And We Struggle On... - 2
And We Struggle On... - 2 =========================
Written by Jonny Mac With a major assist from the most excellent Luckylou
Warning: This is a fictional story, describing erotic relations between consenting adult men. If this makes you uncomfortable, or if it is illegal for you to read something like this, then go find something else to do.
The following story is entirely a work of fiction, and is not intended to imply anything about any real people. All of the characters in the story are fictional, and must not be confused with any real people. The characters in this story may have the same names as some real people, but the characters are in no way supposed to actually represent any real people.
A word from the Mac: A big THANK YOU to those of you who have written me about part one. I hope part two lives up to your expectations. I'm sorry for not making these chapters any longer, but I am very busy with work and other projects. One thing before I go to my big bro (you know who you are): BRIAN!!!!!!
-Jonny Mac ICQ: 27497085 AIM: Intelevore
The year is 2083. Humankind has just entered into its second era of peace - the utopia. Unfortunately, good things don't last forever...
Chapter 2: In the Eyes of the Blind
There was a loud roaring sound, as if the earth were ripping itself apart. Almost instantly there was a bright light that made the sun look as dim as the candles placed around the room.
Jeff sprang into action. He ran over to the window and pulled open the drapes. He turned, and I saw something on his face I'd thought I'd never see--pure fear.
"Oh fuck! Get under the bed!" Jeff shouted.
"What?"
"Get under the god damned bed!"
Before I had a chance to react, Jeff had pulled me off the bed and pushed me under. He rolled in behind me.
Everything started to shake. It was gentle at first but quickly became extremely violent. Looking out from under the bed I could see things falling to the floor and smashing, but I couldn't hear them break over the now deafening roar. Parts of the ceiling started falling.
"Jeff?!"
"Hold on, it's a shockwave!"
I could barely hear him. I wanted to ask what had caused the shockwave when the bed suddenly started to press against us. Something must have fallen on the bed, causing it to collapse on us. My chest was being compressed. I couldn't breathe! That's when things went completely black.
"Wil? William speak to me! Wake up, please!"
I could hear Jeff speaking to me, but it seemed somehow to be very distant.
"Commissar Taylor, we have to deal with the oxygen crisis. If we don't..."
"We aren't doing a dammed thing until I know Wil is ok!"
"Grand Commissar Taylor! You have a primary duty to this planet!"
"I have a primary duty to see to my husband!"
Jeff was in trouble. He needed me. That gave me the strength to force my eyes to open. I forced the breath out, and managed a single word. "Jeff?"
"Oh thank god you're awake. I've been so worried about you."
Jeff's concern gave me more strength. "I'm ok. Just find it a bit hard to breathe."
"The doctor said you have bruised ribs. He said you'd be okay, and can leave when you regained consciousness."
It slowly dawned on me that I was in a hospital. "What happened?"
"The Nevada oxygen generator exploded. With that much oxygen being ignited..."
"A level six shockwave swept an area with a four mile radius. I know the specs."
The look on Jeff's face said that there was more to it. "Actually, it was a level eight shockwave."
"But even on overload the generator can only produce a level seven." I thought for a moment, before I realized what that meant. "It was blown up. Sabotage?"
"Yeah. Investigation teams report half a ton of C4. They don't know how it got there."
"Who could have... Oh no! It must be the radicalists!"
"Yeah, that's what it looks like at this point." I jumped at the sound of Randy Tanner's voice. He was Jeff's chief aide, and he was also Jeff's best man. "Commissar, it is time for the press secretary to hold her news conference. Are we going with the basic explosion story?"
"Do we have a choice?" Jeff said. "Until we confirm that is was the radicalists who did this, it is just an explosion."
"Very good sir. I'll call Paris and confirm the story."
"Good job Randy. And remind Marianne to keep the questions to a minimum."
"Yes sir." Randy walked out, leaving us alone.
Jeff leaned in immediately and gathered me into his arms. "Oh Wil, I was so scared you weren't going to make it earlier. When they dug us out from under the rubble you were coughing up blood. I was so scared."
I tried to wrap my arms around him, but I am still too sore to lift them that far. "I was coughing up blood? I thought you said I have bruised ribs."
"You had a punctured lung and broken ribs. The doctor fixed you up. The bruised ribs are all that remain now. He fixed everything else."
"I wish Randy had suggested a different spot for our honeymoon. The desert wasn't all that great."
"I know Wil, and I'm sorry for taking you there." Jeff stroked my hair.
"Well we're both ok now so we can just keep going. You have a planet to look after and I want to get out of here. You know how I hate hospitals."
Jeff laughed, and I immediately felt better. "Yeah I know. I have a little problem I need your help with too."
"You name it babe. I'd do anything for you."
"Well I was wondering if you could help me figure out how to adjust the remaining oxygen generators to compensate for the loss."
"Ok, but what about the primary control team?"
"They were all at the Nevada generator. They're all dead now. Since you were on the design team, you're now in charge of the entire system. I've called Oxford and let them know you are on immediate emergency leave. I kinda worked in advance, hoping you'd accept."
I looked at Jeff and smiled. "The world needs help more than those students need their Dean. Of course I'll do it."
"Good. Now let's get you dressed and see if we can't catch some of that press conference."
"Sure." I climbed out of the hospital bed and Jeff handed me my pants. I was very sore and stiff so Jeff helped me get dressed.
I started for the door, but before I could take two steps Jeff grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around. I opened my mouth to yelp in pain, but any sound I intended to make was squelched by Jeff's lips as he placed them to mine.
I wrapped my arms around his lower back and enjoyed the feel of his soft lips. I could feel Jeff's tongue against my lips, not seeking entry but just licking at my now moistened lips.
It wasn't enough for me though. I parted my lips and let his tongue slip inside. I quickly sucked it into my warm, awaiting mouth. Jeff responded immediately, pulling me tighter to him. We wrestled for a minute with our tongues. I had to stop the kiss when I ran out of air. My bruised ribs made it hard to breathe.
"I'm sorry Jeff. No sex till my ribs heal."
"No problem babe, you're worth waiting for."
I smiled. "I am so glad I married you."
"Me too Wil. Me too. Now, let's go to that press conference."
We walked out of the room, hand in hand.
We walked into the hospital lounge in time to catch the last of the press conference.
"In conclusion, this explosion is still under investigation and we are working on adjusting the output of the remaining generators to cover for the loss of our primary oxygen generator. The primary control team was unfortunately lost in the explosion and the Grand Commissar has appointed William Li..."
The TV screen was suddenly filled with static. We all just stood there stunned. Except for Jeff.
"What happened? Has World View gone offline?"
"No sir, we are still receiving the broadcast signal." The speaker was a man dressed in a hospital uniform of some sort.
My reaction time was a bit slow, but I finally reacted. I leaned in and whispered in Jeff's ear. "Could the radicalists have gotten to headquarters?"
"Randy, get on the comm channel to Paris HQ! I don't care who you call, I want a definite answer!"
"Yes sir, right away Jeff."
"Will, get started on your design changes. This could be part of something..."
"My fellow Terrans! Now that I have your attention--and I'm sure I do have your attention--I would like to announce... we have returned!"
My knees went weak when I looked at the screen and saw that face again.
"Austin..." I watched Jeff's reaction. He clenched his fists in anger.
"As you have just seen, Paris World Headquarters has gone offline. Why you ask? The answer is quite simple... we blew it up. The world is now free from the wrongful leadership of Jeffrey Taylor with his immoral staff. I have freed you from that gay being and his, ugh, husband. I will resume my position as Grand Commissar and will continue to purify the human race."
"That fucking bastard!"
"Jeff calm down." I put my hand on his shoulder.
"I thank you for your time. Now back to your regularly scheduled static." The screen returned to static once more.
Randy walked over to stand beside Jeff and I. "Jeff... what do we do know?"
"Austin thinks Jeff is dead. He thinks we're all dead. We must be able to use this to our advantage somehow."
"First things first. Wil, you need to move on those design specs. No one can lead a dead population. Randy, mobilize the Terran guard force. Have them surround the secondary headquarters in Ottawa. If Austin is going to try and take over, he's going to start there."
"That's all well and good Jeff, but if Austin thinks we're dead, so do the people. They need to be told otherwise."
"Good point Randy. Hmmm... ok, I'll personally contact the president of World View and get a vocal worldwide station to let the people know we are still alive. I'll need to lie about having a staff, but I can handle that. Randy?"
"Yes sir?"
"You're no longer my chief aide."
"What?"
"You and William are now my second and third in command respectively. Welcome to the magistrate staff."
Randy and I simply stared at each other in surprise.
"Alright people! No one is to leave this hospital. All communication is to cease unless it is by one of us three. No one is to know we are here. Who's in charge here?"
The man who spoke earlier stepped forward. "I am sir. I'm the head nurse, in charge of this floor."
"Name?"
"Ryan Wilson, sir."
"Ok Wilson, make that public knowledge throughout the hospital, go."
"Yes sir!" Wilson headed off to perform his new task.
"Gentlemen, before you go, there is one thing I can't figure out."
I look at Jeff, puzzled. "What's that Jeff?"
"I can understand why they blew up HQ, but why the generator? They only hurt themselves as well as the rest of us."
"Well Jeff, isn't it obvious?" Randy said. "By destroying the world's greatest source of breathable air, Austin was guaranteed to get your attention. He knew you would return from your honeymoon to take control of the situation. No one knew where the honeymoon was, so he had no idea you were caught in that first attack. He thought he had us all with that second blast."
Randy walked out of the lounge to mobilize the troops, leaving just Jeff and me.
Jeff slumped down onto a sofa. I knew something was wrong as I sat beside him. "Jeff? What is it?"
"He's right Wil. Randy's right."
"Huh? What?"
"It was obvious. I should have seen what Austin was doing as soon as we realized it was the radicalists. Why didn't I see it? I'm the Commissar. I should have seen that!"
"Take it easy on yourself. You couldn't have known, no one could have. Randy must have only just now put two and two together himself."
"I should have seen it before he told me at least."
"Why? You have an entire planet to look out for, he doesn't. You can't be expected to think of everything yourself, that's why you have a staff."
"Had, I had a staff. Now they're dead. And it's my fault."
"It is not your fault. You couldn't have known"
"I should have known Wil! I can't believe I was so blind."
"Look Jeff... you have to let it go, no matter if you could have known or not. You need to let the people know you are still here. Let them know you are still alive to save them from Austin and the radicalists."
"Yeah... yeah, you're right. But I should still have known Wil. I should have known."
Looking at Jeff's face, I saw the second thing in under twenty-four hours that I had never seen before. There was a tear running down his cheek. Jeff was crying.
I ignored the pain and wrapped my arms around Jeff. He placed his arms around my back and rested his head on my left shoulder. I could feel the tears soak through my shirt.
Holding him in my arms, I couldn't help but think 'If Jeff is in this kind of emotional state, we are all in for trouble... utopia is in danger again.'
Very serious danger indeed.
To be continued....