TREEHOUSE - SUNDAY, EARLY MORNING

BRIAN AND JUSTIN'S ROOM

BRIAN

I look up, still marveling that after all these years the sight of the sky always surprises me. I feel Justin starting to stir, and reach for the coffee machine to flick it on. He flips himself onto me and opens one eye. “Just now.” He nods and closes his eye. This is our routine, which I love because of its quirky mundanity as he calls it. He reaches for my hand and drops it on his peach butt, then squirrels his between our hips to hold his favorite cocksicle then sighs into my neck. I stroke his hole, he strokes my cock...in rhythm until we cum.

“Perfect!” He declares. “As usual!” He hops off and saunters to the bathroom, I look at the machine. “How long?!”

“Five minutes.” I answer as I join him.

He hands me my loaded toothbrush and I stroke his cheek. “Need to shave.”

“Hmmm.” He mumbles around his brushing.

“I will do it.” I start brushing and he stops, we lock gazes in the mirror, he spits then gargles.

“The shaving or the transplant?”

“Both, I promise.” I reply after spitting and gargling. “Think we should also make an announcement in the press. What say you?”

“That I love you more than I thought possible, and yes, get Ben to make the statement. TV, not paper media though.”

“Why not?” I ask as I lead him back to bed.

“That way there are no misinterpretations. Look what happened when you were first elected: there was a host of inaccuracies, and it took Cynthia getting heavy with attorney threats to get a half hearted retraction!” He fumes and plonks on the bed. “No more paper interviews, please.”

“Okay, twat, no more.”

“Good, now gimme coffee!” He orders, sliding over to his side of the bed. “The devilish darling will be in soon and we both need coffee for that!”

I chuckle and pour them out before joining him in bed. He rests his head on my shoulder between sips. “Explain it to me again.”

“What? How I am a match for him?” He nods. “Not everything is about genetics. For example, with kidneys and hearts, you don't have to be related, you just need to have them; same as bone marrow. Whilst it is better that you are related, sometimes you can be unrelated to be a match.”

“Got it.” He lifts his head then looks at the door with a smile. “Who is it?!”

“Popopop!”

“Coming, MJ!” He laughs, and hands me his cup. I take out the sippy cup and the milk from the mini fridge. “Remember when all we had in there was Beam?”

“Yep!” I leer at him. “And a couple of toys. Think Faal would get another one put in?”

“If he doesn't, I will!” He leers back.

“POPOP!” MJ yells.

“Coming!”

“You will be later, at least three times!” I growl and then twitch when he wiggles into his boxers very slowly. “After I tan your delicious hide for that!”

LUNCHTIME

KITCHEN

FAAL

We are all staring at him. Zee is weeping with relief, she knew he would do it but now he doesn't have to. “Thanks, but…”

“But nothing. I am doing it for you, not him.” Brian declares, handing her another tissue.

“Give me the spatula, honey, I’ll finish the eggs.” Ems orders gently. She nods her thanks. “But what?” Ems questions, and we are now looking at him. “Zee said thanks, but...so but what?”

“He doesn't have to, we have found another match.” Zee explains tiredly, she and her brothers have been relentlessly searching and this morning we got the news. “So you are off the hook.”

“Still doing it.” Brian replies firmly.

“Why? Brian, you don't need to.” I demand, then look at a beaming Justin. “I see...you promised Justin, didn't you?”

“And I never break them.” He turns heel and starts to stride out. “Come on, Ben, let's get this done and get it out tonight.” He calls over his shoulder.

“Yes, boss!” Ben laughs as he follows him out.

“Justin, you need new toys for the fridge, which Faal will get?” Zee grins.

“How did…oh, never mind. Yes, yes we do. Come on, let's go to the workshop.”

“Uh, Faal, can you do the eggs? I need to talk toys too!” Ems almost throws the spatula at me and runs after them.

“God, I love this family.” I murmur, and crack more eggs for the eggy bread sandwiches with bacon.

FBI BUILDING - WEDNESDAY MORNING

AGENT WHITE’S OFFICE

TANK

“So what do you think?” I look at Rob, my partner of many years, and slowly he starts to nod. “Okay, I will tell Cliffie and you tell the family.”

“Who do we have in SCI Coal?” He asks.

“Apart from soon-to-be me?” I jest, and he purses his lips. “Nobody is in there, though I think someone should be watching Gardner Vance.”

“Vance?! What for?!”

“You really should look at the small fish too.” I grumble, and come around to his side of the desk, flicking his hand he lets go of the mouse. I pull up the report on the downfall of Gardner Vance and who he blames for it. “Look, see? Vance used to hire Kinney, but because of what he did to Stockwell, fired him. We know what happened to Stockwell, but it was Vance who paid the higher cost. He began hemorrhaging what few clients he had left before he begged Kinney to help him. He said no, and Vance was sunk. Word has it that now that Kinney, sorry, Kinney-Taylor, is Mayor; Vance has been raging…”

“Shush, I'm trying to read. So he got 18 months for arson?!”

“Yeah, it was Kinney-Taylor's old loft.”

“Only 18 months for that? Too light!”

“Yeah, pleaded mitigating circumstances and had a good attorney, said he was drunk at the time and his previous impeccable behaviour got him that.” I grumble, and then frown. “When do you think he will be moved?”

“To be honest, the sooner the better; not just because of his health issue either, I think the further away he is from Novotny…”

“Yeah, after the second email from Peterson and the picture ripping, not good.”

ADIRONDACK PRISON - A WEEK LATER

MICHAEL'S CELL

LUTHER

“Are you paying attention?!” I snap, as his gaze goes once more to the paper: his precious as Fox and I have taken to calling it.

“Yes, yes.” He sighs, and turns back to Fox.

“You have got to get this down pat as he won’t be there to do it for you!” I snatch up the paper and give him a warning glance when he reaches for it. “You can have it back afterwards!”

“You promise?” He almost looks like he is going to reach for it again.

“Yes. Now we’ve got the orderly onside, we just have to get you to look like him.”

“Okay!” He beams. “Right, you have my full attention!”

UPMC HILLMAN CANCER CENTER

LUTHER’S SUITE

LUTHER

“The beast awakens.” I hear Zaden snarky drawl as my eyes start to open.

“Water.” I rasp.

“I could demand you say the magic word, but am not you.” She retorts. I watch her go to get some iced water and hold the straw to my lips. “It took, but then you got an infection. Took a couple of weeks for you to recover, but it is all good now. You go to SCI Coal next Friday.”

“Hmmm.” I  reply, and then my brain kicks in. “SCI Coal? Where am I?”

“Pittsburgh. So you going to tell me why?”

“Where's the prison orderly?” I try to keep glee out of my voice, knowing that we have got one over her.

“One sec.” She heads to the door and the orderly comes in and I swallow hard,

“No, the orderly that came with me. Where is that guy?!”

“That is the orderly that came with you.” She snaps.

“But that's not him!” I exclaim.

“They say being sedated for a while makes you forgetful. You can leave now.” She tells the orderly, and with a nod he goes. “So what did he say or do for the beat down?”

“What?” I frown and try to get my somewhat muddled thoughts in order.

“Novotny. He’s a right mess. So what did he say or do to get the beating?”

FIVE HOURS LATER

ZEE

His room is on lock down. All the family is here. I take a breath as the phone rings. “Stark.” I snap, and the room goes quiet as I lean back against Faal and listen to the answers to my earlier rapped out questions. I hang up and try to settle my rolling stomach.

“Well?!” Zeus demands.

“He died yesterday morning, never woke up.” I reply before stepping out of Faal’s embrace. “What in the fuck’s name were you thinking when you came up with that?!” I get right in the face of Luther. “He beat him to death, and now because of you and your make up buddy, Fox, we have…”

“You have…” Luther begins, but I cut him off with a look.

“We have two nothings and a something.” I growl out, and want to rip out his IV. I stalk to the door and pause before I open it, because he will know what I did the moment he sees him. “Come on in.”

“Brock, what are you doing here?” Luther gasps.

“What do you know?!” I snap at him. I have to take my anger out on someone.

“Novotny was in the infirmary the same time as Luther pleading sick. He left a day before Luther was taken up, and we all thought it was going to plan…”

“Except he changed the plan! Who did the beating?!” I spit, neither of them answer. “Novotny then. So he batters the orderly, the semantics we can go over later, we have two nothings and a something. So all non-essential family members need to get the hell out of the States.”

“No, we’re not doing that, we’re staying here!” Carl exclaims.

“You are all leaving. The facts of the matter are we don't know where he is or what he looks like, but we do know one worrying thing…” Again I try to settle my stomach, the quietness of the room doesn't help. “...with the picture tearing and the murder of the orderly...we know he is coming for Justin.”

“Luther, I want you to look at me.” Brian demands and without hesitation he does. “Anything happens to Justin; I take my marrow back, and you will be awake whilst I do so!”