Todd felt a surge of pure energy, his blood sang though his body. He could feel everything, his heart felt like it was pounding in tempo with the heavy, industrial techno music blaring from a boom box.
Todd could even feel his lungs fill and empty with the night air. His whole being felt light and weightless. Everything seemed so clear and easy. The bike under him rumbled and vibrated with power. Like an extension of him. It had always been like that, but never quite this complete. It was nearly _s_e_x_ual. His skin tingled in his clothes. The night breeze raked though his hair like fingers sending joyous sensations across his scalp and down his spine.
"Ha...what a rush!"
He had to suppress giggles, he knew what was going on with him. Haskel had been hanging on him for days trying to get some "play" some _s_e_x_. Todd wasn't interested. He could see the loser just standing a few yards away grinning at him knowingly. That asshole must have spiked the soda he was drinking. He had been careful to keep an eye on the jerk the last few days. He took the soda earlier without even thinking about it. He had been preoccupied with the jumping. He let his guard down and now was paying for it, at the moment he didn't feel like he was suffering from it. He could definitely see what the appeal to X was. He would have been really pissed if he didn't feel so..._d_a_m_n_ good. He promised himself to pound in Hac's face tomorrow.
The city lights twinkled into the horizon. It was a good clear night. It felt good to be alive. The large group standing around on the rooftops of the old projects, watched in rapt attention as the daredevils and their games thrilled them. Several dirt bikes were competing in a game, a deadly game of chance. Ramps had been made on two opposite roofs and the idea was to jump the space from roof to roof. Roughly an 18-foot gap between building and four stories up. The crowd spurred on by the combatants were like a rock concerts screaming fans. The bikers themselves psyched each other up with much helmet banging and pounding on each other good naturedly.
Todd's turn. He sped up the ramp and was airborne. He warmed up with an easy combination, a "heal clicker" and a "no handed lander." A roar went up, but he never noticed, he was so into himself, he felt he could do anything, fly even. And fly he did. He was fearless in his tricks.
Jared and Deek arrived at the projects some time after dark. They drove around a while till they found a small group of apartments that looked to be party central. There were bikes and vehicles all around, people streamed in and out of two adjacent buildings like ants. Getting out of the truck they could hear shouts and the unmistakable high pitch screams of dirt bikes came from above.
Deek grabbed his arm and pointed up about four stories. From the ground they couldn't see what was going on but Jared had a very bad feeling about it. They ran into the building and up the stairs. People young and not so young were everywhere. Traffic was heavy on the stairs. On the second floor they ran right through an obvious drug deal. Pot, X and ecstasy were the main course down here. The landing after that they had to step over a couple in the throes of their own ecstasy. He could hear the screams and cheers from the roof and the loud roars of the bikes getting louder. He was torn between hoping Todd was here and that he was someplace else, and not with this crowd. Todd was now known to be tied in with the people here and looking around it worried Jared.
No one noticed them bursting up on the roof top. Or if they did they could care less. Loud music assaulted their ears. There was a large group of people some yards away. The roofs were lined with trashcan fires that lit up the night. Illuminating the crowd. Then a bike roared loudly and popped up in the air above the heads of the crowd. The rider did some fancy aerial acrobatics and then disappeared. The bystanders screamed their approval.
Shoving there way through the throng, easily enough to accomplish with Deek's sheer bulk. They emerged from the crush of bodies just as a bike flew off a ramp on this roof and landed on the opposite roof. Landing would be a lose term. It crashed on the other side. Jared just about panicked but Deek held his arm, and shook his head in warning. He knew this was not the time to lose his calm. If they tried to interfere with the games this crowd would tear them apart. Tamping back down his fear, he just waited along with every one else as the biker got helped up. He removed his helmet. It was not Todd. The unfortunate biker waved and the crowd around them cheered loudly. With the aide of other bikers the rider hobbled out of the way of the next. The two men stood watching in horror as the ramps were moved back a few more feet from the edge of the roof. They quickly caught on to the game.
"Deek, do you feel like we just walked onto the set of the next Mad Max movie? Man, please tell me this isn't real."
Deek just shook his head. Both men watched stunned as a biker soared over their heads. At one point the biker was only holding on to the handlebars with his body in the air horizontal above the seat.
"Sorry, Jared, I wish I could. Daaaaam! Did you just see what that fool just did.?"
Jared could only nod. He had a bad feeling about this. It was dark and only the ramp areas on both roofs were lit with trashcan fires, as the ramps were moved back further more trash cans were added for light. Two riders left. Both riders were in gear to protect them and wore helmets. One was sure to be Todd. That sweet little body of his. Jared swore he could pick it out in any crowd. That and the fact that one of the riders was a hefty looking fellow. That left a shorter, more trim rider. The brilliant "T" painted in silver on the helmet was a clue as well. There was something about him though. Something not ...not Todd. He was animated and laughed and joined in the ritual like thumping off and yelling with the other rider. He was not paying much attention to the game, as the other biker made ready to jump. The little guy seemed to be daydreaming, he had his head tilted back like a turkey in the rain. What the hell was he doing? What was wrong with him?
Jared tapped Deek and pointed him out. Deek just shook his head, looked as perplexed as he was. There was no getting over to him. Even if he could, what could he do, this crowd was so charged up he'd never get Todd out of here in one piece. Helpless he was forced to watch the little idiot he'd been tearing up the city to find take incredible chances with his young life. Jared was familiar with the names of the tricks or most of them. He had been a fan of Freestyle motorcross as a kid. He was blown a way at the ease and grace with which Todd, or whom he was guessing to be Todd, performed. He knew Todd was a good rider but he had no idea how good. This kid was phenomenal.
Jump after jump the riders raised the level of stunts and the danger. The smaller rider met each challenge with amazing combinations. This last one was a "Superman, Indian air" combo. The waiting was killing Jared who prided himself on being a patient man, it was hard to just sit on the sidelines to watch and wait. He was getting to see the unedited side of Todd's life. This was the flip side to the quiet, moody, too _c_o_c_k_y for his own good, boy he met a month ago. This was a wild, lawless, violent environment and Todd seemed at home in it.
Right then he knew his decision to pull the kid out of this world was right. No doubts now. Nope not one bit. Longevity was rare here.
Jared watched closely between jumps and set-ups. The people around Todd accepted him as one of their own. Todd was approached many times by males and females offering him everything from a friendly pounding on the helmet, to a drink, to God knows what else. There was little of the closed off kid he knew in the one he watched from across the roof. This one was wild, reckless and open to anything it seemed.
Deek nearly had to sit on Jared when a thin man walked up to the little biker and began to rub up on him suggestively. The biker answered by climbing off the bike, taking off the helmet, but he was just enough in the shadows that his face was never clearly visible but Jared didn't need to see his face to know it was Todd. His Todd, and the man started to get busy. Something hot twisted in Jared's gut. Just as Jared thought the two were about to give the crowd a real show, the little guy shoved the taller man away roughly and began to move to the heavy techno music. The kid had more moves and rhythm than was humanly possible, he seemed to be getting off on it as well, the other man gave up trying to dance with him, he'd get close and Todd would fake him out and leave him grabbing air, frustrated he left Todd dancing alone. People around him just watched and Todd seemed not to notice or care he just gave himself up to the beat.
Jared's mouth ran dry his own heart raced. Holy _s_h_i_t_! The brat could move. Even Deek, seemed impressed. Jared's eyes also followed and marked the man who approached Todd, silently willing him gone, as far from Todd as possible.
Todd felt so alive. Man, he knew he was high but he felt too good to sweat it. Oh this was better than any adrenaline rush he'd had. Yeah, he was going to be really angry later and kill Hac. But he couldn't quite grasp why he should care. He still had the ability to shove that asshole Haskel off him. _f_u_c_k_er. It took him a bit to see through the fog the drug clouded his brain with that it was "horse face" that he was kicking it with. He could have sworn it was a sandy haired, tank-sized man at first. No, just Hac, the same asshole that spiked his soda so he could get some tail. He'd rather dance anyway, he needed all his juices right now anyway isn't that what he said? Todd climbed back on his bike for his next run.
Completely unaware of the audience he had gained with his dancing and the green eyes that followed his every move. Todd was so oblivious to everything that he nearly took off without his helmet.
Someone shoved it at him and he just giggled. Todd upped the ante by using one of his best tricks. He pulled off a "cordova." He put his feet up on the handle bars, his hands on the handle grips and contorted his body in a backward arch. His head nearly on the seat and another "no handed lander."
Much to the relief of Jared who didn't think his heart could take much more of this, the riders were coming down to the last couple jumps, he hoped. The ramps were being moved so far back that they were running out of runway. They were now on the opposite roof from him and Deek and the ramps were being set up for this next jump.
From here it looked like the far ramp was in the middle of the other roof. A biker roared off toward the ramp, but as he got closer he tried to abort the jump. He laid down the bike, sparks went shooting out from underneath him. He rolled to a stop but his bike slid up the ramp and over the edge of the roof to crash loudly on the ground four stories below. The crowd rushed to the edge of the roof like a giant wave and pushed Jared and Deek along with them. Jared looked over the edge at the bike now a pile of trash in the alley below them. Everyone held their breath and waited for the rider to move. He did, slowly at first, then standing up with some help he removed his helmet and waved. Jared's knees threatened to buckle, the relief was so great that the biker was not Todd.
That left the last rider, the small guy.....Todd.
Moving back away from the edge everyone made room for the next rider. The biker roared around the opposite roof as if to build up speed, he was pumping his arms to the crowed, stirring them into a near frenzy. The night air fairly crackled with energy and expectancy. Then on the last pass he put the bike up on the back wheel and shot for the ramp. Air born he did a perfect "heart attack, look back." He had one hand on the bars and one on the seat in a hand stand, looking behind him. He seemed to hang in the air forever.
Jared was as wrapped up in the performance as anyone. It all seemed to move into slow motion. As the biker finished his trick he stared to descend but the angle was wrong, he had overshot the majority of the landing ramp, he was too far down it. The bike bounced on both tires, hard. The force sent the rider over the handlebars. Both rider and bike tumbled and slid into the fire cans and spun across the roof, sending flames, sparks and spectators everywhere. Man and machine slammed against the short wall at the edge of the room in a heap.
Jared didn't wait for the rider to come to a stop, he and Deek were in motion before anyone else. Jared ran like a man possessed. Heart in his throat he raced for the biker.
Todd, was stunned. He had no idea which way was up, everything was black. He couldn't move. Something heavy had him pinned... wait, his bike. He remembered thinking that this was going to hurt. It didn't. Maybe he was dead. That would be a real let down, he was doing so awesome and felt too good to just die now. Then just as he was thinking how much it sucked to be dead the weight was suddenly off him. And he was gently rolled over on his back. He couldn't make out much, a shadow blocked out the light. A big shadow. Blinking he tried to focus as his helmet was unbuckled and removed.
Jared reached the jumbled heap of human and metal. There was a small movement from a leg. He lifted the bike off the biker like it weighed nothing. Gently he rolled the leather and jean clad body over grateful that the rider wore protection. Slowly with Deek's help he removed the helmet and goggles. All too familiar brown eyes blinked up at him as they tried to focus. Todd lay there dazed, hair plastered with sweat to his scalp and he was wearing a goofy look on his pretty face.
Jared didn't know what he felt, he was sorely tempted to toss the little _s_h_i_t_ off the roof for the scare he was just given. He felt relief so strong that the kid was still intact, it made his eyes water and his chest tighten.
"Whoa! Dude,
that was intense! "No..not yet, Ansley, not
yet." He knew that growl...well. Todd looked up and focused into
the Jared's stern face. He wrapped his arms around Jared's neck and
flashed him a stunning smile. Dimples full on. "Hiya, Jared!" Jared
found himself the recipient of a passionate kiss, very passionate. "Ahem..." Coming
to his senses, h looked up into Deek's face. One black brow arched
in amusement. Heat flooded Jared's face as he disengaged himself from
Todd. Jared stared in stunned silence into Todd's smiling face. His
mind still reeling from that kiss. Then something struck him. Those
big brown eyes seemed overly bright, even in the dark. Something was
not right. First of all, Todd was smiling. Todd had been dodging efforts
to find him for a month he expected shock, anger, even fear but not
this. "Deek, got a light?" Deek pulled out of his pocket a small
flashlight and handed it over to Jared. So this was the little _s_h_i_t_
that had given him the slip. He could see why Jared was obsessed with
finding him. Now that he got to see him up close, he was down right
pretty. A real _d_a_m_n_ good looking kid. And if Jared's response
was any indication that was one hell of a kiss. Poor man's brain was
nearly reduced to oatmeal, Deek thought to himself. The whole guy-guy
thing was not his cup of tea but he had been friends with Jared long
enough to have become accustomed to seeing a few kisses exchanged
and not feel repulsed. Though Jared had never been very demonstrative
with his social life, Deek guessed out of respect for others and his
business as much as Jared's need for privacy. Jared shined the light
into the brown orbs blinking back up at him. Todd only blinked. The
kid was higher than a satellite. Jared saw red. His body shook with
anger as he hauled Todd up roughly. The crowd around them cheered
and crushed in on them to congratulate Todd. Jared held him close,
more for protection from the revelers than anything. Todd was pounded
and pummeled roughly in their excitement. They were tossed about in
the mass of bodies. Jared kept his hold on the kid. And struggled
to keep a hold on his temper as well. The celebration lasted but a
few minutes, then with the excitement over they all thinned out to
find a new game. Jared shoved Todd into Deek's huge arms. Deek
gaped at Jared, at his sudden change of demeanor. "Jare? what....what's
wrong?" "Take a look. The little _s_h_i_t_'s _f_u_c_k_ing stoned
out of his mind!" Deek was surprised at the rough speech coming
from Jared. Both Jared and his brother seldom used that language.
He looked into the eyes of the kid. He was right the kid was totally
wasted. Jared jerked Todd roughly back and gave him a good shaking.
Todd's head snapped back and forth like a rag doll. "Todd, you stupid
little idiot, what did you take, how much?" Thinking that his head
would fly off his shoulders, Todd tried to shove away from Jared.
He might as well try to move a building. He tried to answer, but the
shaking kept him from formulating any thoughts let alone speaking
them. "_d_a_m_n_ it ! Answer me. What did you take?" "Jared.....he
might answer you.. if...you stop shaking the stuffing out of him,"
Deek said with calm logic. Jared just glared at him. "Fine!" Todd
was let go of so suddenly that he stumbled back a couple steps. "Todd,
I'm giving you just one chance here. What..did..you..take?" The
low and measured growl got through to Todd. Looking into Jared's face,
even wasted, Todd could see Jared was mad at him. Why? All this time
dreaming about Jared and here he was, big as life...angry. His euphoria
was slowly being replaced with fear and uncertainty. Tears filled
his eyes. Jared was here and he was angry with him. He stared out
into the crowd. Angry with him for....for..for. Jared could see
he was losing Todd's attention. He was rapidly losing his temper as
well. "TODD! WHAT DID YOU TAKE?" Todd's eyes snapped back to Jared's.
"Take? I...I didn't steal noth'n." Jared ran a hand over his face,
a hand that was just itching to slap the vacant look off that sweet
face. He could see tears reflecting the firelight. Todd had to be
pretty far gone to let his emotions so close to the surface. Taking
a deep breath and striving to hold onto that last little bit of patience. "Ansley,
your high, stoned, wasted, baked, polluted, fried, any of this ringing
a bell?" "Oh, that! Yeah, I know. Dude, I'm so trashed!" Todd's
face brightened. Perfect white teeth flashed before him. Even angry
as he was, Jared was struck near dumb by the beauty of that rare smile. "Hac
spiked my drink, dude. "Who?" Pointing
out the skinny, mildly Asian looking man about 25-ish with a really
bad hairstyle---shaved head but for a small triangle of black hair
on top and frosted golden blond, wearing round glasses. The same man
Jared hae seen with Todd earlier. "Deacon. Get him out of here." Jared
shoved Todd once more at Deek. "Done." Deek without question hoisted
Todd over his shoulders and headed for the stairs with Todd babbling
something about bossy tanks. Jared waded into the crowd and tapped
the man Todd had pointed out on the shoulder. The man who dared to
touch what was his, taint Todd's sweet body with...... poison. As
soon as the man turned. Jared's big fist slammed into his big bucktoothed,
four-eyed face, laying the man out on his back and bleeding profusely
from a broken nose and smashed lips. The crowed around them just backed
away from this giant who was clearly pissed and violent. "You stupid
mother_f_u_c_k_er. What did you give that boy?" Pointing at Deek and
Todd. "Wha...what boy?" Jared grabbed him and lifted him off the
ground by the shirt. Still pointing at Deek's retreating back. "That
boy....he's mine. Now, last time, what did you give him?" The man
was smart and reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small
white packet. "Here...it..it's all good. I..I didn't know he...that
you....take it, take it." Jared snatched it out of the man's shaking
hand. "Is this all you gave him?" The man nodded. "What the
hell is this _s_h_i_t_?" "X, it's just some X, man." "You listen
and listen good, asshole, if I ever see you anywhere near "my" boy
or anywhere else for that matter, you're dead. I don't think this
high mountain air is healthy for you. Maybe you should try the desert." Haskel
nodded his pitiful head. He got the message crystal clear. Jared
dropped him painfully and with a warning glare walked way, picking
up the kid's dirt bike and helmet and pushing it towards the door,
he left without so much as a glance backward. He was met at the
rooftop door by one of the bike riders. Good looking guy a little
younger than himself. Blonde with a hefty build. Had piercings all
over his handsome face. Both eyebrows, his lip, nose, several in both
ears and one large spike sticking out of his lip low on the chin.
Jared was amazed the man could even get a helmet on. "You guy's
cops?" Jared shook his head no and moved to go around the man. "Uh.....here
this is Mag's winnings from tonight." Jared looked down at the roll
of bills. "Mags?" The younger man in front of him looked at him
confused. "Yeah...Mags ..you know the big black guy's new shoulder
bag." He thumbed at Deek waiting down on the landing with Todd hung
over his big shoulders. "Mags...huh?. You know where his place is." "Could
be. Whatda want with him?" A sandy brow arched. The blonde saw that
this was a man who was used to doing the talking. He kicked himself
mentally and held his breath. "He's coming with us. That's all you
need to know." The roll of bills was shoved into Jared's hands. "Cool.
cool..cash and carry. My kind of shopper. Uh..yeah...his place is
on the second floor. " He made to leave but that eyebrow arched
again. "Oooor.... I uh.. could just show you." On the way Jared
questioned the blond, "G" as he was called, about Todd or Mags. "Dunno
much about the little dude. Likes the dudes and the betty's. Just
the dudes more I think. Ya know? Keeps to himself, except around bikes.
Man, that cat is a bad ass rider. Dude did you get those sick tricks
tonight. _f_u_c_k_'n"A.". "Yeah. Sick is a good word." Deek grumbled
from behind. "Why do you call him Mags?" "G" just smiled at Deek
and nodded at Todd slung over his shoulders. "What? You didn't get
a good look at sleeping beauty here? Dude's prettier than most of
the betty's around here. He has them Magazine looks. I don't know
who started it but everyone calls him Mags. By the time they reached
Todd's place, Jared knew quite a bit more about his little rebel.
Like that he didn't like to drink ...much. And didn't do drugs. "Yeah,
man, Mags don't hang with tweakers. Just us Motoheads." Todd was
a real night owl. He was really into bikes, which Jared already knew,
playing pool, darts. "G" told him that Todd could fight too. Some
time back Todd and some guy got into it. "Dude, he may be small
but he can clean up. Mags has a short fuse. Some loser he beat at
pool started talking smack about him being a fag and tried to pound
on him. My boy here just smiles. He took a couple good hits, had to
hurt man. Kept askin' the if that's all the dude's got. Pisses the
other dude off, but he's so small and quick that the dude couldn't
keep a hold of him long enough to do any real damage. Mags get's him
down and just ripped his ass up. Took three of us to get him off the
dude." Jared just listened as they walked down the hallway. "That
happen a lot?" "_s_h_i_t_! with Mags? Hell yeah! He's a Whiz with
bike, dude, I'm telling ya. The betty's dig him, he robs you at pool,
he's gay, Bi, or whatever. Dude gets more tail than most straights
here combined. Well if he took them up on the offers anyway. I mean
Mags is cool, we're bud's and all. Dude! I mean not too many guys
here like being second best to a fag, ya know?. Well this is it."
"G" stopped at a battered door of an apartment. "He gonna be all
right? I'd sure like to ride against him again, if his bike ain't
too thrashed." "G" looked at Todd with hanging over Deek's huge shoulders
with concern. Taking out a few bills, Jared paid "G". "He'll be
fine. He's safe with us. Thanks 'G'." "G" took off then. Leaving
them alone in the small apartment. Deek shook his head as "G" walked
back down the hall. "That boy must be terrified of magnets." Jared
chuckled at the image that flashed in his mind. "How the hell does
he get past the metal detectors?" Shaking his head at his friend,
Jared opened the apartment door. His mirth dying as he took in the
room. That's just what it was. One not so large room. A pile of debris
swept into a corner. Walls bare and riddled with holes and wires.
One small corner was fairly tidy. A hammock was hung in it. There
were shelves made of cinder blocks and scrap wood along the wall nearby.
Todd's back pack and belongings were stored there. A couple shirts,
shirts Jared had given him. The same pair of beat up shoes, his jacket
and a can opener. Jared had a feeling he's missing one at the cabin.
First thought that came to Jared's mind was how neat Todd was. Not
surprising really. Jared reasoned with himself that if he only had
a few meager possessions he'd no doubt take care of them to make them
last. Looking around he was having a hard time reconciling Todd's
recklessness with his survival skills. Chalking it up to it being
two sides of the same coin, Jared guessed he had just witnessed the
ass or tail's side of the coin. Jared made a solemn vow to redden
that side if Todd ever pulled such a stunt again. Jared snapped back
to the moment at hand and continued his tour of the apartment. In
the far corner was a mattress on the floor and some boxes. Todd must
have a roommate he thought. It didn't look like the person had been
there for some time. Dust sat in a thick layer on the mattress. Deek
set Todd down and the kid's legs folded under him. Deek had to grab
him under the arms to keep him from falling. "Home again, home again,
jigitty jig." Todd stood on non-too steady legs. Jared looked around
in disgust at the place Todd was calling home. The room looked like
it was going to crumble around them at any moment. Jared had hoped
he could talk to Todd rationally about....everything. Looking back
over his shoulder at the boy leaning against the wall. Todd wasn't
in much shape for talking. Jared even considered staying till morning
to talk things over, but watching a roach the size of a small sports
car, scurry across the floor, changed his mind and sealed Todd's fate.
He was moving out.....tonight. "If I'd known you were coming I would
have had the maid tidy up a bit." Jared looked over at Todd, now
standing, more like swaying near the wall. "Nice, I like what you've
done with the place." Todd bent over bracing his arms on his knees.
Not feeling so good. "Yeah...ya think? I was....going for that...third
world feel." Did nothing stop the kid's smart mouth wondered Jared.
Even drugged, Todd was a smart-ass. His speech was slow and slurred
but still had a bite. "Oh I think you captured it." Deek piped in. Todd
pushed away from the wall but just as he was about to say something
he started to topple. Deek pushed him back against the wall as his
legs gave out. "Whoops!. Rubber legs. Hey, Jared. I think the kid
is going on us here." Jared walked over and lifted Todd's head.
Brown eyes peeked out of half closed fluttering lids. He looked like
he was about to pass out. Todd tried to speak. Where there was euphoria
before there was now just a sick sleepiness. He didn't feel so good.
Jared slapped his cheeks lightly. "Hey buddy, Todd?" "Jared?"
Todd looked at him like he just appeared. "Dude, there's like two
of you. I don't feel so great." Jared let Todd slide down the wall
to the floor. Jared looked around at Todd's stuff. There wasn't much.
Jared grabbed the backpack and began to pack it all up. He looked
over at Todd, he may be uncertain about the roll he'd play in Todd's
life from now on, or the wisdom of any of this. But the one fact that
stayed constant and true was Todd's life on the streets had to end.
It ended tonight. No more daredevil crap like that up on the roof. "Well?
Now what, Jared?" "We're taking him with us. Tomorrow I'll figure
something out. He and I have some things to discuss and he's not real
talkative right now. There is no way in hell I'm leaving him here
like this. Not when the guy that gave him that X _s_h_i_t_ is still
close by." Deek was sent out to get the bike down to the truck.
About the time Jared was finished so was Todd. He was laying on the
floor . He was asleep or passed out. Stepping back into the room,
Deek looked at the little guy on the floor. He looked so small and
pathetic. Looking around he felt a little sick himself. Mouse could
have ended up here, living like this. The kid there was only a couple
years younger than Mouse. Looking at him now, all curled up on the
floor, Todd didn't seem like the same brat he had been chasing for
the last few weeks. He didn't seam so tough and hard right now. Just
young and vulnerable. He agreed with Jared. Best to take him home,
for the night at least. I'm with ya there. This place ain't good
enough for the rats." Jared bent and picked Todd up. "Okay, little
rebel, let's get out of here." Todd barely woke and he didn't protest
much, but just mumbled something about a tank bossing him around.
Jared and Deek just looked at each other and shrugged. No clue what
the kid was babbling on about. Todd drifted in and out of sleep.
He tried to open his eyes, they felt like they had been glued closed.
He could here male voices close by. One was distinctly familiar. Forcing
his eyes open he looked up into the face of Jared. He was in Jared's
lap with his head resting on his chest. "Hey, Jared." Jared looked
down into the glassy eyes trying to focus on him. "Hey yourself, Todd." "You're
here?" Jared chuckled in amusment. "Yeah, kiddo, I'm here." Todd
could hear the steady beat of Jared's heart, the spicy scent that
he had missed teased his nose. Strong arms held him close. Jared had
come. He knew he should be freaked about that. He was just too out
of it to care right now. He'd care later, he told himself. Right now,
he wanted to enjoy the moment. "Didja see me? Didja see me tonight?" "Yes,
Todd. We saw you." "We?" Todd tried to look around Jared but his
body wouldn't obey him. So he just closed his eyes again. "Didja
see me...man I was hot. I kicked ass." A low chuckle rumbled beneath
his ear. "Yeah, Todd, I did. When we get home we'll see whose ass
gets kicked. Now go to sleep." Some things never change. Todd thought
as he drifted off. "_f_u_c_k_'n Sherman tank....always boss'n me.. Stunned Jared stared down at Todd who either slept or was
passed out in his arms. "Oh that's rich!" Jared fired a fierce
look at Deek. Causing him to just laugh harder. So that's what all
this tank stuff was. "Sherman tank! Oh that's good. I like it....
it suits ya, Tank. Sherman Tank...Ha!" Jared just rolled his eyes.
Great, the kid just tagged him with a moniker that would be all over
the building tomorrow, knowing Deek. Oh well, he readjusted his burden,
it beat being called "girlfriend" he thought ruefully. It was early
morning when the threesome drove into the basement garage of Sherman
Towers. Todd had slept without waking. Jared lifted him easily over
his shoulders and carried him into the elevator. He'd lost more weight.
Not a lot. Jared's cooking and Meg's would see to that. "So 'Tank'
watch gonna do with him?" "Bite me, Deek. I'll put him in the executive
boardroom. There's a sleeper couch in there. I'd take him to my place
but I'd rather not just yet." Deek just grunted. "Afraid you couldn't
avoid temptation Jared?" "Something like that. I'm afraid I'd be
tempted to kill the little fool." Todd was bedded down in the large
boardroom on a leather sleeper couch. It had a queen sized fold out
bed in it. Jared had removed his padded gear in Todd's apartment.
It was safely stowed with the rest of the kid's things in the far
corner. He removed Todd's boots and shirt. Looked like Todd was able
to buy himself some protective gear. Good thing too, it saved a lot
of his hide. Todd only had some bruising and a few nasty looking scrapes
here and there. Jared left the jeans on. Todd would be worried enough
in the morning waking up here. He didn't need to wake up naked, too. Jared
then called a Doctor. Roy Kingman was an old family friend and was
on retainer for both Jared's and Brian's companies. Doctors were in
high demand and few besides these days. It was good to have the privilege
of having him on payroll. He arrived an hour later after the call.
He took some vitals and a sample of Todd's blood. Jared watched and
sent a silent prayer of thanks that Todd was out. He remembered the
note about Todd's dislike for needles. "Well, Jared. I don't think
there is anything to worry about. Not that I can see right now. His
blood pressure and heart rate are up a little but not drastically.
His arms are clean. I don't see any visual signs of habitual drug
use. I'll get this to the lab, I'll have something for you in a day
or so." Indicating the little vials of blood. "Just keep an eye
on him and let him sleep it off. He may feel sick in the morning.
But other than that I think he'll be fine. Probably be sore from the
wreck. He's got some minor scrapes and bruises but nothing serious.
He's a lucky young man from what you tell me." Jared doubted that
Todd would agree. come morning. "Thanks, Roy. Sorry to get you out
of bed so early." Roy slapped Jared on the back with familiar camaraderie.
"Think nothing of it. Well not till you get the bill anyway." After
he saw the doctor out, Jared and Deek set up watch. Jared took the
first. He crashed on the opposite couch and was asleep before his
head hit the arm rest. Deek woke him around 6 a. m. Todd had not moved
a muscle. Deek took the next watch and sent Jared off to his apartment.
During the course of the next few hours Deek worked on his files and
took the time to study the boy that had claimed the attention of his
friend. Never being able to understand the attraction Jared had for
men instead of the fairer _s_e_x_. Not that he held Jared in any lesser
esteem for it. He was not above admitting that the boy was good looking.
The tattoos the kid sported only added to his appeal. Todd had a decent
build as well. Shaking his head, Deek knew that Todd had met more
than his match with Jared. He had seen the way Jared took charge and
cared for the kid last night. This was no passing thing for Jared.
He could only hope it was the same for the kid. Later that morning
Meg stopped by to talk to him and to get a peek at the kid that had
caused all this upset. As soon as she laid eyes on Todd, her woman's
heart went out to the sleeping boy. He was pretty as an angel. She
could well see why Jared was so taken with him. She clucked in disapproval
at his tattoos. "Tsk..tsk..such a shame to mar such a handsome boy." This
earned him a reproachful look. "The 'in' thing back in my day was
long hair and an earring on a boy. "Seventeen.
He'll be 18 in a few months." "He looks so much younger." "You talk to Mouse
last night?" Meg straightened in her chair and nodded grimly. "Yes.
Yes I did. I don't know what to do with that boy sometimes. Thanks
for taking care of it for me, Deek. He was duly contrite when he confessed." "Contrite
huh? Did you let him off the hook?" Meg pushed her glassed back
in place with a snort. "No, Deacon, I did not. I paddled his little
bottom good. You had it so nicely preheated too. William will no doubt
have a pillow on his chair today." Deek smiled at the mental picture
of their little computer whiz, banging away on his keyboards and scooting
around the computer room on his chair with a pillow under his ass. "Well
Deacon, I had better get to work. I take it Jared will be late today." Deek
nodded affirmative. "Yeah. If he comes in at all. I think the kid
here will be a priority today." Meg nodded in agreement. "Why didn't
he take him home?" Deek wasn't sure how to answer that. He had his
own thoughts on it but he gave Jared's reasons from last night. "He
was afraid he'd strangle the brat. Evil Kneivil here sure strained
his patience last night. Meg smiled at the colorful description.
Giving Deek a kiss on the cheek she headed out the door. "Let's hope
it all works out...for the both of them. Deek, I have good feeling
about those two." Deek hoped her feelings were right. A while
later Mouse himself stopped in. Sleepy eyed and walking a bit stiffly.
Poor baby had a long night. Deek couldn't help but smile in sympathy. "Morn'n,
Mouse." "Morn'n. That the kid?" A grin formed on Deeks face. Kid?
Who was he calling Kid? Todd was only two years younger than Mouse. "Yep.
That's him. Keep your voice down. He's had a rough night." "What's
wrong with him?." "He's suffering from the effects of "X," Mouse." Mouse
whistled low. "Dude! That _s_h_i_t_'ll kill ya. What's Jared want
with a tweaker?" Leaning back in his chair. Deek pinned Mouse with
a glare. "He's not a tweaker, Mouse. Someone slipped him it in his
drink last night. You ever meet someone called Hac or Haskel?" "Oh
man what a loser. Dude, he the one to slip it to him? Man, this guy
is gay. I don't mean just as in _s_e_x_ually but gay as in stupid." "How
did you meet him, William?" Mouse tossed up his hands like he was
warding off a blow. "Chill. Big D. This dude hits all the clubs. Not
just the Zone. Just easier hunting down there. Man did he zero in
on the wrong kill. What did you guy's do to him?" Mouses eyes danced
merrily waiting for the gory details. Deek just laughed and shook
his head. "Jared just made it clear that Denver was not good for his
health. That and rearranged his face. I don't think it was an improvement.
Too bad I didn't get to see Jared in action. I took off with Todd
ahead of him. I don't think he'll be at any clubs in this town for
a long time. You see him up town you let us know." Mouse nodded.
He looked over at the guy sleeping like the dead on the couch bed.
He didn't look real big. The kid was good looking. He had model looks,
pretty even. He'd be worried about his status with the local ladies
if he didn't already know that Todd wasn't straight. "He don't look
much like a bad ass to me," Mouse said as he got a closer look at
Todd. "What do you mean, who said he was?" "The guy I got the
information about Todd from. He said this kid was a real bad ass." "I
don't know about that, but he sure handles his bike like one. Along
with being a real pool shark. He's quiet the little hustler." Deek
switched the conversaion towards last night. "So you and Meg have
a nice chat last night?" Mauhser's face flushed bright red. "Yeah.
Her fu...uh..._d_a_m_n_ brush did most of the talking." Mouse shifted
in his chair. Last night was a long one. Long and painful. After Deek
left, he licked his wounds and sulked in his apartment till he heard
Meg next door. It took an hour to gather up the courage to go and
confess. Meg listened quietly...too quietly. Always a bad sign. Then
she just stood up, grabbed him by his ear and led him to her bathroom.
Then proceeded to tear into him about how disappointed she was. He
was feeling very small and low. Then she grabbed her bath brush. A
large plastic one with a good-sized handle. She made him lower his
pants and shorts. Then put him over her ample lap and paddled the
hell out of his ass. There was no warm up. She told him that Deek
had done a good job of that already and brought the brush down full
force on still tender butt. He was bawling like a babe after the third
swat. Kicking only earned him painful swats on the upper thighs. Something
to be avoided at all costs. Meg was in rare form last night. He had
the sore butt to prove it. Deacon looked at the now sullen Mouse.
He felt for him. But he had earned it. "I'm sorry Mouse..but.." "I
know, Deek. I fu...um...screwed up. But, Deek, next time could it
be just one or the other. Please not both....man that's too much....hurt
like crazy, dude." "Are you saying there's going to be a next time,
William?" Mouse just gave him a charming smile. "Dude! you know
me." Deek just laughed quietly at Mouse. Todd could hear muffled
voices. Waking was not easy. His head felt thick and sluggish. His
temples throbbed. He was sore all over. "Ugh...Dude...can you keep
it down.....ugh my head." It took a huge effort to sit up. The bed
was warm.....Bed? He came wide awake to find himself not at his place
but in what looked like a giant office. With two strangers staring
at him. One was a young guy, his age and the other was a black man,
the man was as big as Jared. Panic began to flood his brain. He couldn't
remember anything. Where the hell was he, who he was with, or how
he got here. The black man tickled his memory but nothing more. It
was bad enough he woke up someplace he didn't recognize, with strangers,
half naked, but did he have to wake up feeling like a truck hit him,
too? This was not good. Not at all.
More stories by Frost Spinner