Kane

This fictional story of gay men is for persons over the age of eighteen.

Title; Kane. Chapter Eight.

The only thing of note on our journey towards Calais was to pull off the Autobahn to see if I could drive a car. Even though I couldn't remember if I had a driving licence, I found I was able to handle the gears and drive, so it was pleasing to know it was something that I could do. But where was my licence if I was capable? Maybe we would find the answer in London.

We crossed the border from Germany into France and headed in a north westerly direction following the road signs. It was on the last leg of this journey that we started to discuss our getting into England with my firearm, for I was loathe to ditch it like we had done with the others we had acquired. We also needed to get rid of one suitcase and as I only had a few clothes in mine, these we transferred to Tolliver's case and threw mine away. So how was I going to get my gun into England was the main problem for which Tracey had the answer.

'Now this car is rented to Tolliver, so we just leave it wherever. Though it would be better I think if I just park it in the Hertz bay and walk away from it,' Tracey said. 'Now we separately get our ferry tickets for boarding. You keep the gun in your suitcase.' I started to interrupt but was told to just shut up and listen. 'I can guarantee you won't be searched if we do it my way. Now, we don't even get together on the ferry. I'll find some shmuck to help me with my two suitcases so don't interfere if I start chatting somebody up, okay?' I nodded and listened. 'Now I'm going to enter passport control dressed as I am and they are going to note that my passport reads as a male. They are not going to say anything at that point, but they will tip the wink to customs, so I will be stopped and searched and asked some very awkward questions. These I will be able to handle. The poor bloke who helped me will also be searched. Now you must be almost right behind me for you will then be waved through as they will have their sights on me and the guy with me. If he's carrying, tough shit on him. Then when you are through, go to the first car rental place and wait for me. I'll be about ten or fifteen minutes behind you.'

I could see where he was coming from and so agreed to what he had said, and we duly dumped the car and bought our ferry tickets separately, using some Euros and boarded the ferry as foot passengers. I had to let him struggle aboard with the two suitcases himself but knew that he would get help before we landed in England.

I kept fairly close to him on the crossing in case of trouble and also changed about five hundred pounds worth of Euros at the Bureau de Change. It galled me to see him, as a pretty young woman, chat up another young man with a rucksack while on the crossing. But was relieved to see him heft up Tracey's suitcases while she carried his rucksack as we disembarked. I kept close to them as we got off and went through passport control. There was no problem there with either of them or me and we approached customs and sure enough, Tracey was stopped. I was close enough to hear him declare that the two suitcases belong to him and that the young man had been so kind as to carry them for him. I just kept on walking and wasn't even noticed and found myself in England with a firearm that I'd smuggled in. I went to the first car rental agency which happened to be Avis, and I waited outside for Tracey to appear.

Almost to the minute as predicted, the two of them came through and the youth dropped the cases a few feet from me and seemed crestfallen when Tracey came up and kissed me.

'Thanks for your help,' he said sweetly to the boy, who then almost scowled at me as he picked up his rucksack and disappeared into the darkness. 'Well, what did I tell you?' Tracey laughed and we went in and rented a car for a week. I paid the money in Euros which they accepted and found that they gave me a better rate than the bloody boat did.

With the documentation out of the way, we put the three suitcases into the boot and began our drive out of the docks.

'So how did you know what would happen at customs?' I asked.

'I've had the problem before. It works like this. I present my passport that is valid but says that I am a male and yet I've turned up in a dress. Odd, or you might even say queer,' I got a nudge in the ribs at this. 'The passport is valid and the picture fits but not the gender, so customs are alerted and I get stopped.

Passport please, I am asked by the officious prat and I give it to him and he then sneers as he deliberately says, do you have anything to declare Mr. Spencer! Stressing the Mr, this freaks out that poor lad with me and he goes all red in the face. Now he's not guilty, well I hoped so, but his face makes it look like he is as his rucksack is ransacked. They also open my two suitcases and paw their way through nearly every item of clothing. Why are you dressed as a woman Mr. Spencer, I'm asked. Read the passport again, properly this time, I tell him. It says female impersonator as my profession. But why the drag now, he asks. Because some stupid cunt stole my only suit, that's why. The rest in the suitcase is my working wardrobe.

I nearly pissed myself at the look on his face then made him look even worse by asking him if he wanted to give me a body search, but warned him that I wasn't wearing panties. I could see the grins on the faces of the other officers and he couldn't get rid of me quick enough. It was great! That's the third time I've done that. You would think that they'd have learned a bit more about human nature by now.' I had to laugh at his telling of taking the mickey out of the customs officer.

'That young lad looked disappointed too when you gave me a kiss,' I said.

'Yes. He thought he was on a winner there, but he served his purpose in carrying my suitcases,' and he laughed.

We'd only gone past one roundabout when Tracey pulled into a bus stop and turned to me, his shoulders sagging.

'Do you know what? I'm so bloody tired I don't think I could make London without falling asleep. Do you think we could find an hotel for the night and do the drive tomorrow.' I had to admit that I was tired too. It had been a long drive from Berlin, and he had driven the whole way. It was the prospect of me smuggling the gun through customs that had kept me going, so I agreed whole heartedly to stopping in Dover for the night. We pulled into the next one we saw along the parade and parked the car and only took in my suitcase. We could both use my toothbrush and shaving gear but it was the gun I was more concerned about. Somehow I had been feeling half naked without wearing the shoulder holster and having the weight of the gun inside. I'd been shot at enough over the past few days and having it with me made me feel more comfortable.

We booked in for the one night and staggered to our room and we both looked punch drunk we were so tired. He was that tired he couldn't even pull off his dress so I had to help get it over his head. He didn't bother about the underwear and got straight into bed and was fast asleep before I got in. So no sex for the first time upon getting into bed together, but we did in the morning.

He was awake first and woke me in the nicest way possible by having his mouth over the head of my cock, tonguing and licking and sucking it. What a lovely way to start a day I thought as I enjoyed his mouth on me and his hand slowly moving the flesh up and down arousing me. I soon came and filled his mouth with my sperm which he swallowed and he stayed down on me for several more minutes, cleaning me up.

'Good morning lover,' he said as his head emerged from under the covers. His eyes bright and his wet mouth split in a wide grin before he closed his mouth and gave me a kiss. I half rolled onto him and returned the kiss and felt that he was as hard down there as I had been. I put my hand down and grasped his cock and he closed his eyes and gave a sigh as I began to rub it for him.

'That's nice,' he murmured, and I had the sudden urge to do the same for him, and so I did my first solo trip downtown and took his throbbing cock into my mouth and began to suck and chew on him. It was hot under the covers and I heard a muffled groan as I took him in and he opened his legs wider to give me more room to move. I worked on his shaft with my hand and sucked and soon brought him to his peak and felt a thrill as he came and began to pump his seed into my mouth. His hips were bucking and I held him there till I had a mouthful and he stopped both coming and bucking, allowing me to swallow it and then begin licking him clean as he did me.

As I emerged from the covers, he grabbed my head and pulled me further up so that we could kiss. Our teeth clashed as I opened my mouth to protest at his hand on my head wound, making me wince at the same time.

'Oh God I'm sorry Marcus,' he said seeing the pain flash through my eyes. 'I forgot. We also forgot to change the dressing yesterday.' He was kissing my face in apology as he spoke, stroking my cheek and part of my forehead at the same time. 'I was just so eager to kiss you.' I lay back with my head on the pillow and let him stroke my brow and then give me a gentle kiss on the lips. 'Now that we've both had fun, let's see to that dressing and put on a fresh one.'

So I sat on the toilet while he peeled off the old dressing and cleaned around the wound and put on a fresh one. It was only a small one and the cream soothed the raw flesh that was still a long way from healing properly. 'We really should have gone to a hospital with this, but it looks okay to me.'

After our ablutions, we got dressed and went and had breakfast and were soon on the road for London.

'Where exactly in London are we heading for?' Tracey asked, for he was doing the driving.

'Well I want to find Tolliver's place and the only clue we've got to find that, is his tailor's in Saville Row,' I replied, settling myself in the passenger seat feeling a bit more comfortable now I was wearing the shoulder holster under my coat. I had stripped the gun down and cleaned it as best I could before we went for breakfast, surprised that I was able to do so without any thought of knowing how.

Tracey knew where Saville Row was and so two hours later, we pulled up outside this gentlemen's outfitter's emporium.

'I'll have to stay with the car,' Tracey said, 'because I can't park here. So if a traffic warden comes along, I'll drive off and come back again.' I agreed with this and hefted out my suitcase from the car and went inside. The man I approached who was behind a counter, looked at me with some disapproval which made me believe he didn't approve of the suit I was wearing. I didn't blame him for I did look rather like a well dressed tramp carrying a suitcase.

'Can I help you sir?' he asked in not quite a sneer but very close to one.

'Yes,' I said, putting the suitcase down so that it was clearly visible to him. 'I met an old friend of mine in Berlin yesterday and he had a sudden call to go off to Delhi. But he had to travel light so he asked me to take this suitcase of his and put it in his apartment. Now I know he's a valued client of yours and hope that you can give me his address for he wrote it down on a slip of paper that I'm afraid I've mislaid.' I gave him the best smile I could though I didn't think it would help. It didn't.

'I'm sorry sir, but we cannot divulge the addresses of any of our clients without their express approval,' and I swear he gave a sniff as he said it.

'Then I will leave the suitcase here for you to deliver and tell him that you refused to help me.' I opened my coat and pulled out my passport from my inside pocket, letting him see quite clearly the butt of the gun in its holster. His eyes widened at the sight of it as I feigned not to notice his look. 'My passport shows and names me as Marcus Kane. Bill, that is Mr Tolliver to you, has tried to get me to change my tailor and at the present moment, I see no reason to do so.' Again, I gave him a nice smile as I showed him my picture and name inside the passport.

'Oh, ah, er, yes, yes, I do believe I remember Mr Tolliver speaking your name sir.'

'That's good,' I said, still smiling and letting him see the gun again as I put my passport away, 'for I'm not happy with the suit I was forced to wear when leaving Berlin in a hurry.'

'If you'll just excuse me a moment,' the man said as he opened a ledger and ran his finger down one page. 'Ah yes,' and he gave me a flat and house number in Savoy Place.

'Thank you very much, er, Mr?..?'

'Weston sir, Percival Weston.'

'Well thank you very much for your help Mr. Weston. If I'm still around in a few days time, I'll probably pop back in.' I gave him another last smile and picked up the suitcase and went back outside to find Tracey still there.

'No wardens then?' I asked as I put the suitcase in the boot and got back into the car.

'No. Any luck with Tolliver's place?'

'Yes,' I said as Tracey moved the car off. 'Savoy Place. Do you know it?'

'No. But I would guess by the name that it's somewhere near the Savoy Hotel so let's head there and then ask.'

'You're the driver,' I said and let him decide the best way to get there. It only took thirty minutes, which is a good time for Central London to get to the Strand and Tracey even went and drove into the Savoy Hotel's entrance and asked the doorman there. A bit cheeky, but who better to ask, he said when he got back in the car. It was out of the hotel and turn right for a block or so and then right again into Savoy Street. Past the Ministry of Defence and that led into Savoy Place. It was quite plush and exclusive, overlooking the Victoria Embankment Gardens which in turn, overlooked the Thames.

We trolled along slowly till we saw the house and parked the car and walked up the steps. The house was obviously flats or apartments for there were six buttons alongside an intercom. Some didn't have names alongside the buzzers and we knew that Tolliver wasn't going to be there, so there was no point at trying those blank ones. Here the early life of Tracey came to the fore pulling out of his bag a number of small thin bits of metal.

'I learned a lot in the East End,' he said as he inserted two pieces into the lock and with just a few twists of the hand, the lock clicked and the front door opened. 'Voila!' and pushed the door open for us to enter the vestibule. 'Number four would put him on the second floor then,' he said and led the way up the carpeted stairs. We turned left at the next landing and Tracey again got out the lock picks and quickly got the door open.

This front door led straight into a large lounge that looked as though a bomb had hit it. A bookcase facing us was almost empty of books, these being scattered all about as though they'd been swept off in one go. Cushions had been thrown about and the stuffing was sticking out of rents in the fabric of all the chairs and sofa. Drawers were upended and the contents in piles with the empty drawers thrown on top. Pictures on the walls were either on the floor or hanging at lopsided angles. The back of a large television had been either ripped or smashed off to reveal the working parts inside.

'Somebody has been looking for something,' Tracey said rather laconically.

'Check the kitchen,' I said, 'and I'll check the bedroom,' pulling out my gun and guessing right in which door was the bedroom. This was in a state of disorder too, every surface having been cleared and drawers emptied out like in the lounge. I moved closer inside and then caught a sudden blur of movement from the right and as I swung round, felt a searing pain down my right side. I had almost evaded the knife which surely would have caught me in the back if I hadn't have moved. The arm wielding it came sharply upward and caught my underarm and I lost my grip on the gun, but was able to catch the arm and swung round, pulling the assailant towards me. I didn't see his face because I lowered my head to catch him square in the face and I cried out as I knew I'd opened that wound again. The force of the contact made the other man stagger but we were still moving and so I let his body weight take us back into the lounge to land in a heap.

I was then able to twist my body and get his head in the crook of my arm and with my other hand holding it, twisted my body again and heard a crunch as his neck snapped and he went limp in my arms.

Tracey had rushed into the lounge at our noise and helped me up off the floor and quickly pushed my coat to one side to look at the gash in my side that was clearly visible through the torn shirt. But how bad it was, he couldn't see because of the blood. He frenziedly got my jacket off and literally tore the shirt off my back and bunched it up and held it against the wound. My head was also bleeding again but this was thought to have come from my side and so wasn't looked at. I was then dragged into the bathroom where Tracey ran the basin taps and began to use towels to clean round the wound and then staunch the flow of blood.

'It's not too deep even though there's a lot of blood,' he said as he pressed a towel against it. 'This I can't handle, so we'll have to go to a hospital for it to be sewn up. Keep that towel there,' and he went back and got my jacket. 'We'd better take this off,' he said as he helped me out of the shoulder holster before putting my jacket round my shoulders. 'Where's the gun?'

'I don't know, I dropped it,' I said, gasping at the effort of the fight, short though it was. He found it and put the gun back in the holster and wrapped the lot in a towel and helped me out of the bathroom. 'What's he like?' I asked as we passed the body of the other man on the floor.

'He's dead by the look of it,' he said.

'Check him for I.D,' I said and so I stood there as Tracey turned the man over before going through his pockets. I heard him give a gasp.

'No need to check the pockets. That's Tampon.'

'Tampon?'

'Eric Tamper. I used to go to school with him. A fucking bully. He got the name Tampon because he was the biggest cunt there though nobody ever called him that to his face.'

'Empty his pockets anyway,' I said through gritted teeth. This he did while telling me a bit more about the guy.

'He used to hang around with the Boyle brothers. The Blister Gang they used to be called, still maybe for all I know. There, I've got everything.'

'Let's get out of here then. I doubt we'll find anything now,' I said and we left and made our way downstairs and into the car.

'We'll go to the Charing Cross Hospital,' Tracey said, 'it's the closest.'

'No. Let's go to one that's further away.' So I finished up being stitched up in the hospital on the Fulham Road. Of course they wanted to know what had happened to me, knowing it was an obvious knife wound. They didn't believe me when I said I was preparing vegetables in the kitchen and slipped on the wet floor and stabbed myself. They also checked the wound on my head and knew it was a gunshot wound and said that it was reportable.

'How old is the wound?' Tracey asked the doctor.

'Five or six days I would say,' looking at it most carefully before dressing it.

'Well it didn't happen here in England. Look,' and he fumbled in his bag and came up with our hotel receipt from Berlin. 'We were in Germany at the time and it was reported then when our car was stolen. See, the bill confirms we were not in England and therefore it doesn't need for you to do anything except to dress it.' I was quite proud of the way Tracey stood up to the young doctor who gave us a sceptical look but didn't pursue it any further. He advised me to have the dressing changed on my side daily and to keep an eye on the head wound. Tracey got a list of what should be used and if there was any sign of infection, I was to return to the hospital immediately. We thanked him and left the hospital after getting what we needed from the dispensary.

'I think we need to find an hotel,' Tracey said when we were back in the car to which I agreed. So we stopped at one near Shepherd's Bush that had parking facilities and we soon had a room with a double bed for Mr. and Mrs. Kane.

'I like Mrs. Kane better than Frau Kaufmann,' Tracey said when we were finally alone in our room, the porter having to carry every bag up. At least this hotel had a kitchen and dining room so we were able to get proper room service. I lay on the bed while Tracey saw to the unpacking and ordering drinks for us and some food. I lay and watched him organise the room and began to run things through my mind.

What was this East End gangster, which was how I saw him, doing ransacking Tolliver's place? What was he looking for? Was there any connection between London and Berlin? There had to be with this last question, but how did they know he was dead, or didn't they? The questions kept coming, far too many for me to even begin to try and sort out as it was giving me a headache. Then I got another one later when we had the television on and it appeared that we were on the news.

It was nine o'clock and the announcer spoke of a murder in Savoy Place and a picture of the man called Tampon came on, his name being read out and then came some C.C.T.V. footage of the vestibule and it showed the two of us entering the building. The pictures were fuzzy and I don't think we were recognisable from what we saw. The report was inconclusive mentioning the murder and ransacking of the place, so it was obvious that they hadn't been given all the facts. But it was still worrying that we had been filmed, not to mention that it was me that was attacked and I was defending myself.

Tracey looked worried but I said that nobody could say it was us from that bit of footage and so we went through what he had taken from the guy's pockets, but I wondered how they had identified him so quickly. Then it came to me. Fingerprints. The man obviously had a criminal record and his prints were on file, but what about ours? Both Tracey and I had touched many things and would have left plenty for them to analyse.

'Have you ever been fingerprinted by the police?' I asked him.

'No, why?' and so I said why. 'What about yours?' he came back at me.

'There I can't give an answer, but I think that you'd better find a place to rent in case they do have them.' I had this funny feeling in my gut which lasted throughout the night, not getting much sleep. I wasn't up to having sex and so it was just a kiss and a gentle cuddle before Tracey went off to sleep to leave me to worry the night away. Next morning, another first without our having sex, after having breakfast sent up to our room, I gave him a fistful of money and sent him off to find an estate or rental agency to find us somewhere to live, or should I say hide. I fretted away the whole day and into the afternoon waiting for him to come back, not doubting that he wouldn't because I believed him when he said that his prints weren't on file. It was mine that was what was worrying me. The morning news gave scant reference to the killing at Tolliver's apartment and I hoped that it would stay that way, but I still kept on worrying.

I'd been involved somehow in a counterfeiting operation and I was known by an Englishman who had been killed as I should have been. His place in London had been turned over and me nearly killed again. The question was, how was I involved? Which side of the law was I on? If the wrong side, did they have my prints, but then the question might also apply if I was on the right side. I just didn't know which way to go.

Tracey breezed in with a smile at about six o'clock.

'Well I've got us a furnished flat for three months,' he said triumphantly and dangled a set of keys before me. 'I looked at three places,' he said as he poured himself out a drink and made me one. 'I liked the first one, but had to make a show of it by looking at two others and settled on the first one. It's not far from here and we can move in now if we wanted to.'

'No. It would look strange if we checked out now this late in the day so we'll move in the morning,' I said, taking the glass and almost emptying it in one gulp.

'If you say so boss,' he said, taking my empty glass from me and refilling it. 'Now let's see to that dressing of yours,' and so I spent the next half hour wincing at his administrations to both wounds. After having what was almost a bed bath, he flicked my penis and asked what could be done to raise the dead. I grinned and though I knew the answer, I didn't say and thought that he should work it out for himself.

The light dawned on him when he began to get undressed for bed, for he had left me lying there exposed, and as soon as that dress had come off and I saw him in the underwear, the penny dropped.

'Why didn't I think of that before,' he said, giving his forehead a slap. 'You get turned on by seeing me undressing, or rather being half undressed,' as he saw that my cock had risen up and was now a hard and rather large sausage up against my stomach. I didn't answer but just grinned at him. 'Well you're not in a fit state to see to me but I sure as hell can see to you,' and so he went down on me and helped relieve the pressure from my balls. What was different this time was when he came sliding up my uninjured side to give me a kiss and then passed some of my own sperm into my mouth as we kissed. I almost choked on it being unprepared for such a stunt, but finished up swallowing some of my own coming.

'They use to say in ancient Greece that if you were to suck and take the sperm from your enemy, you were also taking some of his strength into yourself and should therefore be able to defeat him in battle,' he said.

'Bullshit!' I spluttered.

'Bullshit or not, I believe it and that's why I passed some of your own strength back to you for I think we are going to need it in the near future.' Now I wasn't going to argue with that and so I held him in my arms in the most comfortable position I could get and fell asleep still holding him.

There wasn't any sexual awakenings the next morning and we had breakfast in our room again and after that, we packed up and moved out into our new rented flat. I looked even worse now in my suit that was creased and now, even bloodstained and decided that I must get some more clothes, and this brought Mr Percival Weston to mind. The papers hadn't reported anything more to lead to my being named or involved and I was thankful that they hadn't given out Tolliver as being the owner of the apartment where I'd killed Tampon, as I now thought of him, and like his name, he was being shoved where the sun doesn't shine.

I got Tracey to drive me to Saville Row and he stayed in the car as before and I went in alone. As I have said, I now looked even worse and got some funny looks from other clientele as I walked in and said that I would rather be dealt with by Mr. Percival and no other.

He came hurrying over when he saw me and when I said that I needed some new suits and at least one to be able to walk out in, he was most affable. He was also aware of why I only wanted him to deal with me and when we got into a private dressing room did I make him fully aware that I always carried a gun and the suits needed to be modified to that effect. I also pointed out the fact that I was accident prone as he saw when I took my coat off and he could see the dressing under the shirt as well as that on my head. Then I slowly brought the conversation round as my measurements were being taken that I confessed that the wound to my head had caused me a lot of grief insofar as me forgetting where I lived. He cluck clucked as I told him this and I asked if he could ring round to his various oppositional tailors to find out if I had been their client and at least where I was supposed to be living. This he promised to do, giving this instruction to a junior while he carried on with me.

With all my measurements seen too, he then kitted me out in an off the peg suit for the time being. I almost felt embarrassed for him when he had to delicately ask how I intended to pay for what I was now attired in and for the suits ordered. When I said cash, he was most delighted.

So freshly dressed and having handed over a lot of money I was about to leave when the junior passed over a note to Percival who positively beamed when he read it. It appeared that they had found my tailor and it was one of their most bitter rivals and were now glad that they had got my order. They also had my address and checking account which pleased me no end as I now felt I was getting somewhere in finding more out about myself.

My last known address was in Great Pye Street, a few hundred yards from New Scotland Yard. This information didn't bode too well with me at this moment. But in spite of this, I think the hundred pound tip I gave him was well worth it. So with a clean new, though off the peg suit, I emerged from the tailor just over an hour later with what I wanted.

'Am I glad to see you,' Tracey said with a slight trace of annoyance in his voice. 'I've been round the bloody block three times because of wardens, and that's not easy in these streets nowadays.'

'I'm sorry, but, well I'll tell you when we get home,' I said.

'And where's home might I ask?' came the testy reply.

'I've not the slightest idea darling. You rented the place,' I said with a smirk. He snorted and drove us off back to Notting Hill Gate. 'So you've got a new suit and there's me with the same old dress,' he said sulkily as we drove to our new place.

'Well tomorrow you can go and buy a new outfit,' I said, wincing as I had turned rather sharply to say this.

'Oh, I'm sorry darling. I didn't mean it to come out the way it sounded,' he said, seeing the expression on my face, which I think he interpreted it the wrong way. 'I like your suit and you did need a new one, but this is the only thing I've got that I can really wear outside of a night club. I left my others in Berlin.' I patted his knee and then let my hand trail up his thigh which made him smile. 'Not now, later,' he smiled back at me.

We stopped and got an early evening paper, but that didn't give us much to go on in respect of the police investigation, but then I didn't think it would. At the same time, we picked up some groceries that would keep us for a few days and I only really felt comfortable when we got back into our new flat. The first thing I did was to turn on the television and scan the channels for news, but didn't find anything of note.

Tracey proved his worth in the cooking line as he once said and turned out a lovely meal, that I'm afraid I didn't enjoy as much as I should have done. The strain of the fight the day before and the worry I had been carrying was showing in a bit of short temperedness on my side. I made up for it in bed that night after my dressings had been changed by going down on him first. He appreciated that and gave me a bloody good blow job in return.

It was during dinner that I told him of my address and so, after breakfast next morning, we went off to find it.

'You lived here?' Tracey asked in awe as we viewed the magnificent mansions that ran down the street.

'Well we'll soon find out,' I said, somewhat in awe myself for I didn't recognise the place. We parked up and went up and into the lobby to be confronted by a medium height man of middle age and of a bearing that implied he was ex-army.

'Welcome back Mr. Kane,' the man said.

'Thank you, er??..'

'What's your name?' Tracey interrupted, interpreting the fact that I didn't know his name.

'Charlie, Miss. Charlie Feathers.'

'Please to meet you Mr. Feathers. My name is Tracey and I'm a dear, and I hope, valued friend of Mr. Kane.'

'The pleasure is all mine Miss,' Charlie fawned.

'Er, Charlie, I seem to have a problem. I've lost my keys?.' I started to say.

'No problem sir,' he said, disappearing through a doorway and returning almost instantly. 'I always keep a spare set handy,' he said as he handed them too me. 'Key to the apartment and one for the front door, though I think I'd better see to getting them changed tomorrow, if you know what I mean sir.'

'Of course, most wise,' I said. 'Just give me the bill,' and I took Tracey's arm and led her upstairs, deigning to use the lift until I knew a bit more about the building. The carpet was thick underfoot and the decoration was superb and that was just on the staircase.

'I can't wait to see what your rooms are like,' Tracey whispered to me as we went up.

'Neither can I,' I said.

My hands actually shook as I tried to fit the key in the lock and Tracey finally took them off me and opened the door. There was a short vestibule inside that was sumptuous in its décor and this led into a large lounge that seemed enormous compared to the outside look of the building.

'Wow,' breathed Tracey as we both saw this minor looking palace. 'What on earth do you actually do to be able to afford a place like this?'

'I haven't the slightest idea,' I said, gazing in awe at the splendour of the place. The thought that it was mine didn't register after the only things I could remember were small hotel rooms that we'd slept in.

The carpet was thick underneath our feet and it was wall to wall. There were two large sofa's and two deep armchairs, all in black leather facing an ornate fireplace that now held a fake log gas fire. Before this was a large coffee table, with other occasional tables about the room that had flock paper on the walls and several pictures that were quite pleasing to the eye. Along the wall opposite the windows was a, well you couldn't really call it a cabinet it was so big. It looked as though it had been built inside the room it was that big. There were several glass door sections to it and a massive array of bottles that made me wonder if I was an alcoholic or had friends that drank a lot. Against the wall opposite the fireplace we didn't see until we fully entered the room, was a bookcase that was actually overflowing and before that was a table with yet still more books upon its surface. I didn't even want to start looking at the titles yet. First I had to get the feel of the place before I started to probe. We saw an arch off to the right and it led to another room that held a table that would seat twelve people and it shone as if it has just been polished or been polished for aeons. A door led off the dining room and into a spotless enormous kitchen with an island in the centre which was obviously used for the preparation of meals. On most of the surfaces were machines and implements to cook and brew everything.

'Wow,' again from Tracey as we surveyed it.

We went back into the lounge and turned into a short passageway that had four doors. This was carpeted the same as the lounge, being an extension, and there were small discreet drawings in frames in between the doors, each with its own little light above them, this being the only illumination for the passage.

The first door was as I assumed, a bedroom, and it only figured that the other doors were for bedrooms too. A four bedroom pad and if the others were like this, well, it beggared belief. There was a massive double or would it be a treble bed that dominated the room and the other pieces of furniture paled against this. A door led off to the side and Tracey opened it and said that word again as he peered inside. I saw over his shoulder a big corner shaped bath that had all the fittings to turn it into a Jacuzzi style bath. The taps and fittings were of gold and the place was immaculate with snowy white towels everywhere.

'God, I'd hate to have to clean this place every day,' Tracey said as we took in the toilet, bidet and double basin with fitted mirrors above and cabinets to the side. 'I don't want to look at the other bedrooms,' he said. 'They are making me sick with envy when I think of that two up and two down place I was brought up in.' We went back out into the lounge and I went and surveyed the array of drinks, finding a cabinet that was a disguised fridge and pulled out an ice tray.

'Drink?' I asked, and without waiting for an answer, poured out two large gin and tonics with plenty of ice in both glasses. Tracey had plonked himself down on one of the sofa's and took the glass from me and raised it in a mocking toast.

'Now I hope I'm not dreaming and this is yours, for if it is, I hope that I can stay being Mrs. Kane,' I didn't like the way it was said, and said so.

'Tracey! Let's get one thing straight. If this is mine, then half of it is yours, now is that enough, for I'm not going to stand any sniping, is that clear!'

'Yes dear,' he said in a small voice that was almost childish in the way it came out and I couldn't help but laugh and take him into my arms and give him a hug and a kiss. 'Are you sure there isn't another Mrs. Kane anywhere?'

'Does it look like it?' I'd already noticed that there was a distinct lack of feminity about the place. It was a bachelor's place, of that there was no doubt judging by the lack of mementoes and the like, I didn't even see one flower vase.

'Well it hasn't been trashed like Tolliver's,' he said which brought me back to reality.

'No,' I said thoughtfully, thinking that they would have had to get past Charlie first, and he looked as though he knew how to handle himself. But I began to get a weird sensation in my stomach and it didn't augur well. Like some sixth sense telling me something was either not quite right or that something was going to happen. I got up as quick as I could and went over to a desk and riffled through a drawer and found a cheque book with my name inside which I put in my pocket.

'Finish your drink,' I said to Tracey. 'We're leaving.'

'Leaving? But we've only just got here!' he said.

'I know, but I'm getting a funny feeling inside of me.'

'I get one every time I look at you,' he smiled.

'I do too when I look at you, but this one is different. We're not safe here at the moment, so let's go.' He finished his drink quickly and got up and we left my apartment and went downstairs. Charlie was there and I went over to him.

'Charlie, have there been any people here looking for me lately?' I asked him.

'Yes sir. There was a man here a couple of days ago,' and he described Tampon almost to the colour of his shirt. 'Then two men this morning. I've seen enough of them to know that they were policemen even before they showed me their warrant cards. Special Branch. They wanted to know if I'd seen you lately. I told them that I hadn't, but they wanted me to inform them when you showed up. They gave me this card to ring,' and he produced this card from his pocket and showed me.

'Have you told them?'

'No sir. I wanted to hear what you wanted me to do in this respect.'

'Thanks,' I said as I copied down the name and telephone number from the card before passing it back to him. I also gave him a few notes. 'I'll leave it up to you whether you tell them I've been here or not, and thanks again.' I was just about to leave but I turned back to him. 'This may sound a strange question, but how long have we known each other?'

'About four years sir.'

'Where and when?' He looked at me a little strangely. 'I'll explain later why I'm asking.'

'When you joined our unit on special ops as our intelligence officer. You were a lieutenant then, but soon was a captain. We left at about the same time. I was due for retirement. You didn't say why you were leaving, but you offered me the job here to look after the building and I've not regretted doing so sir.'

'Thank you Charlie, but there are reasons why I can't tell you what I'm doing now, maybe later.'

'That all right sir. Just like the old days. Don't worry about this place, it's in good hands.' I smiled at him and took Tracey's arm and we left the building and went to the car.

'A captain? Special ops? Who are you Marcus Kane?' Tracey asked as we settled in the car.

'I still don't know,' I replied truthfully, 'but I think we'll find out as we go along. Now do you know where this bank is?' and I showed him my cheque book that gave the branch and address.

'Coutts in the Strand!' He gave out a whistle. 'You must be loaded to have an account there and I definitely can't park outside that place. I'll have to cruise up and down till you come out.' We were opposite the bank within five minutes and I walked across the road and into the bank. I had to ask for directions the place was so big. I eventually got a tellers window and was staggered when I found out how much money I had in there and had no problem withdrawing two thousand pounds.

I walked out in a daze and knew I had to learn a lot more about myself in the very near future. I stood on the pavement and a few minutes later, Tracey pulled up and I got in.

'Where to now boss?' he asked.

'Saville Row.'

'Again!'

'Shut up and drive,' I said, and so we went that way and as we did so, we passed an E.C.B. place. 'Stop,' I suddenly said and it made Tracey jump, but he pulled over. 'Go back to that bank there and get a prospectus for me. Act as a secretary or something and say that your boss is thinking of investing in the bank and would like to know a few more details.'

'Okay,' and off he went. Fortunately, he arrived back with a folder just as a traffic warden was approaching, and so we got away without getting a ticket. I didn't stay long in the tailor's, just to say that I wouldn't have time for any fittings but would pay for the suits and if they would deliver them when ready. Percival's eyes widened a little when I passed across a cheque from Coutts for the amount asked, which went to prove that even wealthy people can be a bit eccentric about their dress.

Back in the car, I told Tracey to drive us to our rented flat and when we got there, gave him five hundred pounds.

'Now go and buy yourself a couple of dresses or whatever.' He was almost speechless and pulled me closer and gave me a kiss.

'I won't be long,' he said with a big smile and then drove off. I went into the flat and poured myself a drink and began to read about the London branch and others that belonged to the European Commercial Bank and wondered if there was any link between their Berlin branch.

Four hours later, Tracey arrived with several packages and a very big smile and plenty of kisses for me.

'Two dresses, some new underwear and a pair of shoes. Plus some fresh make-up. Do you want see them?'

'Of course I do,' I said, not wanting to spoil his pleasure, or mine by seeing him in the underwear. I gave out a groan at the erection I got when I did see him like that. I was sitting on one of the hard backed chairs by our dining table and he heard my groan and came over and sat on my lap being careful of my side.

'What's the matter?' he asked as he sat down but instantly knew the reason for my noise. 'Oh you poor darling,' and got up and made me stand up. He knew exactly what to do and quickly got my trousers and underpants off and sat me back down. I looked rather incongruous with my cock sticking up out from between the flaps of my shirt. He quickly got a condom and rolled it down over my erection and then smiled down at me. Seeing him standing there in front of me in just bra, belt and stockings made me even harder.

'You've been missing getting your end away,' he smiled as he straddled me and then used his hand to hold me upright for him to settle down on. We both gave out a groan as the head of my cock entered him and then he carefully lowered himself down as my shaft slid up inside him till he was on my thighs. The heat and pressure round it was exquisite as he flexed his muscles while I held his waist, his hands on my shoulders. 'I've been missing this too,' he said as he bent his head and kissed me. We kept kissing as he moved up and down getting the fuck that we both wanted. I couldn't move my hips as I would like to have done, but it was a grand feeling having my cock back up inside him again and I held him tight as I came pumping out into the condom. It was a relief for my aching balls and then having him get off and removing the rubber so that he could kneel down and suck on me. I rubbed his hair as he bobbed on me and marvelled at how much I was really coming to love this young man on the end of my cock. Because of my injury, he was getting his own pleasure by jerking himself off now as I could see by his arm movements and I felt him shudder as he came underneath the chair while he was still sucking on me.

Both sexually satisfied, he finished off the modelling and then not putting on his dress but staying like he was in his underwear, he made us dinner. He still looked like a woman as he sat across the table from me. His face, his eyes, mouth, hair and the fact that he was wearing his padded bra completed the illusion and I felt very happy.

Before we went to bed, he saw to the dressings on my wounds and then it was to bed to cuddle as best we could in between kisses and us talking.

'I'm sure there's a link between the Blisters and the mob in Berlin, otherwise, why would someone suddenly want to trash Tolliver's place, and why was Tampon trying to get into mine. So the Blisters know of me and where I live, that's why we've got to keep out of sight for the time being. But I then think it's time for us to start hitting back and not be on the receiving end.'

'We might be on the receiving end but it's them that have come off worse,' Tracey observed.

'Yes, I know, but we've been lucky so far. They might catch us unawares and that's why I want to take the fight to them. I'm damn sure that the London branch of E.C.B. is involved as well and I want to find out how much. Are they taking the fake money from Germany and putting it through the English economy? Is it the vice president here as in Berlin because we know he obviously knew the man with the broken arm? Tell me what you know of this gang called the Blisters.'

'Well it's the Boyle family that run the gang from White-chapel. I can't say that I know the whole gang because I've been away for nearly two years, but I know of at least six of them, plus Tampon of course. He always had two cronies with him at school so I would say they are now part of the gang. The others that I knew would be older now, but once in, you stay in so the odds are that they still work for the Boyle's.'

'Do you think that they know that you are connected to me?'

'I like it when you talk dirty,' he giggled and I gave him a poke in the ribs. 'But I shouldn't think so,' he continued. 'Those that have seen me up close are now dead, so I am pretty sure that they don't.'

'So you think that you could sniff around where you used to live and find out more about them?'

'Yes. I don't think anyone would recognise me now, especially when I'm really dressed up.'

'No. I don't want you dressed up, I want you to be un-noticed so it's to be low key dressing up as you call it. Tomorrow we start to retaliate.' With that we kissed a bit more and then he went down under the covers to seek me out with his mouth presenting me with his prick as we went into a sixty nine position and I found that I liked sucking on his erection and getting, I think, as much pleasure as I knew he got from sucking on mine. That hard root of the man was really something you could work round in your mouth and feel the pulse beat of his heart as the blood coursed round that kept it reasonably hard. But it was still like chewing on a dog's rubber bone but you also got an extra essence that's known as love juice that comes out of the eye and this tastes just like honey. The clear fluid is as sweet as anything I have ever tasted and was disappointed that the male body didn't produce enough of it for it would have been a very marketable essence. So I had to be content with the joy I was getting and also giving to satisfy both of us as we finally came, spending ourselves into each other's mouth and then swallowing before licking each other clean.

As we lay in each other's arms to wait for sleep that was fast approaching, I couldn't help but try and think about the past. According to Charlie I had been a captain in some kind of military outfit that sounded as if it was commando style and here I now was, sleeping and having sex with another man. Was I like that then or is it in my genes to be a homosexual and didn't know it? I pondered this as I fell asleep.