Fearless Leader (Juxtapose City) (9 page)

Upstairs, the house looked more normal. A small common area with a small brown loveseat and a coffee table sat beside the top of the stairs. A short hallway led to three doors.

"Sergeant Sola, this will be your room," Black said, indicating the door nearest the stairs. "Store your weapons in the downstairs gun locker."

After the grim man had disappeared inside the room, Calyx turned to Black. "Do I get to stay with you?" he drawled, propping a hand on his hip suggestively.

Haney laughed nervously.

"You two head on down," Black told Bee and Haney, his eyes on Starr.

When the sound of footsteps had faded Black leaned back against the opposite side of the hallway. "We need to get some things straight between us," he said calmly.

Calyx mimicked his position against the facing wall, hooking his thumbs into the top of his pants. "Do tell."

"I can guess what your relationship with Captain Dickerson was," Black began. "It won't be like that here. I don't sleep with subordinates."

"Not even your lapdog?"

Black frowned. Calyx felt the man's surprise like a splash of cold water.

Calyx laughed quietly. "Your boy has teeth and he isn't afraid to bare them when a new dog shows up."

"Sergeant Cole and I don’t have that kind of relationship."

Calyx said nothing, still smiling.

"And neither will you and I." Though Black's face remained impassive a rush of irritation blended with frustration swept through the empath. "You don't need to provide 'favors' to any member of this team. If anyone approaches you inappropriately I want you to tell me immediately and I will deal with him."

"But what if it's something that I want too?" Calyx straightened away from the wall and stood before Black. Wary brown eyes stared up at him, their thick lashes lowering slightly in annoyance. The empath felt anger seeping past Black's tight control along with a faint trace of unease. This last made Calyx place his palm against the wall beside Black's head and lean forward. "What if I want to give
you
one of my 'favors'?"

"I'd tell you I'm not interested," Black said tightly. The anger Calyx felt coming from him grew stronger. The empath might have backed off at that point if he hadn't sensed a touch of something else. Something unexpected. Calyx's eyes darkened as he recognized the thin shreds of emotion Black was unable to completely hide.

Holding Black's eyes, Calyx moved his leg forward ever so slightly. The moment the leather of his pants came in contact with the front of Black's jeans something hot and panicked slid through Calyx's mind. It shot straight to his cock. It made him lose control for a second, made him push his thigh against Black's groin and rub against the bulge there.

Black gasped, his hips jerking back.

"Don't hide it," Calyx breathed, eyelashes fluttering as sensation began to flood him. He lowered his head and skimmed his lips across the other man's temple. "Give it to me, sweetheart. Let me feel you."

Brown eyes widened a second before Calyx found himself flat on his back on the carpet, staring up at the ceiling.

"Don't ever try that again," Black said in a breathless voice. To the empath's surprise everything he had been feeling from Black vanished as solidly as if a sound-proofed door had been shut. Black fisted his hands as he got his breathing under control. In an even voice he said, "Being a part of this team is an opportunity. I suggest that you don't blow it by thinking with your dick."

Calyx shook his head ruefully. "Ah, sweetheart," he murmured, "stop tempting me and I won't try to play."

A tightening of his lips was Black's only reaction before he spun away and stalked down the stairs. Calyx lay on the carpet for a moment, one hand idly stroking himself through the leather. He groaned ruefully. Mmm. If Black weren't a police officer fully capable of rendering him a eunuch Calyx would have flown down the stairs after him and finished what he'd started. Smiling slightly, he rolled agilely to his feet and grabbed his duffel bag from where he'd dropped it.

He was still thinking about the encounter as he walked into his assigned room. One moment he was in the doorway, the next he found himself shoved hard against the wall. He saw stars as his head bounced off the wall.

"Welcome to the team," Jake said. He slammed Calyx against the wall again. "Looks like I'm going to have to set you straight on the rules around here."

"Let me guess," Calyx said, "you're the only one who gets to sleep at his feet."

"Fuck you," Jake snarled. "This isn't some party you've walked into. JC2 is Black's life. I'm not letting you fuck it up just because you can't take no for an answer."

"Is that your problem too?" Calyx asked, cocking a brow. "Jealous?"

One of Jake's hands flew to the patch behind his ear. The empath laughed at the betraying gesture. "Don't worry, you idiot. I can't feel anything from you. Everything's obvious in your little cave-man show here. You're worried Black might be interested in me, aren't you? Poor baby. Aren't you living up to his expectations?"

Jake started to slam him backwards again but this time Calyx rammed a knee up into the other man's crotch. It didn't catch Jake dead-on but it was close enough to make the man release him and back away.

"You stay away from him," Jake warned, holding a hand protectively over his groin. "You never know when word of your whereabouts might make its way onto the street. I can only imagine how excited some of your old friends would be to see you again."

Calyx was tired of this threat. He'd heard it constantly since being arrested two months ago. "I'd like to see you step out there, Cole." His mouth twisted. "You think you're such a tough guy. You're so used to hiding behind a gun and five other guys you wouldn't last two seconds in the neighborhood. Being a cop doesn't mean anything out there. You'd better stick to where you're safest -- in this cozy little doghouse begging for a treat from your master."

"I'm driving you out of here if it's the last thing I do, Starr."

"Good luck."

Jake shook his head in disgust as he left the room. Calyx rubbed at the back of his head. Cole was nothing but a bully. He'd learn soon enough that Calyx wasn't your typical street punk who could be intimidated by a little roughing up.

"Asshole," he muttered. He shut the door but not before a giving lingering look at the door across the hallway. Stay away? Yeah, right. Cole had just given him double the incentive to keep trying.

Wolf Sola finished stowing his clothes and gear and sat carefully on the edge of his bed. JC2 was living in style. If his old teammates in R&R ever learned about JC2's private housing they'd throw a fit, demanding to know why they didn't deserve such treatment.

The answer was easy. JC2 got the job done. Sola had long admired Lieutenant Sundhill and his success with the first Juxtapose City Unit. When Sola had gotten wind that a second unit was being put together he'd pulled strings and called in every favor he had in an attempt to get himself appointed as its leader.

Sola had been with special teams for eight years. After being recruited from the regular force at twenty-two he'd worked with the bomb squad and Recon and Recovery, earning commendations left and right. At thirty he'd thought himself in the perfect position to assume command of the new JC Unit team.

But the team had been given to Black. Sola stared out of the room's single window at the overcast sky. Who the hell was Black anyway? When he'd heard of the appointment he'd asked everyone he knew for any information about the new team leader.

All he'd gotten were shrugs and jealous rumors: Black was some bigwig's son. Black was some government agent undercover. Black wasn't even his name. No one knew. And when he'd tried to slyly question the head of the special teams department -- Captain Dickerson -- he'd received a chilly warning to keep his nose out of things that didn't concern him.

But Sola had a lot invested in JC2. The man he had become was a direct result of the drug trafficking on the streets. He had a vendetta to pursue and JC2 was his means of doing so. So as he'd bided his time with R&R, Sola had done some digging.

Black was an alias but no other identification could be found for JC2's leader. His record was sealed by Dickerson's order. That he was the Captain's prodigy was apparent, but Sola wanted to know how and why Black had come to be such. Where had he worked before assuming JC2? Why was his identity and past such a secret?

And what burned Sola more than anything else was that what
did
exist of Black's public records claimed that he was only twenty-three. Sola hadn't been able to fully believe it until Black had approached him last night. A kid was leading Juxtapose City's elite force. A fucking kid! Sola would bet his left nut that he'd seen five times as much action as Black had. And yet here he was, a sergeant while Black was a lieutenant.

Sola stood and looked down at the sidewalk. Black and the two other guys -- Bee and Haney -- were talking on the concrete. Sola stared at the top of Black's head and felt his gut churn with the injustice of it all. Well, he'd get his chance. He was finally on the team after nearly a year of waiting. One way or another Sola would prove himself the better leader. And if not he would find another way to remove Black from the team. Black's records weren't sealed for traffic tickets. Somehow, Sola would learn the truth. He was willing to bet his career that it was something that would ruin Black completely.

"Here's my opinion: Sola's a G.I. Joe who's taken one too many hits to the head and probably sleeps with a gun in his underwear. And Starr -- Starr is someone who'd rather be high on drugs in the middle of a dance club but he'll settle with giving you a blowjob."

Bee blinked at Haney. "I can't believe you just said that."

The younger man shrugged innocently. "Why? You know it's true. Sola's too gung-ho and Starr's been staring at Black's ass ever since he got here."

Black rubbed at his eyes. "Bee? Do you have anything more helpful to add?"

Throwing his partner a reproving look, Bee turned to his commanding officer. "My first impressions are that Sola is a rigid, by-the-book guy but that's not necessarily a bad thing. As for Starr--" The big man looked uneasy as he glanced at Black. "I gotta side with Haney on this one. He doesn't seem like he belongs here. He acts like it's all for fun."

Black nodded, looking down the street. He'd come to pretty much the same conclusions. "After the service tomorrow I'm having you guys and Jake do some drills with Sola. I'm going to take Starr to the range and evaluate him. If he's not up to par this may end tomorrow. I won't have the team jeopardized by anyone who can't carry his weight."

Haney shifted, clearly uncomfortable. "About the service tomorrow," he began. "Starr's gonna go nuts, isn't he? I mean, if he's an empath a funeral is gonna be hell for him."

Black hadn't wanted to go into this but he nodded. "I've been authorized to give him controlled amounts of Bliss. It should get him through it."

"Aw, jeez, Black," Haney said, sympathetically. "What're they thinking turning us into drug dealers?"

Black couldn't say what he wanted to say because he knew it would be insubordination. So he tightened his jaw and remained silent. He looked down as his PRU buzzed. Bee and Haney respectfully backed away as Black took the call. The small screen filled with Dickerson's smug face.

"How's it going?" Dickerson asked.

"Starr and Sola are adjusting to their new home," Black replied curtly. "Tomorrow afternoon I will conduct the evaluations."

"They'll be fine," Dickerson said dismissively. "I wouldn't have recommended them to you if I didn't think they would fit on the team."

"Yes, sir."

Dickerson glanced to the side as if checking the privacy of his surroundings. "I want you to drive me tonight, Black. Same time."

Black's knuckles tightened around the unit. He fought the urge to fling the PRU against the side of the Clubhouse. "I think I should remain here, sir, since it's the first night. It might not be a good idea to let Starr and Sola remain in the house by themselves."

"For Christ's sake they're not puppies that're gonna piss on the carpet when you're not around. They'll be fine."

"Yes, sir," Black bit out.

Dickerson's voice dropped. "We're going to the Hop, so wear something appropriate. That red shirt you had on last time was good. Wear that."

Black's eyes lifted to his teammates. He breathed a little easier when he saw they were too far away to hear anything. "Whatever you want, sir."

If the older man heard the forced note to his voice he acted as though he hadn’t. Dickerson nodded and the screen went black.

Black pocketed the unit and walked to the other men. "I've got another assignment with the captain tonight. Keep Starr and Sola with you in the Dugout until you turn in. Make sure everyone remains civil."

Haney bit his lip. "Um, Jake's gonna--"

"I'm counting on you two to keep Jake under control. Don't let him get at Starr." Black paused before adding, "And don't tell him where I've gone. It's none of his business."