by Demi-X
In the summer of 1991, Toronto, was in the grip of one of it's hottest heat
wave's ever on record. The thick heat hung over a city of ten million plus
people, holding the hot, humid air in like a wool blanket. The air was so
thick that not only could you see it, but you could feel on your skin, filling
up your pores leaving you feeling that with in a few minutes of being outdoors,
like you needed to shower all over again. Mother Nature's oppressive weather
made even the most mild of mannered person cranky.
It was with these thoughts of how shitty the city was in August, that
Victor Mansfield sat down heavily on a cool, metal back chair. He was a few
minutes early for the routine roll call that happened every shift change.
Victor peeled off the security seal from his icy bottle of convenience store
bought water, he pulled the top up and leaned his head back. squeezing a mouth
full of the cool liquid. Swishing then swallowing, Victor repeated the gesture
over again, this time no swishing, just swallowing. He placed the chilly
bottle between his jean clad legs and pulled a regulation note book out of his
back pocket, readying himself for the sergeants instructions and or assignments
for the evening's planned sweep. Victor was on his second shift of a five
night stint, working seven at night to seven in the morning. After working the
nights, he would have four days in a row off, followed up by five full days of
working the day shift, seven in the morning until seven at night. The schedule
rotated in the same manner always.
Victor didn't know yet whether or not he would be working female or male
prostitutes, or if the four men, including himself and two female officers were
going to play 'johns' or 'hookers'. The roles of the six member squad depended
on what kind of sweep was planned for the night. And the team would not find
that out until the Sargent came to talk to them. Which was, judging by
Victor's watch just another minute or two away. Victor didn't mind the night
shift, usually something interesting happened over the course of a night in the
city, but he much preferred the day shift and busting asshole drug dealers bold
enough to sell their wares on any street corner they could find by the sunny
light of the day. It was easy busting those punks, most times any ways. But
the night shift, well that was a whole different story.
Victor had come into the vice squad knowing full well what the job
encompassed, but Victor got tired of always playing the role of a male
prostitute. But the sergeant picked the assignments and when it was the men's
turn to dress up in the tight, torn clothes of a male whore, Victor always
seemed to be the one who was working the shift that required the hustler. He
didn't mind doing his share, after all, the ladies in his squad bore most of
the brunt of the work, female prostitution being far more prevalent. And
Victor knew the women certainly didn't mind playing in the back up position
once in a while, it gave them a break and kept their skills sharp.
Once, Victor had asked the sergeant why he always had to be the one
standing on the street corner, peddling his wares and the sarge only chuckled
at Victor's question and answered with a great deal humor in his voice, "Look
around at your male partners Mansfield" to which Victor turned around and
watched the three other men he worked with, laughing over a cup of coffee. All
three cops were at least 15 years older than Victor, and even though the
officers were by no means ugly, all were well beyond the reasonable acceptable
age of a prostitute. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Victor suddenly
realized just why exactly he had made detective so easily, and been accepted
into the squad so readily. Because of his looks and not his service
record.
When Victor had turned back to his boss, the sarge said sensibly to him,
"Listen Mansfield, your a 26 year old experienced cop who can pass for 19 or
twenty and that's an asset when your working in vice. Those three 'old timers'
couldn't make 100 bucks in a week trying to peddle their asses, let alone reel
in one trick!" The good natured sergeant laughed again, "Your bust record for
john's is un-precedented, you get so many offers while working." Victor
grimaced slightly at that, not exactly a highlight on his performance record
that he wanted to be noted for.
The Sergeant belched lightly and pinched Victor's cheek, "Your experience is
an asset to this crew. Besides, your damn sooo cute." The sergeant chucked
Victor under the chin and walked away, yelling for the group of people to
gather around. Victor looked sourly after his boss, promoted to detective
based on his ability to attract a john, the truth left a bad taste in his
mouth, but yet here he still was, the situation wasn't all that bad. And he
really did like the whole team he worked with and trusted them all including
the female officers to watch his back when he was the bait. The good stuff
about working for vice and the rewards that came with it far outweighed the
humiliating fact of how he had gotten his job in the first place, Victor knew
that he had long since proven his boss that he was more than just a pretty
face.
Victor put aside the nostalgic thoughts as soon as the sergeant entered the
room, that particular conversation he had been thinking of had taken place
over a year ago. Normally Victor didn't stew about stuff, it was only lately
he had been re-thinking his part in the squad. Two weeks ago he had ran into a
old friend with whom he had gone through the academy with.
Stan had talked to him about leaving vice and coming over to narcotics. "The
war against street drugs is escalating Victor, and the narcotics division needs
all the help it can get," was what Stan had said to him, then he added, "We
need every good cop. Your stagnating in vice Vic, I bet the sarge has you
playing the whore every time you work the men. Don't you get tired being on
display? Narcotics is the place to be right now, it's where the action is."
Victor had immediately declined Stan's offer, but when Stan pressed him, he
told his friend that he would at least 'think about it'. Victor wasn't quite
ready to leave the comfort of partners he knew so well for a squad of strangers
that he knew next to nothing about. But the conversation with his old friend
was enough to get him thinking. Victor was growing bored with the job he was
doing, lately he had found himself resenting having to play a younger
vulnerable guy, he was 27 years old now, a full grown man and he wanted to be
treated like a man. Sometimes when he was dressed the part of a street hooker,
Victor's partners without even realizing it, treated him different, like he was
less of an equal. Even the ladies would joke and call him 'The Face.' The
guys teased him playfully too, calling his ass 'sweet' and his body 'edible'.
Victor knew that they were only kidding, but after hearing the jokes more than
once they ceased to be funny, and simply felt demeaning. Everything was
starting to wear thin with him, his self worth was plummeting like the stock
market.
Along with the un-original jibes, the thing that Victor hated most about the
job was the clothes that he had to wear to work when standing on that
particular 'side of the street'. His costume consisted of tight, tight blue
jeans with large frayed rips in both of the knees and a palm sized hole where
Victor's leg met with his buttock, exposing some of his left cheek. The tear
had been put there purposely and it screamed to the world, 'For Sale'; just the
same as a bright red ticket on a discount item. The blue jeans exposed the
firm flesh below his waist and an ordinary white T-shirt with holes made by
bleach took care of displaying the flesh above Victor's waist. The holes in
the shirt were about two inches in length and exposed the wearer's right
nipple. And for nights when it was chilly Victor had a plain jean jacket that
rounded out the whole 'street whore' ensemble.
Tonight however, much to Victor's relief, the team would not be playing
hookers, two of the male members of the squad would be posing as johns, the
rest working back up. And instead of rousting the feminine segment of the
seamy trade, they would be sweeping the male end of the business. Victor
didn't mind posing as a john, but he hoped that for tonight's operation he
would be working the other side of the street and backing up two of his older
male partners. One of the female officers, Grimes and a male partner- on this
particular assignment it was MacDonald—would be waiting in the designated
motel room and when the undercover officers brought a target back to the motel,
the pair would be waiting on the other side of an adjoining door waiting to
pounce. The cop who was playing a john would then go back to the street
leaving Grimes and MacDonald with the task of handling the paperwork, ticketing
the accused and having them sign a promise to appear form. If there was any
wants or warrants out on the pro, which was highly likely, then they would
restrain the prisoner with zap straps for hand cuffs and secure him to his
seat, where at the end of the night the paddy wagon would come by and pick up
the guys who had to go to lock up over night. Working the motel room was the
best part about a sweep, because you were indoors, warm in the winter and cool
with air conditioning for the summer months.
After the Sargent had handed Grimes and MacDonald their assignments he smiled
broadly and rested his eyes on Victor, "Let's give the hard working gentlemen
out there a bit of a thrill tonight, Let them think that they're actually going
to get someone young and cute to 'screw', Victor you're a john tonight, you
and," the sergeant swept his practiced eye over the three other men and said,
"You and Noel, can work the boys."
Victor gave a half smile and rolled his eyes.Again with the comments!
That left Bains and the other female member of the squad—Linden—working
back-up. Their jobs would entail keeping an eye on both officers who were
working on the street, watching their backs in case the hustler decided that he
would rather pull a weapon and rob the 'trick' rather than go through with the
intended deal made, which sometimes happened. All four cops on the street
would be miked to each other for safety purposes. Tonight, Noel-because he was
a good deal older than Victor- would drive around in an unmarked, non descript
car, approaching the prostitutes and coaxing them into the car on the premise
that he had a motel room around the corner. Of course he would drive the man
to the room where Grimes and MacDonald were. Victor on the hand would approach
by foot, walking up and soliciting a hustler, he would then lead them to a
nearby alley where Linden and Bains waited in an ghost car, where they would
then take over and bring the arrested man to the motel room.
The sergeant finished with his briefing up with a jovial, "You know
what to do, so get going." All six officers stood up and Victor went straight
to the coffee machine, knowing the coffee brought with them via a steel
thermos, would turn into sludge, long before his work on the streets ended. He
wanted to get at least one good cup of java into him before he hit the muggy
streets.
Clad in jeans, and a trendy, short sleeved shirt that accentuated his
large biceps, Victor was already appropriately attired for an evening of
'trolling' the streets. His partner, Noel, a man of 50, was dressed in a light
weight suit. He very closely resembled a middle aged business man, therefore
he too was ready for a nights work driving through the neighborhoods known to
have male hustlers working in them.
"Let's rock'n'roll people." declared Grimes. And the team of six all
left the roll call room together.
At the end of the night, Victor handed his last arrest over into the
very capable hands of Grimes and MacDondald. Turning to the rest of the team
he said, "I'm done for the night. Noel and I are going to take the car he was
using back to the 'house'."
Linden, who was busily scribbling out some notes for her own paper
work, looked up from her note pad and asked Victor, "Would you do me a
favor?"
"Sure, what?" replied Vic.
"Stop in at the all night store on the way and grab me some real cream.
I'm tired of that powdered shit! If were going to finish the shift with a pile
of paper work I am going to need a decent cup of coffee."
Victor flashed Linden a big smile, "Okay. No problem." He looked
around the room and asked, "Anybody else want anything?" All at once the
other members started shouting out names of chocolate bars. Victor laughed and
started out the door, "You'll get what I bring." he stated, still smiling when
he shut the door behind himself.
Noel, who was already waiting for Victor in the car, in a 'hurry up
gesture' honked the horn just as his partner was exiting the motel room, .
Victor grinned, opened the beat up car door and jumped in, "Linden wants cream
for the coffee tonight, we gotta go to the store before we hit the house."
Noel, not a man of many words only grunted.
Noel pulled up to the curb about 20 feet from the front of the all
night store and shut the motor off. Victor looked over his shoulder at the
distance between the car and the store; there was not another vehicle on the
street anywhere. He looked back at Noel, "Having a little problem with your
parallel parking?" he jested wittily.
Noel turned and looked straight faced at his younger partner, "What? Big
strong guy like you afraid of being jumped by a nasty mugger?" Noel smiled and
unbuckled his seat belt, "Actually, I've got to piss like a race horse, I'm
going to slip into the alley while your in the store. Wouldn't look too good
for a vice cop to get busted with his wang hanging out. Right."
Victor laughed and shook his head, "Figures you'd need to piss. Didn't
your mother ever tell you that your supposed to pee before leaving the house."
Victor didn't wait for an answer as he hopped out of the car.
About half way to the store, he walked by a boy of about 13 or 14 years old
who was partially hidden in the dim shadows, the streets watery light
illuminating only over the boys face, like a faded spotlight. As he passed,
Victor turned and looked the boy in the eyes for brief moment, and the boy met
his gaze directly, a shy smile playing about his large, full mouth. Victor
returned the small smile and then snapped his head forward. Pulling the door
open, he entered the grocery store. Once inside, while he was picking out
chocolate bars, Victor wondered about the boy. Where his home was, and why was
he out standing in the street at three a.m. Of course, Victor knew, that there
were teenage prostitutes all over the city, girls and boys, but this wasn't the
right neighborhood for the boy hookers, or at least it hadn't been. But the
areas changed all the time, and Victor admitted to himself that the boy did
have that 'look about him'. Well, my night for busting people is over with.
Just as long as he doesn't proposition me.
Victor paid for his goods, stuffed the change into the front of his
jeans pocket and started down the street towards the car, he saw the boy again,
standing still in the same spot, as if his feet had grown roots. Victor shook
his head sadly at the boys situation, even though he didn't know what kind of
situation it was, he knew instinctively that it couldn't be a good one if he
was already working a street corner at such a tender age.
Matt had smiled hopefully at the man when he first passed by, and the
man in return, had smiled softly back, making the boy optimistic that his
night would soon be over. He had assumed that by the way the man had looked
directly at him that he liked what he saw. Which would be all right. Matt
needed to earn another fifty bucks before he could get off the street. Forty
of it to line Tony the pimp's pockets and ten dollars for himself so he could
buy a couple of rocks of crack to smoke. Matt hated his life, hated the fact
that he had been caught up in Tony's and his mother's lies so deep that there
was only one way out except in a body bag. Tony would never let him go
otherwise. But Matt wasn't quite ready yet to come right out and kill himself,
instead he'd do it one piece at a time; by choosing risky sex and using drugs
as his means of a weapon. Matt smoked crack, and any other drug he could get
his hands on for that matter to forget about the way he mad his living. Too
bad the memories of his miserable life came rushing back to him the minute the
rock ran out. And when that happened then in was back to the street peddling
his ass to get more money for Tony and for his drugs...A vicious cycle that had
no end too it...Or so Matt thought.
Matt watched the good-looking guy come back out of the store, the frame
of his nicely built physique surrounded by a halo of light given off by the
neon lights of the stores 'open all the time' sign. Most of the men that paid
Matt to have sex with them were old enough to be his dad, uncle or
grandfather...It wasn't too often that a younger guy wanted to hire him for an
hours worth of fun. Matt was not gay, but if you had to go down on a guy for
money, well the distasteful task could at least be made a bit more pleasant by
having to do it with someone half way decent looking. And the man walking
towards him was attractive. Matt usually liked to wait until a john approached
him, but tonight he thought he saw an opportunity to finally get off the street
for the night, and he wanted to take it. So he unbuttoned his jean jacket and
stuck his hands in the pockets waiting until the possible trick was close
enough to hear him before saying, "All the way down , 50 bucks." Matt opened
his jacket up, flashing his shirtless torso at the stranger and when the man's
complete attention, he boldly darted his tongue out of his mouth and ran it
over his lips, trying to entice the man.
Victor stopped and looked at the boy, he couldn't believe his ears, or
rather he could, it was just that he couldn't believe that this poor kid had
the bad luck to proposition him. He sighed heavily knowing that he was going
to have to arrest this kid, maybe that's not such a bad thing considering
his profession. "How much if you go diving?" asked Victor, sad to be
bartering with the teenager, unhappier still that he knew all the right words
in which to pepper the conversation with.
Matt grinned knowingly, he had picked right. "50 bucks to blow, doesn't
matter who does who. 75 bucks if you want me to grab my ankles and..." Matt
looked up and met Victor's eyes, wanting to see the man's reaction, "100 bucks
buys you a bare back ride."
Desired reaction achieved. Victor opened his eyes wide with surprise and
blew out his breath, it wasn't too often that the working trade would offer to
fuck with out a condom, this kid must be desperate or apathetic. Victor had
been half way intending to identify himself as a cop and send the kid on his
way. But now, Victor knew that he just had to get this kid off the streets,
before the cold hard reality of life in the urban jungle killed him first.
Emotionally he figured, the streets had more than likely already succeeded in
driving out any soft edges the boy might have had.
Victor's swept his eyes up and down the boy then leering lasciviously he
reached into the back pocket of his jeans while saying "I've got enough for a
blow job." But instead of pulling out his wallet Victor pulled the black
leather billfold that held his badge, he dropped the fake smile and said,
"O.P.P. Your busted kiddo." Victor readied himself just in case the boy tried
too run, and Matt did not disappoint him.
The agile fourteen year old feinted left and then tried to deke to the
right. Victor, not easily fooled simply reached out one long arm and grabbed
the teenager by the collar of his jean jacket before he could get away, "Stand
still." he warned the squirming kid, "Hey Noel, get your ass over here, I got
one more for the station." he shouted to his partner.
Noel, who had been watching the exchange between the two, heard the
shouting through his open window and calmly exited the idling vehicle. He
pulled a zap strap out of his jacket pocket while he walked towards the
pair.
"Not enough you busted the last neighborhood clean Mansfield? Now your
looking for work?" Noel commented before turning to Matt and instructing, "Be
a good boy and turn around, hands behind your back."
Victor could see the fear in the kid's eyes and he raised his hand to
stop Noel, "I don't think we need to cuff him. Do you need to be restrained
kid?" he asked the genuinely frightened boy.
Matt's eyes were wide with fear, but he didn't know what he feared
more, the reaction of his pimp Tony for getting pinched by a cop, or the actual
arrest . No matter which way he didn't much care for either one of the
possible out comes. He looked at the cop who had nabbed him, he didn't look
like he was a mean or bent cop. In fact, to Matt, he looked just a little bit
sad about the whole situation. That might be a good thing. "No, I
won't run." stated Matt wearily, and he meant it.
"All right then, let's get going." Victor changed his grip from the
collar of Matt's jacket to his upper arm, he held the boy firmly, but not too
tight. The trio walked together to the car and both Victor and Matt climbed
into the back seat. Noel pulled away from the curb and started for the station
house. "What's your name?" asked Victor.
Matt who had been staring out the window passively turned to face the
cop, "Matt August. My pimp Tony is going to kick the shit out of me for this."
he stated matter of fact, already resigned to his fate.
"No he won't Matt." stated Victor just as flatly.
"Yeah? Well what's to stop him. He's beaten me up before you know, and
for a lot less of a reason than this. The last boy of his that got bagged in a
raid he beat up so bad that he had to lay on the bed for a week. Poor Dallas
he couldn't even get up, the rest of us had to help him get up just so he could
go to the bathroom. And as soon as he could stand Tony had him back working
his usual corner, black eyes and all." Matt turned away from Victor and went
back to looking out of the window, wondering to himself if this would be the
last time he would see these shitty warehouses.
Victor studied the back of Matt's head, "Listen Matt, I can arrange it
so Tony never lays a hand on you again."
Matt answered with an emotionless "yeah right." Making it clear to the
cop that he neither trusted nor believed a word the man said.
Victor thought that perhaps silence would be best on the trip back to
the squad. He leaned back and racked his brain for ideas how he could help
this kid.
Victor pushed the black phone on his desk towards Matt, "You've got one
phone call, better make it worth your while."
Matt picked up the receiver then put it down again. Realizing that if
he didn't phone Tony than he'd have no one to call at all. The fatigue of the
long night and desolateness of the situation finally took it's toll on the
teenager. Matt cradled in his head in his hands and refusing to look at
Victor, he said through tears, "The only person I CAN call is my pimp." Matt
looked up, "Imagine that." Once more his head went down, finally succumbing to
the bleakness of his situation.
With out a seconds hesitation Victor reached out and ran his hand up and
down Matt's back, trying to soothe the trembling boy. He winced slightly when
he felt the bony spine of the teenagers pitifully thin body. Poor kid, he's
frightened to death. Victor felt angry, he wasn't exactly sure why, but
maybe it was because he thought that this could have been him 10 years ago when
he had left the family home. Luckily he was able to avoid most of the pitfalls
of the streets that went hand in hand with surviving alone in the cement city.
Apparently Matt had not been so lucky. "Matt, " began Victor gently, "Tell me
what's wrong, I promise I'll try to help. No matter what."
The tears subsided and Matt raised his head, blue eyes still glassy and
wet, "I can't go to jail, and I can't go home. There's no place for me
anywhere except as part of Tony's stable." His lower lip trembled, breaking
Victor's heart, "Please officer Mansfield just let me go." Matt pleaded
Victor, no matter how guilty he felt, knew better than to promise Matt
his freedom, there was no way legally or morally that he could release a minor
on their own recognizance. "What's your mom's number?" He tried. "I'll call
her for you, maybe you could go hom..."
Matt shook his head angrily, "No."
"Ok, how about another relative?" suggested Victor. Matt did not
answer but only shook his head harder.
"Fuck it," Matt spat suddenly angry at Victor, "I'll phone Tony, he's
got guardianship over me any ways. He'll come and get me. Tony will tell you
he's my uncle and there's no proof to prove that he's not, you'll have to
release me to him any ways." Matt reached for the phone again, this time
Victor stopped him from picking up the receiver.
Victor both incredulous and incensed asked Matt, "How on earth did
a kiddie pimp get legal guardianship for you!?"
Matt grimaced and looked down at his sneakers, "MY mother sold me
to him for two grand. She signed the papers stating that he was my uncle and
my new guardian, then she split town. I have no fucking idea where she went.
My mother is a whore who never wanted me in the first place. I don't even know
my father's name, she doesn't even know my fathers name. He was just a trick
she picked up one night." Matt swallowed hard, "It's all just shit in the feed
trough any ways, it doesn't' matter, I don't matter." Matt turned his glare on
Victor, his vivid blue eyes shooting daggers into the stunned cop. "So mind
your own fucking business and get your god dammed hand off of the phone so I
can call Tony and get this shitty night over with." Matt's emotions had run
the gauntlet, from fright to sick and tired to overflowing with raging anger.
All of it directed towards Victor, the arresting officer.
"Look, Matt!" Victor said a lot more harshly than he had intended
too. Taking a deep breath he tried again, "Listen, I'm not going to call Tony
and I'm sure as hell not going to let you call him. I'll get a hold of social
services and they will take good care of you, I promise." He finished more
gently.
Matt "hmphed" disagreeably at the mention of social services, but
he didn't object to the idea.
Victor's instincts had been right, could tell that Matt wanted to
change the way he had been living, but he was afraid too. Victor thought that
what Matt needed now was a good reality check, and that, would all be it would
take to get him pointed in the right direction. Or at least Victor hoped that
was all it took. Victor stood up and said quietly, "come with me." He walked
away with Matt following. They went into an empty interrogation room, where
they could talk in private, with out interruption.
Matt sat down, waiting expectantly for the speech he knew was
coming.
Victor pulled a chair up and straddled it backwards. Sitting across
the table from Matt, he laid his hands flat on the table top and rested his
chin on the back of the chair, clearing his throat he began, "Look Matt, I
don't want you to get hurt, and I know if I charge you and you end up in
juvenile hall, well..."
Victor sat up straight and after a moment Matt spoke in a small,
whispery voice, "Why? Why do you want to help me?"
"Because, " answered Vic honestly, "It's my job to help people."
And he deeply, truly believed that.
Finally, Matt looked up at Victor, a glimmer of hope on his young
face. "What would I have to do?"
"Well, I know a really good foster home, and the parents there are the
best. If you go through a re-hab program," Victor didn't even bother asking
Matt whether or not if he had a drug habit, it was a given that the teenager
did drugs, illicit substances and illicit sex went together like peanut butter
and jelly, "I'm pretty sure the people would agree to take you in. Stay here
and rest, I'll go make some calls."
Matt smiled at Victor and then layed his head down on the table, using
his arms for a pillow. Willing, to trust another person for the first time in
a long, long time.
The smile Matt had given him was all the reward that Victor needed. He
shut the door behind himself and went to his desk, picking up the receiver he
dialed the ministry of social services first.
Victor rolled over and hung his head over the side of the bed in order
to look at his partner. "And that's that. After Matt walked out the door with
a social worker that night, I never saw or heard from him again. Of course, I
had always hoped that things would turn out okay for the poor kid.
Mac looked through the darkness at Victor, "Aside from the nasty bit of
business of landing in jail that is."
"Yeah, well at least he had a chance to experience a healthy way of
living first. It's nice to know that for once, I actually made a difference in
somebody's life.
"Jesus Christ Vic, you've made a big difference in mine and LiAnne's
life you know. Don't sell your self so short." Mac frowned up at his bunk
mate, wanting to encourage his partner.
"Well, LiAnne thinks I'm a cold fish because I didn't go crawling and
begging after her when we broke up, which she had no problem doing in the first
place, so I imagine I couldn't have been all that important to her. And
you..." All the blood was rushing to his head so Victor rolled back over onto
his back, flinching from the pain in his shoulder, "You hated me from day one.
Boy that's really making a difference all right." Victor shut his eyes and
flopped over so that he was on his stomach again. He realized that there was
no way he was going to be able to fall asleep on his back. The scratches were
really beginning to throb.
Mac chuckled, "Well that was a long time ago, I was jealous. I've long
since changed my mind about you. Besides, you hated me at first sight last
year too you know."
"That's where your wrong Mac." Whispered Victor, "I never hated you,
ever. I've always loved you."
Mac stared at the bunk above him, stunned. Victor has always loved
me? another few beats of his fluttering heart went by, then on an impulse,
Mac kicked back the covers and got out of the warm bed. He stood up next to
the top bunk, Victor's face was close to his own and in the dim light he could
see that Victor's eyes were open and looking at him. Mac leaned in and kissed
Victor softly on the lips, "I love you too." He said quickly before crawling
back into his bunk. "Good night Victor." Mac said contentedly, Victor's
confession coursing through him like an illegal stimulant, making him feel
wondrously happy. The elated agent rolled over knowing his dreams tonight were
going to be so good.
"See you in the morning Mac." Victor didn't know why he had confessed
his most closely guarded secret to Mac, except to say that here in the dark,
with just the two of them, he somehow felt safe in saying those four little
words. Initially after having told Mac, he regretted opening up his big mouth,
the gap of silence evidence of it. But then Mac had stood up, kissed him and
echoed the same sentiments. Everything would be all right. Victor plumped his
pillow and settled in, he shut his eyes, and for once instead of thinking of
Gant and the rape, he had visions of Mac and himself and all the delicious
possibilities of where a relationship between the two of them could lead
too.
Part Twelve
The two men had already eaten breakfast and now were finishing getting
ready for the rest of their day. Just before Mac had to leave, the partners
looked into each other's eyes at the same moment. Their gazes lingered on each
other for another few, short seconds, then they both, reluctantly turned away.
The look was secret, full of yearning and was intended only for each other.
Sometime between their gentle kiss of the evening before, and this morning, the
aura around them had changed. The silence, where it had once been awkward and
uncomfortable, was now charged with the secret promise of discovery. Each man
was anxious for the day to end so that they could be alone, together in the
private sanctuary of their pod, where in the dark it was easier to explore the
truths that lay between them.
"See you at dinner Vic." Stated Mac casually, " Don't forget to get
your shoulder checked out today, it looked even more grotesque in the shower
this morning." Mac smiled to him self at the memory of Victor, naked in the
shower, soaping his body all over.
His tone was light, but Mac was worried about Victor and the infection.
He was also anxious in anticipating that tonight he would be able to do more
than just give his partner a quick kiss and a one short lived caress. He
wanted to demonstrate Victor that there was more to making love with a man than
violent, brutish sexual intercourse. Mac wanted to show Victor that loving
words mixed with gently touches and soft kisses were what was important.
And if he played his cards right then he and Victor just might be able to
forge a relationship that would endure, reaching far beyond the confines of the
cold cement walls of Kensington Penitentiary and into their real lives on the
out side. Mac wanted to maintain a relationship outside of jail, where the
circumstances were not as dire as they were right now. The only way to make a
relationship possible was to build up enough trust to last a lifetime; for both
of their lives.
Victor smiled, the tiny lines around his eyes crinkling up, "Don't
worry, I'll ask Walker to take me to the Doctor on my lunch break." Mac made a
small face at the mention of Walker, but Victor let it go by, "See you at
dinner... Mac.." came the gravelly voiced reply. He reached out and squeezed
Mac's hand in his own, then after a moments hesitation, he let go and walked
out the door.
Victor too, secretly wished that he and Mac could be more than just working
partners to each other. Victor wanted to be partners in life as well, and he
was willing to try an make a go of things when they were finished with this
mission. He was pretty positive that Mac felt the same way. After last night,
their whispered declarations of love had removed all of the barriers...Each
man, now on the same, level playing surface. Gant and his violence no longer
clouded Victor's mind, now all of his conscious thoughts were of Mac. Just the
mere thought of his male partner could make him smile, Mac's faith in him, was
enough to free him of his demons.
Mac stood and watched Victor walk away, grinning like a game show
contestant at his partners back; who looked back over his shoulder at Mac and
flashed a large white toothed grin at him.
Mac looked beyond Victor's retreating back to the men that he worked with
and saw that it Walker, who would be supervising Victor's detail, again. In
fact the guard was already standing by the service hall waiting to take the
inmates to the Library. Curious, Mac observed Walker for a few minutes, and it
was enough for him to know definitely did not like what he saw.
The large guard was staring wide eyed at Victor, obviously mesmerized by
the agent. His face went from blank to lit up as soon as he had seen
Victor.
Mac licked his lips, a frown contorting his natural good looks. As he made
his way towards the kitchen, as if picking each other up with radar, both Mac
and Walker glared at each other, hard. It was at that very moment that Mac
knew, that he now had a rival for Victor's affections. A very dangerous
rival.
Both guard, and inmate pulled their menacing scowls away from each other
at the same time. A cold chill run down Mac's spine and he shivered. He had
not missed the raw, naked hunger in the guards eyes when he had been watching
Victor, just as he had not missed the intense, jealous hatred that Walker had
glared at him moments later; with eyes that were cold and icy blue.
Walker's intentions were so clear that they didn't need to be spoken out
loud, and Mac got the message. It was fairly simple: Walker wanted Victor, and
no one else was going to have him, end of story. And now Mac would have to be
sure to watch not only his back, but Victor's as well
"Smith." The monotone guard said, handing a slip of paper to the inmate.
Victor took the written list of books and read the small piece of paper
silently to himself. Great, all law books and public court records! Looks
like I'm up in the attic today.
He grabbed a small metal cart that was waist high and on four wheels,
knowing full well that the old tomes would be dusty and heavy, and judging by
the list, he had quite a few of them to find. Some one's getting ready to
defend them self.
Victor knew that the extensive collection of books would be hard to gather,
the job would probably take all day since no one had ever bothered to replace
the law volumes back to the places in which they had come from.
Victor just hoped that they found out how Carter went missing and who had
helped him to meet with a premature death in the Northern woods, before he was
assigned the unenviable job of putting all those books back in order. Victor
pushed his cart into the small service elevator and pulled down the grating,
which reminded Victor very much of bars on a cell. He pushed the grating up
and stepped of the elevator, careful to replace the heavy metal grid, just in
case someone needed to call it back down, which was unlikely. With two of the
guys on the detail still in the infirmary from the weekends homemade moonshine
binge, there was only 3 inmates actually working today. Victor upstairs,
another inmate filling the fiction and non- fiction reading lists from the
library down stairs, and another man working on the computer, like Vic had done
the week before.
The elevator whined, Victor turned around and watched the dilapidated lift
slowly descend, back down to the first floor. Now he really was alone, there
was no need to call the elevator back until it was his lunch time. And that
wouldn't be for another couple of hours. Victor looked at the emergency exit
and smiled at the irony, knowing it was locked, if there was a fire there
would be no way for him to get out if the elevator wasn't working.
He spun around slowly, looking all around him at the floor to ceiling
shelves that were packed, cheek by jowl, full of large, leather bound editions.
Maybe if I had access to some of these books I might have been able to
defend myself better at the police review board. Lamented Victor. Oh
well, no use crying over spilled milk. Victor shrugged his shoulders, at
the slightly melancholic thought.
The really was no point in wondering about the what if's any more. He
looked up at the dim over head lighting, wishing that there was a window in the
place to add some light, but unfortunately all he had was only a few mesh
covered bulbs to light his way.
There was thousands of books in the attic, and Victor figured he had
better get started on the sizable list he had been given. Pulling the cart
behind himself, Victor walked down the nearest row and he began searching for
the first book written on his list Every time he reached up high or had to
stretch out his arm, Victor was reminded, all over again, that he still had to
get to the infirmary. He could have gone first thing in the morning, but he
thought that there was a slight chance he'd get on the computer again. There
were a few more things he wanted to look for. But instead, he had been
assigned upstairs, so he decided to go with the original plan and Walker to
take him after lunch.
Victor, the naive fool that he was, had no idea how Walker felt about
him. When Walker put his hands on him, Victor had naturally just assumed that
it was all about head games, and control issues, even the severe beating that
he had laid on him, was about control.
But Walker, much to his chagrin, found himself drawn to the handsome agent.
Every day his feelings became stronger and Walker was at a loss to explain it,
he had always liked women before, so why Victor had such a large impact on him
was not only puzzling but frustrating as well.
Every time he looked into those big green eyes, he fell deeper under
Victor's innocent, and unwitting spell. And every time he looked at Mac, who
always seemed to be watching Victor too, Walker felt another twinge of envy.
He didn't like the way Mac made him feel which was oaf like and stupid. To
gain Victor's confidence and trust would be a genuine triumph, turning him
against his partner would be harder. But he was certain that it could be done,
it was only a matter of time. Walker pulled his keys and unlocked the
emergency exit door and ascended the stairs that led to the attic library. He
knew full well that Victor was working alone up there, he was the one who had
arranged the assignment. Walker, if was going to succeed in winning over the
agents affections, needed to be alone with him.
Victor was right about one thing, Walker, was all about head games. It
was what he did best.
"Ugh"
groaned Victor as he reached down to retrieve the book he had dropped. His
shoulder was getting worse, and he was having a hard time using it now. Every
time he had to flex the shoulder muscle, or stretch for a book a lightning bolt
of pain shot through the large muscle. His forehead felt hot, and when he bent
over his head swam with dizziness.
"What's the matter Victor? Are you hurt?" Walker was standing at the end
of the isle, watching Victor try to rub some relief into his clavicle.
Startled, Victor snapped his head around quickly, to quickly because the
motion made him lose his balance and he had to grab the book shelf to keep
himself up right. Now Vic knew that there was something was definitely wrong.
He hadn't even heard Walker approach him. On a normal day, he would have.
Walker saw Victor wobble and he rushed over to him. He reached out and
grabbed Victor under the arm pits. "What's the matter?" He asked, propping
him up. Walker thought that Victor looked pale, much more so than when he had
first come into Kensington.
"I..uhmm...I'm dizzy." Said Victor, "I think I've got a fever."
Walker ran his right hand gently up Victor's back and then cradled his
neck carefully, like he was holding a newborn baby's untried neck in the palm
of his hand. With his right, Walker touched his wrist to Victor's forehead,
just like his Mother used to do to him, and attempted to determine from the
warmth whether or not Victor did indeed have a temperature.
Walker leaned down and looked into Victor's eyes, all pupil and very little
green, yep they're dilated and glassy all right
Walker felt the considerable heat of the man, and he was pretty sure that
his body temperature was up a few degrees.
"How come you're so hot? Do you have the flu?" Walker was concerned, but
too concerned. Victor was after all, a healthy, grown man, it was probably
just some minor bug. He took advantage of Victor's slightly disoriented state
to further his own, private agenda. "Listen Vic, I'll take you to the
infirmary, but first I need to talk to you. Privately. That's why I came up
here." Walker smiled down at Victor, his hand unconsciously stroking the back
of Victor's head, the short brown hair felt silky to the touch.
"What? No, it's not the flu, I've got some infected scratches, that's
what making me feel so shitty. What did you want to talk to me about?" Victor
could feel the hand stroking through his hair and he wanted to tell Walker to
stop it, but he could only concentrate on one thing at a time. And right now
that one thing was listening to whatever it was Walker wanted to say to him.
Walker smiled and licked his lips, here was the chance to get inside
Victor's armor, show the agent that he wasn't such a bad guy. "Yesterday I saw
you talking to another inmate, Matt Vandenburg." Walker pulled his hand away
from Victor's head, who nodded yes, and placed his hands on either side of
Victor, and moved in close, talking in hushed, conspiratorial tones, "Last
night after the rec time was over..."
Vic interrupted the guard, "Is he all right? Did Eddie hurt him?" He
was worried for the young man, so worried that he didn't even realize at first,
how close Walker was standing to him, the fever clouded his perception
slightly.
Walker raised a hand and gently cupped Victor's face before dropping it
back to where it was before, "That's what I was going tell you, after rec time
last night, Vandenburg was found unconscious in the showers. He was beaten
badly..."
"Is he dead?" Victor whispered, guilt flooded him. Making him feel like it
was his fault that Matt got hurt. "Did that fat bastard Eddie do it?" Angry
now.
"He's alive, Victor." Walker leaned in even closer, "Matt will be okay,
he just needs time to recoup. Matt won't rat on Eddie , so there's no proof
that he did it, so there's no proof that Eddie did it, but I'm positive he's
the one. No one would dare lay a hand.., " At this he stroked Victor's cheek
softly with the backs of his fingers. "...on Vandenburg without Eddie's
permission. And in case you didn't know, he's the type to do the beating
himself. His wife would testify to that, if she weren't already dead."
Victor blinked his eyes, his thoughts became little bit more clearer. And
at that moment he was very much aware of how close Walker was standing to him,
he felt the guards soft caresses and as much as he wanted to tell Walker to get
his hands off of him, he didn't. Victor had made enough enemies in
Kensington, he didn't want to add another one, besides he already had Walker
figured out. The man was pushing his buttons, trying to see if he could get
him to freak out, maybe get him in the hole and kick the shit out of him. He
couldn't risk leaving Mac alone with out back-up, especially with 4 pissed off
musketeers gunning for him. No way was Victor going to play into his hand and
indulge the man and his games. Victor knew now, the he had the stamina to
persevere through all of Walker's harassment, Mac's faith in him would see him
through.
Victor swallowed down his uneasiness at the guards closeness and said,
"Thanks for letting me know. Your ok,..." unable to resist he threw in,
"...for a guy who beat the shit out of me my first hour inside." Victor
grimaced slightly, but he did not back down or flinch away from Walkers close
proximity.
Victor looked away from Walker's probing eyes, afraid to let the guard see
to deeply into them. Mac had once told him that his true feelings, his real
thoughts always showed in his eyes.
Victor did not want to risk Walker discovering deception in them. As Walker
had stood there coming on subtly to him, Victor had an idea. He figured if he
could convince Walker that he was receptive to his 'advances' then maybe he
could find out which guards were in on the disappearances. Both Victor and Mac
knew that at least two of the guards had to be in on the deaths of the inmates.
One, probably while on duty, to remove the prisoner from his cell and an
accomplice to take the inmate to the woods. But why they were taken to the
woods and why they were actually murdered were still a mystery. Maybe by
ingratiating himself into Walkers confidence might answer one or even all of
those questions, or that was the plan.
Victor raised his hand to his forehead, even he could feel the heat
radiating from himself. He truly did feel sick, it was time to see the Doctor.
He looked back up, "Promise me I can speak to Matt?" He asked.
Walker, once again, took Victor's temperature, this time using the back
of his hand to gauge the fever. He spoke softly, "I promise."
"Ok, let's go then. I don't feel so good." Victor wasn't' afraid of
Walker finding deception with that statement. It was wholly true.
Victor lay back on the small hospital bed and watched the clear liquid
that came out of the IV bag drip, rhythmically, into the clear plastic tubing.
He was half way through a two hour transfusion of high dose anti-biotics and a
solution of saline mixed with glucose. Gant's finger nails had obviously been
really dirty. The Doctor questioned Victor as to how, exactly, he had gotten
the scratches but Victor only mumbled that it was another inmate and left it at
that. If the Doctor knew how they were come by, he didn't say it. Victor
figured the Doctor would be able to put two and two together with out his help
any ways.
When the efficient Doctor had finished with his examination, he drew some
blood from Victor so he could test it for disease, explaining in detail, as he
did so about how nasty the human bite and scratch could be. Then the kind
physician had Victor roll over a pull down his pants so he could give him a
strong antibiotic shot in the ass. After having done that he adeptly hooked
Victor up to the IV drip and injected more of the strong medicine into the
liquid. It occurred to Victor, at some point, that the Doctor had probably
been through this procedure, for just the same reasons, many times before.
"Two hours then your out of here and back to your pod. I'll tell the
guard that your excused from work for the rest of the day."
He pressed a small bottles of pills into Victor's hand instructing, "Take
one of these four times a day until the entire prescription is gone. Take them
after you eat. Or you'll feel nauseous."
Then switching gears he said, "Walker cleared you to talk to Matt V.
Wait until I'm done dealing with him then, if he's awake you can see him." The
Doctor signed a piece of paper that was clipped to his board and walked away.
Fourty five minutes later, the Doctor finally pulled back the curtain that was
ringed around Mathew's bed, what he had been doing and why it had taken him so
long, Victor hadn't a clue. But Victor was certainly when he left Matt's
bedside. The Doctor looked up briefly and saw that Victor was staring at him
expectantly, he nodded to Victor and then went over to his desk.
Victor stood up and dragged his cumbersome IV pole and himself over to
where Matt's bed was. Matt appeared to be sleeping, so Victor stood at his
bedside, and silently swore under his breath at the abuse Eddie had inflicted
on the young man. He shook his head sadly at the damage, the only evidence he
could actually see was on Matt's young face and neck. Victor knew that there
was more evidence of the beating, it was just hidden beneath the white sheets
that covered the former teenage hustler.
Matt's left eye was swollen shut and his right eye was puffed up severely
too. There was a cluster of purple bruises that ringed Matt's frail neck, and
his lips looked like he had had an allergic reaction to a bee sting; both were
puffed up to double their size.
Poor Matt his face was virtually swollen from forehead to chin,
broke his nose the bastard!.
Victor didn't' even know if Matt was even able to open his eyes at all.
Victor felt so very bad for Matt, the poor kid had been to hell and back. All
he had wanted to do was put in his remaining year and then get out the hell out
of Kensington and back to his wife and child and some semblance of a normal
life. He deserves to be happy god dammit!
Victor reached out and gently squeezed Matt's cold hand, he, noted that
the knuckles were lightly scraped and slightly puffy. So he tried to fight
back. Angry at the smaller man's victimization, Victor swore to himself
that Eddie would pay for his transgressions and invasions against his young
friend.
Matt had heard someone approach his bed, but he couldn't be bothered to
make the effort to actually open up his eyes, or rather, his only working eye.
But when he felt the hand touch his own and squeeze lightly, his one good eye
flew open as far as it would go.
He was relieved when he saw that it was Victor who was standing over him,
glad that his one real friend had managed to come and see him. "What a mess
eh?" declared Matt.
Victor set his lips in a grim line, Matt could only open up one eye and
even that might have been over stating things. The white of Matt's eye was
blood red, caused by the vessels bursting upon impact, with most likely Eddie's
large fist. Victor again swore under his breath, before reigning in his wrath,
"Yeah, well, hell of a way to get a few days off of work." Victor joked
lightly. "By the looks of you, I would say your pretty messed up. What does
the Doctor say?" Victor pointed his free hand back towards where the man was
sitting at his desk. "What happened Matt? Are you OK."
Matt squeezed Victors fingers, "I'll live. But I'm going to be in here"
Meaning the infirmary, ".. a long time. I've got some broken ribs, two bruised
kidneys and three cracked vertebrae." Matt tried to sound like it all didn't
matter, and that his injuries were nothing more that mere nuisances.
Victor narrowed his eyes, "Tell the truth Matt. That asshole Big Eddie
do this to you?"
"Yes." came the whispered reply. Matt wondered why he couldn't lie to
the cop.
"How come you wont' turn him in?" asked Victor.
"Look..." Matt spoke softly, trying to focus his one eye in on Victor,
"If I squeal him out then he does a month in the hole and comes out more pissed
off then when he went in. And this time he'll be sure to finish the job and
kill me." Matt grimaced, "There's plenty of other guys in this place he can
fuck you know, it's not like he's that attached to me you know." Matt
tried to laugh, but it came out sounding more like a cough, he looked up at the
ceiling, "If I ask for protective custody then I'll end up doing the rest of my
stretch, alone in solitary. I don't think I can hack that. If I keep my mouth
shut, then maybe Gant will send me to A block. I think he'll agree to that.
Everybody knows Eddie stomped me, I just don't want to make trouble so close to
the end of my sentence."
A single tear rolled out of the corner of Matt's lone, good eye. "I can
see the light at the end of the tunnel Victor, my wife and daughter are this
close," Matt raised his right hand and pinched his thumb and index finger
together, "I can't fuck that up. No matter what." He stifled a yawned.
"Don't worry about me Victor, I'll be okay. You'll see." Matt patted Victor's
hand gently, "I'm sorry, I'm really tired, I cant' keep my eyes open. Its the
drugs they're giving me for the pain. I'll talk to you later." Matt shut his
eye and turned his head to the side.
Victor looked down at the battered body of the man he once knew as a boy,
and vowed silently that Eddie would not get away with hurting Matt. Victor
petted back the hair on Matt's brow then turned around and slowly walked back
to his own small bed. Dragging the pole behind him, Victor saw that the
anti-biotics were almost done dripping through.
He laid back down and began to formulate a plan. He didn't even realized
that he had fallen asleep until the buzzer beeped on his IV tree, waking him
up. The Doctor came over and unhooked Victor, then sent him to the exit doors,
where Walker was already waiting for him. Victor assumed that the guard had
been called while he dozed. Victor's catnap had been well worth it, for when
he woke up , he knew exactly what he was going to do to help Matt out and how.
And best of all, when it was Eddies turn for payback, Victor was going to give
the big inmate back, in twice fold, the beating he had laid on Matt. Victor
would see to that.
Walker escorted Victor back to his pod, and just before he was about to
walk out the door, Victor called him back, by saying softly, "Walker."
The guard let go of the door handle and turned around to face Victor,
surprised by the soft, husky tone of the other man's voice. "Yes." He walked
over to where Victor was standing at the end of the bunks, concealed by the
beds from outsiders looking in.
Victor swallowed and smiling up to the guard he batted his eyes lashes,
subtly, like he was blinking away a loose eyelash. "Do you really regret
knocking me around that first day?"
"Yes. I do." His hopes were up now.
"Well I know away you can make it up to me?" He raised his hand and pushed
his bangs away from his forehead. Well aware of the effect he was having on
Walker.
Walker frowned for a split second, but his eyes remained solely on
Victor, he desperately wanted to win the man over so he said, "How?"
Reaching out Victor pretended to pick a stray piece of lint off of the
guards navy blue uniform. "We both know Big Eddie beat the shit out of Matt,
but there's no way he's going to rat him out. I think he's suffered enough,
is there anyway you can get him transferred to A block when he gets out of the
infirmary?" Victor stepped closer to Walker, he had successfully turned the
tables on Walker and now he was the aggressor instead of the other way
around.
Unaware that it was he getting caught up into Victor's web, Walker's
features soften at the sight of the slightly older man, who would it hurt if
I pulled a few strings. After all I do want to get inside his confidence.
"For you? Sure, I think I can arrange that."
Victor smiled brightly and showed his teeth to the slightly unnerved
guard, Victor could tell that his closeness was turning the man on, he wanted
to keep him off balance, so Victor leaned in and kissed Walker gently on the
lips. He let his kiss linger over the shocked guards lips for a few seconds,
then pulled back.
"Thanks, I appreciate that. I better get to bed, the drugs have left me
wiped right out." He kept on smiling at Walker.
Walker back away from Victor, embarrassed over the fledgling erection that he
had. Flustered, he cleared his throat, "Ok, well I'll let you know about the
transfer. See you tomorrow." Walker spun around and quickly left the pod.
As soon as Walkers back was turned to him Victor's smile turned into a scowl.
He went over to the small sink and took a sip of water, wanting to rinse
Walkers , warm dry lips away from his memory. In the attic, Victor had
thought, for just a split second, that there just might be more to Walker and
his head games that he realized. Now Victor had proved to himself with the
kiss that there was, Walkers very apparent erection had not gone unnoticed.
Now knew that Walker liked him, and his lust could be turned around and used to
his and Mac's advantage. Now it was Walkers' turn to be manipulated, and
controlled. And Victor had absolutely no qualms about doing just that.
Part Thirteen
"YOU WHAT?!" shouted Mac, exasperated with his bunkmate's latest
revelations.
"I said," Victor stated calmly, "That after I kissed Walker-that asshole-I
knew I had him eating out of the palm of my hand. Walker thinks that he's
going to pull me into his confidences, by giving me a false sense of security.
But I'm on to his game, I know what he's up too. Fortunately those years in
vice taught me how to act." Victor patted the top of Mac's bunk. Indicating
that his partner should sit back down in the spot that he had vacated when he
jumped up shouting 'you what?'
Victor picked up one of the toppled chess pieces and squeezed it in his
fist, "Come on, sit down and relax. Let me finish telling you what I was going
to say."
Mac frowned at Victor as he settled his self back down on his bunk. But
Victor didn't notice the look, he was busy standing up and re-arranging the men
on the chess board that Mac had knocked over by jumping up.
"I don't get it Vic." Mac spoke to the top of Victor's bent over head.
"I thought you were having problems forgetting about Gant and Walker. Why
would you deliberately put your self in their path again? I told you before, I
don't trust Walker. Now we know that he wants you. All to himself." Mac
grimaced at the thought of Walker trying to 'romance' Victor. "I don't know
what he's up too, but it can't be in your best interest to get inv... involved
with him." Mac could barely spit the word out. He was uneasy and worried for
Victor's safety. But even beyond the personal safety issues, there was
something more... He was jealous. He and Victor had just begun exploring each
other and the possibilities. He resented Walker sticking himself in the middle
of the two of them. Mac silently vowed that Walker would not come between
them. Ever.
Victor looked up when Mac started speaking to him. He smiled indulgently
and then leaned back so that his back was resting against the metal rail at the
end of Mac's bunk. "Look, I don't think I'll ever forget what happened to me
in this place. All I want to do is find the guilty party and get the hell out
of here, as fast as I can. So I'll do what I have to do to get us out of here,
and if that means telling Walker what he wants to hear then so be it." Victor
noted the sour look on Mac's face but he continued, not letting his partner
interrupt him.
"I can use Walker to get inside Gant's office, and once I'm there I will
be able to gain more access to files that I can't get working in the Library.
I think Gant's in on the disappearances, he has to be. Him and the four
Musketeers. But why did Gant make those men disappear. That's
the question." Victor sat up straighter and pushed his shoulders and elbows
back, trying rid himself of a knot that had formed between his shoulder
blades.
"Yeah," Mac said, "but why do you have to get mixed with Walker? I don't
get it, especially after what he did to you." He tried not to sound like he
was whining.
"He's jealous of you, you know." stated Victor bluntly. "He thinks were
a couple and he doesn't like it."
Mac's head snapped up, remembering the vicious look that Walker had given
him a few days before, Mac agreed with what his partner was saying, "Yeah, the
other day he looked at me, and if looks could kill then I would have been dead
three times over."
Victor patted Mac's knee and then went back to trying to work out the
knot. "Don't worry Mac, I know what I'm doing. Walker is the key to getting
into Gant's office, using him is quickest way to get out of this dump. Trust
me." He smiled to his partner, "And once were out, we'll see about making a
go of 'us'. Now help me get rid of this knot or I'll never get to sleep."
Victor sat up tall and pulled off his T-shirt.
Mac stood up so Victor could lay down on his stomach on the lower bunk.
Mac climbed on top of Victor and straddled him over his well rounded ass.
He ran the palms of his hands up Victor's well-muscled back and when found the
sore spot, he gently dug his thumbs in, trying to loosen it.
Victor groaned his appreciation for the massage, "Mmm. God that feels
great Mac. Your going to have to do this to me when we get out, when I can lay
on a real massage table."
Eyes transfixed on the puffy scratches Mac asked, "How did the doctor
visit go? You told me about Matt and Walker. But what did the he say?"
Somewhere between a groan and a moan, Victor answered, "Oh it's a nasty
infection all right, but don't worry, between the IV antibiotics today and
taking pills for the next week, It should clear up all right. "Mmm. It all
ready feels better."
As his hands gently worked the smooth flesh of his partners back, Mac
leaned over and gently kissed the un-marred shoulder, "That ok?" Mac asked,
not wanting to push Victor farther than he was willing to go, "Can I kiss you
again?"
Victor was a professional, and he may be able to hold it together long
enough to get what wanted out of Walker; by doing whatever the guard wanted.
But Mac needed everything between them to be completely mutual. Totally
consenting.
Victor wiggled his hips and when Mac lifted himself up a few inches,
Victor rolled over so that he was now positioned on his back. He looked up
into Mac's eyes, "kiss me" he said simply.
Mac leaned over and pressed his lips to Victor's. He stuck his tongue out
and gently parted Vic's soft, full lips. Shifting his position, Mac went from
sitting on top of, too stretched out and laying beside Victor. He laid his
left leg over Victor's two possessively and leaned in again, kissing his
partner just as gently as he had the first time.
Victor responded to the soft probing and opened up his mouth, meeting
Mac's tongue with his own. He moaned softly and arched his back, desperately
wanting Mac to touch him. But he was afraid to say it. So Victor's body,
yearning for real affection, did the petitioning for him.
Mac smiled into the agents mouth and using his left hand he caressed the
heated flesh of Victor's well defined torso. Stopping at the vibrating man's
left nipple, Mac pulled his mouth away from Victor's -who let out another small
moan- and licked his way over Victor's neck and chest. His tongue found what
he had been seeking, Victor's nipple. The nub in the centre was as hard as a
pebble. Mac laved one then the other, slowly coaxing out further arousal in
his partner. He could tell by the way Victor was mumbling softly and
undulating slowly that he was succeeding.
Mac shifted so that he was between Victor's slightly parted legs, then he
sat up on his knees and removed his own T-shirt. Laying back down on top of
Victor, he took a few seconds to enjoy the skin to skin contact before he
began to trail small, dry kisses down Victor's chest. Victor murmured in
appreciation and resumed his undulations.
Once Mac had reached his partners groin, he grinned again at the hardness
he felt there. Confident that this was what Victor wanted, Mac undid the button
and zipper of the pants and slowly parted the material. He looked up and saw
that Victor no longer had his eyes closed, but was looking down at him, an
un-definable look across his face. Mac wetted his lips, "Is this okay?" He
asked.
"Yes." came the husky reply.
Mac reached his hands underneath Victor and grabbed the waist band of his
pants, and pulled them down gently bring his underwear with them. Pushing them
off the bed once they were off. Mac took a second to undo and discard his own
cumbersome pants. Now both men were naked, the cool air licking over their
super heated, sensitive skin. Mac positioned himself between Victor's legs
once again and kissed his abdomen. "Your sure this is all right?" He asked one
last time.
Victor smiled seductively and ran his hand over Mac's sweaty forehead and
pushed his bangs away, letting the air cool his brow, "I'm sure." Victor
pulled his hand away and ran his finger tips over Mac's shoulders, his other
hand joined in and brushed the other muscled shoulder, gently pushing Mac back
down.
Confident that Victor was definitely not in any distress over the sexual
situation that he was in, Mac complied with his partners silent wishes and bent
his head back to what he was doing. First he peppered the taut flesh with more
kisses, then stuck out the tip of his tongue and drew it over the very centre
of Victor's erection, testicle to tip, taking care to press harder when his
tongue rode over the very erogenous tiny button and the base of the head.
Victor moaned again, this time louder and more intelligible, "Oh god yeah
Mac.."
Encouraged Mac, licked up the hard length a few more times before he
finally appeased Victor's pleadings and swallowed the man whole. He stopped
for a few seconds to gather his breath than he began to slowly draw his lips
up. Gently, Mac nipped and nibbled going down, and sucked with just the right
amount of pressure when pulling up. He reach down and cupped Victor's
testicles and squeezing them softly, he drew his mouth up once again. By
alternately using suction, teeth and constriction Mac worked Victor towards a
total, body tingling peak and with a final flick of his tongue into the weeping
slit, Mac brought him over the edge of that peak.
Victor's legs stiffened as his body released his seed. Mac diligently
swallowed all of the sweet liquid. Victor rubbed his fingers through Mac's
thick brown hair, then when he felt the sensitivity set in, he pulled Mac up
and kissed his partner. Victor could taste himself on Mac's breath, he found
that he was not as put off at all, as maybe he should have been.
"Thanks Mac. I needed that. I can't..." Victor did quite know what he
was going to say, so he wrapped his arms around Mac and kissed the man again.
It was at that point that he felt Mac's hard-on, and he knew then what he
wanted to do for Mac. The act would finally break the chains that held him
bonded with bad memories to a twisted prison guard.
"My pleasure partner." Mac replied. He felt Victor's large hand grip
his hard cock, and all cognizant thought disappeared right out of his head.
"Mmmm, that feels good." Mac purred at Victor's ministrations. Mac opened up
his eyes and saw Victor was looking at him again, "You don't have to this you
know. Only if you want too."
Mac noted the devilish gleam in Victor's eye when his bunk mate responded
with a cheeky, "My pleasure." And it was. Victor clenched his fist tighter
and went back to kissing Mac, and with in a matter of seconds he had Mac crying
out his name on the crest of an orgasm.
"Walker." Victor called out the guards name and approached him from
behind. "Can I talk to you?" He made a show of turning and looking around the
library. "Not here. Upstairs in the attic."
Walker smiled at his favorite prisoner, "Sure." he said, then he pushed up
the elevator grating and waited for Victor to enter the small cubicle first.
Once upstairs, Victor swallowed down his revulsion for Walker and the
situation he was now in, and began to spin his web of deceit by saying, "Seeing
as you and I are on an uhmm....different level with each other than everyone
else.." Victor intentionally waffled his words. He was very carefully weaving
the intricate threads in which to ensnare Walker in. He was drawing upon
his experiences from his days as a vice cop to aid him in the complex game of
lies and deception. And he was perfectly willing to tell those lies, as well
as demonstrate them to Walker, if the need be. "I wanted to ask a couple of
favors from you. Can I do that?" He moved in close to the guard and subtly
batted his eyelashes up at the larger man.
Walker inhaled Victor's clean shampoo, soap scent. The freshness of the
handsome man standing so close to him was heady. The mere presence of Victor
was like an aphrodisiac to Walker. "I don't know if I can do them for you, but
you can ask. What is it?" Walker wholly believed that Victor was being
sincere with him. He was so captivated by Victor, that he saw what he wanted
to see from the demure inmate. Which was mutual infatuation. His brain didn't
even bother to remind him that it had been he who had beaten and trussed Victor
up, serving him to the cruel Gant; like a Thanksgiving day turkey.
Victor stepped back a pace and licked his lips, "Well the first one is
simple. I want to know what Big Eddie's rec. routine is like." He kept
looking directly at Walker, "I want to know when he exercises, when showers,
when he takes a crap...Whatever." Victor looked down, making a show of
submissiveness.
Walker cleared his throat and smiled to himself. Ahh, so Victor wants
to exact a little revenge on Big Eddie for his friend. He's a little bit of a
bad boy after all. I thought so. Walker figured anything that Big Eddie
got he deserved. But he couldn't let on to Victor that he didn't give a shit
about the abusive inmate or what happened to him, so he said, "Why do you want
to know? You going to shank him in the showers? I can't be responsible for
shit like that."
Victor looked up, his passive face remained open and honest as he lied,
"No. I'm not going to shank him. I just want to talk to him about Matt. I
won't kill him...I promise." Victor wasn't lying about the shanking part any
ways. He ran his fingers through his hair and as Walker filled him in on Big
Eddie's comings and goings, he reached up and behind himself, stretching. His
untucked T-shirt raised just enough to give Walker a tantalizing peek at his
firm white stomach; perfectly round navel included. Victor knew he had Walker
when the guard stopped speaking mid-word. Victor stopped with his mock stretch
and saw that the guard was staring at his abdomen, mouth slightly open. Victor
cleared his throat and Walker came out of his trance enough to finish with what
he was saying.
Walker backed up a few steps and sat on the corner of an old desk, putting
his hands in his lap he covered up the semi-erection that he was now sporting.
Victor smiled knowingly down at the floor, he knew that his plan to
intentionally turn the guard on was working. Victor brought his gaze back up
to meet Walker's light blue eyes. "There's one more little teeny, tiny thing."
Victor said as he squeezed his thumb and forefinger together as if to show how
small a thing it really was.
"What's that?" Walker asked knowing full well that he would probably
grant Victor anything he asked.
The agent could tell by the look in Walker's eyes alone, that he would
have no problem in getting what he wanted next. However, Victor thought that
he had better sugar the package a little bit more, just to be on the safe side.
So he closed the gap between himself and the seated man and came to a stand
still directly in front of Walker in-between his large tree trunk legs. Sex
and it's appeal, was power. And right now it was Victor who held all the
power. He virtually controlled Walker, he knew exactly how his closeness was
effecting the other man. But Victor could not make himself feel sorry for the
guard in the least. Walkers feelings for him, meant nothing to Victor. The
guard had after all, left him at the mercy of a sexual sadist, knowing full
well what would happen to him. He deserved everything he got. And if Walker
was stupid enough to believe that Victor actually liked him, than that was his
own silly mistake and no one else's.
Four weeks ago had been a kind and caring person, full of concern for
others. One month in prison had changed him to someone who was cold and
calculating, willing to do what it took to get the job done. The mentality was
no different than the other felons of Kensington, with the exception that
Victor was really a 'good guy'. Kensington had changed him on a deeper level
and he hadn't even realize it...yet... .
Putting Walker and his feelings aside, Victor asked him, "I need to get
into Gant's office. Do you think you can take me there?" He intentionally
made his voice low.
Walker's tongue darted out of his mouth as he watched Victor, who was a
mere inch or two away from him, he answered, "I....think I can arrange that.
Give me a day or two, I'll let you know." Once again, he breathed in Victor's
scent deeply.
Victor looked left and then right before he leaned in and kissed Walker,
rubbing his lips across the guards. In a carefully calculated move he leaned
back and asked, "That ok I did that?" he asked softly, reverting to a passive
stance.
Barely able to find his breath, Walker replied, "Yes." Then he
completely surprised Victor by reaching out and grabbing his hips. Walker
pulled Victor in close and began to kiss the agent.
Victor stiffened for a split second, then allowed him self to be pulled in
close. He even permitted Walker to force his tongue into his own mouth.
Victor quashed his distaste at first, but then after a few seconds he was
unable to stand it any longer and he pulled away.
Victor stepped back and forced himself to control the impulse in him that
was telling him to 'run'. Instead he smiled shyly and said, "I should get to
work. I have lots to do again."
Walker stood up, as if he just realized exactly where the two of them
were. He was totally alert to the fact that he now had a full blown erection,
but there was nothing he could do about it...yet "Your right. I'll let
you know about Gant's office." Walker reluctantly stepped into the elevator.
Wishing that he didn't have to leave Victor, whom, he now thought of as his
reluctant lover.
Respected prison guard or not, Victor had no idea just how volatile and
unstable a person Walker was.
Walker seemed normal enough on the outside. But on the inside, he had a
some mental problems that no one was aware of. Not even the psychiatrist who
had given him the examination before he could get a job in Kensington. Walker
could go along for months and months with out having any problems, but then
something would snap, and he would get an idea or a thought in his head and he
wouldn't be able to let it go. This time the thought had worked itself into
infatuation. He was infatuated with Victor, and it was rapidly turning into an
obsession. For the last few days, Walker's every waking thought had been of
Victor. He was slowly becoming consumed by Victor. Walker wanted Victor.
Badly. No matter what the cost. For now, he would allow Victor put him off-
like he had done today when they were kissing- and he would even take no for an
answer. But all to soon, things would have to be done his way, which meant
that he would assume control and take over Victor totally. Mind, body and
soul. Victor Mansfield had become Walkers fantasy. The guard was slipping
into a dark and dangerous cycle of mental illness, and no one, not even Walker
himself could stop it.
Victor watched as Walker descended in the elevator, and as soon as the
guard was out of his sight he ran the back of his hand over his lips, as if
that was enough to wipe the bad taste of the man out of his mouth. He watched,
disgusted that he had been kissing Walker. Personally he found that dealing
with Walker on a sexual plane was extremely repugnant. However, if it got him
into Gant's office, then the end results justified the means. Besides, now
at least I know where to find Big Eddie's and when.
Victor thought that several unsavory kisses were worth what he had found
out. He had faith that Mac would be able erase the awful memories of his time
spent with Walker with one simple kiss. He had no intentions, however, of
telling his partner that he had asked about Big Eddy and his routine. He
didn't want to drag Mac into the fray, just incase something back fired on him.
Victor put Mac's safety above his own. Changing gears, he started to remember
what he and Mac had done together, the night before in their cell. Victor
could still feel Mac's sensuous lips wrapped around his cock. The memories of
he and Mac in bed the night before caused his cock harden. Victor smiled
unconsciously when he pictured his partner, whom he rather romantically thought
of as his knight in shining armor. Victor turned his back to the elevator and
started in on his list of books to find.
"What time is it?" Victor asked Mac.
Mac. who was standing at the sink shaving, turned his head and looked at
the clock in the centre of the block. "It's 7:00. Lock down in an hour." Mac
turned back to the small mirror and pulled the blade down over his five o'clock
shadow, cursing silently as to why he couldn't have Victor's good genes, the
one's that prevented him from growing a beard every 8 hours.
Victor jumped and grabbed his towel.
"Where are you going?" Mac asked looking into the mirror at his partner.
Sniffing dramatically at his arm pitt he said, "I stink from working in
the attic. I'm going to go catch a shower before lock down." He walked over
to his stuff and started rummaging through his clothes pretending to be
searching for underwear.
"Hang on and I'll go with you." Mac used his face cloth to wipe away the
left over foam.
Victor grabbed one white tube sock and balled it up, stuffing it into the
centre of the rolled up towel, he looked back at Mac over his shoulder and
said, "Nah.. Don't worry about it. I'll only be a minute. Most of the
dangerous crew has cleared out by now. And I can handle anyone else who looks
at me sideways. Or don't you think I can look after myself" Victor challenged.
Grabbing his can of shaving cream he shoved that into the towel too.
Mac held up his hands, "Ok, ok. Go on. I'll set up the chess board." Mac
wiggled his eyebrows, knowing full well that the only game playing they would
be doing would be under the sheets.
Victor picked up his soap and walked over to Mac. He plunged his tongue
into Mac's ear and whispered, "I'll be sure to be extra careful when I wash
down below." The with a quick peck to the cheek he opened the door and
left.
A few minutes after Victor had gone, Mac could hear cat calls and wolf
whistles echoing loudly throughout the block. He thought that maybe a new guy
had come in to the block late. A few seconds after thinking that, his pod door
opened and in strode the Director, totally unfazed by all of the lewd comments.
In fact, Mac thought that she was almost glowing. The guard named Wang shut
the door behind her and stood on the out side, watching over the lone woman in
the place. Wang wondered idly how Mac Jones managed to rate a personal, after
hours visit from his lawyer.
"Mac" purred the Director, "how are things progressing?" She looked
around the small room.
"You came all the way here at this time of night to ask me how the case is
progressing?" Mac couldn't believe it. There had to be another reason the
Director would risk his and Victor's cover by coming to the prison and showing
herself. Of course, it could just as easily be some fantasy of hers too. With
the Director, you could never tell.
The Director whirled around and spoke harshly to Mac. "I came here
personally to see how the case is going because LiAnne reported in and said
that she only saw you once and Victor missed both of his scheduled
appointments. How's she supposed to keep me informed when the agents under her
don't report in?! You tell me what's going on." The Director was angry
even though she was controlling her voice.
Mac gave the Director a half smile and gulped, "Well, things have been a
little crazy lately. In case you hadn't noticed, we are in prison. I had no
idea that Vic missed his appointments with LiAnne. He didn't mention them to
me at all." Mac was beginning to squirm under the Director's scrutiny.
"Why did Victor miss them?" She asked almost too casually.
Mac looked at his boss wide-eyed, unsure, just like he had been with
LiAnne, of just how much she knew about Victor and the assault. He decided to
give her an undetailed account of why he might have missed the appointments.
"Well, he hasn't been feeling that great, he's got a nasty infection, I guess
he was in the infirmary getting checked out or maybe he was working. I don't
know why. Ask him yourself."
"You ask him." She flared hotly, then just as quickly she seemed
to calm down. The Director inquired, "What's wrong with him? Is he still
suffering from the after effects of his..." She fished for the right words,
"...beating?"
"Yeah, something like that" Mac mumbled, then he changed the subject.
"But why are you here? I don't get it."
Bored with the tiny cell and it's contents, the Director started to pace,
"Our informant tells us that he thinks another prisoner is going to go missing.
Now he hasn't got any proof, but apparently he heard Gant telling an unseen
male, and I quote, "Don't worry, we'll make him disappear and soon, with in
the next week for sure. In the mean time, you leave him alone. We need a
healthy target this time. The last one was too beat up to give a good
hunt."
Mac sat down on his bunk and scratched lazily at the back of his neck.
Looking down he said, "Victor thought all along that Gant was in on the
disappearances. Him and this four man crew called the 'Musketeers'. He's
trying to get into Gant's office so he can get a look around, maybe even get
into Gant's computer and see what's in his personal files." Mac looked back up
at the Director, "So, all we need to do is figure out exactly who Gant was
talking too, find the proof that they were the ones behind the disappearances
and the murders, then we can get out of here! Jesus Christ won't that be
nice." Mac scratched his chin thoughtfully, "Hopefully, we'll find out why
they did it too." Mac hated un-answered questions. However, he didn't bother
asking the Director who the informant was, she wouldn't tell him any ways.
The Director shook her head, "As soon as you find the answers to the first
two questions, you and Vic can vacate this dump. The answer to the third
question will take care of its self in a court of law. Speaking of Victor,
where is the brooding ex-cop?"
Mac looked up, "Oh, he's in the showers."
"Is that safe for a good looking guy like him." The Director had a funny
grin on her face.
Mac raised his eyebrows and frowned at the Director, "Don't worry, he can
take care of himself."
The Director quit smiling and fished a piece of paper out of her pocket
and thrust it at Mac, "Here's the next time your supposed to see LiAnne. Don't
miss it, I want to know what's going on." The Director rapped on the clear
door, Wang turned around and opened it up for her. As soon as the Director
stepped into the block, the numerous hoots and hollers started up again. Mac
stuffed the paper in his pocket and then laid down on his bunk. While he
waited for Victor to return, Mac ran the facts of the case through his head.
Victor ignored the looks of the other two inmates, and stepped into the
hot spray. He showered himself quickly, and while he soaped up, the other men
had finished dressing and left the shower room, leaving Victor all alone. He
glanced at the wall clock: 7:13. Victor shut the water off and went over to
where he had put his things. He toweled off quickly, knowing from talking to
Walker that Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday were Eddie's shower nights. And
since it was Tuesday tonight; Eddie would come in and take his shower, alone,
around 7:20 P.M.
Victor wasn't on the same schedule as Eddie, but the guards weren't to
strict when it came to enforcing the shower times. The schedule was more for
knowing who was in the shower in case of trouble breaking out, which it did,
more often than not.
Now fully dressed, Victor watched as the minutes ticked away on the clock
and at 7:27 Big Eddie entered into the shower. Victor, standing behind a row
of lockers went unseen by Eddie.
As the large man undressed, Victor picked up the tube sock and stuffed
the can of shaving cream inside of it. He wrapped the end of the sock around
his had once and waited patiently until Eddie was standing under the water so
he could attack.
Victor glared at Eddie-his presence still undetected-and glowered at the
beast who had brutalized Matt. His anger and need for revenge were fueled by
images of Matt. Impossibly young and helpless, unable to stop the rapes and
the beatings for himself.
Big Eddie turned his back to the lockers and Victor decided not to wait.
He took the offered opportunity to catch the killer un-aware. Victor ran up to
big Eddie, who turned around and managed to say "What...?" Just as Victor
swung the sock with all of his strength and hit Eddie in the side of the head,
splitting open the skin from the left corner of his eye to the hairline at the
ear.
Suddenly, out of nowhere Walker appeared. He saw Victor just standing
there, as if mesmerized by Eddie, which Victor was in away, except it was all
the blood that he was hypnotized by. Walker saw that Victor was not going to
get moving on his own, so he grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him hard.
Saying firmly to him, "Snap out of it Victor."
Victor blinked his vision clear, he had no real memory of what had
happened. The last thing he remembered was Eddie hitting him in the mouth,
then everything up until Walker shaking him 'awake' was blank. He looked down
again at the motionless Eddie, the man was bleeding from several large cuts on
his face and was clearly unconscious. Both of his eyes were swollen shut and
already turning a deep purple. Victor had a fuzzy vision of kicking Eddie in
the ribs just a few minutes ago, they were probably damaged too. The agent let
his gaze wander down and he looked at the sock, hanging limp in his hand. The
formerly white sock was now stained pink with the inmates blood.
"Give me the sock and get out of here right now." commanded Walker, who,
lucky for Victor, just happened to working over time and was performing a
routine check of the shower area. When it looked like Victor was just going to
stand there and stare at him, Walker slapped his face lightly then cupped the
mans face gently between his hands, "You hear me? Get going right now before
Wang catches you and we have to throw you in the hole."
Victor's fog lifted and he listlessly handed over the bloodied sock,
"Thanks Walker." He said gratefully, before grabbing his stuff and hurrying
from the showers.
As soon as Victor had gone, Walker spoke into the small radio pinned to
his shirt, "Wang, get your ass down to the B block showers pronto! We got a
prisoner down, better bring the medics and the gurney with you. "
Walker heard whispers and turned around to see that a few inmates had
wandered in and were now standing around and looking at Big Eddie, "You humps
can get your asses out of hear right now. Unless of course you want to hang
around and tell me what happened." The inmates, only wanting to get a look,
turned around and left. No one really cared about Big Eddie the bully.
Wang walked in just as Big Eddie was being loaded onto the gurney, "What
happened?" he asked.
By the time Wang had shown up, Walker had gotten rid of the sock and the
shaving cream can. He would have done and said anything to protect Victor...
his lover..."I don't know.î he said casually, ì I came in on a routine check
and found Eddie laid out on the floor and beaten to a pulp."
Part Forteen
By the time Wang had shown up, Walker had gotten rid of the incriminating
home made weapon-the bloody sock and can. At that point he would have done
and said anything to protect Victor... his special friend...."I don't know." he
said casually to Wang when asked, "I came in on a routine check and found Eddie
laid out on the floor and beaten to a pulp."
Victor reached out a shaky hand and grabbed the handle of his pod door. He
slipped into the cell and kept his back to the clear plexiglass, as if he was
preventing an intruder from entering the agents sanctuary. Blowing out his
breath gently, he whispered, "Holy Shit."
Mac looked up from what he had been doing and saw the bloody state his
partner was in. He sat so fast that the blood rushed from his head, making him
momentarily dizzy. "What the hell happened to you!?" He said, not bothering
to hide his concern.
Victor snapped his head towards the lower bunk, eyes wide from being
startled by Mac's presence. His lower lip was swollen and the corner of and
his mouth was already purpled with yet another bruise.
He stared a Mac for a second before he came out of his trance and answered
Mac's question. "Oh, nothing" He said too casually. Victor looked down and
realized that his white T-shirt was covered with blood, he assumed that this
was what must be causing all of Mac's consternation. "Don't worry Mac," Victor
pulled off his shirt and dropping it carelessly to the floor he walked over to
the small sink. "That's not my blood on the shirt..." Victor looked into the
mirror and examined the dried blood in one of his nostrils, "Well maybe a small
amount of it is mine, but everything's all right, the majority is some other
bastards." He jammed the plug into the sink and twisted on the hot water. He
turned around and leaned back against the sink, smiling at Mac said, "Actually
it's that sack of shit's Big Eddie's blood." Turning back around he shut the
water off and grabbed a face cloth.
Mac stood up and went over to where Victor was standing. "Did Big Eddie
try something on you in the shower?" Mac grabbed on either side of Victor's
head and turning him gently side to side, examined the damage, which was
minimal considering who his opponent was. He had no idea that Victor went into
the fight prepared.
Victor smiled again and raised his eyebrows, "Actually no. I was the one
who jumped him."
Mac dropped his hands, "You What?" He asked perplexed, by Victor's
behavior. "I don't get it. What's going on Vic?"
Victor dipped the cloth in the hot water and wrung it out, but he made no
motion to wipe away the blood that had accumulated near his nose. Still
clutching the wet cloth he acknowledged that he went to Walker for Big Eddie's
schedule and how, exactly, payment was exacted for such information.
Mac frowned deeply when Victor mentioned having to kiss Walker, but he
said nothing and let Victor continue with telling his side of things.
Dropping the cloth back into the sink, Victor finished up his story by
stating matter of fact, "Then I waited. And when his guard was down, I jumped
him. He got one shot it before I blacked out from an adrenaline rush. When I
came 'to', I was kicking that puss ball in the ribs asking him how he liked
getting beat on." Victor looked at Mac, there was no guilt in his expression,
because he did not feel guilty for what he had done to Big Eddie. As far as
Victor was concerned, Eddie deserved whatever he got. Victor was only too
happy to exact a little revenge on behalf of his young friend. However, Victor
did not mention to Mac that Walker came in and more or less saved his ass from
a stretch the hole. He reasoned to himself that there was no point in getting
Mac all worked up over the further mentioning of Walker, the psychotic guard.
Victor turned away for a second and fishing for the face cloth, drew it out of
the water once again, wrung it out. He looked up into the mirror and began
dabbing at the stain.
Mac licked his lips and shook his head, jumping on a man unaware and
kicking the living shit out of him. That, in Mac's opinion, did not sound like
his partner at all. Mac reached out and grabbed Victor and spun his partner
around to face him. Taking over the wet cloth, Mac washed Victor's face
himself. "You've changed." Mac said softly.
"How so?" came the husky response.
"You scare me Vic. Somewhere along the way, you've managed to acquire the
'mob mentality' of this place." Mac pushed back Victor's bangs and ran the
cloth over his forehead. "Remember when that mock kangaroo court was busy
frying people they thought had gotten away with their crimes?" Victor nodded,
"Well, what makes what you just did to Eddie any different than what that
twisted judge did to his victims?"
Victor scowled deeply at Mac and pulled his head away from his partners
grip. He snatched the cloth back from Mac and scrubbed his face quickly.
Angry at his partners lack of understanding for his actions. Victor tossed the
cloth aside and pulled the plug in the sink. He walked a few paces away from
Mac and then whirled around to say angrily at him, "Big Eddie, is a bully who
got what was coming to him! And I was only to happy to be the one to teach the
bastard a lesson about picking on people smaller than you!"
"Will you listen to yourself!" Mac shot back.
"Christ, Mac. When did you become such a fucking bleeding heart? Eh?
It's not like I killed him or anything. Don't worry about his civil rights
partner, he'll recover enough to brutalize another young con again some day.
Jesus Christ, talk about me changing, listen to you." Victor looked Mac up and
down, he felt like he was arguing with a stranger. "Since when were you ever
concerned about hurting another person. Shit, seems to me you knocked more
guys around than I have..."
In the middle of Victor's rebuke, the buzzer sounded, and then the entire
block's lights went out. Victor looked up into the darkness and ran his
fingers through his short hair. He took a few deep, calming breaths and said
evenly, "I gotta get some sleep."
Victor stripped off his pants and dropped them where he was standing. He
stepped over the dirty pants and walked over to his bunk, jumping up gracefully
to get on it. Victor settled himself on his back, and stared at the ceiling.
Not caring that he didn't even brush his teeth before bed.
If Mac was concerned over Victor's behavior; then Victor was just as
concerned by Mac. He had thought that Mac would be pleased that he had put a
bully with a vicious streak out of commission for awhile. He would never have
guessed that his partner would come up all concerned for the man. Victor
sighed, he supposed Mac just didn't understand what it was like to have your
soul stolen by someone else.
Mac, stood in the dark in centre of the pod. He couldn't believe that
Victor had abruptly ended their conversation and gone to bed...just like that.
He looked at the motionless man in the upper bunk for a few seconds, then
walked over to the sink and started getting himself ready for bed in the
relative darkness. After finishing doing that, Mac stripped down to his
underwear and climbed into his own bed. He too sighed. For the last couple
of nights Victor had joined him in his bunk for some 'tension releasing' fun.
But obviously tonight was not going to be one of those times. Mac cleared his
throat and spoke to the bottom of Victor's bed. "The Director came by for a
visit after you went to... er... shower.
"Yeah." Was all Victor said.
"Yeah, she came right to the cell and asked me why you haven't been in to
report to LiAnne."
"You tell her I've had better things to do; like getting drugs to clear up
an infection from a bite mark made by a rabid prison guard." The bitterness in
Victor's voice was blatant.
Mac ignored the biting comment, "I told her that you hadn't had the time
actually. She also warned me that the 'informant' who ever that is, warned her
that he thought some one else was going to get snatched soon. But he didn't
know who the un-lucky bastard would be."
"Ok, I'll keep my eyes open." Victor said icily. "Goodnight." he added
just as coldly.
Mac sighed and tried once more, "Listen Vic, I'm sorry about giving you a
hard time about Big Eddie, it's just that I worry about all the subtle the
changes in your personality. It seems like you're not the same guy anymore."
"Yeah, well you try being a grown man and having some sweaty bastard force
himself on you. You put up with that kind of shit first, then we'll talk about
changing. I got fucked over once Mac, no one's going to do it to me again.
Matt's helpless in here, he can't look after himself. I pounded on Eddie so he
wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else for a long, long time." Victor pinched of
angry tears from the inside corners of his eyes, he was tired of being reminded
about what Gant had done to him and he was tired of living in prison.
"I'm a man Mac. I make my own choices and I live with them. I did what I
did so get off of my back. OKAY?" Victor rolled over to his stomach and tried
to relax enough to sleep. He doubted though, that slumber would come anytime
soon for him. Victor felt guilty about arguing with Mac, and even guiltier for
pushing him away. Punching his thin pillow into a ball, Victor shut his eyes
and tried to think about how things would be once he got out of prison.
"Ok." Mac murmured softly, he too, felt awful for arguing with Victor.
But he knew his partner, and right now, the frosty words that came from Victor
told him that he had better leave things alone... for now. Mac rolled over to
his side and tried to get some sleep, despite the relatively early hour.
The atmosphere in the agents pod the next morning was like being in the
arctic... very chilly. Neither agent knew what to say to the other, or how to
say it. Victor still had some residual anger left over from the night before,
and Mac having the un-canny sense of knowing when Victor needed space- and this
was one of those times- settled for simply keeping his mouth shut. After the
mornings grooming routines were finished with, the partners left their pod and
went to breakfast.
Walker's ever present gaze observed the men as they exited their pod. He
was pleased to see the distance between the two men, even if it was just a
couple of feet. Normally they were almost shoulder to shoulder. Both Victor
and Mac wore grim expressions, the posture of their bodies said it all. They
were angry with each other. Neither man bothered to speak to the other while
walking to the cafeteria. Walker smiled to knowingly to himself.
Victor must have told Mac that they were through. I hope he told that
arrogant prick about getting together with me instead.
Walkers grasp on reality was becoming more tenuous.
Mac followed Victor out of the dining area, the tense silence between them
was wearing very thin on his already jangled nerves. Mac could not take the
strain any longer and in an effort to break it he grabbed Victor's biceps,
forcing his partner to turn around and face him. He said to Victor, "Look, I'm
sorry I said you've changed. Okay?" Mac looked around himself, before saying,
"Maybe it is me who's changed. And not you" Mac dropped his hand.
Victor's face softened, he hated the tension between them too. He was
very relieved when Mac had stopped him, before things went to far between them.
"Listen Mac, I don't know why I flew off the handle last night..." Victor
hesitated for a second, but then managed a weak apology, "I'm sorry too. We'll
talk tonight about trying to wrap this case up. Alright?" Victor smiled at
Mac.
Mac smiled back, it was a beginning at least, "Okay. We make some plans
tonight." He wasn't only just referring to the plans concerning the case
either, Mac had every intention of discussing his and Victor's 'relationship',
whether Vic wanted to or not.
As Victor walked away from him, Mac watched his friend leave. His focus
went from Victor to just beyond him, to the dark ominous figure, standing in
the shadows. It came as no surprise to Mac, to see that it was Walker.
of course!
The ever present guard, was leaning against the wall, watching, of course,
them.
He's driving me crazy, always watching us like that! Mac scowled at the
guard.
Correction, always watching Victor like that. Mac turned on his heel
and made his way to the kitchen.
Walker unlocked the service hall, and the inmates entered, Victor was the
last con to pass through the heavy steel door, as he did so, Walker put a
possessive hand at the small of the agents back and leaned in close,
whispering, "I can get you into Gant's office today, right after the
assignments are handed out."
Victor only nodded his acknowledgment and took a few quick steps to catch
up with the other guys who worked in the library. He looked over his shoulder
back at Walker, who was locking the door, he could still feel where Walker's
large hand had sat against his back. And then Victor shook his head wondering
just how, Walker could delude himself into thinking that Victor actually
'desired' him.
Getting Victor into Gant's office had been incredibly easy for Walker.
All he had to do was was check the ' old man's ' schedule and work around it.
He knew that Gant, at that very moment was busy introducing himself to a bus
load of cons. Walker, generally on duty for the new arrivals, simply changed
the schedule and assigned another, just as eager guard to the duty. After
meeting with the new fish, Gant had rounds to do in the block that housed the
inmates in solitary confinement. Gant would go once a week, to each and every
segregated cell and speak with the inmate personally. It saved the warden from
having to do it. Gant would take at least two or three hours, depending on the
complaints, to finish his rounds. Then it was time for the chief of the guards
to eat his lunch, an activity he never missed, not ever. Walker knew he had
all of the morning and a good deal of the afternoon to devote to Victor.
Walker pulled out a ring of keys and unlocked the back door to chief's
inner sanctum. Gant did have a secretary, but her office was in another
building with the 4 other women who worked for the penitentiary's main office.
She did not need to be sitting out front of Gant's office to assist him.. She
could take messages and transfer calls from any where in the prison. Besides
working for Gant, she was also the chaplains and the director of social
services secretary too.
"Well, here it is, Victor." Walker said to the agent. He checked to be
sure that Gant's drawers were all still safely locked, he may be in love, but
he was not a complete fool. Walker booted up the computer for Victor and
logged on for him. "The rest is up to you. I'll be back in a while." Walker
went back to the door in which they had entered and grasped the knob, turning
around he added, "And don't steal anything, or it's both our asses." Walker
smiled brightly to the dumbstruck Victor and then walked out and locked the
door behind himself.
Victor stared after the guard for a second then he went over to the door
and checked the knob. It was locked. Unable to resist, he went to the main
entrance and check that door, it too was locked. He looked around for a second
then shrugged his shoulders. He sat down behind Gant's computer and stared at
the screen. Victor didn't know when Walker would be back for him, so he
thought that he had better get at it. He looked up at the clock on the wall,
noted the time, then began to scroll through the contents of the computer.
It only took Victor about 10 minutes to find an area called "personal
stuff". Victor "hmphed" and shook his head at the very unoriginal heading. He
immediately tried to access those files first, but, as he expected, the files
were password protected. Victor licked his lips and got down to work, he hoped
that he had enough time to find the password. First he tried the usual words
like Gant's first and last name, he even anagrammed them, but that did not
work. He looked around the office and typed in everything his eye could see,
just in case Gant was the forgetful type and needed a visual reminder of his
password. Victor only wished that he knew Gant's date of birth, that was
another common password for people to use. Frustrated Victor, quit typing and
rubbed the back of his neck. He thought about what kind of guy Gant was.
Victor knew him for the rapist he was,
But Gant wouldn't see himself that way, would he?
Victor tried putting himself in Gant's jack boots, and then it hit him,
Gant was the 'head honcho', the 'man in charge'. He took his pleasure in
controlling those who were weaker than he. Victor readied his fingers and
then began typing words associated with Gant's traits. No more the 10 minutes
later, a key turning in a lock sounded out from the computer, and Victor was
inside Gant's personal files.
The Enforcer. Should have started with that first.
Victor mentally patted himself on the back as he began to read. He came
across a sub-file marked "hunting licenses" Victor opened it up and then
muttered to himself, "Bingo."
Under the heading of 'Targets' Victor saw a column of names,
including those names of the missing prisoners that they already knew about,
and in particular Joseph Carter. In marked columns beside each name, there
were dates of when the each of the men had gone missing. Under heading of
'Hunters'there were names of men as well, except that they were first
names only, and along side those names there were 5 digit dollar amounts and
the initials Pd. Victor also read what he thought might be the name of
a lodge or a motel. The Northern Lights. Judging by the short
description given under the name, it sounded like the lodge could be located
somewhere near the area of where the 4 bodies were found.
Victor turned on Gant's printer and began copying everything contained
within the files. While the printer was busy making copies, Victor scrolled
down the page and saw that there was a new entry. There was blank under the
'target' heading, but under hunters heading there were four first names,
Sal, Joel, Austin, William. Then a dollar amount for $25,000. The
date for the 'hunt' read the next days date. There was also an additional
comment of: Sal has seen photo of intended target and is pleased with the
choice.
Victor wiped a fine bead sweat from his forehead and exhaled deeply.
As soon as the documents were done being printed, he very carefully shut down
the computer, taking care to empty out the cache. He folded and then pocketed
the damming documents, he couldn't believe that he had proof of Gant's
involvement with the disappearances and murders of the young men. And judging
by the names on the list, there were plenty more victims than just the 4 known.
Victor leaned back in the C.O.'s chair and waited for Walker to return, he was
anxious to get this information to LiAnne and then tell Mac. The next victim
hadn't been named, according to the records, but Victor would bet his left arm
that Gant already had picked him out.
He turned his head at the sound of the bolt lock turning. He sat up
straight in the chair and watched the door open.
Walker walked in and carefully locked the door behind himself. "Find what
you needed to Victor?" He purred as he walked behind the plush office chair
that Victor was sitting in.,P.
"I was just fishing around. I didn't find anything very interesting."
Victor looked sideways at the printer, and was relieved to see that he had in
fact shut it off. For a second there he wasn't sure.
"Uh, uh, uh." Admonished Walker from behind the chair. He put his hands
on the agents shoulders and spun him around in the chair so that the men where
now facing each other. "I know who you are Victor. And I know what you were
looking for. That's why I let you in, so you could find the proof that you
needed about the disappearances."
Victor's exterior remained calm, however his insides had turned to liquid
instantly. Victor forced him self to smile and without taking his eyes off of
the guard he said, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Sure you do Victor. Or should I call you Mr. Mansfield, employee of a
secret government agency." Walker replied smugly despite Victor's original
protest.
SHITOHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT!
For some reason, Walker made him more nervous now, then when they had
first met. Knowing full well that his cover was blown, he tried another tact.
"So your the informant eh?"
Victor didn't like the look in Walkers eyes; the guard looked positively
demonic.
"Yeah, I'm him all right." Walker squeezed Victor's shoulders.
"If your here to help us, then how come you beat the shit out of me on the
first day and then let Gant...rap...." Victor hesitated, no longer afraid, but
now becoming angry, "...You..." he accused Walker, "Let Gant violate me. You
bastard! And your supposed to be watching out for us?!" Victor brought his
arms up and pushed Walker's hands away from his shoulders. Then he shoved the
guard back a pace and jumped up. He went around to the other side of the desk
and with the distance between them, Victor found it easier to tell Walker just
what, exactly, he really thought of him. "You shit, you knew all along, yet you
let me 'come on' to you and made me think that I was enticing you!"
Walker smiled indulgently at his prisoner as he walked around the desk.
He stepped up closer and to Victor and grabbed him around the waist. Walker
pulled him in close, "Oh, but you do entice me Victor, make no mistake about
that."
Victor gave Walker a unsettled look, now for sure he didn't know what was
going on. "Get your fucking hands off of me." Warned Victor as he pushed the
guard away from himself. "If your the informant, then obviously I don't need
to coerce information from you. So you can drop the 'closeted gay boy in love'
routine. I'm not buying it anymore." He stepped back a few paces, wishing
Walker would just open the door and let him be on his way.
The large prison guard did not take kindly to being pushed away for a
second time. He glared at Victor and shouted angrily, "I'm not some closeted
fag, and this ain't no routine. I never wanted a guy before, but then I saw
you and everything changed. That's why I beat you up, " Walker walked towards
Victor while he talked, and Victor kept backing up until he was pinned against
the main doors and could go no further.
Walker put a beefy arm on either side of the agent and kept talking, "I had
these weird feelings about you inside me and I didn't understand what they
meant at first. You should be honored, it takes me a long time to like someone
and even longer for me not to like them." Walker stared dreamily into Victor's
eyes, he reached up and ran two fingers down the side of the agents face and
over the full bottom lip. "Your mine now Victor, mine until I say otherwise."
He gave the trapped man a crazy looking, half smile.
Victor just stood there, amazed. Walker had gone from furious to
dreamlike in a manner of seconds and then back to threatening and ominous. It
was at that moment that he realized the guard was unstable. Victor had no
doubt that Walker really did desire him, Victor's instincts had been correct
the first time around. But the agent was, in no way, going to mislead the
guard any longer. It was obvious that Walker had his own rules inside his
warped mind, and he played by those. Victor's main concern now, was getting
out of Gant's office alive and getting the documents he had copied to LiAnne.
With the information he was holding, after LiAnne had read it, it would be only
a matter of hours before he and Mac would be able to get out of this place.
Walker was the only real obstacle between the agents and freedom.
"Listen Walker, " Victor said, "I'm not 'yours' and there is no 'us'. I
was leading you on because I thought that I would be able to get information
out of you. Your the informant that has been working with my agency, so
obviously you know that I was here investigating the disappearance of Joseph
Carter. I'm an agent Walker, who does what he has to in order to close a case.
I'm not your boyfriend and I'm sure as hell not your lover. It was all a
game." Victor thought that maybe a truthful, tough love approach might be the
best course of action. He had done enough misleading already.
The guard's expression changed yet again, and Victor knew immediately that
being honest with Walker was defiantly not the right way to go in this
situation.
Bad move Vic. Think of something else and do it quickly!
Walker scowled at the agent brief just before he snapped and lost all
control. Grabbing Victor by the throat he roared, "You skinny little punk
assed bastard! I'll tell YOU when it's over. And sweetheart, it ain't over."
Walker banged Victor's head a few times against the door.
Now all of Victor's alternative, non confrontational choices had been taken
away from him. Thinking that Walker would just as soon as kill him as let him
leave, he had no choice but to fight back against the raging man. Victor's
hands came up and he dug his fingers into the tender area on the inside of
Walkers wrists. Successfully breaking the guard's choking hold. He hit
Walker in the stomach with his fist as hard as he could. The guards stomach
was so firm that it felt, to Victor, like he had just punched the heavy bag in
the gym.
Walker gave a big "oof" at the heavy contact, and tried to grab for the
agent again.
Victor shot out his right leg and kicked the much larger guard in the left
kneecap, toppling the man over. He turned to run just, and as he did he
realized that both doors were still locked. Turning around quickly, Victor
meant to pick up the heavy paper weight sitting on Gant's desk and bash Walker
over the head with it. Then he planned on making a grab for the guards set of
keys to the prison.
Unfortunately, just as his right hand closed over the object, Walker, still
on the floor, reached out a long arm and seized Victor's left ankle. Catching
the agent off guard, he pulled with all of his strength.
Victor shouted "Whoa..." as he lost his balance and started to go over. On
the way down to the floor, he hit his head on the corner of the desk. The blow
was not hard enough to make him lose consciousness, but it stunned Victor
enough so that he saw stars, and for a few seconds, he didn't quite know where
he was exactly.
Walker stood up and limped the few paces over to where Victor was now
sitting up. Even though he was still dazed from hitting his head, had managed
to pull himself up and was leaning back against the side of Gant's desk.
Victor sat there, trying to clear his vision, he couldn't figure out why his
left eye was even more blurrier than the right. Raising his hand to rub some
clearness into the eye, but when he touched his lid, Victor realized that it
was blood that was obscuring his vision. He felt a slight twinge of pain in
his hairline above the eye and gingerly touched the sore spot with his
fingertips. Victor pulled his hand away, now at least, he knew the source of
the blood. The wound itself wasn't very deep, but any little scratch on the
cranium bled like it needed ten stitches to close. While still considering the
cut, Victor looked up, right into Walkers icy blue eyes.
Walker pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and gently pressed the stark
white linen against the opening in Victor's forehead. After a few seconds he
pulled the cloth away and saw that the small cut had already started to clot.
Walker smiled paternally at Victor and chucked him under the chin. "See I'm
not such a bad guy now am I."
No, just nuts!
"What do you want Walker" Victor said, exhausted by the guards bizarre
behavior. He needed time to think. He needed to find a way out of this mess
without jeopardizing Mac or LiAnne's lives.
Walker stated his reply to the question bluntly. "I want you. Just once,
then your free to take whatever it is that you found on Gant's computer to your
lady friend in the social workers office." Walker said the words 'lady friend'
like he had a bad taste in his mouth.
Victor looked at Walker and shook his head slowly, "No dice. Think of
something else."
"Well put it this way," Walker said, "If I don't' get what I want from
you then I'll hide you in the hole, and tell the gen-pop of B block that Ramsey
is a cop. What do you think they'll do to him? I'll tell you. Those
murdering hyenas will tear him apart, limb by limb. And if that isn't enough
to convince you, then I'll back that action up by taking that high and mighty
LiAnne out of her safe, cushy office and set her free in the showers of A
block. And by the time your boss figures out just where, exactly you are, your
friends will already be dead."
Walker's smile was positively evil, he leaned in so close to Victor's face
that he could feel Walker's breath against his face. "Do you know how long
it's been since one those jackals laid their hands on a real woman?"
Victor turned his face away, confused. The last thing he wanted to do
was have sex with Walker, the resident psycho. But he believed that Walker was
genuine, and would do exactly what he promised to do if he didn't get his own
way over this. Victor was between a rock and a hard place.
My virtue is worth a whole lot less than my partners lives. What's getting
fucked against my will one more time any ways? If it finally gets Mac and I
out of here and if prevents another prisoner from being murdered, then that's
all that really matters. Right.
Not quite convinced, but knowing he had little choice in the matter Victor
looked back at Walker and said resolutely, "You promise not to rat out Mac and
LiAnne?" He wasn't even sure that he could take the deranged guards word for
it. But what choice did he have? Victor was dammed either way and he
preferred not to be the one responsible for getting his partners killed because
of his delicate psyche.
Walker grabbed Victor's face and smiled at the desolate man triumphantly.
Not that he even noticed Victor's broken spirit. He was too busy rejoicing in
agent's declaration. In his sick mind, it didn't matter how downcast Victor
was while agreeing to his 'proposal', it only mattered that he had agreed. The
man that he madly adored was willing, and that's all there was to it.
Walker knew that if he offered Victor the right incentives then Victor come
around.
"Don't worry love, their secrets are safe with me. " Walker searched
Victor eyes, "This won't hurt a bit Vic, I promise you..." Then Walker leaned
in and captured Victor's mouth with his own and Victor, perfectly compliant
allowed him to...
Twenty minutes after he had sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his
partners lives; Victor leaned over and emptied the contents, what little there
was, into the C.O. of the guards garbage can. He wiped his mouth with the
back of his hand, then worked up enough moisture to spit some of the bad taste
out of his mouth. He looked up at Walker, who's back was to him, and scowled
at the man. Now Victor knew how Matt must of felt all those years ago when he
had been forced to sell his body to feed his and his pimps drug habit. The
difference between the two of them being that at least Victor wasn't fourteen
and vulnerable.
No I'm 35 and vulnerable. Oh god I'm gonna to be sick again. He leaned
over and dry heaved into the receptacle.
Walker tucked in his uniform shirt and then zipped up his fly. He looked
back over his shoulder at Victor, who was busy dry heaving into Gant's trash.
Walker shook his head, regretting already that he had promised Victor that he'd
only have to fuck him once before they were through. Victor was a damn good-
looking man, but Walker knew that they could never be. He viewed his and
Victor's relationship as a 'Romeo and Juliet' type of liaison. They came from
two different worlds. Walker sighed, he would miss Victor, but he had given
his word.
Oh GOD his ass had been so sweet!
Finished with dressing, Walker turned around and saw that at some point
during his own musings of the lovemaking that he had done to Victor; the agent
had managed to control his stomach and get himself dressed and was now waiting
for him, silently, eyes downcast. He smoothed his uniform and just like he and
Victor had been discussing the weather 20 minutes earlier instead of screwing
said, "You ready."
"Yeah" Victor mumbled.
"Well then Vic, it's been a slice getting to know you." Walker didn't
notice the dirty look that Victor shot him over that comment. As he talked he
pulled out the key ring and un-locked Gant's door. He glanced at his watch,
and noted that there wasn't much time left before Gant would be back. "You
have an appointment with social worker LiAnne in 10 minutes, you don't want to
be late." Then he held the door open and waited for Victor to pass through.
"Wow" LiAnne exclaimed, "How on earth did you managed to get into Gant's
office and hack this information off of his computer?" LiAnne flipped through
the pages one more time before securing them safely inside her briefcase.
"Your awesome Vic. So do tell. How'd you do it?" Gushed LiAnne.
A very solemn Victor frowned at LiAnne and turned away from her. Speaking
to the 'use a condom every time' poster he said, "I talked that guard Walker
into letting me in Gant's office, and I hacked the information off the
computer by the usual means." He turned back around.
His lack of enthusiasm did not go unnoticed by his female partner. Puzzled
by his apathetic disposition LiAnne studied her partner for a second before
asking, "What's the matter Victor? Usually your pretty jazzed after a good
'hack' job." She smiled at her own little joke.
Wondering how much he could confide in his former fiancÈ`, Victor decided
to just stick to the basics. "Bad news LiAnne."
"Oh?" She said, no longer smiling.
"Walker's the informant. He knew all along who Mac and I were."
Not understanding the full scope of the situation, LiAnne asked, "And
that's a bad thing why?"
Victor blew out his breath in frustration and rubbed at the back of his
neck., he could feel the sore spot where Gant had bitten him, and where over
top of the bruise, Walker had added his own teeth marks. "It's not good LiAnne
because the guys psychotic. He's the one that I had a problem with the first
day in here."
"What kind of problem?" She asked though she had already guessed at it.
Angry over LiAnne's seemingly inability to follow the story thread Victor
said sarcastically, "He's the one who shit kicked me. OKAY! Get it now? The
bastard knew exactly who Mac and I were and yet the crazy fuck beat me half
senseless and left me at the mercy of an even more malignant bastard..."
Victor, realizing that LiAnne would have no clue at all about Gant cut himself
off before he admitted more than he really wanted too. "One word from Walker,"
he said after a beat, "And were all dead."
"Oh," was all LiAnne said. "I see." She looked at her watch, and saw that
it would be too late for her to manage the paper work that would get Mac and
Victor out today. "Listen, we have to pull you guys out of here. The sooner
the better. But I can't get you out on my authority alone, and everyone, "
'everyone' meaning the warden and the assistant warden, "has gone home for the
day. I'll take this, she pointed to her briefcase, to the agency and try to
rundown the names on the list and see if we can locate the lodge. We'll pull
you out first thing in the morning. Do you think you'll be okay between now
and then? Can you trust Walker not to spill the beans?" LiAnne began to pack
up her things, wanting to get to the agency as soon as possible, time was of
the essence.
Victor shook his head and was reminded of what, exactly, he had done to
ensure Mac, LiAnne's and his own safety. But Walker was crazy, who knew what
he would do? "I hope so LiAnne." Then he whispered quietly to himself,
"otherwise I degraded myself for nothing."
"What? What did you say?" Questioned LiAnne.
"Nothing, I was just mumbling. Look I better go. Don't worry, I think
we'll be okay until morning." He gave his partner a faint smile and started
for the door.
"Victor." LiAnne called out.
"Yeah?" He said as he turned around.
"Be extra careful eh ? Watch your back, and Mac's too." She smiled at
Victor and waited for him to answer.
"I will." He said huskily, then he was gone.
Part Fifteen
Kensington Penitentiary
The pod door swung open, and both Mac and Victor sat up at the same time. The
agents were greeted through the semi-darkness by bright halogen flashlight
being shone in their faces, each man, slightly disoriented, squinted against
the almost blinding light. Victor scowled and held up one hand and tried to
cut the glare down as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the other. While
Mac knuckled both eyes simultaneously, wondering if he was dreaming or not.
Then a man spoke to them and Mac had his answer.
"Get up and get dressed. Now!" The stern voice commanded from out of the
darkness.
Victor recognized the voice that spoke to them as belonging to Gant, the C.O.
of the prisons guards. However, he could not make the man out clearly as Gant
and another person who was holding a second flashlight, were visible in the
form of a silhouette only. The identity as to whom the other person might be,
was anyone's guess. He only hoped that it wasn't Walker.
The agents rose from their bunks and dressed hurriedly. Both men stopped
talking when Victor's initial questions of 'what the hell is going on' was
answered with a baton to his stomach. After that, both agents wisely, remained
silent.
You didn't need to be Einstein however, to figure out that one or both of
them was most likely the next 'target' for the group of hunters up north.
Standing in the chilly bay of the receiving area, Victor looked around the
dimly lit room, but he did not see Walker among the four prisoners—judging by
their prison garb, who were standing in the room with them. Victor wasn't sure
if he was relieved or not by that fact. His worried filled eyes rested on Mac
for a second, then he turned his gaze back to the group and watched the cons
warily as they spoke quietly to Gant.
Both he and Mac were securely cuffed with their hands confined their sides
by waist chains and tethered to the wall behind them by a long leather type
'leash'.
Victor, remembered all to well what had happened the last time he had been
restrained in just such a way. It made him very anxious to be so vulnerable
again. For the last 10 minutes he had been experiencing very real, very vivid
flash backs of what had happened the last time Gant had restrained. He broke
out into a fine sweat that peppered his brow with delicate, tiny drops of
moisture.
Victor looked back to Mac, as if seeking some sort of reassurance. Now
that he had an audience, Victor hoped that Gant would be less tempted to repeat
the brutal acts he had committed against him the last time they were alone
together. But still, Victor could not stop himself from experiencing anxiety
over the situation.
Mac watched Victor from the corner of his eye, and judging by his partners
body language, it was plain that Vic was more than just nervous. Mac looked at
Victor full on and smiled at his partner, comforting Victor with a simple look.
Mac, trying to take his partners mind off of things, asked Victor, "I wonder
where Walker is?"
Gant handed off a cell phone to one of the inmates that Mac didn't
recognize, and directed his comments to Victor as he answered Mac's question.
"Oh, we know out all about your boyfriend Walker and whom he was reporting
too." Gant came to a stand still in front of Victor, "...We took care of him
earlier, so don't look for him to come charging in on his white horse to save
your skin." Gant looked Victor over lecherously, from head to toe. Thinking
to himself what nice skin it was too.
Now at least, the agents knew for sure that Walker wasn't in on the hideous
scheme of selling humans for slaughter. But unfortunately, he wouldn't be able
to help them out of this mess either. Victor did not recognize the con that
Gant had handed the phone too either.
Of the four cons waiting in the room with Gant, Mac knew two of them from
his confrontation with them a couple of weeks ago. So Mac thought it safe to
assume that the two unidentified inmates were most likely, Marc and Bobby.
The foursome of men who made up the infamous 'Musketeers'. Unable to resist
annoying the two cons that he did recognize, Mac looked over to Vic and smiled
mischievously, "Hey Clyde..." He asked, "..How do the nuts feel? The swelling
go down yet?" Victor snorted lightly and laughed softly, along with Mac.
Clyde, whose balls had nearly been twisted off by Mac, narrowed his eyes
at the offender and lacking any sort of a good comeback to the rhetorical
question, turned red and said simply, "Shut up!"
Mac stopped laughing and again looked at Victor, "Whooo." He said
sarcastically, "such big words for a moron." The agents laughed again. Mac
was intentionally agitating the crew.
Gant walked over and stood in front of Mac, he raised a meaty fist and
slammed it into Mac's stomach. The agent lost all the air in his diaphragm,
and he sank to his knees, gulping and gasping for a breath of air. "You were
told to shut up. So do it!" Gant sneered at Mac before he went over to the
unknown musketeer who still held the phone and ordered, "Try 'em again Bobby."
At least, Victor and Mac had names to go with all four faces. None of
the four inmates had bothered Mac, or Victor for that matter, since Clyde and
John's ill fated sexual assault attempt against Mac's person early on in the
agents stay.
Now the agents knew why they had been spared the wrath of the infamous
'Musketeers' after the fight. One or both of them were definitely the next
target for the 'hunters'. The hunters chasing them down would most likely the
men who's names Victor had seen on the computer files next to the empty space
under 'target'.
Mac glanced sideways at Gant, and with a masochistic streak that would not
be denied, Mac could not resist getting in one more barb. "How's the wrist
John?" He asked, smiling as he recalled snapping it for him during their
fight. "Does the cast interfere with jacking Clyde off much?" Mac looked up
to Victor, who just rolled his eyes at his partner.
"Why you insolent little... " sputtered John, "I oughtta... " He started
toward Mac, but Gant put up an arm and prevented him from reaching the still
kneeling agent.
Gant stared Mac directly in the eyes for a moment, then turned his gaze
toward Victor, and appraised the silent agent. "Obviously you don't know when
enough is enough do you?" He said to Mac while still watching Victor.
"Hitting you isn't a punishment, is it? Well I think it's time I hurt you
where it counts." All four inmates watched to see what Gant was going to do.
Even though Bobby was still on the phone, he stared in rapt attention at the
scene playing out before him.
The guard went over to Victor and punched the unsuspecting agent in the
stomach, and when he fell to his knees, Gant grabbed a hand full of the agent's
short brown hair and yanked back Victor's head back viciously, exposing the
agents throat.
Victor groaned at the pain, but otherwise did not utter a word. He would
not give Gant the satisfaction of lording over him again. And when the
sufficient protests had not come from either agent, Gant squeezed Victor's
silky hair tighter and said, "Ok, have it your way." He signaled to Marc, the
most sadistic felon of the bunch. Marc went over to where Gant and Victor
were. Gant pulled Victor to his feet while still holding his head by the hair
and said to Marc, "let him have it."
Marc licked his lips in anticipation as he brought up a fist and hit Victor
on the left side of his face. Victor's head snapped sideways as Gant let go of
him. Blood spurted from his nose and mouth and he fell back down to his knees
where this time it was Marc who grabbed his hair and steadied the agent.
"Stop it. Okay? Just stop it! I'll be quiet!" Mac yelled in a panic.
The last thing he wanted was for Victor to pay the price because he couldn't or
wouldn't keep his big trap closed.
Victor mumbled, "Mac, I'm ok." At the same time that Bobby said into the
cell phone, 'Ya, it's me.'
Gant smiled in triumph and looked at Marc. He said to the con, "Let
him go Marc." Then to Mac, "I knew I'd get you to shut your smart mouth."
Before he let go of Victor, Marc leaned in and whispered in the panting
agent's ear, "Next time your partner speaks out I'll take you in the next room
and teach you a REAL lesson sweetheart. Compared to me, the beating that
asshole guard Walker laid on you will seem like a spanking with a feather."
Marc bit Victor's lobe gently, rimmed the inside with his tongue and then blew
in the ear as he stood up. Laughing, Marc walked back over to where Clyde and
John stood, all of them now sporting erections.
Mac glowered at the group men, but knowing that Victor would be the one
to get beat on instead of him, he kept his biting retorts to himself. Mac,
stood up and turned to examine Victor with his eyes only. He was saddened by
the current state that his partner was in.
Victor's nose had stopped bleeding, along with his mouth, but he was still
very much a pathetic sight. Mac watched, unable to help to even help his
partner, as he struggled and eventually settled himself, sitting on the floor
with his back against the cold, industrial brick wall. Mac sighed and stepped
back and slid down the wall, sitting next to Victor.
Victor had his knees bent and he rested his head on top of his kneecaps.
Mac wished he could put his hand to the back of his friends head and rub out
some of the pain, he knew Victor had to be feeling from being knocked around.
Mac, being cuffed the way he was, had no choice however but to settle for
moving closer and touching him, shoulder to shoulder.
Bobby hung up the phone and handed it back to Gant. "He says," Gant
obviously knew who he was, "That they'll pay 60 g's for the pair of
them. They plan on being there for a long weekend." Bobby looked toward the
two seated men. He grinned maliciously at them both. "I told him he had a
deal." Bobby turned back to Gant. "Was I wrong in saying that?"
"No. Makes things on this end a whole lot less messy for us." Gant
was very much aware that he had two agents of some sort in his 'custody'. Just
who exactly they worked for was still unclear, but it was apparent that the
pair of them had been sent in to check out the disappearances of the inmates
and that it was Walker who was keeping the men's bosses informed.
Even before he knew who the agents were, Gant had already planned on selling
Mac to the 'hunters'; because he was younger and appeared to be more fit. The
musketeers had volunteered his name right after the fight between Mac, Clyde
and John. But when he found out about Victor and Mac and who they really were;
that one little tidbit of information changed everything. Getting rid of them
both at the same time was by far the best solution.
Once the victims were transported to their final destination, Gant would
pick up the payment for selling the inmates the next day, in person. He would
pay off the people who worked for him on the inside and out, then after that,
he intended to take off before things got too hot and blew up in his face.
And he ended up as a permanent resident of Kensington. An outcome that would
not do at all.
The scam that he had going with the 'judges' for the past year and a half
had left him a very rich man. But, as the law of averages for-told; it was
only a matter of time before someone caught up to him. This way, by the time
Victor and Mac's superiors found them, they would be dead and he would be
living the good life in a country that had no extradition treaties. A place
like Bolivia or even Uruguay. He had unlimited choices.
"When will the van be here?" Gant asked Bobby.
"Should be here in just a few minutes." Bobby walked away from his friends
and went to where Gant was standing in front of the chained men to talk to him.
"There's one hell of a storm working its way up here from the south. It's
already shut the entire city down. It will probably hit here full force in a
couple of hours, or so. I told the transport guys to get here as soon as they
could." The 'transport guys' Bobby was referring to, were two previous
inmates of Kensington, put to work by their former C.O.—Gant. The guard
looked at the leader of the musketeers for a second, then he approached the
agents and squatted down in front of Victor.
Victor, who was still resting, had sensed someone had come over to him.
He raised his head and looked at Gant, his large green eyes filled immediately
with rage and hatred for the other man.
Mac sat silently next to his partner, unwilling to be the one to earn Victor
another beating, but like Victor, he stared maliciously at both Bobby and
Gant.
The guard studied Victor for a minute and then Mac. He knew instantly
that he had made the right choice by taking Victor instead of Mac on that first
day. The older agent's pride had been stolen and his spirit crushed, you could
see it in his face. The sadistic guard had forever changed the green-eyed man.
Gant's finely tuned instinct had told him at the time, that the younger man
would not react in the way he was seeking. Mac was younger and more resilient
to life's abuses. But Victor, being just that little bit older, was more set
in his thoughts, ways and ideas. The ecstasy that Gant had experienced while
hurting Victor, and the pleasure he had taken in debasing the agent was yet, by
far, the best he had ever encountered.
Gant silently wished that he had planned things a little differently, so he
could feel the same excitement that he had felt that day with Victor one last
time. But there just wasn't enough time left before the van arrived to pick
up the agents. Gant looked over his shoulder at Bobby for an instant,
silently saying to the con 'watch me'. He grabbed Victor under the chin and
held him with fingers on one side of his bruised jaw and his thumb on the other
side. Gant spoke to Mac, "Did your roommate tell you what I did to him after I
stripped and searched him?" The tone in the guards' voice was malicious, he
squeezed Victor tighter. "Hmm?"
Victor managed to work up a mouth full of moisture and spit it into Gant's
face, "Fuck you!" he said emotionally.
Bobby reacted instantly, "Why you fucking piece of shit!" and he back
handed Victor across the face, making the agent's head snap back.
Gant did not let go of him however, and the vice like grip became even
tighter. Gant loved a challenge, he may not have been able to sexually assault
the agent, but he took perverse pleasure in raping Victor all over again, this
time by using words. Gant ran his arm over his face and hastily wiped away
Victor's spit. After doing that he reached over with his free hand and
dragged his middle finger over Victor's lips, which were pressed together
tightly. He smeared the blood-caused by Bobby's blow-across them. Colouring
the swollen mouth with the bright red liquid.
Victor tried to pull his head away, all he wanted to do was to rest it
again. He was so very tired. Tired from being slapped around so much and
tired of Gant and his abusive ways. Victor wished that the van would just show
up so he could get away from the prison all together. It didn't matter that he
was on his way to imminent death, he just wanted the whole nightmare to be over
with one way or another.
Gant however, was not done assaulting Victor with his statements. In
fact, he was just getting started. "Well,.." He drawled, "..in case Victor
didn't tell you I will. I stuck my dick up his ass." All four of the
musketeers hooted from behind Gant at the imagery.
Victor closed his eyes and fought down off the wave of nausea that was
washing through him. He did not want to recall the events of that first day
with Walker, and then with Gant. That was his first time ever when it came to
having intercourse; in a manner of speaking.
What should have been a mutual, perhaps even pleasurable occasion with a
partner he approved of. Had been, in reality, a brutally enforced, violent
event. That happened against Victor's will.
Gant kept up his monolog, "He bled more than a virgin on her wedding
night..." Mac was glaring first at Gant then the rest of the inmates, willing
them all to drop dead. "...I bent him over, he begged me not to fuck him. And
when I shoved my dick up his ass for the first time, he screamed over and over
again."
Mac shuddered, he remembered hearing Victor's screams from the other side
of the door, and wondering to himself, at the time, what on earth was
happening. "Shut up." Mac said. He had to defend his partner. "You don't
need to tell me this. I already heard it."
Gant looked at Mac and raised his eyebrows, surprised that Victor had
spoken about the incident, he figured Victor for a 'secret keeper' for sure, he
fit the type. But then, the men were partners in the real world after all, and
partners did tend to turn to each other first, even before they did their
spouses. Now that Gant knew he was getting to Mac as well, he kept up with his
graphic description of Victor and the assault. "He was sooo juicy. The best
one yet. His ass was so tight I thought he'd pull my cock off with his grip...
"
"I'll kill you!" Mac shouted out the warning.
The vicious guard laughed at Mac's threat, "Yeah well, that's what Vic
said at the time too," Gant shook Victor's head a couple of times to emphasize
his words. "... and yet, here I still am." Gant changed his grip from
underneath his chin so that he was now holding the back of the agent's neck.
The large bay door opened up, and every man, except Victor-who sat there like a
block of marble-turned to look at the noise.
The van and its drivers had arrived. Gant grinned at Mac and turned back,
now he spoke only to Victor, "Oh, I'm going to miss you sunshine." He leaned
in close and kissed the agent on the lips. Victor moved his head back and
forth trying to avoid the forced kiss. Gant held him still with both hands and
as he finished his kiss, he bit Victor's bottom lip so hard that his teeth sank
in and broke the skin. Drawing yet another fresh gout of blood from Victor's
body.
Victor spit blood at the laughing Gant and vowed, "I'm going kill you
myself. Someday, somehow, when you think your safe, I'm going to show up and
put a bullet in your head." And Victor knew, that he would do it too.
Gant's only reply to being on the receiving end of a death threat and another
face full of split mixed with blood was to stand up slowly and punch Victor in
the face, hitting the agents nose and mouth at the same time. His flew head
went back and hit the cement wall behind him, knocking the agent out.
Mac, though cuffed with his hands at his sides the same way as Victor,
reacted with even thinking. He growled menacingly at Gant and managed to jump
up and lunge forward, smashing his fore-head into the guard's face. Because
his actions caught Gant completely off guard, Mac managed to break the C.O.'s
nose. Mac felt the nose 'crunch' beneath his forehead and when the guard
yelled at the sudden, sharp pain and fell backwards flat on his as, Mac smiled
to himself in satisfaction.
Bobby who was still standing nearby, charged at Mac and grabbed the agent
around the throat, squeezing so tightly that he cut off his air momentarily.
"Defending your bitch. How sweet." He hissed through clenched teeth.
"Let him go." Gant said as he fished a cotton handkerchief from one of his
pockets and dabbed at his nose. For a broken nose, it did not bleed very much.
"Two targets pay better than one. Besides, Sal doesn't want him too messed
up,..î 'Him' meaning Mac,
"...any ways"
Doing as he was instructed, Bobby released Mac's neck and pushed the
agent away from himself. He scowled at the agent; who dropped back down to his
knees to check on his unconscious partner. Bobby looked down at the other
agent and cracked, "What will they say about him being all beat up then?"
"Don't worry, he's tough enough to take it . Aren't ya Victor?" Gant
stuck the tip of his steeled toed Dayton intothe limp man's ribs and laughed.
Mac defiantly pushed the offending boot away from Victor. Gant shook his head
and clucked his tongue, then he turned and looked at the two men who were
waiting expectantly to transport Victor and Mac to the hunting lodge.
He flicked his gaze to Mac one last time and then settled his eyes on
Victor, he stared in silence for a minute before saying, "Get them out of
here." Turning on his heel Gant walked away from the two agents.
3:00 am
LiAnne walked down the hall so fast that a person with shorter legs would
almost be running to catch her. When she reached the large double doors that
led to the director's 'War room', she very dramatically flung both of the doors
open at the same time and shouted out to all in the room triumphantly, "I've
found them. I found those old coot's paper trail. I knew I would!
Both the Director, who had been sitting, and Dobrinski who had been
standing and leaning over her shoulder, looked up at the same time. Their
eyebrows raised in unison for a second then fell in time. "I take it you've
made some progress." The director said sarcastically. She looked up at
Dobrinski and with a single, silent wag of her auburn brow, told him to step
away from her. Which he did.
Dobrinski looked back to LiAnne and said to The Director with out looking
at her, "I'll go and get us some coffee while LiAnne briefs you." Not waiting
for his boss to answer, Dobrinski turned around and left by an exit that
LiAnne, or her partners for that matter, had never been allowed to use before.
The Director motioned for LiAnne to take a seat -to which the agent did-
and said, "Go on, tell me what you've found."
The agent stopped smiling and pulled out a sheaf of papers and photographs
from a plain beige file holder. All business now, she began to tell her boss
about the list of names that Victor had hacked out of Gant's computer.
"Well, I found out who owns the 'Northern Lights'. It is co-owned by four
men, all of them judges in a federal court circuit. The men's full names are:
Salvatore Martin, Joel Biggart, Austin Mayne and William Lawson." LiAnne, as
she recited each name, passed a 8x10 photo to go with it. The Director took
each photo and lined them up, studying each face as she listened to LiAnne.
"These four geezers, " she continued, "Are probably the four most powerful
judges working the bench today. Their friendship goes way back to their days
at a pre-law college. All of them are avid big game hunters." She pushed
copies of the hunting licenses that were required to hunt the country's big
game towards the Director too. The small pieces of coloured papers had the
names of the judges on them along with their signatures.
"These guys are disgusting. Nothing's safe from them. From Grizzly bear,
cougar and wolf to bobcat and big horn sheep. You name it and they kill it."
LiAnne had a sour look on her face, she wasn't against hunting when it was done
to feed a family, like so many men did in the northen areas of the country.
But hunting for the sake of taking a trophy rubbed her the wrong way, her
opinion on trophy hunting was that it was barbaric.
"I put faces and names together for the rest of the men on the list." She
pulled out more photographs. "They are all successful men, lawyers, CEO'S,
owners of large companies and the like. This cadre of hunters, pay out large
amounts of money to the four judges just to spend time at the 'Northern lights
retreat'."
LiAnne leaned forward and said to her boss matter of fact, "It's not such a
big leap to go from hunting big game animals to hunting down a human being. I
mean really, after a while these guys would need a bigger thrill that killing a
bobcat." She noted the look in the Directors eyes, and encouraged by it she
went on with her theory, "I think that Gants' in the judges back pocket, he
picks out and sells a prisoner to the hunters. The 'game' has to be in good
shape and relatively healthy, otherwise, chasing down and killing a doped up
junkie getting sick in the bush because he missed his last hit wouldn't be fun
at all. Right? These guys they need the thrill of the hunt, they crave the
challenge."
"Go on." The Director said, intrigued with the very plausible explanation.
LiAnne licked her lips, "Ok, so Gant snatches a 'clean' inmate, in good health
someone who will give who ever it is paying the tab a good run for his money.
The hunters pay the judges, who in turn pay Gant. The judges run the
operation, and every once in a while, they go out to the retreat them selves
and chase down some poor guy and kill him. Somewhere along the line someone
must have gotten sloppy about hiding the bodies, and that's how those hikers
found Joseph Carter."
LiAnne shook her head in disgust. She couldn't fathom killing another
person for the sheer sport of it. The whole operation left her with a bad
taste in her mouth. Standing up, she went over to the water machine and poured
herself a cup of cold water.
The Director looked over the rest of the paper trail that LiAnne had
brought in, all the evidence went back to the Judges and Gant.
Get those five, and the rest of the participants will crumble like my aunt's
pie crust.
"Our informant on the inside thought that some one was going to be
grabbed up and soon. But he didn't know who it would be. Too bad Victor
couldn't get a name." the Director looked at her watch. It was 3:30 in the
morning, but she was still as fresh as when she had first walked into her
office at 9:00 am the previous morning. "We haven't heard a thing from the
informant since yesterday afternoon. I'm concerned. I'd like to stop another
killing if... possible."
LiAnne crumpled her cup and dropped it into the small garbage can, "You
mean you haven't heard from Walker since yesterday?" she questioned her boss.
The Director looked at LiAnne suspiciously, "How did you know that the
guard Walker was the informant?"
She shrugged, "Victor told me, Walker told him. And judging by the sounds
of things it was a pretty risky move to work with the guard in the first place.
Victor says he is volatile and un-stable."
LiAnne relayed most of the story about his behavior and the beating that
he had given to Victor. Most of the information about the guard she had
learned from the other personal that she had questioned before leaving earlier
the day before.
"Well he's not crazy when he takes his medicine!" Snapped the Director,
well aware of Walker his 'faults, and even what he had done to Victor.
"Well he's obviously not taking his meds any more." LiAnne pointed out to
her boss.
The Director didn't like being called on the carpet for the mistakes—no
matter how far and few between they were—that she had made. Right now she
knew that she had made a very big error in judgement by trusting a guard, she
knew was half way crazy in the first place. And an even bigger one by paying
him to watch the boy's backs.
"If Walker told Victor that he knew who he was, then Walker could have told
the whole prison about the guys. Shit, I can't believe I left the Mac and
Victor in the care of a lunatic!" The Director berated herself for her
uncharacteristic lapse in good judgement.
She picked up the phone and said to LiAnne, "I'll get some back up to
Kensington and spring the boys right now. Then we'll get up to the 'retreat'
and see what we can do about picking up some big game hunters and their prey.
Hopefully we'll arrive before anybody else gets hurt." The director could not
hear a dial tone out of her phone, so she tapped the receiver a few times then,
assuming that it was the line that was not working, she pushed another button
to another outside line. "This goddamned phone is not working. Hand me your
cell LiAnne." The director slammed down the phone and reached for the
proffered portable.
"Hold it." Instructed Dobrinski as he entered the room by same way he had
exited it. Passing a coffee to LiAnne and then to his boss he said, "Ramsey
and Mansfield are just going to have to look after themselves tonight. A huge
rain and wind storm has blown up from the south. There are downed power lines
everywhere and trees have taken out most of the phone lines, including some
cellular towers. It's really nasty out there. The city has shut down. Most of
the main roads are closed to any non emergency traffic. There are just too
many hazards out there." Dobrinski took a sip of his own coffee.
"There will be no getting out of the city until late tomorrow morning or early
afternoon. Nothing can fly out either, I already checked. The winds are just
too strong." He took another sip and said to LiAnne, "I'm surprised the
agency still has main power." Then as if to question the validity of his
statement, all the lights in the Director's briefing room went out. "See, I
told you." Commented Dobrinski placidly.
"Shit!" stated the Director. The emergency lights illuminated from the corners
of the room. Providing very little light.
"This system should blow its self out by morning. But until then were
trapped." Dobrinski said, sounding very much like the channel 11 weather man.
"Shit" Echoed LiAnne as she took a drink from her coffee cup.
Part Eleven
ac changing the subject asked, "So tell me about Matt and the arrest.
What happened back then?"
Victor arranged his pillow making himself more comfortable, he settled in
on the small bunk and began to tell the story of Matt Vandenburg, or rather,
Mathew August... 
Noel as per his usual, drove in silence too. Preferring to leave
the mother Teresa act up to his partner.
Victor looked at Matt with his fair hair and big blue eyes, the kid
had 'target' written all over him. Victor knew he couldn't subject Matt to the
very same treatment as he would, no doubt, get on the street. Worse even,
because in Jr. Hall you were locked in with no where to escape too, at least on
the streets he could run away.
"I wouldn't do that to you. But if you don't change, your going to be
dead in a couple of years, probably before your seventeenth birthday." Victor
understood the harsh reality of the life Matt was living all to well. "And if
the drugs don't kill you first then it will be some freak show who picks you
up, withe nothing but torturing you on his mind. And if it isn't some psycho
then you'll most likely catch the virus." Victor didn't have to clarify the
word 'virus'. Both knew what he meant by it. "You can only offer to go 'bare
back riding' so many times before one of your johns gives you HIV Matt. And
going back with 'Uncle Tony'," Victor spat the name out venomously, "is
absolutely out of the question."
Matt didn't, couldn't look at the cop. So instead he cast his gaze
towards the table top and studied the back of Vic's hands.
Victor kept talking, "I know that in the past any one who has ever
tried to help you has had an ulterior motive, " Matt nodded, but did not look
up, "But I promise you, that's not the case here. I only want to help you get
off the streets, maybe save your life while it's still worth living."
1:00 am
The Agency.
