2
Ianto settled with a whiskey in a darkened room, just the cat in his lap for company as the dog was elsewhere, not caring about its family members and their odd need to sit and watch a flashing box. The only light was the TV and he wondered for the umpteenth time if he should watch or not but… he really wanted to know if the lies were still there. And the things he didn't remember… it might jog something right?
Across town at another house, darkened apart from a TV sat the Harkness Family, Franklin chewing on some crackers as the documentary began.
It was not pretty but it was… correct.
It told of the child actors that were molested, underpaid and terrorized by the man who had been their director and producer on the TV show 'Remnants'. A supposedly feel-good family show about orphans that were adopted by a legal firm who fought for their compensation for various crimes. The truth of the matter seems to be that the actors needed saving from the man who held their contracts.
Of all the film crew, three handed over grainy footage that they had held onto until the 10 year gag order was over. Proof of children being molested, even one of a boy being raped in one of the storage rooms while another cried in the corner.
Said crying child sat and replayed events with unerring calm, telling of that day… and other. The boy bent over the wooden crate… was named as David…. Ianto. He did not remember that day, remembered the man and the smell of tobacco and sweat. Times he cuddled him and made him feel gross but… not that day. Not… that. It was a blank. To sit and have someone else finally admit it was true, it had really happened… filled him with such rage that he had to place the glass down before he hurled it at the screen.
Ten years.
For ten years he had been discredited, backlisted and abandoned by those who were either too afraid of the old man, or too unwilling to believe such a thing could happen… damn. It should feel better than this.
Right?
Why did it sill seem so… odd.
.
.
"Turn it off" Franklin said hollowly.
Jack, his oldest son, did so.
Everyone sat in silence. Then Beryl started to weep softly, her hand reaching for tissues.
"For fucksake Beryl. You knew your father was guilty, why he settled all the cases out of court" Franklin grumbled "Christ. I am going to have to field some uncomfortable calls for the next few days."
"Why?" Jack asked softly "Why did he… I mean. Grandpa was so rich; he could have anything he wanted. But some bloody pretty boys … was it the power? Knowing he was owning them? Crushing them? When he nursed me on his knee, those times he cuddled with me on the sofa… was I turning him on?"
"Jackson" Beryl sobbed "Stop it."
"Only boys. He had a bent alright. Gray… he said Grampa was a bad man… remember? Before he was lost." Jack rose, disgusted with the blood his mother had passed through to him. Imagine if the old prick knew his grandson would grow up to not only be bisexual but someone who fought for their rights.
He now sued people like his Grandfather for their outward bias and closet grossness.
Ten years. He hoped his grandfather was rotting in hell.
.
.
"Did you watch?"
"Yes."
"And? Thoughts?"
Toshiko turned to slap her husband, but Owen was too far way, like he knew she was about to do so. Ianto found himself grinning as he replied to his brother-in-law, "That they did not talk about me much, but it was sort of… underwhelming that they did not play the footage fully."
"Enough to know what was happening. That Georgie kid… what a gutless wonder" Owen scoffed. "Milking it now that he's an adult. Wait for the fucking tell-all book folks."
"He only had three or four lines per episode and still managed to fuck up scenes several times" Ianto agreed. There was no humour in his words or expression but that was not unexpected. As far as they knew, he had not laughed since he was a child.
Like his career, the gift of joy had been stolen as well.
.
.
"Well, what can I do?" Jack asked as he looked at the table of legal fucktards. He knew his family lawyer would tell him what was best for the family… I.E. Mama Bear… he wanted an honest answer "And how do I protect myself in the process."
"Well, the victims all had funds set up, they all took deals and accepted payments…"
"No. No, I am talking about David Loyd… the one… in the video that… he never signed a thing did he" Jack tapped the table "And he was vilified in the press by my Grandfather's people, blacklisted and turned into some sort of crackpot. My god, is he even still alive?"
"He would not stay silent, did not accept the gag order at first… only after his siter was dragged into the tabloids by the company and the fact she was only fifteen and with child… he caved to protect her. He signed but in the last ten years since… he has not touched the money we paid out. It sits it the fund they created like… he refuses it. I think he is still alive, just wants nothing to do with the money or the Harkness family as a whole. Your mother has used your father's money to protect her own father in the most … well…"
"Vicious way" Jack finished for him "And now I want to see what I can do to… God… I don't know… make myself feel better I guess."
"The only thing we can do is contact his old agent, see if she had a bead on where he is and if she can pass along something. The gag orders are done, so are the protection orders. But we know the minute we try to contact him new ones will be slammed down on us like the documentary crew discovered. It means he is alive, has money and is still a bit butt hurt about…"
"How dare you" Jack snarled, rising from his chair to lean over the table "Did you just reference a child rape victim as… butt hurt?"
The room went silent.
"My mother might have been a strong enough woman to move mountains, but you do not know me. I just tear the fucking things apart. I want to know if he is OK, I want to know how I can… ease his pain and I want you lot to earn your fucking money!"
Enough said.