Taylor's POV – 19 July 2011

I may have pinched myself a couple of times to see if what has happened today is real but now sitting with the Boss, Welch and Barney, I wish this part actually was a dream because it is all back to business and the web of intrigue is very sticky and growing and it's nasty, oh so nasty. The material that Barney has retrieved from various machines plus what was found, and I am not asking how, from Elizabeth and Kay's homes is messy, very messy, evidence of extremely hard core BDSM and activities I couldn't even imagine. Barney sits there briefly pointing out all the information and where to find it and then with a look of relief, gratefully leaves the Boss, Welch and I to work through it.

The Boss looks a bit sick when it is all disclosed but to his credit Welch makes a point of saying that while it appears that activities started consensually in both cases and therefore was perfectly fine, they quickly deteriorated into abject cruelty from Hyde on the girls and then blackmail based on spliced images. It looks like Hyde took the images from when they were in consensual activities, spliced them with his abhorrent acts and made it look like the girls were the sadistic bastards, images that if shown to employers or anyone else would have been extremely detrimental to the girls' reputations.

What has been disturbing to discover is the images of at least the last three of Hyde's assistants and looking at the Boss I can tell when he realises that might have also been the fate for Ana. Each of the assistants had been filmed being degraded in hotel rooms in New York on conferences, the girls were all in various stages of consciousness but the blackmail material was all spliced to look like enjoyment and coherence and I am glad that Ana never made it to an interstate trip with Hyde, while the Boss looks like he wants to hit someone. I might send a warning text to Bastille that he'll have to be at the very top of his game when next seeing the Boss.

Both Elizabeth Morgan and Kay Bestie have been talking in the hope of reducing any sentences and I can see how there was a degree of blackmail in their situation but both of those women took an inordinate amount of pleasure out of Ana's distress, the video of what happened in the bank and car park shows their emotions and they weren't just there to please Hyde. It is on record that Elizabeth said "Shut up bitch, you have one role, you've screwed up that many lives so far, you need to be gone," and when this is played the Boss looks around at us, asking the question we are all trying to answer.

"Who's lives has Ana screwed up? She just went to work and they attacked her." He rubs his hand across his eyes, "That has to be the crux of the matter, Hyde said he'd employed Ana to get to me and I wonder what shit he'd fed to these two women or is there something else? What else do you have there?"

Welch pulls up the extra material that has been found and the police reports, looking at it all, I hope there is no plea bargain and that what they said isn't taken into much account; personally I hope that they both rot in jail. Nicole Bestie, Kay's sister is another one, she had nothing hanging over her head other than her sister's situation, she could easily have reduced the impact or utilised her position to entrap Hyde and rescue her sister, but no, she was in on it, she wanted her share of what they all thought was a nice haul of money.

The Boss pulls up the bank account to check that the money has been put back into it and swears, "Fuck, they took the $10 million when Ana was there and that has been returned but the other $5million that I'd deposited in that account was transferred out earlier that day without Ana's authority and neither of us has thought to check that account. That amount hasn't been returned, is there no-one competent at that bank? I think I am transferring all my money out, who else has had their hands in these accounts?" He stops his rant to call Ros, "Ros, I need an immediate audit of all bank accounts, every cent needs to be accounted for…. Yes, all of them. Ok, thank you." Well, there's another change since Ana appeared, there are now "thank you's" at the end of his instructions, even if they are still barked.

Back to the task and it is obvious that there were a lot of greedy people involved in this plot and I still don't understand how each of them thought that Lincoln would ever have given them any of it. Elena and her ex-husband are obvious as to their motivations and I wonder what the plan was from Lincoln, I very much doubt that he would have allowed any of them to live, they might have all made it to the plane but I would say that whatever the location they were heading for, some if not all of them would not have made it and if they had, wouldn't have lasted long.

I am intrigued as to Jennifer and at the mere mention of her name the Boss turns green at the gills and when he explains with obvious embarrassment his brutal introduction to anal assault at her hands, neither Welch or I quite know where to look, somehow she actually surpasses the slimy evil one and I didn't actually think that would be possible, obviously the two of them were cut from the same cloth and it wasn't a pretty one. Welch then explains that it appears that Jennifer was Elena's older sister and had been with Lincoln before Elena, it seems that once she passed a certain age, he dumped her and went for the younger sister, Elena. Ugh the cycle of child abuse is never ending with this crew.

"Ok, let's look at each of these women again." The Boss says and I tend to agree, we are missing something.

Welch carefully schools his face when he informs the Boss that he's been able to trace Elizabeth's interest in the rougher spice of life to a time when she worked in one of the edgier BDSM clubs in Seattle and I watch as the Boss groans at the mention of the club. Apparently a young copper haired Dom had been learning the ropes, so to speak, and was very rough. Elizabeth had enjoyed it and when he changed his modus operandi and became gentler and more about the girl's pleasure, she'd been moved on, hence her predilection for red headed guys with a mean streak, unfortunately Hyde was more evil than Dom and she'd been left at a disadvantage after a relationship that lasted for a while but deteriorated into evil.

I wonder out loud how effective she was in her job working for Hyde and then the bile rises in my mouth as the Boss says, "I wonder if she has been hiring assistants for the hidden role rather than their actual work ability and I wonder whether she was trying to perhaps build a case against Hyde that she would one day disclose but was held too close or was she just plain evil and enjoyed putting other women through the pain. We do know that she didn't want Ana in the role but Hyde overrode her wishes and now we know it was because he was trying to get back at me."

We have to wonder if she still held a candle for the Boss and perhaps the fact that Hyde wanted Ana in the role and had obviously told her before the pub incident, the fact that Ana was obviously attached to the Boss made her doubly a threat. She must have thought that Ana was a sub and here she was, yet another that had had nothing to do with the Boss for a very long time, still holding a candle for him.

As we are speaking, the Boss lets out an audible groan, "How many of these crazies are there waiting to jump out at me? Once I'd finished learning in the clubs, they all signed and knew the terms of our agreements and seemed to accept them and now that they see that I actually have a decent relationship, do they all think that they should have persisted and that they still have a chance?" He pauses and looks at us, "Do we need to track every one of these girls down and set them straight? I don't know what we do about the subs in the clubs, I can't believe she was in a club nearly ten years ago and is still holding some sort of fucking candle…. I don't know who they all were, they were just provided by the clubs, I didn't even know their names." He sinks his head into his hands at the enormity of the task and I have no doubt sinking into some sort of pit of self-loathing.

"We can certainly cover the girls who signed agreements, there are only fifteen left and to be honest, the one I'm most worried about is Leila Williams and after that, perhaps Susannah but all the others seemed sane and stable when they left." I say, having kept tabs on most of the women since I have been in his employ, I was always worried about the ramifications of his lifestyle but I can't vouch for the women from the time before me. Welch indicates that he'll co-ordinate that task and deal with them all so that there is no misunderstanding by any of the girls as to their options.

Looking at Kay Bestie, it appears that other than the blackmail material, it seems that she believed that Ana would take over her position and therefore wanted her gone, I have to wonder at her intelligence given that the Boss owns the company now but I guess her hate grew and was fuelled by Hyde and she decided that the money would recompense her loss of position. The stupidity of it all is that she thought she'd end up with the money and that she was so threatened by Ana when it will take Ana quite some time to make it up to the level of her position and if the business grows as all the Boss's companies do, then Ana would be above her and she would still have her position. I shake my head at her stupidity.

Jennifer it seems was just being greedy, it appears that she had been quite estranged from Elena but when Elena needed her to circumvent all the rules, the promise of a great deal of money was enough for her to put the past behind her and come on board. Perhaps she thought she'd get back at Lincoln by taking his money, so her grudges were long held too. The Boss states again that he has contacted the Governor and all of them will be monitored by a range of personnel so that no-one else that might be beholden to Elena will be able to effect escapes or releases as happened this week.

I on the other hand will be speaking to Welch about some retribution on Hyde but the Boss doesn't need to know about that, nope, not one trace can be made back to the Boss but Hyde will pay, he hurt Ana in two physical assaults and then he put his fist into Gail's face, I lose track of the conversation for a bit while I try and bring my temper under controland it is only when the Boss is looking at me with a raised eyebrow that I realise that I've missed a part of the conversation.

"Sorry, just thinking about Hyde." I mumble.

"Oh that'd explain the blood lust, don't do anything stupid, you have to think about Gail if not yourself," he says, lifting that eyebrow impossibly higher and then moves on to the next bit of information as if we were just talking about coffee, he knows and also knows that he won't be implicated.

As we are about to take a break Welch checks his phone and says he has a message from Ray to call him and I have no doubt he has a similar thought process to mine and then with a surprised voice says that the police officer Lisa Maxwell has just contacted him and would like a meeting with the Boss and Ana. This is one meeting we have all been waiting to be involved in, Lisa Maxwell seems to be something more than just the cop that happened to come along to the office assault and we are wondering if she is the key to our puzzle.

Realising it is time for Ana to go home the Boss suggests that the meeting be continued at home and I am glad as I worry about Gail alone there despite her saying confidently to me that she was fine and wasn't scared and something about a chocolate cake in the oven with a spare cooling in our quarters.

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Christian's POV – 19 July 2011

Oh could my life be any more fucked up? Well, apparently so!

The best part of today is striding into Ana's work and seeing her studiously buried in a manuscript, her hair pulled back, a small v in her forehead as she scribbles notes in the margin, then a small smile as she obviously likes the next paragraph. I stop near the reception desk, just watching her and see the moment that she gasps as she feels my presence and looks up and the smile spreads across her face as I walk in her direction. The smile wraps itself around my heart and for a second immobilises me, I still find it hard to believe that she loves me so purely and obviously that it shines out of her face.

Glancing at her watch, she shakes her head in surprise and I wonder whether she has taken her nose out of that book and remembered to eat and my feet start moving again towards her but I know to keep my mouth shut. In the time it takes for me to reach her door, she has gathered up the manuscript and another one and thrown them in a bag and is right there for me to pull her into a hug and a quick peck on the lips.

"Hello Gorgeous Girl," I will keep saying that until she believes me, she still doesn't but I will succeed on this, if it is the last thing I do, she is the sunlight to my dark and I need her to see it.

"Hello Gorgeous Man," she responds and all I can think is that if I tell her what we've discovered so far, will she still believe that?

"It's just a pretty face baby, let's go, we have a meeting with the police officer, Lisa Maxwell," and the fear that rolls across her face makes me wish she'd never met me, everything bad that has happened to her has been because of me and she just doesn't deserve it.

"Don't worry baby, Welch and Taylor are going to be there and there is something about Lisa Maxwell, I don't know her but I know her,.. argh that makes no sense," Ana is looking at me like I am talking gibberish, which I am, "Let's go then I'll explain," I say as I can see the receptionist looking at us.

Ana smiles and waves goodbye as we leave and it is a very pleasant happy smile and wave we receive in response so I feel glad that finally Ana is happy at work, surrounded by people that don't seem to be out to get her anymore.

I love every opportunity to touch or hold Ana and so I go to lift her into the SUV and she cocks her head at me, does her mind reading thing and rubs her hands up my arms and rests them on my shoulder before rising on her tip toes and kissing me on the nose and leaning into me as she whispers, "It'll be ok, it's all good."

Wrapping my arms around her, I hold her for a second before lifting her in and handing her her belt buckle, restraining myself from buckling her in as I know it's an independence thing, god, I'd love to do everything, just everything for Ana but I'm finally learning to not do so, let her do as much as she can within our security confines.

"Now, tell me, why do you think you know the officer?" curiosity oozing out of every pore and I love it that Ana isn't some vacuous arm candy, she is beautiful but with a brain behind it and a deep interest in what is going on around her.

"I don't know why, I know her, I know I do but she isn't someone I have dealt with in the time I have been in business, I just know her," I trail off, desperately trying to catch the memory that keeps flitting through my mind.

"And I know she has nothing to do with the BDSM community, I'm sorry honey but I can't do without you in my life but I wish for your sake that you'd never met me," and she gasps looking hurt.

"No, don't say that!"

"You would be healthy and you wouldn't have all these crazies trying to hurt you and you'd be safe." I say, struggling to look at her.

"Christian, look at me!" Her eyes glisten with tears and her tone is sharp and it cuts through my maudlin thoughts, "Christian, when we first met, I had no idea you would be so important to me but if I had never met you, I would have just been existing, wondering what I was missing in my life, wondering if anyone would ever love me. I wish the crazies weren't chasing us, it isn't just you but we'll deal with this together, don't ever say that again, it upsets me when you do."

"Baby, you won't believe what we found out today, I don't have time to tell you everything now but you need to understand that all this shit has been building up for years. I have just been in a meeting where I have discovered that Elizabeth was a sub in a club when I was learning the ropes, right at the beginning and then when she discovered you were with me then she thought you had to be removed so that she had a chance… It was when I was first learning and using Elena as the basis for what I did, so I was really rough, Elizabeth liked that and when I stopped being so awful, she was moved on. She liked it so much that when Hyde came along with his brutality and he was, baby, he was awful, I have seen stuff today that I can never unsee and I am so glad you didn't go to New York with him. Anyway, she went off and had a relationship with him that ended really badly and the evidence he has fabricated is awful for both Elizabeth and Kay."

"Hang on Christian, are you saying that Elizabeth subbed for you around ten years ago, in a club and still held a candle for you?"

"Yes," I say annoyed with myself, how on earth did my life end up so tangled with all these crazy people?

"Well you are a gorgeous man, so I can understand that," she says quietly and I see her still thinking things through and as fear builds in her eyes, "What has New York got to do with this? What did Jack do there?"

I wonder if I shouldn't say anything but decide against it, "Oh Baby, the things he did to all of his assistants were awful," pulling her in against me, I try and soothe the guilt I feel and she goes to snuggle against me and then pulls back.

"You can see this is all Elena's fault can't you? If she hadn't done what she'd done to you, you would never have been rough, you'd never have met Elizabeth.." and I stop her there.

"Yes but Hyde didn't hate me through knowing Elena and her influence, he hated me from when he was nine and I was four, for 23 years he has hated me, once he found me again, he just started tracking me and building up databases of what I was doing and what I had. It's really spooky but one thing that is positive is that he didn't seem to know about the BDSM, he just ended up there himself and with Elena, we are very similar, so very similar," and I stop as Ana looks as if she is going to start crying.

"Baby, are you ok? Please don't cry, I'm sorry, it's all so fucked up, I'm so fucked up,"

"Will you stop with that, you both came from Detroit, you both had a hard start to life and Elena got her hooks into both of you. Jack is deranged and all these other people that are after you are deranged too, it's not you. You are a good man."

I wish I could believe her and know that I need to organise an appointment with John Flynn and soon, for both of us. What happened with the kidnapping is still playing on Ana's mind and even though she says she's fine, her nightmares say something else and I am becoming increasingly worked up about the information that has been shown to me today.

Now, as we pull up in the Escala garage, I hope that finding out the reason why I instinctively know the officer Lisa Maxwell is for a good reason, not bad, I don't think I can deal with any more bad news, I can't subject Ana to any more bad news or she will realise that I am right and she'd be better off without me.

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AN: Not so much for this chapter but for past ones, especially if you want to see the ring and the cottage of the last 2 chapters, please have a look at my Pinterest account, the link is in my profile.

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