[Escape 01.0] A New Life

by David J Antocci

  “Abby’s husband has an attorney. He claims he never signed off on her participation in the show, and he’s preparing to file a lawsuit.”

  Olivia stood, mouth open, dumbstruck for a moment. “How did this get past legal?”

  “Funny thing.” Seth turned his tablet, so Olivia could flip through the mountains of waivers and signatures the contestants and their spouses had to sign off on.

  “He signed off on everything here. What’s his problem?”

  “He claims his signatures were forged, and he didn’t sign off on anything. Why do we need the spouse to sign off on this stuff, anyway? As long as Abby is over eighteen, I don’t see what the problem would be.”

  “It’s mostly for our protection. There is such a high possibility of death. Even if Abby wants to sign off on it, the great State of California requires her spouse to do so, as well, or it opens us to all sorts of possibilities for litigation.”

  “Well, the attorney said this guy didn’t even know where his wife had been for the past couple of months, until she turned up on television. Crazy, huh?”

  “Unbelievable. What does he want?”

  “They want to talk to you. I’m just the messenger boy,” he said with a smile.

  “They want money; that’s what they want. That’s what they always want. Set up a teleconference with them this afternoon. Get in touch with legal. Have Mike come down, so we can figure this out.”

  Seth cleared his throat. “Actually, they’re in the city. They want to meet in person. Today, if possible.”

  “Well, what did you tell them?”

  “I told them I would check your calendar and get back to them.”

  Olivia was in the fortunate position that her calendar was usually clear. This was the only project she was working on at the moment, and once the show was up and in season, it basically ran itself.

  “All right, have them come in after lunch. Let me spend some time with Mike and figure out how much this is going to cost us.”

  ***

  When Mike entered the room, all heads turned. With his broad, confident shoulders, his short-cropped, light brown hair, and his well-defined cleft chin, he had been mistaken more than once for a famous quarterback-turned-fashion model. Why he was an attorney behind the scenes, instead of in front of a camera, was anyone’s guess. If asked, he often told people the money was just as good, the hours were better, and the women were no less plentiful. In truth, it was his opinion that actors were, by and large, people who had been blessed with good looks but not much in the way of brains. He was in this position because he had both.

  Life wasn’t bad for the tall, handsome, sometimes-lover of Ms. Thomas. Olivia mused that some women might find it difficult to work with a man in this situation, but she found it made things easier. She knew what buttons to push to get what she wanted when she needed to. She didn’t have to do any of that today, though. Still, she greeted him with a kiss on the cheek before they settled in to discuss the suit before them.

  After the usual pleasantries, she started in. “We don’t have anyone witness this stuff when it’s being signed?”

  “We actually do. I was in the room with a half-dozen of the network attorneys while we went through all the paperwork with them. Abby had a man with her. He had an I.D. that said Bryce Haydenson. That is really about as far as we go when it comes to verifying they are who they say they are.”

  “Why go through all that trouble to hide this from your husband? She’s going on the biggest program in the country. Did she really think he wouldn’t find out?”

  “I stopped trying to understand people’s motivations a long time ago. Especially women,” he added with a wink—which Olivia ignored.

  “She never talked about her marriage. Not even once. It never came up in any of her backstory interviews. Why is she trying to hide this guy?”

  Mike speculated, “Must be a real prize.”

  “So, how much do you think it will cost us to make him go away?”

  “That’s what you want to do?”

  “Of course it is, Mike. The last thing we need is for this to become a story. Abby is one of the most well-liked contestants we’ve had in years. She’s not available to defend herself, and who knows what this guy is going to come out with. If we make him go away, we don’t have to worry about any of that.”

  “Makes sense.” Mike thought for a few minutes. “Well, our best bet is to just pay him off, and quick. If Abby is a winner in all this, then maybe the payoff will be all for naught. Even if she divorces him, he’s going to get half of what she wins, thanks to our antiquated laws. But if she dies out there, that’s when this would turn into a shitshow real fast. Just the fact that he didn’t get to sign-off on liability, and if she gets killed… well, that would probably be the end of the show. Not to mention, it would be a huge hit to the network. It goes without saying, they will go after the big man hard. When you have that many billions in assets, you might as well have a target painted on your back.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Good. Then, let’s get them in here and sign off on things right away—before his attorney figures out waiting could be a much bigger payday. What is the attorney’s name?”

  “Ian Greene!” Seth called from the next room.

  “Never heard of him. He’s probably some local the husband came out here with. Either way, let’s get on this right now. Every second we wait is time during which she could take a dive off a cliff or run into that lunatic, Tom.”

  Olivia laughed. “I wouldn’t worry too much about Tom. This girl can handle herself. Wait until you see the show tonight.”

  “That good?”

  “If I could, I’d put it on the line in Vegas for her to win this whole thing.”

  “Can’t wait to see it,” Mike said, then paused. “So, what do you think about Bobby? Do we get him in the loop on this?”

  “Bobby?”

  He looked at her, as if to say, Really?

  She rolled her eyes. “You know, if he finds out you call him that, you’ll be out the door before you even know what hit you.”

  “Well, he’s not here now, is he? I figure I can get away with it when we’re alone. It’s our secret,” he said with another wink.

  “Sure,” she said. “That’s a good question. Does ‘Bobby’ need to be involved?”

  “I don’t think so, no,” Mike said, thinking about it. “We’ll get everything documented. Make sure the show, the network, everyone involved is released from any exposure if she does die. Separately, we will have them sign away any claims holding him personally liable, too. No need to get him all worked up over nothing if we’re going to settle. We can fill him in after the fact.”

  “They’ll be here after lunch.” She changed her posture, leaning forward and looking at him lazily. “How about you? Would you like to grab some lunch?”

  “I was thinking we could eat in,” he said with a smile.

  “Seth!” Olivia shouted. “Hold my calls and lock the door!”

  12

  IAN HUNG UP the phone and turned to his client. “Perfect. They want to meet this afternoon.”

  Ian Greene was a short, pudgy, balding, bearded fellow who fancied himself to be the top-notch legal protection of organized crime in the Midwest. In reality, he was in way over his head with the wrong people, but he was too dumb to realize it. His current client was a complete sociopath whose motives were near impossible for any sane person to wrap his head around; yet, he had boarded a plane with him and flown to the West Coast anyway. It was just another in a lifetime of bad decisions.

  Of course, people like his client tended to do well in his particular line of work, so it was more of an asset than a hindrance in this particular case. Ian stood proudly grinning with his hands on his hips, the front of his cheap suit jacket open, and his sizable gut straining the buttons on his white, collared shirt.

  “Good.” Bryce had been pacing the large hotel suite they had occupied for the past day. He stopped
to study himself in the mirror. His efficiency was only exceeded by his meticulousness. He ran his hands through his short blond hair in frustration, then produced a comb from his pocket and smoothed the loose strands back in place. He had the intense face a man in his line of work should—though the average person on the street would just assume he was a miserable son of a bitch who never smiled.

  He had been happy once. As a young child, he remembered happiness. He was convinced he was an exceptionally happy kid—until his mother took off and left him to be raised by his semi-abusive father. He had been chasing that happiness ever since, but never quite caught up.

  He loved his work, though. He saw it as man’s work. To someone from the outside, he intimidated, conned, swindled, and killed to get what he wanted and make things happen. But to anyone on the inside, he was the wet dream of organized crime bosses everywhere. He was a man who relished being in control and did whatever it took to get the job done.

  He didn’t take well to disobedience, whether in his work or in his personal life—which were often one in the same. Abby had started off as work. He had taken her off the streets years ago, and eventually, made her his wife. When they had met, she was young, impressionable, and most importantly, obedient. She proved to be easily controlled and manipulated. That is, until he stepped out of the shower a few months ago and found she had disappeared from his expensive apartment—and from his life entirely—only to turn up on national television a few months later.

  “How could she do this to me? I thought I had that bitch under control.”

  “Hey, she did you a favor. Do you know how much cash you’re going to make off this? We are talking about huge money. This is the biggest show on television. Trust me; they want this to go away, and they have the money to spend.”

  Bryce roared, “I don’t want money!”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I don’t want money. I don’t need money. I want Abby. After everything I have done for her, how could she just up and leave like that? I love her.” After a moment he quietly added, “I will fucking kill her.”

  Ian spoke slowly, trying to calm his client. “Bryce, I know you’re doing well. I mean, look at that suit you’re wearing! You’re a rising star, buddy. Everyone in the organization loves you. The boss loves you. You’re a made man, leapfrogging guys who have been doing this since you were a kid. Sure, you’ve got a young, hot wife, but they are a dime a dozen where you’re heading. What do you need her for?”

  Bryce spoke through his teeth. “She is my wife. She has run off. She belongs here with me. That’s what I need her for. I need her here, where she is supposed to be.”

  “I’m just saying, what is the worst outcome here? She’s probably going to die out there. If she does, I’ll make sure you get a payout, and you won’t have to deal with her anymore.”

  “Die out there? Obviously, you haven’t been watching the same show I am,” he said, gesturing toward the television. The sound was muted, but it was tuned to the “Trial Island” channel, a twenty-four-hour satellite channel dedicated to the show, on top of its regular airings on the network. The analysts had spent the better part of the last hour dissecting Abby’s latest attack and escape, showing everything in slow-motion detail. “They said this morning she is going to win the whole thing!”

  “So, she wins the whole thing. She gets rich, and you get half. Where is the bad in that?”

  “I don’t want her to be rich. If she is rich, what does she need me for? I want her to be off that island and back here.”

  A young woman, barely half his age, emerged from the bedroom, wearing only a smile and a tired look in her eyes. Her thick, dark hair hung down over her bare chest, just barely covering enough to leave something to the imagination. “Mr. Haydenson, how much longer do you think you’ll be? I have to get back to work at the club soon.”

  Ian turned away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”

  “Don’t worry about her modesty, Ian; she doesn’t have any.” Bryce smiled at the girl. He had picked her up last night from a local strip club owned by one of his associates out there. He might not have much in the way of friends, but he had associates everywhere, and people who could be counted on for favors. Especially when he was in an unfamiliar city and needed some company. “It’s Faye, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Faye, come over here for just a second,” he gestured for her to come closer. She approached with a smile. He stopped her in front of him, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Now, Faye, men are talking here. Mr. Greene and I are discussing something very important. Didn’t your daddy ever tell you not to interrupt when men are talking?”

  “I didn’t have a daddy, Mr. Haydenson.” She smacked her gum. “Well, actually, I guess I did, but I never met him.”

  He chuckled and looked at Ian. “Well, isn’t that shocking?” He looked back at her, and fast as lightning, slapped her in the face with his open hand.

  She grabbed her face. “You piece of sh…”

  He slapped her again, and she was silent. “Faye, when men are talking, you do not interrupt. Nod your head if you understand.”

  She did so without removing her hand from her face.

  “Good. Now, be a good girl and go lay on the bed and wait for me. I don’t know how long I will be. Do not ask again.” As she turned to leave the room, he smacked her ass hard enough to make her yelp. Turning to Ian, he said, “The trick is to hit them hard enough to get their attention, but not hard enough to leave a mark.”

  “If you say so.”

  “What? You’ve got to keep them in their place.” He looked at the television. “Speaking of, how are we going to get her back in her place?”

  “I’ll do what I can, but she’s on an island halfway across the world. Few people know exactly where it is. Even if we did, it’s completely inaccessible, from what I’ve heard in the press about the show. They don’t want any gawkers just showing up there, and they don’t want anyone getting off the island, either, so they have got some sort of protection surrounding the place. If they don’t want to let her go, I don’t think there’s much we can do about it.” He gestured toward the television. “Based on this, I don’t see them just letting her walk away.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying, I think we would have better luck going after the money and forgetting about getting her off the show. I will try, but no promises.”

  “Don’t tell me you will try. Tell me it will get done. If you can’t do it, I’ll get it done myself. One way or another, she is coming back.”

  “Let’s see how the meeting goes this afternoon and take it from there.”

  Bryce sat down on the plush arm of one of the chairs and watched the screen intently. The television replayed the full sequence of Abby taking out her captors around the campfire the first night that she and Eric had been taken.

  “Who is this bitch, anyway?” He said out loud. She certainly didn’t resemble the meek little girl he had tied up in his bed a few months ago. It was Abby. But at the same time, it was not.

  “I’m going to get something to eat,” Ian said. “Meet you downstairs in an hour?”

  “Sure,” Bryce replied. He didn’t take his eyes off the screen as Ian let himself out. Bryce was having second thoughts. Did he want to deal with this woman? He looked through the bedroom door at Faye lying on the bed, naked and waiting. That was the kind of girl he liked. Obedient. That was the kind of wife he had. He had spent years perfecting their relationship. Who had changed her?

  “DAMN IT!” he growled, smashing his fist against the wall. She did not do this on her own. Someone must have helped her. Someone changed her. That thought enraged him almost as much as seeing her strut around that damned island with another man.

  He walked into the bedroom and took off his shirt. Opening a bag on the nightstand, he took out a pair of silver handcuffs and tossed them at Faye. “Be a good girl and put these on,” he said, f
lashing a crooked smile at her. “It’s time I worked off some of this stress.”

  13

  IAN WAS GRANDSTANDING in Olivia’s office. “Forged! Every single one of them, forged. How could you people let this happen?”

  Olivia was significantly calmer. “We followed all standard practices, Mr. Greene, and I can assure you neither myself nor anyone on the staff had even the slightest hint there was anything going on here. We would never intentionally let a spouse get cut out of the loop like this.” She looked at Bryce. “I hope you know we’re very sorry this happened.”

  Ian went right back in. “Oh, you’re sorry,” he announced to the ceiling, sarcasm dripping from his lips. “She’s sorry! Well, that makes it all better, now, doesn’t it?

  Mike spoke up. “No, it doesn’t, but…”

  “But nothing. What if she dies out there? What about that? My client’s wife of five years left him without a word and ran off to join your circus. If she dies out there, how is he supposed to live with that?”

  Olivia spoke up. “It isn’t our fault she went to these great lengths to circumvent the system and make sure he didn’t know anything about what she was doing. It seems to me she was trying to cut him out. She’s out there with her memory wiped right now, which means she doesn’t even know who he is. This wasn’t a surprise to her. She must have wanted it this way.”

  She immediately knew she had misspoken when Bryce slammed his fist down on the thick, wooden conference table.

  “Just who the hell do you think you are?” he said, standing up. Ian stood next to him, putting his hand on his shoulder, encouraging him to relax.

  “I apologize for my client,” he said. “He’s obviously under a great deal of stress.”

  “I’m sorry, too,” Olivia conceded. “That didn’t come out right.”

  “You said something about her memory being wiped? She doesn’t even know who I am anymore? What exactly did you do to her? You erased her memory?”

  “I’m sure one of our tech guys could explain it better than I could, but nothing was erased. It is just hidden, temporarily.”