| Subject: Chapter 222 - Part 1 (16 and above) |
Author:
KatherineG.
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Date Posted: Wednesday, February 15, 06:57:54am
In reply to:
Katherine Gilbert
's message, "Dreams in the Dark (chapters 221--?)" on Monday, February 13, 07:24:07am
Extra warning: There are some mild curse words here. I'll rate it 16 and above to be safe.
Dreams in the Dark (222/?)
by Katherine Gilbert
Sadly, not everything was going as well as Michael and Nikita's strengthened reunion. Across the city from them, another pair confronted each other--but they could only be described as frigid enemies.
It had been only to Madeline's mild surprise that Adrian had made a point of meeting with her. She had expected that the woman would either come to gloat or bargain, after the plans against the couple had failed. But it was far more bemusing to find that it wasn't quite either of these outcomes she received.
"He wants what?" the tutor demanded softly--for once, utterly thrown off by an opponent's words. It had been shock enough that Adrian had even mentioned Jones openly. But his wishes . . .
Her blank incomprehension continued, as the actress repeated her news. "He wants Michael to enlist. Once he's served, you can have him back as your leading man."
Madeline's stare was penetrating, the infuriated confusion only evident somewhere at the very back of her cold eyes. "And I'm supposed to give up our major star so that he can serve in a war this country isn't even part of?" She shook her head, trying to regain some inner sense of control--as disconcerted as she still felt. "What good would that possibly do Premier?"
"It would keep you from making an enemy of Mr. Jones." Adrian's smile was knowing. "Or is that a challenge you feel you can handle?"
There were a million, inner responses to this, a thousand other options and concerns which were forming in the tutor's mind; she managed to keep most of them at bay, still rather overwhelmed by her enemy's straightforward approach--and her powerful ally. She didn't answer directly. "And who's to say that he will even return from such a war? Or is he expected to just be picturesque in his desk duty?"
The actress did nothing to address Madeline's--or her own--more deadly concerns, making this nothing more than a business meeting. It was the only way to deal with the woman. Anything other than expediency would always be lost on her--and she had no intention of discussing the motives of her deal with the businessman.
"We can't, of course. But that's not the issue." Adrian's gaze moved in, forcing her opponent toward the vital point. "What's important is that you have two options. You can either do as your new friend asks." She gave a smile she didn't feel at all. "Or you can lose your star far more permanently."
This pronouncement drew the woman's attention, forcing her to focus again--Adrian's blunt approach, and unexpected news, having left her completely, and unusually, scattered for a moment. She matched her opponent's tone, getting to heart of the issue. "Jones wants him dead."
The older woman didn't answer completely. "If Michael doesn't do as we've discussed, he will be." Her look moved in. "Isn't a war hero a far more palatable option?"
It took a moment before the reply came, Madeline's look drifting in unexpected sadness. "Not if he's dead."
The conversation stopped there for a moment, the tutor left to process this new debacle; it certainly wasn't the first of the past few days. She had already failed to eliminate Nikita, had in no way won Michael back--the couple even managing several days off, in the process, their return delayed till Monday. Even if she started drugging him now, his idiot of a wife and shrew of a grandmother-in-law would be there to pull him back. And now there was this new crisis to deal with; there was a very soft sigh. If only the plans of the strong ever came together as easily as they should.
She was left to sigh over this sad fact for a very brief second of self-pity, before she managed to gather herself, focusing on the issues before her. As disgusted as she was at Nikita's continuing existence, and Michael's even stronger focus on her, she couldn't change such details now. Her semi-ally, Hillinger, was dead--Jamie apparently having betrayed them both. It wouldn't do her any good to mourn.
She returned from her regrets, then, worked on applying her logic to the situation at hand--which was more than a bit baffling. They had never had too many dealings with Jones, only those he demanded of all of the studios. She had never even met him--which she supposed was for the best. Very few of those who were called to such meetings returned; her eyes went to Adrian in disgust. How the bitch managed to still be walking was an unpleasant irony of life.
This discouraging fact wouldn't get her anywhere, however, her analytical skills needed--gaze dropping again. Still, why Jones would suddenly make such a demand was a bit of a mystery. Did the businessman simply want to see his daughter married to a military hero? She sighed. Unlikely. What the man might desire in a son-in-law was rather difficult to fathom, but this probably wasn't it; her head shook only slightly. She would just have to dig deeper.
She tried to pull her mind out of its slight shock, focusing on the man who appeared to be her newly-won enemy. Still, there was no particular reason why Jones would want to harm Michael for the actor's own sake; if he had, he would have acted before the couple's marriage, not after they had a child on the way. And, as loathsome as the girl was, it seemed unlikely that he would be punishing his daughter. Gunmen like Hillinger weren't exactly hard to come by. For a businessman such as this one, personal revenge for an employee's death wouldn't come to mind.
This left her question open, though. Why would the man target Michael? Who else would he harm by such a threat? Her gaze went to her nearby opponent, drilling into her--but even that option led nowhere. There was still no reason why the man would need to punish his ex-whore's mother--especially all these years later. No. Her eyes fell. Unfortunately, the only viable answer was the obvious one. He was punishing she herself--and the studio she represented. There was really no one else he could wish to harm.
There was a soft sigh, as this thought moved on, but she felt no real regret for the actions the businessman wished to berate her for. It had been a good plan, her wish to rid the world of Nikita quite reasonable. She had just been unlucky enough to have chosen weak partners in her efforts.
Still, such regrets would get her nowhere, her mind honing in on the obvious truth. With this plan, Jones would rob Premier of its main meal ticket, would leave her only with the soppy Nikita in his place. That alone was annoyance enough. The girl was only viable with her husband, only had something to give when she shone in his reflected light. She sighed. But she supposed there would be little way out of keeping her close.
Her look returned reluctantly to the actress near her, disliking this entire situation but needing to make it clear. "Nikita stays, I assume." Adrian nodded, causing Madeline's eyebrow to rise. "Any ideas on whom I should replace him with?"
Actually, the woman did have one. As much as she disliked all of these terrible events, she still had hopes of making it at least marginally bearable for the child. It wasn't much to offer Nikita, but at least it would be something--the situation unchangeable. She had to protect the pair as best she could.
"Andrew Shears." She saw Madeline's eyebrow rise again and knew she had scored a hit--began to remind the woman of what she clearly already knew. "He's been making a name for himself on Broadway, lately. I hear both Warner's and Twentieth have shown interest." Her look bore in. "You might be wise to get him while you can."
Andrew Shears? Madeline almost smiled. It was an intriguing idea. He looked somewhat like Michael--if not half so handsome--and his acting had to be better than Gray, who was their main other contender. Still, Wells was best in a secondary position, backing up her plans to punish their female stars by having to work with him--not at all the draw of Michael; her look narrowed. So, to find a somewhat physical match for him, instead . . .
"He might work," she agreed coldly, even as her mind moved on--her new plans growing, separation of the couple suddenly the best option she could imagine. After all, pregnant or not, war was notorious for making women fickle. With another man around, a near-match for her missing husband, Nikita might well be tempted to stray--especially if he were sympathetic toward her, as Adrian's championing of him suggested. It wouldn't take much to make the public cast her off, once she appeared to be unfaithful--although that would have to wait until Michael was back. Then, her original plan of pairing up the actor with the far more docile Susan could proceed; her smile spread. And maybe they could finally break the man's willful belief that there was any woman who was more important than the studio.
Hm. Adrian could see where the woman's mind was going and had to sigh at it all. It hadn't been an easy few days, what with her wretched deal with Jones to contend with, on top of her multiple fears for the poor, targeted couple. And yet, here she was, plotting against them, as they attempted to recover from their recent trauma, knowing very well that she would separate them--perhaps permanently, if fate were unkind. But it was more up to the will of whatever forces controlled the world than to her now--Jones's word final. If Michael stayed, or if the couple ran, he would be killed. His only option was to face only a possible death, rather than one which was guaranteed.
She let out a long sort of sigh at this truth but saw no way out of the situation. All she could really do was try to make it as palatable to the pair as possible. She would still be here--along with Helmut, Rene, and the rest of the couple's friends--to look after Nikita, as her pregnancy moved along. Hopefully, they would have a healthy wife and child ready for the actor, when he returned. It was only the possibility of a short war which held them any real hope.
This outcome, of course, didn't seem particularly likely to Adrian just now--or to anyone who was paying much attention. The world had a madman to contend with, one intent on dominating any country which displeased him, any with something to offer. Such men did not go away of their own accord--with only four or five countries sating their lust for power and blood. No. Things would become far more gruesome before they ended, one way or the other; she winced slightly at the thought. But if they ended in Hitler's favor, they would all have far more serious issues to contend with than the simple fate of one couple they loved.
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