CHAPTER 86: LEAVE AND PURPOSE

DEMARCUS 

I've been standing outside of this imposing chrome and glass building for more minutes than I can count, trying to prepare myself for what may happen when I enter. There's no doubt that I'm nervous as hell. Anyone would be, I suppose. I mean, it isn't every day that someone seeks ‌an old lover out who may think they were abandoned. I would hope Christian would know differently, but... Well, where we were brought up doesn't exactly inspire blind faith in humanity.  

"Why are you procrastinating? You know, you could just take some of the numerous pieces of advice I gave you on the way here. Are you going to come in or would you like me to pass a note to him like we're girls still in junior high school?" Bright calmly asks me, and I want to glare my best friend into a throat clutch. 

All the way here, he'd been making subtle- or not, since that word is always lost on Henry Bright- comments about what I should do if I come face-to-face with the man I've been thinking about constantly over the years. His final advice of just walking right up to Christian Hobbs and tongue-fucking him into submission was just about the last straw for me. All I could think was: Just once, why can't I have Vader's talent of choking the hell out of people while keeping my hands completely clean? Instead, in my continued agitation, I take my time wrapping my hair into a bun at the back of my head. It gives me something to do with my hands other than strangling my partner and best friend.  

He, of all people, knows why the urge to put this meeting off is so pressing. I sigh, and respond to his raised eyebrow in my direction, "Give me a minute."

"I have. In fact, I've given you several of them. The bottom line is that we can't put this off any longer, Marc. We had to make an appointment as it is. If we continue working on your timeline, we may never make it." Bright scrubs a hand over his face, and into his hair while sighing loudly. "Look Buddy, you may not even run into him here, which means you might be working yourself into a lather for no reason at all. He is the head of Hobbs Construction, after all. So it stands to reason that he may be over there taking care of business instead of here taking care of Kinnetik's."

"I know you're right, but..."

"But nothing," Bright cuts me off. "Whether it's now or later makes no difference. Regardless of if he's happy to see you or not, the simple fact is you're about to shock the shit out of him. It's best to get the initial implication of your presence out of the way now, in a somewhat controlled environment, so that maybe you can speak civilly later. If it's any consolation to you, I'm feeling just as unsettled about my own situation."

"But Ben Bruckner will probably be a lot more receptive to you than Christian will be to me, Bright. Our situations are NOT the same."

"The hell they aren't!" Henry returns heatedly, before sobering. "Just as Christian may feel like you've abandoned him, I'm under no illusions that Ben may not feel the same way. I was his friend before I was anything else to him, or even wanted to be, Marc. This business with Novotny is just the last in a long list of one-two punches the man has endured over the years."

"But you came back for him, Henry. That's something, at least."

"Yes, I did, but where did that leave us? By then, Peter was dead and Ben was diagnosed. So now here I am, about to try to claim him after this latest bullshit? Trust me when I tell you that my meeting with him won't be any easier than yours might be with Christian when it happens. I have a lot to answer for," He finished softly.

Again, I know he's making perfect sense. I just wish I could get my nerves under control. It's not like we've had contact since that fateful day so many years ago. But... 

Well, I've had so many dreams of the moment I would see Christian Hobbs again, and nowhere in my visions did it involve a whole lot of people, one of the most intricate investigations of my life, which involves both his father and brother, and a set amount of time to see if there's still something there between us. 

This situation is more than a little less ideal; it's just plain fucked up!

I pull myself together, and resign myself to the fact that whatever is going to happen is going to happen, regardless of how I want things to play out. Under my breath, I begin to hum the one song that's always gotten me through the tough spots of my life. Keep On by D-Train, it was my dad's favorite song. I sure wish he was here now to offer some of his wisdom. If nothing else, Duff Bennett was one smooth mofo. It's how he managed to keep my mother from walking out on him every other week when they were alive. They would know what to do, and give me the words to make this very difficult situation just a bit better to make a significant difference. 

I miss them, but at least I have Henry, with his fiery hair and twin dimples, to keep me grounded. I'd hate to have to think of what I would have done without the man who has pulled my chestnuts out of many a roaring fire over the years. And it looks like he's about to do it again, regardless of the fact that we are here on official business of some sort. But Charles Alwin was right. If anyone is able to separate business from personal matters, I can. Hell, my entire career was built on my ability to remain professional at all costs. 

And that ability can't fail me now.

After going through the procedure of being checked in at Reception, Bright and I were advised to wait for the Taylor-Kinneys' representatives in their absence. It isn't hard to imagine how the two men are so successful just by the way they have the lobby of the building set up. Sure there are quite a few CLIO awards spread throughout the space, but what really catches the eye are two floor to ceiling murals flanking either side of the bay windows overlooking the manmade lake towards the back of the building. Looking at the bottom of them, the initials JCT are clearly visible. I tap Henry just as the elevator dings in the distance.

He examines the paintings thoroughly before saying, "Well, it looks like Novotny's continued complaints were well-founded."

I raise my eyebrow in his direction. "What do you mean? You don't mean..."

"He does indeed. My best friend, who just happens to also be my boss, painted those," comes a clearly well-bred voice from behind us. "I'd imagine that if Michael Novotny had anything to say regarding Justin, it wasn't at all civil."

Turning around to face the speaker, I think Bright and I were both shocked to find what on the surface appeared to be a young high school girl. However, from the stories that Jennifer and Melanie told us, that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, according to Mel, young Daphne Chanders has a vicious tongue and a killer right hook, neither of which she has any qualms about using. Extending my hand as she continued to size both Bright and I up, I introduced us. She nods as she shakes our hands with a surprisingly firm grip. No 'dainty miss' is this one, and not someone to play with at all.

As we enter the elevator, she presses the top floor button before turning back to us. "Brian's assistant will meet us in the office. She's just finished cracking the whip in the art department on my behalf, while I came to escort both of you up. How familiar are you with the way things are run here?"

"I understand that both you and Ms. Moore hold an equal position here. Is that correct?" I ask. Honestly, she seems too young to have that much responsibility, but I dare not tell her that. She looks as if she would happily drill a hole through the forehead of anyone who would dare to discount her or her position here at Kinnetik.

"You're correct, Agent Bennett. So, in that capacity, I've asked the more seasoned Department Heads to be available for our meeting. They can also provide valuable insight regarding Michael Novotny and Lindsay Peterson that would be a lot less biased than I would give. They've worked with Brian and Cynthia for a number of years, whereas I have been Justin's confidant for more years than one would think. It's what makes me more than qualified to be his assistant, in case you're wondering." She smirked in my direction specifically before continuing, "Furthermore, the one thing they cannot give you full insight on is the inner-workings of Brian and Justin's relationship. Only three of us are close enough to them to provide you an accurate picture. I hope that was explained to you in your earlier meeting with Melanie, Jennifer, Charles, and Lori."

"It was," Henry answered for both of us. "But I wonder if Christian Hobbs will be here as well?"

She raised her eyebrow, and narrowed her eyes at the same time before answering. "He's scheduled to be. Why?"

I swallowed hard at the sudden edge to her voice. It appeared that she was extremely protective of him, even though he's the twin of her best friend's attacker. Something tells me that there's more to that than meets the eye. Henry again answered for both of us. "Because we would like to ask him some questions as well. It involves both his father and brother's federal charges."

She visibly relaxed, and nodded her head. "I would imagine those two head cases alone would have you running for the nearest shrink after speaking with them. Delusional assholes that are so unbearably entitled should be shipped someplace where no one would ever find them. It would surely be considered a humane thing to do."

I couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped me at her assessment. "I agree, wholeheartedly. Although there are some people we would need to add to that list."

"Undoubtedly, Agent Bennett, beginning with the two ignoramuses you're here to inquire about."

The elevator dinged again, and... Yeah, stepping out of it was like entering a whole other world. Apparently, while the Taylor-Kinneys have been away, business has not slowed down one little bit. People were running back and forth, while others were either on the phone or having conversations over the tops of their workspaces, with stacks of papers in hand. Over in the far corner of the room, an attractive blonde woman was holding court with about fifty men and women. The all glass enclosure had light spilling in from everywhere, including the ceiling which would make one think the space was a veranda of some sort. Only the all glass dome gave away that there was actually a roof above them. 

Daphne smiled for the first time, while we stood there taking it all in. "Impressive, isn't it? I thought Brian and Justin were insane when they said as soon as they left for California a construction crew would come in and redo the floor in less than five days, but... Well, the Taylor-Kinneys, along with Christian Hobbs, can certainly be considered miracle workers. They all seem to have a knack for getting shit done at all costs, and with all of our sanities intact."  

Moving through the open-floor plan, it wasn't hard to discern that the Taylor-Kinneys were surrounding themselves with a bunch of hardworking people. Again, I'm reminded of Novotny's disgruntlement every single time either they or Kinnetik Advertising is mentioned. So I ask, "Why Kinnetik?"

Daphne chuckles. "If you were to ask Brian, he would say that Justin names all the important things in his life. After all, Justin named their son within hours of them meeting each other. However, if you were to ask Justin why he picked the name, he would tell you of Brian's inability to keep still for longer than a few moments at a time. Ironically, it's a habit Justin also shares, but it also pays off in spades, since within the short time this company has been formed, the amount of accounts we're acquiring daily have even exceeded even their own expectations. It's the main reason why they split the company into three sections. Right now, you are standing in the building where Kinnetik Boutique, and Unique are housed. The third, and where our main headquarters are, Elite, is further down the street."

"You mean all the people within this building are just for two sections of the company?" Henry asks with the same amazement I know is showing on my face.

"Most of them, yes," Daphne answers. "However, on the lower floors are our legal and accounting departments, as well as the soon to be offices of our investment firm. You've been advised we're starting a conglomerate?"

"Indeed," I answered. "In our preliminary research of the Taylor-Kinneys, we watched the interview which aired with 20/20 Xpose. I have to say it was... enlightening."

She nodded. "Although Brian and Justin are very private, they are also transparent when it comes to answering pertinent questions about themselves. That said, I hope you aren't coming into this meeting with any preconceived notions about who these men are."

"That's the second time you've warned us. Why?"

Daphne stops our forward progress to the other side where the conference room is, to look both Bright and me in the eye. "I'll be honest in saying we all have a stake in the verdicts going the right way. Not just because of the loyalty we all feel for Brian and Justin, but because many of us have seen firsthand what damage the idiots currently sitting in jail have really done to them. Personally, I have been around for most situations, and have seen firsthand some of the underhanded shit Novotny and Peterson have done to both Brian and Justin, along with the help of Debbie Novotny. So I'm not prepared to sit here and let you remain under whatever misapprehensions you may have when it comes to these cases. And you'll find that none of their supporting staff, especially those who have been around Brian for a number of years, will either."

Well, she sure is candid about her intention, so I think I can trust her to keep the confidence regarding ours. I look over to my partner, who gives me a small nod of approval about what I want to do. "Thanks for putting that out there, Ms. Chanders. And because you have been straight with us, we think it's only fair we return the favor. However, what I'm about to tell you has to remain in the strictest of confidence, otherwise it could have far-reaching consequences none of us want to see happen. Do we have your word?"

She looks at us both for a moment, before taking a brief look around the bustling atmosphere. "I can agree to that. However, I think there are two others, who should be brought in to keep your secrets."

"That's not the agreement," I pointed out, but she just held up her hand.

"Trust me on this. If you were to ask anyone you've spoken to so far, they will tell you that just as I have a stake in giving you all the information, so do they."

Against everything within me, I just couldn't help my curiosity in knowing what she was thinking. I sighed and asked, "Who?"

She grinned. "Cynthia, of course. But you will definitely want to include James Bruckner in on this."

"And just who is James Bruckner? And why do you think we'd want to include him in on our secret?"

Her grin turned into one of the most dazzling smiles I've ever seen then. "Because he's Michael Novotny's ex- foster son. I believe you might know him by his middle name, Hunter."

Oh shit! 

I look over at Bright to see the same look of shock written on his face. We were wondering if there were any more surprises we'd need to know about when approaching Ben Bruckner for his take on all of Novotny's machinations, and it looks like we've found our answer. In re-reading Novotny's written confession, there were several mentions of the young man being a liar and a thief, as well as many other disparaging remarks about his character. It's going to be interesting to meet him for no other reason than to gauge if there was any truth to what Novotny said about him. Personally, I doubt it. From what we know about Brian and Justin Taylor-Kinney thus far, there's no way they would willingly surround themselves with a young man who exhibits traits that are so reminiscent of Michael Novotny himself at this juncture. 

Both of us nod our heads in agreement at her terms, and she reaches for her cellphone. As we continue our approach to the conference room, she continues to fill us in on the way things are run within Kinnetik. The more we're told about the innovative way they are choosing to run the company, the more apparent it is just why Novotny hates Brian and Justin so much. Oh, I know he claims to love Brian, but with the amount of shit the man has done behind the scenes to destroy Brian's life as he's been designing it since they were teens, there's no way any of Novotny's actions can be misconstrued as anything other than hate.

Cynthia smiles as we reach her, and after introductions are made, we are shown into the enormous space. Much like the outer office, reminiscent of the bullpen of a police station with its hustle and bustle, the all-glass enclosure speaks of elegance, sophistication, and innovation. Although the table is a stark white, the twenty high-back office chairs surrounding the table are all leather in different colors. The anti-dazzling chandelier drops down from the center of the cathedral ceiling which is also fully glass. However, Cynthia explains that whereas the other dome roof stays the way it is, the roof of this room has shutters flushed against the ceiling in case a presentation is in progress. I have to admit it's a real genius idea; one that I may even want to emulate when I'm finally able to go back home. 

Whereas I used to want to escape the solitude of it before, being undercover these past many months has caused me to miss it.

I shake myself out of my reverie as a young man enters the room behind us. At first, I was about to ask if he was even legal to work. He looks even younger than Daphne does. But then I take in the cut and quality of his navy blue suit, and the intelligence and world-weariness of his eyes, and know even before Daphne introduces him that this is James Hunter Bruckner. Just as we're sizing him up, he's doing the same to us and part of me wants to laugh. But then I remember that even within the disparaging comments Novotny gave about Hunter, there was something he said that could actually be seen as complementary.

It was hard to get one over on the little shit. So hard that I had to play the concerned parent, even when I wanted nothing more than to turn him back over into Rita's ‘care'. He was always good at reading the intention of a moment and not just the people involved, which is why he bolted when I was going to do that very thing. She and I had to think quickly, otherwise there was no telling where he would choose to hide himself from her again. First, there was Ben's attachment to him to contend with, and then Boy Wonder's... So there was no way I could just have the little whore disappear without anyone being the wiser about it. That's when I came up with the genius idea of getting us out of Pittsburgh. I could make his life hell, even while arranging for him to be picked up from Lance's place in North Carolina. And it would have happened just like that if it wasn't for that fucking kid being smarter and more sneaky than he ever let on!

"Why do I get the feeling there is more to you being here than just a simple fact-finding mission?" Hunter asked, and I have to give him credit. 

It was just as Novotny had said, so I chose to be as honest with him as I could be without disclosing Bright's other purpose, or my own. "Now that you all are here, and before the others arrive, we need to extract a promise from each of you. There are some things you will know about the two of us that only a select few know thus far, but this knowledge in anyone else's hands could jeopardize all of the cases we're involved in."

"You mean to tell us that you aren't only involved with Novotny, but Peterson as well?" Hunter asked, wariness in his voice. 

Honestly, I don't blame him, since from what I know about the young man's circumstances, he hasn't had an easy time in life. And whereas that's hard enough on its own, either not being taken seriously by law enforcement, or being abused physically by certain members of the police for his mother's own selfish gain, has not only given this guy a healthy dose of distrust; he's shrouded in it.

"Yes," I answered simply. "But in order to tell you the rest of it, I need your words."

He looked at the ladies within the conference room with us. All engaged in a silent conversation Bright and I were not privy to, but we could tell the outcome even before Cynthia answered for all of them. "You have it."

"Good," Bright answered, even as I breathed a sigh of relief. "Let's sit down, and then we'll tell you all we can about what we're doing here."

"All you can, huh?" Hunter asked, before adding, "But you're asking for us to trust you. Shouldn't that go both ways?"

"It should, and it will, but... Well, as you know, our cases are going to depend heavily on what you're willing to disclose. In turn, we'll tell you where we are in our investigation thus far. The one thing I hope will set your minds at ease is that we've already spoken to Melanie Marcus, as well as Jennifer Taylor, who both Marc and I have been acquainted with for many years. Does that help?"

We really need them on our side to be as forthcoming as they can with information. But that couldn't happen without trust. 

"More than you know," Daphne sighed, before asking, "So who are you really, and what is it you want to know?"

Bright and I give them the condensed version of who we are, and what we have been doing undercover for the last few months. To say they were shocked, and a bit relieved, is an understatement. The more we talked about what we know thus far, the more relaxed they became, and it's then I really understand the toll this has taken on each of them. For Daphne and Cynthia's part, it can't be easy to be the people watching Brian and Justin's backs constantly. But for Hunter, it can't be easy having the knowledge to put all the perpetrators away for a long time, and fearing you won't be believed because of choices that were originally made for you and continued for a time without any other available recourse. 

It makes me almost want to give up the rest of my vacation just to go back in and whip Novotny's ass for the psychological abuse he inflicted on the young man alone.

"So I have to ask you, Hunter, how many of the conversations were you privy to when it was between Lance Freeman and Michael Novotny, and did any of them include Gary Saperstein?"

"When you say include, do you mean in communication or just the mention of him?"

"Both."

"In communication, I remember Michael insisting that Gary release the tapes of his party where Justin was almost raped, but Gary told him no, since all the money for them hadn't been received. Michael then asked Lance if there was a way to hack into the Sap's computer to find the file so they could do it themselves. When Lance said there wasn't, Michael became... irate, and basically took his frustration out on me, with Lance joining in." 

At Daphne and Cynthia's gasps, he reassured them he was alright talking about it. I wasn't, but I couldn't tell him that. His situation was too reminiscent of what Christian had gone through at the hands of his father and Craig Taylor. I closed my eyes, bringing my mind back into focus, acknowledging that I needed to hear the rest regardless of the fact that I didn't want to. But in order for me to add this to the report as verified information, I had to get the rest of the story from Hunter's point of view. 

"I remember being told that since neither of them could get to Justin to punish him and prove him to be the whore he was, I was as good a substitute as any. I was also told that if I fought, Michael had a way of making sure I became instantly compliant. I knew what that meant, and although I would've loved to be out of my mind during all those times, I also knew I needed to keep my wits about me. I couldn't have been drugged and still have them, so I did what I had to do."

"How many..." Bright began, only to be cut off by Daphne.

"Excuse me, Agent Bright, but is that really necessary?! Isn't it enough that he had to live through that shit?!"

Bright's face turned the same shade as his hair, but answered anyway. "Unfortunately, it is, Ms. Chanders. Novontny mentioned a specific number."

"And you believe him?" She narrowed her eyes at my partner, and I could tell in that moment, all I'd heard about her volatile nature was true. 

I placed my hand on Bright's shoulder and opted to answer her instead. "To answer your question, no we don't believe him, which is why we asked for the number of times. Between him and Lance Freeman, their stories are similar, but one of them is proving to be a bit more honest than the other."

"I'm not sure I'm following," Cynthia interjected, even while Hunter had a hold of Daphne's right hand.

I swallowed hard at the picture they made. Yes, Daphne is but a slip of a girl, but from all accounts I've received on her, she's not to be underestimated. I would hate to have to put her flat on her ass, but I already knew she'd give me a helluva fight before that happened. I almost laugh aloud at the thought of me having to do that.

"The thing is that whereas Novotny only said it happened once, Lance Freeman named a distinct figure..."

"Twelve," Hunter said quietly, before saying it louder. "It happened twelve times before I escaped them."

"Fuck!" Bright and Daphne exclaimed, while Cynthia's eyes welled at Hunter. 

"Is there anyone else who knows about this?"

"That fucking idiot, Troy Perkins, found out, although I don't know how he did. But it didn't stop him from mentioning it to the people that questioned how I got my job here."

I nodded, even as Cynthia reached out to take his other hand and squeezed hard causing him to look at her. "Now you listen to me, James Hunter Bruckner. This admission changes nothing about you. You're not a victim; you're a survivor, and if anyone says otherwise, you let me know and I'll happily put them flat on their asses before I fire them. Get me?"

He nodded, even as he smiled at her. Then he turned back to me and Bright saying, "I'd already decided to press charges against them, but I need to include my egg donor, Rita Montgomery, too. In a sense, they were following her orders."

"What do you mean?"

"As soon as she would have been able, she was supposed to come to North Carolina to collect me. One of her... johns was supposed to pay for the trip."

"Any idea which one?"

"Stockwell or Russo, take your pick. They were the only ones I knew of who would have had the money. Well, them and Gardner, but he was screwing Lindsay at the time. So maybe he wouldn't have bothered with me, even if Rita asked."

Bright wrote that down, but I had one more question that couldn't NOT be asked. "And Kip Thomas, where does he fit into all of this?"

"Kip Thomas?" Cynthia sneered. "The rat-fink fuck who once accused Brian of sexual harassment?"

"One and the same."

"Last I heard he was working down at the McDonalds on First and Fourth."

"He still is, but..."

Hunter smirked. "You want to know what I know in regards to how the charges got dropped, right?"

"Yes," I answered. So far this young man has been a wealth of knowledge in confirming what we knew so far. There's no telling what else he may have seen or heard, while no one else was paying attention.

"Blondie... I mean, Justin, tricked Kip into dropping the charges against Brian. But there was more to that story that not even Novotny really knows. Yes, he frequented Babylon, and yes, he saw Brian partying it up with Justin on more than a few occasions. But what most don't know is that although Novotny hired Kip on Ryder's behalf to bring the sexual harassment suit against Brian, it was Lindsay who paid him to get Justin out of the way first."

"But why would she do that?" Cynthia asked. "It wasn't like her attention at the time wasn't focused on trying to marry Gui to provide him with a green card and fuck over Brian and Melanie regarding Gus."

"It wasn't for her per se," Hunter said. "It was for her uncle and cousin."

It was Daphne's turn to narrow her eyes, and then snarl, "Troy fucking Perkins and his wretched daddy. They wanted to get rid of Justin because they knew if the threats Hobbs was issuing got out, Perkins would lose his job as the headmaster."

"Which he did anyway," Cynthia finished for her.

Hunter turned towards both of us again. "Well agents, I believe you have just been given your timeline for when the plans started to kill Justin."

Daphne nods, and confirms for us, "He knew too much about all the players involved, including the situation with Christian Hobbs. Although at the time, I didn't know all the specifics the way I do now, I knew Christian and Justin were friends, who shared a very specific commonality. So if there was one person on this earth who Christian was going to confide in, it would have been Justin."

"Make that two," I said before I could stop myself. 

"What was that?" Daphne asked, before taking a really good look at me and Henry. Her face breaks into a huge smile. "Double D, and his trusty sidekick, Bubbleguts, I presume?"

Henry laughs. "I take it our reputations precede us?"

"My father went into a deep depression when DeMarcus moved away abruptly. He was a huge fan. As for you, Henry Bright III, you quitting the football team the following season was legendary. Not many people were known for telling Dickhead Dixon he should have remained a fucked up thought instead of becoming the action of his inbred parents." 

"Damn, you said that?" I asked Henry, who once again turned the shade of his hair. But he also looks proud.

"He sure did," Daphne gloats. "I can't tell you how many times my father uttered that sentiment over the years, especially where we come from. Never in polite society, of course, but as soon as we'd get home..."

"Nice to be remembered for one of my truer statements," Henry said, wryly.

"And it's eternally true, too. He's since become Perkins' replacement, but thankfully, they are keeping a closer eye on him because of the situation with Justin. Which reminds me, I need to tell him at least a part of this. He's in California with Brian now taking a look at the house of horrors Novotny set up to be Brian's prison."

"You can't tell him all of it," I advise, but she hurriedly holds up her hand.

"I won't, but I know he'll want to at least know you turned out alright. He's thought of you often over the years, DeMarcus," she said, even as the gleam returned to her eyes. "Plus, if there's any way you're planning on having a much needed conversation with Christian when this is all over, he'll probably be your best ally. After all, he knows what the rest of us didn't at the time."

"And what's that?"

"That you didn't just up and leave Christian to his fate. You left because you would have ended up in jail after you set some specific wheels in motion. Wheels that are just now coming to turn right now." She smiled knowingly at me.

"What's she talking about?" Henry asked me, even as I nod to the young woman who looks innocent, but isn't anything quite so mundane.

When I still refused to answer, Daphne did it for me. "He hacked into the First National and caused what was seen as a bank error, although we know differently, don't we, DeMarcus? You always were brilliant with computers. They just didn't know how much, but Justin and my brother did."

"The law would have taken too long to give Christian what he was really owed. I wasn't the only one to think so, which is why his grandfather made sure no one could trace it all back to me. How did you..."

"Is it really you?" Christian asked, as he entered the room. 

I couldn't stop my eyes from eating the man up. He was more handsome, and built than even I dared to dream. Gone was the semi-muscular kid with the haunted eyes I'd known so long ago. But in his place stood a man, who still stopped my heart then restarted it again. "Hello, Christian."

"Grandfather told me what you did, but I didn't believe him at first. Originally, he told me it was someone who knew what had happened, and that the benevolent benefactor wanted to make sure I was more than adequately taken care of before I left. After I'd come back from looking for you and your family, he had to come clean about why you left."

"Then you're not angry with me?"

"How could I be, Marc?" Christian asked me, before continuing. "If it wasn't for you telling him what happened to me first, I don't think I would've ever had the courage to."

Henry cleared his throat, drawing my attention all too soon from the man looking back at me. "So to that end, Mr. Hobbs, we need to ask you a few questions. I'm sure you and Marc have a lot to catch up on, but we need to be on our way to the Federal building pretty soon."

"I'm sorry, but who are you again?" Christian asked. It dawned on me that in all our conversation, neither of us had given our official titles.

"No problem. We are FBI agents Henry Bright and DeMarcus Bennett."

"FBI?" He directed his question toward me, and I admit I felt the need to chuckle. Growing up, when we used to play cops and robbers, I was always the latter. So I would imagine it is quite a shock to him.

"Yes. For about twelve years now," I answered, still feeling just a little bit in awe that he was standing here in front of me.

"Good. So what is it that you guys need to ask me?"

"I guess the first thing would be what you know about the Craig Taylor and Lindsay Peterson connection?"

"Admittedly, not much. But from what I've heard in recent years, she was instrumental in... the situation that happened."

There was no need to rehash exactly which situation he was speaking about. If I could take away any of the pain surrounding the event from him, I would. Clearing my throat, I refocus to ask my next question. "In what way, and how did it come about that Christopher became involved?"

Christian was silent for a time, but when he spoke, the shock in our voices couldn't be masked, even if we tried. "The thing you have to know is that there was a business deal on the table. One that I didn't automatically think knowing about would bring about my downfall. It was Lindsay who told me that Samuel wanted to see me. I didn't think anything of it, since he was always hanging around in the Coach's office waiting for me to finish practice. He was a controlling asshole like that. Anyway, I guess I got there sooner than I expected, because when I arrived, seeing Samuel, Dixon, and Craig fucking wasn't anything I would have expected. I mean, where we come from, and the fact that they've spent their public lives preaching to us about homosexuality, no one would ever think they were screwing around. To that end, Lindsay accosted me, and when I turned her down, she alerted them to my presence. I tried to reason with them, tried to tell them that I was sent for, but they wouldn't hear of it. Apparently, Lindsay's price for fucking Russo was that she would have me in order to entrap someone else with a potential baby..."

"Brian," Daphne whispered, her face disgusted. I looked over to see Cynthia with the same look, and sadly I knew it to be true. Christian continued.

"So when I refused her, they assumed that it was because I wanted to be part of their boys club. That's how they put it, you know? As they did the things they did, the one thing that stuck out to me was what Samuel said."

"And what was that?" Henry asked, gently. I could tell that he was just as affected as I was hearing this from Christian's point of view.

"They said that since I was now one of them, it was my job to take Lindsay's place when they required an extra appendage to get their prospective business cronies to bend. And that if I didn't, there would be consequences even more painful and traumatic than I was experiencing at the moment. That's when Dr. Perkins walked in. He must have heard me screaming and came to find out what the noise was. They were ordered to clean up the mess in whatever way was needed, and to make sure no one found out. I guess Troy managed to remain hidden, because it wasn't until I was showering in the locker room that he decided to finish what they started. I fought him off with everything I had, which ended up with Perkins telling them I needed to leave the county as soon as possible. There weren't any guarantees that I wouldn't tell someone, and they had already done enough damage. So in a roundabout way, Perkins was responsible for me being able to escape to Grandfather's. But before I did, I snuck over to Justin's house to warn him about his father and what he and his cronies might try with him. Besides you, Marc, he was the only other gay person I knew. Troy I didn't find out about until he tried to fuck me in the shower stall."

I nodded, because I knew the rest. Justin had called me to tell me of what happened to Christian, and then I went to Christian's grandfather to relay the events as well. "You said there was a business deal on the table. Do you remember what it was?"

"Between Samuel and Martin Ryder, the building we're currently standing in was considered prime real estate. It still is. Anyway, Samuel wasn't being automatically given the permits simply based off his name. So he and Ryder had come up with a plan to obtain it, but they needed for Ryder's trust account to be released into his care earlier than the codicil in his father's will called for. Enter Judge Roy Russo, who wrote the order for the funds to be released early in exchange for several favors- some financial, others sexual. That's where Lindsay and I would have come in, since it never mattered who sucked Roy's dick, as long as it got done. As far as I know, with my abrupt departure, that job fell to Lindsay and someone named Claire Kinney."

Henry rubbed his face. "It's like a never-ending rabbit hole."

"That it is," I agreed, before turning back to Christian. "Thanks for filling in some blanks for us about that time. I know it was hard for you to do."

"It was, but as long as I can see justice served for whatever reason, I'd do it again. Will you..."

"Yes," I answered, without even letting him finish his question. He smiled.

"You didn't even know what I was going to ask."

"Let's just call me hopeful. But before I go back undercover for a time, I will see you again."

"Undercover?"

"Yeah, but I can't tell you what the assignment is about."

Christian stared at me for a moment, before sighing. "I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. Just be careful, okay?"

"Okay."

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a business card. "This has all of my numbers on it, including my office numbers here at Kinnetik and at Hobbs Construction. Call me if you have any further questions, or if you want to just catch up before you're due back."

"I'll do that."

We left the office the same way we came. I admit there was a little more pep to my step as we were leaving, which certainly hadn't gone unnoticed by my partner. "Well, that went well," he said, as we boarded the elevator.

"It did."

"So will I be dining alone this evening?"

"I don't know yet. I suppose it will depend on what happens after we go see Taylor. It's going to be hard to keep my hands off the guy, Bright. I mean, what they did to him..."

"I know. But we both also know that all the information we gather has to be above board. Shy of killing the bastard, it's the only way Christian and Justin will see justice."

"They deserve it, and so much more because of what they endured. Speaking of which, I meant to ask Christian when was the first time he heard of Michael Novotny."

"You think he was around back then?"

"I don't know, but there was something in Novotny's confession that makes me think Christian may know something, even if he wasn't around at the time. After we deal with the idiots on our list, I may have to ask him. In the meantime, let's get the rest of this bullshit done," I say, as we each enter the car on our respective sides.