Tell me your secret

Hey, so I'll be out of internet access for the next fourish days. Keep my characters going and alive please! Feel free to puppet them around if you want. Richard Parker is pretty much going to be creepy and demanding from here on out. He will be coming after each person individually and offering them pretty much anything they want if they will keep the secret to themselves (or hand over any tangible evidence, etc.). If not, he will be angry and leave and set his hitmen on them (don't worry, your characters don't need to die unless you want them to.) Escape will be dificult, retaliation will be tricky, have fun.

Also, Nicole will probably be running around trying to get people on her side against Richard. And I'm gonna go ahead and tell you all her secret in case you might want to make use of her telling your characters. Nicole is an assasin hired by some big company/government operation/etc. to get rid of Richard Parker. She has spent the past year attempting to get enough evidence of his wrongdoings to justify killing him. Yeah.

I'll post as soon as I get back!

Just to let everyone know, I'm back

*Hope*

"I know, Hope." Richard said, a stern expression on his face.

I knew this would come at some point, but I had just wished it was when I was ready for it. "Know what?" I asked, feigning innocence.

"I know your secret. I know what you know. I know what you can do to me." Richard said, taking a step towards me.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I know I looked confused. I am a rather talented actress, but I also know that he knows that also.

Richard took a few more steps closer to me. "You do, Hope, and I'm here to make you an offer you just can't refuse."

That was Richard, thinking that if he made a good offer, all of his problems would just disappear. I dropped my act, standing defiant before him. I cocked a brow at him. "And what, may I ask, is that offer?"

"I can get your father to stop drinking." he stated simply. "He worships me, and he'll do anything that I tell him to do."

I laughed, which surprised him. "Oh, Richard," I kept chuckling as I went and sat down in one of the high backed chairs. "I've already vowed to destroy my father. Even if he stopped drinking, it wouldn't make up for all of the years of abuse that he inflicted upon my mother and me."

He smiled very slowly. "Well, then. Here is the real offer that you will not refuse."

I couldn't stop the cold that spread through my body when I saw that smile. That meant that dear Richard had a very, very bad idea, and when I say bad, it means that it is bad for me.

Richard Parker

A sly smile crept across Richard's face. He wasn't playing games with Hope anymore.

"Here's the deal, sweetheart." he said. "You can either hand over the documents and pretend you never laid eyes on them, or you can enjoy your last few hours alive in my mansion."

Hope's face went white, but she quickly regained her composure. She wasn't going to give in easily, that was for sure.

"You can't possibly be serious." she said.

Richard raised one eyebrow. "Oh?" he stepped beside her chair and rested an arm on the high back. "I can garuntee you, that if you don't give in, you will not be leaving this estate."

With that, Richard strode to the bedroom door. He stopped with one hand on the doorknob. "You have until midnight to decide." He then opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

"Adeui Ms. Rosenthaw." Richard said to himself. He then strolled down the long hallway, a destination clearly in mind. But when he passed an almost inconsequential room he paused and took a step back. He knocked on the door and waited.

The man who had gone on about the weather soon appeared at the door. "Oh, hello there Mr. Parker." the man greeted.

Richard smiled and let himself into the room. "Good evening Miles, or should I say Ian?"

*On to victim number two. mwuahahaha. can you tell I'm enjoying the evil character for once? =P*

Miles Herring

Miles sat bolt upright in bed, hand outstretched for the large flashlight he kept beside his bed. It took him a minute to realize it wasn't there and to remember where he was. He sighed and slid off the matress, feeling slightly foolish. Jumpy, that's what he was. But could you blame him? It'd been five years since the incident, but he still had nightmares about it sometimes. That man's face...

He shook his head. Relax, you're being really stupid. It's probably one of the servants at the door wanting to give you a hot water bottle or something. He turned on the lights, unlocked the door, and peeked outside.

It wasn't an employee. It was Parker himself. Miles blinked with surprise. "Oh, hello there Mr. Parker."

Parker smiled and slipped into the room. "Good evening Miles, or should I say Ian?"

Miles Herring froze. The color vanished from his face. "How do you- w-who are you? What do you want from me?" He took a step backwards.

"Oh come now, you're not a stupid man. Surely you can figure it out Ian."

Miles, having recovered from the shock of being addressed by his old name, set his jaw. "Look, Mr. Parker, I'm flattered that you invited me over to your house, but there has to have been a mistake. I don't know you, see, and you calling me Ian's really throwing me off. I'm sure we're both tired, so maybe if you could just go back to bed-"

Parker sighed. "You may not know who I am, but I know quite a bit about you Ian. And I'm here to make you an offer."

"Oh?" Miles's brows rose. "Could you make it fast? I really am tired."

*Hope*

I couldn't stop shaking slightly after Richard left the room after threatening to have me killed. I knew he wasn't lying, because in the documents that I have at home, it actually shows that Richard has killed people so they don't threaten his power. I sat still for a few minutes, calming myself down, starting to think rationally again.

I looked at the clock. 8:24, almost four hours to expose Richard. Even if I died here, I would make sure to destroy him. I had my cell phone, and gave thanks that I had reception.

I punched in a number that I knew well. Big Vinny Moroni, my personal friend, was a part of the Mafia. He was an advisor to the Don, and brutal. I had met him years ago in the park, after a particularly bad beating, compliments of my father. He sat down next to me on the park bench, and we talked for a long time, just two strangers, finding solace in each other. I was thirteen, and he was seventeen, and I had always looked at him as a big brother. I guess you could consider me a part of the Mafia, even though I haven't been through any initiation processes. I just was around them a lot. I guess you could say that that's where I get my cruelty from.

"Hello?" Big Vinny's deep baritone voice came through the receiver.

"Vin?" I asked him, making sure it was him. "Ego postulo vestri succurro , quod ego postulo facio certus ut is est vos."

I need your help, and I need to make sure that this is you.

"It's me , Sperare. Che sbagliato? Tuo voce Ÿ agitazione."

It's me, Hope. What's wrong? Your voice is shaking.

I smiled in spite of myself. He knew me so well. I was also proud of him remembering to answering in Italian. We agreed a long time ago that if one of us was in trouble and we were able to get ahold of one another, we would talk in a dead language and a language that not many others knew.

"I need you to get something for me, Vinny, but I need you to go to my house right now before I tell you what it is."

"I'm on it." he replied, I knew he was already out the door, so I said quickly, "Vinny, take back up with you."

I could almost feel his confusion through the phone, but he said nothing and called to a couple of guys to go with him. They didn't live far from my house, and I knew that they would be there soon. Just as I thought, in almost less than five minutes, Vinny told me that he was in my room, waiting for orders.

"Okay, Vinny, this is a matter of life and death." I told him, still speaking Latin. "Now, go over to me wardrobe, and when you're there, hit the left side three times, the right five, and the front twice." I paused, hearing the thumps. "Now, you should have seen the side come down, and on the side is a piece of paper that is very important. Put it in your pocket. Now, there are five others that I hid in the stuffed animals that are in the closet. The red bear, the penguin, the duck, the mouse, and the lion."

I paused once again, hearing the animals being ripped apart. "Okay, Hope. The papers have been collected. What do you need us to do now?"

"There on my desk, there is a small desk lamp. Under the lamp shade, there is a small key that goes to my lock box. I need you to take that to Morticia. Tell her that you need my lock box. She won't question you. When you get it, open it. In there is a tape. That tape is very important. I need you to take it to Mark Yencer, one of the reporters at ABC. Make sure you deliver it personally. Make sure that he plays it in front of you."

"Okay." he said. After a moment of silence, Vinny asked. "Hope, what the hell is going on?"

"Richard Parker's destruction." I replied.

"Oh." It didn't surprise him. He knew of my hate for Richard and my father. "Well, if I'm going to get this done, I need to go."

"Oh, Vinny?" I said quickly, remembering something important.

"Yeah?"

"Take extra guys and extra fire power with you, just in case you run into trouble."

"Sure thing, Principessa." I didn't see it, but I heard the smile in his voice, and I knew that everything would be okay.


*************************

Sorry it's so long. I got into it

Richard Parker

Miles', or more correctly Ian's, expression quickly changed once Richard mentioned the offer.

"You see, Ian." Richard began. "Several years ago, you witnessed a few of my men...let's say, take care of a certain enemy of mine."

Ian averted his eyes slightly from Richard's face, hoping to avoid being caught in a lie. "Richard, I don't know what you are talking about. My name is Miles Herring, not Ian Grey."

Richard placed a hand on Ian's shoulder and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I never said your last name was Grey, Ian."

Ian's knees went weak and he nearly fell to the ground. Richard caught him easily. "Now, Ian. I have an offer for you."

Nicole Stone

Nicole sprinted through the hallway, and turned the corner just as Richard entered into the room Miles Herring was in.

He couldn't have started there...that's more than halfway down the hall...and the only one before Miles' room is Hope's...
"Oh no." Nicole said, barely above a whisper. She then took off to Hope's room and entered just as she was hanging up the phone. "No!" Nicole yelled.

"What?!" Hope scrambled behind the high back chair she had been sitting in. "Get out of here! You work for Richard!"

Nicole calmed herself down and looked at Hope again. "Hope, I am in no way on Richard's side." she whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" she asked.

Nicole moved over to where Hope was standing. "He'll hear us." she explained. "Just like that phone call, whoever it was to, was heard in full by several hundred of Richard's men. There is little hope that whoever you just called will live past tonight."

"I don't believe that, you're with Richard." Hope insisted.

Nicole sighed. "Well we can't talk any more about this here, and I need to know what Richard wanted with you earlier. All I know is you can't possibly be on his side." Hope looked at Nicole, confused. "I know more than you think. Meet me in the old servants quarters in an hour. They're on the edge of the estate's property."

Before Hope could say anything else, Nicole was already out of the room and running towards the garage. She needed to find Norman or Rafael, they would surely help.

Mary-Ella

She noticed people were starting to go crazy. What was going on here? Ella looked outside her door and towards Richard who seemed to be supporting someone.

Ella's breath caught in her throat. What in the world?

Ella exited her room, quietly, avoiding the man. She saw Nicole leave a room and she grabbed her hand.

"I want answers," she said annoyed. "Somethings going on and I want to know what it is."

Nicole Stone

"I want answers," Mary-Ella demanded. "Somethings going on and I want to know what it is."

Nicole sighed. "Listen, nothing good is happening here tonight." she admitted.

"I knew it." Mary-Ella said to herself.

Nicole grabbed her shoulders. "I can't interfere at this point. Go back to your room and wait for Mr. Parker to come by. It'll make sense then."

Mary-Ella tried to ask more questions, but Nicole was already running down the hallway again. She didn't stop until she reached the garage.

"Norman!" she called the the mechanic.

He looked up and waved slightly. "When can I go home?"

"Yeah...that's probably a bad idea." Nicole said. "Did you happen to notice the increased security at the gates when you entered the estate tonight?"

Norman shook his head. "No, I try not to think much about those guys who hang out down there."

"Well there were more, a lot more." Nicole said. "And there is no way any of us are making it out of here tonight."

The look on Norman's face showed his confusion. Nicole pushed him into a corner of the garage and quietly explained the reason for the party, what Richard had planned, and that she herself was actually an assasin hired to take Richard Parker down.

"So will you help me?" Nicole asked once she finished her explination.

*Hope*

I was nervous. That encounter with Nicole shook me up. I had known that there was a chance of our call being tapped, that was why we had spoken in foreign languages, but I should have known that there was a chance of them knowing anyway. I had faith in Vinny and the boys, but going against Richard's hundreds of men, not even some of the best could get out of that scrap.

I had connections with much of the Mob in America, and now I needed to put it to use. I flipped open my cell once more, punching in the numbers of an old friend who owed me a favor.

"Yeah?" came Ray Marino's gruff voice.

"Ray, it's Hope." I needed to switch to the code that we had practiced together. "I need to order six dozen New York style pizzas, and I need them delivered to Cat's Square on 231 Grand." That gibberish translated to "I need you to send a hundred and twenty of your best men to the ABC Studios."

"And what kind of toppings would you like?" He followed remarkably well.

"American sausage, anchovies, peppers, onions, extra sauce, and extra cheese." Bring all of your weapons and be prepared for a big fight between the enemy's men and yours.

"Is there a time you want this delivered?" he asked.

"Between now and twelve." I replied. My palms were sweating. "Thanks Ray."

"No problem." and then he hung up.

Ian Grey

Richard pushed Ian back so he was sitting on the bed. The weatherman looked up at him, the corner of his mouth twitching nervously. "O-offer?"

Parker smiled slightly. "I know how trying getting put in the witness protection program must've been, getting uprooted from your home and all of your friends. What if you didn't have to hide anymore? What if they finally found a person to pin the murder on?"

Ian watched him, face still blank with shock. "W-what if I don't accept?"
---

Norman Jones

"Hey!" Norman protested as Nicole pushed him into a corner, but then she started talking. He looked a lot less surprised than she expected. The bit about her being an assassin threw him for a loop, though.

"So will you help me?" she asked.

Norman face settled into a hard look she hadn't seen on his face before. "Help you? I'd do anything to bring that snake down."

"You seem pretty adamant."

"Yeah, well, I have my own reasons to want him ruined." He suddenly gave her a sharp look. "Er, is there anything in there about him embezzling money?"

Richard Parker

"W-what if I don't accept?" Ian stuttered.

"Then both Ian Grey and Miles Herring will be dead by morning." Richard put it bluntly. He had no more time for messing around. He still had guests to see to. "You have until midnight to make a decision. Either you go along with pinning the murder on a very innocent man, or you don't live to see the light of day."

Richard then left the room and entered another one very close by.

"Hello, Marry-Ella." he smiled at the young reporter who already looked shaken up.

Nicole

"Embezzling money? I wouldn't doubt it." she said. "Anyways, I need you to follow Richard around and meet with the guests soon after he speaks with them. Stay out of his sight at all costs and meet me in the old servants quarters in an hour. Tell anyone who agrees to help us to meet there too."

*yeah, Nicole's is short.*

Mary-Ella

"You stay away from me," she hissed. It took all her might not to sound scared. "Just stay away."

"I have an offer for you," he smiled.

"I don't accept," she replied, instantly. "I won't accept anything from you."

"Won't you?" He asked. "You have no idea what it is. What if your life depended on it, Ella?"

Ella stopped. He couldn't possibly be making a death threat. She looked at him, showing fear now. He was serious. Ella pursed her lips and strode up to him.

"I've already said," she told him, hands on her hips. "I do not accept. I don't care what it is your offering me. I don't accept!"

Norman Jones

Norman's heart sank when Nicole said that she wouldn't doubt it. If he hadn't been able to find the evidence needed to exonerate himself after all this time in Parker's house, what were the chances that Nicole had found anything?

"Who've you already talked to?"

"Ms. Hope Rosenthaw. First door. The rest are yours."

"Right then. I'll get on that." He walked towards the stairs, then paused. "Nicole... if something happens..."

Nicole blinked, a little surprised that he'd addressed her by her first name. "Yes?"

Norman hesitated again before shaking his head. "Never mind." He jogged up the steps, a faint flush creeping across his face.

Ian Grey

Ian waited until Parker had moved on to the next room, then jumped out of bed and checked his watch. He had about four hours.

Don't panic, don't panic... There was another knock at the door, and he froze. Carefully he picked up a paperweight from the desk and stood by the door. "Come in."

Norman opened the door and took a step inside. "Hello?"

Ian jumped up and tried to club Norman over the head.

"OW! What-" Norman grabbed his attacker by the wrist. He cursed quietly as Ian's teeth sank into his arm and wrestled with him for a moment. He finally got the weatherman in a headlock. "Will you stop it?" he hissed. "Parker's gonna hear us."

"Let go of me!" Ian squeaked as he struggled fruitlessly. "You work for Parker!"

"Look, if I let go of you, will you be quiet and listen to what I have to say?"

Ian paused. "Y-yes."

Norman let go. Ian straightened up and made a lunge for the doorknob.

"Oh no you don't," Norman growled. He grabbed Ian by the arms, then forced himself between the smaller man and the door. "You're going to hear me out if I have to sit on you."

Ian stared at him like a frightened rabbit. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?"

"Wha... no! No, of course not!" Norman lowered his voice. "Look, Parker's going to have us all dead if we don't band together. Meet me and Ms. Stone in the old servant's quarters in an hour."

Ian still looked suspicious. Norman sighed. "I would've already killed you if I was planning to do that. I'm going to let go of you now, and I'm going to go into the hall. Pretend to be asleep. Remember, old servant's quarters in an hour. It's the old building on the edge of the property." He let go of Ian's arms and backed out of the room. After closing the door behind him, he slipped into a bathroom across the hall and waited for Richard to come out of the next door.

The weatherman shakily picked his paperweight back up, then slipped back into bed. The way he saw it, the only choice he had was to do as the mechanic said. He couldn't let Parker frame an innocent man for the murders the millionaire had engineered, even if it would make his life a lot easier.

Richard Parker

"Now, Mary-Ella." Richard said, trying to calm the young woman. "I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't explain your options. So if you could please be quiet and sit down so I can speak."

Mary-Ella didn't sit, but she did manage to stop her yelling.

"Basically, you have two options. You can reveal to me what you know about me and let it go, or you can die before sunrise." he explained.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I don't know anything!" she demanded.

Richard sighed, he knew she would be a hard one. Inviting her had been a long shot anyways. He had never been exactly sure of her knowledge that could lead to his downfall, but he knew something was there. After all, what good reporter wouldn't have the dirt on the big man in town?

"You do, Mary-Ella, you do." he said. "You have until midnight to come clean and give up."

Richard made his way back to the door, but stopped before he left. "I can give you the world, Mary-Ella, if only you tell me your secret."

The woman didn't speak again as Richard left. He pasued in the hallway before moving on to the next room. He felt...followed. Almost transpired against. Excellent, all the more entertaining.

Of his remaining guests, Richard had Maia Baker and Brian Kent. He then had to confront Stella Thomas, Rafael Durante, and Norman Jones. Then he could at last take care of Ms. Stone. Ms. Stone will hardly be given a choice.

Richard smiled, everything was going so well.

Nicole Stone

Nicole remained in the corner of the garage for a moment as she watched Norman leave. What had he wanted to say? Nicole felt herself blush as she considered the possibilities.

"No, no time for this." she mumbled. She still had to find Rafael.

She then set off to find the gardener. Rafael had never appeared the type to have knowledge concerning Richard, he had always been innocent. But there had to be something, so Nicole was on the search.

Nicole finally found him in the kitchen, watering plants on the windowsills.

"Rafael!" she exclaimed when she saw him. "Rafael, something is terribly wrong."

"What is it, Ms. Stone?" he asked.

Nicole explained Richard's plan, and her own plan to stop him. A shocked look remained of Rafael's face throughout the entire explination.

"But I don't know anything about Mr. Parker!" he insisted.

Nicole eyed him for a moment. Either Rafael was an excellent liar, or he honestly knew nothing.

"Mr. Parker thinks you do." she said at last.

*woah, sorry its so long!*