FicWad

Frank stood at the door to the basement and thought briefly about his approach. He knew that whatever happened, he would have to force Mikey to help, but basically he had two choices. He could be honest with him and hope that Mikey would understand and be sympathetic or he could be intimidating and threatening. There didn’t seem to be a middle ground; anything else would potentially show him as weak or vulnerable, and that was simply not an option. Even if Mikey knew the circumstances, there was still a high probability that he wouldn’t care. Of course, that wouldn’t matter, he could still be forced, but Frank abhorred the idea of appealing for help from their hostage and being refused. No, it seemed a much safer option to simply demand his assistance. No doubt, Mikey would see it as a potential means of escape, but Frank knew that the moment he brought the fake trigger mechanism into play, he would be brought in line. Opening the door, Frank descended the stairs at a rapid pace.

Mikey was seated on the mattress, leaning against the wall with his legs drawn up to his chest. Looking up as Frank drew near, he noticed a change in Frank’s expression; he appeared hard and unyielding. Mikey’s brow furrowed slightly as he realised instantly that something was wrong and that he was either the cause or the solution.

“What’s wrong?” he asked tentatively. “What’s going on?”

The corners of Frank’s mouth turned up slightly, impressed by Mikey’s reading of the situation; but of course, he was a lawyer, skilled in reading body language and facial expressions.

“Give me your measurements,” Frank asked, ignoring Mikey’s question.
“Excuse me?” Mikey asked, astonished by the unexpected question.
“You heard me well enough,” Frank replied abruptly. “We’re going out; I need to get you some clothes.”

Mikey drew his legs in a little closer, Frank’s statement making him feel a little apprehensive.
“Where?” he asked nervously.
“I’ll give you all the details later, well, all you need, anyway. But first, I need your measurements.”
“I’m wearing clothes,” Mikey pointed out suspiciously. “Just not shoes.”

Frank eyed the tight fitting jeans and shirt appreciatively; a faint smile played across his lips as he enjoyed the moment.
“Where we’re going you’ll need something a little more formal.”
“I’m not giving you anything until you tell me what’s going on,” Mikey insisted as he grew increasingly nervous about what Frank had in mind.

Frank cocked his head to the right as he stared down harshly at his hostage. He realised he had shown a little too much of his gentler side and was now paying for it with Mikey’s presumption that he could refuse. He had to reclaim control of the situation, to leave Mikey in absolutely no doubt who was in charge and remind him that merely to survive he had to do what he was told – whatever he was told.

“Listen to me, Way,” Frank spoke slowly, deliberately, “you don’t have a choice in this, do you understand? I’ve been kind to you, sure, but don’t think I won’t push this. What I want, I get and you have no say in the matter. Now, your measurements?”
“No,” Mikey shook his head defiantly.

If Frank wasn’t all he seemed, then it was true to say that neither was Mikey. He was determined that he wasn’t going to be intimidated by Frank’s quiet threats. It was clear that he wanted something from him, something that required him to look smart and for that reason alone, he was unlikely to have him beaten him again. Mikey felt reasonably secure that Frank had little to threaten him with.
“Very well,” Frank conceded much to Mikey’s initial satisfaction. “If you won’t give me your measurements, I’ll have to take them myself.”
Mikey’s eyes widened in dismay at the suggestion and Frank leapt upon the moment.
“Tell me, Mikey,” he began, stepping forward with an eager smirk emerging on his face. “Do you really want me running my hands all over you? I’ll enjoy taking your inside leg measurements. My fingers brushing against…”
“No!” Mikey shouted emphatically, his eyes widened and his legs pulled impossibly close to his chest.
“Then give me your measurements and no more stalling, or I’ll measure you anyway and I’ll take my own sweet time over it. Perhaps I won’t stop there. Whatever happens, it seems likely that you won’t enjoy it.”

Mikey stared back, wide-eyed, with his mouth hanging open slightly. Would he do it? He knew that Frank wanted him, he had made that quite plain, but up until now, he had felt quite safe. Now Frank was threatening to take that wanting several steps further and he was acutely aware that, handcuffed hand and foot, he was in no position to stop him from doing whatever he pleased. Mikey nodded almost imperceptibly to indicate his readiness to cooperate.

“That’s better,” Frank smiled triumphantly.

*

Gerard replaced the phone handset back on the cradle and stared off into the middle distance, stunned by the news he had just received. Pressing the intercom, Gerard waited a moment or two until he heard the voice of his secretary Sarah.

“Yes, Mister Way?”
“Can you come in please, Sarah?”
“Is everything all right, Sir?” Sarah asked, hearing the unusually subdued tone.
“Please,” he repeated, “come in.”

Within moments, the door to his office opened and Sarah stepped in, her expression one of deep concern. As she caught sight of Gerard’s pale and deeply troubled countenance, she quickly closed the door and hurried to the desk.

“Mister Way, what’s wrong?”
“Sit, down, Sarah,” Gerard motioned with his arm towards the chair opposite him.

Silently slipping into the chair, Sarah stared back expectantly, although it was obvious that Gerard was struggling to find the words to tell her what was on his mind.

“Sir?” she prompted again.
“I just got off the phone with the hospital,” Gerard announced, staring at the desk, unable to make eye contact with the young woman seated opposite.
“Mister Wallis?”

Sarah asked the question in a whisper, her eyes widening in fear of the reply she didn’t want to hear. When it came, it was merely a silent nod. Gerard didn’t need to look up to know that Sarah was crying; the quiet sounds of her distress at the news almost echoed in the otherwise silent room.

“I’m sorry,” Gerard said gently as he looked up to see Sarah pale, trembling and profoundly upset. “You’ve been his secretary for a long time now, haven’t you?”
“Six years, nearly seven,” she whispered bleakly as the tears continued to roll down her face.

Gerard swallowed, uncertain whether he should go further, before finally deciding to continue.

“You can tell me to mind my own business, but he was more to you than just a manager, wasn’t he?”

Sarah glanced up, taken aback by the question. Philip Wallis was married, most believed happily, but she knew different. Their affair was a well-kept secret, she had thought, and now to be confronted by the fact that someone knew made the news of his death both easier and harder to accept. She couldn’t bear the idea of being harshly judged for having an affair with a married man, but equally, the idea of having to listen to everyone talking about how difficult it would be for his widow, while she wallowed in the depths of mourning would be intolerable.

“How do you know?” She asked, her tears halted by the shock of the revelation.
“It’s a long story,” Gerard shrugged.
“Philip told you?” she pushed. “I didn’t realise.”
“He didn’t, not as such,” Gerard sighed as he realised she was going to keep asking questions until he confessed how he knew. “I told him that I liked you and was thinking of asking you out on a date. He pretty much told me in no uncertain terms that you were spoken for. I kind of guessed the rest, but I don’t think anyone else knows.”

Sarah nodded. It was very much like him to be protective over her and guard her jealously for himself.
“He’s a… he… was a little insecure about our relationship, well, about himself really. If you don’t mind me saying so, Mister Way, you’re a very handsome man and I guess he thought if you asked me, I’d have gone out with you instead. He always believed that, sooner or later, I’d abandon him. I think he thought that I’d want a husband of my own, and maybe children. It probably didn’t help that I never insisted that he leave his wife, but he had his reasons and I accepted them. He never really understood that I… I… loved him.”

As grateful as she was for the chance to talk openly about their relationship, Sarah’s last few words hit her as hard as the news of his death and all coherent thought slipped away into a whirl of heart wrenching sobs. It seemed as though she had retreated into a quiet solitary world where she remained unaware of Gerard’s presence. He watched her in deep sadness and bitter torment as he reflected on the cause of her distress and how, if not even for his or Mikey’s sakes, he had to act. Somehow, Frank Iero and his gang had to be brought to justice.

*

“There,” Bob nodded as he re-read all the information he had written. “I think that’s everything.”

Frank glanced over the page and nodded; Bob had been very thorough. There was just one thing missing.

“Do you have any idea what size clothes he wears?”
“Yeah,” Bob agreed. “He’s about the same size as Ray, maybe a little shorter, not much.”
“You say about the same size. Bigger, thinner or really about the same? It’s important.”
Bob pulled his lips into a thin line as he concentrated, picturing Gary from the last time he saw him.
“Broader shoulders, probably. He’s maybe a size bigger, but not more than that.”
“Okay,” Frank nodded. I’ve got a plan, but I need your agreement Ray and I’d like your opinions too.”

Frank divulged his plan to his two friends. It was a daring idea, fraught with danger and a significant likelihood that it could all go horribly wrong, but it was all they had. Discussing their options and refining the plan until they believed they could make it work, the three men put aside their nervous reservations; there was simply no room for doubt.

“Ray,” Frank began gravely, “I have to ask you again, are you sure you’re okay with this? There is a risk.”
Ray frowned in a gesture of capitulation. “There’s much more of a risk if we do nothing, isn’t there?”

The statement was true, but it didn’t make Frank feel any better about the gamble he was asking him to take. Frank nodded his appreciation.

“Okay, lets get going. Bob, can you stay here with Mikey?”
“Sure,” Bob agreed readily. It was very much a matter for them all to pull together right now. But he felt sure that Frank would see them through this.