One Hour Later...

Ben knocked on Brian's door with more than a small degree of trepidation. If he awoke Justin prematurely, Brian would be livid, however, he had no choice. He paused for a moment, before raising his hand to tap louder - only to have the door yanked backwards out of his reach. Brian stood in the doorway, his jeans pulled on yet unzipped in standard Brian Kinney fashion, his eyes looking at his intruder with more than a little irritation. Ben knew Brian wouldn't be sleeping well on this night, further realizing the delay had undoubtedly been Brian retrieving his firearm. Nervously, Ben spoke, "Brian, I'm sorry to wake you, most especially since you won't be getting much sleep..."

"What is it, Ben?" Brian asked, speaking in a whisper - not wanting to wake Justin any quicker than proved to be necessary.

"We have a problem. Can you come out here, please?" Ben asked, looking over Brian's shoulder at a slightly stirring Justin.

Brian sighed, looking at Ben in suspicion before he nodded in agreement. He closed the door softly behind him, looking at him impatiently. "Well?"

"I packed up Justin's things like you wanted. Then, I went to make sure the alarms were secure and check the surveillance cameras..."

"And?" Brian clipped out, running a weary hand through his hair.

"Alarms seem fine, but I need you to take a look at the cameras. I can't believe Stockwell's goons would be this stupid - but there's a car sitting right outside your front gate. As near as I can tell - there are two men in the car, but with limited night vision, I can't be sure," Ben told him.

Brian narrowed his eyes, watching Ben closely - suspicion and unease in his very stance. "Let's check it out, then." Brian motioned Ben to precede him, following him closely. More to gauge his reaction than to give him information, Brian told him, "By the way, not much checking you could do on the alarm system - I changed the codes."

Ben turned on him, glaring fiercely. "I get that I fucked up, Brian. That being said - do you have to treat me like a criminal?"

Brian shrugged as he followed Ben into the surveillance room, moving toward the cameras in question. Sparing him a minimal glance, Brian answered sourly, "My trust level is not good at the best of times, and you have definitely fallen afoul of that. I have seen how much you care about Justin and Gus, however, something is still off here. Until I get a handle on what it is - this is how it's going to be. If you can't deal with that - you are free to leave at any time."

"How could I? I don't know the fucking codes!" Ben snapped, his eyes burning a hole into Brian.

Brian sat down to pull up the camera that angled directly over the front gate. He looked closely, seeing exactly what Ben had perceived. He began clicking on the monitors pulling up every camera surrounding the perimeter of the property, finding the only visible vehicle was the one just outside the gate. He looked toward Ben, unable to lay his suspicion to rest, as he asked, "What made you check the cameras when you knew I was moving everyone out long before dawn?"

"Just a precaution. No real reason," Ben answered, keeping his eyes trained on the cameras. "Seems your dogs don't like them there, either."

"It doesn't take much to rile them up. If they had been approaching the fencing they would have been barking ferociously. As it is now, it looks as if there are two in the vehicle - most likely waiting for their backup to arrive. It's a good thing my ace in the hole is already in play - or things might be a bit more precarious."

"Ace in the hole?" Ben asked guardedly.

"Mmm-hmm. Let's just say I made some well-placed calls as soon as I made the ‘Stockwell' connection. A very good friend - the man who trained me in the field - is using his considerable influence and means to do some investigating. I dare say he will be visiting him very soon. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that dear old Jim won't make it here in the morning. What do you think about that, Benjamin?" Brian asked, smiling tightly as he watched the man he had once considered one of his best friends wiggling on the hook - intuitively knowing he was about to snap.

Ben smiled coldly. His eyes flaring in bitter hatred, as he rasped, "I shouldn't have expected any less from you, Brian - the best bodyguard in the business, or are you the second-best after your mentor? What are you these days really - bodyguard or field agent? I'm afraid I can't distinguish the difference any longer."

"I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, but the more I laid in bed for the past hour the more the wheels continued to turn in my head. I just don't get it, Ben. Why did you bring me into this - knowing me as you do?" Brian hissed, moving closer, pulling his gun on Ben for the second time tonight.

"You know how I love a challenge, Brian. Going up against the best and coming out on top is the greatest of rushes. There's nothing like it. Now, this is what is going to happen..." Ben started, as he moved closer to Brian, not in the least bit afraid that a gun was once again pointed at his chest.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe the gun is trained on you..."

Ben laughed harshly. "I think you will put that gun down in just a moment."

"Why is that?" Brian asked, his blasé mask now slipping - instinctively knowing Ben had something to use to make him compliant.

"I have a rendezvous assigned with the men at the gate one hour from now - precisely the time everyone was to make their grand getaway. Only that isn't going to happen quite like that. You are going to disable the alarm and call off your dogs. Gus is going with the men, and we are going to wait for further instructions. Any questions, good buddy?" Ben looked at Brian in consideration, scratching his head as if in deep thought. "Oh, I forgot the best part - if I don't follow through with my instructions, little Justin is going to be at the bad end of a very fatal explosion."

Brian's eyes darkened with burgeoning hatred. "I'm going to kill you, Bruckner. Slowly. Painfully. You will beg me to end it."

"I don't think so, Brian. It all ends tonight. No longer am I walking in your shadows. The clock is ticking, Brian. I suggest you do as you're told - or Justin will be on the receiving end of a call from which he will never recover. So, what's it going to be, Brian? Release Gus, or your lover pays the price. Tick tock, Brian. Tick tock."

Same Time - Police Headquarters

Chief Jim Stockwell sat at his desk nervously pushing around papers, despising being in the office at this late hour - however, wanting to be very much out in the open when the events of tonight went down. It would all be worth it, he told himself. A good plan that had finally come together - primarily from having help on the inside. Blackmail had only been employed at the beginning. Once he had determined Ben held a jealous envy of Brian, it had all been a piece of cake. The richest and most decadent of mouth-watering desserts. Now, he would reap the benefits. Within hours, his daughter would be reunited with her son, and her quest to hold onto him permanently would be within her grasp at long last. Then, he would be Lindsay's hero, and the immoral young father of his only grandson would be forever eradicated. He laughed in anticipation of what would be a moment nothing short of euphoric.

His smile faded when his office was immediately breached by two tall men, distinguished-looking in their pressed suits, and brandishing shiny badges - one's that he knew to be far superior to his own. He sat up straight, attempting to demand with authority, "What's the meaning of this?"

The one agent that was apparently in charge, nodded to the other. A list of charges began to be read as they demanded his immediate and unconditional compliance. He stood in outrage as their accusations began to tumble out freely, stammering in protest, "I demand to know what this is about? Do you people know who I am?"

One of the men walked around his desk, to stare him down coldly and with full confidence in his authority. "I believe we have just placed you under arrest for various federal crimes, Chief Stockwell. Now, I suggest you come with us of your own volition - or this could become quite unpleasant."

His eyes bulged as they fell on the paperwork that empowered them. His first thoughts were in determining who had ratted him out. Fuck. What was he going to do now? He was so close. He eyed them coldly, before he addressed the one standing before him. "Exactly, who are you?"

"Oh? Didn't I introduce myself? How terribly remiss of me. I'm Special Agent Farmer. Frank Farmer. And you're coming with us..."

TBC