Little Big Man

LITTLE BIG MAN – a serial novel by Travis Creel

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: NIKOLAI

Previously: In September, at the royal palace, Alex, now Alexei'. is forced to compete in a diving competition against Matti, the winner to be the loser's master for a half-hour. Matti narrowly wins, and to Alexei's dismay, treats him cruelly and indifferently, including a scenario in which Alexei nearly drowns. He is convinced that Matti no longer loves him until Matti insults' him by calling him by his affectionate nickname, `Cheesehead'. During the orgy that follows, Alexei overhears that Matti will go on trial in a few months to determine his fate – and could be gelded . . . or worse.

This was the last of the three `stories' that Alexei was to write for Dmitri. The story now picks up in late November, after Dmitri has read and discussed them with Alexei.

DMITRI: WEDNESDAY, 30 NOVEMBER – ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA

Dear Nikolai,

So much has happened since we last spoke. I want to gather my thoughts together, which is why I am writing instead of calling you. Little Big Man Europe is going to happen. It is moving along, but distractions have interfered with my ability to fully focus on the logistics of conducting competitions in both Europe and America.

There are three issues I need to address:

1. The Bad News: One of my servants has betrayed me. As you know my staff well, I think you will be as surprised and disappointed as I was – and am. But at least, the matter has been dealt with and I can turn the page on it.

2. The Good News (I hope): An initiative I have undertaken with another of my servants, of which I think you would approve. However, I'm interested in your input.

3. The Dilemma: A quandary I have with my slave. This is the real reason I am contacting you, Nikolai. You are the smartest man I know when it comes to managing slaves – you taught me virtually everything I know. But I have a situation to deal with, and I don't know what to do. I need your advice.

I'll deal with them in that order.

The Bad News: Last Tuesday – the 22nd – Sasha came to me with a shocking development. "Boss, we have a problem." He looked over at Alexei, my slave, but we were speaking in Russian so there was nothing Alexei would understand (much less do anything about, even if he understood).

• What kind of problem?

• There's money missing from the LBM Europe account.

• Missing? How much?

• Over a million euros. One point two seven million euros, to be precise.

• What?!

• I checked it myself. Definitely missing.

• Checked? You didn't find it?

• Something looked off but I couldn't put my finger on it. Ilya offered to look into it and discovered the discrepancy. He was quite upset about it.

• He's a good lad, Ilya. Due for a bonus – if we can get that money back. So how the hell did this happen?

• The only people with access to the account are here. Not even your partners can access the LBM Europe funds. So either it was someone here – or we were hacked.

• Get Boris on the phone. He has plenty of hackers working for him. And call Tcherepnin.

Gennady Tcherepnin is a colonel in the FSB who was one of IAMSO's inside-men, and therefore trustworthy. The initials FSB send chills down many a spine, and, while there may be aspects of Tcherepnin's work that I don't want to know about, around me he's been nothing but an efficient, thoughtful, and resourceful detective – with access to a lot of useful information and technology. An admitted sexual sadist, he may spend some interesting evenings with an attractive young male suspect, but he swears he's never done any wetwork or extreme torture, nor arrested anyone purely for political reasons. Probably as close to an ethical FSB agent as there is.

Boris flew up that evening from Moscow and Tcherepnin appeared the next morning, with a young technical guru named Nikita Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky was also IAMSO-friendly, so we didn't have to hide Alexei. It took over a day but the three of them determined that the money had gone into an account in the Caymans and that we appeared not to have been hacked – it was a direct transfer – almost like they weren't trying to hide it. In fact, the transfer had taken place at my very own desktop computer.

• (Tcherepnin) So, Dmitri, it appears it was either you, one of your staff, or a guest.

• Gennady, there were no guests who had access to this room.

• (Boris) So unless you are the world's stupidest criminal, calling in the FSB to investigate your own crime –

• Someone in this house is responsible.

• (Tcherepnin) Who, besides you, has access to this computer?

• Well, obviously anyone in the house has access. But who would have knowledge of the LBM Europe account? Only Sasha or Oleg or Ilya. And I can't think any of them would do that.

• (Boris) What about Grigory?

Grigory is my gardener, who would ordinarily seem an odd suspect, but he does have computer skills and works for Boris (remotely, from here) during the winter, when there's little use for a gardener other than tending the greenhouse.

• I guess Grigory might have access as well.

• (Tcherepnin) I'll fingerprint everyone in the house. Even him.

The last reference was to Alexei, who was standing obediently in the corner and undoubtedly wondering why he just heard his name. Bobrovsky had taken note of him from the moment he entered the room, and his eyes kept wandering to my sexy naked slave.

• (Tcherepnin) Tomorrow I'll dust this for fingerprints. Don't touch it, the culprit's prints may still be on it.

• (Boris) Looks like it happened last Friday. Well, Thursday night but after midnight. You were in Moscow then, with me.

• Anyone could walk in here when I'm away. If they did – my slave might have seen him. Alexei!

Alexei, not understanding what the conversation was about, advanced to a place in front of me, fell down, and presented his ass to me as I'd trained him. Which amused Tcherepnin greatly.

• (Tcherepnin) What a lovely boy.

• I'll invite you to my party Saturday night and you can see how lovely his insides are. Or you can have him now, if you prefer.

• (Bobrovsky) Yes, please.

• (Tcherepnin) We accept your offer. But first let's see if he knows anything. He didn't tell you about anything unusual?

• No, but then he's not allowed to initiate conversation.

I turned to Alexei and switched to English.

• Alexei, this is Colonel Tcherepnin of the FSB. He has some questions for you. You are to respond even if it is not a question or a direct order. And if there's something you need to clarify, you may ask a question – but you must tell the exact truth, understood?

• Yes, Master.

He looked alarmed, no doubt wondering why he should be in trouble with the FSB.

• (Tcherepnin) Your name is Alexei?

• That is the name my master has chosen for me, Sir.

• And you're his slave.

• Yes, Sir.

• Have you used this keyboard?

• Yes, Sir.

• You have? Recently?

• Yes, Sir.

• Why?

• My master has ordered me to write about my experience as a slave.

• (trying to hide his shock) Your master lets you write. How . . . unusual. In doing this writing, do you type numbers as well as letters?

• Sir, I sometimes have to type dates.

• Do you use the numbers on top or the number pad on the side?

• The numbers on top of the letters, Sir. I don't use the number pad.

• All right, boy, now this question is important: Other than your Master, have you seen anyone on the staff use this computer in the last week?

• Yes, Sir.

• You HAVE? Who else have you seen use it?

• On the staff, Sir?

• (Me) Of course on the staff, boy. No one else has been in this house. Just answer the question.

• . . . I saw Grigory use it, Sir.

• (Tcherepnin) Grigory. You are sure?

• Yes, Sir.

• How many times?

• Only once, Sir.

• When was this?

• Thursday night.

Tcherepnin looked at me – this was when it appeared the transaction had taken place.

• What time?

• I think about one in the morning. I was asleep and it woke me up.

• It didn't wake your master?

• Master was away that night, Sir.

• So you were alone on the bed.

• I don't sleep on the bed, Sir. I was alone on the floor.

• (Me) You're not going to trip him up, Gennady. He's an honest boy.

• Unusual in a slave. (to Alexei) Now, here's another important question. Was any other staff member with him? Helping him?

• . . . No, no staff member was with him.

• You paused. Are you sure about your answer?

• Yes, Sir.

• At any time that night did you see Sasha in this room?

• No, Sir.

• Oleg?

• No Sir.

• Ilya?

• No, Sir.

• Henri?

• No, Sir.

• Ivan?

• No, Sir.

• Pyotr?

• No, Sir.

• Ruslan?

• Yes, Sir.

• You saw Ruslan?

• Sir, he fucks me at night when Master is away. Then he brought me here and I went to sleep.

• But after you woke up?

• I did not see him, Sir.

• But you saw Grigory – at the computer.

• Yes, Sir.

• One last thing – I want you to repeat what I am saying – and I promise you it will not be used against you in any way – I want you to repeat this: "I sometimes sleep in the Boss's bed when he's away because my room is so cold."

• . . . I sometimes sleep in the Boss's bed when he's away because my room is so cold.

• Good boy.

The conversation switched back to Russian.

• That's pretty solid evidence against Grigory. I can use the voice recording as evidence – I'll edit out all the references that indicate Alexei's slavehood and insert that last sentence to make him sound like an employee taking advantage of his boss's absence. You'll have to testify to having an American employee – say he was here temporarily and has left to go home to the States. To make a solid case, I'd like to have fingerprints, though. Yours and your slave's will be all over this, Dmitri, and may obscure any that Grigory left.

• I don't use the number pad when I type and Alexei said he doesn't. I think the business staff does.

• Ah, there's a hope. I'll bring in my fingerprint guy this afternoon. He's not IAMSO-vetted so you'll have to hide your boy while he's here. Speaking of which – if you could inform your slave that we're going to fuck him now . . .

I did, and they did. Thoroughly.

I hated to think it of Grigory. Yes, he was prickly sometimes and argued with Pyotr and others, but he had been my gardener for four years and a damn good one. He had always seemed content in his job and I couldn't imagine him running off with a million euros that didn't belong to him.

But that's what happened. He was stupid about it, transferring the funds to a company named Grime Products Limited. Grime – GRIgory MEndeleev. And, of course, fingerprints on the number pad matched his. Grigory was arrested in the greenhouse the next day, protesting his innocence. Fat lot of good that will do him. He'll be sentenced to twenty years hard labor, minimum.

So, Nikolai, I've had to get a new gardener. Fortunately, Boris's assistant Anatoly had a friend, Daniil, who was qualified to be a gardener, with enough computer skills to help out in some way in the office, though probably not as highly-skilled as Grigory. Which, considering what Grigory did, is probably just as well.

Ironically, the only reason that Alexei was able to witness the crime was because of an incident in July which Ilya had also discovered. When I take business trips, as Alexei has mentioned, I delegate Alexei's mandatory nightly fuck to Ruslan. The first time I did so, Ruslan allowed Alexei to sleep in the same bed with him. I had to have a little talk with Ruslan, and we agreed that on future trips, Ruslan could use a bed to fuck Alexei but then must leave him in my room to sleep on the floor.

Which is a good transition to the news about Ruslan.

1. The Good News: The above incident notwithstanding, I have plans for Ruslan – big plans – which I broke to him this afternoon.

• I want to sponsor you for membership in IAMSO.

• What, boss?

• It's time you had your own slave.

• How can I possibly do that? Not that I'm complaining about my salary, but I could never afford it. I have no place of my own, nowhere to keep a slave, and – slaves cost money.

• I have an idea for how you can get a slave without purchasing him. As for a place of your own, I still have my dacha near Pskov. It's not a mansion like this but it's plenty respectable. You'll need additional staff, of course, but two should do it. I can stake you their salaries.

• Are you telling me you're going to let me use your dacha?

• I'm telling you I'm going to give you the dacha.

• What? Why? How?

• You know we're launching LBM Europe next year. The four of us can't run Europe and America both – we'd never be here. We need others to run Europe. Sasha's not interested, and I need him on the business end anyway. Ilya thinks he's ready, but he's a little immature and frankly, not physically imposing enough. You, on the other hand: I've seen you with my slaves, Ruslan. You have the right combination of dominance, discipline, and intelligence, with enough humanity to avoid going power-mad. Of everyone on my staff, you're the one Alexei really responds to. You had a way with B.J., too, even after his production fell off. There's something special about you, Ruslan – you were born to be a master.

• Thank you, boss. It's an honor to hear you say that. But –

• No `but's. Are you afraid?

• No. I'm confident I could do the job. It's just – I never thought I'd get the chance. And – I could take a boy home from the contest to be my slave?

• That's how it works.

• How do I go about this - do I need to apply to IAMSO?

• I've submitted your application already. Because you've been working in an IAMSO household for at least three years, the course requirements have been waived; you'll just have to pass an examination to get credit for them. I've arranged that for Saturday. Then you need a sponsor within IAMSO. That's me, of course. Yuri and Boris will sign supporting nominations. So all you'll have to do is the part you won't like: the practicum.

• What's that?

• Well, Ruslan, there's a theory that in order to be a good top you need to experience being a bottom.

• You're not saying –

• You'll have to spend 48 hours as a slave.

• Boss! You want me to submit to you for two whole days?

• Of course not. I can't have Alexei see you in that role. IAMSO has a special training facility in the Greek isles, for just this purpose. I've made arrangements for you to serve your practicum there. You're leaving on Monday, assuming you pass your exam.

• Did you – ?

• Not there. There are a few members certified to administer practicums. I served mine privately.

• When you say I have to serve as a slave –

• Don't bother to pack a suitcase. You won't need clothes. And – sorry, Ruslan – but they'll shave you. Everywhere.

• Alexei will notice and wonder why –

• Slaves can wonder lots of things. You'll assert your authority immediately upon return and he'll stop wondering. What is he going to do, anyway? Not as if he can ask either of us why your pubes are gone. If you're worried about it, you can blindfold him whenever you're naked with him.

• But, Boss – will they . . . I mean I've never taken it . . .

• Neither had I before my practicum. More to the point, neither had Alexei before he came here. So you'll understand what he went through. And that will make you a better master.

• I wasn't aware that empathy was a requirement for dealing with slaves.

• It's not. Not exactly. But it can help you understand why a slave reacts the way he does and what you need to do about it.

Ironic the words I used. Because I have a problem with Alexei that I don't know what to do about. And that, Nikolai, is the main reason I am writing to you.

1. My dilemma: Alexei has the potential to be another Slava. I would like to keep him around. But there are issues. He has lied to me – denying he was gay when he's known for months that he is. And since the convention he's been different – more detached, obedient but not more than obedient. I needed to find out why, so I ordered him to write the story of his transition into slavery. This was the document that so shocked Tcherepnin, that I would allow a slave such liberties. But I have learned a lot from reading this document.

I believe the problem is his attachment to another slave named Matti. In a startling coincidence, the two of them met prior to the contest and developed a friendship which appears to have grown into something deeper. Alexei is smitten with him and consumed by the fact that he perceives Matti to be in danger. Considering that Matti is one of the Royal Family's slaves, that perception is not altogether unjustified. The two of them encountered each other at the convention (which I am sorry you could not attend) and since then Alexei hasn't been the same.

I fear that Alexei will never develop his potential unless I can persuade him to purge this Matti from his mind, and I don't see how that is possible.

I'm asking your advice, Nikolai. If it were not for you, I would never have become a slave-owner, and you taught me nine-tenths of what I know. I want to know what I should do. You know I respect your opinion above all others.

You have my number if you'd like to talk.

Gratefully,

Dmitri

LATER THAT EVENING

Dear Dmitri,

I read your letter with great interest. I found the news about Grigory quite shocking; although I did not know him well, he always struck me as an employee of integrity. I found him impressive – and I'm sure your slaves have found his member impressive as well; it's one of the longer instruments I have witnessed in person.

I approve of the move you are making with Ruslan. I feel almost like a grandfather – I mentored you, and now you will mentor Ruslan. And, of course, you neglected to tell Ruslan that it was I who served as your master during your practicum. I am the first man to ever take your ass – and, I presume, the only one.

With regard to your slave – your attempts to get at the root of his decline in enthusiasm and performance are well-founded, even if you have allowed him more liberties than I feel is appropriate. But I may be a bit stodgy and old-fashioned. Motivating the slave is key and if it cannot be done by traditional methods, sometimes we have to think outside of the box, as they say.

While I'm thinking outside the box, I have a proposal. You are sending Ruslan away for his practicum. In his absence, I imagine you had planned to carry out his discipline sessions yourself; unless the new gardener is intimidating in stature, I don't see a likely replacement among your staff. I would like to suggest a temporary replacement: myself. I am between slaves at the moment, having sold Stefan; his purchased replacement, a lovely Haitian boy named Jean-Philippe, will not be delivered for several weeks. Thus, I am available.

If you are agreeable, I can fly up to St. Petersburg, take over the role of disciplinarian (I may be in my fifties but I am still strong as an ox) and assess this Alexei of yours myself. Then we can strategize about what to do with him. I can't come this weekend but can be on your doorstep Monday afternoon.

It would be good to see you again, my friend. I have not visited since you got this new boy – I am glad to hear that, at the very least, he is worthy of being given a Russian name. Jackson certainly never was.

In the meantime, send me the parts of Alexei's story that relate to this Matti – their meeting before the contest, some of their interaction on the boat, and especially what happened at the convention when they met. I'd like to read that before I arrive.

Regards,

Nikolai

P.S. I also regret that I was unable to attend the convention this year – first time ever. My brother was in the hospital with a heart attack and, although he has recovered well, at the time it looked grim and I needed to attend to him. And he lives in Irkutsk, not the most convenient of places!

DMITRI: FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER, LATE EVENING – BEDROOM

Email to Nikolai: Change in plans. Ruslan will be gone more than the 48 hours of his practicum – probably all week. Can you stay that long? [Author's Note: the reason for this will be explained in a later chapter.]

Email from Nikolai to me: I can stay as long as you need me. Jean-Philippe is weeks away.

ALEXEI: MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, AFTERNOON – ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA

Master has told me to continue to write, but not as a story of the past – as a sort of diary, to explore my feelings. I think he believes that if I express my thoughts it will be cathartic and help me get past my concerns about Matti. It will be cathartic – it is useful to have an outlet for things I can't speak – but I don't see how it will keep me from worrying about Matti.

There's been an unexpected change – Grigory is gone. I'd been expecting Master to take action against Ilya and Pyotr after reading about how Latronius and others had been admitted to the estate and gang-banged me, but . . . nothing. Grigory had participated, but that couldn't have been the reason he disappeared, not with Ilya still acting like the cock-of-the-walk.

I couldn't help but notice that Grigory had disappeared shortly after the FSB colonel interviewed me and I mentioned seeing Grigory at Master's computer. Was I responsible for getting him fired? Had Grigory done something that night? There was more to that story than Master knew – but he has told me not to write about the past, only the present. So I will wait for him to ask me about that. But I would feel terrible if Grigory lost his job because of me. Grigory was never mean to me, although he fucked hard and his cock was the longest I have ever seen. But I had grown to love the feeling of that long, long penis plunging against my prostate and looked forward to Thursday afternoons almost as much as I looked forward to Friday afternoons with Ruslan.

There is a new gardener – I knew when I saw him that he looked familiar, which was odd because how many Men have I met since I was here? Not that many – and then it hit me.

It was one of Ilya's friends. One of the participants in that gang-bang. As such, Master should have banished from ever being here. Instead, he hired him. Which made me suspect that Master actually approved of what had happened to me, because it made me admit that I was gay.

His name, I remembered, was Daniil. Last Thursday, I reported to the greenhouse for my afternoon `appointment'. Although not exactly apologizing, Daniil made it clear that he wanted to forget about July. He seemed to be yet another person who was attracted to me – he fucked me on my back with my legs over his shoulders, face to face. He leaned over and kissed me as he drilled me. And in the garden, he gave me orders without barking them at me or making me feel small.

I had to remember that he was not Ilya's friend, he was Anatoly's. Daniil seemed like he might, actually, be a nice guy. Nicer than Grigory. But, despite his enthusiasm, not the thrill I felt when being pummeled by Grigory's lengthy pole.

Today there was another change – a terrible one. Ruslan was gone! He was always at breakfast, but not today. And then, in the afternoon, the bell rang, and I admitted a Gentleman who instructed me to take him to Ruslan's room.

Was he replacing Ruslan???

The Man was tall, in his fifties, and well-built. He reminded me of the actor Gregory Peck, with just a touch of silver in his hair near the temples. A solid face, handsome, weathered but commanding. Not Ruslan's physique but broad-shouldered and powerful – a Man who worked out on weight machines regularly, I thought.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, EVENING - PLAYROOM

When I reported to the playroom at 8:30, there he was. He had stripped nearly naked, wearing only a leather thong. He was as well-muscled as I had imagined him to be – no Ruslan, but a powerful chest, solid arms, washboard abs, meaty thighs, and a solid, compact ass. The thong was packed – I could only imagine what was behind it. And I wanted it.

Without saying a word, he sensed that, pointed downward, which I interpreted as an instruction to kneel, then pressed the thong against my mouth. I opened and seized the growing cock through the leather, the combined scent of leather and manhood filling me with desire. How could I have lived the first twenty years of my life and not known that this was what I longed for – the sensation of a cock, even shielded by a thong – in my mouth, the smell of unadulterated masculinity. I wanted to unsheathe that cock and cherish it lovingly in my mouth, and then I wanted it in my ass.

That was not to happen. If he was here to replace Ruslan, I would have to wait until Friday for that sensation. If I had to forego the sensation of Ruslan's tree-trunk and Grigory's flagpole reaming my insides, at least I could look forward to taking this new piece of meat within me as consolation.

He attached me to a frame which bent me over at a 120-degree angle with my legs – I was still mostly upright but my ass was exposed. And my legs were separated, giving access to my hole.

Something went inside it – a good-sized dildo. Then something was wrapped around my balls – tightly, compressing them, and then a catheter was inserted into my cock – something neither Ruslan nor Master had ever done before. I did not like that sensation – it was painful as the tube slid into my urethra and I deflated. A strap around my wrist – to measure my pulse?

In front of me was a monitor, on which an image of Master appeared. Naked, erect. There was a scowl on his face. It made me fearful. Despite his attractive body, it produced no reaction in me. I was guessing my pulse escalated somewhat, though more through anxiety than stimulation.

And then images of Ruslan. Ruslan erect, Ruslan facing away, Ruslan with his cock in my mouth, Ruslan fucking me, Ruslan facing me with his thick cock oozing pre-cum and a grin on his face. I got hard. I wanted that cock, and wondered where it – and he – was.

This image was followed by pictures of someone vomiting and of someone shitting and a close-up of the turd. Disgusting, nauseating images which sickened me. They made me soft, which I realized was exactly what they were intended to do.

The next image was so unexpected I gasped. It was Matti. It was Matti, nude. I realized these were the pictures from his LBM physical back in April, when Dr. Haddad had taken nude pictures of us from four different angles.

Oh, my god, he looked good. My cock sprang to life, my pulse definitely quickened, I was filled with such longing. Matti, my Matti, in all his delicious Finnishness, with that silly grin on his face, which he couldn't even suppress in Dr. Haddad's office. (`Say hi to the Canon'.) Memories of being together flooded my brain. Oh, god, how I wanted him. Not like I wanted Ruslan or this stranger's cock inside me. I just wanted to be with him, to talk to him, to kiss him, to feel his body next to mine – and if we had sex, so much the better. But –

Pain racked my body. My cock was on fire as an electrical current traversed through the catheter in my urethra, sending me into agony. Moments later a shock penetrated my balls, generating so much pain I thought I would lose consciousness.

What kind of monster was this Man? Ruslan – or Master – or any of his guests at the Saturday night parties – had never done this to me.

He waited a couple of minutes for the pain to subside and my breathing to slow. And then waited another minute for me to get bored. And then there was another nude picture of Master.

I felt a sensation in my ass. The dildo penetrating me was also electrified, but it was stimulating my prostate and the feeling was good. It began to pulse and it was almost like being fucked, sending endorphins to my brain and I felt my cock respond. Slowly, and not all the way to full erection, but it was bouncing a little.

And then, suddenly, Master was replaced by Matti and it felt like a knife was slicing my urethra to shreds. It felt like my balls were being squeezed into a single molecule. It felt like I was being raped by a bayonet. I was gasping, struggling for breath until another picture of Master was reimposed and the pain was suddenly gone, replaced by warmth and comfort.

Matti again. Once more I felt bamboo shoots in my penis and a sword slicing through my rectum.

Matti melded into Ruslan and the pleasant sensations came back. And then Ruslan migrated into Master and the pleasant sensations grew even more intense. I was hard as a rock and looking at Master.

One more return trip to Matti, and pain. And then, deflated, this mystery Man gave me ten strokes with the cane. And, after he released me, accompanied me to Master's bedroom where they had a conversation in Russian before he left me alone with Master.

• Do you enjoy session with Nikolai? (Oh, so that was his name?)

• No, Master.

• You not supposed to. Nikolai is old friend of mine. He here to help out. Ruslan away, but he back next week. Is pleasing you?

• Yes, Master, I like Ruslan.

• You like Ruslan or you like Ruslan cock?

• I'm not sure I can distinguish, Master.

• You like Nikolai cock as well. It smaller than Ruslan cock, but he have skill.

I do want his cock. Just not his shock.

DMITRI: TUESDAY, 6 DECEMBER, MORNING – BEDROOM

With Ruslan's practicum being prolonged beyond the 48 hours originally planned, Nikolai told me he could stay the full week to fill in – and beyond, if I needed his help with Alexei. He came to me in the morning while Alexei was busy cleaning for Ivan.

• So what do you think?

• Hard to tell after only one session. Electroshock only works if the attraction is mild – the subject rarely associates the object of his affection with pain. For more severe cases, there is some evidence of success if the therapy is continued for six to nine months on a daily basis – but there are some residual side effects.

• Such as?

• The subject will begin to despise the administrator of the therapy. Which would have to be Ruslan, the servant who has had the most success with Alexei – you don't want to destroy that.

• I could transfer discipline to Ilya. He'd gladly do it, he's eager, wants to learn – and Alexei doesn't seem to like him.

• Do you know why that is?

• No. But it doesn't matter – I don't have six to nine months. If I'm going to sell him before I go to America, I need to make a decision by March.

• Dmitri, you told me you had Alexei write about the three most important things that had happened after his adjustment to slavery.

• Yes.

• You sent me only part of his story about the convention where he met Matti. You've told me about the encounter with his friend Rhode Island – and there is definitely attraction there as well. But I am curious about the first story – you said when he discovered that he was gay. I would like to read that story.

• I'll email it to you. You can read it on your own laptop when it's convenient.

• Thank you. I'll do it tonight.

DMITRI: WEDNESDAY, 7 DECEMBER, MORNING – LIBRARY

• Dmitri, I am puzzled. Alexei told you that it was this episode that made him realize he was gay.

• Yes.

• Did it make sense to you?

• Of course. Alexei just needed time. His Latent Homosexuality Index was high, I knew he would come around.

• But why then? What happened then? He was fucked by Grigory. Grigory had fucked him before. Nothing was special about that afternoon. All of a sudden, Alexei goes into waves of ecstasy about how wonderful Grigory's cock is. And frankly, it doesn't sound like Alexei's writing style. Did you talk to him about it?

• Why, what are you thinking?

• I'm thinking he's holding something back. Something more happened than what I'm reading here. And there's something else odd here. Notice the time it was last updated. November 15, 2:13 p.m. 2:13 p.m. What was he doing here at that time? According to your schedule, he should have been servicing one of your servants at that time. Why wasn't he?

• November 15 - that was a Tuesday. He should have been with Henri. Nikolai, I'm amazed I never noticed that before. Alexei will have to answer for this – or Henri will.

I texted Ivan and had him send Alexei to the library. He was used to being summoned for any reason at any time, and so didn't seem alarmed or surprised to be pulled away from his housecleaning duties to attend to me.

• Alexei, in the past month, have you missed any of your afternoon appointments?

• (puzzled) No, Master. I have never missed an afternoon appointment since I've arrived here.

• On Tuesday three weeks ago, did Henri fuck you as usual?

• Yes, Master.

• Were you on time?

• Yes, Master. I have not been late for an appointment with Henri since July, Master – and then I was delayed only because of –

• Never mind that. So at 2:13 p.m. on the 15th, you would have been with Henri?

• (clearly worried) Yes, Master.

• And did he fuck you that day?

• Yes, Master. Henri always –

• Does Henri fuck you right away or does he delay it?

• Master, he – sometimes he talks to me for a few minutes. But not more than ten minutes or so.

• And that Tuesday? When did he start to fuck you?

• I can't state exactly, Master. Probably about 2:05.

• So at 2:13, he would be buried in your backside?

• Yes, Master. Henri doesn't hurry, he takes his time with sex.

• Nikolai, show him. (He did) So how do you explain this?

• Master, I don't understand.

• If Henri had his cock buried in your backside, how is it that you were at the same time working on this document?

• I . . . I wasn't, Master. I couldn't have been. I only work on the document when I am with you, Master. Or if you give me time off in the mornings – but never when I have a sex appointment.

• So how do you explain this?

• I can't. Maybe there was an error in your computer's clock? But – I finished that document the day before.

• On Monday?

• Yes, Master. You wanted to review it at 4:30 on Tuesday and I wanted to make sure I had it done ahead of time. I remember especially because I was anxious about this document, it being so – well, I didn't want to get anyone in trouble.

• You were worried about getting Grigory in trouble?

• No, Master, not Grigory.

• (Nikolai, in Russian) Dmitri, either your boy is a master liar – which I do not believe – or he did not update this document at 2:13 that Tuesday. (to Alexei) Who did you think might get in trouble, Alexei, if not Grigory?

• . . . Sir, I don't want to speak inappropriately.

• (Me) Answer the question, boy.

• Well, I mean, well, I thought you might be angry with Pyotr, Sir. And –

• Yes, I was angry with Pyotr. He fucked you out of turn and ungreased, and damaged you along with Grigory. But I withheld their sex privileges for two weeks, surely you saw that, they were already punished. Why did you think you would get Pyotr in trouble then?

• Well, because he controlled the gate. And he would have had to have let them in. Even though it was –

• Let them in? What are you talking about?

• Master, I'm confused. It was all in my document. I –

• (Nikolai) Stop, boy. (opening the document on his laptop) Look at this – there's nothing in here about letting anybody in.

There was a pause as Alexei browsed through the document, confusion and dismay overwhelming his handsome face.

• Master, I swear, this is not my document. This is not what I wrote. Someone has –

• But you did write a document with this title – Writing Assignment # 1?

• Yes, Master.

Nikolai spoke to me in Russian.

• We should be able to recover a previous version. Get Sasha up here.

• We could just have Alexei tell us what's in it.

• Yes, and maybe he'll leave things out. Best if we read it first and then interrogate him if it seems like he's still covering up for someone.

• What if Sasha wrote the altered version?

• Sasha? Impossible.

• That's what you said about Grigory.

• I suppose nothing is impossible. Well – it's not exactly a crime, but I think Tcherepnin would come if I let him fuck Alexei afterwards.

• Bring him in.

ALEXEI: I don't know what just happened, but I heard the words Tcherepnin' and Alexei' and I think I'm in for an extra fuck today.

DMITRI: Two. He brought Bobrovsky.

[COMING UP NEXT: CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT - THE WRONG MAN]