Leopard Hunt - 16. Chapter 16

Ben shuffled his feet awkwardly while staring at the airport carpark’s concrete floor. It had been a fun two-and-a-half weeks, but it was over. Mason was heading back to Sydney, and while Ben had agreed to join the other Leopards who were going to the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney the first Saturday in March, he knew he and Mason couldn’t sustain a long-distance relationship.

“Hey, it’s only for a couple of weeks, and then we’ll see each other again.” Mason reached over and cupped the side of Ben’s face. “You’re staying with me that weekend, and we’re going to have a great time.”

Ben tensed at the touch but didn’t pull away. He was slowly getting used to public signs of affection, though it helped that there weren’t a lot of people nearby on the second level of the Melbourne Airport short-term car park. “I won’t be marching with the others.”

“I know, you’ve said that before.” Mason smiled as he dropped his hand. “The cameras will be on Jim and the others marching in the parade, and you can’t let your family see you with him, especially at the Mardi Gras. That’s why I’ll be staying with you.”

“You can march if you want to.” It was a discussion they’d had a few times over the prior week. Ben knew that Mason wanted to celebrate being out, and he had been invited to join the Leopards in the parade. Mason had been initially excited until Ben had said he wouldn’t be there.

“I’d rather be with you.” Mason shrugged. “I’m here for four years; I’ll have other chances to march if I want to.” He hesitated before continuing. “But you’ll be with me when we go to the party after the march, right?”

Ben screwed up his face. He had been vacillating on that subject ever since Mason had made the suggestion. Mason’s friend Dexter had told him he could organise the tickets, but he needed to know the numbers. In a moment of weakness, Ben had agreed to go but had been having second thoughts ever since. “As long as there’s no pictures, yeah, I’ll be there.”

“Hey, don’t stress. If we don’t go, we don’t go. It’s not that important.”

“But you’d like to go. And you’ve already bought the tickets!”

Mason chuckled. “Don’t worry about that. Anyway, it was the ‘rents who are paying, not me.” He winked. “They just don’t know it yet.”

Ben gave Mason a weak smile. “I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.” On impulse, he moved closer and gave Mason a quick kiss on the lips. “Don’t miss your flight.” He stepped back and smiled while resisting the urge to look around to see if anyone had reacted to the uncharacteristic action. Mason was the one who normally initiated public displays of affection.

Mason’s expression was one of pleasant surprise. “I won’t, and even if I did, I’d just take the next available flight.”

“But you’ve still got things to do to get ready for university tomorrow.”

Mason shrugged. “There’s not that much to do. And it’s only orientation. My classes don’t start until next week.” He smiled. “You know you don’t have to rush off. You can come in and see me off, if you want. I think I can even get you into the airline lounge.”

Ben shook his head. “I need to go.” He screwed up his face. “It’s better if we say goodbye here, with less people around.”

“I understand.”

Mason held out his arms and edged closer. Ben understood and closed the gap. He didn’t know how long the two of them stood there with their arms wrapped around each other and their heads resting on each other’s shoulder, but it was what Ben needed. He was going to miss Mason. When the two separated, both sets of eyes were moist.

It was another few minutes before Mason crossed the covered walkway to the Qantas terminal and Ben returned to his car. Ben sat in the driver’s seat, staring into space for a while before starting the engine.

He was already missing his American friend.

* * *

Mason put his two suitcases next to the collection of boxes in the corner of the living room. Deon and Kevin had been busy buying furniture and were storing it in Clarissa’s and Liam’s unit until they were able to access the new apartment.

“Thanks for letting me leave my bags here.” Mason reached into his backpack and pulled out a couple of small boxes. “And here’s something to show my appreciation.”

Clarissa frowned as she accepted one of the gifts and Liam the other. “If you’ve spent too much money again…”

Mason laughed. “I haven’t. They’re something I picked up yesterday while I was out with Ben and Ollie and Helena.”

Liam was the first to open one of the packages. “Chocolates!” He grinned while handing the box to Neil. “Someone else has discovered the chocolate factory near Lilydale.”

Mason watched with amusement as Liam and Neil fed each other a couple of pieces of chocolate. He then turned to Clarissa and raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, it’s not too expensive.” Her mock-scowl was quickly replaced with a soft smile. “Thank you.”

“Is Deon going to get any, or are you going to keep them all for yourself?”

She grinned. “He’s in training, hoping to be picked for the opening game of the pre-season on the 7^th. While I’m sure he’d love some, I’m going to be the good girlfriend and keep them all for myself. That way he won’t get fat.”

Mason grinned back. “Sounds like a noble plan. Deon doesn’t deserve someone as unselfish and considerate as you.” He waved a hand towards the small collection of suitcases in the corner of the unit’s living room. “Are you sure they’re okay to be left there?”

“Of course. It’s only for today and tomorrow, until you get the keys to your own unit.” Her brow wrinkled. “When are you checking out of your rental?”

“Not for a couple of weeks.”

She blinked. “Why not?”

Mason grinned. “Because it’s going to be used. There are a number of people flying up on the 7^th of March for the Mardi Gras parade, and they’re going to need a place to stay. Since the lease doesn’t expire until the 12^th, I thought someone should get some use out of it, so I’ve sublet it out to some of the Leopards.”

“Sublet?”

“Yeah, at an exorbitant rate, too, since most accommodation has already gone for either the Mardi Gras or this World Cup Cricket thing that’s happening.” Mason winked. “Everyone staying has to pay me with a box of chocolates from the chocolate factory. I figure that’ll keep me going until I get a chance to go back to Melbourne and get some more of my own.”

Clarissa laughed. “Sounds like a plan. Now, do you want to hear what the charge is going to be to leave you luggage here overnight?”

“Another box of chocolates?” Mason asked tentatively, hoping she wasn’t going to be a hardnosed negotiator.

She cocked her head. “Two boxes, payable after you’ve been paid.”

“Done!”

Liam and Neil glanced over towards them. “What’s done?”

“Nothing for you two to worry about,” Clarissa said, giving Mason a quick grin. “Mason and I are just making some future plans.”

Mason settled back into the sofa. He was surprised to find he had missed Clarissa while she had been in Sydney and he in Melbourne. He wouldn’t have wanted to cut his time with Ben short to return early, but she was a good antidote for the melancholy he had felt on the flight back to Sydney.

Liam frowned, then shrugged. “Mason, while I remember, unless you’ve got plans, you’re welcome to stay the night here, and we can all go into uni together tomorrow morning.” He grinned. “Deon, Kevin, and Daphne will be coming for dinner, so one more isn’t going to be a problem.”

Mason thought quickly. He had considered going to the Sportsman Bar to see Dexter, but that had only been a half-hearted idea. Seeing Dexter so soon after leaving Ben felt wrong to him. “Thanks, I’d like that, as long as I don’t have to share a bed with Clarissa.” He grinned at her. “No offense intended.”

She rolled her eyes. “You get the sofa bed. Or at least you were. I’m thinking the kitchen floor may be better for you.”

“The sofa’s fine!” Mason’s grin slipped away. “Can I have a quick word? In private?”

She frowned. “Okaaay.” She stretched out the one-word response. “We can talk outside.”

A minute later, the two of them were standing outside the front of hers and Liam’s unit. She crossed her arms. “What is this about?”

“Deon. I wanted to ask how he’s coping, but I don’t know who knows what. I didn’t want to say anything in front of Liam, just in case he didn’t know.”

“Liam knows that it wasn’t Deon who testified at the trial. Neil told him when he returned from Melbourne. Deon’s also told Kevin and Daphne, so everyone who will be here tonight knows the truth. But not everyone’s been told that Deon’s been covering for Dave.”

“Yeah, I heard that from the Leopards over the last couple of weeks. The media speculation has died down, but while it was going strong, it was all on Deon.” Mason smiled. “Thanks. That’s all I wanted to ask you. I just didn’t want to say something that I wasn’t supposed to.”

Mason was still surprised at how the press hadn’t reported either Deon’s or Dave’s name. The social-media sites had no such restraint with respect to Deon, but the newspaper and TV stations had kept the identity of the person who had testified in the trial a secret. Even when the final verdict of guilty was announced, no victim names were mentioned.

* * *

“When’s your sister moving to Melbourne?” Oliver asked Ben.

“Next weekend. She finished up her two-week notice at her work on Friday, and Andrew is taking this week off to go up to Sydney to help her move.” Ben grimaced. “Mum and Dad will be driving down, too, to help them settle in.”

“Did you want to invite any of them here for dinner one night?”

“No!” Ben shuddered at the thought of his parents meeting Ross and potentially discovering that he had a gay housemate.

Oliver raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that going to make them suspicious?”

“I’ll go out for dinner with them. That should satisfy my parents.” He sighed and looked away. “I’ll tell my sister the truth after they’ve returned to Sydney.”

“They’re going to find out sooner or later. Wouldn’t it be better for it to be when you can talk to them face to face?”

“Definitely not! The further away I am from them, the better.” Ben sighed. “My dad isn’t normally violent, but I’ve seen him lose his temper twice, and both times were to do with gays. I don’t want to be anywhere near him when he learns he’s got a gay son.”

“Maybe it won’t be that bad.”

“Maybe, but maybe it’ll be worse.” Ben turned back to look at Oliver. “I’m pretty sure Andrew will be okay, and I think Eve will be, too, but my parents…” He shook his head. “I’ll have to meet them at some stage after they know the truth, but the more time they have to think and not just react, the better.”

Ben had at one point contemplated telling his parents while he was in Sydney for the Mardi Gras since he’d have both Mason and a lot of his teammates with him for support, but he had decided against it. That weekend was going to be the last time he’d be able to be with Mason, and he didn’t want to ruin it by having a confrontation with his mum and dad.

* * *

“Are you excited about moving into your own place on Tuesday?” Daphne asked.

Kevin took his eyes off the road for a moment so he could grin at his girlfriend. “Yeah, definitely. I’ve enjoyed staying with the Wembleys for the last year and a bit, but it’s time I had my own space.” He reached over and patted her on the leg. “Somewhere we can spend time together.”

Daphne’s smile faltered. “They’re going to find out.” She didn’t indicate who she was talking about, but she knew Kevin would understand.

“We both know that’s going to happen sooner or later, but this is your life. You don’t have to say anything until you’re ready.”

Daphne turned to stare out the car window. “I know, and I should tell them, but it’s hard. I lost friends at school because they couldn’t accept me. What if Deon or Mason are the same? What if they don’t let me stay with you?”

Kevin sighed. “I understand.” He grimaced. “Okay, I really don’t, because I can’t imagine what it’s like, but I’m here for you. I think everyone will be fine—Mason’s gay, and Deon’s dad is gay, so they both should understand about being different—but I appreciate we just don’t know.”

“Gay’s acceptable. Transgender, on the other hand…”

“Then, if it comes to that, I’ll move out.” Kevin made a face. “I’d need to find somewhere quickly, but if I have to so we can stay together, I will.”

“My brother or sister would put you up for a time.” Daphne dropped her head. “My parents may let you stay with them, too, but I’m not sure on that one.”

“Hey, cheer up! We’re talking worst-case scenario here. I’m confident that both Mason and Deon will be fine, as will Liam, Neil, and Clarissa. They’re all good people.”

“I know, but…” When Kevin didn’t respond, Daphne sighed. “I knew some people at school would react badly when I started going to school in a dress, but I thought Rick would be okay. He was my best friend, but he turned on me so fast…” Daphne pulled out a handkerchief and started to dab at her eyes as the memories started to flood back.

“You’ve mentioned him before. Rick Stratton, wasn’t it?” Kevin scowled. “He’s the reason you deferred your university course for a year.”

“Yeah…” Daphne closed her eyes. “He bullied me right through high school, ever since I asked everyone to call me Daphne. He, and some of my other former friends, refused. He never did it in front of a teacher, but he’d only ever call me David or, more often, ‘The Freak.’”

“And he’s a student at Sydney Uni.” Kevin’s tone was gentle.

She sighed. “Being a year behind, now, means there’s less chance of running into him.” She lowered her voice. “I hope.”

“If you do and he causes problems, text me. Most of the time, I’m only going to be ten or fifteen minutes away. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Kevin reached out again, though this time he left his hand on her knee. “The club knows the situation, or at least a few senior people do. If I have to run out on training or anything else going on, they’ll understand. I can’t abuse it, but I’ve got a free pass to disappear at short notice if needed.”

“Maybe if I told the others…” Daphne didn’t want to tell people, but one of the reasons she wanted Clarissa, Liam, Neil as friends was because they’d also be at the university. She was hoping they would be better friends than the ones she’d had at high school.

“That’s up to you. I’ll support you in whatever you want to do, Daphne. You know that.”

She did. She didn’t understand how a handsome young AFL player could be attracted to someone like her, but he was, and she wasn’t going to question her luck.

* * *

Mason lifted his wine glass. “To tomorrow, the first day of school and finally getting the key to the unit.”

The others around the dining room table all echoed Mason’s toast. As Deon put his wine glass down—Mason found it odd to see the two football players drinking water from a wine glass, but he understood that both were in training—his brow wrinkled. “You know that Kevin and I will be moving in on Tuesday, not tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, I know. That’s your day off.” Mason grinned. “That works out well since I’m planning on getting the unit cleaned from top to bottom on Monday.”

Neil frowned. “You’re not going to uni that day? It’s the first day of orientation.”

“Did you think that I’m going to do the cleaning?” Mason chuckled. “My dad’s agent will be picking up the key in the morning, and he’s arranged for a cleaning company to come in and mop out the place ready for Tuesday.” Mason shrugged. “I’d thought about moving in immediately, but one more night in my rented apartment isn’t going to kill me.”

“How are you going to get us a key so we can move in?” Kevin asked.

“My dad’s agent will get two copies cut and will drop them off in Clarissa’s and Liam’s letter box.” Mason smiled. “You’ll be able to start work first thing in the morning, and I’m expecting you will have shifted all your stuff”—Mason indicated the pile of boxes in the living room—“by the time we’ve returned that night.”

“That’s the plan.” Deon and Kevin exchanged grins before Deon continued. “We’ve enlisted some help from our teammates to help with the move. We’ve both got boxes of clothes and other things at our host families that will need to be moved, too.”

Kevin nodded. “We want everything done on Tuesday so we don’t have to worry about it after that. There’s so much work to be done to get ready for the season, and we can’t afford too many distractions.”

“Speaking of distractions, Deon, I was wondering…that is, after you returned from Melbourne…” Mason grimaced while trying to work out how to say what he wanted.

Deon chuckled. “Are you talking about the fallout from the trial?” His expression sobered almost immediately. “I’ve been telling everyone I don’t want to talk about it. I’ve also told a handful of people—in private—not to believe what they read. I think they’ve taken the hint.”

Kevin made a face. “You have no idea how relieved I was when he told me it wasn’t him.” He glanced at Daphne and then turned to Mason. “I can appreciate that there are some things that are personal and don’t need to be shared, but I’m glad Deon told me as much as he has. He said that you know the truth because you were there at the courthouse, but I’m not going to pry. I’m just glad it wasn’t him.”

There was quiet around the table, broken only by the sound of cutlery on plates. Neil was the one to finally break the silence. He smiled at Mason. “I hear you’ve been spending a lot of time with one of the new Leopards.”

Mason grinned. “I have. Who told you?”

Neil laughed. “Who hasn’t told me? Ollie was the first, but Todd and the brat weren’t far behind. Roscoe also mentioned it, as did Roger.”

Mason frowned. “Todd and Roger?”

Deon chuckled. “You can’t miss either one of them. They’re two of the three biggest guys on the team. Neil lived with Todd for most of last year, and Roger’s the team captain.”

“Okay, thanks, for the info.” Mason shrugged. “I’ll admit that I didn’t mind looking at the other Leopards, but I was only really interested in one guy. I spent most of my time with him and didn’t spend much time talking to the other guys.”

Clarissa’s brow wrinkled. “Okay, first things first.” She jabbed a finger at Mason. “Who are you talking about, and”—she glared at Neil—“how come you’ve been talking to so many of the Leopards?”

Neil shrugged. “They want to make sure I’m doing okay here in Sydney, and they’ve been keeping in touch.” His eyes seemed to almost glow from reflected moisture. “Remember, for most of last year they were the only family I had.”

Liam immediately reached over, put an arm around his boyfriend and whispered something in his ear. Neil gave Liam a faint smile and then a quick kiss on the lips. He glanced around the table, blushed, and dropped his gaze to the food in front of him.

Mason knew that Neil didn’t want to be the centre of attention, so he coughed loudly and gave Clarissa a mock glare. “The guy I’ve been seeing isn’t out. His family is extremely homophobic, and he doesn’t want to risk it.” Mason saw Neil shudder and quickly continued. “As Kevin said earlier, some things don’t need to be shared”—he couldn’t stop himself from glancing at Daphne—“but I trust everyone here. Ben’s one of the new Leopards, and we’ve been spending most of the last three weeks together.” He grinned at Clarissa. “You’ll probably also appreciate that I saved a lot of the ‘rents money by moving in with him soon after you flew back here to Sydney. See, I’m not always a spendthrift!”

She gave an exaggerated roll of the eyes. “One time saving money doesn’t establish a trend. You’ve got a lot of catching up to do to convince me.”

“Well, in that case, it won’t take long.” Mason gave her a sheepish grin. “The ‘rents have told that from tomorrow my Amex card is for emergencies only. And if my new coffee machine breaks down, they’ve said that’s not an emergency.”

Clarissa narrowed her eyes. “What new coffee machine?”

“The one back at the apartment I’m renting. I had it delivered while I was in Melbourne.” He pasted on a look of innocence that he knew fooled no one. “Surely, you don’t expect me to drink instant coffee in the morning? I have to maintain some standards while I’m living here.”

Kevin grinned. “What sort of coffee machine did you get? An espresso maker?”

Mason nodded. “There weren’t many choices in what types I could get. The kind I’m used to at home isn’t as common here, so I went with what’s popular.” He smirked at Clarissa. “And the fact that espresso machines were more expensive had absolutely nothing to do with it.”

“Yeah, right.” Clarissa couldn’t keep the scowl on her face. “I’d like a weak latte first thing in the morning. I’ll leave you to organise it.”

“Easily done.” Mason grinned at Deon. “I believe you’ve now got an early-morning delivery to make once you’ve moved in.”

Deon chuckled. “I’m not sure about every morning, but if you don’t mind me using your coffee maker, I’m happy to take a cup to Clarissa when I can.”

“Our coffee maker. It’s yours and Kevin’s, too.” Mason smiled at Neil and Liam. “Visitors are also welcome, as long as you’re not showing up at the crack of dawn.”

“Thanks!” Liam grinned. “That’ll be fantastic, but let us know if we start to abuse the privilege.”

“Sure, but I doubt that will happen.” Mason gave what he hoped was a comforting smile to Daphne. “And, of course, you’re welcome at any time.” He raised an eyebrow. “I presume we’ll be seeing a lot of you, too. You know I’m more than happy for you to move in, if you want. That’s why Kevin’s getting the master bedroom.”

Daphne and Kevin looked at each other before Daphne dropped her head. Kevin sighed and then turned to Mason. “We’re still discussing that. I hope it won’t be long, but we haven’t made any decision.”

Mason nodded his acceptance. “Just so you know, I’d love it if Daphne joined us. I want people around me who are my friends no matter what, even though I’m black, gay, and…” he lowered his voice and glanced around in a conspiratorial manner, “…the son of a politician.” He winked at Daphne. “I’ve seen too much discrimination in my time to want to see any more. It’s one of things I like about Australia; the people I’ve met have been much more accepting and tolerant than I expected. It’s almost enough to make me want to become an Australian.”

The others laughed, but Mason kept a discreet eye on Daphne. He hoped he’d successfully passed on the message that he would accept her, no matter what. Knowing she was transgender wasn’t an issue for him.

* * *

“Next!”

José nervously approached the Australian Customs and Border Protection official. He was tired after the long flight, still mildly disconcerted that somehow he had lost a Sunday and it was now Monday morning, and worried that something was going to go wrong.

“Passport and passenger card, please.”

“Sorry.” José handed over the requested documents while mentally reminding himself of the name on the passport. He’d been using that passport to travel to and from Mexico, so it wasn’t unfamiliar, but normally he wasn’t doing so while tired. He had tried his best to sleep on the plane, but he hadn’t succeeded.

The customs official held up the passport with the photo page showing and glanced from the image to José and back again. “What are your plans while you’re here in Australia?”

“Sightseeing. I came into some money recently, and I always wanted to visit Australia, so…” José let his voice trail off as he realised he was rambling. He’d concocted a story about a recently deceased uncle if he was questioned, but he hadn’t intended to say anything more than necessary. The story was just in case he needed to explain what he was doing in Sydney.

The official frowned at his computer screen and then wrote something on the incoming passenger card. He then handed both back to José. “Next!”

José moved down the aisle next to the customs desk and joined the throng of passengers in the baggage-carousel area. He watched anxiously as a female uniformed officer escorted a beagle through the crowd. He wasn’t carrying any drugs, but he was concerned that the drug dog may detect his previous exposure. José let out a soft sigh of relief when the beagle passed him by with scarcely a sniff.

While he waited for his luggage to appear on the carousel, José checked to see what the customs official had written on his incoming passenger card. There was a vertical line through all the various declarations José had made, such as not have large amounts of alcohol or tobacco, not carrying goods for business, not bringing in any plant or animal material, hadn’t been on a farm recently, and hadn’t been in Central or South America, Africa or the Caribbean in the last six days. The only other thing he saw was some sort of scribble he couldn’t decipher.

Putting the card back in his jacket pocket, José glanced around at the waiting crowd. While the majority he saw were Caucasian, there were enough others with a darker skin tone that he didn’t stand out.

It was several long minutes before his bag finally arrived. The old, battered suitcase was one that Pedro had given him since he had none of his own and didn’t want to buy one for just this one trip. In it were several changes of clothes, a map of Sydney, and a small amount of money. Most of the cash he brought with him was in a flat bag concealed under his clothes. He also had a pre-filled debit card in the same name as his passport.

Joining the line that was passing through a second layer of security, José trudged along slowly. While he had been told on the plane what to expect, the idea of a second check for quarantine purposes still felt strange to him. He wasn’t concerned, though, because he wasn’t carrying anything that would cause problems.

When he finally reached the front of the line, he tried to give the lady official his passport and immigration card.

“Just the card.” She glanced at incoming passenger card and then pointed. “Follow that line and wait for someone to serve you.”

José frowned as he followed her directions. Most of the passengers were going a different way, following a green line. He wasn’t the only one heading in his direction, though, so while he was concerned, he tried to stay calm.

It wasn’t long before he was standing on the other side of a low table from another border-protection officer. José’s suitcase was on the table between them.

“Is this your bag?” When José indicated it was, and, after a follow-up question, that he had packed it himself, the officer smiled. “We’re doing a random baggage check. Are you okay with us opening your bag and checking the contents?”

José wasn’t sure how random the random baggage check was, but he knew he didn’t have anything in the suitcase that could get him into trouble. “Go ahead.”

The officer proceeded to open the suitcase and carefully check the contents. As he did, he asked José about his plans while he was in Australia. When José mentioned seeing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the officer smiled. “If you get a chance, try the bridge climb. It’s a fantastic experience, with some spectacular souvenir photos as a bonus.”

“Sounds like a good idea.” José really didn’t care, but the Australian seemed friendly. He relaxed, thinking it truly was a random check.

That changed when the officer pulled out a short wand with a white cloth on the end. José knew what that was, and he was immediately worried.

“I’m just going to take a swab and check for illegal substances. It won’t take long.”

He started to fidget while waiting for the officer to return. Jose knew he wasn’t bringing in any drugs, but had Pedro secreted something in the case before he had given it to José?

It wasn’t long before he had his answer.

“I regret to inform you that the analysis of the swab reported traces of both heroin and cocaine. Can you explain why that may be?”

* * *

Liam looked around at the university buildings and the scattered clusters of other new students. “Okay, where do we start?”

“Mason and I have an engineering orientation session in thirty minutes, so that’s where I’m going,” Neil said.

“And later, I want to check out extracurricular clubs and teams.” Mason grinned. “I promised my best friend, Jeremy, that I’d check out the Quidditch team. If it looks like fun, I may join, though I’m more interested in the pick-up basketball club.”

Liam grimaced. “My orientation session is not for a couple of hours. I’ll probably have to catch up with you guys at lunchtime.” He turned to where Clarissa and Daphne were talking quietly. “What about you two?”

“Our mandatory orientation sessions are this afternoon,” Clarissa said. “We’re just going to wander around and check out what’s going on.”

“Shall we meet back here at twelve-thirty, then?” Liam asked.

It was quickly agreed. Liam headed off with Clarissa and Daphne, while Mason and Neil headed towards the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies.

“Do you and Liam have any plans for tonight?” Mason asked as they strolled along the university pathways.

“Not that I know of. Why?”

Mason grinned. “I’m planning on ordering pizza and having dinner in the new unit even if there’s currently no furniture, but I would prefer to have some company if I’m going to do that.” He shrugged. “I was going to spend the night back at my current apartment, but I’m thinking of getting a mattress of some kind and sleeping in the new place, instead.”

“Sounds like fun.” Neil smiled back. “I’ll check with Liam later, but I think the answer will be yes to pizza.”

“Good. In that case, I’ll text Deon and Kevin, too, in case they want to join us. We can ask Clarissa, Daphne, and Liam when we see them at lunch.”

The two guys sat through the general-engineering orientation lecture, with Mason recording sections on his phone and Neil typing up notes on his laptop. From Mason’s perspective, it was an important but boring information session. It helped clarify a few points he had wondered about, but most of it was reinforcing details from the course handbook.

Mason checked his phone as they left the engineering building. “We’ve got a bit of time before we meet the others. How about we wander through the area where the extracurricular booths are set up so we can check them out?”

“Sounds good to me.”

There was something about Neil’s tone that didn’t feel right to Mason. “Are you okay?”

Neil gave him a half smile. “Just realising how much work this course is going to be. I’m not sure how much spare time I’m going to have once classes start. There’s a lot of material to get my head around.”

Mason draped an arm across Neil’s shoulders. “Hey, it’ll be fine. We’ll have a few classes in common, and even when we don’t, there should be some overlap in what we’re studying. We can work together to make sure we both understand what they’re talking about. But I’m going to need to have a word with Liam.”

Neil frowned. “Why?”

“Because a social life is important, too. It sounds like you’re planning on spending all your time studying. You don’t want to neglect your boyfriend, and you certainly don’t want to neglect your friends.’ Mason grinned. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll talk to Liam, and between us we’ll make sure you have enough breaks from schoolwork to maintain your sanity.”

Neil chuckled. “Liam’s already told me I’m not allowed to work all the time. He said I need at least one day a week off, preferably two, unless there are urgent assignments due.”

“He’s smart. Listen to him.” Mason sighed as he thought about how he wanted a relationship like Neil’s and Liam’s. Liam was the more dominant of the two, but Neil was strong in his own way. Mason wanted someone to love and care for him like Liam and Neil did for each other.

Neil pulled out his phone. “I’ll send him a text to let him know where we’re going, though I think his orientation session is starting soon.” He glanced at Mason. “Quidditch, wasn’t it?”

“We’ll start there, but we’ll have a look around to see what else is available.”

A few minutes later, the two were standing in front of the small table where the University of Sydney Quidditch Club had their presentation, listening to the spiel from one of the members.

“…but you don’t have to play in the state league if you don’t want to. We also cater for those who just want to play casually—or even just treat it as a social club. We regularly schedule social events like trivia competitions, movie nights, Hogsmeade visits—what the uninformed call pub crawls; they’re very popular—and lots of other events. Quidditch is a mixed-team sport, so we have lots of girls in our club, too.” He winked.

Mason chuckled. “There’s nothing wrong with girls, but I’m gay. Is that going to be a problem?”

The guy shrugged. “Not with me. That just means one less guy I have to worry about moving in on the girl I’m chasing at the time.” He raised an eyebrow. “Are you interested in joining?”

“A little, but I’m not sure it’s the sport for me. I don’t have to sign up now, do I?”

“Take your time. We’re going to have an exhibition match tomorrow lunchtime if you want to see what the game looks like. Just leave us your number and we’ll text you the details.”

“Okay, I’ll do that.” Mason turned to Neil. “What about you?”

Neil shrugged. “If I’m going to play a sport, I’d prefer to pick one that Liam will want to play. I’m not sure if he’ll be interested in Quidditch.”

Mason chuckled. “You never know. We can ask the girls, too, since they have mixed teams.” He turned back to the club member they had been listening to. “Thanks for your time. It sounds interesting, and I wouldn’t mind seeing a game.”

“You won’t be disappointed.” The guy wrote a number on the back of a piece of paper. “Here’s the club contact details, along with my number. If you’ve got any questions, feel free to call or text me. It’s a great club, both from a sporting and social point of view. It’s well worth joining.”

“Thanks. I look forward to seeing that game tomorrow.” Mason held out his hand. “I’m Mason, by the way, and this is Neil.”

“Pleased to meet you both. I’m Rick, Rick Stratton. I hope to see you both again tomorrow lunchtime, if not before.”

* * *

José finally stepped out into the Sydney morning sunshine and took a deep breath. There was something about the air that felt strange to him, but that wasn’t the only weird thing going on.

It had taken almost two hours, but after the Australian border-protection personnel had searched and X-rayed not only his suitcase but also his carry-on bag, they let him enter the country.

José wasn’t sure they believed his tale that one of the people he had been living with was involved with drugs and maybe that’s how the traces ended up on the suitcase, but since they couldn’t find any sign of drugs in his possession, he was allowed to go. José had been expecting them to ship him back to Los Angeles, but that didn’t happen. He still wasn’t sure what to make of the Australian officers. They were always polite but firm and asked his permission before each of the searches. He knew he could’ve refused any one of them, but doing so would’ve meant returning home. Even the two male officers who conducted the strip search were professional. He had been concerned when they found the money he was carrying under his clothes, but after they confirmed he wasn’t carrying more than the legal limit, they simply handed it back without comment or question.

José took another deep breath. He was tired, stressed, and generally feeling rundown. He had originally intended to rent a car and drive to the cheap hotel he had booked, but after the dual ordeals of a sleepless long flight and interrogation by the Australian officers, he just wanted to check into his hotel and fall asleep. He stripped off his jacket—it was already much warmer than when he had left Los Angeles—and looked around for a taxi. It didn’t take him long to find one and give the driver the name and address of his hotel.

He rested his head on the back of the seat and closed his eyes. He was finally in Australia.

He knew he should start work straight away, but he was exhausted. Tomorrow would be early enough to try to find, and then kill, Mason.