A Marked Man

by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

  “Was anyone else hurt at the scene?” “ No, we have the local police helping us as well. They pulled the bullet from the building so they’ll be looking at ballistics.” Derek sighed running a hand through his hair. “You safe?”

  “As safe as I’m going to be eating Jack in the Box.” Mateo smiled into the phone.

  Derek smiled. Mateo was at his house in Arizona. “The KFC is better.”

  “They have crack straws.” “ That’s McDonalds. I’ll call you when I get some more info.” Derek looked at the number for the Office of Homeland Security. His fingers stopped at ‘P’. “Look Mat, I know you’re not good at the whole safe house thing…”

  “ I’ll manage.” Mateo sighed loudly. Mateo went over all the information Derek needed. The high rise he was on as well as the one he thought the shooter was on. The trajectory of the bullets on the building Mateo was on put the shooter to the west of his position. “So that’s all I can think of for now.”

  “Alright, take care of yourself.”

  “You too, I expect payment soon.”

  “Fuck you, Mat.” Derek cracked up. “ Love you too.” Mateo hung up and leaned against the wall of his room looking at Riley. Derek’s house had five bedrooms and when Mateo needed a place to crash other than Naomi’s, this was where he came. He and Derek had been close when they were enlisted together, and that bond had carried over. When you were with a group of guys day in and day out for over ten years you got close. Mateo cleared his throat and Riley opened one eye. “Are you hungry?”

  “ What time is it?” Riley rolled over on his back and stared at the ceiling. “I was hoping this was all a nightmare.”

  “Sorry, it’s reality, and it’s almost noon.”

  Riley sat up on the edge of the bed and looked at Mateo in sweat pants and shirtless. Sinewy muscles rippled with every tiny movement. “I am hungry.” Riley looked at the plate of food next to the bed from the night before and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry about not eating it, I bet it was good.”

  “ Well you can find out, come on.” Mateo turned and made his way back to the kitchen. He pulled out a plate and a glass and went about filling the plate with the dinner from the night before. “You want a soda?” Mateo called over his shoulder.

  “Sure.” Riley came into the kitchen and sat down at the pine table. “Can I ask you something?” “ I kill people for one reason Riley. If I don’t they will keep doing what they are doing. We killed a pedophile a year ago. Guess what they found buried under his house?” Mateo put the plate in front of Riley and handed him a fork. Mateo saw Riley shiver. “Yeah, five kids all under the age of ten. That’s why I do what I do.”

  Riley looked at his plate and suddenly wasn’t so hungry. “That’s sick.” He whispered. “ They could never get enough on the guy for it to stick.” Mateo sat down and sipped his soda looking at Riley. “I volunteered for that one. Human traffickers, rapist’s, murderer’s, kiddie porn, pedophiles and the occasional high ranking officials that can’t stop killing their own people. It’s my job, Riley, and I do it without even blinking.” Mateo sat back in the chair and eyed Riley. “What’s your story?”

  “I thought you knew it all?”

  “I watched you.” Mateo smirked when Riley shivered again. “I know most of it.” “ After my Mother died, my Dad didn’t know what to do with me. I went to boarding school for a while in England. When I came back, I was put in all the advanced classes. I swear there were some days I wished I’d died along with my Mother.” Riley took a bite of the Lasagna and looked at Mateo. “This is really good.”

  “Thanks, I learned to cook in the military.” “ What about your family?” Riley saw Mateo’s eyes darken and shut his mouth. “Never mind, it’s none of my business.”

  “ I have some phone calls to make.” Mateo stood and looked down at Riley. “If you need anything I’ll be in the garage.”

  “ Okay.” Riley said. He watched Mateo leave. Sitting in his chair pushing his food around with his fork, he thought. Riley wanted to know more about this man that saved his life. After cleaning the kitchen, Riley walked around the house trying to get a feel for the man that owned it. Pictures of Mateo and his guys were scattered on the walls and Riley could see they were all close. He looked through the books on the shelf in the family room. He picked out a mystery novel and sat on the couch curling his legs under him. After reading half of the book, Riley knew the ending.

  He looked up at the clock and saw it was almost five. It would be dinnertime soon. Riley put the book back on the shelf and noticed Mateo’s wallet, keys and badge on the side table. The badge had a skull with a blade through the top of the head just like the tattoo on Mateo’s chest. It looked like a police badge in shape, but the writing was in Latin. Riley had taken Latin in college. “Mors Cum Terrore Novo Venit.” Riley tilted the badge. “Death Has Come with a New Terror.”

  “Find something?” Mateo’s voice actually made him jump, and Riley turned badge over. He felt like a child, caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Oh sorry, I was just looking around. Is this real?” Riley held up the badge.

  Mateo crossed the room and took the badge. “Yes, it’s real. Ever heard of The A-Team?”

  “The what?”

  Mateo sighed. “Oh Lord, come with me.” Mateo set up the DVD player and made popcorn. He settled onto the couch and patted the spot next to him. “Come here.” Mateo concentrated on the TV as Riley sat down next to him. Not too close, but not at the end either. Mateo pressed ‘play’ and sat back, offering Riley the popcorn bag.

  “Thanks.” Riley took a handful and popped it into his mouth. “ Welcome.” Mateo watched Riley out of his peripheral vision throughout the entire movie. “God, Bradley Cooper gives me a hard on.” Mateo pinched his cock and looked over at Riley. Mateo almost laughed out loud. Riley’s mouth was hanging open in surprise.

  “You’re….you’re gay?” Riley whispered. “Yes, now be quiet this is a good part.” Mateo turned his attentions back to the movie and tried not to laugh as Riley moved a tad closer to him. Mateo could tell Riley was really into it. When it was over, Mateo got up and took the movie out. “So that’s kind of what I do. Except I have the military backing me up instead of blowing me up, along with a shit load of other agencies. ”

  “ I didn’t think.” Riley looked around the room trying everything not to meet Mateo’s eyes. “I mean, you just didn’t seem like…” Riley blew out a sigh in frustration. “You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”

  Mateo arched a brow. “What?”

  “You’re gay.” “ I thought I already answered that question.” Mateo leaned against the wall watching Riley’s face turn beet red. “You have a problem with gays?”

  “Wow, that’s quite the reaction.”

  “No!” Riley slapped his hand over his mouth. “ Look, my Dad hates gays. He tried to drill it into my head that being gay was a sin.” Riley looked at Mateo. “I don’t agree.”

  “ Well, I guess that’s a good thing.” Mateo eyed Riley’s crotch. “So, we should eat huh?” Mateo walked into the kitchen.

  “I can help cook too if you’d like.” Riley looked in the fridge. “There’s still lasagna?” “ I’m used to cooking for a lot of people, it’s a habit.” Mateo shrugged and grabbed a plate. Spooning the lasagna on it, he put it in the microwave and set it for two minutes. Riley was shifting from foot to foot like he had to pee. “You okay?”

  “ Yes.” Riley looked at Mateo’s physique, the way he carried himself, the tattoos on his biceps and chest. “Just surprised.”

  “ That I’m gay?” Mateo heard the ding of the microwave and pulled his plate out. “Why? Not all gay guys look the same.”

  “But you’re like, tough.”

  Mateo sat at the table and leaned back in his chair. “So all gay guys are limp wristed?” “ No.” Riley sighed. “I’m saying everything wrong. I’ll just shut up now.” Riley put his plate in the microwave and turned to find Mateo right in his face.


  “Say what you were going to say.” Mateo leaned in rubbing his thigh against Riley’s. “ I uh…well…I just meant that…” Mateo’s hazel eyes were smoldering and Riley swore his heart beat could be heard. He was relieved to hear the microwave ding. He grabbed his plate out of it and brushed his dick against Mateo’s thigh trying to get around him. His cock went from zero to seven inches in seconds. “Um, so yeah, I guess I’ll go eat in the room and then hit the hay.”

  “Sure.” Mateo watched Riley walk by him to the bedroom. “If you need me you know where I am.”

  Riley stopped in the hall and turned to look at Mateo. “You said you watched me.”

  “Yes.” Mateo smiled seductively. “ All the time?” Riley knew Mateo had seen him go into Diabolique now. There was no mistaking that look, his secret was out.

  “Yes, but I haven’t said a word, Riley. Are you really that scared of people knowing you’re gay?”

  “Good night Mateo.” Riley practically ran to his room.

  Mateo sat at the table and grabbed his hard dick. “Jesus, I need to get laid.”

  ~~Chapter Six~~ Derek called the next morning with news. They were going to move Riley to another safe house, and he was to be guarded by men that were actually paid to babysit.

  “You can now take that vacation.” “ So, anyway, get on with it. Just give me the damn information.” Mateo sat back on the chair looking out the window, Riley was in the pool swimming laps.

  “I have set up a meeting with James for you, in a public place.”

  Mateo furrowed his brow. “Why do I hear laughter in your voice?”

  “There are clowns there.” “ Oh, for fucks sake.” Mateo slumped in the chair. Once a year Tucson had a state fair, and it was held maybe an hour from his current location. He and Derek had gone to it a few years back. “You know damn well I hate clowns.”

  “Never understood why.” Derek chuckled. “There’s an LGBT booth.”

  “Maybe you should go then, Derek.”

  “Fuck off, Mateo. Anyway, James will meet you there.”

  “At the gay and lesbian booth?”

  “Yep,” “ Fine, when?” “I’ll be there.” Mateo hung up and watched Riley getting out of the pool. Water cascaded down Riley’s strong chest and along his abs. “Jesus, get a grip Mat.” Mateo swallowed hard watching Riley dry his hair, the towel sliding across his toned body. Instant hard-on. He adjusted his dick in his shorts, and tried to keep it together as Riley came back in the house.

  “Wednesday at noon.”

  “Hey, everything okay?” Riley sat down at the kitchen table.

  “We have a meeting with James Pruitt Wednesday at the State Fair.”

  “Really?” Riley smiled and sat back in the chair. “I’ve never been to one.”

  Mateo looked shocked. “Never?” “Nope.” Riley shrugged. “No time.”

  “Too bad I’m going on business.” Riley sat forward and looked at Mateo with a sly smile. “Can’t I go too? We can have some fun. I mean we’d be safe right? You’d protect me.”

  “Out in the open, Riley?” Mateo shook his head.

  “Oh come on! No one’s been snooping around here and you haven’t heard anything right?”

  “Well no…” “ And no one knows about this place or the meeting except for you and two people you trust with your life. So we could actually have fun right? Please Mateo?”

  Mateo knew he was fucked. Riley’s ocean-blue eyes were getting to him. “Fine, but you stay by me at all times and you will wear a wig.”

  “Okay.” Riley giggled.

  “Oh lord.” Mateo rolled his eyes.

  ~~*~~ Mateo pulled into the dirt parking lot of the State Fair at eleven in the morning. The sun was already up and blazing its heat on the fair. He watched the fair goers closely, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Once he was satisfied there was no immediate threat, he allowed Riley out of the car. Mateo made sure to have a gun with a full clip on his person. They made their way over to the first booth, and Mateo sat watching Riley throwing darts at balloons. The games were rigged and he knew it. He didn’t think Riley did though. Riley was getting frustrated when the dart would bounce off the balloon.

  Riley was wearing his Arizona wildcats hat, Ray Bans,

  and a blonde wig that touched his shoulders.Hischoice

  of disguise. Mateo almost had to laugh, but it seemed to work. Riley was in tan cargo shorts with a plain white tshirt and flip flops. Not his usual attire, which would explain why no one even batted an eye lash at him. Well people looked at him, but not because they knew who he was. His spectacular ass was the reason for the attention.

  “Riley, stop wasting your money.” Mateo watched him hand over another five dollar bill. “ I want the purple hippo.” Riley smiled and threw the dart. It bounced again and Riley cursed softly. The next dart hit the balloon and the carnie gave Riley a rubber ducky. Riley pouted and handed it to the kid next to him.

  Mateo looked around at all the booths and found another one with the purple hippo. He grabbed Riley’s hand and they made their way over. He dropped a five dollar bill on the counter and looked at the carnie. “Give me the gun.”

  Riley watched as Mateo held the rifle up to his shoulder and shot the entire center of the target. No wonder the guy was good at his job; there was nothing left in the red zone. “Jesus.” Riley whispered.

  “Give me the fucking purple hippo.” Mateo put the gun down and gave the carnie a wry smile. They were eating cotton candy, and Mateo smiled at Riley holding his purple hippo. The guy was happy with the little things in life, which is what made him so different than most rich people. He could have easily dropped money on the damn counter and had the hippo in his hands in a second, but Riley wanted to win it and that made him different. Mateo actually respected him for it. That didn’t stop him from stepping up there and winning the damn thing for him though. If he’d waited for Riley to win it, they’d be at the fair until they closed.

  Riley looked athletic enough, but he was clumsy and didn’t have much hand eye coordination. Ergo, Mateo getting him the damn hippo. Mateo actually felt sorry for Riley in a way. He’d missed out on being a kid. They were standing by the LGBT booth at precisely noon, and Mateo looked around for James. He saw him making his way over with a smile on his face. James was a good looking guy, short brown hair and amazing blue eyes. He wasn’t tall, but what he lacked in height he made up for in muscles.

  “James.”

  “ Mateo.” James looked Riley Flynn over. “Riley, I’m Special Agent Pruitt with Homeland security. I’m sorry you’ve been put into this situation.”

  Riley shook James’ hand. “Well, Mateo’s been taking good care of me.”

  “Oh has he now?” James arched a brow smiling at Mateo. Mateo cleared his throat and gave James a dirty look. “So what’s the plan? When are we changing safe houses, and who will be watching Riley?”

  “You’re not coming with me?” Riley looked up at Mateo. “I thought you were coming too?”

  “This isn’t my job description Riley, I don’t do safe

  houses.” “ But I don’t want you to leave, I’m comfortable with you.” Riley took Mateo’s hand. It was the first real contact Riley had made with Mateo.

  James smiled demonically. “Oh I can arrange for Mateo to go with you.”

  “Really?” Riley looked at Special Agent Pruitt. “You could do that?” “ I can do whatever I want.” James chuckled at Mateo’s look of frustration. “Look, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but we located the missing chips. They were in your father’s house.”

  “Wait, my Dad? Why?” “ Your father decided doing business with a foreign country was lucrative, he tried to sell them guidance chips but an attack of conscience had him bowing out of the deal before the transaction went through. So money went into his hands but no chips went to the buyer.”

  “He’s going to prison, isn’t he?” Riley sighed heavily. “ Yes, he pled guilty. No trial.” James looked at Mate
o. “We are still investigating the shooter. We found video surveillance of him leaving the building. He got into a red sedan and we followed him on all the cameras to the airport. Edgar Flynn is helping with the investigation as much as he can, but he was never given a name so he can’t help us out much there. We haven’t found the leak yet, but we will keep looking. We’ve got our best hackers on this one.”

  “So when are we transferring Riley then?” Mateo kept his eye out on the fair goers. “ Monday at ten in the morning, you two need to be at the office of the FBI in Phoenix. We’ll take you and Riley to the safe house.” James smiled and took Riley’s hand. “It was good to meet you, can’t wait to see how long it takes for Mateo to go stir crazy.”

  “ Asshole.” Mateo narrowed his eyes looking at James. “See you Friday.” He took Riley’s bicep and led him away. “Come on let’s go get a corn dog.”

  They walked towards the tents after saying goodbye to James and Mateo felt his body relaxing a bit. Being on high alert was making his muscles sore. It seemed as if Riley wanted to taste every damn food there was at the fair. After the third funnel cake, Mateo was feeling queasy. Riley dragged him to every ride there was, and Mateo was pretty sure he’d throw up when they were upside down on one of them. Riley was screaming like a little boy and Mateo couldn’t help but laugh.

  They hit more booths and Mateo won Riley more prizes, a giant cowboy hat, a gorilla and a pink duck. Riley gave away his Gorilla and pink duck to two little kids, but kept his hat, and of course the fucking purple hippo. Mateo felt a hand on his wrist and turned quickly, hand going to his gun. He saw an old lady looking at him. She had huge gold hoop earrings and her hair was covered by a silk scarf. Just great, a gypsy fortune teller.