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Morgan Benson Ch 11.

Morgan fights leaving the house. He’d planned on having the day off before it all went to hell. Lisa was supposed to have an ultrasound today and he was going to be going to it. There is an executive decision made that they would go to the appointment largely because of the conversation with Mouse the day before. Macon, if he is heading to Florida, is going to be heading to Gainsville or Tarpon Springs. This is still time to get everything done that needs to get done. So about the time that Pete is leaving for the Heat offices, Morgan and Lisa are off to her MD appointment and have a list of supplies that need to be out at the house if they are going to be under siege.

The landscaping truck arrives next with a trailer of tools for digging, mowing and mulching. The panel part of the truck has all the supplies that Mouse had ordered for the perimeter. Jacques is working on a building the system that modeled after Georgie’s up in Port Charles for monitoring everything that Georgie and the crew are putting in. It’s how he finds out that House will not recognize him as Jack only as Jacques. Evidently Miss Georgie’s ex husband was named Jack. With Georgie directing the “landscapers” with the plan she’d drawn up for Morgan’s place, it had left him alone with House on the laptop. And for a computer program, a case might be made that House is a bit of a gossip all you had to do was ask the right question. It’s how he found out that Georgie and Jack met down in Texas but had married after Georgie did some work for Barrett industries. That the marriage had last three years and broken up when Jack had been assigned back to the Pentagon.

Jacques is converting a closet on the second floor to a server center. It’s always tough to decide where to put the server in hurricane country. There is no such thing as a basement this close to the water. The first floor would be under water in a flood, course if the roof was ripped off that would expose the second floor. Just all kinds of decisions. And then according to House there would have to be two back up electricity systems to make sure there is never a real power failure. Morgan had a server before something that put all the media– televisions, stereos etc in one place with most everything being changed up by a remote control in the individual room but this is taking that to the next level. According to House, Georgie’s place doesn’t have light switches– the lights automatically go on in whatever room someone is in– it’s just a matter of pre-programmed degree. Not something easily done with an existing house... something that had to be planned when the house was built. Taking a break to straighten his back he walks over to a window.

At the front of the house all along the wall the spaces have already been marked. The sensor are going along the inside the wall and along the exterior of the wall are going to be plants with really nasty thorns. The kind that even if someone went over the fence they’d be leaving trace evidence in clothing and in all likelihood– blood. There is another crew going around the house to make sure there is nothing that is going to be brushing up against the windows and setting off any sensors that are going to be there as well. Jacques sees Georgie heading back to the house and starts down the stairs meeting her in the kitchen.

Georgie takes the hem of her shirt and wipes the sweat from her face. “Sorry, not too ladylike but it’s HOT Out there especially in comparison to Port Charles.”

“Let me get you something to drink.” Jacques grabs the pitcher of ice tea that is always in the fridge and pours a tall glass over ice.

“Oh thanks. I needed this.” Georgie takes a thirsty gulp. Setting the glass back on the counter. “How is it going in here?”

“Not bad. Morgan had a central server already so it’s just a matter of upgrading and safeguarding it– putting back up power source to the back up power source.”

Georgie winces. “I know excessive right? Cept it never fails. The bad guys have seen the movies too and the first thing they are looking for is a cord to cut whether it’s power or phone. It’s one of the reason why one of the motion sensors is going right beside the utility box.”

“You are very familiar with the way bad guys think.”

With a shrug, “Occupational hazard.” Then Georgie picks up the glass and sets it back down again. “That isn’t fair. Yeah, I’m familiar. My dad was a cop, my mom too for a little while. My uncle Mac who raised me was a cop. My partner at the investigative agency...”

“A cop as well?”

“For about 45 seconds but yeah. There was an awful lot of shop talk going on even if there shouldn’t have been. And because Port Charles has always been kind of... mobbed up... sometimes the conversations that should have been held at the police station where held out the house.”

“And your ex husband was he a police officer as well?” Jacques sees Georgie questioning look. “House refused to allow me to be called Jack in his systems.”

Georgie winces. “Yeah, sorry, I have to leave that in there too because there still might be issues.”

“An issue?”

“He wasn’t a cop. He was a hacker for the government. US Army– basically our marriage was just another duty station. My night vision, and lack there of, keeps me out of all the official stuff– cops, military anything like that. Course Jack’s boss thought that maybe he could get me... not on the payroll, or at least not directly.”

Jacques jaw drops. “That is... I don’t know what to call it.”

“Slimy? Inappropriate? Uncle Sam acting as a pimp? Yeah. It was a fun conversation when I figured it out. It took me longer than it should have because Jack and I were friends once. His name stays in the system not so much because of Jack but because of his boss incase there is a return trip... I’d just as soon they knock at the front door.”

“Just like the others who are selling what you are not buying?”

Georgie grins at him. And offers up the glass in a toasting motion. “Exactly.” She finishes the glass of tea and with a sigh gets back to her feet. “Thanks. I really needed that. I better get back out there. One thing about CSMC, they don’t know anything about pacing themselves. It’s get in, get out and get on with it.”

“This is such a waste of time and money.” Lisa mutters. Strange for a nurse to say, or maybe not, but she really didn’t like hospitals. Morgan had never been able to get to any of her appointments because of the firm. And that was fine with her.

“But it won’t hurt the baby right? Not like those amnio things.” Morgan says from the seat next to the hospital bed in the sonogram office.

“The jury is still out on that one.” Lisa mutters again. Seeing the look on Morgan’s face she sighs. “It’ll be fine. I picked this operator because she’s good and fast. Just long enough for the test and no sightseeing so the baby will be exposed to the least amount of ultrasound waves. Anything that they want to pick apart they can do from the pictures rather than from the monitors. It’s just that we don’t need one of these. I’m young and healthy, you’re young and healthy... well the ultrasound won’t pick up the crazy that runs in both of our families.” Lisa rolls her eyes. “What is it going to tell us? The sex of the baby? When it’s due? I don’t care the sex of the baby and I know when I conceived so I know when I’m due. And the bun will come out of the oven when it’s due and not before.”

“But if there are any problems?”

“What if there is? That just means more tests to make sure it’s isn’t a false alarm– stress, anxiety and worry which are definitely not good for the baby. There really are times when burying your head in the sand is the way to go. Bun’s heartbeat is fine. The kid kicks you in the head every time you try to talk to my stomach.”

“This is true.” Morgan agrees. He takes her hand.

“I’m just saying this isn’t necessary. Prenatal vitamins are necessary. Good shoes are necessary. This... not so much. What? Depending on the result you planning on repainting the nursery? Going on a shopping spree at Gap Baby?”

“I was planning on that anyway. It was on my agenda for after Lunch.”

Lisa smacks him in the arm. “You are so bad.”

“I’m not kidding. Tomorrow we might be living in an armed camp but for today I really just want to enjoy this– the normal.”

There is a rap on the door as it’s opening. “Hey sorry I’m late. You two ready to get baby’s first movie?”

“Better this than the conception.” Lisa quips. “There are just some things the kid should never see.”

The tech laughs. “You aren’t kidding. I was out shopping with my teenager and there was some musak in the elevator. You should have seen his face when I told him he was conceived to that song. I may have traumatized him for life.”

“I hope you reassured him it wasn’t the musak version?” Morgan inquires.

“Nah. You think that’s why he turned that color?” The tech rolls over by Lisa on the other side. “You two want to know the sex?”

“Might as well.” Lisa shrugs. “I don’t trust either of us to not be going through the DVD looking for evidence later. But only as long as it doesn’t prolong the procedure.”

“Got it.”

“What do you mean you didn’t tell me because I didn’t ask?! Ma, that makes zero sense. There are a million things I don’t ask you– Broke a hip lately? Just because I don’t ask doesn’t mean that I don’t need to know!”

“Son, I don’t know who you think your talking to but I’m not one of your boys up in Boston and you will not use that tone with me.” Doreen Pappas retorts sharply.

Anders jaw drops and then snaps back shut. He takes a deep breath and then says in a very low controlled voice. “So Mom, anything new with Lisa, she dating anybody, getting serious maybe? Has she told you that she’s PREGNANT?!”

“I’m so glad you asked, Anders. As a matter of fact she has. I didn’t ask too many questions because it’s none of my business and I’m just happy one of my children is finally going to give me a grandchild! But yes, she moved down to Miami because the baby’s father works down there. He’s a lawyer but Lisa doesn’t seem to hold it against him.”

“And the fact he is Baby’s brother, my boss’ brother?”

“Small world.” Doreen walks away from her son which she knows is just going to drive him nuts but being interrogated by her child is just rubbing her the wrong way.

“How in the hell did they meet?” Anders stalks after her practically breathing down her neck.

“Evidently, Morgan was in a car accident on his way to Atlanta and Mona at one phone call called your sister to drive him the rest of the way. They bonded on the road trip.”

“And how long ago was that?”

“About five months.”

“And how far along is she?”

“About five months.”

“I’m going to kill him. And then I’m going to kill her.”

“And how old was Chandy when you first met her?”

“What?” Anders looks at her blankly. “The first time, 16 I guess.”

“And when did you two start dating.” Doreen puts in just enough innuendo.

“Mom, that is really none of your business.”

“Oh but your sister’s love life is your business?! You can’t have it both ways, Anders. What was it? Four years? Five? Between you and your sister it about averages out to a long courtship. I’m not getting any younger you know. I’d like to have some grandkids before I’m pushing the stroller in my walker.”

The plan had already been in place and it would have been too awkward and generate too many questions to cancel at the last minute so when Pete arrives home from the training facility he has a bunch of ball players with him. These are the summer ball players, the rookies and walk ons. The guys who’d been playing in Europe and needed to get the style of NBA game down. And it’s a good thing that Miami Nice had known about it because they’d shown up and clued in both Georgie who didn’t know and Jacques who’d forgotten. They were doing a spic and span before the gathering and they’d be showing up the next day for a real cleaning.

“It would have been nice to know about this one.” Georgie is kicking by the pool wearing a coverup over her bikini and unwilling to give up her chaise figuring that if she moved to get a drink or even a dip in the pool that she’d lose her spot. The landscaping company had already packed it in for the day. You could tell they’d been there but there are no gaping holes for the unsuspecting ankle.

“Sorry.” Jacques winces. “Pete does them once a month during the summer ball and then periodically during the season. It’s to do team building– get the new guys used to the team and to real Miami just not the nightclubs.”

“It’s a good idea.” Georgie nods. “My brother in law used to play professional soccer. He was such a moron back in high school if he wouldn’t have had Dara Jensen and Gia Campbell riding his ass he probably wouldn’t have two dimes to rub together.”

One of the basketball players overhears the names and pulls up a chaise. “Did you say Gia Campbell? You actually know her?”

“Sure, my company does work for her firm.”

“What do you do?”

“Scorpio Investigations. Mostly corporate stuff but JCW– Jensen, Campbell and Winthrop, contracts when they need an investigator.”

“You’re a private investigator. Really. You.” The over indulged ego laughs.

Georgie looks over at Pete. It’s one of those get over here and handle this or I’m going to looks. Pete recognizes the look; he gets them from the head coaches on occasion. He starts heading around the pool after handing off the tongs to one of the other players by the grill with a quick. “Oh ****. It’s going to hit the fan now.”

The other player looks over to where their number one draft pick is sitting in a chaise next to an older smoking hot blonde.

Jacques is about to go continental on the ball player but Georgie reaches over and puts a hand over his.

“Yeah, I am. It works really well because cocky people seldom look below the surface. It makes them easier to trip up.”

It takes about three seconds for the dis to hit. “Do you know who I am?”

“Do you think I care? Let me guess some kind of bonus baby who is finally in the money... didn’t finish college.. Probably did a year and out. What kind of classes? Rocks for jocks? I bet you’ve got a great big bank account and a lot of people around you who are taking more out than they’re putting in. Tell you what why don’t you get one of my cards from Pete for when some ball bunny starts claiming you are her baby’s daddy or when your financial manager swindles you out of all your money because you didn’t know how to look at your own books. You’re a lottery winner and most of them are broke within a couple of years.” With that Georgie stands up and pulls the coverup over her head and tosses it on the chaise and jumps into the pool.

The basketball player is slack jawed. Not just at the in his face assessment from someone he just met but also because when Georgie had stood up from the chaise he’d gotten a look at her torso and recognized at least one of the scars as a healed bullet wound.

Pete pulls the guy aside. “What the hell you say to her?”

“She said she knows Gia Campbell. I was just making conversation you know.”

Pete shakes his head. “She’s my roommates aunt and I just met her yesterday but let me clue you in because I did my research after I met her. Her brother in law is Kyle Radcliffe, the sports broadcaster; her nephew is Pavel Radcliffe... you know the golfer. She knows more about professional athletes getting rich and staying that way than you will ever know. And you really need to get over waving that bonus check in people’s faces. The people it works on are people you don’t want to be around anyway. And it definitely isn’t going to work with a woman who made five million dollars for two days work.”

“No way! How?!”

“Solved an international industrial espionage case.”

“You think that is how she got shot?” The baller leans in to ask.

“No idea. But she’s one you need to keep your mouth shut and your ears open around.”

When Morgan and Lisa arrive back to the house the party is in full swing. There are guys playing hoop out front just cause they couldn’t get away from it but most are back by the pool and grill. There are even a few on the boat checking it out and kicking. The music is on to an audible but not obnoxious level. “Oh hell. Pete’s thing.”

“Well you wanted normal. Guess this is it.” Lisa says cheerfully. “Come on. I’m starving.” She slides out of the porsche and grabs half the bags they’d picked up at the mall. They are parked a good distance from the front door since all the basketball players are parked along their drive carefully leaving the half court available for play. “The CSMC goons much be going crazy. But on the plus side there is no way Macon would show up to this.”

“I wonder how much Jacques and Georgie could get done with this going on.” Morgan grabs the other half of the bags and catches up with Lisa. He takes some of her bags from her and strings them up his arms.

“Vacation day right. Desperately seeking Normal.” Lisa counters she gets the front door knowing that his hands are more than full. “Come on lets put this away. Last time these guys were over I won $200 playing pool.”

“I don’t think they’re going to fall for that again.”

“Of course they are. They’ll think it’s a fluke and I was having a lucky day. It’s what keeps casinos in business.” Lisa leads the way upstairs and goes straight to the baby’s room off the master to drop the packages. She doesn’t bother putting things away, figuring she’ll have plenty of time once she’s on true house arrest. Instead she grabs a bathing suit and coverup from the drawers that Morgan has set aside for her and getting changed into a two piece that does nothing to hide the bun. The cover up is a cotton filet crochet that hits her about mid thigh. “See you down there.”

Morgan sighs and shakes his head. He drops the his part of the packages as well and gets changed into poolside gear. He’s tempted to check his messages but knows as soon as he does that the vacation day is over. He shuts the bedroom door behind him as he leaves.

As Georgie starts climbing the ladder from the pool there is a hand reached out to her. She looks up at the tall black man who is extending a hand. She looks at the hand.

“Look I wanna apologize. I was outta line. Can we start over? I’m Steve Johnson.”

Georgie takes the assist from the pool. “Georgie Jones. And I was outta line too. Your life is your business. And if I get my back up about people making assumptions about me then I shouldn’t make them about them.”

“Yeah, well I think mine were way off and yours... not so much. I might be still figuring it out but when I heard Gia Campbell’s name...”

Georgie nods. “Lets get some beers... are you old enough?”

“I never get carded.” The guy counters.

Georgie sighs. “That sucks. I still get carded and I’m old enough to be your mother.” She starts over to the grill where the beverages are being kept chilled.

Steve falls in next to her. “Okay I know we just made peace and all but I got to know. Did you get shot doing the private investigator thing.”

“I’ve never been shot.” Georgie says blankly. She sees Johnson’s glance down to her side. “Oh that. I wasn’t shot. A boat blew up while I was on it. I was impaled by one of the splinters off the boat.”

“Fu... damn. I think I’d rather be shot.”

“Nah, the splinter plugged the hole... for the most part. The water patrol was already on their way so they pulled me out of the water and got me to shore and to the hospital. But I wasn’t a PI then. After I got out of the hospital I moved back to New York and joined Scorpio investigations.” She grabs a beer from the cooler and looking around the crowded pool just wraps the towel around her waist and goes inside. The room that opens to the patio is nice and cool and as a benefit there is still a place to sit.

Steve Johnson comes over and pulls up a seat next to her. “So you really think I need you huh, that people are going to try to rip me off.”

“SI doesn’t just contract with JCW. We also contract with OnePhoneCall. Mona hasn’t been in business long but we’ve already had to track down some dirty accountants, business managers and fraudulent charities. Investigated a few women who were making paternity claims. And even did a couple of investigations on the wishes of the client. They wanted to know what the press could dig up on them if they were motivated... so we’d find it first.”

Johnson nods. “I’ve heard of OnePhoneCall. Some of the guys on the Heat have it. I thought it was dinner reservations and stuff.”

“Mostly.” Georgie agrees with a nod and then a pull from the beer. When she puts the bottle back down she continues, “... but Mona’s concept is one phone call period. Whatever you need you call her and she works it from there– whether it’s dinner reservations, bail money or the services of SI.”

“I guess I’m going to have to get me some of that.”

“Or hang with the guys who already have it.” Georgie shrugs. “Hopefully most of the time it will be dinner reservations.”

“And you know Gia Campbell because of Scorpio Investigation and the One Phone Call.”

“I’ve actually known Gia for years, more her partner Dara Jensen. Before Dara went into private practice she worked at the district attorney’s office when my uncle was the police Commissioner. Look I know it was really rude of me telling you your business and I get that you did what you had to do. I don’t understand college athletics anyway. Most 18 year olds have to make money it’s part of being an adult. Why wouldn’t you turn pro as soon as you could? Look at Pete– blew out his knee his sophomore year.”

“I don’t want to be broke in two years.” Steve blurts out.

“Don’t know anyone who does. See that kind of thing doesn’t happen in Port Charles. Dara and Gia teach classes at the university. I joked about rocks for jocks but they basically teach a class in how to be an athlete both professional and college level. It’s real basic– accountants, agents, money management. But they also go in depth about NCAA rules, interviewing, ball bunnies. The coaches take the class too, or at least sit in on the NCAA rule class. Even for the people who don’t ever make a dime on the court, pitch or field learn can pick up some good information.
I don’t know what your support network is. When Kyle started making money playing soccer, his uncle, my uncle and Dara Jensen all sat him down and put him on a budget basically planning for when his career ended. Because they did that; he transitioned pretty smoothly to broadcasting. And my nephew Pavel, well he had Kyle’s example. He knew from the start that the money needed to be set aside, that he had to keep going to school and get his degree. He already had Dara’s phone number.”

“They both received degrees?”

“Oh yeah. Kyle actually has about three. Soccer is different than the basketball. If you want to really make money you go to Europe and he did– right after high school. And he was broke while he was breaking in; the contract barely paid the rent. My sister went over there on a college break and they eloped. Uncle Mac would have killed him if Kyle didn’t make some assurances. It’s the reason why Kyle got the nickname The Professor when he was playing– Communications, Secondary Education and then a masters in Education as well. Kyle still makes money from endorsements and from the broadcasting gigs and that finances the clinics he puts on and the speaking engagements he does about the importance of PE in school. Not to mention that Pavel is the oldest of my sister’s kids. They adopted six. They’ve got a few mouths to feed.”

“I remember reading about him in Sports Illustrated when I was a kid. I was only really interested in basketball but I read the whole thing cover to cover. He had to file a restraining order too though didn’t he?”

“Oh yeah. His mother. Got to meet her a few times. Most memorable was back in high school when she basically abandoned him to fend for himself which is how he ended up living this his uncle and his uncle’s wife... nah I think Skye was still his girlfriend back then. As soon as Kyle was out of the house, Margery came back through and cleaned it out... sold all the furniture. Kyle’s Uncle Cole had an inkling that Margery was messing up and tied up the house so that she couldn’t sell that too. Kyle kept it cool for a long time, giving her some money now and then when he had it. Sunday brunches– he never moved back in with her. And then she pulled an identity theft on Maxie, my sister. Boom gravy train over.”

“Was she nuts?”

Georgie shrugs. “Drugs and a big sense of entitlement. Periodically she still tries to sell her story to the tabloids.”

“And your nephew, Pavel?”

“Still working on his bachelors, University of Arizona. He does remote courses nine months out of the year, just a couple of classes a term and then takes a full load one quarter a year on campus. He did like you did turned pro his sophomore year. Because he’d been front row on what Kyle did, he knew what arguments would work with his parents to get them to go along.” Georgie looks around the party room as there is a sudden roar of applause. “What’s that?”

“Morgan, that’s your nephew right?”

“Yeah.”

“His girlfriend is a pool shark. She got $50 bucks off me last month.”

“Thanks for the heads up not that she would have gotten me. I’ve always been more into poker.”

“How long you staying in Miami?”

“Don’t know. Might just be a week, might be a couple. Morgan wanted an upgrade on his computer system.”

“There is this charity casino night thing coming up. I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go with me.”

Georgie laughs. “That’s sweet but I’m old enough to be your mother.”

“Yeah, but you’re not. Look just friends okay. I don’t know much about poker but I’ve always heard it’s good to have an ace in the hole.”

Howze everyone's summer going? Too early for trick or treat?

Deb