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Author's Chapter Notes:

 

TRIGGER WARNING: contains a VERY controversial subject

 

Please note: I'm not a psychiatrist nor a psychologist, but as a writer, I know a little about a lot. This is a very plot-heavy chapter, and yes, some will get angry, sad, be indifferent, and the like. I ask, in advance, that you respect my vision for the story, and the folks who leave reviews. Nothing is every cut and dry, and Lindsay's story arc/ actions are no different. As you know, most of the time, I write pretty true-to-life so govern yourselves accordingly.

HUGS (because I know I need them now, and you will later),

~Nichelle

CHAPTER 64: WHEN SOCIOPATHS COLLIDE Part 2: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT…


FEDERAL BUILDING

ALEX:


After talking to Deb, and seeing Emmett, Vic, and Rodney off, I made sure that Stephen would stay with Deb while I went to meet my friend and sometimes colleague from the BAU. Samantha Reid and I met when we were assigned as study buddies in our final year of college. Although our careers took different tracks- mine on the local level, hers within the national circuit- we never lost contact. So when I was asked to consult on the competency case for Lance Freeman, I requested that she be called in. While detailing his involvement with the others, it was her idea that Michael and Lindsay also be profiled, stating that she suspected a sort of linked pathology between the three of them. With the help of Judge Stone, the proposal was accepted.


“Dr. Wilder, I’m glad you’re here. We have a situation.” I’m surprised when Shelia Montgomery greets me personally. She usually waits to receive a full reporting after Samantha and I have met.


“What’s happened?”


Samantha, coming upon the warden and me, answers, “Remember we were waiting to see which one of them would appear to break first?”


Appear?” Shelia asks.


“Yes,” I answer.  “Based on my personal knowledge of two of the suspects, Peterson and Novotny, I suggested to Agent Reid that we wait to see which way the wind would blow with them. I take it one of them has made their wrong move?”


“If you want to call it that,” Samantha answers.


“Lindsay Peterson tried on her own to abort the fetus. Originally, we thought it was a matter of just punching herself in the stomach repeatedly. However, upon closer inspection it was discovered that she first tried to do it the old fashioned way, only using her fists afterward to speed up the process. We’re now trying to figure out how she obtained access to the sharp object since she’s never been on laundry or kitchen duty. She’s been out of the emergency surgery to remove the remains of the baby for the last two hours and should be waking up momentarily.”


I’m standing here in shock and disgust, trying to take in all that’s being told to me, and the implications. “Have there been any known stressors lately?”


“Her ex-partner and both Misters Taylor-Kinney have been in to see her. Even though that meeting was decidedly unfriendly, she seemed fine after the initial shock of being handed her ass by Justin.”


I can’t help the small guffaw which left me at the news. “Yes well, Lindsay certainly would have had a hard time being bested by Justin. She’s always considered him beneath her, even though Justin is a member of one of the most prominent families in Pittsburgh. The only time she’s ever been able to feel superior to him was in reference to Brian, and in the months following the attack at his prom. But neither situation was permanent, especially when Brian and Justin began to wise up to the head games Novotny and Peterson were playing at their expense. Once that happened, Justin took the metaphorical gloves off and started treating Michael and Lindsay accordingly. They couldn’t intimidate him anymore because in Justin’s world they no longer mattered. It left them quite desperate. Many people tend to underestimate him or don’t understand that beneath all that glorious blond hair lies an agile mind, and one he’s not afraid to use quite lethally if the situation warrants it.”


“Well, I’m not afraid to tell you that he sure gave me a lesson in Advanced WASP that I’m not likely to forget anytime soon; I doubt Peterson will, either. But then there was the hearing for the Alienation of Affection lawsuit, in which Melanie Marcus signed over the requested thirty grand as ordered by the judge. Whereas Ms. Marcus was smart enough to take Lindsay Peterson off of all of her accounts and personal records, Lindsay didn’t do the same.”


“That must have rankled.”


“It did indeed. Although she was ordered to the mess hall for food, she sat there at the table refusing to eat anything. She was clearly agitated, but still hadn’t done anything that would give anyone pause.”


“Again, it wasn’t unusual behavior for Lindsay Peterson. Whereas Melanie- her ex- would indulge in marginally self-destructive behaviors, Lindsay would refrain from any normal everyday activity, which includes bathing and eating. It’s her way of exerting control over those around her, without seeming to do so. Whereas Melanie would break down eventually and coax her into eating something or getting herself cleaned up, Brian would have left her to stew in her own irritation. Even in his inaction, he was still satisfying her chronic need for attention.”


“Wait, though. You said she didn’t take Melanie Marcus off of her personal paperwork. I wonder why that is?” Samantha asks.


“It’s quite simple, and a classic Lindsay Peterson move when you think about it,” I answer. At seeing their puzzled looks, I explain further. “It’s a classic case of ‘I won’t be alone, even in my downfall’. My guess- as educated as it may be, since I have reluctantly extensive knowledge of the woman in question- is that she was possibly setting Melanie up for something nefarious, and thought to reap the benefits should her plan have worked. Lindsay has the ability to look innocent even while stabbing you in the back. It’s a trait she shares with her co-conspirator, Michael Novotny.”


“Ah, about him… how the hell did she manage to find someone with almost the same kind of tendencies she has?”


“What do you mean?” Shelia asks, but I know exactly what Samantha is talking about.


“Whereas one of them is a malignant sociopath, the other is a malignant narcissist.”


“I would think the term malignant narcissist would be linked more with psychopathic tendencies.”


“And you would be correct to some degree. Malignant Sociopaths are generally antisocial. Now that doesn’t mean they do not know how or when to communicate, just that when they do so, it’s for their own benefit and not out of an intense need to be included. They know right from wrong, but consistently disregard the thoughts, feelings, and rights of others. People with Antisocial Personality Disorder tend to manipulate, or treat others harshly, with callous indifference, and they have no guilt in doing so.”


“Antisocial personality disorder signs and symptoms may include: Disregard for right and wrong, persistent lying or deceit to exploit others, being callous, cynical, and disrespectful of others, using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or personal pleasure, arrogance, a sense of superiority, being extremely opinionated, recurring problems with the law, including criminal behavior, whether they are caught in the act, suspected of the act, or not at all; repeatedly violating the rights of others through intimidation and dishonesty; impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead; hostility, significant irritability, agitation, aggression or violence; lack of empathy for others and lack of remorse about harming others; unnecessary risk-taking or dangerous behavior with no regard for the safety of self or others; poor or abusive relationships; failure to consider the negative consequences of behavior or learn from them; being consistently irresponsible and repeatedly failing to fulfill work or financial obligations. The strange thing is that they undoubtedly exhibit these and other symptoms from the age of fifteen, beginning with serious, persistent behavior problems, such as aggression toward people and animals; destruction of property; deceitfulness; theft; and serious violation or disregard of rules.”



“You’ve just described Lindsay,” Shelia tells us.


“Did I?” Samantha says, with a smile. “I’m not so sure.”


“Why not? If I’m not mistaken, she’s also been emotionally abusive to her- for lack of a better term- spouse, Melanie for years, has been neglectful of her son, and is now in jail for the crimes she committed. All of those are considered complications of the disorder. I suppose you can also say she’s joined a gang of sorts, since she and her co-conspirators were intent on harming Brian and Justin Taylor-Kinney, especially the latter when she set up the bashing…”


“WHAT?! Lindsay set-up the bashing?” I ask, unable to believe what I am hearing. She was front and center, trying to help Justin regain his drawing hand. Why would she do that if it was her fault, to begin with?


“Partially, but there is more to that story, which I will give you. So you see, Samantha, she’s all that you’ve described and more.”


Samantha nods, excitedly. “Exactly! She is more… and so is Michael Novotny. By the very definition, a malignant narcissist is a person who displays all of the symptoms above, along with a few others. The most key factors are that they also have a sadistic streak and are paranoid beyond belief. Now, although the term is often linked to serial killers, and rightfully so since they are also psychopaths, there are those who have never crossed the line into outright psychopathy as of yet. Lindsay, technically, just crossed that particular line, whereas Michael Novotny displays the same sadistic streak, but in a different way.”

 

“Ah… the chronic need to control Brian, and get rid of Justin or anyone else who stood in his way,” I say.


“The tricks?” Shelia asks, and I nod.


“It was more than just about the simple need to keep his best friend alone. Michael needed to get Brian away from here. If you look at his behavior, they were similar in a way to the BTK killer.”


“In what way exactly?” Samantha asks.


“If you look at Dennis Rader’s actions, many times he stalked his prey before killing them. If you think about how many times Michael has stalked Brian, or pushed drugs and drink into him, sometimes without his knowledge… well, let’s just say that had Brian not had as strong a constitution as he’s always had, the man would have ended up dead many times over. Sometimes the only thing that would save Brian from taking in the laced drink, or the next lethal drug, would be a trick walking by, or more notably…”


“Justin!” Shelia says, and I can see that she’s catching on to Samantha and my way of thinking.


“Exactly. There is no way that Michael would have been able to subdue him on his own. Not only that, he would have had to keep Brian bound, gagged, and possibly drugged, in order to make the man stay with him. If Brian would have continued to reject him, Michael would have killed him. I suspect that’s why he bought that place in California. He wouldn’t have been able to do any of that here and get away with it. Brian has always been too popular for Michael’s liking, even if he enjoyed the benefits of such an association for a time. Or at least he did until Justin Taylor-Kinney arrived on the scene.”


“In short, he was building towards egosyntonic aggression, which would satisfy the demands of his need to feel all-powerful, and intelligent. Jack Kinney, Claire, Lance, and Craig were just the tools he used to do that.”


“And Lindsay? Where does his association with her fit into all of this?”


“He needed a scapegoat. Who better than someone with more to lose than he has? At base, they both had the same goal: get Brian to willingly give them what they wanted, or take it by any means necessary, including murder. By there was a distinct surprise for them both, because after Brian met Justin, he changed his will, leaving everything to him and Gus, and also putting Gus’ share into trust in Justin’s name so Mel and Lindsay would never be able to control what Brian was leaving for his son. If something were to happen to Justin, his mother Jennifer would take over. It’s not that he wouldn’t have trusted Melanie to do what was in Gus’ best interests; just an acknowledgement that prior to this situation becoming public knowledge, Mel had a soft spot where Lindsay was concerned. He didn’t want to put her in that position, knowing that Lindsay would have made Mel’s life a living hell. So you see, all of Michael and Lindsay’s plotting and planning would have gone for naught anyway, since they wouldn’t have seen a copper penny of Brian Kinney’s money.”


“And now they are both going to jail. I’d call that karmic justice.” Shelia smiled, while Samantha and I agreed with her.


“There is one thing I’m almost dying to find out though,” Samantha says.


“And that is?” I ask.


“How did they manage to keep themselves under wraps for so long?”


“For that answer, you would need to meet two people: Debbie Novotny and Jennifer Taylor, the first being the biological mother of Michael, and the surrogate mother of Brian; the latter is the ONLY mother of Justin Taylor-Kinney. Little or nothing moved within their children’s lives without their knowledge. Sure, Debbie may have helped Michael, but she still would have been checking on Brian and demanding to speak with him at every turn. So Michael wouldn’t have gotten away with any of this as smoothly as he would have believed. As for Jennifer Taylor, she’s from one of the most powerful families in the realm. She could have killed Lindsay in a crowded ballroom, and no one would have said ‘Boo’ in her direction. I think Lindsay Peterson grossly miscalculated in discounting Jennifer- a lesson, I’m sure she’s about to learn in spades.”


 


 

TEMP MANOR

JUSTIN:


As expected, Ron arrived with a tearful Nancy in tow. I watched dispassionately as she sniveled and lamented the position Lindsay had put the family in with her unending antics. Brian sat next to me, trying to keep himself from exploding as only my lover could do. But then she asked the one question she shouldn’t have even formed in that scatterbrain of hers.


“What’s to become of Gus now? He can’t possibly be raised without his mother,” she wailed.


“Nancy…” Ron tried, but I held up my hand for his silence.


Instead of saying anything, I waited until I saw her peek out from under her drenched-on-demand lashes, and clapped. At the suddenly annoyed look on her face, I laughed and clapped harder. “Well now, it isn’t hard to see where Lindsay developed her acting skills from, including those of a caring mother. Tell me, Nancy, what exactly were you trying to accomplish with that last statement?”


“Gus belongs with his family… his real family.”


“Which he is, since Brian is his real father. Can you say the same about Lindsay?” I ask, silently daring her to contradict me.


“Young man, I resent your implication!”


“And I resent the implication that just as Ron is capable of caring for your daughters- even if one is a sociopath of the first order- that Brian isn’t just as prepared for fatherhood. How dare you sit here, in our living room, and imply anything different?”


“But it isn’t your living room, is it?” she says snidely.


“It’s as much ours as a temporary residence affords, since our new house is being refurbished to our specifications. That said, I will once again warn you, Ron, that if this is the tactic Nancy is going to take to get your family back under the proverbial radar, you can both leave immediately. Brian and I wanted you to have the opportunity to defend yourself with respected journalists, as opposed to the gossip rags, when the story is exposed. But if this is just going to be some ploy to save yourselves from your daughter’s bullshit, we will happily let you take your chances on your own, and at another time.”


“I understand what you’re offering, Justin, and I appreciate it. I don’t know what Nancy is thinking to try this.”


“I can tell you exactly what she’s doing and why. Yes, you will be under close scrutiny when the story comes out, but the bottom line is that anyone who knows Lindsay will know that you, as her parents, cannot be held responsible.”


“I… I didn’t tell you, Ron, but Lindsay called,” Nancy says, piteously.


“When? And why didn’t you tell me?” he asks, just the barest hint of anger in his voice. “I told you under no circumstances to accept any calls from her.”


“I know, but… well, did you know that she’s pregnant? She says the baby is his,” she says, sneering in Brian’s direction.


“It’s not,” Brian says, simply and barely containing his own anger at this point.


“She said that he gave her a repeat performance of their one-night-stand in college,” she says, specifically looking at me. I laugh, which is clearly not the reaction she was hoping for.


“And let me guess. You believe her. Nevermind that the lying bitch is in jail for trying to defraud the government,” I say, still amused.


“It doesn’t make it any less true!”


“Oh? And when was this second immaculate conception supposed to have taken place?” I ask.


“I don’t care much for your tone,” she sneers.


“And I don’t care much for your stupidity,” I say, using the same tone. “So answer my question. When was Brian supposedly to have fucked Lindsay?”


“Do you have to be so crude?”


“Call it a side effect from taking in the rancid pill known as Lindsay Peterson. So when? Was it while Brian and I were busy thwarting Stockwell? Or let me guess, Brian got drunk again and mistook Lindsay for me when we were on the outs for a time? I mean, after all, a hole is a hole is a hole. But you see the problem with that theory is that with that particular orifice, there are tits and no ass to speak of attached, along with a saccharine coo that would just about put off anyone. She reminds me of a damn pigeon. If you believe anything Lindsay says, then you are proving yourself just as delusional as your daughter. But then perhaps that’s her angle in telling you this in the first place, Nancy. I do believe that now everything else Lindsay planned isn’t working, she’s trying to go for an insanity defense.”


“She is troubled, and always has been.”


“No, she’s TROUBLE and always has been. There is a difference,” Brian says, before he sighs. “Well let me clear up a matter in the latest saga of Lindsay’s world. I am NOT the father of Lindsay’s latest get. That honor belongs to a young man who was screwing Lindsay before she entered the pen. She only told you so that you can kick up a fuss and make me bow down to her wishes by using Gus’ custody as blackmail. Well both you and she can take a short trip to hell or opt for the scenic route- I don’t give a fuck- but you will NEVER threaten to take Gus from us again. I, Justin, and Melanie have been managing to co-parent just fine without Lindsay here to spew her venom. We intend to keep it that way.”


“So Nancy, when did you speak to her?” Ron asks, once again turning towards her to await the answer. From the looks of it, he’s just about to go nuclear.


“She called just before you got home this afternoon. She said that if I didn’t tell Brian that there was a possibility he was going to lose Gus, she was going to go to the papers and say that this was all my idea. Not only that but that the new baby was also going to be in danger if I didn’t make Brian do what he should by her and the child.”


“You really believed her?” I shake my head at the gullible woman. “Nancy, Lindsay is under a gag order, not because of the immigration charges against her, but the others.”


“Others? Ron, there are others charges being levied against her?” she gasps.


“I haven’t been able to tell you everything, since I was trying to do damage control on my end. Lynette and Roger have been doing some of their own on our behalf. He said that it isn’t right that we are suffering because of a woman who has always known better but thought to force our hands in various ways. He agreed that Lindsay needed to be stopped immediately, and permanently.”


I can see exactly what Lindsay was trying to accomplish here, and I know that we have to tell her everything, even while Ron fills in the blanks. “He’s right, but let me set your mind at ease, Nancy. She wouldn’t have been able to get word to the press even if she was free to do so. She played you for the fool you are. The question is: do you intend to remain so?”


“It’s just that she made it sound like she was being falsely accused.”


“No, that title belongs to your husband. Lindsay is far from a victim, unless it’s of her own making. The fact that she was willing to have your husband arrested in connection with Justin’s bashing instead of her actual lover should speak volumes about how much she cares for you or the truth,” Mel says, coming into the room. “By the way, we’re awaiting word about another of Lindsay’s casualties…”


“What are you talking about?” Nancy looks upon Mel, barely hiding her contempt- an emotion that should be reserved for the bitch she birthed. I’m about to say something about it, but Mel shakes her head imperceptibly at me.


“I’m talking about the fact that the she-wolf of Pittsburgh deliberately forced herself to spontaneously abort the baby she was trying to entrap Brian with. She succeeded…” Mel says, dropping her eyes.


“Are they sure?” Brian asks. I can tell the whole situation is bothering him, but moreso now because of a true innocent, unwittingly caught in Lindsay’s game.


“Unfortunately, they are. Whatever Lindsay did caused her to bleed too much, to where they had to make a decision between her and the baby. Lindsay had a better survival rate.”


“There’s more, isn’t there?” I ask when Mel falls silent.


“She’s trying to pretend she didn’t know what she was doing. Warden Montgomery has a meeting with the D.A. and the Commissioner later this evening to prove that this was thought out and well-planned. Tara isn’t taking it too well, and had to be restrained.”


“But wasn’t she undecided about getting the rights from Lindsay, to begin with?” Brian asks.


“Yes, she was, but apparently she had a problem with Lindsay trying to use this as an opportunity to escape prison altogether. Among the other things she screamed at Lindsay, she outed the entire story for everyone within the prison walls to hear. Even if she isn’t formally charged with what she just did to the child, I doubt Lindsay will be getting away with it,” Mel finishes, just as the sound of Gus crying rings out.


“I’ll get him,” Brian tells us, quietly. If Nancy and Ron weren’t here right now, I’m sure it would be a fight to see which one of us would reach the little boy first. Before he leaves, he looks over to Nancy, who had visibly paled upon Mel’s announcement. “Still think she’s a victim, Nancy?”


“Why would she do this?” Nancy asks, and it’s taking everything in me not to go over there and slap her back to sense. But it’s Ron, who answers her.


“Because she could, Nancy. Why else do you think? Everything she has ever tried and done is coming down to crash about her ears. She’s nothing if not opportunistic, and you know that! You’ve always known it! Take off the fucking blinders, for once, and see that Lindsay’s problems don’t stem from us, but from her. She’s always been too ambitious for her own good, or ours. As soon as something doesn’t go her way, she regroups, plans, and tries again, but it’s not just because she is ambitious. It’s because she’s avaricious, and an attention-seeker. It’s because while she’s busy making our lives hell, she’s getting unspeakable joy even as we’re blaming her. It’s because unless we all fall in line or dance to her tune, she won’t be happy until we are. It’s because we have what she’s always wanted…”


“And that is?”


“Freedom, Nancy. And I’m not talking about prison or the lack thereof. I’m talking about the fact that we can write our own ticket to live our lives the exact way we want.”


“But we’ve never put that kind of pressure on her!”


“No we didn’t, but Lindsay’s always been jealous of it just the same. She’s jealous of everyone and everything which holds her back from being cowed to, admired, and the center of attention. It’s why it was so easy for her to sign her rights to Gus over; it’s why she was going to marry that murderer Gui; it’s why she just killed that innocent fetus within her stomach; it’s why she tried to kill Justin; it’s why she tried to entrap Brian; it’s why she was with Mel. But NONE of it got her the attention she wanted, the attention she craved. She wasn’t able to lord any of it over any of us. None of us did anything but lament her existence at one time or another. There were no pats on the head for her being a bitch. There wasn't, and still isn’t going to be a Brian Kinney for her with endless money to spend, or a Mel to say how talented she is, or could have been. There was no one to look and point to say: There goes Lindsay Peterson- the girl who made good by spreading herself for every Tom, Dick, Harry, Larry, Curly, Moe, and Bob. No one aspired to be anything like her, and all she’s accomplished in her quest for infamy is ending up in jail awaiting trial on multiple charges. She’s a walking, talking cautionary tale of what happens when you do stupid things or when you get too greedy! If she’s succeeded at anything, it’s being a failure at whatever games she tried to play. And it’s time she learns that… publicly.”


“You know there are certain things during the interview that you cannot speak about?” I ask.


“I do, Justin. And I’m only here to publicly declare my innocence of the night you were bashed. All the rest, including Novotny’s very WRONG accusations, will be addressed at his trial and any other in which I’ll have to testify. I’m not about to let all I’ve worked for over the years go down the drain because of Lindsay and her ilk. Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with ambition; I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t have any. But I can proudly say that I’ve never made my life happen at the expense of someone else. And contrary to how it looks right this moment, neither has Nancy or Lynette. We’ve kept our integrity, whereas Lindsay has apparently never had any,” he says, sadly. It’s then I see just how much this is all affecting him, moreso than Nancy.


“When was the last time you ate or slept properly, Ron?” I ask, and immediately notice his distress. How Nancy hasn’t noticed, I can’t imagine.


“It’s been a rough couple of weeks,” he answers, quietly.


“Ron?” Nancy says, looking at him with a frown on her face. I think she’s finally taking note of the heavy stress he’s been under.


“I didn’t… I didn’t want to worry you, Nancy.”


“What’s going on?” I ask.


“The partners in the firm are beginning to think I’m a liability. They are starting to… they are starting to believe there is some truth to all of the rumors about me and your bashing. It doesn’t help that they know of everything I’ve done over the years to try to contain Lindsay, including asking your uncle to get her into Penn State.”


“Speaking of which, why did you do that?”


“I needed Lindsay out of here, and knew that I didn’t have the position or clout at the time to call in a few favors. Her GPA leaving St. Mary’s High School was just barely above subpar, so she wouldn’t have gotten in without a recommendation from an Alumni or board member. So after ensuring that she wouldn't be accepted at PIFA- not that she had any real talent to attend there anyway- I asked Charles if he would do me the favor. It wasn’t just about the familial reputation, but that Lindsay had targeted someone else at the encouragement of Craig Taylor. I needed a way to separate them, and Charles fulfilled that need. Sadly, and apparently, it didn’t work.”


“Why haven’t you gone into business for yourself long since? It’s something I never understood, Ron. You have to have been one of the best financial planners, on par with Ted Schmidt, whose expertise continues to be an asset to me and Brian individually as well as Kinnetik. I mean, you would have had to be in order to have worked, let alone retired from, Merrill Lynch in New York. Why would you only come here to work for someone else?”


“At the time, Kosgrove Financial was the only company offering a partnership, and we wanted to relocate out of NYC. The stock market crash happened soon after I signed up and began to make our lives here. I didn’t want to remain in the trenches like I would have if I had stayed at ML.”


“That makes sense, but now that they are basically disregarding everything they know about you based on unfounded rumors. Why not detach from them before they can force you out? That way you don’t lose anything- not your pension, not your standing within the field, and if you play your cards right, not even a client. A friend of ours was just in a similar situation, and signed on with our growing conglomerate,” I tell him. I can see him calculating the risk factor in his mind, but what I also see is that he really wants to do what I’m suggesting.


“Ron, we’ve always toyed with the idea, but weren’t sure how to go about accomplishing it. What Justin is offering is a sound business decision from my perspective,” Nancy encourages, which actually surprises me. She’s always struck me as a woman who loved her comfortable life and was not prone to doing anything to change it. But I think she’s seeing the situation for what it really is. “Let’s face it, Ron. If they have the temerity to doubt you now, what do you think they will do after the interview and court cases against Lindsay are heard?”


“So you’re saying that you would go into this without a safety net?”


She sighs, heavily. “Darling, it’s not about the safety net and you know it. It’s about you being afraid that Brian and Justin will not be able to separate the business from the personal.”


“Okay, you’re right. There is that.”


I interject here. “Ronald, I give you my word as a fellow businessman, and the Co-CEO of Kinnetik that whatever the outcome, whatever the situation between us, Brian nor I would hold our personal issues with you against your business. We all- meaning everyone who has joined the conglomerate so far- have a common goal, which is to do our jobs to the best of our ability and move our careers forward. We don’t have time for bullshit if we want to make our goals a reality. Brian and I, even now, are working with people that neither of us can stand as people, but their work is good. There are others, people who we can’t stand who will be fired very soon, but that is strictly because of their job performance and private association with Gardner Vance, who seeks to ruin us. Those are two very separate issues, and are being dealt with accordingly. We are fair men, and those who we surround ourselves with believe in operating in excellence, not settling for the mediocre. Now I can’t make the decision for you; the choice is yours. I can only give you the facts on how we work.”


Ron and Nancy look at each other, no pleading between them, but making a solid decision between the two of them. “I accept your offer, Justin. We will need office space, of course, and I do have one small concession to add, if I may…”


Anticipating what he’s about to say, I cut him off. “Although your company will technically be under the Kinnetik umbrella, the only thing we require of those joining the conglomerate is twenty percent of the profits the first month, and ten percent for each month after. The reason for that is because you get access to all of the staffing of Kinnetik Enterprises, including, but not limited to: our legal team, our accountants, which in your case would serve as your grunt staff; our real estate agent, and an opportunity to invest in any or all of the companies affiliated with us, with the exception of a select few. Kinnetik Advertising, New Beginnings Real Estate, The Law Office of Melanie and Janean, Schmidt and Wexler’s Financial Planning, and HoneyGrass Elegant Creations are all off limits for investing purposes. The reason for that is because we are all major stockholders in each other’s businesses, and have been since their inception. However, we are growing at a rapid rate so there will be plenty of other businesses looking for a partner in their organization.”


“It sounds like a pretty fair deal.”


“It is,” I answer without hesitation. I know that for Ronald, being able to invest is like breathing. There’s no way I would cut his legs off like that. However, those of us already in business together know we can trust each other. That said, we would only trust outsiders to a certain extent. Thorne Industries is a completely different matter altogether. We consider them mentors in a sense.


“What if I decide to detach from the conglomerate?”


“Then you pay a penalty of thirty-five percent for that calendar year up front to cover the loss of revenue to the conglomerate as a whole, but you’re still free to use your own name, keep your client list, and we’ll wish you well. You’ll have to find your own building, of course, but all the services you’d receive at a discounted rate while joined with us, will still be available at the full price.”


He nods his head, and I know I have him. It’s confirmed with his next words. “Mel, if I may, I’d like to take advantage of your services immediately, at full price. I need to disassociate from Kosgrove, and trust you to get me the best deal possible to do so. Justin, as soon as I’m free of them, you have yourself a deal.”

 

As if there was any doubt! I flash him a million-dollar smile, thinking that Brian owes me one excellent fuck. Ron is going to make a lot of money, and we’ll reap the benefits without any risk to us at all. Now if only we can get through these interviews with minimal fanfare, I’ll consider this a really good day.

 

 

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