A/N: Ta-da! :)

Fun fact, this chapter was never planned or supposed to be written. I had written the last chapter as some way of EE Martin finally realizing what they had in her, but of course all you amazing people questioned motives that were never there to begin with LOL And maybe the line about a salary of a Million Dollar was a bit over the top, but well... So... I went back to the drawing board, taking a break from my actual new chapter to this saga and came up with this. I also need to start figuing out a way of turning up the heat between these two a little, but fear not friends, I have it somewhat figured out. Somewhat. I hope you enjoy this unexpected installment.


It had been a couple of weird days following my lunch with Eunice, which turned out to be lunch with my former boss. The conversation we had kept me busy for a while, especially factoring in that I had been offered a horrendous amount of money without the guy offering it looking like he actually really thought this through. Or knew what I had been doing beforehand.

I had texted Eunice a handful of times, still wondering how much she had initially known and if all of it had just been a massive setup, but had yet to receive an actual reply.

With my head deep in some files and the new roster, but my thoughts far, far away from my actual job, I knew today would be anything but productive. At least not as productive as I usually was.

Hearing someone clearing their throat, I looked up from something I couldn't even remember what it was and saw Carlos standing at my door.

"I knocked a good minute at least, but you didn't even move a single muscle," he offered, and I realized I must have been really deep in thought.

"Sorry, I'm just... someplace else today," I replied, apologetic, throwing a weak smile into the mix as well.

"I noticed," he more or less laughed, taking a seat opposite my desk. "Anything I can help you with?"

"Not re-," I started almost automatically, before realizing that maybe he actually could. At least he could give me an opinion. What I did with it would be a whole different thing. But how to bring up the issue? It wasn't like I worried he might assume I was seriously considering the offer which had been extended to me, but it also could look slightly odd, to say the least. "I've been thinking about that lunch a few days ago," I eventually started and figured I'll take it from there.

"Ah, I see," he replied, seeming like all of a sudden something made sense to him. I didn't know what that could be, but well...

"See what?" I asked and saw him smile at me ominously.

"Where your mind has been the last few days, And I definitely understand?"

"You do? Because I don't."

I heard him laugh for a second and was even more confused. None of this made any sense at all.

"After years of more or less slaving away without any sort of recognition, an offer like that would probably make everyone think - despite the fact that it is pretty unrealistic and strange. But I guess that was the intention to begin with, to have an edge and assume you can be baited with money."

"Do you believe he'd really pay me that much, as he stated?" I asked curiously and saw Carlos' brows raise.

"Would it make you return to your old company if he did?" he asked.

After thinking about his questions for a serious minute, I ended up shaking my head. "I don't think it would change anything. After all, the company would still be as unappreciative as before and I would still put in my hours. And even if I wasn't to work as much anymore and my work being recognized for what it is, there would still be plenty of people for which nothing would ever change. Because the company wouldn't change."

"Then why would it matter if what he said was true?"

"I just... I find it odd, like everything. The offer, the timing, the fact that he roped someone else into it in order to have a chance and speak to me. I mean, why pick up the phone when you can orchestrate a whole lunch?"

"Also, when he would have called, there's always a chance of you just hanging up."

"And how exactly is that better or worse than walking out like I did?" I asked, amused.

"It isn't from your point of view. But he had a better chance of breaking you and getting a foot in the door."

"Do you really believe there was a chance I would agree to his offer? Just the slightest?"

"Honestly? I hoped you wouldn't, but I couldn't be certain. And when I walked into that diner, I wasn't certain what I'd find."

"Why were you at that diner, anyway?" I asked.

"Co-incidence. Tank had mentioned an extended lunch break, and I just spotted your car driving past when I came back from a meeting. I figured maybe you wanted company and walked into a rather odd constellation. Imagine my surprise when I learned who he was."

"Imagine how surprised I was. But something about this seems odd. I can't pinpoint what it is, it just seems... a strange timing."

"Did your friend contact you again?" Carlos asked, and I shook my head negative.

"She has been radio silent since lunch."

"Maybe that's all the answers you need. If this had been really just a coincidence, then she would have contacted you by now in order to reschedule or meet for a coffee."

"Or she feels... weird about how things went down. Maybe she worries about how it might look and that I think exactly along the lines of this being a setup. Maybe I should just quickly write to her and suggest another lunch myself, to show that I don't blame her."

"Why?" Carlos asked, astonished. "If she worries how it might have looked, it is even more reason for her to contact you. I don't see why you should be the one running after her if she's the one with the issue."

I let his words sink in for a moment and had to admit he was right. I shouldn't be putting in all the work if she had issues. And by the looks of it, this really had never been about lunch between two ex-colleagues.

"Why is everything always so god damn complicated?" I asked, letting out a sigh, and saw him try to suppress a grin.

"If it wasn't, it would be boring," he answered, finally giving in to the urge to grin.

I laughed at his statement, grinning back. "Were you looking for someone to pawn some life lessons on or is there an actual reason you stopped by?" I asked, realizing there probably had been something he actually needed.

"Life lessons," he answered, amused, and I wasn't buying that as his intention one bit.

Instead of an instant reply, I just laughed and watched him leave a moment later. He never came back that morning or even that day. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be seeing Carlos for a few days.

I had just made my way back from the morning briefing, where Carlos had been as absent as the past few days, and sat down behind my desk, getting ready to work, when a file landed on my desk all of a sudden.

Looking up, I saw Carlos in front of me.

"Welcome back," I said in a somewhat confused manner. While it certainly wasn't my business where he went and what he did, a little information would have been appreciated.

"I went to investigate something," he replied without me having to actually ask anything. "You might find the results rather interesting."

"What did you investigate?" I asked, confused. There was nothing going on that needed any kind of investigation, from what I knew. Hell, hardly anything that landed on my or his desk ever needed investigation. Most of our job was pretty much straight forward.

I opened the file he had thrown on my desk and the first thing I read was 'EE MARTIN'. Oh dear!

"Turns out, there might be a more sinister and serious reason why Martin approached you the other day. It seems like they have a very odd construct of companies and shell corporations that are not directly affiliated with them but help move money around and into accounts that are outside the US and untouchable for the IRS or the government in general. They are in deep shit for a transaction that happened a while back and went badly, putting them right on everyone's radar."

"And what does any of that have to do with me?"

He looked at me for a long while, seeming almost like he was contemplating what to say next.

How bad could it be?

"Different sources share different intel, but all seemed to agree that they need a patsy to blame everything on sooner or later. Since the web of corporations and companies as well as some odd charities is well weaved and in a manner that is supposed to distract and confuse, it is hard to say who is supposedly heading any of it. Of course, since Dean Martin is the CEO, he'd be on top of that list, though he doesn't appear in any document and therefore could claim unawareness. But in order to remove the target and heat he is facing, he would need to have someone to blame. Who better to take than a disgruntled employee who had been slaving away for years and the ability and access to build this up on the side without anyone noticing?"

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Afraid not, Babe. Would also explain why he seemed so unfazed by whatever you threw at him in regard to requests. A Million dollars in salary and all the time off you could dream off is better than everything he could be accused of and charged with, after all."

I didn't know what to say or even how to respond to any of the information. To some degree, it seemed like a piece of fiction or something Hollywood would come up with.

"There's also some intel that suggests he has pretty heavy ties to several mob organizations and is involved in the embezzlement of company funds. But that is hard to prove without a look at the books."

"I'm ...sorry? Several mob organizations? Do I ...need to worry or something?"

"No," Carlos replied, shaking his head and somehow easing my sudden worry.

"So, this was never really about showing appreciation and some sudden realization of what I actually did for the company, that I was a valued asset that no one ever noticed?"

Carlos looked at me for a long moment, seeming to weight his options or replies that seemed comforting. Not that I really needed comforting, it just sucked to be disappointed once more. Why had I stayed with EE Martin for all these years?

"I hate saying it, but yes. Looks like it was just a game of 'find the patsy'. If it isn't you, he'll move on to his next target."

I just nodded at the somewhat harsh reality. Carlos was right, after all. This wasn't about me and what I brought to the table, but rather about some dumb and unsuspecting victim they could bury under all these allegations.

"Is it bad that I feel now like I wasted all this time these past few days, thinking about that lunch and just… seeming happy that finally I got some recognition?"

It was meant as a rhetorical question, but leave it to Carlos Manoso to jump right in, nevertheless.

"Not really. It just shows that you finally seem to have found your value in what you did," he stated, got up a moment later and smiled at me, before walking towards the door.

"Oh… and for what it's worth, I appreciate you. Everyone at RangeMan does. And we definitely recognize the work you put in, all day, every day. Don't let some dickhead rain on your parade because he can't and couldn't see your brilliance. His ignorance and arrogance are my gain, after all."

And then he left my office, leaving me with a wide smile.