Betrayal: Allison

Mark sat on the couch and watched RK make sure both Allison and Jake were secure. The other three were on the front yard, similarly secured by RK's men. They heard the sirens of the police cruisers as they stopped in front of Mark's house.

"Hand me your phone," RK said. "I'll go talk to the police before they come inside." Mark nodded his head and gave RK his phone. As RK left, Jake lifted his head and turned to face Mark. His smirk was finally gone. Apparently all it took was the thought that he was about to die.

"You know, my father always did love you more than he did me," Jake said. Mark shook his head.

"Not true, Jake," Mark told him. "He always hoped you would mature enough to step into his shoes one day."

"Would you really have cut my head off?" Jake asked.

"I guess we'll never know now, will we?" Mark asked in response. "But I guarantee you, where you're going, you'll be surrounded by people who won't hesitate the way I did. And I promise if you ever come after me like this again, I won't hesitate either." Jake laid his head back on the floor and said nothing.

Three large police officers came into the house and surveyed the situation. Picking Jake and Allison up, they read them their Miranda rights and marched them out to the cruisers. One officer looked at the syringe laying on the coffee table in its plastic bag and picked it up.

"Is this what they planned to use on you?" he asked Mark.

"Yes, it is," he said. The officer made notes as he took Mark's full statement. After about a half hour, he turned to Mark.

"You were lucky, you know that don't you?" he asked.

"Nah," Mark said. "My fellow Marine had my back." The officer smiled and nodded his head.

"Semper Fi," the officer said, shaking Mark's hand.

"Oorah," Mark said in response. After they left, RK came into the front room and sat on the couch.

"You got another one of those?" he asked, pointing at the beer bottles.

"I think I have one or two left," Mark said. "Kinda early for this, don't you think?"

"After this shit, no," RK said as Mark handed him a cold bottle. "How are you holding up?"

"Okay," Mark said. "I feel like I did back in Iraq, though. I guess I need to decompress a bit."

"Yeah, about that," RK said. "I talked to Gunny this morning. He said he'd take care of everything if you wanted to go hang out in Vegas for a few days. Told me to give you his number."

"I may just do that," Mark said. "I have a few things to take care of here first, though." RK pulled a couple of cards out of his pocket and handed them to Mark.

"There's Gunny's number if you want to call," he said. "The other card is for a divorce lawyer I do work for. Michelle Hawkins. She's a real shark. Hates cheaters with a passion. I took the liberty of calling her this morning. She said she's expecting you at her office at 8:00 am sharp Monday morning."

"Thanks," Mark said, nodding his head. "For everything."

"Hey, Semper Fi, bro. Do or die," RK said. Mark chuckled at that.

"Oo-fucking-rah," he said in response. After they finished their beer, RK stood up and looked around.

"Looks like you got a bit of cleaning to do here, so I'll be on my way," he said.

"See ya, my friend," Mark said. "I'll be by later to get all the surveillance gear." RK left and Mark turned to the job of cleaning the house. That afternoon, he got a call from David Matheson.

"Mark, this is David Matheson," the older man said when Mark answered the phone.

"Yes, Mr. Matheson, what can I do for you?" Mark asked.

"You can start by calling me David," he said. "I got your email and looked at the video. So did the board members. We're all in agreement with what you said in your letter, which, I must say, was quite impressive."

"Thank you, David," Mark said.

"You're welcome," he answered. "We also agreed that both Allison and Jake's employment should be terminated immediately. Especially given that they're both in custody right now. I'm heading to the county jail to take care of that personally. There's a couple other things."

"What's that?" Mark asked.

"We think it would be good if you took a few days to go somewhere, let off a bit of steam," David said. "You have someplace you'd like to go for a bit?"

"A friend of mine said he'd look after me in Vegas for a few days," Mark said. "I have an appointment with a divorce lawyer Monday, then I'll be looking to head out."

"Vegas, huh?" David asked. "Well, I can't think of a better place to get your mind off all this than Vegas. Have a good trip, Mark, and we'll see you a week from Monday."

"Thanks, David, I will," Mark said.

"There's just a couple other things," David said. "We unanimously agreed that with Jake's departure, you would be the best person for his job."

"Me?" Mark asked.

"Absolutely," David said. "We're very impressed with the way you dealt with this and the board has had its eye on you for a while. I don't mind telling you, they're very happy with your work. Of course, there'll be a nice increase and a few other benefits along with that promotion, but I think you deserve it."

"Thanks, David," Mark said.

"Don't thank me just yet," David said. "The first thing we need for you to do is oversee the external audit we're going to have done. We're bringing in auditors from an external outfit to go over everything Jake has touched since he's been here. They'll report directly to you and you'll report those findings, good, bad or indifferent, to me."

"I think that's a good idea," Mark said. "I've learned since I sent that email that Jake has had Allison engage in sex with some of our clients."

"Good God," David said. "Well, I'll leave that in your capable hands. In the meantime, you have a good trip and we'll see you a week from Monday."

"See you then, David," Mark said. "Thanks."

After the call from David, Mark finished cleaning the house, then mowed the yard as he usually did on Saturdays. He called Gunny Johnson afterward and the two of them caught up on everything.

"So, you wanna come out for a few days and have a bit of fun?" Gunny asked.

"Yeah, sure," Mark said.

"Alright," Gunny said. "Come on out. I'll set you up with a nice room and show you the ropes. Then you're on your own. And please remember, this is Las Vegas, not Bangkok." They laughed over that.

"I'll remember, Gunny," Mark said. "See ya Monday evening."

"See ya, Mark," Gunny said.

RK stopped by and gathered his equipment.

"Just wanted to give you a little update," RK said. "Cops searched Jake's place and hit a gold mine. A shitload of drugs, paraphernalia, sex toys, DVDs, you name it. Seems old Jake was a real pervert. Friend of mine on the force said he wouldn't be surprised if there was child porn in all that stuff they picked up."

"Damn," Mark said.

RK stayed for dinner and Mark fell asleep shortly afterward, exhausted both mentally and physically. The next day, he set about tossing all of Allison's things into trash bags. He hauled them to the garage and decided to wait on taking it all to Goodwill until he knew for certain that she would be going to prison.

As he was emptying out her dresser drawers, he came across an extremely large black strap-on dildo. He figured the studded phallus had to be a good 14 inches in length and nearly as big around as a baseball bat. He wondered if this was what she planned to use on him and shuddered at the thought.

He also found a strange-looking device he was unable to identify. After doing a search on the Internet, he realized it was a male chastity device, or a cock cage. Was there no limit to her depravity, he wondered. He finished packing her stuff in trash bags and put it all in the garage.

The next morning, he was at Michelle Hawkins' office right at 8:00 and was escorted right inside. She looked over his evidence and paperwork and made notes as he talked. She informed him of California's divorce laws and explained that everything is generally divided equally. Since they had no children, she explained, and the house was his before their marriage the court would probably allow him to keep the house.

Since he had already split their bank accounts, she said, the court would most likely give the half still in their account to Allison. She also explained that her adultery could not be brought up in the divorce, however, the criminal accusations against Allison would quite probably be considered by the judge in any order. She also said it was highly unlikely he would have to pay Allison any support while she is incarcerated, however, that could change when she gets released.

"I'll do everything I can to make this as painless as possible," Michelle said. "I'll draw up the papers and have them served. If she signs them as is, I'll present them to the judge. From there, it's a matter of waiting six months."

Mark agreed, and gave her a retainer for her work before he left. He stopped by the county jail on his way home to let Allison know he was filing for divorce. He sat at the table and watched as they brought her out. She looked haggard and the orange jumpsuit didn't exactly flatter her figure. They picked up the handset so they could communicate since they were separated by a thick Plexiglas shield.

"Hello, Allison," Mark said.

"Hello, Mark," she responded.

"I just wanted to let you know I saw an attorney today and I'm filing for divorce," he said.

"I figured you would," she said.

"When is your arraignment hearing?" he asked her.

"Tomorrow morning," she told him. "The prosecuting attorney is asking that we be held without bail."

"I think that would probably be best," he told her. "Tell me something, and I want the God's honest truth."

"What's that?" she asked.

"What the fuck happened to you?" he asked her. She looked down, embarrassed.

"Things were going quite good with the job at first," she said. "Jake seemed to be just like any other executive. Things didn't really start until after Allen passed away. Jake was furious that he didn't get promoted and he blamed you, said his father had probably set things up for you to get that job."

"That's crazy," Mark said. "Allen always said he hoped Jake would become the CEO one day."

"I know," she said. "We went to New York that weekend, and that's when it all started. We were at a club with some people from one of our clients, dancing and drinking. Nothing too outlandish. Yeah, I flirted a bit, but I didn't think I was out of line. The next thing I know, I started feeling really good and before you know it I was in bed with two of the other guys. Jake joined in later." She paused for a moment before continuing.

"The next morning I realized what had happened and I felt really guilty about it," she said. "Then Jake showed me some pictures and video that he had taken and said I would have to do whatever he wanted or he would make sure you got them."

"So he blackmailed you," Mark said. "And I'll bet he drugged you as well."

"He did," she said. "He admitted it to me later."

"I'm not surprised," Mark said. "They found a ton of drugs in his place, including a lot of date rape drugs. Is he the one who got you on cocaine?" She nodded her head.

"Yes," she said. "And marijuana. And some other stuff."

"So how many of our clients did you end up fucking?" Mark asked. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know," she said. "Several. Jake set it all up and that's pretty much what I did whenever we went anywhere." Mark shook his head.

"I found a couple of your toys," Mark said. "Is that what you planned on raping me with?" She started crying.

"Yes," she said through her tears. "I'm sorry, I really didn't want to."

"Looked to me like you were pretty excited about the whole idea," Mark said. "Drugging me, raping me, turning me into a gay prostitute for Jake's amusement. Tell me, was Wednesday's dinner really about the Henderson project?" She shook her head.

"No," she said. "We were planning Friday's party."

"So you planned all that out in advance?" Mark asked. Allison nodded her head.

"Yes," she said quietly. "I'm sorry, Mark."

"Yeah, that's about the first thing you've said that I agree with," he told her.

"Do you think you can ever forgive me?" she asked. He chuckled before he answered.

"Not no, but hell no," he said. "You cheated on me with that asshole and God only knows how many others. Then you plotted with him to have me drugged and raped. You're out of your fucking mind. And don't even ask if we can be friends."

"I understand, Mark," she said.

"I hope it was all worth it to you," he said. "Goodbye, Allison." He hung up the phone and watched her do the same, tears falling down her cheeks. He went home, packed and headed for Vegas.

He met up with Gunny Johnson and the two reminisced over dinner. Afterward, Gunny showed him around and gave him some tips for the gambling tables, then escorted him to his room. When they walked inside, Mark saw a lovely young brunette sitting on the bed. She got up as they entered.

"Mark, this is Candy," Gunny Johnson said. "She'll be your, er, tour guide while you're here."

"Gunny, this really isn't necessary," Mark said.

"Nonsense, son," Gunny said. "This is exactly what you need after what your wife put you through. Relax, have a good time and remember, what happens here, stays here. Usually." They all laughed at that. "Well, I gotta go. You kids have fun," he added before he left. Mark turned to Candy.

"Tell me, are you an..." he began.

"Escort?" Candy asked. "Prostitute? Not any more, thanks to Gunny. He got me out of a very bad situation and thanks to him I'm clean, going to school and working a real job. He told me a little bit about you and asked if I wouldn't mind spending some time with you. That's all. If you want, I'll leave and never bother you again."

"No," Mark said. "He's right. I could use some companionship right now. And you are a very lovely woman. Would you care to go out for a drink or something?"

"That sounds nice," she said, smiling. They went to the club and had a few drinks, then talked and danced for a few hours before coming back to his room, where she spent the night, helping him forget his troubles. He woke up the next morning to find her giving him a toe-curling blowjob. Afterward, they took a shower together and got dressed.

"I have classes today, but I can meet you back here tonight if you want," she said.

"Sounds like a plan," he said. They kissed before she left, and he went downstairs for breakfast. From there, he sauntered over to the casino to try his hand at a few games. He followed Gunny's advise and walked away that afternoon with about $300 extra in his pocket. He spent it on dinner, drinks and a show with Candy that night. That night, she rocked his world yet again.

The rest of the week went pretty much the same, and by the time Friday rolled around, he was ready to go home and carry on with the rest of his life. Candy hated to see him go, but understood. She gave him her phone number and email address just in case he ever wanted to contact her again. He liked her, but didn't think it would ever become a full-blown relationship. She was so much younger than him and had her whole life ahead of her. Still, he thought, who knows?

He drove back home with a smile on his face, memories of Candy dancing through his head. When he got home, he caught up on the news of Allison and her cronies. The judge, after seeing the evidence presented by the prosecuting attorney, ordered them all held without bail.

He also received confirmation from Michelle that Allison had been served with divorce papers. According to Michelle, Allison immediately signed them and the papers had been filed with the court. In six months, he would be free of her for good.

The following Monday, he went to work and found all his things had been moved into Jake's old office. Everyone welcomed him back and wished him well in his new position. He settled into his new office and found himself meeting the external auditors.

He got them situated and was introduced to his new assistant, Marsha Bodine. He had known her ever since she started with the company a few years earlier. He liked Marsha, knew she was married and had received high marks from her previous supervisors. She also knew his situation and was very careful not to mention it to him.

The audit turned up more than a few irregularities in Jake's paperwork. For starters, he had fudged his expense account on several trips he and Allison had taken. Then the auditors found that Jake had mismanaged some of their clients' accounts. This was immediately reported to the SEC and Jake soon found himself facing federal charges.

Mark and David spent a great deal of time in the next few months cleaning up the mess that Jake had left behind. Fortunately, they didn't lose any clients thanks to their rapid response, but they had several very uncomfortable discussions with other executives who were understandably upset.

Meanwhile, Mark stayed in touch with Candy, mostly through emails. Eventually, she informed him that she had met someone at school and they were quite serious about each other. He wasn't surprised and wished her well.

At the same time, Allison and Jake's trials dragged on, as charges were added and motions flew back and forth. Mark found himself testifying against his wife and her co-conspirators, even though her defense team tried to steer him away from doing so, telling him that he wasn't required to testify against his own wife.

"I may not be required to, but I want to," he told her lawyer. "Besides, in a few weeks, she won't be my wife anymore." The jury was shocked when they heard his testimony and even more shocked when the video Mark took that Friday night was played for them.

Finally the day came when the jury would announce their verdicts. Mark and David sat in the courtroom and watched as Allison, Jake and the other three men were brought in. None of them were able to look Mark in the face. By now, the trial had become something of a media circus. The court was brought to order and the judge asked if the jury had reached their decision. The foreman stood up and announced they had.

Everyone waited with baited breath as the judge ticked off the charges, which included conspiracy to kidnap and rape. Jake faced additional charges involving the drugs found in his townhouse and the lewd photos and videos he had involving underage girls.

They were all found guilty of every charge leveled at them. The judge set the date for sentencing and the five now-convicted conspirators were led out of the courtroom. Mark and David walked out, brushing past the gaggle of reporters pushing cameras in their faces.

About ten days later, they were sentenced. The judge made it clear he was thoroughly disgusted with all five of them and basically threw the book at them. Jake's three buddies got the lightest sentences, but still faced 20 years in prison.

Allison was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison and Jake ended up with 50 years to life for his crimes. He would also face federal charges brought by the SEC, which would be handled in federal court. Allison sobbed as she was led out of the courtroom. Jake simply looked down in shame as he was taken away.

Jake's time in prison ended about six months later, however, when he was found decapitated in the shower. It seems he pissed off the wrong people who didn't care for his smug attitude.

Epilogue:

A month after the sentencing, Mark was sitting in his office going over some paperwork when Marsha buzzed him on the intercom.

"Mr. Hurley, there's a Dr. Kristen Marcus here to see you," she said. The last name caught Mark's attention.

"Send her in," he said. The door opened and Mark saw an attractive blonde enter his office. Her hair fell below her shoulders and she was dressed in a skirt that fell just below her knees. She smiled as she approached him, extending her hand.