Beneath This Mask

by Victoria Sue

  JAKE OPENED his scratchy eyes a long time later to see it was dark outside. He stood, needing the bathroom, and stepped around Sawyer, who was curled up in the opposite chair. When he returned, a nurse was changing some IV bags, including a still half-full one.

  “What are you doing?” Jake whispered.

  She turned and smiled. “We’re gradually reducing his sedation. The docs want him to wake up in the morning so they can see his hands moving and check their function.” She nodded to the covered plate on the small table. “I brought you a sandwich.”

  Jake thanked her and watched her leave. He bent over Gael and kissed his cheek, as he had been doing for the past few hours. “I’m here. Sleep well, and I love you.” Because he had been so close to not being able to tell him.

  JAKE BLINKED awake just as dawn was lightening the room and smiled in complete happiness at the soft blue eyes that were watching him steadily. “Hey.”

  Gael’s lips tipped upward lazily into a smile. “Hey yourself.”

  Jake frowned. “You in any pain?”

  “Nah.” Gael shook his head slowly. “I think they’re giving me the good stuff.”

  Much to his horror, Jake’s eyes filled, and he quickly swiped at them.

  Gael regarded him steadily. “Come here.”

  Jake got up and leaned down and brushed Gael’s lips, his forehead, and very deliberately, his scar.

  Gael smiled and blinked slowly. “Can’t keep awake.”

  “You don’t have to. I’m here,” Jake soothed and brushed Gael’s hair from his forehead as his man sighed and gave up trying.

  WHEN JAKE came back from a quick shower a few hours later, there seemed to be a lot of doctors all crowded around an X-ray screen.

  “It’s utterly remarkable,” one of them said, and Jake slipped past them to Gael’s side.

  Gael was awake and smiling. “That’s me,” he mouthed, and Talon covered a laugh with a cough.

  “Agent Peterson, we would like to discuss everything, but perhaps your visitors could go wait outside for a few minutes.”

  “No, thank you,” Gael responded politely. “That won’t be necessary.”

  Dr. Edwards smiled. “The good news is, your hands may need some physical therapy, but we expect you to regain full function. Your burns are healing remarkably well, but the largest ones on your chest and thigh need debriding to heal properly. Because of the reaction of your skin, we are going to have to sedate you. I’m sorry, we have absolutely no other way of doing this.”

  Gael inhaled sharply, and Jake understood. The bastard had drugged him, taken away all control, and done unspeakable things. The last thing Gael wanted was to lose his control again.

  “No,” Gael said flatly. “You said they were healing.”

  “They are,” Dr. Edwards said kindly, “but this needs to be done, Gael.”

  Gael glanced at Jake with pleading in his eyes.

  “Where will you do this?” Jake asked. “I mean, are we talking theater or—”

  “We can use the treatment room next door, and Mr. Riley can stay with you until you are asleep.”

  Gael nodded and closed his eyes, and the doctors trooped out. They were doing the procedure straightaway, before Gael had anything in his stomach other than a few sips of water.

  “I know it’s dumb,” Gael rasped.

  “What’s dumb is you thinking that for even a minute.” Jake cupped his cheek in the comforting gesture they both seemed to enjoy.

  Gael opened his eyes. “I want to go home,” he whispered.

  “And I want you home,” Jake replied fervently.

  The nurses bustled in, simply unhooked everything, and wheeled Gael’s bed into the treatment room next door. Jake followed, still frustrated that he couldn’t hold Gael’s hand because of the bandages. The doctor pointed to a stool, and Jake sat. He gazed at Gael and put his hand back on his cheek as Gael turned his face to him, and he didn’t care who saw him do it.

  One of the nurses injected something into the IV in the back of Gael’s hand, but Jake made sure Gael took no notice. “You’ll just begin to feel sleepy, Mr. Peterson. Don’t fight it, but it’s really mild, and Mr. Riley can stay right there with you.”

  Jake smiled. “There, you see. They’re not gonna kick me out.” He turned his stool away from what the docs were doing and just watched Gael.

  Gael took a few hurried breaths and kept glancing toward them.

  The nurse looked at the monitor. “How about a few deep breaths, Mr. Peterson?” she murmured and sent Jake a worried look. Gael was fighting the sedation and getting worked up. He was blinking rapidly, and Jake could see him tensing. If Gael didn’t relax, they would have to put him right under, and Gael would hate that.

  “Gael.” Jake smiled and cupped his cheek. “Look at me.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his fingers rubbing softly along Gael’s jaw. Gael swallowed and glanced at the doctors. “Hey,” Jake teased, “I’m that ugly you can’t just look at me?”

  Gael smiled, then yawned.

  “How about you shut your eyes and just listen to my voice, huh?” He took another deep breath in, and Gael copied him. “That’s good,” Jake said soothingly. “Faster we do this, the faster I can get you home.”

  Gael blinked slowly, lazily. Jake kept his soft words up for another twenty minutes, even though Gael’s eyes had closed after the first two.

  TWO DAYS later Gael was pretending mock outrage because Jake was stealing his fries when Talon and Gregory walked in.

  Talon immediately handed Jake his Glock. “All cleared.”

  Jake nodded and slipped it behind him into the waistband of his jeans.

  Gael eyed Gregory warily. “You have news.”

  “I do.”

  Talon pulled out a couple of stacking chairs so they could sit down.

  “This gets complicated,” Gregory started. “Melissa Fielding apparently was relocated by the US Marshals three years ago after witnessing a mob hit at a restaurant she waitressed at. There is still a real threat to her life, and we are unable to speak to her directly, but she told her contact two things. Drew’s brother was, is, enhanced. When he transformed, Drew’s father threatened him, first with the gun they kept for home protection and then second with the ENu.”

  “Enhanced?” Gael asked incredulously. He was enhanced?

  “His mother panicked. The only way she could ensure the older boy’s protection was if she took him but agreed to leave Drew with his father, who wouldn’t let him go.”

  “Fuck,” Jake said succinctly.

  Gael sighed. It was so messed up.

  Gregory continued, “I am told she became very distressed when she was asked if she knew about possible sexual molestation, but that she admitted Drew’s father never explained why he was in his son’s room when his brother transformed. He made some excuse about the boy having a nightmare and him going in there, and I know it’s an assumption, but as we know the father sexually molested Drew, it’s likely he was already doing the same to his brother.”

  “But if he had a brother who was enhanced, why did he hate us so much?” Jake asked.

  Talon’s eyes met Gael’s. Jake considered himself one of them, and it made Gael’s heart warm every time he heard it.

  “Again, this is guesswork, but I suppose Drew blames his brother for leaving and making Drew the only outlet for his father’s sickness. In his mind he would associate his brother’s transformation with the start of his suffering.”

  “And the brother, what does he say?”

  “Evan Fielding disappeared two years after they ran away. Melissa says he was withdrawn, no friends. Skipped school.”

  “Which could be because of his mark,” Talon added, “as we know. But add sexual abuse to the mix, and you have a very disturbed young man.”

  “Jesus,” Gael exclaimed. “And he’s never turned up?”

  Talon shook his head.

  “And the toxicology results came in early on Adero, showing a h
igh concentration of scopolamine, and we found another connection. The rent boy you know as Genie has been arrested on a drug case this morning, along with about ten other people. He admits he was paid to become friendly with Adero, and then paid to slip Adero the drug. From the sound of it and the description of the car, Drew was waiting to take Adero home once the drug started working.”

  “Angel?” Gael asked.

  Gregory’s lips twitched. “No, he hasn’t been arrested.”

  Gael was pleased. He’d liked him.

  “What about the boy in Atlanta?” Jake asked. He looked at Talon. “We all heard him. He gave us the impression there might be more bodies.”

  Gregory sighed. “This is complete supposition, but the Atlanta PD is working on a tip that Dale Smith might have a boyfriend. We know Drew did travel there three times in the approximate time period we were given.”

  “But you said he was shot. What does that have to do with his ability?” Jake asked.

  “We think it was simply practice.”

  Everyone was silent, horrified.

  “Detective Cortes also doubts there were any more victims. For some reason the final catalyst seems to have been Finn joining the unit.”

  “Please don’t tell him that,” Talon groaned.

  “Talon, I think you will find your partner is stronger than you think. He actually suggested that to Detective Cortes himself. Apparently Drew made advances to Finn, which were rejected.”

  Talon growled.

  “And we think it’s likely that Drew was the one feeding Alan Swann information about the unit.”

  “Of course,” Gael said.

  “I understand you are amazing your doctors and are likely to be discharged in a week?” Gregory brightened. “Of course, with the cast on your ankle, I expect it to be some time until you are medically cleared to work.”

  Talon scoffed. “I give him ten days.”

  Jake reached out a hand and Gael caught it.

  Epilogue

  JAKE WAS losing him.

  Gael had been home three weeks, and even though he had been cleared for admin duties and they were going in to work together, it seemed that every day they grew further apart. Gael had struggled to get comfortable in bed—between the dressings he was still having done and his cast—and had gently suggested he sleep in the other room after the first two nights, and he had never come back.

  He was having nightmares. The first time Jake heard him, he had rushed in and folded Gael up in his arms until he had quieted. Gael had taken huge lungsful of air, and Jake had nuzzled the gap between his chin and his shoulder. Jake lifted his head to kiss his scar, as he had done countless times in the hospital, and Gael had turned away.

  “Gael?” Jake had been bewildered and so hurt.

  Gael had just turned over and apologized for waking him up, and Jake had stumbled back to bed, then stared at the ceiling, wondering what he had done wrong. Dr. Edwards made sure Gael was offered counseling, and Jake made sure he attended, but Gael would never talk about it afterward. He’d even contacted Wyatt and told him about their sister. Jake had come into the room in time to hear him making arrangements to go see her when Wyatt was free.

  He never asked Jake to go.

  Then the realtor had come around. She assumed it was Jake who had asked for details of the properties in Seminole Heights, and Jake had just left the pamphlets on the counter for Gael when he came back from his visit with Derrick. Gael never mentioned it. Not once.

  Derrick had been found an emergency placement at a care home, but everyone knew it was temporary, and the likelihood that he was going to have to move to Miami was looming.

  It looked like the school was going to be saved. Talon’s aunt loved the idea for the program, and the whole team had arranged for a huge outside party and funfair at the school to kick the fundraising week off.

  Jake left the house as soon as Gael went for therapy and drove straight to Michael Ramsay’s. It was Saturday, and he knew the school was closed. There was a very enthusiastic soccer match going on when he arrived, and Jake was immediately drafted to join one of the teams. Of course, it had to be the one Keisha was on because she had clung to him like a limpet from the time he had gotten there. A bare twenty minutes later and the kids were done, and Michael’s wife settled them all down with juice while Michael invited Jake to come into his small study, which seemed to contain more toys than books.

  Michael smiled kindly, and Jake shook his head.

  “I’m losing him,” he blurted out.

  Michael, to his credit, didn’t seem either embarrassed by the oversharing or inclined to offer meaningless platitudes. “Tell me.”

  So, Jake did. It all came pouring out, from the separate bedrooms to the realtor pamphlets.

  “And what do you want?”

  Jake gaped. Hadn’t he just said? “I love him. I want to spend the rest of my life with him. I thought that was what Gael wanted.”

  “And when you told him that, what did he say?”

  Jake opened his mouth. Then he closed it and groaned.

  Michael smiled. “I am at risk of breaking two confidences, but as it was an assumption more than an actual promise, I will risk it.”

  Jake waited.

  “Gael has told me about some of the therapy he has been having.”

  Jake stared at Michael and tried not to resent him. Gael hadn’t told him anything.

  “Did you know that some of the torture was of a sexual nature?”

  Jake gaped. He’d never given it a thought.

  “That sort of thing takes time to process. I am no therapist, but the trick is separating feeling good about a body’s natural response to sexual stimulation, and feeling ashamed.” Michael held his hand up as Jake drew a breath in. “I cannot discuss it anymore and I’m not trying to give you nightmares of your own, just an understanding. Gael did say the therapy was working.”

  “You said two,” Jake reminded him.

  “Gael has started the adoption process for Derrick.”

  Jake blinked, then smiled, and as much as he wanted to speak, his throat was suddenly very tight. Of course Gael had.

  “I am assuming by that look, you would support this?”

  “I don’t know why I never thought of it. It’s perfect.”

  “He has a huge uphill battle to convince the authorities, but I know some people and I’m helping with the process.”

  “Yes,” Jake said simply in amazement. Michael had adopted three special needs children. He was the perfect person to help Gael.

  “Why didn’t he say something? Why would he think I wouldn’t support him?” Surely, he knew he would.

  “I don’t mean to be condescending, but do you have any idea of what a serious commitment this is? All the available funding will be used for day care. That leaves every night and weekends, fifty-two weeks a year. He can never be left alone. Gone are the days of going to grab a quick beer on your way home from work. You would be full-time parents to a little boy who will never grow up, and this isn’t some Peter Pan fairytale. This is hard work, fights over money, bone-deep tiredness. Going to work when you’ve been up all night because he had a fever. Sorting out who will miss work when he is sick.”

  Jake held his hand up, realization finally dawning. “That’s it, isn’t it? He doesn’t think I can commit. He thinks I don’t want to settle down, and he’s withdrawing rather than waiting for me to disappoint him.” Jake blinked back his tears. “People have always let him down.”

  Michael smiled and tilted his head to one side, considering him. “What are you going to do to convince him you aren’t one of them?”

  Jake smiled. He knew exactly. “You have to teach me something, and I have a week to learn.”

  THE DAY of the fair was gorgeous. The sun shone, but there was no intense heat to go with it. Gael had mumbled about an appointment with the realtor and left, saying he would see Jake there.

  For about five seconds, Jake had seriously considered buyi
ng the house Gael wanted, before he realized what a huge mistake it would have been. Gael didn’t want financial grand gestures. Signing a check took little effort and no demonstration of commitment. No, if everything went well today, they would be both signing the deed.

  Talon had called them all this morning and requested they meet at the field office before they went to the school, which was fine because, as soon as Connie found out about it, she and her friends had taken over organizing the fair and opening day. The team had just stood back and did what they were told when they were told to do it.

  Jake was one of the last ones to arrive after his last session with Michael that morning. To say he was nervous was putting it mildly, and he was curious as to why Talon had called them all in with what was happening that day. He walked into the office, not making eye contact with Gael, and went to help himself to coffee quietly as Gregory walked in.

  “Angel?”

  Jake heard Gael exclaim and turned around to see the small guy grinning his head off and hugging Gael. Jake put his cup down and stepped closer. He was going to offer his hand to him, but Angel squealed and rushed at him. Jake hugged him, then pushed him back, laughing. “What happened to the blue?”

  Angel’s hair wasn’t blue all over anymore. It was a light brown with a dusting of red, but one small defiant streak of blue edged his bangs above his left ear. He tilted his head. “Tell me you like it, Agent, or you will really hurt my feelings.”

  Jake grinned. His day was suddenly getting so much better.

  “What are you doing here?” Vance’s gruff voice piped up from the corner.

  Jake turned to see Vance staring openmouthed. He supposed Angel was striking. He was fully covered in a pair of bleached denim jeans that looked like he could actually breathe in, and a black T with the words Fashion Police blazoned on it in pink. The huge black biker boots completed the outfit.

  “Hi, hotshot.” Angel grinned, and Jake watched in awe as Vance’s face became so red, he looked like it would spontaneously combust.