Mr Hook's Big Black Box

«Everyone Has Secrets»

"So you were running around on the rooftops, surrounded by a dozen guys with guns, and you never realised?" Ferrari was incredulous, "I can't believe how unobservant you can be."

"Well, I was never close enough to see them. And we were moving so fast, I didn't think to ask. I would probably have broken down if I knew."

"And then we wouldn't have had the marvellous plan of the elevator," Kris put a reassuring hand on Dwayne's shoulder, a visible show of support.

"And that was a trick to open the Box without the others finding out?" Destinee giggled, seeing humour rather than betrayal in Dwayne's plans.

"He wasn't the only one," Ferrari raised an eyebrow.

"I was completely honest about my intentions," Destinee was transparent as always. It was probably true as well, lying didn't seem to come naturally to her. Dwayne had gone to great lengths to conceal his covert mission, while Destinee's plan might have seemed a double-cross just because nobody had paid attention to what she was actually saying.

"It wasn't just you," Kris cut in, seeing how much it was hurting Dwayne to feel like a traitor. "Dwayne was played. I don't know who paid Cassandra to spin that story, though I could probably make an education guess. They came to me as well, with an offer I couldn't easily decline."

"In the bar?" Dwayne asked, "I thought Monty was there with you all evening."

"No, before that," Kris explained, "I think, if we are being honest with each other, I should tell the whole story. Dee needs to know before we wed, and maybe you all have earned it." It was strange to see Kris embarrassed, he was always so confident and in control. More so now than he had been at university; his family business had changed him, for reasons that the others were all too polite to voice their guesses about. So the room was silent as the former society president got to his feet and began to walk around the group, as he had always done when the situation called for him to make a speech. They waited calmly until he found a place to start.