A Charitable Scandal

The Right Thing

My grand plan? It was to work on web site proposals and earn a lead role in creating the company's new site. Then I'd garner more attention, be granted more leadership opportunities, and then someday, after years of honest, hard work, I'd depose Colin and take his throne. That was my grand plan. Seeing as I was now "resigned," that no longer existed. And the thing was, I no longer cared.

Falling for Alec had never been in my plan, but now I shiver at the thought of never pursuing such a relationship. Discovering the seedy underbelly of Quinto Technologies had never been in my plan, but once I'd seen it, I recalled my goal of providing transparency so that honesty and compassion won out over lies and treachery. Becoming a martyr and putting the entirety of my grand plan on the line was most certainly not part of my plan, but now, I wouldn't back away from the challenge.

Life had given me lemons and they were both sweet and sour, and dammit, I was going to make some lemonade out of them, even if it killed me. It was time for a new plan.

After discussing the finer points of what exactly that plan would be with Tamara, we both headed back into the hall and found dinner winding down. Colin was up on stage with the auction items lined up on a table. He apparently nominated himself to act as MC for the night and it was his job to read off the winners of the auction. With everyone held captive over the results, we scurried over to where Alec sat with the others.

"Alec." I whispered his name, hoping not to disturb the proceedings, but it still managed to draw some attention from those around the table. Emily, Theo, Jean, Dennis, Ryan and a very intrigued Cynthia eyed the strange couple that Tamara and I made, but when my formidable partner gave them a reproachful glare, they turned back to the stage. Though they still chanced a few quick glances over their shoulders now and then.

"Well," said Alec, taking his napkin off his lap and folding it on top of his plate, "I must admit, I didn't expect to see you two together tonight."

"There's reason for it," cooed Tamara with a delighted grin. "Come with us away from the table and we'll elaborate."

I noticed how Tamara was already taking point on my idea, but I allowed her that much since she was the one risking the most for the plan. She valued her career above all else and I may have given it a death sentence by involving her, but without her, our plan was doomed. I knew she was just doing it for Alec, but I needed her and she knew it.

Alec agreed to our terms and the three of us excused ourselves from the table under the pretense of a small gala emergency arising that required Alec's attention. None of them seemed to believe it for a minute, but they knew the rumors would make their way around soon enough. Especially if Cynthia had her way.

We headed to a dark corner just outside the atrium entrance, which was opposite of the stage. Everyone's eyes and ears were turned towards Colin so it felt safe to talk freely about what lay ahead.

"All right, you have my attention. What exactly are you two up to?"

"We can't let Quinto get away with taking this money," I said in a firm, monotone voice. "We're going to get him to willingly confess his crimes to the public."

"Excuse me?" His words came out in a mixture of a gasp and a laugh. His face contorted as he tried to think of how to react to the news.

"If we want to keep the company safe," I continued, "we need Quinto to take full responsibility. To do this, we'll need to tread quietly behind the scenes. We don't want to ruffle any feathers if we are going to get him to cooperate."

Alec's face finally settled, his bottom lip drooping while his eyebrows raised and pinched to a point upon his forehead. Yet, behind his glasses and through his eyes I could see the wheels turning and eventually he gave his head a quick shake while a hand massaged his temple.

"I mean, yes, that would be the ideal situation here, but there's no way that Quinto would give in to such a demand. Why would he? He holds all the money and power."

"That's where I come in," said Tamara with a victorious smile of perfect teeth. "I've got a hard drive full of incriminating documents that tell the whole of Quinto's sad tale. If he doesn't come through on his end, then we go public on our own."

"Don't you think that's blackmail?" he asked, his tongue clearly tired of uttering that term for the night.

"Honestly," I said without hesitation, "we're doing him a favor. By all rights we should just go public period. It is our civic duty to inform the authorities of criminal activity such as this. It's not blackmail, it's simply what we have to do if he won't do it on his own. We're giving him an opportunity to come forward with us by his side. We are still his PR team and as with everything, we can help him spin this. If he confesses and makes his own apologies, we can help him save himself as well as the company. It is a tantalizing offer when the alternative is us simply doing what must be done."

He listened intently as I relayed my point, a finger rubbing his bottom lip and his eyes watching me from over top his glasses. He then took a deep breath and sighed. He turned his gaze to Tamara who gave him an impish grin in return.

"You do this and you are as sunk as Quinto will be. He's going to have to take down some executive members on his way to confession. It's just how it is, we can't protect everyone in the company from this."

"I know, but it's the right thing to do." She sounded as sweet as an angel, but I knew that to her it was the right thing to do to impress Alec. However, I had no room to ridicule her motives when she was going above and beyond to help us accomplish what was in fact the right thing to do.

"All right," said Alec with a sigh, "if we can do this then it will be, in the long run, the best for everyone. So I'm certainly willing to give it a try. When do we strike?"

"Once the party is in full swing," answered Tamara. "I'll lure Quinto out to the courtyard behind the stage. You'll follow close behind."

"Okay, well go get settled with him then. And thanks Tamara."

"Yes," I added. "Thank you." It burned my tongue to say it, but I knew the cost she was paying and that far outweighed what she hoped to gain, even if that gain may mean Alec's favor.

Tamara walked back to the executive table just as Colin finished announcing the winners of the auction. He then introduced the band that was performing for the remainder of the night. Thankfully it only took a couple of songs to coax everyone out onto the dance floor. As much as I wanted to grab Alec's hand and drag him out there too, I knew that the moment was far from right. Not to mention, both of us were too busy keeping one wary eye on Tamara and Quinto to do anything other than stand with drinks in hand.

Eventually, Tamara pretended to get a message on her phone and she urged Quinto to step outside for some privacy to discuss whatever it was she said she got a message about.

It worked without a hitch and Quinto followed her without hesitation to a pair of glass doors behind the stage. At this Alec turned to me with a warm, yet anxious smile on his face.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

***

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