JUSTIN

“Uh, Zee, I am not leaving Pittsburgh. I survived a bashing, his attempts to manipulate everything and everybody, ergo I will survive this!”

“Newsflash, Justin, nobody knows what he looks like, as we don’t know what the dead orderly looks like!” Brian snaps. I know it's coming from a place of love, but...he catches my flared nostrils and pulls me into his embrace.

“Nice save.” I mutter, and wrap my arms around him.

“I can’t bear to lose you. Almost did once at the hands of a jealous asshole, and can't go through that again. Neither could MJ or Gus. Please, can you just bear that in mind before you decide anything?” He strokes my hair as he speaks. “Please, twat, just think about it.”

“Excuse me! But world class security team here, nothing is going to happen to him!” Luther growls and we are all surprised by this. “Her grandfather and I taught them everything they know. She, much to my annoyance, knows better and taught better. If anyone can get this asshole, it’s her.” Nobody says anything and he looks skyward before huffing an annoyed breath. “That’s it. No punchline. No bitching. She’s excellent, and so is Fa...her husband. They will keep you safe.”  Then he smirks. “So you had a couple of people on me? One who was willing to go to jail…”

“I repeat again what I said the first time you referred to me as your daughter. I wanted you to serve the time you got, and you mean nothing to me.” Zee retorts. “Now the first thing we need to do is get you to, maybe South Africa because…”

Everyone starts to object at once, in the end Zeus whistles loudly to get everyone to quiet down. “Zay, we can’t all go to South Africa, we have commitments and…”

“Not everyone, just the…”

“No to South Africa.” Faal interrupts then smiles. “How about Portland? I am sure that Emily and Francine would love to see the family again.” There is nodding from all apart from Zee who looks very thoughtful. “What’s up, Lig?”

“And DJ stays here too.” We are all stunned and she smirks. “And we bring Lindsay back.”

“Okay, where are you going with that?!” I exclaim. The very idea of the two of them in the same city as me makes my stomach roil.

“He still believes her.” Luther starts to nod. “Lindsay, I mean, Novotny still believes her over me.”

“Hmm can’t think why.” Faal remarks dryly, earning a scowl.

“And the best way to prove it is for him to see it!” Zeus exclaims. “That might force him out into the open!”

“Or at least closer to us.” Zee pulls out her phone. “Bring her back tonight. He’s already got a head start on us, let’s reel him back a bit!”

“Question?” I look at Faal. “Has the beating of the orderly been reported in the media, showing his picture or anything?”

“Let me check.” He paces as he calls and even more as he listens, he frowns as he hangs up. “No it hasn't. They intend to keep a tight lid on that kind of thing, why?”

I turn to Luther. “Nobody gets beaten for free. What did you give him?”

“I wired some money.” He admits, then looks pleased at the gasps. “Not all my assets were frozen. Once they separated from the other money, I was given access to it.”

“How did you do it and how much?” Zander glowers as he holds back an advancing Zeon.

“My accountant and $15K.”

“Did Michael know that?” I demand, my heart racing as I think about his grasping nature.

“Yeah.” He replies slowly.

“Get them to check his personal effects, see if the orderly’s credit card or anything monetary is still there!” Brian demands before swooping down for a torrid kiss.

“Ahem!” Mom declares. “Explain to the less enlightened.”

“He looks like him. Had his pass. So maybe he took the card, and…”

“Has been using it!” Mom exclaims.

“What was his name?” I growl at Luther.

HOTEL INDIGO, LIBERTY AVENUE - NEXT DAY

MICHAEL’S ROOM

MICHAEL

“Ouch!” I yelp as the glue pulls hard on my eyebrow. “How did he do this all the time?!” I finally get the mask off and wiggle my face to get the blood flowing again. “Well that was a success!” I crow, then open the bottle of beer from the mini fridge; I take half of it down before carefully putting the mask on the stand that Orderly Jacob Jones bought for me. I wonder how he is. I never thought I would enjoy beating someone so much…

Start of flashback

ADIRONDACK CATACOMBS - JUST OVER THREE WEEKS AGO

MICHAEL

I watch the orderly neatly fold his clothes and then he gestures to my prison garb. I am not sure why I am so nervous, it is not me that’s going to be getting the kicking! He puts my clothes on then I am just in my boxers.

“Put the gag on, Jones.” Luther demands. “And you put on the boxing gloves…” He sighs as I frown at him. “...you can’t hit him bare knuckled, how would you explain it for a start?!”

“Oh right, sorry, didn't think.” I mutter back and my hackles rise as his sneering expression.

“So we’re going to mess up your face and chest area. You understand?” Brock tells him and he nods. “Right. Novotny, come on, remember as I showed you, just punch him in the ribs first. Take a big ole swing back...think of someone you really want to hit.” I draw my arm back and when it connects he gasps and doubles up. “Good, now continue like that…”

After about forty minutes, he is a bloody busted mess. Even though I am nauseated at the state of his face, the adrenalin high is ecstacy! I have released some anger, no prizes for guessing who I was thinking of...Boy Wonder!

“Okay, enough.” Luther orders, and I step back. Jones is motionless. “Check his breathing.”

Brock kneels down, and after a few minutes nods and gets up. “We’re going to raise the alarm, you get changed and head straight to your cell. Understand?”

“Yep.” I pant out, but can’t take my eyes off of Jones.

They quickly leave and I start to get changed but then I look at him again. “Where’s the harm in a few more kicks…”

End of flashback

I finish the beer and then take out the newspaper. It is starting to look a little tattered now. I still can’t believe he is mayor! That should’ve been me at his side, but oh no, he had to switch tastes and decided that he liked blonde chicken! And on top of that, when I found out that he was going to be making a donation to as then unidentified family member I was worried. I remember watching the TV whilst in the hospital room with Luther and he started to chuckle. I asked him what was so funny, and he said he never would be family to him…

Start of flashback

LUTHER’S HOSPITAL ROOM, PITTSBURGH - NIGHT BEFORE THE OPERATION

MICHAEL

“What do you mean by that?” I demand

“That’s me. The family member. I have aplastic anaemia. My bone marrow is deteriorating and needed a match. He’s the perfect guy.”

I just gape at him. “How the hell did you convince him to do that?!”

“I didn’t, his husband did. Apparently he can be very persuasive.”

“Oh, for fuck sake!” I seethe.

“Why does this bother you so much? You are out for a week, he’s here tomorrow for the transplant. At least you get to be by your true love!”

“That’s something I suppose.” I grumble, and turn back to the TV, my thoughts now focused on seeing Brian.

AFTERNOON, NEXT DAY

I have been walking around the hospital without a care in the world. Everyone has taken me as Jacob Jones, and the stories I have been hearing about some difficult patient spurs me into action. I am surprised to see a flurry of activity and rush to see what’s happening.

“He’s crashed!” A nurse is screaming as he rushes inside the room, I try to follow to see who it is. “Unless you can help, get out!” I am ordered; the prison guard, who accompanied us, on hearing the shouting pulls me out.

It is the longest 10 minutes ever as I pace outside the room, but finally the doctor comes out and looks relieved.  “How is he?!” I demand.

“Jones! Stark is fine, calm down!” The prison guard snaps. “He’s going nowhere, we might as well go back to the hotel. There’s nothing we can do now.”

“I would rather stay.”

He looks quizzically at me. “I don’t get why, you’ve never liked Stark.”

“People change.” I return, tamping down my laughter at the truth of that remark.

“Okay, well see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you.” I wait for him to disappear from view and head to reception, it takes a while for me to get the receptionist’s attention. “Can you help me, please? I am the orderly from…”

“Yes, hun, I know. It was a bit touch and go there, wasn’t it?” She smiles kindly at me.

“Yeah, bit of a worry to say the least.” I sigh. “But he had a message for me to give his donor, but obviously with all of…”

“Yeah. Let me see here…” She looks at the screen for a few long minutes and I itch to pull it around to me! “...well, you can use that phone over there, hun.”

“Phone? Why would I do that?”

“The donor is not in this hospital. He was going to be here, but then something came up so it was transported. Oh, actually, maybe you’d like a bit of privacy, I can check for a room if you want?”

VISITOR’S ROOM - 10 MINUTES LATER

He’s not fucking here! Something came up! I bet that something has blonde hair and a fat ass!

“All of this for nothing!” I spit, yanking off the badge for Jones and throwing it on the table. “He gets $15K and I get fucking nothing!” Then something catches my eye. Behind the badge is Jacob’s credit card...a contactless credit card...oh my fucking god, how dumb is this man?! In a prison, he also has his pin number written down. “Maybe this hasn’t been a bust after all…”

End of flashback

I crack open another beer and still can't believe I am almost home! I made my way to Liberty Avenue slowly using trains and cabs to travel across the state. Luther wasn't kidding about the bribe. Judging by the amount he has in there, he's done this more than once. As I head to the bathroom I think to myself I shall pay the diner a visit tomorrow. Enough of this staying in the hotel and just popping out occasionally, the diner will be a true test of my disguise!