Blackmail (NRN)

[William Blake]

Will had his pick of elitist government snobs that he could ask for help, blackmail if need be; they were all scumbags just like his father, and deserved what was coming to them as far as he was concerned. If they refused, they could plummet out of office in a cloud of scandal and he'd move on - it was simple really. He felt no remorse or pity for these guys. Just seeing the fear in their eyes would be enough, that was more than he ever got for his father - he was discovered by the cops, investigated for months before they finally did him for fraud. If Will had the knowledge and strength that he had now back then, things would have been so different. But, the past was in the past, and that's where it was staying.

The weakest link he could think of was an Italian senator, Gianni Linguini, who happened to love his expensive Italian wine, cheap hookers, and child pornography, but had a lot of pull with the government officials holding Alliana. He wasn't going to question whether she was innocent or not (although, he was more inclined to believe that she'd accidentally got herself into trouble and was now paying for it), he was just going to get this over with - maybe then he could salvage what was left of his and Natalie's shore leave.

Will tracked Gianni down to a bar on the lower east side, a shady place that seemed to sell alcohol around the clock and blatantly ignored the law against smoking in public places. Will was surprised he could see anything through the cloud of cigar smoke and lingered throughout the bar. He eased into a seat at Gianni's table without the bureaucrat noticing. Gianna almost spat out his drink when he finally laid eyes on Will, doing a double take.

"Who are..." he began to demand in his thick Italian accent, peering at Will in the dark lighting, "no way. William Blake? Billy the little bambino? My, my, you've grown into a handsome young man, look at you! Eyes like your mother's, big and beautiful, eh?"

"I'm not here for a social visit," Will said curtly, not taking well to the name Billy, his father's name for him.

"You're all business now, eh? What do you want? Got a beef with someone you want taking care of?"

"If that were the case, I could do it myself."

Gianni chuckled, "I have no doubt. What then? Whatever you want."

"A friend of a friend has been taken into custody and we want her freed."

"What did she do?"

"Nothing, as far as we're aware."

"But what has she been charged with?"

"Terrorism."

Gianna sucked in a breath. "You know how the Americans are about that sort of stuff. Even a mere mention of it sets them all of running round like headless chickens."

"What if she's not guilty?"

"Stuff like that doesn't matter to these guys. By the time they're finished, she'll be begging for them to take her to prison."

"Well, then you've got to stop it."

"Me?" Gianna let out a laugh. "I'm not putting myself on the wrong side of these guys. They'll do more than spit at my shoes."

"But it's wrong."

Gianna shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, "what can I say? You ask too much young William."

Will let out a sigh, looking away with a frown. "I didn't want to have to do this," he lied.

"Do what?"

Will pulled a small hand held computer device out of his pocket, setting it on the table between them, touching the screen so it illuminated.

"What is this?"

Will looked across at Gianni, "let's just say it's evidence of your... indiscretions."

The colour visibly drained from Gianni's face. "How did you...?"

"My father was a bastard, one that didn't trust any one, especially those he worked with. He wanted to know if he was being watched, so watched everyone else in return."

Gianni ran his hands over his face, "the fact is, I cannot give you what you ask of me, William."

"Well then, I'm sorry," Will said, scrolling a finger over the screen, intending to press send.

"Wait, wait," Gianni held up his hands, "what if I can get you in to see her?"

"Not enough," Will said, his finger over the button.

"I can grease some wheels, talk to some people," there were beads of sweat on Gianni's forehead, a mixture of the heat and fear, "make it easy for you to get in there, have them hold off on the questioning, transfer her to a different department - the FBI or police, someone who will give her a fair hearing."

"Better," Will replied, edging his finger away from the button.

"I even have some friends in those departments, maybe I can convince them to look on her more kindly, in favour of her release."

"Much better." Will touched the screen and it went dark. Gianni's body heaved a subconscious sigh of relief. "I'd get right on it, if I were you."

"Of course, of course," Gianni rose to his feet, as did Will. "You're a clever one, William, not to be underestimated."

"You're right," Will said, "don't ever do it again."

Gianni swallowed and nodded.