Symbiota Sapiens - 4. Chapter 4

Synopsis: Jeremey finds himself inducted, against his will, into an ancient organization that
claims to protect and guide humanity with supernatural powers. But what happens when the price
of that power is losing the brother he loves?

Disclaimer: This is science fiction. To my knowledge there is no such organization as the Guardians
of Atlantis. Nor is there any such technology as the Esseren, although our scientists are working
hard to correct that lack. If anyone knows something to the contrary, I'd be happy to hear about it.

Disclaimer: Contains incestuous and homosexual relationships between consenting adults, references
to quasi-vampiric sexual acts, and may eventually include graphical descriptions of sexual acts
(between males). If you are offended by this sort of thing, please do not read this.

Disclaimer: The aforementioned sexual relations will not occur for a while. This is a "plot" story
rather than a "sex" story. There will be sex because the main character is a healthy, good-looking
young man with a healthy (if somewhat confused) libido. And also because part of the plot involves
his developing relationship with his younger brother, who happens to also be healthy, georgeous,
and blessed with a similarly active (but not quite so confused) libido. All sarcasm aside, sex
is part of life so it'll happen in this story.

Now, enjoy the story...

SYMBIOTA SAPIENS

CHAPTER 4

by Dean
(email me at PrettyDean82@yahoo.com)

As we left the airport, I soon noticed that there were others like me in the crowds that
thronged the terminals. The old woman met two others, another old woman and a young man,
and the three bustled off. But there was also the noticeable activity of others coming and going,
and I found myself drawn in by the many different kinds of unique implants that I saw.

After the disturbing exchange with the old woman, I was not eager to contact any of
these, of course. Julian and I minded our own business and kept up our agreed-upon facade of
visiting tourists - a task which was not at all difficult amid the kaleidoscope of unique sights and
sounds that are New York City.

I did approach an elderly gentleman sharply dressed in a
pinstriped suit (as well as some very interesting implants) to ask where we could find
accommodations. He eyed me for a moment, no doubt trying to determine why my transmitter
was turned off, but finally gave us directions that had us thoroughly lost in the New York
subway system in a matter of hours.

We were waiting in a nearly deserted train station, waiting for the northbound train that
wasn't due for another five minutes, when we were approached by a group of what I shall
uncharitably label thugs.

The three ruffians walked toward us confidently, the foremost flicking an enormous blade
left and right as if testing it for balance.

"Well, looks like a few tourists done forgot to pay the toll, hey?" The leader leered. "We
boys is the toll guards, and we got to be collecting so this great city don't stop running, see?"

I had already opened up my transmitting implant to full throttle and was basically
screaming inside my head at whoever could hear me.

:HELP, we're being robbed!: I sent out visual flashes of the leader with his gigantic
knife in our faces.

I soon received a cryptic, typical New York City life-is-tough reply,

::What, by a bunch of mortals? Ya can't defend yourself from a bunch of mortal street
punks, what'r ya worth anyway?::

In the meantime, the two other thugs had now produced blades of their own, and were
circling in for the kill. They weren't even going to make a pretense of just robbing us - they
would slit our throats and go through our stuff at their leisure.

"Hey man, the little one is kinda pretty. Like a girly almost, look at them lips?"

Oh shit. They did NOT just say that.

"Hmm, yeah u got a point Leech." The leaders eyes were flickering over my little bro
with appreciation. My fists were clenching involuntarily as I glared at him in shock.

"Hey kid, whats your name? You wanna join our little club here, you look like you
can put up a pretty good fight there little man. We like fighters dont we boys?"

"Yeah, gotta have some fire in em I say. Not those little weak faggots and bitches,
barely even squirm, like wrestling with a friggin rubber mat. Yeah look at them eyebrows,
can always tell by the eyebrows, he'll fight the whole way thru."

"Fight? You wanna fight? Believe me you don't want to fuck with me guys." Julian
shouted braveley. His cheeks flushed by their taunts.

"See? I told you. I bet he'd be fun."

"Hey kid, what you we'll let your big brother go and we'll have some fun with you. You
be good to us we'll even let you join us, can't beat that huh?"

"Yeah big bro, how's that sound? You wanna die tonight?" The leader was in my face, a
knowing smirk on his face as he stared me down. I was still frozen.

"Jerome?" Julian yanked my sleeve hard, snapping me out of it. "We can take these
guys, right?"

I nodded with considerably less assurance than him.

"Lets see if all these enhancements are worth the trouble." I growled, and immediately
smashed my fist into the leader's face with all my strength. The result was awe-inspiring. I
hadn't realized it, but my muscles had also been considerably tuned up, so that the carbon-
hardened bones of my fingers had slammed into his face with a lot more force than I had
expected. The skin over my fingers was shredded by the impact, but that was nothing next to the
sight of the thug's caved-in face.

Julian, being the dirty fighter that he was, had already planted a really hard kick between
one guy's legs, and was about to go for the third thug's kneecaps when I snagged his sweatshirt
and tugged him away.

"I think we're done here."

"Yeah, what a hit, man - you caved that guy's face right in!"

"Yeah." I shuddered, examining the back of my hand, where the skin was already being
pulled back together. "I think I overdid it."

"Hey, you did great, bro!" Julian told me. "That guy would have cut your throat and left
you to die. And me...shit, they were gonna rape me werent they? You don't owe him any sympathy."

"Yeah, well, I don't like seeing myself as a guy who bashes peoples heads in." I told him.

"You'll get used to it."

"I don't want to get used to it." I told him. "That's the problem. If doing that was so
easy, what's going to be next? Maybe all those vampire stories had a piece of the truth - maybe
all this power really does turn you."

#

The train finally arrived, to our great relief. We climbed aboard and found ourselves
aboard a nearly deserted car. I say nearly deserted, because we weren't exactly alone.

The moment the doors closed, three figures at the far end of the car rose from their seats.
One of them was a handsome man who appeared to be in his late thirties, although the complicated
set of implants I saw belied that estimate. He was dressed in a fashionable (and no doubt very
expensive) suit, and a silver lion medallion hung from a fine chain around his neck. On either
side of him were the elderly gentleman who had given us the bad directions and the old woman
from the airplane.

"This is the one?" The handsome man asked. The old woman nodded, pointing at me.

"Very recently made, within the last two or three days - I'm sure. Running from the Guardians
so he can keep his dear little brother." This last ended with a hoarse laugh.

"Well, we are in need of fresh recruits, welcome young ones."

"And who are you?" I demanded.

"I am Devon Irving, ruler of this fine city. I see by the blood on your hand that you've
already met some of our less upstanding citizens. I do hope you disposed of their bodies in a
satisfactory manner?"

"They won't be robbing anyone else for several months." I told him, my fists clenched at
my side.

"Ah, then you let them live? Pity that, not that it matters - there are always more rats to
replace them no matter what you do to stamp them out."

"Am I to take it that you are the leader of the Guardians here, or is your rulership
more...literal?" I asked.

"A most excellently pointed question." The man smiled at me. "Yes, I am the leader of
the immortals in this area, although we do not call ourselves by that ridiculously quaint name.
But as leader of our kind, I also employ a great deal of influence over the mortal leadership as
well, so I suppose the correct answer to your question would be 'both'".

"And what, exactly, are your intentions towards my brother and I?" I wanted to know.

"Your brother is of no consequence to us at all. As for you, we would most like to invite
you to join us and become a member of our brotherhood in this fine city. The brotherhood that
made you was not to your liking, I understand?"

"Their attitude towards my family responsibilities was not to my liking." I snapped.
"And I do not think I will be joining any new brotherhoods today."

"Oh, but we must insist!" The man held out a hand entreatingly. "You must stay and
enjoy our hospitality, and let us at least try to change your mind."

"I don't think so." I was pulling Julian backwards with me towards the other end of the
car as the trio walked towards us.

"What is it, you do not trust me?" Devon stepped forward, his hand still stretched out.
The man's smile was faltering. "Come, you must come to my house tonight - I insist.
You will thank me later, I promise!"

At that moment, the door behind us opened, and from the adjacent car came three more
figures. I sighed with relief as I recognized Elena and the twins, David and Denna. Elena was
crackling with static electricity again, little lines of light now visible all over her. David's hands
were both raised as if in benediction, the air above his palms was distorted by the heat radiating
from them. Denna's eyes literally blazed with blue light, and her fingers seemed to have
elongated into sharp curved talons that blazed with that same blue fire.

I could hear Elena's voice two-fold, first because she was talking with that same
amplification effect she'd used at the house, and again and a thousand times more powerful in
my mind where she projected through the telepathic link.

::THIS ONE IS NOT TO BE YOUR PREY, DEVON. HE HAS REFUSED YOU, GO
SEEK SOME OTHER UNSUSPECTING YOUNGLING::

Almost as quickly, Devon and his two companions underwent transformations of their
own. The old woman radiated an ugly yellowish light that made everything it touched look
twisted, and raised her own claws in a sick imitation of Denna's graceful talons. The elderly
gentleman's eyes turned a deep dark red, and from the backs of his hands dull black blades
emerged, a clear fluid dripping from their tips onto the smooth floor of the train car, hissing
where it landed, eating into the tiles.

Devon underwent something even more dramatic than the changes his companions exhibited
however. From his two wrists sprang two long tentacles, whipping about him in a frenzy of sleek
flexible metal. Their tips were honed to penetrate and anchor themselves, and Julian and I both
shuddered as we contemplated what their function might be once that hold had been achieved.

::YOU HAVE NO CLAIM ON HIM ELENA! HE HAS LEFT YOUR
BROTHERHOOD OF HIS OWN FREE WILL! YOU HAVE NO CAUSE TO OPPOSE US IN
THIS:: He shouted back at Elena with equal force.

::HE IS NEWLY-MADE, AND WILL NOT BE LEFT TO YOU. LEAVE, OR
ATTACK US NOW!::

::YOU ARE OUTSIDE YOUR TERRITORY, ELENA. I WOULD HATE TO HAVE
TO DESTROY YOU...AFTER EVERYTHING! LEAVE THIS ONE WHERE HIS OWN FEET
HAVE CARRIED HIM AND RETURN TO YOUR OWN PLACE::

::YOU DARE MAKE REFERENCE TO TERRITORY? THE LORD OF THIS PLACE
WITH SURELY AGREE WITH ANY ACTIONS AGAINST THE FALLEN!::

::WHEN WILL YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I AM LORD OF THIS CITY, WOMAN!
WE NEED NO GUARDIANS SAVE AGAINST MEDDLING FOOLS!::

::THEN YOU HAVE DECLARED YOURSELF LORD OF THIS CITADEL,
AGAINST THE DICTATES OF THE CONCORD. YOU ARE FALLEN INDEED - AND
WARRANT DESTRUCTION! I AM TRULY SORRY, DEVON.::

With that oddly regretful pronouncement, the trio of Guardians charged forward to clash
with the Fallen in a massive explosion of light and sound that singed the hairs on our necks as we
hastily clambered through the opening doors into another deserted station. We watched in silence
as the cacophony slid by on the moving train, the participants oblivious to the fact that the
objects of their struggle had left them. As the incredible show disappeared into the dark tunnel, I
wondered that such goings on weren't noticed. As if echoing my thoughts, Julian finally spoke
up.

"You'd think someone would notice a full-blown wizards' duel, even in New York City."

"My guess, some people probably do notice." I said, nodding at a vaguely human form
disappearing down a side tunnel. "They're called crazy."

#

It was another two hours before we finally got ourselves into a hotel room. We were delayed
because I had a sudden urgent need to consume massive quantities of food. As in,
the equivalent of about six grown mens meals. Eventually we found a hotel and checked in.

Cash money, of course. Which meant the hotel room was a complete dive. Also impossible to
trace, I hoped. As soon as we entered the room Julian dropped his laptop on the bed and headed
for the bathroom. I heard the shower start and knew he'd be in there for half an hour. I sighed.
Typical.

I sat down on the bed and wearily pulled off my shoes and my socks. I was tired, somehow. That
battle with the thugs had been emotionally draining. Well, the taunting part, especially when they
were leering at Julian. I'd really known I could stop them from doing anything to the two of us. I
could protect Julian from harm, I was sure. Hell, he could protect himself well enough.

But I could still see his at-loss expression, eyebrows knitted, cheeks rosy with shame as
they verbally assaulted him with their suggestions. Damn it! Of course I couldnt stop that. And now
I couldn't take that experience from him, either - my innocent little brother. Wait, he's eighteen.
Maybe not so innocent. I was no trembling virgin at that age, that's for sure.

I think back for a moment. He's never really had a serious girlfriend. Or anything like one, for
that matter. Actually, he doesn't seem to even have any friends his own age. His friends are all...my
friends, he's always been my shadow since we were kids. I've never seen any hint of a sex life at all
for him. I frown.

I would know, surely. We don't keep that stuff from each other. At least I don't
keep it from him. I remember the first time I got laid when I was 17 and he was 13. I snuck into the
house at 3am and he was laying awake on his bed across from mine, waiting for me. Of course he was a
curious and horny pubescent then and grilled me on every detail - which I was happy to provide. And
every time after that, too. It was our secret little time to bond, I'd tell him stuff nobody else
would tell him, and that nobody else was allowed to know but him.

So if he got laid I sure as hell would be the first to know. I knew when he sprouted his first
man-hair. Had to inspect the goddamn thing, even. First time he masturbated. Hell, I even knew what
he fantasized - it was one of my own little tales of conquest that got him all hot and bothered. So...
shit. Julian must be a virgin still. Damn, I should have thought of that earlier and helped him out or
something. I'm the big lady-killing college athlete mr. popular after all, it would have been easy
to set him up.

Well, I'll have to take care of that as soon as this whole thing with the Guardians settled down.
I grinned. Little bro, you don't even know what's coming, I'm going to pick a hot one and dump her
right in your horny teenage lap! That'll be great!

That settled, I pulled off my shirt and headed for the bathroom to brush my teeth. I stopped
dead when I saw myself in the mirror. What the hell?

Okay, I'm a good looking guy. I know it. The chicks at school know it. Everybody knows it. My
body has always been tight, lean, chiseled muscle. Perfect runners build. But this?

My muscles hadn't grown that much. Enough to be noticeably more ripped, yes. Not a huge size
increase, just every muscle now just sort of stood out more, in perfect shape and definition. Sort
of like when you have JUST finished working out one muscle and it's a little bit pumped and looks
so much better for an hour or so. That, only more so. And on every single muscle in my body.

But that wasn't even the main thing. My skin was, for lack of a better word, fucking perfect.
Where before it was merely clear and nicely tanned, now it literally glowed with health. Not a
freckle, not a line, and...oh...not a strand of hair below my scalp. Hmm...well, that's okay.
If my muscles are going to pop out like that all the time, and the skin...well, I'm not going to
complain about a little bit of body hair. Even if...I check, nope. No pubes either. Shit.

I shrug, and go to brush my teeth only to find another surprise. Seems I'm past needing
dental care, ever. By which, I mean that my teeth had become an almost unnatural bright shade of
white. And now seemed straighter, though they were pretty straight before. Hmm...eyes brighter,
hair shinier. They could make a fortune in cosmetics with these bugs.

I head back to bed, pulling off my jeans as I go. Nano-bugs or no, I'm fucking tired. I guess
the construction projects in my body, and on my body, have put a drain on the little robots in my
blood. Good thing I ate. I'm feeding a population of several trillion, I guess.

I sit on the bed and think about our situation. Those three hadn't just randomly appeared at
an opportune moment - they had to have been tracking us during our entire flight.

But why? The old woman had said that new initiates usually tried to run, that this was normal.
Was it the habit of the Guardians to watch over new members while they ran, to make sure they
didn't get picked up by someone like this Devon fellow? That was another thing, Elena had
referred to Devon as one of the Fallen, and the two had talked as if the Fallen were some sort
of opposite to the Guardians. And they obviously knew each other personally, what was that
all about?

And why did the Fallen seem unconcerned over my responsibility to Julian while the
Guardians wanted me to leave him behind? What the old woman had said about her own attachment still
bothered me - she'd smothered her own husband with a pillow, and just so she could be free of
him to pursue her new immortal life? Horrible. I didn't even want to think about what she said
about Julian.

I slide under the sheets and my body instantly falls into a completely relaxed state. Eyes
closed, breathing regular, I might as well be sleeping but I'm perfectly conscious. My enhanced
senses spread outward...

The air conditioner has a slight leak, and one of the moving parts is
scraping lightly against a metal surface...

Stealthy movements as his hand slips into his boxers, barely a rustling noise as he carefully,
silently beats himself off again. Freakin' teenager, he just did that an hour ago and he's horny again.
Yeah, he definitely needs to get laid.