Fearless Leader (Juxtapose City)

by Tricia Owens

  Calyx straightened, too surprised to respond.

  "You use sex to manipulate them."

  The empath lowered his lashes, his mouth twitching with amusement. "I don't need to manipulate anything, sweetheart. People look at me and naughty things just naturally come to mind." He shrugged, brushing a hand deliberately across his throat, drawing Black's eyes there. "I might encourage others to think about sex when they're around me but that's only because it's so easy. People want to be dirty. They just need the excuse. You all do."

  Black's eyebrow lifted at his use of the word 'you'.

  Calyx tapped his forehead. "Anyone who's not a psypath. It's a sale day at a department store in most people's minds. Jumbled, noisy thoughts, conflicting emotions. Such a headache, really. You're the only one who has any order in your mind. Or maybe as I suspect you're just hiding all of the particularly juicy bits where I can't see them. Is that it? Are you holding out on me, you tease?"

  Black punched in some codes. "Nothing that would interest you. You're only interested in sex. I have more important things to think about."

  "The perfect answer of the sexually repressed," Calyx said with a delighted laugh. "Now do you understand why I'm interested in you? You're a locked door, sweetheart. You give no one a key and you never answer the door when anyone knocks." He licked his lips. "Ah, but sometimes, sometimes I get a peek through the keyhole and what I find there..." The empath's voice grew husky. "It's like glimpsing you as you're stripping. Underneath all of that darkness is something hungry, something desperate, something, oh, so deliciously vulnerable." The empath felt something tickle his senses. It made his pulse quicken. "The more you suppress it the stronger it grows, doesn't it?" Beside the other man's ear, he murmured, "I enjoy feeling your desire, the lust that sometimes catches you by surprise. I get turned-on when I can sense you fighting it. The struggle makes it so much sweeter to me."

  "I'm not fighting anything," Black said, pulling away. But there was a faint pink tinge to his dusky cheeks. Calyx could practically see the iron control Black was holding over his emotions.

  "To paraphrase Shakespeare, I think you protest too much," Calyx murmured. He caught Black's hand and quickly pulled it beneath the flaps of the long duster he wore. Black's expression was frozen into one of horrified fascination. "Curious?" Calyx whispered, drawing the other man's hand slowly toward his body. "Want to know what it feels like to just give in?"

  "Stop this."

  But Calyx didn't need his empathy to sense the uncertainty Black was emitting. Risking castration, Calyx pressed the trembling hand to his groin. Black's hand was hot against him. The empath groaned at the sudden flare of desire that swelled in his cock.

  "Why can't you just give in for a little while?" he whispered, watching Black from beneath his lashes. Black was still staring at where his hand disappeared beneath Calyx's jacket. "I won't hurt you. You won't hurt me. Just pleasure, Darkness. Surely you miss it? I know it's been so long for you..."

  But the moment he spoke the words the empath knew he'd said the wrong thing. Black yanked his hand back. Calyx let him. The flush on Black's cheeks faded swiftly as he determinedly completed the programming and stepped back. "You're confusing what you sense from other people with what you can't sense from me." His sable eyes blazed. "Get this straight, Starr: I'm. Not. Interested."

  "Maybe," Calyx murmured, swallowing his disappointment, "then again maybe you simply can't admit it. Not even to yourself."

  Deciding to take pity on his leader for the time being the empath turned his attention to the screen. Black had chosen "Dance Club, Robbery". "Someday," the empath said casually, "I'll take you dancing at a club like that. I'd like to see you fight your feelings on a dance floor, Darkness. Skin to skin, hip to hip with me and no place to hide -- I bet you'd be amazing."

  Not waiting for a response, Calyx raised the laser gun and the screen exploded into motion, dancers and club lighting flashing in a dizzying whirlwind. It was a robbery scenario with several masked thugs robbing the club's two bars. Shots rang out. Young dancers screamed and ran across the screen. It was difficult to separate the clubbers from the robbers and the uncertain lighting didn't help. Calyx found himself frowning a little, concentrating on the beam of his gun as it played across the screen.

  "You must lose yourself, sometimes."

  Calyx almost took his eyes off the screen the comment was so unexpected. He fired twice, taking down one thug and missing the other. "Lose myself how?"

  "When you feel so much from other people you must lose track of what it is that you feel." Black paused as the empath accidentally shot a female clubber in the leg. "So do you? Do you find it hard to separate yourself?"

  Calyx wounded another thug but also shot a bartender in the process. No one had ever asked him such a question before. He hadn't really thought of it that much himself.

  "I -- it happens, I suppose," he said distractedly, firing and missing.

  "Do you even know for sure what your own feelings are?"

  Two more clubbers went down screaming from errant bullets. Calyx lowered the gun. The screen froze.

  "Why do you care?" Calyx demanded, annoyed that his concentration had been broken by a single, ridiculous question.

  Black took the gun from him, careful that their fingers didn't touch. He inspected the gun before raising his eyes to the taller man. "Because if you don't know what you feel you can't know what you want. You think you want me, but you don't. Not really. You only want me to feel something for you. You're used to reflecting other people's emotions back at them and when you can't do that with me, it frustrates you. You view me as a challenge. But that's all this is, Starr."

  Calyx stared at him, any glib reply lost to him. "I had no idea you were a telepath, sweetheart."

  Russet eyes shuttered. Black frowned, turning to face the screen. "And I had no idea you're so afraid to face the truth."

  "There is no truth," Calyx returned. "Everything is perception. Life is what you choose to show yourself." He smiled suddenly. "The world shows me lust and greed and anger and hate. If it's my feelings or someone else's it doesn't matter. That's how it is. I can't block it so I live with it." He shrugged. "So to answer your question: maybe you're right: perhaps I am truly myself only when I'm not. Only when I'm high on Bliss."

  "That's a sad thought."

  "It's the only time the masses are silent, sweetheart."

  "And yet when they're gone you miss them," Black said quietly, staring at the frozen club scene.

  Calyx said nothing, a rare unease settling over him. Black sounded almost as if he understood and Calyx had never experienced such empathy from a non-psypath before. The cold hard truth was that no one ever cared about a freak's viewpoint. As long as a psypath's attention wasn't focused on them people were willing to give him a wide berth.

  Calyx watched Black reactivate the simulation. Black moved like a stalking panther, every action deliberate and controlled. Steady, precise shifts of his shoulders and arms were his only movements as he tracked his targets with the laser beam. Two perpetrators down. Three. Four. Black didn't waste a shot. Not a single bystander was harmed. Black was obviously very familiar with a gun. Familiar too, with dealing with psypaths, Calyx reminded himself. In leading JC2 in the fight against Bliss Black had a perspective that few others did. It wasn't empathy or telepathy; it was experience on the street.

  The realization was somewhat disappointing to Calyx, which amused him. Since when did he need someone to understand him? You're becoming too obsessed with him, sweetheart. Better rein it in.

  A feat that was easy to accomplish when a pair of men entered their cubicle.

  "I knew I'd find you here," Captain Dickerson said, sounding pleased with himself. "Even on a day like today, Lieutenant Black doesn't relax an inch."

  Calyx smiled thinly at the captain, grateful that the older man was wearing a tab. He hated feeling the man's greasy lust. It was like taking a bath in used vegetable oil. "Captain Dickwad
, come to watch us shoot off? Or perhaps give us some tips on how to handle our weapons? I know you handle yours all the time."

  Dickerson chuckled. "I see Black hasn't tamed that mouth of yours yet."

  Calyx ignored him and turned his attention to the other newcomer. Calyx's interest sparked. He dragged a lock of purple-tinged hair across his lips as he regarded the captain's companion, the blond-haired man he had seen at the funeral. "And who's your handsome friend? Is this the big bad boy from JC1 that I've heard such flattering things about?"

  "Starr, can it," Black said. JC2's leader set down the gun and regarded Lieutenant Sundhill warily. "I'm surprised to see you both here."

  Sundhill was staring at Calyx with an obvious urge to laugh that was only barely restrained. "Lieutenant Black, I consider myself lucky to finally meet your newest team member."

  He was wearing a tab as well but Calyx could read the man even without his empathy. Calyx teased the lock of hair he held, sliding it seductively around the edges of his lips. Sundhill's eyes were glued to the motion. Calyx smiled and let the tip of his tongue play out a little. "Mmm, why is it, I wonder, that the boys of the JC Units are all so -- impressive," he said, deliberately running his eyes across Sundhill's broad shoulders and down his torso to his crotch.

  He heard Black mutter, "Jesus Christ."

  Sundhill grinned even more, his eyes darkening. "Nice new addition, Black. Very nice indeed." Sundhill glanced at the other lieutenant. "If you find yourself with your hands full I'd be happy to take him off your hands and train him for you."

  Fiery emotion flashed through the empath's head. Calyx sucked in his breath, his eyes shooting to Black in surprise. But the brown-haired leader of JC2 merely nodded in polite response. His face was a blank canvas.

  Captain Dickerson, unaware of anything going on, looked past Calyx and Black to the shooting screen. "How'd our little empath do?"

  Black slid Calyx a warning glance. "As well as you claimed. A little more training in maneuvering and handling other weapons and he should be fine."

  The captain had taken off his overcoat and was carrying it over one arm. He used it to motion towards the hall bisecting the range. "Excellent to hear, lieutenant. Then if you can spare him a moment, I'd like to do a little briefing of Agent Starr on my own." He smiled at the empath. "See how things are going from an empath's side."

  "This end's fine as it is, thank you," Calyx drawled.

  Dickerson just smiled. "Now come along like a good little freak, Starr. I've missed you."

  A stab of irritation and anger that was not his own made the empath look to Black. JC2's leader however, looked back calmly. "I'll be waiting," Black said.

  Shit, Calyx thought. But his smile for Captain Dickhead could have given Sundhill’s a run for the money.

  ~~~~~

  Captain Dickerson kicked the range commander out of his office and ushered Calyx inside. The sound of the lock clicking into place didn't affect the empath's smile in the least. He swept inside and surveyed the small room.

  "I would've thought you'd found some new playthings by now. Surely you're not still hard-up for little 'ol me?" he began.

  A heavy palm struck him across the face. Calyx cursed, gingerly touching his tongue to his split lip. "Guess you're not getting any?" he asked.

  "If I wanted to fuck you I'd do it on the range in front of everyone just to remind you of your place," the captain growled as he took the seat at the large metal desk that took up most of the room. "But I'm not interested in that just yet. I just got my physical back and I'm disease free. I'd like to remain that way."

  Taking the man's position behind the desk as a good sign that he wasn't about to get screwed, Calyx lowered himself into the seat across. "So it's not me you want, hmmm? I wish I could say I'm disappointed." Deciding the cut on his lip wouldn't mar his looks too badly, Calyx allowed himself a small, dark smile. "So is it my luscious lieutenant you're after? I received the most interesting readings from him last night."

  Dickerson's eyes widened minutely; only someone looking for the reaction would have seen it. Then the older man smiled smugly. "Nice try. If there's one thing Lieutenant Black does well it's keep a secret. What he and I do is none of your business. However--" the larger man leaned forward, pinning the empath with his gaze " -- what you and he do is very much my concern."

  Calyx arched a brow in amusement. "Jealous? Why I thought you wanted me to be the lieutenant's evening nightcap. Having second thoughts, Captain Dick?"

  "Shut up. I want more from you than that. When you finally slither your way into his bed, I want you to be the good little whore that you are and stay there. One time isn't going to be enough."

  "You demand so much of me," Calyx murmured, but inside, he was smirking. Did Captain Dickerson honestly think Calyx only intended a one night fling with Black? Having Darkness only once would be a torture beyond imagining. But Calyx wasn't stupid; he was from the streets, after all. "You're asking a lot. That man is like a robot. Gorgeous, yes, but I imagine his sexual technique will be about as thrilling as making love to a blender." He cocked his head, thoughtfully. "Although I have tried using various kitchen utensils at one time or another and some of them weren't bad..."

  "Enough with the idiocy," the captain snapped. "Become his lover and you'll get everything I promised you."

  "I.D.s, bar codes, the complete set-up in the Silent City?" Calyx confirmed in a sharp voice. Since Dickerson had made him this offer two months ago it had been sitting in the back of Calyx's mind like a diamond he was afraid to take to a jeweler's for fear it would turn out to be fake. It was the dream he was afraid to believe. But he yearned to. Oh, how he yearned to. Escape to the Silent City meant not only freedom but a chance to find a telepath strong enough to help him in his quest for personal revenge. "An entirely new identity that can never be traced or broken. Even by your boys?"

  Captain Dickerson nodded, studying the empath over steepled fingers. He smiled suddenly and Calyx did not like the look at all. "However, I require a little more."

  "You've already demanded that I sleep with him more than once," Calyx testily reminded him.

  Dickerson was unmoved. "I want you to report to me on the state of his mental health." His smile deepened at the empath's surprise. "He's under stress and he suffered a concussion a few days ago. He's reported headaches to the staff doctor but I want you to feel him out in the way a doctor can't. He's leading one of the most dangerous elite forces in the city. I can't have him buckling under the pressure and becoming a hazard to us. You’ll make regular reports to me about his condition."

  Calyx frowned, thinking back to all the times he had tried to read Black. It was like trying to read Braille without using your fingers. Then again Captain Dickerson didn't need to know everything. Calyx was good at feeding people what they wanted to swallow. He smiled slyly at the older man. "Whatever you want, sweetheart. No part of his body or mind will remain a secret to me. Or to you."

  Dickerson grinned, the sight making Calyx want to stick his finger down his throat. Scheming sleazeball. Calyx almost felt sorry for Black. The man obviously considered Captain Dickerson some sort of father figure. If only he knew.

  But what do I care? Calyx asked himself. His ticket to freedom from both the JCPD and those who wanted him dead in Juxtapose City was within his grasp. All he had to do was reach for it. Years of feeding off the streets, of fending off madness with the equal evil of Bliss -- all of it would soon be over if he pulled this off. Sanctuary in the Silent City. Just the thought made Calyx want to smile. And once he was there… revenge. Whatever it took to get him this he would do it.

  The captain's voice broke into his thoughts. "Now come over here, Starr, and earn your keep."

  Revulsion and self-disgust did nothing to mar Calyx's smirk as he stood and rounded the desk. "Don't you ever worry," he purred as he dropped to his knees between the other man’s spread legs, "that one day I'm going to get sick of this and bite your dick off?"

&n
bsp; The sudden wilting of the captain's erection was worth the slap to the face.

  ~~~~~

  "So is the empath as good as you claimed or are you fudging for the captain's sake?" Sundhill asked with a wink.

  Black crossed his arms and leaned against one wall of the shooting cubicle. He watched the other lieutenant inspect the range gun. "His technique is solid; he must have seen a lot of shooting. He's a little loose in his movements but that can be easily remedied. After he's gone through more training with my team he'll be effective enough to not be a detriment."

  "And you are extremely effective," Sundhill remarked. He looked up at Black and he smiled. "I'm sure this will come out sounding like I'm being condescending but I'm proud of you, lieutenant. JC2 is living up to every expectation the captain has set for you and not only that you're exceeding them. You're giving my team a run for the money."

  It did sound condescending but Black found himself not caring that much as a seed of warmth took root in his stomach.

  "Thank you," he said. "The truth of the matter though, is that JC2 is only as good as it is because you've set the precedent. You've given us a goal to shoot for. JC1 is the standard for us all."

  Sundhill set the gun aside, regarding Black with interest. "Do you really think so?" He grinned. "And as obvious as that sounded no, I'm not fishing for compliments."

  Black’s lips twitched. It was hard to remain stoic when Sundhill grinned at him like that. Andrew Sundhill smiled at you as though he shared a secret with you. To not give one in return seemed petty and juvenile. That was the last impression Black wanted to give to the man. When Black had begun his tutelage under Captain Dickerson it was Lieutenant Sundhill whom Black had tried to model himself after. The man's record was impeccable. His charisma added to his legend. In the JCPD it was Sundhill, not Dickerson, whom everyone aspired to be. Unfortunately his and Black's styles of leadership differed wildly. Sundhill could be a bit of a cowboy while Black stuck rigidly to proven styles and methods.