"I was in San Francisco on that day, the 16th of March in 2005 for a job bid. It was my first attempt to get work being self-employed, I had just started Scorpion. This was a two step bid process. Everyone they called came to the first interview and then those selected would meet with the owner the next day. You have to understand something Paige. Geniuses are easy to fool, you could be playing me right now and I would never know it." Walter held up his hand as she started to speak. "But I do believe you Paige, completely. I promise you. In a short bit you will understand why."
Walter looked around the room and asked her to look at a spot and keep her eyes on it. Not to try and look anywhere else.
"See, being a genius is like this, we're naturally assuming because we love facts that others state facts, even though we know that isn't true. Without looking, can you tell me what the color of the curtain blocking the doorway is?" Walter asked.
"Not really, it's kind of dark though." Paige told him.
"You can look around now if you want." Walter smiled. "See it is much like that, we can kind of see things in the fringes but not really. And that is where lying and deception happens, so it almost always blindsides us." Walter sighed as he took her hand back in his. "Bobby presented himself to me as a good person. A little annoying because of how much he talked. It wasn't until much later I learned it was how he distracts people. He was called in first and when he came out, instead of leaving he came back over and sat down. He'd learned a lot about me before and so he said he'd like to show me around the town a little. I hadn't really wanted to but he was kind of friendly and he kept at me until I finally agreed."
"He told me he'd pick me up a little before dinner, we'd hit the Fisherman's Wharf for dinner. Then we'd hit a few places he knew I'd find interesting. So around 6 pm he showed up and we left. We had dinner at The Wharf. It was very overrated in my opinion." Walter told her as Paige smiled and nodded.
"He took me to a few places that had some interesting science and history exhibits. The longer we were out the more things got hazy in my memory. I believe it was about 10 pm when we ended up at some club, it could have been earlier or later to be honest. I don't normally go to clubs and it wasn't a club I would go to because of my touch issues. And to be honest I wasn't even sure how we ended up there. But I didn't want to appear as ungrateful, which was odd, normally I never think of such things. I'm so matter of fact, it almost always insults people. I believe he'd gotten us into a special room as he called it. I was really feeling very relaxed and talkative at times as I try to remember. I have real problems remembering what happened even before getting to the club. I seem to remember a few girls periodically showed up on a small stage and danced for a few songs and left." Walter told her as she gasped.
"You were in one of the VIP rooms at the club. They were an expensive item, most assuredly they would result in some kind of sex. They were high on the owner's list of trying to get all the girls to work. I never performed in them. I'm surprised that all they did was dance." Paige told him, her shock was evident.
"I guess? I wasn't thinking clearly, if at all, but couldn't seem to do anything about it." Walter said as he shrugged his shoulders. "I kind of remember a second girl but then everything goes completely blank on me. At one point it was very quiet, I could kind of hear music in the background, but muffed. And then some music came on much closer. No one was speaking but I couldn't seem to wake up. I felt someone touching me, I believe it was a woman, she had a very pleasant scent. A feminine voice was kind of humming around me. I have some mental impressions of great pleasure. And the next thing I know, it is late the next morning and I'm in my hotel room."
"My mouth and throat was dry and scratchy. My head hurt and I was still having problems processing what was going on with me. I sat up on the side of the bed and I found my…umm…manhood was exposed. There was a ruptured condom on me and quite a mess of dried fluids. My phone chimed and I pulled it out, it was a message telling me that my bid had been pulled since I missed my meeting." Walter felt Paige squeeze his hand.
"I tried to get up and fell back on the bed. My pockets were empty and my items were on the nightstand next to the bed. I grabbed my wallet and found the three thousand dollars I had on me was gone." Walter told her.
"Oh no, Walter." Paige fretted.
"It's okay Paige, I'm just telling you what I discovered. I have no feelings against you, I promise. Only for you." Walter smiled.
Paige nodded as she smiled back.
"At this point I still didn't know what happened. My memories were completely encased in a fog. And then I saw I had several older text messages and I read them and they were from Bobby. Each one asking where I went? Asking if I was okay. Saying Sandy wanted to know where I was and to come back. The last one was from around 4 am. Saying he guessed I must have gotten lucky with someone else. He said Sandy was disappointed. He wished me well on the bid today and hoped to see me there. At this point I knew I had been set up by Bobby." Walter said.
"I desperately wanted to save my bid, the only chance I thought I had was to get to the hospital and see if they could test for some kind of substance in my blood." Walter sighed. "The hospital took my complaint seriously and professionally, I hadn't cleaned up so they did a rape exam kit on me as well as checking for STDs. The police were going to completely blow me off. The blood test came back that I had been drugged with GHB and even at that time my blood-alcohol level was almost enough to get me busted for public intoxication. I don't drink alcohol, or consume anything else that can alter my thoughts. All I cared about was for the police to give me a police report citing all the facts."
"Unfortunately the company wouldn't give me any consideration and reschedule me. So I was feeling like a fool and going home even more broke than I was when I got there. That was the last time I took more than one hundred dollars cash with me. Luckily my credit cards were still in my wallet, I was able to pay for the room and come home. I spent my time in transient trying to mentally rebuild my memories. It took me the entire flight and cab ride home to put together what I just told you. But now we have to make some decisions." Walter sighed.
"You're not going to press charges against me are you?" Paige asked fearfully.
"What?" Walter squeezed her hand. "Why would you ever think that?"
"Walter, intentional or not, I raped you." Paige told him.
"Well, first we don't know for sure if it was you. Second if it was, you didn't rape me, you were tricked into having sex with me." Walter smiled.
"But…then what decisions do we need to make?" Paige asked.
"Well, if you will let me. I can collect a small sample of your DNA and I can get a digital copy of the sample from the hospital's lab in San Francisco and compare them and then we'll know if we did have sex. If so, if you are willing, we'll need to get a test kit to check my DNA as Ralph's Father. And if Ralph is my son, we'll have to work out some kind of plan for me to pay you back, for back child support." Walter said as he squeezed her hands.
"Oh Walter." Paige smiled. "No one has been so sweet to me."
Mrs Kovelsky had been about to rustle the curtain when she heard Paige's words and she grinned. She moved the curtain before unlocking it and pushing it out of the way.
"I'm so sorry Walter, Paige but I'm going to have to start sitting customers in here pretty soon." Mrs Kovelsky told them.
Walter looked at his watch and was shocked to see they'd been there nearly four hours just talking.
"I'm so sorry Mrs Kovelsky, I didn't realize that much time had passed." Walter said as he stood up.
"No Walter, sit, sit. I'm not rushing you, I'm just letting you know we'll be bringing people in so you can keep your private words between you. But, because you are so much like my sweet nephew back in Poland I want to tell you something. Are you listening?" Mrs Kovelsky stared at him with the most serious look he'd seen on her face.
Walter smiled and nodded as he sat down. Whenever Mrs Kovelsky got excited or passionate her speech changed and it sounded more like "broken" English.
"Do you know why I am always so happy to see you? Why I am always so welcoming to you?" Mrs. Kovelsky asked.
"Because of your nephew?" Walter frowned.
Mrs Kovelsky smiled.
"Yes, as I just told you, you are so much like my nephew back in Poland. It broke my heart to leave Poland and move to America. Like you, he loved those rotten fish, so I was happy to order and fix them just for you. Fix them with the love and care of your Aunt. Like you, he was very backwards socially. But you are definitely much smarter. You take good care of this one." Mrs Kovelsky pointed to Paige. "I know quality when I see it, Walter. And this lady is quality, regardless of whatever minor imperfections she thinks she has. She will amplify whatever you give her. You see us here, in this great state, in this restaurant? How do you think we have it?"
She continued before Walter could speak.
"Because of me amplifying all Mr Kovelsky ever did for us. You listen to Ela here, I've walked and worked on this world for over sixty years. I've seen wars, I've seen pain and anguish but I've seen love and devotion. I've cooked and served many meals in this kitchen, I've watched the elite of this state come and go, dining on the food I prepared. You remember back the last six years you've come here, every woman you brought here, what did Ela tell you later when it was just you here?" Mrs Kovelsky asked him.
"You told me they weren't right for me." Walter said softly.
"And were they?" Mrs Kovelsky asked.
Walter shook his head and Mrs Kovelsky grinned.
"So, now I'm telling you that this one, this one here is the good one for you. The others would only detract from what you gave them, this one will amplify. You listen to Ela, you listen well and you reflect on all my words. You treat her as the lady you know she is, and she will always treat you like the king she knows you to be." Mrs Kovelsky told him before she slowly bent over, giving him a chance to adjust to it and kissed his cheek.
"And you Paige, you've seen some hardships, I can see it as plain as the nose on my face. But you walk with grace, you walk with your head high. You let not those things weigh you down, but you walk with compassion. And that is a good thing, you are strong and resilient like Ela here. This one, he is going to be a challenge. He'd be a challenge for anyone, but he has the heart of a champion. Nothing can stand before him, no setback can keep him down for long. He'll always find a way. He will stand every time he's knocked down. He'll be an impenetrable wall surrounding you and the family you will give him. He'll make your life as sweet as he makes it challenging. I know you have the strength, the strength it will take to take charge of him and direct him properly." Mrs Kovelsky told her.
"You heard how he introduced you to me, yes? He didn't say you worked for him did he? No, he said you work with him now. Those are important words of difference. You watch, you listen as he talks and works and you will see the power he has." Mrs Kovelsky smiled and then she whispered to her. "Take Walter's hand again."
Paige reached out and took Walter's hand. Mrs Kovelsky reached over to put her hand on Walter's shoulder and he flinched.
"You see that? Walter instantly reacts to people trying to touch him. But he doesn't do that with you and this is good. It shows he's already in tune with you. The two of you will go far together if you aren't afraid of the challenges of each other and of relationships. No life is easy all the time, if they are easy then something is very wrong. Something isn't being said that needs to be said. You both have set ways you like things, but you compromise on them, give a little, take a little. And you build upon them. Don't dump all the housework on her or place all the responsibility of taking care of the family on her. Don't despair the time it takes for him to provide for the family or fear what he feels towards others. Already his heart only beats for you, it will never stray, this Ela knows." Mrs Kovelsky told them.
"Now, I must return to the kitchen, my children. You remember all Ela has told you." Mrs Kovelsky told them before kissing Paige's cheek. She smiled and walked out of the room.
"Man, I can't believe 197 isn't here and he didn't leave a note or anything. Where do you think he is?" Toby asked as he lounged on his couch.
"Someplace where he can't see you goofing off, obviously." Happy said as she looked up at him from her workbench.
"Yeah it is a little strange he isn't here. I wonder if it has something to do with Paige." Cabe said as he sat sipping his coffee.
"I think you might be right, Cabe." Sylvester said as he looked out the window as he stood at his white board. He pointed out the window.
Toby jumped up and moved to the door and opened it. His mouth opened wide as Walter held Paige's hand as she got out of his car.
"Holey Toledo. One day in a car together and you are practically married." Toby said out loud.
"Can it, Toby." Walter told him as they walked towards the door holding hands.
Toby moved back and they entered the Garage.
"Hey kid." Cabe smiled as he stood. "Welcome to the Garage Ms Dineen."
"Thanks agent Gallo." Paige smiled.
"Call me Cabe." Cabe told her.
"Please call me Paige." Paige nodded.
"Everyone, you remember Ms Dineen from yesterday." Walter addressed them.
"Hi everyone, call me Paige, please." Paige said with a cute smile and wave of her hand.
"She is working with me from here on out. She's going to be helping to run the company. She'll be working to help us in our dealings with those with normal EQ so that our abnormal IQs don't alienate them as much as we do now. If you have a problem with this." Walter paused as he turned and looked at Toby. "You know where the door is, no hard feelings. As she learns the administration side of things, she'll be taking that over as well. Any questions?"
Walter saw Toby and Sylvester raise their hands.
"Good, glad to see we got that out of the way, back to work." Walter told them.
"Walter, wait a minute." Paige said softly to him. She looked at Toby. "You're Toby correct? What is your question?" Paige asked sweetly.
"I…I think I forgot it." Toby said, shocked.
"Come on Toby, from what Walter told me, I doubt you have forgotten what you had for breakfast four days ago. Out with it." Paige told him.
"So are you now over us?" Toby asked.
Paige smiled as she looked at Walter.
"In a sense, but I'd rather look at it as we are side by side. Working for the same goal." Paige smiled.
"Oh, so you are a switch hitter and want Happy too?" Toby asked, hoping to embarrass Paige while reminding Happy he desired her.
"Toby." Walter said threateningly.
Paige held up her hand.
"Well not that it is any of your business Toby, but yes, I have enjoyed a woman once much earlier in my life. And yes, Happy is very pretty and desirable. But no, I'm not here for Happy." Paige told him and saw Toby hadn't expected her to come back at him.
"How'd I get into this?" Happy asked.
Cabe ticked his head standing close to her.
"The Doc, how else?" Cabe told her.
Happy shook her head.
"So then, who are you here for?" Toby asked, trying to turn it back around.
"And Sylvester right? What was your question?" Paige ignored Toby and turned to Sylvester.
"Does this mean that Ralph will be coming around to visit?" Sylvester asked.
"I am sure it will." Paige said with a laugh.
Greetings! I hope this finds you all well!
I'd like to take just a moment to say a few words...JerBr, if you are reading still, I'm unsure why you deleted your stories but I am sadden to see you have. I know your last chapter I was really irritated with Walter and Paige being so kind to Toby, but if that came across as a statement against your writing it wasn't meant to be. You did a good job of making me see him as a villain. You told really good stories with lots of Waige fluff and I'm always for those. I wish you the best and I am sorry if anything I said played a part in you deleting your stories. From what I've read we can't truly delete our account, we can only delete stories, change our name and request the site to delete the account. I hope this is true and you haven't requested your account to be deleted. The site also has a 2 week period before a deleted story can't be recovered. I'm sure like me, everyone would much rather see and read your stories than not.
Railman - Yep...Drew is not a good guy in any sense with this story. I didn't want to make him the bad guy, but he was the logical choice. lol The club manager is creepy, but not on the scale of Drew in this. He more or less plays by the "rules". You will learn the connection! Absolutely! Next chapter as a matter of fact! First Toby has to be Toby for a bit...lol Yep, our resident favorite genius has put together the situation with Ralph and as you can see, he's ready to make good on it. Hrmm...would Walter do something do something to Drew? hehe
Lucy - I know...it felt horrible writing it and it isn't quite over yet for our genius wrangler unfortunately. I can't comment on anything about Drew like that and as for Walter's desire to be in that room...Maybe? Maybe not? We'll fine out more come Chapter 11!
Marie Mac - Oh goodness, I hope you can! I've kind of come to the conclusion that we lost Franxine...As I recall she was having heart issues like the wife and it has been so long since I last saw a comment from her. She always told me she wanted a story where Walter didn't get hurt and this would have been a good one for that! We all could certainly meet our end today or tomorrow. I've often thought what I should do with my stories. Set up a secondary account and upload all the chapters and then give someone control over it in case I do pass on, they could finish posting the chapters.
Pearliegirl - Well thank you, I try to be amazing! LOL Not really, just a man moving through life. hehe Yes, you should have known! lol I'm glad you are enjoying the twist! I've certainly worn out anyway to introduce the topic.
Susan - Looks like it is more than just someone who looked like Walter...however did this happen? Tune in to chapter 11 to find out! lol Sadly yes, there are men and women like this...preying on people in a desperate situation. If not actually kidnapping them. Human trafficking is a big "industry". I didn't know January was the awareness month for it, so when I found out I was so glad I could get the 1st 2 chapters posted before the end of the month.
LouBe - I'd say it was still innocent...just kind of bad? Right? I do torture Walter a lot. And here it is Paige getting tortured. She wasn't so much concerned about Homeland...more about private clients if anyone either recognized her from her SF days or if they saw the video, but it looks like Walter is ready to bet everything on Paige, so Homeland, Toby or private client better tread carefully! lol Thankfully no, she didn't lure anyone else into it. The potential was definitely high as to what could have happened. Drew was stupid in that respect, he tipped his hand way too early and Paige was willing to flee and worry over the video at a later date. So far it looks like Paige is on board! lol And sadly it doesn't look like it is a site error but that Jer did his account. Would be great if it was a site error...like where his account and stories are stored there was a hard drive failure, but that seems really unlikely. I don't think this site has like a "sleep mode" or anything so like he could snooze it, everyone appears gone and then come back in a month and reactivate it and it all comes back. I do wish it had retained my reviews to his stories though. As a member you have reviews section that shows your last 300 reviews made.
Margaret - I do hope you give this another chance! You don't have to feel sorry for feeling how you feel. I'm sorry this story isn't working for you. I'm sorry you feel like this has destroyed Paige's character. But you feel what you need to feel. The subject matter is an important one and I didn't think it should just be a case of helping someone they don't know. The situation carries a lot more meaning when it involves a major character. I feel while it is a departure of what we know as Scorpion, it is a situation that many find themselves roped into and subjected to. Paige fortunately was able to stay strong once she realized what was going on and got out of there. Human trafficking isn't an easy subject and so many are lost to it every year. I think if you give it a chance, the rest of the story will be enjoyable. I remember during Masked Calculator you were a little disappointed the story didn't cover the human trafficking part. And I wanted to use this idea in a way to propel our lovable characters in another way.
To the Adventure! -Tim