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Cassadine TNG 10

The money had come rolling in from all directions– well basically three directions as soon as the first pictures went out. Penny, Kristina and Tasha had been impressed with the changes and sent money to make more. Uncle Stefan had indulged her with the first trip to Neiman Marcus and actually been very reasonable about the changes to his wardrobe but that might be because a) she was right and b) she was right.

As soon as the pictures of Stefan kicking on the back patio in swim trunks and a white lawn shirt, okay so he’d still had a book in his hand and had been wearing glasses, had been sent via email the replies along with money being wired had promptly followed. Without Mrs. Lansbury to keep his closet sacred, she and Baba had managed to swap out a few things and move in more of the collarless button down shirts Mason recommended.

He still wears a jacket when most guys would have just worn a shirt. Slacks when most would have been wearing shorts. And his manners are as impeccable as ever. He might be doing a version of Cassadine Casual but he is still Uncle Stefan. Things had fallen back into a routine and with Uncle Stefan there, there are more trips to the theater and symphony than the movies. He’d met Vic and kept his own counsel even though it had probably driven him nuts. Frankie had overstepped at that point and told Stefan about the first date complete with firearm cleaning.

Baba had also stepped up. “The boy does what he says. He say home by 11 they home by 11. Lipstick maybe little smudged but no love bites. Frankie tell him, Fancy a good girl and to keep eyes open for trouble: press, vultures.”

“And he did call, when he had some press on his tail. Got Fancy to an ice cream store, talked them into locking the doors and waited for back up. Didn’t do anything that was going to put Fancy in any kind of danger.”

“Is he a distraction?”

“Yeah. But that isn’t always a bad thing.” Frankie offers his opinion. Stefan might have been asking Baba but he is right there. “She’s on guard with him of course, there is never a time she isn’t but she isn’t guarded, you know; she can relax and be a kid.”

Stefan nods. Frankie had said the right thing. It’s a reinforcement of what Cameron had suggested as best for Fancy. And really there is no use in having a psychiatrist on speed dial if you didn’t take their advice.

The practice area is locked down with a uniformed guard at the gate. Mona, pulling up in a rental car, doesn’t now if this is going to work or not. “I’m here to see Edwards.”

The guard consults his clipboard. “Your name?”

“Mona.”

The guard looks over at her. “You’re Mona? The Mona?!”

“Not the one hangin in the Louvre but yeah, there a problem?!”

The woman is not on the list. But he’d also heard stories filtered out from the players and staff to the guys here. Mona had made an impression on not only Edwards but the Coach. Everyone is aware that Edwards had been trying to get the woman to move out to LA. “Let me get you a guest pass. It’ll just take a second.” The guard gets the pass and makes a call on his walkie talkie. When he’s back he hands her two passes. “You’ll want to leave that on the dash and then wear the other. The south door is going to be your easiest access and I’ve let them know you’re coming.”

“Thanks.”

“Welcome to LA.”

Sure enough the guard is there waiting with the door ajar. Mona slides out of the rental car and grabs her oversized bag stringing it up over one shoulder. Mona has curves and she dresses to put them on display. A few years of working in a strip club slinging drinks and she knows how to get a man’s attention. Technically she is wearing a suit. Course the jacket pinches in at the waist showing off her hour glass figure. The halter style blouse underneath shows a generous amount of cleavage. The skirt is short and the heels are high. Higher than she would wear at work because there is no way she could be in them for 7 hours straight. She had a feeling she wasn’t going to fit in, in LA. She was not and never would be a size 0, 2 or 4.

She stands at the corner of the court and just watches the action down at the far end. She doesn’t say anything. The first guy who notices her unfortunately had noticed her right as a ball was coming his direction. With all the swearing and distraction, finally Edwards sees her standing there. “Mona.” He jogs over in her direction.

The coach is about to call him on it when what he says registers. “That’s Mona?!”

Upton nods. “Yeah, she sure looks different with her clothes on. Um.. Wait. That didn’t come out the way it sounded in my head.”

Mona hisses at Edwards. “You told me the last time you called that morning practice was over by 11.”

“Yeah, coach is just working a little long thats all. We’re almost done.”

Mona lustfully looks over the sweaty well muscled man. “He made any rules about game days?”

“Don’t even look at me that way until I get you home. I’ll kill us both on the road getting there.” Edwards counters.

Mona smirks at him and reaching into her bag pulls out her sunglasses. “You going to shower now or later?”

“Both. You take a cab?”

“Nah, rented a car. I’m going to have business in town.”

Edwards grins. “You mean it.”

“Yeah, I’ll check on a few things... so I’m kind of on the clock, Handsome. You don’t get a move on then...” Mona shrugs.

“Do not go anywhere.” Edwards demands. He turns around and looks at the coach who points in the directions of the locker room. Edwards heads to the showers.

The coach waves off the rest of the guys and walks over to the interloper. He extends a hand. “I’m the coach.”

Mona takes his hand and pumps it. “It’s a huge honor to meet you, sir. I’ve read all about you in Faith Monroe’s journal. She says you’re her favorite player like a general on the battle field. So I went out and bought all your books. I was reading the first one on the plane out here. I bet Faith’s reading it too. Her Uncle Stefan is out here visiting her in LA. I bet she would so like you two to meet. Do you play chess?”

“Yes, but basketball is my game.” The coach manages to extract his hand. “I know Edwards has been trying to get you to move out here.”

“I’m an east coast girl, coach.” Mona shakes her head. “I’d probably be losing my mind if anything but a man was making the earth move under my feet. And I don’t quite know how it would work. Edwards gave me the idea and I ran it by the guy who runs the computers for CSMC– you know the company I work for. He thinks it could work too. But I’d really like to talk to you about it.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, I know those guys would probably be the clientele.” Mona nods in the direction of the locker room. “But you’re the one that knows this business. Cause the way Mouse explained it to me– if I’m going to set it up as a business then he wants to call it something like One Phone Call. You want something, you need something...”

“You’re the one phone call.” The coach nods.

“So I have to know all the weird stuff that happens on the road that bring the guys head out of the game. Lost luggage, hoochie mamas, Mouse said something about mud slides. From the way Mouse was talking if I’m going to take somebody as a client and make it real, you know, I’m going to have to interview the guy and I need to know what questions to ask.”

“And if one of these guys calls you and says he wants a hooker?” The coach asks cutting bluntly to the chase.

“Talked to Mouse about that too. I’m not comfortable with that, Coach. I know it might be better for the team if I were the one picking out those guys dates rather than them picking out some hoochie mama in the hotel lobby who is either star ****ing, pardon my french, or worse looking for a baby daddy. I get it. Paid, no strings and no worries. Sorry, I just can’t do it. I’ve got nothing against sex. Rather fond of it myself but if there is ever a scandal you know it’s all about sex and somebody dipping their wick where they ought not.”

The coach is trying to not laugh but Mona is just so serious as she’s talking about things that really are better discussed in a locker room with no ladies present. “That’s true.” He chokes out.

“And I know I’m going to have to expand beyond the CSMC cities. Have to research all the cities on the schedule. You’re lucky that Upton was from Philly. He can really help out the other guys when you were playing there.”

“Yes, and no. We’ve had just as much trouble come out of guys going back to their old neighborhoods.”

“Oh good point.” Mona frowns. “Going to have to check all the cities then. Do you have a few minutes to look over the questionnaire and see if there is anything I missed? I’d really value your opinion, Coach.”

When Edwards comes out of the locker room, he sees Mona and the Coach with their heads together. Mona has a spiral bound notebook in her lap and the coach is flipping through a stapled together sheaf of papers.

“What’s all this medical section?”

“I figure athletes... one phone call. Something goes to hell bad out of town then you’re going to want records and histories jack rabbit.”

“Our team doctor has that already.”

Edwards interrupts. “Coach, you’ve seen the way that Mona gets things done. I figure if she has the doctor’s name then the guy is already on the plane rather than waiting for this and that.”

“That or I’m getting you on a plane and back here. None of that flying with the team or flying commercial. Charter. Nothing sucks worse than being in a strange town when you’re sick.” Mona nods.

“Tell you what.” Coach hands back the papers. “When you get someone to sign with you have them sign a release agreement with confidentiality clauses all over it and ask for our scouting reports. That will probably fill in a lot of blanks– family history, height, weight, physical, criminal history, psychological profile.”

“Don’t know if I need all that, Coach, really. I was thinking more inseam, neck, chest and waist in case their luggage goes missing.”

“That would be in there too.”

Brittany Slade is having lunch with Fancy today. This time it is just the two of them at the gallery with her calling for lunch to be delivered. She’d been impressed by Fancy’s eye on the piece she’d picked up at the Manhattan gallery. She’s also kind of pissed about Stefan Cassadine showing up out in California. This was suppose to be hers and Dillon’s time– Quartermaine time.

Fancy slips a little of her kabob to Schotzie. The dog is bribable. “You’re going to have to keep an eye on Nana Tracy. She was talking like cornering the market on the guy. The only reason why I got this one was because I saw it first. She took all the rest.”

“The manger said she was willing to have the rest of the pieces shown at the galleries.”

“Sure, in return for first refusal. I’m telling ya she’s going to corner the market.”

“So... when is Stefan going back to New York.”

“Honestly?”

“Of course.”

“I don’t think he’s going to. Not unless Nikolas or Penny call him to do something. He’s settled right in. He and Baba are fighting just like we were back in Port Charles. I should have expected it. I was half expecting it when the story on Corey Cummings broke.”

“Scum.” Brittany practically spits. She’d been here in LA when it all went down while Dillon had been on location in Idaho. “Nobody will speak to him. Certainly nobody will have their children around him.”

“Yeah, well those same people won’t have their kids around me either.”

“Fancy...”

“It’s okay. I’m doing fine. Always figured this would be the fallout. It’s why Baby was so sure it would take 4 years to rehab my reputation to get me to the magic eighteen. And I’ve never got along well with kids my age: Twink, Hill they’re enough.”

“And you did get to see both of them when you were back east. How are they doing?”

“Hill’s been keeping an eye on Grandpa Edward and Nana Tracy. Twink is busy with school and all her activities.”

“Including dating the son of the Governor of Texas?” Brittany raises a brow at that.

“Twink thinks he released her name to the press when she was in Texas for Cat 5. Total PR play. I hope he did– he’s screwed either way. He might as well get something out of it.”

“You don’t think he did it.”

“I haven’t met the guy.”

“Fancy...”

“I think his father, Logan Hayes, did it. The timing was interesting. He started getting **** about the way he was handling the hurricane and all of a sudden there is a release on how his son and the daughter of the founder of the Cat 5 organization are likethis. Cat 5 is golden. Twink is gorgeous. He rides the bump over the hump. Course he probably figured Twink was more like Karin... that a little bit of press would be no big deal.”

“Twink doesn’t court the press.” Brittany nods. “She’ll say something if she’s got something to say. But even that started after the press release.”

“Yeah. Same thing as me in a milder form. That door has been kicked open and it’s not going to shut all the way again. Which made the fight thing so freaky.”

“Dillon watched it on PPV. He went down to the sports club. Watched it with a bunch of guys from CSMC- LA.”

“Sounds like testosterone overload.”

“Yeah.” Brittany’s tone is wry. “The last thing I was expecting when he came home was for him to say that he’d seen you and Twink in the audience.”

“Twink will do anything for Narin. That night was really about him for her. Showing off how the former champion is doing. I’m sure Narin has gotten some **** over the years for being a Twink’s nanny. Uncle Dillon tell you that there was a fight with women on the card.”

“Oh yeah.” Brittany shakes her head in disbelief and shudders.

“Frankie asked Twink if she could have taken them– the fighters. She’s been kickboxing now for years. And okay not for me– ever, but if you’re going to be working on something so that you’re the best – why isn’t she going pro or something?”

“You and I weren’t in the family when Karin beat up Anders Pappas– the head of Boston?”

Fancy nods. She knows who the guy is.

“The biggest concern after she did it.... Even Anders would be the first to say that it needed doing, but the biggest concern was trying to contain it from the press finding out about it. An opportunistic pap who is looking for a HUGE, never have to work again, payoff... all they would need is one picture of Karin or Twink dropping someone. The check would be huge whether it was from a paper or from Lydia. And if one could score that way... it’s like lawsuits... if one works then you’re going to have a dozen.”

“And the kidnaping risk too.” Fancy agrees.

“What do you have planned for the rest of your day?”

“Today is my check in day. I’ll be checking in with Friday and then checking in with Bic too. See if there is anything going on that I need to check out.”

The head of the Los Angeles branch has dug herself in here. Kenny Lorie had been stupid enough to get caught with more than his hands in the cookie jar. She isn’t going to make that mistake. LA- CSMC is a gold mine and there is nothing that is going to jeopardize her dividend from this branch. Maureen has a plan to make a lot of money and then go inactive but that is still about ten years away. So the 2am phone call from Mouse? Well it had been inopportune but her boyfriend would just have to get over it. Evidently some cocktail waitress in The City had a got an inside track on some basketball player but also had gotten Mouse interested too.

So she’s here at the Tower record building about to show office space to some twit that evidently Mouse thought should get it for free for the first six months. Which would definitely cut into dividend.

“Hi! Sorry.” Mona is practically running. “I got totally turned around. I was over at the practice court and got talking with the coach. I’m sorry.”

“No problem.” Maureen opens up an office. “After touching base with Mouse it looked like this would be the best space available through CSMC.” It’s a modified broom closet. But all the business really needed was a phone, computer and a desk. Mouse was taking care of the computer. The 800 phone line is in place and there was a rental place that provided the desk and chair. “From what Mouse described it sounded like you’d be running your business from your house or car.”

Mona would probably feel dissed but she is coming from The City where office space is charged by the inch. “Mouse did bring that up. He figures that it’s not just recommendations while the guys are on the road it’s making sure that stuff is handled here. That means I’m going to have to see their places.”

Just then the phone rings which startles Mona. She goes over to the phone and picking up expecting it’s probably a wrong phone number so she hits speaker phone. “Hello?”

“This is Gia Campbell calling for Mona DuPree?”

“This is Mona.” Her eyes are real wide as she looks over at Maureen.

“I received your requested revision. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

“Well I got the idea off the CSMC professionalism clause. I got to be able to call these guys on being dumbasses when they are.” Mona takes a seat behind the desk and scoots in close leaning her forearms on the surface. “If I make a recommendation to go to Marta’s or something when they’re playing Chicago they go in there run up a 500 tab and tip their waitress ten bucks– I got to be able to call them on that crap. It might not be the first clause like the pro one but I’m thinking the last-- right over the signature and nice and bold.”

“Oh believe me I know-- I started out with football players. I’ll get something roughed out for you and then fax it over.”

“Um, I don’t think my fax...” Maureen hands Mona a business card from the desk. “I guess I do have a fax number.” She calls it off. “I really appreciate you doing this.” Mona ends the call.

“Gia Campbell is in on this?”

“Mouse brought her in after he went back to Port Charles. Gave her a good idea what he thought was needed.”

Maureen is beginning to regret the modified broom closet but it’s too late now. “Here are the keys to the apartment and the car leased for you. The apartment is on a month to month. So you can keep it if you like it after the first 30 or you can be on the lookout for something else when you’re more settled in.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

“What are you working on?” Upton inquires as he pauses the video game he’s playing over at Edwards house.

“Mona did a test questionnaire. I’m filling it out to see if there is anything she missed. Here she already knows a lot of this stuff on me. You come fill one out.” Edwards calls Upton over. He goes over to the computer and prints off another copy.

Upton takes the sheaf of papers. “Damn, this is crazy.”

“It is and yet it all makes sense. She’s going after the stuff that has already happened. Worst case scenario stuff.”

“Our own personal 911.” Upton shakes his head but he grabs a pen and starts filling it out. “You know I had people to take my tests when I was in college. I’m out of practice.”

“Well watch out around Mona. She’s a reader. She found out that Faith Monroe was reading Montaigne so she went out and bought a copy. Heard the Coach compared to a general and she went out and bought all his books. She was reading his book on the way out here from New York.”

“No wonder he likes her. I think she’s got a girl crush on Faith Monroe though. She heard about the coach’s book through Faith’s online thing right?”

“Yeah, but she doesn’t just read Faith’s thing. She reads all of them. That’s how she knows what is going on where ever we go.”