Deliverance

Midnight Chat

There was a knock on Nick's door in the middle of the night, 3 AM to be exact. "Nick, are you in there?" Staci called out.

Nick's eyes shot open, and instinctively he grabbed for the knife he kept well hidden underneath his pillow. But his qualms were put to rest when he realized that it was only Staci. Peering over to the clock, he read the green numbers. "3:00". Groaning, he stood and opened the door. "Yes, Staci?"

"I can't sleep," she said, pulling down the t-shirt she was wearing. She didn't have any of her sleepwear with her since she was at Nick's house so she had to compromise and wear one of his t-shirts, which did a pretty bad job at hiding her underwear. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Can I come in?"

Nick attempted to see her face in the darkness. "Of course." Nick gestured into his room, but knew that she probably couldn't see. Squinting, he turned on a small lamp. "What'd you need?"

"Just something to make me go to sleep," she said walking inside. She sat on the bed and looked at the floor. "So much has happened today...I guess with everything, it's just too much for me to go to sleep. I'm stressed..."

Nick sat down next to her and placed his arm around her shoulder. "I understand that it wasn't the best day....but I'm glad that you're working through it." Nick smiled. "How can I really help you? Just need someone to talk to?"

"Yes, I just need someone to talk to," she said. She looked him in the eyes. "I'm not fully resigning from investigating. I'm going to be a part-time investigator and part-time CEO of my father's company. I want to remove the corruption from within. But I can't lose you, so I want to stay."

Nick dropped his mouth in astonishment. This company that she hated so much...how could she do this? Standing from the bed, he stood in front of Staci. "I don't know how to tell you this, but it would come out sooner or later." Nick paused to collect his thoughts. "Your father was arrested, tried, and convicted for espionage against the United States of America. He was sentenced to death today. I just happened hasten the timeframe."

Staci's entire body shivered and tears began to stream down her face. "What...but....but that's impossible?! Espionage concerning WHAT!"

"I don't know." Nick responded without hesitation. "That's all the police officer told me. To get a full report I'd have to access the station's computer mainframe."

"No," she said, "I'm going to get to the bottom of this. This is just--UGH!" She threw herself backwards onto Nick's bed and placed her hands over her face. "Kill me..."

Nick looked down at her, the frustrated and perplexed emotions mixing on her face. "That's why I need you here, full-time." Nick rest on the bed beside her. "I need you, Staci."

"But what about Williams International?" she asked.

"You know what, fuck WI. I don't understand what is so important about that company. Your father was a corrupt man, running a corrupt business. I would just desert it all together." He looked sternly towards Staci. "You're better than this Staci, you have another purpose. Why remain clammed up in an office building when you can be out, saving lives? WI has already ruined countless others - why try to fix what can't be?"

She looked at him. "Because I can turn that company around into something great, Nick. Don't you understand? I can use its money and resources to help people. I want to undo the damage to all the lives that he's done. I'm still going to be here for you. It's only part-time. I need you just like you need me, Nick...I want you." She leaned forward and kissed him, this time on the lips, and for several seconds.

Nick, overwhelmed by the surge of hormones, almost forgot that he was in an argument. "But don't you understand - when they investigate the company, and find you in charge, they'll pile every accusation upon your head as well!"

"No they won't," was all she could say. "I won't let them, and neither will you."

Confused, Nick raised an eyebrow. "Neither will I? What say do I really have? I want to help, but I can't if you put yourself in that position!"

She touched his thigh. "Please, don't yell at me, Nick. What I meant was...we're the best investigators in all of Briarfield. Why don't we solve this mishap before the authorities can even find the first clue?"

Nick placed his head in his palm and sighed. This was not at all what he had been hoping for. Looking to Staci, Nick hesitantly nodded his head. She was right. If, perhaps, she could get into the company, she could fix any issues, and provide any private information that might be necessary to the investigation. "Alright. Run your company. But I have a condition."

"Which is?" Staci questioned.

"You must promise to give up this fiasco when the investigation is completed. Do what you have to do. Close the company, sell it. Whatever. After this, we become permanent partners." Nick stood from the bed, wandering to the door. Leaning against the doorframe, he attempted to make it final. "Deal?"

"You want me to completely abandon it after I spent my time fixing it?" she asked bluntly.

"Yes." Nick stated. "You're an investigator, not a business manager."

"You're controlling my life now?" she asked.

Nick turned away and rolled his eyes. As an experienced Criminal Investigator she wasn't picking up the clues. "No, Staci. I'm not. I'm trying to talk some sense into you. Please understand, I beg you. Tell me - what did you major in? What degrees did you get?" Nick looked sternly in Staci's direction.

She frowned at him. "I have several degrees..you know that. What does that have to do with anything? There are several businesswomen who run businesses without degrees."

Nick scowled at her attempt to deter him. Her attempt to make him look misogynistic wouldn't succeed. "I have nothing against women running businesses, and I'm quite sure that there are women who are qualified without a degree. But what I'm saying is this - why ruin what you have studied so hard for? You trudged through so much to make your way into Criminal Justice. Why waste those years now because you have this flittering desire to run a business!" Nick began to breath heavier. Although his voice had not yet become a yell, it was on the precipice of being so. Closing his eyes, he counted to ten and continued. "You are such an intelligent person, and I feel like you would be wasted in this line of work."

Staci didn't know why, but she was actually surprised that she was hearing this. She sighed. "That's not the problem, Nick. You just don't want me to leave this investigation business. I want to further myself. I want to stretch. I want to try something new. I want to create change. I have degrees in psychology, English, and law, not criminal justice. Nick, you may want to sit here and do the same thing every single day of your life, but I don't. That's why I have degrees in three different fields and am considering another one." She looked at him steadily. "I see now...that it would not have been wasted. How is me fixing something and making it more than what it was, wasting my talents, Nick? How?" she asked.

Nick ignored her question, rubbing his eyes. He just couldn't stand the conflict this early in the morning. "Fine...do whatever you want. But I'll do whatever I want, too. Don't expect me to follow your whims and not express mine. This need not be an argument. You go your way, and I'll go mine. We'll see who really gets something done." Unfortunately, Nick's tone wasn't as he intended. His exhaustion caused his voice to sound coarse and rough, and seemingly uncaring. Why must fate have such a horrible sense of humor?

"Fine," she said and got off his bed. "I think I can sleep now..." she left the room and closed the door behind her.

Nick stumbled over to the light and flicked it off. What a mess he was in.