Sole Scion - 15. Chapter Fifteen: Troubled Relationships

Chapter Fifteen: Troubled Relationships

Setting up a meeting between him and the Governor General turned out not to be as hard as Andrew first thought it would be. He had assumed the general would brush the inexperienced cadet off. At the very least Andrew thought NET would oppose the meeting. Instead NET went as far as help make all the arrangements with great fanfare. They seemed to think a meeting between two of the most popular men on the planet would play well in front of the cameras.

Since Andrew was coming to ask the General Helios for his help it was only fair that the meeting take place at the Generalissimo’s frontline headquarters where the dawn had not risen in the frozen wastelands just outside Vancouver in over a dozen years.

On leaving the plane Andrew almost found himself running back inside. He had only left the freezing Washington weather three years ago but he was still not prepared for the frigid blast of bone cracking wind that hit him in the face once he stepped out.

Andrew looked at Glenn who smartly had come more heavily dressed then the famous playboy. “Is it me or is it much colder here than it is in Washington? ”

“It is. According to the meteorologist Azrael completely messed up the North Pacific’s ocean currents. With no warm water coming from the south it’s as cold here as you would find it at the North Pole.

“Hell let’s get inside.” Looking down at the bottom of the stairs Andrew found a giant of a man standing straight like a stone pillar against the freezing wind. Either the man had become frozen solid, or insanely completely unaffected by the harsh weather. “What the hell is he doing out there?” Andrew shouted as loud as he could in order to be heard.

“That’s the Governor General!” Glenn shouted. “It seems he has come out to greet you personally.”

“He’s insane.” Andrew replied

“Most people would agree.” Glenn laughed.

On the bottom of the ramp Andrew raised a shivering hand and saluted. “Thank you General for letting us meet with you.” His voice could barely be heard over the wailing winds.

“It is the least I can do for a fellow hero.” The general offered an ungloved hand.

He is insane. As they shook hands Andrew remarked on how warm the general’s bare skin was. “I’m sorry General but would you mind us finish our introductions inside.”

“Of course… how thoughtless of me.” Come.”

To Andrew’s horror there was no waiting vehicle to take them the rest of the way. With a half mile of runway between them and the nearest building he wanted to cry.

When General Helios saw his discomfort he pulled him in close. “There, doesn’t that feel better.” Like his hand, his entire body radiated warmth. Andrew was certain it had to be some sort of trick. He kept his suspicions to himself least the general force him to walk the rest of the way alone.

Andrew didn’t pull away until they could enjoy the warm comforts of the central headquarters building. Once he was in the general’s office he soon found himself drinking hot mulled cider and discarding his protective gear.

The general kept a studying eye focused on his guest as he undressed. “You are a very lucky man Captain Labatt.”

“I haven’t felt very lucky lately.”

“With all that has happened I can understand why you would believe that. Of course that’s why you’ve come all this way to see me. I can’t promise anything but I am interested in hearing your side of the story.”

“My side?” Andrew didn’t like the sound of that.

“You didn’t think I wouldn’t have my people do a little research on you. I’m sure you tried to do the same.”

“I did and failed.” Andrew admitted. Thinking about what the general might think of him after digging into his past caused Andrew to squirm a little in the chair he sat on.

Xander laughed. “What is the point of meeting someone if you already know everything about him?”

“That’s my point. From what I can tell you appeared out of nowhere.”

“Hardly out of nowhere but if you must know I’m from Mars.”

“Mars? But that’s…”

“Impossible. I know what you’re thinking. What about the immune deficiencies and the much lower gravity. It is true that it prevents most Martians from returning to Earth but not if that person is a Neo which clearly I am.” The General stood and lifted up his shirt, revealing his hard eight pack abs. Placing a hand on the middle of his abdomen just below the rib cage a bright blue light began to glow beneath his deeply tanned skin.

“To be honest you’re a giant.” Andrew replied. The man was built to win rugby championships, especially given he was at least seven feet tall.

“I guess I am. Good genes I guess… that or very bad ones. Either way I blame my father. You’re of good pedigree yourself. I like everyone else have seen the posters.” The general gave Andrew a sly wink.

“Always glad to meet a fan.” Andrew said a little to boisterously to come across as being humble.

Xander glared at Andrew until the smug look on the young man’s face disappeared. “I’m not that big of a fan. Actually I’m embarrassed by the whole mess. What you and your friend have is quite rare. It should be treasured, not plastered on a billboard for the whole world to see. It most certainly shouldn’t be used by the NSP to recruit soldiers. I have no use for men who think they will meet the love of their life while fighting for their very lives against the Plague.”

“It was not like I was given much choice,” Andrew replied.

“You could have said no.”

“Not without getting Daniel in more trouble with my father then he already was.” Andrew shouted. Seeing he had lost control of his temper Andrew lowered his voice and grumbled. “He’s always seen Daniel as a bad influence on me.”

“By keeping you on the straight and narrow? That is something your father knows nothing about. Your father does what he wants and does whatever it takes get what he wants no matter who is hurt in the process. Unfortunately there are very few people who can tell him otherwise. From what I understand that Avery Winters fellow tried to only to got caught in that political scandal, which by the way I’m certain your farther was solely responsible for.”

Still feeling glum Andrew mumbled as he replied. “I don’t know. My father would have done anything for him.”

“And he pretty much did… except give him a choice of whether Daniel’s father really wanted to be with him.”

“Weren’t they in love?” Andrew asked defensively.

“Karl loved him and Avery loved Karl, just not your Karl. You do know your father is really just a clone.”

“I’ve heard the rumors but aren’t all the Dozens Clones?”

“You’re not and neither is your bond-mate.”

“My bond-mate?”

“Daniel… who else?” The Xander replied.

“I guess no one really. I’ve just haven’t heard him being referred by that term.”

“It’s an old term not used often these days but from what I know about you two Daniel is indeed your bond-mate.”

“I guess that means he is also mine he is mine.”

The General rose from behind his desk and went over to a nearby liquor cabinet “No… that’s where you’re wrong. You have given him your bond but he has yet to give you his.”

“How do you know he hasn’t?”

The general took out a bottle of Kentucky bourbon and poured some of it into a tall glass. He then carried both the bottle and the glass back to his desk. “Believe me I would know.” The General slid the tall glass over to where Andrew was seated. He then took a long swig from the bottle before sitting back down. “So would that traitor Julian. You two are lucky in that sense. The last thing this world needs is for a pair of mutually bonded Neos.”

“I don’t understand.”

The general took a larger swig from the bottle of bourbon. “But I do which is all that matters. You want your friend free and I want the same. But what is to happen afterwards? Have you thought about what you two will do once you manage to escape NET?”

“My bodyguard thinks it would be best if we escaped to Mars.”

“That would keep you safe from Julian but Mars is not without its dangers. There is always the risk Earth and Mars will declare war on each other. I don’t see that happening anytime soon but one day it will happen. The Nanos are also on Mars.”

“Nanos?”

“It’s what we Martians call the Plague.”

“I didn’t know it had reached Mars.”

“Reach Mars? It was always there my naïve friend,” the general laughed. “Wherever there are Neos there’s bound to be Nanos.”

“You make it sound like they’re one and the same.” Andrew had heard such theories before but never from such a high ranking member of the NSP.

“Because they are. You’ve always known that. At least your bond-mate has hinted at the connection enough times in his research.”

“You seem to know a lot about him.”

“Given the enemy we’re fighting against I try to read all the research papers those eggheads at NET present on the Plague. Anyway your bond-mate is right. There is a connection between the two.”

Andrew felt his heart skip a beat. “How so?”

The General Helios finished drinking what was left in the bottle before answering. “For starters we both came to Earth from the same world.”

Andrew let out a snorted. “You mean you believe the Awakening myths.”

“Some of them aren’t myths lad. Neos and Nanos both came from a world many light years away. We Neos were the first to arrive. The Nanos came later. The Azrael Meteor was really a chunk of the Ares homeworld that finally caught up with us. Sad business that,” the General threw the now empty bottle over Andrew’s head against the wall behind him causing it to explode into tiny shards of glass. “This is not the end of this lad.”

Feeling he too needed a drink Andrew grabbed the tall glass the general had put in front of him and attempted to take a drink from it. Since the General had filled the glass all the way to the brim Andrew spilled more of the bourbon than he actually spilled more on his uniform than he actually swallowed first time he brought it to his lips. “You make it sound like there’s worse to come.”

The general leaned over his desk until their eyes were level. “There are… an entire world’s worth. Just like with Azrael the other fragments of Ares will reach Earth eventually and they won’t just be bringing more of those spiderwolves and giant Mantises with them. That’s when the real fighting will start.”

Andrew finally caught on. “That’s why you’ve sided with Lordon and why you haven’t gotten rid of him. You’re more concerned with stopping the Nanos than you are saving the Norms from the NSP?”

“I am interested in saving both but yes, compared to what’s coming Julian and the NSP are but a minor inconvenience. The man is evil as sin but his desire to recreate a dead culture has united Earth and helped me get the recruits I need to patch together a proper fighting force. For that I am in his debt. We all are really.”

“And women? Does putting them into concentration camps suit your purpose?” Andrew demanded. Andrew hadn’t seen his mother in so long he couldn’t remember what she looked like or whether she was alive.

“Unfortunately it does. The fact is there’s a lot more Norms than Neos when it needs to be the other way around. After all any Norm can fall victim to the plague. If I were to accept Norms in my army I would have to kill most of them when they get infected. Which you can bet they certainly will be. I cannot allow that. I can tolerate many things but not treachery. Even if it’s not their fault. That has left me with no choice but to allow Julian get away with his breeding program.”

“Breeding?”

“You really didn’t think the NSP would allow more Norms to be born. Believe me every child born in those camps is a Neo… which is also why they are also all boys.”

“Neos can’t have girls?”

“No, they can’t. However Julian is not a fool, he allows enough Norm girls be born to keep his breeding program running. It’s different on Mars… there’re camps there too but after they meet their quota the women are allowed to live in the main settlements. You can’t imagine the size of my mother’s dowry was when she married my asshole father. Suffice it to say she’s worth more to me than my father.” Xander went back to the liquor cabinet and brought back a bottle of Russian vodka.

“You’ve told me how the Plague reached Earth. How did it get to Mars?”

“The Plague was there from the very start.” There was an angry bitterness in general’s voice now. “Before my father and the others fled our doomed world our leaders signed a pact with a group of very powerful Nanos. In return for aiding our escape we agreed to take them with us. We left in two giant colony ships. The one you’ve probably heard of was Atlantis.”

Andrew who had just taken a sip of his drink almost choked when he heard Atlantis being mentioned.“Are you telling me the city of Atlantis was real?”

“It was in fact very real. The other colony ship is far less well known. It was called Mordel. The Nanos were allowed only on Mordel. We never trusted them and they us but in the end it was us who broke the bargain. Instead of joining Atlantis on Earth, our leaders on Mordel decided that for the sake of greater humanity we would crash our city on Mars. There was a battle which we won. Those Nanos who survived got as far away as possible from Mordel and were forced to hide themselves deep under the Martian surface. It is the descendants of those survivors that Mars Defense Force fights our war for us. The ones on Earth of course originate from the Azrael. As a result there are a few differences between the Nanos or Mars and those infected with the Plague on Earth but that kind of information is well above your present security clearance level.”

“Why keep it all secret,” Andrew asked. While he had come to Canada to get General Helios’s help freeing Daniel the kind of information the general was offering him was invaluable.

“I think that should be obvious. If word got out that there are also Nanos on Mars, then Earth would quickly point the finger at Martian colonists as being the original source of the Plague on Earth. Instead of fighting the Nanos like we should Earth would put all their efforts in trying to destroy the colonies on Mars. For the same reason we have kept the existence of Mordel secret.”

“Does Mordel still exist?”

Xander laughed at what he saw as a stupid question. “Where do you think I was born? It still exists. These days it is more like a tomb than anything. Julian traveled on the Atlantis Ark so he doesn’t have a clue as to where the city is hidden. Neither does his wayward allies at the Walker Corporation who now control most of the Martian government.”

“But don’t you?” While Andrew already knew he had no chance in hell of getting the general to tell him the secret location of the city he would hate himself if he didn’t try.

“No… even those who come from Mordel really don’t know where the city is located. I doubt more than a handful know its true location and they’ll never leave the city. That doesn’t mean you can’t get there. I’ve been back a few times myself… just not lately. Of course if we are able to pull off breaking your bond-mate out of NET HQ, I might be able to have all three of us pay a visit to the holy city. Of course you might not like what you find on Mars… especially if Daniel goes with you.”

Andrew placed his now empty glass next to the general’s now empty bottle of vodka then sat back in his chair. “There’s something about Daniel you’re not telling me.”

“Only because it’s for your own good. I hate to tell you this lad but there are other prophesies than the ones Julian keeps on spouting. I do not know for sure but I have this nagging feeling that Daniel lies at the center of at least one in particular.”

“But they’re just words someone wrote down ages ago. They couldn’t know what was going to happen in the future. Even if they had some idea they couldn’t have foretold the existence of a single man.”

“They don’t talk about Daniel specifically. They only speak of Heirs, Scions, and all the old forgotten bloodlines that are start showing up now that the Awakening is getting near. There are some in the Neo leadership who suspect Daniel is the Scion of one of those forgotten lines.”

“You have no proof.” Andrew replied. “It is not that I doubt you general. I just have this nagging feeling I would rather you be wrong.”

Xander nodded. “True. As for proof all we can point to is his father. He was an amazing man from what I understand. He would have to be to draw the attention of the Dozens. He was very much the spoke of their wheel. When they lost him they lost their unity. Only a man possessing certain qualities could have kept them together for as long as he did.”

“You’re not going to tell me why, are you?”

The General rose from his seat and walked behind Andrew. “What you don’t know others can’t force out of you? I know… at least I suspect I know the truth but I could be wrong. I also don’t mean to boast but all you have to do is look at me and know there is no way someone will be able to force anything out of me I don’t want them to know.”

“You’re probably right. I, myself, wouldn’t even dare try to tell you what to do but what can we do now that will help free Daniel?”

“I don’t know about freeing Daniel today but at this very moment I think I will like ravishing you… In fact I would like to do that right now.” The general grabbed Andrew possessively by his shoulders.

Andrew was caught completely off guard by the general’s sudden aggressiveness. “I thought you weren’t a fan.”

“I lied.” The general laid Andrew on a table and lay on top of him. Glowing blue streamed from his lips. The sweet smell was intoxicating. Their lips met and parted. Quantities of Blue Andrew had never thought one man could possessed flowed into him. At first he panicked, fearing he would drown but the Blue was of such rich quality it sustained him.”

When it finally ended Andrew had only one question he wanted to ask. “Why?”

The General wiped his mouth clean before responding. “To help you understand.”

“Understand what?”

“What my father intends to do to your bond-mate.” Xander said sadly as he went back behind his desk.

“What? Some guy I don’t know is going to try to steal Daniel from me?”

“Just warning you is all. If you think I’m an intimating figure you don’t want to meet my father. While I am very much cut from the same cloth as him you cannot imagine how much I hate the bastard.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s a bastard of course. Not by birth mind you… It’s his cold ruthless and heartlessness ambition that makes him such a bastard. The sanctity of human life means nothing to him. Dare stand in his way or even disagree with him and he will kill you on the spot. He’s the real reason I left Mordel. I just couldn’t deal with constantly having to fear for my life anytime I happened to be around him. Anyway a man like him wouldn’t care how much you and Daniel love each other. If he were to learn what you two have he would not hesitate to try to take it away from you for himself.”

“If that’s the sort of guy he is then I will have to agree… he definitely is a bastard,” Andrew said.

***

With the situation with Albert getting worse with each passing day, Daniel had become quite apt at avoiding him. The Grey was becoming more insistent that he tell him how he knew Ray. Daniel didn’t know how he was managing it but so far he had been able to hide the truth from the mind reader.

Daniel knew it was only a matter for time before his attaché went to his superiors to complain about Daniel’s defiance, but so far he hadn’t. If Daniel had learned anything over the last several months about the ensign, it was how protective he was of his pride. Daniel had endured his rants of how much he hated his grandfather… how no matter how hard he tried to earn the man’s respect he would always see him as a failure. If was probably out of fear of admitting he failed keeping Daniel in line that kept him Albert from reporting his difficultly in discovering whatever secrets Daniel was keeping from him.

Daniel’s growing fear of the man eventually drove him from his quarters. While it meant breaking curfew he now slept among his specimens, especially Clive. That at least would not feed Albert’s paranoia. After all everyone wanted to sleep with the Zoo’s Adonis.

While Albert did all he could to hide his failure from the Praetor, Thomas already knew and was furious with his grandson. It was not because his grandson had failed to discover whatever Daniel was keeping from him. It was how Albert had let his fear of failure drive a wedge between him and the young man Thomas was already beginning to see as another member of his family.

That did not mean Thomas too wasn’t curious. “Play it again.” Thomas demanded. For the fifth time he watch the surveillance data and it still showed the same thing… Daniel and Ray looking at each other, their lips moving, but without producing a sound. Their connection has to be telepathic. He had already had his best lip readers go over the security footage. He even had additional cameras installed for better angles but not even the best among them could say for sure what they were saying. It has to be telepathic.

Instead of being angry it gave Thomas hope and fueled the Praetor’s belief that Daniel had to be the one he had long hoped existed. While his failure of a grandson was proving to be of no help, with each passing week Thomas became more certain that Daniel had to be a descendent of his lost son. But how to prove it? He had ordered Daniel be put through a new round of tests but all of them still showed he had no telepathic ability. Still Thomas clung to the instincts he had developed as a father that Daniel was indeed a lost kinsman. But how to prove it?

One day the Praetor summoned the Chief Examiner to his office. If anyone could come up with a test it would be his lover. “What do you think Scott?”

“I find your obsession with Daniel disturbing, Thomas, and it’s frightening me.”

“I’m frightened as well. I am frightened he is not the one.”

“And if he’s not?”

“Then he must be disposed of.” Thomas waved his hand over a terminal which shut down the video feed showing Daniel with Ray.

“Why… because he’s not among Brutus’s heirs. You still don’t have proof he ever had a son.”

“But he could of.” Thomas began twiddling his fingers as was his habit when he didn’t know what to do.

“If he did wouldn’t you think he would have told you?” Scott asked.

“It could have happened during the war. You never know. He might not have known he had a son. Weren’t you were with him up to the end.”

Scott went pale. They had this conversation before. “If I could I would have saved him.”

“Yet you didn’t. You let him kill himself.” Thomas pale face was becoming red with anger.

“How could I have stopped him? Arrows and swords I could have handled but not his own knife. He was always stronger than me. Stronger than…”

“All of us? Was that were you going to say? He was and I have no problem admitting that.”

“That’s why you loved him. You had a father’s pride that he would one day succeed you. That’s also why you give Albert such a hard time. Compared to Brutus…”

“Compared to Brutus he’s a nobody, a weakling. He is not 1/8^th the man my beloved Brutus was. If I had to lose a son it would have been better if it had been his father who been the one who died.”

“You mean our son.” Scott said coldly. “Timothy was also my son or have you forgotten. Albert is also my grandson. You might see him as a failure but if he’s failed so have you. Daniel would not be avoiding him if Albert wasn’t so frantic to please you.” Seeing he wasn’t getting through to his husband, Scott threw up his hands in defeat. “I’ve had enough. I am removing Albert and giving him back his former post.”

“He is under your command you can do with him as you please,” Thomas replied in a dead tone that showed he didn’t really care. “Who will you replace him with?”

“I will,” Scott replied.

“You don’t have the time. Who will oversee the examiners if not you?”

“It doesn’t really matter. If you want proof that Daniel is what you want him to be whom better than your best examiner to prove it.”

“You’re right… you are best suited for the task but you better get results.”

      ________________________________________________________________

***

Daniel lay in Clive’s arms wishing he would never have to leave them but he could not avoid the outside world forever.

Clive felt Daniel’s stir. “How soon?” He didn’t have to explain. All Daniel had been talking about lately was how he was close to completing the Sleeper detection device.

“It’s already programed. All I need are the blood samples,” Daniel said as he snuggled up closer against Clive.

“Will you be taking mine?” Clive asked/

“I see no need to. You are clearly a Neo.”

Clive let out a soft chuckle. “Why? What proof do you have?”

“You are too beautiful to be anything else.”

Clive played affectingly with the locks of Daniel’s reddish brown hair. “One’s beauty does not define the person.”

“It doesn’t hurt.” Daniel replied. “You of all people should know that,” he added.

“True… I doubt you would visit me so often if I was a Spiderwolf.”

“I don’t know… you are almost as dangerous as one.”

“Jokes? That makes me feel better.” Clive laughed.

“How so?” Daniel asked.

“It means you must be in a better mood than I first assumed.” Clive wrapped an arm around the back of Daniel’s neck, hooked him in closer and kissed the top of his head. “I’m going to miss this.”

“As much as you miss my father?” The story of how his father and the Angel met was one secret Clive had yet to share. One thing Daniel was sure of was they had to have been lovers.

“I only knew him for a short time but yes I do miss him. I will also miss you too.”

The very idea the two of them wouldn’t see each other again caused Daniel’s heart to quake. “Miss me? You make it sound like I’ll leave you behind?”

“Because you will. You don’t belong here… never have. You’ll get out of here and when you do you’ll have to leave me behind.”

Daniel tighten his hold around Clive’s back and buried his face against the man’s chest. “No… I won’t. I’ll take you with me. I’ll…”

Clive lifted Daniel’s chin and looked into the young man’s frightened eyes. He then placed a finger on Daniel’s lips to silence him. “You will have no choice but to leave.” Do you think the Praetor doesn’t know we’ve become lovers? He was counting on it. When you do make your escape he will use me as bait to keep you here. I cannot allow that to happen. So I’m telling you here and now… you will leave me behind.”

“I won’t. I swear I won’t.” Tears ran down Daniel’s face. He knew what Clive was saying made perfect sense. When the time came he would have to choose between escaping NET or staying the Praetor’s prisoner forever. With the growing list of friends he would have to leave behind, escaping was becoming that much harder to do.

Clive gave Daniel a soft nudge. “Go to him.”

“Who?”

“You know who. I can’t keep hogging you for myself when there are others who love you just as much. Go to him.”

Daniel thought about Ray and Captain Gains. “He will… we will.”

“It’s alright. So long as you live true to your heart loving more than me will never hurt me.”

Daniel stood and shook the wrinkles out of his uniform. “I need to finish my rounds. I will be back after the test results are in.”

“Will you come back regardless of the results?”

“Yes.” Daniel had no need to tell him that among the thousands of samples the device was analyzing he had secretly added a sample of his own blood.

“I’m sure everything will be fine.” Clive said as he watched Daniel exit his cell.

“I hope so. I really do.”

As soon as Daniel left the cell he was met by Al. “We need to talk.”

“I don’t think so.” Daniel tried to slip by but Al wouldn’t budge.

“You have no idea how much trouble you’ve gotten me into.” Albert spat out bitterly.

“So?” Daniel didn’t just didn’t care Al was in trouble he was happy about it.

“So… do you know what’s it like to have your grandfather see you as a failure?”

“I never knew my grandfather so… no, I don’t.” Daniel didn’t know about his grandfather but if anything his father had been his biggest supporter.

“Then I’m sure you will be happy to know I’ve been replaced.”

“That’s probably for the best.” Daniel tried again to slip by but Albert still didn’t step aside.

“You don’t understand the Chief Examiner is replacing me. All I wanted was the truth but you couldn’t trust me. I could have protected you and the others. Now there is nothing I can do. Whatever secrets you’ve been keeping from me the Chief Examiner will rip from your mind.”

“I…” It had never occurred to Daniel that the Grey might have wanted to help him. “I’m sorry but you know why I’ll never trust your kind.”

“It’s a shame… a real shame you couldn’t. Things will be getting much harder for you with me gone.”

“I’m sorry but I’ll never trust someone who works for NET. Not in a million years.”

“Like I said, it’s a real shame.”

To Daniel’s relief Al finally stepped aside. Daniel took advantage of the opening and hurried away. The Chief Examiner… Damn it. What have I gotten myself into? Still what did Al expect? That I would tell him of my plan to escape or that I already know my test results? I haven’t even trusted Clive let alone anyone else with that information.

Daniel had to warn Ryan. The plan had to be for him to make his escape right before the first batch of test results were completed. But if the Chief Examiner was now in charge of spying on him then doing it tonight would be too risky. He needed time to think… to find some sort of weakness in the Examiner’s thinking that he could exploit.

On reaching the Captain’s cell Daniel’s stomach dropped. Waiting for him there was the Chief Examiner himself.

“Good of you to join us Dr. Winters.” The examiner showed no hint of what he was thinking.

“Doctor?” As far as Daniel knew this was the first time anyone had referred to him by that title.

“Yes… it’s official. With the completion of the device you have been awarded a pair of PhDs in bioengineering and genetics. You should be proud.”

“Proud.” Daniel shifted his eyes to Ryan. He saw the captain’s shoulders were slumped as if in defeat. Whatever the two had been discussing before he arrived the damage had been done. “Is there anything else sir?”

“Oh yes… from now on you will be reporting directly to me. By your lack of surprise I take you were already told that. You have caused my grandson…”

“Al is your grandson?”

“Mine and the Praetor’s. Which is why I am so protective of him. As I was about to say… you have caused him enough grief. I take it you won’t cause me the same trouble.”

Daniel didn’t need to be told what would happen if he did. “No… no sir.”

“Good… I’m glad we understand one another. I see you have things to take care of. So do I so I won’t keep you any longer. I must say however I can’t wait to see your tests results. I plan to go through them with a fine tooth comb.”

The tests results? Was he referring to the batch or mine in particular? “The first batch will be done soon.”

“I will await the results with great anticipation. Good day doctor.” The Chief Examiner gave him a sharp salute.

Daniel quickly returned it. “Good day examiner.”

Once he was gone Daniel rushed into Ryan’s cell. “What does he know?”

“Too much but also too little to do anything about it. He knows we’re planning to make a run for it. He might not know the details but he would be a fool not to expect it before the test results come in. Is there any way you can erase your data results before he gets his hands on it?” Ryan telepathically replied.

“I can try but it would be obvious that I destroyed the data. To make sure they can’t backtrack the results I would have to get hold of the original blood samples.”

“Could you sabotage the cooling units and destroy all of them,” Ryan asked.

“That too would be obvious,” Daniel replied. Terrified of what would happen if his results were ever known Daniel began to pace back and forth in front of Ryan’s cell.

“Not if they can’t prove it. Just tell me how to shut it down and I’ll take care of the rest.”

“I was hoping…” Daniel looked at Ryan with longing.

“It seems I’ve turned you into my favorite little whore.” Ryan said out loud.

“I am no whore,” Daniel snapped. Though he had often accused Andrew of being on Daniel would not tolerate anyone referring to him as such.

“Of course you aren’t but a year ago you wouldn’t have been so willing to take on another lover… let alone two,” Ryan teased.

“I…”

Ryan placed a finger over Daniel’s lips “I know. It can’t be easy being separated from our love ones. It is not like our need to be loved lessens without them. I must say I’ve greatly enjoyed our time together. I hope I have not disappointed you.” Their lips met. Ryan let his strong hands explore the curves of Daniel’s ass and squeezed the perfectly shape muscles. Though they longed to go all the way they had not dared do more than they already had. They could not risk Daniel’s minders accuse him of being infected.

They made love to each other with their intense stares. Unable to help himself Ryan slipped a hand into Daniel’s pants and took hold of his iron hard cock. Soon he will Awaken but first I must get him out of here. If the Praetor or Lordon learn what he really is they would seek to either destroy him or control him. If mankind is to have a future worth living I cannot let that happen. Ryan dropped to his knees. “Forgive me Daniel but I can’t…” He swallowed Daniel’s dripping cock whole.

Daniel let out a deep moan. “Yes… That’s it. Take it. Take all of it.” He felt Ryan pulled his pants down to his ankles. Soon there was a finger playing with his anus. He wanted the man inside him and fill the void his separation from Andrew had left him with.

Ryan knew that could not happen. He had to finish them both off before they lost control. He gave Daniel’s balls a hard yank and squeezed them like a milkmaid would draw milk. After three such attempts he got his reward. Daniels semen shot into his mouth and down his hot throat. He heard Daniel curse and moan. The young man’s knees buckled forcing Ryan to catch him. “That’s it babe. I got you.” He carried Daniel to his bunk and let him rest there.

While Daniel rested Ryan sent out his thoughts to the others. “I’m aborting the plan.” He felt his men’s mental protests as a pounding headache. He sent out a surge of thoughts to silence them. “The situation has changed. We could have dealt with Al but we’re now up against an even more powerful telepath. We must be extra careful that the Chief Examiner doesn’t enter our minds.”

Ryan did not tell men of the nagging suspicion he had that the Chief Examiner was not the threat they all assumed he was. He didn’t because he could not be sure if the Examiner had not implanted such thoughts in his mind. He was powerful enough to pull that kind of trick on him. “We must restore the gestalt. It’s the only way we will be able to shield our thoughts from him.”

“Is that wise sir? What about the Primes. They might sense the link.” Neil said

Ryan had to agree with Neil that the issue he brought up was going to be a real problem. “They will and will try to cling to us. Poor fools. None of us can imagine what it must be like for them being isolated from the Overmind. We might be able to use that to our advantage.

“If we promise them their freedom they would make them ready allies.” Neil offered as a suggestion.

“It also wouldn’t hurt our standing with the Judicars if we were to come back with a few of their enslaved people. If they do try to link with us, let them. Is that okay with you Ray?” Ryan asked his adopted son. Ray was the central hub of their linked minds.

“Yes Captain. I should be able to cope with a few more minds. What about Daniel? Should I keep him linked?” By linking to Daniel, Ray had been able to shield Daniel’s mind from Al’s probing.

“Keep the link but be very careful. The Chief Examiner plays in a different league than Al. He might be able to detect you.”

“Then I will be super careful. But what about Logan? Is he going to stick to the plan?”

Ryan shook his head willing doing his best not to groan. “Knowing the stubborn asshole he will go ahead with it no matter what happens. We’ve been lucky that we’ve kept him under control this long. He won’t wait any longer. I don’t know what he’s truly up to but he is following his own time schedule. He won’t let us interfere with it… the stubborn bastard. Whatever he got planned it’s not going to help us any.”

“Should we try to stop him?” One of the other men asked.

“No… best we can do is keep our heads down while the storm passes. Whatever happens it will happen tonight.”

“Is that why you gave in to Daniel? You wanted to make sure he would stay with you tonight.” Neil asked.

“Yes.” Ryan didn’t want the men to know how close he had been to losing control. When he had known Ave he had felt the same desire as the former Segundo Prime Travis Everett Walker and Clive to own Daniel’s father’s love. Ryan should not have been surprised that he ended up feeling the same way toward his son. Whenever Daniel was away he ached to have Daniel with him as much Daniel wanted him inside him. One day they would have to sate their mutual desire for one another but not before they had made their escape.

The time he spent in the ruins of Ares might have forever transformed him but as Daniel was about to discover there were more than one type of Sleeper. Some, like himself and his men, would never lose their humanity. Some, like Everett Walker’s father, the Demon Travis had never had any to lose in the first place.