Free

Trey looked up over his shoulder as I returned, affection and relief mingled on his face. Five and a half months working with the Agency and he still worried when we were apart. I smiled, draped myself over his back and kissed his neck.
      "Vorolye, you should not be so concerned. You know the Agency looks after its own."
      He slumped back against me, wriggling as I lightly brushed my fingertips over his groin.
      "Yeah, I know... Can't help it, love." He twisted to kiss me, hands tugging gently at my hair, then pulled back and smiled. "How was your day?"
      "Tiring. Let us have a drink while we talk."
      He rose from his seat at the monitor and hugged me tightly, walking me back to the massive sofa - his choice of furniture; he wanted something big enough for us to lie on together, and it took up most of our living space - and pushing me to sit on the soft deep red leather.
      "Stay there. I'll get us a beer. Unless you want something stronger?"
      I shook my head.
      "We are meeting Devon and Stephan later, for dinner and to discuss the pet trade situation." I eyed him warily - even now he was prone to bristling furiously when the subject came up. Still protective, my Trey. "Beer will be fine."
      He frowned, then growled quietly, grabbing two cans from the kitchenette refrigerator and joining me on the sofa, snuggling against me.
      "OK. So, how'd the day go?"

It had been fairly typical - insofar as any day with the Agency could be called typical. The six year old daughter of the New Russian Territories Minister for Defence had been kidnapped by three disaffected Russian dissidents who had killed her bodyguards in the process - and a trigger-happy moron from the Met had shot them before they had told anyone where the child was being held. Lenore's friend Charles had contacted the Agency - it was urgent, since they did not know what state the child was in - who'd sent in Maria Cassacio and the telepath Nina. Cassacio had *read* the corpses, and announced that the child had to be rescued as quickly as possible - she was locked in an underground vault, with enough oxygen for only 24 hours. A task force had been assembled in record time: Cloud and Tyler to open the explosive-rigged security door, the 'path Nina to keep the child calm, Stephan as flatscan backup - and myself, as much because I found it offensive that my fellow countrymen would behave so, as because I was still learning about my colleagues and their functions. Of course, I was also still learning how best to use my talent in the Agency. But I was beginning to be of significant use as an empathic 'barometer' of the feelings in the vicinity - and my control had improved immensely since the deep scan...

Greg had been so patient with me. I am embarrassed... no, that is no longer true. I would have been embarrassed, not so long ago, to remember the way I clung to him, begged for his help as I learned to integrate my other into my own psyche. It seemed to be an intolerably slow process, but in reality only a week passed between my taking the other's hurts into myself and healing them and our final assimilation.
      His name was - is - Nisska. He lives within me, sharing my life, my feelings, *prodding* me, sometimes, when he thinks I am being too restrained. He cries with me, laughs with me and sometimes at me. He likes silk and soft fur and velvet, heavy rock music, romantic films and anything with chocolate - and he adores Trey. He is the other part of me, the anger, the joy, all the emotion I had learned to deny for so many, many years.
      For the first time in my life I am whole, and able to love Trey as I have always wanted.
      It is a good feeling.
      It is good to know, also, that should it be necessary he will fight for Trey, fight for us both, and all that we love and believe in. He is a powerful ally, now that we are together and he can rely upon my strength and will to temper his violence. And I am reconciled to his primal nature, have accepted it is part of me. We have attained balance.

Trey ran his fingers through my hair - hair that now reached to my shoulder blades, to his delight - and kissed my cheek.
      "And you got the kid out safely, of course."
      I chuckled.
      "Of course. With such a team we could hardly fail." I sighed happily and leaned against him, relaxing into his hug. "And how was your day?"
      He shrugged. He had felt a little guilty after 'defecting' to the Agency, despite freely admitting it was by far the best thing for us to have done, and had comforted himself by opting to become the liaison between the Agency and the IATF - a post that had been created specifically for him and at which he excelled, somewhat to his surprise. He also taught marksmanship - a friendly but keen and competitive rivalry having developed between himself and Stephan - and of course accompanied me on missions where it was considered I might be at risk, especially where hostile psis were involved.
      "Was OK. Missed you though."
      I nipped his earlobe.
      "I was away for eight hours. How can you have missed me?"
      He shivered, then palmed my groin, declaiming theatrically,
      "Eight minutes is too long, lover."
      I swivelled to straddle his lap, pressing my nose to his as his eyes widened in surprise.
      "Take me to bed."
      He gulped almost audibly, and I could feel his penis harden under my groin. He has still not become accustomed to my 'new self'. I licked his mouth.
      "Or would you rather wait until after dinner?"
      He glanced at the chronometer.
      "How long we got?" His voice was husky and a little strained. I kissed him lightly.
      "Oh, two hours. Perhaps a little more."
      He grabbed me around the waist and stood, carrying me over to the bed and dropping me, dragging off his clothes and tossing them aside. I lay and watched him, growing more aroused as sleek tanned skin was revealed, reaching out to brush the copper curls at his groin around his jutting rigid penis. He glared down at me as he kicked his jeans to the side.
      "You going to stay dressed?"
      I smirked.
      "But I do so enjoy it when you undress me..."
      Face flushed and eyes gleaming, he reached for my tunic, wrenching it over my head and then attacking my trousers in his haste. In less than a minute I was naked, smiling up at him as his gaze ran over my body. He groaned.
      "Fuck but you're gorgeous!"
      I eyed his strong frame appreciatively and raised an eyebrow.
      "And all yours, vorolye..."
      Groaning, he leapt onto the bed, onto me, licking and biting frenziedly down my body to my groin, taking me into his mouth...
      There were lights sparking behind my eyes, and I could feel Nisska writhing blissfully as I did the same, feeling that delicious tightness in my balls, feeling my penis quivering as Trey sucked, and nipped, and gnawed gently then ran his tongue around the head under my foreskin before sucking me deeply into his throat...
      I was distantly aware of crying out as I came, throbbing in his mouth, shivering as he swallowed, the muscle of his tongue and throat milking me...
      I was shaking as he raised his head, grinning, licking his lips and reaching for the lubricant on the bedside cabinet. He hastily coated his fingers, then eased into me - not a difficult thing to do, given how loose and limp I now was. Which, however, did not last long when he stroked my prostate. He chuckled as I grew erect again, and quickly spread the gel over his erection; slipping slowly into me, angling himself to slide firmly over the gland, he laughed quietly. My recently-awakened response to stimulation - I sometimes thought that Nisska was perhaps trying to make up for lost time: at any rate, his presence doubled and tripled my sensitivity - was a source of continual delight to Trey.
      And to myself. My legs wrapped automatically around his hips, pulling him deeply into me and holding him there, so he was forced to thrust powerfully, hips bucking, lips parted then descending on mine as he shuddered and came in hot wet spasms that rippled through me, the sheer joy of it bringing me to climax again.
      He was panting as he collapsed onto me then bit gently at my collarbone.
      "Oh fuck, love... you're like some kind of drug... addictive..."
      I stroked his back, nuzzling his hair.
      "I am not so sure that is a good thing."
      I could feel him grin against my shoulder as he slid wetly from me, his semen trickling down onto the duvet.
      "Trust me, the way I mean it, it's good."
      "I will take your word for it." I cuddled him close and turned us both onto our side so that I could breathe more easily. "I love you."
      I felt him shiver as he clutched me convulsively to him. I still do not say it very often - but at least now I can say it, and mean it with my whole heart...

"Mmmm.... we should shower and dress if we're going to be in time for dinner."
      I had almost fallen asleep, drowsing in the aftermath - but Trey was right. And I did not want to miss the discussion: the pet trade - what was left of it, at any rate - was still a source of deep concern and loathing to me. I shifted slightly, pulling out of Trey's embrace.
      "Then let us refresh ourselves."

Even then we were a little late, thanks to Trey's ministrations and sudden decision that he wished me to take him while we bathed...
      Devon grinned up at us as we sauntered to the table.
      "Ah, I just love that 'well-fucked' glow... Suits you both."
      I could feel myself blushing as we seated ourselves, and Stephan chuckled.
      "'e 'as no manners, ce petit." He smirked. "But it is good to see you both 'appy."
      The talk was light as we ordered our meals and ate in a companionable silence. Then Stephan eyed us both gravely over his coffee.
      "You understand that this is not official, not until tomorrow. But I 'ave 'ad advanced notice, an' I thought you also should be told." He took a sip. "The group that bombed Shayne-Driftganger 'as so far escaped us, but the Agency 'ave correlated other attacks."
      "Do we know anything about them?"
      Stephan half-smiled wryly at Trey and shook his head.
      "'owever..." He glanced at me. "We think that Alexei may be able to 'elp."
      Trey's eyes narrowed, and I could feel his growing uneasiness and tension. I laid a hand over his thigh.
      "It is alright, vorolye. It is what we are here for." I turned to Stephan. "The presence I felt, that first time..."
      Stephan nodded.
      "We think it was their leader."
      There was a sudden small but startled silence, then Trey frowned.
      "How'd you work that out?"
       "'e is... strong. There 'ave been echoes of 'im at other incidents. Other 'paths 'ave felt 'im, once they knew what they were looking for." He smiled at me. "We 'ave you to thank for that, Alexei."
      I nodded: I had *given* Greg the details of that first contact early on in my training. Trey was growing agitated.
      "So what does this have to do with Alexei?"
      "They are going to 'old a meeting, tomorrow. I believe they are going to ask Alexei to try to track the leader."
      I stared at him.
      "But I am not a tracker."
      "Non. But you 'ave a... connection to 'im. You know 'is feel."
      I frowned.
      "It is a tenuous link at best, Stephan."
      "Oui. Mais they think that you are the best 'ope to find 'im." He shrugged. "No-one else 'as been able to do so."
      "And what am I supposed to do when - if - I find him?"
      The Frenchman shrugged again.
      "With all the talents in the Agency, I am sure we will be able to think of something."
      Trey growled and gripped my hand.
      "He ain't goin' anywhere without me."
      Stephan raised his hands, expression conciliatory.
      "Mais non, I do not think they would dare to ask it of you. And indeed, you and I should both be there. We know already that the group is very dangerous."
      "But they've never killed anyone." Devon paused and frowned. "Have they?"
      Stephan shook his head.
      "Non. That we know of, anyway."
      "Should be OK then, with you two. An' me, an' Ox, an' a 'path to home in on what you pick up."
      We all gazed at him in bemusement, and he grinned.
      "I been paying attention in tactics class."
      Stephan laughed and ruffled his hair.
      "I am glad to 'ear it!" He glanced at his chronometer. "And now it is time for bed, I think. Today was a very tiring day." He smirked at his lover. "An' I 'ave 'opes that tonight will be as well..."

The call to the meeting came via switchboard while we were eating breakfast the next morning. Trey scowled at me.
      "You're not gonna let them talk you into doing anything stupid."
      I dabbed a little honey on his lips, then licked it off. He shivered and I kissed him.
      "Not stupid, no. But if there is a chance to contact him... I must take it, Trey. You did not feel the awful loneliness, the sense of guilt and betrayal. He is suffering, whoever he is. And his actions, and those of his group, have been designed to obstruct the pet trade. Whatever we may think of their methods, what they do is right, is just."
      "And illegal."
      "And of course, we would never do such a thing."
      He chuckled and leaned over to kiss me.
      "OK, I'll shut up. You done?"

Ten minutes later we walked into one of the upper floor offices, to find Greg, Razor and her partner Lenore, Devon, Stephan, a restless bio-technician introduced as Nathan, and Anna Joye seated around a table...
      It was much as Stephan had said the night before - and of course Anna was aware of Stephan's 'indiscretion' in speaking to us, expanding on the situation with a half-indulgent, half-annoyed frown at the Frenchman.
      It was, I thought, a somewhat elaborate plan, the setting up of a mock clinic and allowing the rumours to spread through the underside, in the hopes that the group would take the bait, although, truth be told, there was little else now to tempt them out into the open. All the known clinics has been raided and destroyed, all organisations and businesses known to be involved were under investigation, various agencies were tracing down pets and their owners, arranging care and counselling for the unfortunates and judgement for the perpetrators - there was little left to do.
      My part was to wait and monitor the area, alert the others when I *felt* the presence. Trey was comfortable with the idea, since it did not involve me in any direct action (I stifled my irritation for now, but we would have to have a long hard talk sometime very soon, this molly-coddling was becoming a liability), and the others were eager to resolve this last bit of the puzzle...

The operation was due to start tomorrow. We spent the rest of the day liaising with the appropriate departments, and listening to Nathan - who was quite obviously a genius and had researched the subject thoroughly - tell us what we could expect in the way of behaviour and how best to deal with it. We'd all dined together - to my surprise and pleasure Angel joined us, although she sat close to Razor and did not speak very much. She had regained much of her strength, partly due to her working as a counsellor to the rescued pets, and although it would be years yet, if ever, for her to return to the woman she had once been, she was making great progress in overcoming her fears. We all smiled and greeted her quietly and respectfully - even Nathan, though I suspect that might have been due to Stephan kicking him under the table - but did not try to force conversation upon her. She and Razor left early, after we had all finished eating and discussing the following day and the talk had turned to less serious matters...

Trey had made love to me, afterwards, slowly and languorously, and we had both finally fallen asleep at around three o'clock - only for me to wake with a start an hour later.
      "Trey?" But he was sound asleep, sprawled over the bed on his stomach and breathing deeply. I frowned, then shivered. Something was *moving* through Agency HQ in *waves*, rousing the talents as it did so...
      *Alexei? Are you awake?*
      It was Greg, an edge of excitement making him sound oddly young. I *nodded*.
      *Can you come down to the foyer?*
      *Certainly. Should I wake Trey?*
      A moment's pause, then,
      *I think he might be annoyed if you didn't...*
      He wasn't happy about being woken, but we both hauled on sweatsuits and hastened down to the reception hall, Trey grumbling all the way...
      The foyer was packed with Agency staff, and we could not see why. Then de Winter grabbed us both by the wrist and bodily forced her way through the crowd, dragging us with her in her wake to the centre of the hall.
      And we froze. I felt the hairs up my back and over the top of my head stand on end, and risked *opening*, just a little.
      It was him. The horse-man from the security tape, the *presence* I had felt at Shayne-Driftganger. There were others with him, seven or eight, but he was the focus of all attention. He stared at me, big eyes expressionless.
      And I walked to him, gazing up into his horse-like face, *feeling* again that awful sense of loss, of pain.
      "I am Alexei. I know you."
      There was a brief, nervous stir from his... followers, and I could feel Stephan holding Trey back. The big man gazed down at me - then nodded, very slightly.
      "He's Hoss." The voice came from one of his colleagues, an ugly man with a metal lower jaw. "He's come - we've all come - to give ourselves up."
      You could almost hear the jaws dropping.

An hour later...
      The men had been ushered into a comfortable guest suite, fed, their medical needs attended to, and Hoss and the man with the metal jaw - his name was Chris - were sitting with Nathan, Greg, Devon and I, the three Agency directors, with the discreetly-armed Stephan and Trey hovering in the background. Hoss had no voice: he was writing rapidly and almost illegibly on pieces of paper that Chris was translating for us - but I was *picking* up far more than could be expressed in writing, and, with the surprised horse-man's permission, was adding my own translation of his story.
      His real name had been Jason - Jace. He remembered that much, although he'd forgotten his surname. He'd been a physical labourer, big, strong, not unintelligent, although he much preferred to work with his hands than his mind. He'd had a companion, one he'd loved very much. They'd been leaving a club early one morning when they'd been halted by what they'd thought were police, in uniform. Knowing they'd done nothing wrong, and being essentially law-abiding and peaceable people, Jace and his lover hadn't resisted when they were pushed up against a wall to be searched...
      That was when the nightmare had started. The hypos filled with tranquiliser shoved into their necks had taken effect very quickly. The next thing they knew, they were in the first of the clinics.
      The process had been primitive, back then, and so painful... he'd demanded to know what was going on, and why, and where his lover was, even as he grew hoarse from screaming - until they took his voice away...
      He endured operation after operation as they remodelled him, keeping him weak and ill with drugs. It wasn't until just before they opened his head to install his behavioural mods that they'd told him what was happening, that he'd caught the eye of a very rich woman, who'd fancied a horse-like man as a pet. The tech had leered at him, then idly commented that he was sure they'd find a buyer for his boyfriend, the man was quite a looker.
      Jace had paused at that point, his hands trembling, mind filled with grief. He'd promised his lover he'd look after him, keep him safe, promised Kyle he'd protect him...
      Greg jumped, his eyes wide, and I glanced at him. He was staring at the horse-man.
      "Kyle? Your lover was called Kyle?"
      Jace nodded, mane rippling with the movement, and I frowned at the 'path.
      "Why?"
      "Because," Greg said slowly, eyes fixed on Jace, "we rescued a leopard from Roysdon's zoo. His name is Kyle."
      Jace froze, staring - then closed his eyes as slow tears tracked down his face. Despair, misery - it couldn't be the same Kyle - could it? He gazed at Greg, body shaking. The 'path raised a hand.
      "Let me see what I can find out..."
      He closed his eyes, focussing on the hospital on the other side of the city where the leopard was still in intensive care, still seriously ill, but slowly improving. Very slowly - the onsite 'path had reported that the big cat was making no effort, felt he had nothing to live for... The Agency 'path delicately brushed his mind: Kyle had had a lover, who'd been captured with him. A man he loved with all his heart, without whom life was empty - Jace...
      The horse-man slumped forwards, head in his hands and tears streaming down his face, and Chris rested an arm across his broad shoulders.
      "It's OK boss. He's alive. You can get back together."
      Jace shook his head, then gestured at himself, at his head and his groin.
      "That can all be put right - can't it?" the metal-jawed man gazed anxiously at the Agency staff around him. Nathan, who'd had one of his staff *scan* the horse-man while they'd been talking, grinned widely.
      "With a genius like me on the case, sure. Well, reversing some of the effects isn't a problem, at any rate. There's no nasty hardware in his head, and removing the mod unit is easy - it's not wet-wired like the stuff these days, we just open his head up, cut a few connections, he'll be good as new. We can fit a voice box at the same time." He frowned pensively, lips pursed. "Not sure about the physical mods though, not my province."
      Anna Joye coughed, attracting the biotech's attention.
      "Thank you, Nathan. We will see to all this as soon as we can - but first," she eyed the horse-man and his lieutenant appraisingly, "there's the small matter of ten years' worth of sabotage to consider."
      "But that can wait until later." Claudia smiled around the room. "I think it would be advisable to remove those behavioural mods first, wouldn't it? Jace would be much more comfortable." *And we'd all be a lot safer.*
      Anna and Eric both nodded - and soon afterwards Stephan and Trey accompanied Jace to the medical ward, while the rest of us were sent back to our quarters.

"God, he's amazing." Trey's voice was awed. It was nearly dawn and no-one in HQ had been able to get back to sleep. I snuggled up to him, feeling drained: the emotional trauma Jace had suffered was more than anyone should have to endure.
      Trey stroked my hair.
      "You were great, love."
      I shook my head tiredly.
      "I did nothing."
      He kissed my forehead.
      "He trusts you. Greg says he felt you, that day, and knowing that someone cared made a big difference to his deciding to come to us. He trusted you."
      I stared at him.
      "He's a 'path?"
      Trey chewed his lip.
      "Well, not exactly, as far as Greg could tell. But there was some sort of something..." He sighed. "Heh, 'spect they'll want to check you out again later, see if it's another side-effect of your talent. Whatever." He was silent for a moment, then added, quietly, "Be wonderful to see the big bugger happy. Seems like he's going to get to the hospital as soon as he can - he wants to get back together with Kyle, if Kyle wants it too."
      I yawned, then frowned.
      "But what about all the criminal things he's done over the years?"
      Trey chuckled.
      "Does anyone outside the Agency know it was him?"
      I considered that for a moment.
      "I do not know."
      "Neither do I, but I think the bosses are going to try to find out. They'll try to keep it as private as possible - especially given that the only businesses the group attacked are now under investigation themselves. It's all a bit confused..."
      That much was certain.
      "So even if it does go to law, there are mitigating circumstances?"
      "I'd say so. What his group have done is far less... uh... reprehensible than the companies they hurt. Greg says there is a memory of him killing his guard to escape, when the order was given to kill the big pets - something about them being too dangerous to keep - but that sounds like self-defence to me."
      I nodded and rested my head on his shoulder, too tired to really take it all in.
      "I wonder what will happen to them?"
      Trey laughed.
      "Well, given how the Agency takes in waifs and strays, I expect they'll give them both a job! Jace is big, and strong, and good with his hands... seems there's always building going on around here."
      I nestled into him.
      "Good... I would like to see them settled and happy."
      "You're a big softie, really, aren't you?"
      I smiled.
      "Ah, you have me mistaken for Nisska... Are you glad we came?"
      "To London? Or are you talking about fucking me awake?"
      I bit his nipple, kissing it when he winced.
      "The former. Although I have no objection to the latter - in four or five hours' time."
      He hugged me tightly.
      "Yeah, I'm glad we took the job. I'm glad we decided to stay here. I'm glad I met you in the first place, and I'm very glad you put up with me. I love you."
      I twisted to look into loving grey-green eyes.
      "As I love you. Life is good, isn't it?"
      He kissed me, and I opened to the happiness and contentment filling him.
      "Oh yes, love. Life is very good..."