Chapter Fifty-One:
In The Garden

Luke's Club, the next day.

Lucky, in typical self-destructive form, is sitting at a table, staring at his laptop with a frown. Whatever's on the screen, he doesn't like it. He ejects that disk, and examines it, then slides it into his shirt pocket. He sits back, still staring at the screen. He barely notices Emily enter until she clears her throat. He looks up, startled.

Lucky: (folding down the computer screen). Hey. (Emily notices this, and walks slowly over to the table)

Em: After three years, my biggest competition for your attention is still the laptop. (Lucky brushes his hair out of his eyes, and leans back in his chair)

Lucky: Wasn't sure I'd be seeing you this afternoon.

Em: (forced smile) Well, you are. (Lucky notices something odd in her demeanor. He narrows his eyes at her)

Lucky: So what happened yesterday?

Em: What do you mean?

Lucky: (with a bit of an edge) I mean, what happened. You said you'd be a few minutes, and then that's it. I don't see you again. I mean, it's not like I can stop by the mansion to make sure you're Ok.

Em: We both know that's not true.

Lucky: I figured you knew where to find me.

Em: (getting tense) I had to see someone.

Lucky: Who?

Em: Someone. Why do you care? (Lucky looks at her like she's losing her mind).

Lucky: Because! I said I'd be in the back, you said ten minutes, and then you left!

Em: I had to go somewhere, Ok?

Lucky: (stubbornly) Where?

Em: (looking pointedly at the laptop) I'm sorry, are you the only one allowed to keep secrets?

Lucky: Emily.

Em: What would happen if I lifted up that computer screen. (Lucky preempts the conversation by hitting the off switch, proper shutdown procedure be damned) Uh huh. That's not too suspicious.

Lucky: Look, you know why you can't look at the screen. (Emily crosses her arms)

Em: Would that be because it's dangerous? I thought you weren't in any danger working for Jason. (Lucky get up and walks across to the bar)

Lucky: Emily.

Em: I hate this.

Lucky: (turning back to her) Look. You knew I was doing this. And it isn't dangerous.

Em: Don't lie to me.

Lucky: (incensed) I'm not lying!

Em: No. Just withholding information, right?

Lucky: Is this because I didn't tell you about Nikolas?

Em: No. But now that you mention it...

Lucky: Look, it didn't seem that important.

Em: What else do you know about Hannah, anyway? And why do you know so much more than I do?

Lucky: BECAUSE! I found out, that's what I do. If you want to know about her, then ask her.

Em: (angrily) Maybe I don't want to know about her!

Lucky: Then why are you yelling at me for not tell you?

Em: Because I'm frustrated! I didn't come over her to get into a fight, you know. I was looking for you for the same reason I always come looking for you.

Lucky: Which is?

Em: Why do you think?

Lucky: (sitting down on a bar stool) I don't know what to think right now. You were acting strange yesterday, now today you're --

Em: I wasn't acting strange!

Lucky: You were acting like --

Em: What? (She looks at Lucky, eyes wide. Lucky stops dead) I didn't think that was something you were opposed to.

Lucky: Emily!

Em: Forget it, Lucky. This is stupid. (She turns to leave. Lucky reaches out and grabs her arm)

Lucky: This IS stupid. Just tell me what's going on?

Em: I didn't start this.

Lucky: What?

Em: You're the one the who started accusing me of stuff when I was barely in the door.

Lucky: Ok, fine. Maybe we're both just being a little....

Em: What?

Lucky: I don't want to fight with you, Ok? I know the Jason thing upsets you, but --

Em: But, what? It doesn't matter. You won't stop.

Lucky: It's one last favor.

Em: Right. (She looks at him) And what about the rest of it?

Lucky: The rest of what?

Em: All of this. I mean, Hannah's just one more thing. You're not telling me anything, Lucky. I don't know how the hell I'm supposed to help you if you won't tell me what you're acting so tense about!

Lucky: (tightly) I don't want to talk about it.

Em: But I'm supposed to tell you everything.

Lucky: It's not the same thing!

Em: Why? Because you found out about Hannah first? Because as it stands right now, you probably still know more about her than I do? (She pulls back from him angrily) Do you have any respect for me, Lucky? Or am I just completely fragile to you?

Lucky: Why are you doing this?

Em: I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING! I'm just trying to make some kind of sense out of all of this. You're acting just as strange as I am, Ok? And you won't give me a clue about why.

Lucky: I have some stuff on my mind.

Em: With Jason?

Lucky: No. Emily, come on. (He pulls her close to him) This is ridiculous. I know, thing are crazy right now, but they'll work out. They always do.

Em: You're patronizing me.

Lucky: (frustrated) I'm trying here, Em.

Em: I don't want you to try! You want to know why I'm tense? I can't even start to really worry about Hannah... I mean, yesterday was a perfect example. You want to know where I went? To see Nikolas. (Lucky stiffens) I wanted to talk to him about Hannah. But, in typical form, I ended up talking about you.

Lucky: To Nikolas.

Em: Lucky, don't pull this on me now. I'm trying to figure out what's wrong.

Lucky: Nothing's wrong.

Em: You're lying to me!

Lucky: No, I'm not.

Em: This isn't fair, Lucky! You can't act like this and expect me to just watch.

Lucky: You're the one who took off. If anyone is walking from this, it's not me.

Em: What happened with your father?

Lucky: It doesn't matter.

Em: You're keeping something from me, aren't you? Again.

Lucky: Emily, don't.

Em: Why can't you ever just trust me?

Lucky: I do trust you.

Em: No, you don't. (Lucky says nothing. He looks away from her, his jaw clenched. Emily takes his face in her hands and forces Lucky to look at her) Why won't you let me help you? Why won't you tell me why you're doing all of this? Why are you fighting with Nikolas again? Why are you working for Jason right here in he middle of the club where your Dad could walk in at any time? Why are you acting like this? (Emily looks in his eyes, desperate for a clue)

Lucky: It's nothing I can't handle, Ok?

Em: Why won't you tell me? (Lucky doesn't say anything. Emily closes her eyes, pressing her lips together) Fine. (She steps away from him) I don't know what I was thinking. You want to solve your problems alone, go ahead. But stay the hell out of mine then. (Emily turns and walks out of the bar. Lucky watches after her, but does nothing. He stares at the floor a moment, then stands up, walks over to the table and grabs his coat.)

Jason's Penthouse.

Lucky is let in by faithful Renaldo, and walks, disk in hand, into the living room.

Lucky: Jason! (There is no answer. He sighs and sinks onto the couch. After a moment, he hears footsteps on the stairs, and Jason descends.)

Jason: Hey.

Lucky: Hey.

Jason: Come to check on the bug?

Lucky: The bug? No... but how's it doing?

Jason: Not much yet. Your brother's there a lot.

Lucky: Yeah, I know.

Jason: (pointing out Lucky's bruised face) I take it that's the hit he was talking about.

Lucky: He talked about it, huh?

Jason: Only heard part of the conversation. It was the first thing that came through. I'm not monitoring it myself.

Lucky: Fine with me.

Jason: Ok.

Lucky: How was he?

Jason: Who?

Lucky: Nikolas.

Jason: I thought you didn't care.

Lucky: I don't. (Jason smiles slightly) what?

Jason: That's the first time I've seen you lie.

Lucky: You're kidding.

Jason: You're not very good at it.

Lucky: Oh, no. I'm a master. I lie all the time. Just not to you, apparently.

Jason: Well, then you're bad at lying to me.

Lucky: Then I guess I wont do it anymore.

Jason: Nikolas is .... He was upset. He hit you, and he was feeling guilty.

Lucky: (smirking) Guilty, huh? I wouldn't know anything about that. (Jason doesn't give that remark any thought. Instead her frowns, considering Hannah)

Jason: How deep is he in with that girl?

Lucky: I don't know.

Jason: You might want to find that out. It could give you some clue what Emily's getting into. Or what Nikolas is getting into.

Lucky: Nikolas can do whatever he wants, I don't care.

Jason: You're really bad at this.

Lucky: Let's talk about something else, Ok? You're bruising my ego.

Jason: Sure. Is Emily Ok?

Lucky: I don't know. You tell me. (Jason looks at him oddly)

Jason: I can check to see where she is now.

Lucky: No..... That's fine. But look, if something does happen, I want you to call me.

Otherwise, I'm not going to be able to concentrate on anything. (He tosses the disk on the coffee table) That took me at least three hours longer than it should have last night.

Jason: (surprised) Still faster than I expected to see it.

Lucky: Why? It's just bank accounts.

Jason: Caymen Islands can be tricky. At least they assure us they can be.

Lucky: You might want to look into another bank, because Jason, that was not "tricky".

Jason: You sure?

Lucky: What do you think? The whole thing was kind of insulting. (Jason looks at him oddly) Look, I'm not sure I want to know what this is about, Jase, but you got a problem.

Jason: Talk to me.

Lucky: Numbers that don't add up. And I don't mean creative bookkeeping, Ok? I mean, NUMBERS that don't add up. You're being skimmed.

Jason: I figured.

Lucky: Now, for the insulting part. It's nothing a third grader with basic arithmetic skills couldn't figure out. It's like they want to get caught. (Jason frowns)

Jason: Maybe they do.

Lucky: You think it's a distraction?

Jason: There's been some noise. On turf. Then this stuff starts up with the account out of Puerto Rico... it could be someone trying to get me to divide my attention.

Lucky: It looks that way.

Jason: This is the end of the line for you. Anything past this, too much information.

Lucky: Define too much. (Jason looks at Lucky seriously. He sits down)

Jason: What are you saying, Lucky?

Lucky: More information than I could walk away from?

Jason: Probably not. If things go down the way I expect them to, then everyone involved will end up dead.

Lucky: In which case...

Jason: You know nothing. I have a trust problem, Lucky. Someone's encroaching on my territory. Once the dust settles I'll have to do some serious restructuring.

Lucky: So I could conceivably do this as a one shot deal. (Jason frowns)

Jason: You could..... Provided I win. And I have to say, with you involved, I stand a better chance.

Lucky: Really.

Jason: I need someone I can trust. And I can keep you legal.

Lucky: But.

Jason: Emily.

Lucky: (quietly) Yeah.

Jason: There's no such thing as a one-shot deal in this business. This is about as close as you'll ever get, but there will be more danger, more risk. But if the cards fall how I want them to, then you will be able to walk away.

Lucky: But.... Emily.

Jason: She'll hate it.

Lucky: But you're still considering it.

Jason: So are you.

Lucky: (grinning) I knew that was too easy, Jason. Child's play. You want me in this.

Jason: You'd be an asset. And I think we can keep Emily out of it.

Lucky: Emily thinks I need stuff like this in my life. She's wrong. I don't need it, It's worse than that. I just want it. Enough that I'll keep choosing it.

Jason: And your father? (Lucky's face clouds)

Lucky: My father... would have me strung up. Though he's really one to talk.

Jason: Takes a few risks himself. Why's it different for you?

Lucky: Uh... he made the mistakes so I don't have to. But... I mean, what did he think he was raising me for? A life in the suburbs? I was never going to be an accountant.

Jason: Lots of other things you could do.

Lucky: You know, If my Dad knew what I've become -- (Lucky frowns bitterly, looking away from Jason) At least he'd anticipate something like this. (He looks over at Jason) I mean, hey. What did they expect?

Jason: Or what do they deserve?

Lucky: I didn't say that.

Jason: Lots of people come into this to show up their families. It's not healthy.

Lucky: Well, I'm not in, right? I'm just on the outside.

Jason: For how long?

Lucky: Hey, you know, come June, I'm out of here.

Jason: And then what?

Lucky: Something else.

Jason: Private investigating?

Lucky: Maybe. I don't know. Divorce cases, delivering summons for a living? No. (he laughs) I don't know Jason. It's almost too respectable. I mean, Felicia Jones, for God's sake.

Jason: What else does that leave? The police force? The army?

Lucky: (laughing) Yeah, authority! That's what I need.

Jason: What do you need, then?

Lucky: I can't stand still. Drives me crazy. Besides, I like proving I'm smarter than them.

Jason: I understand.

Lucky: Yeah? Well, that makes one of us.

Jason: What's your options? You won't commit to me -- and frankly, if you did? I'd have to choose between you and Emily. That would be a hard choice.

Lucky: Yeah. I know. I'm in the same boat. (He sighs) She'll hate this. She's really really going to hate this.

Jason: Yeah, probably. (Lucky stares at the coffee table, deep in thought.) She loves you.

Lucky: It's mutual.

Jason: So why do this? (Lucky shakes his head)

Lucky: Why did you do it?

Jason: This is my life.

Lucky: Yeah... it's not mine. But it'll always be a part of me. (He sighs) I don't think there are jobs out there for guys like me. I don't know how you go about being a knight in shinning armor. I'm in the wrong era. (Jason watches Lucky carefully. After a moment he sits up)

Jason: You have marketable skills, Lucky. You just have to decide what you want to do with them.

Lucky: Yeah... and are you suggesting something?

Jason: I can't use you like I would if you were just anybody. Emily would never forgive me... but yeah, in this case? I think I have something for you.

Lucky: Like the snake in the garden, right? (Jason looks confused) The bible.

Jason: (laughing) What do YOU know about the bible.

Lucky: Not much, admittedly. But I know that story. (He leans forward) So tell me about the apple, Jason.

Hannah's Apartment, hallway

Hannah steps off the elevator to see Emily sitting cross-legged against the wall. She has a book spread across her lap, but looks up from it when she sees the elevator door open. She and Hannah stare at each other a moment.

Hannah: (stammering) You're here!

Emily: (coolly) Anything to avoid going home. (Hannah frowns)

Hannah: Ok. I'll take what I can get. Would you like to come in? (Emily shrugs. Hannah unlocks the door) I haven't eaten yet, if you want to have dinner or something. (Emily, again, is incommunicative.) Or not. (She opens the door, and steps in. Emily pulls herself to her feet and walks in after her, closing the door.)

Emily: I just want to talk. That's it.

Hannah: Great. (She hovers between the living room and the kitchen) Do you want something to drink?

Emily: No. I'm not staying long.