Authors Notes:

This is a work of fiction – a bit of science fiction and fantasy mixed together in fact.  None of the characters, names or personalities, are based on real people.  Any resemblance to a real person is entirely coincidental and not intentional.  I do live in the Atlanta area and use a lot of places I’ve been in the story. 

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          Taliesin found the perfect girl.  She had some raw musical talent, but by the time he was through with her she would be a genius.  Her parents started her on violin lessons when she was very young, while they still lived in China, so she had some rudimentary skill.  They were from an influential family and had high hopes for her musical education.  She was perfect because Taliesin, in looking for a hook to draw Lane in, knew that Lane had expressed an interest in learning how to play the violin.  He had mentioned it to the music store clerks on more than one occasion, so the girl would play her part flawlessly in getting his attention.

          Bao, the young girl, would be ready soon enough.  He also needed to work on his Binding for Lane’s friend Bryan.  Most of his attempts to learn anything about Lane and Bryan had failed; Aaron and Albrecht were very good at protecting them.  But no matter how well protected they were, Taliesin was a master of subtlety and he was very patient and very clever.  He thoroughly scanned the memories of everyone he found that had ever talked with Lane or Bryan and learned as much as he possibly could from each of them.  He found it interesting that no one really knew anything significant about either one of them.  Aaron had taught them well.

He knew that both Lane and Bryan would sense any inherent danger from him, but Bao was innocent and she would have no idea of her part in any of this, so they would not sense any inherent danger from her.  He would use glyphs to make doubly sure that neither one of them would sense anything; he could not be too careful.

          Based on the pattern of Lane’s visits to the music store in the past, he was due back soon, even if it was just to browse.   For the first time in many years, Taliesin felt a sense of urgency, knowing his own end might be near at last—the relief he longed for above all else.

 Over the last weeks, Taliesin entered the girl’s mind, visiting her childhood memories, and altered her life to suit his needs.  He became her childhood instructor and spent years in her mind, teaching her to be the best violinist on the planet, except for himself of course.

          The Binding for Bryan was more difficult.  From what little he had been able to discern, Lane was incredibly strong mentally, so he had to assume Bryan was as well.  They both looked physically imposing—and extremely hot—but he wasn’t planning on fighting or sleeping with either one of them.  Taliesin had learned from Aaron a long time ago that raw strength didn’t always matter.  Enough weavings strung together were nearly unbreakable, and he was a master weaver with his plots and schemes and powers.  The threads of this Binding were from another world, one that he would send Bryan deep into, built on his own memories; and he would never return unless Lane did what he needed him to do: say yes and free him to die.  Bryan might not return regardless; Taliesin was perhaps a little overzealous in this particular Binding.   But at this point it didn’t matter… once Lane said yes he didn’t care what happened to anyone after that, as long as he got what he wanted.

****************

          After all that had happened with Bill and Kevin, and the fight with the black-suited man, the Team was on overdrive.  Their training schedules were heavier than ever and they were all on high alert.  Brad and Ken and all the other guys were going home tired, but feeling good about their progress.

          That night, Ken and Brad were in their kitchen talking.  Brad was cooking and Ken was sitting up on the kitchen counter sipping on a beer while keeping him company.

          You know B, I was thinkin’…

          Brad smirked and thought: Oh no…

          Ken laughed and thought: Shut it punk.  We need to have another get-together with all the guys and the doc and Albrecht.  We haven’t had one in a while and with everythin’ that’s been goin’ on it would be nice to kick back as a family for a night.  Whatchya think?

          You had me at ‘I was thinkin’…’

          Brad put the lid on the skillet and set the timer.  OK, dinner in about twenty-five or thirty minutes.

          Brad moved over to the sink to wash his hands, and as he was drying them Ken reached over and gently grabbed him by the arm and pulled him over. 

          Come here a sec, B.

          Brad moved over and positioned himself between Ken’s outspread legs.  He put his arms around Ken’s heavy shoulders as Ken’s hands moved down on his hips to pull him in a little tighter; then Ken hooked his legs around Brad’s waist to trap him.  They looked into each other’s eyes, deep blue into emerald green.  Brad inhaled Ken’s scent and his heart started beating a little faster.

          You are one handsome fucker, B.  Ken moved his hands from Brad’s waist, grabbed his t-shirt and untucked it from his blue jeans.  He slid one arm up inside Brad’s shirt and around to the middle of his back, and moved his other hand under Brad’s shirt and up to the center of his hard furry chest.  He spread out his fingers and started gently clawing his fingers through the hair on Brad’s chest.

          As soon as Brad felt Ken’s hands touch his skin under his shirt he started to get hard.  He leaned forward and pushed his forehead against Ken’s.  With a contented sigh, he closed his eyes, losing himself in the touch of his lover.  The feeling of having Ken’s hands bracing his body, the warmth and pressure of Ken’s hands against his bare skin sent Brad into another place.  Ken continued to caress him for a minute, wanting him to relax and feel good.

          They were already linked mind to mind, but Brad opened up their energy centers one by one and then brought them completely together so Ken could feel the effect his touch was having on Brad.

          After a minute, Brad’s hands reached out and pulled Ken’s shirt off and then his own.  They could feel the heat coming off one another.  They pulled each other close, pressing their bare torsos together and wrapping their arms around one another tight.  The slight roughness of their cheeks rubbing together sent a thrill through both of them that went straight to their groins.

          Fuck B, you feel so good.

          You know you feel kinda good against me too. The corners of Brad’s mouth rose up in a slight smirk. Yeah, kinda. OK, maybe just a little.

          Ken smiled as they pulled back far enough to make eye contact again.  The emotions were deep between them; the comfort they felt in one another’s minds and touch was completely fulfilling.

          Brad put his arms back around Ken’s shoulders and moved one hand to the back of Ken’s head.  He started running his fingers through Ken’s short hair as he guided their mouths together to start a deep and passionate kiss.  As soon as their tongues touched and started intertwining, it was like an extra rush of heat went through them and both of them took in a sharp breath.

          They were both hard and the outlines of their erections were clearly visible through their jeans.   Brad already had a small wet spot visible on his jeans from his excitement.  Ken nimbly got down from the counter so they were both standing, and started to take Brad’s jeans off.  He managed to finish undressing both of them without breaking the kiss; they were both smiling and laughing a little from his efforts. 

          When they were both completely naked, they went back to a full-body press, hugging one another tight and kissing passionately.  Their hard dicks were trapped between them, and they were both making small grinding motions with their hips, smearing the precum between them.

          There was a small bottle of extra virgin olive oil on the counter and Ken grabbed it, took off the top and poured some into the palm of his hand.  He liberally spread it over his dick and reached around and spread some on Brad’s ass.  He lifted Brad up effortlessly and then lowered him onto his waiting hard-on.  Brad grabbed hold of Ken’s shoulders and wrapped his legs around his waist, helping Ken to guide his erection in.

          They both sighed with pleasure as Ken’s full thick eight inches slid inside Brad.  Brad’s body shuddered with pleasure as Ken’s shaft rubbed across his prostate.

          Oh fuck, Ken.  Damn, you feel so good inside me.

          Ken walked them both over to the couch in the den, gently lowered Brad down onto his back and then got on top and started thrusting slowly but steadily into him.  They both knew dinner would be ready soon so they didn’t try to prolong things too much.  Ken slowly built up speed and within ten minutes they were both sweating and breathing hard and clinging to one another.  Ken, the more verbal of the two, kept up an intermittent commentary of how hot Brad was and how great a lover he was and how good his ass felt.  Brad let his emotions speak for him through their link, and let his hands express his feelings as he touched Ken’s body, running his hands over Ken’s chest, shoulders and arms, and through his hair.

          In the last minute, Ken amped up their physical bond and it drove them both over the top together.  Just as Ken started shooting hot cum up into Brad, Brad started shooting spurts of cum up onto Ken’s sweaty chest and stomach.   Brad felt the physical rush from taking Ken’s cum inside him; Ken felt the change in Brad immediately and he knew it was safe to lower his full weight onto Brad and let himself be held as they both rode out the pleasure of their orgasms.

          Brad loved it when he could take Ken’s full weight on top of him.  He kept his arms and legs wrapped around Ken, running his hands soothingly and lovingly over Ken’s strong muscled back. 

          Ken’s inner voice sounded totally relaxed: I love you, B. You’re the most amazing man; and you’re mine. 

          I love you too, Ken.  We’re amazing together.  We belong with each other.  Damn, I could stay with you like this forever.

          I expected something more smart-assy.

          I’m taking it easy on you.

          Ken knew the timer was going to go off in the kitchen any minute, so he lifted himself up and started kissing his way down Brad’s chest, licking up as much of Brad’s cum that had smeared between them as he could.  He felt the mental rush from taking it in.

          I’ll go get a warm towel.  Let’s just eat dinner naked and have another round after we eat.  How about it, stud?

          Brad smiled and thought: I can’t wait.

          Brad went into the kitchen to check on dinner while Ken went and got a warm damp towel for each of them.  He loved wiping Brad down with the towel, and by the time he was done Brad was hard again and they were both laughing.  Ken wiped himself off while Brad got the plates ready and they sat down beside each other, totally naked, and ate their dinner.

          They continued idly chatting in their minds, staying deeper than normal, while they ate.

          This is great B, what is it?

          It’s from one of those meal cards that Publix puts out.  It looked good and it’s pretty healthy and easy to make.

          Between the two of them they ate the entire pan of chicken and even had a little ice cream for dessert. 

          It’s startin’ to get cold in the mornings.  We should probably cover the pool tomorrow and get it winterized.  It’s supposed to be cool this weekend too so we’ll need to get some wood for the fire pit for the party with the guys.  And we definitely need to get stuff to make s’mores.

          Sounds good.  I’ll talk to Bryan tomorrow about the menu; I’m sure he’ll want to do the grilling.

          You know what my favorite part of winter is?

          Getting to snuggle with me? 

You know now that you put off as much heat as I do, that works both ways.   Ken got that little kid grin on his face as he thought: You can keep my feet warm now.

When they finished eating they both got up and cleaned off the table and put everything in the dishwasher.  Then they went over into the den and got on the couch together.   Ken lay down first, then pulled Brad back against him, wrapping him up snugly with his arms and legs.  He made sure the blanket and the remote for the TV were within easy reach.

It’s still kinda early, B.  Do you want to get straight to it or do you wanna watch some TV or a movie for a bit?  I know we have some stuff on the DVR we need to watch before it gets too full.

Brad put his hands on Ken’s forearms that were wrapped around his middle and leaned his head back on Ken’s shoulder and chest.

As much as I want to watch TV, I think I’d just rather lay here with you and talk for a bit if that’s OK with you.

You know it’s more’n OK with me.  Bein’ with you like this and in our heads is better than anythin’.  Except feelin’ your sexy body against me… so when I can get both I’m one happy camper.

Brad twisted around so he was facing Ken and put his head back down on Ken’s chest.  They lay there quietly together letting their hands roam over each other, loving the feel of their naked bodies touching.

Brad lifted his head up so he could look at Ken’s face.  Their eyes met and they both smiled.  Brad was staring intently, his eyes roaming over Ken’s handsome face and taking in every detail.  After a minute, Ken’s brow furrowed slightly with a curious look on his face.

B, what are you lookin’ at?

You.

Why?

Because I never get tired of looking at you, or being with you like this. 

The smile on Ken’s face warmed Brad’s heart when he said that, and Brad knew that Ken felt the same way.  I love you, B.  I’ll never get tired of sayin’ it, so I hope you never get tired of hearin’ it.

There was another long pause when neither one of them said anything.  After a few minutes, Brad felt Ken’s body start to shake a little and it took him a second to realize that Ken was laughing.

What’s so funny?

We are.  When did we get so mushy?  Not that I’m complainin’. 

We got mushy when we learned to do this.  As Brad said, that he put his hand over Ken’s heart and the doorway to their Souls opened up with a bright yellow light.  Their Souls, Minds and Hearts blended together and they were briefly one being.  Brad let them slip back apart after a few seconds, but their eyes were both wet from the intimacy and the emotional rush.

Ken continued laughing lightly and his eyes had a twinkle in them as he thought: You fucker.  You know I can’t resist you when you do that.  Look what you do to me.

Brad felt Ken’s dick pressed between them and it was now fully hard and throbbing.

That was the plan.

****************

Lane and Bryan left the lab after their training session was over along with the rest of the guys.  They were both tired but feeling good about their progress. 

Bryan was stiff and sore from sparring with Ken.  With Ken being stronger now and physically tougher it hurt more when they practiced.  Bryan, being the stoic quiet man he was, didn’t say anything about it and never complained. When Bryan took off his shirt as they were changing clothes at home, Lane could see the stiffness in his body and a few bruises.  After all the years of training and having to keep Bryan in good physical condition, Lane could read his body like a book.

Lane got on the bed on his hands and knees and thought: Bry, come over here.

When Bryan looked over and saw Lane on the bed, he got a hint of a smile on his handsome face.  He popped the top button open on his shorts as he moved over to the bed.

Turn around and sit down.

Bryan did as he was told and sat down with his back to Lane.

Lane looked down at Bryan’s thick muscled back and heavy shoulders, his flawless tanned skin, and immediately started getting hard.  Physically, Bryan was so incredibly handsome that Lane could hardly stand it, but that coupled with Bryan’s amazing Mind and Soul made him completely irresistible.  For all his size and strength he was the gentlest man Lane had ever met. 

I can tell how sore you are, you big lug. 

It’s nuthin’.

No it’s sumpthin’ – to me anyways.  You know I don’t like it when you hurt.   

Lane’s eyes turned white, his hands started to glow and he reached down and started to massage Bryan’s stiff body.  Lane opened both their energy centers and let the streams flow between them.  He used his hands to guide the flows, and caressed any and all soreness out of Bryan’s body.  He took his time and continued to rub and massage Bryan’s body for nearly half an hour. 

Bryan closed his eyes and leaned his head back in pleasure as he let Lane’s hands work their magic on his body.  He felt the soreness and bruises wash away.  After that, Lane’s hands just felt so good he didn’t want him to stop.  With their energy centers open, Bryan could feel Lane’s emotions along with the energy flows and he was struck as always by how much Lane loved him; by how much they loved each other.  Regardless of what the doctor did in binding their Souls together, there was more to it than that.  Bryan truly believed that he and Lane were destined to be together, and even without the Program or the Order they would have found each other.  It wouldn’t have been as good if they weren’t in each other’s minds, as they were now, but it still would have been great. 

Alright.  Now we can have some fun. 

The glow around Lane’s hands went from white to a deep brilliant red.  He sent out sexual energy through his fingertips and into Bryan’s body wherever he touched.  Bryan felt the effects immediately as his skin flushed, his breath deepened, and the blood rushed to his dick, making it rock hard.

Lane knew that Bryan loved having his chest rubbed; it was a huge turn on for him.   He ran his hands all over Bryan’s big hard chest, outlining the muscles and rubbing over his nipples.  Bryan’s breath caught and he arched his back, pushing his chest out against Lane’s hands in pleasure.   The red tendrils coming off Lane’s hands soaked into Bryan’s body, turning him on and stoking the already hot fires stirring in him with an even more  powerful and immediate sense of sexual urgency.  Lane brought him to the brink of shooting; just the slightest touch would have been enough to push him over the edge and start ejaculating.

Bryan’s eyes turned white as he turned on their physical connection, and he heard Lane gasp.  He laughed a little at the payback he just got on his lover.  Two can play at that game, Little Buddy.

Lane was naked in no time and he pulled off Bryan’s shorts; the short break helped Bryan to recover his control.  Lane crawled up over Bryan, looking down on his handsome face and incredible body, and his throbbing hard-on.  He leaned over and grabbed some lube from their nightstand and in a few seconds he was sliding down onto Bryan’s waiting erection.

After a minute, Bryan turned them over and Lane wrapped his legs around Bryan’s waist, and they made hot, hard, passionate love for nearly an hour.  They both shot three times before finally collapsing together on the bed in a big sweaty muscled heap.  Lane kept their Hearts, Minds and Souls tightly wrapped around each other the entire time their bodies were together.

Lane used his hands to scoop up his cum that was on both their bodies and put his fingers up to Bryan’s mouth so he could lick it off.  Bryan felt the mental charge immediately.

Lane snuggled close against Bryan’s body, resting his head on Bryan’s chest so he could feel and hear his heartbeat.  His fingers unconsciously were mimicking the rhythm of Bryan’s heartbeat on his abs.

Bry, I don’t want to move.

Yeah, me either. 

It’s gonna be getting cold soon.  I think we both need to grow our beards out.

The only thing that can make you any better lookin’ to me is you in a goatee. 

You just like how it feels on your balls.  You aren’t fooling me one bit, you big perv. 

Bryan just chuckled and had a smile on his face.

And you, you big fucker, look handsome as shit in a full beard.

If you say so, but you aren’t foolin’ me either.

They stayed in bed a few more minutes, both reluctant to pull apart.  Lane kept his body draped over Bryan’s and Bryan kept his arms around Lane, holding him tight.  After their stomachs growled for the third time they both decided to get up.

Bryan thought: You get the water hot in the shower and I’ll pull something out to fix for dinner. 

Lane went into the bathroom and Bryan went down the hall towards the kitchen. 

Just as Lane was pulling out a few towels to put in the towel warmer, he felt Bryan’s presence abruptly disappear.  The cold empty feeling hit him like a rock, literally causing him to stumble, and he took off for the kitchen.

“Bryan!”

He ran through the house, looking around frantically—in the kitchen, the garage and back to their bedroom, but Bryan was gone.  The house was still sealed, so none of the doors could have been opened without the alarm system going off.

Lane felt a cold tightness in his chest.  He was terrified of what might have happened to Bryan.  There was no way the Enemy would get away with this if they were responsible.  On top of the fear he felt, anger was right behind it.  There was panic, but he pushed it down; he couldn’t allow it to affect his thinking.  He needed to focus on finding Bryan.

His eyes turned white and he sent his Mind and Soul up into the heavens.  He listened and took what he heard and let it fill him up.  He would take in as much power as he needed until he was as strong as he needed to be to reach Bryan, no matter where he was.

He let the energy build inside of him and as it did his mind expanded.  He pushed outward until his thoughts covered the entire city, searching for Bryan’s presence.  He had never tried to shield against so many people before, and the noise and emotional overspill were beginning to hurt.  He continued to expand his mind, desperation pushing him further than he had ever tried before.  He filled himself with so much energy his body was starting to hurt.  He was breathing hard, shaking and was drenched in sweat.  Tears were running down his cheeks, but his face was hard and determined.  He wouldn’t stop until he found Bryan or died trying.

Lane, stop.

The voice was familiar and it filled his mind, cutting through all the pain and noise; it felt soothing.

I can’t!  Bry is gone and I have to find him!

He’s safe.  Stop this before you hurt yourself.

If he’s safe why can’t I feel him?

He’s at the Tree, Lane.  You can’t reach him there.  That place is too well protected even for you to reach him there.

Lane collapsed on the floor and released the energy.  He opened his eyes and the red-haired man with the pony tail was kneeling over him.

“Are you alright?” 

“Fuck no.  Did that other guy take him?  The one who was with you before?”

“He did.”

“Then why the fuck didn’t he say anything?!”

“What Bryan is doing must be kept a secret for a little longer.  I’m sorry that you were so distressed.  I came as soon as I was able but I was very far away; even for me.  At least I stopped you before you shouted for the entire world to hear.  That would have been a disaster.”

“Why did you take him?  What’s going on?”

In his head, Lane heard Brad’s voice, filled with concern: Lane!? What’s wrong? What’re you doing?

“Damn.  Brad felt what you were doing, which means others might have as well.  Come with me.”  Gabriel reached down and touched Lane’s shoulder, and they disappeared.

****************

Brad and Ken were naked on the couch and wrapped around each other after their last bout of love making.  They had both just cum and were recovering and resting in each other when Brad felt a powerful mental surge.  With Ken’s mind open he felt it too. 

Immediately alert, Brad probed back and realized it was Lane.  He knew Lane’s mind well enough after all their training together.

Lane!?  What’s wrong?  What’re you doing?

A few seconds after sending those thoughts the surge disappeared and Lane didn’t respond.

Brad and Ken were both tense and alert, and even as they were getting up off the couch, Lane appeared on the floor with a red-haired man leaning over him.

Lane was naked and drenched in sweat, and his eyes were red and bloodshot.  He looked confused for a second and then saw Ken and Brad and realized where he was.

Ken moved in front of Brad when they appeared, his first reaction to protect him.

The red-haired man calmly stated, “Be calm, Ken.  You have no reason to fear me.”

Lane sounded angry and said, “Why the fuck did you bring me here?”

Ken asked, “Lane, is this man the one you told us about?”

“Yeah.”

Ken and Brad both moved over to Lane.  The red-haired man stood up and moved back as they knelt by their friend.   Lane was visibly upset and Ken pulled him up into a sitting position.  “What’s wrong, bud?”

“Bryan’s gone.  They took him.”

Ken’s handsome brow furrowed in anger and he looked at the red-haired man as he said, “Oh really?”  He stood up aggressively.

“All of you need to calm yourselves.  I apologize for the way things have gone this evening.  It is not happening as I would have liked.  I can explain but you should all gather together, either here or at your lab.  I assure you Bryan is safe and will be back later tonight.”

Brad asked the man, “Who are you? And what’s your connection to us? You told Lane last time you were one of our Protectors.  What exactly does that mean?”

Two balls of light appeared in the den, startling Ken, Brad and Lane.  The red-haired man held up his hand in a placating motion and said, “They’re friends.”

The balls of light grew quickly into the shapes of two men.  As with the red-haired man, they were inhumanly handsome and charismatic.  They were both dressed in nice but casual clothes.  Both were wearing leather jackets, one black and one dark brown. 

Gabriel asked them, “Are we safe?”

Michael, the one in the black leather jacket, said, “I had to silence a few minions, but we’re safe now.  No alarm was given.  We’re fortunate that Lane didn’t make any more noise than he did.”

Lane rarely got angry but his face went red and he said, “Wait a damn minute.  One of you kidnapped my boyfriend out of our house and you expect me to be quiet about it?”  Lane’s energy centers opened up and he started to glow and his eyes turned white.  There was a roll of distant thunder outside, even though the sky was clear.

Michael was looking at Lane, but it was obvious when he spoke it was to Gabriel, “Keep him under control.  We can’t afford any childish tantrums tonight.”

Raphael, the man in the brown jacket, spoke for the first time, “Lane, the timing of events tonight is crucial, and we had a very small window of opportunity in which to act.  Our brother took Bryan because he had to… there was no time to explain.  You will understand more soon.  Our intent wasn’t to cause you or Bryan—or any of your brothers—any distress.  Please believe that.”

Michael said, “Unless you want to go naked I suggest you all get some clothes on.  Alert your companions to gather at your lab.  It is imperative that the Enemy not be aware of our actions tonight, so be sure everyone is careful.”  He spoke with authority and he turned his back on them, expecting them to do as he said.

Brad brought Lane into the link with him and Ken and took them all deep.  With Ken’s mind open, Brad pulled from him and Lane both to make a shield he was sure they couldn’t listen through.

Lane, are you OK?

Not really, but I will be.  I’m sure they’re telling the truth and Bry will be back soon.  I just panicked when he disappeared like he did.  When our connection severed…

Yeah I know man.  I don’t think they know what that does to us.  Brad and Ken both gave Lane the equivalent of a tight mental hug. 

          Ken thought: The one guy seems like an asshole, but the other two seem OK.  If they’re our ‘Protectors’ I’m sure they don’t mean to hurt us, but I get the impression that at least the one guy doesn’t like us or have much respect for us.  We don’t know what they can do or what they’re capable of, so for now I say we go along with them.  We need to learn as much as we can.  Lane, stick close to me and B until Bryan is back.  

          Thanks, guys. 

          No problem, stud.  Now let’s go get some clothes on and B you can send out the word for everyone to meet at the lab in an hour.  Include the doc and Albrecht.

          When Brad brought them back up, the man in the black jacket seemed furious, but his companion smiled and looked at Brad and said, “Well done.  You’re learning.”

Ken said, “We’ll go back and get dressed and send the word out for everyone to meet us in one hour.”

An hour later the Team, minus Bryan, was sitting at the conference table at the lab.  The doctor and Albrecht were there as well.   The doctor did not look happy.

They were all wondering who these ‘Protectors’ were.  The doctor knew they were not part of the Order, which begged the question: who were they and who sent them?  He had his suspicions but held his thoughts tight; he didn’t want to convey his concern to the Team.

They were all linked together, supporting Lane and sharing their thoughts about what was happening.  Brad was sure it had something to do with their next Awakening; it seemed evident since two of the strangers were directly involved in Lane and Bryan’s last Awakening.

As they were talking among themselves in their minds, three balls of light appeared in front of the Ops board and quickly grew into the three men.  As soon as they materialized, Michael looked at the doctor and Albrecht with a frown and said, “What are they doing here?”

Ken didn’t like the man’s attitude and spoke up, “We want them here.  Is that a problem?”

The doctor moved over in front of Michael and looked up at him, directly into his eyes.  “Before we proceed, I wish to know who you are and what your intentions are.” 

“I don’t answer to you.”

“Actually, here, tonight, you will, or I will have to ask you to leave.  These men are under my protection.”

The expression on Michael’s face got darker and darker as the doctor spoke.  The air started to crackle with energy around him, and everyone could feel the power emanating off him.  The doctor seemed unaffected and continued to make eye contact unflinchingly.  Albrecht was tense and ready to go to the doctor’s aid if needed.  Ken and the rest of the guys were all ready to intervene in a heartbeat if the man in the black leather jacket laid a finger on the doctor.

“You were unable to protect them the night of their last Transformation.  If we hadn’t been there all of you would be dead.”

The man in the brown jacket spoke up, “Michael, behave.  This is their home, not ours.  We should be courteous.”

He looked at the doctor, “My name is Raphael, and my rude brother here is Michael.  Lane has already met Gabriel, and Bryan is with our brother Uriel.”

All of the men felt the tension in the doctor skyrocket at the mention of the names.  His outward demeanor didn’t change but inside he was taut as a wire.

“Thank you, Raphael.  So many things are beginning to make sense now.”

“There is no need to be concerned, Aaron.  We are here to help and Protect your charges.  There is much we cannot tell you, and much we are not permitted to do, but we are here to help you as we can and as we have been instructed.  I must say, Aaron, that you have made our job far easier than it could have been.  You have done a remarkable job and I commend your efforts.  These men are fortunate to have you in their lives.”

“What are your intentions here tonight?  For what purpose has Bryan been taken back to the Tree?  Why did Uriel take him so secretly?”

Raphael spoke. “Bryan needs to retrieve something for all of you.”

Michael interjected, “The War between the Order and the Enemy has escalated.   The rules that have always governed your engagements have been broken.  We are not part of your conflict; however, we are your Protectors.  We are forbidden to match power for power in this realm, for fear of destroying what we are trying to protect.   As much as it galls me, we must act in secret to avoid direct retaliation.   The Master of the Enemy has felt fear for the first time in ages and he sees his potential downfall at your hands; he’s becoming desperate to find a way to destroy you.  He has slipped out of Time, looking forward to try and find an outcome that suits his desires.  We’re taking advantage of his absence, and we are going to perform your final Awakening as well as a ritual that will offer you additional protection against his perceptions and his minions.  What we are going to do has not been attempted for nearly two thousand years and if he were aware he would try to stop us.”

The doctor asked, “If he is outside of Time as you say, then how is it he will not see our actions tonight?”

Gabriel spoke up with a hint of a smile on his face. “While he is outside of his body we moved it forward in Time.  This will delay his return and also create a blind spot that he will have difficulty seeing through, giving us enough time to complete our tasks tonight without interruption.”

The doctor asked, “And what is this ritual you wish to perform?”

Raphael answered, “We should wait until Bryan returns.  You of all people know that words have power. The less we speak of it the better.”

Brad piped up, “Well if it’s going to be a long night I’m going to put on some coffee.”

Brad’s next comment was for Ken alone: Holy shit…

Ken moved over to Michael and said, “Thanks.”

Michael glanced at him and turned away with a scowl on his face.  The way Michael dismissed him, dismissed all of them, struck a chord of anger in Ken.

“OK, Mikey, what’s your beef?”

Michael spun around with a look of disbelief on his face and loudly said, “MIKEY!?”

“Well, if you’re gonna act like a baby I might as well call you by your baby name.  What is it with you guys?  First those Nephelem assholes with the attitude, and now you.   I expected more.”

Michael’s face was getting darker and darker as Ken spoke.

“Your arrogance….”

“My arrogance?  Holy shit, Mikey, I’m surprised your head fits on this fuckin’ planet!  Look, bub, if you don’t want to be here ask for reassignment from whoever gave you this job.  We’re thankful, because the way I understand it none of us would be here if it weren’t for you and your friends.  But if your help isn’t genuine, I’d rather not have it.  I don’t trust anyone who’s being paid to watch my back.”

Raphael and Gabriel were listening to the conversation and quietly observing.  Raphael looked concerned and Gabriel had a hint of a smile on his face.

Michael turned to face Ken, his face a mask of anger.

Ken got right up in his face and said, “Go ahead, Mikey.  I bet you hit like a girl… or worse yet a mortal.”

Michael was breathing heavily, but restraining himself.

“What’s the matter, Mikey?  You know I saw in a movie once that guys like you don’t have any balls. Is that true?”  Ken reached down and cupped Michael’s crotch.  “Well fuck me, it is true.”

A sword appeared in Michael’s hand.  His knuckles were white from the tightness of his grip.

Ken felt everybody’s concern through their link when the sword appeared in Michael’s hand.  Brad was in the kitchen and didn’t see it but sensed everyone’s surprise and anxiety.  All of the Team who were in the room jumped to their feet, alert and ready to defend Ken.

Ken, what the fuck?

It’s OK, guys.  I know what I’m doing.  Or at least I think I do.  This is probably gonna hurt, but just stay out of it for now.  But be ready to back me up.

“A sword, Mikey?  Seriously?  Are you afraid of gettin’ your hands dirty?”

“Do you wish to die, Kenneth Habersham?”

Ken grabbed ahold of Michael’s jacket with both hands, lifted him up, and slammed him against the wall of the conference room so hard the concrete cracked, exposing the reinforced steel beams in the wall.  Ken got right up in Michael’s face, their noses almost touching.

“What I want, Michael, is for you to open your eyes!  First off I want you to know that we aren’t afraid of you.  I want you to stop being a dick and get past whatever attitude you have!  I don’t give a rat’s ass who you are or where you’re from or how high and mighty you think you are!  Our lives are on the line here, my Team’s lives, and the man I love more than anything.  The lives of countless people are at stake in this, and you think none of us matter or are worth your effort.  Well we do and we are, fucker.  And if you can’t see that, we don’t need or want your help.  There are no little people, Michael.  Everyone matters.”

As soon as Michael hit the wall, Ken’s eyes turned white and his Avatar flared to life.  It was like a crack of thunder hit the room.  Michael’s eyes went wide and his hands grabbed ahold of Ken’s forearms; he looked even more surprised when he couldn’t pull Ken’s hands away.   

Ken’s arms were steel beams, the muscles tight and the veins clearly visible from the strength of his grip.  The light from Ken’s tattoo was bright and it ran down his arms and through his hands and into Michael.  The conviction of Ken’s words ran deep into Michael, stirring thoughts and emotions in Michael’s heart that had been suppressed for eons. 

The anger left his eyes and as soon as it did he removed Ken’s hands effortlessly.  Ken’s eyes went back to their emerald green and as he stepped back, Michael released his grip on Ken.

Raphael looked at Gabriel and said quietly, “I think our task tonight was not our only reason for being here.”  He looked over at Michael and said, “Welcome back, brother.”

Michael stood up and straightened his jacket.  He held out his hand to Ken, who took it.  When their eyes met this time, Ken saw a depth in them that astounded him.  The being in front of him was older than Creation, and the history of his existence was clear in his eyes and Soul.   In all those years, stretched out over time, Michael had been mostly alone and had lost many brothers in the cosmic battles he had fought.  He had become jaded and arrogant and came to think of himself as better than mortals and even his Nephelem offspring.  Ken’s Avatar reached deep inside him and pulled out the characteristics that made Michael the leader he used to be; reminding and restoring him to who he used to be.

“Not many have ever dared to lay a hand on me in that manner, Ken… and lived.  I commend your bravery and your commitment to your Brothers and the people of this world.  Their faith in you is well placed.  Even in their ignorance, the mortals of this realm owe you a great debt as a champion on their behalf.”

He looked deep into Ken’s eyes and said in a quiet voice, “I would expect nothing less with your lineage.  Thank you.”

Ken grinned and asked, “So we’re good?”

“Yes, we’re ‘good’, as you put it.”

“Whew.  I was afraid I was gonna get my ass kicked there for a minute.”

Michael had a smile on his face, but he said, “Well, if you call me Mikey or grab my crotch ever again, I will atomize you.”

Ken had no clue whether Michael was joking and decided to change the subject.

****************

After the interchange between Ken and Michael, while they were waiting for Bryan and Uriel to return, Gabriel noticed that all of Lane’s Team mates stayed close to him.  They sat comforting him, and often kept a hand on his back or shoulder.  Gabriel could feel their mental bond and the love they held for one another, although they learned quickly how to block themselves even from him.  

Everyone looked up when Gabriel came into the kitchen, and the verbal conversation stopped.   He was sure they were still talking together in their minds.

Gabriel looked at Lane and said, “I’d like to talk with you if you don’t mind.”

Ken moved over and put his hands on Lane’s shoulders in a protective, brotherly manner.

Lane looked curious and said, “Sure.”

“Come with me into the gym.”

Lane felt everyone’s concern and he said out loud, “It’s alright, guys.  I trust him.”

Gabriel led the way, and as they passed by the entrance to the locker room he said, “Why don’t you get the guitar you keep here?”

“I don’t feel much like playing right now.”

“Please humor me.”

Lane went in and got the guitar. Gabriel raised an eyebrow when he saw it.

Lane looked a bit sheepish and said, “Yeah, I know.  I’ve been meaning to bring in a better one.  This one was with me during the war, though, and has a lot of memories with it.  I want to take it and get it re-finished.”

“There is something I wish to show you, Lane.  The last time we were together I taught you how to Listen.  You learned that lesson well.  The music you shape from what you hear is inside you.  You could share it with others, but you seldom do.  It would be easy with your brothers, mind to mind, but I’d like to show you another way.  Sometimes you want to make music outside yourself for others to hear.”

Gabriel held out his hand and a beautiful guitar coalesced out of nowhere.  He strummed a few chords and the sound was rich and true.

Lane’s eyes got wide and he asked, “How did you do that?  Is it real?”

Gabriel held it out and said, “For all intents and purposes it is.  You can touch it and feel it, but only I can play this one.  When you learn how to do this, only you can play the instruments you create this way.”

“Show me.”

It only took a few moments for Lane to catch on to how it was done.  Once he had his guitar, he and Gabriel played together.  Lane was pushed to his limits to keep up with Gabriel, and he let himself get lost in the challenge and the joy of stretching his musical talents.

Gabriel accomplished his goal: to distract Lane from his worry over Bryan first and foremost. He did not like seeing his grandson distressed.  Secondly, he wished to show Lane another part of his talents.  A grandfather needed to have bragging rights among his peers, after all!

****************

A few hours later, Michael and Raphael showed back up and Gabriel was called away to talk with them.  Lane released his guitar; he couldn’t wait to show Bryan what he learned to do!  Even as the thoughts of Bryan filled his mind, he felt their connection come back.  It was so strong it was almost overwhelming, and it caused Lane’s breath to catch.

Ken heard his reaction and knew something had just happened.  He glanced over just in time to see Lane taking off at full speed back to the main lab.

“Oh, fuck!  Bry’s back!”  Bry!

Lane flew into the lab and saw Bryan standing with Uriel.  When Bryan was taken he was naked, but apparently Uriel at least gave him some covering to wear; they looked more like wrapped animal skins than pants.  Bryan was still naked from the waist up; his tanned muscular body was shining with sweat and his hair was plastered to his head.   There was a leather strap over his shoulder attached to a small satchel he had across his back.

To Lane, Bryan never looked hotter or more handsome than he was in that moment.  He literally threw himself against Bryan, and his momentum was so strong that Bryan actually moved back half a step as he caught Lane up into his arms.

Neither one of them had any verbal coherent thought for nearly a minute.   They both delved into one another, their energy centers open and literally knotted together.  Bryan was still filled with Life from the Tree, and Lane was still charged up from playing earlier with Gabriel.  They both were so strong at the moment that they flooded the link with their love for one another and it emanated out from them like a hot fire.

Michael, Raphael, Uriel and Gabriel all felt it; it felt like Home.  More importantly, it felt like Home here on Earth, which they hadn’t felt for thousands of years.   They all looked at one another, surprised at their own reaction.  It gave them hope, hope that they didn’t even know was missing until it was once again present.  Being with their grandchildren was teaching them all lessons they didn’t even know they needed.

Raphael made his voice heard to his brothers: We have all fallen further than even we thought.  I’ve missed this feeling.  It is another sign of the changes coming ahead and how far reaching they will be.

          The rest of the Team gave Bryan and Lane a minute and then they all came up to touch Bryan in welcome; even though they were all linked together they felt the need to touch him and reaffirm his presence with them.  They all grabbed an arm or patted his back or squeezed his shoulder along with their mental and emotional affirmations.

          Bryan felt how much they missed his presence and even though he knew it in his head, the freshness of the emotions touched his heart and warmed him deep down inside.

          When Lane pulled back and looked, he realized Bryan’s body was covered with small lacerations and bruises, and he had quite a few dark smudges of dirt all over him.  To Ken, Rick, Kevin and Pat there was also an odd smell to him, a musky leathery smell. 

          Bryan was aware of their curiosity and he thought: I had to check on Leroy while I was there.

          Brad thought: Leroy?  You named the creature that can destroy the world ‘Leroy’?

          Yeah.  What’s wrong with Leroy?

          Sometimes you scare me, Bry.  A ripple of laughter went through the link and Bryan’s face broke into an uncharacteristic grin.

          OK, Fuckers.  I gotta pee really bad then I’m gonna jump in the shower fast.  Lane, I need you and Darren to make a quick trip to the house and get something out of the garage while I clean up.  It’s a little leather pouch I have stashed in a small cooler.  The cooler is covered up under the bags of manure I have piled in the corner close to the water heater.  Get that pouch but don’t open it.

          While Bryan was passing on his instructions, for the second time that day Lane wove flows of energy into Bryan that washed through his body and restored him.  The soreness of his muscles from climbing the mountain and all the little cuts and scrapes healed over, scarless.  Even though Lane was still amped up, everyone ‘chipped in’ a little with Bryan’s recovery. 

          Bryan closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the feeling washed over him.  He was a very independent man in many ways, but the feeling of attachment and love he had for his brothers and especially for Lane was the most important thing in the world to him.  All of them felt his emotional response and his appreciation for what they did.

          Darren took Lane back to the room in the lab with the video feeds and he teleported the two of them into Lane and Bryan’s garage.   Rather than getting dirty and smelly by lifting the bags of manure, Darren lifted them with his mind.  He retrieved the small cooler and took the lid off, and the small leather pouch floated up and into Lane’s hands.

          When they got back to the lab, Bryan was just coming out of the locker room, his hair still wet but now clean and he was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.  He grinned at Lane and winked when he saw they were back and had the pouch.  The look in his eyes was all Lane needed to see.

          While Lane and Darren retrieved the pouch and Bryan got cleaned up, Raphael took the doctor and Albrecht aside to ask for their help.  The three of them went into the gym to make preparations for the upcoming ritual.

****************

          A short while later Michael’s words filled Ken’s mind.  Gather everyone together.  You must all disrobe for the ritual and meet in the gymnasium.  It’s time to begin.

          Ken relayed the instructions: OK, ladies, take off your clothes and head into the gym.  Sorry, Bry, I know you just got dressed but them’s the orders.

          As soon as they exited the locker room they noticed two tables had been set up covered with plain white tablecloths.  There were five small silver chalices, a large silver bowl, a silver pitcher and a small dagger on each table.  There were five kneeling cushions on the floor a few feet out from each table.

          Michael, Uriel and Albrecht were standing at one table and Raphael, Gabriel and the doctor were at the other.

          Ken, Bryan, Pat, Rick and Kevin heard Albrecht’s voice in their minds: Come over and kneel on the cushions by me.

          Brad, Lane, Darren, Loy and Bill heard the doctor’s voice in their minds: Come and kneel on the cushions before me.

          Raphael sent his thoughts out to everyone: Still your hearts and minds.  Center yourselves.  Raise no power until you are called to do so.

          Michael, Uriel, Gabriel and Raphael all began to glow and they started emanating a powerful aura.  They could not take on their true forms without destroying Albrecht and the doctor, but they unveiled the power they kept hidden up until now.

          Their voices rose in unison and were heard in the minds and bodies of the men:  We stand outside Time, in a place not of Earth, joined together as One.  By the powers of Light, we Guard and Defend these men from all perils, O Most High. 

          One by one the angels intoned the ritual.

          I, Uriel, Protector of the North and of the Nether Shores, Announce my Presence in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.  I bring with me the powers of Life, Death, Patience and Strength, and I place the Blessings of Earth upon these men and on this place.

          I, Raphael, Protector of the East, Announce my Presence in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.  I bring with me the powers of Healing, Wind and Tempest, Intellect, Thought, Intuition and Imagination, and I place the Blessings of Air upon these men and on this place.

          I, Michael, Protector of the South and Keeper of the Gates of Eden, Announce my Presence in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.  I bring with me the powers of Fire, Feeling, Passion and Determination, and I place the Blessings of Fire upon these men and on this place.

          I, Gabriel, Protector of the West, Herald and Voice of the Most High, Announce my Presence in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.  I bring with me the powers of Water, Emotion, Love and Intervention, and I place the Blessings of Water upon these men and on this place.

          As soon as their voices intoned the opening of the ritual, the feeling in the room changed, taking on an otherworldly quality.  The light coming off the four Arch-Angels spread out and made a dome over all of them, keeping out any dark influences that could interfere with what was about to take place.

          Albrecht moved over to his table and poured water out of the pitcher into the bowl.  His voice spoke in their minds:  The time of transference is at hand; the final Awakening is upon you.  Invoke the power of your Avatar and add your blood to the chalice.  Let the five Bodies become One, bound by Blood, Brothers for all Eternity.  Share in your essence and complete the Avatars you were born to fill.

          He motioned for Ken to stand and move forward. 

          Take the knife and cut your hand, and let your blood—your life essence—join with the Water of Life.

          Ken took the dagger and cut his hand across the palm.  As soon as his blood dripped into the bowl, a fine mist started to form on the surface of the Water.  As his blood mixed into the silvery water, increasing its potency, a glowing image of his Avatar appeared over the bowl and hovered, lighting up the mist that was starting to seep over the edge of the bowl and onto the table.  Albrecht handed him one of the empty silver chalices and motioned for him to return and kneel.

          One by one, Bryan, Pat, Rick and Kevin followed, and as each one added his blood to the Water, their Avatars appeared until all five Runes were together.  It became apparent after the first two that their Avatars were shaping a larger Rune.  Once all five men were again kneeling, and the Rune was built, Albrecht took the bowl and moved down in front of Ken.

          Drink and be One with your Brothers.

          Ken dipped his small silver chalice into the Water.  He expected it to be red from the blood, but it was clear and pure and shone with its own silvery light.  He drained the contents of his chalice in one gulp, like a shot.  Immediately, his eyes turned white and his tattoo flared to life.  He felt a rush inside of him spreading through his Body.  His understanding of what was happening became clear as the part of Pat’s Avatar Awakened inside him.  He felt Bryan’s, Rick’s, and Kevin’s Avatars become a part of him as well; not as powerful as theirs but still strong.  It felt like pieces of a puzzle falling into place inside of him, filling spaces he didn’t even know were there until they became a part of him.

          As the forces inside of him woke up, his Body trembled and he broke out into a heavy sweat.  He felt fully Awake and his Body felt more alive than ever.  His skin and senses tingled with the effects of what was happening to him.

          Albrecht smiled and put his hand on top of Ken’s head, tracing a Rune of Blessing on his forehead with his thumb.

          The Ritual continued until Bryan, Pat, Rick and Kevin all drank the Water.  Once Kevin swallowed the contents of the chalice and as his eyes turned white as his Avatar was completed, the five men felt a final surge inside them and the glowing Rune over the bowl flared white and melded into a new Rune; an intricate combination of all of theirs.

          Once they were finished, Albrecht nodded to the doctor and he began the other half of the ritual with the Mentalists.

The time of transference is at hand; the final Awakening is upon you.  Invoke the power of your Avatar and add your blood to the chalice.  Let the five Minds become One, bound by Blood, Brothers for all Eternity.  Share in your essence and complete the Avatars you were born to fill.

Brad started and it continued with Lane, Darren, Loy and Bill.  As Bill drank, the Avatar over the Water flared and melded into a new Rune.

Gabriel and Uriel moved over to stand in between the two groups of kneeling men.  Albrecht held out the bowl with the Physical Avatar and Michael reached out and cupped his hands under the floating Rune and lifted it out of the bowl.  It hovered over his hands as he moved over to Uriel. 

The doctor held out his bowl and Raphael cupped his hands under the Mental Avatar and lifted it out, then carried it over to Gabriel.

All four Arch-Angels intoned: Let the two become one and Complete the Pattern.  Let the Properties of these Avatars guide their Hearts and Minds and Souls and Bind them to the Light.

Gabriel and Uriel added their touch and the four of them brought the two Runes together.  There was a blinding flash, and white arcs of energy erupted from the new Rune and spread out across the ten men.  The tattoos representing their Avatars shone brighter than ever and they began to change.   Ken, Bryan, Pat, Rick and Kevin had the new Physical Rune and Brad, Lane, Darren, Loy and Bill had the Mental Rune.

The four Arch-Angels all said in unison: It is done.  Amen.

As soon as their words finished echoing in the minds and ears of everyone, the sense of otherness in the gym disappeared and everything felt back to normal.  The dome protecting them disappeared.

The men immediately got with their partners to see the changes.  Instinctively, they all merged as couples.  As soon as their three energy centers were completely intertwined and shining with the clear bright white Light, their tattoos transformed into the single complex Rune.  While they were all together, Lane sent a wave of healing through their link and the cuts on their hands closed over.

Aaron and Albrecht merged as well, to share their thoughts and experiences of what had just happened. 

Aaron thought: I was right about the Pattern of their Avatars.

You were, love.  You‘re seldom wrong about such things.

It still frightens me.  Our Sons do not, but what they can do does. They now possess all the abilities necessary to overwrite the Curse and make the world whole as it was meant to be, to remove the barriers put on Man and Creation.  I don’t think the world is ready for such an abrupt and drastic change.

You will continue to guide them, Aaron, as you always have, until they are ready and the world is ready.  You and I will love them, and they will grow with each other.  Nothing has changed in that respect.

Raphael’s voice cut into their thoughts:  My apologies for eavesdropping, but you are correct, Albrecht.  They now have abilities far beyond their Nephelem cousins, and while they have some wisdom for their age, they lack experience.  They will need your guidance and your strength in the trials to come.  They are something new and Random in Creation.  To have such power combined with Free Will is… daunting.   If they ever decide to turn from the Light, we will not be permitted to oppose them, just as we cannot directly oppose the Enemy now.  They need you two now more than ever. 

Michael’s voice cut through everyone’s thoughts:  It is time for us to depart.  We must make sure your second task tonight goes uninterrupted.   Bryan and Lane will show you what you need to know and share what is to be done.

Ken approached Michael and held out his hand.  “Thank you, Michael.  All of you.  We all appreciate what you’ve done for us.  It seems silly for me to say this, but if you ever need our help all you have to do is ask.”

Michael looked long and hard at Ken, and the barest hint of a smile crossed his handsome face as he shook Ken’s hand and said, “Earlier tonight, Ken, I would have scoffed at your offer.  I also appreciate what you did for me.  And you owe us nothing; family has no debts.”

The four angels transformed into balls of light and vanished with no more fanfare.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, looking at the spot where the four Arch-Angels had just been standing and wondering what Michael meant with that last statement about family.

****************

Wanting to break the mood and brings things back to a semblance of normalcy, Ken said, “OK, ladies, let’s go get some clothes on and meet in the conference room in five.”

He got that little kid grin on his face and said, “Last one there’s a rotten egg!”  And he took off for the locker room as fast as he could, catching everyone by surprise.

All of them laughed and scrambled after him.

Darren got a devilish grin on his face and sent his thoughts out to Brad, Lane, Loy and Bill: OK, guys, let’s show ‘em what we got!  Follow me!

They all linked with him and disappeared before anyone but Ken had taken a few strides.  They had to see where they were teleporting to, so they had to piggy back with three jumps to get to the locker room, but they were there in less than two seconds.

Bryan, Kevin, Rick and Pat all said, “Shit!” at the same time and took off laughing.

The doctor and Albrecht looked at one another and shook their heads, amazed at how quickly grown men could still become little boys.  Albrecht had a smile on his face and the doctor’s eyes expressed his happiness at their antics.

The locker room was frantic as clothes were thrown on, some t-shirts backwards, and shoes put on with no socks.  Darren’s eyes went wide when he tried to teleport and didn’t go anywhere and he said, “Hey no fair, Kev!”

Kevin, fully dressed, patted Darren on the shoulder and with a smile on his face said, “Sucks to be you!”, and he laughed as he took off to the conference room.

Everyone was breathing hard from laughing and pushing their teammates out of the way as they all rushed into the conference room to find their seats, no one wanting to be the last one.  With Darren and the others’ ability to teleport blocked, the Physical partners all made it in first, and it was so close among the others that Ken couldn’t tell.  They all got a good light-hearted laugh out of it, just like they used to back in the early days of the Program, and that was what he wanted.

 Ken was up at the front of the room at the podium and he looked at all the guys, and he felt pride wash over him at who and what they were; he couldn’t think of any better men in all the world he’d rather have at his side in the fight they found themselves in. 

Brad felt his emotions through their connection and he smiled and thought:  You know that’s the way we feel about you too, right?  You’re still our Captain Ken, and even after everything, all of us will follow you to the end of this fight.  We, but especially me, are all proud of you, too.

Ken’s eyes got glassy from hearing Brad’s words, and the emotion that went with them.  Fuck, I love you, B.  I wish we were alone right now.

Brad quickly took them both very deep, down to that special place where their Souls were one.  They appeared to one another naked.

Brad smiled and thought:  I know it’s not what you really want, but it’s better than nothing.

Ken looked at him intently, and after a few seconds pulled Brad close against his body in a tight hug.  They were both hard and their dicks were pressed between them.  Thanks, B.

Ken pulled back a little, keeping one arm around Brad’s heavy shoulders, and he put his other hand on Brad’s chest.  They could feel their dicks poking each other.

Ken’s smile was on his face but also in his eyes, filled with love beyond measure for the man he was with.  He opened up their three energy centers and let himself sink into Brad for a few moments.  Brad still had one arm around Ken’s shoulder and with his other hand he reached up and cupped Ken’s cheek.  He closed his eyes and let himself sink into Ken, and his thumb gently slid over Ken’s stubble-covered cheek.

I want to stay inside you like this forever, B. 

Me too.

Ken grinned and he asked: Do you mean inside yourself or in me?

Douche.

There’s my B.  Ken pulled him a little tighter.  Alright, as much as I want to stay here forever, let’s head back up and find out what part two of tonight is all about.

****************

Ken looked at Bryan and Lane and said, “OK, guys, which one of you wants to go first?  It looks like you two are in charge of round two tonight.”

Lane stood up and said, “I’ll go first.  There’s something Gabriel and the others want us to see.  Some of it’s actually been inside a few of us for a while.  You remember that first night we met Albrecht?”

“How could I forget the night my man B kicked the ass of that black suited stooge that showed up.”

“Yeah that was awesome.  Well…. If you remember, Albrecht did something to us that night.  He made those little balls of light that went into our heads.  Gabriel saw that and he sort of… added to what Albrecht already put there.”

Lane held up his hand and his eyes turned white.    He spread his fingers out and the small balls of light popped out of Brad’s, Ken’s, and Bryan’s foreheads.  He caught them in the palm of his hand and they merged together into one ball and soaked into his hand.

Lane pulled everyone into a link and thought:  OK, guys, I’m going to show you a memory that Gabriel gave to me.   He said he wanted us to see this, and it’ll relate to what Bryan is going to follow up with.

What they saw was different from a construct.  In what Lane was showing them they were merely observers and knew they couldn’t interact with the environment or the people.  They were observing a memory but not reliving it.

It was dark and cold outside and the clear night sky was filled with stars.  It felt like a dream.  A bright star in the sky was shining, and grew brighter as I watched.  It started to move and it fell down from the heavens.  It struck the ground near me, but didn’t explode or make any noise. There was just a large flash of light, and when the light dimmed there was a man cloaked in power standing there before me.

“Who are you, stranger?”  I was afraid but only because of the oddness of what was happening.  I felt no fear of the man himself.

“I am a messenger”, he replied.  “I am here to show you something.  Follow me.”

The man led me a short distance down into a bowl between two hills, to a grove of myrtle trees.  There was a man on a red horse nearby, and other men not far away on various colored horses; some white, some red, some brown, and some dappled.  The men looked different; tall and strong, and they had an air about them I could not place but it was other worldly.

“Who are these men?”

“These are the men who are sent to patrol the Earth, and protect the four corners of Creation from the Enemy.”

The leader of the men, the one on the red horse came forward.  He spoke in a rich deep voice, “We have gone throughout the Earth, and for now all is peaceful and at rest.”

          The man with me told them, “You have done well, and He who sent me is most pleased.  Take your rest now, until you are called upon again.”

The man on the horse bowed in his saddle and, turning his horse, rode back to the other men.  He rode up to one in particular and took his arm in a familiar greeting, and although he was far away, I could make out his words, “Finally, my heart, after all these years we can rest.”

As the Vision ended, Lane’s eyes turned back to their normal dark brown, and they were wide with surprise.  The leader of the men was Albrecht and the man he rode up to was the doctor!

Brad’s voice was barely audible as he asked, “Doc, when was that?”

The doctor’s voice was subdued as he responded, “518 B.C.” 

The impact of that sent another ripple of shock and surprise through the link between all of them.

“Istariel said you were a good man, and far greater than we knew.  Raphael said the same thing tonight.   I knew they’re right, doc, but….”

“It is of no consequence, Bradford.  I am not important.  I wish Gabriel had not shown you that memory, but he had his reasons.”

When the doctor said he was not important, a scowl crossed Albrecht’s face.  Aaron’s humility was a virtue, but sometimes Albrecht wished he would stand up and accept acknowledgement for his role in the world and what he had done and sacrificed.

Brad moved over and Ken was right behind him.  They pulled the doctor into a tight hug.  Ken said, “You are important, doc; never say or think otherwise.  You’re probably one of the most important men who has ever lived, and no one knows.  Except for Brad, you are the most important man in my life, in all our lives.  Well, we know, and it matters to us; you matter to us.”

All of the guys got up quietly and moved over.  The immensity of who the doctor was and how long he had been fighting the Enemy, and his role in keeping Mankind free, was staggering.  They all embraced him and let him know how much he meant to them.

Albrecht’s eyes were wet with pride, both for what these men expressed to Aaron and for knowing how touched Aaron was by them.  He had a huge smile on his face.  He was surprised that he was included as Ken and Brad embraced him after they let go of Aaron.

“You too, Albrecht.  You’ve been with the doc all this time, and we’re glad you came into our lives.  Don’t think we don’t know you’re the Hero of the Order who killed General  Mstislav.  You’re badass and we don’t know what else you’ve done or sacrificed, but we appreciate it.”

After everyone was seated and quiet Ken asked, “So Bry, it looks like you’re up.”

Bryan got up and his face flushed red a little, but he was getting better about speaking up.  He felt everyone’s support and encouragement and it made it easier.

“The first time I went to the Tree, on the way back Uriel told me to pick up five seeds off the ground and keep them.   He said I’d be told what to do with them after our next Awakening.  Tonight I brought back two skins of Water: one for the ritual we just went through, and a second one in the fridge for the seeds.”

“Uriel told me each couple is supposed to plant a seed in our back yards and use the Water on it.  There’s one more thing we’re supposed to do before the seed will sprout.  And we have to have this done by sunrise.  Uriel and the others are going to make sure the sky is clear so we’ll get clear first rays of sunlight.”

They were all looking at him expectantly and his face flushed a deeper red.  He put his head down in embarrassment.   Ken asked him, “Bry, what else do we have to do?”

“Uriel said we have to consummate the spot where the seed is planted, and we have to be completely together when we do it.  He said it was really important.  He said the more times we do it the better it will be.”

“So we need to put the seed in the ground, use the Water of Life on it, and then make out like rabbits over that spot?”

“Yeah.”

“Well that sounds easy enough.  Doc?  Albrecht?  Does that make sense to you?”

“It does, Kenneth.  I believe the main reason Gabriel modified the memory Albrecht gave you was to show you the grove of myrtle trees.  What you saw were the Warriors of the Order of that era.  Albrecht was our leader at the time and the trees were integral to our abilities; we were bound to them.  That was before the Veil separated the Physical and Spiritual Realms.  That type of magic hasn’t worked since the Veil was brought into existence, but now that you are all bound to the Tree and its power, and the Tree being on both sides of the Veil, I can see how this will offer the Protection that Michael spoke of.  It is quiet powerful.”

“The act of making love, with the two of you merged, will feed the energy along with the Water of Life, and empower the seed to grow on this side of the Veil.  It will be tuned to your energies specifically as the ones who empowered its growth.”

Ken laughed and said, “The only issue I really see is how chilly it’s getting in the mornings.  We need to get our stuff ready and head out just to be safe on the time.  Sunrise will be in a few hours.”

Albrecht managed to come up with five small leather pouches and the doctor had plenty of small plastic containers for the Water.  Each couple was given a seed by Bryan. 

“OK guys let’s all head home.  Everybody plan on meeting back here late afternoon for an hour or two before dinner.”

“Any last words, doc, before we take off?”

He got the barest hint of a smirk on his face and he said, “Drink plenty of liquids before and between, and take double doses of your vitamins and a protein shake as soon as you get home.”

****************

On the drive home, Ken held Brad’s hand in his own and rubbed his thumb over the back of his hand. 

“B, this is incredible.  I don’t see nearly as deeply into things as Pat does, but all this stuff I look at makes sense to me now.  All the stuff that Bry, Kevin and Rick can do is there too; I can feel all of it.  This is going to take some gettin’ used to.”

“Me too, Ken.  I already have a ton of ideas in the back of my mind for our training; and yours.  Like you said before, I couldn’t imagine things getting better and then something like tonight happens.  By the way, you scared the shit out of me with that stunt you pulled with Michael.  I’m glad it worked out, but that was risky.”

“I did what I thought I needed to do.  He was being a jerk and we need his willing support, not his ‘I’m helping you because I have to’ bullshit.  I was shocked my Avatar worked on him to be honest.  I noticed it only worked when I was on target… once he was back in his right mind he handled me like I was a baby.”

“Well, that’s not hard.  I handle you like you’re a baby all the time.”

Ken got a grin on his face and said, “Oh yeah?  You are sooo gonna’ pay for that in a few minutes.  That seed isn’t gonna know what hit it once I get you all juiced up.”

“Promise?”

A few minutes later they were in their back yard.  It was cold outside so they both put on a light jacket while they decided where they were going to plant the seed.  There was a perfect spot in the back corner of the yard, far enough away from the pool that the roots shouldn’t be an issue.

Brad stayed in Ken’s mind and used his night vision to see by.  They got a small garden spade out of the garage and dug the hole.  Bryan had told them to plant the seed about six inches below the surface and not to pack the dirt back tightly.  They both held the bottle of Water and poured it over the seed before they covered it.

Ken said, “The ground’s gonna be cold.”

“We’ll warm it up quick enough.  You know what I want, right?”

“I have a good idea.”  Ken grinned and pulled him close, putting his hands inside Brad’s shirt and running them up and down his back.

Brad put his arms around Ken and they started to kiss.  They both got hard in seconds.  They stripped off their jackets and shirts first and then went back to pressing their bodies together for warmth.  Ken lowered them both onto the grass with Brad on top.  He wanted to warm up the spot they were on for Brad at least a little before he turned them over.

Brad opened up their energy centers and brought them together.  The powerful emotions they felt for one another flooded together as their Bodies, Minds and Souls merged.    Their movements became a little more frantic as their passion quickly built.  They both managed to get their shoes and jeans off, and then Ken flipped Brad over so that he was lying on his back on the warmed-up patch of grass.  Ken was leaking precum like crazy and he smeared it over his hard dick before entering Brad. 

Fuck B, your ass feels so good.

Ken expertly positioned himself so his thick eight inches would rub against Brad’s prostate.  He reached down with one hand and started stroking Brad’s hard-on in time with his thrusts, and seeing how turned on Brad was getting made him even more excited.  In less than five minutes they both shot hard in a fast but intense orgasm.  Ken’s dick convulsed as he squirted his hot cum into Brad, his whole body tensed and sweating.  Brad felt the physical rush, and the white light they were shining with in the Spiritual Realm got even brighter. 

Brad shot into Ken’s hand as Ken massaged and milked the cum out of his hard dick.  Ken knew exactly how tightly to squeeze and how to twist his grip to get Brad off.  Ken lifted his hand up and licked Brad’s cum off his hand, and he felt his Mind open even more.

Ken leaned down and put his forehead against Brad’s and they stared into each other’s lust filled eyes.  OK, stud, are you ready?

Oh yeah. 

Ken grinned and gave Brad a quick kiss and then flipped him over onto his stomach.  He lay down across Brad’s big frame, putting all his weight down, knowing Brad could take it now that he was charged up.  He reentered Brad’s hot ass, which was tilted up and waiting for him.

Ken started slowly.  He wrapped his arms around Brad’s torso so he could squeeze his pecs and nipples and he had his big legs spread wide.  He wanted to cover his lover’s body with his own and feel them against one another. 

After a minute he really amped things up and he started pounding Brad’s ass hard.  Ken became the guy that he knew turned Brad on more than anything.  For the next hour and a half they had hard passionate non-stop sex, and they both had multiple orgasms.  Their muscles were tensed and flexed and they were drenched in sweat from the intensity of their passion.  The cold air, coupled with the heat and sweat they were generating, caused steam to come off their bodies.

Ken noticed the slight change in the color of the sky first as the sun began making its way up. There were a few clouds, but they both heard the sound of fluttering wings in their minds and the clouds were gone in minutes, leaving the morning sky crystal clear.

They were both breathing hard and pressed tightly against one another after their last shared orgasm.  To keep warm they stayed together, with Ken spooning Brad.  The little mound of dirt was in front of them.  As soon as the first rays of direct sunlight hit the spot, the soil started moving as the seed sprouted.  They could visibly see the growth and in less than a minute the seedling was nearly a foot tall.

They could feel it as it grew.  It was bound to their Souls; it grew from the energy they fed it from their love making the last few hours. 

It was cold enough that they both stopped sweating and cooled off quickly.  They got dressed and stayed sitting together, their arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders, watching the little tree as it grew in the morning sun.

By eight o’clock in the morning it was huge, towering over their fence and the trunk was big enough around that both of them could barely touch their fingers if they stretched their arms around the trunk.

They each had the thought at the same time: It needs water.  They both had an intuitive sense of its health.  Ken got the garden hose and turned on the water and started soaking the ground around the base of the tree.

It was beautiful.  It was an amalgam of Oak, Rowan, Ash, Maple, Elm, Myrtle, Birch, Pine and many other types of trees.  The bark shifted across the branches, and the leaves and foliage were varied.  They could sense the Life in it and they felt its Protection over their Minds and Hearts and even their house.

Ken heard their neighbor Tom getting into his car next door to leave for work.  He took a quick peek into Tom’s mind to see if he noticed the tree.  Ken was shocked to find that to Tom, the tree had always been there since he moved in, and he saw it as a nice big Oak tree. 

As the tree seemed to be nearing the end of its growth, an image of their co-joined Avatars started shaping into the bark.  Ken was the first to notice the image forming on the bark.  It was amazingly detailed and looked like a highly skilled wood carver formed the grooves.  Even the coloring of their tattoos showed.  As the image completed, it flared with light, but instead of fading it stayed lit like a beacon, giving off a soft warm glow.  They both felt it – it was part of them now and would be forever.

Ken and Brad stood together looking at the glowing Rune.  They felt the warmth of its power when they touched it.   Brad got behind Ken and put his arms around his lover, hugging him tightly and kissing him on the back of his neck.    He rested his chin on Ken’s heavy shoulder and they stayed there for a few minutes, staring in wonder at what they just witnessed and were a part of.

Ken’s stomach interrupted their peace and quiet as usual. 

Brad laughed and put his hands down and rubbed them over Ken’s tight midsection.  Time to get something to eat.  I’m starving too. Let’s go in and get something to eat and then we can crash until it’s time to head in for the meeting.

Brad went in to start making breakfast and put on some coffee.  Before long they were both wolfing down some BLTs on sourdough toast.   After the long night they had and the hours of sex and watching the tree grow they were both tired. 

Ken put the dishes in the sink and led Brad down the hallway to their bedroom.  They both undressed and crawled under the covers.  Ken pulled Brad back against him and had his arm draped over Brad with his hand on his chest, pulling him back against his body.   As soon as Brad felt the warmth of their bodies touching he rested his Mind in Ken’s and was asleep in seconds.   In the fraction of a second before he fell asleep he set his internal alarm clock to wake him up in time for the meeting.

Ken was awake a few minutes longer.  He loved lying with Brad and holding him like this.  He loved feeling Brad’s chest rise and fall slowly as he breathed.  He kissed Brad’s shoulder and thought: I love you, B, as he drifted off to sleep.

****************

Everyone gathered back at the lab later that afternoon, and they all shared the same experience as far as their tree went.  No one was sure if Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel took care of the memories of their neighbors or if it was just part of the magic of the Tree.  Whoever looked at one of the trees saw it as a normal tree common to the area they lived in and as far as they knew the trees had always been there. 

The Protection they offered faded a short distance from the house.  The purpose of the their Protection was to give the Team a safe haven to live in, free from any influence of the Enemy; a place to be themselves with no fear of attack or worry.

Over the next few days, Ken and Brad worked with the doctor and Albrecht to design new training exercises based on what everyone could now do.  It was going to take a lot of practice to get used to all their new abilities, and to see what they could accomplish when working together.

The weekend came soon enough, and they were all looking forward to the cookout at Ken and Brad’s house Saturday afternoon.   Brad and Ken hit the grocery store early Saturday morning to get all the food.  Pat and Darren said they would bring over lots of firewood for the fire pit – they had a tree down in their back yard from a storm earlier in the summer that Pat had cut up and split.  Bryan was going to do most of the cooking and Lane was taking care of the music.

****************

Saturday morning, Lane and Bryan got up early and went out for their normal run.  They were going to skip the rest of their PT that day.

“Hey Bry, we don’t need to be over and Ken and Brad’s until mid-morning.  Would you mind if we ran down to the music store before we head over to their place?  It’s been a few weeks and there are a couple of new albums out that I want to pick up.”

Bryan came up behind Lane and wrapped his arms around him and said, “Fuck, I was hoping to have a few more hours in bed before we leave.”  Bryan pressed his crotch against Lane’s ass so he could feel his hard-on through his jeans.

Lane lean back into Bryan’s big hard body and laughed, “Damn… with that tree in the yard you are gonna have permanent wood!”

Bryan smiled and kissed Lane on the cheek and chuckled, “Well that’s nothin’ new.  I can hold it.  Let’s head out so we won’t be late.”

“Thanks Bry.  I’ll make it up to you later tonight.”

They got in their Explorer and headed down to Little Five Points.  It was a beautiful Saturday morning; bright and sunny and the temperature was in the upper forties.  Winter was definitely starting to show up.

The streets were crowded, filled with people hanging out and talking.  Lots of people had their dogs with them and Lane noticed all the animals in a new light now.  He could feel their emotions without even trying as that part of Loy’s Avatar in him was now Awake.  He knew he could talk to them and they would understand him, and he knew they would obey him and never attack or hurt him.

Bryan picked up on his thoughts and smiled, happy for the new part of his lover they were both discovering.  Lane thought:  We really need to make it to the Atlanta Zoo soon.  I think that would be badass now.

 They made their way to Lane’s favorite music store.  Bryan sat outside the door and let Lane loose.  He could browse for hours and Bryan liked to people watch outside while Lane did his thing.  A few minutes after they got there, Bryan heard someone down the street start playing a violin.  With his hearing he had no trouble picking it up over all the street noise.  Whoever it was sounded amazing and he knew that Lane would want to hear it too.

Lane took about half an hour but finally came out with a few new CDs in hand.  He had that happy look on his face he always got when he was in his ‘music mode.’  Bryan loved to see how excited he got when he found new artists or bought new albums he had been waiting for.

“Alright man, let’s head out.”

“Hang on a sec.  Let’s head down this way, there’s someone playin’ down there I think you’ll like.”

Bryan led the way and after half a block Lane started to hear it too.  Someone was playing a violin and the music they were playing was amazing.  He recognized the music from The Last of the Mohicans soundtrack.  As they got closer, he could tell it was a young Asian girl.  She had her eyes closed and was completely into the music she was playing.

Lane was thinking how pretty she would be without all the goth makeup and multi-colored hair.

When she finished the song, Lane and Bryan both clapped along with the small crowd of people that had gathered around her.

When her eyes opened and she came back to herself, she immediately noticed the two big handsome men in the crowd listening to her. 

She lowered her violin and seemed to be taking a break, so most of the crowd started to dissipate.  Lane stepped forward and said, “Hi!  You play beautifully!”

She seemed shy and lowered her eyes and mumbled a “Thanks.”

“My name’s Lane and this is my partner Bryan.”

“Bao.”

“That means ‘Treasure’ right?  You certainly are.  You have quite a gift.”

Bao was struck by this handsome man who was talking to her.  His smile melted her heart and made her feel warm inside.

“Yeah, I guess.  I don’t remember much Chinese.”

“Well, it’s a beautiful name.  And appropriate.  Would you mind if we stayed and listened for a few minutes?  I’m pretty good on the guitar and keyboard but I don’t play the violin.  I’ve always wanted to learn.  You just inspired me so now I’m definitely going to learn.”

Lane’s smile was infectious and Bao grinned.

“Are you going to play some more?”

Bao had picked up her bow and was feeling the hair.  She reached into her bag and pulled out a little box of rosin but it was empty.  She let out a loud, “Crap!  I meant to get some more.  Guess I’ll pack up for the day.  Sorry, Lane, but I guess I’ll head out.”

“Wait a sec.  Don’t pack up!  I’ll run over and get you some quick.  You just sit tight.  Bry, I’ll be right back.”  Before either one of them could say anything Lane ran back down the block to the music store. 

Bryan smiled at his enthusiasm and told her, “He really wants to hear you play some more; me too.”  Bryan continued to chat with her.

Bryan saw some little paper bracelets in her violin case.  They were brightly colored and looked extremely intricate.

“What’re those?”

“They’re friendship bracelets.  I make them.”

She leaned over and picked one up.  As soon as she bent over Bryan got a funny feeling in his gut.  He immediately became alert.

Lane, somethin’s up.  I don’t know what, but somethin’s not right.  Be careful.  I’m headin’ to you now.

As soon as Bryan’s instincts started kicking in he immediately scanned the area, looking for anything unusual or out of the ordinary.

In the few seconds it took him to look around, Bao stood up and said, “Here you can have two, one for you and one for Lane.”  She wrapped the paper bracelet around his wrist and as soon as she clipped it together, Taliesin’s trap sprang.

A net went over Bryan’s mind.  It happened so fast he had no time to react or even reach out to Lane.  He felt like he was falling into himself….

          Lane felt his connection to Bryan sever again.  He ran out of the music store in a panic.  He would have thought this was Uriel again except Bryan had just said he felt something was wrong.  Lane had to push himself through the crowd until he was close enough to see Bryan standing with Bao.  He didn’t think twice and he teleported the last hundred feet and appeared right beside Bryan, who was standing still as a statue.

          Bao was looking at Bryan with a questioning look on her face.  She nearly jumped out of her skin when Lane appeared out of nowhere right in front of her.

          “Bry!  What’s wrong?!”  Lane grabbed ahold of Bryan but he was like a stone statue.  His eyes were blank and he didn’t seem to register that Lane was there.  His handsome face was a blank mask with no expression.

          Lane looked at Bao and asked, “What happened to him?  Who did this?”

          “I don’t know!  I was talking to him showing him one of my bracelets and then he went still!  Is he having some kind of a seizure?”

          Lane tried to merge with Bryan again but there was nothing there.  He felt empty inside and a cold ball of fear hit him hard in the stomach.

          A voice said from behind him, “I can help him, Lane.”

          Lane spun around and saw a man standing a few feet away.  He was short, and thin, almost gaunt looking.  He had long hair but it was pulled back in a tight pony tail.

          One of the first things Lane did when Bryan sent out his warning was throw a shield up.  He tried to probe the man and felt a strong shield blocking him.

          “Who are you?”

          “My name is Taliesin.”

          Lane’s stomach clenched.  Albrecht and the doctor had mentioned Taliesin and warned Lane to stay away from him if he ever showed up.

          Lane’s brow furrowed with anger.  “Are you responsible for this?”

          “Yes.  I need you to listen…”

          Before Taliesin could finish his sentence Lane’s eyes turned white and a crack of thunder ripped through the sky so loud that a few nearby windows shattered from the vibration.  The wind picked up and Lane reached out with his mind and grabbed Taliesin by the throat and his feet started to lift off the ground.

          Taliesin’s eyes went wide in shock.  He wasn’t prepared for the physical power Lane exhibited.  Never in all his years had anyone ever had power over the Physical Realm!

          “You will undo whatever you’ve done to him right now.  I’m not asking you.  DO IT NOW!”

          Bao screamed and Lane glanced over.  She fell to the ground, screaming in agony.

          Taliesin managed to squeak out, “Put me down or I’ll kill her and you will never get Bryan back!”

          Lane released Taliesin and he fell to the street, holding his neck and sucking in air.

          Bao stopped screaming but was sobbing and stayed curled up on the ground.

          People in the street were staring and a few were running away, scared from the thunder and a few from seeing Taliesin’s body lift into the air.

          Brad! Darren! Loy! Bill!  I need you!  Lane sent a crystal clear image of where he was.  In another second the four men appeared right beside him, all shielded and glowing brightly.  All of them were linked with their partners and they all felt Bryan’s absence.

          Taliesin looked surprised again.  Things were not going according to his plan.  These men… he recognized all their faces.  He had seen their images circling Aaron in his scrying attempts. 

          “All of you stop right now if you ever want him back!  No mind talk among you!”

          Brad was just about to grab everyone and pull them down together to talk but stopped.  He didn’t know who this person was or what was going on, or what he was capable of.  He would follow Lane’s lead.

          Lane’s voice was steely cold and he asked, “Why did you do this?  What is it you want?”

“I need your help.”

“You have a funny way of asking for help.  The doctor and Albrecht warned me about you.”

“Yes, I’m sure they did.  I might warn you about them as well.  They have you completely under their spell and you don’t even know it.  Regardless, I need you to do exactly what I say or you will never get your friend back.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I need you to answer a question.”

“Fuck no.  I don’t trust you.  The doctor said you are a schemer and not capable of telling the truth.  There is no way in hell I’ll believe anything you say.  Even if I answer your damn question I don’t believe you’ll free Bryan.  I’m going to free him from whatever you’ve done.  And once I do I’m going to hunt you down and find you, and I am going to make you pay for what you’ve done to him.”

“Brave talk, Lane.  You’re welcome to try, but you will find soon enough that not even you can find and rescue him.  When you’ve tried and failed, and have no other recourse, Aaron and Albrecht will know how to reach me.  When you are desperate beyond reason to get your friend back you will beg me to ask my question.”

“Get up, bitch.”  Bao stood up with a blank look on her face.  “Get your things and come with me.”  They all watched Bao put her violin in its case and gather her things.  She was like an automaton, fully under Taliesin’s control.  He looked back at Lane and the others and said, “If you even think of following me, her death will be on your hands.”

He turned and walked away.

Lane’s anger left him and the fear returned as Taliesin disappeared into the crowd with Bao.  His hands started shaking and he grabbed ahold of Bryan.

Brad took them all deep into a construct of the conference room.  After a few seconds the doctor and Albrecht appeared along with everyone else.   Everyone was there except Bryan.

The fear and anxiety Lane felt was running rampant through his mind and they all felt it through the link.

Brad thought: Lane, show us what happened.  Show us everything.

Lane shared his perspective of all that transpired.

Ken moved over behind Lane and put his hands on Lane’s shoulder and said, “It’s going to be alright, Lane.  We’re going to get Bry back, and we are going to kick that skinny guy’s ass once we do.  Don’t worry you’ll get first crack at him.”

Brad looked at the doctor and Albrecht, “So who is this Taliesin?  He seems to know you two and more than I like about us.”

The doctor said, “Taliesin was once a member of the Order.  He was an excellent warrior in his time, and very gifted.  He was both clever and smart, and a very talented musician.  His skill with weapons was exemplary.  He rose quickly through the ranks at a time when men like him were sorely needed.  His deeds caught the attention of our leadership at the time, but more importantly he was marked as someone who could receive a particular Gift.  By accepting this Gift, he became the Seer and Oracle for the Order and was made Immortal for as long as he carried the Gift.”

“Over time, the power of the Gift, and the abilities it bestowed upon him, began to corrupt his mind and personality.  It took many years but we discovered that he had been using his powers for personal gain at the cost of human dignity and in many cases lives.  He was expelled from the Order and bound as a servant.  He must answer the call and use the Gift on our behalf when we have need, but it is a forced servitude as penance for his actions.”

“The Gift he was given can only be carried by one person at a time, so until a successor is born who is able to receive it he cannot pass it on.  Until that time he cannot die.  I believe he wishes to pass that Gift on to you, Lane.”

“Me?”

“Yes.  I believe your Avatar would make you able to accept this Gift.”

“Well, doc, if that’s all it is, as pissed off as I am at what he’s done, I can just say yes and get Bryan back!”

“I do not think that is a good idea, Lane, for a few reasons.  One above all else I do not trust Taliesin.  His mind is warped and there is no guarantee that he will free Bryan.  The second is I saw what the Gift did to him over all those years.  He was once a great man.  Your Nephelem Heritage might make you immune to the effects the Gift had on Taliesin but there is no way to be sure.”

“You know how difficult some of your visions have already been.  Think of those magnified not only in intensity but also in frequency.    You would be seeing multiple outcomes and you could lose yourself in the threads of Time and all the possible realities that are created every time a decision is made.  I would not wish that upon you, my boy.”

“I’d be willing to take that on for Bryan’s sake.”

Ken spoke up and he sounded adamant, “No, Lane.  Don’t say that.  Bryan wouldn’t want you to and neither do any of us.  Let’s hold that as an option only if there are no other alternatives and all other avenues have failed.”

Lane looked at the doctor and Albrecht, “Do you know what he’s done to Bryan?”

“Yes.”

“How do we undo it?”

“I am not sure yet.  Albrecht and I have done our best to protect you all from Taliesin.  He has been attempting to scry you all for many months now but we have blocked all his attempts.  Everything he knows about you he has learned from others, which is virtually nothing.  He has no knowledge of your bond with Bryan, or the fact that you share a Soul.   Get Bryan here as quickly as you can and I will begin to work on it.  Albrecht and I handled much of Taliesin’s training and I know how he works.  I will begin working on how to resolve this immediately.”

Darren said, “I have an idea about getting Bry back to the lab.”

Ken said, “OK, guys… you get Bryan back to the lab and then the rest of you get back to us.  I don’t like us being separated.  Everyone make it to the lab as quickly as possible.”

****************

Lane’s hands were still shaking… it was a combination of anger, fear and anxiety about Bryan.  Once they were back in their bodies, Brad put his hands on Lane’s shoulders and gave him a tight squeeze.  “We’re going to figure this out, Lane.”

Brad turned to Darren and said, “OK, hot shot, what’s this idea you were talking about.”

“If you guys back me up I think we can teleport Bryan to the lab without breakin’ a sweat.  I’m not talking about just powering up like Lane helped me with before.  I’m talkin’ about joinin’ our Avatars now that you all are active as well.  My ability is strongest as far as teleporting goes, but with all of us working in concert I think we’ll magnify one another.”

“Alright, then you take the lead since this is your idea.”

“OK, guys, let’s just all go at once and take Bry with us.  It’s always the easiest that way.”

Brad reached out to the crowd that was forming around them and he altered the last few minutes of everyone’s memories, removing the fight with Taliesin and what happened with Bryan.

Darren felt what he was doing and waited until Brad was done.  Darren brought everybody into his mind as a focal point to get the image of his safe spot in the lab.  He felt the part of their Avatars that matched his and he instinctively was able to bring them into synch.

“OK guys, everyone touch Bryan and follow my lead.  We’re goin’ back to my safe spot in the lab.  On three…. one … two…”

****************

 “three….”  All of them appeared along with Bryan in the lab.  There was practically no effort or drain involved and Darren grinned and winked at Brad in an ‘I told you so’ manner. 

Good job, Dar.  That just opened up a whole can of worms as far as training ideas.  If that same concept works for our other abilities it’s a bit scary.

“OK, Lane, let’s get Bryan into a bed so the doc can take a look at him.  The rest of you get back to your partners and then head back here as soon as you can.”

Bryan was completely docile.  Lane took his hand; he had to pull him, but Bryan moved and walked with him into the exam room.  Brad and Lane got him stripped down to his underwear and got him into a bed.

The doctor and Albrecht showed up just as Brad was about to head back for Ken, and they started hooking Bryan up to the equipment for testing.

Lane sat in a chair and watched, silent, his normal mischievous grin gone and his face stony and hard.  Lane was usually such a happy and upbeat guy that it was disconcerting to see him like this.  Brad moved over and put one arm around Lane’s chest and the other on the top of his head and pulled Lane back against him for a minute.  He pulled Lane deep inside his own mind and heart along with Ken.

Inside, Lane was crying and hurting.  Without his connection to Bryan, half his Soul was cut off and he felt lost.  He was also furious at Taliesin and he wasn’t used to feeling that way.  It was having a physical effect and he felt nauseous and cold.  His body had a slight tremble that Brad could feel.

We’re with you, bud.  We’ll get Bry back, but in the meantime stay merged with us.  We love you, brother.

Lane felt it when Brad physically disappeared, but his presence stayed solid in his mind along with Ken’s. 

****************

A little less than an hour later all the guys arrived back at the lab.  Every one of them made their way straight to Lane to check on him and Bryan.

It wasn’t long before they heard the doctor’s voice in their minds:  Everyone please come into the conference room.

They all gathered and sat down.  Their faces were serious; they were focused and supportive of Lane and ready to do whatever was needed to get Bryan back.

The doctor came in and stood at the podium. 

“Albrecht and I have confirmed what we originally thought.  Taliesin has trapped Bryan’s mind into a construct of his making.  Bryan, for the time being, is safe and living another life inside himself, one created by Taliesin.”

Brad spoke up, “Well that sounds easy enough, doc.  We can just go in and break it.”

“No, we cannot.  Just making the attempt would kill Bryan, and even if you manage to get inside, Bryan’s mind is tied to the construct and its destruction would take Bryan’s mind with it.”

“How could he have done something like that?”

“Taliesin has had centuries of experience and the Bindings that he weaves are extremely powerful and complex.  While any one of you five is more powerful than he is, his experience and subtlety more than balance the scales in his favor.  He had much time to prepare this trap and it is most likely foolproof in its design and implementation.”

Lane’s voice was flat as he asked, “So if we can’t get inside to break it, how can we get him back?”

“Taliesin knows many things, but he does not know much about all of you.  Albrecht and I have made it difficult, if not impossible, for him to learn much about you.  What he has learned is from reading the minds of people you have come into contact with, so he does not know about your Nephelem heritage or much about your abilities.  He definitely does not know that you and Bryan share your Souls.

“In the same manner that Kenneth was able to traverse the Veil with Bradford, I believe that you can enter this construct with little risk to Bryan.  The danger lies after that.  Once you are inside you will be trapped along with Bryan, and you will have to find a way to free you both.

“There is no telling what you will find once you are inside.  Bryan will most likely not be himself, and he will have no memory or knowledge of any of us.  The rules of the construct will be as Taliesin created them, and he will most certainly have made Bryan a normal human in that world.  As such, once you are inside this will apply to you as well.

“And knowing Taliesin, there will be traps as well.  He will allow for the possibility that we might find a way into Bryan’s mind, however unlikely, and he will have provisions to try and stop anyone that makes it that far.  It will be very dangerous.

“Knowing all of this will allow you to go in and remain who you are, even if you will not have your abilities.  I will say this… I do not know how yours or Bryan’s Avatars will react in this situation.   They are operating outside of the normal Spiritual Laws; Kenneth’s interaction with Michael proved this.  I do not know if this will be helpful or cause you more difficulty, so be aware.”

Lane replied, “So I’m going in, I’ll have to find Bryan, he won’t know who I am, and I’ll have to figure out a way to break out of this construct with no powers or abilities.  Does that cover it?”

Ken stood up and walked over to Lane.  He spun Lane’s chair around and knelt down in front of him and looked into his eyes.

“Lane, bro, I know this whole thing is difficult, but I want to remind you of a few things.  First and foremost, you are badass.  You’re a Navy Seal – you fight like a mother fucker and you are smart as hell.  I know you pretend to be a dumbass sometimes but you’ve never fooled anyone in this room; you’re a fuckin’ genius.  Put your brain to work on this.  You might not have your powers but you have your training.  And if your Avatar does work in there, you’ll be able to Heal and Dream.  You’re probably the only one of us who would have a chance of pulling this off.   Bryan needs you, and we all need the two of you.  So be confident Lane – don’t doubt yourself.  I don’t doubt you one bit.  None of us do.  You said once you want to be more than a battery for us… I’m telling you right here and now you are so much more than that.”

“Show him, guys.”  Brad pulled everybody in tighter and all their energy centers flared to life, blending into a white ribbon that circled through all of them.  Deep down, Lane knew it, but he let their confidence fill him up and remind him of who and what he is.  The stony look on his face softened, and he shed his fear and anxiety; but he let his anger at Taliesin smolder and he would hold onto that and use it to drive him forward and rescue Bryan.

It was difficult to see but Brad felt it… He knew Ken’s Avatar was at work on Lane.  And he knew that Pat, Rick and Kevin were feeding into it as well, whether they were aware of it or not.  It wasn’t false bravado they were feeding Lane; they were reinforcing what was inside him already, and Brad could feel the Will inside Lane steel itself for what he needed to do to be successful.

“Alright, doc.  How am I going to get into the construct?”

“Bradford, you and Lane come with me, please.”

They both followed the doctor into Bryan’s room.  “Pull another bed over so you can lie down next to him.  It will be important for you to be touching him.”

Lane lay down on the bed and got as close as he could beside Bryan, and he grabbed Bryan’s hand, intertwining their fingers, and squeezed tight.  The familiarity of the warm roughness of Bryan’s hand was comforting, but the fact that Bryan didn’t squeeze back was painful.

“To be safe, because Taliesin always operates on multiple levels of deception, I am going to have Bradford help in getting you into the construct.  What we are going to do is mask the half of your Soul that is you, and your Mind, so the trap will only see you as Bryan.  At that point, it should literally suck you in with no effort on your part.  Lane, separate yourself from everyone and drop out of any active links you have.”

“Bradford, show Lane how you hid yourself when you travelled with Kenneth across the Veil.  This should work for masking against the Binding.  We only want to invert the part of you that is Lane, but not Bryan.”

Lane closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  As he exhaled, his Mind and Soul lifted out of his body.  He hovered for a moment while Brad showed him how to invert his energy flows.  It only took a moment before he mastered it, and to Brad and the doctor’s Minds, Lane’s presence disappeared and they only sensed the part of him that was Bryan.

          Lane thought: OK, guys, here goes nothing.

          He floated over and sank into Bryan’s chest and vanished completely from their perceptions.

As soon as Lane sank into Bryan, the trap sprang and he felt like he was falling into himself…

*************************

Ok that’s it for Chapter 13… I hope you enjoyed it!  Let's see if I can get Lane and Bryan out of this pickle in the next chapter!

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