Curse of the Fallen - 9. Chapter Nine: Contract Dispute

Chapter Nine Contract Dispute

Jon had been against Aaron going to Camp David. He feared the Order would send others to try and kill him. It took pulling a few strings but Calvin convinced his father that Jon and his Special Forces team was better suited to protect him than Secret Service. As a result Jon had no choice but to go to Camp David with Aaron.

As for Aaron, he had no choice. On meeting with the President he was informed he had been drafted under special executive order. Supposedly he was now an army captain but he might as well be a private give what little authority he was given. His sole job was to keep the President’s son alive and free from the control of other Talents. As refusing could be construed as treason he gave up any hope of refusing before he could open his mouth to reply.

Calvin could not be happier. He had Aaron exactly where he wanted him, joined to him at the hip. Regardless of the sour mood his new bodyguard was in Calvin intended to make the most of their time together.

One of the perks of being the President’s son was being able to ride in Marine One. At the end of the 62 mile helicopter ride Aaron found Jon’s men were already in place. While Aaron had been enduring a grueling meeting with the President, Jon’s team had taken over the security arrangements at Camp David.

Aaron looked at the rows of Apache and Blackhawk copters, the armored vehicles and the stack of antiaircraft missile launchers and could only sigh. It was not that Jon thought the threat was so great that his team needed all that gear. No, this was all about Jon’s ego. Given carte blanche to requisition any military resource his heart desired he had become like a kid in a candy store.

Jon went to Aaron’s side as soon as they landed. “Impressed.”

“Not really.” Aaron wasn’t going to miss the chance to tease his boyfriend.

“Not really? Come on! Look at all this. We can take over a small country with this stuff.”

“Boring.” Aaron feigned a yawn. “I’ve seen this all before.”

“When?”

“When I was saving your ass in Pakistan, remember. I handled the negotiations to get the team’s gear back from the Pakistani government.

“We didn’t have half this stuff last time.” Jon went to a weapon’s case and took out one of the missile launchers. “This here happens to be the first ramjet missile designed for infantry. Do you know how fast this fucker can go?”

“Don’t care.” Aaron walked past Jon as if he wasn’t there.”

“But…” There was a quiver in Jon’s voice. “How about this?” He went to one of the ATV’s. On top was what looked like a giant satellite dish. “Look a sonic cannon! I can take down a whole building with this thing. No problem.”

Aaron continued walking away.

“Hey! Why are you walking away? I have more neat stuff to show you.” Jon was now engaging in a desperate attempt of show and tell.

Aaron could have continued playing with him but he could not be that cruel. Turning around he let Jon see the silly grin on his face. “Got ya!”

“Damn it Aaron!” Jon ran to Aaron and tackled him. “You might not have been impressed with that stuff. I could show you a weapon of mass destruct I know you will be impressed by.”

Aaron felt Jon’s massive cock hardening in his pants. “Not now. I’m working,” Aaron pleaded.

“Come on… all work no play.”

“Makes a very dull day,” Aaron completed for Jon. “If it’s some excitement you’re looking for the Graft will be here soon.”

“He’s already here. He asked me to tell you he wants to meet with you at your earliest convenience,” Jon said. Aaron’s boyfriend made no attempt to hide his anger of having to serve as the Graft’s messenger boy.

“And you are only telling me this now?” Aaron attempted to roll Jon off him but he might as well be trying to move a mountain.

“I didn’t know you were all that rushed to speak with him?”

“I am. Chase was my responsibility and he’s disappeared. If the President hadn’t lassoed me to Calvin I would be out there looking for him.”

“No you wouldn’t. If he’s in fix the last thing I’m going to do is let you get caught up in the mess.”

Aaron felt an old and often repeated argument starting. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

“But I can and you know it. He nuzzled against his lover’s pale neck.

“I’m not in the mood.” There were times when Aaron wished Jon touching him wouldn’t cause both of them to swoon. It made their fighting passionate and staying angry impossible. It had taken years before Aaron could admit what Jon always knew. The two fit each other’s needs perfectly. He was Jon’s and Jon was his. Still he had enough sense to not let things spin out of control. “Not now, Jon. I mean it.”

“Oh alright.” Jon stuck his lips out and pouted. “I guess it wouldn’t be professional to ravish you here on the heliport.”

“Yes… that would be a bit embarrassing.” When Jon didn’t get off him right away, he grabbed him by the left ear and pulled.

Jon might be a physical Talent and resistant to pain but he got the hint. He rolled off Aaron and offered him a hand up.

Aaron didn’t take it. He wasn’t going to risk Jon getting his magic fingers on his body a second time. He had enough to worry about from Calvin.

Speaking of which, Calvin had observed the whole scene with great amusement. “So… you think Jon is up to a ménage a trois?” He asked when Aaron joined him.

“Why don’t you ask him…? No… don’t ask him. Ask me.”

“Well?”

“Not even by presidential executive order.”

“You say that now…” Before Aaron knew it Calvin had his lips against his own and a hand squeezing his groin.

Caught off guard Aaron took in a deep breath. He noticed the hint of citrus on his tongue and found himself more shocked. The President’s son had gotten himself grafted. Acting before the pheromones got the better of him he pushed Calvin away. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“It’s not like you didn’t enjoy it.” He pointed to where Aaron’s pants were tented.

Aaron covered his groin. “Only because you cheated. Why didn’t you tell me you done and got yourself grafted? Does your father know?”

“First, I wanted it to be a surprise. As for your other question… yes he knows. He should. He’s the one who arranged and paid for all of it.”

“Why the hell would he want to do that?”

“You know how protective dad is of me. He wants only the best for his son.”

“I doubt he wants you whoring yourself out to the highest bidder.”

“I don’t know. It would depend on what they’re offering. Every man has their price. I just haven’t figured out yours yet.”

Aaron tried to hold onto his anger but it was like squeezing sand in his fist. It eventually slipped away. Calvin might see getting grafted in a positive light but Aaron could only feel bad for him. He had by his own choice entered a world he could not survive in.

Calvin sighed and embraced him. “I know you think I’ve made the biggest mistake in my life but it’s what I wanted. You’re world is not like the one I was raised in. It’s secret yet more open yet also cruel but when is life not cruel. Anyway I have you looking out for me. Believe me I need someone watching my back. So does Chase. We would rather have it be no one but you looking out for us.”

“No one but me is it?” He knew the deeper meaning behind the words. “I…” He had about to tell Calvin he couldn’t fill that role when it dawned on him what the President’s son had also been trying to say. “You said you and Chase? You’re telling me he’s gone and gotten himself grafted too?”

“Consider it a two for one special.”

Aaron was ready to slap him. “Did you talk Chase into taking part in this insane plan of yours.”

“Actually it started off as being his idea. Look… he knows you care for him, care for him a lot, but he’ll never be able to compete with Jon. You can’t argue that much isn’t true.”

“You’re telling me he’s already started looking for a Talent to replace me?”

“I know you went to Harvard but you can be an idiot at times! He doesn’t want to replace you. He wants to be able to compete for you. That’s nothing but complete foolishness on his part, I know, but you can’t really blame him, can you. He loves you Aaron and regardless of whatever hole he gotten himself into he will come back for you. As for me, well, I’m in it just for the fun of it.”

“It’s not reversible… getting grafted that is,” Aaron warned. He should know. He had seen several genetic experts to see if the process could be reversed but no one could even figure out what it was the Graft had done to him let alone know how to undo it.

“Good. That way no one can force me to give up my new advantages.” Calvin replied a little too smugly.

“Like your father?” Aaron knew Calvin’s father didn’t have a clue as to what his father had agreed to.

“Hey, he’s the one who paid for the procedure.” Calvin retorted.

“And I’m sure you made certain he knew everything it entailed.”

Calvin shrugged to reflect his feelings of indifference of how his father might feel if he knew the truth. “More or less.”

Aaron shook his head in disbelief. “I would assume a lot less. Does he know that the Graft now owns you?” Aaron could not image someone who actually pay for the Graft to do to him what the Graft had done to Aaron against his will

“I did pay for the procedure so he doesn’t really own me.” Calvin insisted.

“Believe me he does. Everyone knows what the Graft owns he keeps. You’re his and given your political connections I don’t see him giving you up easily.”

“Is that because he won’t let you go.” Calvin asked sympathetically. “Didn’t he send you out on jobs even while you were contracted out to Chase?”

Aaron turned his back to the President’s son. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I know babe.” Calvin pulled Aaron closer to him.

Aaron looked into the man’s intense gaze. “It’s not like he hasn’t been good to me.”

“Some of my friends take good care of their Rolls Royce but I wouldn’t call that a healthy relationship. I… I could buy your contract.”

“That’s nice but it wouldn’t change anything.”

“But it could… Part of my deal with the Graft is that I become his business partner. Not quite fifty-fifty. More like sixty-forty. The point is no one can buy my contract but me.”

“Why would he agree to that?”

“Because he wants access to all my connections. I know people… some you wouldn’t guess I know. I might be a hopeless closet case but I do get around.”

“Are those the people you’ve invited to Camp David?”

With an arm around Aaron’s shoulder Calvin led him toward the main lodge. “Some but not all… I even invited more than a few women.”

“For political cover I take it.”

“Not at all. I invited them because they represent some major movers and shakers. Madams of industries, Ladies of finance, Hollywood starlets, and some of the best scientific minds of our generation.”

“How many people did you invite?”

“More than three, less than a dozen.”

“That’s going to be some orgy.”

“Let’s not talk about that… consider them my war council.” Calvin said as he led Aaron away. Calvin really, really wanted Aaron to like, if not love him. He wouldn’t have let the Graft physically alter him if he hadn’t hoped it would get Aaron to change his low opinion of him.

Aaron frowned. “War Council?”

“For the coming Talent War. You have warned us from the beginning we won’t be able to stay on the sidelines. Right now we don’t stand a chance of defending ourselves. What happened two nights ago proved that. If not for you…well… let’s not go there. The point is there is no way in hell I’m going to let another mind fucker screw with me.”

“I take it that’s why I’m here.”

“That and I’m pathetically desperate to get in your good graces. By the way I’ve bought your contract.” The last sentence was whispered as to appear to be a side comment.

Aaron was not fooled. “You what!” The Graft had promised to tell Aaron in advance who he was renting him out to. That gave Aaron some chance to say no. Calvin must have suspected as much and had the Graft sell the contract of his prized escort without warning. Aaron grabbed Calvin by his shirt and pinned him to lodge’s main door. “What did you give him?”

“In return for secretly selling me your contract I took on a special job for him for free.”

“Damn it Calvin. I won’t put up with you treating me like a puppet. What else have you gotten me into?”

“Well it’s little too early but I’m planning to marry you… and Jon if you want. From what I understand the Elected are allowed three husbands and one wife. Consider me husband number two.”

“No.”

“No?”

“You will be number three. I already promised Chase I would marry him so that will mean you’re only hope is that I let you be number three, which I won’t.”

“Never?” Calvin exhaled a mist of pheromones into Aaron’s face. Aaron became dazed and loosened his grip. Calvin would have to thank Gordon for that particular graft. Aaron would try to kill the both of them if he ever found out that as part of his deal with the Graft, Gordon had implanted genetically customized organs that were keyed to Aaron’s own grafts.

Calvin would never consider himself the jealous type but from the moment he met Aaron he knew he had to have him. Getting him however was proving to be as hard as helping his father to win the Presidency. First Chase held Aaron’s contract and it was unlikely Calvin could get him to sell it to him. That wasn’t an insurmountable challenge. All he had to do was wait for the contract to expire. To make sure he was next in line to sign one he tracked down the Graft and signed a contract of his own with the genetically modified man. That wasn’t enough for Calvin, however. As part of the bargain he had Gordon graft him with customized tissue and beneficial mutating viruses so that Aaron would experience the same reaction to his presence as he would have with Jon.

With Aaron in his arms and their lips locked he wondered if he should pay Gordon a bonus.

After they had made out for a while Aaron summoned the strength to pull away. “I’m still going to kill you for this.”

“Only in your dreams. When you are awake we’ll be too busy fucking like rabbits to waste time on those kind of negative thoughts.”

Aaron wiped the remaining pheromones from his lips and quickly turned away. “Where’s the Graft?” He shouted furiously.

“Why? You planning to kill him too?”

“That’s the very least of what’s going to happen. Now where is he?”

“He should be inside.” Calvin chuckled. It was all working better than he planned. “This way my lady.” He waved a hand inside.

“Lady my ass.”

As Aaron headed past the door Calvin took the opportunity to pinch his nicely curved rump. “Soon enough my dear.”

Once inside Aaron didn’t have to ask the ever-present staff where to find the Graft. He headed straight to the room where Gordon and Jon were shouting at each other.

“You fucking did what?” Jon shouted. The both hands were wrapped around his M-4 1A rifle. Jon held it so tight that Aaron could see his white knuckles jutting out.

Aaron went to his lover and placed his hands over his. The potency of his touch calmed Jon enough to get him to lower the assault rifle.

“He… that bastard… he.” Jon voice was choking from grief and rage. Everyone in the room knew that Jon had wanted Aaron’s contract for himself.

With a gentle hand Aaron rested Jon head on his shoulder. He then turned his attention on the Graft. “Why?”

“Business is business.”

“What about my contract with Chase?” As far as Aaron knew his contract with the former Congressman was still valid. What had changed to justify the Graft selling his contract to the President’s son?”

“You would have to ask the governor. If you forgotten let me remind you that it was him, not Chase who bought the contract.”

“But!” Aaron bit down on his lip to silence himself. He had to tread very carefully. He had been Chase’s boyfriend for so long that he had forgotten who he really worked for. Jon, for his part, had never known the exact terms.

This bit of new information risked causing Jon to start shooting for real this time. “You… you never told me?” Jon asked Aaron. It was an accusation born of grief and betrayal.

“I… I forgot.”

“Did you also forget I was going to marry you?” Jon demanded

“No, I didn’t! I thought like you that once the contract expired you will be able to buy it and we could be together.”

Jon pointed an accusing figure at Calvin. “Now that asshole has it.” He started raising his gun but Aaron pushed the barrel back to his side.

“Believe me, I don’t like this anymore than you do but even if he didn’t hold my contract I still have to do as he says.”

“You could quit.”

“Not right now… maybe not ever. It’s no longer about who owns me or who I sleep with.”

“Then what is it about?”

“It’s about the future.” Aaron looked towards where Calvin was cowering in the entry to the library. “You explain it to him.” If Calvin was about to say something Jon’s fiery glare left him silent

Stepping back Jon dropped himself onto a nearby loveseat. “I would rather hear it from you.” He patted the empty spot next to him.

Nervously Aaron sat with his lover and began to explain the situation to him. Calvin was right. The days when the Talented and Untalented could continue to believe the other side didn’t exist were long gone. Those willing needed to ally with each other into a resistance movement. Calvin, with his access to the government was in good position to be that ally.

At this point in the conversation Calvin began to fill the two in. With the attack on the Joint Committee a new bill would pass Congress that would create a new military command, one dominated by Talents.

Given that Aaron had helped save their lives, Chairman Willis and the other committee members agreed that he was the natural choice to serve as the political attaché to the U.S. government. Jon, with his experience in Special Forces, was to have operational command of the military branch of the new Talent Command. By a secret vote the Arms Services Committee had already confirmed Calvin as Chief Director.

As for funding… that was to being handled by the Federal Reserve which gave them unlimited access to resources. It was a good start but Jon failed to see what any of it had to do with Calvin having possession of Aaron’s contract but when he noticed the way Calvin looked at Aaron he recognized the expression. It was the same way Jon imagined he looked at Aaron when he thought Aaron wouldn’t notice. That wide gaze that glowed with a sense of total devotion towards the person those eyes gazed on expressed the same feelings of love and near obsession Jon felt towards his lover. Calvin wasn’t helping mankind purely out of the goodness of his heart. He was expecting to be rewarded for his efforts. Aaron clearly was the prize Calvin was after and Aaron seemed to have accepted that. If Aaron could live with it then Jon had no choice but to go along with it as well but he swore that he would make the Graft pay for putting him and Aaron in this predicament. One way or another Jon would make sure that where Aaron was concerned the Graft would not keep what he thought he owned.