Brian: Taking Courage - 33. Debrief

"We have a bit of a problem. Jason."

Gordon stared at Hugh, who had loomed over his desk as soon as he and Gordon had arrived in the office. "One of the outside guys on Friday?"

"Yep. Well, it seems that he was hit on by a couple of blokes."

"Yeah, well, they got a bit lively. I thought no harm done, what did you think, Brian?"

Brian shrugged, "The guys seemed OK when we closed things down, no-one had any beefs, and most were joking about incidents like that. What's this about?"

Hugh pulled a face and perched on the edge of the desk opposite. "Being propositioned by a man offends his religion as homosexuality is sinful."

"Hang on, so is adultery, sex outside marriage."

"Precisely."

"So, what's your plan?"

Hugh gave an evil smile, "Luckily Connor got in early, like I did. We were chatting. He comes from a religious family, though he's long lapsed, but stuff like that evidently sticks. He's given me a few pointers. How the behaviour would be equally reprehensible in a woman, and would he have objected to that? That Jesus said nothing about gay relationships, and how if you accept that passage in one of St Paul's letters, I got a note of the right one, then you have to accept some of the other shit he puts alongside it, and there's some really weird stuff. We'll see if we can get him to admit the real reason. I've got him just before the debrief."

As the entire team from Friday's event was coming in for a debriefing session and it was a Monday, it had been decided that this was not a naked day. Connor had moaned, saying that if it was a debriefing session then the guys needed to be de-brief-ed properly, which got him a groan from everyone else.

After Hugh left them, Gordon and Brian didn't have time to discuss Jason further, both had full schedules and the debrief was straight after lunch. Jason was notable by his absence. Hugh simply said that Jason would not be joining them; he had made his views clear and would not be returning to work for Ares.

If Hugh had hoped that this would put an end to discussion on the subject, he was disappointed. The guys all started chattering and then one loud voice inquired, "What the hell got into Jason?"

A snort from someone else, "Rather, what didn't get into him on Friday."

"Couple of blokes got fresh."

"Tell me something new, Tommy here had a stiffie waved at him", this caused general laughter.

"Jason's gone a bit Bible-basher recently."

"More than a bit."

"So?"

"All the gay stuff is anath…"

"Anathema."

"Yeah. Load of bollocks it means."

"A job's a job, and the money was good."

The debrief itself was very positive, many of the guys had ideas and Gordon and Brian would be drafting a report for Russ.

"Will we be doing it again, boss. The stripping off thing, that is?"

"Aye, aye, Warren wants to get his kit off again."

Hugh looked at Gordon and Brian, who rolled his eyes. "Russ Kahn will be giving another party and we're going to be handling it. But what you'll be wearing, I don't know. The party, believe it or not, had a business purpose and if Russ thinks it worked, then there will be more. Otherwise he will alter the format, our debrief report will help in that, and he will give us feedback too."

Arnie grinned, "Well, count me in. Nice little earner."

"Will we wear jocks like yours Guv?"

"What, want to show off more, then?" A grin from Ollie.

"Just wondering, like."

Brian held up his hand, "It's up to Russ Kahn, and money will be commensurate."

Arnie laughed, "More we show, more we get."

Once the guys had had their say, Gordon and Brian went into a huddle with Hugh to discuss future such events. Basic research by Philippa had suggested that at least one name on the list of blokes being ejected had possible press links, whilst a couple stopped at the door proved to have given made-up names. No surprises there, but Hugh said that they would need to talk to Kahn about security issues surrounding the events.

When everyone finally left, Philippa came over to them and said that a parcel had been delivered. There, leaning against her desk, was a substantial box marked fragile and more. The return address told them everything, it was the pictures from Marcus’ son, Edward. One of each for them and for Gordon’s parents, so four in all. They’d decided to leave Brian’s Mum until she’d seen one.

There was no help for it, they had to unfasten the package, there was no way they could get away with simply spiriting the photographs away. As soon as Brian started unwrapping the parcel, the rest of the team gathered. When revealed, the images got a whistle from Hugh and a grin from Connor. Philippa smiled and said ‘Nice’, whilst Damian raised an eyebrow, commenting that you wouldn’t catch him doing that. Upon which Philippa laughed and suggested they commission a naked Ares group portrait, which had everyone laughing.

When they got the pictures home, they had no idea where to put them. Toby arrived, having been at Justin’s, and gave the photos his approval, giving the images a good going over. His suggestion of hanging one of the pictures right opposite the front door didn’t go down so well, however.

“Not getting cold feet about being on display?” Gordon grinned at Brian.

“Nah. If your Dad can do it, we can. Just got to work out where. Not too in your face.”

“But don’t want to hide either.”

“Something like that.”

---

It was a surprise when Russ phoned, that evening. They tended to communicate via messages and emails, with the phone reserved for business dealings, often via Russ’s PA.

“Is there a problem?” Brian went a bit cold, the idea of having to tell Toby that the trip to Normandy was off after he’d done so much research.

>Sorry, not at all. But I’ve had an idea.

“About?” Brian was hesitant, here was when Russ really stretched their agreement. Things had been admirably laid-back, with no more splashing cash. Now what?

>The end of your holiday. Before it, I have meetings in Paris. My PA was talking about the arrangements and made a suggestion, about you three.

“Hang on, you’ve got your PA sorting your love life?”

>Hardly, but she knows you exist and…

“I see.” Brian was a bit tight; he didn’t like the idea of the PA being involved. But Russ seemed to do everything through his PA, so maybe Brian was being a bit pissy, “So what was the suggestion?”

>You join me in Paris for a few days, or we meet at a luxury hotel partway between Paris and your holiday destination. Or I come to you. Or a mixture. And I spoke to Arman, my regular driver.

“He the guy we met at Gordon’s parents?”

>That’s him. He has nephews Toby’s age. If I drove to the meeting rather than using the train, then he would be happy to act as Toby’s chaperone for a couple of afternoons.

“Arman?”

>I can send you…

“No, it’s OK. Paris sounds nice but for one thing, that would mean you paying for our hotel for a couple of nights or so. And besides, it’s our holiday with Toby and foisting him off on your driver, no matter it’s in Paris, seems a bit off.”

>There is that, I suppose.

“It’s a generous idea, Russ. And sometime or other, we can take you up on it, go away, just the three of us.”

>Now that is an idea.

The man sounded a lot brighter.

>Get a suite, the three of us sharing.

Brian laughed, “As long as the bed was big enough. But to return to the holiday, we’d already mentioned to Toby that you might stay, and I think he’s rather set on that.”

>Show me around all his discoveries?

Brian could hear the smile in his voice. “Something like that. And Russ, thanks. Thanks a lot. Even if we don’t get any nookie in France, it’ll be fun. Just you wait.”

>Nookie?

Russ was laughing and the call ended on an upbeat note.

Gordon reappeared, having popped to the Co-op with Toby.

“Russ phoned”, Toby made to disappear to his room, but Brian stopped him, “it’s for you as well, sport.”

“He was just phoning to confirm that he will be coming over from Paris and staying with us for a couple of days.” Toby exclaimed, and then dashed off to his room.

“Where’s he going to put his driver?”

Brian shrugged, “Pass. His problem. Besides, his other idea was that we go to Paris, and the driver chaperone Toby round.”

Gordon wrinkled his nose, “Whilst we have sex with him in his room. Nice.”

“I told him no. We couldn’t let him pay for our rooms in Paris.”

“And it’s too bloody expensive for us to pay for something like that on a whim.”

“Besides, it’s Toby’s holiday and fobbing him off on Russ’ driver is not on.”

“Was he Ok with that?”

“Think so. We ended the call having a laugh about Toby showing Russ round all his discoveries.”

“Something like. Is he going to be a problem?”

“Russ? If he comes to Pont-Audemer, behaves himself and doesn’t flash his cash around, then no. I don’t think he’ll be a problem. Mind, I did tell him that he could treat us to a weekend, the three of us in a posh hotel.”

“And.”

“Think that perked him up.”

“Perks me up too. I reckon a threesome in luxury might be a nice treat. Let’s see.”