Kinney vs. Marcus

Pt. 1

Tony's attorney Kenneth Davenport leaned back in his chair, and summarized the latest request his number one client had placed in his lap. "Let me see if I've got this right." he began. "Brian signed away the parental rights to his son almost six years ago to a lesbian couple, one of whom happens to be his former lawyer. Now, after five years he wants equal visitation rights to the child that he gave away."

"You've got it." Tony said.

"Marcus, Melanie Marcus, where have I heard that name before?" Kenneth massaged his forehead. "Is this Melanie Marcus of the firm "Kurtzman, Vasquez, Kushira, and Marcus?"

"The same." Brian said.

"Tony are you nuts?" Kenneth looked over at his boss. "Kurtzman, Vasquez, Kushira, and Marcus" specializes in civil rights cases, particularly those concerning gay, and lesbian issues. They'll bury us on publicity alone. Every dyke in a pair of Birkenstocks will be out picketing in front of your hotels. I just settled the last of the claims from the prom incident."

"What claims?" Brian looked at Tony.

"Don't worry, my insurance took care of most of it." Tony dismissed Brian's worry with a flick of his wrist.

Justin couldn't help but smile. It wasn't often that Tony displayed even the slightest stereotypical indication that he was gay. However that limp wrist gesture that he just gave Brian was classic drama queen.

"Brian, who's name is on Gus's birth certificate?" Kenneth asked.

"Gus has my last name." Brian said.

"Have you made any contributions toward the support of your son?" Kenneth asked.

"I have a substantial life insurance policy naming Gus as my beneficiary." Brian said.

"That's a start." Kenneth jotted down Brian's answer. "What about regular, monthly child support payments?"

"No, nothing official. Lindsey, and Melanie didn't want that, but I still pitched in whenever they needed help." Brian said.

"Do you have any receipts for that?" Ken asked.

"No, I'd usually give Lindsey the cash. She didn't want Melanie to know." Brian said.

"Would Lindsey swear to that?" Kenneth asked.

"I don't want to get Lindsey involved if I don't have to." Brian explained. "I'm not here to break up her relationship with her wife. I just want to be able to see my son without having to ask permission from a woman who has absolutely no bloodline connection to him."

"Unfortunately you gave this woman with no bloodline connection to your son that authority when you signed away your rights to her." Kenneth informed him. "Were you in any way co-horsed into this?"

"No." Brian said.

"Were you inebriated, stoned, high, or in any way physically, or mentally incapacitated at the time you signed away the rights to your son?" Kenneth asked.

"Are you saying that I got wasted, and gave my kid away?" Brian leaned forward in his chair.

Tony reached over, and eased Brian back. "He's just gathering a few facts Brian." Tony said gently. "Keep going Kenneth."

"Brian, do you feel that Gus is in someway being hurt by Melanie?" Kenneth continued.

"You mean other than the fact that a boy needs his father, and she's keeping Gus away from his? No." Brian said.

Kenneth Davenport put his pen down, and once again sat back in his seat. "So this is what we have here." he began. "On one side we have a healthy, well adjusted child of tender years living with two people who love, and support him, one of whom is the child's birth mother. The other is a pillar of her community, a lawyer who fights for gay, and lesbian rights. On the other side we have a gay man, with an arrest record, and a questionable reputation, who's now involved in a threesome relationship, and who willingly signed away his paternal rights over five years ago."

"You've got it." Brian said.

Again Kenneth looked over at his boss. "Tony, we don't have a leg to stand on." he said.

"Then find one!" Tony demanded.

"Are you saying that you won't take the case?" Justin asked.

"He'll take the case." Tony stared across the desk at Kenneth.

Kenneth Davenport pulled out a blue bottle from his top desk drawer. He twisted off the cap, and took three gulps of the chalky white liquid. Things were about to get ugly. He had seen that look in Anthony Massey's eyes before. The last time was when Tony went against his advice, and insisted on using The Plaza's Gazebo Restaurant for Pittsburgh's first gay prom. The time before that was when an attorney representing a gentleman by the name of Kevin McLauren called, and threatened to sue Tony for an unlawful restraint, and an assault levied against his client. Kenneth often wondered whatever happened to that guy. The case was suddenly dropped without explanation.

"You do what you have to do Ken." Tony continued.

Brian reached over, and touched Tony's arm. "Tony wait a minute. I don't want to see anyone get hurt…"

"Do you want Tiger or don't you?" Tony snapped.

"What Brian means is that Mel, and Lindsey are still our friends….." Justin attempted to explain.

Tony turned, and looked at Justin. "This has nothing to do with friendship princess. This is about family, and protecting the people that you love. We're only going to do what's necessary to get Tiger back with his father. Trust me. " Tony said with an eerie calmness that sent chills down Justin's spine. Things were about to get ugly. Justin had seen that look in Tony's eyes twice before. The first time was when Justin recalled the rape incident with Kevin McLauren. The second time was when Tony aimed his gun at Brian.

"I'll get started on this for you right away boss." Kenneth said.

Tony, Brian, and Justin departed Kenneth Davenport's office, and went their separate ways. Brian headed for Kinnetics to catch up on business that had been pushed aside during his extended stay in Chicago, while Tony went to set up his command base from penthouse four of The Plaza Hotel. This gave Justin the perfect opportunity to go, and appeal to the last voice of reasoning in this rapidly escalating volatile situation.

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Lindsey was grateful for Monday, and the sanctuary of the gallery. Melanie's incessant griping about Brian had taken it's toll on the torn mother who was caught in the middle of a triangle of love, and loyalties to her partner, her friend, and her son…"Hi Lindsey. I hope you don't mind. The woman at the front desk said I could come in." Justin peeked his head inside her office door.

Lindsey looked up from her work. "Justin, of course I don't mind. Please come in!" She came from behind her desk to give him a hug. "Oh Justin I'm sorry, I'm so sorry about what happened on Friday. You know I never wanted that don't you?"

"I know Lindsey, and that's really what I came here to talk to you about. This has to stop before someone gets hurt." Justin said.

Lindsey informed the front desk to hold all of her calls, and visitors while she sat down with Justin. "I don't know what I'm going to do Justin." she began. "Mel is filing a restraining order against you, and Brian. She doesn't want Gus to see either of you at all. As for Tony, she wants to have him arrested for assault for snatching the telephone from her hand."

"Things have gotten way out of hand Lindsey. I just came from Tony's attorney's office. He's going to come at you, and Mel head on, with everything he's got." Justin said.

"I understand your concern Justin, but that's the least of my worries. Mel, and I have nothing to hide. I'm more concerned about her mental state. I think she's having a breakdown" Lindsey said.

"And you think Tony won't use that against Melanie to get Gus away from her?" Justin's eyes widened.

"What has Tony got to do with any of this? This is between Melanie, Brian, and myself." Lindsey said.

"Lindsey, Tony never had a family. He grew up in foster homes. As far as I know me, and Brian, and his housekeeper Mary are the only family he's got. Gus comes into the equation because he's Brian's son. If Brian wants Gus, I can guarantee you that Tony will do everything in his power to make sure that he has him. Lindsey you have to convince Mel to share custody with Brian." Justin pleaded.

"I don't know if I can do that. You know how stubborn Mel is." Lindsey said.

"Oh but you have to find a way." Justin assured her. "Lindsey, have you seen Steven Spielberg's "War Of The Worlds"?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" Lindsey failed to see the relevance.

"Let's just say that Tony is revving up his tripods as we speak. He's getting ready to strike Lindsey, and when he does, he's going to destroy everything in his path." Justin gave his final warning.

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The front desk at The Plaza Hotel was surprised to see their boss make his entrance. They were even more surprised to find out that Mr. Massey was taking up temporary residence in penthouse four. As promised Tony checked in with Mary. He listened patiently over the phone as his housekeeper/surrogate mother rattled off her orders.

"Remember what Dr. Sharma said, don't over exert yourself Tony, and don't forget to take your pills. Remember you have a doctor's appointment next Thursday. Don't eat any high cholesterol foods, and no drinking! Don't make me have to come up there! " Mary threatened.

"Yes mother." Tony rolled his eyes. "I promise I'll be good. Cross my reconstructed heart, and hope to die."

"That's not funny." Mary growled.

"Goodbye Mary."

Tony hung up the telephone, and immediately poured himself a double bourbon from the wet bar in his sitting room. He was about to call down to room service for lunch when his telephone began to ring. It was Kenneth Davenport.

"We're ready to go to court Tony." Kenneth said.

"Really? That was quick." Tony chuckled.

"You're not going to believe this boss." Kenneth began. "When you left my office the first thing I did was have my secretary check the records on file for Gus's adoption, and guess what, THERE ARE NONE!"

"What do you mean there are none?" Tony asked.

"Just what I said, there are none." Kenneth repeated himself. "I don't know what Brian signed, but he didn't sign away the rights to his son. Brian is still Gus's legal father."

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NEXT WEEK : Kinney vs. Marcus Pt. 2

Return to Fantasy Season 7