CHAPTER 3: GREAT-GRANDMA WAS INDEED RIGHT…

OCTOBER 2015

TREEHOUSE – MONDAY EVENING

LOUNGE

BRIAN

I can’t believe that guy is Zeus!  Whilst Faal was doing his caveman routine, Justin told me something a little disconcerting.  He noticed the guy acting strange earlier.  It was after he ate something and he seemed upset about it and then when Zee turned round he said that Zeus looked surprised and then really upset.

So I’ve arranged a meeting with Feeley and try and find out how he fits into his operation.

“She’s resting managed to get her to have a shower.”  Faal replies to everyone’s questioning gaze when he comes in.  “Holy fuck what a shitshow!  So he’s made his move now, by sending Zeus to upset her, fuck I just want to…”

“Well you can’t.”  Carl raps out and immediately looks contrite.  “Sorry Faal, it’s just it’s been so nice without any problems.” 

“We need to call Luc, Dee and Del to let them know.”  Jennifer’s all business but then she freezes.   “Oh shit Daphne!”  Jennifer gasps.  “You don’t think…”

“No he won’t go after Daphne.”  Zee’s voice interrupts.  “I’ve spoken to them and they’re moving Daphne into the small condo over the weekend just in case.  I’ve booked a flight for Vince to go as soon as you let him and…”

“Tonight.”  Justin states firmly.  “I’ll call now, can I use your office?” 

She nods tiredly and heads to the cart.  “Emmy…”

“If I see you in this week I shall sic Drew on you!”  He advises sternly earning him a grateful smile.

“So the son of God has returned…pathetic really, I don’t know why I was so disappointed…”

“And you’re not disappointed now?”  Ben joins her in a brandy. 

“No.  Now I’m fucking fucked off with being fucked about by them.  Let’s see what they are going to do because I am going to totally annihilate them.”  Her countenance starts off grim and determined, but then softens into a smile.  Which has Faal is smiling and then kissing her temple.

“What’s cheered you up all of a sudden?”  Steve asks.

“Oh goody!”  Emmy Lou claps and accepts the brandy she proffers.

“Someone want to fill us in?”  Jennifer demands impatiently.

“The last time she looked like that Lindsay and Michael ended up in jail.”  Emmy Lou smirks and takes a sip of his drink.   “And then moving to Canada.”

“Oh.”  Tucker nods sagely.  “By the way, why do you call him son of God?” 

“Because he named him, well almost after himself.”  Zee grimaces.  “His full name is Luther Zeus Stark so he named his firstborn and heir Zeus Luther Stark.  The irony is that when he was born and grew up great-grandma called it right…”

“How so?”  I ask.

“She said he should’ve been called Lucifer not Luther.”

REXDALE AVENUE – CANADA – WEDNESDAY MORNING

LINDSAY

“Michael!”  I look in the lounge and then find him in the kitchen.  “What are you doing?”

“Making coffee, I’m not going in today.”  He wanders into the lounge and I follow.

“Why not?”

“Don’t feel like it.”  He slumps down on the sofa.  “I hate that job and I hate that it’s so fucking cold over here!  Why can’t we go back to Pittsburgh?”

“We don’t have jobs over here but we have jobs here.  But I’m with you I don’t feel like going in today either.  Let’s both call in sick!”  I giggle.  “It will be more convincing that way!”

“Great!  What are we going to have, food poisoning or…”

“Definitely food poisoning since we live together that would be more convincing.  Who’s calling this time?”  I prod him playfully.

“Rock, paper, scissors?”  He suggests and I win!

THYME & BAILLIE GALLERY

JEREMY THYME

“For fuck sake!”  I snarl as I put down the phone.  “Kelly!  Kelly where are you?!”

“Here and what are you bellowing about?” 

“Where’s the pot?”  I look round for it and she huffs a breath and rolls her eyes.

“What is it this time?”  She hands me the “Sick Pot for Lindsay and Michael” and I put in another $10.

“Food poisoning.  Actually how much is in this thing?” 

I open it up and we start counting.  “Christ almost $250, we are going to have a rollicking good time come Christmas!” 

Kelly snorts a little guiltily. 

“I have never known two people be off sick so much in my life in such a short space of time.  Do you remember when Michael jarred his back but was dancing if you can call it that at the party less than a day later?  Or when Lindsay has such a migraine that she had to be in a darkened room all day, but somehow her hair was remarkably highlighted and trimmed when she came back to work the next day.  For a lesbian she seems to forget how much gay men gossip, especially gay men who don’t actually like you!”

I shake my head and smile.  “Gregor has still not forgiven her for the $1 tip and the lecture about the benefits of softer lighting, round the mirrors, not that she needs it of course.”

“Of course.”  Kelly snickers and then sobers.  “Jeremy we can’t keep doing this.  She’s the gallery manager for crying out loud!  And he’s supposed to be doing the inventory but all we hear is bellyaching and griping about it being dusty down there.  We have to do something.”

“Jeremy, Kelly uh there’s some people to see you.”  Karen our receptionist pokes her head round the door.  “Sure show them in.”  I reply.

“This way gentlemen.”  She calls out.

FEELEY PHARMACEUTICALS – WEDNESDAY MORNING

HENRY’S OFFICE

BRIAN

“So that concludes our Kinnetic/Feeley business.  On a personal note, Zaden and Emmett have asked me to once again extend their thanks for the wonderful gift basket you sent them.  I believe they emailed you already?”

“Yes they did and, Brian, please it was the least I could do!”  Henry grins at me, he waits for his team to leave before leaning in conspiratorially.  “I was a sick as a dog the next day!”

“You were, was anybody else?”  Ted asks worriedly.

“No, but that’s most likely because I had more tot than coffee!  It took everything to come in on Monday I tell you.”

“Speaking of which, the gentleman that brought the basket left something at their offices and they would like me to return it.”

“Of course.  Let me take you to his office.”  We follow him out.   “He’s a nice man.  Unusual name in Zeus…”

“What is it that he does for you?”  Ted asks casually.

“Oh he runs the IT side in the US and his brother runs the IT side for our European offices.”  He looks round.  “Between you and me, they may be very good IT wise but its best if they are not in the same office, they tend to clash…”  He raps on the door.  “Zeus ah there you are…”

As we enter I get a good look at him and he’s the spit of his father and my hackles are up.

“This is Brian Kinney and Ted Schmidt from Kinnetic you left something in Pittsburgh they wanted to return it.  Well I shall leave you gentlemen to it, Zeus will see you to reception when you’re done as I have another meeting in 10 minutes.  Lovely to see you again Brian, Ted, have a safe journey home.”

We nod and smile and wait for the door to close.

“Well gentlemen it is nice to meet you.” 

Zeus stands and extends his hand neither of us reach for it.  He frowns before clearing his throat.  “So what did I leave?”  He puts his hands in his pockets.

“Your card.”  I hand it to him.  “She doesn’t want it and tell your dad we say come with all you have.”

He takes it from my hand with a sigh.  “I never meant it to happen, I never thought she would leave the company. That’s the only reason we gave him the shares…”

“Gave and who’s this we?”  Ted scoffs in derision but backs up in the face of the glare from Zeus.

“Yes gave.  Zeon and I, we gave him the shares so that he could give them to Zaden…”  He stares at us hard.  “Wait what do you mean come with all you have?  What the fuck is going on?”

REXDALE AVENUE – THURSDAY EVENING

LINDSAY

It has been a lovely couple of days off.  Jeremy sounded pissed off but what can you do when you have food poisoning. 

Michael is slowly building his comic book and collectibles collection back up and whilst I can understand the logic of it to a degree, it creates a lot of clutter!  I’m currently doing dinner when the doorbell goes and I wait for Michael to answer it.

“Lindsay, can you get that I’m in the middle of doing my spreadsheet for my collectibles!”

I grimace a bit and wish he applied himself as diligently to the basement at work but head to the door anyway.

“Can I help you?”  I ask two official looking men.

“Yes, we’re looking for Lindsay Peterson and Michael Novotny.”

“I’m Lindsay and this is Michael.  Michael can you come…”

“May we come in ma’am you don’t want this business conducted on your doorstep.”

“Business what business?  No you can’t come in!  What’s this about?!”  I demand.

“We’re from immigration ma’am we’re here to serve you both with deportation orders for outstaying your welcome.”

“Come in for God sake!”  I practically pull them inside. “What are you talking about?  Michael!”

He stomps into the hallway glowering.  “What is it, I’m busy!”

“We’re being deported!”

“What the fuck for?”  He screeches.

“First, I am Office Lewis and this is Officer Collins, here’s our ID, please could you check them.”

We check them carefully.  “Now tell me what this bullshit is about?”  Michael demands.

“I can assure you that this is not bullshit.”  Office Lewis growls.  “These are deportation orders on the following grounds.  For you Mr Novotny you applied to come to Canada on a tourist visa and one of the conditions of that visa is that you do not seek employment and you’ve been working.  And for you Ms Peterson your residency…”

“I was a resident in Canada, my now ex-partner and I both were!  Although we were briefly in the USA that doesn’t mean the residency in Canada ends…”

“No but it has to be renewed when you return and you didn’t do that.  So you are both here illegally and need to be removed.”  Officer Collins smirks.  “By Friday as in tomorrow.”

“But we have jobs, this is our home!”  I object.

“About your jobs…”  Officer Collins smirks again.

LUTHER STARK’S CONDO – NYC – FRIDAY AFTERNOON

LUTHER

I have had private investigators looking into that bastard Kinney and it made for some interesting reading.  He’s openly gay and married, so there’s not angle there.  His husband might be an in to cause him some pain. 

I’m going to reach out to his father, who didn’t seem to be enamoured with the kid and maybe the guy who hit him.  Not that I’d want him to finish the job of course but putting the jitters up him will be fun.  And then there were the court cases they had…hmm maybe he’d like to see what it feels like to have his kid taken away!

The other people who were there at my humiliation are of little consequence, not that they have any power to hurt me, I’m Luther Zeus Stark and I control my family!  By anyway I see fit!

“Mr Stark there’s a Mr Zeus Stark to…”

“Zeus!  Send him in you idiot, you don’t need to announce my boy!”

“Dad!  How are you!  I was just in town and thought I’d stop by.  So what’s been happening…?”

DEL & MILTON’S CONDO – NYC – FRIDAY EVENING

MILTON

“Del, what exactly is going on?”  I look at my beloved partner of over 15 years.

“Sit down Milt, let me tell you what I know…”

An hour later I’m staring at her in horror.  “Zaden, he did that to Zaden.”

“Yep, and was damn proud of it too.”  Zeus sits down holding an ice pack to his cheek where Del slapped him when he turned up out of the blue.  “Seems he doesn’t know about the catering business she’s got going, I think it would be wise to keep it that way.”

“So what are you going do to?”  Del demands of him.  “You two need to make this right!”

“Yeah there’s a slight problem with that.  Zeon and I aren’t talking right now.”

“Jesus fucking Christ what is it with you boys!”  Del hollers, she stomps to the phone and dials a number.  “Zeon on the next plane to Pittsburgh unless you want me to come get you!”

She sighs heavily.  “Why can’t he see that she gets half her smarts from him?” 

I brush a tear from her cheek and hold her close and squeeze Zeus’s shoulder who is shedding silent tears.

PITTSBURGH AIRPORT – SATURDAY MORNING

LINDSAY

Deported!  We’ve been deported from Canada!   Could this get any worse!

“Ms Lindsay Peterson and Mr Michael Novotny?”  A man asks.

I nod warily.  “Who are you?”  I ask.

“I represent Mr Faal Ugerstacht and Mrs Zaden Ugerstacht, here is my card and here is the copy of the restraining order, which you are now in breach of.”

“What?”  I hiss.

“You’re both required to stay a certain distance away from the aforementioned Ugerstachts and being in Pittsburgh Airport you are in breach of that restraining order, you have two options open to you.” 

He pauses to make sure he has our full attention.  “You can either remain at the airport and then be arrested and taken to jail for 6 weeks or pick another place to fly.  You have 5 minutes to decide.”

“This is not fucking happening!”  Michael snarls. 

“7 weeks in jail.”  Is his only response.

“New York we’ll go to New York!”  I decide

“I’ll make sure you get on the plane.”  He replies calmly.

“Oh for heaven sake is that necessary!”  I’m starting to lose my patience.

“Yes or it will be 8 weeks.”