"You're bluffing," Brian sneered, pointing the gun directly at Ben's chest. "Stockwell won't allow an explosion with Gus still on the premises."

"Gus won't still be in the house an hour from now, and we both know it, don't we, Brian?" Ben countered holding his own, affecting a false bravado in the face of Brian's aggressive stance.

Brian's eyes narrowed on Ben thoughtfully. "Once my backup arrives, I will be taking them out of here - where they can begin the process of getting back to living."

"Now, you are bluffing. Farmer is with Stockwell. That is halfway across the state - he won't make it here in time," Ben told him mockingly. "And how do you know you have everyone involved?"

"You are a pathetic fool. Frank Farmer has government aircraft at his disposal. He is probably en route via helicopter as we speak, and as for the rest, it's none of your fucking business. I know Frank Farmer - there won't be any loose ends. Now, I have no more time to waste with you. Where precisely is the bomb?" Brian demanded. "Answer me quickly, Bruckner. I will have no compunction in blowing you away."

Ben visibly recoiled in front of Brian, both of them knowing he found the combination of Kinney/Farmer to make this a much more daunting task than he'd originally envisioned. "I already told you. It's in Justin's phone, however, you won't find it."

"You underestimate me, Ben. That is most likely your most fatal mistake. I will not only find it, but I will also disable it if you are telling the truth, and really do have an active bomb placed. I really have my doubts. I don't think you have the brains to assemble such an intricate device," Brian spoke harshly, moving closer. "Now, on your knees. I'm going to make it so you can't leave this room to either call anyone or cause any more problems."

Ben began to open his mouth to argue, before closing it upon seeing the deadly rage on Brian's face. "We both know you're not going to shoot me. You'd have done it already. It would be murder, Brian. I came to you unarmed, and let's not forget about Justin."

"What about Justin?" he asked, as his eyes found the boy in question hovering in the doorway.

"Yes, Ben. What about me?" Justin asked coldly, as he looked through Ben as if he had never known him, which in truth, had just become his new reality.

Ben swiveled around to face Justin, his eyes were wide and apologetic. "Justin, I- I don't know what you think you heard, but it's not what you think. There are things you don't know, things you wouldn't be able to understand."

"I've been outside the door for several minutes now. I heard it all. You betrayed me, Ben. I guess it's a bit redundant now - but you're fired. I will do everything to help in your prosecution," Justin spat out, beginning to advance into the room. "What angers me the most is how this will affect Gus. He looks up to you. He loved you, and now I must explain this to him."

Ben took a step forward, looking at Justin pleadingly. "Justin, please, let me explain. I never meant you or Gus any harm. A child should be with his mother, and I was helping the chief to make that happen. It's not too late, Justin. Turn him over and all this ends."

"Fuck you, Ben! It ends now," Brian hissed from behind him, moving to expertly chop him on the side of his neck, watching in fury as he slumped to the floor. He looked up at Justin's shocked expression, with a smirk on his face. "Don't you worry, songbird. I didn't kill him, although he won't feel so good when he wakes up."

"Good," Justin snapped, as he watched Brian move quickly toward the cabinet to retrieve rope and handcuffs. He looked on as Brian fastened Ben's hands behind his back with the cuffs, before he further secured him with the rope tied around his wrists and legs. Justin smirked slightly. "If our situation wasn't so dire, I'd find the sight of you so aggressive to be extremely erotic."

Brian jerked on the ropes, tightening them as much as he could, before he gave Justin a look of reprimand. "I thought I was bad. You would find something sexual in this..."

"With you, Mr. Bodyguard, everything evolves into sex."

Brian knew if he didn't have a possible explosive device to be concerned about and other people in the house to protect, he would have offered a response in standard Brian Kinney fashion, but as it was - now was not the time. "Later, little twat. For now, I need your cell phone. Ben has alluded that a bomb could be programmed to go off when the men at the gate phone in about forty-five minutes. He said I wouldn't be able to find it, but we need to try."

"No, we don't," Justin answered cattily. He reached into his jeans and withdrew his phone. "I have it right here."

Brian's eyes narrowed sharply. "You only have one cell phone, right?"

"Yes. Check it out," Justin told him.

"Okay. I'm going to take this outside to disarm it if any explosives are present. In the meantime, I need you to wake Gus and Debbie and prepare them to leave. Now, this part is important - I only want the clothes that are covering your backs. Nothing else can go. The phone bomb could be a ruse and it could be planted in a toy, Debbie's purse, jewelry, anything. Any questions?" Brian clipped out in rapid order.

Justin shook his head, back and forth. "No, but Brian, if they are watching the house - how are we going to leave unhindered?"

"The cavalry, so to speak, is on the way. A man that could handle this operation single-handed. I have the feeling he will be arriving soon," Brian answered, thinking a reunion with his mentor couldn't have come at a better time.

"You have a great deal of respect for him. I find that to be extremely interesting..." Justin murmured.

Brian quirked a brow, before he told him, "Don't think about it. The man is straight as an arrow. Now, time's slipping away. Go do what I told you to do."

"Yes Sir, Mr. Kinney," Justin said, straightening his height to give a mock salute.

Brian took one last glance at his security cameras, before he opened his drawers to retrieve the tools he needed for this job. He looked up to see Justin watching him from the doorway, a wistful smile on his face. "Was there something else, Taylor?"

"Hmm, not really. Just that you didn't need to worry about me hitting on him. You've got me all wrapped up, Brian. As the song says - signed, sealed, and delivered," Justin said with a husky catch in his voice.

"That song is a bit old for you, little boy," Brian answered, turning his lips down. "Now, enough chatter, get busy - now."

Justin left the room, neither one of them acknowledging that Brian had failed to refute Justin's claim, nor had he even attempted to do so. Both of them knew they had much to discuss when this was over, but on this night, it was all about survival.

"How much longer do you intend to hold me here?" Lindsay demanded to know.

The door abruptly slammed open, as Melanie stormed inside, briefcase in hand. "That's a good question, Mr. Fisher. Unless you are planning to charge my client with a crime..."

The federal agent looked at them coldly. He narrowed his eyes on Melanie's name tag, before he bellowed, "Miss Marcus, I don't think I need to remind you that this is a federal investigation. The quicker your client cooperates, the sooner she can leave."

"Fine," Melanie snapped.

"Now, back to my question, explain your relationship with Justin Taylor," the agent repeated, watching her closely, assessing everything - most particularly her body language.

"We had a brief affair years ago that resulted in a child."

He narrowed his eyes, knowing the answers but playing the game. "So, you have custody?"

"No, I do not, which I'm certain you know very well!" Lindsay virtually yelled in response, glaring at Melanie when she gave her a look of warning.

The investigator nodded his head, assessing her cautiously. "Then, it would stand to reason that you have a grudge against Mr. Taylor."

"What exactly are you accusing me of, Sir?" she sneered, continuing to dig herself in deeper with her disrespectful attitude toward the agent.

"Accusing? That's very harsh, Miss Peterson. I am just trying to determine the basis of the threat against Mr. Taylor, most particularly in conjunction with the charges that have been filed against your father. We need to establish if you were cognizant of these crimes. I suggest you take this seriously, and that you do so now. This is a federal matter now, and we will make certain all involved parties are brought to justice."

Melanie looked at the investigator coldly, assessing him critically. "You're new at this, aren't you? You gave away more information than necessary of what I think is protocol. Who's in charge of this operation?"

"He had an emergency, but he will return, and most likely with even more evidence. So, if you have anything to say, I'd suggest you do so now," he returned crisply, irate at being challenged by this woman.

"My client has nothing more to say at this time. We will discuss this with your senior officer when he returns," she clipped out. Standing to her feet, she told him, "Now, we will be leaving, if you're not going to charge her. Think carefully, Mr. Fisher. Breaking protocol in what is undoubtedly such a high-profile case would not be good for your career."

He studied them carefully, before hissing through clenched teeth, "Fine. Go for now. Agent Farmer will contact you when he returns."

"Let's go, Linds. I'm sure Justin will be home soon and this can all be resolved."

She nodded, following Melanie out the door, hissing out a response that wasn't lost on the agent's ears. "I don't care about Justin, only Gus."

Justin sat on the sofa holding his dozing son in his arms, gently smoothing his hair back as he placed his lips to his ear, softly singing a lullaby. The blond rocked him, back and forth, gently crooning into his ear. Brian averted his eyes from the scene that set a twinge in his chest that he didn't care to identify. He trained his gaze out the window, watching for the helicopter that was due to arrive within moments. Turning to glance at Debbie, he shook his head in mocking laughter. "Is that a tear I see? and I thought you had bigger balls than me."

She elbowed him in the stomach, before grumbling, "You're damned right I do, asshole. The biggest difference being I know how to use them."

Brian grunted. "I've never had a complaint about that."

She looked away from the sight of Justin and Gus to pierce Brian with her razor-sharp gaze. "You know, you're not fooling me, Brian. You care about Justin, in fact, you care about both of them."

Brian looked away from both Debbie and the moving scene mere feet away, mumbling in response, "I'm just doing my job. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Tell yourself that if you want, Brian, but I'm on to you."

Brian rolled his eyes in response, refusing to credit her words as the truth, while inwardly knowing nobody read him like Debbie Novotny. He knew he would have to think about this later, more importantly, put it all into perspective, but all that mattered now was getting Justin and his son to safety - and that was exactly what he intended to do.

She looked at the tender scene on the couch, tears falling anew from her eyes. "Fucking look at them, Brian. Right there on that couch - that is life. You have to keep them safe."

Brian's eyes became wild with purpose. He surprised them both when he placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. He kissed her lightly on the cheek, before he said, "Don't you worry. I intend to do that."

Debbie smiled and nodded, laying her head on his arm. "I know you will, Brian. I never doubted it for a minute."

Brian watched as the helicopter landed with Special Agent Frank Farmer briskly exiting the aircraft. He smiled and felt a sense of relief for the first time since the devastation of Ben's betrayal. Everything was going to be fine now. Frank would bring Justin's enemies to justice, and he would keep him and Gus safe. It wasn't only his job, it was the only reality he could accept. One thing had become clear during this assignment: Brian Kinney did give a shit; at least where it pertained to this blond and the son that was the mirror image of him. What surprised him most of all was the fact that he wouldn't change that feeling for anything in the world.

TBC