Finn nodded. They passed a law ten years ago stating any enhanced would be subject to special postmortems. There were a few religious groups that made a fuss, but Finn was surprised at how little people seemed to be disturbed.
“I don’t think I would get into trouble telling you this, but we’ve had at least fifteen years with the rate of transformation being very low. You know transformation….”
“Yeah, yeah,” Finn quickly agreed. That was when the enhanced first developed their abilities and the mark on their face, usually around adolescence.
“And you know the enhanced are sterile?”
Finn swallowed. He’d heard that on the news. Actually he heard some religious nut saying it was God’s wrath, punishing the abominations so no one else had to suffer.
“Thing is, when they found that out, it was as if people weren’t worried anymore. Aliens or super beings weren’t going to take over the world.” Drew chuckled. “I think that’s why we’ve never had a mass panic on our hands or anything.”
“But you’ve got some super beings,” Finn argued.
“Yeah, and no other law enforcement agency will touch them. Gregory thinks that’s very shortsighted.”
He has a point, thought Finn. “I guess a lot of the abilities are being kept out of the news. What you said about Vance, for instance. First I’ve heard about anything like that.” And the thing Talon did in Gregory’s office, which was downright scary.
“Yes, the government has been downplaying things for years.”
“So why did none of the trainees work out?” Finn finished his beer and waited to see if he was going to get an answer.
“Two failed the standard questions on the first day.” Drew grinned. “At least I know you passed those.”
Finn hesitated. “You do?” He cleared his throat.
“Yeah. You wouldn’t still be here. Seriously, they didn’t tell you? That sucks.” Drew finished his beer also and stood. “The third one had a massive argument with Talon and quit. Said he wasn’t working with murdering freaks.”
“Wow,” Finn said. “And the fourth one? You said there were four.”
“I didn’t tell you.” Drew almost glared at Finn.
“Okay.” Finn’s heart sped up a little.
“I’m not sure exactly, but I think Eli lost control.”
“What happened?”
Drew shrugged. “Look, it’s not for me to say. I wasn’t there. All I know is that Michaelson was carried out of the gym on a stretcher with severe burns and never came back to work.” He grabbed his car keys off the table. “Six weeks ago.”
Chapter Seven
DREW PULLED his car up to his building this time. “I’d offer a ride tomorrow, but it’s my day off.”
Finn smiled and thanked him for the beer and the ride.
“Do you want to borrow some jeans?”
Finn shook his head. “Nah, there’s a washer and dryer in there. I’ll manage.”
He slid the plastic entry card to open the door to his block and headed up the stairs. So Drew wasn’t as confident as he seemed at first, then? He wondered what Eli had done that caused the burns. Finn had only seen him at the meeting with Gregory and the rest of the team, and Eli hadn’t even glanced his way when the introductions were being made. Finn just noted the dark brown hair and the two-day-old stubble and never gave him much thought after that. Eli certainly wasn’t present when Drew took Finn down in the gym.
Finn rounded the corner of the stairs and stopped in shock. Talon sat on the floor, his back propped up against Finn’s apartment door, with Finn’s bag from the plane resting beside him. Talon’s head was lowered, and he hadn’t looked up when Finn turned down the corridor, but somehow Finn knew Talon was very well aware he was there. So why wouldn’t he acknowledge him?
“Oh cool, thanks.” He took a step closer and fished for his key.
Talon opened his eyes and looked straight at Finn, and Finn came to a sudden halt. Desperation. Sadness. Futility. All those and more in the blue eyes that stared nearly unseeing into Finn’s. Something had happened.
Finn swallowed and took another step. “Want a coffee?” he asked casually, and Talon heaved himself upright. He didn’t reply, but he followed Finn inside. Finn walked straight into the kitchen and waved at the stool. “Take a seat.”
He opened two of the wrong cupboards before he found the coffee. Talon still hadn’t said a word, but Finn was never one to talk when he was nervous. Talon sat and didn’t seem like he was in a hurry to leave. Finn could wait. He got two mugs and the cream and sugar out, and then stood awkwardly silent while it brewed. Finn turned to confirm Talon wanted it black as he had in the diner, but the words dried in his throat. Talon had silently slid off the stool and stood so close, Finn took a step back when he turned around.
“What happened?” he asked, his fingers itching to touch Talon’s bent head.
Talon sighed and took the coffee from the counter. “We were too late.”
Finn sipped his own, but when there didn’t seem to be any more info coming, he said, “Drew said it was at a school.”
“I’ve never known a kid not to wake up with it, ever. It always happens overnight. But this one, he was playing ball and got into it with some other kid because he cheated. There was a fight, and he pushed him.”
“Who? The enhanced did?” Finn asked.
Talon rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Yeah. Except the kid he pushed flew back straight into a brick wall and demolished it. He’s currently in Tampa General with severe head injuries. They’re not sure he’s gonna make it.”
“What happened to the other kid?”
“The cops arrived at the same time as the kid’s parents. Apparently they live close, and the dad works nights, so he was home. By this time the kid was nearly hysterical. The teacher was trying to calm him down, and she told us the mark just grew before her eyes as the kid was crying. He wouldn’t let anyone near him, just kept screaming for his mom.” Talon looked up again, and Finn’s heart seemed to tighten at the hollowness in Talon’s eyes.
“And his mom and dad came?”
Talon nodded. “The kid was distraught. He was crying and shaking, and the mom and dad arrived. His mom called his name and started to go near, and then he looked up when he heard her. She just screamed, and the kid cried and ran toward her. The dad….” Talon stopped, his throat working. “He pushed him away,” he whispered. “Told him not to come anywhere near his wife. Said he had to stay back. We arrived at the same time as the cops, and they took him out without giving us a chance to talk to him.”
“Took…. You mean they sedated him, don’t you?” Fuck, it sounded like they shot the kid.
Talon nodded. “But he wasn’t completely out straight away. Crying desperately for his mom, and his dad just turned to the cops and told them to take him away. That he was no son of theirs. That they had to take him because he was never coming in their house ever again.
“There was nothing I could do,” Talon said. “I thought Gael was gonna kill the dad. I had to get the team back.”
“What will happen?” Finn asked in horror.
“State takes them. The ones no one wants. The ones who are thrown away.”
Finn felt his own eyes burning, and he blinked.
Talon shook his head as if in complete disbelief. “That’s why this unit has to work. We have to show we’re not monsters. We have to show we don’t need locking up. We could start all sorts of outreach programs—go to schools, even.”
Finn closed the gap between them. He had no thought except comfort, except showing this man who hurt so badly that not everyone condemned them. He put his hand out to touch Talon’s shoulder without thinking, and Talon raised his face. Finn stopped. Something changed. He couldn’t swallow in his closed throat. The blue in Talon’s eyes deepened and seemed to draw him in. His warm breath ghosted over Finn’s lips, and Finn’s heart seemed to slow.
Talon moved. Not so much moved as launched himself at Finn. It was only Talon
planting his arms around Finn’s back that kept Finn upright against the onslaught as Talon’s mouth savaged his.
Finn was stunned, reeling. He froze for a second, and then, as he felt Talon react to his immobility, just as Talon stiffened and Finn knew he was about to step away, Finn’s lips seemed to remember what to do, how to respond. He couldn’t help the grunt as he latched onto Talon and feverishly hung on in case Talon thought he wasn’t interested.
Talon responded just as desperately, and Finn felt his feet almost clear the floor as Talon dragged Finn’s body against his. Finn arched as Talon threaded his fingers through Finn’s hair and bent his head. Kissing didn’t come close to the way Talon possessed Finn’s mouth. He bit and pulled at Finn’s lower lip with his teeth, and the groan that reverberated in Talon’s throat traveled to Finn’s cock.
Finn held on and tugged at Talon’s hair, desperate for him not to move. Desperate for more. Never in his wildest fantasies had anything like this happened.
Then Talon moved his hand to the front of Finn’s jeans, and Finn whined an urgent warning. His cock throbbed and pulsed, and he was desperate to feel Talon’s fingers. Finn arched against Talon, blood pounding in his ears, blood pounding in his groin. He just needed…. Talon slid his hand down the front of Finn’s jeans and cupped his cock through his boxers. Finn tried to pull away, tried to break the kiss, or he would come in his jeans. Talon just growled, and the sound went straight to Finn’s balls.
“No.” Talon nearly shouted the word and pushed Finn away.
Finn’s knees gave out, and he staggered before collapsing on the floor. He blinked, completely dazed.
“I can’t. I’m sorry.” Talon dragged a hand through his hair, gave Finn one desperate look, and strode to the door. He banged it shut behind him.
Finn raised a shaky hand to his swollen lips. What the fuck?
He got to his feet and winced. He needed a shower. He didn’t even know where to begin sorting all that out in his head, but in his limited experience with hand jobs, he’d just had the best sex of his life, and he never even removed his clothes.
What the hell did that mean for work tomorrow?
Chapter Eight
FINN DROVE his car up to yet another barrier the next morning. This was “the Farm”—the outside training area and shooting range. Apparently it was secure because the guy currently inspecting his security pass was in combat fatigues, but he knew it couldn’t be the regular military because they weren’t allowed to be armed on US soil. It was probably private contractors, maybe the National Guard.
The soldier directed him to where he should park and waved him through. Finn didn’t know whether to feel excited or just plain sick. He was looking forward to showing some sort of knowledge, at least with a handgun and at least in theory, but he had no idea how to react to Talon this morning.
He recognized Talon’s truck as he pulled in alongside three other cars. Finn turned the engine off and sat a few seconds, contemplating the large building in front of him. It looked like some sort of warehouse, with no names or any sort of designation on the small door set casually to one side. Finn had gulped two cups of coffee this morning, but his stomach was too tied in knots to be able to force any food down his throat. Maybe he’d feel better if he didn’t make a fool of himself with a gun.
Not for one second did he expect to last even four weeks here, but maybe if he didn’t make a complete idiot of himself, he might get a shot at Quantico. Or was he fooling himself? He knew he was here because he’d never had a chance at Quantico, not really.
Finn got out of the car and walked to the door. He smiled as he pushed open the door and was met by Gael.
“Hey, kid,” Gael greeted him.
He grinned and unobtrusively scanned the room. The team was there sitting around a large table, drinking coffee, with the exception of one obvious person: Talon. He’s here, though. Finn had seen the truck, so that meant Talon was avoiding him.
Finn accepted a coffee from Gael and looked quietly at the other agents. He was too nervous to really notice them yesterday. Gael and Vance were the biggest of the guys. Gael was roughly the same build as Talon, but Vance was… huge. He remembered what Drew told him last night, that strength was Vance’s ability, and he wasn’t surprised. He looked like he bench-pressed trucks, and that was without any enhancement. Eli and Sawyer were the smallest of the group. Sawyer was slim, with big shoulders, though, that tapered to a narrow waist. More of a swimmer’s body than a wrestler. Finn remembered that Sawyer could deconstruct metal in seconds.
He glanced at Eli as Gael and Vance were chatting about some game. Eli never seemed to speak. He also never seemed to actually look at Finn, and he suddenly wondered if there was a reason why Eli didn’t want him there apart from the whole “humans not working with enhanced” thing. Drew had told him about the agent with the burns.
At just that second, Eli lifted his head and stared right at Finn. His eyes were challenging, almost mocking, and Finn had an awful feeling the guy knew what he was thinking.
“So I’m assuming you wouldn’t have gotten to the ripe old age of twenty-four and a fed wannabe without knowing something about guns, then?” Gael asked but didn’t stop for a reply. He carried a plastic basket with four different guns and three boxes of ammo.
Finn blinked. What should he say? He did know about guns, in theory. He could rattle off the latest decision for the FBI deciding to change their handguns of choice to the Glock 19 because of the recoil. He could quote the statistics that proved most gunfights happened within three seconds and three feet of an opponent. He could also tell anyone who was interested that the national accuracy of police officers hitting their targets was only 15 percent.
He just hadn’t actually ever held a gun, let alone fired it. Shit.
Gael held headphones and goggles out to him. “No one goes through that door without eyes and ears on.”
He followed Gael’s nod to the door behind him. The top half was glass, but Finn couldn’t see anything behind it except for a wall. He took the headphones and goggles from Gael and followed him, conscious of three other people all getting to their feet and following them.
Where the hell was Talon?
TALON WAS a coward, he acknowledged in disgust. He’d watched Finn, and he admired his guts. It must have taken some to appear in front of the team like that, knowing Talon was here somewhere. He stood on the observation deck that ran alongside the range. There was a one-way glass so an instructor could watch a trainee in any of the lanes. There was also a microphone, so Talon heard everything Finn said—or rather, what he didn’t.
He knew the purpose of this morning was to add another failure to Finn’s tally. He agreed originally along with the team that, if by some miracle the kid made it to his second day, they would make sure he didn’t get any further. The added bonus was Drew wasn’t here to document anything. Talon been convinced for months that an all-enhanced team was the right way to go.
There was no way anyone could know about Sawyer or Gael’s extra abilities. They also weren’t ready to tell an unsuspecting human population their abilities were evolving. The enhanced had always developed their powers instantly at the same time as the mark, even if some of the kids didn’t know what they were. It wasn’t something that ever grew or changed, and that was why the humans saw them as less of a threat. Gael certainly would never again see the outside of a laboratory if they knew what he could do. And Sawyer? It didn’t bear thinking about.
The whole purpose of the unit was to turn the monsters into heroes.
Talon sighed. He was the furthest thing from a hero, but if he was going to do one thing, it was to make sure no more enhanced children were ever rejected by their parents. He already tried to visit the kid from yesterday and was barred. The hospital had cited that he wasn’t family, but Talon knew that was complete bullshit. His family didn’t want anything to do with him. The kid would be terrified. Gregory had agreed to make some phone calls to help him out.
Talon narrowed his eyes as he heard Gael offering Finn a choice of gun. Gael was subtly intimating he should go with the Sig Sauer P229, knowing full well Finn had slim hands and would be better with the H & K. He was deliberately setting him up to fail, and Talon wasn’t sure how much longer he could watch. Gael never attempted to correct Finn’s shaky stance. Never corrected his grip or his bent elbows. Never warned him the first shot would have the most recoil.
Like last night, how Finn had sought to offer comfort, and how Talon was the one responsible for taking it too far.
Fuck, he couldn’t watch this anymore… not without doing something about it. Talon whirled around and raced out of the door. He clattered down the steps, grabbed a pair of goggles and headphones, and entered the range. The door slammed open just as Finn took his first shot and completely missed.
Gael smirked, especially when Finn nearly dropped the gun because of the pain Talon knew he would have felt in his wrist.
“You lot go get your practice in. I’ll take over.” Talon nearly growled the order.
Gael’s eyebrows shot upward, but he gave a goofy grin. “About time,” he said pointedly, and he turned and left with Sawyer, Vance, and Eli to go to the other end of the range.
Talon ignored the guns and looked at Finn. “Come on.” He exited the range, and Finn shuffled after him to the large table. Talon took off his goggles and headphones, and Finn copied him. “Sit,” he ordered. Shit, Finn wasn’t even looking at him. “How many times have you actually fired a gun?” Talon asked bluntly.
Finn looked up with resignation written all over his face. Talon suddenly wanted to see a different look. “Once,” Finn admitted.
Talon opened his mouth to ask where but paused. “Just now?” he said incredulously.
Finn nodded again miserably.
“But how?” Talon asked. “It’s not like it’s difficult to go to a local firing range. You told me you’ve wanted to be a fed for ten years. I can’t believe you’ve never fired a gun before.”
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