Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2002 13:06:45 -0700 (PDT)
From: smithers1066@yahoo.com
Subject: The Spectacular Quark, part 2

The following serialized story contains explicit
descriptions of sexual situations between consenting adult
homosexual men.  If such content offends you or is illegal
for you to view due to age or laws in your state or country,
please do not continue.  All persons and events in the
following story are fictional. Any similarity to actual
persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

This is the second installment in a continuing erotic comic
book story. Comments and criticisms are welcome. Enjoy.

The Spectacular Quark

Episode Two: Triangle


Streams of sunlight cast white bars across my body.  I lay
in bed, still overwhelmed by the night before.  He had come
out of nowhere, this Quark, and saved my life.  But the
thing, The Scream, had seen my face.  I was still in danger.
Could I trust him to save me again?  Could I trust him at
all?  Why had he kissed me?  And why had I felt that letting
him kiss me was a betrayal to Charlie?

It was Monday morning and the newsroom was like the New York
stock exchange.  Rumors of a new hero had spread throughout
the city and everyone was arguing about how to cover it.

"My source at police headquarters said he stopped an armed
robbery and two purse snatchings on Saturday night," said
Henry Fisher, a seasoned reporter whose fondness for cheese
fries kept him from a seat at the news desk.

"And he shoots light?  Is that correct?" asked Rita, leaning
against a desk so as not to crease her taupe pantsuit.

"That's what I hear," Henry answered.  "And he can
apparently disappear and reappear at will."

"Hot damn!" screamed Larry, the news director.  He ran in
and slammed a glossy 8x10 down on the desk as ten people
huddled around it.  I sat my bag down on a chair and moved
in for a closer look, peering over Jenny Swenson's head.
She smelled strongly of Aqua Net.

There, in the picture, was the man from last night.  The man
who had told me to call him Quark.  Wearing a wine red suit
which covered his entire body except for his eyes and mouth,
he stood cross-armed in the middle of a wet, black street.
A misty orange light was emanating all around him,
illuminating the sleek suit and his firm muscles.  It was
the exact light that had filled my eyes when he had
transported me instantaneously from the factory to my
balcony.

"Nice body," said Jenny, matter-of-factly.  A few eyes
turned on her. "I'm just saying.  I mean, he's hot, right?
David?"  Everyone then turned to me.

"Um," I stumbled.  "He definitely has a nice body."  That
was as much of the truth as I could say. I couldn't tell
them about the night before.  I was in too much danger as it
was and didn't want to put anyone else in harm's way.  The
Scream had seen my face and he, or his goons, would probably
be after me as soon as he figured out who I was.

"Well, is he gay?" Larry asked.  In this town, it was a
reasonable question.  All of our previous heroes had been
gayer than I was.  And I had "The Judy Show" on DVD. (For
the record, it was a gift.)

"I dunno," I lied.  He had kissed me, so I knew he wasn't
straight.

"Of course he is," sighed Rita.  "Look at his abs."  There
was general agreement.

"Well, then, what do we call him?  He needs a name." Larry
was already working up a news graphic in his head.  The look
in his eyes told me he was selecting the perfect font.

"Pink Lightning," offered Ken, the sports guy.

"Why?" asked Rita, annoyed. "He's red, Ken."

"Well, the light.  And the gay thing."  Jenny looked at Ken
and shook her head.

"What about The Orange Avenger, then?" she offered, chewing
on a pencil.

"The whole Avenger thing has been done."  Larry wanted
something big.  He had told me his name, Quark.  But I
couldn't suggest it.  For all I knew Larry would hate the
name anyway.  I had an idea. Fumbling in my pocket I pushed
the key pad on my cell phone and it made a small beep.  I
pulled it out and stepped away, pretending to take a call.

"David Miller," I answered.  "Hey Bonnie.  Yeah we just got
the picture.  You have anymore scoop?"  Bonnie was a friend
of mine at the City City Gazette, a local tabloid.  No one
else could stand her, so I figured she was a safe pretend
source.  I concluded the call.

"That was Bonnie at the Gazette," I told the room.  Rita's
eyes rolled.  "Apparently he told one of the cops last night
that his name is Quark."

"Quark," sputtered Larry.  "What the fuck kind of name is
that supposed to be?"

"I don't know, but that's what she said."  I was pleased
that they had taken the bait.

"What does that mean?" asked Jenny.  "It sounds familiar."

"It's a subatomic particle," said a soft voice on the other
side of the crowd.  Charlie Swenson, his white shirt
wrinkled and his black glasses askew, rose from behind Rita.

"Well what does that have to do with fighting crime?" Larry
obviously wanted a name which was a lot more sexy and a lot
less quantum mechanics.

"Who knows," said Charlie, catching my eye for a second,
then sheepishly looking away. "Maybe his powers are nuclear
or something."

"Well, it's not enough.  It needs something else."  Larry
tucked his chin to his chest and thought.

"Queer Quark?" asked Ken.  Everyone ignored him.

"The Amazing Quark." Larry was brainstorming now. "The
Fantastic Quark.  The.something.  It needs something."

"The Spectacular Quark," Charlie said, with a bit of hope at
the end.

"Yes, Swenson. That's it.  The Spectacular Quark.  Jenny, I
want you to go to the Mayor's office, find out everything
they know."  Larry in drill sergeant mode was always a
thrilling sight.  "Ken, go to the stadium, interview fans
and players.  Find out how the introduction of a new
superhero is affecting the team.  Myers, Boudreax, Baldwin I
want you to find out anything you can about him.  When did
he first appear?  Is there a sidekick?  Does he have a car?
Does it have a name?  And it's never too early to try and
find out who he is.  Charlie, I want you to work with Dave.
We may need to report on this physics crap.  And you're the
resident expert on the history of crime-fighters in this
town.  Dave, you and Rita are anchoring tonight.  Al's not
back from his fishing trip yet and besides, he'll need a few
days to learn how to say Quark.  What the Hell are you
standing around for?  Move!"  Larry's bluster seemed to blow
everyone out of the room.  I set out for my office with
Charlie behind me.

I opened the door to my office and let Charlie in.  I shut
the door quickly behind us.

"Charlie!"  I was so excited to finally tell someone.  "I
saw him.  Last night.  He.he rescued me."

"What?"  Charlie sat on the couch.  I sat beside him and
turned to face him.

"I went back to the factory."

"You can't do that.  You'll get yourself killed."  There was
palpable anger and alarm on his voice.

"Tell me about it.  That thing, The Scream, he found me.  I
think he was about to kill me when suddenly he just
appeared.  He shot this light out of his hands, it was
incredible.  And then he grabbed me and we just.  I don't
even know.  One minute I was about to be attacked and then
we were on my balcony.  He can move through space. And he
took me with him."

"You can't go back there, David."  Charlie's eyes were
distant and stern.

"Did you hear what I said?  It was incredible."

"And you almost died.  Look, there's a fricking super hero
on the case, now. Let it be."

"I know.  And you're the only person I'm telling because I
know you'll keep it to yourself."

"I will. But you have to promise me.  Leave it to him."

"Okay.  God, I didn't know you cared."  Well, that shut him
up.

"We should get started."  His posture shifted, he wanted a
change of subject and fast.  "Quarks"

"Yeah.  Tell me."  I grabbed a note pad from my desk and
prepared to take notes.

"Well, they're subatomic particles, more theoretical than
anything.  There are several kinds, but I only know of six.
Up, down, bottom, top, strange or charmed."  I wondered if
Quark was strange or charmed.  Well, not really, but it
makes me sound better than wondering if he was bottom or
top.

"Well, that's a start."  I looked at Charlie.  His smooth
face was humorless.  I so wanted to see a smile on those
pink lips.  He straightened his glasses and looked at me, a
little quizzically.

"I'll do some more research and let you know."

"You think he's the guy I saw come out of the vat last
week?"  I was fairly confident of the answer, the timing was
too perfect, but I wanted validation.

"Probably."  Charlie stood up.

"Well, if I see him again I'll ask for an interview."  It
was intended as a joke, but Charlie was dire.

"You can't look for, him.  Stay out of it, David.  You're in
enough danger already."

"I was kidding, relax.  I'll sit behind my desk and read the
news, I won't make it.  I promise."  I smiled a little at
him and a slight grin flashed on his face.

"Okay."  Charlie went to the door, but my voice stopped him.
A force in the pit of my stomach told me I had one more
question for him.

"Charlie. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."  He looked at me.

"Are you. and don't take offense.  But, are you gay?"
There, it was out.  It hovered in the air for a moment.

"Yeah."  Charlie's trademark shyness was there again.

"Just wondered."  I looked down at some papers on my desk.
"Single?"  Charlie's hand stopped turning the doorknob.  He
nodded.

"Well, I was wondering."  What was I doing?  I was going to
ask him out?  Now? "Would you like to get a drink some
time?"

"You want a date?  With me?"  He sounded astonished.

"Yeah.  I mean, you can totally say no.  I understand."

"Sure."  His voice cracked a little.

"Great."  I smiled at him.  He glanced at his shoes.  One
was untied.

"When?"

"How about tonight?  After the show?"

"I need to see my Mom."

"Right.  Sorry."

"But, I could meet you afterwards.  Like at your place.  I
mean, we'd go for drinks.  We wouldn't have to go in to your
place.  I mean, that would be a little soon."  The halting
way in which he blathered on was adorable.

"Just buzz me, I'll come down."  I wasn't really used to
being the calm one.

"Okay.  Sorry."  He was desperate to get out of the room.

"No problem.  You're cute when you babble."  He had no idea
what to do with that one.

"Eight o'clock?  Okay?"  His shoes were apparently
fascinating.

"Great."

"Bye."  He opened the door and hustled out.

"Bye," I said to the closing door.

Quark was the lead story that night and we covered ever
detail imaginable.  The Mayor's office was baffled, but
Jenny made the best of their "no comment" reactions.  And
the police seemed to take his appearance as a personal
front, calling him, naturally, a dangerous vigilante.  I
conducted an in-studio interview with an old woman, Darlene
Crumpston who had been rescued by him two nights before.

"Well, he was very polite," she said, a little too excited
about being on camera. "He called me Ma'am.  And he had very
nice eyes.  But I wouldn't want to make him angry.  That
thug will think twice before he steals a purse again."

All of the victims he had rescued seemed to say the same
thing.  He was polite and courteous with nice eyes and soft
lips.  Okay, the last part was just me.  But you could tell
Mrs. Crumpston thought the same thing.

After the show, I tried to find Charlie to confirm our date,
but he had already left for the hospital.  I headed home.
Walking up to the door of my building I noticed the doorman
wasn't at his post, which was odd.  As I reached the door,
two towering men in black suits ran up and grabbed me by the
arms.  A long gray limousine pulled up to the curb.  I
struggled to get free and screamed for help into the burly
hand covering it. But they had opened the door and thrown me
in before anyone could hear me.

I groaned a little as I hit the leather seat in the back of
the limo.  I raised myself up as the door slammed and saw a
man staring at me through thin glasses perched on a long,
sharp nose.

"Hello, Mr. Miller.  Thank you for joining me."  It was
Cecil Travers, the CEO of Dyzeman Chemicals, and The
Scream's accomplice.

"Where are you taking me?"  I tried to make myself sound
important and dangerous.  He wasn't buying.  We were alone
in the back of the limo, but I heard the two hulking figures
climb into the front seat.

"Don't worry.  We have no intention of hurting you."  There
was a serpentine hiss to his voice and his beady black eyes
sat coldly in his long, drawn face.  "My employer, I believe
you met him the other night, is quite concerned about you.
He fears you may know too much."

"I don't know anything."  My voice betrayed my fear a bit.

"Well, that's certainly not true.  You know he exists and
that in itself is a very dangerous piece of information."

"I haven't told anyone," I said angrily.

"That's smart.  It's also why you're not dead.  You may be
useful to us when the time comes."  His thin lips turned up
into a sick smile.

"What do you want?"

"For now, your silence.  Don't go looking for anymore.how
shall I say? Scoop.  Keep your mouth shut.  And when this is
over, I'll make sure you are rewarded appropriately.  I know
some people at the network."

"I won't help you.  I don't know what you're planning, but I
want no part of it."  I was tapping into my righteous
indignation, but I knew that well would run dry quickly.

"I'm not asking you to help.  I'm just asking you.  Well,
telling you.  Stay out of things you don't understand."  His
eyes fixed intensely on my own.  I said nothing.

"Now," his tone shifted.  "What can you tell me about this
Quark?"

"I don't know anything."

"That's a lie."  His voice grew colder. "Please, tell me
what you know or I'll have to ask Timothy to, I believe
'kick the shit out of you' is the appropriate
colloquialism."

Suddenly the car lurched to the right and squeaking brakes
filled the interior.  We were both knocked around as the
limo ground to a stop.

"What the Hell is going on up there?" screamed Cecil.

"It's him, Mr. Travers."  One of the thugs yelled.  I turned
to look through the windshield and saw a flash of orange
light.  A crash filled my ears as glass rained down on
Travers and I, forcing me to close my eyes.  A gloved hand
reached through the broken sunroof and grabbed my shirt at
the neck.  I felt myself being pulled up through the large
opening in the top of the car.  The night air whipped around
my body as my legs and feet left the car.  I felt strong
arms at my back as a bright orange light seeped through my
eyelids.  Pavement seeped up beneath my feet and opened my
eyes to see Quark's masked face.

"Are you all right?" He panted.  I took a moment to decide.
"Are you in pain?"

"No, I'm okay."  He released me and I stumbled back.

"Sorry I took so long."

"What?" I asked.  My head was swimming and my legs felt like
they were at sea. "I don't think they were gonna kill me."

"Oh," he said, dejection in his voice.

"Thanks, though. Sorry you keep having to do that."  My legs
were settling and I looked into his eyes again.  He turned
away.

"It's my job.  At least you didn't go looking for them this
time."  How did he know that?

"Travers said he just wanted my silence."

"I hope you agreed. That was the smart thing to do." I
noticed that his tight red costume now had a large white
circle on the breast.  In the center, in glimmering purple
and orange, was a large "Q".

"Well, at least until we know something more."  I wasn't
going to let this story go.

"Stay out of this, David!"  He was angry. "If you keep quiet
you might get out of this alive.  Don't dig.  Let me handle
it.  And try not to go anywhere alone."  He stood looking at
me with such intensity, the only thing I could do was agree.

"Fine."

"This is the back door to your building.  Just go home
tonight.  I'll keep an eye on things."  He turned to walk
away.

"Look, I want to help you."  I followed after him.

"You can't.  This is my fight."

"Oh, don't use that line.  I'm the one he knows.  It's my
fight, too."  I was tired of being treated like a victim.

"Maybe, if the time comes, you can help.  But not now.  Stay
out of it.  And don't tell anyone."

"Okay."  It seemed like the only thing to do was acquiesce.
I had already told Charlie, but Quark didn't need to know
that.

"Good.  Stay out of trouble."  He turned again.

"Wait.  Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead," he seemed mildly impatient.

"Why did you kiss me?"  The was surprise in his eyes.  It
wasn't the question he was expecting.

"Well.I'm not sure.  It just seemed like the right thing to
do.  I'm sorry."  His deep voice gave a quaver of nerves.

"Don't apologize.  It was a good kiss.  And, you did save my
life, that entitles you to a little tongue, but."  He smiled
a bit. "It's just.  Well, I don't know you.  You're in a
mask and I prefer to know a guy's a last name before I kiss
him."

"Of course," he said.

"And, well, I'm kind of seeing someone."  His reaction was
odd.  I guess I expected him to be let down, but instead he
seemed relieved, almost happy.

"It won't happen again.  I really need to be going.  I've
got to track down that limo." He turned away for a third
time, and this time I let him go.  I watched him round the
corner of the alley, then headed back up to my apartment.
Charlie would be here any minute. I entered my apartment to
a ringing phone.  I ran and grabbed the receiver.

"Hello."  I was out of breath.

"Hey, David, it's Charlie."

"Hey," I said.  He had an adorable phone voice.

"Look, my Mom has to have some tests and I kind of need to
stay here with her.  Can we do this some other night?"  I
could tell he hated to make this call.

"Yeah, sure.  Stay with here. Don't worry about it."  I was
disappointed, but his Mom was more important.  "You want
some company at the hospital?"

"Thanks.  That's sweet, but it's gonna be a long night and
you should stay in."  Why did all the men in my life
suddenly feel the need to protect me?

"Okay.  Call if you want to talk or anything."

"Thanks."

"Let's do this soon, though.  I really like you, Charlie."
There was a beat on his end of the phone.

"I really like you, too.  I'll see you tomorrow.  Bye."

"Bye."  I heard a click and hung up the phone.

The evening had not gone as I had hoped.  I looked at myself
in the mirror and realized that my clothes were a mess.  I
wasn't bleeding, but there were deep rips in my coat from
the glass.  I changed into my blue silk pajamas and poured
myself a glass of wine. I sat on the couch and let myself
breathe.  Before I knew it, my exhausted body was drifting
off.

He appeared at my window in a flash of light.  I could see
his muscular form silhouetted by the lights from the street
below.  I rose and walked to the door, opening it.  He stood
for a moment, his brown eyes dancing.  I felt his gloved
hand press against the silk on my chest.  I stepped
backwards and he followed me in.

Wordlessly, he moved close to me, his hand sliding up my
chest to my shoulder.  Then I felt it at the back of my
head.  I closed me eyes as his warm lips touched my own.
Everything in my body went liquid as I gave in to the kiss.
My own hands traveled up his sinewy arms, feeling the soft,
tight fabric.  I opened my mouth and let his tongue slide
in.  The fabric of his mask brushed against my face as our
tongues entwined.  I reached to the top of his head and
began tugging at the mask.

"No," he said, with quiet power.  I released the cowl and
spread my arms around his back.  He leaned down and placed
his arm behind my legs.  Before I knew, I was being lifted
up, out mouths still connected.  Carrying me in his strong
arms, we moved to the bed.  He laid me down and stood up,
looming above me.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are," he sighed, then
laid down gingerly on top of me.  His warm body pressed into
mine, our hard cocks pushed together.  Only thin layers of
silk and lycra separated them.  Gently, he undid the buttons
of my pajamas and opened them, exposing my hairy chest.  His
masked face left my mouth and he kissed down my neck.  I
threw my head back as warm wetness surrounded my right
nipple.  He licked and sucked until it was as hard as steel,
then he went to work on the other one.

My whole body felt woozy and warm.  I kneaded his strong
shoulders as his mouth continued to work its way down my
chest.  Slowly, he slipped the silk pants down my legs,
freeing my now pulsing shaft.  He slid to his side and lay,
appraising me, his hands running up and down my body.  We
were exact opposites: me, entirely nude and him covered head
to toe in deep red.  He kissed my stomach and then took my
pink head in his mouth.

Waves of bliss shot up and down my body as he licked and
sucked.  His soft hands stroked my scrotum as he took me
deeper into him.  His tongue slid all around me as I felt
his throat muscles constrict.  Slowly he began sliding me in
and out, his lips closed tight.  I began moaning and
sighing, my eyes rolling back.  He picked up the pace, in
and out.  The whole time I felt every inch of his mouth
touching my hard flesh.  I could feel the orgasm building
inside me as he worked faster and faster.

I let out a deep moan as the cum filled his mouth.  He took
me deep and swallowed every drop.  Every muscle in my body
seemed to release as I laid like a rag doll on my bed.  He
released me and looked up.  All I could see were his shining
eyes and his smiling mouth.  As he moved his face closer to
mine, I grabbed a fistful of his mask and pulled it up,
revealing his strong chin, then his soft pink lips.  As it
slid off, I saw Charlie's boyish face in front of me.  His
eyes drew closer and I felt his lips on mine.  A cool liquid
trickled down my chest.

I opened my eyes and realized I had just spilled wine on
myself and the red liquor  was seeping through my pajamas.
I was too overwhelmed to do anything about it.  As my eyes
adjusted to the light I felt my body waking up.  I could see
my cock straining against my pants.  It had been a dream.
All of it.  A sense of melancholy washed over me.  If only
they really were the same person.

I set the glass down and stood up.  As I walked to my
bedroom, I caught a flash of light outside.  It was quick
and I barely noticed it.  But the deep peachy orange color
was becoming familiar.  He was watching me.  And for some
reason, it didn't bother me.  It didn't bother me at all.


End of Episode Two.  Stay tuned for Episode Three.