Logan MacGregor

The tow truck pulled into the garage, and a tall, burly man walked out of the office with a grin on his face. His Zegna shirt seemed out of place with the grease on his hands, but Logan knew Tony couldn't stand the thought of 'hands-off' management.

The lean man hopped down out of the truck and offered one hand while grabbing his brown leather briefcase with the other. Tony gripped it tightly before looking at the Lexus with a disgusted expression.

Logan winced. "Wasn't me fault...", he answered in his own subdued Irish brogue.

"Course not", Tony grunted. "Never is. Come on inside", he said with a sigh. "Scott, pull the thing in, we'll see if there's anything to be done."

Logan and Tony walked into the older man's office, and the ex-mercenary slumped down on the couch, rubbing his neck.

Logan nodded. "Aye, nay hurt but me pride." He grinned wryly. "Oh", he pulled open the briefcase and tossed a stack of bills on the desk. "That should cover the repairs. I hope."

Tony glanced at the neatly wrapped stack of 100s and grinned. "Actually, I was wondering if ya might do me a favor..."

The older man waved his hands. "Nothing like that, I promise. I just want to borrow your rep for a few minutes." When Logan cocked an eyebrow, Tony grinned. "I got a guy coming by to see me, owes me a fair sum and is going to try and hand out some excuses."

"No, no, I just want ya to sit there, have a ciggy. He sees ya in my office, it may help spur him to 'find' the dough."

Logan frowned, but the man was already doing him an enormous favor. He had the reputation, he may as well trade on it, even if he wasn't planning on adding to it.

Tony beamed. "Great. He should be here in a few, so make yerself comfortable. I'll go see what we can do for yer little runaround."

Logan nodded wearily and leaned back into the couch as he lit up a cigarette. He watched Tony bustle out the side door into the garage and shook his head.

While waiting for Tony to return, Logan thought over the events of that afternoon. Why was Colin at the church? Had Orpheus scopped him up and brought him in to work for them with their ridiculous promises? Like they ever had any intention of helping their spook agents move on - the ghosts were far too valuable to risk losing.

He sighed. Of course, their presence at the church, and the fact that their group had made off in the church's van pointed to the Father as being his best place to start looking for more info.

It also means he knew about Colin, a small voice in the back of his head reminded him. What makes you think he's going to spill it now?

Logan scowled. The thought of trying to intimidate the priest into giving up the information literally sickened him, which he supposed was a good thing. Maybe it meant the redemption was sticking.

"If he won't help, he won't help", Logan muttered under his breath. "But I'll find a way."

Tony walked back about half an hour later with his arm around a small, nervous, bespectacled man. "...so you see, Terrence, I have a business to run."

The larger man looked over at Logan as he lit up again. "Ah, Dúnta, good." Tony picked up the stack of bills still sitting on his desk and tossed it over.

Logan caught it deftly and eyed it appraisingly before nodding and tucking it into his pocket. He moved to stand, but Tony waved a hand. "Sit, this won't take a minute. We can catch up." The big man grinned and Logan returned it amiably as hs took another pull from his cigarette. He ignored the terrified expression on the smaller man's face and simply leaned back into the couch.

"Now then, where was I? Oh yeah. Look, Terrence, I know you're short, so I can give you till Sunday before I need the dough." Tony snapped his fingers. "That reminds me", he glanced over at Logan. "You free this weekend? I may have something for you."

"Good, good", Tony said with a grin. "Anyway, you get me the money by Sunday, we won't have any problems." He smiled at Terrence who nodded rapidly several times.

"Excellent, I'm glad we had this chance to talk." Tony led the other man over to the font door of the office and opened it for him. "You have a good week now."

The smaller man took off hurriedly, and Tony let the door slam shut with a laugh.

Logan smirked, but pulled the bills back out and counted out five grand. "So you can fix it?"

Logan winced. "I need me car, Tony." He dropped another two thousand on the pile.

Tony grinned. "I may have something. Lemme check the inventory." The big man sat down at his grease stained keyboard and began typing. 'Hrm...here we go. It's even the right year." He stood up and stuck his head out into the garage.

Logan cocked his eyebrow, and Tony grinned. "Hope you like blue. Just so happens I came into posession of another SC430 a few days ago. '04, like yers, even got a couple thousand fewer miles. I was gonna give it to Monica, but she's already got the Benz, she can get by till yours is fixed."

Logan nodded his thanks. "That sounds grand." If not exactly legal, he reminded himself.

Of course, even his cover identity was on the run from the law now, wanted for 'questioning'. There were few legal options available at this point, and it wouldn't take a very thorough check to turn up the fugitive warrant in Brazil once he was in the system.

He stubbed out the cigarette in Tony's ashtray, and watched Scott pull a dark blue SC 430 around into the garage and pop the hood.

The car would ready soon, and then he needed to go see Father Berny and have a word.

Logan took the keys from Tony, thanked him again, and settled himself down in 'his' car. He tucked his briefcase under the seat and pulled out onto Lavista, determined to pay Father Berny a visit.

The trip passed without incident, once he got the seat and mirrors adjusted to his liking. The stereo presets could wait - he hardly ever turned it off of newsradio, anyhow, and quickly tuned it to 750 AM.

At least the capture of Saddam had pushed the Projector attacks out of the top news story spot and he relaxed ever so slightly as the headlines passed without any fresh disaster.

He pulled into the parking lot of the church early Monday evening, and was pleased to see there were only a few other cars in the lot. He didn't see any he recognized, but double checked that his two pistols were secure and ready if he needed them, just in case.

Making his way to the Father's office, Logan took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

He stepped in and Berny looked up at him with a quizzical expression. "Logan. What can I do for you?"

Logan quietly shut the door and seated himself on the opposite side of the priest's antique desk. He took a deep breath. "Why didn't you tell me about Colin?"

Berny sat back slowly. "Ah." He steepled his fingers and gazed piercingly into Logan's eyes. "Can't you guess?"

"Colin's been through Hell, Logan", Berny continued. "Fortunately some good people found him and helped him."

Logan started to reply angrily regarding his opinion of the 'good people' at Orpheus, but then the full realization of what the priest was saying sunk in.

The Father nodded. "I thought not. You came to me, and I believe what you've told me about seeking to change, but..." He shrugged. "You have a great deal to atone for. Do you really want to lay the burdens of your past on the boy?"

"Nay, Father. Not when ye put it like that." Logan couldn't seem to raise his eyes to look at Berny. He felt like a small child who'd just been scolded, and knew they deserved it.

"In the meantime", the priest stood and walked around the desk to put a hand on Logan's shoulder. "Keep on what you're doing. Find the monsters responsible for what happened. And, if you come across anything, let me know."

The ex-mercenary managed to draw himself up to meet Berny's gaze. "I guess I can do that, but why?" He was confused. Why would the priest want to get involved in the hunt?

"So I can pass it on to them. They're looking for the same people, Logan. You may come up with different leads that could help them out."

"Good. And don't worry, the time will come for your reunion, son." Father Berny smiled. "Maybe sooner than you think."

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DON'T LOOK BACK

Last Updated: January 28, 2004 by Blake Sorensen

A New Set of Wheels

22 December, 2003