Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2015 01:42:57 +0800
From: Ben Chen <benwritesstuff@gmail.com>
Subject: Covert Forces - Chapter 3

Disclaimer: This is purely a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real-life
events or people is entirely coincidental.

Please do not copy or distribute this story without the author's prior
consent.

If you have anything against gay men with powers, sexual content, violence,
gore, or swearing, then this story won't be for you.

A/N: This is a pretty exposition-heavy chapter, since it sort of
establishes the story's actual premise. You'll want to read on to the end,
though. Let's say there's some action that happens.

Covert Forces

Chapter 3 - set to The Time is Now by Moloko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiTRm7qMwlg

Vulcan tossed away his coffee cup and strode into Grand Central Station,
his body language confident but his mind less so. It was the first time
anyone in the Group had dealt with this situation first-hand, and he wasn't
sure what he felt about it. On one hand, there was a new opportunity that
could be exploited, and if he played his cards right, the Group would end
up with a significant advantage in their hands. The background checks had
turned out very good, and Vulcan's strategy of playing a longer game seemed
promising. He had an idea about the pitch he would use, which he'd quickly
cobbled together late last night. The evidence he possessed would also
provide an extra argument in his favour.

On the other hand... Well, Vulcan never liked plans with such a possible
margin of failure. He'd have to make the case that somehow, what the Group
could offer was better than what these men were capable of. He knew that
the duo would be weighing their options, despite having met only moments
before the incident, and he needed to be careful in dealing with
them. After looking through their records, and actually seeing them in
person, Vulcan was starting to wonder if he'd bitten off more than he could
chew. It wasn't just that his stubborn determination to stay in the closet
was challenged by this pair of hunks, but they were also no slouches
mentally. They'd even tried to call him via a fresh Skype account and an
array of Internet proxies, although he'd already known almost everything
about them. He'd have to make sure not to be outplayed, should their
intentions be nefarious.

It was annoying that he got the call at 11pm yesterday, and he was still a
little sleepy, but at least he was now vindicated in his actions. Cygnus
hadn't chewed him out for his approach towards this case, which was already
a win in his books. "You're a professional, Vulcan. Keep it together," he
muttered to himself, peering about to find Vic and Alex.

Of course, there they were by the central clock, looking amazing
again. "Damnit!" Vulcan cursed. He could tell from the pair's body
language, being all jokey and casual with each other, that they had
established a rapport. He was considering how he'd approach them when Vic
looked in his direction and their eyes met. Vulcan gave him a nod and
headed their way, maintaining a calm attitude even as Vic and Alex turned
silent and were sizing him up. He wondered what exactly was on their minds
- assessing how trustworthy he was? Checking out how he looked in his suit?
It was obvious which way they swung, given the venue where they were at,
and Vulcan wasn't above using his sex appeal to do the job. Besides, the
attention from two hot dudes was very flattering as well.

"Stop it," a voice in his subconscious yelled. "Don't you dare get off on
this. You're walking a very thin line here." Then again, which part of this
case wasn't treading dangerous ground? "It's good to see you again," he
smiled at the men, genuine but professional.

"I'd say the same to you mate, but last time we met, things were awfully
crap." Vic, to Vulcan's lack of surprise, first spoke for the duo. "You'd
better have the answers we want."

Vulcan shrugged, having anticipated this manoeuvre already. "Of course I
do. In fact, why don't we talk in my office? Some of the things I will tell
you, they should not be overheard by casual passers-by."

"No," Alex stated, his voice gentler but still firm. "How about Byrant
Park? We'll find a corner that's just the right degree of crowded."

Of course, they wanted to do this on their own terms. Well, that was fine
with him. "Certainly. And you can leave anytime you want to." He didn't
mention the group of undercover agents that presently surrounded them.

Vic's eyebrow twitched. "No dirty tricks."

"I wouldn't dare to," Vulcan smirked. "Especially if my guesses about your
abilities are correct. Shall we go, gentlemen?" He gestured for the duo to
follow, and they exchanged suspicious glances before doing so, unknowingly
followed by Vulcan's group as well. Alex reached for Vic's hand and clasped
it tightly, as if he was comforting the latter, who definitely appeared
edgier about the proceedings. The way the men's touches were tender and
longing did not escape Vulcan, even as he was walking ahead of them. "God,"
he thought with a tinge of annoyance, "Don't tell me these two studs are
shacking up already?"

They settled themselves on a quiet bench, with Alex placing himself between
Vulcan and Vic. "You know, I don't think we've even acquainted ourselves,"
Alex quipped. "And I don't suppose you'll tell us your real name?"

Vulcan shook his head. "You're right, so I'm not even going to pretend. I
go by the code name 'Vulcan'."

"Vulcan, eh?" Alex pondered. "You must be a Roman mythology buff."

"Really? I'd have put my money on Star Trek," Vic argued. "He even reminds
me of Spock."

Vulcan smiled, letting both comments slide. He'd let the men presume
whatever they thought was true. "Well, Vulcan, I don't think we're
comfortable sharing our names, but I suppose you'd have found them anyway,"
Vic continued. "Whatever it is that you freaks do."

Vulcan simply nodded in affirmation. "That is correct, Victor Akinbode
Balogun."

"I knew it!" Vic yelled. "God, aren't you full of surprises. OK, major
creep factor aside, you should just call me Vic."

"And since it'd be awkward if you recited my name," Alex drawled, "Guess
I'll just have to do it for you. Alexander Samuel Langley here, but call me
Alex."

"Right," Vulcan cleared his throat. "Thanks, Alex. Sorry about the awkward
intro. I'll cut straight to the point, and I apologise if this might sound
ridiculous, but I'm sure you've already experienced your fair share of
oddities. Let me ask both of you fellows - do you believe in the
supernatural? In greater powers beyond us?"

"Religion? The supernatural?" Vic shrugged. "Not really. Although I watch a
bit of the CW show."

"I've never seen or felt anything extraordinary until now," Alex admitted,
after rolling his eyes at Vic's reply. "But I keep an open mind towards
it."

This next part was always eyebrow-raising, and Vulcan guessed this time
wouldn't be any different, even with how special this duo was. "Let's say
that the cosmos, and Earth in particular, is a long-term
experiment. Generally, it is run with minimal interference, and the planet
is allowed to choose its own course of action. But what if every once in a
while, you introduce elements that can shift the path of human history?
Shape their psyches and behaviours towards a different equilibrium."

"Divine intervention?" Alex frowned. "Is this what you're suggesting?"

"Well, sort of. No one really knows who's up there or what they are. The
only thing we do understand is that these creators, they are unsure what
the optimal balance for human motivations is. Beyond certain behavioural
extremes, what is the ideal ratio between, say, individual ambition or
collectivist balance? What would the best path forward in securing
mankind's survival and development? They cannot intervene directly across
our entire species, but what they can do is plant seeds. Ordained
recipients of their power, beyond our regular understanding of science and
human ability. Individuals who can then wield that ability to influence the
world, should they play their cards right. To inspire, to conquer,
sometimes to simply cause chaos. You might've known some of them, from
stories or supposed myths that are passed down." He didn't mention the fact
that he'd almost lost hope before encountering them on that fateful night.

"Mate, I love a good tale from time to time, but you're just nuts."
Whatever the expression on Vic's face was, he clearly wasn't amused. "Next
you'll tell us we're on Just for Laughs."

"Maybe you should give me more time to explain myself fully," Vulcan smiled
politely. "This is where I come in. I work for a faction that's existed in
one form or the other, since the first founding of Jericho. Throughout the
ages, we've documented and supported the intervention of empowered
individuals for purposes of order and stability. During instances when no
one of the right profile appears, we aim to uphold societal peace until the
next chosen few are discovered. We then try and guide these individuals to
fulfill their destiny. If they're good, they exist for centuries or have a
widespread influence, like the Indo-Greek pantheon or Jesus Christ. If
they're not, or if the other faction gets their way instead, you end up
with another Crusades or World War II on your hands - mind you, mankind is
more than capable of wreaking havoc by themselves, but sometimes it takes a
nudge here or there to get things rolling."

"Sounds serious," Alex mused. "But I keep circling back to this one idea -
how can we trust you? Why not this other faction you speak of? You can't
expect us to just take your word that you're 'good'. Not to mention that
the idea of 'good' is a relative concept."

"No, that's a great question." In fact, Vulcan would've thought them stupid
for not enquiring along those lines. "The first iteration of Jericho was
destroyed by strife, when two groups were formed with different opinions on
how the first superhuman should use their abilities. I do think, relative
to the other group that exists, we have a stronger emphasis on compassion
and restraint. Remember the shooting two nights ago?"

"Uh, yes," Vic muttered. "What the fuck were you doing there, by the way?"
His big eyes bore straight into Vulcan's, angry and confused.

"Give me a moment." It took a while for Vulcan to activate his tablet,
including a thumbprint identification program and double password
encryption. He was secretly amused by Vic and Alex's incredulous looks at
the amount of security needed to use the device. "We've actually been
tracking these 2 for a while," he said, pointing towards photos of the
couple's assailants. "Nasty creatures. Spent a lot of time on Occidental
Reform and the Free Republic, too. They talked a lot of crap about wishing
minorities and liberals were gone, and how well-trained they
were. Impressive stats, to be fair, but these men were bloodthirsty
psychos. In a crowd of sovereign citizens and white nationalists, they were
among the most likely to act out - and that's saying something. So they've
been on a peripheral watchlist of ours, but they disappeared from Arkansas
1 week ago. We were only able to pick up their trail on and off, headed
towards the northeastern seaboard, but there's a limit to what we can
trace. Almost like someone's been helping to cover their tracks. A lot of
fake vehicle plates, car switching and suspiciously tampered video footage
- tricks that are familiar to us."

"Maybe you could've just tipped off the FBI?" Alex offered, scratching his
chin in confusion. "I'm sure you already know this, but they kind of have
offices dedicated to tracking hate groups."

"Here's the thing, though. We know some of these tech and intel tricks
better than the FBI, CIA or DoD ever would. If we're having issues piecing
the case together ourselves, there's no way we could persuade the FBI,
subtly or otherwise, to open a case based on evidence they could reasonably
find. There's no manifesto or usual smoking gun that these egomaniacs tend
to love." Vulcan took a swig from a Perrier bottle in his bag before
continuing. His throat was dry from all the talking so far, but there was
so much he needed to fill the duo on. "We'd do it ourselves, but we simply
don't have the numbers to go into every case with a 100%
focus. Technically, nobody even knows we exist, and having tens of
thousands of employees running about isn't the best way of keeping that
secret intact. So it was only on that night itself that we heard news
they'd shown up in Manhattan, which is never good news. Their car was
literally packed with enough weapons to massacre a town. I was the first
responder - too late, as you now know, but I didn't have enough time to
cobble my usual team together."

"OK then." Vulcan could tell that although Vic had a low tolerance for
bullshit, he was starting to believe in the circumstances. "But I suppose
there's more to the story than just that?"

"Indeed," Vulcan nodded, as he proceeded to load his next set of
documents. "In fact, we just might've stolen the corpses for research
purposes. See here? These men's brains were tampered with. There's severe
degradation of neural functions over a prolonged period. Also, traces of
foreign chemicals have been detected. We have no idea what exactly
happened, but this isn't the first time it did. It is however the most
high-profile case of its kind we've faced so far." He scrolled through a
set of articles, detailing various gruesome murders that had
occurred. These were scattered all over the country - California, South
Carolina, Vermont, and even Montana and West Virginia. In all the cases,
the murderers had died shortly after, of 'unnatural causes' apparently.

"Of course, what they don't tell you is that the same chemicals and neural
degradation was found in each of these cases. We have a number of contacts
in the FBI, and they tell us that there's pressure to just treat this last
case as a hate crime. Nobody seems concerned that there's more to this, as
long as they've found motives that seem plausible at the superficial
level. But we do have other ideas. Namely, given the amount of interference
in covering these attackers' tracks, that the other faction is behind
this."

"You keep referring to these guys as 'the other faction'," Alex pointed
out, "But wouldn't you at least know them by name? Especially if you've
been going against them for millennia? All this sounds so vague."

"See, we have a good handle on their methods and intent, but not their
identity. Throughout the centuries, when one faction gets exposed and
destroyed, its surviving remnants regroup as another unknown entity. It's
what we do on both sides. It's not exactly the same organisations surviving
through the years, but a historical continuity is still there. The thing
though is that they don't know who we are in our present form either. In
fact, I can't tell you what exactly we are as well, unless you agree to
join us."

Vic cocked his head in disbelief. "You're counting on us to do that? I have
to admit, this is sounding less fantastical the more you've explained, but
still. We still barely know what you do."

Vulcan decided it was time to go into the crux of the matter. At the same
time, he was relieved that Vic and Alex were being genuinely cooperative,
and gave him the benefit of the doubt. "No, Vic, you're right. This will
have to be collaborative. I'm sorry we didn't talk about this faster, but I
had to lay the groundwork. Proof that I'm not some delirious or
manipulative loony pulling a fast one in you. So the deal is this: I can
tell you more about your powers to get you started. You can then have some
time to decide if you want to hone them further with our guidance. I know
it's important you come into all this with a clear head, and you should
take all the time you can with this."

"I'm also trying to reduce the time you'll be spending in this fucked-up
battle," He thought bitterly to himself. "Maybe they'll cope with this
better than I have. After all, I'm not the one with powers."

Vic and Alex merely nodded with passive interest. "Go ahead," Alex
gestured, his face pleasant but tense.

"Alright. During the course of history, there have been many different
types and even numbers of powers which have been imbued by higher
forces. We call individuals like yourselves the Empowered. So there could
be anything from 1 to over 100 Empowered with active abilities at any one
time, and long periods in between when no supernatural activity is
detected. In fact, you two are the first Empowered to appear since the last
century."

"You'd think it'd be easier, if they just told everyone how many people and
what type of powers there'd be each time," Vic mused.  "Like Sailor Moon or
Avatar."

Alex frowned. "I know there were a lot of natural landscapes and body
switching in that movie, but no superpowers otherwise."

"Silly," Vic chuckled. "I meant The Last Airbender."

"Oh, the M. Night movie?" Alex was bemused. "Of all the examples you could
use? That was a horrid piece of film-making."

Vic winced in mock agony. "Remind me to show you the source material
M. Night massacred, Alex."

Vulcan coughed lightly, which drew their attention back to him. "Our theory
is that whoever is behind this, they've been experimenting with different
numbers and configurations of abilities which will help push mankind along
an ideal onward trajectory. Which is exciting, but absolutely a pain to
keep track of. However, there are still some broad similarities. For
example, all Empowered so far have had their powers triggered in violent
and life-threatening circumstances. We call these events Awakenings."

"The shooting, in this case," Alex noted.

"Correct. Your first trigger starts as a burst which shows some extent of
what you can do, but after that you have to actively train yourself to
stretch your abilities to that limit. You may be capable of even more,
though the extent of it differs from person to person, and you'll just have
to cross that bridge when it comes along." Vulcan's expression was calm,
although he was praying fervently that his conjectures about Vic and Alex's
abilities were correct, and he wouldn't make a fool of himself or get
killed. "So, shall we get started?"

***

Although he looked cocky and assertive, Alex knew that Vic was as uncertain
and nervous about the whole affair as he did. Nevertheless, it as the sort
of natural personality trait Vic possessed, which he used to maintain some
leverage over the situation. As if by instinct, they looked to each other
for mutual reassurance, and for a split second he could see the gentle
concern in Vic's eyes. Alex couldn't help but swoon a little; he was
falling hard for this man and it was gratifying that Vic felt the same way
too. A little smile curled up on his face, and he sensed the subtle but
appreciative shift in Vic's face.

Vulcan loaded some photos on his tablet and showed them to the men. It was
the assailant Alex had killed, his face grotesquely distended in
horror. The sight of it caused Alex to involuntarily tighten in panic. Upon
seeing his lover's response, Vic patted him heavily on the back, powerful
yet soothing gesture. Even Vulcan awkwardly tried to squeeze him on the
shoulder in reassurance, which Alex thought was bizarrely endearing from
this otherwise collected individual.

"You're behind this, Alex? The autopsy results weren't pretty. We weren't
sure if this fellow got some disease or poison at first, but I think you'll
find some of this familiar. He died within seconds of pulmonary enema. A
range of chemicals were detected in his system: carbon monoxide, nitrogen
compounds, hydrogen cyanide-"

And then it hit Alex like a ton of bricks. "Of course," he whispered, voice
trembling. "That smell of bitter almonds. All those gases are the result of
methyl isocyanate degradation."

Vulcan nodded ruefully. "That would be correct. You basically gassed his
lungs, turned most of the air in it into toxic vapours. How did you even
know to do that?"

"It was a while back, actually. We learned about the Bhopal disaster and
methyl isocyanate in process safety management," a bewildered Alex
continued, "But that chemical formula was deep in my head. There was no way
I thought of that amidst all the chaos."

"When you were Awakened, your abilities were triggered violently, but
you'll need to train if you want to consciously activate that amount of
power. Let's try something less dangerous though." Vulcan reached into his
shirt pocket and retrieved a lighter. "If my conjecture is correct, then
you can manipulate and create gases, with methyl isocyanate being one of
the more lethal ones you made in desperation."

"So, transmutation perhaps?" Alex queried, to which Vulcan simply
nodded. "Is this one of the ways these things can work?"

"Possibly. Maybe you could only create highly toxic chemicals and nothing
else, but then this test wouldn't work." He held the lighter up to Alex's
face and ignited it. "Focus on delving deep into your thoughts, and unlock
that subconscious barrier you're putting up. You're probably worried that
you'll go out of control, but fortunately that's not how these things
work. At the start, you really need to deliberately activate your powers,
if you want to get anything done. Tap into the instinctive ability you felt
on that night, and use that to smother this flame."

"You can do it, Alex," Vic smiled. "Don't pressure yourself."

"Thanks," Alex smiled back, and then focused his mind. It didn't come easy
at first, with his thoughts wracked by anxiety and uncertainty, but he
pushed himself to go deep into his consciousness. He stared intently at the
lighter's flame, using it as a focal point he concentrated his vision on,
synchronising his efforts with his breathing rhythm.

And then he got it, while searching his mind's recesses for that instinct
he'd buried. Now, instead of the kneejerk reaction he'd had when conjuring
the toxic gas, he felt what he could do. He could sense the elements in the
air around him, base gases and trace pollutants, assaulting his mind with
knowledge. Previously invisible gases, from farts to perfumes to water
vapour and exhalation, suddenly made their presence felt. It felt like
seeing on another spectrum, but he quickly adjusted to it by only focusing
on the immediate area he wanted to work on. It also helped that with his
chemical engineering background, his mind was tuned into the atomic
structures that seemed to surround him. He was concentrating so hard that
he'd tuned out Vulcan and Vic staring watchfully at him, with an equal mix
of fascination and trepidation.

This was trickier then he'd expected, since he'd need to form more carbon
than was present in the air, by tearing apart some of the nitrogen and
oxygen molecules and using their components to create a new
element. Otherwise, he'd just need to rejig the bonds between the
atoms. Still, this was a good first test of his abilities, and he felt
himself shaping carbon atoms out of the air and combining them with oxygen
molecules. His forehead sweating and hands clenching from the exertion, he
then focused on creating a smothering zone of carbon dioxide around the
flame, turning all its oxygen into the ubiquitous fire retardant
instead. The flame started flickering with greater frequency as Alex could
see the carbon dioxide gas surround the lighter, growing steadily weaker
before finally disappearing anticlimactically when completely choked of
oxygen.

Vic gave Alex, who was now slumped in exhaustion, a firm pat on his
muscular thighs. "Wow, dude! That was badass!" He was ecstatic at what he'd
seen, even if just appeared to be an extinguished flame to another
bystander.

"Well done!" Vulcan was clearly proud of what Alex had accomplished as
well. "You showed surprising control over what you can do, and you seemed
to settle into it easily. Was it carbon dioxide?"

Alex's cheeks were flushed with both pride and embarrassment. "Yeah, it
was," he grinned. "Thanks, guys. I wouldn't have thought I could do that,
but it was actually really cool."

"Now I'm scared," Vic laughed semi-nervously. "Next to an elemental, most
things are going to fall short."

"I'm not an elemental per se," Alex corrected him gently. "I can only
affect gases so far. But maybe I'll be able to work with other forms of
matter next time. Anyway, I doubt your powers are shabby, since it seems to
have helped us survive the day."

Vulcan gave Alex, and then Vic, a quizzical look. "Interesting. Would you
mind sharing what you know, if you don't mind?"

"Alex and I were actually talking about this," Vic explained. "See, the
things that happened around me, they were improbable. Not impossible, but
improbable. It could be some luck thing. Or maybe I'm Jean Grey, and I can
move things around with my brain. Which is cool, as long as I don't turn
into the Phoenix."

Alex snickered. "Jean Grey? I remember watching the FOX cartoon, and all
she did was scream and faint a lot."

"That would stink," Vic narrowed his eyes with disgust. "But you'll just
have to catch me when I faint regularly. Although that would be a fairly
pleasant experience."

"There's only one way to find out," a beaming Vulcan interjected. "You need
to tap into your power, and then you can better understand its nature."

"Try to focus your attention on a singular object, like something you're
trying to manipulate," Alex suggested, still relieved and happy from using
his ability successfully. "It was hard to delve in because I was trying not
to think about that night at first. You'll know when you snag onto that
feeling in your head." He reached out to Vic and grasped his arm gently,
causing Vic to smile in reciprocation. "Don't worry about losing control,
because as Vulcan said, it starts off weak. It's almost like we're designed
to grasp the curve slowly."

Vic nodded calmly; Alex's touch had a therapeutic effect on him, and he'd
put in a cheeky request later for more contact time with his
lover. "Alright, I'll try a focal totem." He opened his wallet to take out
a coin, which he placed in Vulcan's left hand. "I want you to flip the coin
when I tell you to. I want to see what sort of effect I can achieve with
it."

"Sure," Vulcan agreed. He positioned the coin between his fingertips, ready
to flip it into the air. "You ready?"

"Give me a minute," Vic replied, now focusing on the silver coin with its
'head' facing upwards, as he tried to clear his thoughts and reach into his
power. "Geez, Alex makes it looks so easy," he wondered, as his mind was
similarly laced with traces of doubt. To clear his brain, he thought about
the way Alex looked when he had activated his skills, those blue eyes
straining with a fierce intensity. He attempted to emulate that mindset,
fuzzing out his surroundings and reaching into his conscious.

It didn't feel like he was headed anywhere when he felt that clicking noise
in his head as well. A compendium of untold possibilities and probabilities
now weighed in his brain, as he saw the numbers and data that governed
everything around him. It appeared like an endless nexus of complicated,
interconnected linkages with infinite outcomes; he concentrated on the most
visible connections, reaching out with his abilities to feel them, and even
change them. It confirmed his initial instinct: that the probabilities of
things were now his to manipulate.

"I'm ready!" he gasped to Vulcan, struggling to multitask beyond focusing
on his power. He could see Vulcan's thumb preparing to flick the coin. If
he was stronger, he could outright alter which side the coin landed on, but
he'd have to settle with altering the actions that would affect its
landing. So he focused on the coin's launch and trajectory as it spun in
the air, simultaneously working to affect Vulcan's reaction time. With
Vulcan propelling the coin slower than usual, it gave him time to adjust
for the right moment when Vulcan would slap his left hand onto the coin,
pressing it against his right palm.

"Heads," Vic weakly whispered, the effort of manipulating the coin's
probability causing a strain on him. Vulcan uncovered his hand to reveal
the coin lying heads-up on his palm.

"Holy shit," Alex murmured, his eyes wide open in surprise. "I might just
become a betting man."

"What can I say, baby? I'm a probability manipulator," Vic flashed a weak
grin. "We should go to Vegas."

"Impressive, gentlemen." Vulcan's face clearly displayed his
pleasure. "Your abilities might seem simple now, but they have a great
range of potential applications. You could try to do develop them
yourselves, but I would like to suggest that you join my organisation."

"You're wasting no time to rope us in, eh?" Vic panted, still worn out from
his feat.

"Slight but important difference, actually - I'm just tabling the
offer. Again, you will have the time to think things through, but I can
outline my case to you. You'll receive access to high-quality training
facilities and what historical records we have, which will help you unlock
your abilities faster and more effectively. It would be a shame to waste
these powers, especially with their capacity to do good."

Alex quirked his brow in scepticism. "I'm sensing a catch somewhere..."

"Well, your working life as it is will be completely over," Vulcan offered
serenely, as if he wasn't asking for much. "As will most of your personal
life." It was the latest statement to catch both men off-guard yet again.

"What!" Vic sputtered. "What the fuck. And I'm sure you have some smartass
and totally justified reason for us to do so."

"Easy, Vic," Vulcan pointed out calmly. "You will need intensive training
to go onto the field. Even with your abilities, you still need a level of
physical and logistical preparation, especially if you intend to do good
and find yourself in some very dangerous situations. This is especially the
case when you're starting off and your powers aren't fully developed, or
when you need to get out of a situation and using your abilities might be
too obvious. This training is going to take a while; it's is not some after
school special, and it's not a job you can just tell your
acquaintances. Understand that you lead your lives with a huge secret from
this day forth, but you'll have to give up more if you're committed to
making this world a better place."

"At least let us know what exactly happens if we join, then," Alex
sighed. He knew that all this talk, all the friendly offers and
disclaimers, was leading up to this. "We're not stupid. Just be direct
about this."

"I'd like to invite you two into the covert squad I lead, which is based
here in New York. Our focus will be to act against the instigations of our
enemies, through the stealthy use of force. Generally, the preferred modus
operandi is to act behind the scenes, but there are times when we just have
to be on the field to physically intervene. In these cases, we leave as few
casualties and as little trace of our presence as possible. And both of you
just happen to have nice powers that can be used stealthily. Well, you have
to quit your current jobs and do this full-time, but I think you'd be a
great fit, and I promise we'll slowly acclimatise you into the swing of
things."

"That's it?" Vic queried. "Isn't there some HR person we should be meeting
for an interview? And what about the perks?"

"I have final say over my squad selections, although I'll still need to
argue the case, which should be straightforward here. I must warn you
though, we train a lot every day to be prepared on the field, and you won't
be exempt from this just because you have powers. On the plus side," Vulcan
paused for a bit before emphasising the next part, "the pay's very
good. And I think you'll love the gym."

Vic and Alex gave each other knowing glances. There was a decision to be
made, but both of them knew this wasn't the right place or time. "Your
proposal is interesting," Alex smiled, "But you have to give us time to
think about this. I'm sure you know that we still have concerns."

"Certainly," Vulcan appeared to be understanding, at least. "And it would
be horrid of me to force you into an outcome. This is absolutely something
you should consider seriously. Maybe I'll give you guys some more time to
think about it?"

"Thanks. That would be great, especially if you're asking us to join your
group of death squad operatives," Vic noted semi-sarcastically. "We'll talk
again."

The meeting ended as cordially as it could've, after Alex reminded Vic that
Vulcan did help them figure out their powers.

"Let's go back to talk this through, shall we?" Alex turned to Vic when he
was sure they were alone. "Of course," Vic grinned in agreement, and they
held hands as they began their return journey.

Walking through the city after their meeting was a strange experience; it
was like both men had their worldviews shifted by their new knowledge and
powers. On one hand, it felt slightly depressing seeing people going about
their lives on the streets, utterly ignorant of the sinister undercurrents
that threatened to strike. However, a short stroll also became considerably
more complicated, as both men better understood the subtleties of their
environment; the precariousness that guided road traffic became more
evident, and the aroma of hot dogs was now a complex puzzle. It was a
bittersweet sensation, tempered by the happiness that they felt just by
being next to each other. They could sense heads turning in their presence;
just the fact that these 2 handsome men stood next to each other already
drew attention, but it was that indescribable glow they possessed which
went beyond the usual intrigue.

When they were back in his apartment, Alex wrapped his arms around Vic and
pulled him onto bed. They lay against the sheets, hugging each other in a
warm embrace and enjoying each other's presence.

"That went better than expected," Alex admitted, running his fingers along
Vic's shaved scalp and enjoying its smooth sensation.

"Yeah, I'm kind of excited now actually," Vic grinned, his right fingers
now stroking Alex's neck. "Turns out this lad I'm really attracted to is a
superpowered badass."

Alex was flushing visibly again. "It's nothing compared to what you can
do. Well, at least I know my powers have non-lethal uses."

"Yeah, remind me not to piss you off. What did you think of Vulcan, by the
way?"

"Besides him looking good, you mean?" Alex teased. "And the silly
codename?"

"Oh, you're paying attention to other fit guys besides me?" tutted
Vic. "This might be a problem."

"Hey!" Alex protested defensively. "I'm sure we can mutually appreciate
objective beauty... and then share that appreciation with each other."

"Yeah, he may be real cute, but you're strictly mine Mr. Langley. Anyway,"
Vic pondered, while scooting closer to Alex and resting his head against
the other man's right shoulder, "I'm surprised that he's leading a squad -
he's about our age! He must either be very competent, or this organisation
has crap recruitment and promotion practices."

"I'm thinking more of the first," Alex guessed. "He seems professional and
smart. And I know this is a dangerous type of thing to say, with this whole
shady conspiracy we're in, but I do trust him on a working level. I'm
prepared to kick his ass if he turns on us, though."

"I agree," Vic nodded. "It's just... he unsettles me a little. Of course,
we barely have a handle on the guy, but he's just super chill throughout
all this, and it's slightly unnerving."

"Right, and I get that. It's just hard to pass judgment without knowing the
full picture. Maybe, to put it into perspective, he could surprise you
positively. You might be focusing too much on the negative uncertainties
instead, for now."

"True," Vic noted. "And what about his proposal?"

"Actually, Vic, I should be asking you that." Alex was scrutinising Vic
with a serious look. "I am tempted to accept it, for the record. I won't be
naive, and think that whatever 'organisation' we're working for doesn't
have skeletons in its closets. Besides, this would be infinitely more
meaningful than the dreary work I do now. I've just had 1 day off work
today, and I feel better already!"

Vic stuck his tongue out. "That's just because of me hanging around."

"Maybe," Alex grinned. "Still, I'm saying that it's an appealing idea to
me, but it'll be a much bigger move for you. You'll most likely have to
move over here, and leave your friends and family life behind. I'll
understand if you want to say no, although I hope that regardless, we'll
still be working on a relationship together."

Vic said nothing for a while; his gaze was seemingly fixated far away,
although he continued to touch and caress Alex's firm body, and the smile
on his face seemed to widen slowly. When he finally spoke, his hands were
feeling Alex's angular jaw, brushing against the thin stubble that gave his
lover an even more masculine appeal. "Alex... If I could, I'd wish we could
just return to leading normal lives. Straightforward lives, even. But I
can't. I can't turn my back, knowing what we do now, and it's not going to
reduce the risks we face. Or the danger to our family and friends, for that
matter. If I want life to go on as it has, I - no, we - need to become
stronger, and protect our loved ones. That's the best way I can honour the
love they've shown, not pretend that everything's all good. Then when all
this is over, maybe I'll return to underwriting," he chuckled.

"You sure about this, Vic?" Alex whispered. He asked the question they both
were afraid to vocalise. Selfishly, a part of him ached for Vic to stay the
course, although he was generally more concerned that his lover might do
something he regretted.

Vic paused for just a little before he nodded and smiled. "Yes. Let's say
I'm feeling good about the odds, Alex. You're the only thing that's
anchoring me in this, but it's a calculated gamble I'm willing to take. I
can't guarantee that everything will be right as rain, but promise me that
we'll work through any issue we might face, okay?"

Alex wore a boyish grin on his face, which Vic absolutely loved. "You have
my gentleman's agreement, Vic."

"Good," Vic murmured. "Now I gotta get that bloody smile off your face,
it's too much." He leaned in to kiss Alex, feeling his lover's firm lips
twist against his, their stubbles rubbing. He'd only intended for a brief
kiss, but God - it felt too good, it was too little relief for their
bottled tension. Then it was Alex's turn to move in for the kill, a
lengthier, wetter kiss; but it still wasn't enough, and their third kiss
was a sloppy affair as their tongues flicked and played, aching to show the
other party how much they cared. It felt hurried and incomplete, despite
actually lasting a while, and on the fourth Alex was squeezing Vic's pecs,
feeling for the firm nipples under the other man's T-shirt. He could hear
Vic's moans trapped against his mouth, and then hands were forcing
themselves into his own T-shirt, brushing against his skin, reaching for
his nipples.

"I can make this easier for you," he gasped as they broke their kiss,
reaching for his T-shirt. "No, allow me the honour," Vic insisted, his
hands already around the clothing to pull it off. Alex let him do that, and
then rubbed his hands against Vic's skin as he peeled his lover's top off
as well, making sure to pass his hands against the nipples. "Aw, shit!" Vic
groaned. It was a magnificent sight, with both men possessing similarly
muscular builds, looking strong but not oversized. Alex had a light dusting
of body hair with cute pink nipples on the tip of his pecs, while Vic had a
smooth body and larger, dark brown nipples. After planting a kiss squarely
on Vic's lips, Alex ran his tongue slowly down Vic's neck and then his
body, pausing at the pecs to give Vic a firm tweak on each of his nipples
with a teeth. "Motherfucker!" Vic yelled, startled at the aggression Alex
displayed so far, each bite on his tits sending jolts of electricity into
his body. He ran his right hand in Alex's gorgeous hair, while his left
hand reached for the pert nipples and twisted them; it was then Alex's turn
to exclaim. "Mmmph!" he slobbered as he licked at Vic's abs, swirling his
tongue in the navel and reaching for a bulging crotch with his right hand,
while his left hand continued to roam Vic's glorious body. There was a
whole load of cursing and moaning in the room as Vic sat up and
reciprocated the licking, working his tongue along Alex's sides instead and
paying extra care to his right armpit. The men seemed to work with a
natural chemistry, adjusting their bodies to let the other get into
position and share their pleasure.

Alex had fun palming Vic's sizeable erection but quickly wanted more; with
a deft action, he unhooked Vic's pants and yanked it down with his
briefs. "Fuck!" he exclaimed when Vic's dick sprang up and caught him in
surprise; it was fully erect and uncut, 9 inches of thick glory that almost
slapped him in the face. This magnificent man was bringing out a sexual
frenzy in him, a side that he didn't even know existed, and he wasted no
time slurping his tongue along the length of Vic's penis. "Uuuhhh!" Vic
croaked in between gasps and fits of laughter. "It's like you're eating a
bloody cob of corn!"

"That's the idea," Alex grinned deviously, briefly interrupting his
ministrations before quickly engulfing Vic's cockhead, which was actually
even wider than the rest of his already sizeable dick. God, he wanted this
man in all the ways he could; clothed, naked, fucking him, being fucked by
him, dominant, submissive, playfully, lovingly... never mind that they
weren't have the experience in some of these areas, they could always pick
up new ideas and go crazy.

Vic's breathing was ragged as Alex worked that scrumptious dick into his
mouth, making the process of shedding his jeans considerably more
complicated. He was desperate to tear Alex's tight jeans off as well. "Move
your legs, mate. I need that cock of yours so bad." Alex looked him
straight in the eye lustfully, his mouth still stuffed; it was an image
that seared itself into Vic's head. He instinctively understood what Vic
meant, manoeuvring his body deftly so that he now lay on top of Vic in the
classic sixty-nine. Vic reached for the jeans's waistbands, his hands
pulling it along Alex's amazing glutes as his lover's penis slowly revealed
itself, with his mouth more than ready to welcome it as it popped out. Alex
himself was a 9-incher as well, and although his dick was cut and thus
looked slightly leaner, it appeared to be more evenly-proportioned along
his length. He wrapped his lips hard around that fine specimen, a warm
suction-like effort that Alex reciprocated in his sucking. When he'd fully
taken in Alex's boner and helped the other man out of his jeans, they then
devoured each other with the same needy pace, greedy for the light and
salty-sweet precum they leaked for each other, high on their reciprocal
lust.

Between the hunger and the anticipation, it wasn't going to last. They
could have more gentle love-making sessions in the future; right now, it
was about fulfilling the raw urges they had been too polite to
articulate. As they started thrusting more quickly and uncontrollably, they
knew what was to come next, and each man devised their own trick; Vic
fondled and tickled Alex's sizeable balls, while Alex crooked his finger
against Vic's tight asshole. Both actions achieved their intended effects,
and they flooded each others' mouths with warm, voluminous loads, in spasms
that didn't feel like they'd stop. Alex struggled to gobble up the cum that
was leaking from his mouth, and Vic almost choked at how much Alex had
released. It took a good quarter of a minute before they were sure it was
over, and Alex flipped his body so that his head was now directly above
Vic's again, before lowering himself to kiss the other guy.

Vic could feel Alex release something into his mouth when their lips met;
however, he also had his own surprise for Alex. Alex's eyes crinkled as he
felt his own load being returned to him as well, and he slurped the mixture
with enthusiasm. This last kiss was slow but gentle, their comedown from a
sexually-charged session. They looked a damn mess, their bodies sticky with
sweat and cum dribbling from their chins, but both men thought their
partner looked hotter than ever in this used, dishevelled state.

"Well, well..." Vic wheezed, his strength totally spent. "I didn't know
there was this side of you, but I like it a lot."

"Glad you did," Alex murmured breathily. "But I wouldn't have gone this
loco without you. This is what you do to me, Victor Balogun."

"And you, Alex Langley - you've worked me so hard, it's made up for my lack
of exercise these few days."

"Well," Alex bit his lip, "Would you rather spend time exercising or with
me?"

"That's difficult," Vic gasped. "Almost like those 2 things can't be done
at the same time."

"I suppose we could do both, but I need some rest before that. I came so
hard, my balls feel like they'll drop off."

"Yeah, I'll settle for some cuddle time now." Vic wrapped his huge arms
around Alex, spooning against his sexy partner as they sunk into each
other's presence, two very different-looking specimens of male beauty
complimenting each other perfectly. They knew that tougher times were still
to come, but it would be moments like these that would keep them sane.

----

Do you have any thoughts, speculation, suggestions or (constructive)
feedback? Feel free to email me at benwritesstuff@gmail.com.

I also have a blog, which you can visit at http://bensstories.tumblr.com.