Secrets and Lies

Risk Assessment

              "We need to talk." Four words no one ever wanted to hear. And given what she'd shared with him a few weeks prior and he'd gleaned from the conversation he'd just overheard; this was not a discussion he was looking forward to having. Though right now, James wasn't sure if any conversation he'd have with Christine would be something to look forward to.

    James didn't respond, which was exactly the way she wanted it. Christine moved over to where Alan, Andrew, and Montgomery stood; heads all bowed as they talked. As she came near, the other Englishwoman stopped her, whispering something in her ear. James watched as she nodded simply before waving Andrew over.

    "Everything alright," Mason asked as she came up beside him, San in tow.

    "I'm not quite sure, but I'm going to find out." He moved then toward the grouping of scientists and engineers that he, Mason, and San had been excluded from.

    Montgomery looked up and smiled, excusing himself as he came over to James. "Monsieur Conrad, it is lovely to meet you in person."

    They exchanged a warm handshake. Mongomery was exactly as James had imagined him; short, stocky, full bearded, and impeccably dressed. His hair was a bit longer than James had expected, but it only seemed to add to his character. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Doctor Moliére."

    "Monty, please," the zoologist grinned. "We are all going to go out for souper, would you and your colleagues care to join us? I would enjoy getting to know more about them and yourself."

    "I was actually hoping to speak to Chris-"

    "Parfait! Here is the address," Montgomery handed him a piece of paper with an address on it along with the words "Trust No one." As James watched the man limp away, he couldn't help but wonder just what he had gotten himself into.

          "This isn't a trap, right," Mason asked as she climbed into the truck once more. James had opted to drive this time while San had agreed to sit center. "I mean, he said 'trust no one', does that mean we can even trust him; any of them?"

    "Agreed. I do not like this, yet what choice do we have but to go and see what this is about?"

    James glanced at San, he couldn't argue with her as he was feeling similarly. "Let's just go and see what this little side meeting is about. If anything feels off, we leave."

    "What if it's not that simple?"

    "It'll be that simple. That part I know," San muttered reaching under the seat and pulling out three revolvers and a box of thirty-eight ammunition. She snapped the six-round cylinder of the first one open after checking the safety, loading it from the box of ammo she had in her lap before passing it to Mason.

    "You think this is necessary," she asked as she tucked the gun into the small of her back.

    "Rather be prepared than not," San muttered. "Any idea what this may be about?"

    "Not on Montgomery's side... I doubt he's acting alone. I think he was told to give me that piece of paper."

    "Christine?" He nodded, thinking back to the conversation he'd overheard a part of just before Christine had told him they needed to talk. He wasn't exactly sure what the entire context was, but he knew that from the way Christine had been adamant about wanting safeguards John Hammond and Henry Wu couldn't be trusted. "Care to share?"

    "Henry Wu isn't willing to work under Christine's leadership."

    "That's not much of a reason for an upheaval."

    "It is when John Hammond is encouraging it."

    Beside him, San stiffened. Mason chewed at her thumbnail, eyeing him. "So, there's already dissention amongst their ranks?" James nodded. "Yeah, this is starting to feel like Skull Island already, and we haven't even left yet."

    "How deep does it go?"

    "I have no idea. I simply overheard them bickering about Wu wanting authority when Christine wasn't present even though she has a second in command."

    "That second in command should be you; seeing as they wanted you on this fucking trip so badly."

    He shrugged at Mason's comment. "It's all a power play. They likely think they can manipulate me better this way because of our similar backgrounds. It didn't work with Packard, won't work with Rourke."

    Both women sighed. Despite knowing this, the former commander wasn't the one they worried about manipulating him. "And Christine? What if she's the master manipulator?"

    James tightened his hold on the stirring wheel. That was a good question, one that he didn't have an answer to. One that he hoped he'd never need to answer. He sighed and shrugged. "I burned that bridge once; I can do it again."

    While San nodded satisfied, Mason couldn't help but glance around their boss toward her ex. He could lie to himself all he wanted; she knew that if it came down to it though he'd do what he could to protect the only woman he had ever truly loved. She just hoped it wouldn't come down to that.