A SECOND BYLINE
Now written by Stacey,
who has generously and ably stepped in to fill the place vacated by Sharon.
Thanks to Sharon for her work writing this for the last three years.
CHAPTER FOUR:
“Just couldn’t get enough of me, huh, doll-face?” Alex asked, a cocky expression masking his initial surprise of seeing Thorne and the gorgeous red-head that accompanied him face-to-face here in the same bar he just happened to be in. He tilted his head to one side and shoved his hands in his pockets. Were they checking up on him?
“What are you doing here?” Deidre replied, obviously as shocked by Ross’ appearance as he was at theirs.
“Ross,” Terry nodded, a bit of a frown on his face. How the hell did this guy just keep showing up? He’d given Ross his card so he could get in touch with him, hoping the man wouldn’t then feel the need to follow him.
“Mr. Thorne. Just out having a drink. What about you two?”
“The same,” Terry replied, coolly.
“Yeah? If I didn’t know any better I’d say you two were following me.”
“Isn’t that more your style, Ross?” Deidre asked, sarcastically.
“Not tonight. Off the clock. Like I said, I’m just here having a drink, chatting with the lovely lady over there.” Alex motioned back towards the booth where Gayle sat staring at them.
“I didn’t think second rate reporters like you were ever off the clock.”
“We aren’t, so why don’t we cut to the chase and you two start talking.”
“What about your date?” Terry asked, nodding towards the table where Gayle was leaning out to watch the three of them. Embarrassed, she quickly sat back and looked away.
Alex looked back at Gayle, flashed a smile at her. “What about her?”
“Can’t believe she’d be too happy with you ditching her for the two us,” Terry told him, with a wry grin.
“I’m sure she’ll understand. Besides, I’m sure she’s as curious as I am, if not more, as to why the company she just started work for a week ago suddenly exploded and left her jobless.”
“You mean she’s...” Deidre cut in.
“Employed by NanoCorp?” Alex cocked and eyebrow. “She was...until last night, when the whole place came crashing down.”
“I thought you said you were off the clock?” Deidre snorted.
“Just a happy coincidence, I assure you,” grinned Alex.
“I’m starting to wonder if anything is just a coincidence with you, Ross,” Terry told him.
Alex grinned. “Just give me a minute to...”
“Lose the girl? Shouldn’t be too hard for you, Ross,” Deidre smirked.
“To excuse myself from her company and make arrangements to meet her again,” Alex replied. He started to walk over to the table, then stopped and turned back, adding, “Find us a booth and I’ll be right over.”
Gayle had been watching the whole scene with curious eyes. Surely the two men must be brothers, she thought. How else could they look so much alike? She took a sip of her iced tea, trying to pretend she wasn’t staring at the trio across the room. After a few moments, Alex sauntered back over to her table and sat down.
“Sorry ‘bout that,” he said, “business.” He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a puff. “Speaking of which...”
“You’ve got to go?” Gayle asked, sounding a bit more disappointed than she intended.
“Not without getting your number, slim,” Alex replied, smoothly, pulling out his pad and pencil from his coat pocket.
She smiled, took the pad and paper from him, quickly scribbled her number down and then handed it back.
Alex grinned and slipped the pad and pencil back into his pocket. “I’ll be in touch,” he told her, retrieving his coat and fedora as he stood to leave.
“Famous last words,” Gayle replied, as she watched him turn and walk away towards the booth where Terry and Deidre were sitting. She let out a sigh, gathered her things, and headed out of the bar for home.
Meanwhile, after ordering a couple of beers, Terry and Deidre had settled into a booth in the far corner of the bar.
“You buy his story?” Deidre asked, skeptically, as she watched Alex talking to the girl across the bar from them.
“Not sure what to believe, Nolia,” he replied, rubbing his fingers over his temples. “He did appear to be as surprised to see us as we were to see him, though.”
“Looks can be deceiving, you know.”
“We’ll find out soon enough,” replied Terry, then, straightening up in his seat, added, “here he comes.”
Alex stood in front of the booth, grinning. “Mind if I slide on in beside you there, doll?”
Deidre rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to reply when Terry stopped her, “Nolia...” he said, placing a hand on hers and shaking his head.
Closing her mouth, she nodded, then slid over close to Terry, as Alex sat down across from him.
“So, you wanna fill me in on what’s really going on?” Alex asked, leaning forward a bit, his hands reaching into his pocket for his notepad and pencil.
“I already told you...” Terry began, confidently.
“Nah, not that same song and dance you gave me back at what’s left of NanoCorp, but the real story... something I can use.”
Terry sat back in his seat, studying the man sitting across from him. He wasn’t sure just how much he could trust him, especially since he was a reporter. He looked at Deidre, then back to Alex. “Here’s what I’ll do,” he said, finally, “you answer a few questions for us first, then maybe I’ll answer a few for you... off the record, of course.”
Alex smiled. Fine, that’s the way they wanna play it, so be it. He nodded and shoved his notepad back in his pocket. “Shoot,” he said, leaning back in his seat.
“Alright... fill me in on what you already know about NanoCorp.”
Alex smirked. “You mean, besides the fact that it’s no longer there?”
“Humor me.”
“As I told you last night, I’ve heard certain...rumors...” he stopped himself, deciding how much he should divulge.
“Go on,” Terry pressed.
Alex grinned. “Weird shit... clones, for starters.”
Terry and Deidre quickly looked at each other, grimly, then back at Alex. There it was... out in the open. He was hoping to avoid that topic of conversation a bit longer if possible. Terry took a moment and cleared his throat. “Its rumors like that that give NanoCorp a bad name.” He sat staring Alex in the eye, then leaned forward across the table, his voice lowered. “No, not clones, Ross, but I can see where you might get that idea. It’s actually more... complicated... than that. What do you remember about where you came from? How you came to be here?”
Alex stared at him a moment, thinking back to when he found himself in this town, wondering how he had ended up here. “Not much, I guess,” Alex replied, truthfully. “Why do you ask?”
Terry just looked at him and it suddenly dawned on Alex what he might be implying. “You’re not implying...? Shit...Shit.”
All this time he just assumed it had been Myra and her damned magic, never considered anything more. Sure, he was curious why the man sitting in front of him shared his same looks, but never imagined he could be...what? If not a clone, then... what?
ON TO PART 5
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BACK TO PART 3
BACK TO PART 1 (in case you need to reread)
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