JUSTIN

Ben left after Cynthia, telling us leaving together wouldn’t really be a good idea. I doubted anyone would ignore the fact there were people coming and going from my house and not tell Julian or whoever else could be watching what goes on with me. In truth, let them and good luck to them, now that I don’t want them to watch me anymore. I got dressed, planning to make it a little harder for them. Something I never even tried before, always following the same routes and going to the same places was a pattern I set, making it easier to be followed. It was time to change the pattern, if they’re any good they’ll figure it out. 

I sat at my window, really looking for the first time. It wasn’t like my street was huge or teeming with people. It was that I wasn’t really looking at the people, I just liked to know they were out there. If there were people watching me, then they’d expect me to do what I always do, walk out the front door and head down in the direction I always go. Hopefully I had set the pattern that caused them to be lazy. Instead, I went out the back and down the back alley. Other than a few animals I didn’t see anyone around, but I still detoured through a yard to the street in the next neighborhood. Paying attention for a change, I avoided letting ideas distract me while I walked. It was really strangely exciting, something my life lacked before.

Babylon’s line was long when I got there, which was new since I tended to show up early, making it easier to get in. Not knowing what to do, I went to get in the line, only to have someone loop their arm through mine.

“Honey, the only people who get in line are the ones that aren’t likely to ever get in.” Emmett said, dragging me straight into the club. “Now are we going up or down?” He asks, as he guides me past people and towards the middle of the club.  “Can you dance?” He asks, looking down at me. “It’s okay no one really cares if you can, but hey you have me to show you all the moves so just follow my lead.” He said, pulling me in front of him, putting his hands on my hips and making me want to run when he moved our hips together. Only to grab my hand and spin me around to face him. “See, it’s fun.” He tells me, looking over me, and grinning at what he was seeing. “I think I might get killed unless you save me.” He announced suddenly, as I got yanked backwards and turned again. I was getting dizzy.

“Hands off.” Brian said over my head, and I looked up to see him glaring at Emmett.

“Well off to distract, this was fun.” Emmett said, dancing away.

“Is there some reason for this?” I asked, assuming we’d find a corner not the middle of the dance floor.

“You don’t like dancing?” Brian asked, pulling me closer to him.

“I wouldn’t know, but we need to talk.” I told him.

“Which we will, after Emmett deals with Mikey for us.” He tells me, moving me to see his friend heading toward us. Then Emmett got in front of Mikey, and Brian walked us off the dance floor. He took me through the backroom I’d avoided, and through to the exit where his car was sitting. I didn’t have time to say anything when he opened the door and shoved me in, getting in and driving away.

“I thought we were going to talk there?” I asked.

“Too many people who would interrupt us, and there's someone who might know what we're up against.” He tells me.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“Emmett has a friend who is willing to let us use his place to talk. I told Emmett to let Ben know where to find us. What were you able to find out?” He asks.

“That my work isn’t as simple as I wanted to believe it was. Julian apparently keeps people in his pocket and uses them when he needs something. In this case, Gardner’s illegitimate son, who I busted for hacking into Julian’s systems. I searched, but didn’t find any other connection between Gardner and Julian.” I tell him, still feeling like shit about it.

“So he called up Gardner and thought offering me my dream job was a way to get me away from you.” Brian said, thinking about it. 

“Maybe you should.” I whispered.

“Should what?” He asked.

“Take what Gardner’s offering you. Forget about all of this.” I tell him.

“Walk away and let Julian have what he wants?” He asks.

“You’d get what you want too.” I tell him, wanting him out of whatever this is.

“You’re trying to protect me?” Brian asks, stopping the car on the side of the road.

“Why would you want to deal with this when you really don’t have to. It’s not like we’ve known each other that long and you don’t owe me…” 

Brian cut me off by sealing his lips over mine. He wasn’t gentle but almost bruising, like he was angry at me for giving him an out. We were both breathing heavily staring at each other when he backed off.

“No, I don’t owe you anything, but it’s not about owing anything, it’s about feeling something for the first time.” He tells me.

“I don’t understand.” I tell him.

“When people touch me, other than getting off, I feel nothing. I know this is all new to you, but it’s new for me too. I want to be there helping you, because with you I feel, and I’m not willing to give that up.” He tells me, starting the car again.

We arrived at a mansion, where a butler was waiting for us. He took us through the house, stopping outside a door. “Mr Honeycutt said you needed some privacy, the other gentleman chose the pool area, let me know if you need anything.” He said, walking off and leaving us outside a door.

“No one even knows that my friends and I know George.” Brian said, opening the door.

Ben was sitting in a lounge chair next to a man who looked old enough to be a grandfather. He got up when Brian and I were close enough. “I’ll leave you to talk.” He tells Brian.

“I’d rather you stay, and tell us your opinion about what we came here to talk about.” Brian tells him.

‘Brian, we need to be careful how many people get involved.” Ben warns.

“I live here like a hermit, so your secrets are safe with me.” George tells him. “And if Brian needs my help I have no problem offering it in any way he needs me to, because Emmett values him as a friend.” 

“Cynthia told me you found out Gardner Vance had a son, and that’s the connection to Julian Yates.” Brian tells us.

“An illegitimate son that Gardner doesn’t acknowledge.” Ben told him.

“Which would have Gardner scurrying for cover. His wife is worse than mine. But what would this have to do with Julian?” George asks.

“We think Julian is using Gardner to entice Brian to get away from me.” I tell him.

“What’s he offering you?” George asked Brian.

BRIAN    

“The chance to play with the big boys of advertising. What I don’t get is why he would care that Justin and I are dating each other.” I told him.

“It’s the world of the wealthy Brian, you don’t get to play with our toys unless we want you to.” He tells me.

“What is it you do for Julian?” George asks Justin.

“Cyber security. I’m one of the many he has.” Justin tells him.

“What makes you special to him?” George asks.

“Nothing. I’m not special.” Justin tells him.

“Ben?” George asks.

“Justin’s off the scale in intelligence, able to take variables and figure out the possible outcomes and narrow it down to one. There are others who could do it, but Justin can do it faster.” Ben tells him.

“Only, what I’m doing is giving Julian a way to screw up people’s lives.” Justin tells him.

“Justin…”

“I don’t care. It’s not my fault people do stupid things for attention, but it is my fault that I gave Julian people he could use. For all my intelligence, it was stupid to live in ignorance of how Julian would use what I give him.” Justin tells him, getting up to pace.

“You were doing your job.” Ben tells him.

“Great. Only now some kid who only wanted his father to know he exists has to deal with the fact that what he did will likely make the same father wish he didn’t.” Justin tell him.

“Shitty parents are everywhere, and Gardner didn’t want him in the first place. Nothing you did would have changed that.” I tell him, grabbing his hand and sitting him next to me.

“Justin, one thing I know is the world of the elite, and if it wasn’t a kid he didn’t want, Gardner likely has other secrets Julian could use.” George tells him.

“Do you? Think about it, because just talking to us could have Julian after you.” Ben asks.

“Mine’s an open secret. Even if it got out, no one would be surprised. My wife would be furious, but she’s been angry for years about finding out I’m gay. My children know and likely don’t care as long as they get their inheritance when I die. In truth, Julian could do his worst, but it wouldn’t be worse than living in the closet all my life.” George tells him.

“I think Brian should take the deal Gardner offered him.” Justin tells Ben.

“I don’t like the idea of getting my dream when it means Julian gets what the wants.” I tell him, getting pissed that he thinks I can just walk away from him.

“It would just give Ben and I time to figure out how to take Julian down, I promise.” Justin tells me.

Justin wasn’t going to get what he wanted, but I needed to know what Ben was doing and why he was involving Mikey, so I tabled the argument Justin and I were going to have.

“Why involve Mikey?” I ask.

“Julian wanted something he could use against you and ordered me to find it. I didn’t want to give him anything, so I went after Michael. He’s a font of useless Brian Kinney information, and Julian knows that you have a strong connection to Michael’s family. In essence, Michael was the one friend you have that I thought would be the least likely to give me anything useful for Julian.” Ben tells me.

“Emmett said Michael’s thoughts on you tend more towards hero worship, and hopes of a childhood crush, so he would be a good person to use.” George tells me.

“Not if he gets hurt because Ben is leading him on.” I warn.

“I don’t plan to, but if it protects Justin, sorry but Michael will just have to be hurt, the way he already is that you don’t return his feelings.” Ben says, sounding as if it bothers him.

“No one gets hurt because of me, do you understand?” Justin asks Ben.

“People already have been, and a broken heart heals.” Ben tells him.

Justin closed his eyes as Ben’s words hit the mark. I was ready to toss Ben in the pool for saying it and making Justin feel guilty.

“Brian, let it go. Ben likely feels just as guilty for sitting on the sidelines and allowing what Justin did to hurt other people. Justin did his job, but it appears Ben knew what was happening and let it happen. Instead of running around playing Julian’s game, it’s time to even the odds.” George tells us.

“How?” Justin says in a small voice. One that made me want to show Ben my idea of hurting people.

“They want to offer you something you couldn’t refuse?” George asks me.

“A job that a year ago, and before I met Justin, I would have jumped at.” I tell him.

“Really, or would you have jumped at owning the agency?” George asks.

“Of course I would, but that takes more than I have right now.” I tell him.

“Brian, my boy, all it takes is backing by the right people. A client list you already have, and the right word in the right ears. Something I’d be happy to do for you, just because I hate bullies.” George tells me.

“You don’t know me well enough to risk everything.” I tell him.

“What risk? All you’ll be doing is making pickles sexy and giving your clients who believe in you what they’ve waited for. Trust me on one thing, Julian’s wrath will mean nothing when they get richer by going with you.” George tells me.

“It still doesn’t solve Justin’s problem.” I tell him.

“From what it sounds like, the problem was that Justin lived like a hermit. Something that kept people out of his life, but also made it so Julian has more power in Justin’s.” George tells us.

“Julian is careful to stay clean. Justin being more visible means Julian would be juggling a lot of balls.” I said, getting where George was going.

“And pissing off the people who got snared in Julian’s web. Oppression starts wars, and Julian is only one man against an army of people he’s enslaved.” Ben tells us.

“People I put in the position they’re in.” Justin tells him.

“Only the hackers. Who will likely love to help you.” I tell him.

“We need to find the kid, Hunter.” Justin tells Ben.

“Why?” Ben asks.

“Because he made it too easy. Which I didn’t get until Cynthia said he might have done it for attention. Something doesn’t make sense. Why look for me?” Justin asks.

“Good question.” Ben stated.

“Is Justin known in those circles?” I ask.

“He’s probably famous, because he catches them all.” Ben tells me.

“Please. They do the same shit over and over.” Justin blows off.

“Only you catch them, and in their world you’re a god among them.” I tell him.

“Imagine what they’ll think when instead of catching them, you ask for their help.” Ben tells him. 

“To keep Julian busy?” Justin asks.

“To get back at the man who is likely making them do things they don’t want to do.” I tell Justin.

“It’s going to be hard to hide this, even with the program I have running.” Justin says, thinking. “Julian is going to be suspicious of a sudden burst of attacks to his systems, and I’m going to have to give him something or this won’t work.

“That’s something I can help with.” Ben tells me.

“No one is going to want to end up with Julian on their ass.” Justin tells him.

“Trust me, my guys would love for Julian to target one of them. It would also make it so I could leave Michael alone.” Ben tells Justin, actually looking sad about it.

“He’ll still be there when this is through.” I tell Ben, thinking Michael could finally find a real hero in Ben.

“So will Justin.” Ben tells me.

“That’s my goal.” I tell Ben.