Curse of the Fallen - 1. Chapter One: Washington

Curse of the Fallen

Chapter One: Washington

Aaron awoke to once again find himself safe in his own bed. By own bed he meant HIS bed in HIS apartment near Harvard Square. Lying next to him was Jon. Friend, protector, lover, Jon meant more to Aaron than he could ever express. He too was awake, but then as a physical Talent he had little need for sleep.

Each looked at the other and wondered how they got so lucky. Jon with his near bodybuilder physique was deeply tanned from his year serving in the Middle East and South Central Asia. He was a soldier and like most was quite randy each time he came back to the States on leave.

Reaching out Aaron played with the curly dark locks of Jon’s hair. He was so beautiful, charismatic, and perfect that Aaron wondered how he hadn’t seen it in the first place.

It would surprise Aaron to learn Jon saw him in the same light. Once Aaron had been a frightened broken teenager but those days were long gone. At least Aaron tried to believe that. Though there were still certain things Aaron refused to talk about, such as how he escaped the Coven, he was no longer jumping at the sight of his shadow.

Once Aaron’s hair had been sliver white. The color had been the result of the terrifying shock he suffered as a prisoner of the Coven. These days it was a wavy chestnut brown. His eyes also had changed. Having spent half his childhood in near complete darkness had left him an intense sensitivity to light. Since leaving the Coven he had been forced to wear protective goggles. Thanks to Jon’s efforts Aaron had come into the possession of a pair of special contacts that made such protective gear unnecessary. Between the two Jon was the more appreciative for now he could gaze into his lover’s brown eyes whenever he wished.

He was still shorter than Jon, that much would always be true, but Jon didn’t mind. Yes it meant the pair would never be able to look level into each other eyes but if anything Jon found Aaron’s smaller gymnast build all the more adorable. He loved the fact that his lover was so willing to put his faith if not his life in his strong hands. The sex was awesome and Aaron’s talent in love making had grown considerably over the years

Having been pursued by Jon for years Aaron had final given in to the remarkable connection they shared and had agreed to one day to become Jon’s husband. In order to maximize the number of political alliances the ruling families could form among themselves, the members of the Elected were allowed three official husbands and one wife.

When the time was right and both were ready Aaron would marry Jon. Aaron was also betrothed to Dr. Greg Balthazar.

Eldest son to one of the three royal families Greg had been the headmaster at the Lakes School for the Gifted. There students with the meta-human abilities called Talents were trained in how to master their gifts.

There was one complication however… Aaron, a mere Blip of little Talent was not considered a true member of the Elected. For him to marry the heirs of two of the most powerful families among the Elected was unheard of. That he was also as poor as dirt only added to his general unpopularity with Jon’s father.

In order to support himself and gain some form of status among the Elected, Aaron had sold himself to the service of a man known simply as the Graft. A male madam of burlesque he had the reputation of being the most genetically modified man in the world. For that same reason he was also held as the penultimate lover. Men and women would pay millions just to be seen in his presence.

For those of lesser means he had his stable of personally selected and trained male escorts and companions; Aaron being one of them. Since leaving the Lakes School for college Aaron had served as the companion to the son of a former Senator the present governor of Massachusetts, Graham Welford.

Chase Welford, Harvard Law Grad and sitting Congressman was Governor Welford’s stepson. Unknown to his constituents Graham was a Talent as had been his own biological son. Having lost status among the ruling families, Graham had decided to enter the field of American politics. To better succeed in his new profession he seduced Chase’s very politically connected and wealthy mother into marrying him. While marrying an Untalented damaged his status among the Elected he rose with the help of the mental Talent to political prominence within a matter of a few years.

Though cast out from the society of the Elected, the Governor still desired the company of his own kind above all others. That’s where Aaron came in. While Graham could not risk being seen cheating on his wife he was able to use his stepson’s desire for one with Talent as a lover to strike a deal with the Graft where everyone got what they wanted. Aaron got the funds and letters of recommendation he needed to study at Harvard. Chase got the sort of boyfriend he always wanted and, when the opportunity allowed it, Graham got to have sex with a fellow Talent. For the last seven years the situation had worked will little trouble. Chase might not like having his stepfather use his boyfriend as a sex toy but Aaron did his best towards keeping things civil.

With Aaron about to graduate from Harvard Law School it was getting close to the time when he would have to decide what he would do with the rest of his life and whether or not to include Chase as a part of it.

Aaron let out a sigh.

“You okay hon?” Jon asked.

“Yeah fine… just a bad dream.”

“When are your dreams ever pleasant?” Aaron, an avid hobbyist artist, had produced a thick stack of horrific artwork inspired by his dark dreams. Each time he came back while on leave Jon insisted Aaron show the new ones to him. He wanted no part of his lover’s life kept secret from him; especially those that cause him so much pain.

“I don’t know…” Aaron started replying coyly. “I know of a few hot daydreams I’ve had about this real hunk of a Colonel.”

“You say that about all Marines.”

“I do… give you’re the only one I know.” Aaron rolled on top of Jon and let the touch of their bodies against each other send shivers down their spines. He gave Jon a playful peck on the nose.

Jon rolled them over so that Aaron was now pinned beneath him. “Is that all you have for me?”

“Well… that depends.”

“Depend on what?”

“Depend when you are going to give up being soldier boy and stay home for good.”

“I could ask you the same. How long are you going to continue playing at being the Congressman Welford’s pet boyfriend?”

“Touché.” The mood ruined, Aaron rolled back to his side of the bed.

“I’m glad you at least told him about us. I would hate to think you see me as an embarrassment.”

Aaron glared at his boyfriend. “You know I don’t. You’re the one who should feel embarrassed. I’m the one going to these presidential balls and political events while you’re off defending our country from god knows what.”

“I could tell you but then I would have to kill you.” Jon laughed. After leaving the Lakes School for the Gifted he had done what he had set out to do and joined the Marines. With his Talent he later became a part of Special Forces. Whenever there was word of some unusual crisis that ended favorably for the U.S. Aaron would often wonder if Jon was behind it. With the two being separated for months at a time it was nights like these that had both of them wondering how different their lives would be if they had picked different career paths. “Do you think Chase is going to pop the question any time soon?”

“And if he does?”

“Well that’s really up to you. Do you want to marry him?”

“You know it’s not that simple,” Aaron replied.

“I wouldn’t give you the choice if it was. You’ve gotten yourself a pretty good life here. Tomorrow you will be graduating from Harvard Law. You already have passed the Federal and Virginia Bar Exams, and you will be given your choice plum job offers to choose from. I, of course, would rather have you on base with me as my stay at home hubby but I know that’s not the sort of life you want to live.”

“I want to make my own way in life. Ever since I went to Lakes I’ve sold my body to this or that man. Now I want a real job and make money the old fashion way.”

“You mean inherit it?”

“No… if I was going to inherit a fortune like yours I would never have had need of clients.”

“Including Chase?”

“You know what people would say about me if I were to suddenly leave him. That I was only in it for the money. It would ruin any chance at my getting a good job.”

“Weren’t you planning on leaving him?”

“At first yes… but you can’t spend seven years in a man’s bed without feeling something towards them. I like, if not love him, and I don’t really want a life where he is not a part of it.”

“But he is a Republican!”

“So is the present President.”

“So?”

“So isn’t he your Commander in Chief?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean he can order me to fuck him.”

“Not true… aren’t you always the one say ‘Fuck the Republicans’.”

“Ha ha… very funny.” Jon wasn’t in the mood for his lover’s wisecracks. Aaron knew all too well Jon’s habit of sleeping around. With his Talent he could have any man he wanted, gay or straight. Regardless of being the Graft’s man, Aaron didn’t bang every man he took a fancy to. “So you like Chase… he’s cute handsome, intelligent, not to mention comes from a very politically connected family.”

“He also sits on the Joint Committee on Talent Activity that sets the government’s policy where you Elected are concerned.”

“I see… this is the Council’s doing,” Jon grunted. The Council of the Elected was the closest thing those with Talent had for a government. “They want you to marry the guy so that they can have a member on the committee that looks favorably on the Elected.”

“They didn’t say that so much as they don’t want to have to worry about a lover’s spat endangering your people.”

“Our people… you’re a member of the Elected as well.”

“But I was not raised as one. They use me to their advantage when they can but they will never see me as being one of them. I’m a Blip, too low a Talent to be considered a member of the Elected.”

“How many Blips win in the Arena?”

“A very low level Talent whose friends had to cheat in order for him to win.” Aaron replied. While he had won, Aaron could not help but wish he shouldn’t have. While it had made him an official member of the Elected, it had cost him the friendship of the first friend and lover he had made among the Elected.

“That’s not true.” Jon insisted. He knew how much Aaron looked upon his days in the arena with shame, but the danger he had faced had been real and yet he had come up on top.

Aaron rolled on his side so his back was to his lover. He didn’t want him to see his eyes welling up with tears. “But it is what most people think and good for them. Isn’t one of my Talents my ability to seem harmless? I don’t want to lose my edge.”

“I know how you won and I definitely know how harmless you really are.” Jon rolled on top of Aaron and pinned him to the bed.

“Only because you love having sex with men who can’t fight you off.” Aaron laughed. He had only won in the Arena by drawing energy from Jon’s physical Talent. Adjusting himself he felt the swelling of Jon’s cock against his thigh.

Jon rubbed the length of his body up against Aaron strong frame. “God… what I would do to spend the rest of my life fucking the shit out of you.”

Though not as muscular as his lover, Aaron had grown into quite the hunk. “Thank god you can’t.” Hearing the alarm clock go off Aaron sighed. “Look, there’s a committee meeting today and Chase wants me there.”

“He also wants to fuck the shit out of you.”

“You don’t know that. He might want it the other way around.” Aaron replied coyly.

“Ha… for some reason I can’t picture you as anything but a bottom.”

“Because I’m so weak and helpless or is it because you don’t want to admit you’re not man enough to take it up the ass.”

“I’m not man enough? You do know what I do for a living?” Jon shouted, half in jest.

“Kill a bunch of people and save the country, and screw half your platoon all before breakfast.”

“Speaking of food do you still want me to join you two for dinner?” There was a bit of trepidation in the way Jon asked the question.

“He does like you Jon. He might not like the fact that he has to share me with you but he does like you.”

“And his father?”

“The Governor is not your greatest fan. But then… he works for the Order.”

“He is also been dying to get his hands on that cute butt of your for years.”

“Well he can’t have it and he knows it.” Aaron hate lying to Jon but he couldn’t risk him finding out the true terms of his contract. Chase might be his official boyfriend but his father could force Aaron to offer his ass whenever he chose.

“Be careful Aaron… according to my dad there is little difference between the Order and the Coven. If the Governor gets it into his head that he wants you there will be little you can do to stop him.”

“I promise to be careful but you really have nothing to worry about.”

Taking the commuter train to D.C. Aaron entered the Rayburn Building just as Chase was preparing to leave. Chase, part German and Irish, kept his wavy blond hair combed to the side. His sky blue eyes always glittered with mischief. His time in Washington and years of running in the hot South kept him deeply tanned. He was charming, smart, quick witted and absolutely adored his boyfriend of the last seven years. “Hey… off to that committee meeting?” Aaron asked as he hurried to catch up.

“How did you guess? Come on… if we get to the subway station the train to the compound should still be there. By the way… how’s Jon? Is he as hot as ever?” Chase asked with no hint of resentment.

Aaron heisted for a second before answering. “When will he not?”

“True… you haven’t aged a day since we first met. Then again… neither have I. Does that have anything to do with you being among the so called Elected?”

“First, I’m a Blip so you really can’t say I’m one of the Elected. Second… yes it’s true that those with Talent age slower than most but I’ve never heard of the ability being spread to their crazy ass boyfriends.”

“True, I am crazy about that cute ass of yours.” They stepped into the elevator. “By the way I’m thinking of hiring Jon.”

Aaron nearly choked. “Hiring him? I didn’t know he was looking to change careers.”

“His job is to do whatever the Commander in Chief tells him to do.”

“But you’re not the Commander in Chief?” Aaron brow furrowed with suspicion. “Unless he owes you a big favor, I don’t see him having one of his best men demoted.”

“Who said anything about him being demoted? The election is coming up and if the polls hold then the President will be reelected. There will be the traditional second term reshuffling of the Cabinet and the President has made it clear he wants me as the next Assistant Deputy Secretary of Defense for Military Talent Assets.”

“You?”

“Yep…”

“But why?”

“Why not me? I am the Deputy Chairman of the Joint Committee on Talent Activity. Given the increased importance of people like you and Jon have in the military, the President wants someone connected to them in charge.”

“And…” Aaron asked.

“Why does there have to be more?” Chase did his best not to sound sincere but it was very hard to hide anything from a Talent.

“Because I know you too well.”

“Alright… you got me. The President’s son…”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Oh no… you didn’t just bring up Calvin.”

“Calvin is a great guy once you get to know him.”

“He’s a closet case who’s being trying to get into both our pants since we meet him at Harvard.” Calvin was the President’s son and well as Deputy Chief of Staff. He also was a sitting member on the National Security Council. He, like Chase had a taste for those with Talent. The President however was paranoid about the risk that a member of the Elected would try to brainwash his son.

In the government Aaron was more than the chief of staff for Congressman Welford. He also was a bodyguard. His call sign, Shield, was common knowledge among those will access to his secret files. With Aaron’s ability to reflect the Talents of others, Aaron had been seen as the perfect bodyguard to protect Calvin from Talent influences of others. Aaron had lost track of the number of times he had been ordered to watch over the pain in the ass while he got his jollies with one of the Graft’s Talented men. But when the leader of the free world asks for a favor it would be a mistake not to grant it. Of course there was no asses the Deputy Chief of Staff wanted more than his and Jon’s.

“True… but you have to admit he does have good taste in men,” Chase laughed. “Anyway… he knows neither of us will out him so we’re pretty much the only guys he can screw around with.”

“If you mean wag out his dick at without getting punched in the face then you’re spot on.”

“I know you don’t like him but can you at least not let him know it so often?”

“For you I will.” Aaron gave Chase a quick peck on the cheek

“And by the way congratulations on graduating. I take it you’ll be going back north to attend the ceremony.”

“Catching the last train to Boston.”

“Jon will be there too?”

“You can come.”

“Nope… tomorrow is for you and your friends to celebrate. No need for an Untalented guy like me hanging around to ruin things.”

Aaron shook his head and sighed. He was getting tired of this particular topic. “You wouldn’t ruin things.”

“But I would. You know I would. The Elected live in their world and the Untalented in theirs. Only a rare few such as you are willing to live in both.”

“Thanks.” Aaron hadn’t wanted to tell Chase but as far as most members of the Elected were concerned his relationship with the Congressman was treated with the same disgust as a Southern Baptist minister forced to officiate his gay cousin’s wedding. As a Blip it didn’t matter as much and yes the Council used his relationship with such an important politician to their advantage, but that didn’t mean their opinion of Aaron was much better than if he was white trailer trash trying to hang around nobility.

“You can thank me after we are married. You did tell Jon about that?”

“Not yet…” Aaron whispered guiltily.

“Aaron!” Chase shouted. He thought the two of them had gone over this enough time.

“It’s not like he doesn’t know you’re going to ask. He knows or at least suspects I’m planning to say yes. It’s just… well. It’s going to cause a bit of a scandal among the Elected.”

“Because you’re already betrothed to Jon?”

“No… so long as I’m not married to a woman with the Talent they could care less what sort of people I sleep with. It’s because you are who you are…”

“You mean it’s because I don’t have Talent?” Chase asked. There was a hint of anger in his tone.

“It’s not that. It’s because you are a man of importance. The Elected don’t like the idea of a mere Blip being more important than they are.”

“If it was my stepfather they wouldn’t care.” There was hatred when Chase brought up his father.

Aaron’s felt his face go pale. “I… he didn’t hurt me.”

“He forced himself on you and you let him get away with it.”

“It was my fault… really,” Aaron stammered.

“Really? You sound like a battered wife who’s too afraid of her husband to call the police.”

“I…”

“You haven’t told Jon about that either, have you?”

“I wouldn’t have told you if you hadn’t been there. Your father is a powerful mentalist. He had you under his control.” Aaron didn’t need to tell Chase what permanent harm his father could have done to his stepson if he set his powerful mind to it.

“What about the other times? Don’t tell me that was the only time he’s forced you to sleep with him.”

“I…” Aaron wanted to lie and say that wasn’t true but even if it were Chase wouldn’t believe him. Graham Welford was using the threat of mind wiping his son into a vegetative state to force Aaron to sleep with him. Chase didn’t know the specific threat but he knew his stepfather was using some form of blackmail to get Aaron into his bed.

Chase gave Aaron a reassuring squeeze of his muscular bicep. “It’s okay babe… It really is.”

The two looked into the other’s eyes and knew what they both wanted. “You’ve always been good to me,” Aaron whispered.

“Ditto.” The doors to the elevator opened. “Come, we’re going to be late.” Chase said, eager to change the subject.

The two hurried to the subway station. The special car that would take them to the underground bunker where the top secret Congressional committees would meet was still waiting for them. By the annoyed glares the other passengers directed at them they knew they were very last ones needing to board.

“You two are a disgrace.” Committee Chairman Saul Willis spat. He saw the Elected as a threat to national security. No matter what Aaron and Jon had done to prove their usefulness to the government, if not their true loyalty to the country, he would rather see those with Talent put in concentration camps than working for the benefit of the Untalented.

“If we are then what does that make you Senator.” Chase retorted. Though members of the same party they sat on opposite ends of the Republican spectrum. Chase was a member of a growing group of liberal conservatives while Saul was an old guard member of the evangelical far right.

“It makes me a red blooded true American.”

“Are you saying I’m not?” Aaron demanded. Most of the time he ignored the snide comments and blatant insults directed at him but not this time.

“You are Canadian are you not?”

“As far as I’m aware I am an American Citizen… one of millions that you, as a Senator of the United States have sworn to serve.”

“I swore to serve the people of Texas… not you Yankee Bostonians.”

Noticing Aaron’s face was starting to turn red Chase took hold of his nearest hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’s alright. No need to restart the Civil War because of this jackass.”

“You go tell your faggot boyfriend to behave like a good mutt. Just looking at you two is sickening.” The Chairman moved to a separate seat.

Once they taken their own seats on the opposite end of the train car Aaron apologized. “I’m sorry Chase… I really shouldn’t let him get under my skin.”

“True… that’s my job.” He moved closer and whispered into Aaron’s ear; “Right now I would like nothing more than to get you in mine.”

“You Republicans are such bossy bottoms.” Aaron whispered back. The two gave the other a knowing grin.

“When you get back from Boston you and I are definitely getting married.”

“And Jon?”

Chase placed a hand on Aaron’s chest and felt the shape of a ring Aaron always kept around his neck. “Well you’re pretty much agreed to marry him so it’s only fair that my ring gets on that lovely left hand of yours.” To emphasize his point he brought Aaron’s left hand to his lips and kissed it. The two could hear the grumbled protest of several other members of the committee but they ignored them. Chase had dragged Aaron to enough political functions for them to develop thick skins.

The subway car came to a stop and everyone disembarked into an underground bunker. Built during the Cold War it was meant to serve as a nuclear bomb shelter from which the work of Congress could continue. The Cold War was over but the bunker had not been shut down. It was now used to hold secret committee meetings away from the eyes of the public and the press.

It also served as the base of Congress’s own covert intelligence gathering agency. Even with the Republicans dominating all but the House, the legislative branch still didn’t trust the President to share vital information. It was all unconstitutional of course. The existence of Congressional Investigation Bureau (CIB) was not even known to exist by most members of Congress. Only those members of select secret committees knew of it and even then most didn’t know exactly what it did.

Aaron knew not just because he was Representative Welford’s senior advisor but also because Jon often did missions for the CIB. From what he knew the CIB was a rouge organization within the government. With a mountain of blackmail it had on the political elite, was a fourth shadowy branch of then government. Worst of all it wanted men like Aaron and Jon under its sole authority.

Stepping onto the platform Aaron saw that the CIB had doubled the amount of security. There were now twice as many guards and bomb sniffing dogs. Aaron always wanted a dog but had never been able to convince Jon or Chase to let him have one. These Doberman’s were not the sort Aaron would want as a pet. Each time one of them passed him by Aaron could not help but sense that they were searching for an excuse to rip out his throat.

Pass the dogs there were the pat downs and x-ray machines. No suitcases, laptops, cellphones or any other electronic devices were allowed past the security checkpoint. While many did bring their phones with them Aaron didn’t trust the CIB agents to not plant tracking and listening devices in his phone while they held it so never brought one with him. It annoyed the hell out of Chase, but as an extra precaution he made the habit of switching SIM cards on a regular basis.

Once past the final check point they made their way to one of eight committee rooms. There they were patted down one last time. Aaron didn’t know if it was because he was gay or paranoid but he was sure that the guard who patted him down was cooping a good feel of his ass.

The room was set up like a corporate board room with a long conference table taking up most of the space. As Chase was deputy chairman of the joint committee he sat to the right of the Republican Senator Willis. The Democrat co-chairman sat opposite. Aaron, as Chase’s senior advisor and the in-house expert on the Elected sat at the perpendicular witness table at the far end of the room. Other aids and advisors sat or stood along the walls behind their bosses.

Once everyone was seated Chairman Willis pounded the gavel. “This meeting of the Congressional Joint Committee on Talent Activities will begin with the reading of the convocation. Almost everyone bowed their head including Aaron.

Aaron, who had rarely gone to church growing up, had most committee members surprised that the Elected, with their god like powers, were deeply religious. Of course their belief was centered on their view that they were god’s chosen people but Aaron had been very careful not to let the committee know that. They were paranoid enough believing that the Elected saw themselves as a master race no different than the Nazis of World War II. That their fear was not all that far from the truth disturbed Aaron all the more.

Once the prayer had been read the Chairman went over the business of the last meeting during which Aaron did his best not to look bored. These meetings always started out the same. The members would debate over the lack of information they had on Talent activity and demanded why the CIB wasn’t doing its job by keeping them informed. As always, this led to them grilling Aaron as to why he was unable to answer most of their questions. After once again being asked why he didn’t know where the Master’s base of operations was Aaron wish the glass of water he had poured for himself was a vodka martini “I’m sorry Senator but not even most of the Coven is aware of where the Master is at any given time.”

“But you lived with him.”

“To say I lived with the Master is too far of a stretch Senator. As I have stated before… under oath mind you, I was kidnapped as an infant and forced to live under horrific conditions that no child… no man or woman should endure.”

“We are all aware of what you’ve claimed to have gone through but without hard evidence there is nothing to prove what you’ve said is true.” The person speaking now was Senator from Illinois, Nancy Orrick.

Aaron didn’t know for sure but he suspected she was an agent of the Chicago Council. “You have the report collected by the CIB on the events that took place twenty years ago.”

“Yes… there were signs of possible cannibalism at that school in New Brunswick but that wasn’t something one couldn’t find out in the papers.”

Aaron felt his temper rise. He didn’t like the fact that anyone would question his honesty on what he saw as the worst part of his life. “What are you suggesting Senator?”

“What I want to know is what evidence do you have that what you claim is true?”

Aaron looked towards Chase to rescue him.

Chase coughed to clear his throat. “Senator Orrick I do not doubt what Mr. Mays has told this committee is as horrific as the defy belief but I at least do believe what he says is a matter of fact. There are factions among the Talented which means to dominate not only the members of the Elected but the rest of humanity as well.”

“I do not doubt you believe that, but if I may suggest, you’re not the most unbiased person on the committee.”

Senator Willis pounded the gavel. “That remark will be stricken from the record. Need I remind the honorable Senator from Illinois that insulting a fellow member of the committee will not be tolerated? Now we’ve all appreciated what Mr. Mays has shared with us about these Elected folk but what we really need is to speak to someone within the leadership. We have asked Mr. Mays on multiple occasions to invite one of his leaders to provide testimony before the committee but so far he has failed to name a single member other than himself. Will you, Mr. Mays, continue to deny this committee this list of members of the Elected? With all their powers they can’t ignore a federal subpoena. We must have their testimony?”

“Chairman… even if I were to give you a list of names of members of the Elected they will not give testimony unless they want to. All the list will do is mark me as a traitor and this committee as a threat.”

Senator Willis’s expression darkened. “Are you trying to threaten us Mr. Mays because if you are you will find out what our government does to traitors. Maybe we should have the CIB handle the witness.”

Senator Willis’s threat was too much for Chase. “The Chairman is out of line!”

“You are the one out of line Representative Welford. This committee has been more than patient with your friend. I demand that…” The Senator stopped midsentence. “I… I… I…”

Everyone in the room was staring at the Chairman. His stuttering had stopped. He was now pulling on his collar as if it was choking him. As his face turned from red to purple Chase looked towards Aaron in confusion.

“Aaron looked just as confused but then he saw it. Around the Congressman’s neck was a thin loop of kinetic energy. That had to be what was choking him.

Knowing he had to act fast Aaron projected a shield around the Senator. As soon as it was in place the choking stopped.

“A… arrest that man.” Willis pointed an accusing finger at Aaron.

Aaron saw the CIB agents moving towards him. “But it wasn’t me. It wasn’t.”

“Get him out of here and put him in detention.”

“But it wasn’t me!”