Chapter 8: Down But Not Out (Part 2)

Part 1

Lisa is working at her new job, sorting through papers and answering phone calls as Tom walks in and sees she’s swamped and feels a little sorry.

Tom

Hey, I’m probably not the best boss for saying this, but you don’t have to work so hard.

Lisa

There’s just a lot to do today.

Tom

Don’t worry; I have other assistants to take of that stuff later. Why don’t you take a break?

Lisa

Really?

Tom

Yeah, the machine will take the calls and the paperwork will still be there when you get back. Come on, I’ll buy you a coffee.

Lisa

Alright.

---

Tom

So, I can’t believe I never asked this before, but where are you from originally?

Lisa

Burbank, actually. After the whole situation with Ryan’s father, I just felt as though it was better to get away. Once I earned the money, I bought the house here. I think it was a good decision, it’s amazing here.

Tom

Oh... Well, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened to Ryan’s father?

Lisa

He died in a car crash...

Lisa realizes she should add more to this sentence.

Lisa

A few years ago.

Tom

That must have been hard.

Lisa

It still is.

Tom

Well, if you ever need anything Mary and I are here to help.

Lisa

Thank you.

Tom

Well we should probably get back to work.

Lisa

Oh, right, Ryan’s birthday is about a week away and he wants Mason and Charlotte to be there.

Tom

Great. Where is it?

Lisa

Uh... I haven’t thought that far ahead.

Tom

Don’t worry. Mary is a great party planner. She’ll cook something up in her sleep.

---

Saunders

We know you’re not sleeping, so wake up!

Bennett puts his hand over the patient's mouth and presses on a wound causing the man to scream into Bennett’s hand.

Bennett

Hmph... you’d think he would develop a tolerance for pain by now.

Saunders

Let’s not forget about your unique strength. Now, you have a few options here. Obviously you know we don’t exactly play by the rules so hopefully that will help persuade you to make the right decision. The way I see it, we’re your only chance at staying alive here.

Bennett gives Saunders a glare but it goes ignored.

Saunders

Obviously, we can’t let you go and blab about our secrets here so I’ll give you incentive to keep your mouth shut until we grab you this time tomorrow. We can offer you a nice cozy room in an underground facility where you can get plenty of exercise, gourmet meals, occasional fresh air, and a wide assortment of books and movies. We even have video games, if you like. Or you can risk telling the Feds here and not only will we kill you, but anyone else we have to in order to clear our names, including the men standing outside waiting to interrogate you again. Or you can tell them your own secret in which case they would shut you down like they probably would if we didn’t interject to save your sorry life. So what’s it going to be?

The man doesn’t say a word. Saunders starts to get impatient.

Saunders

Tell me, who saw you that night that your hideout burnt down? Can you describe him?

The man doesn’t answer.

Saunders

Did he take a certain picture of you that you’re hoping he will use as some sort of blackmail to save you? That picture would have only hurt your case. You would still get shut down and we would get very angry. Oh, but no, this is about revenge, isn’t it? You want us to suffer. That’s understandable. But you see that man who took your picture is dead. We got to him before he could even unlock his phone.

Saunders leans closer and whispers into the man’s ear.

Saunders

Nobody gets in our way. We always get what we want and don’t care who we have to kill to get it. So the choice is yours. A little something to sleep on before you’re on your way to your new home. What’s funny is it will probably be better there than what your sad excuse for a life was before all this. No more mafia life for you. Think about that carefully and decide how long you want to live and how you want to live it.

Saunders and Bennett leave the room.

Bennett

Are you really planning on keeping him alive and just locking him up?

Saunders

This picture changes everything. There’s no point to killing him now. Daniel Fields is trying to blackmail us. I don’t want to play his game. Instead, we make this man disappear, advertise Daniel Fields as much as we can, and focus entirely on finding Lisa Fields.

Bennett

Wouldn’t Daniel Fields then send out the picture and ruin our plans?

Saunders

Hopefully, we can track the number that sent this image.

Bennett

Mr. Fields isn’t stupid. He might be leading us into a trap.

Saunders

I’ll take the risk. He has a way of staying hidden and the one chance he wants us to come to him; I’m going to bring all that I’ve got.

---

Lisa

Ryan, I want to talk to you about your party.

Ryan

So I am having a party?

Lisa

Yes. Well, Mrs. Wilson is actually planning your party so I don’t really know where it is or what she has planned yet, but you will have a party.

Ryan

Shouldn’t you be planning my party?

Lisa

Well, she volunteered and seems to be looking forward to it. I guess she’s really good at planning parties and I thought she would do a better job than me.

Ryan

Okay, so what did you want to talk to me about, then?

Lisa

Well I know your actual birthday isn’t for a couple of months but I thought since we’re celebrating it soon I was wondering if there was anything you want for your birthday.

Ryan

Well, I would really like a new tablet but I know I can’t have that.

Lisa

Even if we weren’t on the run I wouldn’t buy you a tablet. They’re expensive.

Ryan

Dad was the owner of one of the richest companies in the world.

Lisa

That’s not the point, though I’m sure your dad would have bought you one anyways.

Ryan

Well how about a guitar instead? I might try out for that school band.

Lisa

That’s quite an expensive gift, too. Are you really thinking of joining the school band?

Ryan

Yeah, why not?

Lisa

I just didn’t think you wanted to be in a school band. We could have had you join one at your old school.

Ryan

Well I just thought I could try it out since Charlotte suggested it at dinner that first night...

Lisa

Wait a minute; you’re joining because Charlotte asked you to?

Ryan

No… Maybe...

Lisa

Oh I see what’s going on now. You like Charlotte, don’t you?

Ryan

No... I don’t know...

Lisa

Aw, that’s so cute.

Ryan

Mom! No it’s not.

Lisa

Alright, fine. A guitar it is, then.

---

The agents are driving to Carrie Walsh’s apartment.

Saunders

They said back at HQ that the phone call came from this area. The nurse’s apartment is here so we’re assuming it’s there.

Bennett

I still think it’s a trap.

Saunders

Remember the last trap we walked into? We came out fine then.

Bennett

I think we should really consider our options here. That photo can do a lot of damage to our progress.

Saunders

Finding Lisa Fields is part of that process. Either way we lose. At least this way we can fight back against Mr. Fields. Besides, I have a plan in case things go south with that picture. I think an FBI’s word is greater than a murderers’.

Bennett

Murderer, sir?

Saunders

You’re telling me you don’t remember the story we just made up at that funeral?

Bennett

Oh, right. That could work, actually.

Saunders

Come on. Let’s go up.

The agents exit the car and go up to Carrie Walsh’s apartment. They knock on the door.

Saunders

FBI! Anybody in there?

Nobody answers so the agents knock down the door and check the room. The place is empty except for the cell phone sitting on the coffee table.

Bennett

He’s gone.

Lionel

What the hell are you guys doing here?

The agents point their guns towards the open doorway and see Lionel standing outside.

 To be continued...