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The Quintessential Q
Chapter Seventy Eight
Shifting Focus.
Maddy makes her way into the library of PC High. what the hell was I thinking taking calculus? Unless they are looking for niche woman for the first manned trip to Mars I really don't see me joining NASA. Maddy is unsurprised to see Emily there sitting in the librarians' office. "I see rumors of your demise have been grossly exaggerated. The school is abuzz I didn't think you would be back yet."
"It's a new week." Emily shrugs. "I've spent enought time looking at four walls."
"Oh don't give me that. I watch TV; I know how that whole family thing works. You probably couldn't get the family okay to go back to Deception unless you went back to school."
"I think you mean parental rather than family." Emily specifies.
"Right. Mr Q probably about threw a coronary about you coming back to school so soon."
"He'd already left for the office." Emily sighs gratefully. "His offer of tutors is really tempting and believe me I'm considering it. But it would be like being under a microscope. So I have to remember which is worse-- the benign meddling of grandfather or this place."
"Yeah, I'm in the same boat. Deciding which would be the more profitable-- staying or going. I can't believe your grandfather made me the offer. So how are you getting around?"
"The Principal gave me a key to the elevators. And basically a bye on all school bells. He knows I'm not too speedy with these things." Em refers to the crutches.
"Bad Idea, Em." Maddy shakes her head. "If Ms Lila had a spare wheel chair you should have borrowed it. On crutches you are a target, at least in a chair you are a faster moving target."
"Did I ever tell you that Nikolas gave me fencing lessons?" Emily holds the crutch out from her body. "On Guard!"
"I really appreciate this." Nikolas tells Lucky.
"I can't believe you are moving this fast." Lucky looks in the sideview of his truck to check on the horsetrailer he is pulling.
"Halloween isn't that far away. The construction goes along whether I am there or not. I have appointments at the hospital later. Are you going to swing by?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't mind kicking some ass on video games up on the peds floor. I can't believe that Elizabeth signed up for a crack of dawn course at PCPD."
"She's been raving about that instructor for awhile." Nik reminds him.
"I saw your car at the house late last night. After all the crews were gone." what are you up to, bro?
"Maddy and I got talking. Lucky, do you think Emily likes business?"
"If you'd ask'd me six months ago." Lucky shakes his head. "But I've seen her at Deception. She's got them eatting out of her hand and she likes it. Remember that video night, which we are seriously in need of another by the way, when Em brought all that Deception work with her? That's dedication, man. Not something I would do. Not something she has to do-- I mean Jax and Ned run that company right? Why you asking?"
"Something Maddy said. There is the turn off there."
"I know where my cousin does her dirty work." Nonetheless Lucky slows down and signals the turn. He drives carefully over the rutted road. As Carly's place comes into view Lucky spots her SUV. He pulls along side the gate to the corral. "She know you were coming?"
"Yes, I called her house. Carly seemed rather frazzled."
"That's typical Spencer reaction to having to be awake early on a school day." Lucky nods. "Lucas is staying there. At least she's trying. Dad always just wrote notes." Lucky shifts the truck into park and then turns it off. Hopping out of the truck, He walks over to the window and glances in. He grins seeing Michael playing with his trucks but then frowns. where the hell is Carly? He glances this way and that not seeing her. He goes around to the door and checks it. Locked. He glances in the window in the door and sees Carly racked out on the couch. He knocks on the door. No response. Running back to his truck he grabs his lock picks from his glove box. Quicker than most people can turn a key he has the door open. "Hey Mr Man, what's up?"
"Shhh. Mama sleeping." Michael says softly. Holding a finger to his lips.
"Yeah, buddy, I see that. But I really need to talk to her." Lucky goes over and touches Carly on the shoulder. She starts awake looking around the room until she sees Michael.
"Whoops sorry, guess I was tired, more tired than I thought." Carly apologizes. She yawns and brushes her hair back. "So did he bring the horse?"
"I called out to you, Caroline; you didn't answer."
"Like I said-- I was tired." Carly shrugs off the questions. Taking Michael's hand she goes out side to see her new tenant. Her mother took in boarders. She takes in horses. Yeah, horses were better to be around. They only borrowed sugar a lump at a time. She and Michael stand at the corral fence checking out the new resident. Carly reaches into her pocket and pulls out an apple wedge from a ziploc. She hands it to Michael. Being constantly around the horses, Michael knows exactly what to do although Carly keeps an eye on him anyway. He holds the slice up high... over his head in the flat of his hand hyperextending his fingers so that the palm of his hand is the highest point on his little hand with the apple wedge sitting on top of it. Sheba looks at the short human with a treat. She turns her head to the side to get a good look. Slowly she ambles over sniffing the apple first and then with soft velvety lips plucks the apple from Michael's hand.
"Tickles, Mama." Michael giggles. "Gimme another." He demands.
"No." When Michael looks to throw the tizzy that only a red haired Spencer can, "They are for Mr Roberts."
"Gimme. I give them." Michael demands.
"Fine, but one at a time and don't feed him the ziploc. Horses don't like plastic." Carly raises her voice after her rapidly disappearing son who was racing back to the office through the tack room to the stables.
"Is he going to be okay?" Lucky wonders.
"We do this every day." Carly reminds him. Carly climbs between the railings of the corral. She stands back from the new horse. They take the time to be check each other out. Nik pats Sheba on the neck and then goes over to stand by Carly. "You want to see the stalls?"
"Please." Walking across the corral to the stables, Nik notices that each stall door opens to the corral.
Carly notices Nik noticing. "Fire safety."
"I've dealt with a fire in a stables before." Nik remembers. "We had to rebuild the stables over at Wyndemere."
"There is seldom nobody here." Carly walks through the stall that will be Sheba's into the common corridor of the stable. "That's your stall there. That one is Michael's. I have some of his toys in it."
"The one that Lucas wants for Thunder."
"Right. This is the vet's horse and this is Mr Roberts." Carly picks Michael up resting him on her hip despite him getting too big. She watches as Nik greets the Morgan. "I'll show you the rest." Carly keeps walking. "This is the tack room, there is a dressing room off of it. And this is my office. Touch my computer and you die. And I don't mean in an Uncle Luke threaten and bluster for years but in a Tony Jones open court kind of way."
After school Maddy waits outside the main doors waiting for Emily. Em looks frazzled and her bookbag is swing with her crutches getting in the way of anything. But more than the school work, she just looks bone tired. "Made any decisions?"
"Oh yeah. I'm talking to grandfather when I get home." Emily gets out of the traffic pushing by her and rests for a moment. "I forgot how... bitchy they all are. And a few.. who weren' being bitchy, I really had the feeling that they were pumping me for info to give to Hardcopy. I am exhausted and I still have to check in at Deception." Maddy takes Em's backpack and walks her to the van.
"I have to check on the sites pick up the deposits and see if they need anything. It won't take long but it should give you some breathing room and some caffeine to get you jump started."
"Sounds like a plan, especially the caffeine part." Emily leans back in the plush captain's chair closing her eyes. "How are things going down on the prominade?"
"The store fronts are going in quickly. It's cleaning up nicely. Still kind of rough at night but not bad. I think the place will be filled before Christmas. You know if Sonny and Jason are going to be doing a Christmas blend on coffee?"
"I haven't talked to them about it. I can give them a call or talk to them next Sunday. I think I'm going to be swamped this week. And if I go along with Grandfather's plan who knows how that will work!"
"Don't think about it. Give yourself a power nap." Maddy turns on the radio and resolves to not say a word just let Em rest. First stop PCU. The college kiosk was the busiest. Everyone said that students were broke but not when it came to two things... coffee and beer. During dead and final weeks the PCU Kiosk is 24 hours and rather than compete with the Union is located right outside the library. Maddy does her meet and greet on her staff leaving the stuff she'd noticed was needed on her early AM swing though. Collects the deposit tucking it into the middle of her back and covering it with her jacket. She checks the shift journal for any notes she needs for the next check in.
Next stop the business district. This kiosk closes early rolling up with the streets when the muckymuck went home. But the same basic process is repeated. Once back in the van she drops the deposit as she dropped the first in a box welded to the body of the van.
Next stop the courthouse kiosk. This one did the big business during the day as well. Going to court is stressful; the last thing anyone needs is caffeine but it's the first thing they reach for. Her arrival doesn't go unnoticed, and she picks up a tail as she is leaving the courthouse complex.
Last stop is the docks. Maddy knows that Em, if she is going to wake for anything, will want to see the prominade progress. Skill and practice have her arriving at the docks right before four pm and the swing shift of the dock workers. She automatically starts pitching in. When Stefan Cassadine walks up to the kiosk she tells her help she'll take care of him. Looking at Stefan, "You like what I made you before?"
"Yes, although no whip cream please. And an extra one of those beans."
"You got it. I've seen you come and go a million times on the launch out to the island but this is the first time you've stopped." Maddy tells Stefan as she is building his beverage."
"I never had reason to stop before." Stefan replies.
Maddy looks over at her help who nods. All the help know Maddy's business is information and coffee was just the way to get it. So after Maddy hands Stefan his drink and collects the cash she steps away from the kiosk. "Reason?"
"We have unfinished business." Stefan says cryptically.
he's looking for a chess match Maddy grins. "How much?"
"Excuse me?"
"How much you going to pay me? The way you move you can bet it would be by the hour."
Stefan glares at her. impudent wench. You know I want to pick your brain as well as the match He pulls out his wallet and peels off a couple of bills. Maddy snags the cash smoothly making it disappear faster than Copperfield. "When?"
"I have to drop off a few things I can be at the launch in ... an hour? Anything you want me to bring?"
"Your best game."
"Hon, I never give less than the best. Anything else is a waste of my time and your money."
"You're under arrest!" Taggart comes out of the shadows walking toward Stefan and Maddy.
"Oh man." Maddy shakes her head. "For what? Making the finest cup of Joe in this town?"
"Solicitation." Taggart is already reaching for his cuffs.
"Marcus, you've got it all wrong!" Maddy protests. She walks over and leads Taggart away by his arm. "I just play chess with the guy. There can't be a law against playing chess!"
"Chess?" Taggart says skeptically. "Then why was he giving you money." Taggart glares at Stefan.
"You ever see the way he plays? If I'm going to be tortured that way I'm getting paid for it." Maddy hisses just loud enough for Taggart to hear her.
"I'm going to let you go this time. But call your aunt."
Maddy rolls her eyes and walks back to Stefan. "Sorry about that. All cleared up."
"I've had my own dealings with the PCPD. There is no need to apologize. We will meet in an hour."
"An hour." Maddy finishes up what she needs to at the Kiosk and heads back to the van. Em is stirring. "All done with the kiosks. You ready to head to Deception?"
"Yeah might as well get it over with. I'll probably be there for awhile."
"I've got a date or I'd stay..."
"I can catch a ride." hopefully I'll have a date too. Maddy pulls into the employee of the month space that still has Emily's name on it at Deception. "Are you going to school tomorrow? What do you want to tell Grandfather?"
"Tell MrQ to count me in. I'll go to school depending on how late I'm out tonight. If I don't go I'll definitely call you. We'll set up a meeting with MrQ."
"Knowing Grandfather he has already retained a tutor, just in case."
"Yeah, I figure as much." Maddy waits in the van until Emily is inside the doors. As soon as Em is safely inside she pulls out and heads back to the docks.
Emily takes the elevator up to her office. Hobbling over to her desk she collapses in the chair. Her secretary was due to leave in less than an hour to head home so first things first they do a quick consult on everything that hadn't been covered in the daily messenger packages she'd been receiving at the mansion. Em makes no effort to absorb the information given by the secretary just making notes on a pad. As the last point is covered, she nods and orders the reluctant woman home. "Go home. I've got an IN box to get through and I know I'll be better organized tomorrow. I'll leave a folder of anything I finish on your desk when I leave."
"Are you sure? I can stay."
"Go. You've been putting the fires out all week what with Ned out of town and me laid up. Had Jax been any help?"
"I think he's up to something. And he has had family in town this week. But he dealt with the biggies." The secretary nods. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"'Kay." Emily is already reaching for the first folder in the In box. Touching each folder only once, she makes notes of deadlines on her computer calendar, files the folder, passes it on to the interested party or dictates an answer. And everything is going smoothly, efficiently, until somehow her presence is detected in the building. Then her phone starts ringing and the knocks on the door start. Giving up, she finally calls down to research and calls all the people up to her office. It was time for the reunion. Let the guys get it out of their system and she wouldn't have to repeat herself a dozen times. "I'm fine, glad to be back; no, they haven't caught them yet." over and over.
When Nik swings by Emily's office, she is sitting on the couch in her office surrounded by the lab rats. Cans of Jolt and Surge Soda abound with a few Mountain Dews thrown in for variety sake. With the cast on her foot, Em hadn't bothered with the Suzi Corporate Makeover she normally did when at Deception and is instead wearing her school gear: the wide legged jeans, currently in style that fit over the cast, and a long sleeved sweater. Nik is about to go in but decides to step back and listen for awhile... listen to what Em is saying but also to what Maddy and Lucky had told him.
Secreted away in a cubicle outside of Em's office he can hear everything. In one way it's like a meeting his uncle would call with the estate managers-- everyone is giving updates of their projects. But there is a synergy here that isn't in his uncles meetings. It isn't dry updates it's an impromptu brainstorming session too. Periodically Em's hands form a T and she calls for a translation from technical to english. As often as not someone else provides the translation, someone other than the person giving the update, and that starts another round of discussion.
Having worked at Deception when Katherine was running things, Nik is surprised by the forthright exchange of ideas and suggestions going on. When he was working here the labrats had kept to themselves. Emily is suppose to be doing PR, organizing shoots and models, coordinating the talent using her modeling connections. She is suppose to be the Deception Spokesmodel for goodness sake! Jax and Ned were suppose to be handling the technical end, the business end.
Finally Emily holds up her hands to get attention. "Okay, now what I have working on while I was recovering from my horrible ordeal." The guys laugh because Emily had joked it off earlier. "I've got the results in on the wage hour comparison study-- While we have parity with Jax Cosmetics, industry wide Deception is paying less in your department." Emily admits. The guys fall silent. Emily wouldn't say that and not have more to say. "I can go to Ned and Jax with the information and tell them that and I know exactly what they will say-- Emmie, honey, but it costs more to live in The City, LA or Chicago, and they're right. Emmie, honey, we've already put the budget to bed for this fiscal year, and that one is true too. I am going to put the squeeze on them for more money but I want you guys to start thinking about perks-- things that if they won't give more money I can go for instead.
The first thing that occured to me because it is money-- increasing the participation as far as patents are concerned shifting the ratio, just a bit, between Deception and the talent. Deception is always going to have a majority of the profits from the patents and that is reasonable since we're the ones eatting it on the R&D until the product hits the shelfs and catches on. But it doesn't have to be something big like that-- it could be something simple-- free sodas in the lounge on your floor. Come on guys, how much of your money is going back to the company in caffeine?" Emily looks at all the empty soda cans around her office. An idea pops into her head. "Or how about a personal shopping service? Somebody who makes sure that birthdays and stuff are covered. Adding optical to the insurance package. Think about it. I'm not saying the sky is the limit because the limit is way, way lower than that. But it's something to think about."
"Hey Em." Johnny says from the doorway. Nik silently swears he hadn't even noticed Cook coming up the hallway.
Emily glances down at her watch. "Dang, I didn't realize how late it's gotten. I get started talking with you guys and time goes out the window! This is my ride home. John Cook, these are the brains of Deception. Guys, this is Johnny Cook; he owns Porter's restaurant down on the waterfront. If you haven't tried it yet, you really should. It's excellent." There are handshakes around as well as some brotherly/fatherly checking the new guy out. As the labrats leave there are individual comments to Em welcoming her back a few whispers of a need to have a private meeting but finally the room is cleared and only Johnny and Em are left.
"What's left to be done?" Johnny looks around Em's office.
"Nothing really." Emily hops from the couch to the desk. She plants a hand on one stack on her desk. "This needs to go out on my secretary's desk. She'll sort them out when she gets in, in the morning." Johnny shifts the stuff to the secretary's desk out front. While he is doing that Emily is gathering up a few things in her backpack and taking a last look around the office. Then she flips the lights off. She hobbles out on her crutches. Johnny takes the back pack from her hand throwing it over one of his shoulders.
"So you hungry? Or do you want to go back to the mansion directly."
"I could eat."
Once they clear the hallway, Nikolas comes out of the cubicle. Nikolas pulls out his cell phone and his wallet. Dialing a number he gets from a little piece of paper, he waits impatiently for the phone to be answered. "Where are you?"