Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:57:03 -0500
From: Tripp Savidge <trippsavidge@gmail.com>
Subject: The LAB, Chapter 22: Turnabout

This is a work of fiction and contains scenes of explicit gay sex with a
strong authoritarian theme. Some chapters may contain, bondage, edging,
incest, violence or other adult/fetish themes. Any resemblance to actual
places, persons, or events is coincidental. If you are not of the legal
age to read adult stories, or are uncomfortable with gay themes, please
stop reading now and close this document.

The LAB, CH 22: Turnabout, Copyright 2019 Tripp Savidge. All rights are
reserved. Do not duplicate or distribute in any form without express
permission of the author.


The LAB
Chapter 22: Turnabout
By Tripp Savidge

Warning: Dark times ahead. This chapter contains material that may be
disturbing to some readers.

Dr. Connor | Scene 1

"Well?" Dr. Connor waited nervously.

"Confirmed. We are good to go." Derrick typed at the keyboard, flipping
through document images.

"Max and I will start making calls right away," Carl said. "You probably
shouldn't be involved unless they require it. Are you okay if we bring in
the Spades?"

Dr. Connor sat and thought for a minute of the pros and cons. At least
this time, he wasn't using a favor and wouldn't be indebted. They were
exceptionally skilled even if they did operate in a gray area somewhat
outside the law, and they were expensive. "Yes, and I'm hoping I don't
regret it. Have Max be the contact for them."

"Ace is going to be very disappointed not dealing with you 'personally.'
I think he still has a thing for you." Carl smirked, letting Dr. Connor
know he found the situation amusing.

"That's why I'm putting Max on point. Life is complicated enough without
bringing up awkward history." And Ace was very complicated.

"Are you still okay with the gaslighting and phased take down?" Carl
asked.

"Yes, it's not much of a phase. Let's try not to get any of the pawns
hurt in the process, if possible." Dr. Connor was still nervous about
using Inspector Green and the Commissioner, even if it was a small part.

"Finding out Smith was having an affair was the last piece in the puzzle.
Even better that she's as guilty as the rest of his crew. Well, not as
guilty... but you know what I mean," Carl said in his deep rumble.

"Maybe I am getting soft, Carl. It still makes me a bit squeamish." Dr.
Connor was getting tired of the games and being surrounded by death. The
sex he liked, the political complications, not so much.

"Read the fed's file on her, and you'll get over it pretty quickly. The
only one that looks like he might be innocent is the younger son, and
let's face it; he's guilty by implication. Smith has made some pretty
powerful enemies who aren't likely to forgive. The kid's doomed
regardless."

"What are you still doing here?" Max stepped in and glared at Dr. Connor.
"Blake, go spend some time with Joseph. We've got this covered. The less
you know, the better it will be when you're facing off with Smith."

"Crap, I've got to tell Joey we're sleeping in hell tonight."

Max laughed. "Already taken care of. I got the guys to help him get
Carl's place ready - hope you're okay with that?"

"My corner of hell is yours to share." Carl gave an exaggerated bow.
"Though it would be better if I was there to entertain you." He winked at
Dr. Connor.

"Not quite ready for that, but thank you, Carl." The thought of being
strapped to Carl's alter still made him shudder.

"You ought to talk to Blythe about that and work through it. Ignoring
what happened is not working," Max said.

"I know. Joseph said the same thing. Shit, he's going to be pissed he
didn't get to cook tonight."

"Nope, I got to him before he started, and the kitchen is doing up a meal
for you. So you guys have fun, and we'll come to get you in the morning
when it's all over."

"You aren't going to tell me how you're dealing with the breaking and
entering agents Smith is sending."

"Nope." Max crossed his arms and smiled. "Your job is to sit back and
watch the show."


Dr. Connor | Scene 2

Dr. Connor stepped into Carl's corner of hell and had to stop and take a
few breaths. Even knowing it was all fake didn't keep the memories from
encroaching. The room was still much warmer than other parts of the LAB,
and rather than the large halogens that lit the place for their meeting,
now it was flickering torchlight.

"Joseph?" Blake called.

"There's my man." Joseph stepped into the light and smiled.

"Fuck." Blake couldn't help but stare. His man was dressed in nothing but
a loincloth.

"You like?" Joseph turned to show off. "I thought we could get into the
spirit of the place and have some fun if we need to hide out."

"I look a little out of place." Blake gestured to his suit.

"Oh, I have plans for you, Mister. You can strip right there."

Blake laughed and began undressing. Folding his clothes and setting them
on the steps up to the control room. Joseph walked over and handed him a
piece of fabric. Blake took it and realized it was a soft leather
loincloth like Joseph's.

"All the way." Joseph stood and watched. "Mm. So sexy."

Blake figured out the loincloth and pulled it on. It didn't cover much,
and his dick was barely contained. Though that was more of an issue from
Joseph watching him.

"Come along." Joseph took Blake's hand and led him into the cave-like
area. Carl had built it to be an immersive set where he could play mind
games with his guests. Once you were past the entrance, you couldn't see
anything that broke the spell.

"Wow." Blake was impressed. What was usually a sandy and spartan cave was
now an inviting nest of furs. The ledge that he'd seen Carl use as a bed
was set out with fruit, meats, and cheeses.

"I thought we'd go old-fashioned. I hope you don't mind." Joseph picked
up what could only be described as chalices and handed one to Blake.

As soon as Blake brought it to his nose, he could smell the wine. He took
a sip and pulled Joseph into him. "You're the best."

"Let's hold off on any snap judgments." Joseph picked up a napkin like
cloth and filled it with a selection.

Blake made himself comfortable in the furs and started with the cheese.
He thought the jerky was delicious with a sweet, bold flavor. "This is
really good."

"Right? I won't tell you how many I tried before I found that one."

"How'd you know to plan this?" Blake ate an apple slice and thought how
beautiful Joey looked in the flickering light.

"I didn't. The kitchen had cheeses and fruit and prepared everything. I'd
bought the jerky for game night."

Blake pulled Joseph in to kiss him. As soon as he tasted Joseph, he
didn't care much about the food. His man was far more delicious. "I love
you, Joseph."

"And I love you. But eat first. You'll need your strength." Joseph slid
back out of reach.

"Why?"

"Because tonight, I'm going to make you forget about the outside world."

That sounded wonderful, and Blake shoveled the food into his mouth as
fast as he could chew.

"Ahem, you're supposed to savor it and enjoy the flavors and textures."

"The sooner I'm done, the sooner I get to taste your flavor and feel your
textures." Blake waggled his eyebrows and laughed at Joseph's reaction.

"Caveman!" Joseph laughed. "How uncouth, next you'll be talking about
ravaging me and carrying me off to your cave."

"Hm, seems we are in my cave. Guess I can focus on the ravaging part."
Blake teased. He watched Joseph stand and grab something from the ledge.
The loincloth drew his attention to the curve of Joseph's ass and the
long, lean line of his muscled legs. Legs he wanted to have wrapped
around him.

"A good cave boy is always prepared," Joseph said as he turned around and
caught Blake staring. "See something you like?"

"Mm-hm. I like everything. You look hot in a loincloth. Where did you
find them?"

"You'd be amazed what Carl has in his stash. I already have plans for
several more get-away nights."

"Yeah?"

Joseph tossed the bottle of lube onto the furs and slowly slid the
leather off his body. Blake watched intently, appreciating how smooth and
lean his man was. Beautiful golden skin unmarred by tan lines or
blemishes. Joseph was perfect.

"Do you want to touch?"

Blake startled and reached out to grab Joseph, who jumped back. "Nuh-uh.
You need to be naked."

Blake stood and slid the soft loincloth down his legs. Joseph's gaze felt
like fire on his skin. Joseph picked up the bottle and tossed it to him.

"Finger yourself while you stroke your cock," Joseph said.

"But I thought..." Blake started in surprise. He assumed that he'd be
taking Joseph.

"Do it now." Joseph's voice was firm and bold.

The tone and look sent a shiver through Blake as he poured some of the
lube on his fingers and reached behind to find his hole. His dick was
already hard. He stroked as his finger slicked his entrance and slid
inside.

"Harder, Blake. Open yourself up for me. Show me how much you want me."

Blake felt a flush of embarrassment. He pushed a second finger inside and
continued stroking. His cock was already slick from his precum and
leaking more with each thrust of his fingers.

Joseph stepped into him, grabbing the sides of his face and kissing him.
"Don't stop, but get on your hands and knees."

Blake complied, looking over his shoulder to see what Joseph was going to
do. His eyes had gone completely black, and a niggling voice told Blake
he should be worried. But then Joseph's hand was caressing his back, and
he didn't care. Joseph gently took his hand from his ass and held it as
he ran his hard cock up and down Blake's crack.

"Are you ready, my love?"

"Yes, Joey. Fuck me." Blake closed his eyes and tried to prepare himself.
He felt Joseph push past the ring of muscle, and then the luscious burn
and stretch as his lover filled him.

"The only way to get you out of your head is to fuck you senseless,"
Joseph whispered as he began thrusting.

"God, yes," Blake moaned.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard and so often that you'll limp for days."

"Please!" Blake cried as Joseph hammered into him.

Joseph might not be as large as Blake, but what he could do with his dick
was amazing. He managed to hit that perfect spot with every thrust,
making Blake moan like a whore. He was truly lost when Joseph fucked him.
While not normally one to give up his ass to just anyone, anytime he was
under Joseph, he couldn't imagine wanting anything else.

He played Blake's body like a master musician, and he was in heaven. The
pleasure so intense he couldn't think, but he could feel, and that's what
he focused on. The feel of being owned and possessed and most
importantly, loved. Every touch and caress, every thrust and kiss, let
him know how much Joseph loved him.

Joseph's hand reached around his body and toyed with his nipples as he
kissed Blake's neck and whispered in his ear. "Tell me you're mine. Tell
me how much you need me."

"Totally yours, Joseph, and I need you so fucking badly." He pushed back
to meet Joseph's thrusts and could feel the orgasm building in his core.
When Joseph got him to this point, it was a whole-body experience. Blake
didn't need to touch his cock and Joseph knew it. His thrusting sped up,
hitting that spot over and over again.

"Cum for me, baby."

Blake cried out as the orgasm washed over him, taking his breath away and
making him see stars. Joseph continued to thrust, the pleasure almost too
intense. He felt the heat and wetness as Joseph filled him and for some
strange, quirky reason, it made him feel complete.

Joseph pulled out and flipped Blake over, claiming his mouth and then
licking up his spend. He reached for a piece of fruit and fed it to
Blake. His eyes were still dark, and Blake didn't care. He knew Joseph
was still with him.

"Eat a little. I want to fuck you again."

Blake accepted the bite and licked his fingers. As far as he was
concerned, Joseph could fuck him as many times as he wanted.


Dr. Connor | Scene 3

Dr. Connor opened the credenza and pulled out the horseshoe pillow. He
placed it on his desk chair before carefully easing himself into the
seat. I can do this, he told himself. Oh, God, my balls hurt, my ass
hurts. He cringed as he adjusted himself and felt the ladies' pad shift
in his briefs. He'd snuck in and stole one from the women's restroom
since it felt like he was still leaking jizz.

Fortunately, the office was quiet with no sign of any additional agents,
and as far as he could tell, no indication of any late-night struggles.

"Can I get you anything? Some ibuprofen, maybe?" Claire asked from the
doorway.

"A coffee?"

"Sure, coming right up." Claire tried to hide the snicker behind her
hand; she failed.

"Good morning!" Max said cheerfully. "What no greeting?"

Blake glared at his friend. "Does everyone know?"

"Um... not sure the front office has heard yet. I'd give them until noon.
Rough night, huh?"

Dr. Connor propped his elbows on the desk to hold up his head. "No, it
was a great night. But I may have enjoyed myself a little too
exuberantly. Do we need to..." Dr. Connor tipped his head toward the
suite.

"Office is clear. We're fine for now. The visit was amateur at best, and
the participants have joined their friends. They didn't know what hit
them. If Smith shows up and wants to search the place, let him. Carl came
up with a jammer that works on the chips so we moved our guests to one of
Spade's facilities until we can turn them over to the feds."

"Good thinking. And the place is back in order?"

"Of course. Expect to see more guards this morning. The board got wind of
the Corsic thing and threw a fit. That, along with our May Day message,
and they insisted we bring in a private security team to protect their
investments - and you."

"I feel loved."

"You should. It was included in with all the other info and instructions
they sent."

"Anything you can tell me about what's happening today?" Dr. Connor
asked, knowing that Max was being selective, so he didn't react when
speaking with Smith.

"I expect Smith to show up and throw a fit since he's missing more
agents. We tipped off the police on a location where White and Whitmore
may have been meeting. That will be like poking the hornets' nest and
will certainly distract Smith and his people. And if he follows his usual
schedule, he's meeting up with his mistress tonight."

"I'm assuming there's more to that?"

"It's a surprise. Tomorrow should be the big day. Keep your afternoon and
evening calendar open. If all goes as planned, you'll need to witness the
destruction of the blackmail evidence. The lawyer and auditor the feds
want there have been given a heads up. The memo is scheduled to come out
the day after, so timing should work."

"That was fast."

"Not really. I think the guys in Washington have been working on this for
a while and counted on that when they set the release date for the memo
disbanding the Agency. They handed it off to us with a nice, neat bow."

"I'm so ready for this to be over." Dr. Connor ran a hand through his
hair.

"Me too. Then we can have one whopper of a celebration."

"Any word on Michael?"

"Mario says they're doing great and that even our ice queen has thawed a
little. He did mention that there might be a fight over who gets to keep
Sean. I think he's made an impression. I'm glad they got to Beau, he's
too hot to be a wallflower."

Dr. Connor laughed. "I needed that, thank you. Yeah, Sean's a spitfire,
but I'm not sure Joseph will let him go willingly. And maybe this will
break Beau out of his shell; I was afraid I'd have to give him the Vince
treatment."

"Hm, that might still be nice. Beau would look good in leather." Max left
with a smile.

Dr. Connor returned to his work. It felt strange doing "normal" stuff
considering everything else going on. He felt like he should be in the
thick of planning strategies and contingencies, not sales forecasts and
production schedules.

Dr. Connor glanced up when he heard activity in Claire's office. He poked
his head out and saw some men in black tactical gear, talking to his
secretary. Though the agents stood out in their suits, armed men in full
military garb were making no attempts to blend in.

"Oh, Dr. Connor. These gentlemen are from Viper Security," Claire said.

"Good morning, Dr. Connor, I'm Python, and I'll be lead for the team.
We'll do our best to stay out of your way; however, we insist that two of
us be present with you at all times."

Dr. Connor sighed. "Sure, but make sure you pick guys who are discreet,
with strong stomachs and no PDA issues."

"Not a problem, sir. We were all briefed on your business."

Two of the guards took up position at his door when Dr. Connor returned
to his desk. He missed his Black Guard. Sadly, with all the shit going
down, there weren't enough left to do the job. Chris was in the hospital,
as were Craig and Stephen. Mario and Beau were protecting Michael. That
left Takashi, Jared, and Diablo helping Max with the takedown and Randy
holding everyone else together.

It was almost lunch when Claire's voice interrupted him.

"The front receptionist just called to say Mr. Smith is on his way up."

"Take a coffee break, Claire. I don't want you anywhere near him."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now scoot." Dr. Connor didn't bother moving from his desk. He was
pretty sure Smith would barge in anyway.

"CONNER!" Smith shouted from the elevator lobby.

Dr. Connor waited silently.

"Who the hell are you? Get out!" Smith yelled.

"Sir, I suggest you lower your voice, or we will escort you from the
building." The guard's voice was calm and even.

"Do you know who I am?" Smith practically screamed.

"We don't care, sir." The guards had stepped in front of the door with
their rifles in hand.

"Connor! Move these assholes!"

"Mr. Smith, if I may suggest lowering your voice and not acting hostile?"
Dr. Connor said.

"Fine. Excuse me, gentlemen." Smith tried at least. The guards let him
past but stepped into the office behind him.

"Make them leave," Smith barked.

"We don't take our orders from Dr. Connor," one of the guards said. "We
will remain."

Smith turned to Dr. Connor, seething.

"It seems the Board has learned of recent activity and assigned me a
protective security detail," Dr. Connor said.

"You report to me." Smith spat out each word.

"Not technically. The Agency oversees our activity within the U.S., but
the LAB and I report to the International Board. As the Agency has a
member on the board, you should have been informed of their actions."

"That will be changing. Where are my agents?"

It wasn't until then that Dr. Connor noticed two agents had followed
Smith but remained silent during his tirade. They had the intelligence to
at least look nervous.

"As I told you the other day, Mr. Smith, I have no idea where your agents
are. They were gone when I came out in the morning, and we haven't seen
them since."

"Not those agents, you imbecile. The ones I sent last night!"

"I'm not aware of any agents coming in last night. But you're welcome to
look for them. Since they're all chipped, shouldn't you be able to tell
if they're here?"

Dr. Connor wondered if it was possible for the blood pressure to increase
to a point where Smith's head would explode. He knew you could pop blood
vessels, but Smith looked beyond that point.

Smith's phone buzzed, and Dr. Connor thought maybe it would be the final
trigger, but no, he pulled it out of his pocket and answered - no kaboom.

"Smith."

Dr. Connor tried, but the person on the other end wasn't loud enough to
hear.

"What the fuck do you mean? They can't do that. Flash a badge and send
them..."

"Won't accept?"

"Federal investigation my ass, why..."

"Fuck. I'm on my way." Smith's eye was twitching as he ended the call.
"This isn't over, Conner!"

The guards shook their heads as they watched Smith storm out of the
office. "Nice to know we're needed," one of them said.


Max Moore | Scene 4

"Room service." Jared set the tray on the table and removed the covers
with a flourish.

"You sure these are the right ones?" Takashi asked.

"Yes, very sure." Jared picked up a french fry and ate it dramatically.

"How long?" Max asked.

"Ten to twenty minutes." Takashi sat beside Max and looked at the
monitor. "How can you watch them?"

"Strong stomach. But I'll admit I didn't watch the sex part. That was
just... disturbing."

"You think she's really that into him, or was it a show?" Jared asked.

"Had to be a show." Takashi's face scrunched up as he looked at the naked
image of Smith. He happily turned back to the food.

"She did us a favor though, those scratches on his back means she's got
his skin under her nails. Forensics will love that." Jared handed a soda
to Takashi.

"Seems like a waste to be this close and not just end him. He'll be out
and totally at our mercy," Takashi said.

"But we're playing the long game. He needs to go down in an irrefutable
clusterfuck. We're not just punishing him, we are ruining his life and
making sure he sees it happening," Max said.

"She helped him set up Craig and Stephen. This is too clean for her,"
Takashi muttered.

"I agree, but her role was minor compared to the others. I assure you it
won't be pleasant, even if it's quicker than the end we have planned for
Mrs. Barrett." Jared turned to Max. "And we're sure that Blake doesn't
have to be the one to take her out?"

"Yes, his orders allow us to act as his agents. The only thing he must
personally handle is the destruction of the evidence. He'll also be the
one in the hot seat to report back and explain everything."

"Looks like she's going." Max pointed to the screen where Smith's
mistress had climbed onto the bed.

"He won't be long behind her." Jared watched the screen over Max's
shoulder.

Their hidden camera showed Smith getting up and staggering before falling
to the floor.

"It's go time," Jared opened the connecting door and pushed open the one
into Smith's room. They'd already altered the door before Smith ever
checked in. He quickly swapped out the room service tray with their own.
Then began preparing the room.

Max opened his tool kit and repaired the connecting door's hardware.

"What do you need me to do?" Takashi asked.

"Check Smith's pockets. He usually carries a pair of spiked brass
knuckles." Jared positioned Smith's mistress on the bed, spreading her
legs.

"What kind of sick fuck uses these?" Takashi asked, holding up the
knuckles.

"This one. He apparently has quite a temper and has used them before. The
Agency covered it up."

"Takashi, grab the gloves out of the case and then carefully put the
brass knuckles on over the gloves," Jared instructed.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" Takashi asked.

"Sorry, but your hands are the right size. Max and I are too big. It has
to look like it was Smith."

"Fuck." Takashi stood at the foot of the bed and jumped when Max put his
hands on his shoulder. "We've got you. You've had to do a lot worse than
this, just remember that she helped hurt Craig and Stephen."

"Are you ever going to tell Blake about what happened to them?" Takashi
asked carefully putting on the specially made gloves.

"Eventually, but we're not letting him see them until they've healed. If
Blake saw the bruises on Craig and Stephen, he'd totally lose his shit,
and it would be a blood bath. He needs to keep his head in the game," Max
explained.

Takashi pulled on the brass knuckles and scowled. "And we're doing this,
why?"

"Because this is how Smith killed his last mistress," Max said.

"Max, I need you to help me hold her in place. There's a small chance the
pain might be enough to override the drugs. I'll keep a pillow over her
face to muffle screams if she comes to. Takashi, you can do this."

"How?" Takashi's voice sounded pitiful.

"Shove your hand in as hard as you can and twist. Then when you pull out,
grab the sides of the pillow and hold it over her face. It's a long shot,
but the gloves may leave prints. Even if they don't, the hand size will
match."

It was over within minutes, and Takashi let Max hold him while Jared
finished.

"Think I'm okay," Takashi whispered, stepping out of Max's arms. "So glad
she never woke up."

"Max, I need your help getting Smith onto the bed," Jared said.

Max helped Jared position and unconscious Smith on the bed. Jared put on
a second pair of gloves and transferred the knuckles from Takashi to
Smith. He looked up and gave a reassuring smile to Takashi.

"You may want to turn around for a minute," Jared said.

Takashi did as suggested, but Max was pretty sure what was happening.
Smith's fist needed to be bloody. Jared stepped in front of Takashi and
carefully removed the bloody gloves and placed them in a zip lock bag.

"You did great, thank you."

"I'd rather shoot someone," Takashi said as he watched Max and Jared
finish the clean-up.

"I'll keep that in mind. We're done here. Pull the camera and let's go."
Jared followed them through the door and pulled it closed; he then closed
and locked the adjoining door.

"Won't they notice the one on that side's open?" Takashi asked.

"Once Smith wakes up and makes his exit, I'll slip in and lock it. I
should have enough time before the cops arrive." Jared packed up their
stuff and then sat next to the wall with a glass.

"What are you doing?" Max asked.

"Old tech. I expect Smith will make some noise when he wakes up. That
will be our signal to text Claire and have her phone the police," Jared
said.

"You know if Blake finds out you got Claire involved, I can't be held
responsible for your health, Jared," Max said.

"It will be fine. Now, be quiet so I can listen."

A few minutes passed, and Jared gave Max the signal. "Wish I could see
his face. I bet he's totally losing his shit now."

A couple more minutes passed and they heard the agent in the hall
pounding on the door. They knew Smith had his agents monitoring the
police bands - that was part of the plan.

"Sir, sir. Someone reported screaming, and a patrol has been dispatched."

They heard the door open.

"It just came through, and they gave this room number."

"FUCK! Fuck, fuck." Smith's voice carried even through the closed doors.
"We gotta get out of here, now."


Caden Barrett | Scene 5

Caden glanced up at the clock and saw that it was almost time for the
bell.

"I better take my tray up before the rush," Caden said to his friends.

"You ready for Mr. Kunkle's quiz?" one of Caden's classmates asked.

"Can't believe he's giving a quiz on the last day of school, what a
prick," one of the other guys said.

He looked across the lunchroom table and had to put his hands down to
steady himself. At the moment he was seeing two of everyone, and they
were kind of moving.

"Caden, you okay. You're kinda pale."

"Yeah... takkkkin trayyyy awp," Caden slurred, and as he stood, the world
spun, and he found himself lying on the floor staring up at concerned
faces.

"What the fuck's wrong with his eyes?"

"Shit." One of the boys said, glancing around nervously. "Caden, did you
take something?"

"What's going on, boys?" A deep voice asked.

"Caden fell."

Caden saw Mr. Rorsky looking down at him. "Get off the floor, Barrett.
What's wrong with you?" He held out a hand to pull Caden up. Which was
good until he let go, and Caden fell onto the teacher.

"Kitchner, take Barrett to the nurse's office," Rorsky said, handing him
off.

"I'll be late for class."

"They'll give you a pass. Now, go before the bell goes off, and the halls
are packed."

Caden struggled to put one foot in front of the other. If Kitchner
weren't holding him up, he would never have made it.

"Geez, Caden, what did you take? You are in so much shit."

Caden opened his mouth to respond but couldn't quite seem to form words.
He was getting scared; he was sure he hadn't taken anything. When they
got to the office, Caden stared at the secretary, wishing she'd stand
still and that maybe she could just pick one scowling face.

"Mr. Rorsky asked me to bring Caden to the nurse," Kitchner said.

"She's not in today. What's wrong with him? Is he high?" The secretary's
voice made it clear what she thought. "Put him in a chair. Here's a hall
pass. Go to class."

"Yes, ma'am."

Caden tried to sit but found himself flopping over onto the chairs beside
him. He startled when someone poked him.

"Mr. Barrett."

Caden might be struggling, but he knew the principal's voice. He opened
his eyes and tried again to sit.

"What 'have' you done? You do remember, Mr. Barrett, that we have a
policy of zero tolerance for drug usage. It's the last day of school; you
couldn't wait?"

Caden tried to answer, but what came out was nothing like he intended.

"Get his parents on the line, would you?" the principal said.

Caden gripped the chair and watched as the principal walked behind the
counter and took the phone from the secretary.

"Mrs. Barrett? This is Principal, Marva Junker. You need to come pick
your son up from school. It appears he's been doing drugs."

"Don't take that tone with me, Mrs. Barrett. Your son can't even sit in a
chair he's so stoned. We'll need to schedule a parent conference to deal
with this. We have a zero-tolerance policy, and unless you can provide a
doctor's note, Caden will be expelled."

"That's not my problem. I suggest you take him to the doctor right away."
There was a pause. "Uh-huh, yes, I know who you are, and I don't care.
Either you get a doctor's note certifying that it's not drugs or Caden is
expelled for the next school term. It's quite simple."

Caden turned his head when someone else came into the office and started
talking with the secretary. She whispered something to the principal who
was still on the phone with his mother. The man was looking at him, but
he didn't know who it was.

"Mr. Barrett just arrived, so I'll release Caden to him. Yes, Mrs.
Barrett, I'm quite sure. We require a photo I.D., and I think Caden would
know his own father." The principal slammed down the phone in a huff. She
glared at the stranger then walked to her office.

"Come on, son, let's get you home." The stranger extended his hand. Caden
tried to say that this wasn't his dad, that he didn't know him, but no
matter how he tried, the words wouldn't come out.

"He's in pretty bad shape, Mr. Barrett. You might want to take him
straight to the doctor's."

The stranger put his arm around Caden and lifted him out of the chair. He
must have been even stronger than he looked because he almost carried
Caden out to the car. A car that looked identical to his dad's.

The man opened the back door and pushed Caden inside. Caden thought he
should struggle or try to get away, but his body wasn't listening to his
brain. The stranger squatted down and grabbed the seat belt, buckling him
in. His hand slid up Caden's leg to his crotch and squeezed.

"Nice," he said.

Caden tried again to scream, and it came out more like a gurgle. The
man's hand cupped Caden's face and turned him to look into his eyes.

"You are a pretty one, aren't you? Bossman is gonna love you. Such a
cutie." He laughed and closed the door. Caden knew he was in deep shit,
and there was nothing he could do. He felt the tears on his face but
couldn't even lift his hand to wipe them away. Caden leaned back and
closed his eyes since keeping them open made him nauseous. The motion of
the car was also making him sleepy.


Joshua Barrett | Scene 6

Joshua pulled out his phone and dialed his dad. It went immediately to
voicemail. Joshua waited for the prompt.

"Dad, what's going on with the agents? They're not even trying to be
discreet. Give me a call."

Joshua stepped around the classroom building and turned, peering around
the corner. The two agents were walking through campus like they owned
the place. Someone was going to get suspicious.

He pulled out his phone again and called his mom.

"Hello!" his mom answered.

"Hey, Mom, it's Josh. Is there something going on that I should know
about? Dad's got agents trailing me, and they're not being subtle."

"What? Honey, your dad doesn't have agents following you. They're short-
handed, and he had to pull them."

"Well, they didn't get the memo."

"Something's not right, Joshua. Your brother had a problem at school, and
your dad's bringing him home. Be careful and maybe stay in your room
until you hear back from me."

"Sure." Joshua ended the call and looked around the corner - no sign of
the agents now.

He took a roundabout path back to his dorm room and didn't see any more
signs of the agents. He opened the door and saw his roommate at his desk.

"You're here," Joshua muttered.

"Brilliant observation there, I live here, remember?"

"Don't remind me."

"Shit, Josh, if you hate me so much, why didn't you request a different
roommate or move out? I'm not forcing you to stay. Aren't you afraid some
of my gayness may rub off on you?"

Joshua growled. "Just keep your perverted friends out of our room."

"Oh, so I shouldn't tell you I've been letting them fuck me on your bed?"
Devin teased.

"You are so queer!" Joshua noticed the red solo cup and could smell the
alcohol even several feet away. "What's that?"

"The guys down the hall were celebrating."

"Get me one," Joshua ordered.

"You are such a dick. Fine."

"If I'm a dick, then that must mean you secretly like me," Joshua
snarked. He wasn't sure why he hadn't demanded a new roommate when he
found out that not only was Devin gay, he was out and proud. Constantly
throwing his perversions in Joshua's face.

Devin returned a couple of minutes later, handing the cup to Joshua.
"Here. Hope you choke on it."

"Thank you, princess. Good to know fags are good for something." Joshua
raised his Solo in a toast before taking a sip. Damn, it was strong. That
was probably a good thing. He needed it if he had to stay in the room
with Devin for an extended period.

He sat on his bed and put in his earbuds. Devin seemed to be ignoring
him, so he took that as a win. He made quick work of the drink and was
thinking about getting another one when he started feeling strange. He
lay back on the bed, putting his hands behind his head. Maybe if he
listened to the music and relaxed, he'd feel better.

"How ya feelin'?" Devin asked, poking Joshua in the chest.

Joshua reached out to smack his irritating roommate, but his hand didn't
move. He tried to sit up, and nothing happened. His eyes darted around
the room in panic. Devin had a huge smile on his face as he stood over
him.

"Oh, this is too good. What's wrong, Josh?" Devin ran his hand up
Joshua's leg, getting way too personal.

Joshua tried to move or at least yell at Devin to get his hands the fuck
off him, but nothing happened. His body wasn't listening.

He watched Devin pull out his phone. "Hey, sexy. He's all ready. Yeah,
pretty sure if he could move, I'd have gotten a reaction." Devin's hand
squeezed Joshua's dick through his jeans. "It worked for sure." Devin
slid his phone back in his pocket.

Joshua was getting worried. Not being able to move or even speak wasn't
an amateur kind of prank.

Devin checked Joshua's pockets, pulling out his phone, wallet, and keys.
He got a bit handsy, checking to make sure he hadn't missed anything.
When he was done, he laid the stuff on Joshua's desk, then went to open
the door, and a big ginger military-type stepped into the room.

"Thanks, Devin." The ginger leaned down and gave a kiss to his roommate.

"Oh, it was my pleasure. I know you hooked up with me just to get to him,
but if you want a repeat, I sure wouldn't mind."

"Yeah?"

"Mm. I thought you were delicious and I'm sure you could think of some
other fun things to do to me. You've got my number..."

"Maybe I will," the ginger said before he turned his eyes on Joshua.

"If I can put in a vote, I hope you make that piece of shit, homophobe
suffer. He's a total dickwad and deserves everything you give him."

The ginger laughed. "I like you, Devin."

"Yeah, you just like that I can get that whopper of yours all the way
down my throat."

"It is a remarkable skill."

Another muscled guy stepped in and closed the door. "Coast is clear."

The ginger walked over and picked Joshua up like a sack of laundry.
"Later, Devin. I'll give you a call when things settle down."

"Oh, I'm counting on it. Bye Joshua. I hope you suffer."

Joshua tried and tried to move or make a sound as he watched the tile of
the floor go by. What were the odds that they didn't run into anyone all
the way down to the loading dock? The other guy opened up the back of a
van then grabbed something, and slid a hood over Joshua's head.

It was hard to tell anything as he bounced on the cold metal floor of the
van. He lost track of time and while he knew he was being moved again,
there was nothing to give him any indications of where.

The next thing he recognized was when they put him on some type of chair
or bed. Even then, they didn't remove the hood, but he did feel the
straps wrapping around his arms and legs. Not a good sign.


Dr. Connor | Scene 7

"Are you into threesomes?" Joseph asked the guard.

"What?" the guard sputtered.

"Ignore him, please," Dr. Connor said.

"Why, he's sexy. Or at least what I can see of him is sexy. I like buff
military types. I bet if we peel him out of his shell, he'd be hot and
very fuckable. Maybe if he's not into threesomes, blondie is. What do you
say?"

The other guard blanched and looked at Dr. Connor.

"I warned you guys. Try to ignore him as best you can. It will make
everyone's life easier."

"Maybe I feel a spell coming on..." Joseph whispered to Blake.

"Joseph, that's not even funny. The guards from Viper are here for our
protection, not your fun."

"Oooo, Viper. Like snakes." Joseph ran his hand over the guard's muscled
arm. "I bet you have a very nice snake. Want to let it out so we can
play?"

"No, sir. That wouldn't be appropriate." The guard's voice had taken on a
raspy gravelly tone.

Dr. Connor needed to get them separated from Joseph and soon. They got to
the exam room, and Dr. Connor stopped at the door. "If you don't mind,
can you two wait out here? You can check the room first if you like."

The blond guard gave a nod and stepped into the room. While he did so,
Ian arrived with a cart.

"Hey, Ian. We'll start in a minute." Dr. Connor waited until the guard
stepped out then held the door for Ian to push the cart into the room.
Once inside, Blake turned to Joseph and gripped his shoulders.

"Babe, you need to ease it back. You're freaking out the guards."

"But they're hot," Joseph pouted.

"Quit the act, Joseph. You don't need to distract me that much. I'm
fine." Dr. Connor turned to look at their guest strapped onto the exam
table. "Okay, and this is?"

"Caden Barrett, the younger son. He'll be out for a while yet," Ian
answered.

"He's pretty," Joseph said running his hand over Caden's chest and then
fingering the dark brown curls.

"Ian, pull the boxers off." Dr. Connor checked Caden over. "Nice. Pretty
well endowed for his age and size. Grab the shave kit, would you?"

"What are you going to do with him?" Joseph asked.

"Not sure exactly. Our orders are to eliminate him, or use him as part of
Smith's torture."

Joseph let out a surprised gasp. "But..."

"Doesn't matter. He's old enough to have two contracts posted on him.
There are three on his brother." Dr. Connor lifted Caden's arm and
swabbed his pit with shave cream before starting with the razor.

"Why?" Joseph got a warm cloth and followed after Dr. Connor wiping the
skin clean.

"Most likely as retaliation or to send a message to Smith. His father
pissed off a lot of very important people."

"Once you take out Smith, will they cancel the contracts?" Joseph asked
as he watched Dr. Connor lather Caden's dark pubes.

"Maybe. Still doesn't give us many choices. His best hope is being used
against Smith."

"But this is against your own rules," Joseph objected.

"Would it be kinder to kill him?" Dr. Connor stopped and looked Joseph in
the eye. "Or take his innocence, but make sure he enjoys it."

"What keeps us from becoming the bad guys?"

"Oh, baby, I already am. I'm just not 'as' bad. We also don't know that
Caden wasn't involved. Until Dr. Blythe does the interrogation, we should
assume he could be just as guilty. Would you feel differently then?"

"I guess."

"Mm, much better." Dr. Connor ran his hands over the now smooth skin. He
stroked Caden a few times until he was hard and checked him out. "I'll
tell you what. You can be with me and help with whatever we do with
Caden."

"Do you want me to help flip him over?" Ian asked.

"Yes, please." Ian helped Dr. Connor while Joseph stepped back. "Look at
that sweet little ass. Joseph, tell me you don't want that."

"I never said he wasn't attractive."

"Goodness, his skin is flawless. And that sweet pert little ass. Hold him
open for me, will you, Ian?"

Dr. Connor smiled as he saw Joseph staring at the tiny pink pucker and
licking his lips. It only took a couple of swipes with the razor. Dr.
Connor wiped him clean and then leaned down and licked the little
opening. "Sweet." He put his finger to the tiny opening and caressed it.
"So tight."

"Ian, schedule him for the chip implant tomorrow and do a full intake."

"Will that change if Blythe finds something?" Ian asked.

"Not at this point. We'll assume the best. Let's secure him in one of the
spare dorm rooms."

"Training?" Ian asked in surprise.

"No, definitely not. Did they bring in the brother yet?" Dr. Connor
asked.

"Yeah, Joshua's next door. He just came in a few minutes ago."

"Come on, love, let's see what we've got." Dr. Connor took Joseph's hand
and kissed it.

"That's not playing fair," Joseph complained.

"Oh, I never play fair. You should know that by now." Dr. Connor led
Joseph into the next exam room after letting the guards know what was
going on.

"What did they give him?" Joseph asked, looking at the young man strapped
to the table. Unlike Caden, this one was awake.

"An immobilizer. He may not be able to respond, but he can hear us."

"Huh. I think little brother got all the looks." Dr. Connor said, looking
down at Joshua. From a first glance, he was average. Medium brown hair,
brown eyes, and an average build. He turned when a knock sounded at the
door.

"Sorry, Dr. Blythe showed up to start with Caden."

"He's not awake," Joseph said.

"The truth serum brought him around pretty quickly," Ian said as he
pushed the cart into the room.

"Ian, grab the scissors and help me get these clothes off of Joshua." Dr.
Connor unfastened the pants and loosened the restraints to pull the pants
and underwear off while Ian cut away the T-shirt."

Dr. Connor lifted Joshua's leg and tapped his rosebud. He pressed his
finger against it, then lowered the leg and refastened the restraints. He
stroked Joshua until he was hard. "Not bad but not remarkable either."

"Are you thinking of using him at the resort?" Joseph asked.

"Goodness, no. This one was heavily involved in his parents' schemes and
hurt our family. He's going to suffer for a very long time."

"Is it true that the people they were blackmailing want proof?" Joseph
asked.

"Yes. More of a request than a demand, but they're powerful players, and
keeping them happy is in our best interest."

"That's creepy." Joseph moved over to lean against the counter.

"I don't need to see anything else, Ian. I'll let the guards prep him. I
want him shaved down, like Caden. Until we get one of the cells open, he
can be secured in a spare dorm room. He should also be chipped, and let's
do a full intake on him. Knowing what makes him tick may help plan out
the punishment."

"Is Blythe going to interview him too?" Joseph asked.

"Yes. This one has information in his head we want. And no need to sugar
coat it, it's an interrogation, not an interview." Dr. Connor looked at
Joshua and noticed his fist was clenched. "Looks like he's coming out of
it, Ian. Double-check the restraints."

Dr. Connor went to the cart and grabbed one of the swabs. He prepped
Joshua's arm and then picked up the syringe. "This is going to hurt,
Joshua. I assure you that it isn't causing harm, but it won't feel that
way."

Dr. Connor inserted the needle and pushed the plunger. The sound that
came out of Joshua didn't resemble anything human.

"If he weren't coming off the immobilizer, he'd be screaming. This shit
burns like a mother-fucker. We're still working out the kinks."

"I thought there wasn't such a thing as a truth serum," Joseph said.

"There's not. This is somewhat like a barbiturate, but it also causes
some hallucinations and works because it makes the subject very
suggestible. Blythe combines it with hypnosis. Max prefers to use pain."

Joseph shuddered.

"Okay, Ian. He should be ready for Blythe. Let us know if you need
anything." Dr. Connor stepped out of the room and pulled Joseph into his
arms. "It's okay, baby. We're going to get through this."

"What's next?"

"Max's team will tell us when they've retrieved the evidence. We meet up
with the lawyer and auditor at the fed's incinerator and have a burning
party."

"And then?"

"Max wouldn't tell me. I need to act suitably surprised."

"Or horrified."

"Yeah, or that."


Max Moore | Scene 8

Max waited silently, staying out of sight. Getting into the Barrett's
home was almost too easy. Now he and his team waited.

The door alarm chimed when Mrs. Barrett came into the kitchen. She
punched in the code, silencing it and set her purse on the counter. She
poured herself a cup of coffee and checked the mail she'd brought in with
her. She was still dressed in her Yoga ensemble from class. The phone in
her purse sounded. She pulled it out and set it on the counter, hitting
the speaker button.

"Hello."

"Mrs. Barrett? This is Principle, Marva Junker. You need to come pick
your son up from school. It appears he's been doing drugs."

"What? My son does not do drugs. You're obviously mistaken, and don't
know how to do your job," Rachel Barrett responded.

"Don't take that tone with me, Mrs. Barrett. Your son can't even sit in a
chair he's so stoned. We'll need to schedule a parent conference to deal
with this. We have a zero-tolerance policy, and unless you can provide a
doctor's note, Caden will be expelled."

"That is totally unacceptable. Why not pick on the problem kids. Caden is
a model student and in honor society. He doesn't cause trouble, and he
doesn't do drugs! It's the last day of school, why are you even
bothering?"

"That's not my problem. I suggest you take him to the doctor right away."

"Do you have any idea who you're dealing with? I'm chair of the PTA, and
my husband is a member of the school board. You've picked the wrong
family to railroad, Ms. Junker. I'll have your job for this!"

"Uh-huh, yes, I know who you are, and I don't care. Either you get a
doctor's note certifying that it's not drugs or Caden is expelled for the
next school term. It's quite simple."

"I'll be there after I call my lawyer."

"Mr. Barrett just arrived, so I'll release Caden to him."

"You're going to regret this and are you sure it's my husband. He's tied
up today."

"Yes, Mrs. Barrett, I'm quite sure. We require a photo I.D., and I think
Caden would know his own father." The phone call ended, and Mrs. Barrett
slammed her hand on the counter.

"Bitch! I do not need this today." The phone buzzed again.

"Hello!" Mrs. Barrett snapped.

"Hey, Mom, it's Josh. Is there something going on that I should know
about? Dad's got agents trailing me, and they're not being subtle."

"What? Honey, your dad doesn't have agents following you. They're short-
handed, and he had to pull them."

"Well, they didn't get the memo."

"Something's not right, Joshua. Your brother had a problem at school, and
your dad's bringing him home. Be careful and maybe stay in your room
until you hear back from me."

"Sure," Joshua said and ended the call.

"What the hell is going on? Has the whole world gone mad today?"

"Would tomorrow have been better?" Max stepped into the kitchen. Sergio
had been in the laundry room and stepped up behind Mrs. Barrett as she
turned on Max.

"Who the fuck are you? And what are you doing in my house?" She'd barely
gotten the questions out when Sergio grabbed her arms and cuffed her
wrists. He pulled out a kitchen chair and pushed her into it.

"Not to be trite, Mrs. Barrett, or would you prefer Rachel? But I'm your
worst nightmare." Max smiled and was rewarded with a look of confusion.

Sergio pulled a bag closer and took out rope as he began tying Rachel to
the chair.

"You can't do this to me!" Rachel objected.

"We're just starting, sweetheart." Max pulled out another chair and sat
across from her. He opened his satchel and took out what he needed,
setting it on the table beside him. The alcohol wipes, a syringe, and
then his tablet to record the information she was going to share.

"Who are you people?"

Max chose not to answer. He extended her arm and swabbed. Then took the
syringe and tapped it. "This might sting." He sank the needle into her
arm. He didn't have Blake's finesse, but he got the job done.

Rachel let out an ear-piercing scream. "Fuck, fuck make it stop, get it
out of me!"

"Almost done." Max pulled out the needle, dabbed it with another wipe.
"Relax, Rachel, it will take a few minutes to hit your system."

"What did you give me?"

"A little drug cocktail that makes you more cooperative." Max looked in
his satchel again and pulled out a small bag of bamboo slivers and
tweezers. He watched Mrs. Barrett's eyes until they dilated and became
unfocused.

"I have some questions for you, Mrs. Barrett, and you're going to answer
to the very best of your abilities. I need to know where you've hidden
the blackmail evidence for each of your targets. We'll go through each
one. Ready?"

"Not telling you anything," Rachel slurred.

"Oh, but you will. Maybe we need to get your attention first." He pulled
out one of the slivers and grabbed her hand, holding it on the table.

A little more than two hours later, and Max was pretty sure they had
everything they needed. He sent off the information to the retrieval team
and copied Dr. Blythe so he could compare it with what they got from
Joshua. The drugs were starting to wear off.

"We've got everything set up whenever you're done with her," Diablo stood
in the kitchen doorway.

"You guys were quiet. I didn't even hear them come in." Max turned and
smiled at Diablo.

"For big brawny types, they were trying to be stealthy. All the cameras
are ready, and we moved stuff so they've got room to work."

"Make sure they don't get too rough. If we find any holes or are missing
any evidence, we might need to question her again."

"I'll try, but twenty guys, and she's not going to be in the best shape,
no matter how gentle they are." Diablo gave a shrug and left.

"Ready for your debut?" Max gripped Rachel's chin and tipped her head
back. She looked like your typical soccer mom, who'd have thought she
qualified as an international terrorist and blackmailer?

"You won't get away with this."

"Yeah, we will. You made a very big mistake when you hurt our family. It
was stupid and unnecessary. Now you'll pay for it and know exactly what
you put them through. Come on, bitch, your admirers are waiting." Sergio
untied her, and Max pulled her to her feet.

Max manhandled her up the stairs and into the master bedroom. The bed had
been stripped, and cameras were set up around the room. Rachel looked
around in confusion.

"We wanted to be able to share with your husband. We thought he should
see your farewell performance."

"I won't," Rachel stiffened and tried to pull away.

"And what did you tell Craig and Stephen? Wasn't it something like 'suck
it up.' 'You like dick, this shouldn't be a problem?' Maybe you can
repeat that to yourself." Max pushed her onto the bed. "She's all yours.
Let me know when you're done."

Max returned to the kitchen and poured a mug of coffee. He sat for a
while before he checked his phone for messages and saw a confirmation
that so far, the locations had checked out. Two safety deposit boxes and
a storage locker cleared. All that remained was a temporary storage unit.
He'd also had Derrick come in to check all the computers in the house -
just in case.

Derrick entered the kitchen and sat across from him. "Computers are all
clean. They didn't have anything incriminating on any of them."

"I never said they were stupid - other than underestimating the people
they blackmailed." Max sipped the coffee.

"If you don't need me, I'm going to head back to the LAB. We're still
going through the files, and I'm not sure when we'll be done."

"Thanks, Derrick." Max watched Derrick sneak out the kitchen door. The
way the house and garage were situated, that exit was hidden from view of
any nosy neighbors. For the most part, he ignored the men coming and
going. He went through the information they'd gotten from Rachel over and
over and compared it to what Dr. Blythe had sent from Joshua's
interrogation and what they'd been given in the files. Amazingly, it all
lined up.

Max stilled and realized that the house had gotten quiet. He had tried to
tune out the sounds but now... it was almost too still. Maybe he should
be paying more attention. When he saw Jared come in the back door, he was
sure of it. He hadn't even seen him leave. Jared led in two men carrying
a body bag.

"Top of the stairs on the left. Then get the other one, it goes in the
next bedroom on the left, just beyond the bathroom." Jared held the door
until they passed.

"Hey." Max held up his coffee in a salute.

"You don't look so good, you seem to be lost in your own world.
Everything okay?" Jared asked, putting a hand on Max's shoulder.

"I hate this shit. Maybe I'm getting old."

"Age has nothing to do with it. It's unpleasant for anyone. When I feel
my resolve slipping, I just picture Craig and Stephen when they wheeled
them into the hospital."

"Yeah. Fuck."

"If it helps, Rachel blessed us with several more confessions while she
reconnected with her inner slut."

"Why?" Max wasn't seeing a connection.

"After effects of the drugs is most likely. She's also one very deluded
woman. She really thinks she's going to get out of this and make us all
pay 'dearly.'"

Max snorted and took another drink. "What did she confess?"

"Crimes we weren't even aware of, but I've got it all recorded. She was
also the one who arranged the hit on Blake's ex-wife," Jared said.

"Why? That innocent kid... what did she hope to accomplish?"

"Hurting Blake. Which it did in a way, but more because of the kid. It
also set him free and brought Michael to us. Which was a definite win.
She was also the one to kill Toby's mom."

"Soccer mom, indeed," Max scoffed.

"Between what she confessed and what was in the files, she's got a higher
kill count than I do." Jared shook his head in disbelief.

"Damn." Max struggled to reconcile that news. Rachel was a DC socialite;
Jared was a trained military sniper and assassin. But it did reaffirm
their need to take her out permanently. The courts weren't up to dealing
with her kind of evil.

"They should be about done." Jared looked up to the ceiling. "I already
gave her the paralysis drug. The confessions had dried up, and I was
tired of hearing her. Once Diablo's people leave, I'll start staging."

"Let me know what you need from me," Max said.

"If you wouldn't mind looking for their liquor stash. I need the highest
proof stuff you can find, Everclear, Bacardi 151, Absinthe, and if they
don't have those, whiskey, vodka, and tequila will do."

"Going to have a party?" Max asked.

"Accelerant."

"But we brought how many portable gas cans of that shit?"

"Don't mess with an artist, Max. Watch and learn." Jared smirked before
heading upstairs.

It wasn't long before Max watched the parade of men exit through the
kitchen. Part of him wondered where Diablo found them or how Dr. Connor
had connections to what was best described as underground porn actors.
After they were gone, Diablo's crew carried out the camera equipment.

"Okay, we're cleared out. Jared said to send you up. He's ready to start
staging. Oh, Cameron just came through the front. Might give him a word
of encouragement, he looks like he's going to shit himself," Diablo said.

Max rolled his eyes. They were using Cameron, a biologist from
production, to be their body double for Smith. All he had to do was drive
here, park, come in and wait until they told him it was time to leave.

"I'll talk to him, thanks." Max stopped by the living room to give
Cameron a quick pep talk before heading upstairs.

"Good. You're here. Can you help me get her off the bed?" Jared said,
pointing to Rachel.

Max picked up "Mrs. Smith's" limp body and put her in the corner. Jared
grabbed a plastic can of accelerant his helper had left and poured it
over the mattress. He then remade the bed and began putting the rest of
the room back in order.

"Would you hold her up, please?" Jared held a long funnel and the bottle
of Vodka in his hands.

"You're reminding me of my college days." Max lifted Rachel and tipped
her head back. Jared lubed the long neck of the funnel then slid it down
Rachel's throat before upending the bottle.

"Won't that much give her alcohol poisoning?" Max asked. The bottle made
a glug-glug sound as it emptied.

"Eventually, yes. Okay, that's good." Jared threw the empty bottle on the
floor. "You can lay her on the bed. Max laid out Rachel spread eagle on
the bed and turned to see Jared filling a large syringe with whiskey.

"An alcohol enema? Why? She's already paralyzed."

"Accelerant, remember? Think of Mrs. Barrett as a human Molotov Cocktail.
Lift her leg for me." Jared inserted the syringe, and they watched as the
whiskey disappeared. "And the wick..."

Jared pulled out an odd half-inch tube and inserted into Rachel with the
end still sticking out. He then attached a long wick to the end. "I can
hear you thinking, Max. It's a special underwater wick made with
magnesium. The standard wick carries the flame and ignites a small
explosive that's hot enough to ignite the magnesium wick."

"Won't they be able to tell you used all these accelerants or there be
evidence left of the wick?" Max didn't understand where Jared was going
with this setup.

"Oh, they can't miss that accelerants were used, and we're not trying to
hide it. The fire is going to burn so fast and so hot it will be like an
incinerator. There won't be enough evidence left for them to determine
anything.

"Then why even bother bringing in the other bodies?"

"A long shot. Fire is unpredictable. We're not using as much accelerant
on the boys' rooms. It's possible, though unlikely, they may leave some
residue or remnants."

"And why all this with her? If the smoke didn't get her, the alcohol you
dumped in her will surely kill her."

Jared raised an eyebrow. "She hurt Stephen and Craig. I'm making sure she
has a few seconds to realize she pissed off the wrong people before she's
gone."

Max's stomach flipped, and he felt a bit queasy. "You're really using her
to start the fire?"

"Oh, yeah." Jared stood and grabbed the other bottles, pouring them over
Rachel and the bed before tossing them aside.

Jared left the room, and Max could hear him working with his guys in
other parts of the house. Max stared down at their tormenter. Her eyes
were open, but she couldn't speak or even make a sound. He assumed she'd
heard everything.

"Like he said, you really picked the wrong people to blackmail." Max
pulled out his phone and pulled up the PDF of the license. He turned it
and held it over her face. "In case you can't read it, that's the
official order and license to terminate you, your husband, and your sons.
You're each listed by name. You'll also notice it authorizes
extermination of any and all people who helped you."

Max slid the phone back in his pocket. "For you, it's over. I hope
whatever you got out of it was worth it. Worth dragging down your sons
with you."

Max turned and left. He had enough nightmares to live with. He didn't
need to witness this one.

Jared caught him in the hallway. "Everything is set to go. Send Cameron
out and ask him to burn rubber if he can. We want people to notice. All
the other guys are out; it's just you and me. Ready?"

"No. So, what? You'll just light the wick and leave?"

"Sort of. She's a smoker. I'm putting the lit cigarette in her hand with
the wick. She'll have a few seconds to stop it if she can."

"She's paralyzed. That shit won't wear off for a couple more hours."

"Oh. Yeah... too bad."

Max hurried down the stairs to send Cameron on his way. Jared was
freaking him out and not for the first time; he thanked God, the man was
on his side.


Max Moore | Scene 9

Max watched from the sidelines, very aware of the weight of his borrowed
fire-fighters suit. The place was absolute chaos. Firefighters battling
the inferno that was so hot, they couldn't even get close. Police trying
to keep onlookers back and EMTs dealing with a stream of firefighters
getting overcome by the heat and smoke.

He knew it shouldn't be long. Smith was on his way. He saw the car pull
up on the other side of the barricades, and Smith stormed toward the
scene. Max quickly radioed the Spade's team.

"That's my house! What the fuck?" Smith screamed as firefighters held him
back.

"Sir, you need to stay back!"

"But my family!" Smith pushed and shoved.

"Sir, there is no one alive in that house. Check with the paramedics,
maybe they got out."

Max watched as "his" firefighters surrounded Smith and herded him to the
waiting ambulance.

"Did anyone get out?" Smith screamed.

"Sir, calm down. Are you okay? Can you breathe?" the EMT asked.

"The fire was already in full blaze when we got here," one of the
firefighters said.

"This is Connor's doing. Someone needs to arrest him!"

"Sir, please calm down. Guys, I think he's having a panic attack. Help me
get him some oxygen." The EMT and a firefighter manhandled Smith into the
back of the ambulance and strapped him down.

"Sir, this is for you own good," the EMT said, putting the mask over
Smith's face. The others moved away.

Max nodded to the firefighters and gave them a thumbs up. Ace's people
did well and would be compensated appropriately. He looked in the back of
the ambulance. The EMT winked at him as he pulled out the syringe,
swabbed Smith's neck and injected him. When Smith's body stilled, the EMT
pulled the keys out of his pocket and tossed them to Max.

"Good job. Catch up with you later." Max closed the doors of the
ambulance and watched as it pulled away, lights flashing. He pulled out
his phone.

"Target secured. He's on his way. Everything ready?"

"It is. Don't worry, Max. Between the guys from Viper, Spades, and our
medical team, this place is tighter than Fort Knox."

"Thanks, Jeffrey."

"Maybe Blake and Joseph will thank me personally?"

"You can always hope." Max laughed as he ended the call.


Max Moore | Scene 10

Max stepped into the LAB and pressed the call button. What he really
wanted was to find a spare cot and collapse. But when he'd given the
update to Blake and Joseph, Joseph had been adamant that Max had to stop
by the suite before he crashed.

Max didn't have it in him to deny Joseph. He stepped off and knocked on
the suite door. There was no answer, so he used his pass key to open the
door. He turned and locked it behind him. The place was dark, but a
slight glow came from the bedroom.

"Joseph?" he called out and came to an abrupt stop when he stepped into
the bedroom.

"Peter?" Max whispered, not believing his eyes. A naked Peter was
kneeling on the bed, surrounded by satin sheets, and the lights turned
down to a soft glow.

"Hey."

"What are you doing here?" Max blurted.

"I'm sorry, I thought you'd want to see me... Joseph thought it would
make you happy."

"Fuck, that came out wrong. Yes, I want to see you, and yes, it makes me
happy." Max crossed the room and grabbed Peter pulling him into his arms.
He buried his face in the curve of Peter's neck and breathed deeply.
Peter smelled like home.

"I was so worried about you," Peter whispered. His hands were all over
Max, trying to get past the clothing.

"I'm here now." Max put his hand to the side of Peter's face and kissed
him. He was perfect, warm soft lips, his mouth open for Max to take. He
realized the moan was his own as he devoured the handsome man.

"Joseph pulled some stuff together for you and left it in the bathroom.
Why don't you get ready for bed and I'll take care of you."

"That sounds amazing." Max gave another kiss and walked into the bathroom
to get ready. Thank you, Joseph. I owe you big time. Max wasted no time
in getting ready and stepped back out, taking a moment to gaze at Peter.

He was stunning. His dark wavy hair made a halo on the pillow, his ripped
body was stretched out in all its glory. His golden-bronze skin glowed,
and his thick, uncut cock stood at attention.

"You going to stand there and look or are you going to get closer?"

"Closer, definitely closer."

Max climbed onto the bed and straddled Peter, he leaned in and kissed
him. "You are beautiful."

"I was thinking the same thing about you. I've missed you. I want you
inside me," Peter pleaded.

"I don't know if I have it in me to be that patient. I won't hurt you,
and it takes time to get you prepped for me."

Peter ran his fingers gently over Max's lips. "Max, I've had two hours
lying in this bed fantasizing about you and spent that time getting
myself ready. You don't need to be patient."

Max collapsed forward onto Peter and ravaged his mouth, enjoying the feel
of how well their bodies fit together. "I love you, Peter." Max surprised
himself as the words slipped out.

"I love you too, Max." Peter grabbed Max's head and pulled him back into
the kiss.

Why did I say that? Shit. Max thought, wondering what came over him. But
as he felt Peter moving under him, trying to get them aligned, it hit him
that he meant it. He loved being with Peter, and not just for the sex.
Peter touched something inside him that few others ever did.

"Help me, Max. You need to get inside me now."

Max adjusted, lifting Peter's legs until he felt the heat of his opening
on his dick. Peter had been honest about preparing; Max slid in like he
belonged there.

"Mm. Yeah... that's what I needed." Peter grabbed Max's ass and pulled
him tighter.

"Fuck, I missed you, baby."

"Missed you too, shouldn't ever be apart so long." Peter wrapped his arms
and legs around Max as they kissed.

He felt so incredible, Max went slow and savored every inch of the silky
heat Peter offered. His mouth, his ass, his touch were all perfect.

"I don't think I'm ever going to let you go..." Max said as the orgasm
took him and he melted into Peter.


Dr. Connor | Scene 11

"It's such a tragedy doctor. Of course we'll do whatever we can for him."

"Thank you, Becka. If you don't mind, I need some time alone with the
patient."

"Of course, Dr. Connor. Buzz if you need anything."

Dr. Connor waited until the nurse stepped out and closed the door. He
turned back to the man somewhat suspended in the bed of the small
community hospital. The full-body cast made the patient look like an
extra from a horror movie. All that was visible were the eyes. Tubes were
inserted to help him breathe, and a feeding tube was secured into his
mouth.

Dr. Connor pulled up the chart and pretended to flip through it. "So, a
John Doe. They don't seem to know who you are, sir, and I guess there's
no way for you to tell us, is there?"

He stepped up and looked into the eyes filled with rage. "You really
aren't looking your best, Gene. Or do you prefer I refer to you as Mr.
Smith? Oh, that's right, you can't answer. Hm... I wonder what questions
you have? Maybe I should leave you guessing?"

"Oh, but that would be cruel, wouldn't it?" Dr. Connor tapped down the
cast and lifted the sheet. The only parts of the John Doe that weren't
covered by a cast were his groin area and ass. "That's awkward. Having
your junk out like that. Why someone could come along and do unspeakable
things, and here you are not able to say or do anything to stop it. Must
be tough losing all control?"

"But that's not why I'm here." Dr. Connor pulled the sheet back over
Smith. "You've become quite the celebrity. Your face is all over the
news, though sadly, it's not the kind of exposure to make your mother
proud. Most of the mentions come along with the warning that you're armed
and extremely dangerous and should be avoided, after reporting the
sighting to authorities. I must say the list of warrants is quite
extensive. Though most attention is on the recent ones."

Dr. Connor watched Smith's eyes and could almost read the confusion and
question. "That would be for killing your mistress, and then for the
murder and arson that killed your wife and sons. Though they're
speculating on the last one since the fire was hot enough, there's not
much evidence."

The eyes were truly the window to the soul, and what showed was horror
and shock. "What did you think the people you were blackmailing would sit
back and let this continue? Oh no, Mr. Smith, they want their pound of
flesh. Your suffering has just begun. This is just a layover until things
calm down. Don't worry, I'll be back to check in on you. Oh, and don't
expect your loyal agents to come to your rescue. The official memo went
out this morning. The Agency was disbanded and all of the agents are
under investigation. Seems they've been stripped of all clearances and
licenses."

Dr. Connor slid his hand under the sheet and squeezed Smith's prick.
"This is just the beginning of your adventure. Trust me, you're going to
love it."

Dr. Connor smiled at Smith and walked out.


Sean Abernathy | Scene 12

"God, would you look at those two go at it," Sean sighed. He thought it
was incredibly hot seeing Mario's ass flex as he pounded balls deep into
Beau's luscious ass. Better than any porn he'd seen. They were so into
each other the rest of the world didn't exist.

"And all it took was a couple of fancy umbrella drinks," Michael said.

"No, we worked hard for this. Days of seduction and lots of drinks," Jose
added.

"This is making me horny, come on, Sean. You promised to fuck me."
Michael slid his hand down and gripped Sean's dick.

Sean turned and wrapped his arms around Michael, kissing him.

"Ahem," Jose interrupted.

"Come on, Jose, you're my backup." Sean took Jose's hand and Michaels
pulling them toward the other bedroom.

"You mean backup like back up in your ass? I could get into that," Jose
teased.

"With me in the middle? Okay, you got yourself a deal," Sean laughed.

Michael threw himself on the bed and lifted his legs. "Take me, I'm
yours!"

"God, he's become such a slut since we got here," Sean teased.

"Oh, 'cause you're so innocent?" Jose asked.

"No, stud. I fully admit I was already a slut. Now, aren't you supposed
to be getting me prepped for your dick?" Sean climbed on the bed after
Michael and stretched out over top of him. He got caught for a moment in
Michael's gorgeous blue eyes.

Michael bent up and kissed him while his hands slid down Sean's side.

Sean broke the kiss and moved down Michael's body. He still couldn't
believe he was here with Michael and Jose. Under any other conditions, he
doubted that either of them would even give him a second glance. Michael
was as model handsome as his dad, and Jose practically sizzled.

Sean took the head of Michael's cock into his mouth and groaned. Jose had
started rimming him, and it was like two of his favorite things. He'd
need to concentrate to get Michael in his throat - he was huge.

"Fuck, you're as big as your dad," Sean rasped as he tried to get more
in. Then it hit him what he'd just said out loud. He pulled off and
looked up to see Michael looking back.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I think it's hot that you've both been with my dad. I might be
a little jealous."

Sean lifted Michael's legs and licked over his swollen ass lips. Michael
threw his head back and moaned. Sean had given up on the blowjob idea.
With the way Jose was working him, he'd never last.

"I think I'm ready, Sean." Michael threaded his fingers through Sean's
hair.

Jose pulled back, and Sean stood, grabbing Michael's hips and sliding him
to the edge of the bed. He took the lube Jose handed him and worked some
into Michael, then lubed his cock. He reached around and put the rest on
his hole.

Jose grabbed Sean's head and turned him into a kiss. "You still good with
this?"

"Oh, yeah." Sean smiled and held Michael's legs to his shoulders as he
worked his way in. They'd already found some advantages to this approach
to holidays - no one had time to tighten up again.

Sean held still once he was bottomed out in Michael to give Jose time to
join. Sean bit his lip as he felt the burn and stretch when Jose entered
him.

"Okay, stud. You get to do all the work now," Jose whispered.

Sean counted his breaths and began a slow, steady forward and back. It
took some concentration to make sure he didn't slide out of Michael or
off of Jose. Gradually he found a rhythm, then it was shot all to hell
when Michael reached up and began playing with his nipples.

"Michael," Sean complained.

Jose gripped Sean's hips and began guiding the action.

"Fuck, guys. You're gonna make me cum too soon." Sean could already feel
it building. He did his best to watch Michael and get the angle right.

"This is the best fucking vacation I've ever had," Michael said through
gasps.

"It's the only 'fucking' vacation I've ever had." Sean was losing it, and
then Michael's ass tightened as the first stream of cum shot over his
head. That pulled Sean right along with him, and the only thing that kept
them moving was Jose.

Jose bit down on Sean's shoulder as his body clenched. Sean squeezed his
ass, hoping to make Jose's climax better.

They collapsed into a pile.

"Ugh, guys, I can't breathe. You're fucking heavy," Michael complained.

"Geez, such a whiney bitch." Jose crawled off and gave Sean's ass a smack
before he went to the bathroom to grab a cloth.

Once they were cleaned up, they lay back in each other's arms.

"Thanks, that was awesome," Sean said. He figured he should memorize the
moment in case it was the highlight of his life.

"This has been one of the best weeks of my life," Michael said.

"Mine too," Sean agreed.

"Yup. We make a great team."

"Like brothers," Michael laughed.

"Ewww. Brothers don't fuck each other," Sean objected.

"I have a very fucked up family; I don't think that's an issue." Michael
poked Sean. "Come on, you're already fucking my dad."

"But he's not 'my' dad. Wait, would you do that? Would you do your own
dad?" Sean asked.

"If he looked like Dr. Connor, I sure would," Jose said.

"I'd like to. Don't give me that look, Sean. You know damn well how hot
he is."

"True. You think he would?" Sean asked.

"No. I've pretty much begged. But can I tell you a secret? You have to
promise not to tell anyone." Michael leaned up on his elbow, looking at
each of them intently.

"Sure," Jose and Sean said.

"Joseph and I talked before we left, and he told me to be patient, that
it 'would' happen. Just to give him time to work on my dad."

"Fuck. Wish I could be there to watch. That would be hot," Sean said.

"Yeah, but I don't want this to end," Jose said.

"So we're brothers, right?" Michael held up a fist.

Sean and Jose did the same and bumped fists with each other.

"All for one, and one for all. The new brotherhood!" Michael broke into
laughter.

"Guys, I hate to break into your fun, but we need to have a group meeting
in five," Mario said from the doorway.

"Sounds ominous," Jose said.

"I fucking hate ominous," Sean muttered while he searched for a suit to
pull on.

They gathered around the table, and Sean watched Beau and Mario for clues
on whether this was a good meeting or a bad meeting.

"Well?" Michael broke the silence.

Mario set down his phone. "Sorry, just some last-minute updates." He took
a deep breath. "It's not bad - let's start there. Max called, and there
have been a number of developments."

"Just spit it out already," Michael snapped.

"The Agency was officially disbanded this morning - their time - and
Smith has been detained. I guess it's a major shitstorm. The threat
should be gone, but Dr. Connor wants us to sit it out for a few more days
until he's sure it's safe."

"What do you mean by 'detained,' is that like arrested and able to escape
or post bail?" Sean asked.

Mario laughed. "No, detained in this case means our people have him
locked up tight. I gather it's all rather complicated. They did get Craig
and Stephen back, but he didn't say more than they'll be fine. None of
our team were injured or hurt."

"So now we wait?" Sean asked.

"Yeah, enjoy the time we have left," Mario said.

"That means go enjoy the beach," Beau said, waving at them like they were
being dismissed.

Sean saw the look Beau gave Mario and wondered if they didn't get to
finish and just wanted them out of the way.


Dr. Connor | Scene 13

"Welcome back. I didn't expect you so soon," Claire said, giving Dr.
Connor a concerned look.

"It went fine, Claire. No problems. It was a very short visit, and our
teams have everything under control."

"He can't escape, right?"

"No. Mr. Smith isn't going anywhere until we move him. I promise." Dr.
Connor walked over and hugged Claire. "Thanks for being here."

"Always. But if you ever have a weak moment and think about sending me
back to Blythe, I'll cut off your balls."

"Duly noted. But in the future, please be careful what you let my people
talk you into."

"Why, Dr. Connor, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Dr. Connor laughed as he walked into his office. He knew it was a lost
cause, but he'd at least made the effort. While the agents were gone and
work should have gone back to normal, the news and events had everyone
stirred up and talking. He sat at the desk, staring out the window. It
was a gray, somewhat rainy day, and he felt the events catching up to
him.

"Dr. Connor, reception called to say you have a visitor. Someone from the
Department of Defense." Claire stood at the doorway, looking nervous
again.

"Okay, thanks, Claire. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. I have no
idea who we're reporting to at this point."

He walked over and stood by the windows, watching the raindrops slide
down the glass. He heard the elevator and then a woman's voice
introducing herself to Claire. He turned and saw Claire usher in a black
woman, impeccably dressed, but not in a uniform as he'd expected. Claire
pulled the door closed.

"Dr. Blake Connor, how may I be of service." He extended his hand and
smiled.

"Anna Louise Keaton, from the Deputy's office with the Department of
Defense. I'm your temporary liaison."

"Please." He pointed to a chair, but Anna walked to his desk and pulled
out a coin, setting it down.

Dr. Connor walked over and pulled his own out of his pocket and set it
beside hers. She picked it up and looked at it closely, flipping it over.

"Never thought I'd see this one," Anna said quietly.

"Me either."

She took her coin back and then sat in one of the guest chairs. Dr.
Connor sat in the one opposite, waiting for his guest to speak.

"Where to begin? As I said, I'll be your liaison until the Board works
through this mess. At the moment, there is a great deal of finger-
pointing and shouting. You can expect that there will be changes and
ultimately revisions to your charter and contracts."

"What kind of changes?"

"After this fuck up, expect that our government has very little say.
There will still be someone looking over your shoulder but expect the
international partners to be in charge. Rome has demanded that we not let
U.S. politicians or elected officials anywhere near you. They also want
you exempt from some of our laws."

"I'll let you guys work that out and keep my head down," Dr. Connor said.

"No need to play coy with me, Dr. Connor. A lot of heads are going to
roll for this, and some careers are ruined. Even if the blackmail
evidence is destroyed, they compromised their positions. The only light
in this whole clusterfuck is that you came out of it being the only sane
one involved. As far as the members are concerned, you shit gold."

"An exaggeration-"

She held up her hand to stop Dr. Connor. "Not really. It's going to take
years to sort through the mess. I've got more agents to try than the
court system can handle. But we don't have a choice, everyone is
watching, and we have to make an example of them. Speaking of agents,
we're missing a key player - Agent Decker?"

"I have him and will be glad to turn him over. We had to detain him when
he decided to confess and turn himself in. He would have thrown a wrench
in our plans."

"So an honest one who got caught up in the web?" Anna asked.

"Yes. He intervened a number of times as best he could."

"Keep him."

"Sorry?"

"We have more people to deal with than we can handle. If I take him,
he'll be tried and sent to prison. If he really had a change of heart and
made an effort, he might be worth saving. That's not an option for me,
but it is for you. Most of these agents will never carry a badge or be
licensed again."

"What am I going to do with him?"

"Please. Your operation is huge, and you are an expert and repurposing
and reinventing. It's no secret that after the screw up with Ward, no
employees leave. It's a life commitment."

Dr. Connor shrugged. He didn't want to confirm or deny, but what she said
was true. But it also reminded him of other problems Smith had left
behind.

"What about Ward and the others Smith took? We've got criminals and
hostages that he forced us to house for him. Including Whitmore's son - I
expect him to make a stink."

Anna looked at him for a minute in silence. "Keep them too. Do what you
want with them. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, the
terrorists are dead and no longer exist. We can help with the hostages.
Get them to sign a non-litigation agreement, give them a pay-off and send
them on their way. Whitmore is more bark than bite, and from what I
gather, he'll be under your influence soon enough."

"I'm afraid that a few of the hostages are rather broken now," Dr. Connor
said. "I'm not sure mainstreaming is an option. I also don't know what
happened with Ward's daughter. She was never turned over to me."

"You are a creative man. I'm sure you'll come up with something, and
Ward's daughter was picked up in the raid. I can give her to you, if
you'd like," Anna said with a smile.

"This sure doesn't seem like I've come out on top," Dr. Connor objected.

"You have our support and the resources that you received to make this
happen. I think you're doing pretty well. Enough about the minutia. Smith
is secured?"

"Yes. As was requested."

"The parties involved were very pleased with how his fall was
orchestrated. I wish I never watched the demise of Mrs. Barrett - that
will haunt me for a long time. However, it did satisfy the victims."

"I didn't know it was recorded. I'm not sure I would have supported
that," Dr. Connor said doing his best not to imagine what they saw.

"Then I guess it's good your people didn't tell you. They did exactly as
they were instructed. As unpleasant as it was, they wanted a spectacular
end for her if they couldn't get satisfaction in a long, drawn-out
torture."

"Are there any requirements for Smith, I mean Mr. Barrett? There didn't
appear to be any specifics in the files or instructions about him or how
long this needs to last."

"No. Other than providing video proof occasionally that he is suffering
and that it's not quick. They're leaving that up to you," Anna said.

"What about the sons? The younger one is innocent.

He didn't know anything about their activities or what they were up to,"
Dr. Connor asked hopeing for a different answer.

"The one who was involved they want to be punished like Mr. Barrett.
There are contracts out on both, which we'll see if we can get canceled.
Unfortunately, these are not the forgiving types and sins of the father
and all. They see him as nothing more than a way to cause Mr. Barrett
pain."

"So he needs to stay hidden."

"They know you have him and will expect to see something. What you do the
rest of the time or where he ends up is your call. I'm just telling you
if he hits the streets, his days are numbered." It was a little more
hopeful than the answer he expected, but not by much.

"If there's backlash and heads are rolling, how do they still have this
much power?" Dr. Connor asked.

"Wealth, powerful friends, and connections. I'll also say the board looks
at this as an easy concession to make them shut up. It's not pretty, but
it is our reality," Anna said.

"I'll check in with you and give you updates as I have them. I don't know
how long we'll be working together, but I hope we can be friends," Anna
stood and extended her hand.

"Of course, please call me Blake."

"Likewise, Anna. Here's my card with all my contact information."

"Thank you." Dr. Connor walked Anna to the door and saw her to the
elevator. He returned to his office and smacked his head on his desk.

"FUCK!" he cried out.

"Hey, you okay?" Claire asked.

"No. They just left us holding a bag of shit. Can you get Max up here
pronto?"

"Of course, love. Would you like me to pour you a scotch?"

"I love you, Claire."

"Mm-hm. I know you do."


End Chapter 22

Please donate to Nifty! If you enjoyed this story or the many other great
works available on Nifty, please help keep this service available and
make a supporting donation at http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the story. Comments,
questions, and feedback are welcome at trippsavidge@gmail.com. Special
shout out of thanks to my beta readers: Mark, Mike, and Randall, who help
to give you a better story.