Atlantech: The Early Days Volume One

Chapter 22: Dark Past

As soon as Vince and his squad had left, Maxwell stormed back downstairs where he found Victoria seated at the bar spilling her sorrows to Enrique.

"I was so sure it was him," she uttered somberly. "I feel like such a fool now. I don't know if I can do this again."

"It happens." Enrique shrugged. "But I'm sure you'll get another chance. Don't give up hope yet."

Her eyes brightened and she smiled. "Oh thank you, sweetie. Whatever would I do without you? You're always there to lift me up when I am down."

"Well I'd do anything to see you happy, Miss Thompson," he smiled back without even noticing as Maxwell suddenly came up right behind her looking angry as usual.

"Well I hate to ruin your little chit chat session here," Maxwell announced derisively glaring at Enrique "But I'm afraid we've got a problem, and.........." He paused and turned his head while noticing the two workers he hired to do the flooring were now gone.

"Where the hell are my workers?" He demanded to know.

"They quit." Victoria answered him bitterly without looking back.

Maxwell clenched his jaw. "Then who will I get to finish this floor?" He exclaimed thrashing his arms about in outrage.

"I don't know." she rolled her eyes.

"But that's not the worst of it," Maxwell raged on. "That bloody pig stole my gun, right after he and that imbecile partner of his trashed my office!" He clenched his fists. "They made a complete mess of everything! Do they have any idea how long it took me to organize all those files? No of course they don't! And now they're going to try and frame me with my own gun!"

"Whoa, hold on a minute," she stopped him. "What do you mean by frame you with your own gun? According to the coroner's report, Mr. Phillips was bludgeoned to death. So how exactly could your gun be used against you?"

Maxwell shot her an agitated look. "Because he's a crooked cop and he doesn't like me? But that's beside the point, Miss Thompson! Fact is he's definitely out to get me now and it's all your god damned fault!" He aimed his finger at her as she popped a cigarette into her holder and lit it. "So you have no choice now! You have to go to Morane!"

"Relax, I will," she rolled her eyes again as she puffed on her cigarette.

"I mean it," he snapped. "No more games or fooling around, Miss Thompson. You got us into this mess and now you're going to get us out!"

Enrique stared at her now wondering what he meant by those words.

"Fine," she huffed. "As soon as I finish my cigarette I'll head home and change, and then I'll go see him, alright?"

"But why in bloody hell do you need to change?" Maxwell scoffed. "Why I'm more than certain he'd appreciate your efforts to look like a cheap tart."

She puffed on her cigarette angrily now wanting nothing more than to reach over and slap that shit eating grin off his face. "I have a lot more self respect than that," she glowered at him. "And I see you're still at it with the insults, but don't worry I'm still going to help you."

He sneered. "Oh you most certainly are, because you owe me, Miss Thompson. I'm the one who made you what you are today, or have you forgotten that part?"

She turned her head away from him.

"Yes that's right isn't it? He smirked as he leaned in closer to her. "Because without me you'd still be a bloody nobody, right? Why, you'd probably still be dancing around half naked in your little tasseled skirts and beads for all those filthy old bastards wouldn't you?"