Walk forward, into the world
by Ainzfern
9
In a non-descript little room of a black market safe-house situated on the border between Midas and Ceres, the soft golden light from a cheap lamp gently illuminated a small bed and the two sweat dewed figures that moved within it.
"Oh God," a soft but impassioned murmur; perhaps a curse, perhaps an expression of gratitude, perhaps even a prayer, broke the warm silence. "Oh God, Iason..."
On his back on the bed where he had lain, so cold and alone for so many nights, Riki drew in a shuddering breath, arching into the warm hands that soothed and stroked his body as Iason patiently relearned him from head to toe. His own hands lifted, almost involuntarily, as he touched in return, smoothing across a powerful shoulder, trailing touches along the curve of a strong bicep, the angle of an elegant jaw; grabbing great handfuls of satin-soft hair to sift through his trembling fingers.
This was the first time, his dazed mind acknowledged, that he had ever allowed himself to touch Iason as he would a lover. With affection, with enjoyment.
The difference was profound.
He felt Iason's warm lips moving against his shoulder, his neck, the side of his jaw, and slid his one hand around the back the Blondie's neck tugging gently, but insistently, at the thick hair until Iason lifted his face and met Riki's hot and heavy lidded gaze. They stared at each other for a moment, their mouths parted over their rapid breathing, the warmth of their breath brushing each other's faces. Then, with a slight smile, Riki urged Iason closer, lifting his chin slightly in a silent signal that caused the tiniest flicker of surprise to enter those pale blue eyes.
Riki couldn't help but feel there was something kind of sad about that startled look, even as Iason leant down and kissed him, closing the distance between them in response to Riki's silent request. Sad in the way that, even though Iason was here, naked and warm in Riki's arms, there was obviously a part of him that still doubted his welcome.
Perhaps, Riki thought as the soft warm muscle of Iason's tongue dipped delicately past his teeth to taste and tease him, there might still be certain wisdom in that. Even as he lay so trustingly here with the Elite, his body achy and hard and hungry for the man's touch, he knew that there was still so much to be settled between them. Questions would need to be asked. The right answers would have to be given. Riki knew that he loved him.
He just had to hope that it would be enough...
But these thoughts were for later, Riki gasped as Iason gently broke their kiss and moved down his body slightly, that soft tongue tickling into the hollow at the base of his throat, tasting the salt of his sweat. Right now, there was too much need between them. His blood raced and pulsed through his veins, centering in his cock, wiping out all other considerations save this one. The desire, the wanting, the desperate urge to ease the fire of sexual tension building in his flesh with the pure searing sweetness of climax.
He groaned, a pained and needy sound, when he felt one of Iason's hands ease down between his thighs, urging his coltish legs to part. One hand clenched into Iason's hair as the Blondie's long fingers, slicked with plain lotion from Riki's meager stash of toiletries, slipped up between the firm cheeks of his ass, stroking and probing and breaching his most intimate opening. Iason's touch was exquisitely gentle as he worked the tight muscles, and Riki closed his eyes and arched his back a little, opening himself to Iason's ministrations.
He felt the bed shift a little as Iason moved again, scooting down in one smooth motion to take the leaking head of Riki's cock into his mouth, suckling slowly at the glans, stroking the sensitive slit with the tip of his tongue, while Riki's gasped and writhed and a harsh low moan of delight echoed through the room. He felt the pleasure building, flowing into his thighs and belly, pooling like molten liquid in his groin. His entire body jolted, and his moans became full throated yells when Iason's clever fingers twisted and reached, pressing against his prostate with short, fast strokes. Iason kept at it for an endless moment, until Riki felt that he must be going half out of his mind, one hand clutching at the sheets beneath him, the other tangled in Iason's now-unruly mane of hair.
Iason pulled back again, releasing Riki's erection and easing his fingers free of his body. While Riki watched him through slitted eyes, the Blondie reared up over him, bracing himself on one arm as he positioned himself between Riki's legs, gripping his own solid cock and pressing the head against Riki's loosened hole. He paused then, before entering, lifting his burning eyes to meet Riki's gaze in an almost questioning manner.
Riki stared up at him again, noting his arousal, the flush that darkened the skin of his cheeks, his elevated breathing. Although Riki had learned that Iason was not at all vocal during sex, he could appreciate that what Iason lacked in volume he more than made up for with appearance, with the exquisite expressions that crossed his face, with the heightened emotion that filled his pale eyes.
Just looking at him now, Riki couldn't help but smile with amusement and, oddly, a surge of protectiveness, filling his chest. His Blondie was so damned turned on that Riki was almost certain that if he didn't get to fuck right now, he would probably spontaneously combust.
Reaching up, Riki pushed the heavy veil of hair out of Iason's eyes and nodded, just once.
With a deep breath Iason pushed in, slow but steady, filling Riki's flesh in one deep stroke. The cry that left Riki's throat was tinged with hurt as his internal muscles, so long unused to this treatment, protested the invasion. Even though Iason had taken his time preparing him, Riki still felt a deep sullen pain in his flesh and he tensed, wincing, his hands clutching at Iason's upper arms, and his cock softening slightly.
Leaning down, propped over him on strong forearms, Iason nuzzled the side of Riki's sweat dampened face. "Shhh," he kissed Riki's ear, his cheek, the bridge of his nose. "It will pass Riki. Just breathe. It will pass."
And it did. A few moments more and Riki felt it happen, felt the burning become warmth, felt the wrenching pressure become a sweet fullness. He released his white knuckled grip on Iason's arms and relaxed, lifting his pelvis slightly and signaling his readiness.
Iason began to move. Slow, deep, hard... thrusting powerfully into Riki's body with driving motions that jolted the slighter man down into the mattress. He leaned down once more, capturing Riki's mouth with his soft lips in a searing claiming kiss. And Riki moved in return, lifting into each perfect punishing stroke, his legs twining around Iason's surging back, one arm curling around Iason's shoulders and hanging on for dear life as the other slipped down between their heaving bodies to grip his own renewed erection.
He stroked as Iason did, feeling the pressure build again in his loins. Too soon, he felt it coming, as inexorable as the turning of the seasons, he felt his climax rise up to claim him and there was nothing, nothing he could do to stop it. His body tensed, the muscles of his flat stomach quivering. He gasped deeply into his chest as his cock began to pulse, his semen spurting out in a series of deep thrilling spasms.
Iason's lips covered Riki's as he came, catching the sounds of his orgasm. Even as he felt the Blondie's own cock quiver deep within him, filling his flesh with the hot erotic gush of his own release, Riki cried out into that kiss. Cried out his joy and hurt and relief, feeling the last vestiges of the heartbreak that he had carried with him all these months, so familiar to him that he'd almost worn it like a second skin, simply breaking away.
In the shattered aftermath, as breathing slowed once more and hot skin cooled, Iason's gentle fingers touched him here and there, as if verifying that he actually was whole and alive and here. Opening his eyes Riki gazed up at Iason and grew still, caught by the look on that beautiful face.
He felt a kind of internal sundering, a deep tearing within his soul, the agonizing sensation of something breaking apart and bleeding out and healing all at once. And even further down, beyond all of that, there was a disconnected part of him; the echo of the Riki that once had been, warning him with snarls and curses. Telling him to fight back with fire and spirit, to flee this place, this moment, before it owned him utterly.
But Iason was so very warm, and his touch was so soft, so cautious, his long fingers drifting across Riki's sweat dampened skin, ghosting along the side of his jaw, the curve of his ear. Soothing across his kiss bruised lips and tracing delicately down the arch of his nose and, all the while, those pale eyes just gazed at him with something very close to adoration, drinking him in.
Too late. Too late to fight back now.
It gentled Riki, left him dazed and helpless, drowning out that old and insistent voice with its sweet silence until all he could do was lie there and accept it, need it, while his throat ached and his eyes filled and he cursed the Gods for his fate and cursed his own foolish heart for believing in this and just knew, as sure as there was life in his veins, that he could never bear to be without Iason now.
When Iason began to wake some time close to dawn, the first thing that registered upon him was the fact that Riki was no longer curled up in the circle of his arms. For an instant, he panicked, his eyes snapping open, but he relaxed just as quickly when he saw Riki's moonlit outline, seated on the edge of the bed and gazing out of the window at the deserted square beyond the safe-house's walls.
Sitting slowly, he reached out and ran one hand down the length of Riki's smooth back. "Riki?"
"Mmm?"
Iason frowned, noting Riki's distraction, the odd tone of his voice. "Something troubles you?"
Still focused intently on the night beyond the window, Riki shook his head. "Nah. Not really." He glanced back at Iason, a small but sad smile on his face. "I was just watching this guy." He jerked his head towards the window.
Scooting closer, Iason looked over Riki's shoulder out into the darkness. His sharp eyes narrowed as he quickly picked out the furtive figure making his way along the shadows at the far side of the square. For a moment, just a moment, the figure stepped into a pool of light from a street lamp, before darting out of sight down an adjacent street.
Iason felt a strange shock of recognition. The features of the young man, the shape of his body, the unnatural perfection of his features...
"Was that an actual Pet I just saw?" he asked softly, still staring at the seemingly empty street the man had disappeared into.
"Ex-Pet," Riki corrected him in a low tight voice, looking away once more. "He's done the smart thing making his move in the dark. Less risk. Less slum rats around to run into."
"What is he doing here?"
Sighing, Riki let his shoulders slump forward. "Trying to escape the whore-pits. Running from some degenerate citizen master. Trying to get away before hustling on the low streets of Midas kills him... take your pick."
"You've seen this before, I take it?" Iason found that he felt strangely guilty about that fact that Riki had witnessed such things.
Peculiar... and not so long ago he probably wouldn't have cared one way or the other.
"Yeah," Riki was saying, "It happens a lot. This one might make it. I don't know. Dawn's not far away and, unless he's real good at hiding in a hurry, the slum gang's will probably kill him." He shrugged almost dismissively, but his voice carried a profound note of hurt. "They generally do."
"Might make it to where?"
Riki shrugged. "There's always a chance that he'll get beyond the central slums, make it into the right part of Ceres for someone to take him in... give him a home."
Even in the dark Iason stared at Riki in mild disbelief. "Riki... most of the residents of Ceres that I have known of wouldn't hesitate to kill their own friends if the mood were to take them. How can you even begin to hope that..."
"There are decent people in the slums, Iason," Riki cut him off, his tone soft but insistent, his eyes still staring out the window. "You just need to know where to look for them."
Slowly, Iason moved in behind him, sliding one arm around his chest and resting his chin on a warm shoulder, joining him in his night-gazing. "Tell me more."
He smiled gently as Riki leaned back into him, enjoying the warmth of that smooth skin pressing against his chest.
"Out on the edges of Ceres," Riki sighed again, "as far from Midas and the inner slums as you can get, there are actually places, y'know? Where partners and singles have kind of banded together to form real communities rather than gangs. Where you respect and look out for each other and a guy is safe to walk the streets by himself."
"And you never thought about going there yourself?" Iason tightened his hold slightly, rubbing his cheek gently against Riki's.
"No," Riki's voice dropped to a mere whisper. "There was nothing there for me. Besides... gangs weren't welcome."
"Riki..." Iason breathed, pressing a kiss to the side of the mongrel's face. He was oddly startled to realize that his heart actually hurt for Riki's remembered pain. "You never have to feel unwelcome again."
Riki turned in the circle of his arms, looking somberly at him in the waning moonlight. "I know."
"Besides," Iason shrugged one shoulder and arched a whimsical brow. "As you say, the Ex-Pet you were watching might make it."
"Yeah," Riki nodded, resting his head for a moment against Iason's chest. "I hope so."
"Lie down," Iason lay back and pulled Riki down with him, arranging the slighter man so that he could curl his body around him. "Don't be sad. Not tonight."
He felt Riki release another slow sigh as he settled down and relaxed into Iason's embrace. "I'll try."
"Good." Iason closed his eyes. "Sleep, Riki. Sleep."
A few moments later, Riki's deep and regular breathing told Iason that he had done just that.
10
Surprisingly enough, it was Iason's young Furniture, Dane, who arrived to collect them rather than the expected Katze. Driving Iason's own private vehicle, he pulled up outside the safe-house just after mid-morning, announcing himself through the intercom beside the main gate and then waiting patiently until Riki had entered the security code to allow him to drive into the courtyard.
Standing beside Iason on the main steps of the safe-house, his small satchel of belongings slung carelessly over one shoulder, Riki watched expressionlessly as the slightly built young man cut the engine of the car and climbed out to respectfully greet his Elite master.
"Good morning, Sir," Dane bowed his head in the standard display of submission.
"Dane," Iason's nod was pleasant enough; for all that it was characteristically aloof. "I was expecting Katze to return this morning. Where is he?"
"Ah," Dane straightened and wet his lips, "Master Am rather sternly instructed me to collect you this morning. He and Mr. Katze were... otherwise engaged."
Riki literally felt his ears perk up.
"Engaged in what, Dane?" Iason's voice grew a touch sterner.
An odd look crossed Dane's face. For a moment, Riki couldn't pick it but then it struck him. Dane was amused. The expression was only slight, but it was there. All of a sudden, he began to look a little more intensely at the Furniture. The young man was obviously not quite as cowed and submissive as he might first have appeared, despite his youth and small stature.
Riki couldn't help liking that fact. He couldn't help liking anyone who stood up to a Blondie, no matter how subtly.
Which probably explained why he liked Katze so much... lying prick that he was.
"I believe it was resting, Sir," Dane had replied, his face betraying nothing.
"I see." Iason flicked a brief glance at Riki's artfully blank expression. "How interesting."
Riki quirked a brow at him, shrugging slightly.
"Well," Iason stepped towards the rear of the car, motioning Riki to follow him, "if the order came from Raoul Am, then I can hardly fault you for obeying it."
"Thank you, Sir," Dane quickly opened the door for his master.
Pausing in the act of lowering himself into the vehicle, Iason turned and met Dane's eyes directly. "This is Riki," he nodded towards the mongrel standing close behind him. "He will be returning with me to Eos Tower. You are to make him welcome."
Dane's eyes widened slightly, even as Riki felt his narrow a touch. It was obvious to him, in that single fleeting instant, that Dane knew very well exactly who Riki was. Of course he would have. Riki felt his mouth curve into a tiny scowl. The Elite gossiped amongst themselves worse than a bunch of bored Pets. The Furniture was sure to have heard all about it at some point in his travels from master to master, and in varying degrees of lurid accuracy, no doubt.
The Furniture returned Iason's nod without comment, continuing to hold the car door as Riki climbed in. As he moved past the slighter man, their eyes met for a moment and Riki saw an unmistakable hardening there. Not dislike, as such, more a sort of challenge. A clear message that Dane knew his place and was not about to be pushed out of it.
He met that gaze steadily, unflinchingly, even as he lowered himself into the seat beside Iason, sending a silent message of his own right back.
As he settled into the car, tossing his satchel onto the floor at his feet, his smile genuinely returned as Iason immediately hooked one long arm around his shoulders, drawing him in to his side. "Issues, already?" that velvet voice murmured with mild amusement, directly into his ear.
Riki glanced wryly up at him. He really ought to have known than Iason would pick up on the silent by-play that had just occurred. "You're too damned perceptive for your own good, sometimes. Did you know that?"
Iason merely continued to hold his gaze, silently awaiting more information.
Stifling a sigh, Riki shrugged. "I'll handle it."
Iason's expression tightened a little. "If you require me to- -"
"I'll handle it, Iason," Riki felt his jaw set stubbornly. "Okay?"
He watched, almost instinctively bracing himself slightly as Iason's eyes flashed momentarily. Then, in an act that honestly startled him, the Blondie relaxed almost immediately and vented a deep soft chuckle. "As you wish, Riki." He faced forward as Dane lowered himself into the driver's seat. "Take us directly back, Dane, if you would."
"Of course, Sir." Dane adjusted the rear view mirror and started the engine, easing the large vehicle around the courtyard and out into the main square with practiced ease.
Sighing softly, Riki looked back over his shoulder, partly to ensure that the security gate closed behind them but also, in a way, to say a sort of silent farewell to the place that had been both his home and his sanctuary for the last three months. He couldn't deny that he was glad enough to be leaving it. Certainly he was happy to be heading away from it in the company of Iason Mink.
He wondered, however, even as he settled a little more comfortably into Iason's warm side, if he might not be back here again sooner rather than later.
Time would tell, he thought, resting his head against Iason's shoulder and closing his tired eyes for a moment. He felt the Blondie's arm tighten just a little more around him, and he smiled again, even in his dosing state.
Time would tell...
As he strode through the front door of his penthouse in Eos Tower, Iason immediately drew to a sudden stop, his eyes widening in something very close to shock at the incongruous site that had met his arrival.
As he stood there, feeling a not inconsiderable amount of irritation rising within him, he only peripherally noted Dane softly closing the door and asking Riki if he might take his belongings into the main bedroom. And he most definitely chose to ignore the soft and muffled snorting from directly behind his left shoulder as Riki attempted to stifle his laughter.
He drew in a deep breath, fighting for and winning – but only just – his composure.
He couldn't deny that there was a certain level of personal disappointment fueling his ire at the moment. He had truly hoped, upon their return to Eos, that he and Riki might have had an opportunity to talk intimately for a while, perhaps make love again, before Iason had to leave and attend the final trade ratification at Partia with Chey Neeson and his delegate team.
Alas it appeared, Iason heaved a slow sigh, this was not going to be the case.
On his sofa... in the middle of his penthouse suite... behind the low table littered with the empty remains of several of his finest vintages from his private collection... Raoul Am, his closest Elite friend and Chief Biologist of the Tanagura Syndicate was slumped, apparently sound asleep. And sprawled right next to him, slack mouthed and softly snoring was his ex-Furniture...
"Katze!!" Iason's sharp stern voice cut the silence.
Groaning softly, Katze opened his eyes, peering blearily up at Iason for a moment before, with a sudden gasp, realization set in and he sat up straight, his face paling almost immediately and one shaking hand lifting to press against his forehead. "Uh... Iason," he mumbled thickly. "You're back."
Iason glanced sideways briefly as he saw Riki stroll over to one of the large chairs to the side of the sofa and perch on the armrest, one foot bracing himself on the floor, as he watched the scene with keen interest and every indication of enjoyment.
"Explain yourself!" Iason snapped at the suffering ex-Furniture.
"I believe that is my obligation in this instance, Iason," Raoul had also woken and was straightening his appearance, his eyes a little shadowed yet appearing overall none the worse for wear, certainly nowhere near to Katze's sorrowful state. "I gave Katze permission to open your cellar."
Pressing his lips tightly together, Iason regarded the Elite for a long moment. "Would you care to tell me why?" he asked acidly.
"Ah." Raoul frowned for a moment, looking perplexed. "You know, Iason... I don't think I can." He cast a sidelong look at Katze and shrugged almost helplessly. "It just seemed to be a good idea at the time."
Heaving a long-suffering sigh, Iason felt the tension suddenly leaving his shoulders. "Am I to understand that you, Raoul, came here with Katze, uninvited... and became drunk last night?"
"Apparently so."
"I actually have no idea of what to say about that." Iason shook his head unhappily, reaching down and picking up one of the empty bottles with his long and elegant fingers. "Some of these vintages were over two hundred years old," he murmured sadly, inspecting the label.
Raoul winced apologetically. "I will of course, replace them, my friend," he offered immediately.
"Indeed you will." Iason set the bottle down and lifted his chin. "Dane?" he called out.
Dane appeared, silent as always.
"Clean up this mess," Iason told him, "And bring some coffee for my two unwelcome guests." He looked back down at Raoul and Katze, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You two," he declared flatly, "are an absolute disgrace."
"Iason..." Katze began
"Not a word from you, Katze," Iason held up one hand, his expression stern and hard. "Not one single word."
He turned his glacial eyes back to Raoul. "There are approximately three hours left before our presence is required in Partia for the signing of the trade agreement, Raoul. In keeping with your selected role as my second in the negotiations, I would suggest that you use that time to return to your own apartment here in Eos Tower and make yourself presentable. Katze..?" he looked at the red-head, "I will deal with you shortly."
Katze winced.
Turning, Iason stalked across the room towards the balcony door, motioning discreetly for Riki to join him. Stepping out into the warm late-morning sun, he walked across to the balcony wall and leaned against it. Resting both hands against its sun-warmed surface, he gazed out over Midas.
Riki joined him, mirroring his stance as he, too, looked out across the sunlit city far below them.
After a few pensive and thought filled moments had passed in silence, he heard the soft low sound of Riki's chuckle.
Strange... and rather sorrowful, Iason couldn't help thinking. It really was a most pleasing sound; Riki's laughter. How sad it seemed to him now, that he had heard it more times in this single morning than he ever had during the three years that the mongrel had spent as his Pet.
On an impulse born of both inquisitiveness and desire, Iason turned to face Riki, reaching out with both hands to gently cup and lift that suddenly startled face. He leaned in and kissed the younger man, gently, lingeringly, tasting the sweet warmth of Riki's mouth with fleeting dips of his tongue. When he felt Riki lean towards him slightly, heard the acquiescence in Riki's soft moan, he pulled back almost regretfully, his thumb stroking back and forth over a smoothly shaven cheek.
Riki blinked his dazed eyes a few times as he slowly refocused on Iason's face. "Not that I'm complaining or anything," he said, his expression displaying a peculiar mix of pleasure and suspicion, "but, what was that for?"
Iason tilted his head to one side, considering the question as he moved his hands from Riki's face, letting his touch drift down; his fingers stroking the length of Riki's sleekly muscled arms, tickling and soothing, before curling about his lean hips, holding him loosely in a gentle grasp.
"In truth?" Iason answered softly with an honesty that surprised even himself. "To see if you would let me."
Riki's expression, his entire demeanor, softened noticeably. As Iason continued to look down into his dark eyes, he saw that they had grown very warm, almost tender... and there was something else there, too. Some other emotion that Iason wouldn't dare to define just yet, however much he felt that he knew what it was.
Nevertheless, he filed Riki's reaction away in the recesses of his formidable mind for later redress, feeling considerably more hopeful regarding the situation between them.
"Iason?" Riki asked him, one sable brow arching slightly, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
Iason matched him with a lifted brow of his own. "Yes?"
"You're not really that pissed off with Katze and Raoul at all, are you?"
"No, I am not."
Riki snorted in amusement. "Well, you sure as hell had 'em thinking you were. Katze was practically peeing himself."
"Tell me, Riki," Iason stroked his hands up the length of Riki's back, "what made you so sure that I was not angry?"
Shrugging as if the answer was the simplest thing in the world, Riki grinned at him. "No one kisses like that when they're angry."
"Ah." Iason nodded at him, appreciating his perceptiveness once again. "Well, I must admit, you are correct. I am not at all disturbed by the fact that Raoul and Katze enjoyed each other's company last night. In fact..." he frowned thoughtfully, "it is a situation that I feel deserves a certain amount of encouragement."
"Whoa," Riki moved back and held up his hands. "Hold it a minute. Are you suggesting that my black market boss and your pal Raoul, who happens to be the most elitist Elite in Tanagura, should become buddies?"
"I don't actually know what I am suggesting, Riki," Iason sighed and looked out over the city of Midas once more, his eyes distant and inwardly gazing. "But I don't think that it would hurt either man to see the world from a different perspective."
Riki was quiet for a long moment, considering Iason's words. "Just like you," he murmured eventually. "Just like you've learned to see the world differently."
Iason's head snapped around sharply, his eyes catching and holding Riki's.
Riki met his gaze without the slightest indication of fear. "One day," he continued, "You'll have to tell me what the hell happened to you to make you like this."
"Like what?" Iason frowned at him.
Riki shrugged, "Human."
"That's easy," Iason reached out and touched Riki's cheek with gentle fingertips. "I met you."
"Nice," Riki purred at him. His gaze focused over Iason's shoulder for a moment, an odd little smile curling his lips. "Looks like Raoul's gone," he nodded towards the penthouse. "Katze is still waiting, though."
Turning around, Iason peered through the plate-glass windows that graced the balcony of his penthouse, immediately seeing his ex-Furniture still seated on the sofa within the main room, his tense outline belying his anxiety.
With a soft non-committal grunt, Iason walked back into the penthouse, moving to stand directly in front of the black marketer. "Well, Katze?" he asked coldly. "What have you to say?"
Katze glanced up at Riki, standing slightly to one side of the sofa. "Y'know how you promised to kill me, last night?"
To Iason's profound approval, Riki's face didn't even so much as twitch. "Yeah?"
Katze shuddered, his fingertips lifting to press firmly against his left temple. "Would you mind doing it now?"
Ignoring that, Iason moved a little closer to the red-head. "Katze," he said softly, "I understand what happened last night. I know that you and Raoul Am both had great and sudden changes to deal with."
Katze looked up at him, his face filled with impossible hope.
"It is no excuse, of course," Iason smiled briefly, a fleeting flash of expression across his flawless face, "but it was, perhaps, a reason." His gaze hardened again. "I want you to return to your safe-house, and to your main office... do whatever you need to do to ensure that Riki can continue to work for you from this location."
He heard Riki's shocked gasp behind him. Ignoring it for the moment, he continued. "I am, of course, assuming that you do still want him to continue in his current role?"
Katze swallowed, nodding somewhat carefully in deference to his obviously aching head. "Yes, Iason," he replied. "He's actually quite talented. It would be a shame to lose him."
"Then don't." Iason pulled his broad shoulders back, his jaw firming decisively. "Make this happen, Katze, and you will be forgiven."
Rising to his feet, Katze met Iason's eyes with a suddenly steady gaze. "Done," he declared softly. "By tomorrow I'll have a full up-link installed here for him." He paused, hesitating a moment, his lower lip caught between his teeth. "Iason, are you sure about this? I mean, its one thing to be a silent partner in the Ceres black market... it's quite another to be actually running a section of that right out of your own home."
Iason reached out and closed one hand gently over Katze's shoulder, even as he glanced across at Riki's intense face. "The world is about to change, Katze. I would be disappointed in you if you didn't already feel that."
Katze dropped his eyes, flushing slightly at the mild rebuke.
"Do not think that I don't appreciate your concern," Iason continued in that same soft tone, "but understand, it is not necessary. Please, do as I ask."
Nodding once more, Katze pulled in a deep breath and made his way towards the main entrance of the penthouse, pausing for a moment to look back at Riki. "I'm sorry I lied to you, kid," he said softly, a wealth of regent in his voice. "I really didn't have a choice, y'know?"
Riki nodded at him. "I know."
"Good."
With that said, Katze left in silence, closing the door behind him.
Walk forward... – chapters 7-8 << >> Walk forward... – chapters 11-12