Largo Winch Universal Forum$ :: Voir le sujet

Moderator

This fic has been started on the ze-largo-winch-site.com and is now continuing here.

Authors: fio, Vanja

It was dark for almost an hour. The moon was full. All of a sudden there was a scream in the night coming from far away.

-"What was that?" said Simon waking up with a start in his tent...

-"They're called birds" said Largo irritably, as another scream reached their ears.

-"Sounded like an eagle. Granted, they're not usually awake at night, but something could've startled it" he continued and sat up.

-"What's with you Simon? i've never seen you this jumpy before. And you've been tossing and turning all over the place so much I've hardly got any sleep."

He was getting worried. Simon had seemed strained for the whole week. He had claimed it to be just work stress so Largo had talked him into going on this long weekend fishing trip in the middle of nowhere to give them both a much needed break. But this was something different from the ordinary office stress. Simon was distractred and kept jumping at the slightest sound. Even here, where there were no phones, no meetings, no obligations.

-"I'm okay, it's nothing. Probably all this fresh air is just getting to me" Simon joked, but his laugh was nervous and his voice strained.

Simon got out of his sleeping bag and reached for his jacket. It was a bit cold in the tent so he was releived to feel the warmth of his jacket.

-"I need to take some fresh air." he told Largo.

-"This early?" said Largo.

He raised his head and looked into Simon eyes and found that he stared into the eyes of a stranger. Simon turned around, afraid he would have to lie again to Largo.

-"Yes. This early" he almost snapped.

Simon crawled out of the tent. He didn't want to face Largo, not right now, not anymore. Going with him on this fishing trip had not been a good idea, but Largo had insisted. Simon had done his best to act as if everything was as always, and for a while it had worked out. But now Largo seemed to have gotten suspicious.

The moonlight was so bright there was no need for him to use a torch. He started down the path leading to the stream. Earlier that day they had fished two nice trouts for their supper there. Their tent was just above the river bank. He reached the water, and sat down on a stone and put his head in his hands.

He hated the thought of leaving Largo, but he could see no other way. The whole week he had been wrecking his mind trying to come up with an alternative, but had found none. Now he'd have to make a decision. He lifted his eyes to the stream glistening in the moonlight, and made up his mind.

He would tell Largo he was leaving and resign his post in the company. The only thing Largo would need to know was that he'd be leaving for Europe soon. He could always say he needed to get back to his family, to spend time with his sister or something else like that. He felt strangely relieved now that he knew what he was going to do, even though he knew that lying to his friend and then leaving him would be the hardest thing he'd faced in his life.

Five minutes later Largo found him sitting there.

Before Largo came beside him, let's go and see what was bothering Simon...

The scenario kept playing on an on in his head. He had bumped into her while visiting on of Largo's newly acquired company. Her name was Samantha. She had been in his life once but destiny wanted her to be in it again.

The company was developping the artificial intelligence in a new biological computer made of biological electronic cells able to reproduce by themselves. The future of the computer technology was at stake. It would replace all the hardware and would put out of business many companies.

Samantha was a technician there and a spy too. Her father was a computer manufacturer and not too happy about what was going on in that company. He would surely loose millions of dollars if that technology ever came out. She had stolen a sample of those cells and was looking for a way to get it out of the building. Simon gave her the opportunity she was looking for.

He was there, in front of her as he saw her coming towards him and jumping at his neck. As beautiful as she once was when he was in love with her years ago...

-"Simon!" she had said with her sweet voice, kissing him.

For a second Simon had stood frozen out of sheer surprise, then he had returned the hug.

-"Samantha! What... "
She had laughed at his astounded expression.

-"I work here. I'm a senior technician. Biotechnology is what I do, remember?"

-"I know, I just... I really just didn't expect to run into you."

He had taken a close look at her. She was older now, but not at all less attractive. If anything the years had added to her charm. He could still see that familiar look of mischievousness in her eyes as she teased him about his surprise. They had decided to leave whatever they were doing and go for a lunch. Simon had enjoyed himself, and so had she. They had spent the next few days together, and after working hours had gone driving around the San Francisco area. After about a week, however, Simon's work there was finished, and it was time for him to go back to New York.

Then one day she had asked for a small favour. They were just about to leave for their last day out at the town together, and he was at her apartment to pick her up, when she had remembered she forgot an important briefcase in her office. He had gone back there to get it. He had noticed that the briefcase had an unusual look about it, but hadn't given it a second thought. After all, he had no reason to distrust her. The date had gone well.

That night she had told him about her father's company CompX, located in France, and about her plans to go there to help run it. They had spent the night together at a beautiful hotel by the seaside, and Simon had promised to call her after returning to New York.
Five days later, the theft had been found out. Knowing that it wouldn't take Simon long to put the pieces together, Samantha had called him and told him, that if he said anything about the briefcase, the whole world would think he was the thief.

She had proof. Photos of him carrying the briefcase holding the sample from the company at broad daylight. Taped conversations in which Simon said he would do anything for her, and that he had brought her what she had asked from the company. And she had said Largo would see all that if Simon tried to intervene with her plans.

If Simon did nothing, CompX would get a patent on the biocell prototype, and Group W could suffer a tremendous blow. If he tried to stop her, she wouldn't hesitate to send the evidence to Largo and the board.

And now she was in Europe, at her father's company. She had said she still cared for him, and had asked him to join her there, and start working for CompX. Simon suspected that she wanted him there so she could ask him for inside information about Group W.

Simon was sitting on a tree stump and nervously throwing little rocks and small pieces of branch in the stream. He appeared to be preoccupied Largo thought. Not his usual self lately. He had to find a way to make him talk...

-"A penny for your thoughts." he told Simon.

He had noticed the small jolt Simon's shoulders had made. Now, what was bothering him? He had to find out.

-"Simon," he said, " i have the feeling you're hiding something from me. Care to tell me what it is?"

-"Hey pal," said an upset Simon. "Since when am i hiding stuff from you? Do i look like the kind of guy who hides things from his boss?"

-"Yeah. You do now." said Largo.

-"And since when have I been your boss instead of your friend?" he continued.

Largo wasn't going to give up that easily.

-"What are you talking about, of course you're my friend. That's nonsense." Simon replied, a little too hurriedly for Largo to be convinced.

-"Well, the way you're behaving I might not be so sure about that anymore".

He was being rough with Simon and he knew it, but he didn't see how else he could get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

-"Friends tell each other when something is bothering them, Simon. What they don't do is lie about it. I hope you didn't think I'd be too stupid to notice it" he said in a low tone, looking at the stream.

Simon didn't look at him again. That was the problem. Largo was his friend, and Simon couldn't bring himself to telling him how he had let him down. Even if Largo did believe his story, that wouldn't take away how terrible he felt. Simon was ashamed of having been so gullible and he blamed himself for going into her trap too easily, he should've known better. He felt he had messed things up again. He couldn't possibly have faced Largo after telling him.

-"I'm sorry Largo..." he began.

-"I didn't mean for you to think that" he said quietly and sighed. "But you're right, something has been bothering me. But I didn't want to tell you about it before it was for sure."

Largo hadn't quite expected this. He had thought he'd have to push Simon more. He sat down next to Simon and looked at his face. Simon still kept his eyes fixed on the ground.

-"What was for sure?" Largo enquired.

This was it. Simon would have to make his move now or not at all. He took a deep breath and said

-"Largo, I think I want to leave Group W".

Largo was astonished.

-"Leave GroupW? What do you mean?"

-"I mean I want to resign my post at the company. And leave New York." Simon still didn't look up.

Largo could hardly get a word out.

-"Why? And go where?" He kept staring at Simon, not really believing his own ears.

-"I need to go to Europe, to spend time with my sister" Simon said.

-"Look, it's been nice while it lasted, and I liked working with you, I really did" he said. "But it's time for me to give priority to other things. Things like family."

-"Is Vanessa in trouble?" Largo asked. He had no idea anymore what was going on.

-"No, she's all right, it's just that... It's just that I need to sort of change tracks in my life."

Simon's announcement had caught Largo off guard, and he was baffled. This was definitely not what he'd expected.

-"Why do i get the feeling that there's more to Vanessa than you're telling me?"said Largo.

-"I told you," said Simon. "She's all right, ok?" he said, infuriated.

-"I could have Kerensky check on it." Largo replied. "You know, you're like almost a brother for me, so you or Vanessa..." said Largo, not listening to what Simon had said a moment before.

Simon was getting nervous now and it was showing. He had to find a way to change subject before Largo had more doubts...the guilt of deceiving Largo again was lurking in his mind....

You are now welcome to add a line or a paragraph or two. Just press on Reply...