Dane

Dane stood at the front of the conference room, with every available staff member sitting or standing around him. There was so many people there they were crowded around the door and spilling into the hallway. He swallowed hard as Chris debriefed everyone on the details they'd agreed the night before to share at this point—which was almost everything. For once, since his father had the upper hand, there was no reason to try and keep things out of any mole's hands. Only a couple small, but crucial details were held back so they'd be able to check for staff who knew things they shouldn't.

​​

Dane scanned the room as Chris spoke, measuring each person in his mind, wondering whether his father had gotten to them somehow. He was so desperate to do something, he was beginning to itch between his shoulder blades. He'd spoken to Harry Quinn that morning already. Worst case scenario, they were starting tomorrow. Tonight, if he could swing it. But that would depend a little bit on what came out of this meeting.

"…We have spoken with Police and they're investigating Lila's abduction, on top of our efforts. I don't have to tell any of you that none of these details are to be shared with anyone outside of this office—and if you're debriefing your staff who can't be here, you do it in person. No emails, no texts, avoid phone calls if at all possible. I'll let Dane be the one to explain why."

Dane took a deep breath and squeezed up to the front next to Chris and stared at the back wall so he wouldn't have to make eye contact with anyone.

"Hey, team," he started. There was a murmuring response, but the room was tense and heavy with anticipation. They knew something big was coming. Dane put his hands in his pockets and braced himself.

"So, the first thing you all need to know is that last weekend, Lila and I got married. In secret."

There was a heartbeat pause, then a bunch of gasps and shrieks and murmurs, and one "Seriously?" He raised his hands to calm them. A couple of the women were crying again, which set his teeth on edge. "Needless to say, I'm extremely anxious about her wellbeing and…" he cleared his throat, trying to move the lump that had appeared. "…I'm grateful to all of you answered the late night call last night and showed up early this morning. I know this is a paycheck, but…" he cleared his throat again. "You're helping me personally right now, and I'm grateful."

He had to stare at the carpet for a minute to get himself back under control. He heard a sniff from the back and it almost unhinged him. He closed his eyes and started talked, and vowed he wouldn't stop until he was done.

"The other very important detail for you all to know is that the question we're facing right now isn't who has Lila, but what they've done with her. I know exactly who has her, and I'm working with law enforcement to attempt to get her back. But… well, you've all seen the ways we're often able to be more nimble than law enforcement. So, while I'm really thankful that local Police and special forces are on board, that doesn't mean that we'll stop doing what we do."

He looked up to an entire roomful of barely breathing, wide-eyed staff—some with faces of sympathy, others showing anger. Well, so be it.

"I've been pretty open with the senior staff since the beginning that I have an enemy, and that he is in organized crime. Most of you have bumped up against his work at some point, whether you realized it or not. What I haven't told you, any of you, is that that man is my father."

Another round of gasps and inhales and the eyes fixed on him got even wider. "Those of you who heard my story at the press conference at the beginning of the Becky Hanson case will remember that I mentioned having a mother and a-a sister that I'd worked to protect. And failed." He swallowed hard. "That was because at home, my father was an abusive and sadistic asshole. But at work, he was a monster." He could feel his back teeth clenching so hard it felt like they would crack. He had to talk through them. "He also has his fingers in some corners of law enforcement, the justice system, and branches of government. He is, in short, part of the shadowy aspect of our society that we like to think doesn't actually exist. But I can tell you from personal experience, the corruption and criminality in our political system is real. And my father is a perpetrator of it."

The room was so quiet he could hear himself breathe.

"Because of this… unique aspect to my father's influence, we are stepping very, very carefully when it comes to taking any action. Do not—I cannot express this enough—do NOT take action on any leads or informants without first speaking to your supervisor. My father is a master manipulator and if he believes he can use you or your work to help himself, or harm me, he will not hesitate to place false information in front of you—or even a false witness."

He blew out a breath. "Which leads me to the hardest part of this… since the night my relationship with Lila was revealed publicly, we have already lost one staff member, and since learned that she was working with my father—and likely had been for years."

The room was washed in voices.

"What?"

"Tish?"

"Who's he talking about?"

"Please, people," Dane raised his voice, and the loud voices stopped, but the murmuring didn't. "Please, let me tell you so there's no chance you are misinformed: Tish, my assistant, had been taken in by my father. We don't know yet if she was blackmailed, or simply paid off. But the upshot is that she was feeding him information—and she was a key attack. She tried to trick Lila into an abduction three days before she disappeared."

One woman started sobbing and was quickly hushed by her colleagues. Everyone else just looked shocked.

"I know this sounds crazy—trust me, I'm well aware. But all I can tell you is that this is real, the threat is real—and deadly—and unless we find her, Lila's life is in very, very grave danger."

He had to swallow twice before he could go on.

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