Darkness. [part 1 of 2]
The name had been found by pure coincidence, and it had been such a long time since he had last heard it, that at first Michael hadn't even put together the pieces. Now that he had all the information in his hand, however, he couldn't stop questioning himself just how in the hell he had ever forgotten. How had he been so stupid, and had let that detail go.
It had all started four days ago when, while he was going through Jack's and Charlie's file for the millionth time, he had found in some very old notes that Jack had been in touch with Ray Davis. The name hadn't meant anything to Michael, especially after he read the footnote about how Ray Davis had passed away ten years ago but, later on that day, a light seemed to go off in his head and everything had just clicked together.
Ray Davis, he realized, couldn't have died ten years ago because what Damian's notes didn't say was that five years ago Michael had met him in Los Angeles. Not only that, but he had even worked with him since he had been supposedly sent by Jack himself so that Michael could have some help with the job he had been assigned. Since Michael had just wanted to finish his job so he could head back to New York he hadn't tried to befriend him, but Ray had tried to spark a conversation between them once or twice. Details from those three days were lost in him, mainly because the only thing his mind really remembered about that time was finding out that Lauren had gone into premature labor while he was across the country, but now things were becoming clearer. Ray had worked with Jack once. They were going to become business partners, Ray had mentioned, and was going to become Jack's contact in Philadelphia as soon as the job in Los Angeles was over.
So, with that information, Michael had gone to his old friend Kyle and had asked for help. Kyle still worked the streets as much as he did while working with Jack, and he'd know first-hand about any rumors. By nightfall of that same day he had a list of aliases that Ray used in Philadelphia, information about how he still worked for Jack's brother, some contact information, and for the first time in months Michael finally felt a small weight being lifted from his shoulders. It wasn't Jack the one he had found, but Ray was a starting point.
His days after that were spent only working, trying to compile as much information as he could about Ray. It hadn't been easy, but by now he had more information about Ray than what he really needed. He knew about the crimes he had committed and was still committing, how his ties with Jack and his family went back all the way to Jack's father. How he had been supposedly killed in the same manner that Jack had been but how, like Jack, he had been alive all this time. It was this that irked Michael the most because, to him, it somehow showed just how similar the two of them were. Ray was like Jack, just with less power. And, if Michael was lucky, then Ray and Jack would hopefully still be in touch. If all things went the way he wanted them to Ray would provide him some sort of link to Jack, and he'd be one step closer to him. That was all he needed. Just one.
Now that he was ready there was no time to waste. As soon as he got off from work he called Tess and told her how there were some things he needed to do, and how he'd see her after she got off from work. Ever since Jack had visited Tess at the club where she worked Michael's temper had been fluctuating more than usual, but after tonight he hoped things would change.
After tonight he knew things would change.
As he drove towards Pennsylvania in silence, Michael worked things out in his head. What he would do, what he would say. Kyle would be his alibi if he needed it, and he had already asked him to hang out outside of the Paradise Club in case Jack were to return to threaten Tess again. He doubted that Jack was even in the country anymore, but he preferred having Kyle there, anyway. He needed this night to sort things out with Ray, and figure some things out. For that task to be completed successfully he needed to concentrate completely, and as he drove he was able to realize just how easy that was. He was finally going to have an outlet to at least some of the things that he was feeling, and he needed it so much that everything else was suddenly forgotten. A lot of things could happen between now and the end of the night, but for now he didn't care. It was time for him to make a statement, and he was going to make sure that it would be loud and goddamn clear.
It had all started four days ago when, while he was going through Jack's and Charlie's file for the millionth time, he had found in some very old notes that Jack had been in touch with Ray Davis. The name hadn't meant anything to Michael, especially after he read the footnote about how Ray Davis had passed away ten years ago but, later on that day, a light seemed to go off in his head and everything had just clicked together.
Ray Davis, he realized, couldn't have died ten years ago because what Damian's notes didn't say was that five years ago Michael had met him in Los Angeles. Not only that, but he had even worked with him since he had been supposedly sent by Jack himself so that Michael could have some help with the job he had been assigned. Since Michael had just wanted to finish his job so he could head back to New York he hadn't tried to befriend him, but Ray had tried to spark a conversation between them once or twice. Details from those three days were lost in him, mainly because the only thing his mind really remembered about that time was finding out that Lauren had gone into premature labor while he was across the country, but now things were becoming clearer. Ray had worked with Jack once. They were going to become business partners, Ray had mentioned, and was going to become Jack's contact in Philadelphia as soon as the job in Los Angeles was over.
So, with that information, Michael had gone to his old friend Kyle and had asked for help. Kyle still worked the streets as much as he did while working with Jack, and he'd know first-hand about any rumors. By nightfall of that same day he had a list of aliases that Ray used in Philadelphia, information about how he still worked for Jack's brother, some contact information, and for the first time in months Michael finally felt a small weight being lifted from his shoulders. It wasn't Jack the one he had found, but Ray was a starting point.
His days after that were spent only working, trying to compile as much information as he could about Ray. It hadn't been easy, but by now he had more information about Ray than what he really needed. He knew about the crimes he had committed and was still committing, how his ties with Jack and his family went back all the way to Jack's father. How he had been supposedly killed in the same manner that Jack had been but how, like Jack, he had been alive all this time. It was this that irked Michael the most because, to him, it somehow showed just how similar the two of them were. Ray was like Jack, just with less power. And, if Michael was lucky, then Ray and Jack would hopefully still be in touch. If all things went the way he wanted them to Ray would provide him some sort of link to Jack, and he'd be one step closer to him. That was all he needed. Just one.
Now that he was ready there was no time to waste. As soon as he got off from work he called Tess and told her how there were some things he needed to do, and how he'd see her after she got off from work. Ever since Jack had visited Tess at the club where she worked Michael's temper had been fluctuating more than usual, but after tonight he hoped things would change.
After tonight he knew things would change.
As he drove towards Pennsylvania in silence, Michael worked things out in his head. What he would do, what he would say. Kyle would be his alibi if he needed it, and he had already asked him to hang out outside of the Paradise Club in case Jack were to return to threaten Tess again. He doubted that Jack was even in the country anymore, but he preferred having Kyle there, anyway. He needed this night to sort things out with Ray, and figure some things out. For that task to be completed successfully he needed to concentrate completely, and as he drove he was able to realize just how easy that was. He was finally going to have an outlet to at least some of the things that he was feeling, and he needed it so much that everything else was suddenly forgotten. A lot of things could happen between now and the end of the night, but for now he didn't care. It was time for him to make a statement, and he was going to make sure that it would be loud and goddamn clear.