Savages

-Hello Everyone!

SO glad everybody enjoyed the last chapter and SO SO sorry that I took twice as long with this one. I got some great feedback, you guys are letting me know what you like and what needs work and I really appreciate that!

I NEED you all to let me know what I'm doing right and wrong, weird or cool or stupid. Give me your thoughts on the story's direction.

Shoot me an email: amanrastan@gmail.com

I suppose the usual discalimers apply: This story contains sexual acts between males, some of which may be minors. If you are under age or live in a city, state, province, country or backwoods fucking planet that prohibits the reading of this material, don't read it. This story in no way represents any person living or dead. Any resemblance to any real person is purely coincidental. This story is the property of the author and no copying or posting to any other website is permitted without the author's written consent (very much appreciated).

Also, please consider donating to Nifty. I found the Archive at possibly the darkest time in my life and I'd bet money that it helped me get through it. Now take the money that you would've lost on that bet and give it up to Nifty, sustaining this site could save more people like us. ************************************************************************* BELLAMY

The air was pleasantly cool last night. I slept with my window open and after kicking my sheets off my naked form the wind caressed my skin ever so gently. I heard the waves crashing on the shore all night. I heard them all night because, despite the incredibly relaxing atmosphere, I couldn't sleep. I slept in my own room without Jack. He didn't say anything and this isn't exactly unusual. Occasionally we each like to have our space. This wasn't my excuse though. Last night's revelations gave me an uneasy feeling; not only about what our future held, but whether or not my future included Jack intimately. I'm not going to lie, Damian is the root cause of these feelings. This isn't the first time I've dealt with this, but this feels quite different. I don't hold any ill will towards him, but he occupies a place in Jack's thoughts right now that I don't feel I should have to compete with. That is to say, Jack is interested in Damian in many ways. Now I know Damian is straight but that's never stopped Jack before...or me, for that matter. Sexuality is a social construct and one with a wide spectrum at that. Our generation, millennials and gen z'ers, seem to be sexually fluid, like it's apart of the package of youth these days. That's why I think it's time Jack and I had the talk. We don't need to be exclusive, that's not what I'm asking for. But we do need to define what we are; establish boundaries. I may need some time away from him altogether.

He wasn't in his bed. It's still early. I checked the gym and there were signs that he was here: a freshly used towel in the hamper, the indentation on the bench from where his ass and head had been pressed. In the kitchen, a pot of coffee was brewing, we had woken up too late yesterday to make one. I went out on to the deck and noticed the sun was just coming up. I scanned the beach in front of me, Jack was just getting out of the water and making his way back towards the house. His silhouette against the rising sun seemed to deify him in a way, as though the sun itself was just realizing the force of nature this man could be. Silly sun, I thought, I deified him years ago.

"Good morning Bell." He greeted me with a smile and a kiss on the cheek when he reached me.

"Good morning. You worked out early." I said, more as a statement than a question. His muscles were still swollen and defined from his workout. The early morning sun and the glistening water on his skin completed the living sculpture in front of me. His sweet and musky smell reached my nostrils. The scent of his sweat mixed with the ocean salt air was damn near intoxicating. I could have ripped his board shorts off right there and fucked him until the sun was gone...or until heat stroke forced us to stop.

"Yeah, I pushed myself kind of hard this morning and then I decided to go for a swim." He said, towelling his face dry. He took a moment to just breathe and stare back out at the sea. I knew I needed to start this conversation.

"We need to talk." I said.

"Ok." He said, not making eye contact with me. "How about some coffee first?"

"Ok." I followed him into the kitchen. He always pours my cup first, something I love about him. He sat at the island in the kitchen but I remained standing. Now it seemed I was having trouble making eye contact. "Jack-" I started, "-what are we?"

"We're brothers." He answered. This was a reflexive response. He spent so much time when we were younger easing my concerns that brotherhood is built more on bond than blood that he never realized what this distinction could get in the way of. His answer essentially was my whole point. We are brothers; I won't dispute that, but how then can we be lovers?

"I think we need to take a step back from each other." I put out there. He just stared at me, then he got up and walked around the island to me. His fingers found mine and he began to caress them. He's holding my hand and he's watching his thumb rub over my knuckles. I'm breathlessly staring at his face. I watch as my hand gets lifted to his lips and he places a small kiss on the back of my hand.

"Ok." He says. He puts my hand back down and walks around me. Ok? That's it? I stop him before he leaves completely.

"What do you mean ok? How can you just dismiss me-" He grabbed my face and smashes his mouth into mine. It was the slowest, most sensual kiss he's ever given me.

"I will never dismiss you." He said, breaking the kiss. "And this-" He gestured between us, "is never off the table, no matter who else we fuck." With that he went to shower. I'm not sure how long I stood there touching my bottom lip. A text message pulled me out of my daze. It was from Damian; he explained that Jack gave him my number. Also it seems Principle Wright has cooled off since yesterday...he's willing to waive the three weeks detention they were supposed to have. Wright wants to see us first thing this morning though.

When Jack came back down stairs Carter was behind him, fully clothed and ready to go. I wonder what has him so energized this morning. Usually he's not in a rush to get in my car, considering there isn't a dedicated back seat.

"Bellamy, what are you doing?" Carter asked me, "Go get dressed!" And so I did. When I came back down we all got in my car. Jack drove, I like when he drives. We pulled into the same spot we did the day before...only Damian was waiting for us this time. A lot happened yesterday, now that I think about it.

"Hey guys, my dad wants to see us."

"Where's Lucas?" Carter asked.

"Um, in class? I don't know." Damian answered honestly.

"OK, well I'll just go see." Carter started off.

"No you won't. You're coming to this meeting too." Jack told him.

"Awww man, this sucks!" Carter exclaimed.

Dorian Wright had a rigid expression when we all entered his office. Damian shut the door behind us and we all proceeded to sit.

"I'm glad you all are on the same page now." Wright said, trying only to allude to facts already known.

"You can cut the ambiguity, Principle Wright. There's no reason we can't speak plainly now." Jack said.

"Yes well, I wasn't quite prepared for certain information to come to light yet. But you're correct Mr. Miser; I suppose there's no sense feigning incognition now. Let's get one thing straight though, I am NOT answering questions about your-"

"Is our dad still actively serving in the CIA?" Carter asked.

"I just said-" Wright began again

"You actually didn't finish what you were saying so that could've been anything." I said.

"He warned me you three were like this." He said under his breath.

"I'm sure he did." Jack said.

"There are certain elements to our past and his present that I cannot speak about, and I need you all to respect that."

"Fair enough." Jack decided for us. "However, our relationship has changed. To the majority of the town you're just the principle of Salt Stone High. To us, you're a retired clandestine CIA operative that needs our help and I'm not sure we're going to grant it." Jack explained.

"I don't understand." Wright looked at Damian then back to Jack. "You said you would help him, you have to."

"We'll help Damian because we want to, not because we have to. But you of all people should understand what is involved with getting Damian out of this mess." Jack relayed.

"What are you asking for?" Wright asked.

"We need the freedom to work, all of us. This means we can't be stuck in school every day."

"Ok, I can change your grades and attendance status accordingly. The faculty will be oblivious to this." Wright said.

"We also need proof you're helping us." Jack smiled. Wright smiles also.

"Now why would you need that?" Wright asked, likely already knowing the answer.

"We trust Damian, but we don't trust you. Besides, you want your cover to stay intact because you're invested in this town. We require proof that you are just as involved as we are." Jack told him.

"Alexander certainly has reason to be as proud of you three as he is. Ok Mr. Miser, I will provide you proof of my involvement once you take your first steps towards helping my son, not before." Wright responded.

"That will be taken care of very soon." Jack assured him. This concluded the meeting. We all walked back out to my car. An impending sense of action guiding us.

"I need you available at all times. When I text, you text back. When I call, you pick up. Do you understand?" Jack told Damian.

"Yes." Damian said without hesitation.

"You sure your girlfriend's not gonna get in the way of that?" Carter asked coyly.

"Girlfriend?" Jack asked. He can't possibly be surprised. Damian is like the poster boy for straight, teen, jocks everywhere.

"Yeah, she's um, she's actually coming over to us right now." Damian said. This girl was beautiful. Now, I prefer dick but I've had my share of females, even a few milfs too. This girl though, was beyond fine.

"Hi baby." She kissed Damian. "Hi Carter." She smiled.

"Hi Kali." Carter smiled back.

"You two know each other?" Damian asked.

"We've met." Kali smiled innocently, then she noticed Jack and I, hehehe. "Carter are these your brothers?" She asked, proceeding to eye fuck us both.

"I'm standing right here." Damian said.

"Baby, they're both gay. I can flirt with them." Kali said, as though this was a cosmic understanding.

"So I can flirt with lesbians then?" Damian asked.

"Oh my god, you've been talking to that dyke Miranda haven't you?" Kali looked positively pissed. Damian just smiled and introduced us.

"Kali this is Bellamy Sorrow." He gestured to me. I shook her hand like a gentlemen.

"Hello miss." I smiled. She giggled a little bit and Damian just rolled his eyes.

"And this-" He put his hand on Jacks shoulder, "Is Jack Miser." Kali sort of got lost staring at Jack, she almost forgot to shake his hand. Completely normal response.

"Pleasure to meet you." Jack acquainted himself.

"Not yet it's not." Kali winked at him, making our eyebrows shoot all the way up.

"OK baby-" Damian interrupted, "-we have some things to take care of."

"Ok, call me later ok?" She asked.

"I'll do that." He told her.

"Can I have a kiss before I go?" She asked. I don't know why he hesitated. He glanced briefly at Jack so I can guess why.

"Of course." He kissed her then, passionately I might add, if only for our benefit. Again, I don't know why.

"Mmm, I can't wait to see you later." She said sauntering away. Damian looked back at us, a little red in the face.

"Sorry about that." He said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Ummm, I don't know."

"Moving on then-" Jack said, "-Bellamy I need you to stand by for now and be ready to move. Damian, you and I are going for a drive."

"Ok. Let's go Carter." I said.

"Hold on...is Damian coming over later?" Carter asked.

"Maybe, why?" Jack answered.

"Is Lucas coming over too?"

"Maybe, why?" Damain asked.

"I was just wondering! Holy fuck me!" Carter exclaimed before getting into my car. They looked at me and I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Hey Jack-" I called before getting into the driver's seat, "-pick us up some weed for later."

"Will do, brother." ******************************************************************************************************* JACK

"So you guys are pot heads, huh?" Damian asked me once we got into his mustang.

"Yeah we like weed. We're gonna get some later."

"Ok so where's our first stop?"

"When do you normally meet your handler?" I asked him.

"Whenever he calls me."

"When's the last time you saw him?"

"Two weeks ago I think."

"Well that's a problem in itself. Confidential informants should meet with their handlers regularly." I voiced this thought.

"He's not exactly cop of the year, dude."

"Does he have a partner?" I asked.

"Yeah but he's not involved."

"Why not?"

"Because he's actually a good cop. He has no idea what's going on." Damian explained.

"That's interesting." I thought about how I wanted to do this.

"You can call him though, right? What's his name?" I asked.

"Detective Roy Harding. I can call him, I guess...but he doesn't always like me doing that."

"You're going to call him and ask to meet. I want you to voice your concerns to him about your cover being blown." I said.

"Ok." He made the call. Detective Harding certainly seemed irritated, but he agreed to meet Damian at a coffee shop called The Root. I called Bellamy too. I asked him to tail Harding after the meeting, hoping he would go home at some point. He knew what Damians car looked like but he didn't know Bell's car. We got there early, of course. I stayed in the car obviously but I had Damian call my phone and then I conference called Bellamy, so we both could hear the conversation. I was watching the front of the shop like a hawk. Detective Harding wasn't hard to spot. He was sort of tall but rather thin and frail looking. My first thought was that he could be sick. But after a second look I realized this was drug abuse - he's an addict. The clamor of a chair being pulled out and scooted back in came through my phone.

"Why did you call me here kid?" Harding asked, highly annoyed.

"Because I'm worried about my cover. I think GSG knows I'm not who I say I am and it's only a matter of time before the Poppers figure it out." Damian sounded convincing for sure, but he didn't necessarily have to act...he was concerned.

"Trust me. GSG has no idea about you." Harding said, already disinterested with the conversation.

"Ok, but what do you want me to continue to do here?"

"I need you to continue to tell me what the Poppers are doing. At the moment the Department is not as interested in GSG."

"But isn't GSG the bigger fish here?"

"Look, what did I just say huh? Don't worry so much about GSG. Just continue to feed me info on the Poppers. Once they're out of the picture, then we can worry about downtown. And don't call me again. I call you, got it?" He didn't wait for a response, he just got up and left. I waited until he was outside before I spoke into the phone.

"Ok Bellamy; follow him and be careful."

"No problem." He hung up. When Damian got back to the car, he seemed deep in thought.

"I think Harding is working for GSG." He looked at me so seriously. I started chuckling and that pissed him off.

"What is so funny?!"

"That was obvious buddy."

"Whatever Jack! What do we do next?"

"Now we wait for Bellamy. Where can we get some green?" I asked him.

"I know a guy." He started his car and off we went. We left Main Street and drove inland, towards downtown into what I assumed was GSG territory. Immaculate side walks and manicured palm trees turned into decrepit feder roads and warehouse looking projects. I saw kids younger than Carter selling drugs on certain corners, guns in their waistbands. Their earning potential here was surprisingly high. Unfortunately, selling drugs here was the best alternative to not being able to afford to leave for better academic opportunities. Opportunities that they either weren't smart enough to attain or would be discriminated against achieving for a myriad of reasons, chief among them was not always race related, but socioeconomically related.

Damian pulled up next to a kid about thirteen years of age. He wore baggy clothing that didn't hide his thin frame at all. He was a cute kid...not black but more brown than me. I could see a wisdom in his scrutinizing eyes gained from years of hardship and having to look out for himself. The 9 millimeter on display at his waist helped with that too, I'm sure. This kid was strong...I like that.

"What's up, Lotus?" Damian asked.

"Not much nigga...who's this?" Lotus responded, looking at me.

"Just a friend." Damian answered.

"He looks like a punk...you a punk?" He asked me.

"You wanna find out?" I asked the kid.

"You gonna find out my dude!" He put his hand on his pistol.

"I got one of those too youngster, but mines a .45." I said, grabbing my dick through my shorts. His eyebrows went up.

"YO, Damian! I like this cat!"

"Yeah, I do too Lotus. Can you sell us some weed?" Damian asked.

"Yeah man, how much you want?" Lotus asked, getting back to business. Damian looked at me though.

"Two ounces." I said. Lotus looked at me, then back to Damian.

"I'll be right back." He walked into the building behind him.

"What are you going to do with two ounces of weed?" Damian asked me. I looked at him like he was crazy.

"What kind of dumb ass question is that?" I laughed. "We're going to smoke it. You're lucky you're pretty." He blushed, which, against his pale complexion was quite pretty. I'd love to just find out what his lips taste like. He's straight and I'm trying to respect that, but FUCK...you know? Lotus came back out with a thick black bag.

"three hundred." He said. I pulled out my wallet and counted out three hundred and fifty dollars...he saw this. "What's this for?" He asked.

"Just looking out man." I said. Again he looked at me, then back at Damian.

"Thanks nigga. Y'all be easy out there. I'll catch you later, Damian." Lotus said, before going back to his corner. Damian didn't waste any time driving out of GSG territory.

"His mom was a crackhead...died a few years back." Damian said. "His last name is Blessem, so his mother named him Lotus, because of the Lotus blossom flower. That kid worked hard to gain some respect around here for his first name. If you call him Lotus Blossom though, he'll shoot you twice."

"Why twice?" I asked.

"The way he sees it, you're twice as likely not to do it again."

"I like that kid." I said, more to myself than to him. He just nodded his agreement. By this time, school was out and I guess Damian had asked Lucas to text him when he was ready to be picked up. They're communicating more, I like that. Lucas was supposed to be waiting for us under one of the large trees in the parking lot but there was a crowd of students there.

We both got out of the car and made our way towards the center. We didn't have to push and shove because kids started moving out of our way as soon as they saw us. When we got to the center we saw Lucas had a black eye...but damn if he wasn't holding his own against this bully. This bully picked the wrong fucking kid though hehehe.

Damian grabbed him and turned him around, and I saw it was the same asshole I knocked out yesterday. The same asshole Carter knocked out yesterday too. He must be some kind of stupid to have put his hands on Lucas of all people.

Damian threw a fist into the bully's stomach, doubling him over. Then he walked right around him to check on Lucas. I didn't do that though. While the bully was still bent over gasping for breath, I grabbed the sides of his head and drove my knee into his face. His upper body came upright then, but I grabbed his arm and swung him around, using his momentum to trip him over. I placed my knee on the small of his back, held his arm straight up, and to set an example, I punched the back of his elbow joint with all my might, breaking his arm. The scream he let out only lasted several seconds and was replaced by soft sobbing. Complete silence surrounds us, except for crying and Damian fussing over Lucas's eye.

Damian leads Lucas back to the car and has him in the back seat. I stayed...I looked down at the bully whose name I didn't know and didn't care to. Then I looked around at the faces of the kids in the circle. I made eye contact with many of them. I think my message was clear. My people are not to be touched.

When I get into the car, we sit for a minute. The crowd of kids still have not dispersed. They continue to glance back and forth between us and that sobbing piece of shit on the ground.

"Do you see their faces, Jack?" Damian asked me.

"Looks like respect to me."

"You know better. I had their respect at one point, but no matter what I did they never feared me...that's fear in their eyes right now." I looked over to him.

"Savagery incites savagery Damian."

"Is there anyone else as savage as you?"

"Maybe a couple." I said vaguely.

"You know you're incredibly arrogant?"

"So I've been told."

"Who checks your ego when Bellamy can't?" This was a dig at Bellamy, but not for jealousy's sake...he's just as much trying to dig at me.

"You don't want to know." I told him. Maybe in time, I'd tell him.

I looked back to Lucas. "You alright dude?"

"Yeah I'm fine. I can take care of myself!" He said, scowling at his big brother.

"I believe you." I said. He looked at me in surprise. I turned completely around now so I was facing him. "But that doesn't mean you have to. I have that same problem. I always try to fight mine and my brothers battles alone. But having friends; having brothers, means you never fight alone. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah, I understand."

"Damian?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Let's go home. Bellamy's done."

"Ok."

The car ride back to my house was silent. I assumed both of them were reflecting on each of their experiences today. Damian seems hell bent now on finding my flaws and I can't blame him. I invited the scrutiny with my actions...and my enormous ego apparently. Then, Lucas asked what smelled like weed and Damian and I literally laughed out loud.

Damian pulled in behind Bell's Z. I saw Bellamy through the sliding glass door sitting on the deck outside. He was looking over his notes probably.

"Lucas...how about you go find Carter, ok?" I asked.

"What are you guys doing anyway?" He inquired.

"They're just helping me with some things." Damian told him. Lucas just stared at him without saying anything and then walked away.

"You know he's not stupid right?" I asked him.

"I just want to protect him a little longer." He said.

"No no no... I meant that kid is freakishly smart." I tried to explain.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he's probably deduced everything that's happened so far. Our new friendship, the fact that we no longer have detention, or that we've been out of school all day."

"No way he's aware of any of this!" Damian rebuked.

He's in denial. I nodded my understanding before making my way out to the deck. Bellamy looked up at us with mild interest. He noticed my bloody knuckles right away...he's incredibly observant; something I love about him. The way his blond hair is glowing in the sun right now is something else I love. His eyes, though, are not smiling. His grey eyes can voice thoughts to me that his tongue will never allow spoken. He's irritated with me. I honestly have no idea what he wants from me. I don't think he wants to be exclusive but I'm pretty sure he doesn't want me fucking anyone else either. This is in stark contrast to how we grew up. We would sleep with each other all the time...even when we were screwing other people. His happiness is of paramount importance to me. Damian is wrong; Bellamy can check my ego just fine and almost no one else can make me feel as insecure as he can. I've never doubted where we stood with each other before. At the end of the day though, he belongs to me.

"I have a pretty good understanding of Harding's routine." Bellamy said.

"Ok but first, we all need lunch...and we need to smoke a little bit of this green." I said quite seriously.

"How about I order chinese?" Damian suggested.

"Fantastic idea. Order some of everything." I told him. He left to place the order and I looked at Bellamy. "He likes chinese food."

"Seems so." He stares back at me.

"We picked up some bud." I reminded him.

"Oh cool!" He beamed. "I'll go get a bowl and we can toke before we eat." Bellamy came back with our glass pipe and a grinder and started grinding nugs. Damian came back and told us what all he ordered. Shrimp fried rice, General Tso's chicken, Chow Mei Fun, boneless spare ribs. The ribs are my favorite. Bellamy, Damian, and I took turns hitting the pipe. After a short while Carter and Lucas came out to the deck. They weren't speaking to each other though...I wonder what happened. Whatever it was, Damian doesn't seem to notice. I passed the bowl to Carter and he took a big puff before passing it to Lucas. All eyes were on him now. Not that our intent was to corrupt him or anything, it just seemed like if anyone here was not acclimated to smoking it would be him. Sure enough, he started coughing like a rookie hehehe. Carter reached over and started patting his back. Lucas looked over at him like he had three heads. Seeing his expression, Carter slowly withdrew his hand and stared at his feet. Weird. It seemed like Lucas was really into him last night and now the roles have reversed; which is doubly weird, because Carter has never shown interest in a guy before.

The tension left quickly though, as the bud kicked in. The seriousness of our day and our lives at the moment were replaced with jovial banter. Near incessant giggling was giving us all an abdominal workout.

"Hey, uhhh how will we like know, you know, when the food gets here?" Carter asked.

"Because I'm going to smell it bro." Damian said, matter of factly.

"Hahahaha, you're not going to smell the food from here you goof nut!" Bellamy laughed.

"Dude, totally. I'm totally going to know because my nose is just going to know." Just then the doorbell rang.

"I got it." I said. I got up and made my way to the door. The delivery guy seemed alright, his eyes got big when he saw me, so I'm assuming he goes to our school. Honestly, I thought he might piss himself and that's not cool. I do have a conscience...when I want to.

"I'm Jack. Would you like to come in and eat with us? There's more than enough food." He just shook his head though.

"No thank you. I have other deliveries and I don't want any trouble." Well, that was a little rude. I wasn't proposing trouble.

"What kind of trouble?" I said in a steely voice. His eyes doubled their original size.

"NO no no! I didn't mean from you, I'm sorry! I meant from my bosses, if I don't finish my deliveries." He explained. Good thing too. My conscience was getting ready to go right out the window.

"Ah, I understand. Maybe next time then!" I said handing him a fifty, telling him to keep the change.

"Thank you." he reached out to shake my hand and I took it. "My name's Malcom by the way." He looked like he wanted to say more but stopped himself. He was cute in a mousy, nerdy kind of way. He was lanky and his auburn hair almost touched his square framed glasses.

"Listen Malcolm," I started, "if you ever want to come by to hang out or maybe even just to talk, you're welcome, ok?"

"Ok, yeah, thank you Jack." He sounded relieved. We said goodbye, and he was on his way. I went back out to the deck with the food and asked Damian about Malcom.

"Oh yeah. He's one of the openly gay kids at school. Nice dude, from what I understand. I haven't talked much to him, or at all really. But Lucas has."

"Lucas has what?" Carter asked.

"I have talked with Malcom, a lot. He has a crush on me." Lucas told Carter.

"What about you?" Carter asked, putting some chicken and rice in his mouth.

"What about me?"

"Well, do you have a crush on him?"

"No. But then again, the guys that I have crushes on aren't into relationships." Damn. So that's the problem. Lucas wants to really be with Carter, and I guess Carter isn't ready to be in a gay relationship. Fuck, I told Carter to be careful with Lucas, but maybe I should have done the opposite. Carter looks distraught right now.

"Maybe the guy you want to be in a relationship with is trying to figure himself out. Maybe for the time being, he just wants to make you happy and doesn't know how!" Carter retaliated.

"Then he better figure it out." Lucas said calmly.

"Are we still talking about Malcom?" Damian asked with a mouth full of food.

"No buddy." Bellamy said without looking up from his food, "Just keep eating."

"Now that we're mostly done eating...Lucas, could you and Carter give us a moment?" I asked.

"No Jack!" He exclaimed. All our eyes shot up to him. "I know that Damian is working two different gangs right now and that you're trying to get him out. I know that there's a dirty police detective that supposed to be looking out for him and isn't. I also figured out that you all are likely going to try to kill this cop soon." He took a moment to collect himself before continuing. "I'm not an idiot. I want to be treated as an equal here."

We let this sink in. Damian was astounded that Lucas was aware of so much. We were not. I looked over at Bellamy and he was staring back at me. He nodded and I agreed.

"OK." I said. And that was that. Lucas would be included from now on. "Bellamy, what did you find out today?"

"So Harding is incredibly relaxed, despite his drug abuse."

"So he is using?" I asked.

"Oh yeah! He stopped what he was doing five times today to either do blow or dust hehehe. I honestly don't know how he's getting anything done. He was at a couple different crime scenes today...stopped at a few bars. And eventually stopped by his house." Bellamy explained.

"His house have security?" I asked.

"No. I took a closer look after he left, and it doesn't seem like he even has a basic alarm system."

"He has a family? Kids?" I asked.

"A wife, Theresa, that also has a drug problem and a little boy. Grant is ten, I think."

"Most of his time is spent in his vehicle, driving around and fucking off then?" Carter asked.

"It seems so. He's very rarely at home and not for long periods of time. I was going to drive by tonight to see if he even sleeps there."

"Not tonight." I said

"Why not tonight?" Bell asked.

"Because I need you here tonight." The others just kind of looked back and forth between us. It was such a simple statement but it said SO much. He could feel the love behind those words, but also the expectation. My expectations amuse him. He knows I expect him to stay with me tonight and he likely will. The others are probably assuming he doesn't have a choice. He knows he does, though. He knows he can do no wrong in my eyes. He knows he can test me and get away with it; I think we both get off on that fact.

"Whatever you want Jack." He said, getting up and walking into the house.

"Oook," Damian started. "I think it's time we head out." He said to Lucas.

"Fine by me." Lucas got up and walked speedily into the house.

"Now just wait a fucking minute..." Carter started after him.

"What are you going to do?" Damian asked me.

"About what, bro?" I smiled.

"Harding." I smiled wider.

"Let me worry about that for right now. Trust me." Silence passed between us and we never broke eye contact.

"OK. I don't care what happens to him, but you promise me nothing happens to the kid."

"I understand the magnitude of what we're doing. I promise the kid will be well cared for afterwards."

"Ok. I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

"What kind of question is that? I'll see you soon. Drive safe and get some rest." He smiled and left. Some time later, Bellamy and Carter came back out with more weed.

"Ok. What do you have in mind?" Bellamy asked.

"We're finally going to break the ice." I said. They looked at eachother confused. I pulled out my phone and looked for the temporary emergency number I was given. I pressed send.

BRRIINNNG BRRRRIINGGG BRRRIINNNGG

"Hello?"

"Hey Dad! We need you to send us some guns and bombs and stuff." **************************************************************************** HUGE thanks to Sam for helping read and edit this chapter!

Ok! I think that was a little longer than what I normally write. I was really indecisive about certain parts of this chapter. What do you guys think about Lucas and Carter? Also, this quack of an author keeps alluding to someone else who may make Jack sweat a little bit, what should this person be like? Let me know what you think please!!! I really look forward to hearing from all of you! I finally feel like I'm settling into some kind of routine. I'm going to try to continue to take my time with this and not rush to put out chapters. This seems to be the group consensus, anyway! So I'm in this for the long haul now lol

I hope you'll stick with me :)

Thanks guys, Dillon