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The Quintessential Q
Chapter Thirty Nine
Business as Usual
Emily greets the security guard at Deception. Everyone or darn near everyone has left for the day. She pulls into the Employee of the Week parking space closest to the doors. Someone in her absence had taken down Katherine's name and put up Emily "The Terminator" Quartermaine. It made for a crowded sign. "Way to Go, Emily." The guard jokes. "I had no idea why you wanted the tapes of the parking lot; I guess I do now."
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Emily winks at the security guard.
"Right." The guard looks down at his logs. "Most everyone has left for the day. The only ones left are the R&D guys and the cleaning staff."
"Okay. I bet my desk could star in an Irwin Allen epic." Emily sighs.
"Would that be the Poseidon Adventure or Earthquake?" The guard walks Emily to the front doors of Deception waiting while she keys herself in and walks through the doors.
"A whole new inspiration." Emily nods. She allows the door to shut between her and the security guard. He tests the door to make sure it's locked and waves at her. Emily waves back and then catches the elevator. It's kind of freaky to be in the office after hours. The place was so damn quiet. The hallways were lit but the cleaning staff would shut off lights and close doors as they finished with offices. It was like a system to know how much they had left to do. Craving contact after a week of only checking her messages and talking to the secretary who runs her schedule, Emily heads down to R&D. Emily walks in unnoticed by the chemists. One of them stretches getting the crick out of his back and takes in the sight of Emily in the open doorway.
Jumping from his seat, he quickly drops to his knees and starts making bowing motions. "We're not worthy! We're not worthy!" The applause spreads through the room as more people realize who is making a late night visit.
"Aw Knock it off." Emily waves them off. "Anyone ready for a break? I'm postponing going to my office. I don't even want to contemplate how deep my desk is buried." There is a quick chorus of affirmatives. Everyone pauses what they can and stops what they can't to head to the break room. There is a rush on the junk food machines as everyone gets situated around the table. "So what did I miss?" There is a chorus of answers from around the table.
"Mr. Ashton put out a memo saying you'd be unavailable for two weeks."
"Kenny got bought out. And that prim donna Lancôme nose got a cold as soon as he heard word. He's been out for as long as you have."
"The depilatory has a six month back order. The US Olympic swimming team has offered to be the spokes models in return for free samples."
"We were in the planning stages of busting you out."
Emily smiles at the rush of information especially the last. "That is so sweet. Thanks. Grandfather busted me out late last night. You know I couldn't have done it without you guys. So what is the deal with The Nose?" Emily gets down to business taking a quick swig of the Coke in front of her and grabbing some of the pretzels from the vending machine. "Does anyone know? Is he really sick or is he pouting?"
The construction site. Lucky, Nik and Liz all walk into the carriage house. "Are you sure Larry paged you?" Lucky asks. It was dark. Course that wasn't saying much as soon as autumn started rolling around the nights got longer and longer. He puts an arm around Liz and hugs her close. Winter was definitely his favorite time of the year.
"Yes, but it's not like I could call him back with Emily sitting right there. Luckily she had to check in at Deception." Nik looks around. There are actually lights rigged up in the house. Larry had put on a second crew under a foreman he trusted. According to the schedule the new furnace was to be delivered and installed today. The walls of the house had been ripped down to the studs to install updated wiring, ducts, and plumbing. Not only did Nik have skills with a sledge hammer but now also with crowbars. Something he hadn't felt the need to mention to his father when he had visited earlier.
Larry walks downstairs from the apartment area of the carriage house. He is dressed in a tux and tugging on his collar. Liz whistles in appreciation. Brian Dennehy in a tux. Sarah had always thought her weird but she'd had a serious lust on for Brian Dennehy when she was younger. "Well I'm glad you like it." Larry mutters. "You couldn't have called me back earlier?"
"This is my first opportunity, why?"
"Damn partner is dragging me off to some historical society function." Larry grumbles. "He wants to make sure they don't forget him so it'll be all that more special when he rubs this project in their faces. All I wanted to do was go home and put my feet up, have a beer, watch the game but no...."
"The things ya do for love." Liz teases. She walks over and brushing away the contractor's hands ties his bow tie for him. "Lucky hates these things too."
"Knew I liked that kid." Larry looks over Liz's shoulder to Nikolas. "If you had called me back I might have been able to get out of this. Made up some problem with the crew or told him I had to hand hold a nervous Nelly."
"I am scarcely a nervous Nelly." Nikolas looks around at Lucky and Liz who both avoid his eyes. "I'm not."
Lucky finally answers. "Bro, about this project... yeah, you are."
Liz reassures. "And that is perfect reasonable. I mean, it's a huge investment right?"
"You call me a nervous Nelly and then expect me to get you out of going to the Historical Society function?" Nik retorts his tone conveying perfectly exactly how likely that is to happen.
"Larry, you didn't?!" Partner steps into the carriage house unheard over the give and take. He'd give Pierce Brosnan a run for his money decked out in his Armani. "This is important to both of us. You know that. You have a reputation and networking is part of the job."
"I'm a contractor, damn it. My work speaks for itself. If I have to listen to one more snide comment about tract lighting from those fruitflies..."
"Umm we're just going to let you two settle this... we're going to go up to the house and check on the progress." Nik, Liz and Lucky beat a quick retreat.
"Now see what you have done?" Partner protests to Larry. "I can't believe you called a client."
"Look we're both in these damn monkey suits, lets just go alright."
"I am not dropping this."
"You are dropping this." The two continue to argue all the way to the car. The evening doesn't bode well. The trio; who had actually just been waiting outside the carriage house, go back inside.
"Do they fight like that all the time?" Liz asks Nikolas.
"Not about the house." Nik replies. "When it comes to work they are incredibly in sync. Partner draws it up and Larry builds it."
"Well Larry seems like a beer and nuts kind of guy to me. And Partner..." Lucky shakes his head.
"He's more the chardonnay and smoked salmon type." Liz finishes. "...but Larry did go to the party."
"Don't think you're going to use this as a precedent." Lucky warns. "You ever try to drag me off to the Historical Society and we're going to go round and round."
"What about my first Gallery showing?" Liz asks with a quirked brow.
"That's totally different." Lucky insists. "You are going to serve ribs at it, right?"
"You are terrible." Liz punches Lucky in the upper arm.
"Looks like there's no crisis here. What do you guys want to do?"
Liz shrugs. "We told Em we'd meet her back at your place for video night. So we should probably make a Blockbuster run."
"I think I want to rent this Parent Trap movie." Nik suggests as he follows Liz and Lucky from the carriage house locking it behind him. "Have you guys thought anymore about moving into the carriage house?"
"Depends on what kind of security you're going to have." Lucky says. "You wouldn't believe the weirdoes hanging out down at the garage since that lovely present you gave me."
Johnny's restaurant
Emily walks up to the hostess. It has been a very long day. School, getting a new partner, meeting with Nik, checking in at Deception, cleaning off the black hole that was her desk, just two things left to do... meet with Johnny and then head over to Nik's for videos with the gang. "I'm here to see Johnny Cook. He hopefully is expecting me."
"I'll check with the boss. It'll be just a minute." The hostess is rushed. The place is busy. Hell it'd passed busy an hour ago to swamped. The hostess returns. "He says if you want to talk to him you're going to have to go back into the kitchen. He can't take a break right now."
"That's fine." Emily agrees following the hostess back to the kitchen area. She takes in the controlled chaos and starts to hug the wall trying to stay out of everyone's way. Em makes her way to the access area to the cooking area and sees the barstool that is placed there for Rita when she is visiting. Emily takes the seat and watches another master in action. There had been a few times when she'd been allowed to watch Cook but not often. Cook was way temperamental about having people in her kitchen when she was creating. Johnny seemed to be more easy going in that regard.
"Talk, then get out. I've got my hands full here." Johnny grumbles checking another order from his staff.
Or maybe not. Emily grins. "It's like I told you on the phone. I found someone to run the kiosks."
"I thought you were going to get Frank to run the coffee stands."
"Francois is on the verge of a trip to the new kinder, gentler Ferncliffe. The family is driving him around the bend. I wouldn't be surprised if someday the men in white coats take him off in one of those designer jackets with the really, really long sleeves."
"I'm not surprised. Order up!" Johnny calls out. In a flash the order is picked up and delivered to the customer. Johnny puts the finishing touches on another and calls over another waiter. In the brief moment, before turning back to the stove. "So who did you get?"
"Her name is Maddy Reynolds. She's goes to my school and she knows Benny."
Johnny stops cold and turns to look at Emily. "Benny? Benny Abrams?"
"Yeah, that was my reaction too. She's new in town but she already has some kiosks by the courthouse and downtown in the business district. Maddy was planning on branching out onto the docks anyway."
"How in the hell does she do it?" Johnny mutters. He sets up another order and goes to yet another. "I've got one place and I'm up to my ears."
"Delegation I think." Emily says ruefully looking down the at the filled to bulging back pack at her feet. "Something neither of us is that great at. I'm going to have to have Carly teach me how. The kiosks aren't Maddy's life the way the restaurant is yours. They're her front. Like the coffee warehouse is Sonny's."
Johnny walks over to Emily his face grim. "She's connected?"
"Bad example." Emily reassures holding up both hands in a whoa motion. "Maddy runs a shopping service. That's how she knows Benny. She buys for his grandkids says she makes him look better than Santa. The kiosks are a way to bring her customers to her. Like the fly to the spider." Emily uses the same example as Maddy had when inviting Nikolas into her van.
"Be careful, Emily. I wasn't kidding when I told you that you're one of the few levers who could bring Jason down and me with him. That prank you played on Katherine Bell was kinda entertainin' but stay on the right side of legal. Jason'll sleep better and so will I."
Emily rises and grabs her bookbag. "Well I wouldn't want you to lose any sleep over little old me."
Johnny moves in closer. He brushes her hair back off her shoulder. Emily looks up at him questioningly. Johnny runs a thumb over the line of Emily's jaw and mutters softly. "Everything about you disturbs my sleep." His warm breath against Emily's cheek set her own body to reacting.
"Do you smell something burning?"
"Sonovabitch!" Johnny retreats pulling a pot from the heat.
"I'm going to get going before I set something else afire." Emily offers even as her feet seemed weighted.
"That would be smart." Johnny glances back over at Emily. "I'll take some stuff to the kiosks in the morning, introduce myself to this Maddy person. Do you need something for Edward?"
"Nah. I'm going to make him suffer tonight. I found out he's been blocking my phone calls while I was on restriction. I think I'm so stressed out by my discovery that I forgot all about picking him up anything." Emily gives Johnny a sly grin.
"You realize this might be the straw that breaks Frank's back? Dealing with Edward in the midst of sugar withdrawal?"
"Life's a bitch, ain't it?" Emily shrugs. "And when Rita gets to high school just make sure she never has to eat the cafeteria food."
"You're taking out Frank, aren't you?" Johnny leans up against the counter. He gives her his own sly grin.
"He'll wish he'd never crossed you."