Kirk had been trying Taylor's cell phone for the past few minutes, but it seemed it had been turned off.
Grunting to himself, he tried the house phone. No answer there either.
They were probably having band practise or something. What else to try...
He looked up Isaac's cell number and tried that next.
Isaac
Isaac jumped out of his seat. He looked around for a moment, then reached over and picked up his phone.
"Hello?" he asked.
Kirk
"Hey Isaac, how are you?" Kirk greeted.
"Where's Tay? His phone's not on. I tried the house phone but no one picked up..."
Isaac
"Tay's in the music room at the moment. He probably couldn't hear the phone," Isaac replied. "And uhh, I'm in my room. I was concentrating on something, so I probably didn't hear the home phone either. Did you hear what happened?"
Kirk
Kirk hesitated with a thoughtful frown.
"In regards to what, exactly?"
Isaac
"Taylor's been placed under house arrest," Isaac replied. "We got dobbed into Wayne, courtesy of Tad, because of Christian visiting and stuff. Zac and I just got off with a fine for aiding and abetting, but Taylor's in worse trouble because it would seem he knows more about it than we do, and he wouldn't tell. So yeah, house arrest."
Kirk
Kirk hesitated as it sunk in.
"I'll let Chris know next time he comes in," he assured.
"Is this the heavily monitored-type house arrest? Meaning I should be glad you were the one to pick up the phone?"
Isaac
"They're keeping an eye on who comes and goes," Isaac replied, "the home line, and Taylor's cell are tapped. Oh, and our internet usage is being monitored too. And yes, I think you should be glad that no one answered on the other lines - my phone hasn't been tapped. I think the monitoring situation is light at the moment, but Wayne said how heavy it gets depends on how well Taylor complies with the rules. Guess that means if they catch him trying to sneak out they'll up the security."
Kirk
"I see..." Kirk murmured.
He was silent for a moment.
"I guess from now on I'll call you if we need to contact you guys for anything. I'll definitely let Chris know. Is Taylor ok?"
Isaac
"Hmm, well he doesn't really like to talk about it. I think he's taking it harder than he's letting on though," Isaac replied.
Kirk & Christian
"I wouldn't be surprised," Kirk admitted, hearing a nearby door open suddenly.
He looked up to see Christian making his way toward him.
"Oh look who the cat dragged in. Ah... Isaac? Chris is here. Anything you or Taylor need to tell him apart from the obvious?"
Isaac
"Umm..." Isaac racked his brain for a moment, trying to think. "Tad isn't living with us any more. They have him posted elsewhere in Tulsa, and he's on standby in case of emergency. Umm, other than that, I can't think of anything."
Kirk & Christian
"Who's on the phone?" Christian asked when he realised Kirk was beckoning to him.
"Isaac," Kirk replied, before Christian's eyes widened, "the YIRAAS have Taylor under house arrest."
Christian immediately frowned.
"Why?" he almost scorned.
"Because he refused to tell them information about you."
"Let me talk to them," Christian shook his head, snatching the head set from Kirk and attaching it to his own head.
"Isaac? So what's happening? No ocntact or anything, right?"
Isaac
"Yeah," Isaac replied. "They're monitoring arrivals and departures, and they have our home phone, Taylor's cell and our internet monitored. Oh, and Tay can't have like, contact with the media or leave or anything. Well, except for authorised excursions, like his monthly treatments with Tanya - he's getting an escort for those."
Christian
Christian sighed, his eyes to the ceiling.
"Anything else I should know about getting onto the station?"
Then he hesitated.
"He knows I'm sorry, right? I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Not to him. Or you for that matter. I would have done away with that asshole if you'd let me."
Isaac
"I'll make sure he knows," Isaac replied. "But ahh, don't take this the wrong way, Chris, but I think that attitude is why they want to bring you in so badly."
Christian
Christian tried to hold back a scowl, but failed.
"My 'attitude' has nothing to do with you, I was simply offering my assistance," he insisted.
"How long are they planning to keep Taylor like that?"
Isaac
"Okay rephrase: how about methods instead of attitude?" Isaac said, making no effort to hide his grin as he knew Christian couldn't see it. "As for how long, well, until you get taken into custody, or Taylor tells them what he knows, or in a favourable review in six months. Whichever comes first."
Christian
"What else would you expect me to do Isaac?" Christian demanded.
"If I reported him you'd be in the same situation you are right now. Maybe even worse."
Isaac
"Zac came up with a rather effective idea," Isaac said. "I had my doubts, and I think Tay did too at first, but he succeeded in humiliating the guy, by feeding him false information about us that he's naturally gone and passed onto Leroy, and subsequently Wayne."
Christian & Taylor
"Wayne?" Christian almost cursed.
"And as effective as that tactic may have been, it doesn't change the situation you're in now."
It was about then that Taylor emerged from the music room to get something to eat. He headed straight for kitchen and began looking through the cupboards.
Isaac
"I sincerely doubt that killing Tad would have helped the matter any - at least not in the long term," Isaac replied.
Isaac got up out of his seat and decided to have a stretch. There were certain advantages to having cordless phones.
"Besides, I've enough blood on my hands, without contributing to the death of someone else, no matter was my personal feelings are towards that person."
Taylor & Christian
"Oh yeah..." Christian began to remember.
Kirk walked away figuring he'd be there a while.
"You did mention something to that effect when we had that minor... altercation in your backyard."
Isaac
"Indeed," Isaac replied.
All this talking was making him thirsty, so Isaac decided to wander to the kitchen and geta drink.
"It's not something I really like to talk about."
Taylor & Christian
"What isn't?" Taylor asked, before looking up and seeing his brother on the phone.
He chuckled to himself before going on with what he was doing.
"Understandably for someone of your nature," Christian began to feel a little uneasy, "so do they actually have the house bugged or anything? Or is it just the phone lines?"
Isaac
"Just the phone lines," Isaac said. "I guess they're not really interested in what we're saying, just who we're saying it to. Ahh... if only they new..."
Isaac waved to Taylor before pulling a glass out for himself.
"Taylor's here are the moment, actually... did you want to talk to him?"
Christian & Taylor
Taylor looked up curiously at that.
"Well at least we can contact you if the need arises," Christian pointed out.
"And sure, if there's no problem. No one looking through windows or anything..."
Isaac
Isaac chuckled.
"It hasn't reached that stage. The info Wayne gave Taylor was pretty clear on what security there is now - and what may happen if Taylor tries to break the rules. Just a sec, I'll put you on."
He looked up at Taylor, and held the phone out to him.
"Chris," was all he said by way of explanation.
Taylor & Christian
Taylor's eyes widened before he snatched the phone away.
"You know, it hasn't got to the point where I want to strangle you yet, but I'm getting damn close to it and it's only been a few days. So anytime now..."
Christian chuckled.
"I'm sorry, ok? You know I never meant for any of this to happen."
"Well it was bound to happen sooner or later."
"Any word on Tanya?" Christian asked.
"I don't know... if they've restricted her in any way... if that's what you're asking," Taylor tried to think, "I haven't seen her in a long time and the last I heard was that Wayne called her to find out why Tad was staying with us."
"Did she tell him?"
"Not to my knowledge," Taylor shrugged.
"Are you ok?"
Taylor hesitated, caught off guard.
"The silence isn't very reassuring..."
"What do you think?" Taylor frowned, "the whole problem with Tanya started because she didn't want me confined. Now that I am, who knows what the hell will happen?"
"I don't know what else to say," Christian shook his head, "there's nothing I can do."
"No, there is something," Taylor insisted with a scowl, "but you can't do it. And even I know why. Just... If this is going to go on for as long as I've been told, you'd better make it worth my while."
"Or else?"
"Exactly."
Silence fell between them for a moment.
"Put Isaac back on," Christian sighed, "I'll... We'll try and figure out technicalities."
"See you," Taylor murmured, before holding the phone out to Isaac and grabbing his food with the other hand.
Isaac
Isaac, who had been a little startled at Taylor's abrupt way of taking his phone, went about finishing getting his drinking, and subsequencyly, drinking it. As you do with drinks.
He had just finished it when Taylor handed the phone back.
"Hello," he said.
Christian
"Hey," Christian scratched his head with a sigh.
"Look, I'll try and sort out a way for you to communicate with Steel when you need to. He's obviously got your number so he'll call you I guess. Look after him, ok?"
Isaac
"That is the not so diabolical evil plan," Isaac agreed. "And I'm sure you will without me saying this, but you take care of yourself okay?"
Christian
Christian hesitated, then nodded to himself.
"Yeah," he insisted, "especially now that I'm being blackmailed into it. Bye Isaac."
He hung up, then went to hunt down Steel.
Isaac
Isaac hit the hang up button thoughtfully. Yes, he supposed it was.