Code Red

by Emrys Apollo

“I just needed hard evidence of what they are up to,” Dustin says softly, “I didn't mean to get anyone else caught up in this.”

  Oscar rests his hand on Dustin's knee, he's not sure why but he really wants to comfort him, tell him that it'll all be ok but he's not sure if it will be. In the end he simply says, “I wanted a break from my normal life and now I've got it.” Dustin stares intensely at him. Oscar's not sure if it's the beer, the adrenaline or Dustin's big blue eyes persuading him but he lunges in for a kiss. They're straight into a passionate kiss, tongues exploring like tentacles as hands try and liberate each other from all that clothing.

  When the moans subside and the kiss ends Oscar says, “I don't even know your name”.

  “Dustin.”

  “Oscar.”

  “Beautiful name for a beautiful guy,” Dustin says just to watch Oscar smile. It's a wonderful smile and although he knows that this is probably a bad idea, a primal response to a stressful situation, he can't help but lean in for another kiss, and another, and another.

  ***

  “PC Torrance and Warner,” he says pointing to Jonas as they hold up their id's for the security guy at the bank. They're expecting them so it's only a matter of minutes before they're being escorted to the sixth floor, the scene of the crime.

  The office is deserted, the staff have all been taken to a meeting room to be interviewed about what happened. It looks like any other office in any other building. If they didn't already know what they did here they wouldn't be able to guess.

  They're given a file with all the details of the employee whose desk it is. She's currently in police custody until they figure out if she's in on it or not, although from what Jonas knows of this hacker he'd be very surprised if they had someone helping them. They seem to be a lone wolf, either they don't work well with others or they don't want anyone else getting in to trouble. Jonas isn't sure which one is true but he hopes it's the latter, somehow that makes them seem more noble.

  Jonas asks if forensics are done with the desk and once he gets the all clear he sits down and starts to go through all the recent activity on the computer. There's no sign of the programs that would be needed to steal data from a secure system but he wasn't expecting to find any evidence here. However the bank should know which files were accessed and copied at the time the hacker was in the building.

  The next stop is the bank manager, a guy called Ebenezer, who has an odd demeanor which changes to downright suspicious when Jonas asks about the compromised files.

  “Does it matter what was stolen?” Mr. Ebenezer asks incredulously. “This guy has to be stopped!”

  “One, if we don't have any evidence of what was stolen we can't charge this guy with theft. Two, knowing what he took will help us catch him before he can sell the data on,” Jonas says in an authoritative tone, although there's something about the bank manager's evasive answers that sets off alarm bells.

  “I'm sure your shareholders and customers don't want their account details in the hands of criminals,” Jonas says. It's not a threat but it really does sound like one.

  “I know the commissioner,” Mr. Ebenezer says hastily. This is most definitely a threat, however Jonas chooses to ignore it, this is not argument he'll win. He looks to his colleague for support but Torrance looks downright bored at being stuck on this case.

  “All we want is our data back and this guy caught,” Mr. Ebenezer says stubbornly.

  “Any information you give us will remain completely confidential and it will help us catch the guy who did this. I suggest you talk to your lawyers,” Jonas adds while tapping Torrance's shoulder to indicate that they're leaving now. A card with the details for Sergeant Coving is left on the desk. Jonas has got all the useful information he's going to get from here. Now he needs to see the security camera surrounding the building, see if he can determine where the hacker escaped to.

  Jonas is back in the car and they're heading for the police security camera headquarters but the traffic is slow, it's rush hour now, although it tends to last two or three hours.

  “Did you think there was something suspicious about the bank manager?” Jonas asks Torrance while they're stopped at traffic lights. When he gets no response he carries on thinking out loud, “what do they have to hide?”

  “I guess they just don't want people to know their security sucks,” Torrance adds with a shrug. But Jonas heavily suspects that their reasons for trying to keep this quiet are much more sinister than that.

  After an hour of awkward silence in the car they're finally at the security camera headquarters. They flash their badges at the entrance but they recognize quite a few of the people from crime scenes or the station. Another PC leads the way to the main room and introduces them to the PC on duty.

  They know that the hacker was spotted in the alley behind the bank, but there's no cameras there, so they check the only exit but there's no sign of their guy. The report on his sighting shows that he dragged a hostage into Burgerino's and then disappeared before armed response could show up. So they check the security camera for the exits from there, nothing spotted at the main doors but the delivery entrance gives them a glimpse of their hacker with a second guy. Is he the hostage? Jonas wonders, but he doesn't look like he's under any duress, could he be in on it?

  Following the two suspects through the busy town centre, even though there's lots of cameras covering the area, is hard due to the sheer number of people milling about and after a couple of streets they lose sight of two suspects. Jonas sighs, yet another dead end and they're no closer to catching them.

  “Anyone got an idea who the hostage/accomplice might be?” Jonas asks, and the PC scrabbles to pull up the investigation files on the computer. It's only got the details of where the 'kidnapping' took place but not who was taken. Jonas grabs the phone and calls up the manager of Burgerino's, a Bob Slade, this should have been done already by the PC's at the scene earlier, and asks if any of his staff went missing at around 12 p.m. today.

  “Yeah, one of the guys didn't come back after lunch but he'd not be the first person just to walk out halfway through a shift. We have quite a high staff turnover,” Bob Slade says and he can hear the disinterest in his voice.

  “Does this guy have a name?” Jonas asks. He tries, and fails, not to sound impatient.

  “Oscar, Oscar Heston,” Bob Slade says and Jonas quickly thanks him before hanging up. The PC's already putting the name into the database; it checks criminal records, drivers' licenses and visas. After a couple of minutes it finds a driver's license and all of Oscar's information pops up on the screen, address, height, the fact that he wears glasses and that he's an organ donor.

  Jonas scribbles down the address and radios in that they're going to check it out, as well as putting out a general alert for any sightings of Oscar and the hacker. He runs back to the car with Torrance trailing behind him.

  Their journey to Oscar's flat is made so much quicker with the blue flashing lights and siren blaring. Less than fifteen minutes later they're banging on the door. There's no answer and they've not yet got a warrant to search the place so all they can do is chat to a couple of neighbors, all of whom give similar responses of the theme 'quiet guy, kept to himself', which doesn't really help them get a warrant or figure out if he's a victim or a criminal.

  Reluctantly they leave the flat but all the neighbors that spoke to them have their details and instructions to call if they see Oscar or anyone else lurking around the flat. Jonas doubts he would be stupid enough to come home if he's involved but if he's a hostage then who knows where the two of them might end up.

  Slinking back into the station with new information that doesn't actually answer any questions, Jonas prepares for a long night trying to work out what the bank is hiding. As he gets back to his desk Sergeant Coving quizzes him on what he's found out. He gives the highlights of his afternoon, including all the dead ends, and how certain PC's on patrol need to do their job a bit better.

  “So, no luck find
ing your boyfriend?” Gerald shouts out from his desk nearby. Jonas freezes in panic, his first thought is how do they know? Before he realizes that he's just saying that to be a smartass, because the other guys around here find this sort of thing funny and they actually have no idea that he's gay or that until yesterday he was dating 'the hacker known as Dusty-Day' or more accurately Dustin that he went to university with.

  “No luck finding the suspect or his hostage or accomplice,” Jonas states before sarcastically adding, “I didn't know you were working on the FC Bank investigation.” Sergeant Coving scowls at Gerald to get back on with his own work. It'll not earn Jonas any friends but if anyone finds out he knows Dustin, the suspect and didn't say anything he'll not only be fired but charged with perverting the course of justice.

  He'd warned Dustin not to do this, to let him find a legal way to bring the bank to account for their crimes. Jonas had pleaded with him but he just wouldn't listen, Dustin was tired of waiting and when he got the job working on their security system it pushed him into action.

  Jonas replays the last conversation that he had with Dustin, trying to see if he left any hints about what he would do afterwards.

  “I'm going in tomorrow,” Dustin says.

  “Please wait, I'm still trying to find a way to do this legally,” Jonas pleads. They've been together so long that he knows Dustin won't back down. It's both adorable and annoying all at the same time.

  “You've been saying that for two years now. I have this opportunity now but if I wait it'll disappear and who knows when I'll get another chance,” Dustin says stubbornly. “You don't care about justice, only upholding laws that protect these criminals!” Dustin yells, it sounds strange distorted by the phone's low quality speaker.

  “I love you, please don't do this!” Jonas pleads but Dustin's not listening to him.

  “I'm going to do this with or without you,” and Jonas can hear the disappointment in Dustin's voice. As the line goes dead Jonas slumps onto the floor in the locker room. He's on shift now, if he was to leave for a couple of hours it would be suspicious and Dustin knows that. That's why Dustin waited until now to call; so that there's nothing Jonas could do to stop him. Jonas' blood runs cold, there's no way he can avoid being called into this investigation, he's the only one that understands cyber crimes and Dustin knows this too. But will he be able to protect Dustin? And does he want to?

  It's nearly midnight and he's been on shift for over twenty-four hours now, he's barely eaten today and his head is just spinning with worry. But he can't leave until he's at least tried to make this situation better. He's going to talk to his superior about the bank's crimes and see if they can at least use this mess to get a conviction there. It probably won't excuse Dustin's crimes but it would make him feel better.

  His talk with Sergeant Coving leaves him feeling worse. He's told that there's not enough evidence to open an investigation against the bank and that once the hacker is caught it can all be sorted out then. Although Jonas knows that they'll find a way to cover it all up while making sure that Dustin goes to jail for stealing customer accounts or however they end up spinning it to make sure that the public think Dustin's the bad guy and not them.

  Once Jonas is home he tries to sleep but he ends up wondering where Dustin is and what he's doing now.

  CHAPTER 3

  Dustin's straddling Oscar's lap as he pulls off his t-shirt to reveal his tattoos. He loves that just the sight of them renders Oscar speechless and uses this to peel Oscar out of his t-shirt too. Oscar's glasses end up tangled in his t-shirt and Dustin extricates them and places them on the coffee table out of the way.

  Oscar's thankful that he's short sighted so that he can still see Dustin and his magnificent tattoos without his glasses. He slowly kisses his way along the edge of his large chest tattoo, making sure to take his time dragging his tongue and lips over Dustin's sensitive nipples, and is rewarded with almost pornographic moans.

  Dustin grows impatient with Oscar and drags him into a sloppy kiss while he tries to discreetly rearrange himself as there's now a lot less space in his jeans. He pulls his jeans and boxers down so that his raging erection can be free. Oscar bites his lip and Dustin pushes Oscar back on the sofa so that he can slide him out of his jeans. It takes every bit of his self control not to embarrass himself at the sight of Oscar's cock, it's big and thick and he's practically drooling over it. As he's staring a small drop of pre-come oozes out and with that Dustin's wrapping his lips around Oscar's cock, moaning in pleasure and gagging from the size of him in equal measure.

  Oscar's gasping the word 'fuck' over and over again as a slightly blurry but content looking Dustin sucks him off with ease now that he's settled into a rhythm. Dustin looks just so good with a cock in his mouth, like it's his natural state, and Oscar's running his fingers through Dustin's hair but he's trying not place any pressure on him. He just loves how soft Dustin's hair feels. Dustin's coordination is being fully tested as he tries to fully take Oscar into his mouth while his left hand plays with Oscar's balls and his right hand strokes his own cock.

  The taste of come starts to fill Dustin's mouth and it pushes him over the edge, it's a spectacular orgasm, he's not felt like this in a long while. Not since… Oscar goes limp and Dustin suddenly feels sick, everything he's done over the last day hits him with full force and he staggers to the bathroom. Leaving Oscar, who's already beginning to sleep, calm and content on the sofa.

  Dustin locks the bathroom door and tears are streaming down his face. How could he do this? Not the crimes, they're justified to expose the bank's larger crimes, but cheat on his boyfriend? He loves Jonas; he's loved him since the first day they met. Yes, they've been distant lately, arguing about this stupid fucking bank, the stupid fucking laws that protect them. Even though he knows Jonas does his best to make sure justice prevails, that's why he became a police officer, to make the world a better place. And Dustin's so proud of him, proud that he's his boyfriend. They'd even been talking about marriage but then he'd shut him out and moved out. Given up on the best thing he has in his life and for what?

  All the destructive thoughts gang up on him and he's curled up on the floor, hand stuffed in his mouth to muffle the cries, wondering how he managed to fuck up his life so badly.

  ***

  There's a soft knock on the door and Dustin wakes with a jolt. His body aches all over from sleeping on the cold hard floor. It takes him a minute to realize where he is, but when he does he ends up taking huge deep breaths to stop him bursting into tears again. He knows if he doesn't get his shit together he's going to end up in jail.

  “I was just going to get a cold shower!” Dustin jokes and he hopes it's enough to convince Oscar that everything's okay.

  “Sure,” is Oscar's response and he sounds anything but.

  Dustin hears the lock turn and Oscar enters still holding the screwdriver he used to open the simple lock. Oscar sees Dustin fully naked, water running down over his heavily inked skin; somehow he looks completely different now that the lust has been removed from the equation. Still ridiculously good looking but strangely he looks more real, more human than before.

  “Brave enough to get a shower?” Dustin mocks, giving Oscar a cheeky wink. Oscar shakes his head and Dustin wanders out to rummage around the house to find some clothing. He puts his own boxers back on but the rest of the clothes are courtesy of the deceased homeowner. Dustin thinks he should feel bad about taking them but if anyone wanted them they'd have collected them already, rather than leaving them to be demolished with the house.

  Once he's dressed Dustin feels like he could face an army, on his own, without blinking. The cold has snapped him out of his self-loathing and given him an idea about how he's going to get out of this situation.

  ***

  Jonas is sitting on the floor in the locker room for the second day in a row. There are no new leads as to where Dustin could have gone and he's getting increasingly desperate. He's sure Dustin must be equally desper
ate as apart from him he doesn't really have any friends to turn to in the city. Jonas racks his mind trying to work out where he could be when it suddenly hits him.

  He may not have many friends, but he does have a computer savvy enemy here.

  ***

  Hank's sitting around his small computer repair shop, although it seems to double as an internet café, if people bring their own tea and coffee, and general hangout for the computer game obsessed. There are sofas and other assorted bits of furniture that have been rescued from the side of the road and skips, along with random old video games and pinball machines. It's pretty much what his younger self dreamed of, a cool hangout for the geeky, and it suits Hank perfectly.

  He's got a few bits lined up for today and he's sure that many of his regulars will drop in some time and keep him amused with their tales but at no point did he think he would end up helping an ex-boyfriend evade the police.

  So when Hank opens the shutters for the shop, the last person he expects to see is Dustin fucking Dailey. Hank stares for a long time, mouth wide open; waiting for Dustin to talk.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Hank asks when Dustin doesn't respond. They haven't really seen each other in four years, since they dated for a few weeks in university. Dustin and Jonas had been on a break when Jonas had gone home for the summer in second year. Jonas had said it would be easier than being in a long distance relationship but Dustin had assumed he was going home to another boyfriend. Dustin had gone to Hank for a shoulder to cry on, knowing that Hank had a crush on him, so one thing led to another and they ended up sleeping together. But when Jonas returned Dustin had ditched Hank and gone running back to Jonas; which after that their friendship had suffered and it was awkward because all three of them were on the same course.

  Two years of watching Dustin and Jonas be all adorable and loving, followed by a brief period of actually having Dustin all to himself, only to have to endure two more years of watching Dustin and Jonas fawn all over each other. Hank's over it now, but at the time he was so mad at Dustin for using him.