Krycek's lashes lowered, his lower lip juting out in a childish pout.

"I'll take that for a yes." Spender growled, frowning darkly. "You are a very disobediant creature, my pet." He darted a cold glance at his hireling. "Bring me a tray for himl, Kline."

The big man nodded and spinning on his heel, scampered out of the office.

"What game are you playing at now, Spender?" Skinner demanded when they were alone again, his chocolate glance searching the subdued Krycek for any sign of deceit.

Only curiosity reached out to met him from the huge green eyed stare.

"No game," Spender drew smoke into his lungs, finishing the cigarette down to the butt. He reached to snub out the ember, frowning at the full ashtray. "Alex, hand up." he said softly, the slow cruel smile curling his thin lips.

Hesitating no more than a heartbeat, Krycek lifted his hand, palm up and Spender ground out the butt into his hand. Krycek shuddered under the burn but made no sound, no attempt to escape the searing heat pressed ruthlessly into his hand.

But Skinner's stomach roiled against the stench of burnt flesh. "Stop it."

"You're concerned?" Spender asked, tilting his head to slant Skinner a curious glance. "I thought you would be pleased to see how...docile Alex can be, given the right....incentives." He cupped Alex' chin, forcing him to meet his cold eyes once more. "Alex, you remember Skinner, don't you?" When Alex continued to stare up at him, he turned Alex's head manually back toward Skinner. "Don't you remember him?"

Head tilting, the green gaze stabbed into Skinner without recognition. "No, sir."

Skinner cringed at the open honesty in those two words. "What did you do to him?"

"Alex is fine, Skinner." Spender assured him. "Tell him, Alex. Tell Walter you're fine."

Alex offered a wavering smile, his confusion easy to read on his face. "I'm fine, Walter."

"See, he's happy now. Aren't you Alex. Tell him you're happy, Alex."

The smile wavered longer before the man pasted it on again. "I'm happy."

"Good boy." Spender ruffled his hair affectionately. "Down, Alex."

Whoofing a soft sigh, Krycek curled into a ball at Spender's feet, resting his head on his arm and staring straight ahead.

Horror washed over Skinner as his mind wrapped around the realization of what Krycek had become. "Oh my god."

"Don't give him a thought, Skinner. He doesn't."

"What the hell have you done to him?" Skinner demanded again hotly.

"Alex Krycek is," He smiled coolly, offering a one shouldered shrug. "Was a traitor. There was a termination order on him, but he was lucky enough to be brought in just when I needed a..." The smile flashed again, cold as a shark's toothy grin. "A volunteer for a little something we'd cooked up in the labs. Something went a little...well, wrong. It was supposed to simply erase his memory of the time he....worked for us. Apparently he was given more of the serum than was required." Spender shrugged. "A fortunate tragedy."

"What...." Skinner drew a restraining breath. "What are you going to do with him?"

Chuckling around his cigarette, Spender stroked the silky hair under his hand. "I don't honestly know." His eyes narrowed on Skinner. "I'm not the type to keep a pet. Never have been. Too much work and time expended." He tilted a cold glare toward the innocent at his feet and grimaced. "Perhaps I will sell him. I'm sure here are plenty of buyers who would love to have such a beauty in their possession."

Skinner's skin crawled at the thought of Alex....of this Alex in the hands of the kind of men Spender was so obviously considering brokering him to. It would be the worst kind of abuse.

A knock on the door interrupted his tumbling thoughts and Spender's heavy pushed into the office, a take out box in hand. Spender took the box, tore off the top and laid the food on the floor next to Krycek. "Alex, eat."

The young man rose to his knees and picked up a greasy cheese stick, scraping his teeth over the breading half heartedly.

Spender cuffed him on the back of the head. "I said eat."

A look of pure rebellion clouded Krycek's face, tightening temper flashing in his eyes. His arm lashed out striking the boxed meal and sending it hurtling across the room, scattering the food in damp, greasy clumps over the pristine carpet.

Spender's reaction was just as spontaneous, and much more violent. His foot lashed out, catching Krycek with crushing force on the side. The younger man went down, gasping for breath that wouldn't come. Spender reared back for another kick, but Skinner sprang out of his seat and shoved Spender backwards.

Standing over the startled black ops with fists opening and closing, he glared every ounce of hatred he felt for Krycek's abuser. "What kind of bastard are you anyway? You've made him incapable of understanding what's happening to him. You can't treat an animal like this. Or a man you've reduced to the level of a child. Its neferious. Contemptible. And by God, I won't let you continue to do this."

Spender managed to wrap his disdain around himself during Skinner's tirade. He reached for another cigarette, lit it, watching the fury with a bored expression. "And just what," he asked softly at last. "Do you plan to do about it?"

"I'm taking him away from you, Spender." Walter hissed.

Spender chuckled softly. "Taking him away?" he purred. "I think not."

"Oh, but I think you'll agree. You don't want your masters to know about this blunder, do you?"

Spender's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, giving Skinner the tell he was watching for.

"And it was a blunder, reducing Krycek to this, wasn't it? This serum you're so proud of is a failure, isn't it? You can't have your enemies suddenly reduced to the mentality of new borns. It would open the door to too many questions. So you're going to give him to me to keep your blunder concealed, aren't you?"

Spender's lashes lowered, hiding his thoughts.

"Aren't you?"

Spender smiled grimly. "He is," He waved a magnanimous hand. "yours."

Skinner nodded, backing away from his most hated enemy until he could hunker down next to the still wheezing Krycek.

Hands trembling from the depths of a black rage, Skinner stripped the offensive collar from Alex's neck and flung it across the room,the skittering crash making the younger man cringe away. "Alex. No, come here, Alex." Walter drew him into his arms, smoothing circles on Krycek's back to ease the spasms. "Its going to be okay now. You're going to come with me, okay? I'll take care of you."

Krycek tilted him a nervous glance, his breathing coming in short gasps, but slowing under the caressing hand.

Skinner gifted him with a gentle smile. "It's all right now. Can you sit up?"

His eyes locked on Spender, Krycek let Skinner gather him to his chest.

Skinner smoothed the wild, sable hair and murmured soft comfort words until Krycek's body stopped trembling in his arms. "Want to come with me, Alex?" he asked the gentle assassin. "Let me take care of you?"

Finally releasing the death grib gaze he'd locked on Spender, Alex lifted his face to Skinner and smiled shyly. "Are we....friends?"

Skinner stilled, studying the guiless expression of the child man. "Yes," he said smiling warmly. "Yes, we are friends." He shifted, drawing Krycek to his feet. "Lets go home, okay?"

Krycek's flickering smile brightened the darkness in Skinner's soul. "Home. Let's go home now" he repeated and Alex nodded, grasping Skinner's hand with unconditional trust shining in his gaze.

END