Ship-Building

Chapter 1: He's Back

"He's back," Charlie Skinner, the President of the News Division at Atlantis Cable News, said aloud to his computer screen. "It's about time."

"Who is back?" replied his wife, Louise, from the bathroom where she was engaged in her nightly routine.

Despite the inevitable fallout that was sure to be messy, Charlie couldn't help but chuckle at what he had just witnessed thanks to YouTube and a call from News Night's new Executive Producer, Don Keefer. "William Duncan McAvoy. That's who," he answered.

"Will?" Louise peeked her head around the doorframe and looked at her husband. "Where's he been?"

"Chicago. But that's not what I mean. Come here, I'll show you." He patted the spot next to him on the loveseat at the foot of their bed. She joined him and he replayed the video from the roundtable lecture Will had participated in at Northwestern University earlier this evening.

When it was finished, she simply said, "Wow."

"I know."

"I haven't seen him like this since…"

"Exactly," Charlie agreed.

"He's going to crucify himself for losing control."

"Yes, he will." He closed the lid to the laptop and set it on the side table. "The ironic thing is that he didn't lose anything tonight, but just maybe rediscovered everything instead—not that he'll see it that way."

"You'll just have to make him see."

"Hmm…" Already deep in thought, he nodded.

Louise smiled and kissed him on the cheek before standing to head back into their dressing area. "I bet you've already got a plan."

He shook his head. "Not yet… But I will."