{{Sorry folks. Work's been kicking my @$$ for the last couple of days, but I hope to catch up on all the Moon Lakes this week.—tmw.}}
As Sheriff Douglas Cooper slowly drove down the road leading to his cabin in the woods, he radioed headquarters.
"Doris. Mark me down as Code 10-7*," he requested over his radio.
"Is everything all right Sheriff?" asked the department dispatcher on duty.
"Yeah. Just got to take care of a family matter," replied Cooper, as he parked behind a tree, after having spotted his cousin Alyssa's rented vehicle parked in front of his place.
Stepping out of his squad car, Cooper started unfastening his tie as he quietly walked to his cabin. If I do have to shift to my were-bear form to scare her into the straight and narrow, at least I have a spare uniform in my trunk.
MEANWHILE...
"So if you see Spencer before I do, will you tell her?" asked Eric Anderson, as Freshman lunch ended.
"About your brother's detention and us needing alternate rides home the rest of this week?" asked Frieda Knight in return. "Sure. But I am a little jealous. With having to be with my father this afternoon and being tested for bi-polar disorder tonight, Spencer will have you all to herself," she said jokingly.
"Maybe. But just think of the fun you'll have sensing us over our emphatic link, let alone the great make up sex we'll have later," Eric whispered in his other girlfriend's ear as they walked out of the Moon Lake High School Cafeteria.
"Hope that doesn't skew the test results."
"Doubtful. Besides, thanks to our link, we know you're not bi-polar. You just have to go through the motions of proving it so your folks don't worry," pointed out Eric.
"Yeah. Just do me one favor," requested Frieda.
"What?" asked Eric in return.
"When you and Spencer are alone, fuck her once for me," Frieda whispered in his ear, before kissing Eric on the cheek and leaving for her next class.**
ELSEWHERE...
"So. Be respectful enough to tell me the truth," requested Frances Twist. "WHY this sudden urge to see all the Carters together for Christmas like the family we're supposed to be, but they won't allow me to be because of my love and marriage to Samantha."
"Well..." began her brother Samson, wondering how to say what was truly on his mind. "Other than it would be a nice Christmas gift to me... mom's been diagnosed with ovarian cancer."
"WHAT?" shouted Frances, which froze practically everyone in the dining area around them.
ELSEWHERE...
Benton Knight came home to an empty mansion.
Usually there would be a servant or two on duty, but they had all recently quit over his... personal problems.
Now his footsteps echoing on the marble tiles of the foyer were noticeable as he went to his study.
There, Benton first called his broker for a situation update.
"We've been able to acquire back most of the traded voting stock," was the report. "Still a few people we haven't been able to get a hold of yet, but the bulk of it is back in your hands."
"Good. How much of my company does Crawford think he owns now?" Knight wanted to know, even as he activated his personal computer.
"Trading has slowed down considerably since you started exercising your first right buying option, but best estimate is somewhere between 11 and 12%."
"Enough to be a minority shareholder, and a nuisance at their meetings," grumbled Benton.
"I'll be able to give you a more accurate tally within a half hour of the final bell ringing in New York later," promised the broker.
"Okay. I've got another assignment for you. I'll be sending you a list of former Knight Industries employees shortly. I want you to start checking their assets, and if any of them still have voting stock, remind them of my option and get it back immediately," he ordered.
"How many people are we talking?"
"Limiting it to middle management and higher, a couple of hundred easy."
"Tall order," observed the broker.
"Just do it," Benton demanded. "I'll be calling the former executives myself, but no matter what happens, I want any voting stock not already in my possession back where it belongs within 24 hours."
"The Security and Exchange Commission might question that," pointed out the broker.
"I'll redistribute most of it to current management personnel I trust by the end of the week, but there's no way I'm letting Crawford take over MY company!"
Then an alarm started beeping on Benton Knight's wristwatch.
"What's that?" asked the broker, hearing it on the other end of their phone conversation.
"Just a reminder of something else. I'll call you back after the NYSE's*** closed for the day," promised Benton, before hanging up.
Then Benton reset his watch alarm, opened his desk drawer, and pulled out his pill bottles to treat his bi-polar disorder.
He stared at them.
How the mighty have fallen... but then Benton killed that thought.
I'm doing this to keep from falling, he reminded himself, as memories of the alternate images of his potential future crossed his mind again.
"For you Frieda," he said to no one in particular, taking his afternoon dosage, only wanting the vision of a sane and happy Benton Knight holding his first grandchild some day to come true.
________________________________________________________________________
*Code 10-7: (Temporarily) Out of Service, according to my research.
**While Eric, Frieda, and Spencer Lawson have a very unique relationship between them, Spencer's a Sophomore while Eric and Frieda are still Freshmen.
***New York Stock Exchange, on the East Coast, while Moon Lake is on the West Coast, with a 3 hour time difference between the two.—tmw.