Collision Course, Chapter One
 

Eve stared at the computer screen.

" No. That can’t be right. It just can’t be. It’s not possible."

Eve typed in the two numbers again.

The first one, brought up Chad’s name and file.

Then, the other one. And, once again, her name and file came upon the screen. She did it a second. A third. A fourth time.

All with the same results.

" NO NO NO! This can’t be possible. It can’t be. There’s a mistake. This has to be a mistake. "

Eve stared at the screen for quite awhile, until she heard a key in the door. She then exited the program.

Harold entered. " Dr. Russell. I’m surprised to see you here. Didn’t the file pull up for you?"

" Yes. But, I think that the computer is wrong with the match. Are you sure about it?"

" Yes. I made the computer do it three times. And, each time, at the end, THAT file number came up. "

" Oh…I see."

" Well, maybe if I checked.."

" No. No Harold, no need.  Since you say the computer’s right, then I’ll take the information I got, and I’ll go on. Thank you for all your help. This is between the two of us."

" Of course, Dr. Russell. I hope that I helped your friend. "

" You did."

Eve left the lab, and everything around her seemed to be in slow motion. She doesn’t even know how she’s putting one foot in front of the other. Things don’t seem to be making any sense to her. She finally finds the nameplate outside of her office and gives up a silent thank you, that she can take refuge somewhere.

Once inside the door, she has another shock.

" Chad?"

Chad is sitting in Eve’s office.

" Hey, Dr. Russell. I got the message on my voicemail."

" Message?"

" Yeah, you called me and told me that the lab got a match for me. I couldn’t wait to see what they had found."

" Yes….a match. The lab found a match for you."

" So, you ready to tell me who my parent is?"
 

" Gwen? Gwen?" , Rebecca called out in the hallways of the Hotchkiss mansion.

Somehow, they had gotten out of the hospital room, down the elevator, to the limo which had taken them home.

Rebecca had gone to her bedroom, to make some phone calls. But, she hadn’t been able to find Gwen.

She was going room to room, when she heard,

" In here, Mother."

Rebecca entered Johnathan’s Library, to see Gwen sitting in ‘his’ chair.

" I feel closer to him here.", Gwen tells her.

" I know you do. Well, I called your brother, and others that needed to be called.  And I began making some preliminary arrangements. Molly will be over here soon."

" Daddy’s secretary?"

" Yes. She’s going to help me deal with the details. I was talking to Malcolm Jeffries, Gwen."

" Daddy’s lawyer?"

" His Chief Counsel. Gwen, some statement has to be made about the company."

" For God’s sake, Mother! Daddy just died!"

" Yes, and it’s an awful thing, honey, but, Wall Street needs to be assured. They’re looking to the family for how the company will go. "

" Fine, Mother. I’ll think something up, and I’ll give it to Molly. She’ll know what to do."

" Good. It’s best. Gwen…I was thinking about calling the Cranes."

" Mother, No! The last person on my mind, right now, is Ethan."

" But, Gwen…"

" NO! I don’t want to see Ethan Crane…Bennett…whoever the hell he is!" Gwen gets up and leaves the room.

" You’re just not thinking clearly, my dear. This is the perfect time to call the Cranes." Rebecca picks up the phone. " You’ll thank me, later."
 
 

" What did you say, Grandfather?"

" I said Ethan, that you better think long and hard about this supposed marriage to Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald."

" Are you threatening me, Grandfather?"

" Absolutely not. But, it’s time that you learned some cold hard facts."

" Facts? What facts."

" You know that I don’t think much of my son."

" Yes. You’re hard on Father."

" But, the one thing that I can say for him, is that he loves YOU, Ethan. He’s not as demonstrative as your mother, but, it’s quite obvious that you are his favorite child."

" I know that Father loves me."

" Yes, he does. But, in so many ways, Julian has been a bitter disappointment to me. He’s just not up to snuff. Which is why I disinherited him and put you as the Heir."

" Something you know that I disagree with."

" Yes, you do. But, there is one area in which Julian excels. Do you know what it is?"

" Father is very successful in the business arena."

" Yes, he’s proficient enough in business. What I was referring to, is Julian’s ability to destroy his enemies. He’s quite good, you know."

" I suppose."

Alistair laughs. " That kind of talk make you uncomfortable, Ethan? But, I’ve heard you yourself speak of ‘destroying’ people. Well, no one could be a better teacher than my son. He’s superb at it, though…sometime Julian gets too emotional about it, and I have to reel him in. There are times, though, when even my objection won’t stop him."

" Stop him, when, Grandfather? I don’t understand."

" I will not be able to stop him when he decides to destroy your mother."

" Mother? Why would Father want to destroy Mother? I know that they have their difficulties, but, they have a family together."

" Ah, yes. The family. The family, which has YOU as its heart and soul, Ethan. Which is why, when Julian finds out the truth, he will become a man possessed. He will leave no stone unturned where Ivy’s concerned. It will get quite ugly, sad to say."

" Father would never really ‘hurt’ Mother."

" Yes, Ethan. Not only would he hurt Ivy. He’d DESTROY her."

" What possible reason could Father have?"

" Oh….possibly the not-so-small fact that you’re NOT his son."