Carter's Fortress - 24. Chapter 24

Will walked into the hall; in a few days his riding went to the polls. It was down to those last crucial days and his opponents were fighting hard to catch up. But the real test, as always, was the debate. It was to take place in the local community hall up on Yonge Street, and Will adjusted his tie glancing left and right at the two people competing for the same seat. That crucial seat that could tip the balance of government.

Will watched and waited for a second before he stepped around his podium and took the microphone from in front of the debate mediator; nodding to her as she shot him a confused look, Will turned to his two fellow candidates.

"Well now," he said holding the mike up, "I'd like to bid a warm welcome to everyone who came to attend the debate, but," he inclined his head to his competitors, "I think we should change the format slightly if my fellow contenders don't object."

Will glanced back at Brody who flashed him a thumbs-up from the back of the hall, and Will nodded, knowing full well he was showboating, but that was the point. He was endeavoring to let some of his personality show through.

The mediator glanced at the other two contenders and she shrugged, unsure of what Will was talking about. The Conservative candidate, Kelly Sinseau, protested, "I didn't agree to any changes!"

Edward Prout, the NDP candidate appeared bemused as he walked around to stand by Will, "I'll bite, what do you have in mind?"

Will smiled, knowing full well that the NDP was a party that enjoyed jostling the system. Its candidates would always jump at a chance to break the format and formula of what was supposed to be a scripted debate, and Will knew it. He didn't need to beat Kelly, she'd beat herself. The real challenge was beating Ed, and that meant doing it on his ground.

Will smiled. "No scripted questions," he said, nodding to the mediator and the panelists. "Real questions from real people."

Edward chewed on it a second and grinned. "You got balls, kid," he whispered with a smile. A little louder he added, "Alright, but not the people in here, let's take it outside, find the real people and answer their questions directly."

Will nodded his head, "I agree, let's walk the riding, meet the people." He gestured to Alicia who brought him his coat.

Kelly continued to whine and protest, "I never agreed to this!"

Prout turned to her, "Oh for god sakes, either you're coming or you're staying here. It really doesn't matter either way."

Will smiled as he led the way down the steps to the stage and through the hall to the doors, Edward following a step or two behind. The TV cameraman shrugged as he unhooked the camera from its tripod and set about following the two candidates as they emerged onto the cold evening streets of Toronto. The Conservative candidate was left standing protesting to people that were no longer listening.

Will stuck his hands in his pocket as he surveyed the people walking by and he pointed up the street a little ways. "Wellsley subway station?" he asked.

Prout nodded, "Good place to start; after you, Mister Carter." He glanced at his campaign manager who looked lost as to what Will was up to.

The cameraman kept the camera on them as he followed them into the station, training it on Will as he stopped a young woman pushing a baby carriage. "Hi," he said with a warm smile, "do you live around here?"

She eyed him warily and looked at the camera. "Y-yes," she managed, "just down in the co-op on Church Street."

"Perfect," Will said and gestured to Edward. "This is the local NDP candidate and I'm the Liberal one running in the upcoming by-election. I was wondering--if you could ask us any question you could, what would it be?"

She looked him up and down and looked over at Edward. "What is your stance on gay marriage," she said, going right for the jugular.

Will looked over at Edward. "Well, we both knew it was coming," he said with a smile.

"Shall I go first?" Edward asked.

Will nodded, "Go for it."

Prout turned, "The New Democratic Party is by far the most supportive of queer rights. One of the most prominent NDP members is Svend Robinson, the first openly gay MP in Canada." He smiled tightly, looking at the camera, "The NDP has championed for the rights of gays and lesbians and has, over the years, introduced numerous private member's bills in the House of Commons to allow for gay rights and gay civil unions. It is my stance that we continue this great effort to strive forward and make progress."

Will smiled, "My turn, I guess. Well, simply put I am gay, and I proposed to my long-term partner and I have every intention of getting married and being treated equally. Equal rights means exactly that--I should have the same right to marriage as anyone else. That is the right to call my 'civil union' by what it really is, a marriage."

Prout shrugged, and both candidates looked at the young woman, who seemed impressed with the upfront response she had received.

Will nodded and turned to the NDP candidate. "Well, shall we press on?" he offered.

Prout nodded his head, "We're live so we might as well."

* * *

The camera had long since stopped rolling; Will and Edward had wandered throughout the riding knocking on doors, talking to people on the streets and in stores, exploring the issues of the riding and debating furiously their differing standpoints on certain issues. At the end of it the two men had shaken hands like gentlemen and had wished each other the best of luck.

There was no doubting that the two men had a newfound respect for one another afterwards. They understood the perspectives better and as Will walked back towards his constituency office Brody hurried to catch up to him.

"Now that was what I call a debate," he said with a satisfied nod. "The way you two argued foreign policy in the middle of a supermarket..." he shook his head and grinned, "you can't script moments like that."

"He had some good points," Will conceded. "We need to mend the damage done to our US relations without kowtowing to them each and every time."

"Your counterpoint to that was excellent," Brody said with a nod. "That Canada must work closely with America while maintaining its distinct identity; damn right, it's all about the hockey."

"Well, I was thinking a bit more than that," Will said, glancing at Brody to see the man's distinctive grin. Brody was messing with him again; Will had to be tired to fall into that one.

"So, dude," Brody said as he stepped aside, nodding to a beautiful woman as he went.

"Drag queen," Will said quietly, amused at how readily Brody's head had turned.

"Shame," Brody responded absently. "She had a nice..." he blinked and looked at Will with a broad grin, "smile."

Will rolled his eyes, "You know, as you get older I swear you get dirtier."

"I get lots of practice," Brody responded. "So you decided what to do about that dick Gravano?"

"Not much I can do," Will responded. "Not without destroying Andrew's career."

Brody nodded, "You talked to Andrew about it?"

Will grimaced, "He's supposed to be waiting for me now; I wanted to tell him in person."

"Fair enough," Brody said as they rounded a corner and headed back to Yonge Street. "Just remember you two don't have the best track record for communication."

"Touché," Will responded. "I just hope he's going to take it well."

"It's not your fault," Brody reminded. "Dude put you over a barrel and gave'er."

Will winced at the graphic description, "I suppose." He sighed seeing Andrew standing under a sign that showed off the Carter name.

As they approached, Andrew disengaged himself from the wall and walked up to them, offering Brody his compulsory nod before he focused his full attention on Will.

"I caught the news," he said with a smile. "Well done, best debate I've seen in years."

Will glanced at Brody and then back at Andrew. "We need to talk," he said resolutely. There was so much that had to be said, and he had no idea where to begin. He gestured inside the office and they all entered, running the gauntlet of cheers from his staff and volunteers. He grinned at them tightly, but there was no time to revel in his success as he showed Andrew into the small office.

"Something's up," Andrew said pushing back his hair from his eyes and sitting down in the chair across the worn oak desk. "You have that look."

Will took a long sigh and pulled the envelope of evidence out of his desk and tossed it over to Andrew. Andrew frowned as he opened it, scanning over the documents and flipping through the bankbook; his face went impassive as he looked up at Will.

"I can't discuss this," he said after a moment.

Will drew another envelope out of his desk and tossed it down; Andrew opened that in turn and pulled out the photos. His brow darkened as he looked up at Will, "What's this?"

"That is your client's attempt to blackmail me into sitting on that evidence," Will replied, folding his arms as he leaned back into his chair.

Andrew looked down at the photos and up at Will in shock, "I don't understand, is he threatening to show these to Marc?"

"I already showed them to him," Will replied. "No, Grevano is blackmailing me about you."

Andrew frowned, "He thinks I gave you this?" Andrew tapped the evidence.

"Yes," Will sat forward. "His threat was if I go public with this he will have you disbarred and the evidence labeled as inadmissible because it came from you in violation of attorney-client privilege."

"All because of a kiss..." Andrew said closing his eyes. "You know I can't help you. If I do I will be breaking my oath to the bar association."

Will looked at Andrew seriously, "I know, I wouldn't ask you to do this."

Andrew blew out a heavy sigh as he raked a hand through his hair, "But if you don't come forward he is going to get away with stealing more money."

Will was about to answer when there was a knock at the door; he looked up as Alicia poked her head around it, "Hey boss, you're needed out here; there are a couple of people looking to make contributions and Mac wants you to shake their hands."

Will stood up. "I'll be right back," he said getting up and walking out of the office.

* * *

Andrew picked up the photos again, looking down at them, Will in his arms again, one last time. He took a heavy breath; he had tried, he had to try, if he didn't he would have regretted it for the rest of his life; but look what it was costing him, look at what it cost Will.

He tossed the photos back down onto the desktop and looked up at Marc standing in the doorway.

The young man was looking at him angrily, his jaw set and his eyes boring holes into Andrew.

"I told you already;" Andrew said resting his arms on the arms of the chair, "he's in love with you."

"I already know that," Marc said as he closed the door behind him, leaving the two of them alone. "He asked me to marry him."

Andrew looked up, "I caught that on the news."

"Yeah," Marc said standing firmly, "but I want to know one thing--if I marry him am I still going to have you sniffing around? Am I going to have to worry about you waiting in the wings ready to jump on him?"

Andrew sighed, "I think you've missed one important thing: he chose you, not me. He wants to marry you and I will always be second place to that. Runner-up, E for effort...however you want to look at it." He matched Marc's hard stare, "I don't want to be almost perfect, I don't want to be runner-up. Will deserves someone that makes him happy..."

"He's happy," Marc said angrily, "but he's worrying about you and all this shit."

"Will always tries to take on the world's problems," Andrew said resting his chin on his hand. "One of his biggest strengths and his biggest character flaw. He's always been like that, even back in high school."

"Yeah?" Marc said walking over to sit down behind Will's desk; he was still seething but what more could he say?

Andrew shrugged, "He's a good man, one of the last gentlemen." He rubbed his chin feeling the beginnings of his five o'clock stubble, as he looked down at the evidence and the photos, "Sometimes I wonder if I'd ever have the courage to do what he does."

Marc's face fell as he stared down at the photos. "I know," he said, his mind drifting, thinking of all Will had done for him since he had met him. "It's like he can do stuff no one else thought he could, like this," Marc waved at the office around him. "Would you have figured he could run for Parliament?"

Andrew chuckled, "You should have seen him ten years ago, you could have voted him least likely to leave a library."

"No way!" Marc intoned, surprised. "He was a geek?"

"He still is," Andrew said with a sigh. "Look Marc, congratulations... I mean that; Will deserves to be happy and you make him happy."

Marc looked at the man who had been his rival and he looked away at the door, "Thanks."

"So how do we help him?" Marc asked.

"You don't," Will said walking back into the office and looking at the pair. "I want you both to stay out of this and let me figure it out." He looked at both the men who meant so much in his life, "Am I clear?"

Both of them looked at each other, and smiled. If anyone could figure it out, Will could.