Hsu Danmei (ofthesteppes) wrote in immortalstories, @ 2018-04-05 17:10:00 |
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Current mood: | pissed off |
LLB: Ski Trip Cut Short
OOC: Continuing Long Lost Broether story. Mirrored at Dreamwidth.
Van hoped that Hsu would already be out on the slopes. He usually liked to hit the slopes early, but when he called Theo, he was surprised to hear they were still at breakfast. “Yeah, we got a bit of a later start than planned this morning.” Theo explained. The security chief thought he heard Van groan. “What is it? A problem with the football star? Okay, I’ll hand you over.”
Hsu should have been in a good mood. He was at one of his favourite ski resorts with world-class runs. Last night, he’d picked up a very hot blonde for a quick fuck which, though very good and she didn’t mind rough sex, had continued for longer than he intended. Not just that, she didn’t want to leave, but instead sleep with him. In the end, he’d kicked her out. The result was, he’d had less sleep than he’d planned, and wasn’t in the best of moods. “What is it, Van der Merwe?” He was the only one who called Van by his last name. “Just spit it out.” It wasn’t like any of his men to stumble over their words. That Van just had wasn’t a good sign. There was a moment of silence.
Theo looked up from putting his details into the handheld card reader the waitress had given him. Over the years, he’d come attuned to the sometimes sudden changes in Hsu’s moods. This time it felt as if the temperature had dropped a few degrees.
“Say that again.” It was that quiet, dangerous voice.
The waitress hovered. Perhaps she also sensed the change in atmosphere, but a stranger’s curiosity was risky. Theo shooed her away before turning back to his boss. “Boss?”
“Thank you for the information, der Merwe Tell my son and daughter I will be in touch with them soon.” He ended the call abruptly. He stood and, barely waiting for Theo to join him, strode away. “Change of plan. Have the car brought around. We’re going back to the Chateau.”
Theo knew better than to question him, and that he would be told what the twins had done now to infuriate their father. The two were in their thirties, but they never stopped giving him headaches. He stopped and made a call to the security detail up in Hsu’s suite to pack up and for the driver to get the car to take them to the nearest airport Finishing the call, he looked around and for a moment couldn’t see Hsu. Immediately on alert, he scanned the area by the lobby. There were just a few people dressed to head to the slopes, and a couple of hotel staff. Then he saw Hsu, coming ou of a nearby hallway and looking around, a slightly confused look on his face. Theo rushed over to him. “Sir, everything okay?”
Hsu gazed back down the hallway, then shrugged. “FIne. I thought heard a strange noise, but it was nothing. What about the car?”
“It’ll be just a few minutes.” The driver had gone straight to the parking garage at his call. The others would follow later with all their luggage and equipment.
“Good.” His brief confusion had passed, and Theo saw that Hsu was back to the bad mood Van had put him in.
It wasn’t too much longer before they were on the road for the two and a half hour drive to Grenoble airport, where Hsu had his small, personal plane waiting. While he still had the Gulfstream jet for longer haul flights, he had his own pilot’s license again and would often, and indeed enjoyed, flying himself around Europe, especially for frequent trips between Toulouse and Engelberg. However, ski resorts were rarely close to an airport, and there was often a lengthy drive involved. Today, that gave him the chance to discuss what had happened with Theo.
“So, what have the twins done this time?” Aside from Daniel’s inquiry into that football player, Theo hadn’t heard of any problems. On the contrary, from all accounts, Ben’s party had gone perfectly as had the proposal. And it was Daniel that nearly always caused the problems. Danika was near perfect in her father’s eyes, although they were not as close as they had once been.
“You need to remind Van der Merwe that he works for me, not my children.” Hsu growled without any explanation.
Theo nodded. That had always been a bit of a problem, even back when Andy ran things. For either of the twins to accept their bodyguards, they had to get on with them, even form some kind of friendship. This often left the bodyguard in a difficult position, which is exactly what Van found himself now. “What did they ask him to do?”
“To hold off on something that I should have been informed about immediately.” He looked at his security chief. “Are you certain the background check of the soccer player turned up nothing?” There was an underlying accusation that it should have.
“Nothing remarkable, boss.” He really wasn’t following. If there had been imminent danger to the twins, Van would have alerted them immediately. That he hadn’t told him, it wasn’t pressing, but clearly Hsu thought it was. He pulled his tablet from his bag and pulled up the information they’d uncovered on Maverick Liam Campbell. He could see no red flags in the file. Just a pretty ordinary bloke who had the skill to become a professional player.
Hsu carefully read over the file, then threw the tablet back at Theo. “It says nothing. Van der Merwe pulled him for taking too much of an interest in Danika, “ Theo nodded, That had been reported back to him, but kept his mouth shut, letting Hsu just tell him in his own time. “Well, after the party, Danika insisted on sitting in on the interrogation.” That raised his eyebrows, He didn’t know about that, but Danika often took security matters into her own hands. “What this file doesn’t say, Garnon, is the real name of this man’s mother. Justine Meyers.”
Theo just looked blank. Hsu had so thoroughly erased that name from the family history, that even he’d never heard mention of it. “Who, boss?”
“Justine Meyers.” Those blue eyes were ice. “She is the woman who gave birth to Danika and Daniel.”
That took Theo by surprise. “WOW!” was all he could say at first. Once he found some more words, he added. “Andy told me that whatever the Watchers gave you only made you fertile temporarily.”
“Correct, and I assumed that was the case for her as well. Clearly I was wrong.”
“Are you sure? Are they sure this man’s their brother?”
Hsu glared at him. “Until I’m satisfied there will be no allusion to a potential relationship. However, Van der Merwe ran a basic DNA test which apparently reported a 99% likelihood of that relationship. Of course, Danika and probably Daniel, think this is irrefutable proof.” They had always wanted to know more than the little he had told them about their mother. “I warned that woman what would happen if she tried to ever contact them. When we get back, I need you to go over everything MacDonald had on her. Movements, name changes, this son Maverick, everything. And when you find out where she is, deal with her quietly and efficiently. That is if this football player is who he says he is.”
Theo just nodded again. He knew better than to question such orders, or even ask questions about Justine Meyers. He really couldn’t guess why Hsu was so against the twins knowing their birth mother, but for some reason he was. “I’ll look straight into it.”
Hsu’s phone rang, and Theo saw how he set his jaw. It must be one of his children. “Danika,” he said after answering it. He was silent for a while as she spoke. Then she clearly asked a question. “Van der Merwe has his orders to make sure you, Daniel, and this Maverick Campbell join me at the Chateau where we will get to the truth of this….No, Danika, you used an off-the-shelf kit. I need more convincing than that…..And you just believe him?” Hsu didn’t speak for several moments, and Theo could hear Danika’s voice on the other end and although he couldn’t make out what she said, she was just as angry. “We will talk about everything when you all arrive….No, this is on my terms, and it will be done properly The burden of proof is on this man...I don’t care that he’s convinced you...he needs to come and face me.”
As Hsu ended the call, Theo winced inside. He liked the twins and got on with them better than Andy ever did, perhaps because he was of the same generation and less of an authority figure, and he could empathise with their anger if they’d just discovered that their mother didn’t die. Not that he’d admit that to Hsu.
He called Andy, who was now in full retirement, but still kept in contact, and currently enjoying spending the winter in Key West. “Sorry to bother you, mate...yeah, I know it’s early there. Got a question for you….no, it can’t wait, just need to tap your memory, mate. I hope it hasn’t started to give out with all those margaritas.” Theo laughed at Andy’s retort. “Anyway, I need everything you remember about Justine Meyers. Yeah, her. All the records, movements, contacts, you name it…...and of course, asap too. We don’t have the details yet, but it’s possible she had a kid and now he’s made contact with Danika and Daniel.” He paused as Andy let out several colourful words. “Like I said, possible. We’re still trying to confirm who he is. Which you might be able to help with, too. He plays for your team….yeah, Liverpool. And also the Scottish national squad…...Yeah, that’s right, Campbell. Maverick Liam Campbell…...Hmmm, okay that’s pretty much what I already found on him. If you hear anymore….heading back to the chateau, so send everything there. Talk to you later, and I hope you’re not being too much of a dirty old man.” He ended the call with a chuckle and briefed Hsu, even though he had clearly heard one half of the conversation, just as they pulled into the airport.