does. What happens if Rory is caught? Will he squeal?
Stay tuned.