Free World: Best Kept Secret
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"Free World" Series

Free World: Best Kept Secret: Chapter 2: Gravel


E - Words: 1,319 - Last Updated: Mar 18, 2013
Story: Closed - Chapters: 2/? - Created: Feb 11, 2013 - Updated: Mar 18, 2013
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2 Years Ago
Lima, Ohio: William McKinley High School Gymnasium

An elderly man stands in front of a table addressing a group of people.

"We are pleased to be the first polling place in Ohio to start using the touch-screen voting booths. No more paper ballots."

He motions towards a black case bearing the seal of the office of the President of the United States that sits on a table behind him.

"We'll be inserting these memory cards into the computers to tabulate the election results. Now if you'll all follow me, we have some paperwork for all of you to sign."

Everyone in the group follows the older man out of the gym except for one inconspicuous man. Once he's sure that he's alone, the man opens his backpack and extracts a black case identical to the one sitting on the table. Looking over his shoulder, the man puts the original case into his backpack and leaves the twin case in its place.

As he leaves the gym, his cell phone chirps to life.

"Hello? Yes, Mr. Anderson, it's done."

Present Day
KEH & Associates

"You want me to what?!" Mike Chang exclaims, truly appalled at what he's just heard.

"Please don't make me repeat it, Mike."

"Kurt, we've been friends for a very long time, but I just need to know that you haven't completely lost your mind."

"Fine, I'll say it again. I need you to break Sebastian and Sam up, ok? You happy now?"

Mike paces back and forth behind his desk. He turns to Kurt.

"And you're not going to tell me why."

"No. The less you know the better."

Kurt stands to leave.

"Sebastian had a Mom and Pop coffee shop closed once because the barista refused to sleep with him. That should help."

Kurt hurries to leave Mike's office, careful to conceal the look of despair that he can't stop from flitting across his face.

~*~

When Kurt arrives home later that evening, he has gone into zombie mode. He doesn't notice Blaine sitting on the sofa. He doesn't respond to Blaine's greeting or his questions about Kurt's meeting with Mister Anderson. Kurt is on autopilot as he stumbles to the bedroom and collapses on his bed before the tears begin to flow.

Blaine is in the room in an instant.

"Kurt?" Blaine's voice is tight with panic. "What did that monster say to you? What did he want?"

Kurt doesn't move.

"Go away," Kurt says in a hushed voice.

"What?" Blaine says taking a step away from the bed.

"Go away, Blaine!" Kurt says a little louder, with more conviction this time. He proceeds to bury himself beneath the blankets.

Blaine stands in their bedroom, staring at Kurt's unmoving form beneath the bed coverings for a moment before his resolution breaks. Striding forward, he rips the covers off the bed and grabs Kurt's shoulders, pulling him into an upright position.

"You listen to me right now, Kurt Hummel! You don't get to do this again. You don't get to just shut me out and think that I'll walk away this time."

Blaine grabs Kurt's hand and puts the engagement ring right into Kurt's eye line.

"You see this? This is forever. This means we're a team and, god dammit, you're gonna start acting like it. The secrets end here."

Blaine drops Kurt's hand and sits next to him on the bed.

"Now tell me what's going on."

Kurt sighs heavily.

"I'm not one of the good guys, Blaine. I never have been. I do what I do to try to make up for a very bad, very unethical decision that I made two years ago, a decision that could very well bring the White House to its knees."

2 Years Ago
The White House: Kurt Hummel's Office

Kurt sits at his desk, fingers frantically tapping away at the keyboard. He is a man on a mission. After a few moments, the printer behind him expels a document.

With calm resolution, Kurt retrieves the pieces of paper and signs his name to the bottom. Once done, he strides out of his office with a new confidence that he hasn't felt in a very long time.

2 Years Ago
The White House: The Oval Office

Newly re-elected President Burt Hummel steps into the Oval office, sighing he loosens his bow tie and takes off his tuxedo jacket, tossing it carelessly on one of the sofas nearby. It's been a long night.

The President falls heavily into his desk chair and goes to put his feet up, but something catches his attention. On his desk sits a letter that wasn't there earlier in the evening before he left for the festivities.

Opening the envelope, the words on the page inside cause all the color to leave Burt's face.

To Whom It May Concern:I, Kurt Hummel, media relations consultant to President Burt Hummel, do hereby submit my resignation. My reasons behind resigning so early in the President's second term of office are my own and will not be shared. I wish the President all the best of luck during the next four years.

Burt drops the letter back on to his desk and runs a hand tiredly across his face. He truly has no idea what has happened.

Present Day
Washington D.C.: Sebastian Smythe's Residence

Sebastian is just about to pour himself and his new boyfriend Sam Evans a cup of coffee when there is a knock on the door. Groaning, Sebastian pads to the front door and looks through the peephole. He recognizes the man standing outside as one of the clerks from the District Attorney's office.

Opening the door, Sebastian greets the man with a smile.

"It's a little early for a business call on Saturday, Grant. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The man, Grant, fidgets a little uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry to have to do this to you, Mr. Smythe," he says in a shaky voice, "but you've been served."

Sebastian gapes at Grant as the other man passes him the subpoena and walks away. Sebastian is still standing shocked and frozen to the spot when Sam joins in him at the front door a moment later.

"What's going on, babe?"

"I've just been served," Sebastian croaks holding up the court documents.

Sam takes the summons from Sebastian and looks them over. A look of absolute rage overtakes his features.

"Tell me you didn't, Seb!"

The anger in Sam's voice pulls Sebastian from his stupor. He turns to his boyfriend clearly confused.

"Didn't what?"

"Don't play dumb, Sebastian! This has you written all over it! How could you?"

Sebastian takes a step towards Sam, reaching out to him. Sam recoils as if he's been burned.

"Sam, I really don't know what's going on! Will you please just fucking talk to me?"

Sam throws the court summons at Sebastian.

"You tell me right now that you didn't have a locally owned and operated coffee shop closed because one of the employees wouldn't sleep with you!"

Sebastian is dumbstruck at this news. He opens and closes his mouth several times, unable to find the words.

"That's what I thought," Sam says venomously, "Get your affairs in order, Sebastian, you're not gonna get away with this."

Sam disappears into the house without another word. He returns quickly, fully dressed. As he pushes past Sebastian, he pauses only momentarily.

"The funny thing is, I was falling for you," Sam says weakly, "Guess I learned my lesson."

As Sam disappears down the street, Sebastian can only stare out his still-open front door and wonder how his morning could have gone down in flames so swiftly.

Unseen by both Sebastian and Sam, Mike Chang is seated at a patio table in a small caf� across the street, watching the entire episode occur. He slips his cell phone out of his pocket, hits a few buttons, and holds it to his ear.

"Kurt, it's done."


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