Generation 2, Chapter 36 - The Competence Hearing Part 2

Brian took the bag from Percy looking inside to confirm it indeed held a variety of cameras.  Sighing he looked up at Percy "how do I know this is everything?"

Shrugging "I guess you'll just have to trust me," Percy replied back nonchalantly.

Snorting Brian retorted "not a chance.  I'll be watching you."  Leading them into the house he showed them where they'd be sleeping.  "I set up sleeping bags for you in my art studio.  I hope that's alright."

Kyle nodded "I can sleep just about anywhere.  This will be fine."

Percy looked around him in distaste "I thought you were a famous composer ...."

"Yeah well things happen," Brian eyed the boy in front of him "what happened to you?  I never got the impression you were this much of a prick."

"Things happen.  People change," Percy mumbled unable to meet Brian's eyes.

"Look Percy if you need help or just want to talk, I'll listen."  Brian offered only to be cut off by a female voice calling for him.  "I'm sorry I've got to go but ...."

"Yeah whatever," Percy shrugged his offer off as Brian hurried from the room.  Percy followed Brian from the room.  Following the sound of voices he peeked through the partially open bedroom door where he found Brian speaking to someone.

***

"Honey what's wrong?" Brian asked concern apparent in his tone.

"Does he have to stay here?" Shannon asked picking at the scarf tied around her head  "I don't feel comfortable with him in the house."

"I know honey.  I'm sorry."  Brian kissed her forehead "what an I do?  Corina told him he could stay here.  If he can help Kyle win his case...."

"I know I'm just .... I don't want him taking pictures of me." Shannon cried "it's bad enough I won't live to see my babies grow up I don't want them seeing my pictures looking like death warmed over in some magazine."

"I know, I know," Brian pulled her into his arms as she began to cry "I'm sorry."

Percy took a step backwards, bumping into someone in the process.  He turned around to come face to face with the disapproving face of Kyle.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kyle asked anger flashed from his eyes. 

 

Percy sighed knowing he had been caught red handed eaves dropping he mumbled "nothing."  He tried to step around Kyle but Kyle stepped in front of him.  Kyle grabbed Percy's arm "I told you to leave them alone."

Shaking him off Percy glared at him "you can't tell me what to do."

"Someone should," Kyle yelled at him.

Percy laughed at him "sounds like you've learned a thing or two from your old man."

Shocked Kyle couldn't believe that just came out of his mouth.  He sounded just like is father's most intolerant self.  Could it be possible he was becoming just like the man he most despised?  With his thoughts in turmoil he didn't notice when Percy walked away.

***

Percy sat on the couch, mulling over what he had just overheard.  Was it possible that Brian's wife was dying?  Was that the reason he had virtually dropped out of sight?  He could understand her not wanting her  picture taken if she was being ravaged by cancer.  Shaking his head trying to erase the images of his mother months before she succumbed to her disease and passed away.  It had been his mother's dying wish that the forest she loved so much be saved.  Percy recalled how her eyes would sparkle when she spoke of all the good times she has as a child playing in that forest.  He remembered how broken up she was when it was announced that a new mall was being built and her forest would be no more.

When the producers of SSI offered him the deal, he jumped at it.  He wanted his mother to die happy knowing her forest was safe.   In fact she passed away once he had the signatures he needed, the forest was safe, his mother passed away peacefully in her sleep after it was announced on SSI.  Percy new it was a possibility that he she would go while he was away and he suffered the loss in silence.   He was thankful he was able to give her that much and he was glad she didn't know how he had accomplished it.  When he had been eliminated for being the mole he knew his mother would have been disappointed in him.

Absently he watched Brian wheel his wife into the living room "Percy this is my wife Shannon."

Percy stared at the young woman in front of him.  He could tell at one time she must have been pretty.  "It's nice to meet you," he mumbled.

Shannon looked away.  Then down at her hands lying in her lap before responding to his greeting.  "I wish I could say the same."

Percy looked up sharply not expecting the quiet rebuff.  She looked too frail to want to engage in a battle of words.  Smiling he shrugged "everyone has to make a living."

"Yes they do but not everyone chooses to do so at the expense others," she shot back.

He sat still frozen in place.  He had the uncomfortable feeling that his mother was speaking through her, showing him how disappointed she was in him.  He sniffed willing himself to calm down "I only take pictures of those with enough cash to fight the bad publicity."

"Then why pick on us?"  She asked "look around you.  Do we look like we have money to throw around?"

He looked first in her anger filled eyes then at the neat but inexpensive decor of the room they were in.  Grudgingly he muttered "no."

"Exactly," she pounced on his answer "so why do it?"

"I don't have a choice," he muttered "I already took payment."

"Then give it back," she snarled at him.

"I can't," Percy shouted jumping to his feet, running from the room.

"Honey" Brian began hoping to calm her.

"What?" she spat at him "aren't I entitled to know why he wants to ruin our lives.  I don't want to spend what little time I have left embroiled in a libel suit."

"I know and we wouldn't be," Brian sighed.

"Yes we would be," she insisted "because I wouldn't want the kids to find those horrid rumors on line some where.  I don't want them wondering abut what kind of people their parents were."  She looked at Brian tears welling in her eyes "plus one day you'll want to make a come back and it'll be easier if their were no rumors marring your reputation."

***

Elliot entered the room where Percy sat huddled in a corner "supper's ready if you're hungry."

Shaking his head Percy ignored him.

Shrugging "suit yourself," Elliot said as left the room.

"Is he coming," Brian asked as he dished up the meal.

"No he's just sitting staring into space," Elliot said.

"Who cares?" Kyle asked "it's not like he came here to help.  He has an ulterior motive."

"I don't know," Elliot began then stopped as everyone glared at him.  "What?"

"Don't tell me you think there's something good in that slime ball," Kyle said in disbelief.

Elliot looked towards Brian then at Shannon who both looked like they shared Kyle's opinion. Shrugging "I'm entitled to my opinion.  I have a feeling there's something we're missing."

"Yeah we're missing family bonding time because we're all bent out of shape over who our unwelcome guest is," Brian said throwing a bread stick at his little brother.  As all out food fight erupted as they lost themselves in a moment free from worry.

Drawn by the sounds of laughter Percy peeked through a crack in the door and watched for a moment.  He was drawn to these people despite his intentions to remain aloof.  They had what he most wanted, acceptance, friends, family, love ... he liked them and he didn't want to.  Liking them made it that much harder to do what he had to do.  He had no choice.

Laughing Shannon watched the boys toss food at each other.  She was tired but didn't want to disrupt Brian from this moment.  He deserved a moment of uncomplicated enjoyment before she had to jolt him back to reality.  She loved this man.  Not once had he voiced regret in marrying her.  He had known there was a chance she could relapse and he took the news in stride adjusting his life around her needs.  She couldn't have asked for anyone better.  Her only regret was they had so little time together.  She would miss so much.

Eventually the boys finally settled down and sat down to eat what hadn't been thrown around the room.  Shannon smiled at them "do you feel better?"  They nodded "good then," she looked at Brian "while Elliot and Kyle clean up, will you play me the new song you've been working on?  You know the new cello composition?"

Brian nodded "if the boys don't mind me not helping to clean up our mess."

"We'd like to hear it," Elliot encouraged.

Shannon took Brian's hand in hers thinking now was a good time to bring up the subject his career. "Brian I want you to promise me something.  When I'm gone I want you to go back to composing music."  Brian looked at her, slowly shaking his head.  She smiled at him as she wiped a tear from his eye "Please do it for me.  You were meant to compose music.  I want you to share that gift with others.  I want them to know the beautiful, caring, talented man that you are."

Brian looked steadily into the eyes he loved and no matter how hard he tried, he never quite captured their beauty on canvas.  He looked towards Elliot and Kyle who seemed to be holding their breath waiting for his answer.  Sighing he turned back to Shannon the love of his life "Okay."

"Say you promise," she insisted with a smile.

"I promise," he repeated giving her a kiss as he got up to retrieve his cello.  Seeing Percy sitting in the corner he offered "why don't you come out and join us?"

Shaking his head Percy mumbled "I'm tired I think I'll go to bed."

"Suit yourself," Brian shrugged too preoccupied with Shannon's request to start composing music again. It's not like he had ever really stopped.  Maybe Shannon was right.  He needed to go on living after she was gone. These last several months had been difficult for him and in a way he felt dead inside.  The song Shannon requested he play for her was his first composition since he had received the news of her relapse.

(I included a video from the 2 Cellos as a sample as to what I imagine Brian's music sounds like.  I don't normally like a lot of instrumental music but I do like these guys.)

Percy laid in the dark listening to the almost haunting melody, overcome with it's beauty.  He could feel the love and loss Brian felt flowing through the melody.  Percy wiped the tears from his eyes as the music died away.  He hadn't expected to be so moved by a piece of music but he had never imagined a cello could sound like that either.  He couldn't deny Brian had talent.  How was he going to live with himself after he sold their story to his employers?  He had the pictures he needed.  The video of them talking in their room, the food fight, the promise, the new song, everything right there in his phone.  His employers would eat it up.  He had gotten more then he expected he would.  He could leave now and probably convince his employers to double his payment.  

He rolled over in his sleeping back pretending to be asleep when he heard Kyle and Elliot come in.  He watched them kiss in the darkness before they crawled into the sleeping bags.  He felt a pang of jealousy as found himself wanting what they had, someone to love, to be accepted .... family.

***

Percy spent a restless sleepless night tossing and turning on the floor. After lying there for what felt like forever listening to the growling of his stomach he got up in the hopes of finding something to eat.  He found some cereal, as he ate he wondered how long he would have to here.  He had been the one to suggest coming early thinking he would need more time to gather the information and pictures he would need.  But his work was done and he wanted nothing more than to leave before he had anymore doubts over what he was about do to them.  All night when he had managed to snatch a few moments of sleep his mother's disapproving face would be there reminding him that he was doing the wrong thing.  Shaking his head to rid his mind of his self-doubts, he needed to do this.  He had no choice.  He'd stay long enough to testify, do what he can to help Kyle then turn in the pictures, get paid the he'd try to forget about the damage he was about to inflict on them.

Brian had been smarter then he expected, demanding all of his equipment.  Percy gave him everything but his phone and Brian didn't ask.  Everything he needed was on it and he could probably just email it and be done with it.  He had almost done it last night but he wanted to try and make amends  for what he was going to do.  They only way he could do that was be as convincingly honest on the witness stand as he could be.  He was a pretty good actor.  Kyle would be the only who would be able to tell he was lying.  It had been Kyle who had become suspicious of him on SSI.  Briefly he wondered how Kyle would feel if he knew he was the one responsible for the pictures of him and Elliot making out in the hot tub.

He hadn't expected the pictures to cause this much trouble.  At the time Percy thought it was funny catching Kyle making out with guy.  It explained a lot about his awkward behavior with Ivy.  Percy frown at the thought of Ivy.  He had really liked her but she wasn't interested in anything serious.  Then things really went bad to worse when she found about his side job.  She demanded he quit and he refused.  Ivy broke things off with him stating she could date someone whose job was to hurt and exploit others.  Percy tried to reason with her but she refused to see things his way.  Now he was in so deep, he wished he had listened to her then maybe he wouldn't have done what he did.

Brian came from upstairs "if you had waited I would have made pancakes."

"Sorry I was hungry,"  he mumbled.

"I don't doubt it considering you refused to eat anything last night," Brian said.  "We're call going to the trial this morning."

"I'm not.  I don't have to be there until Thursday," Percy said getting up to wash is bowl out.

"Doesn't matter what you want.  I'm not leaving you home alone with my wife and kids," Brian said in a tone and manner that didn't allow for argument.  "Besides I think you should see what the consequences are of what you do for a living."

"How did ...." Percy stopped realizing he had walked into a trap.

"I didn't until now,"  Brian said with a grim smile "I guessed.  You worked at the university.  You could into places the average paparazzi couldn't.  Two and two said you had to be the one who took the pictures of Elliot and Kyle."  Brian frowned "what I don't understand is why you sent personal copies to their fathers.  What did you hope to gain by that?"

Shrugging Percy smiled slightly "I thought it would be funny to out them, well Kyle.  I don't really know Elliot.  I didn't mean anything by it.  It was just a harmless prank."

"Well congratulations!  Those pictures was the catalyst that caused Kyle's father to explode.  Did you know that Kyle has been completely cut off from his family?  Stripped of all his assets.  Everything he owned was confiscated by his overbearing father.  He's had to drop out of university because of his father and Elliot refuses to go back until this trial is over.  For those reason alone you should care about what you set in motion.  Come and listen to the lies that his father has paid people make up to win this case all so that he can have complete control of Kyle's life force him to marry someone he doesn't know all for the sake of producing the next heir of the Lawrence estate.  That SOB as he the money to launch a smear campaign against his son and so far he's winning.  My sister is a good lawyer.  She's done her best to raise doubt over the validity of those so-called character witnesses but there's only so much she can do."

"Why doesn't your father do the same thing and pay people to give a glowing report of Kyle?"  Percy asked thinking that would be the most reasonable option and why not if they have the money.

Shaking his head "you don't get it do you?  Not all rich people are like Kyle's father.  Granted there's a lot of them running around but just because you have money doesn't mean they're all assholes. My father happens to be an honest, hardworking man.  He won't stoop to the same level as Kyle's father.. It's not who he is."  Brian looked at Percy willing him to understand to scope and depth of the damage he had done "If Kyle loses, Elliot will be devastated and Kyle will be forever under the thumb of his father.  You saw how Kyle fell apart on the SSI from just a nasty phone call from his father.  Now imagine he he'll feel when his father has the legal right to make decisions for him."

"It's not my fault.  I didn't know," Percy said an edge of desperation in his voice.

"Let's see if you can still tell yourself that after you sit in the court room all day listening to them tear Kyle to shreds with their lies," Brian said without an ounce of compassion for Percy's reluctance.