Adultery Consequences by xleglover-COMPLETED

[Ramesh_Rocky]

Consequences Pt. 24

Joe felt terrible about what he'd done. He considered telling Jen, so she could take a morning after pill. He struggled over that. In the end he couldn't bring himself to tell her. What would be the point? He knew her religious convictions, she wouldn't take a morning after pill. Also he didn't want to face her ire. She was being so kind to him, he couldn't face confronting her.

He was putting on a brave face about his situation, telling everyone he was at peace with whatever happened. But there was a lot of resentment too, a lot of feeling of unfairness. He'd struggled with cancer all his life. He loved his brother Mike. But while he'd been bed ridden for much of his life and living under the fear of a relapse (which had happened!), he'd watched Mike win an incredibly pretty and sexy girl as his wife, and become rich and famous.

He wished Mike the best. But deep down, he wanted some of what Mike had. Just a little. And what he'd done wouldn't hurt anyone. If Jen was somehow pregnant (which was very unlikely, since he was probably sterile), they would think it was Mike's. He'd never say otherwise. Didn't he deserve this one thing? To have some hope he might leave behind a child as his legacy?

"Tell me what happened," Taylor demanded at the secure conference room at the CATF. Taylor was the Secretary of Homeland Security. Also there were Colonel Banks, the FBI and NSA Directors and CATF senior staff.

Trent motioned to the big computer screen on the wall. Trent was CATF chief of staff. "Yesterday morning the website truth-will-prevail appeared. It published all the internet surveillance data gathered by Sapphire's Liberty routines since its launch."

"How was this done?" Colonel Banks said.

"Someone put a bug in Sapphire," Allen said. Allen was CATF Chief Scientist. "The virus intercepted Liberty's data feed and mirrored it to the website. We've terminated that virus."

"A little late don't you think?" the NSA Director derided angrily. "You told us nothing got through Liberty's firewall!"

"The virus wasn't in Liberty," Allen explained. "Liberty used Sapphire's low level routines to transmit data. Common off-the-shelf software, the OSI stack. Those routines aren't protected. That's what got infected."

"Well you god damn should have protected it!" the NSA Director growled angrily. "This is a public relations disaster! The press, Congress - they're accusing us of breaking the law!"

"We did break the law," the FBI Director pointed out. "You need a court order to spy on American citizens."

"We were gathering intelligence on possibly terrorists!" the NSA Director insisted.

Secretary Taylor held up his hand, quelling the debate. He said "The President is obviously concerned about the public backlash. He wants to prosecute the people responsible for this leak of classified information." He looked around the room. "Do we have suspects?"

"It has to be that Mike Andrews guy," the NSA Director said accusingly.

"We've identified when Sapphire was infected," Allen said shaking his head. "Mike Andrews was on a plane from Paris to New York. The plane didn't have WIFI."

"So he's working with people," the NSA Director said with a scowl. "We need to arrest him immediately."

"I've read the report, there's no evidence," the FBI Director said.

"Bring him in for questioning! I'll get you evidence!" the NSA Director said angrily.

"I agree," Secretary Taylor said after a moment. "We can't wait for the press to get to him. Arrest him, now."

Jen got to work around mid-day. It'd been a rough, emotional morning. She'd shared a lot of tears with mom and Willow as Joe was admitted into the hospital.

She was distracted and didn't notice the crowds at first. But then ... what? Everyone was crowded around the TV. She looked at the screen. It was Jasmine Kelly, she was doing a report for CNN.

She saw Allie. "What's going on?" she asked her friend.

Allie turned to Jen, she looked ashen. Allie clutched Jen's arms. "Oh my god Jen, they're saying Sapphire's spying on people!"

"What?" Jen asked, trying to catch up. Her iPhone rang. She answered it. "Jen, it's me, Steve!" He sounded frantic. "The security officer, they just arrested Mike!"

"Have you found him?!" Jen said frantically to Sam a few days later. Sam was Mike's best friend from college. Now he was a lawyer, a young partner in the mega global law firm of Baker & Sawyer.

"We think so," Sam said a serious expression on his face. It'd taken days to locate Mike. "He was arrested in London and extradited to the US. We believe he's being held at a detention center in Alabama."

"A detention center?" Jen said worriedly. "He didn't do anything!"

"They're accusing him of leaking classified information," Sam said.

"The government broke the law, they were spying on American citizens!"

"This involves anti-terrorism, the government has a lot of power when it comes to national security, what's legal and illegal is fuzzy," Sam said.

"God Sam what's going to happen?" Jen said frantically. "When are they going to let him go?"

"I don't know Jen, we're working on it," Sam said. He looked glum. "You've seen the news, this is a major scandal, the administration's taking a big hit on this one. They're spinning it as another Edward Snowden, a traitor who leaked classified information. It's really serious Jen. They don't have Snowden but they have Mike."

"Oh god ..." Jen cried, tears falling down her cheeks.

The next day Jen was in a meeting with her team, getting ready for their final pitch to Memphis. Allie was running the meeting because Jen was too distraught and distracted. She was there but she wasn't there.

"So the Ring is working?" Allie asked Steve who was back from London.

"Yes, it's up and running," Steve said. "Mike got it working before ..." Everyone eyed Jen worriedly, afraid she'd start crying again at the mention of her husband.

After the meeting Johnny pulled Jen aside. Johnny was Jen's old boss and mentor. "Jen you need to pull yourself together," he said urgently. "I get you're upset about Mike, we all are. He's done a lot for us, everyone likes him. But we need you now. You have to run the pitch. You know how important this is. If we don't win the Memphis account we're going under."

"I'm not sure Johnny," Jen said. Her eyes were red from constant worry and crying. "I don't think I can do it. Maybe Allie and Scott ..."

"We need you Jen!" Johnny said urgently. "You're the team leader. Memphis is buying you and the Ring. You have to pull yourself together!"

Jen went back to her office. She was desperately worried about Mike. He was in a detention center, being held as a terrorist. She knew what they did to terrorists, they used torture! What were they doing to him? When were they going to let him go?

She started crying again. She felt like the world was caving in on her. It was too much, she couldn't handle it!

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned. It was Frankie!

"Hey sorry, I knocked a couple times, you didn't hear me," Drums said wearing a big grin. Then he saw the tears. "What's wrong?"

"Oh god Frankie they've arrested Mike!" she cried the tears falling down her cheeks. Drums pulled Jen into his arms and held her as she cried.

Drums escorted Jen home, she was so upset he was afraid she wouldn't make it on her own. It was a good thing too, she was so upset a couple times she almost walked in front of cars.

By the time they got to the loft apartment Jen had calmed down some. "You haven't heard about Sapphire, the government spying?" she asked. "It's been on the news constantly."

Drums shrugged. "You know me, I mostly stick to ESPN and MTV."

Jen couldn't help smiling. That was so Frankie! But then the smile vanished as she thought about Mike in jail. "God Frankie I don't know what to do!" she said, fighting to hold back tears.

"Come on, it'll be okay," he said giving her a hug. "I bet you could use a drink." He got up and poured Jen some vodka. He poured himself a glass too. "Come on, drink this, it'll be good for you," he said handing her the glass.

Jen sipped some of the vodka. "Come on, drink up, it'll make you feel better," Drums said encouragingly.

Jen shrugged. She downed the vodka. Drums emptied his too, and then he refilled their glasses.

He pulled some papers from his pocket. "You said you'd help me with marketing," he said.

"I don't think I'm up for it," she said feeling depressed.

"Drink your drink and look at these papers," he insisted. "It'll do you good to think about something else."

Jen shrugged again. She sipped the vodka as she looked at the papers that described Frankie's upcoming solo album, his concert schedule and interviews Artie thought he could score. They discussed ideas on how Frankie could market himself to both support the Ramones as well as his solo efforts. Frankie refilled Jen's glass again as they spoke. By the time they were done Jen had drained that third glass of vodka.

"So you feel like a hit?" Frankie said taking out a bag of weed.

"Sure why not," Jen said already feeling tipsy from the vodka.

Frankie rolled a joint. He lit it, took a hit, then passed it to Jen. "So how's Allie, she's getting married right?"

"Yeah," Jen said taking a hit. She told him about Allie's wedding plans and her pregnancy. Of course Frankie had gone to college with Allie (along with Jen and Mike) so the reminiscing helped take Jen's mind off her troubles.

As they finished the joint (and Frankie rolled another one) Jen told Frankie about Joe's cancer and the pressure with the Memphis pitch.

"Shit, no wonder you're so stressed," Frankie said.

"I'm not stressed," Jen said leaning back in the sofa and closing her eyes. "I'm high. And drunk."

"I think you need to cut loose a little," Frankie said with a laugh.

"Yeah, well ..." Jen said returning his laugh, but there wasn't any humor in it. She put her hand over her forehead, her eyes still closed. "God I'm drunk ..."

"Hey," Frankie said with a soft voice.

"What?" Jen said opening her eyes. Frankie had moved closer.

Drums looked into her beautiful blue eyes. He brushed a lock of blonde hair from her pretty face. "I'm sorry about Mike," he said. "I'm sure he'll be okay."

"I hope so," Jen said her head spinning.

"Hey," Frankie whispered again. He moved closer so their lips almost touched.

"What? ..."

Drums lowered his face and kissed her. Jen was so surprised and high she let him kiss her for a few moments. "Frankie stop," she said pulling away.