Table of Contents [Report This]
Disclaimer: NBC/MTM owns the Pretender, the words and idea are mine. 'Driftwood' is copyright Travis, used without permission.
Author's Note: Thanks to Schuyler, who told me this was worth saving. And special thanks to KB, who suggested a change.
[ [ Drifting ] ]
By Andrea
-~-~-~-~-
Everything is open
Nothing is set in stone
Rivers turn to ocean
Oceans tide you home
The rain splashed, creating pools of stagnant water around the seated figure. But he didn't care. Didn't care about the rain soaking his charcoal-gray Armani suit, or his perfect blondish-brown hair. Didn't care about the streaks the downpour was leaving on his silver Ferrari.
He'd just committed murder.
-~-~-~-~-
36 hours earlier
-~-~-~-~-
Home is where your heart is
But your heart had to roam
Drifting over bridges
Never to return
Bobby stepped off the plane, a leather pack balanced on his shoulders. Walking inside the airport to the baggage carousel, he picked up his NikeŽ duffel.
Thumbing a cab, Bobby rode to a nearby diner where he'd been told to wait for further instructions. Ordering a steak and potato dinner, he settled down to wait.
"Here, Sir." A pretty waitress handed him a slim black object. Taking it, Bobby wondered what it was.
Riiiiinnnnnngggg...Riiiiiinggggggg
Realizing that the compact rectangle was a cellular phone, he unfolded it and held it to his ear. "Bobby?"
The familiar harsh voice of his mentor filled the teenager with relief. "Yes, Sir?" He inquired.
"Did you have a good trip? No trouble?"
"None at all, Sir. What do you require next?"
Chuckling, the man told him, "I've made arrangements for you to have some pleasure. The day after tomorrow, or on Monday, perhaps, we will continue our work. But for now, you need to have some fun, young man."
"Fun, Sir?" Bobby asked innocently.
"Yes, fun…a man's fun. Sex. For instance, did you like the girl that gave you the phone?" There was a bit of amusement in the tone as his mentor spoke.
Confused, the boy asked, "'Like?'" But as soon as he asked, he realized. "Oh, like. She's mine?"
"If you want her. But there are others…The girl will give you some other papers, look them over carefully. Also, find some suitable clothes and a car." Omitting any good-byes, he ended the connection.
Tucking the phone into his pocket, Bobby looked about the small diner for the girl. Spotting her, he motioned for her to come over. "You have papers for me?"
"Yes, Sir." She said, using the same formalities he used with Mr. Wheezy. Handing him a thick packet of stapled sheets, she stood by respectfully. "That'll be all." He flipped a quarter, and left.
-~-~-~-~-
Booking himself a motel room at a better inn, Bobby flopped on the bed to read through the documents. He found a wad of money, which he counted. Ten thousand dollars.
Quite a bit of pocket change for a farmer boy in the city.
Also included were some credit cards, presumably for a car, and any other purchases he might make.
A red folder contained numerous forms of identification, from a birth certificate to a driver's license. There was a wealth of information committed to paper. Personal information was also included.
Inside a folder pocket was a laser green floppy disk. On the label, Information Classified and #040605007 was printed.
A letter fluttered out of the folder. Picking it up, he scanned the words:
Bobby,
This package of papers includes all the information that you will need to know in your new life. Everything, from your first girlfriend to your interests, hobbies, and grades. Study this data well, for you will one day be tested.
The money is for clothes and girls, buy each with cash only. The plasatic is intended for a car, I suggest a sports car, BMW or Porsche. Ferrari, even. Trucks, SUVs, and non-luxury cars will not be permitted.
You have a new class in life now, and you must act the role accordingly, in everything you do and wear.
Soon you will begin the work and life we previously talked about, but the pleasure you will come to enjoy will not end.
For your next two days, have fun, and enjoy the rest. If you want to be particularly eager, work on studying a foreign language. You'll need to learn quite a few dialects, including French, Spanish, and Japanese.
As for women, I suggest you try Asians. . They'll meet your needs quite adequately…Look for a green business card that I've included.
Mr. Raines
Who was Mr. Raines? Something clicked in Bobby's mind, and he realized that he had never known Mr. Wheezy's true name before. At school, he'd heard everyone calling the old man Mr. Wheezy, and Bobby had just assumed. Oops.
Interested in the women first, Bobby found the green card. Dialing the number, he set up a session for later that night. There was no sense in wasting time.
Reorganizing the packet into a neat little square, he tucked it into his duffel. Searching for some suitable clothes, he pulled out a white stretch tank, black trouser pants, and a dark blue button down shirt.
Pocketing cash, a credit card, and the room keys, Bobby swept out of the room, to his new future…
-~-~-~-~-
Back to the Present
-~-~-~-~-
Watching bridges burn
You're driftwood floating underwater
Breaking into pieces, pieces, pieces
Just driftwood hollow and of no use
Murder…Was that such a big crime?
Not really. This wasn't the first time; he wasn't a virgin killer. Yet he wasn't expert.
Yet.
-~-~-~-~-
30 hours earlier
-~-~-~-~-
Waterfalls will find you, bind you, grind you
Nobody is an island
Everyone has to go
Pillars turn to butter
Next time, he decided, he'd get a virgin. The bitch he'd just had had been easy to conquer, too easy. She hadn't put up any fight…and Bobby was the kind of guy who liked resistance.
It made it so much more fun.
-~-~-~-~-
He set up another appointment for the following night, and left the ramshackle two-story building, heading for his silvery Ferrari parked across the road. He drove back to the motel slowly, letting the memories of the night wash over him.
It had been a good day, Bobby thought. He'd bought a car, clothes, everything he had ever wanted as a boy. Tomorrow would be even better - another expensive dinner, and after that, another girl.
To think he had actually been regretting his decision to follow Mr. Raines…
But that had been the old Bobby. The Bobby who worried about every little thing, always thinking that something terrible was about to happen. The Bobby who had worried about angering his father.
The new Bobby was different. He took life as it came, he had different interests…Nothing could deter him.
Yet they were the same man.
-~-~-~-~-
The next day
-~-~-~-~-
Butterflying low
Low is where your heart is
But your heart has to grow
Drifting under bridges
One of his purchases yesterday had included a laptop, so that he could read the information on the green floppy. Removing the computer from its packaging, Bobby plugged it into the wall and booted it up. Inserting the disk, he scanned the data quickly.
There was one folder labeled The Centre, another named The Parkers, and a couple with different project names. Opening the first folder, Bobby found a comfy spot on the bed and got to work.
-~-~-~-~-
10 hours later
-~-~-~-~-
Never with the flow
And you really didn't think it would happen
But it really is the end of the line
So I'm sorry that you turned to driftwood
"Does Sir have a preference?"
Bobby nodded. "A virgin this time."
"Did the one last night not please you?" The man asked, worried.
"No. I like a bitch with fight. The one you gave me last night didn't have any spirit." Bobby said, flashing an evil grin.
The man grinned. "Go into one of the rooms, and I'll send somebody in that I think will do"
"They had better do," Bobby told the old man curtly, stalking down the hallway.
-~-~-~-~-
But you've been drifting for a long, long time
Everywhere there's trouble
Nowhere's safe to go
Pushes turn to shovel's
He had only been waiting for ten minutes before a girl was shoved through the door. Bobby noted with pleasure that her hands were cuffed behind her, and her ankles were encased in leather bracelets. Long, dark hair flowed down her naked back. A small silver chain link collar circled the girls' throat.
Noting the large, scared eyes, Bobby patted the bed. "Come sit next to me." The girl, frightened too not comply moved slowly but obediently towards him.
"So Alexi thought I might enjoy you," Bobby told her when she finally sat on the double sized bed.
Unable to answer him because of a gag ensuring her silence, she simply nodded.
Bobby unbuckled the gag, and she cried, "Thank you, Master."
Smiling, Bobby asked her, "Now, why will I enjoy you?"
Softly, the Asian answered, "Because, Sir, I am still chaste."
"After tonight, that will be no more…" Suddenly, Bobby pushed her against the wall. Kissing her savagely, he forced his tongue into her mouth. She made no protest, not that she could.
Shoving her down onto the bed, Bobby tore his pants off and stood in his boxers. He then stepped out of the red silk shorts, and lay on the bed.
He was going to enjoy this.
He took her so quickly she screamed with pain, anger, and humiliation. Rolling off her, Bobby came to a fast decision. Leaving her lying on the bed, naked and teary, he pulled his pants back on.
Walking out of the small room he found Alexi, and told him he wanted to buy the bitch. They argued over the price for a few minutes, then Bobby made his way back to the decrepit room.
"Get up." He said as he redressed himself. "You're coming with me."
She rose from the bed, and followed him as he once again left the room. When the girl showed protest at leaving the house, unclothed, Bobby just pushed her out the door. Grabbing her arm, he dragged her behind him as he strode quickly to his car. He drove leisurely, not at all concerned by her little cries.
When Bobby reached the hotel he once again seized her arm, and using the back entrance went to his room. Luckily, he encountered no one in the rear hallways of the hotel.
He locked her in the large bathroom, and unfastened the cuffs she still wore. "Clean yourself," he said gruffly, and he dropped to the bed to watch TV.
-~-~-~-~-
Shoveling the snow
Frozen you have chosen
The path you wish to go
Drifting now forever
Burying his face in her dark hair that smelled of lavender; he took her once again, but this time more gradually, enjoying the pleasure he derived from the act.
Lifting his body off hers, he looked into her face. The blue eyes were wide with fright, and shiny with teardrops. Her lips were bruised, both from his deep kisses, and her biting them to keep quiet. The young Asian's cheeks were soaked with salty water, delicate paths woven from escaping grief.
I'll never allow someone else to have you, He thought. You're mine…And you'll die being mine.
-~-~-~-~-
And forever more
Until you reach your shore
You're driftwood floating underwater
Breaking into pieces, pieces, pieces
His hands gripped her neck, tightening their grip progressively, as she struggled, flailing weakly. Bobby swelled at the feeling of this moment, the girl powerless to stop him, inches away from death. The passion of the crime flowed through his veins, almost overpowering him with the emotion that coursed through him.
Bobby was so caught up in the kill that he didn't realize when the girl stopped her weak protests, and coughed one last breath. When he saw that she was gone, something different came over him…something very unlike the intoxication he'd feasted on during the kill…
-~-~-~-~-
3 Hours Later ~ The Present
-~-~-~-~-
Just driftwood hollow and of no use
Waterfalls will find you, bind you, grind you
And you really didn't think it would happen
But it really is the end of the line
The realization of what he'd done came of Bobby slowly, filtering into his senses by degrees, horrifying him. Yet, at the same time, it excited him to no end.
This was in no way his first slaying; no, his first had been watched over by Raines, who told him exactly what to do, and the 'proper' way to do it.
He hadn't liked it the first time; it had been terrifying to the teen. But he had followed his mentor's orders, and had hoped it would get better.
Judging from the way he'd been caught up, it had.
Killing gave Bobby something he needed to survive…
-~-~-~-~-
So I'm sorry that you turned to driftwood
But you've been drifting for a long, long time
You've been drifting for a long, long time
You've been drifting for a long, long
Drifting for a long, long time
"Bobby." The voice was quiet, yet harsh. The result of too much smoking; yet the balding man still clenched a cigarette in his mouth.
Looking up from his reverie of the past hours, Bobby saw a hand offered to him, palm up.
"This is your one and only chance to leave. To back out of your future."
His mentor's words released a flood of memories in Bobby of the good times he had had as the old Bobby Bowman. The happy past with his foster mother, Martha. The camping trips with his best friends; the hours spent cuddling with his girlfriend, Lynn.
But of course, whenever he thought about the sweet, blissful parts of life, the horrific times with his father, Mister Lyle, filled his thoughts instead. The hours he cowered in that damn shed, afraid of what abuse he would go through next.
"If you will join me, take my hand and come with me; if you will not, take the money I've given you and leave immediately."
The many dreadful times outweighed the few memorable happy times by far.
Reaching out, Bobby gripped the proffered hand.
"But I will be Bobby Bowman no more. From this moment on, I am Mr. Lyle."
The words came from nowhere, blurted from some deep part of his thoughts. He would no longer be the weak boy he'd been, the boy that had allowed his father to beat and imprison him. No. Now he would be known as Mr. Lyle, using the same name of the bastard that had scared him to grow fear in those he faced.
His face showing no shock, no recognition of the name, Mr. Raines shook his young protege’s hand. "Welcome, Mr. Lyle, to your future."
Author's Note: Thanks to Schuyler, who told me this was worth saving. And special thanks to KB, who suggested a change.
By Andrea
-~-~-~-~-
Everything is open
Nothing is set in stone
Rivers turn to ocean
Oceans tide you home
The rain splashed, creating pools of stagnant water around the seated figure. But he didn't care. Didn't care about the rain soaking his charcoal-gray Armani suit, or his perfect blondish-brown hair. Didn't care about the streaks the downpour was leaving on his silver Ferrari.
He'd just committed murder.
-~-~-~-~-
36 hours earlier
-~-~-~-~-
Home is where your heart is
But your heart had to roam
Drifting over bridges
Never to return
Bobby stepped off the plane, a leather pack balanced on his shoulders. Walking inside the airport to the baggage carousel, he picked up his NikeŽ duffel.
Thumbing a cab, Bobby rode to a nearby diner where he'd been told to wait for further instructions. Ordering a steak and potato dinner, he settled down to wait.
"Here, Sir." A pretty waitress handed him a slim black object. Taking it, Bobby wondered what it was.
Riiiiinnnnnngggg...Riiiiiinggggggg
Realizing that the compact rectangle was a cellular phone, he unfolded it and held it to his ear. "Bobby?"
The familiar harsh voice of his mentor filled the teenager with relief. "Yes, Sir?" He inquired.
"Did you have a good trip? No trouble?"
"None at all, Sir. What do you require next?"
Chuckling, the man told him, "I've made arrangements for you to have some pleasure. The day after tomorrow, or on Monday, perhaps, we will continue our work. But for now, you need to have some fun, young man."
"Fun, Sir?" Bobby asked innocently.
"Yes, fun…a man's fun. Sex. For instance, did you like the girl that gave you the phone?" There was a bit of amusement in the tone as his mentor spoke.
Confused, the boy asked, "'Like?'" But as soon as he asked, he realized. "Oh, like. She's mine?"
"If you want her. But there are others…The girl will give you some other papers, look them over carefully. Also, find some suitable clothes and a car." Omitting any good-byes, he ended the connection.
Tucking the phone into his pocket, Bobby looked about the small diner for the girl. Spotting her, he motioned for her to come over. "You have papers for me?"
"Yes, Sir." She said, using the same formalities he used with Mr. Wheezy. Handing him a thick packet of stapled sheets, she stood by respectfully. "That'll be all." He flipped a quarter, and left.
-~-~-~-~-
Booking himself a motel room at a better inn, Bobby flopped on the bed to read through the documents. He found a wad of money, which he counted. Ten thousand dollars.
Quite a bit of pocket change for a farmer boy in the city.
Also included were some credit cards, presumably for a car, and any other purchases he might make.
A red folder contained numerous forms of identification, from a birth certificate to a driver's license. There was a wealth of information committed to paper. Personal information was also included.
Inside a folder pocket was a laser green floppy disk. On the label, Information Classified and #040605007 was printed.
A letter fluttered out of the folder. Picking it up, he scanned the words:
Bobby,
This package of papers includes all the information that you will need to know in your new life. Everything, from your first girlfriend to your interests, hobbies, and grades. Study this data well, for you will one day be tested.
The money is for clothes and girls, buy each with cash only. The plasatic is intended for a car, I suggest a sports car, BMW or Porsche. Ferrari, even. Trucks, SUVs, and non-luxury cars will not be permitted.
You have a new class in life now, and you must act the role accordingly, in everything you do and wear.
Soon you will begin the work and life we previously talked about, but the pleasure you will come to enjoy will not end.
For your next two days, have fun, and enjoy the rest. If you want to be particularly eager, work on studying a foreign language. You'll need to learn quite a few dialects, including French, Spanish, and Japanese.
As for women, I suggest you try Asians. . They'll meet your needs quite adequately…Look for a green business card that I've included.
Mr. Raines
Who was Mr. Raines? Something clicked in Bobby's mind, and he realized that he had never known Mr. Wheezy's true name before. At school, he'd heard everyone calling the old man Mr. Wheezy, and Bobby had just assumed. Oops.
Interested in the women first, Bobby found the green card. Dialing the number, he set up a session for later that night. There was no sense in wasting time.
Reorganizing the packet into a neat little square, he tucked it into his duffel. Searching for some suitable clothes, he pulled out a white stretch tank, black trouser pants, and a dark blue button down shirt.
Pocketing cash, a credit card, and the room keys, Bobby swept out of the room, to his new future…
-~-~-~-~-
Back to the Present
-~-~-~-~-
Watching bridges burn
You're driftwood floating underwater
Breaking into pieces, pieces, pieces
Just driftwood hollow and of no use
Murder…Was that such a big crime?
Not really. This wasn't the first time; he wasn't a virgin killer. Yet he wasn't expert.
Yet.
-~-~-~-~-
30 hours earlier
-~-~-~-~-
Waterfalls will find you, bind you, grind you
Nobody is an island
Everyone has to go
Pillars turn to butter
Next time, he decided, he'd get a virgin. The bitch he'd just had had been easy to conquer, too easy. She hadn't put up any fight…and Bobby was the kind of guy who liked resistance.
It made it so much more fun.
-~-~-~-~-
He set up another appointment for the following night, and left the ramshackle two-story building, heading for his silvery Ferrari parked across the road. He drove back to the motel slowly, letting the memories of the night wash over him.
It had been a good day, Bobby thought. He'd bought a car, clothes, everything he had ever wanted as a boy. Tomorrow would be even better - another expensive dinner, and after that, another girl.
To think he had actually been regretting his decision to follow Mr. Raines…
But that had been the old Bobby. The Bobby who worried about every little thing, always thinking that something terrible was about to happen. The Bobby who had worried about angering his father.
The new Bobby was different. He took life as it came, he had different interests…Nothing could deter him.
Yet they were the same man.
-~-~-~-~-
The next day
-~-~-~-~-
Butterflying low
Low is where your heart is
But your heart has to grow
Drifting under bridges
One of his purchases yesterday had included a laptop, so that he could read the information on the green floppy. Removing the computer from its packaging, Bobby plugged it into the wall and booted it up. Inserting the disk, he scanned the data quickly.
There was one folder labeled The Centre, another named The Parkers, and a couple with different project names. Opening the first folder, Bobby found a comfy spot on the bed and got to work.
-~-~-~-~-
10 hours later
-~-~-~-~-
Never with the flow
And you really didn't think it would happen
But it really is the end of the line
So I'm sorry that you turned to driftwood
"Does Sir have a preference?"
Bobby nodded. "A virgin this time."
"Did the one last night not please you?" The man asked, worried.
"No. I like a bitch with fight. The one you gave me last night didn't have any spirit." Bobby said, flashing an evil grin.
The man grinned. "Go into one of the rooms, and I'll send somebody in that I think will do"
"They had better do," Bobby told the old man curtly, stalking down the hallway.
-~-~-~-~-
But you've been drifting for a long, long time
Everywhere there's trouble
Nowhere's safe to go
Pushes turn to shovel's
He had only been waiting for ten minutes before a girl was shoved through the door. Bobby noted with pleasure that her hands were cuffed behind her, and her ankles were encased in leather bracelets. Long, dark hair flowed down her naked back. A small silver chain link collar circled the girls' throat.
Noting the large, scared eyes, Bobby patted the bed. "Come sit next to me." The girl, frightened too not comply moved slowly but obediently towards him.
"So Alexi thought I might enjoy you," Bobby told her when she finally sat on the double sized bed.
Unable to answer him because of a gag ensuring her silence, she simply nodded.
Bobby unbuckled the gag, and she cried, "Thank you, Master."
Smiling, Bobby asked her, "Now, why will I enjoy you?"
Softly, the Asian answered, "Because, Sir, I am still chaste."
"After tonight, that will be no more…" Suddenly, Bobby pushed her against the wall. Kissing her savagely, he forced his tongue into her mouth. She made no protest, not that she could.
Shoving her down onto the bed, Bobby tore his pants off and stood in his boxers. He then stepped out of the red silk shorts, and lay on the bed.
He was going to enjoy this.
He took her so quickly she screamed with pain, anger, and humiliation. Rolling off her, Bobby came to a fast decision. Leaving her lying on the bed, naked and teary, he pulled his pants back on.
Walking out of the small room he found Alexi, and told him he wanted to buy the bitch. They argued over the price for a few minutes, then Bobby made his way back to the decrepit room.
"Get up." He said as he redressed himself. "You're coming with me."
She rose from the bed, and followed him as he once again left the room. When the girl showed protest at leaving the house, unclothed, Bobby just pushed her out the door. Grabbing her arm, he dragged her behind him as he strode quickly to his car. He drove leisurely, not at all concerned by her little cries.
When Bobby reached the hotel he once again seized her arm, and using the back entrance went to his room. Luckily, he encountered no one in the rear hallways of the hotel.
He locked her in the large bathroom, and unfastened the cuffs she still wore. "Clean yourself," he said gruffly, and he dropped to the bed to watch TV.
-~-~-~-~-
Shoveling the snow
Frozen you have chosen
The path you wish to go
Drifting now forever
Burying his face in her dark hair that smelled of lavender; he took her once again, but this time more gradually, enjoying the pleasure he derived from the act.
Lifting his body off hers, he looked into her face. The blue eyes were wide with fright, and shiny with teardrops. Her lips were bruised, both from his deep kisses, and her biting them to keep quiet. The young Asian's cheeks were soaked with salty water, delicate paths woven from escaping grief.
I'll never allow someone else to have you, He thought. You're mine…And you'll die being mine.
-~-~-~-~-
And forever more
Until you reach your shore
You're driftwood floating underwater
Breaking into pieces, pieces, pieces
His hands gripped her neck, tightening their grip progressively, as she struggled, flailing weakly. Bobby swelled at the feeling of this moment, the girl powerless to stop him, inches away from death. The passion of the crime flowed through his veins, almost overpowering him with the emotion that coursed through him.
Bobby was so caught up in the kill that he didn't realize when the girl stopped her weak protests, and coughed one last breath. When he saw that she was gone, something different came over him…something very unlike the intoxication he'd feasted on during the kill…
-~-~-~-~-
3 Hours Later ~ The Present
-~-~-~-~-
Just driftwood hollow and of no use
Waterfalls will find you, bind you, grind you
And you really didn't think it would happen
But it really is the end of the line
The realization of what he'd done came of Bobby slowly, filtering into his senses by degrees, horrifying him. Yet, at the same time, it excited him to no end.
This was in no way his first slaying; no, his first had been watched over by Raines, who told him exactly what to do, and the 'proper' way to do it.
He hadn't liked it the first time; it had been terrifying to the teen. But he had followed his mentor's orders, and had hoped it would get better.
Judging from the way he'd been caught up, it had.
Killing gave Bobby something he needed to survive…
-~-~-~-~-
So I'm sorry that you turned to driftwood
But you've been drifting for a long, long time
You've been drifting for a long, long time
You've been drifting for a long, long
Drifting for a long, long time
"Bobby." The voice was quiet, yet harsh. The result of too much smoking; yet the balding man still clenched a cigarette in his mouth.
Looking up from his reverie of the past hours, Bobby saw a hand offered to him, palm up.
"This is your one and only chance to leave. To back out of your future."
His mentor's words released a flood of memories in Bobby of the good times he had had as the old Bobby Bowman. The happy past with his foster mother, Martha. The camping trips with his best friends; the hours spent cuddling with his girlfriend, Lynn.
But of course, whenever he thought about the sweet, blissful parts of life, the horrific times with his father, Mister Lyle, filled his thoughts instead. The hours he cowered in that damn shed, afraid of what abuse he would go through next.
"If you will join me, take my hand and come with me; if you will not, take the money I've given you and leave immediately."
The many dreadful times outweighed the few memorable happy times by far.
Reaching out, Bobby gripped the proffered hand.
"But I will be Bobby Bowman no more. From this moment on, I am Mr. Lyle."
The words came from nowhere, blurted from some deep part of his thoughts. He would no longer be the weak boy he'd been, the boy that had allowed his father to beat and imprison him. No. Now he would be known as Mr. Lyle, using the same name of the bastard that had scared him to grow fear in those he faced.
His face showing no shock, no recognition of the name, Mr. Raines shook his young protege’s hand. "Welcome, Mr. Lyle, to your future."
