Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2015 04:17:54 +0800 From: Ben Chen Subject: Covert Forces - Chapter 4 Disclaimer: This is purely a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real-life events or people is entirely coincidental. Please do not copy or distribute this story without the author's prior consent. If you have anything against gay men with powers, sexual content, violence, gore, or swearing, then this story won't be for you. A/N: Well, this is pretty long it seems - double the length of my last chapter! I considered splitting this into 2 separate chapters, but I just felt like this would work better as a singular piece instead. Let's see. Covert Forces Chapter 4 - set to Destiny by Zero 7 feat. Sia & Sophie Barker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INn1C6ImJKg The sky was almost dark at their vantage point, but right in front of them was the orange glow of a modern city, with jagged skyscrapers rising from miles of sand, in contrast to the traditional looking blocks that were more prevalent. It was something Vic had seen before in a picture or photo, although he couldn't place where exactly. Not that it mattered, because he was observing this scene with Alex, their hands held tightly while 2 other gay couples and a few other individuals who felt like close friends stood in front of them with similar intimacy. 1 or 2 of the silhouettes looked especially familiar, but the whole setting felt foreign otherwise. Despite nightfall, the winds were still stifling hot, fine particles stirring in the air and being mildly irritating. The dust refracted light from the skyline, an unsettling filter that lightly fuzzed the sky. "Are you sure we should do this in Riyadh?" Alex turned to him with a frown. Of course! The Kingdom Centre with its familiar arched shape dwarfed its surroundings, a bodacious monument to modernity in the heart of this staunchly conservative city and country. Vic noted that Alex looked different. It wasn't just his combat outfit, which involved layering civilian clothes to protect their cover over extensive Kevlar protection - not the best idea in a desert setting. He was still as handsome and compassionate as ever, but there was an added gravitas to the way he carried himself, borne from countless battles and decisions. He felt the unspoken connection between them, a rich history of shared experiences that only strengthened their love for each other. "Well, they have to let us," he heard his dream self speak, insouciant but also more confident than he'd ever felt. "This team of gay men and heathen women did just save their Kingdom's arses, even if they don't know it." "True," Alex sighed, "But it makes me uncomfortable. I know we did the right thing, though it's hard to stomach the idea that next Friday, there'll be more folks' getting their heads chopped off at Deera Square. Some of who are there just because they're gay, like you and I." "It makes me mad too." Vic's tone was sad and angry as well, and there was an edge to his voice. "But for now, we don't have the abilities to just reshape the world wholesale. And within the limits of what we can achieve, all we can do is create a power vacuum. You've seen the power struggles in this country for yourself..." "I get that, Vic. Without a structured transition plan, this place would just collapse into chaos. And that's exactly like what our enemies do. I just think about the tradeoffs that we make sometimes, and it burns me up that we couldn't do better." Alex's fingers played with Vic's as he considered their predicament wistfully. "Just remember what you've always told me, Alex," Vic was now looking at Alex with understanding, his attention fully on his partner. "It's not only a physical war we're fighting, it's psychological too. We can't expect to take to the skies, when we're barely able to walk. Right now, we still have leverage. The others out there, they don't even know if we really exist. The 6 of us Empowered, the rest of the Squad... And we're getting better every day. We'll make sure it counts when we strike." "You're right," Alex flashed a mischievous grin. "Screw these Wahhabists. They won't know we're doing this, anyway." His face moved closer to Vic's, scrutinising the sexy Brit with a suggestive look, and leaned in for a- With the ringing of his bedside alarm, Vic jumped awake from deep sleep, his dream rudely interrupted. "God," he thought grumpily, "Another of these?" He sighed as his head started to clear from early morning dizziness, and he remembered that he was back in his London bed. Alone and without a gorgeous boyfriend next to him, of course. Instead, here he was in a regular sized bed, haphazardly decorated room and counting down the days until he became jobless. Well, to his family and friends, it was a job transfer to New York since he'd done well in a management associate interview. He had been having these infrequent dreams for a while now. Thankfully, there wasn't anything too ominous yet, just a lot of talking and a lot of Alex. These dreams took place all over the world - Boston, Nuevo Laredo, Jakarta and now Riyadh - and most of the time, there was talk of the Squad and 6 Empowered. This was definitely a reference to the Covert Squad that Vulcan led, but 6 Empowered? It had been a month since Vic returned to London, slowly preparing for his move to New York, and there'd been no new cases so far. Shrugging, he retrieved the journal that Alex had given him, preparing to record yet another entry. 'The setting: Riyadh at night, overlooking the skyline. Alex, at least 2 other gay couples and miscellaneous Squad members spotted. Team had just accomplished a mission preventing instability to current politics, dressed in combat disguise of business clothes. Conversation with Alex, dialogue approximately as follows...'' It was strange. It was quite clear that his ability focused on manipulating probabilities: changing the odds of occurrences in his favour. And yet, this didn't explain the dreams he was getting after his Awakening. Nothing in the timeline so far suggested that these dreams might be predictive, yet each instance felt like an actual occurrence. As Vulcan had pointed out, though, there was much to still explore about his limits. Maybe it was something that would make sense later. When he was done writing, he leafed through the other pages of the journal, recounting his past entries. Beside his dreams, Vic had also taken to recording other instances when he had used or trained his powers, including his first activations of it. He'd been subtly practicing it to some effect, usually in his day-to-day life. It could've all been recorded electronically, but Vic had decided he wasn't going to risk his record logs being hacked into. As old-fashioned as it sounded, he'd at least be able to make sure his journal went everywhere with him. After putting down his journal, he scrolled through his phone, checking for any new messages. There were a couple from friends asking to hang out, but nothing from Alex, to his surprise and disappointment. It was unusual behaviour, since the American had the habit of dropping him a WhatsApp message by this point, wishing him a good morning and talking about how he was going to fall asleep dreaming of Vic. He scrolled through Alex's messages and frowned: the other man was last seen hours ago. Maybe he just happened to have a particularly busy day. Alex had told Vic he wasn't much of a social media mogul, but he'd been sending photos of him heading around town trying out different activities. 'Just something to tantalise you with, so you get your ass here faster,' he claimed. From mystery rooms to art exhibitions and ethnic eateries, Alex was gouging on the range of experiences New York had to offer, documenting his adventures with an endearing enthusiasm. He clearly enjoyed making various faces in his snapshots: dorky, ponderous, modelesque - through these photos and their conversations, life without each other didn't suck as much. It reminded Vic of that wonderful week he'd spent with Alex, and how he couldn't wait to revisit those experiences for good. He reciprocated by sending photos of his daily life in London, which seemed to excite Alex a lot. One day, he would have to take his lovely lad on a trip over here. There was the occasional bump or two, of course. Alex had gotten a bit passive aggressive again after Vic jokingly called him an arsehole, and Vic was reminded that his polite lover didn't care much for names, no matter how endearingly it had been intended. Alex did however relent after Vic explained and apologised, and said that he was working on taking the name-calling less personally. On the flip side, Vic had also felt offended once, when Alex made a throwaway remark about missing Vic and his 'magnificent black cock'. He'd been a bit tetchy about how objectifying it sounded, which Alex quickly picked up upon and apologised profusely for. But Vic did feel very guilty, knowing that Alex meant no ill will at all, and jokingly replied that it was all good as long as he could wax lyrical about Alex's juicy white butt. That seemed to settle things, and from then on they were more comfortable referencing the contrasts in their ethnicities. They agreed that they loved each other for far more than superficial attributes, although the interracial component was a nice touch as well. As he thought about that little exchange, Vic almost choked when he scrolled past a clip Alex sent earlier. "Oh, shite!" It was one of three clips which dominated his jerkoff sessions for the past week or so. He recalled his conversation with Alex, on their last night together. Back in Alex's cosy and otherwise neat room, their clothes were strewn all over and they had just came in each others' mouths again. This time, Alex was spooning him, and Vic was admiring the beautiful contrast of their skin tones, enjoying those firm yet loving touches Alex gave. Alex was resting his head against Vic's, whispering into his ear. "Thanks, Vic. This is god darned wonderful. You're wonderful." "No, thank you," Vic turned, and now looked at those beautiful sapphire-tinted eyes he'd fallen for. "I'm lucky to have someone so fantastic in my life." They kissed gently, imbuing a tender love into the smooch, tinged with a mild sorrow that they would not see each other for another month. You know, we've done a lot together and it's been fun," Alex wondered, "but I was thinking maybe we could take things to the next level. What do you think of butt fucking?" Vic was slightly taken aback by how direct Alex was, but it was true that they hadn't talked about that deed yet. "Well, I'd love to, mate. Though there might be a few complications..." Alex's eyes were sparkling now. "Do tell!" "I've only topped before," Vic confessed. "For me, I'd only bottom for a man that I'm comfortable submitting myself to. And I would for you, stud, but I kind of have zero experience with it." "We're in the same boat, then," Alex smiled. "You're the first person I've met that I trust with this. How about this? Let's get prepared so our first time isn't so damn awkward. We can spend the month away to, shall we say, learn the tricks of the trade." So they promised to get tested and do a bit of prep work. That appeared to be the end of it, except a fortnight later when Vic woke up and opened a video Alex had recorded. "Hi sweetheart," the gorgeous blonde stud drawled into his phone's camera, which was perched on his bedside desk. "I wanted to show you what I've been working on. I hope you've been doing the same too." He was stroking a very erect cock towards the camera with his left hand, while tweaking his nipples with his right hand. He continued for a little while, seemingly lost in his sensations, before he stopped and winked. "OK, playtime's over. I know you want to see this." He turned his back against the camera, thrusting his splendid ass into view. Vic hadn't seen much booty on the few white dudes he fancied, firm as their cheeks might be, but Alex had magical glutes by any standard. His butt was seriously larger than any other guy he'd met, with just the right balance of soft tactility and shapely definition. It was nice to touch, but this was layered over rock solid muscles that became apparent when scrunched hard. When Alex spread his cheeks open to reveal the light fur running along his crack and around his tight pink hole, Vic nearly came on the spot. Vic sent a strongly-worded message in reply, along with a picture of his hard cock. The next day, this earned him a second clip where Alex was now lying with his legs spread, asshole and balls directly facing the camera. He rubbed his lube-coated fingers against his hole, moaning lightly as they tickled his entrance. Then, he inserted a finger into himself, gasping as the finger entered him. His groaning and facial expressions were pure lust, that intensified when the second finger entered his clamping ass, and he began to finger fuck himself faster and faster. This time, Vic's response was to send a heavily erotic piece that he'd typed out on the spot, detailing how much he wanted to taste and fuck that sweet hole, and set every inch of Alex's body alight. Of course, a third clip was sent. In this one, Alex cooed about how much Vic's writing turned him on. "I wish this was you, baby, but it'll have to do," he murmured while waving a lube-covered 8-inch dildo at the camera. Again with his legs facing the camera, he slowly breached himself with the toy, rock hard and moaning like a whore. He got it in halfway, his tight ass clearly still giving a bit of trouble, before he started moving the toy in and out to loosen himself further. With each stroke, he was staring with wide, pleading eyes, clearly greedy for his ass to take in more. It was right before the time limit that he finally got the whole thing inside of him. "Well, now you know I'm ready for you," he panted with a mischievous grin, ending the video with dildo still firmly lodged in ass. Vic couldn't help himself, and he'd rewatched all 3 clips again. Now, his morning wood had intensified to a full-on imminent eruption, leaking generous doses of precum in his shorts. He was about to rewatch the dildo clip when his doorbell rang, causing him to groan in frustration. "Who the hell could it be at this time?" he thought irritatedly. His parents were away visiting friends in Manchester, and would've only returned home around noon, while none of his friends were foolish enough to wake him on a Saturday morning. "Coming!" he yelled to whoever was downstairs, slowly dragging his feet to the door. He swung open the door with a frown on his face, which quickly dissipated when a familiar face stood in front of him. It was a handsome blonde hunk dressed in a simple yet classic T-shirt and jeans combo, toting a backpack along with a small luggage. "Mornin'", Alex grinned. "I was hoping you'd be home." *** Unbeknownst to both Vic and Alex, a woman was seated in an unassuming grey Vauxhall, observing their interaction while pretending to read a copy of the Sun. She dressed herself in a workout top and running pants, with makeup done to exaggerated her age instead of hiding it. However, her curly, platinum blonde hair looked undeniably exquisite. It was the only hint that she might not be from around these parts. If this was a more discreet mission, she'd have gone for a wig, but there wasn't a need to be particularly careful here. Cygnus had been here on and off for the past couple of days, in different cars and some variations in her getup. It wasn't like she didn't have important things to attend to, but this - she thought this was critical. Of course she trusted Vulcan's judgment, but she just had to observe the first Empowereds for herself. So far, she was convinced that the Group was finally about to secure a significant advantage, after the tide seemed against them. Both Empowereds, the first to have revealed themselves in the 21st century, seem poised to do good with their abilities. It helped that even before their Awakenings, they were already on the Group's recruitment shortlist, although ultimately cut because they were deemed to be 'not ready'. Victor Balogun, for all intents and purposes, was an above-average performer in most respects, but what stood out to her was his personality. He was the sort of man who would become the centre of any group through his sheer charisma, but more importantly, he was as driven by passion as he was by rationality. Throughout his student life, he had always been a councillor or leader of some sort. He was also an outspoken advocate for civil rights and did a fair bit of volunteering. From the way he carried himself in his daily life, Cygnus could see how his natural confidence and humourous manner drew people towards him, even if there was more to him beyond an outgoing personality. On the other hand, despite whatever beliefs he may have held, Alex Langley was always a thoughtful and kind soul. He was consistently one of the most popular kids wherever he went, a Homecoming King and star football player who could easily fit into any elite clique. However, in addition to his intellectual prowess constantly being underappreciated, he always preferred to take on a mediating role in groups. This understanding came through in his enthusiasm about the world, and how he approached things with a realistic but open-minded manner. Despite having already observed him here and there, while he was back in New York, she wasn't completely surprised to see Alex show up in London. One thing she quickly realised was that in spite of his apparent straight-lacedness, he had a spontaneous and unpredictable side that was quickly being unleashed. She watched the interaction between the two men, the faintest of smiles forming on her lips. She generally had a good read on people, and she knew that this was one couple who had great potential together, based on their easy rapport and complementary personalities. She reached for her phone as the men entered Vic's home and activated a number on speed dial. "Hello," Vulcan spoke when he picked up. "3am is always a good time to receive your calls." "I do know your habits." "Of course. How's London? I suppose you're busy spying on our new Empowereds. Is Langley there?" "Well, seems like this other case is wrapping up, so I might as well drop by. Anyway, Alex is here, just like you said. Good work." "Thanks." Vulcan's voice was tinged with the slightest sense of pride. "I figured it out once he said he'd be off for a week before joining us, and Hound tracked him to JFK. I've given London the heads-up, too." "Try not to overdo it," Cygnus cautioned. "The last thing you want is to make them paranoid." "Don't worry," Vulcan reassured her, "I'm sure they already know they're being tracked. But we'll be careful, of course. We're not the best Covert Squad for nothing." "I know you're covering your tracks well," Cygnus sighed, her voice collected and polished. "But the fact is, if they find out about this, you'll have done nothing to earn their trust." "I won't fail," came the slightly strained reply. "I'll make sure I won't." "I know you won't." Cygnus paused. "Listen, Krish-" "Don't call me that," Vulcan was terse at the use of his real name. "This conversation is strictly business." "OK, I won't." Cygnus struggled for a bit to hold her tongue. "Listen - Vulcan - you're brilliant. One of the best operatives we've ever had, and nothing short of professional. But this is a different ball game. This is beyond the Group's usual scope; it's larger than us all. Remember that when you're dealing with Victor and Alex. They are not just part of the Group - the Group will come to serve them. And when we talk about beings more powerful than the average man, your relationship with them goes beyond 'professional'." Vulcan was quiet for a few seconds. "Power changes people," he retorted, in the most dispassionate voice he could muster. "And whatever relationship you build, when they grow stronger... The terms change." The irony of that statement was not lost on Cygnus, but she let it pass. "Not if they are grounded in their humanity. Consider this: What do we do all this for? It's in service of mankind, the compassionate and personal aspects of it. Without the human connection, the Empowered will never use their powers for the good of the many. I can see it already - the love between Victor and Alex, it can be a powerful force that grounds them, but they will need more anchors to this world. Think of it not as another mission; reach into your heart, please, and forge that genuine bond with them. You've seen their profiles, and these are good men. We need to help them stay on that track." "I'll work on it." That was Vulcan-speak for 'fat chance'. "At least he attempted to be polite," Cygnus thought wearily. "Thank you," she replied in a neutral tone. "Alright, I have to go. You really should be going to bed soon, too." "I'll live, don't worry about me. Have a good day." Vulcan appeared to be uninterested in further conversation. "You too. We'll talk again." Cygnus ended the call with a tired sigh. Somehow, she found herself a lot more worried about Vulcan than Vic or Alex. *** Alex was expecting Vic to be shocked, but he did not anticipate being caught in a smothering bear hug. "You prick!" Vic hissed playfully, still somewhere in between disbelief and elation. "No wonder you didn't message me!" It felt nice to be surrounded by Vic's warm muscles, including a very obvious hardon pressing against his crotch. "You'll have to forgive me, mister," grinned Alex impudently. "It's hard to text when you're on a plane. Anyway, I missed you a lot and wanted to visit London, so why not do both at once?" "Come here," Vic whispered, placing his hands on Alex's jaw and giving him a gentle kiss. They enjoyed that long-missed sensation of each others' lips locking, a short but important reminder of their relationship. Vic quickly pulled Alex in with his luggage and shut the door. "Mate," he murmured lustily, rubbing his hands all over Alex's pecs and biceps, "You came at the right fucking time. You know all those videos you sent me? It's given me a problem that needs solving." "I can feel it," Alex panted in between heavy kisses, as the scene rapidly escalated in eroticism. "And I have that exact problem too." "Let's go do something about it, then." Vic grabbed Alex's arm and almost pulled his boyfriend up the narrow flight of stairs, and straight into his room. "Wow, this looks neat," Alex exclaimed when he saw Vic's room. The aesthetic wasn't his usual cup of tea, but he liked it a lot nevertheless. It was chaotic-looking but not actually untidy, and it was a pastiche of the things that Vic enjoyed, from grindhouse flick posters to banners of electronic musicians and a collection of superhero figurines. Vic turned the attention back towards him, by quickly undoing Alex's jeans. "The focus here isn't the room, love." He placed his right hand over Alex's bulging penis, which leaked so much that his Armani briefs were damp. Alex moaned as Vic caressed his dick gently, the softness of his touch agonisingly stoking his desires. "It's been 3 weeks too long since we've last done this, babe, but I'm so thankful for you being here. I cant thank you enough for joining me here, so consider what happens next my present to you. I will warn you though, I want us to take as much time as we have with this." He released Alex's cock and pushed the blonde onto his bed, running has hands along his lover's chiselled body as he stripped the clothing off, piece by piece. Alex's soft skin and light layer of body hair made the whole experience very sensual for both men. Alex attempted to take some garments off himself, but was quickly slapped on his hands by Vic. "Nope. You're not going to do anything. Just lie back and relax." Alex so desperately wanted to touch his handsome lover, but he decided to comply with Vic's wishes. He figured it was a form of roleplay that Vic wanted, and there would be more time in the future for a reciprocative arrangement. He enjoyed the warmth of the mattress in the meantime, inhaling Vic's light scent like it was a drug. When he'd gotten Alex's clothes off, Vic started to undress himself, making sure to give Alex a good show. He pulled off his wifebeater, its fabric stretched thin over his torso, rolling it up slowly to unveil his abs. He also slid his shorts and then his briefs with his back towards Alex, increasingly revealing his round, muscled ass to his boyfriend. It was slightly smaller than Alex's, which still meant its contours were very obvious from his side and back profiles. The way Vic's glutes flexed when he shed his briefs had Alex thinking of how it'd look like with his dick stuck into it. With both of them completely naked, Vic kneeled on the mattress, around Alex's legs, and gently lapped at the erect pink monster in his face. It was an agonising process for Alex, as he enjoyed Vic's talented mouth servicing his cock and balls with his hands stroking him in all sorts of places, while waiting patiently for further things to come. He had to warn Vic on at least 2 separate occasions that even the light blow job was going to make him spooge, before his lover would pull off briefly and instead reward him with some gentle kissing. "OK then," Vic whispered when Alex felt his balls tingle yet again. "I'll give you time to cool down, stud, because I want us to fuck nice and long." Alex figured that Vic was going to pop his cherry, when the African stud gestured for them to switch positions. With Alex now on top of him, Vic raised his muscular legs and spread himself, exposing his tight brown asshole. He grabbed a bottle of lube from his bedside desk and tossed it to Alex. "As I said, babe, I want to give myself to you. You're not the only one who's been practising, you know. Take me on my bed and fill me with your cum." Alex was stunned for a moment. Admittedly, he still had some cultural hangups, and totally expected that he would be taking it up the ass when he knocked on Vic's door. But there Vic was, lying flat in a vulnerable position, compelling Alex to make love to him. "If that's what you want, Vic," he rasped, still not believing that this fine masculine specimen would submit so willingly to him. "It's definitely what I want, Alex," Vic smiled. "My body is all yours." His hands shaking with a sudden onset of nerves, Alex poured the slick lube on his fingers and breached Vic with his index finger. The sensations of the cold gel and invading finger made Vic yelp, intensifying the need for that white cock in his arse. For Alex, even feeling Vic's muscle butt around his finger was making him dangerously hard. He elicited further cries as he wiggled his finger gently in Vic's ass, with a particularly sharp inhalation noise when he felt the familiar bump of a prostate. He slowly worked 2, then 3 fingers into Vic, with Vic's eyes greedily pleading for more. He varied the movement and speed of his fingers, sometimes scissoring them and sometimes just leaving them in the same spot, while stroking Vic's rock-hard weapon and pulling playfully at his foreskin. When he was finally satisfied that Vic had loosened up a little, he withdrew his fingers and liberally coated his cock with the lube. Their test results had come up negative, and a decision was previously reached to forego condoms. "Relax and just be ready, Vic," Alex whispered into Vic's ear while licking it. "I'm going in." For once, Vic said nothing, his hole consumed with need after a satisfying but inadequate light tease. The tip of Alex's dick was positioned against Vic's trembling ass, and he felt heat and lube leak out as the opening quivered. Gently gripping Vic's body, he pushed in as gently as possible. Vic's body arched up as he groaned; weeks of fingering could hardly prepare him for this sensation. "You okay, baby?" Alex cooed, gently kissing Vic to soothe his lover. "Yeah, just give me a second alright?" Vic gasped. "It hurt a little, but it's that feeling of having something stuffed up my arse that's weird. It's like you stuck a lead pipe inside." "Just try and relax a little, ok?" Since it was Alex's first bareback experience, he was overwhelmed by the difference in heat and sensitivity he felt. "Your ass is amazing and tight, Vic, but it'll be easier to let me in if you open up." "We can stay like this for a minute," Vic suggested. So that's what they did, taking their time to get used to the feelings while making out, enjoying the intimacy of the moment. When he sense that Vic's ass had further eased, he slowly pushed his dick in further, this time encountering less resistance. "Come on in deeper, baby," Vic moaned as he put his hands around Alex's butt to guide him, "Take me fully." Alex's penis then came across Vic's prostate yet again, and there was an intense jolt of pleasure that was enhanced by the other sensations he felt in his guts. After Alex's full length was buried into Vic's powerful ass, he then gradually withdrew it until only the tip was still in, leaving Vic's anus to spasm with want. He then repeated the process over and over again, slowly going in and out of his partner, the sensations that both of them felt a consistent and intense experience. They managed to last for a surprising length of time, but Alex's will was slowly unravelling. Gradually, he sped up his thrusts as Vic became completely comfortable with his ass being filled, both of them grunting and panting as their climaxes built up. With one last stroke across his prostate, Vic's anal canal tightened as he came, and his swollen dick spattered shots of his jizz all over his body and face. His orgasm had a milking effect on Alex's cock as well, which jerked as it pumped cum into his partner's ass. It was the largest loads both men had ever produced in their lives, and an experience they knew they wanted to repeat. Alex slowly withdrew his aching dick from Vic's loosened butt, cheekily gathering some of the cum glistening on his boyfriend's abs before fingering it into Vic, and then using his penis again to make sure the mixture was well stirred. "You arsehole!" Vic whined when he realised what was going on, his faux rage dissipating into a horny groan when Alex stuck his dick back in. Alex continued to fuck Vic slowly until his penis had become too sensitive, pulling out and collapsing his sweaty, exhausted body against Vic's. "Thank you for doing this, bud," Alex whispered, struggling to hold back his tears. "I love you." Vic gave his boyfriend a weak grin. "I'm utterly spent, my ass is sore, and there's lube and cum running down my legs. But the sex was totally worth it, because to me, I was overwhelmed by what I felt for you. I love you too, baby." Alex rolled off Vic and squeezed tightly against his lover; they didn't have much space to work with, since Vic's bed was smaller than Alex's. " I guess we just used the 'l' word, huh?" Vic nodded, caressing Alex's arms and settling into the blonde's warm fuzz. "Let's be real, we're getting to the point where we can't just run away from this. Whatever happens, we can make it work." *** The duo exchanged a light peck before dozing off for a bit; when they woke up again, they stayed in bed for a while more to cuddle before changing the sheets and getting cleaned up. Unfortunately, the shower was small, so they had to take turns cleaning up. Vic texted his parents to ask if they could have a guest stay over, which they readily agreed to. "Thank god I won't have to pay for a hotel room here," Alex sighed in relief. "The prices are just awful." Vic decided to start things slow by bringing Alex around his neighbourhood of Peckham. "This is quite multicultural," Alex observed as they tucked into some classic banh mi for brunch. "There's an Albanian grocer in one corner, a Pakistani takeaway next to it and then a whole bunch of your usual hipster cafes and pubs. This might sound a bit Americentric, but it reminds me a bit of NYC." "New York and London are some of the most diverse places in the world," Vic pointed out. "With English being a global language and the US and UK being powerful economies, the geopolitical tilt is pretty strongly in their favour. Are you enjoying the food, by the way?" "Aw, man. This is heaven." Alex's face wore an expression of sheer bliss. "The pickles and the crunchy baguette are great, but the pork slices are simply to die for. It just melts in your mouth." "Glad you like it," Vic grinned. "It's my favourite Vietnamese place in this part of town." After a bit more exploring, they then headed into the city proper to check off some of the big-name sights. Vic noticed how Alex appeared to be completely immersed in the city's historical sights: while New York had quite an impressive collection of heritage buildings, it had nothing on London in terms of variety and antiquity. Of course, London was very much a modern city, so all this tradition was interspersed with modern architecture and services. Vic told Alex all about what he knew of the city, including some personal anecdotes about his experiences. For Alex, though, seeing the Palace of Westminster or 10 Downing Street was only part of the attraction: Vic's company was as good a reason to visit London as any. It reminded him of the good times that they had over their week in New York. At his parents' insistence, Vic brought Alex home for dinner, where they had whipped up a mix of Nigerian and Jamaican specialties. His father had grilled some beef skewers with a peanut, chilli and onion marinade, while his mother prepared some callaloo and some Jamaican-style rice and peas. Alex had been anxious about meeting the 'in-laws', but Vic assured him he had nothing to worry about. He was correct as Alex was an instant hit with the Baloguns; it helped that Alex was playing up his innocent country-boy charms as well. Vic introduced Alex as a 'good friend' from the States; he was sure his parents knew otherwise, but they said nothing about it over the meal, which was mostly filled with the usual pleasantries where everyone was getting to know each other. When Hope Balogun called Vic into the kitchen to help with the dishes after dinner, Vic and Alex instinctively knew what sort of parental tactic was about to go down. Still, it would be rude to decline, so Vic meekly followed his mother's command while Alex was stuck in the living room. Vic shot Alex a sympathetic look as he headed into the kitchen, to which Alex just grinned nervously. "Alex seems like a very nice boy," Hope remarked as she cleared grease from the plates. "He is, Mom," Vic replied as casually as he could while soaping the cutlery, "He's been a great friend." He decided to remain silent as far as possible, letting his mother steer the topic before reacting accordingly. "Is he the reason why you're moving to New York?" "Well, that was direct," Vic thought. "Mom," he explained, "I'm moving to New York for work, although having good friends to help you settle down is always a plus." "Son, you can be honest with us. It's obvious to anyone how in love the two of you are, and if that is one of the reasons why you're moving, why not?" "Mom!" Vic pleaded. "I don't want you to think that I'm running away from London. Yes, Alex and I are a couple. But this move is much more than that. And I still love everyone here. My family, my friends..." "I trust you, my boy," Hope's face was soft with compassion, radiant despite her age. "You have done your father and I proud. I could not have asked for a better son, and all I request is that you continue to be yourself, and do your best." "Of course I will, Mom. Thank you." Vic was sniffling a bit as he gripped Hope in a tight hug. She marvelled at how her son had matured to be such a fine young man, and how she felt reassured in his strong arms. "By the way," she added, "I think Alex is a keeper. He has the Hope Balogun stamp of approval." "I'm glad you can see what I do in him too!" Vic laughed. "He's so easy to love." Back in the living room, Kunle Balogun indulged in some casual chatter with Alex about Strictly Come Dancing, which was airing on the TV, before going in for the kill during the ad break. "Alex, I appreciate all you've done for my son." "Thanks, sir. I really didn't do much," Alex protested meekly. "Except that hot ass of his," he thought to himself, his boner rapidly growing as he recalled the morning's events. "Now, now! Firstly, young man, there's no need for formalities. Kunle will do." "Right, Kunle," Alex blushed. "Sorry about that." "Very good!" Kunle beamed. "Secondly, this is not the time to be modest. Victor has always been a cheerful boy, but there is an extra joie de vivre ever since he's returned from New York. I would guess there is more to it than his transfer." "Well, I think you are right. Alex and I have become very good friends in this short time." Alex wondered if it was Kunle's intention to have him squirming in his seat, because he was very successful on that front. "It's rare to find someone that you click with so well, but Vic has definitely been that." The older man turned to face Alex, and it was clear where Vic had inherited his brilliant smile. "I am glad that you find Victor to be a good friend of yours, and he has someone he depends on to help him with his move. May I ask you for a favour, Alex?" "Of course." Alex still wasn't sure where this conversation was headed. "Please promise this old man that you will take good care of my son. Victor can be independent and headstrong, but at the end of the day, even the most individualistic of us need people we can lean on. I think Victor already sees you as one such person, so I hope you can help him find his footing, in a foreign land where he has few resources or contacts." Alex could sense the further subtext behind Kunle's speech, but he decided to leave it unmentioned. "I will, Kunle. Victor has been nothing but a fantastic friend, and the least I can do is return his kindness." "Very good. Thank you, Alex." Kunle offered his hand, and Alex gave it a firm shake. They sat there in companionable silence until Vic and Hope emerged from the kitchen, and then the group sat around chatting while making occassional commentary about the TV programmes. Within the relatively narrow and basic confines of the Baloguns' terrace house, Alex felt more familial warmth than he had ever experienced previously. "You boys should take the guest room," Hope hollered after the men bade her goodnight and were headed for some alleged rest time. "We've got a queen bed in there." "Mom!" Vic groaned in embarrassment. Alex couldn't help but laugh, although he was also blushing profusely. "Just don't be too noisy, Victor. Your mother and I would like to watch the news." Vic rolled his eyes and pushed Alex up the stairs. He did, however, move some of his belongings over to the guest room. "Sorry," he laughed self-deprecatingly, "You must be regretting it now, slumming it in a working-class house with my folks." A look of genuine annoyance appeared on Alex's face. "Don't say that, Vic - this is great. It's really comfortable, and your parents are awesome. That's more than I can say about mine, unfortunately." "Sorry, Alex, I was just teasing you a lil. I'm not sure if it's my place to say this, but if you need any help with your family, I'm always here." "Thank you, babe, although let's not talk about them. I shouldn't even have brought it up, since this moment is all about being here in your house." Alex gave Vic a heavy smooch while he stroked his lover's chest, and they made out for a while before they both became semi-hard. There was still much sexual tension to work out beyond their morning session, and there was no way they wouldn't take advantage of this time together. "Alright, I was thinking," Alex whispered. "I came to your house today ready to get fucked, and it's not fair that you gave yourself up this morning, so I want you to take me in return." A wicked grin appeared on Vic's face. "You sure about that?" "Oh yeah, babe." Alex's eyes were gleaming with want. "You sure looked like you enjoyed it. The only thing I request is that you take me hard. This morning was sentimental, but I want you to fuck me like you need me bad." Alex could feel the shift in Vic's demeanour as he assumed a slightly cockier persona. "Do you need me as much as I need you?" He responded by quickly unzipping Vic's shorts, much to his lover's surprise, and pulling out his hardening dick. He devoured as much as he could with one mouthful, running his tongue against that slippery foreskin and then around the head. Vic panted as Alex slobbered over his penis, using his teeth at times for a little edge, toying playfully with that foreskin by stretching it. After removing his shoes, socks, shorts and briefs, he responded by grabbing Alex's golden hair and fucking his throat roughly. Alex started to gag a little but quickly recovered, retaliating by clinging on with his lips as hard as he could. "God," he thought, "This man is everything!" He was going to try giving Alex the same pleasure in the future, although he could tell from his boyfriend's shorts that even being in the submissive position was a hot enough prospect by itself. When he felt like he was about to blow, Vic roughly shoved Alex off and ordered him to prop himself against the bed's headboard. The blonde thrust his arse out, showing off how good it looked in a pair of tight green shorts Vic had picked. When Alex flexed his powerful ass cheeks, Vic nearly lost it right then. He frenziedly shed Alex of his clothing, leaving the occasional pinch or bite that caused his boyfriend to groan. "You know, when other guys told me to go rough on them, I never did," Vic growled, slapping Alex hard on his ass cheeks and causing the latter to yelp. "But I'll make an exception for you. You know why?" Down came another slap, and another cry. "Those others saw me as a cum pump, but not you. You want all of me, not just my dick, and you want it so badly." He continued his speech after a third slap that left Alex's plump ass looking red. "And I want you too, more than I ever have anyone else, Alex. So despite how rough this fucking will be, our love is at the core of it. You will always be mine." He delivered a final extra hard slap that had Alex yelling in pleasure and pain, which was quickly transformed into whimpers when he immediately dove between those luscious ass cheeks and went straight for Alex's rosebud. "Ungh!" Alex felt like a bitch in heat as Vic's sloppy tongue tried to pry his hole open. The teasing he received barely scratched his itch, instead intensifying a need for Vic's dick in his ass. His penis, which was already hard from servicing Vic, was leaking copious loads of precum which smeared against his abs. Besides the warmth and cleanliness of Alex's opening, Vic was also enjoying the light fuzz along his crevice, and how it brushed against his tongue and bristle. He did his valiant best to eat away, despite his lover's ass threatening to smother him at times, until minutes had passed and his jaw was thoroughly exhausted. Alex was now quivering for more, and Vic obliged by roughly jabbing in two lube-coated fingers. "You want more?" Vic taunted as he moved his fingers in and out of his boyfriend, twisting them with a circular motion, going deep until he reached Alex's prostate. "Oh, come on!" Alex snapped frustratedly. "Put your dick in already!" He was raring to be owned, to be wanted by Vic. Barely stifling his laughter, Vic coated his phallus with a generous amount of lube before positioning himself against Alex's welcome hole. He was taken by surprise once again, when Alex pushed hard against him and greedily took him halfway in. The men cried out together, their bodies overwhelmed; Vic by how powerful and in control Alex's ass was, and Alex by how right it felt to have Vic's monster inside him. As promised, Vic didn't go easy, pistoning in and out of Alex with intensity and speed; Alex, however, was every bit Vic's equal, squeezing his anal muscles and fucking himself against Vic's dick vigorously. Between the two of them, they couldn't help but smile at each other even as they rutted intensely, their rough sex coming from a place of mutual satisfaction instead of mind games. When Vic finally spilled his load with Alex coming as well while sitting on his dick, both of them were spent; Vic's penis was sore from the hardest pounding it had given, while Alex's formerly-virgin ass was now stretched and sloppy. Sweaty and sticky, they just cuddled and slept after the deed was done; all that needed to be said was already expressed in their intimacy. *** They followed a comfortable routine over the next few days: fucking, exploring, training and talking. On Sunday, Vic brought Alex to visit the various markets; his boyfriend then roamed about the city by himself during weekdays, while Vic was burning off his last week at work before heading to New York. Alex would show up during Vic's lunchtime, either with some delicious lunch takeaway that he'd read up about or to drag him to a nice little shop he'd discovered. Vic did love his soon-to-be-former job, but it felt dull without Alex's presence, and knowing that he'd show up during lunch helped get him through the day. The evenings were mostly spent with Vic saying farewell to his close friends, although Alex did carve out some time to treat Vic with a sumptuous steak dinner at Hawksmoor. "This is a good restaurant, if I say so myself," Alex's eyes twinkled as he worked on the lobster in his surf 'n' turf combo. "Happy first month, babe." The events from a month ago now seemed so far away, as the two of them were coming to terms with their unusual destiny. They had feared that the violent incident would haunt them, but it seemed like their coupling helped provide emotional refuge; together, they worked through the issue, while trying to build as much of a normal life as they could for each other. "You know, this is setting high expectations for future monthly celebrations," Vic laughed, sipping his glass of prosecco. "Yeah, I'm not saying we should always eat so fancily," Alex explained while swirling his chunk of lobster in garlic butter. "But I just wanted to mark this special occasion, since it'll be the first time we do this. I'm in love with the idea of a monthly treat, by the way." "Yup, it's just a way to make things a little exciting from time to time. This rib-eye may be amazing, and totally cost a bomb, but what makes all this special is experiencing it with you. I might've wished for us to meet through less, uh, exciting circumstances; but at the same time, it feels like that gave us the extra push to work together." Alex smiled, touched by Vic's eloquence, and raised his glass. "To us." "To us." On the other hand, there wasn't much discussion about their upcoming work with the Group, although they were both prepared. Both of them had visited the London office once or twice to familiarise themselves with the local staff, but their role as operatives didn't begin until next week, so they decided to be a bit selfish and enjoy their last stretches of semi-normal life before training started. They did, however, indulge in some preparation. Besides working out to keep themselves in shape, the men also practised using their abilities from time to time. The goal was to hone some quick uses of their abilities for offensive or defensive purposes, in the way a wizards or fighter would have basic techniques they could casually use. Vic tried to combine his probability manipulation with dart throwing; with some effort, he could hit his target where he wanted. However, he realised it would be easier if he trained his base aiming skills before influencing the throw with his luck. Similarly, Alex was figuring out some useful basic gases he could whip up on the go. He also considered the safe concentrations for each type of gas that he could create, and then worked on being able to recall the gases' atomic structure off-hand. It was on Thursday night, just a day before the boys would return to New York, that Vic finally had the chance to meet with Becks and Tim. Rebecca Hunt, who was BFFs with Vic since they were 5, made her friend sound downright timid. If Vic was the life of the party, then Becks was a force of nature. Her skin was a rich mocha tone, with a pixie cut dyed bright red and sharp eyes with a most piercing stare. Timothy Oakes, on the other hand, was a down-to-earth but assertive working-class lad who'd known Becks and Vic in primary school. He was also an attractive brunette, although his skin was downright pasty as opposed to Alex's pink hue. Both of them were no-nonsense types and genuinely caring people, who enjoyed a good beer with their football game as much as they went to music festivals or the occasional play. They were also a couple, although this was only after Vic had forced them to admit their mutual feelings. As incompatible as an illustrator and constable might sound together, their life-long relationship was forged with friendship as much as it was with love. While Vic had grown slightly apart from Becks and Tim due to their different working schedules, they still made sure to text each other a lot and keep themselves up to date. In fact, when the news about the gay bar shootup in New York surfaced, some of his friends messaged him to make sure he was alright. Becks, on the other hand, tried to call him repeatedly, and then went into a lengthy conversation where she was equal parts fretful, anxious and reassuring. Such was the extent that she and Tim had his back, going back to days when he would team up with Tim to fight against homophobic bullies, that he felt a twinge of regret about leaving them behind in London. When Vic mentioned that he might bring along a good friend that they would just love, Tim suggested that they too would have a friend they'd invite. This was just so in case Becks, Tim and Vic got too engrossed with their own conversation, then Alex would at least have someone to talk to and not feel awkward. So there they were in Spitalfields, at some hip-looking joint that'd just opened and had a real cheap happy hour. As with Vic's other friends, Becks and Tim gave Alex a very warm welcome, especially Becks who was fanning herself in an exaggerated manner. "You should have auditioned to be Captain America!" she exclaimed. "You've even got a better jaw and arse than Chris Evans." "If you think she's bad now," Tim whispered, "Wait until she gets a few more drinks." The newcomer that Becks and Tim brought along was definitely eye-catching; Vic and Alex exchanged sly gins when they saw him. His skin was naturally a hue of light brown, which emphasised his hazel eyes, solid Roman nose and thick but trimmed stubble nicely. His dark brown hair was straight and cropped short, contributing to the overall intensity of his face. Vic and Alex were tall men, but this guy had a couple of inches on them as well, his frame complemented by muscle mass that was slightly larger than theirs. Combine this with a pink-and-blue wife beater, casual brown shorts and white loafers that accentuated his frame, and there was a man who rivalled the duo with his ability to turn heads. There was a round of introductions at the table, where he introduced himself as Lev. "I don't mean to sound rude or condescending, but that's a pretty unusual name." Alex enquired. "What does it mean?" "Don't worry, I get that question a lot." Lev's voice was husky and solid, and he seemed unperturbed by Alex's query. "I'm actually Cypriot; Greek on my father's side and Turkish on my mother's. I have a Greek surname, Demetriou, so they decided I should have a Turkish given name instead. Lev is short form for Levent, which actually has several different meanings." "Did you know that one of the meanings is 'handsome'?" Tim quipped. "I think that definitely works for him." Lev shrugged and smiled wryly, but remained silent otherwise. It turned out that the group needn't have worried about awkwardness. As the night passed, they naturally fit into a dynamic where even Alex and Lev felt included. Alex clicked very well with Becks and Tim, just like he did with most of Vic's friends, while Lev was more laid back, but had a hilariously blunt way of phrasing things at times. Becks almost brought the house down with her shrieking when Vic formally introduced Alex as his boyfriend. "Oh my god, I knew it! You two look fucking hot together. Don't they, Tim?" "Oh, they do. You could make out and have the whole bars' ovaries explode. Maybe even some dicks too." "It's a shame, since both of you are so eligible." Lev suddenly spoke up again, and everyone was looking at him in surprise. "But congratulations! You two make a great-looking couple." Tim and Becks were gawping at Lev. "You're gay too?" Tim asked incredulously. "Yes, but the subject's never come up, so I didn't talk about it." Lev treated the revelation like it was no big deal. It apparently wasn't to him, anyway. The conversation then reverted to Vic and Alex, and they described how they had met, although a huge chunk of their backstory was cut out. They gradually found out more about Lev through bits and pieces of convo throughout the night. He actually held a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Goldsmiths, but opted instead to join the Metropolitan Police after graduating. After going through a graduate entry programme, he was recently placed in the Tower Hamlets borough where Tim was also located. Although they had only known each other for a short while, Tim and Lev quickly became good friends, and Tim explained that Lev was the sort of guy who went beyond his regular duties, and was concerned about the community as a whole instead of simply arresting troublemakers. "But you know, people try to lay a finger on him because they think he's so nice, and they live to regret it," Becks laughed. "Tim and I have seen Lev at his MMA practice, and it's no joke!" After more mugs of lager were downed by all, and Becks made Alex promise to visit her regularly with Vic, the party finally disbanded amicably sometime close to midnight. Vic still had to do a last bit of packing up before handing over his work and flying off tomorrow, so they agreed on an early break. "Victorrr, darling," Becks slurred tipsily, "We will miss you. Remember us." Vic and Tim's eyes began to moisten; they knew that despite her bravado, Becks would still fret about Vic and miss having him around. It was quite obvious she had drunk more than her usual share. "Sorry folks, I'm going to take a cab home with Becks and make sure she's alright," Tim explained apologetically. Since Vic and Lev now lived on the other side of town, the rest weren't able to hitch a ride, and they waved goodbye to the couple while figuring out how to get back home. Vic suggested they should head through a series of alleyways to the nearest night bus stop. They were sharing more about their lives, with Lev being particularly fascinated about life in the USA, when they heard the faint noises of a scuffle, followed by repeated thuds and the pained groaning of a male. "Do you guys hear that?" Alex whispered in hushed tones. Lev nodded silently, his eyes hardened with intensity, and body posture shifted into an alert stance. Vic moved quickly and quietly towards the source of the noises, with the other men following suit. They were horrified by what they saw: round a street corner, a gang of 8 hoodlums were delivering a savage beatdown to a skinny boy kneeling on the ground, whimpering in fear and pain. 4 of them would hold his limbs in place while the others took it out on him. With each blow to his body he uttered a weak cry, his bleeding face obscured by the dim lighting but clearly distorted with agony. "We have to do something." It was not a plea from Lev's voice, but an insistence. Vic and Alex exchanged knowing glances; they had talked about the possibility of such a scenario before, and now they had to disable the gang with 2 slight obstacles. 1, to make sure everyone would still be alive, and 2, to do it without Lev noticing anything too weird. Given the fledgling nature of their abilities, there was even a slight doubt whether they had enough power and control to succeed. The main hoodlum who was attacking the boy paused, wheezing a little as he caught his breath. "That'll teach you to look at us, faggot," he snarled, his heavy set body shaking with each inhalation. The fear that filled Alex was instantly transformed into a sharp anger, and he could feel the same sentiment in both Vic and Lev. He knew that it didn't matter what the truth was; this lot was simply spoiling for a fight. "Shouldn't we get some back up? Maybe you could call your friends." Vic advised weakly, stalling for time as he scanned the area for any surveillance devices. None, thankfully, otherwise he'd have to cause some unfortunate malfunctions. "It's 8 versus 3. Not good odds." The boy was sobbing softly now, tears streaming freely as he choked. "I didn't... Please... Please let me go." "If we do nothing now, he dies." Lev's jaw was tightly clenched. "I don't know if you can live with that, but I will not. I'll give 999 a ring, but after that we need to act." "I can do that for you, and then we need a plan after that," Vic pointed out. "We have to quickly cut down their numbers. OK, let's surprise them, and give this poor sod a chance to run. Then we concentrate on isolating and disabling them one by one. Let's start with that ugly bugger holding the right hand." "Sounds about right. I can't arrest 8 of these ruffians at once, so we need to subdue as many of them as we have to, and then quickly get out. Let me see if there's anything else we can use." As Lev quickly searched for makeshift weapons in the vicinity, Alex had an idea while Vic pretended to call for the police as an act in front of Lev. "Vic," he gasped, "I'm going to make us a grand entrance. It'll catch them unaware, and give us an opening to act on. Alright?" "Got it." Vic barely had time to agree when Lev returned, handing them a beer bottle each. "We've only got these; go straight for the skull," he offered helpfully. "Not too hard, please, or we might cause long-lasting damage. I'm going to try restraining them unarmed, to avoid permanent injury." "You're a fucking pussy. You don't even have the balls to be honest. Weaklings like you don't even deserve to live." The hoodlum turned to one of his underlings, who was puffing away at a cigarette. "Give me your fag, Mickey. This bitch will get a permanent mark on his slutface." He took the cancer stick away and twirled it in his right hand, a sneer appearing on his face. "Lev, can you cause a distraction?" Alex suggested. "Be prepared to fight back just in case, but we'll try to catch them while they're unaware." "I'll fend off as many as I can." Lev stretched himself to his full height and strode into the gang's sights. It was a vision to behold, the way he towered over everyone else and glowered at the ruffians, flashing his police badge. Panic temporarily overcame the group before they looked smug once again, since the numbers were on their side. Their victim was staring at Lev with eyes wide as saucers, wondering if he was mental. "You're in a lot of trouble, fellows, and I suggest you stop now before anything worse happens." His voice was gravelly and booming with disdain. "Oh, look! A bobby!" the leader taunted, taking a drag from his cigarette and puffing smoke straight into Lev's face. "What are you going to do? Nick all 8 of us?" Alex quickly shifted most of the smoke into oxygen, and Lev was a little surprised that there was no foul odour assaulting his nose. Still, these intimidation tactics from the bully were tired, and he was more irritated than insulted. "I don't want to use force, but I will if I have to." It was a promise that Lev made, rather than a threat. "Let's see you try that." The other members began closing in on Lev; if he was panicking, his face surely didn't show, but they knew that they'd be at a massive disadvantage if they didn't make a move soon. "Get ready, Vic," Alex rasped. This was going to be a challenge. Get the mix of gases just a little off, and things would either not work or work too well. At least this would be a relatively easy set of gasses to pull off. Alex triggered his powers with the snap of a finger, transmuting a concentrated volume of hydrogen around the cancer stick. There was the brief flash of a huge fireball and an ear-ringing pop. The leader stumbled back in surprise and agony, his skin lightly burned by the exploding hydrogen. With everyone's attention briefly focused on the explosion, Vic charged forth and Lev quickly began to act as well. Alex focused hard, clenching his fists as he quickly rearranged the air's elements. The effect was almost instantaneous, with the hooligans inhaling what smelled like a heavy dose of strawberries and chocolate, before nitrous oxide's effects kicked in hard. Alex would've preferred something more potent, but it would be more complicated to conjure, and he was already having to control for its dispersion so he didn't affect Lev or the gang's victim. Besides, there was a fine line in dosages between unconsciousness and death, so screwing with their responses would have to do until he had better control. Both he and Vic were starting to see how superheroing was a tough business. Lev quickly grappled the teenager holding onto their victim's right hand, pinning him hard against the ground, dragging him aside to put some distance from the main group and knocking him out with a blow to his nose. It was an easy task, with the gang stumbling about in a delirious state. Some of the men were clutching their heads and groaning at the induced headache, while others flailed, throwing their arms around like limp noodles. Vic wasn't as skilled as Lev was in physical combat, so he quickly tapped on his probability manipulation powers. There was so much going on, but he homed in on perfecting his swing, taking down another assailant with a single precisely-aimed strike on the head. The next 2 hooligans were quickly dispatched with similar ease as Alex headed into the fray, with Vic further tweaking the odds on the battleground to dodge attacks from the hooligans. 4 down, 4 more to go. The assaulted boy's limbs were now free, and Alex quickly shoved the frightened lad out of the way. "Leave!" Vic yelled. "We can handle this!" He quickly scampered around the corner and disappeared, as fast as he could with injured limbs anyway. This was faster and easier than the trio had expected. It helped that besides 2 of them being superpowered, they were all in excellent physical shape, while the louts' physiques ranged from lean to completely unexercised. With the nitrous oxide causing its victims to lose motor control, it was easy for Vic to have one of the remaining members accidentally punch his friend in the face. He then repeated his lucky beer bottle hit, while Alex pushed the other teen onto the ground with his strong arms. He delivered a lighter blow with his beer bottle just in case, having neither Lev's skill nor Vic's control, but amped up another dose of nitrous oxide to keep his subject temporarily paralysed. Lev had grappled the second last yob onto the ground and just dealt another finishing blow. He was about to stand up when they all saw the blade thrust straight for his heart. With considerable effort, the main troublemaker had retrieved a nasty-looking pocket knife from his hoodie. His eyes bulging with fury and mouth twisted hatefully, he summoned what strength he had left, jabbing the knife with a half-falling motion towards Lev's chest. Instinctively, Alex and Vic both reached into their powers. Vic was quickly attempting to tweak the odds and have Lev move fast enough, with a good chance to either block the stab with his arm or disable his attacker. He was about to shift the probabilities when a new variable abruptly presented itself in the picture, changing the scenario completely. Vic couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but it sure felt damn familiar. And it was something he could trace to Lev. As Lev slowly thrusted his hands out, in an attempt to push his assailant away, Vic and Alex could both feel the ground shake slightly. Almost abruptly, there was an explosive bang as the last thug was thrown backwards, hitting a brick wall hard. The blade he held was severely deformed backwards, its handle splintered into pieces and embedded in his hand. He was knocked out upon immediate impact, body slumped to the ground like an unstable blob of lard. The brick wall itself had quite a dent on it, the impact area sunk in significantly. There was dead silence for a second. For the first time this evening, Lev was showing any extreme form of emotion. He stared with fear at his trembling hands, unable to speak for a while. Vic and Alex were exchanging silent looks, which ran the gamut from 'holy shit' to 'what if he's one of us?' to 'what the fuck, man'. "Guys, I-" Lev's voice was strangled. "I'm not sure what that was." Alex knelt down and placed a reassuring hand on Lev's shoulder. "We can talk about it later, Lev. We have to get out of here though, fast." Lev looked confusedly at Vic, who simply offered an outstretched hand and pulled Lev up. "Alex's right. Let's go." They quickly left the alley and headed back towards civilisation, with Alex dosing the area with a final bombardment of nitrous oxide, and Vic tapping into his manipulation abilities to disrupt surveillance cameras or have people avert their gaze. It struck Lev how Vic and Alex seemed distracted by their surroundings; all this was confusing to him, but he suspected he was about to find out what the hell was going on. "Hey Vic, didn't you make a report? How long until backup comes? Perhaps i should've stuck around, because I'm fucked when they trace this back to me." Alex shook his head. "You could go back, but frankly you'll only draw more suspicious attention to yourself. Besides, we know of some other people who could help." His newfound friends each placed a hand on his shoulders, as if assuring him that all was fine, and he felt relieved despite his lingering suspicions. When the group was finally out of the network of alleys, Vic was about to speak when his phone rang. "Hello?" Cygnus was on the other end, although Vic had no idea who she was yet. "Good evening, Victor. I hope you and Alex are having a good time. Could I speak to you for a bit?" Vic's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess, you're from the Group. Listen, I know you people can't help but be intrusive, but I'd like to at least have an illusion of freedom in our lives." "Victor, the only reason I'm calling is because something just happened in London, with possible superhuman involvement. If you or Alex did it, it at least means we rule out enemy involvement as a possibility." "A group of 8 yobs knocked out? Yeah, that'll be us. We were going to call you about it, actually, but it seems you already know." "Thank you for being honest." There was an understated sincerity in Cygnus's voice, which Vic dug. "You did a good job covering it up for the most part, although my first responders will make sure it doesn't look to suspicious. And you seem to be getting more powerful too - I don't think you've managed to dent a brick wall before?" "Yeah, I'm not sure what happened there." Vic played dumb, not sure if Cygnus was doing the same as well. "I'll have to figure that out." "Sure. Anyway, sorry to disturb. I can arrange for a brief at the New York base next week, since you'll be moving to the States soon, and then we can discuss this." "Thanks. By the way, who am I speaking to? It's usually Vulcan who's making these calls." "It's Cygnus." "Wait - you're Cygnus? The Group's head honcho?" Vic almost yelled into his phone in surprise. "That is correct." "It's all good. I'm a little shocked, that's all, but in a good way mind you. I feel like I'm talking way beyond my station here." Cygnus chuckled. "You aren't, don't worry. Have a good night and we'll meet soon, I promise." "You too... wherever you are." When he finally hung up, Alex was giving him a quizzical stare and Lev appeared even more confounded than ever. "That was the Group, right?" Alex inquired. "Yeah, but it wasn't Vulcan making the call. That was Cygnus." "No shit," Alex's jaw dropped. "Wow. I wouldn't have expected that." "I do, actually." Vic had a faint clue that this might have to do with Lev. "Lev, we gotta be honest with you. We saw what you did there, but between us friends, you have nothing to worry about." "The truth is that both of us can do unusual things as well," Alex explained. "It's a bit harder to prove than what you demonstrated, but you saw some of it in the fight just now." "I wasn't going to ask, but that fight went almost too well," Lev's thick brows were furrowed in thought. "There was the exploding cigarette, and most of those men being almost too drunk to fight." "Most of that was me, actually," Alex grinned. "You see, I can create gaseous elements and compounds. So hydrogen to blow things up, and then there's laughing gas for physical impairment." "And my abilities are even more intangible," Vic offered. "I affect probabilities. Simply put, I'm a lucky guy. It helps when dodging attacks and making precise strikes." Lev nodded, a smile forming on his face. It wasn't so much that he was stupid or gullible, more so that he readily accepted what was an apparent truth. "That explains why you seemed to be a bit better at fighting than Alex was. No offence, Alex." "None taken!" Alex was always one to readily admit his shortcomings. "Vic's just a badass like that. Well, so we're you." "So I just blasted that arsehole into a wall? But I've never felt like I could do that, at any point when I was growing up. Besides, this feels right out of a science fiction story." "That's exactly what we thought as well," Alex agreed. "Your abilities are dormant until they are triggered in some life-threatening situation. There doesn't seem to be anyone else on the street, so why don't you try tapping into them now?" "OK," Lev shrugged, "But what if I accidentally destroy something?" "You won't," Vic reassured him. "We were afraid of that too, but it actually takes a lot of effort to consciously activate your power. This will also help you understand its nature. Focus and go deep inside your head, and try to rediscover the same feeling you had when you first used your ability." Alex and Vic watched closely as Lev attempted the same mental journey they pulled off with Vulcan, reaching into his psyche to replicate his display of power. They knew he'd gotten it when his mouth curled into a huge grin, his hands clenching to sharpen his focus. he channeled his efforts along his left arm, and there was a soft explosive noise before a street light his arm was pointed at shattered into a fine powder. "Shockwave," he explained. "It's like I can create waves of kinetic energy now. Controlling the magnitude and impact of it is tricky, though." "Damn," Alex shook his head. "You make it look so easy. It took Vic and I much longer to figure this out." Lev looked somewhat embarrassed at the compliment. "Don't say that. You lads helped a lot. So what do you do with these powers? Go and fight crime with them?" "Actually, yes." Vic considered how he would phrase his explanation. "We work with an organisation that helps people like us. There are only 3 of us in the world so far that we know of, but apparently more might appear. While we search for the others, we help to maintain stability and defuse all types of global threats." Lev didn't even hesitate for a second. "Hey, that sounds like something I'd enjoy. How do I sign up?" Vic laughed at how straightforward Lev appeared to be. "You seem very certain about this." "Well, it's easy for me. I've always wanted to help others. Police work is great, don't get me wrong, but I've thought that if I could I want to have as big of an impact as I can." "In the interests of full disclosure," Alex continued, "We're new to this as well. We trust what this organisation is doing, mostly, but we can never be sure. So we can hook you up with them, but I want you to know that at the core of it, it'll always be just the 3 of us. Deal?" "Of course." Lev's smile was cordial and genuine. He shook hands with Vic and Alex, both of whom were again impressed by how firm his grip was. "No one else would understand what we're going through now." "You're trusting us already?" Vic knew the answer, of course, but he wanted to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. "Yeah, I guess you can call it being straightforward. Plus, you're friends with Becks and Tim, so you should be good people. As long as you don't fuck with me, we're good." Vic and Alex laughed in unison and looked at their hunky new ally. "That works for us," Alex smiled. The air might've been damp and chilly, but they felt a palpable warmth and relief that there were others like them out there, still to be discovered. ---- Foreshadowing! Sex! New major characters, with one of them becoming part of the Squad! I guess narratively, this is where the fully 'civilian' part of Vic, Alex and Lev's lives conclude. This should also be a springboard for more arcs to develop besides Vic's and Alex's, if not in Chapter 5 then definitely by Chapter 6. Do you have any thoughts, speculation, suggestions or (constructive) feedback? Feel free to email me at benwritesstuff@gmail.com. I also have a blog, which you can visit at http://bensstories.tumblr.com.